Image-based tracking of medical instruments is an integral part of many surgical data science applications. Previous research has addressed the tasks of detecting, segmenting and tracking medical instruments based on laparoscopic video data. However, the methods proposed still tend to fail when applied to challenging images and do not generalize well to data they have not been trained on. This paper introduces the Heidelberg Colorectal (HeiCo) data set - the first publicly available data set enabling comprehensive benchmarking of medical instrument detection and segmentation algorithms with a specific emphasis on robustness and generalization capabilities of the methods. Our data set comprises 30 laparoscopic videos and corresponding sensor data from medical devices in the operating room for three different types of laparoscopic surgery. Annotations include surgical phase labels for all frames in the videos as well as instance-wise segmentation masks for surgical instruments in more than 10,000 individual frames. The data has successfully been used to organize international competitions in the scope of the Endoscopic Vision Challenges (EndoVis) 2017 and 2019.

A wristwatch, which comprises an atomic oscillator comprising a system for detecting the beat frequencies obtained by the Raman effect.

The present invention is applied to a frequency converter used for a receiver. The frequency converter according to the present invention includes an LO signal generator (11) that generates an LO signal and outputs the LO signal; and a mixer (10) that multiplies a received signal that has been band-limited to a usable bandwidth of said receiver by the LO signal so as to convert the frequency of the received signal and outputs the resultant signal. Said LO signal generator is capable of varying a phase resolution.

An instrument for delivering a suture transfascially may include a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, and at least one needle that is moveable to an extended position beyond the end of the shaft. A suture may be delivered transfascially with the instrument. The instrument may include a suture catch associated with each needle for retaining and releasing a suture segment. A shield may be provided to shield the sharp end of each needle when it is moved to the extended position. A method of delivering a transfascial suture may include inserting an instrument into an abdominal cavity and deploying, from within the abdominal cavity, each needle through a soft tissue repair patch and then through at least part of the abdominal wall. A suture or suture segment may be advanced across the fascia with the at least one needle.

An electromagnetic pump is provided, which includes a hollow tubular body extending along a longitudinal direction, a piston mounted so as to be able to move inside the hollow tubular body, a solenoid, supplied with alternating current and assembled around at least a portion of the body and a magnetic envelope surrounding at least a portion of the body. The presence of a magnet magnetized longitudinally in a predetermined direction and a magnetic envelope orienting and channeling flux lines created by the magnet either around the solenoid or directly inside themselves creates an oscillating magnetic force on the piston.

A method and system for synchronizing the output signal phase of a plurality of frequency divider circuits in a local-oscillator (LO) or clock signal path is disclosed. The LO path includes a plurality of frequency divider circuits and a LO buffer for receiving a LO signal coupled to the plurality of frequency divider circuits. The method and system comprise adding offset voltage and setting predetermined state to each of the frequency divider circuits; and enabling the frequency divider circuits. The method and system includes enabling the LO buffer to provide the LO signal to the frequency divider circuits after they have been enabled. When the LO signal drives each of the frequency divider circuits, each of the frequency divider circuits starts an operation. Finally the method and system comprise removing the offset voltage from each of the frequency divider circuits to allow them to effectively drive other circuits.

According to one embodiment, a first oscillator has an oscillation frequency that is changed depending on a temperature. A second oscillator has different temperature characteristics from the first oscillator. An on-chip heater heats the first oscillator and the second oscillator. A counter counts a first oscillation signal of the first oscillator. An ADPLL generates a third oscillation signal on the basis of a second oscillation signal of the second oscillator and corrects the frequency of the third oscillation signal on the basis of a count value of the counter.

An oscillating device includes a temperature compensated oscillator that compensates a frequency temperature characteristic in a temperature compensation range including apart of a first temperature range, and a temperature control circuit that includes a heater and controls a temperature of a quartz crystal resonator of the temperature compensated oscillator into a second temperature range included in the temperature compensation range. Further, the temperature compensation range of the temperature compensated oscillator may include a part of the first temperature range in which compensation can be performed by first-order approximation.

A phase locked loop includes a voltage controlled oscillator and a frequency divider or frequency multiplier. The voltage controlled oscillator and the frequency divider/multiplier are coupled together in a stacked configuration. A drive current is supplied to the voltage controlled oscillator. The drive current passes from the voltage controlled oscillator to the frequency divider/multiplier, thereby driving the frequency divider/multiplier with the same drive current that was supplied to the voltage controlled oscillator.

A digitally controlled oscillator has a high-order ΔΣ modulator configured to be of at least an order higher than a first order and configured to input a digital control signal and output a pseudorandom digital output signal, a first-order ΔΣ modulator configured to input the pseudorandom digital output signal and generate a control pulse signal including a pulse width corresponding to the pseudorandom digital output signal, a low pass filter configured to pass a low frequency component of the control pulse signal, and an oscillator configured to generate a high-frequency output signal whose frequency is controlled based on the control pulse signal outputted by the low pass filter so as to be a frequency corresponding to the digital control signal.

An integrated circuit (10) has an internal RC-oscillator (20) for providing an internal clock signal (CLI) having an adjustable oscillator frequency. The integrated circuit (10) further comprises terminals (101, 102) for connecting an external LC tank (30) having a resonance frequency and a calibration circuit (40) which is configured to adjust the oscillator frequency based on the resonance frequency of the LC tank (30) connected during operation of the integrated circuit (10). An internal auxiliary oscillator (46) is connected to the terminals (101, 102) in a switchable fashion and is configured to generate an auxiliary clock signal (CLA) based on the resonance frequency. The calibration circuit (40) comprises a frequency comparator (47) which is configured to determine a trimming word (TRW) based on a frequency comparison of the internal clock signal (CLI) and the auxiliary clock signal (CLA). The LC tank (30) to be connected is an antenna for receiving a radio signal.

The invention concerns an oscillator generating a wave composed of a frequency of on the order of terahertz from a beat of two optical waves generated by a dual-frequency optical source. The oscillator includes a modulator the transfer function of which is non-linear for generating harmonics with a frequency of less than one terahertz for each of the optical waves generated by the dual-frequency optical source, an optical detector able to detect at least one harmonic for each of the optical waves generated by the dual-frequency optical source and transforming the harmonics detected into an electrical signal, a phase comparator for comparing the electrical signal with a reference electrical signal, and a module for controlling at least one element of the dual-frequency optical source with a signal obtained from the signal resulting from the comparison.

A digitally-controlled oscillator includes a base frequency generator having an odd number of base inverters connected end-to-end to generate an output signal that oscillates at a predetermined frequency and a frequency-adjusting unit connected to the base frequency generator. The frequency-adjusting unit includes a first string of switchable inverters connected in series with each other, the switchable inverters having sizes that decrease from an input end of the first string to the output end of the first string.

Embodiments provide a multi-phase voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that produces a plurality of output signals having a common frequency and different phases. In one embodiment, the VCO may include a passive conductive structure having a first ring and a plurality of taps spaced around the first ring. The VCO may further include a capacitive load coupled to the passive conductive structure, one or more feedback structures coupled between a pair of opposing taps of the plurality of taps, and one or more current injection devices coupled between a pair of adjacent taps of the plurality of taps.

The present invention discloses an Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator and a manufacturing method thereof. The Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator comprises a thermostatic bath, a heating device, a PCB and a signal generating element, where the signal generating element is used for generating a signal of a certain frequency, the heating device, the PCB and the signal generating element are mounted in the thermostatic bath, the signal generating element is mounted in a groove formed on one side of the PCB, while the heating device is mounted against the other side of the PCB that is opposite to the groove. The signal generating element may be a passive crystal resonator or an active crystal oscillator. The Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator according to the invention is advantageous for a small volume and a high temperature control precision.

An oscillator outputs a control signal to suppress an influence caused by temperature characteristic of f1 based on a differential signal corresponding to difference between an oscillation output f1 of a first oscillator circuit and an oscillation output f2 of a second oscillator circuit treated as a temperature detection value. A switching unit switches between a first state and a second state. The first state is a state where a first connecting end and a second connecting end are connected to a storage unit for access from an external computer to the storage unit. The second state is a state where the first connecting end and the second connecting end are connected to a first signal path and a second signal path such that the respective f1 and f2 are retrieved from the first connecting end and the second connecting end to an external frequency measuring unit.

An atomic oscillator includes: a gas cell which includes two window portions having a light transmissive property and in which metal atoms are sealed; a light emitting portion that emits excitation light to excite the metal atoms in the gas cell; a light detecting portion that detects the excitation light transmitted through the gas cell; a heater that generates heat; and a connection member that thermally connects the heater and each window portion of the gas cell to each other.

An oscillator configured to oscillate an electromagnetic wave, including: a negative resistance device; a microstrip resonator configured to determine an oscillation frequency of an electromagnetic wave excited by the negative resistance device; a resistance device and a capacitance device, which form a low-impedance circuit configured to suppress parasitic oscillation; and a strip conductor configured to connect the capacitance device of the low-impedance circuit and the microstrip resonator to each other, in which an inductance L of the strip conductor and a capacitance C of the microstrip resonator produce a resonance frequency of ½π√LC, and ¼ of an equivalent wavelength of the resonance frequency is larger than a distance between the negative resistance device and the resistance device of the low-impedance circuit via the strip conductor, is provided.

An oscillator module includes a first MOS transistor and a capacitor. The capacitor is coupled between a gate and source of the first MOS transistor. The drain of the first MOS transistor receives a first bias current and generates an oscillating output signal. A switching circuit operates in response to the oscillating output signal to selective charge and discharge the capacitor. A current sourcing circuit is configured to generate the bias current. The current sourcing circuit includes a second MOS transistor which has an identical layout to the first MOS transistor and receives a second bias current. A resistor is coupled between a gate and source of the second MOS transistor. The current sourcing circuit further includes a current mirror having an input configured to receive a reference current passing through the resistor and generate the first and second bias currents.

An oscillation device is provided. The oscillation device includes: a main circuit portion, a heating unit, first and second crystal units, first and second oscillator circuits, a frequency difference detector, a first addition unit, an integration circuit unit, a circuit unit configured to control an electric power to be supplied to the heating unit, a compensation value obtaining unit, and a second addition unit. The compensation value obtaining unit is configured to obtain a frequency compensation value for compensating an output frequency of the main circuit portion based on an integrated value output from the integration circuit unit, and based on a change in the clock signal due to a difference between the temperature of the atmosphere and the temperature setting value of the heating unit. The second addition unit is configured to add the frequency compensation value to a frequency setting value.

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product are provided. The apparatus tunes a frequency provided by a VCO. The apparatus determines a relative capacitance change associated with a first frequency and a desired frequency from a look-up table. The apparatus adjusts a capacitor circuit in the VCO based on the determined relative capacitance change determined from the look-up table in order to tune from the first frequency to the desired frequency. The apparatus determines that the frequency provided by the VCO is a second frequency different than the desired frequency after adjusting the capacitor circuit. The apparatus performs an iterative search to further adjust the capacitor circuit when a difference between the second frequency and the desired frequency is greater than a threshold.

A system is disclosed for a voltage controlled oscillator (“VCO”) having a large frequency range and a low gain. Passive or active circuitry is introduced between at least one VCO cell in the voltage controlled oscillator and the voltage source for the VCO cell which reduces a gain value for the VCO to maintain stability of the system.

An oscillator includes: a piezoelectric material to vibrate; a first inverting amplifier; a second inverting amplifier; a first output electrode to apply an output signal of the first inverting amplifier to the piezoelectric material; a second output electrode to apply an output signal of the second inverting amplifier to the piezoelectric material; a first input electrode to receive a voltage signal generated by the piezoelectric material and output the voltage signal to the first inverting amplifier; and a second input electrode to receive the voltage signal and output the voltage signal to the second inverting amplifier, wherein the first and second output electrodes are coupled to the piezoelectric material so that faces of the piezoelectric material move in opposite directions, and the first and second input electrodes are coupled to the piezoelectric material so that the voltage signals are input to the first and second input electrodes.

An injection locking oscillator (ILO) comprising a tank circuit having a digitally controlled capacitor bank, a cross-coupled differential transistor pair coupled to the tank circuit, at least one signal injection node, and at least one output node configured to provide an injection locked output signal; a digitally controlled injection-ratio circuit having an injection output coupled to the at least one signal injection node, configured to accept an input signal and to generate an adjustable injection signal applied to the at least one injection node; and, an ILO controller connected to the capacitor bank and the injection-ratio circuit configured to apply a control signal to the capacitor bank to adjust a resonant frequency of the tank circuit and to apply a control signal to the injection-ratio circuit to adjust a signal injection ratio.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a temperature compensation method and a crystal oscillator, where the crystal oscillator includes a crystal oscillation circuit unit, a temperature sensor unit, an oscillation controlling unit, a relative temperature calculating unit, and a temperature compensating unit. The temperature sensor unit measures a measured temperature of the crystal oscillation circuit unit; the relative temperature calculating unit obtains a temperature difference between the measured temperature and a reference temperature; the temperature compensating unit obtains a temperature compensation value corresponding to the temperature difference from a temperature-frequency curve; and the oscillation controlling unit generates a frequency control signal, according to a frequency tracked by a communications AFC device and the temperature compensation value, thereby controlling a frequency of the crystal oscillation circuit unit to work on the tracked frequency.

Various techniques for generating an output clock based on a reference clock. This disclosure relates to generating an output clock signal based on a reference clock signal. In one embodiment, a method includes generating, using information received from a control circuit, an output clock signal using both a first number of edges or an input clock signal and a second, different number of edges of the input clock signal. In this embodiment, the control circuit runs at a frequency that is less than a frequency of the input clock signal. The received information may indicate, for a pulse of the output clock signal, whether the pulse should be generated using the first number of edges or the second number of edges. In some cases, the second number of edges may be the first number of edges plus one. The first and second number of edges may be programmable quantities.

A current output control device is provided that includes: a current cell array section including plural current cell circuits that are each connected in parallel between a first terminal (power source) and a second terminal (ground) that connect between the first terminal and the second terminal in by operation ON so as to increase control current flowing between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a code conversion section (decoder) that generates signals (row codes, column codes) to ON/OFF control current cells so as to change the number of current cells that connect the first terminal and the second terminal according to change in an externally input code and that inputs the generated signals to the current cell array section.

This invention discloses a crystal oscillator, in which by appropriately designing the gain of an amplifier to achieve high trans-conductance and low power consumption. This crystal oscillator includes a first pad, coupled to a first node of a crystal, for receiving a crystal oscillating signal outputted from the crystal; an amplifier, coupled to the first pad, for amplifying the crystal oscillating signal to generate an amplifying signal; an inverter, coupled to the amplifier, for inverting the amplifying signal; and a second pad, coupled to a second node of the crystal, for outputting an oscillating signal to the crystal.

A ring oscillator circuit causing a pulse signal to circulate around a circle to which an even number of inverting circuits are connected in a ring, wherein one of the inverting circuits is a first starting inverting circuit, which drives a first pulse signal according to a control signal, another of the inverting circuits is a second starting inverting circuit, which drives a second pulse signal based on a leading edge of the first pulse signal, still another is a third starting inverting circuit, which drives a third pulse signal based on the leading edge of the first pulse signal after the second pulse signal is driven, and the first to third starting inverting circuits are arranged within the circle of the inverting circuits in order of the third, second, and first pulse signals in traveling directions of the pulse signals.

An integrated oscillator circuit comprises an oscillator configured to be switched between a first frequency and a second frequency. A switching circuit receives an input representing a target frequency and switches the oscillator between the first and second frequencies at intervals determined by the input, so as to cause the average output frequency of the oscillator to approximate the target frequency.

The switching element is provided in a state of being electromagnetically coupled to the cavity resonator of the high frequency oscillator; the bias voltage applying terminal is connected to one electrode of the switching element; another electrode of the switching element is electrically connected to the cavity resonator (the anode shell in FIG. 1); the metal plate having a size enough for reflecting an electric wave to be transmitted before and after the switching element in a high-frequency manner is provided at any one end of the switching element; and by applying a bias voltage to the switching element and varying that, a reactance of the switching element is changed and a resonance frequency of the cavity resonator is varied. By this method, an oscillation frequency can be varied greatly relative to a small change in a bias voltage.

An enhanced negative resistance voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) circuit is provided, in which a parallel connection of a capacitor and a resistor configured to provide frequency-dependent transconductance is present across source nodes of a first pair of field effect transistors in which gate nodes and drain nodes are cross-coupled. The source nodes of the first pair of field effect transistors are electrically shorted to drain nodes of a second pair of field effect transistors of which the gate nodes are electrically shorted to the gate nodes of the first pair of field effect transistors. The parallel connection of the capacitor and the resistor includes a parallel connection of a capacitor and a resistor such that the net transconductance of the first pair of field effect transistors is less at low frequencies where thermal noise and flicker noise are dominant part of the phase noise than at the operational frequency range.

A vibration element includes a piezoelectric substrate including a vibrating section and a thick section having a thickness larger than that of the vibrating section. The thick section includes a first thick section provided along a first outer edge of the vibrating section, a second thick section provided along a second outer edge, and a third thick section provided along another first outer edge. An inclined outer edge section that intersects with each of an X axis and a Z' axis is provided in a tip section of the piezoelectric substrate.

A crystal controlled oscillator includes a crystal package and an IC chip board that includes an IC chip integrating an oscillator circuit. The crystal package includes a first container, a crystal resonator, a lid body, and an external terminal at an outer bottom surface of the first bottom wall layer of the first container. The IC chip integrates an oscillator circuit disposed at an outer bottom surface of the first bottom wall layer of the crystal package. The oscillator circuit connects to the lower side excitation electrode of the crystal resonator from the external terminal to an input side with high impedance. The oscillator circuit connects to the upper side excitation electrode to an output side with low impedance. The upper side excitation electrode is a shielding electrode of the crystal resonator.

An apparatus is disclosed that includes a first cross-coupled transistor pair, a second cross-coupled transistor pair, at least one capacitance unit, and an inductive unit. The first cross-coupled transistor pair and second cross-coupled transistor pair are coupled to a pair of first output nodes and a pair of second output nodes, respectively. The at least one capacitance unit is coupled to at least one of the pair of first output nodes and the pair of second output nodes. The inductive unit is coupled to the first cross-coupled transistor pair at the first output nodes and coupled to the second cross-coupled transistor pair at the second output nodes. The inductive unit generates mutual magnetic coupling between one of the first output nodes and one of the second output nodes and between the other of the first output nodes and the other of the second output nodes.

An electronic oscillator circuit has a first oscillator, for supplying a first oscillation signal, a second oscillator, for supplying a second oscillation signal, a first controller for delivering the first control signal as a function of a phase difference between a first controller input and a second controller input of the first controller; a second controller for delivering the second control signal as a function of a phase difference between a first controller input of the second controller and a second controller input of the second controller; a resonator; at least a second resonance frequency, with a first phase shift dependent on the difference between the frequency of a second exciting signal and the second resonance frequency and processing means, for receiving the first oscillator signal and the second oscillator signal, determining their mutual proportion, looking up a frequency compensation factor in a prestored table and outputting a compensated oscillation signal.

In a method for operating a fluid valve for controlling or regulating a fluid, having at least one movable valve component is displaceable with the aid of at least one electrical actuating signal which contains at least one first actuating signal portion which causes an oscillating valve motion of the valve component. Pressure oscillations generated in the fluid due to the oscillating valve motion are detected, and are used for regulation of the oscillating valve motion caused by the first actuating signal portion.

Provided is an oscillator including: a MEMS resonator for mechanically vibrating; an output oscillator circuit for oscillating at a resonance frequency of the MEMS resonator to output an oscillation signal; and a MEMS capacitor for changing a capacitance thereof caused by a change in a distance between an anode electrode and a cathode beam according to an environmental temperature.

In an oscillating apparatus, a detection unit detects a frequency offset between an input signal and a reference signal. A code generation unit specifies a relationship among a code having a predetermined number of bits, the frequency offset, and a voltage to be applied to a voltage-controlled oscillator by a DAC, in accordance with a frequency offset detection state of the detection unit. The code generation unit also generates a frequency offset correction code having a predetermined number of bits in accordance with the specified relationship. The DAC applies the voltage to the voltage-controlled oscillator, in accordance with the relationship described above and the code generated by the code generation unit. The voltage controlled oscillator outputs an oscillator signal having an oscillation frequency corresponding to the voltage applied by the DAC.

An apparatus includes a head transducer configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium and a heater configured to thermally actuate the head transducer. A thermal sensor at or near the head transducer is configured to produce a sensor signal. Circuitry is coupled to the heater and configured to cause an oscillation in heater power. The heater power oscillation causes an oscillation in the sensor signal. A detector is coupled to the thermal sensor and configured to detect head-medium contact using the oscillating sensor signal and heater power.

Sequential write operations to a unit of compressed memory, known as a compression tile, are examined to see if the same compression tile is being written. If the same compression tile is being written, the sequential write operations are coalesced into a single write operation and the entire compression tile is overwritten with the new data. Coalescing multiple write operations into a single write operation improves performance, because it avoids the read-modify-write operations that would otherwise be needed.

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator and a SAW oscillator and an electronic apparatus including the resonator are to be provided. A SAW resonator includes: an IDT exciting a SAW using a quartz crystal substrate of Euler angles (−1.5°≦φ≦1.5°, 117°≦θ≦142°, 42.79°≦|ψ|≦49.57°); one pair of reflection units arranged so as allow the IDT to be disposed therebetween; and grooves acquired by depressing the quartz crystal substrate located between electrode fingers. When a wavelength of the SAW is λ, and a depth of the grooves is G, “0.01λ≦G” is satisfied.

A disciplining apparatus including a handle and a plurality of elongated strips mounted on an end of the handle. The strips extend from the handle in a common direction. The strips are further configured in a shape of a cylinder.

The invention concerns an electrostatic coalescing device that includes a vessel or a pipe through which a mixture of fluids flows. At least one metal electrode plate and transformer are arranged inside the pipe/vessel. The electrode plate and transformer are fully enclosed by insulation, and the transformer is energized from an external alternating low voltage source/power supply located outside the vessel/pipe. The transformer includes a first end of a high voltage winding connected electrically to the metal plate within the insulation.

A rugged scintillation crystal assembly includes several scintillator crystals, which are optically coupled to each other by resilient optical-coupling material such as silicone pads and/or grease. The scintillator crystals are configured to collectively emit optical signals. Such a stack may combine the advantages of both a long form-factor for the overall assembly with the ruggedness of the assembly's component short crystals.

Disclosed is a scintillator panel provided with on a support a phosphor layer comprising columnar crystals and a protective layer sequentially in this order, wherein degraded areas on lateral surfaces of columnar crystals at an end of the phosphor layer and produced by a cutting treatment account for not less than 0% and not more than 40% of an area of all of the side surfaces of the columnar crystals. A production method of the scintillator panel is also disclosed.

A frequency modulator includes a digitally-controlled oscillator (DCO) arranged for producing a frequency deviation in response to a modulation tuning word and a phase-locked loop (PLL) tuning word. In addition, another frequency modulator includes a DCO and a DCO interface circuit. The DCO is arranged for producing a frequency deviation in response to an integer tuning word and a fractional tuning word. The DCO interface circuit is arranged for generating the integer tuning word and the fractional tuning word to the DCO, wherein the fractional tuning word is obtained through asynchronous sampling of a fixed-point tuning word.

Systems and methods for operating with oscillators configured to produce an oscillating signal having an arbitrary frequency are described. The frequency of the oscillating signal may be shifted to remove its arbitrary nature by application of multiple tuning signals or values to the oscillator. Alternatively, the arbitrary frequency may be accommodated by adjusting operation one or more components of a circuit receiving the oscillating signal.

An accessory for coupling to an attachment mechanism of an oscillating power tool includes a working end, an opposite rear end, and a fitment portion adjacent the rear end portion. The fitment portion includes a generally U-shaped opening having a central portion and a rearward portion open to the rear end, and configured to receive a post of a tool clamping mechanism. The fitment portion further includes a first plurality of openings in communication with and extending radially outward from the central portion, a second plurality of openings not in communication with and positioned radially outward from the central portion. The central portion, the first plurality of openings, and the second plurality of openings are configured to couple the fitment portion to a plurality of different configurations of attachment mechanisms for oscillating power tools.

A clamp arrangement for releasably securing an accessory to an oscillating power tool can include a tool body including a motor that drives an output member. A clamp assembly can include a first clamp member that moves relative to the accessory between a closed position wherein the clamp assembly retains the accessory and an open position wherein the first clamp member of the clamp assembly is offset from the accessory permitting removal of the accessory from the clamp assembly. A lever can have a user engagement portion and a pivot portion including a pivot axle. The lever can be pivotally coupled to the tool body about the pivot axle between a first position, wherein the clamp assembly is in the closed position and a second position wherein movement of the user engagement portion of the lever causes the clamp assembly to be moved to the open position.