13412 results about "Physical property" patented technology

The present invention relates to collagenous membranes produced from amnion, herein referred to as a collagen biofabric. The collagen biofabric of the invention has the structural integrity of the native non-treated amniotic membrane, i.e., the native tertiary and quaternary structure. The present invention provides a method for preparing a collagen biofabric from a placental membrane, preferably a human placental membrane having a chorionic and amniotic membrane, by decellularizing the amniotic membrane. In a preferred embodiment, the amniotic membrane is completely decellularized. The collagen biofabric of the invention has numerous utilities in the medical and surgical field including for example, blood vessel repair, construction and replacement of a blood vessel, tendon and ligament replacement, wound-dressing, surgical grafts, ophthalmic uses, sutures, and others. The benefits of the biofabric are, in part, due to its physical properties such as biomechanical strength, flexibility, suturability, and low immunogenicity, particularly when derived from human placenta.

An article of footwear with a knit upper and a method of manufacturing the footwear are disclosed. The upper is formed through a knitting process to include a plurality of sections formed of different yarns and knits to provide the sections with different physical properties. In portions of the upper where sections formed of different yarns are in adjacent wales, a tuck stitch is utilized to join the sections. The method utilizes a circular knitting machine having multiple feeds that work together to knit the upper into a unitary, seamless structure. The multiple feeds, each of which provide multiple types of yarns, produce the sections to have varying physical properties.

A liquid-filled balloon may be positioned between a workpiece, such as a semiconductor structure covered with a photoresist, and a lithography light source. The balloon includes a thin membrane that exhibits good optical and physical properties. Liquid contained in the balloon also exhibits good optical properties, including a refractive index higher than that of air. Light from the lithography light source passes through a mask, through a top layer of the balloon membrane, through the contained liquid, through a bottom layer of the balloon membrane, and onto the workpiece where it alters portions of the photoresist. As the liquid has a low absorption and a higher refractive index than air, the liquid-filled balloon system enhances resolution. Thus, the balloon provides optical benefits of liquid immersion without the complications of maintaining a liquid between (and in contact with) a lithographic light source mechanism and workpiece.

We have discovered methods of controlling a combination of PECVD deposition process parameters during deposition of thin films which provides improved control over surface standing wave effects which affect deposited film thickness uniformity and physical property uniformity. By minimizing surface standing wave effects, the uniformity of film properties across a substrate surface onto which the films have been deposited is improved. In addition, we have developed a gas diffusion plate design which assists in the control of plasma density to be symmetrical or asymmetrical over a substrate surface during film deposition, which also provides improved control over uniformity of deposited film thickness.

An article of footwear with a knit upper and a method of manufacturing the footwear are disclosed. The upper is formed through a knitting process to include a plurality of sections formed of different yarns and knits to provide the sections with different physical properties. In portions of the upper where sections formed of different yarns are in adjacent wales, a tuck stitch is utilized to join the sections. The method utilizes a circular knitting machine having multiple feeds that work together to knit the upper into a unitary, seamless structure. The multiple feeds, each of which provide multiple types of yarns, produce the sections to have varying physical properties.

A method and apparatus for measuring sleep quality that utilizes sensors incorporated in a sheet which is laid on top of a conventional mattress on which the subject sleeps. The sensors can collect information such as the subject's position, temperature, sound / vibration / movement, and optionally other physical properties. The apparatus for monitoring an individual's sleep quality is comprised of one or more layers of arrays of integrated sensors, which can be incorporated in layer pads, which is then placed on a conventional mattress; one or more controllers coupled with the arrays of integrated sensors in each layer pad for the purpose of acquiring data from the sensors; a real-time analysis software for analyzing data acquired by the controller from the array of integrated sensors; an interface software for collecting user lifestyle data; a lifestyle correlation software for correlating the lifestyle data with the data acquired by said array of sensors; one or more active components to improve sleep quality based on the data acquired through the sensors and the lifestyle data. The array of sensors provide one or more of the following data: position, temperature, sound, vibration, and movement data. Each layer pad can be individually removed or added as necessary depending on the data being collected.

A composition for use in forming a multi-block copolymer, said copolymer containing therein two or more segments or blocks differing in chemical or physical properties, a polymerization process using the same, and the resulting polymers, wherein the composition comprises the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining: (A) a first metal complex olefin polymerization catalyst, (B) a second metal complex olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by catalyst (A) under equivalent polymerization conditions, and (C) a chain shuttling agent.

A composition for use in forming a multi-block copolymer, said copolymer containing therein two or more segments or blocks differing in chemical or physical properties, a polymerization process using the same, and the resulting polymers, wherein the composition comprises the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining: (A) a first metal complex olefin polymerization catalyst, (B) a second metal complex olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by catalyst (A) under equivalent polymerization conditions, and (C) a chain shuttling agent.

A sensor for wirelessly determining a physical property within a defined space comprises an electrical resonance and has a high quality factor Q. The quality factor Q is sufficiently high that a signal generated by the sensor can be received outside the defined space. The sensor may optimally have a dielectric coating.

Copolymers, especially multi-block copolymer containing therein two or more segments or blocks differing in chemical or physical properties, are prepared by polymerizing propylene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, or other C4-8α-olefin and one or more copolymerizable comonomers, especially ethylene in the presence of a composition comprising the admixture or reaction product resulting from combining: (A) a first metal complex olefin polymerization catalyst, (B) a second metal complex olefin polymerization catalyst capable of preparing polymers differing in chemical or physical properties from the polymer prepared by catalyst (A) under equivalent polymerization conditions, and (C) a chain shuttling agent.

Oxygen defects formed at the boundary between the zinc oxide type oxide semiconductor and the gate insulator are terminated by a surface treatment using sulfur or selenium as an oxygen group element or a compound thereof, the oxygen group element scarcely occurring physical property value change. Sulfur or selenium atoms effectively substitute oxygen defects to prevent occurrence of electron supplemental sites by merely applying a gas phase or liquid phase treatment to an oxide semiconductor or gate insulator with no remarkable change on the manufacturing process. As a result, this can attain the suppression of the threshold potential shift and the leak current in the characteristics of a thin film transistor.

A capture device for remote, virtual on screen data input by hand annotation comprises at least three functional layers including a bottom rigid layer, a middle pressure sensor layer and a top flexible layer. The bottom rigid layer has a surface that provides a mechanical support for writing. The middle pressure sensor layer is adapted to measuring a pressure array or map on the capture active area and to send data representing the measured pressure to a personal computer. The top flexible touch-sensitive passive LCD display layer includes an LCD surface by which whatever is written down on the LCD is impressed graphically due to its liquid crystal physical properties wherein applied pressure changes the crystal particles orientation and light properties, such that when a stylus presses against a writing surface thereof, it leaves a visible trace allowing the user to produce a drawing though no real ink has flown.

Disclosed herein are synthetic anatomical models that are designed to enable simulated use testing by medical device compam'es, medical device designers, individual inventors, or any other entity interested in the performance of medical devices. These models are unique in possessing a level of complexity that allows them to be substituted for either a live animal, an animal cadaver, or a human cadaver in the testing of these devices. These models are further characterized by a similarity of geometry, individual component physical properties, and component-to-component interfacial properties with the appropriate target tissue and anatomy.

The present invention relates to methods and articles for anchoring within a natural bodily lumen. An anchor is adapted to provide differing radially-outward forces along its length, a securing force and a transitional force. Production of these forces can be controlled by varying a physical property of the anchor, such as its stiffness, thickness, or shape. For example, the stiffness of an elongated anchor can be varied from a relatively soft value at its proximal and distal ends to a relatively stiff value at its center by varying the diameter of wire forming the anchor, thereby tailoring it to an intended application. Such force tailoring can be combined with external barbs and used to reliably anchor other instruments, such as feeding tubes and intestinal sleeves.

A chemical analysis apparatus is equipped with analysis sections having openings, means for supplying samples or reagents from the openings, means for combining and mixing samples with reagents to obtain droplets as liquids to be measured, and means for measuring the physical properties of the liquids to be measured during reaction or after completion of reaction. Furthermore, plate members are provided facing each other in analysis sections and a plurality of electrodes are provided on the plate member faces that face each other. Voltage is applied from the plurality of electrodes to the droplets of the samples and the reagents.

The invention relates to a micro-interface enhanced reactor bubble scale structure-activity regulation and control model building method. The diameter dmax of the largest bubble of a micro-interface enhanced reactor and the diameter dmin of the smallest bubble of the micro-interface enhanced reactor serve as independent variables, the average diameter d32 of the bubble Sauter serve as a dependentvariable, and a numerical relationship is built; based on the Kolmogorov-Hinze theory, the relationship between the diameter dmax of the largest bubble of the micro-interface enhanced reactor, the diameter dmin of the smallest bubble and the parameters of the reactor is built. According to the method, the reactor bubble scale is associated with the structural parameter, the operation parameter andthe physical property parameter of the reactor by using specific numerical relationship, the numerical relationship has the guiding significance for the design of the reactor and can be applied to avariety of reactors, the versatility is good, by means of a bubble scale regulation and control model built through the method, by adjusting the structural parameter and the operation parameter of thereactor, and the maximization of energy efficiency and material efficiency in the reaction process can be achieved, or under the condition that reaction targets, energy consumption and material consumption are given, a high-efficiency reactor structure is designed.

We have discovered methods of controlling a combination of PECVD deposition process parameters during deposition of thin films which provides improved control over surface standing wave effects which affect deposited film thickness uniformity and physical property uniformity. By minimizing surface standing wave effects, the uniformity of film properties across a substrate surface onto which the films have been deposited is improved. In addition, we have developed a gas diffusion plate design which assists in the control of plasma density to be symmetrical or asymmetrical over a substrate surface during film deposition, which also provides improved control over uniformity of deposited film thickness.

This invention relates generally to low ethylene insertions into I-olefin polymers and processes for production of such polymers using unbridged fluxional metallocenes, primarily substituted aryl indenyl metallocenes, and more particularly to use of unbridged, fluxional, cyclopentadienyl or indenyl metallocene catalyst systems in methods of production of high melting point I-olefin homo- and co-polymers, particularly elastomeric crystalline and amorphous block homo- and co-polymers of I-olefins. The activity of fluxional unbridged metallocene polymerization catalysts containing at least one 2-arylindene ligand is increased 10x or more by the addition of small (typically 0.1-10 wt. %) amounts of ethylene to the polymerization system, which increase is termed the Polymerization Rate-Enhancement effect (PRE), which is measured in terms of an Ethylene Enhancement Factor (EEF) as a dimensionless ratio in the range of from about 1.1 to about 10 or above. The amount of ethylene included in the reaction system can be selected and controlled to be so small as to result in essentially minimal (<2 mole %) incorporation of ethylene units into the resulting elastomeric polymer and the molecular weight may be increased. Amounts of ethylene to generate the PRE effect may be greater than 0.1 wt. % and preferably range up to about 2 wt. %. However, if a polymer with more ethylene is desired, additional ethylene may be incorporated into the polymerization feed, including up to 10 to about 50 mole % based on olefin units. A second important aspect of this invention is the ability to use a PRE activity-enhancing amount of ethylene in an olefin polymerization without substantially affecting the physical properties of the elastomer. In a third important aspect of this invention, I-olefin elastomers are produced through incorporation of ethylene using unbridged fluxional catalyst systems which may not otherwise produce acceptable elastomeric homopolymers. This effect is termed the EPE effect, for Elastomeric Property-Enhancing effect. The EPE amount of ethylene required to produce such elastomers typically overlaps the PRE activity-enhancing amount. Incorporation of up to about 5 mole % or more of ethylene typically will produce an elastomeric polymer using such catalyst systems. Typical useful amounts of incorporated ethylene include about 1 to 3 mole %. Preferred polymers of this invention retain sufficient crystallinity to provide a high melting point (by DSC) of about 80° C., preferably above 100° C., including in the range of from about 120° C. to about 140° C. and above. Novel flexible alpha-olefin homo and copolymers having elongation in excess of 600% and substantially no retained force are disclosed.

Devices and methods for manufacturing devices for treating degenerated and / or traumatized intervertebral discs are disclosed. Artificial discs and components of discs may include an artificial nucleus and / or an artificial annulus and may be comprised of shape memory materials synthesized to achieve desired mechanical and physical properties. An artificial nucleus and / or annulus according to the invention may comprise one or more hollow bodies that may be filled with a curable material for deployment. A hollow body according to the invention may comprise one or more partitions to define one or more chambers and may comprise means for directing the flow of material within said hollow body.

The invention relates to an image support medium for creation of an aesthetic image that is a work or object for display. This support medium is made from a smart or intelligent material so that the medium provides or enables formation of an image having at least one aesthetic element that can be responsive, interactive, controlled, changed, programmed, and / or modulated. The support medium can further comprise stimuli, triggers or influences that cause the smart or intelligent material to respond to change shape, size, volume, density, light properties, color, appearance, and / or another physical property of the aesthetic element. In a preferred embodiment, the smart or intelligent material is reversibly responsive to the stimuli, triggers or influences.

The present invention relates to improved methods for making and using bioadhesive, bioresorbable, anti-adhesion compositions made of inter-macromolecular complexes of carboxyl-containing polysaccharides, polyethers, polyacids, polyalkylene oxides, multivalent cations and / or polycations. The polymers are associated with each other and are then either dried into membranes or sponges or are used as fluids or microspheres. Bioresorbable, bioadhesive, antiadhesion compositions are useful in surgery to prevent the formation and reformation of post-surgical adhesions. The compositions are designed to breakdown in vivo, and thus be removed from the body. Membranes are inserted during surgery either dry or optionally after conditioning in aqueous solutions. The antiadhesion, bioadhesive, bioresorptive, antithrombogenic and physical properties of such membranes and gels can be varied as needed by carefully adjusting the pH and / or cation content of the polymer casting solutions, polyacid composition, the polyalkylene oxide composition, or by conditioning the membranes prior to surgical use. Multi-layered membranes can be made and used to provide further control over the physical and biological properties of antiadhesion membranes. Membranes and gels can be used concurrently. Antiadhesion compositions may also be used to lubricate tissues and / or medical instruments, and / or deliver drugs to the surgical site and release them locally.

The present invention relates to an edible thermoplastic made from about 30 to 50 wt. % protein comprising a mixture of plant and animal derived protein, about 20 to 50 wt. % starch about 10 to 20 wt. % water, about 1 to 10 wt. % edible fiber, and about 0.5 to 3 wt. % metallic salt hydrate. When molded, the thermoplastic has good strength and stiffness and other physical properties. The edible thermoplastic may be molded in a variety of shapes including a segmented nutritional pet chew with a plurality of segments separated by a plurality of scores. The scores serve to structurally weaken the pet chew so that it may be broken into smaller pieces. When molded the edible thermoplastic has a density of about 1.2 to 1.5 g / cubic centimeters.

The present invention provides methods of making covalently crosslinked vinyl polymer hydrogels having advantageous physical properties, and covalently crosslinked vinyl polymer hydrogel compositions made by such methods, as well as articles of manufacture comprising such covalently crosslinked vinyl polymer hydrogel compositions. The physical properties of the produced hydrogels can be adjusted by varying controlled parameters such as the proportion of physical associations, the concentration of polymer and the amount of radiation applied. Such covalently crosslinked vinyl polymer hydrogels can be made translucent, preferably transparent, or opaque depending on the processing conditions. The stability of the physical properties of the produced vinyl polymer hydrogel can be enhanced by controlling the amount of covalent crosslinks.

The invention herein generally pertains to underwriting an insurance policy utilizing sensors to detect, determine, measure and assess one or more conditions, states of affairs, physical properties and process as each relates an insurable property interest. More specifically is disclosed a method and computerized system for managing the underwriting, quoting and binding an insurance policy with regard to the technology used to militate against the financial consequences of certain property losses. The significance of operable safety related devices or system loads are important diagnostic safety markers for measuring one or more properties affecting the safety or risk aversion and for underwriting an insurable interest. This invention also relates to a system and a method for acquiring and assessing the qualities, variables and parameters that affect the underwriting premium for a building structure (commercial or residential), vehicle, aircraft, marine craft or cargo.

The present invention relates to improved methods for making and using bioadhesive, bioresorbable, anti-adhesion compositions made of intermacromolecular complexes of carboxyl-containing polysaccharides, polyethers, polyacids, polyalkylene oxides, multivalent cations and / or polycations. The polymers are associated with each other, and are then either dried into membranes or sponges, or are used as fluids or microspheres. Bioresorbable, bioadhesive, anti-adhesion compositions are useful in surgery to prevent the formation and reformation of post-surgical adhesions. The compositions are designed to breakdown in-vivo, and thus be removed from the body. Membranes are inserted during surgery either dry or optionally after conditioning in aqueous solutions. The anti-adhesion, bioadhesive, bioresorptive, antithrombogenic and physical properties of such membranes and gels can be varied as needed by carefully adjusting the pH and / or cation content of the polymer casting solutions, polyacid composition, the polyalkylene oxide composition, or by conditioning the membranes prior to surgical use. Multi-layered membranes can be made and used to provide further control over the physical and biological properties of antiadhesion membranes. Membranes and gels can be used concurrently. Antiadhesion compositions may also be used to lubricate tissues and / or medical instruments, and / or deliver drugs to the surgical site and release them locally.

Disclosed is a hybrid fiber tow that comprises multiple continuous filaments and nanoscale fillers embedded in the interstitial spaces between continuous filaments. Nanoscale fillers may be selected from a nanoscale graphene plate, non-graphite platelet, carbon nano-tube, nano-rod, carbon nano-fiber, non-carbon nano-fiber, or a combination thereof. Also disclosed are a hybrid fiber tow impregnated with a matrix material and a composite structure fabricated from a hybrid fiber tow. The composite exhibits improved physical properties (e.g., thermal conductivity) in a direction transverse to the continuous fiber axis. A roll-to-roll process for producing a continuous fiber tow or matrix-impregnated fiber tow and an automated process for producing composite structures containing both continuous filaments and nanoscale fillers are also provided.

A non-linear fin heat sink is provided for dissipating / removing heat uniformly from a device, where the heat generation is non-uniform over that device, while also providing a small and relatively lightweight heat sink. The heat sink has extended surface protrusions that are optimally shaped in recognition of convective heat transfer, conductive heat transfer, and flow resistance allowing the heat sink to offset the temperature rise of a coolant media and provide enhanced cooling for the coolant temperature, deliver optimized cooling efficiency per the local physical properties of the coolant media, be used with a fluid for effectuating heat transfer; either liquid coolant, gas coolant or a combination thereof. Furthermore the heat sink features turbulence enhancement of the coolant stream by a pin array through which coolant stream passes, such fin array featuring a non-linear shape, spacing, and height pattern to provide optimal cooling while simultaneously reducing volume and flow resistance.

A water blocking gel which is compatible with polyolefin optical fiber cable buffer tubes is disclosed. The water blocking gel comprises a polyolefin oil, wherein only a very small fraction of the polyolefin species have a molecular weight below about 2000. The gel also includes a thixotropic agent, and a thermal oxidation stabilizer. The gel is relatively low cost, does not cause substantially swelling of the polyolefin buffer tubes in contact therewith and does not degrade the buffer tube's physical properties.

The invention provides a system for virtually designing a medical device conformed for use with a specific patient. Using the system, a three-dimensional geometric model of a patient-specific body cavity or lumen is reconstructed from scanned volume images such as obtained x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), angiography or other imaging modalities. Knowledge of the physical properties of the cavity / lumen is obtained by determining the relationship between image density and the stiffness or elasticity of tissues in the body cavity or lumen and is used to model interactions between a simulated device and a simulated body cavity or lumen.

The progress of a endovascular aneurysm repair can be monitored by inserting a pressure transducer sensor using a catheter into the sac during endovascular aneurysm repair and then using a small, hand-held read out device to measure pressure easily, safely, inexpensively and accurately. In one aspect a sensor is introduced into the body by the steps of loading the sensor into a catheter, and deploying into the aneurysm sac. This invention also has other applications for measuring physical properties in patients or in other sites.