A system for treating heart disease, such as pulmonary hypertension or right heart failure, including an implantable component and external components for monitoring the implantable component is provided. The implantable component may include a compliant member, e.g., balloon, coupled to a reservoir via a conduit. Preferably, the compliant member is adapted to be implanted in a pulmonary artery and the reservoir is adapted to be implanted subcutaneously. The external components may include a clinical controller component, monitoring software configured to run a clinician's computer, a patient monitoring device, and a mobile application configured to run on a patient's mobile device.

An elongate inserter has a distal end releasably connected to an expandable interbody fusion device and a proximal end including a trigger actuator. The interbody fusion device comprises a superior endplate and an inferior endplate that are movable in an expansion direction relative to each other in the intradiscal space. The inserter includes a lifting platform and an elevator that define cooperatively engaging ramps and ramps surfaces that upon operation of the trigger actuator cause the superior and inferior endplates to move relatively away from each other. A driver is supported by the inserter for pushing an insert into the expanded device between the superior and inferior endplates.

An intervertebral fusion cage that is adapted to contain an inserter within its inner volume during insertion of the cage.

Various embodiments of intervertebral implants, anchoring devices for intervertebral implants, and implantation instrumentation are provided, along with various embodiments of methods for using one or more of the devices. Some embodiments of an anchoring device have a body comprising at least one curve and a rigid plate elongated along a longitudinal axis so that its front end enters at least one vertebra while its rear end remains in the passage of an implant. In some embodiments, the plate comprises at least one longitudinal slot separating at least one posterior portion of the plate into two branches, with at least one branch comprising at least one withdrawal stop configured to retain the device in the implant.

The present disclosure relates to a suture anchor inserter. The suture anchor inserter includes a handle having a proximal component, a central component coupled to the proximal component, and a distal component coupled to the proximal component and the central component, the central component capable of rotating relative to the proximal component; and a shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the handle. A method of inserting a suture anchor into bone is also disclosed.

The present invention is specifically directed to a heart occlusion device with a self-centering mechanism. The heart occlusion device includes two separate uniquely shaped wires 12, 14, each forming shapes that mirror the respective wire's shapes. Each wire forms half-discs or quarter-discs that together form a distal disc and a proximal disc. In other versions, the device includes four separate wires, each mirroring its neighboring wire and forming a proximal and a distal quarter-disc. In the versions with four wires, the quarter-discs of each wire together form proximal and distal discs. The distal disc and proximal disc are separated by a self-centering waist. The proximal disc is attached to a hub comprising a screw mechanism. A similar hub is optional on the distal disc. The discs further include coverings which form a sealant to occlude an aperture in a tissue. The wires forming the discs have a shape-memory capability such that they can be collapsed and distorted in a catheter during delivery but resume and maintain their intended shape after delivery.

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.

An apparatus for insertion of a medical device in the skin of a subject is provided, as well as methods of inserting medical devices.

Systems and methods for updating status of digital certificate subkeys. A request is made to a key server to verify if a given key is revoked. If it is not, then the key with its subkeys is acquired from the key server. If one or more subkeys or signatures of the subkeys are different in the acquired key, then the key is replaced.

Described is a technology by which access to a resource is determined by evaluating a resource label of the resource against a user claim of an access request, according to policy decoupled from the resource. The resource may be a file, and the resource label may be obtained by classifying the file into classification properties, such that a change to the file may change its resource label, thereby changing which users have access to the file. The resource label-based access evaluation may be logically combined with a conventional ACL-based access evaluation to determine whether to grant or deny access to the resource.

An apparatus and method for converting a random binary sequence into a random integer is provided. The present invention converts a random binary sequence into a random integer, and determines whether the corresponding random integer falls within a preset integer interval. Further, if it is determined that the random integer generated from the random binary sequence does not fall within the preset integer interval, the present invention repeatedly updates a random binary sequence until a random integer falling within the corresponding integer interval is obtained, thus outputting uniformly distributed random integers which fall within the preset integer interval.

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to encode auxiliary data into text data and methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to obtain encoded data from text data are disclosed. An example method to embed auxiliary data into text data includes assigning source data to one of a plurality of groups, the source data comprising text data, identifying a symbol to be added to the source data based on an assigned group of the source data, and generating encoded data by including in the source data a text character representative of the symbol.

A request to render content associated with a first super distributed content file is detected by a content rendering device. At least one portion of the content associated with the first super distributed content file is determined to be missing from the first super distributed content file. A second file including the at least one portion of the content missing from the first super distributed content file is obtained from a server. The at least one portion of the content of the second file includes partial encrypted portions of the content associated with an encryption system of the content rendering device. A content output stream including decrypted partial encrypted portions of the content of the second file and the content associated with the first super distributed content file is generated. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

A Virtual Single Account (VSA) system and method that provides a mobile user with automatic authentication and connection to a remote network via local access networks with a single password, where the local access networks may be independent of the remote network. A mobile user has a single authentication credential for one VSA that is utilized by a VSA client installed on a mobile computing device. The VSA client provides for automatically authenticating and connecting the user's mobile device to a current local access network, and the target remote network such as the user's office network. All authentication credentials are encrypted using a key generated from the user's VSA password that is generated from the user's single password. The VSA client derives the key from the submitted VSA password and decrypts all authentication credentials that are required in order to connect the mobile device to the current local access network and thereafter to the office network.

A machined ceramic article having an initial surface defect density and an initial surface roughness is provided. The machined ceramic article is heated to a temperature range between about 1000° C. and about 1800° C. at a ramping rate of about 0.1° C. per minute to about 20° C. per minute. The machined ceramic article is heat-treated in air atmosphere. The machined ceramic article is heat treated at one or more temperatures within the temperature range for a duration of up to about 24 hours. The machined ceramic article is then cooled at the ramping rate, wherein after the heat treatment the machined ceramic article has a reduced surface defect density and a reduced surface roughness.

This disclosure relates to a method of preparing polyamide particles. The method include spray drying a solution containing a polyamide to form polyamide particles having an average diameter of between about 0.5 μm and about 10 μm and at least about 85% of the polyamide particles having a diameter distribution of no more than about 1.5 μm.

An injection-molding method for selectively manufacturing molded parts with and without a breakthrough is disclosed. A molded part with a breakthrough is manufactured by positioning a mold core in a mold cavity, whereas a molded part without breakthrough is manufactured by removing the mold core at least partly from the mold cavity. The mold cavity delimited by a nozzle-side mold platen and an ejector-side mold platen. The mold core is movable relative to at least one of the mold platens, in particularly the nozzle-side mold platen, in an advance direction, where the mold core is closer to the nozzle-side mold platen and an opposite withdrawal direction. At least one protective measure is provided for protecting the inner surface facing the mold cavity of the respective mold platen, in particularly the nozzle-side mold platen, from adverse mechanical effects during movement of the mold core in the advance direction.

In accordance with this invention a binder composition for treating particulate material to form a solid aggregate matrix is prepared by providing a urea formaldehyde precondensate; a polar solvent; additional urea; an acid or salt thereof, the acid or salt thereof being selected such as to render the pH of the binder composition to a value from 2.0 to 5.3; providing a sugar; providing a binding promoter for enhancing the binding between the binder composition and the particulate material; and mixing the above so as to form a binder composition. The binder composition is mixed with particulate material and allowed to set into a solid aggregate matrix over a period of longer than 30 minutes from being mixed with the said particulate material.

A method for making an elastomeric apertured web comprises providing a precursor web comprising a laminate which is subjected to incremental stretching to form an elastomeric precursor web. A forming apparatus is provided comprising a first member and a second member, wherein the first member comprises a mating member, and the second member comprises teeth which are joined to the second member. The elastomeric precursor web is moved through the forming apparatus, wherein apertures are formed in the elastomeric precursor web material as the teeth on the second member penetrate the mating member forming an elastomeric apertured web. The elastomeric apertured web exhibits a WVTR of at least about 1000 g/m2/day.

The invention relates to a method for producing a plastics material article, said method including the extruding of a tube-shaped parison and the re-forming of the parison into a hollow body within a blow mold by applying differential pressure. The method includes initially a first expanding and partial shaping of the parison with the blow mold not completely closed. Then at least one opening is provided on the circumference of the pre-expanded parison. In a further step at least one part to be built-in is introduced through the opening into the interior of the partially shaped plastics material article. In a final step the blow mold is closed completely and the blow molding of the plastics material article is completed.

Disclosed herein is a method for utilizing the exothermic energy generated by a low temperature cure reaction to access a high-temperature cure reaction, which is otherwise energetically inaccessible at a chosen tool temperature, thereby producing a cured resin matrix with properties closely matching to those produced via high-temperature cure reactions but achieved via a short cure time and low cure temperature. Also disclosed is a short-cure resin composition containing: (a) at least one multifunctional epoxy resin having an epoxy functionality of greater than 1; (b) a hardener composition containing (i) at least one aliphatic or cycloaliphatic amine curing agent having one or more amino groups per molecule; (ii) at least one aromatic amine curing agent having one or more amino groups per molecule; and optionally, (iii) an imidazole as curing accelerator. The improved properties of this resin composition include being curable at a temperature of ≦120° C. for a time period of less than 10 minutes to achieve a degree of cure higher than that derived from the same composition with just (i) aliphatic/cycloaliphatic amine or (ii) aromatic amine in isolation.

Recording reconstruction from multiple overlapping recordings may be provided. New recorders may copy manifests from working recorders, as opposed to reconstructing from failed recorders, to construct manifests that refer to video fragments from different recorders. Origin servers may follow these reconstructed manifests to obtain any fragment in the recording, in any combination of recorder failure/take-over/restart, as long as there was at least one recorder functioning at all times.

Methods and apparatuses for presenting targeted advertisements to DVR users are described. After a DVR has finished playing a recorded television program, or in response to other specified events, the DVR presents a screen which comprises a “save or delete” menu. In addition to the “save” and “delete” options, the menu additionally comprises one or more other options. Each of these other options may correspond to a separate promotional item. For example, a user's selection of such an option may cause the DVR to display or play an advertisement on the user's television set. Additionally or alternatively, these other options, when selected by a user, may cause the DVR to display a user interface through which the user can actually purchase a product or service. The product or service advertised or offered may be one that was featured or referenced in the television program that the user was just watching.

A drill insert of the present invention comprises a corner part, and an upper face having a first side and a second side disposed on both sides of the corner part, respectively. The drill insert comprises a first cutting edge formed along the first side; a second cutting edge formed along the second side; a first region of the upper face located along the first cutting edge; a second region of the upper face located along the second cutting edge; and a first raised part disposed in the first region so as to lie at a higher position than the second region. The first raised part has an upper portion; a breaker portion configured to be inclined so as to become at a lower position as the first raised part extends from the upper portion; and a side portion configured to be inclined so as to become at a lower position as the side portion extends from the upper portion. The first raised part is disposed at a position closer to the first cutting edge than a bisector of the corner part when viewed from above.

A tool cartridge for a material removal tool has a cartridge body with, among other things, a recess extending through at least a portion of the cartridge body from a first side toward a second side, a long axis of the recess non-parallel to a long axis of the cartridge body and at least a portion of the recess open to a bottom side of the cartridge body, and a threaded opening for a differential screw proximate a second end of the tool body and positioned longitudinally between an opening for a clamping screw and at least a portion of a seat for a cutting tool insert. A thread axis of the threaded opening is at an angle G relative to a long axis of the tool cartridge. A material removal tool, a tool, and a method of adjusting a cutting tool insert are also disclosed.

A cutting tool has at least one cutting tool support pad. The cutting tool support pad includes two opposing primary surfaces, each primary surface includes an abutment surface and at least one convex contact surface. For each primary surface, the at least one contact surface extends outwardly further than the abutment surface.

A cutting head having a cutting end and an opposite coupling end along a longitudinal cutting head axis; having a cutting head length; and including two major surfaces and a peripheral surface. A male coupling portion extends rearwards from the coupling end, between a base portion and a rear surface, with a circumferential peripheral surface, having a coupling length. A flexibility slot extends from the rear surface opening to the major surfaces, along the cutting head axis, having a slot length and a head slot length. The coupling length is equal to or less than half the head slot length, and the slot length is equal to or greater than half the cutting head length. The cutting head is self-clamped into a tool shank with female coupling portion, by a friction fit between the male and female portion peripheral surfaces, causing the cutting head to elastically deform.

A material removal having a plurality of cartridges mounted on an active portion where a plurality of seating members mounted in each of the plurality of cartridges pivots about an axis between a retracted position and an extended position is disclosed. Alternative embodiments have a single pivotable seating member. The pivotable extending seating members operate to extend and retract in a scissors-like motion and enable compact and efficient machining operation, particularly for crank shaft bearing supports.

One or more embodiments provide for a device that utilizes voltage switchable dielectric material having semi-conductive or conductive materials that have a relatively high aspect ratio for purpose of enhancing mechanical and electrical characteristics of the VSD material on the device.

The invention relates to a main housing element for a multi-part housing of an electrical device. The main housing element consists of a frame element and at least one connector element integrated in the frame element and produced in one piece with the frame element. The connecting region between the at least one connector element and the frame element is configured as a predetermined breaking point. In the course of assembly of the main housing element a mechanical separation of the connector element from the frame element takes place, whereby the connector element and the frame element are uncoupled.

A spectrometer system for providing information about a target with terahertz radiation. The system may receive incident radiation from the target through fore optics, a slit aperture, secondary optics and a dispersive element which images a slit on an array of terahertz sensitive detectors. The detectors may include uncooled sensors. Each sensor may be connected to its own micro antenna. The array of detectors may be situated proximate to the dispersive element so that radiation from the element may be dispersed according to wavelength to the respective detectors optimally sensitive to the various respective wavelengths. Detector signals indicating the impingement of terahertz radiation may provide information for identifying a material of the target.

A substrate device includes an embedded layer of VSD material that overlays a conductive element or layer to provide a ground. An electrode, connected to circuit elements that are to be protected, extends into the thickness of the substrate to make contact with the VSD layer. When the circuit elements are operated under normal voltages, the VSD layer is dielectric and not connected to ground. When a transient electrical event occurs on the circuit elements, the VSD layer switches instantly to a conductive state, so that the first electrode is connected to ground.

An elastomeric particle (1, 1, 1″) comprises a non-conducting elastomeric body (2) having an electrically conducting surface (4a, 4b, 6). Pressure sensor elements (20, 20', 20″; 30, 30', 30″, 30'″) comprising such elastomeric particles are disclosed, as well as sensor clusters (50″, 50'″, 50IV, 50V, 50VI, 50VII, 70) comprising such sensor elements. There is also disclosed a pressure sensor element (40, 40', 40″, 40'″, 40IV, 40V, 40VI, 40VII), comprising a resistive element (44, 44', 44″) providing a conduction path, a first electrode (42a, 42a-1, 42a-2, 42a-3, 42a-4, 42a-5, 42a-6), connected to the resistive element, a second electrode (42b, 42b'), which in a quiescent state is spaced from said first electrode, wherein the second electrode, when the pressure sensor element is subjected to a pressure, is arranged to contact said first electrode or said resistive element. Systems comprising such sensor elements and sensor clusters are disclosed, as well as methods of their fabrication.

An articulated work holder for a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle including a base member and first, second and third, support arms having multiple degrees of rotational movement and a vise member carrying vehicle engagement pads for supporting a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle between the vise engagement pads.

A system and method of painting parts of large dimensions that present a certain amount of flexibility that makes their shape geometrically unstable in the event of being moved. The surface of a part is moved in front of a paint spray device by an arm of a robot, while the spray device remains stationary relative to the robot and while the part is being deformed. Other elements include a gripper for gripping parts of large dimensions, the gripper being adapted to implement the method; an installation; and a booth for performing surface treatment of parts.

A part fixturing system for securing a workpiece includes an expanding clamping device and a work holding device. The expanding clamping device includes a clamp base portion, first and second traversing wedge blocks, an actuation screw, and a clamp plate portion. The clamp base portion comprises a longitudinal recess, and the traversing wedge blocks are located inside the longitudinal recess, each block including an inclined contact surface and a threaded aperture. The actuation screw passes through the longitudinal recess of the clamp base portion and the threaded apertures of the traversing wedge blocks. The clamp plate portion comprises first and second declined contact surfaces. The work holding device comprises first and second support columns that define a longitudinal loading envelope. The expanding clamping device is positioned inside the longitudinal loading envelope of the work holding device and couples the workpiece to the first and second support columns.

A support disk fixing apparatus which includes an upper surface to which a wafer is bonded, a lower surface, a cylindrical side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a chamfered portion between the upper surface and the side surface, includes a base upon which the support disk is placed; and a fixture that is provided on the base, and that has a first surface that abuts against the side surface of the support disk and covers the side surface of the support disk, and a second surface that abuts against the chamfered portion of the support disk and covers the chamfered portion of the support disk.

An apparatus for supporting a workpiece during processing of the workpiece is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a chassis having a vacuum chamber that is connectable to a vacuum source; a supporting device rotatable relative to the chassis, the supporting device having a hollow compartment and a supporting surface for holding the workpiece; and at least one sealing device arranged between the chassis and the supporting device, to provide an air-tight seal between the chassis and the supporting device while allowing for rotation of the supporting device with respect to the chassis, so as to form a vacuum passage extending from the supporting surface of the supporting device through the hollow compartment of the supporting device and the vacuum chamber of the chassis to the vacuum source, to thereby hold the workpiece to the supporting surface of the supporting device during processing of the workpiece.

A workpiece support, including: first and second arms pivotably connected to first and second support members respectively, the first and second support members being spaced apart, each arm including first and second receiving members for receiving the workpiece, the first and second receiving members being provided at first and second ends of each arm respectively, wherein each arm is pivotably connected to the respective first and second support members at a point between the first and second ends of each arm, such that a workpiece may be supported by the first and second receiving members of the first arm and the first and second receiving members of the second arm.

A hand tool for inserting a large variety of connector components into narrow plastic irrigation piping is disclosed. This tool is an improved and progressive development of my previous Israeli patent no: 152089 in that it is designed to work with a large variety of connector components and is designed to accommodate both sizes of narrow spaghetti piping, whereas the previous patent could accommodate only a single size of narrow piping. The tool as shown in FIG. 2 has a body onto which all the elements are connected and the body is configured to sit comfortably in the palm of the hand. When pressing down on the handle, the grips secure the narrow piping and cause a connector component, deployed in appropriate recess provided in the tool to be easily inserted into the narrow piping.

A support structure for supporting a semiconductor device during a bonding operation is provided. The support structure comprises a body portion defining an upper surface configured to support a semiconductor device during a bonding operation. The upper surface defines a constraining feature for constraining at least a portion of the semiconductor device during the bonding operation.

A prosthetic inserter includes an inserter head having at least first and second bosses, at least one of the bosses movable from a first position to a second position, that couple the inserter to a femoral provisional component via a pair of corresponding apertures, such as drill holes, within the articulating surfaces of a selected one of a series of femoral provisional components. Each provisional component of the series is capable of having different aperture distances measured between a respective pair of apertures. The bosses of the inserter are biased into an engagement position in which the inserter can be secured to a femoral provisional component to eliminate the need for an external engagement force to be supplied to the inserter.

A liquid cartridge is detachably attachable to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus. The liquid cartridge includes a cartridge case, an information memory element, and a holding unit. The cartridge case includes at least two dividable case parts. The at least two dividable case parts form a front face of the cartridge case to face the apparatus body when the liquid cartridge is attached to the apparatus body. An information memory element is held at the front face of the cartridge case. The holding unit is provided in one of the at least two dividable case parts to hold the information memory element with only the one of the at least two dividable case parts. The holding unit includes a groove to receive the information memory element and a displaceable claw to hold the information memory element between the groove and the claw.

A cartridge comprises an ink supply structure, a terminal bearing structure, and a first restriction portion. The terminal bearing structure has terminals arranged in a terminal plane which is neither parallel nor perpendicular to a plane defined by a mounting direction leading edge of the ink supply structure, so that the contact portions of the terminals receive a force in a direction opposite from the mounting direction. An engagement portion of the first restriction portion is provided at a position adjacent to the terminal bearing structure.

A particle removal device for an ink jet printer is discussed. The particle removal device includes a first separator comprising an arrangement of obstacles including at least two rows of obstacles that extend laterally with respect to a flow path of ink in the first separator. The rows of obstacles are offset from one another by a row offset fraction. The arrangement of obstacles is configured to preferentially route larger particles having diameters greater than a critical diameter through the arrangement and along a first trajectory vector that is angled with respect to the direction of the flow path of the ink. The angle of the first trajectory vector with respect to the ink flow path is a function of the row offset fraction. Smaller particles having diameters less than the critical diameter travel through the arrangement along a second trajectory vector that is not substantially angled with respect to the flow path of the ink. The first separator causes a pressure drop of the ink of less than about 100 Pa.

An image forming apparatus including a control unit configured to cause the light irradiation unit to irradiate the photosensitive member at an image forming portion to which toner particles adhere with light emitted from the light source by a first light emission amount, and cause the light irradiation unit to irradiate the photosensitive member at a non-image forming portion to which no toner particles adhere with light emitted from the light source by a second light emission amount that is smaller than the first light emission amount. The image forming apparatus further includes an adjusting unit configured to adjust the first light emission amount and the second light emission amount, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to a speed of surface of the photosensitive member. The adjusting unit is configured to change the second light emission amount according to information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Assisted-GPS for a portable biometric monitoring device is provided. The portable biometric monitoring device may obtain updated ephemeris data from an associated secondary device via a short-range, low-power communication protocol. The secondary device may be a computing device such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Various rules may control when the ephemeris data is updated. The ephemeris data may be used in the calculation of the global position of the portable biometric monitoring device. Additionally, the portable biometric monitoring device may communicate downloaded position fixing data to the associated secondary device. The associated secondary device may then calculate the global position from the position fixing data.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a radar system is provided which accurately measures the surface profile in a wide sector beneath and forward of a helicopter, to aid low level transit and landing in poor visibility. This uses an electronic beam synthesis technique to form multiple beams directed at the area of interest, each measuring the distance to the first reflected signal received by each beam. These distances represent the profile of the ground and any objects on the ground. A processor then compares the measured profile with the ideal ground profile for safe landing. If the deviations from straight and level exceed the specified requirement for safe landing, or if sufficient rotor clearance is not detected, then a warning is given to the operator. A display will show the measured ground profile highlighting the unsafe regions, allowing the operator to seek a safe region to land. The novelty lies in the way the beams are formed to measure and display the ground profile and provide a warning system. This beam-forming technique is simpler and more cost effective than with a conventional phased array radar.

A boost converter with a multiple input and with improved efficiency has two or more inputs. A DC voltage source can be connected to each input. A common output carries a DC voltage whose value is greater than or equal to that of the input voltages. The common output is in each case connected to each of the plurality of inputs via a positive lead branch and a negative lead branch. At least one inductor is arranged in the positive lead branch and/or the negative lead branch from each input, and at least one rectification element is arranged in the positive lead branch and/or the negative lead branch from each input. Furthermore, the inputs can be connected in series by means of two or more switching elements via the inductors, wherein at least two of the inductors can in each case be connected in parallel.