Other

Ethicon, Gmbh

Gregory C Skinner

Joshua D Young

David Perdue

Robert Householder

Gaylen J Cox

Jain Hitesh

Systems and methods for monitoring one or more cables of surgical tools are provided. The systems generally include a surgical tool with an end effector that has at least one function and a drive system that is operably coupled to the end effector and operably coupled to at least one motor. The drive system has at least one cable, and the drive system is configured to drive the at least one function on the end effector through actuation of the at least one cable. A control system is configured to actuate the at least one motor to drive the drive system and to preemptively detect failure of the at least one cable of the drive system.

Cable failure detection

An adjustable dental impression tray including a first arcuate member and a second arcuate member configured to selectively engage the first arcuate member. The first and second arcuate members forming a channel adapted to receive a quantity of impression material. The adjustable dental impression tray having a handle formed at one end which facilitates the introduction and removal of the impression tray into and from the mouth of a patient. An adjustment mechanism engageably disposed in relation to the first and second arcuate members, wherein the adjustment mechanism provides for the selective adjustment of the first arcuate member in at least one fixed position relative to the second arcuate position, wherein defining one or more widths of the channel. Preferably, the channel is formed having a general U-shaped configuration which approximates the various sizes of the dentition of a patient. In preferred design, each of the arcuate members comprise an outer wall, an inner wall and a platform surface. A locking member is preferably formed in relation to the arcuate members to receive and retain the impression material in relation to the channel. In addition, one or more notches may be formed in the length of the arcuate members to provide means for removing at least a portion of the length of one or both of the arcuate members, thereby forming a 'quadrant' or an 'anterior' dental tray.

Adjustable dental impression tray and methods for using same

An adjustable dental impression tray includes a first and second arcuate member movably attached at a proximal end of each arcuate member. The adjustable dental impression tray includes a handle to facilitate removal of the tray from a person's mouth. The dental impression tray also includes an adjustment mechanism which allows the user to position the first arcuate member relative to the second arcuate member to form a U-shaped channel which approximates the patients dentition. The dental impression is further configured with a locking member to receive and retain impression material into the tray.

A dental absorbency device is disclosed in one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention as including a flat section comprising a single sheet of a highly absorbent material having a contoured elongated shape preferably sized to fit comfortably within a human mouth for the purpose of absorbing moisture, contaminants, blood, saliva, water, and/or other fluids at an operative field. In preferred design, the flat section may be formed having an upper surface, a lower surface, and peripheral edges which are unobstructed to fluid flow so as to provide a means for encouraging the absorption of fluids therethrough. The upper surface is preferably formed having an impervious, non-absorbent coating that resists slippage of the elongated flat section when disposed within the mouth of a patient. Structurally, the upper surface of the flat section includes at least one porous opening for absorbing fluids therethrough, whereas in contrast, the lower surface provides a means for absorbing fluids through its entire external surface area. A collection reservoir is preferably disposed between the upper and lower surfaces of the elongated flat section and functions to provide a means for retaining the collected fluids therein.

Dental absorbency device

A mouth dam formed by cutting, punching or the like, each mouth dam from a sandwich of sheets of a thin, highly absorbing material, which sheets may be coated with a surfactant and further may include a flavor impregnated therein. Each mouth dam is cut, shaped or otherwise formed to be sealed at its edges, to have a length to width relationship where the length is three to four times the width, the width of the mouth dam ends is greater than at its center and the mouth dam sides slope uniformly from the center to the ends with an open area as a reservoir between the sealed mouth dam edges. A preferred mouth dam of the invention has a width at its ends that is from one-quarter (1/4) to five-eights (5/8) of an inch and a length that is from one to one and three-quarters (13/4) inch.

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Hemet, CA, United States of America

Gregory C Skinner