1269 results about "Extremity Part" patented technology

An ultrasonic surgical apparatus which can be used in laparoscopic surgery. The ultrasonic surgical apparatus includes an inserting unit and an operation unit. The inserting unit is inserted into a guide member called a trocar. The inserting unit includes an elongated member, a tip portion, and also a joint section provided between the elongated member and the tip portion. The tip portion includes a transducer unit and an oscillation member, and preferably further includes a clamp member and an open / close mechanism. The joint section enables the tip portion to be slanted with respect to the elongated member. The operation unit includes a mechanism for operating the joint section, and preferably further includes a mechanism for operating the clamp member. The direction of the oscillation member can be varied by the joint section. Because ultrasonic oscillation is generated in the tip portion, effective transmission of the ultrasonic oscillation to the oscillation member can be achieved.

A surgical robotic component comprising an articulated terminal portion, the terminal portion comprising: a distal segment having an attachment for a surgical tool; a basal segment for attaching the terminal portion to the remainder of the surgical robotic component; and an intermediate compound joint between the distal segment and the basal segment, the intermediate compound joint permitting relative rotation of the distal segment and the basal segment about first, second and third axes; the terminal portion being arranged such that, in at least one configuration of the intermediate compound joint: (i) the axial direction of the basal segment is parallel to the axial direction of the distal segment, and (ii) the first, second and third axes are transverse to the axial directions of the basal and distal segments.

A system for preparing a trochlear region of a resected femur is disclosed. The system includes a reamer guide and a reamer. The reamer guide has a first arcuate portion, a second arcuate portion, a wall, a protrusion connected to the wall, a leg connected to one of the first or second arcuate portion, and a distal tip portion connected to the leg. The reamer is adapted to rotatably connect to the distal tip portion, and the reamer has a first end portion, a second end portion, and one or more flutes.

A sensing apparatus with a connector, a sensor lead and a sensor module with a spacer placed over electrodes that have been deposited on a substrate. The spacer may have a space for receiving an enzyme. End portions of the sensor module may be encapsulated, such as with molded beads. A sensor lead may attach to the sensor module and may have an outer tubing that passes over the module and attaches to the beads at the end of the sensor module. The sensor lead may also attach to the connector such that the sensing apparatus may be electrically coupled to a pump, electronics or other devices. The sensing apparatus may be implanted into a vein or artery.

A vertical skein of "fibers", opposed terminal portions of which are held in headers unconfined in a modular shell, is aerated with a gas-distribution means which produces a mass of bubbles serving the function of a scrub-brash for the outer surfaces of the fibers. The membrane device is surprisingly effective with relatively little cleansing gas, the specific flux through the membranes reaching an essentially constant relatively high value because the vertical deployment of fibers allows bubbles to rise upwards along the outer surfaces of the fibers. Further, bubbles flowing along the outer surfaces of the fibers make the fibers surprisingly resistant to being fouled by build-up of deposits of inanimate particles or microorganisms in the substrate provided that the length of each fiber is only slightly greater than the direct center-to-center distance between opposed faces of the headers, preferably in the range from at least 0.1% to about 5% greater. For use in a large reservoir, a bank of skeins is used with a gas distributor means and each skein has fibers preferably >0.5 meter long, which together provide a surface area >10 m2. The terminal end portions of fibers in each header are kept free from fiber-to-fiber contact with a novel method of potting fibers.

Image display device having an image source generating an image, a beam splitter positioned at forty five degrees to the main optical path, to project and focus the image generated by the image source into the entrance pupil of the human eye, two achromatic standard doublet lenses positioned perpendicularly to the main optical path and placed between the image source and the beam splitter, and configured to amplify, collimate, and correct optical aberrations of said image, wherein the image source, beam splitter and the doublet lenses are in an on-axis configuration and the image display device comprises two mounting brackets parallel to the main optical axis, each having an extremity part holding an edge of the beam splitter and the other extremity pivotally attached to a housing, allowing the brackets and beam splitter to rotate in an axis perpendicular to the main optical path.

Disclosed herein are surgical repair systems and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, a repair system comprises: a positioning device comprising a shaft, a tip section, and an optional depth stop. The tip section comprises a material receiving area configured to receive a fold of a folded material. The tip section is configured to enable wrapping of the folded material around the tip section. The depth stop is configured to inhibit the folded material from moving toward the shaft beyond a desired point. In another embodiment, a repair system comprises: a positioning device comprising a shaft and a tip section. The tip section comprises a material receiving area and a retractable extension wire. The tip section is configured to receive material and retain the material until it is deployed at a defect site. The extension wire is configured to extend from the tip section to support the material.

A semiconductor component includes back side pin contacts fabricated using a circuit side fabrication method. The component also includes a thinned semiconductor die having a pattern of die contacts, and conductive members formed by filled openings in the die contacts and the die. In addition, the pin contacts are formed by terminal portions of the conductive members. The fabrication method includes the steps of forming the openings and the conductive members, and then thinning and etching the die to form the pin contacts. An alternate embodiment female component includes female conductive members configured to physically and electrically engage pin contacts on a mating component of a stacked assembly.

A branch wire tie band including a strap portion on which ratchet grooves are formed, the strap portion extending from a head portion within which a strap locking channel is formed. A curved attachment coil, which is preformed as an integral portion of the strap portion, is placed around the branched portion of a wire harness after which the strap portion is inserted and locked into the band locking channel. The tie band may includes two tie band strap portions extending from respective head portions and an anchor plate within which left and right through holes are formed. The two tie band straps may be inserted through the left and right through holes in the anchor plate from where they extend diagonally, their tip portions crossing, and their head portions prevented from passing through the through holes.

An endovascular prosthesis comprising a first end section, a second end section and a midsection. The midsection has a diameter less than the diameter of the first end section and the second end section. At least the first end section and the second end section have lateral support preferably in the form of a stent which may also act as anchoring. The reduced diameter midsection is provided with at least one side port which is adapted to be connected to a branch endograft to provide a connection between the side port and the native branch artery. The side ports are arranged to correspond with the native branch arteries and are provided with radiographic markers at their proximal and distal ends. The side ports with the radiographic markers provide an effective means of making the connection to the native branch by a branch endograft without having to align the side ports exactly to the branch arteries and without kinking of the side ports.

This invention relates generally to medical devices, such as stents, for delivering a biologically active material to a desired location within the body of a patient. In particular, the invention relates generally to a medical device for delivering a biologically active material to a surface of a body lumen. More particularly, the invention is directed to a medical device comprising two opposing end sections, each having a surface, and a middle portion. The middle portion comprises a plurality of struts and the two opposing end sections comprises non-structural elements. The end sections of the surface either (1) contain a greater amount of a biologically active material per unit length of the surface or (2) have a greater capacity per unit length to contain such material than the middle section of the surface by having a greater surface area per unit length of the surface than the middle section or having a greater affinity for the biologically active material per unit length of the surface than the middle section. The struts and the non-structural elements comprise biologically active materials. The invention is also directed to a method for delivering the biologically active material to the body tissue of a patient by inserting this medical device into the body of the patient. Still further, the invention is directed to a method of treating a body lumen surface by preventing or treating restenosis or hyperplasia, using the system of the invention. Still further, the invention is directed to a stent having a sidewall which comprises a middle section, a first end section and a second end section. The stent also comprises a band comprising a biologically active material. The band is connected to the first end section and / or second end section of the stent.

A hybrid stent prosthesis including a biodegradable tubular body, a first non-biodegradable self-expanding ring coupled to a proximal end of the biodegradable body, and a second non-biodegradable self-expanding ring coupled to a distal end of the biodegradable body. The hybrid stent includes a mechanism for longitudinally compressing the tubular body to increase the radial or hoop strength thereof. The longitudinally compressing mechanism may be protruding elements coupled to and extending radially outward from the hybrid stent or elastomeric compression bands or tethers extending between the non-biodegradable rings. The compression bands may be pre-connected to both non-biodegradable rings prior to stent delivery, or may be connected to one non-biodegradable ring prior to insertion and connected to the other non-biodegradable ring in situ.

An insertion assisting tool inserted into a catheter and positioned ahead of the catheter is provided so as to assist an insertion of the catheter. The insertion assisting tool includes: a distal end portion whose end is tapered and which has a guide wire lumen opening at a tip end and a proximal end of the distal end portion; and a shaft extending from a part of a proximal-end surface of the distal end portion to a proximal end of the insertion assisting tool.

Improved methods and apparatus to secure a urethral sling to pubic bone in a sub-urethral location to support the urethra and alleviate incontinence are disclosed. The urethral sling is preferably formed of a flexible sheet material extending between opposed first and second sling ends and bounded by opposed first and second sling sides. The urethral sling is selectively tensioned in a central portion intermediate the first and second sling ends and / or in one or both of end portions bracketing the central portion. In one embodiment, pre-positioned plicating lines in the central portion are selectively drawn and tied to slacken the central portion and tension the end portions. In further embodiments, bone anchor lines passed through locations displaced from the sling ends are drawn and fixed to tension the central portion between the displaced locations and slacken the end portions.

A turbine blade and a process for manufacture of turbine blades is provided comprising: casting as one piece a blade body and a first portion of an airfoil; forming a tip section having a tip cap and a second portion of an airfoil which is sized to fit on the first portion of the airfoil; and attaching the first portion of the airfoil to the second portion of the airfoil. A process for repairing turbine blades is provided which comprises: removing the tip cap and a portion of the airfoil from the blade to form a repair surface on the airfoil; forming a replacement tip section comprising a replacement tip cap and a replacement portion of the airfoil sized to fit onto the repair surface; and attaching the replacement tip section to the repair surface.

A device is disclosed for displaying information in a vehicle. The device includes a unit for creating a real image containing information relevant to a driver, to be reflected in a reflective viewing surface located directly above the field of vision actively used by the driver to survey the traffic situation, and thereby generating a virtual image. The device further includes a second reflecting surface provided behind or beside the driver's head, with the driver in his or her normal position, at essentially the same level as the viewing surface or higher, an end section of an optical path between the unit and the viewing surface in use extending between said second reflecting surface and the viewing surface. By the optical path extending at least partly in the upper part of the driver's cab, a relatively long (several meters) optical path can be obtained without the need for complex mirror systems. In particular, this applies to commercial vehicles such as lorries and buses, which generally have an essentially vertical windscreen and plenty of free space above and in front of the driver.

A transseptal guidewire and methods for perforating the intra-atrial septum of the heart are disclosed. The transseptal guidewire has an elongated body, an end section biased in a curved configuration to define a proximal curve, and a distal section biased in a curved configuration to define a distal curve, the distal curve being oriented in a direction generally opposite that of the proximal curve.

The present invention aims to provide a substrate for mounting an IC chip, on which an optical signal passing region is formed and which can suppress a transmission loss in an optical signal and transmit an optical signal more positively with high reliability. The substrate for mounting an IC chip according to the present invention is a substrate for mounting an IC chip, in which a conductor circuit and an insulating layer are laminated in alternate fashion and in repetition on both faces of a substrate and an optical element is mounted on the substrate. Herein, the substrate for mounting an IC chip includes an optical signal passing region, and a microlens arranged on an end portion of the optical signal passing region on the opposite side from the optical element.

An insertion assisting tool for an endoscope which is a tubular insertion assisting tool which is provided with an inflatable and deflatable balloon attached to a tip end outer peripheral part, and through which an insertion section for an endoscope is capable of being inserted, comprising: an air hole formed at an outer periphery and / or a tip end part of the insertion assisting tool.

A chamber for the infusion of a medicament. The chamber includes a reservoir, an outer casing having a base wall and a lateral wall, a region for access to the reservoir, and a duct for the diffusion of the medicament. A contour of the base wall is substantially triangular. The casing has a shape tapered in a first direction, and a terminal portion of the diffusion duct extends tranversely, and preferably perpendicularly, to the direction of tapering.

An improved steerable catheter with in-plane deflection comprises a catheter body having proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending therethrough and a tip section at the distal end of the catheter body. The tip section comprises a flexible plastic tubing having a pair of diametrically-opposed lumens extending therethrough. The catheter also provides two puller wires manipulated through a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body. Each puller wire extends through one of the pair of lumens in the tip section and through the lumen of the catheter body and is anchored to the control handle at its proximal end and anchored to the tip section at its distal end. The deflection mechanism is configured to generally define a plane along which deflection most readily occurs and an edge along which deflection is most readily avoided. The deflection mechanism extends longitudinally along a centerline of the tip section between the first and second puller wire and is configured generally with a cross section having a thinner dimension and a thicker dimension to bias the tip section to deflect in a plane parallel with the thinner dimension of the deflection mechanism and to resist deflection in a plane perpendicular to thicker dimension.

Thrombectomy catheters are presented that have curved tip portions. A suction lumen extends from at or near the proximal end of the catheter to a suction port at or near the tip portion of the catheter. The curves of the thrombectomy catheter can be selected to place a suction port at or near a vessel wall for the more effective removal of thrombus resulting from directing the suction in the direction of the thrombus. In some embodiments, the tip portion of the catheter can be transitioned from a first configuration for delivery of the catheter into the vessel to a second more curved configuration with a desired design for application of suction. The catheter can be moved in a circumferential and / or lateral direction to cover selected portions of the inner vessel wall. In some embodiments, a partially occlusive structure can be used to reduce and / or redirect flow within the vessel to improve performance of the thrombectomy.

The invention comprises an implant having a first end section and a second end section, where the first end has a cancellous thread for implantation in a first section of bone and the second end includes expansion slots and barbs or wings, that that resist movement out of a second section of bone. These anchors expand outwardly when a rigid wire, such as a k-wire is fed through a central cannulation in the implant and either the wire expands in diameter or the cannulation decreases in diameter. The implant also includes a collar intermediate to the first and second section which includes one or more surfaces to allow the first section to be screwed into a first bone section.

An airline (AL) optical fiber (“AL fiber”) that has an AL region with airlines, with the AL region arranged relative to the fiber core so as to make the fiber bend insensitive. The AL region is capable of supporting one or more higher-order optical modes. One method of reducing multipath interference (MPI) includes accessing a section of the AL fiber and closing at least one of the airlines in the section. This serves to attenuate one or more higher-order modes, which reduces MPI. In one example, the AL fiber has an end section wherein the airlines are filled with a blocking material. An example blocking material is a curable adhesive that is wicked into the airlines via capillary action and then cured when the adhesive reaches a certain depth from the fiber end. In another example, the blocking material is formed by heating the AL fiber section to cause the section to melt and block the airlines, so that the melted AL fiber serves as the blocking material. The AL fiber with reduced MPI is particularly useful as a “jump” fiber, whose length is too short to rely on attenuating higher-order modes via a cable cut-off wavelength.

Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for catheter positioning. Certain embodiments provide a catheter for use in at least intravenous and intracardiac spaces. The catheter includes a catheter body having a length and a tip portion at a distal end of the catheter body. The catheter also includes a plurality of wires for moving the catheter body in a plurality of directions. The catheter further includes a first control for manipulating the plurality of wires in two primary planes of movement for the catheter body. The catheter includes a second control for manipulating the plurality of wires in two secondary planes of movement for the catheter body. The second control is distinct in appearance and operation from the first control.

An endoscope has an inserting tube to be inserted into a human body, first and second optical systems integrally secured to a tip end portion of the inserting tube. The first and second optical systems are for observing the in vivo tissues at different magnifications. A front end portion of the second optical system is protruded by a predetermined amount with respect to a front end portion of the first optical system so that the front end portion of said second optical system is located within a field of view of said second optical system.

Disclosed is a Mushroom-shaped light guide for a homogeneous illumination of a circular scale of a motor vehicle operating device by means of a light source (LED) arranged opposite a light input surface of a mushroom-shaped cone, wherein a light input surface has a cylindrical recess, and edge of which is rounded off in a circle with a radius R between a lateral surface and an axial surface, and a base of which is provided in a form of a ball surface which projects centrally, whereby the mushroom-shaped cone has a conical end section. This produces an increased parallel alignment of the light beams, which effects an improved illumination of the dial.

A method of friction stir welding and a non-consumable retractable shoulderless variable penetration friction stir welding tool. The tool includes a substantially cylindrical body portion, a head portion, and a tip section, each integral to the tool. The body portion has a longitudinal axis about which it is rotable, a diameter, a sidewall substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end. The head portion is located at the distal end of the body portion. The head portion has a base with a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the body portion thereby forming a smooth transition between the body portion and the head portion, thus, the tool has no shoulder. The head portion includes a face that converges to the tip section. The tool is retractable, reduces overheating, improves weld quality by reducing internal voids and lack of fusion, and facilitates variable penetration welds.