2987 results about "Flexible cable" patented technology

A device, kit and method may include or employ an implantable device (e.g., annuloplasty implant) and a tool operable to implant such. The implantable device is positionable in a cavity of a bodily organ (e.g., a heart) and operable to constrict a bodily orifice (e.g., a mitral valve). The tissue anchors may be guided into precise position by an intravascularly or percutaneously deployed anchor guide frame of the tool and embedded in an annulus of the orifice. Constriction of the orifice may be accomplished via a variety of structures, for example by cinching a flexible cable or via a anchored annuloplasty ring, the cable or ring attached to the tissue anchors. The annuloplasty ring may be delivered in an unanchored, generally elongated configuration, and implanted in an anchored generally arch, arcuate or annular configuration. Such may approximate the septal and lateral (clinically referred to as anterior and posterior) annulus of the mitral valve, to move the posterior leaflet anteriorly and the anterior leaflet posteriorly, thereby improving leaflet coaptation to eliminate mitral regurgitation.

A surgical stapler having a remote motorized staple head is provided and generally includes a handle having a control button and a highly flexible cable extending distally from the handle. A housing incorporating a staple assembly is affixed to a distal end of the flexible cable. The housing may incorporate articulating structure to position the staple assembly relative to the remainder of the housing.

A data Interface for transferring digital data between a host and a client over a communication path using packet structures linked together to form a communication protocol for communicating a pre-selected set of digital control and presentation data. The signal protocol is used by link controllers configured to generate, transmit, and receive packets forming the communications protocol, and to form digital data into one or more types of data packets, with at least one residing in the host device and being coupled to the client through the communications path. The interface provides a cost-effective, low power, bi-directional, high-speed data transfer mechanism over a short-range "serial" type data link, which lends itself to implementation with miniature connectors and thin flexible cables which are especially useful in connecting display elements such as wearable micro-displays to portable computers and wireless communication devices.

A surgical instrument is provided, as is a method for stabilizing and facilitating recovery of injured bone within a living body. The surgical instrument includes a flexible cable and a plurality of permanent bone-contacting enlargements fixedly attached to the flexible cable. The bone-contacting enlargements are spaced apart from one another to provide linking cable portions alternating with the spaced bone-contacting enlargements. The spaced relationship between the bone and the linking cable portions provide channels along the bone length for permitting vascular circulation across a region of the injured bone to which the surgical instrument is applied.

A spinal fixation device is disclosed, which includes a flexible cable; a plurality of components disposed on the flexible cable; and a plurality of fixing nails, wherein the flexible cable may be movingly received by the fixing nails after it has been fitted with the components, and a screw may be used to secure the flexible cable along with the components onto the fixing nails; wherein two neighboring components disposed on the flexible cable are connected with an adjustable angle.

A data Interface for transferring digital data between a host and a client over a communication path using packet structures linked together to form a communication protocol for communicating a pre-selected set of digital control and presentation data. The signal protocol is used by link controllers configured to generate, transmit, and receive packets forming the communications protocol, and to form digital data into one or more types of data packets, with at least one residing in the host device and being coupled to the client through the communications path. The interface provides a cost-effective, low power, bi-directional, high-speed data transfer mechanism over a short-range “serial” type data link, which lends itself to implementation with miniature connectors and thin flexible cables which are especially useful in connecting display elements such as wearable micro-displays to portable computers and wireless communication devices.

A drawer (20) of a server system rack (12) includes a flexible cable management arm (114) which is molded of plastic for securing cabling (34) between a moveable tray (38) and an electronic switch (30). The molded cable management arm (114) is preferably formed as a single member (116) having hinges which are defined by hinge regions (120). The hinge regions (120) have oppositely disposed grooves (121, 123), which are formed in opposite sides of the single member (116). Cable retention tabs (140) are integrally molded into the single member (116) and are L-shaped. Adjacent ones of the cable retention tabs (140) extend fromalternating ones of opposite edges (142) of the single member (116), with outer portions (144) of the retention tabs (140) extending across and spaced apart from a main body portion (145) of the molded plastic cable management arm (114).

A package stack has at least two packages of area array types (AAT), each having connecting pads. A flexible cable having conductive patterns is provided between the AAT packages and electrically connected to the connecting pads of the packages.

A system and method are disclosed in which flex cables are affixed to PCBs, for providing high-speed signaling paths between ICs disposed upon the PCBs. The flex cables are fixably attached to the PCBs so as to substantially mimic their structural orientation. Where the configuration includes more than one PCB, the flex cables include multiple portions which are temporarily separable from one another and from the die, using flex-to-flex and flex-to-package connectors, allowing field maintenance of the configuration. By routing the high-speed signals between ICs onto the flex cable, single-layer PCBs can be used for non-critical and power delivery signals, at substantial cost savings. By disposing the flex cables onto the PCB rather than allowing the cables to float freely, the configuration is thermally managed as if the signals were on the PCB and cable routing problems are avoided.

A surgical instrument and method for facilitating the capture of objects during surgery are provided. The surgical instrument includes a flexible tube defining a cable passageway and being configured for insertion of at least portion of the flexible tube into a body cavity of a patient. The surgical instrument further includes flexible cable slidably disposed in the cable passageway. A snare loop is attached to the cable end and both are adapted so that the snare loop can be selectively retracted or extended within the cable passageway by sliding the cable proximally or distally within the cable passageway. The loop member is adapted for selectively encircling and engaging at least a portion of an object in the body cavity. The system also comprises a tether, the tether attached to the loop member at one end and to the flexible tube at the other, so that extension of the flexible cable causes the snare loop to deform in a predetermined manner.

An unlimited stroke drive method for pumping fluid from an oil well in which the well has a tubing string extending from the earth's surface down to a fluid producing formation. The method includes the steps of positioning a pump barrel within the tubing, an upper end of the pump barrel having communication through a standing valve with the interior of the tubing string, vertically reciprocating a length of flexible cable within the tubing string to vertically reciprocate a plunger within the pump barrel to allow a lower portion to quickly fill with fluid from the producing formation and then to a downward position in which fluid within the pump barrel lower portion is transferred through a traveling valve to an area within the pump barrel above the plunger to move formation fluid from within the pump barrel to the interior of the tubing and thence to the earth's surface.

An apparatus and method for interfacing the motion of a user-manipulable object with a computer system includes a user object physically contacted or grasped by a user. A 3-D spatial mechanism is coupled to the user object, such as a stylus or a medical instrument, and provides three degrees of freedom to the user object. Three grounded actuators provide forces in the three degrees of freedom. Two of the degrees of freedom are a planar workspace provided by a closed-loop linkage of members, and the third degree of freedom is rotation of the planar workspace provided by a rotatable carriage. Capstan drive mechanisms transmit forces between actuators and the user object and include drums coupled to the carriage, pulleys coupled to-grounded actuators, and flexible cables transmitting force between the pulleys and the drums. The flexibility of the cable allows the drums to rotate with the carriage while the pulleys and actuators remain fixed to ground. The interface also may include a floating gimbal mechanism coupling the linkage to the user object. The floating gimbal mechanism includes rotatably coupled gimbal members that provide three degrees of freedom to the user object and capstan mechanisms coupled between sensors and the gimbal members for providing enhanced sensor resolution.

An integrated solid state device for viewing and manipulating objects located in remote sites and locations which includes a flexible cable having a camera on one end and a viewer on an opposite end. The camera captures images near the end of the flexible cable and converts the images into a video signal that is transferred through wires that extend through the length of the flexible cable. The video signals are received by the viewer and converted into a displayed image. A variety of removable article manipulators can be attached to the distal end of the flexible cable and used to manipulate, capture and retrieve articles and objects near the distal end of the flexible cable.

A flat display unit has a chassis combining a display panel and circuit boards for driving the display panel into a unit in which the display panel and the circuit boards are mounted on respective opposite surfaces of the chassis. The chassis is provided with a bank (i.e., sidewall) extending about the periphery of opposite main surfaces of the chassis including at least the surface on which the display panel is mounted, perpendicularly to that surface and surrounding the periphery of the display panel 3, and hence protecting the display panel without requiring a protector, as is conventionally used during the processes of assembling, testing and transporting thereof. The chassis is also provided with through-holes and optionally with a cut-out, which are formed in the periphery of the chassis, for facilitating interconnections between the display panel and the circuit boards by flexible cables which pass therethrough.

This invention solves problems associated with prior-art soft-dock mechanisms by placing all active components of a soft-dock system on the chaser side of the mechanism, leaving the target side of the mechanism completely passive (i.e., requiring no power expenditure or self-actuated moving parts to operate). In particular, the active components are supported on the end of a flexible cable attached to the probe, or chaser, side of the device. These components act as a sort of spring-loaded “trap.” Once the end of the probe passes into a receptacle on the target side, the mechanism is triggered, engaging it in such a way that it can no longer be pulled out of the receptacle until it is reset. The soft-docking cable may be replaced with a rigid, semi-rigid or jointed post that is used to bring a capture mechanism into engagement with its corresponding receptacle or receiving structure. The magnetic end effector may also be implemented as an electro-magnet, which requires power to maintain the holding force, or a permanent magnet, which captures a target without power. The main target cone may be either a metallic cone: or a non-metallic cone constructed of fabric, plastic, or other flexible material.