Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Brigham Young University

Quanex Corporation

Sandia Corporation

Tula Health, Inc.

Peter a Feinstein Patents LLC

Becton Dickinson and Company Limited

University of Michigan

Lvmh Swiss Manufactures Sa

Brian D Jensen

Larry L Howell

Spencer P Magleby

Clayton Grames

Devin Warner Miller

Peter A Feinstein

Joseph D Isaacs

Nathan Usevitch

Ivyann Oveson Running

Jason Dearden

Spencer Talbot

Josh Williams

Nicole Winter

Mitchell Slater

Ethan Krause

Thomas A Naylor

Paul McMullin

Roger Black

Cameron Hernandez

Samuel Lee Miller

Bryce Edmondson

Jordan Tanner

Ronald J Pich

Jonathan Karl Burkholz

Yiping Ma

S Ray Isaacson

Anton Edis Bowden

Stephen M Barnes

M Steven Rodgers

Jeffrey V Sawyers

Isaac Weaver

Carter Stentzel

Daniel Robinaugh

Derek Sanchez

Andrew Geyser

Scott M Fetting

Michael S Burg

David W Bailey

Gregory M Roach

Brandon Scott Sargent

Jason Lund

Jacob D Pichler

Robert C Davis

Michael B Sinclair

Richard Vanfleet

Katsuo Kurabayashi

Matthew Frank Parkinson

Robert C Martineau

Nathan Brad Crane

Norman Frank Smith

Maarten P DeBoer

Darrell Skousen

Guy Semon

Joe Cutsforth

Maarten De Boer

Heather Leany

Henry Davis

Bryce David Parkinson

Christian D Esplin

Kendall Hal Seymour

Maxwell J Bean

Hannah Rose Lutz

Michael Farina

Quentin T Aten

Fernando Bitsie

Amelia Mariah Parkinson

Sandra Burnett

Trent Zimmerman

Jared Bruton

James Harkness

Jared J Butler

Harold A Lovelady

Isa Kohls

Danni Joell Porter

Stephanie Morco

A band has at least one actuator including first and second members connected to one another so as to be pivotable between open and closed positions. The first member includes a pair of deformable beams, each having a protuberance extending therefrom. The second member includes a series of ridges and valleys formed therein that are sized, shaped and positioned to cooperate with the protuberances extending from the beams. In the open position and the closed position, the protuberances align with the valleys, such that the beams are in a relaxed state and generally parallel with each other, and when the first and second members are pivoted to positions between the open and closed positions, the protuberances cooperate with the ridges, such that the beams are elastically deformed so as to no longer be parallel with each other, and so as to store strain energy.

Band with bistable actuation mechanism employing flexible element

A band configured to wrap around and be secured to an object includes at least three members pivotably connected to one another so as to be pivotable between an open position and a closed position, the first member including an outwardly disposed face defining an imaginary plane and each of the second and third members including an actuator prong that extends outwardly beyond the imaginary plane when in the open position and that is retracted to no longer extend outwardly beyond the imaginary plane when in the closed position. Movement of the object into contact with the first member so as to exert actuation forces toward the outwardly disposed face when the actuator prongs are in contact with a surface causes the second and third members to move from the open position to the closed position due to forces created between the actuator prongs and the surface.

Band employing bistable magnetic actuator with hands free actuation

Systems, devices, and methods for determining an optimal position for a physiological sensor against a subject are described herein. A system may include a physiological sensor and a processing device. The processing device may store and execute instructions to receive a first signal generated by the physiological sensor as the physiological sensor is at a first position relative to the body part, receive a second signal generated by the physiological sensor as the physiological sensor is at a second position relative to the body part, determine a difference between the first signal and the second signal, determine, based on the difference, whether the first position or the second position is more closely aligned to a vein or an artery of the subject; and generate an indicator that indicates whether the first position or the second position is more closely aligned to the vein or the artery.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining an optimal position of a physiological sensor against a subject

A band includes a pair of members moveable between an open position adapted to receive an article in a channel and a closed position adapted to retain the article within the channel. Each of the members includes a plurality of pivotally attached bistable compliant links, such that when the links are pivoted past a threshold position toward the closed position, the links are biased toward the closed position and such that when the links are pivoted past the threshold position toward the open position, the links are biased toward the open position. An actuator linkage is pivotally connected to at least one of the links, the actuator linkage including an engagement end protruding into the channel when the members are in the open position, such that movement of the article into the channel causes the article to contact and exert actuation forces on the engagement end.

Band employing bistable compliant scissor linkages and hands-free actuation mechanism

Embodiments disclosed are systems and methods for interfacing a metallic capillary in a microchannel of a metallic body. A method may include inserting a portion of the metallic capillary into a portion the microchannel of the metallic body, sintering the portion of the metallic capillary to the portion of the microchannel of the metallic body, disposing a sacrificial powder at least proximate to the metallic capillary and the metallic body after sintering the portion of the metallic capillary and the portion of the microchannel of the metallic body, and infiltrating at least the portion of the metallic capillary sintered to the portion of the microchannel of the metallic body with an infiltrant in the presence of the sacrificial powder disposed at least proximate to the metallic capillary and the metallic body.

Methods for interfacing a metallic microchannel and a metallic capillary

A plurality of bistable compliant links are pivotally attached to one another, each of the links having a compliant section and first and second rigid sections extending from the compliant section. The links are pivotally attached to one another via the first and second rigid sections, such that when the links are pivoted with respect to each other past a threshold position toward a closed position, the links are biased toward the closed position by forces created by the compliant sections, and when the links are pivoted with respect to each other past the threshold position toward an open position, the links are biased toward the open position by forces created by the compliant sections. The forces created by the compliant sections biasing the links toward the closed position and biasing the links toward the open position are caused by elastic deformation of the compliant sections.

Band employing bistable compliant scissor linkages

A band includes at least three members pivotably connected to one another so as to be pivotable between open and closed positions. A first member includes first and second permanent magnets disposed at opposite ends thereof, a second member includes a third permanent magnet and a third member includes a fourth permanent magnet. The first and second members are configured such that when they are pivoted with respect to each other past a threshold position toward the closed position, they are biased toward the closed position by forces created by the first and third magnets and when they are pivoted with respect to each other past the threshold position toward the open position, they are biased toward the open position by forces created by the first and third magnets. The first and third members are similarly biased by forces created by the second and fourth magnets.

Band employing bistable magnetic actuator

Part for a timepiece movement, made of a composite material comprising a rigid matrix and a forest of nanotubes contained in the rigid matrix.

Part for timepiece movement, timepiece movement, timepiece, and method for manufacturing such a part for timepiece movement

The embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of grasping, cutting, and manipulating operations. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a shaft, a tool member, and a flexure. The shaft has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and defines a longitudinal axis. The distal end portion includes a ground portion. The tool member has an engagement portion and an actuation portion. The engagement portion is disposed distally from the actuation portion, and can exert an engagement force on a target structure. The actuation portion receives an actuation force. The flexure has a first end portion coupled to the ground portion of the shaft, and a second end portion coupled to the tool member. The flexure is configured to deform elastically when the actuation force is exerted on the actuation portion of the tool member such that the tool member rotates relative to the shaft.

Compliant mechanisms having inverted tool members

In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a plate configured for implantation in a body of a patient. The plate can include a plurality of pores and be configured for placement between a cancellous bone of a spinal vertebra and a corresponding cartilaginous endplate as a replacement for a bony endplate of the spinal vertebra.

Artificial vertebral endplates and associated methods

The embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of grasping, cutting, and manipulating operations. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first joint member, a second joint member, and a flexure. The first joint member includes a first connection portion and a contact surface. The second joint member including a second connection portion. A first end portion of the flexure is coupled to the first connection portion, and a second end portion of the flexure is coupled to the second connection portion. The flexure is configured to deform elastically when the first joint member and the second joint member move from a first configuration to a second configuration. When in the first configuration, the central portion of the flexure is spaced apart from the contact portion. When in the second configuration, the central portion of the flexure contacting the contact portion.

Joint assemblies with cross-axis flexural pivots

A device for accommodating and magnetizing a tissue-penetrating medical device of various lengths, with or without a cover covering a portion or the entirety of the tissue-penetrating medical device, is disclosed including a sleeve member having an open proximal end, a distal end, an inner surface, an outer surface having a graduated injection depth gauge to indicate needle penetration depth when the cover is placed into a magnetizer, and a hollow body extending between the proximal end and the distal end to form a protective closure over a shaft of a tissue-penetrating medical device. A device having one or more magnetizing elements sectioned into a plurality of movable segments pivoting around an axis to accommodate needles with different lengths is also disclosed. Also disclosed is a device having one or more magnetizing means mounted on a movable element to magnetize needles of various lengths.

Needle magnetizer

Systems, devices, and methods for optimizing a physiological measurement are described herein. A system may include a wearable band that is wearable by a subject, a user device attached to the wearable band, and a measurement device configured to the physiological measurement. The user device may include a first communication device and a user interface. The measurement device may include a hollow housing, a processing device disposed within the housing, an elastic coupling member disposed within the housing, a physiological sensor coupled to the housing by the elastic coupling member, and a second communication device. The physiological sensor may take the physiological measurement and communicate the physiological measurement to the user device. The user interface may display the physiological measurement to the subject. The physiological measurement device and the user device may be attached to the same wearable band that is worn by the subject.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for optimizing a physiological measurement taken from a subject

Systems, devices, and methods are described herein for maintaining a physiological sensor at constant pressure against a subject. A system may include a wearable band that is wearable by a subject, a physiological sensor coupled to the wearable band, a pressure sensor coupled to the wearable band, a processor and a user interface. The physiological sensor may be positioned along an inside surface of the wearable band, embedded in the wearable band, or otherwise positioned in the band to be adjacent to the subject as the subject wears the wearable band. The pressure sensor may directly or indirectly measure a pressure of the physiological sensor against the subject. The processor may generate an alert when a pressure measurement for the physiological sensor against the subject is outside a specified range. The user interface may present the alert to the subject.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for maintaining constant pressure of a physiological sensor against a subject

Systems, devices, and methods are described herein for ensuring constant contact of a physiological sensor with a subject. A device may include a wearable band wearable by the subject, an elastic coupling member, a sensor module coupled by the elastic coupling member to the wearable band, a housing attached to the wearable band, a processor, and a user interface. The wearable band may include a recess extending into the wearable band. The elastic coupling member and/or the sensor module may be disposed within the recess. As the subject wears the wearable band, the elastic coupling member may press the sensor module against the subject and may cause constant contact between the sensor module and the subject. Electrical tracing embedded in the wearable band and extending from the sensor module to the housing may couple the sensor module to the processor or the user interface.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for ensuring constant pressure of a physiological sensor against a subject

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Brian D Jensen