267results about How to "The relative position is appropriate" patented technology

An inductive power transfer (IPT) pad and system for the charging of electric and hybid electric vehicles. The batter of such a vehicle can be selectively coupled to a high power electrical supply for fast charging or a lower power electrical supply for charging using IPT. The batteries of the vehicles are used in a system to control the load demand in an electricity network through variations of the frequency of power supplied.

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for sequentially treating multiple zones in underground formation in a single trip of the well treatment work string. In the one embodiment, the work string includes composite tubing having electrical conductors embedded within the walls, the conductors enabling power transmission and two way communication between the surface and the sensor or detectors downhole so that real time data can be sensed and communicated. Isolation packers are actuated via electrical signals from the surface communicated to the bottom hole assembly via the conductors. A detector located in the bottom hole assembly may be provided to detect perforations or other anomalies in the casing, such as joints, enabling the surface controller to position packers properly in blank segments of casing so that well intervals can be properly isolated and the adjacent formation effectively treated.

An apparatus for automatically dispensing a fluid includes a container adapted to carry a supply of fluid, and a valve connected to said container, wherein actuation of said valve dispenses the fluid. Also included is an apparatus position indicator proximally associated with the container and an object sensor positioned near the valve. The object sensor monitors an area below where the valve dispenses when open and upon detection of an object opens said valve. Initial positioning of the apparatus triggers the apparatus position indicator to generate an appropriate signal until said object sensor is properly positioned. Once positioned the device may be permanently secured. A control circuit within the apparatus also allows programming of lighting indicators, dispense cycle size, and dispense quantities. The control circuit also provides for overload protection, motor braking and RF shielding.

An improved treadmill control system which adjusts the speed of a moving tread belt to follow user motions. Equipment includes a tread base supporting a moving tread belt upon which a user can run or walk, a motor assembly and motor driver to move the tread belt, a plurality of foot sensors, a tread belt motion sensor, a measurement system to estimate user motion based on foot and tread belt sensor signals, and a motor controller to adjust motor assembly speed based on estimates of user motion. The system is capable of making improved user motion estimates and of using them to provide improved belt speed control. In one embodiment, user position, speed, and acceleration are estimated at each user footfall while estimates are continually revised between footfalls. In one embodiment, foot sensors are capacitive proximity sensors which are effective, fully concealable, and economical.

An apparatus for automatically dispensing a fluid includes a container adapted to carry a supply of fluid, and a valve connected to the container, wherein actuation of the valve dispenses the fluid. An apparatus position indicator is associated with the container and an object sensor is positioned near the valve. The object sensor monitors an area below where the valve dispenses when open and upon detection of an object opens the valve. Initial positioning of the apparatus triggers the apparatus position indicator to generate an appropriate signal until the object sensor is properly positioned and permanently secured. A control circuit in cooperation with a hidden switch allows programming of lighting indicators, dispense cycle size, and dispense quantities. The control circuit also provides for overload protection, motor braking and RF shielding. And an anti-vandal feature prevents excessive use of the apparatus.

A system to measure fluid flow characteristics in a pipeline, meter, and methods includes a pipeline having a passageway to transport flowing fluid therethrough, a process density meter including at least portions thereof positioned within the pipeline to provide flowing fluid characteristics including volumetric flow rate, fluid density, and mass flow rate of the flowing fluid, and a fluid characteristic display to display the fluid characteristics. The process density meter includes a vortex-shedding body positioned within the pipeline to form vortices and a vortex meter having a vortex frequency sensor to measure the frequency of the vortices and to determine the volumetric flow rate. The process density meter further includes a differential pressure meter positioned adjacent the vortex-shedding body to produce a differential pressure meter flow rate signal indicative of the density of fluid when flowing through the pipeline. The process density meter also includes a thermal flow meter positioned adjacent the vortex-shedding body to produce a mass flow rate signal indicative of the mass flow rate of fluid when flowing through the pipeline. The process density meter produces an output of a volumetric flow rate, a flowing fluid density, and a mass flow rate to be displayed by the fluid characteristic display.

A retractable memory drive in accordance with the present invention comprises a top casing, a middle carrier, an electronic device such as a USB thumb drive, and a bottom casing. A positioning device on the middle carrier has a portion that protrudes outside the casing and operates like a button. The location of the positioning device where the button is located has two key attributes. First, there is a protrusion that acts as a lock with the casing. Second, the area below the button is not rigid and so it gives way when pressure is applied to the button. The top and bottom casings provide a casing structure which includes two detents. One detent is for locking the device with the connector in the extended position, and one detent for locking the device with the connector retracted in the in position. This allows for just one press of the extended portion of the positioning device to unlock it from its present position. When the device reaches its new position it will automatically lock. There are also guide rails that allow the middle carrier to remain in an appropriate position.

A non-contact surface roughness-measuring machine is provided which can avoid damage caused by collision with a workpiece and set a non-contact surface roughness probe at an appropriate position relative to a measurement surface of the workpiece. A non-contact surface roughness probe and a touch-signal probe are attached at a tip end of an arm of a coordinate measuring machine. A stylus of the touch-signal probe is protruded relative to a detection surface of the non-contact surface roughness probe, in which the protrusion amount is within an optimum distance of the non-contact surface roughness probe relative to the measurement surface. When the probes are brought close to the workpiece and the touch-signal probe detects contact, the non-contact surface roughness probe is set within the optimum distance relative to the workpiece.

A delivery device (12) for delivering a stent device (3) in a reduced profiled delivery configuration is provided. A distal region (9) of the stent device is axially anchored to an inner catheter (2) by annular rings (5, 6) about the inner catheter. A remaining portion (10) of the stent device is spaced radially from the inner catheter. A proximal stop (4) is spaced axially from a proximla end of the stent device. The stent device is maintained in the reduced profile delivery configuration by a retractable outer sheath (1).

The present disclosure relates to the field of spine disc implants. Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed spinal disc implants advantageously and ultimately provide fusion with the body of the vertebra and stabilization of the spine in an anatomically correct position, e.g., in cervical, thoracic and / or lumbar regions. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to a disc implant that addresses and overcomes the shortcomings of the prior implants by providing first and second inter-vertebral elements that are movably coupled relative to each other and are adapted to permit bone in-growth over time. Thus, the disclosed spinal disc implants permit relative movement between the first and second inter-vertebral elements upon implantation and after the patient is mobilized—thereby permitting the implant to assume a desired position based on the specific and unique spinal balance of the patient in an initial post-implantation period—but then the first and second inter-vertebral elements become fixed relative to each other (i.e., fused). The present disclosure also provides advantageous instrumentation and associated methods for positioning a spine disc implant in a desired anatomical location.

Rotational motions between a displacement-measuring probe and an optical test surface define a spherical or near spherical datum surface against which measurements of the probe are taken. The probe has a measurement axis that is maintained substantially normal to the optical test surface during the course of measurement.

An ocular device for insertion into an eye is provided and includes a body having an anterior surface and a posterior surface for placement on one of superior sclera and inferior sclera of the eye. The posterior surface is defined by a base curve that is substantially identical to a radius of curvature of the one of the superior sclera and inferior sclera of the eye. In one embodiment, the ocular device serves as an ocular drug delivery system and contains an active pharmaceutical agent, a lubricant, etc. In a second embodiment the ocular device can be constructed in such a manner to treat a wide variety of ocular conditions and diseases.

A mammography apparatus capable of obtaining a clear breast image with reduced burden on the subject. The apparatus includes a radiation irradiation section and an object table connected to an arm such that they face each other, and the breast pressed on the object table using a compression paddle is imaged by rotating the arm according to the imaging direction. In the apparatus, the size of the breast is detected, and the relative position between the radiation irradiation section and object table is changed along the side of the object table facing the chest wall of the subject according to the detected size of the breast and the direction of rotation of the arm.

An optically coupled device and an optical module including the optically coupled device are provided in which a photoelectric conversion device can be easily and appropriately positioned, and reduction in manufacturing costs and improvement in productivity can be achieved.A configuration is made in which, when a photoelectric conversion device 7 is attached to an optically coupled device 1, sufficient optical coupling efficiency can be achieved simply by a mechanical operation in which a photoelectric conversion device 7-side positioning mechanism 12 is engaged with an optically coupled device 1-side positioning mechanism 11, without requiring alignment in any of an emission or irradiation direction of light in a photoelectric conversion element 5 and a direction perpendicular thereto.

A subsea raw water injector including a pump which is connected to an injection string and a filter connected to an inlet of the pump to remove particulates from the surrounding sea water. The filter is in the form of an inclined tube settler disposed such that particulates separated from sea water flowing through it are discharged to the seabed.

The invention relates to a technique for precisely locating a line containing a predetermined point within the surgical site using a series of levels and plumb lines and internal anatomical features of the surgical site, using this location to precisely position and temporarily affix a site preparation scaffold relative to the patient's anatomy so that site preparation instruments can be introduced into the site at precise locations governed by the scaffold geometry and patient anatomy. This precise positioning of the scaffold also provides a way for the surgeon to use patient anatomical features to reliably and precisely prepare the surgical site. Scaffolds having angling features further increase the precise preparation of the surgical site. This increased precision in site preparation increases the probability of a successful procedure, and decreases the likelihood that additional surgery may be needed.

A method for indicating a position of a radiation energy sensor element in a radiographic imaging system, the method executed at least in part by a computer, identifies the position of the radiation energy sensor element relative to a subject to be imaged and displays the identified position relative to the subject.

The invention is devices and related methods for detecting blood clots in a blood vessel. An optical microprobe is configured to illuminate a blood vessel with electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the near-infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The optical microprobe has a pair of fiber optic strands configured for transmission spectroscopy to obtain the absorption spectrum generated by the components within the blood vessel. Because blood clots generate a detectable and unique spectrum, the presence or absence of the blood clot is determined by examining the blood vessel absorption spectrum. A specially-designed holder is configured to stably position the optical microprobe relative to the blood vessel and is used to facilitate precise blood clot detection along a length of blood vessel.

Various methods for automatically processing an ultrasound image for echocardiography are disclosed in which the regions of interest in the ultrasound image are identified by determining velocity vectors for tissue movement in the image. A novel construction of ultrasound probe is also disclosed.

Embodiments of the invention include devices and methods for implanting arthroplasty devices. Some embodiments include designs that allow for use of x-ray images as the only images used to fully and accurately preoperatively and intraoperatively size and align arthroplasty device components and prepare all necessary tissue.

A filament-wound composite coupling for use in assembling a restrained joint between large diameter pipes with complementary retaining grooves, such as 16 inch or larger outer diameter polyvinyl chloride pipes. The coupling has first and second ends and ported retaining grooves associated with each end. Preferably, the coupling also includes O-ring seals and a pipe stop to index the pipes to be coupled. The composite coupling has a cylindrical composite body with a plurality of concentrically arranged layers of wound filaments in a thermoset plastic matrix. Each of the layers is characterized by a winding angle opposing the winding angle of the adjoining layers.

A device and method for minimally invasive tendon sheath release. The device and method that enables a surgeon to cut (“open”) a pulley that is obstructing a nodule and keeping a tendon from sliding smoothly. A ball tipped guide probe goes through a small incision and is used to find the edge of the pulley. Once found, the probe is guided to an end of the pulley. After proper position is assured, a cutting blade is deployed by pushing and holding a blade deployment switch. This deploys the sharp end of a retractable cutting shaft beyond the sheath. The entire device is then pushed or pulled using the device handle along the pulley until the pulley is completely released or where resistance is no longer felt. In an alternate embodiment, the cutting blade is static.

A hip joint socket implant for total hip replacement, can contain a modified surface configuration of its cement-fixable outer wall having small, widely dispersed cement spacer elevation members. The implant has a unique snap-fitted arrangement of the head-restraining marginal outlet of the acetabular component with posterior and anterior cut outs of the implant to avoid premature impingement against a prosthetic femoral neck, allowing a normal, non-dislocating range of unobstructed external and internal rotation of the hip, and a hood that is a marginally extended continuation of the superior one-half or so of the cup containment that is of a sufficient magnitude to reduce the overall dimension of the socket outlet to less than a hemisphere, which is especially pertinent to a conventional hip replacement acetabular cup prosthesis.

A retractable memory drive in accordance with the present invention comprises a top casing, a middle carrier, an electronic device such as a USB thumb drive, and a bottom casing. There are guide rails that allow the middle carrier to remain in an appropriate position. There is also a metal spring clip coupled to the middle carrier for contacting a connector of a device coupled to the drive to provide for improved EMI and ESD protection.

Rotational motions between a displacement-measuring probe and an optical test surface define a spherical or near spherical datum surface against which measurements of the probe are taken. The probe has a measurement axis that is maintained substantially normal to the optical test surface during the course of measurement.

A lottery ticket dispenser includes a number of ticket bins mounted in a housing of the dispenser. The ticket bins hold a fanfold stack of tickets proximate a transparent front panel of the dispenser for optimum visibility. The ticket bins are adjustably mounted in the dispenser for proper positioning in one of a variety of positions depending upon the size and configuration of the stack of fanfold tickets. The tickets are transported from the ticket stack upwardly over a guide by a ticket transport mechanism for processing by a powered separator to separate the adjacent tickets apart prior to dispensing. Excessive stress is not placed on the tickets which in prior art dispensers resulted in prematurely bursting the perforated joints apart or damaging the tickets.

A speaker mounting apparatus for mounting a mounting part includes: a support member to be fixed to the speaker unit; a fixing plate to be fixed to the mounting part; and a positioning mechanism including an externally toothed engagement member provided on the support member and an internally toothed engagement member provided on the fixing plate. The externally toothed engagement member is brought into the internally toothed engagement member by the dead weight of the support member or the speaker unit fixed to the support member. Thus, movement of the support member relative to the fixing plate is prevented so that the support member is positioned in a peripheral direction (rotational direction) relative to the fixing plate.