4671 results about "Spring force" patented technology

A bipolar electrosurgical instrument has opposable seal surfaces on its jaws for grasping and sealing vessels and vascular tissue. Inner and outer instrument members allow arcuate motion of the seal surfaces. An open lockbox provides a pivot with lateral support to maintain alignment of the lateral surfaces. Ratchets on the instrument members hold a constant closure force on the tissue during the seal process. A shank portion on each member is tuned to provide an appropriate spring force to hold the seal surfaces together. During surgery, the instrument can be used to grasp and clamp vascular tissue and apply bipolar electrosurgical current through the clamped tissue. In one embodiment, the seal surfaces are partially insulated to prevent a short circuit when the instrument jaws are closed together. In another embodiment, the seal surfaces are removably mounted on the jaws.

A thermocouple for measuring temperature at a position adjacent to a substrate being processed in a chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided. The thermocouple includes a sheath having a measuring tip. The thermocouple also includes a support tube disposed within the sheath. The thermocouple further includes first and second wires supported by the support tube. The first and second wires are formed of different metals. A junction is formed between the first and second wires, wherein the junction is located adjacent to a distal end of the support tube. A spring is disposed about a portion of the support tube. The spring is compressed to exert a spring force on the support tube to bias the junction against the measuring tip to maintain the junction in continuous contact with the measuring tip. The spring force is small enough to prevent significant deformation of the junction as well as reducing variation of spring force or junction location from one thermocouple to another.

An eyewear with communications capability to pair with a Bluetooth enabled device and equipped with noise cancellation software. The earpieces are connected to a retraction wheel by a flexible cord. The cord winds about the wheel to retract the earpiece and unwinds to extend the earpiece to its operative position. A retractable button may be pressed to urge the retraction wheel to rotate to wind the cord about it under spring force.

A flat interface nerve electrode is provided along with a method for its use. The electrode provides a plurality of conductive elements embedded in a non-conductive cuff structure, which acts to gently and non-evasively redefine the geometry of a nerve through the application of a force so as to apply pressure to a nerve in a defined range, namely from 2 to 40 mmHG and more preferably from 15 to 30 mmHG and most preferably from 15 mmHG to 20 MMHG. This range is selected to minimize the reduction of blood flow within the tissue, which preferably is at least 70% of the initial value, more preferably 90% of the initial value. The cuff has an opening, which is elongated relative to the diameter of the nerve to which it is applied. Preferably, the cuff is constructed from an elastic bio-compatible material having top and bottom beam members configured to define a nerve opening. The cuff is open at one side and has a connection at the other side which results in a spring force being applied through the surfaces of the nerve opening to the subject nerve. During implantation the open sides of the cuff are closed so as to capture the nerve in the cuff. As the nerve is reshaped, specific nerve axons become more easily addressed through the epineurium by the embedded conductive elements.

A prosthesis for use in preventing restenosis after angioplasty is formed of plastic or sheet metal, and is expandable and contractable for placement. The prosthesis can be inserted while in a collapsed position, then expanded and locked at the larger diameter. Spring force can be provided by the material itself, or metal springs can be embedded within the walls of the prosthesis. Preferably, the walls have holes therethrough to promote tissue growth; and, in one embodiment, the holes are in the form of slots so that the prosthesis is segmented and can bend longitudinally.

The present invention provides a delivery mechanism for percutaneously routing a stent or graft through the vascular system and procedures for addressing an aneurysm or an otherwise damaged vessel. The delivery system includes an outer tubular guide catheter 20, an inner tubular delivery (pusher) catheter 14 coaxially disposed and slidable relative to the outer guide catheter and an elongated flexible wire or cable 26 that is coaxially insertable through the lumen of the inner tubular catheter and that has a frusto-conical bead affixed at the distal end thereof which is sized to at least partially fit within the lumen of the inner pusher catheter when a proximally directed tension force is applied between the elongated flexible wire or cable 26 with respect to the pusher catheter 14. By inserting a compressed coil spring between a proximal end portion of the pusher catheter 14 and the proximal end portion of the cable 26, the requisite clamping force is maintained to secure the stent or graft to the distal end of the pusher catheter until the compression spring force is removed. With the stent or graft clamped to the distal end of the inner pusher catheter, it can be drawn within the lumen of the outer guide catheter for delivery therewith to the target site.

A damper includes a piston rod, a damping piston, at least one cylinder containing a damping liquid, a fixed partition member for partitioning the interior of the damper into two liquid chambers, a pressure source, and a valve in communication with the pressure source which reacts as a function of the pressure. The valve can also be in communication with additional forces, such as mechanical spring forces, which can be adjustable. The valve can include a pressure intensifier. The valve generates fluid flow resistance during flow of liquid in a first direction through the partition member. The fluid flow resistance in the first direction varies according to the amount of force communicated to the valve by the pressure source and any additional forces. The partition member can include means for providing low-resistance return flow of liquid in a second direction.

A two-wheel vehicle having a roll axis rotation flexibility in which a servo motor is mounted to each of two wheels operating independently of each other fails to perform stable straight-forward traveling on a laterally inclined road because a neutral position by a spring force of a handle or a step varies with respect to a vertical axis as a vehicle body tilts in a roll axis direction due to a road slope. Further, in such a device, the handle or the step can tilt against intention due to a left and right unbalanced load of a passenger onto the step when getting on or off the vehicle. There is thus provided a control device that enables stable straight-forward traveling while maintaining a standing posture of a person vertically on a laterally inclined road through a motor control of the position of a handle or a step. There is also provided a control device that enables a rotation while a person maintains a vertical posture when a performing rotation operation on an inclined road. There is also provided a vehicle that prevents the occurrence of an unintended inclination of a handle and a step during loading or unloading of a passenger.

A surgical device includes a tubular member, a ring made of flexible material, a resilient membrane, and a pusher member. The ring is disposed in a collapsed insertion configuration inside the tubular member and has an expanded configuration surrounding or defining an aperture, the resilient membrane being connected to the ring along an entire circumference thereof so that the membrane is at least coextensive with the aperture, thereby closing or blocking the aperture. The membrane is also disposed in a folded configuration inside the tubular member. The pusher member extends into the tubular member from a proximal end thereof for ejecting the collapsed ring and the folded membrane from a distal end of the tubular member. The ring has internal spring forces or stresses tending to open the ring from the collapsed insertion configuration to the expanded configuration upon an ejection of the ring from the tubular member.

A display system comprises a continuous flexible display and two main display supports being hingeably connected with respect to each other between a closed storage position and a planar open position for fixing the flexible display in an open position. Each of the supports is structurally configured to support respectively a first and a second portion of the flexible display, a segment of the flexible display is located between the said respective portions of the flexible display in the open position. The display system comprises a spring force biased mechanism operative in either the open or closed position or both the open and closed positions of the flexible display, biasing said segment of the flexible display in the respective position.

An adjustable height bicycle seat post assembly comprises a hollow seat post for supporting a bicycle seat slidably supported on plastic shims inside a hollow tube. The hollow tube clamps into the frame of a bicycle. A main spring forces the post upward, but a locking mechanism interconnects the post with the tube in various fixed positions relative to the tube. The locking mechanism includes a foundation and a projection extending from the foundation having a counterbore for guiding a plunger into holes on the post. The locking mechanism adheres to the outside of the tube to bear shearing forces on the plunger. An endcap on the locking mechanism and a top cap on the tube protect the assembly from foreign debris. The locking mechanism may be manipulated remotely using a magnetic switch assembly or manually using a manual assembly.

In some embodiments, an assembly in which storage components (e.g., at least two bare SATA disk drives) can be removably secured. The assembly can secure bare storage components in an enclosure without the need first to mount any of them in or to a carrier, and such that they can be conveniently removed from the enclosure and replaced (e.g., when they fail). Some embodiments include a flexible assembly for each storage component, including at least one flexible element and at least one swaged cam for each flexible element. The flexible assembly has two states: a locking state in which each cam deforms a flexible element into a locking position; and an unlocking state in which each cam and each flexible element have relative positions that allow the storage component to move past each flexible element. Other embodiments include a spring-biased assembly for each storage component, having a locking state in which at least one spring element (e.g., a metal flange) exerts spring force on the storage component to maintain it in a locked position; and an unlocking state in which each spring element has relaxed away from the storage component to allow the storage element to move out of the locked position.

The present invention discloses a sole unit for shoes, sandals, boots, and other articles of footwear. The sole unit comprises at least one spring unit having at least a top wall and a bottom wall that define an opening to allow the top and bottom walls to converge under force, absorbing energy on impact and releasing energy on rebound. Variations in the longitudinal profile, transverse profile, spring-wall thickness, and spring-wall shape permit control over spring force in response to compression. A spring unit may further comprise one or more dampeners to modify the energy-storing properties of the spring unit. A spring unit may further comprise one or more bumpers that come into contact at predetermined distances when compressing the spring unit, to further modify the dynamic response of the spring under a load.

A seeder includes a frame on ground wheels defining tool bars for seeding elements spaced across the frame. Each element includes a pair of parallel arms connected to the tool bar bracket forming a parallel linkage for up and down movement of a support arm connected at a rear end and carrying the packer wheel. A spring applies a downward spring force on the parallel linkage to apply a downward force on the packer wheel so that the spring force increases as the parallel arms pivot upwardly and decreases as the parallel arms pivot downwardly. A control device is arranged to raise and lower the tool bar in response to a detected value of a sensor so as to change the angle of the parallel linkage and change the spring force. A cam controlled double rack adjustment of the height of the opener allows the user to change seeding depth.

Various structures, such as microstructures and wall-like structures, can include parts or surfaces that are oblique. In some implementations, a cantilevered element includes a spring-like portion with a uniformly oblique surface or with another artifact of an oblique radiation technique. In some implementations, when a deflecting force is applied, a spring-like portion can provide deflection and spring force within required ranges. Various oblique radiation techniques can be used, such as radiation of a layer through a prism, and structures having spring-like portions with oblique radiation artifacts can be used in various applications, such as with downward or upward deflecting forces.

A ruggedized, reliable and sealed connector assembly for the a network, such as the Ethernet, the telephone network, and other applications, includes a housing assembly having push-on, auto-latching connection mechanism that may be used to seal and protect an industry-standard connector. The illustrative connector assembly comprises a first housing assembly for housing a first connector half, such as a jack, and a second housing assembly for housing a second connector half for mating with the first connector half, such as a plug. When the first housing assembly mates with the second housing assembly, the housed plug and jack also mate, in a sealed, protected environment. A locking sleeve is rotated against a spring force during initial insertion of the second housing assembly into the other, and permitted to rotate back into a locking position upon completion of insertion, thereby locking the first housing assembly to the second housing assembly and the first connector half to the second connector half. The first connector half (i.e., a jack) may be removably snapped into place in the first housing assembly and the second connector half (i.e., a plug) may be removably snapped into place in the second housing assembly. The second housing assembly may includes a means for disabling a latching lever arm on a plug component to allow the disengagement and unlocking of the connector assembly by rotating the locking sleeve, rather than requiring manual disengagement of the first and second connector halves.

A spinal rod/rod system for spinal stabilization is controllably bendable or flexible along its longitudinal axis to achieve a particular radius of curvature, flex, arch or angle of the spinal rod and preserve the achieved angle through a locking mechanism. The spinal rod is controllably bendable through application of a controlled axial force. Such controllable curvature allows for limited movement of the vertebrae connected by the present resilient spinal rod system. The present spinal rod is defined by a multi-component system which includes an inner spring rod and an outer rod tube. An angulation ring is threadedly attached to an end of the spring rod and provides controlled adjustment of the angle or curvature of the spinal rod through axial compression of the spring rod relative to the outer tube. Locking prevents the increase and/or decrease of angulation of the spinal rod. A titanium spacer ring may be provided that is situated between the spring rod and the outer rod tube in order to prevent and/or hinder over angulation. One or more spacer rings may be situated between the spring rod and the outer rod tube axially adjacent each side of the titanium spacer ring that act as an additional spring force in bending, and act as a shock absorber in the axial compression of the of the spinal rod. The rings may be made of various durometers.