329 results about "Surface matching" patented technology

Improved, adaptable tissue-type heart valves and methods for their manufacture are disclosed wherein a dimensionally stable, pre-aligned tissue leaflet subassembly is formed and its peripheral edge clamped between and attached to an upper shaped wireform and a lower support stent. A variety of adaptable structural interfaces including suture rings, flanges, and conduits may be attached to the support stent with or without an outlet conduit disposed about the wireform to provide a tissue-type heart valve adaptable for use in either a natural heart or in mechanical pumping devices. The methods include forming individual leaflets with a template and using the template to attach the leaflets together to form a tissue leaflet subassembly. The template and leaflets include a straight edge terminating in oppositely directed tabs, and a curvilinear cusp edge extending opposite the straight edge. The template may include a guide slot in its straight edge and the assembly includes aligning two leaflet tabs with the template and passing sutures through the guide slot and through the leaflet tabs. The leaflet subassembly is mated to a wireform with the tabs extending through commissure posts of the wireform. A support stent having an upper surface matching the lower surface of the wireform sandwiches the edges of the leaflet subassembly therebetween. Separated tabs on the leaflet subassembly are passed through the wireform commissures and attached to adjacent stent commissures so as to induce clamping of the leaflet tabs between the stent commissures and wireform commissures upon a radially inward force being applied to the leaflets.

A method and apparatus for use in a subterranean well. The apparatus typically includes a subterranean plug including a mandrel having an outer surface and a non-circular cross-section and a packing element arranged about the mandrel, the packing element having a non-cylindrical inner surface matching the mandrel outer surface such that concentric rotation between the mandrel and the packing element is precluded. The apparatus is substantially non-metallic to facilitate quick drill-out of the plug. The apparatus is alternatively adaptable as a cement retainer.

A method and apparatus for use in a subterranean well is described. The apparatus typically includes a mandrel and a packing element. The mandrel may have an outer surface and a non-circular cross-section and a the packing element may be arranged about the mandrel, the packing element having a non-circular inner surface matching the mandrel outer surface such that concentric rotation between the mandrel and the packing element is precluded. The apparatus may include slips having cavities to facilitate removal of the apparatus. The apparatus also may include a valve for controlling fluid flow through a hollow mandrel. The valve may include a flapper having at least one tab to engage at least one recession in the mandrel such that rotation between the mandrel and the valve is precluded when the valve is in a closed position. The apparatus may further include a central member which is releaseably attached to the mandrel by a release mechanism.

Catheters having a tapered, atraumatic distal tip are provided. In one embodiment, the outer surface of the distal portion of the catheter has a generally non-cylindrical and substantially triangular cross-sectional configuration. The inner surface cross-sectional configuration of the distal portion of the catheter may match the outer surface, or it may have a cylindrical or oval configuration. The terminal orthogonal surface of the distal catheter tip is chamfered or rounded or contoured. In another embodiment, inner and/or outer catheter surfaces have a three dimensional surface conformation and may be dimpled or grooved. The grooves may be generally liner or curved or helical or in a spiral configuration. Dimpled and/or grooved surface discontinuities may be provided in connection with and in addition to lubricious coatings, surfaces, and the like.

A contoured surface map of a lesion within a patient is obtained by shifting a reference surface to an estimated location in operational images. The process can be repeated to minimize errors, and the contoured surface map can then be segmented.

A device and technique for the preparation and implantation of osteochondral allografts for resurfacing of a human joint. The grafts are prepared to a uniform shell thickness using the described invention.

Sound insulation for an engine contained within an outer casing, the insulation made up from a minimal number of interlocking molded foam insulation pieces forming a substantially continuous shroud surrounding the operating parts of the engine and having an outer surface matching the inner shape of the outer casing and in contact therewith. Preferably the outer casing is used to generate the molds used to manufacture the molded sound insulation pieces, thereby providing a good surface fit between the outer insulation surface and the inner casing surface.

An intraocular lens (IOL), system, and method having a base lens and a complementary lens selected to form a curved image surface matching a retina surface when placed in an eye's line of sight.

The invention discloses a texturing and self-lubricating treatment method for a metal plastic forming die. In the invention, texturing and micromachining treatment is firstly carried out on a die surface, and then forming, adhering and machining treatment of a self-lubricating composite material is carried out on the die. Because the texturing and self-lubricating treatment is carried out on a metal plastic forming die surface, optimization distribution of lubricating property of the die surface is realized while the die carrying capacity and the molded surface matching precision are ensured,the flowing of the material and the lubricating and abrasive resistance of the die are improved, the die life is prolonged and the product quality is enhanced.

A probe comprising two spaced electrodes is provided between which electrical resistance through enamel, dentine or tooth tissue is measured. The electrodes comprise inner and outer coaxial electrodes spaced by an insulating layer. The diameter of the probe is preferably 1 mm. The tip of the probe may be shaped to match the surface being measured. The signal from the probe is A to D converted for analysis. The rate of change of resistance gives a measure of the rate of change of moisture level (porosity). The porosity is related to tooth sensitivity and so the system can provide an objective measurement of tooth sensitivity.

The invention provides a method for elastically registering medical images by the aid of a combined convex hull matching and multi-scale classification strategy. The method includes performing point cloud preliminary registration on the basis of convex hull matching, in other words, extracting surface structures of volume data by an iso-surface extraction algorithm, and acquiring the optimal rigid registration result by a point cloud and convex hull surface matching process; performing multi-scale partitioning on the images to elastically register the images, performing different-scale blurring on the images by the aid of a multi-scale iteration procedure, and implementing a coarse-to-fine matching procedure; using mutual information as a similarity measure, combining the similarity measure with a volume distribution interpolation algorithm of three linear portions and acquiring the optimal elastic transformation parameters by means of iterative optimization. The method has the advantages that the images can be registered after large-angle transformation is performed on the images, and the image registration precision is improved.

A forming jig includes a grid pattern of support walls arranged on a support base and having upper free ends located along an imaginary curved surface, and modular sectional profile members arranged on the walls to enclose a vacuum chamber within the jig. Grooves, channels and air passages between neighboring profile members communicate into the vacuum chamber. The outer surface of the profile members matches the intended inner surface of a structural component to be fabricated using the jig. In the fabrication process, a film is applied to the outer surface to pre-establish a vacuum, the film is removed while simultaneously a vacuum skin is applied, stringer members are set into the grooves, fiber skin layers are laid up, a sealant is applied around the perimeter, a structural shell is vacuumed onto the skin layers, and then this preformed component is removed from the jig, injected with resin unless the skin layers were pre-impregnated with resin, and cured.

The invention relates to a scanning system and a method for three-dimensional images, wherein the system comprises a pick-up device, a rotating device, mutually orthogonal panels and a light source; and the method comprises: 1. transversely arranging the mutually orthogonal panels; 2. calibrating the CCD camera according to a second marking point on the mutually orthogonal panels to obtain the internal and external parameters of the CCD camera; 3. obtaining the plane equation of a linear laser scanning surface according to the internal and external parameters of the CCD camera, the linear laser emitted from the light source and the images of the mutually orthogonal panels; and 4. determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the surface points of the tested objects according to the plane equation of the linear laser scanning surface and the equation of straight line of the linear laser images. The invention reduces the cost, overcomes the limits to the surface matching of the scanning curve sheets based on a triangle relation in the prior art, and improves the efficiency, precision and flexibility of the scanning by arranging a rotating table and transversely arranging mutually orthogonal panels.

A virtual surgical system receives an image, such as a computer tomography (CT) scan, of an area of the patient in need of surgical reconstruction prior to an incision being made in a surgery. Bone fragments that are to be reduced are automatically selected using the virtual surgical system. The system performs surface matching techniques using surface data representing the contour of the end surfaces of the fragments to determine how the corresponding fragments should be oriented to perform the reduction. At least one of the fragments may then be transformed (e.g. via translation and/or rotation) to join the surfaces based on the matched surfaces. An image may be generated of the reconstructed area providing a virtual representation of a reconstructed object. Thus, before actual dissection of the area, and the subsequent physical surgical reduction of the bones, an image of the reconstructed object may be displayed such that a prosthesis may be determined and/or manufactured.

A high performance constant velocity universal joint is based on a body which encloses the constant velocity joint components and provides a smooth spherical outer surface. A one-piece semi-rigid plastic boot in the form of a truncated sphere has a smooth internal spherical surface sized to match the outer surface of the body. The plastic of the boot is sufficiently elastic to allow the boot to snap over the body, yet sufficiently resilient to snap the open end closed after the boot is snapped over the body to provide a substantial seal preventing entry of debris under the seal. A retaining ring is positioned on the boot near the truncated end to resist plastic creep which would result in enlarging the opening and allowing debris to enter the seal.

A method and a data network for automatically configuring a parameterizing surface of at least one controller of machine tools or production machines. An actual machine topology is determined via a data network when the machine starts up and compared with stored desired machine topologies. If the actual machine topology differs from the desired machine topology, a corresponding dedicated parameterizing surface is generated from the determined actual machine topology, whereby for parameterizing the controller of the machine only the parameters and/or functions of the identified machine components are indicated to the user. In this way, a dedicated parameterizing surface matching the actual machine configuration can be easily generated.

An infant care apparatus capable of providing various swing motions is disclosed. The infant care apparatus includes a base, a sliding mount, and a seat frame. The base has a concave surface. The sliding mount has a convex surface matching with the concave surface and disposed opposite to the concave surface. The sliding mount slides above the concave surface by the convex surface. The seat frame is fixed on the sliding mount to be moved together with the sliding mount. Thereby, the seat frame together with the sliding mount can swing relative to the base in two dimensions. The infant care apparatus can provide various swing motions without any pendulum arm to child sitting thereon. Besides, the infant care apparatus can be assembled in a compact size facilitating transport.

A segmented pulley transmission is provided. A pulley assembly is rotationally mounted on an axle. The pulley assembly includes a core pulley having a first set of mating features on a peripheral surface thereof. A pulley segment set comprises a number of pulley segments slidably mounted in the pulley assembly and arranged in a ring concentric with the core pulley. The pulley segments are individually actuatable out of the pulley assembly into an engaging position and into the pulley assembly into a non-engaging position. The pulley segments have a second set of mating features on an peripheral surface matching the first set of mating features. An endless drive member has corresponding mating features on an inside surface for engaging the first and second sets of mating features of the core pulley and the pulley segments in an engaging position. Contact between the endless drive member and a core pulley defines a contact zone. An actuator actuates the pulley segments between the engaging and non-engaging positions when the pulley segments are outside of the contact zone. One of the key pulley segments in the pulley segment set is a key pulley segment that is positioned relative to the core pulley such that when the key pulley segment is actuated to the engaging position and rotated into the contact zone, the corresponding mating features of the endless drive member engage the first set of mating features of the core pulley and the second set of mating features of the key pulley segment without the introduction of significant slack or tension.