Ivac Corporation

Other

Troxel-west

Medpro Safety Products, Inc.

Sidney Frank Importing Co., Inc.

Mmi Corporation

Millaghi Medical, Inc.

Mist-defy'r, Inc.

Steven Alpert

Donald L Millerd

Marl J Bell

Robert S Alpert

David G Kunze

John E Kling

Robert D Bell

Karl J Hemmerich

Dennis G Piper

Timothy M Monahan

Anthony B Semedo

Michael Dekker

Richard M Timms

George Ashie

Apparatus and methods for a single, handheld device that provides for both insertion of a catheter and collection of a fluid. Some embodiments further include a needle that assists in the insertion of the catheter into a blood vessel, and which includes a retraction feature that protects the user from an accidental needle stick when the device is ready for disposal. Still further embodiments include a protective cover that prevents a user from accidentally being stuck by a second needle used for the introduction of the patient's blood into a collection device.

Passive safety I.V. blood collection catheter

A device for selectively protecting a needle includes an adapter holding the needle and a guard engaging the adapter for relative movement therebetween. Further, the device includes a means for guiding movement between the adapter and the guard. Structurally, the guiding means includes a 'V' shaped slot in the guard and a radially-extending boss on the adapter. The boss is received in the slot to limit relative movement between the guard and the adapter. Specifically, in a first position of the device, the boss is in a first leg of the slot and the needle partially extends beyond the guard. In a second position, the boss is held at the apex of the slot and the needle fully extends beyond the guard. In a third position, the boss is in the second leg of the slot and the needle is retracted into the guard to protect the needle.

Method of delivery with needle shield rotation and alignment

A compact and efficient spice grinder having a centrally disposed post configured for engaging a spice seed in the grinding chamber. The spice seed is initially &ldquo;fractured&rdquo; by a &ldquo;pestle-like&rdquo; seed fracturing structuring at the top of the post. When a user thereafter rotates the dome-like cover of the grinder with respect to the base, spice fragments are grated against interior blades positioned along the sidewall of the chamber adapter/extender. A dome cover is gradually lowered by a user as the spice in the grinding chamber becomes depleted. The grinder is lightweight and may be attached conveniently to a key ring or to a chain and carried as a novelty item.

Compact spice grinder

Combined water bottle and closure

Youth sport helmet

The present invention is directed to a squeezable insulated water bottle. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle has an outer shell of cylindrical shape with an opening at one end and a closed second end with an indented center shell portion dividing top and bottom shell portions, a layer of insulation material positioned about the inner surface of the top and bottom outer shell portions, and an inner liner of cylindrical shape having a neck opening. The outer shell, the inner liner, and the insulation layer are all made from flexible materials which allow the bottle to be insulated yet squeezable.

Insulated water bottle for a bicycle

An automatic control system for operating an electrically actuated device, such as a windshield wiper, power window, sun roof or convertible top of a motor vehicle, in response to the presence of water moisture. The control system includes a moisture sensor having a plurality of spaced apart, exposed conductive strips, the strips being arranged in adjacent pairs; a voltage source coupled to one strip of each pair; a current detector coupled to the other strip of each pair to discriminate between the presence or absence of moisture droplets on each pair; a drop accumulation detector, coupled to the current detector, for determining the number of pairs of sensor strips which are contacted by moisture droplets; and an electrical switch, coupled to the droplet detector, for switching on the electrical device in response to the number of droplets present on the moisture sensor.

Control system for operating a window wiper in response to water moisture

A moisture sensor for sensing ambient moisture in the vicinity of a window having a window wiper. The sensor comprises a plurality of spaced apart conductive strips having an exposed surface. The electrical resistance between adjacent strips is dependent on the ambient moisture. The sensor also includes means for repetitively removing the moisture from the exposed surface and in the region between the strips. The conductive strips are located at a position other than in the area of sweep of the window wiper on the window and at least one of the removing means and the plurality of conductive strips is coupled to the window wiper, whereby the at least one of the removing means and the plurality of conductive strips is actuated by the window wiper and operates in synchronism therewith.

Moisture sensor for an automatic vehicle window wiper control

A device for infusing a drug into an ambulatory patient, the drug being contained in a transparent spiral conduit which is embedded in a disposable flexible casting conformingly adhered to the patient's body, includes a reusable micropump module which is detachably mounted in a collar valve on the casting and forces oxygen into the conduit under pressure to expel the drug into a semi-pivoting cannula inserted into the patient's body. A colored oil drop between the oxygen and the drug in the conduit provides a visual indication of drug quantity, while a filter with hydrophobic and hydrophylic membranes keeps the oxygen and oil substantially out of the cannula. A test button sounds an alarm when the device is ready for use and a pressure sensitive switch automatically sounds an alarm and shuts off the pump if the drug becomes completely discharged from the conduit or if the drug delivery system becomes occluded and an interlock switch completes the circuit between the pump and a power source when the reusable module and disposable casting are joined.

Ambulatory drug delivery device

Drug delivery valve for IV fluid infusion system

Support flange for IV drip chamber

The invention is directed to an automatic wiper control circuit for operating window wipers automatically when moisture is sensed. The control circuit additionally provides for increasing the speed of a dual speed wiper motor when a high level of moisture is detected. The system comprises a moisture sensor which senses moisture thereon. A circuit associated with the moisture sensor converts the moisture level to DC voltage. At a preselected level of this DC voltage the wiper motor operates in one of its two different speeds. A lack of a predetermined amount of moisture terminates the wiper motor operation. If the control circuit terminates the wiper motor action during wiper sweep, the normal homing circuit of the wiper motor continues to operate the motor until the wiper blade or blades reach the wiper blade home position. Sequential illumination of a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDS) occur during a wiping cycle when the circuit is operating normally. A switch is provided to remove the automatic wiper control circuit from the conventional automotive wiper motor circuit. A separate LED provides a visual indication of automatic wiper control circuit disconnection from the conventional automotive wiper motor circuit.

Automatic window wiper control

A fluid infusion system includes a selector valve for convenient interruption of administration of a primary infusion fluid to a patient to permit administration of a secondary infusion fluid, such as a selected drug solution, followed by resumption of primary fluid flow. The selector valve includes a valve housing with a primary spike for connection to a primary fluid container, a dual path secondary spike for connection to a vial or the like containing the secondary infusion fluid, and an outlet fitting for connection to the patient, for example, through a standard intravenous (IV) infusion set. A valve insert is movably mounted within the valve housing and defines a fluid channel network for controlling flow from the primary and secondary spikes to the outlet fitting. In one form, the valve insert is movable between a first position routing the primary infusion fluid directly from the primary spike to the outlet fitting for supply to the patient, and a second position routing the primary infusion fluid through the secondary spike and the vial to wash the secondary infusion fluid therefrom through the outlet fitting for flow to the patient. In an alternative form, the valve insert is movable to an intermediate position for coupling the primary infusion fluid through the secondary spike to a vacuum vial for reconstituting, for example, a dried pharmaceutical therein without supply to the patient, after which the valve insert is movable to the second position permitting fluid flow from the vial to the outlet fitting. Upon completion of secondary infusion fluid administration, primary fluid administration resumes automatically by flow thereof through the vial and outlet fitting to the patient.

Fluid infusion system

A disposable syringe cartridge including a molded plastic cylinder having an open end and a closed end with inlet and outlet nipples integrally formed in the closed end, and a plastic piston head slidably received in the open end of the cylinder and pivotably connected to a plastic piston rod. The piston head utilizes a quad-type sealing ring providing a pair of adjacent sealing surfaces with the cylinder, and includes a square expansion flange rounded at each of its corners to conform in shape to the cylinder, with a rubber annular sealing boot extending between the open end of the syringe cylinder and the piston rod. A flange formed on the outer circumferential edge of the sealing boot is received over the open end of the cylinder and is captured by an annular cap that is ultrasonically welded to the cylinder, while a bead formed on the inner circumferential edge of the sealing boot is received in a groove defined by a pair of adjacent annular flanges formed on the piston rod. In an alternative embodiment, the piston head has two sealing rings, each carried adjacent an opposite end of the piston head, so that the sealing boot can be eliminated.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Donald L Millerd