376 results about "Geometric configuration" patented technology

An embodiment of the invention provides a tissue biopsy and treatment apparatus that comprises an elongated delivery device that is positionable in tissue and includes a lumen. A sensor array having a plurality of resilient members is deployable from the elongated delivery device. At least one of the plurality of resilient members is positionable in the elongated delivery device in a compacted state and deployable with curvature into tissue from the elongated delivery device in a deployed state. At least one of the plurality of resilient members includes at least one of a sensor, a tissue piercing distal end or a lumen. The sensor array has a geometric configuration adapted to volumetrically sample tissue at a tissue site to differentiate or identify tissue at the target tissue site. At least one energy delivery device is coupled to one of the sensor array, at least one of the plurality of resilient members or the elongated delivery device.

A system for training welders that includes a data generating component, a data capturing component and a data processing and visualization component. The data generating component operates in real time and derives data from an actual manually-executed weld and further includes a weld process-specific jig, a calibration block positioned on the jig, wherein the geometric configuration of the calibration block is specific to a particular type of weld joint, a weld coupon positioned on the welding process-specific jig adjacent to the calibration block, a welding gun for use by a trainee, wherein the welding gun is operative to form the weld; and at least one target mounted on the welding gun that is recognized by the data processing and visualization component for providing multidimensional position and orientation feedback to the trainee.

A method of treating a tumor includes providing a tissue biopsy and treatment apparatus that includes an elongated delivery device that has a lumen and is maneuverable in tissue. A sensor array having a plurality of resilient members is deployable from the elongated delivery device. At least one of the plurality of resilient members is positionable in the elongated delivery device in a compacted state and deployable with curvature into tissue from the elongated delivery device in a deployed state. At least one of the plurality of resilient members includes at least one of a sensor, a tissue piercing distal end or a lumen. The sensor array has a geometric configuration adapted to volumetrically sample tissue at a tissue site to differentiate or identify tissue at the tissue site. At least one energy delivery device is coupled to one of the sensor array, at least one of the plurality of resilient members or the elongated delivery device. The apparatus is then introduced into a target tissue site. The sensor array is then utilized to distinguish a tissue type. The tissue type information derived from the sensor array is utilized to position the energy delivery device to ablate a tumor volume. Energy is then delivered from the energy delivery device to ablate or necrose at least a portion of the tumor volume. The sensor array is then utilized to determine an amount of tumor volume ablation.

A bus system is disclosed for use with switching devices, such as power electronic devices. The system includes generally parallel bus elements that define electrical reference planes, such as for a dc bus. The bus elements are separated from one another by insulative layers, with additional insulative layers being available for separating the system from other circuit components. Portions of the bus elements are extended or exposed to permit connection to the circuit elements, including packaged switching circuits and energy storage or filtering circuits. The bus system may be conformed to a variety of geometric configurations, and substantially reduces parasitic inductance and total loop inductance in the resulting circuitry.

A medical instrument system comprises an elongate instrument body; an optical fiber coupled in a constrained manner to the elongate instrument body, the optical fiber including one or more Bragg gratings; a detector operably coupled to a proximal end of the optical fiber and configured to detect respective light signals reflected by the one or more Bragg gratings; and a controller operatively coupled to the detector, wherein the controller is configured to determine a geometric configuration of at least a portion of the elongate instrument body based on a spectral analysis of the detected reflected portions of the light signals.

The present invention relates to stretchable interconnects which can be made in various geometric configurations, depending on the intended application. The stretchable interconnects can be formed of an electrically conducting film or an elastomer material to provide elastic properties in which the interconnects can be reversibly stretched in order to stretch and relax the elastomer material to its original configuration. Alternatively, stretchable interconnects can be formed of an electrically conducting film or a plastic material to provide stretching of the material to a stretched position and retaining the stretched configuration. The stretchable interconnect can be formed of a flat 2-dimensional conductive film covering an elastomeric or plastic substrate. When this structure is stretched in one or two dimensions, it retains electrical conduction in both dimensions. Alternatively, the stretchable and / or elastic interconnects can be formed of a film or stripe that is formed on an elastomeric or plastic substrate such that it is buckled randomly, or organized in waves with long-range periodicity. The buckling or waves can be induced by various techniques, including: release of built-in stress of the conductive film or conductive stripe; pre-stretching the substrate prior to the fabrication of the conductive film or conductive stripe; and patterning of the surface of the substrate prior to the fabrication of the metal film. The stretchable interconnect can be formed of a plurality of conductive films or conductive stripes embedded between a plurality of layers of a substrate formed of an elastomer or plastic.

An aneurysm treatment device for in situ treatment of aneurysms comprises a collapsible member having a first shape wherein the first shape is an expanded geometric configuration, and a second shape, wherein the second shape is a collapsed configuration that is loadable into a catheter. The aneurysm treatment device is capable or returning to the first shape in the sac of an aneurysm upon deployment, where it occludes the aneurysm. In another embodiment an occlusion device comprises a flexible, longitudinally extending elastomeric matrix member that assumes a non-linear shape to conformally fill a targeted vascular site.

An aneurysm treatment device for in situ treatment of aneurysms comprises a collapsible member having a first shape wherein the first shape is an expanded geometric configuration, and a second shape, wherein the second shape is a collapsed configuration that is loadable into a catheter. The aneurysm treatment device is capable of returning to the first shape in the sac of an aneurysm upon deployment, where it occludes the aneurysm.

A measuring device for providing data corresponding to a geometric configuration in space, in the form of a flexible, compliant, measurement member capable of bending in at least one degree of freedom and extending along a medial axis or plane. The member has spaced flexure sensors distributed at known locations on the member and separated by known sensor spacing intervals to provide flexure signals indicating the local state of flexure present at the locations. The member comprises a multiplicity of formed, i.e. shaped, fibers, these fibers including sensing fibers having sensing portions which provide the flexure sensors, the sensing portions of different fibers being located at differing distances along the member so as to be located at the sensor spacing intervals, the formed fibers being in mutually supporting relationship, as by continuous or repeated contact with each other. Such fibers may constitute most or all of the member.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a microstructure having an inside cavity comprising the steps of: depositing a first layer or a first stack of layers in a substantially closed geometric configuration on a first substrate; performing an indent on the first layer or on the top layer of said first stack of layers; depositing a second layer or a second stack of layers substantially with said substantially closed geometric configuration on a second substrate; aligning and bonding said first substrate on said second substrate such that a microstructure having a cavity is formed according to said closed geometry configuration.

Described herein are integrated systems for generating neutrons to perform a variety of tasks including: on-line analysis of bulk material and industrial process control (as shown in FIG. 1), security interrogation (as shown in FIG. 2), soil and environmental analysis, and medical diagnostic treatment. These systems are based on novel gas-target neutron generation which embodies the beneficial characteristics of replenishable fusible gas targets for very long lifetime, stability and continuous operation, combined with the advantageous features common to conventional accelerator neutron tubes including: on / off operation, hermetically sealed operation, and safe storage and transport. Innovative electron management techniques provide gas-target neutron production efficiencies that are comparable or surpass existing sources. The high-pressure high-resistance gaseous discharge is presented as a favorable gas-target neutron generator embodiment, combining ion source regions, accelerator regions, gas-target regions and electron management components within a single simple cost-effective device that is adaptable to various geometric configurations that provide specific neutron emission profiles for greater analysis capacity.

This invention relates to a portable thermocycler having a unique geometric configuration, which allows the device to be made durable, compact and adapted for field-use. In general, the device includes a case, a rotary plate having a plurality of constant temperature heating blocks and a plurality of sample wheels, wherein the wheels are rotatable and pivotable to allow a plurality of reaction vessels, organized in cassettes, to be moved into contact with the heating blocks for heat transfer applications.

A manipulable seat bolster including an active material actuator configured to selectively cause or enable a condition, such as the geometric configuration, or position of the bolster to be modified, when the active material is activated.

A medical device is provided, including an elongate body defining a lumen therethrough; a shaft extending through the lumen; and an electrode array coupled to the elongate body at a first end and coupled to the shaft at a second end, where linear manipulation of the shaft causes the electrode array to transition from a first geometric configuration to a second configuration, and where rotational manipulation of the shaft causes the electrode array to transition from the second geometric configuration to a third configuration.

The present invention provides a medical device having an catheter body defining proximal and distal portions, and a guidewire lumen at least partially disposed within and movable within the catheter body. The medical device may include an expandable element defining a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is coupled to the distal portion of the catheter body and the distal end is coupled to the guidewire lumen. In addition, an actuator element may be coupled to the guidewire lumen for longitudinal movement thereof, and a tensioning element may further be coupled to the guidewire lumen to bias the guidewire lumen and / or the expandable element towards a particular geometric configuration.

A pharmaceutical formulation having a geometric configuration that affects the release characteristics of active agents contained therein and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, a sustained release oral dosage pharmaceutical tablet may include a first layer having a first active agent, where the first layer is disposed between two adjacent controlled release layers, at least one of the adjacent layers including at least one second active agent. The two adjacent layers are arranged such that they cover a portion of the first layer. The two adjacent layers may be separate layers or they may be joined into a single continuous layer, depending on the overall configuration and geometric design of the oral dosage form.

A method for mapping an internal structure of a patient with an elongate body is provided. The method includes detecting, at a plurality of instances, contact between a distal portion of an elongate body and an internal structure of the patient; determining a plurality of geometric configurations of the distal portion, the plurality of geometric configurations corresponding to the plurality of instances of contact between the distal portion and the internal structure; determining a plurality of positions of the distal portion, the plurality of positions corresponding to the plurality of geometric configurations; and generating a map of the internal structure based on the plurality of positions of the distal portion.

A premature neonate closed life support system (NCLSS) including: at least one chamber confining a cradle-like neonate support (CLNS) having suitable dimensions and geometric-configuration for accommodating at least one premature neonate having at least two operational configurations, said operational configurations comprising: a first operational OPEN configuration whereby said CLNS is adapted to couple said neonate to at least one life supporting system by means of at least one life supporting coupling line, prior to positioning said CLNS in a medical device; and a second operational air-tight CLOSED configuration whereby said neonate remains continuously coupled to said at least one life supporting system by means of at least one life supporting coupling line, when positioning said CLNS within said medical device. The OPEN and CLOSED configurations are reversible.

In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes obtaining a data set from a data source. The data set is prepared for an analysis operation according to a problem type. A result is generated from an interactive geometric node based a geometric property of the data set. A specified condition is determined with the result from the interactive geometric node based on a query to the interactive geometric node. A system's geometric configuration is determined. A geometric control criterion is determined.

A cutting device comprises a plurality of individual polycrystalline cutting elements secured in a solidified organic material layer. Each of the plurality of individual polycrystalline cutting elements has a substantially matching geometric configuration.

A manipulable seat bolster including an active material actuator configured to selectively cause or enable a condition, such as the geometric configuration, or position of the bolster to be modified, when the active material is activated.

A system for training welders that includes a data generating component, a data capturing component and a data processing and visualization component. The data generating component operates in real time and derives data from an actual manually-executed weld and further includes a weld process-specific jig, a calibration block positioned on the jig, wherein the geometric configuration of the calibration block is specific to a particular type of weld joint, a weld coupon positioned on the welding process-specific jig adjacent to the calibration block, a welding gun for use by a trainee, wherein the welding gun is operative to form the weld; and at least one target mounted on the welding gun that is recognized by the data processing and visualization component for providing multidimensional position and orientation feedback to the trainee.

The present invention relates to an improved reactor, which allows microwave-assisted processing of feedstocks or mixtures of hydrocarbons, and the operating system thereof, which operates under high temperatures and pressures of hydrogen or other gases, in continuous of batch mode. The invention relates to modifications in the geometric configuration of the reactor to process diverse hydrocarbon feedstocks, with or without the addition of catalysts, in the presence or absence of hydrogen or other gases, forming a system which includes a reaction vessel and associated devices, so as to to allow better transmittance of the radiation onto the feedstock to be processed and guarantee maximum absorption of the microwaves by the the reaction medium irrespective of the composition thereof.

Stents and other medical devices that can have specific geometric configurations (curves, contours, tapers) and / or patterns (e.g., grooves) thereon, methods of making such medical devices, and apparatuses for making such medical devices are disclosed. Projection photolithography is used to define patterns the medical devices. The methods can form grooves, ridges, channels, holes, wells, and other geometric patterns (e.g. parallelograms such as squares, rectangles and other trapezoids; triangles, pentagons, spirals, hexagons, etc.) on the surface of both the inner and outer diameters (e.g., on both the inner and outer surfaces) of stents or other cylindrical, tubular or curved-surface medical devices, allowing the manufacture of stents having customized geometry / contours on all surfaces, which can minimize endothelial surface disruption of blood flow.

A rounded keypad device capable of being operated with only one finger comprises the invention. The keypad device includes a keypad having keys, which are positioned within a movement radius of the finger of an operator and have the English letters required for forming desired words or numbers or functions to be executed. The keys are arranged in a high using-frequency key section involving first set keys among the keys of the keypad, the first keys being assigned to English letters and functions that are relatively frequently used when inputting letters and function executing instructions. The first keys being positioned in a round configuration which is defined around the eye's focal point on the keypad and in a minimum movement radius of the finger of the operator, along a first virtual circle. The keypad also includes a second low-using frequency key section comprising remaining second set of keys among the keys of the keypad, the second keys being assigned to English letters and functions that are relatively infrequently used when inputting letters and function executing instructions. The second set of keys is arranged in a rounded configuration concentric with the rounded configuration of the first set of keys and having a radius larger than the minimum movement radius. Various mode and function switches are also provided and the geometric configurations can be used with a variety of keypads and for inputting a variety of devices.

The present invention describes a beverage can end which utilizes less material and has an improved internal buckle strength based on the geometric configuration of a chuck wall, inner panel wall and central panel, and which, in one embodiment utilizes an arcuate shaped chuck wall with a radius of curvature between about 0.150 inches and 0.250 inches with at least one transition zone positioned between an upper and lower end of the chuck wall.

A novel energy harvesting system and method utilizing a thermoelectric having a material exhibiting a large thermally induced strain (TIS) due to a phase transformation and a material exhibiting a stress induced electric field is introduced. A material that exhibits such a phase transformation exhibits a large increase in the coefficient of thermal expansion over an incremental temperature range (typically several degrees Kelvin). When such a material is arranged in a geometric configuration, such as, for a example, a laminate with a material that exhibits a stress induced electric field (e.g. a piezoelectric material) the thermally induced strain is converted to an electric field.

In one embodiment, a pulse detonation engine includes a resonator configured to fluidly couple to an air flow path upstream of a pulse detonation tube. The pulse detonation engine also includes a controller configured to receive signals indicative of an operating frequency of an air valve disposed at an upstream end of the pulse detonation tube, and to adjust a geometric configuration of the resonator in response to the signals.