3830 results about "Contact element" patented technology

A phase change memory device comprises a photolithographically formed phase change memory cell having first and second electrodes and a phase change element positioned between and electrically coupling the opposed contact elements of the electrodes to one another. The phase change element has a width, a length and a thickness. The length, the thickness and the width are less than a minimum photolithographic feature size of the process used to form the phase change memory cell. The size of the photoresist masks used in forming the memory cell may be reduced so that the length and the width of the phase change element are each less than the minimum photolithographic feature size.

A method of cleaning and treating a device, including those of the micromechanical (10) and semiconductor type. The surface of a device, such as the landing electrode (22) of a digital micromirror device (10), is first cleaned with a supercritical fluid (SCF) in a chamber (50) to remove soluble chemical compounds, and then maintained in the SCF chamber until and during the subsequent passivation step. Passivants including PFDA and PFPE are suitable for the present invention. By maintaining the device in the SCF chamber, and without exposing the device to, for instance, the ambient of a clean room, organic and inorganic contaminants cannot be deposited upon the cleaned surface prior to the passivation step. The present invention derives technical advantages by providing an improved passivated surface that is suited to extend the useful operation life of devices, including those of the micromechanical type, reducing stiction forces between contacting elements such as a mirror and its landing electrode. The present invention is also suitable for cleaning and passivating other surfaces including a surface of semiconductor wafers, and the surface of a hard disk memory drive.

A memory cell includes a FinFET select device and a memory element. In some embodiments a memory cell has a contact element coupled between a surface of the fin and the memory element.

In a sternum closure device for fixing two sternum portions to be connected to one another, comprising an inner contact element for abutment on the inner surface of the sternum, at least one clamping element fixed to this contact element and projecting transversely from it and at least one outer contact element for abutment on the outer side of the sternum which can be clamped against the inner contact element by means of the clamping element guided through the intermediate space between the sternum portions, it is suggested in order to hinder the separation of the sternum as little as possible during any renewed operation that the inner contact element consist of two parts which are separate from one another and each of which is designed to abut on one of the two sternum portions and that connecting means be provided for the releasable connection of the two parts arranged next to one another.

In a sternum closure device for securing two sternum parts to be connected to one another, comprising an inner contact element to abut the inner face of the sternum, at least one clamping element secured thereto and projecting transversely therefrom, and comprising an outer contact element for abutment on the outer side of the sternum and which can be clamped by means of the clamping element guided through the intermediate space between the sternum parts against the inner contact element, in order to reduce the obstruction by the sternum closure device in the event of a renewed separation of the sternum parts, it is proposed that the inner contact element consists at least partially of a biocompatible plastics material.

A porous intervertebral spacer having a flexible wire mesh as a vertebral body contact surface, the flexible wire mesh preferably being a convex titanium mesh laser-welded at its perimeter to the spacer. The mesh is domed in its initial undeflected conformation, but deflects as necessary during insertion of the spacer between vertebral bodies, and, once the spacer is seated between the vertebral bodies, deforms as necessary under anatomical loads to reshape itself to the concave surface of the vertebral endplate, providing gripping and holding strength upon initial implantation, and an osteoinductive surface through which the bone may ultimately grow, making the fixation of the spacer between the vertebral bodies secure.

In order to connect the shielding (62) of an electric cable (6) to a metallic connector (7), the invention proposes an electrically non-conductive cable guide part (1) that features a wall segment (2) of an electrically conductive material that needs to be laterally open sectionally.

In this case, the shielding (62) of the electric cable (6) lying in the interior (12) is connected to a corresponding mating connector by means of the wall segment (2) and an electrically conductive connector sleeve (31) surrounding the connector.

To provide an implant for securing neighbouring bone plates, especially neighbouring cranial bone plates, wherein the bone plates each have an inner face and an outer face, comprising an inner contact element that is adapted to rest on the inner faces of the neighbouring bone plates, an outer contact element that is adapted to rest on the outer faces of the neighbouring bone plates, and an in a linear manner flexible tensioning element for connecting the inner contact element and the outer contact element in such a manner that they can no longer be separated from one another, with improved properties, it is provided that the outer contact element comprises at least one recess for at least partially accommodating a connection region between free strands of the tensioning element or for feeding the connection region through into a separation gap between the neighbouring bone plates.

Apparatus for the application of topical negative pressure therapy to a wound site is described, the apparatus comprising: a wound contacting element for retaining wound exudate fluid therein; a wound covering element that provides a substantially airtight seal over the wound contacting element and wound site; a vacuum connection tube connecting a wound cavity to a vacuum source; and a vacuum source connected to a distal end of the vacuum connection tube.

An instrument in particular suitable for being inserted into the cavity within a vertebra, which instrument features a collapsed position and an expanded position, in which collapsed position the instrument can be inserted into the cavity through an opening in the vertebral wall. The instrument includes a first upper elongated contact element and a second lower elongated contact element, and member for moving said elements apart in a direction substantially transversely to their contact surfaces to a particular end position, in which the elements are locked in position relative to each other.

An electrical interconnection system with high speed, differential electrical connectors. The connector is assembled from wafers containing columns of conductive elements, some of which form differential pairs. Each column may include ground conductors adjacent pairs of signal conductors. The ground conductors may be wider than the signal conductors, with ground conductors between adjacent pairs of signal conductors being wider than ground conductors positioned at an end of at least some of the columns. Each of the conductive elements may end in a mating contact portion positioned to engage a complementary contact element in a mating connector. The mating contact portions of the signal conductors in some of the pairs may be rotated relative to the columns. The printed circuit board to which the differential signal connector is mounted may be constructed with elongated antipads around pairs of signal conductors.

A connector system (20) connects a leadless integrated circuit (IC) device (22) to a printed circuit (PC) board (24) by means of a contact array (26). The contact array (26) connects input-output (I/O) contacts on the IC device (22) to corresponding circuit contacts (28) on PC board (24). The contact array (26) is a generally thin, flexible and rectangular shaped element that is sandwiched between the PC board (24) and the IC device (22). The contact array (26) has a plurality of square cells (30) that are each a portion of the array (26) and are formed from a planar body (32) of a suitable conductive material, such as beryllium copper, sandwiched between suitable insulating films, formed from polyimide. Each cell is divided into a first pair (34) of contact elements (36) extending above the plane of the body (32) and a second pair (38) of contact elements (36) extending below the plane of the body (32).

A stylus includes a stem with a first end and a second end, wherein the stem includes a contact element at the first end and can be arranged with the second end in a holder, and wherein the stylus includes an RFID chip. Also, a measurement device including the stylus and a method for taking account of data characterizing the stylus in a measurement device is provided.

An apparatus for sensing an analyte is described, wherein the apparatus includes an interface contact element that is used to establish an interface with a quantity of body fluid. The interface contact element is adapted to facilitate diffusion of a target analyte across the interface essentially free of net mass fluid transport. The quantity of body fluid is exposed to the interface contact element through micro-pathways. The apparatus can also include a sensing material adapted to sense the target analyte with at least one analytical method. Methods for using the apparatus in a non- or minimally invasive monitoring technique are also described. FIG. (1) illustrates a non-limiting embodiment of the apparatus used to test the principles of the invention.

One method disclosed herein includes forming a sacrificial etch stop material in a recess above a replacement gate structure, with the sacrificial etch stop material in position, forming a self-aligned contact that is conductively coupled to the source/drain region, after forming the self-aligned contact, performing at least one process operation to expose and remove the sacrificial etch stop material in the recess so as to thereby re-expose the recess, and forming a third layer of insulating material in at least the re-exposed recess.

An electrical wiring device for use in an electric circuit. The electrical wiring device includes a device housing and at least one switch disposed within the device housing. The at least one switch includes at least one terminal member configured to be coupled to the electric circuit to thereby energize the electrical device when coupled. The electrical wiring device further includes a lamp receptacle formed in the device housing, the lamp receptacle including a contact element that is electrically coupled to the at least one terminal member and a lamp module including a circuit contact member. The lamp module having a lamp module form factor that is configured to be inserted into the lamp receptacle such that the lamp circuit contact member engages the contact element to thereby establish electrical connectivity between the lamp light module and the at least one terminal member, the lamp module also being removable from the lamp receptacle to thereby disengage the circuit contact member from the contact element.

A device for calibration of an industrial robot, which calibration device is adapted for being in contact during the calibration with at least one plane of reference arranged on the robot, the calibration device includes an angle measuring member arranged for measuring an angle relative to the vertical line. The device further comprises two contact elements each having a curved surface, and the contact elements are arranged for being in contact with the plane of reference.