Raychem Limited

Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.

Neoguide Systems, Inc.

Other

Prentice Corporation

Terus Medical, Inc.

James Craig Milroy

Robert Matthew Ohline

Amir Belson

John Seymour Mattis

Joseph M Tartaglia

Paul DeWitt Frey

Christine Wei Hsien McElhaney

Gerald L Shimirak

Paul S Chan

Paul Von Der Lippe

Sebastiano Scarampi

Corey J McMills

Thomas A Howell

Marc S Kreidler

Charles E Swinehart

Chris A Julian

William R Burnett

Jacques Van Dam

Kenneth R Krechmer

Herminia Mino Sotelo De Kaspar

Peter Roy Egbert

Eric Knisley

The application discloses devices, delivery tools, systems, and methods for treating biliary disease. Device comprise, for example, a component configured for deployment between a gallbladder and location within a gastrointestinal tract of a patient which has a proximal end and a distal end with a lumen extending therethrough. A method of deploying the device can be achieved by, for example, creating a duct or fistula between a gallbladder lumen and a portion of a gastrointestinal tract; and providing for drainage from the gallbladder to the gastrointestinal tract.

Biliary shunts, delivery systems, and methods of using the same

A system for determining the shape of a surgical instrument includes an elongate instrument body having a selectively steerable distal tip, a pair of automatically controlled segments proximal to the selectively steerable distal tip, and a joint that couples the pair of adjacent automatically controlled segments together. An actuator changes an angle of the joint and a position encoder provides information associated with the joint angle. A controller receives the information associated with the angle of the joint and generates a three dimensional model of a shape of the instrument. A method for determining the three dimensional shape of an instrument includes providing axial position data to a controller, providing angular position data to the controller from a respective segment controller, and generating a three-dimensional model of a shape of said instrument using the axial position data and the angular position data.

Steerable segmented endoscope and method of insertion

A steerable endoscope has an elongated body with a selectively steerable distal portion and an automatically controlled proximal portion. The endoscope body is inserted into a patient and the selectively steerable distal portion is used to select a desired path within the patient's body. When the endoscope body is advanced, an electronic motion controller operates the automatically controlled proximal portion to assume the selected curve of the selectively steerable distal portion. Another desired path is selected with the selectively steerable distal portion and the endoscope body is advanced again. As the endoscope body is further advanced, the selected curves propagate proximally along the endoscope body, and when the endoscope body is withdrawn proximally, the selected curves propagate distally along the endoscope body. This creates a serpentine motion in the endoscope body allowing it to negotiate tortuous curves along a desired path through or around and between organs within the body.

Eye drapes that cover the conjunctiva and reduce the incidence of eye infection are provided. The eye drape has a flexible material and attached thereto a surgical drape. The flexible material is preferably circular with an opening to expose the cornea. The bottom of the flexible material is preferably convex relative to the shape of the eye. The outer diameter of the flexible material is conveniently fits over the ball of the eye. The surgical drape has an opening greater than or equal to the inner diameter and smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the flexible material. The flexible material is removably fixed to the eye through a vacuum force caused by air expelled from, e.g. (i) a pocket of air in between the flexible material and the eye, (ii) a chamber with openings at the bottom of the flexible material, and/or (iii) a suction device.

Eye drape for surgical procedures

The invention provides for a modularized terminal block (100) and an improved method of manufacturing the modular block. The block permits the connection of a plurality of drop wires (550) or other devices (600, 700, 800) in a reversible manner through the use of a standardized plug in module (16) configuration. The module can be optimized for a given drop wire range which then uniformly connects to the base block (10) through a standardized demateable contact (15). The base block (10) electrical contacts (15) are encased in a sealant material (13) such as gel. The mateable plug-in module connectors enclose an electrical contact (24) also surrounded by such sealant (13). Upon mating of the contacts (15, 24), the sealant material (13) is maintained under compression.

Modular telecommunications terminal block

The invention provides for a modularized terminal block and an improved method of manufacturing the modular block. The block permits the connection of a plurality of drop wires or other devices in a reversible manner through the use of a standardized plug in module configuration. The module can be optimized for a given drop wire range which then uniformly connects to the base block through a standardized demateable contact. The mateable connectors each include a collapsible container filled with a sealant material such as gel or grease and an enclosed contact. Upon mating of the contacts, the deformation of the containers maintains the sealant material under compression.

The invention provides for a modularized terminal block and an improved method of manufacturing the modular block. The block permits the connection of a plurality of drop wires or other devices in a reversible manner through the use of a standardized plug in module configuration. The module can be optimized for a given drop wire range which then uniformly uniformly connects to the base block through a standardized demateable contact.

Method of making modular telecommunications terminal block

A connector for self-regulating heat tapes in which a resistive element is sandwiched between laminar electrodes. The connector includes a cavity into which the heating tape is placed and within which the electrodes are contacted by respective contact members whose other ends contact a power lead or the electrodes of a similar heating tape. Preferably the contact members are metal strips which are elastically deformed when the heating strip is pushed into the connector and which are staggered within the connector.

Connectors

A hollow, cylindrically shaped, elastically deformable sealant member is disposed over external threads of a mounting unit, and subsequently a driver element having internal threads matable with the external threads is screwed onto the external threads, an elasticity and inside diameter of the sealant member being such so as to tightly adhere to at least one turn of the external threads and an outer surface of the driver element to provide an environmental seal between the internal and external threads.

Method and apparatus for sealing a coaxial cable coupling assembly

A holder for holding a coupling assembly useful for terminating a CATV coaxial cable includes first and second parallel, longitudinal grooves capable of retaining a plurality of connector bodies and driver members for facilitating assembly to a stripped coaxial cable end.

Holder for coupling assembly

The subject invention relates to an integrated electronic assembly comprising a power supply and as associated electronics unit powered thereby. The integral power supply housing is pivotal with respect to the electronics unit housing. Protruding from the power supply is a plug (pair of prongs) for insertion directly into a standard electrical outlet to permit the entire assembly to be physically supported thereby. A detent is provided for holding the power supply at predetermined orientations with respect to the electronics unit. Electrical connections are maintained between the power supply and the electronics unit while they are pivoted at various orientations with respect to each other.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

James Craig Milroy