3583results about How to "Reduce stiffness" patented technology

A surgical staple comprising a first deformable leg, a second deformable leg and a backspan having first and second transverse portions spaced apart to create a gap therebetween. The backspan further includes a third transverse portion spaced distally from the first and second transverse portions and distally of the gap. A first non-linear backspan portion extends between the first transverse portion and the first end portion of the third transverse portion and a second non-linear backspan portion extends between the second transverse portion and the second end portion of the third transverse portion.

A debulking catheter comprising a debulking assembly for debulking a body lumen. The catheters of the present invention can include a flexible proximal portion coupled to a rigid distal portion. A tissue debulking assembly can be disposed within the rigid portion to debulk the body lumen. In exemplary embodiments, the rigid portion is rotatably coupled to the flexible portion such that rotation or deflection of the rigid portion, relative to the flexible portion, can expose the tissue debulking assembly through a window in the catheter to debulk the body lumen.

An implantable medical device includes a porous metal foam or foam-like structure having pores defined by metal struts or webs wherein the porous structure has directionally controlled pore characteristics. The pore characteristics controlled include one or more of the metal structure porosity, pore size, pore shape, pore size distribution and strut thickness. The pore characteristics may vary in one or more directions throughout the structure. Preferably the pore characteristics are controlled to match the porous metal structure to various mechanical and biological requirements of different regions of the structure in order to optimize aspects of the implants performance and may vary not only over the surface of the porous structure but through the depth of the porous structure. The thickness of the porous metal structure may also be modified to establish a thickness profile that optimizes mechanical and biological requirements of the implants performance. Acetabular cup embodiments of the invention are described. Various methods of manufacturing implants having directionally controlled pore characteristics are described.

An implantable medical device includes a porous metal foam or foam-like structure having pores defined by metal struts or webs wherein the porous structure has directionally controlled pore characteristics. The pore characteristics controlled include one or more of the metal structure porosity, pore size, pore shape, pore size distribution and strut thickness. The pore characteristics may vary in one or more directions throughout the structure. Preferably the pore characteristics are controlled to match the porous metal structure to various mechanical and biological requirements of different regions of the structure in order to optimize aspects of the implants performance and may vary not only over the surface of the porous structure but through the depth of the porous structure. The thickness of the porous metal structure may also be modified to establish a thickness profile that optimizes mechanical and biological requirements of the implants performance. Acetabular cup embodiments of the invention are described. Various methods of manufacturing implants having directionally controlled pore characteristics are described.

An iron-type golf club head is disclosed that comprises a striking face, a heel, a toe and a sole bar, wherein a recess is formed in the sole bar. A cartridge comprised of a first material at least partially disposed the sole recess, and at least one pin, comprised of a second material coupled to the cartridge. The first material has a modulus of elasticity that are less than that of the second material.

A catheter comprising an outer shaft comprising a first section of electroactive polymer. The first section of electroactive polymer affecting either the flexibility of the catheter or the steerability of the catheter.

An apparatus having a member that revolves about a remote center of motion (RCM) and a base link coupled to a mounting fixture. A first and second link are pivotably coupled to the member at respective distances from the RCM and are translatable relative to the base link along a first direction, at a fixed ratio of displacement. The ratio of respective distances equals a fixed ratio of displacement. The apparatus has a translational motion generator for a first and second element along parallel opposing directions. The translational motion generator is disposed on the first link and enables motion parallel to the first direction. The base link is fixed in position, the first element is fixed to the base link and the second element is fixed to the second link, such that the first and second link may translate relative to the base link with fixed ratio of displacement.

A physiological sensing stethoscope suitable for use in high-noise environments is disclosed. The stethoscope is designed to be substantially matched to the mechanical impedance of monitored physiological activity and substantially mismatched to the mechanical impedance of air-coupled acoustic activity. One embodiment of the stethoscope utilizes a passive acoustic system. Another embodiment utilizes an active Doppler system. The passive and active systems can be combined in one stethoscope enabling switching from a passive mode to an active mode suitable for use in very high-noise environments. The stethoscope is suitable for use in environments having an ambient background noise of 100 dBA and higher. The passive includes a head having a housing, a flexural disc mounted with the housing, and an electromechanical stack positioned between the housing and the flexural disc in contact with the skin of a patient. The active system detects Doppler shifts using a high-frequency transmitter and receiver.

In some embodiments, a lighting element comprising at least first and second solid state light emitters, a first heat sink structure with a fold region between first and second heat sink regions, and at least one light emitter on each of the heat sink regions, and methods of making. In some embodiments, a lighting element, comprising plural heat sink regions on respective regions of a flexible circuit board, and plural light emitters on respective regions of the flexible circuit board, and methods of making. In some embodiments, heat sink structures comprising plural heat sink regions and a circuit board with plural regions, and lighting elements comprising them. In some embodiments, a heat sink structure, comprising plural heat sink regions and an internal flow guide structure, and lighting elements comprising same. Also, other lighting elements, lamps and heat sink structures.

Particular aspects provide novel devices for bone tissue engineering, comprising a metal or metal-based composite member / material comprising an interior macroporous structure in which porosity may vary from 0-90% (v), the member comprising a surface region having a surface pore size, porosity, and composition designed to encourage cell growth and adhesion thereon, to provide a device suitable for bone tissue engineering in a recipient subject. In certain aspects, the device further comprises a gradient of pore size, porosity, and material composition extending from the surface region throughout the interior of the device, wherein the gradient transition is continuous, discontinuous or seamless and the growth of cells extending from the surface region inward is promoted. Additional aspects provide a device for bone tissue engineering, comprising a metal or metal-based composite member / material comprising an interior porous structure, wherein the pore size, porosity and material composition is selected to provide a device having an optimal density and / or elastic modulus and / or compression strength for a specific recipient. Novel methods for fabricating the devices are also provided.

A catheter comprising an outer shaft comprising a first section of electroactive polymer. The first section of electroactive polymer affecting either the flexibility of the catheter or the steerability of the catheter.

Catheters having selectively insertable or selectively activatable and releasable stiffening mechanisms are provided. In general, the catheter is inserted, navigated and withdrawn from a subject in a relaxed, flexible condition and stiffening mechanisms are deployed to prevent the catheter from shifting during placement or operation of an accessory device or tool through the catheter. Stiffening members(s) may be inserted into and removed from one or more longitudinal channel(s) provided in proximity to the catheter wall and generally coaxial with the primary catheter lumen to change the stiffness properties of the catheter. The properties, configuration and size of the stiffening members and channels may be varied to vary the stiffness properties of the catheter and stiffening members may be constructed from materials having shape change properties or materials that change conformation or stiffness with application of heat, current or electrical field. Stiffening mechanisms may also employ energy absorbing and viscoelastic polymer materials having variable stiffness properties depending on ambient conditions.

A device used in conjunction with fixation hardware to provide a two-stage process to address the competing needs of immobilization and re-establishment of normal stress-strain trajectories in grafted bone. A method of determining a patient-specific stress / strain pattern that utilizes a model based on 3D CT data of the relevant structures and cross-sectional data of the three major chewing muscles. The forces on each of the chewing muscles are determined based on the model using predetermined bite forces such that a stiffness of cortical bone in the patient's mandible is determined. Based on the stiffness data, suitable implantation hardware can be designed for the patient by adjusting external topological and internal porous geometries that reduce the stiffness of biocompatible metals to thereby restore normal bite forces of the patient.

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face. The body has an impact-influencing structure in the form of a channel positioned on at least one surface of the body. A majority of a force generated by impact with a ball is absorbed by the impact-influencing structure, and a majority of a response force generated by the head upon impact with the ball is generated by the impact-influencing structure. The face may have increased stiffness as compared to existing faces, and may include a stiffening structure to create the increased stiffness, such as a porous or cellular stiffening structure.

A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load by working in tension comprising a generally annular inner ring, a generally annular outer ring, and an interconnected web having a plurality of web elements and comprising a plurality of generally polygonal openings. Web elements are sized, oriented and comprised of a material that facilitates buckling when subjected to a compressive load. By buckling, those elements in a deformed portion of the tire between a wheel and a footprint region where the tire contacts a surface can assume a significantly reduced portion of the load, if any. This causes web elements in other portions of the interconnected web to operate in tension to support the load.

A wiper blade for cleaning motor vehicles is proposed, which is provided with a band-like, elongated, spring-elastic support element (12). The lower band surface (13) of the support element (12) oriented toward the window (22) has an elongated, rubber-elastic wiper strip (14), which can be placed against the window (22), disposed on it so that the longitudinal axes of these two parts are parallel and the upper band surface (11) of the support element (12) has a wind deflection strip (42) disposed on it, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the support element, is provided with an attack surface (54) oriented toward the main flow of the relative wind, and is comprised of an elastic material. A considerable weight savings for the wiper blade is achieved if the wind deflection strip (42, 142, or 242) has two diverging legs (44, 46), viewed in cross section, which are connected to each other at a common base (48) and whose free ends (50, 52) oriented toward the window (22) are supported on the wiper blade (10), and the attack surface (54) is embodied on the outside of the one leg (44).

The invention relates to an integrated circuit package, in particular an integrated chip size package or an integrated chip scale package, comprising a substrate carrying a die, and connection elements, interconnection elements, connecting pins of said die with said connection elements, and a mold encapsulating said die on said substrate. To increase reliability and to reduce failure due to deformation stress, the invention provides said mold with reduced stiffness at areas located substantially at one of said interconnection elements providing increased flexibility of said package at said areas compared to other areas of said package.

A thin-wall hollow form for concrete to in-situ pour hollow non-beam floor is composed of top plate, peripheral wall and bottom plate, and is characterized by that its bottom plate contains at least one thin strip for improving its resistance to impact and collision. Its advantages are simple structure, high strength, toughness and resistance to deformation and vibration, light weight and low cost.

Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk drive which has improved electrical properties owing to a reduction in the loss of transmission line, improved vibration properties owing to a reduction in the stiffness of wiring around the head, and a flat impedance in the transmission line. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive comprises a suspension; a magnetic head coupled with the suspension and configured to write and read information to and from a magnetic recording medium; and a transmission line disposed on the suspension to transmit writing and reading information to and from the magnetic head. The transmission line includes a writing line and a reading line, a lower conductor disposed underneath the writing line and the reading line, and an insulating layer interposed between the lower conductor and the writing and reading lines. The lower conductor comprises copper or copper-based alloy and has a thickness of substantially less than 25 μm, desirably about 2-12 μm, and more desirably about 5 μm.

A disposable undergarment having a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent core disposed therebetween. The core is placed in a crotch region and has front and rear end zones and a middle zone. Side portions of a first elastic member extend in the vicinity of front ends of transversely opposite side edge portions of the crotch region while a middle portion of the first elastic member extends across the front end zone. Side portions of a second elastic member extend in the vicinity of rear ends of the edge portions while a middle portion of the second elastic member extends across the rear end zone. The contraction of the first and second elastic members in the middle portions thereof is effectively used to maintain the front and rear end zones of a core in close contact with the wearer's skin.

Disclosed is a flexible battery including a sheet-like electrode group, an electrolyte, and a housing with flexibility enclosing the electrode group and electrolyte. The housing includes a film material folded into two in which the electrode group is inserted. The film material has two facing portions respectively facing two principal surfaces of the electrode group, a fold line which is between the two facing portions and along which the film material is folded, and two bonding margins respectively set around the two facing portions. The two bonding margins are bonded to each other into a bonded portion. At least the two facing portions of the film material are formed in a corrugated shape having a plurality of ridge and valley lines arranged in parallel to each other. The ridge lines in one of the two facing portions are overlapped with the valley lines in the other. The fold line is parallel to the ridge and valley lines.

A gas turbine vane to improve vane performance by addressing known failure mechanisms. A cooling circuit to the trailing edge of a vane airfoil is fed from the outer diameter platform, which prevents failure due to an oxidized and eroded airfoil trailing edge. The gas turbine includes an outer diameter platform, a hollow airfoil and an inner diameter platform with a plurality of cooling tubes extending radially through the airfoil. The cooling tubes are open at the outer diameter end and closed with covers at the inner diameter end. The inner diameter platform is also cooled and includes a meterplate for a portion of the cooling passageway and includes an undercut to improve thermal deflections of the inner diameter platform.

A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, includes a face having a ball striking surface configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face and extending rearwardly from the face. The body has an impact-influencing structure in the form of a channel positioned on at least one surface of the body. A majority of a force generated by impact with a ball is absorbed by the impact-influencing structure, and a majority of a response force generated by the head upon impact with the ball is generated by the impact-influencing structure. The face may have increased stiffness as compared to existing faces, and may include a stiffening structure to create the increased stiffness, such as a porous or cellular stiffening structure.

A system and method for performing spinal fusion using vertebral connecting rods constructed of a shape memory material, such as shape memory alloy. The connecting rod is cooled below its phase transition temperature, which is chosen to be just below body temperature, and is inserted through a curved guide tube previously inserted into the back of the patient. The guide tube is located so as to deliver the connecting rod at its desired location between the preinserted pedicle screw heads. The rod, being in its flexible state below the transition temperature, negotiates the curve and exits the guide tube in a straight form and parallel to the patient's spine. As it heats up to body temperature, it regains its original straight shape and its original rigidity, and is ready for connecting its associated vertebrae to each other.

A medical catheter including a composite laminated shaft having a segment that is mechanically deformed to have reduced stiffness.

A thin-wall form for filling concrete in it to in-situ pour hollow non-beam floor is composed of top plate and peripheral wall, and is characterized by that at least one of said top plate and peripheral wall contains at least one thin strip for improving its resistance to impact and collision. Its advantages are simple structure and high resistance to deformation and vibration.

A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load by working in tension. The tire can comprise a generally annular inner ring, a generally annular outer ring, and a web having a plurality of web elements. The tire can further comprise a layer or layers fabric material acting as a bonding agent to bond tire components together.

In an elevator installation, an apparatus and a method use a support end connection for fastening a support device to an elevator car, a counterweight and / or a building. The support device has at least one cable or cable strand enclosed by a cable casing and is held in a wedge pocket by a wedge. The cable casing is formed of thermoplastic material or an elastomer and at least one of a region of the wedge or the wedge pocket is provided with a longitudinal wedge groove and a region of the wedge, of the wedge pocket or the cable casing has a reduced coefficient of friction. The support device is preferably a multiple cable.