Other

Genevieve I. Hanscom, Robert M. Magnuson, Lois J. Thomson, Trustees of

American Ecosystems, Inc.

Del Monte Corporation

Genevieve I. Hanscom, Robert M. Magnuson and Lois J. Thomson, Trustees

Lynn D Crawford

Philip T Nichols

Paul J Watts

Edward E Ross

William A McArthur

Ralph K Daugherty

An implantable stimulation electrode having differing stiffness characteristics along its length. An endocardial electrode (20) is disclosed which includes a spirally-wound, unifilar, continuous portion (50) extending the entire length of the electrode and a stiffening portion (52) which extends for only a portion of the electrode length. The spirals of the stiffening portion (52) and the continuous portion (50) are interleaved in a juxtapositional relationship with respect to each other to form a bifilar section (26), the remainder of the electrode being a unifilar section (28). In the bifilar section (26), each spiral is wound at twice the pitch of the spirals in the unifilar section (28). The bifilar section (26) has a greater stiffness than the unifilar section. In a specific embodiment disclosed, an atrial J electrode is formed in which the bifilar section includes the J portion of the electrode where stiffness is needed. Thus, more flexibility is provided for most of the electrode length where stress concentrations occur, whereas the J portion has additional stiffness for maintaining the electrode in a desired location within the heart atrium (36). A further feature of the disclosed electrode (20) is that the diameter of the bifilar and unifilar sections can be chosen so that the overall electrode has essentially the same diameter as the unifilar section, thus resulting in an electrode having substantially the same cross-sectional profile over its entire length.

Implantable electrode having different stiffening and curvature

This invention relates to a machine which receives ballpoint pen barrel assemblies in bulk form, feeds these barrel assemblies in single-file order and orients them over a preassembled refill, spring and cap assembly which is carried along a predetermined path.

Parts assembler for ballpoint pens

A collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type including a foldable frame and a cover of sheet material affixed to the frame. The frame comprises a plurality of support members having mutually respective ends pivotally connected to a central hub. The central hub is mounted on elongate erecting guide means located at the apex of the frame. A second hub is mounted on the guide means below the central hub, and a plurality of rib members are pivotally connected at mutually respective ends to the second hub, with the other ends of the rib members being pivotally connected to corresponding, respective support members, so that when the shelter is in its erected form, the support members extend outwardly and downwardly from the central hub, the second hub is positioned adjacent or proximate to the central hub, the rib members extend substantially radially outwardly from the erecting guide, and the cover is held tautly affixed to the frame. Means are provided for releasably connecting and holding the second hub and the central hub together as a rigid unit to avoid untimely collapse of the shelter by inadvertent, undesired, downward movement of the second hub away from the central hub. The shelter can be collapsed, when desired, by disengaging the second hub from the central hub and moving the second hub downwardly away from the first hub. When the shelter is collapsed, the support members extend downwardly as a bundle from the central hub, the ribs are folded to positions substantially within the bundle of collapsed support members, and the cover is loosely affixed to the frame. In a preferred embodiment, the support members are segmented and can be folded upon themselves to greatly shorten the length of the collapsed bundle thereof.

Umbrella type collapsible shelter

A collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type including a foldable frame and a cover of sheet material affixed to the frame. The tent frame comprises a plurality of support members and novel means of pivotally connecting the mutually respective ends of the support members to a central hub. The central hub is mounted on erecting guide means, which preferably has the form of an erecting rod or cord. A second hub is mounted on the guide means below the central hub, and a plurality of rib members are pivotally connected at mutually respective ends to the second hub, using novel connecting means similar to that used with the support members. The other ends of the rib members are pivotally connected to corresponding, respective support members, so that when the shelter is in its erected form, the support members extend outwardly and downwardly from the central hub, the second hub is positioned adjacent or proximate to the central hub, the rib members extend substantially radially outwardly from the erecting guide, and the cover is held tautly affixed to the frame. The novel connecting means comprise neck portions in the first and second hubs, respectively, with ring members encircling the respective neck portions. Circular, ring-shaped hooks are provided on the respective ends of the support members and rib members, and the hooks are adapted for attachment to respective ring members with the outside circumference of the hooks nesting within the concave shaped neck portions of the hubs for pivotal movement about the respective ring members. When the shelter is collapsed, the support members extend downwardly as a bundle from the central hub, the rib members are folded to positions substantially within the bundle of collapsed support members, and the cover is loosely affixed to the frame. In a preferred embodiment, the support members are segmented and can be folded upon themselves to greatly shorten the length of the collapsed bundle thereof.

Pivotal frame structure for collapsible umbrella type tent

A collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type including a foldable frame and a cover of sheet material affixed to the frame, wherein the frame is provided with ground-engaging foot members which firmly secure the bottom and/or floor of the tent to the base of the frame. The tent frame comprises a plurality of support members which, when the shelter is erected, extend outwardly and downwardly from the hub to the ground. The novel foot members comprise a central body attached to the downwardly extending end of the respective support members. An elongate base is connected integrally with the central body portion of the foot member, and an elongate opening is provided in the base for attachment of one end of a strip of webbing or fabric which is attached at its other end to the bottom and/or floor of the tent cover. Means are also provided for attaching and anchoring a tie-rope or cord to the foot member.

Ground engaging foot member

Means for slidably attaching a piece of fabric material to a tubular support member is disclosed, comprising a ring member which circumscribes the support member and is adapted for sliding movement therealong. The ring member has a key-type extension thereon which is adapted to releasably engage a corresponding locking connector which is attached to the fabric material. The attaching means are advantageously used in connecting the fabric portion of a collapsible shelter of the umbrella-tent type to the collapsible frame of the shelter.

Disengaging connector for attaching fabric to a tubular support member

A feed apparatus for conveying articles to a rotary cutter for cutting the articles lengthwise into segments. To obtain nearly equal sized segments while cutting randomly sized articles, the feed apparatus receives the articles one at a time between feed belts spaced radially about the cutter center line. These belts are supported to move radially outward in unison to accommodate each article thereby aligning the articles with the cutter center line prior to cutting.

Centering device for feeding articles to a food slicer

Apparatus for detecting and separating out articles having pits therein after the product has been passed through a pit removing device. The apparatus includes a pair of detector wheels supported to rotate in the same plane. Each of these wheels is power driven. The adjacent peripheries are spaced apart to receive the articles such that the articles having a greater thickness due to the presence of pits are indicated by the separating force on the wheels.

Pit detector for food products

Apparatus for conveying and rotating articles 90.degree. while being conveyed along a predetermined path with rotation being achieved by contacting a forward corner of the article for pivoting it partially as the extending side will be grasped by a side-facing belt to complete rotation and propel the article forward.

Apparatus for conveying and turning articles

Apparatus and method of forming a tray which includes a bottom panel, four upstanding side panels and corner gussets for sealing and holding the bottom panel end flaps and side flaps in the formed position including means for receiving a stack of precut blanks from which the tray is formed, feeding one at a time, the blanks through a glue station for the deposition of a predetermined glue pattern on the corner gussets, and thereafter folding the blank into a tray in a die and mandrel wherein in successive steps the end flaps are folded, the corner gussets are influenced inward and the side flaps are folded to complete the tray. The die and mandrel assembly serves to hold the tray momentarily after formation to permit the glue to adhere and thereafter functions to strip the tray from the mandrel and hold it in a position satisfactory for removal from the assembly.

Apparatus for forming trays

Apparatus for bringing together a tray and separate lid to form a carton wherein the lid is moved into position above the tray and the lid side flaps are bent down along the tray side panels and fastened in place to form the carton.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Lynn D Crawford