199results about How to "Solve the lack of stiffness" patented technology

A medical device having a laminate elongate hollow member is disclosed. The laminate member provides torsional stiffness for controlling positioning of the distal end of the device, and provides bending flexibility for assisting in insertion of the device in the patient's esophagus or other body lumen.

A support member for a catheter sheath is disclosed. The support member has a series of ribs with a distal member having integrated fingers for providing radial compliance. The support member provides sufficient axial stiffness to provide a desired pushability of a minimally invasive device for replacing a heart valve. Various alternative embodiments are also described.

A temporary shaft-component connection for assembling a selected golf club shaft with a club head and / or hand grip segment, to facilitate custom club design and fitting to suit the needs and preferences of an individual golfer. The temporary shaft-component connection is particularly designed for use with nonmetallic club shafts formed from a graphite-based composite material or the like having a range of different lengths and stiffness (whip) characteristics. The temporary connection includes an adapter insert for slide-fit reception into an adapter socket, wherein the adapter insert and socket include interengaging flat surfaces such as splines to prevent relative rotation therebetween. The adapter insert is mechanically seated and secured relative to the adapter socket at a pair of axially spaced locations, with a resilient compressible anchor member disposed at one of these securement points for substantially eliminating undesired intercomponent movement.

A balloon catheter for treatment of a patient's lacrimal system is applied transnasally without the use of a guide wire or a curve retention member. The catheter uses a stainless steel hypotube of sufficient stiffness and column strength to be pushed from the patent's nasal cavity through an opening-formed through the lateral nasal wall and lacrimal fossa, into the lacrimal sac. The catheter has an inflatable member mounted about a rigid bent distal segment. The opening is first formed by pushing small holes through the medial sac, lacrimal fossa, and lateral nasal wall with an instrument and coalescing the holes. The catheter is then introduced into the nasal cavity and pushed laterally through the opening by manipulating its proximal end. Pressurized fluid is then applied to the catheter to inflate the inflatable member and dilate the opening.

A novel mechanical system, based on a new cable driven mechanical transmission, able to provide sufficient dexterity, stiffness, speed, precision and payload capacity to actuate multi-DOF micro-manipulators. Besides the possibility of being used in several articulated surgical instruments and robotic systems for surgery or other applications involving remote manipulation, it enables the design of a novel fully mechanical surgical instrument, which offer the advantages of conventional laparoscopy (low cost, tactile feedback, high payload capacity) combined with the advantages of single port surgery (single incision, scarless surgery, navigation through several quadrants of the abdominal cavity) and robotic surgery (greater degrees of freedom, short learning curve, high stiffness, high precision, increased intuition). The unique design of the proposed system provides an intuitive user interface to achieve such enhanced manoeuvrability, allowing each joint of a teleoperated slave system to be driven by controlling the position of a mechanically connected master unit.

An improved controlled-motion instrument is provided for grasping, holding or otherwise manipulating an object in operations such as endoscopic procedures. The instrument opens and closes jaws or other manipulation members by way of a longitudinally movable cam member, but maintains the longitudinal position of the manipulation members constant relative to the instrument's body regardless of opening and closing motion. The manipulation members thus have increased length-to-diameter ratio and column strength, and the cam provides positive lateral jaw support and stability during opening and closing. The movable cam member can also include other manipulation members thereon that work in conjunction with the longitudinally fixed manipulation members.

An implantable device and method for adjustably restricting a selected body lumen such as the urethra of a patient to treat urinary incontinence. The device includes an expandable element or membrane such as a balloon attached pressure-tightly to a flexible conduit at its forward end and includes a rear port portion containing an elastic septum and flow connected to the expandable element by a first passageway. The conduit contains a second passageway which allows it to be slid along an elongated guide probe initially inserted surgically into a patient's body adjacent the body lumen which is to be adjustably restricted. A suitable flowable material is injected from a syringe source into the device rear port sufficient to expand the membrane element and restrict the body lumen to the desired degree. The syringe and guide probe are removed and the skin incision is closed over the rear port end of the implanted device. The rear port septum is located under but near the patient's skin so that if it becomes necessary to post-operatively increase or decrease the degree of body lumen restriction it may be easily accessed with the needle of the syringe.

Provided herein relates to implantable devices and systems with dynamic silk coatings. In some embodiments, the dynamic silk coatings can be formed in situ or in vivo.

The present invention provides implant devices configured to become anchored within tissue so that they do not migrate despite experiencing aggressive migration forces applied by the highly dynamic movement of muscle tissue that surrounds them. Additionally, methods for placing the devices so that they remain securely anchored within the tissue are provided. The devices are comprised of a flexible body, preferably formed from a helical wound spring. In a preferred embodiment the spring is wound from a ribbon-like filament having series of barbs or ridges formed along the proximal facing edge of the wound ribbon. The ribbon-like filament may be etched from a flat sheet of material, having barbs formed along one edge. The filament may then be wrapped into a helical coil shape to take the form of an implant having barbs formed along the proximally facing edge of each coil to resist migration.

An axle assembly connecting a wheel assembly to a vehicle frame. The axle assembly includes a tubular body having first and seconds connectable to the vehicle frame and open-ended slots disposed proximate at least one of the first and second ends of the tubular body. An expansion element is engageable with the tubular body to radially deform the tubular body at a mounting point to the vehicle frame. This configuration provides a rigid connection between the axle assembly and the vehicle frame in both the linear and radial directions.

An axle assembly connecting a wheel assembly to a vehicle frame. The axle assembly includes a tubular body having first and seconds connectable to the vehicle frame and open-ended slots disposed proximate at least one of the first and second ends of the tubular body. An expansion element is engageable with the tubular body to radially deform the tubular body at a mounting point to the vehicle frame. This configuration provides a rigid connection between the axle assembly and the vehicle frame in both the linear and radial directions.

In a belt retractor (10) having a belt tensioner (16) and a force-limiting device, the belt tensioner (16) includes a pivoted pinion gear (24) associated with a belt reel (14), a drive unit (18) and an oblong force-transmitting element (22) movable by the drive unit (18) supported at least partly in a tubular portion (21) and adapted to be engaged in the pinion gear (24) so as to rotate the pinion gear (24) in a tensioning direction (A). The force-transmitting element (22) includes a bending portion (30) which is provided at the rear end of the force-transmitting element (22) viewed in the tensioning direction and which is designed to be pressure-resistant in the longitudinal direction (L) of the force-transmitting element (22) but to be flexible in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L).

A catheter having an elongated shaft and a balloon on a distal shaft section, the elongated shaft comprising an outer tubular member, and an inner tubular member which has a bonded portion along which an outer surface of the inner tubular member is bonded to an inner surface of the outer tubular member. The inner tubular member has a proximal portion proximal to the bonded portion, and a distal portion distal to the bonded portion with higher axial compression stiffness and column strength than the proximal portion thereof. The catheter has improved traceability, axial collapse resistance, pushability, and crossability, for improved ability to position the balloon at a desired location in a patient's body lumen.

A table may include a table top and at least one leg assembly. The table top may include a first table top section and a second table top section. The table top sections may be movable between a first position in which the table top sections are generally aligned and a second position in which the table top sections are at an angle. The leg assembly may be movable between an extended position and a collapsed position relative to the table top. The leg assembly may include a first support structure and a second support structure. The support structures may be movable between a generally aligned position and an angled position when the leg assembly is in the extended position. Moving the support structures to the angled position may help retain the leg assembly in the extended position. Moving the table top sections to the second position may help retain the support structures in the angled position and thus further help retain the leg assembly in the extended position.

A catheter having an elongated shaft and a balloon on a distal shaft section, the elongated shaft comprising an outer tubular member, and an inner tubular member which has a bonded portion along which an outer surface of the inner tubular member is bonded to an inner surface of the outer tubular member. The inner tubular member has a proximal portion proximal to the bonded portion, and a distal portion distal to the bonded portion with higher axial compression stiffness and column strength than the proximal portion thereof. The catheter has improved trackability, axial collapse resistance, pushability, and crossability, for improved ability to position the balloon at a desired location in a patient's body lumen.

A vehicle body structure includes a roof side rail, roof arch, and roof panel. The roof side rail includes a mount portion extending inward in a vehicle-transversal direction and having a vehicle-transversally outer end portion of the roof panel mounted thereto. The roof arch includes a vehicle-transversally outer end portion that is located outside a vehicle-transversally inner end of the mount portion in the vehicle-transversal direction, joined with the roof side rail, and disposed at a position that is spaced apart downward from the vehicle-transversally outer end portion of the roof panel. At least one of the roof arch and the roof side rail includes a flange portion that extends toward the other one of the roof arch and the side rail and comes into contact with the other one of the roof arch and the roof side rail to restrict downward movement of the roof arch.

The present invention provides an article formed by impregnating a fibrous structure with a compound, the compound including an aqueous dispersion, the dispersion having (a) at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer, a propylene-based thermoplastic polymer, and mixtures thereof; (b) at least one polymeric stabilizing agent; and (c) water; and removing at least a portion of the water from the impregnated fibrous structure. The present invention also provides a method of forming a stiffened textile. The method may include the steps of: forming a compound, the compound including an aqueous dispersion having (a) at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer, a propylene-based thermoplastic polymer, and mixtures thereof, (b) at least one polymeric stabilizing agent, and (c) water; impregnating a textile with the compound; and removing at least a portion of the water from the impregnated textile.

A medical implantable lead is adapted to be implanted into a human or animal body for monitoring and / or controlling of an organ inside the body. The lead has in a distal end, a combined fixation means and electrode member in form of a helix, which is connected to a rotatable tubular member being connected to a rotatable member at a proximal end of the lead, and which is rotatable in relation to the lead and extendable out from the distal end, by rotation of the control member and the tubular torque transferring member, to be able to fixate the distal end of the lead to the organ by being screwed into the tissue. The helix is electrically connected to a connector at the proximal end by means of at least one electrically conducting wire formed as an electrically conducting coil, which is separate from the tubular torque transferring member and unrotatable in relation to the lead and that has one or more individual wires, each including an electrically conducting wire core and a surrounding electrically insulating layer, wherein the rotatable control member is rotatable within the connector.

Disclosed are articles and multi-zoned structures comprising a core zone comprising a wood polymer composition comprising a blend of cellulosic material and a thermoplastic polymeric resin; a cap zone disposed overlying at least a portion of the core zone comprises at least a portion of a surface of the multi-zoned structure; and, optionally, a transition zone disposed between the cap zone and the core zone. The articles are useful as wood polymer composites for use as planks, decking, stair treads, window casings, fencings, automobile interiors and pallets.

An aluminum alloy is disclosed that is suitable for casting and machining cylinder blocks for engines, especially gasoline fuel engines for automotive vehicles. The casting has the strength and wear resistance to piston / seal scuffing for such engines. The alloy comprises, by weight, 9.5 to 12.5% silicon, 0.1 to 1.5% iron, 1.5 to 4.5% copper, 0.2 to 3% manganese, 0.1 to 0.6% magnesium, 2.0% max zinc, 0 to 1.5% nickel, 0.25% maximum titanium, up to 0.05% strontium and the balance aluminum, where the weight ratio of manganese to iron is 1.2 to 1.75 or higher when the iron content is equal to or greater than 0.4% and the weight ratio of manganese to iron is at least 0.6 to 1.2 when the iron content is less than 0.4% of the alloy.

Synthetic nylon fiber composite materials having embossed or molded surfaces that emulate shingles or roofing tiles are disclosed, for providing waterproof, high-strength, durable substitute for shingles or roofing tiles. In one embodiment, these materials can be relatively thin, and designed to rest on supporting sheets of plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), or nylon fiber composite board that have been nailed to rafters. In an alternate embodiment, these materials can be manufactured in sheets with sufficient thickness, stiffness, and strength to allow them to be nailed directly to rafters, thereby eliminating the need for a supporting layer of plywood or OSB. In a third embodiment, these materials can be molded or embossed to emulate Spanish tiles, or to provide enhanced drainage or other useful traits. For improved waterproofing, the lower edge of each segment can be provided with an overhang that will overlap the upper edge of an adjacent sheet on the next lower horizontal row, to provide overlapping material at each juncture between these composite segments. These materials also can be coated or embedded with chemicals that provide increased resistance to water, fire, and ultraviolet damage. They provide excellent thermal insulation, and can reduce heating and air conditioning costs. A preferred manufacturing process uses needle-punched fiber mats, and any combination of nylon-6 and nylon-6,6 fibers can be used.

A novel mechanical system, based on a new cable driven mechanical transmission, able to provide sufficient dexterity, stiffness, speed, precision and payload capacity to actuate multi-DOF micro-manipulators. Besides the possibility of being used in several articulated surgical instruments and robotic systems for surgery or other applications involving remote manipulation, it enables the design of a novel fully mechanical surgical instrument, which offer the advantages of conventional laparoscopy (low cost, tactile feedback, high payload capacity) combined with the advantages of single port surgery (single incision, scarless surgery, navigation through several quadrants of the abdominal cavity) and robotic surgery (greater degrees of freedom, short learning curve, high stiffness, high precision, increased intuition). The unique design of the proposed system provides an intuitive user interface to achieve such enhanced maneuverability, allowing each joint of a teleoperated slave system to be driven by controlling the position of a mechanically connected master unit.

A table may include a table top and at least one leg assembly. The table top may include a first table top section and a second table top section. The table top sections may be movable between a first position in which the table top sections are generally aligned and a second position in which the table top sections are at an angle. The leg assembly may be movable between an extended position and a collapsed position relative to the table top. The leg assembly may include a first support structure and a second support structure. The support structures may be movable between a generally aligned position and an angled position when the leg assembly is in the extended position. Moving the support structures to the angled position may help retain the leg assembly in the extended position. Moving the table top sections to the second position may help retain the support structures in the angled position and thus further help retain the leg assembly in the extended position.

A lateral bracing system is disclosed for affixing a column to a beam in a construction. The lateral bracing system includes a pair of buckling restraint plates, one each affixed to a top and bottom flange of a beam. The lateral bracing system further includes at least one yield plate for each buckling restraint plate. Each yield plate includes a first end affixed to the column, and a second end affixed to the beam.

The invention discloses a dodecagonal segment for shield tunnel construction. Two long bevel edges which are both splayed are arranged on the edges of the two transverse ends of the dodecagonal segment, a long transverse edge, a short bevel edge, an inwards-sunken transverse edge, a short bevel edge and a long transverse edge are sequentially formed from one end to the other end of the edge, with a greater transverse length, in the edges of the two longitudinal sides of the dodecagonal segment, a short transverse edge, a short bevel edge, an inwards-sunken transverse edge, a short bevel edge and a short transverse edge are sequentially formed from one end to the other end of the edge, with a smaller transverse length, in the edges of the two longitudinal sides of the dodecagonal segment. The invention also discloses a segment lining structure assembled by dodecagonal segments, and the adjacent dodecagonal segments are embedded and limited. According to the dodecagonal segment with a specific shape, the shape has a mounting guide function, so that the segment can be easily positioned; the dodecagonal segment lining structure can be continuously tunneled and spliced, so that the construction efficiency and the overall lining rigidity are remarkably improved.

Embodiments of the invention provide a rotating disk storage device including a connection structure between an FPC and a printed board and providing allowance for dimensional tolerances. In one embodiment, the rotating disk storage device includes a disk enclosure, an FPC supporting portion, and a flexible printed circuit board assembly provided with an FPC terminal area that extends along a front surface of the FPC supporting portion and further beyond an end portion of the FPC supporting portion. When the printed board is mounted on the disk enclosure, a connector terminal contacts and gives pressure to an FPC terminal formed in the FPC terminal area. This causes the FPC terminal area to flex in the direction of an arrow.