Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc.

Other

Sdgi Holdings, Inc.

Picker Technologies LLC

Spinefrontier, Inc

Spinal Dynamics Corporation

Alex E Kunzler

Vincent Bryan, Iii

Carlos Eduardo Gil

Daniel Reed Baker

Randy N Allard

Vincent E Bryan

Robert Conta

Gary R McLuen

Anthony V Finazzo

Peter C Kunzler

Leonard Tokish

Richard J Broman

David Yager

Randy Allard

Randall N Allard

Carly Anderson Thaler

Jeffrey P Rouleau

Marc Bommarito

Charles R Clark

Jeffrey A Cleveringa

Pete Kunzler

Anthony Finazzo

Joseph A Penaranda

John Ohrt

Aaron Kelly

Polly Allard

Jeff Edfast

Jeff Rouleau

Gene Barrow

David T Stinson

Elliott Marshall

Richard Broman

Vincent E Iii Bryan

A braking system for safely collecting brake dust produced by operation of a braking mechanism. The braking system comprises a collector apparatus coupled with a braking mechanism. The collector apparatus is able to include a shroud that surrounds the braking mechanism and a catch element coupled with the shroud for collecting brake dust exiting the shroud. As a result, when coupled with the braking mechanism, the collector apparatus is able to ensure that most or all brake dust, such as copper or other particles from the braking mechanism that break off from the breaking mechanism during operation of the braking mechanism, are removed from the braking mechanism and collected by the filter/catch of the collector mechanism.

Braking device, system and method

A device for transporting articles is disclosed. In the illustrated and described embodiment of the invention, the articles are fruit such as apples, and the articles can be transported from a picking location on a fruit tree to a collection bin or other site. The device includes a tube member adapted to receive and transport the articles, and a plurality of deformable baffles at spaced-apart locations within the tube. Each baffle defines an aperture which permits the article to engage and deform the baffle and aperture so as to create at least a partial momentary seal to encourage article movement through the aperture and down the tube. The article is urged through the tube by a pressure differential created across the article. In the described and illustrated embodiment of the invention, this pressure differential is a pneumatic pressure differential. The tube and the baffle apertures can have non-circular cross-sectional shapes.

Transport system for fruit and like objects

A downloader conveyor is described and claimed. The downloader conveyor comprises an endless belt to which a plurality of cups is pivotally attached. The cups are adapted to receive apples or like relatively delicate objects. As the cups containing the apples descend into the bin, the cups rotate so as to permit the apples or other objects to roll out of or exit from the cups and to retard the cup acceleration. Each apple engages a skirt, which breaks the fall of the exiting apple. A distal end of the skirt can be arranged to scrape over the bin floor or scrape over the top of apples or other objects already placed in the bin, so as to again break the fall of the apple so that the apple is placed in the bin without substantial freefall.

Downloader conveyor for apples and like objects

The invention relates to a surgical implant that provides an artificial diarthroidal-like joint, suitable for use in replacing any joint, but particularly suitable for use as an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis. The invention contains two rigid opposing shells, each having an outer surface adapted to engage the surfaces of the bones of a joint in such a way that the shells are immobilized by friction between their outer surfaces and the surfaces of the bone. These outer surfaces are sufficiently rough that large frictional forces strongly resist any slippage between the outer surface and the bone surfaces in the joint. They may be convex, and when inserted into a milled concavity, are immediately mechanically stable. Desirably, the outer surfaces of the shells are adapted to allow for bony ingrowth, which further stabilizes the shells in place. The inner surfaces of the shells are relatively smooth, and adapted to slide easily across a portion of the outer surface of a central body disposed between the shells. The central body has a shape that cooperates with the shape of the inner surface of the shell so as to provide a range of motion similar to that provided by a healthy joint. A flexible sheath extends between edges of the opposing shells. The inner surface of this sheath, together with the inner surfaces of the rigid shells, defines a cavity encasing the central body. At least a portion of this cavity is filled with a fluid lubricant, further decreasing the frictional force between inner surfaces of the shell and the surface of the central body.

Implantable joint prosthesis

The invention relates to a spinal disc endoprosthesis. The endoprosthesis has a resilient body formed of one or more materials which may vary in stiffness from a relatively stiff exterior annular gasket portion to a relatively supple central nucleus portion. Concaval-convex elements at least partly surround that nucleus portion so as to retain the nucleus portion and gasket between adjacent vertebral bodies in a patient's spine. Assemblies of endoprosthetic discs, endoprosthetic vertebral bodies, and endoprosthetic longitudinal ligaments may be constructed. To implant this endoprosthesis assembly, information is obtained regarding the size, shape, and nature of a patient's damaged spine. Thereafter, one or more prosthetic vertebral bodies and disc units are constructed in conformity with that information. Finally, the completed and conformed vertebral body and disc assembly is implanted in the patient's spine.

Human spinal disc prosthesis

A method for implanting an articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis into an intervertebral disc space comprises surgically accessing the intervertebral disc space through an opening on a first lateral side of the intervertebral disc space and inserting a first half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis through the opening and into the intervertebral disc space. The method further comprises inserting a second half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis through the opening on the first lateral side of the intervertebral disc space and positioning the first half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis on a second lateral side of the intervertebral disc space. The method also comprises positioning the second half of the articulating intervertebral disc prosthesis on the first lateral side of the intervertebral disc space.

Posterior articular disc and method for implantation

Human spinal disc prothesis with hinges

A mobile system for improving the picking and preliminary processing of apples, citrus, stone fruit and the like is disclosed and claimed. The system comprises a mobile chassis upon which can be mounted picking stations, pneumatic tube transport subsystems, receiving and conveying subsystems, object scanning subsystems, cull diverter subsystems, labeling subsystems, and subsystems for relatively gently placing the objects in a predetermined location in a receiving bin. The system can also include a subsystem for gently placing diverted objects in a receiving bin.

Mobile system for improving the picking and preliminary processing of apples, citrus, stone fruit and like objects

The present invention relates to a locking mechanism and method of locking the relative positions of a fixation device like a bone screw and of a stabilization device like a rod. The locking mechanism includes a seat, a washer and a cap. The seat includes a bottom portion configured to receive the fixation device such that a socket of the bottom portion engages part of the fixation device and prevents the fixation device from passing entirely therethrough. The seat further includes a side portion configured to receive the stabilization device, a washer and a cap. When the washer and cap are fully engaged with the seat, the fixation device may be locked independent of the stabilization device. The locking mechanism may also include a locking element for locking the stabilization device.

Multistage spinal fixation locking mechanism

A device for transporting articles is disclosed. In the illustrated and described embodiment of the invention, the articles are fruit such as apples, and the articles can be transported from a picking location on a fruit tree to a collection bin or other site. The device includes a tube member adapted to receive and transport the articles, and a plurality of deformable baffles at spaced-apart locations within the tube. Each baffle defines an aperture which permits the article to engage and deform the baffle and aperture so as to move through the aperture and down the tube. The article is urged through the tube by a pressure differential created across the article. In the described and illustrated embodiment of the invention, this pressure differential is a pneumatic pressure differential.

The invention relates to a surgical implant that provides an artificial diarthroidal-like D joint, suitable for use in replacing any joint, but particularly suitable for use as an intervertebral disc endoprosthesis. The invention contains two rigid opposing shells, each having an outer surface adapted to engage the surfaces of the bones of a joint in such a way that the shells are immobilized by friction between their outer surfaces and the surfaces of the bone. These outer surfaces are sufficiently rough, while the inner surfaces of the shells are relatively smooth. The central body has a shape that cooperates with the shape of the inner surface of the shell so as to provide a range of motion similar to that provided by a healthy joint.

Growing community of inventors

La Quinta, CA, United States of America

Alex E Kunzler