W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Other

Richard A Staley

Thomas M Soukup

James D Lewis

William P Mortimer, Jr

Daniel E Hubis

Jeffery B Bowman

Craig D Lack

John J Mauz

John R Hull

Stephen C Newman

A training method and device for the lower body providing a mode of exercise that manifests as a functional, closed-kinetic-chain training of the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings in a natural sequential firing pattern. The device construction allows an upright stance so that during exercise the lower body mimics a stride action, as in walking. By combining this natural stride action with adjustable resistance elements in the device, a wide range of uses, from strength training to rehabilitation, are achieved. The device generally includes footplates that are movable in forward and backward directions and also can be simultaneously moved upward against resistance. The heel of the foot can simultaneously be raised with respect to the toe of the foot, also against resistance.

Sequential contraction muscle training device

An implantable electrode in the form a helically wound conductor having an electrically conductive polymeric layer coaxially surrounding and contacting the helically wound conductor, wherein the electrically conductive polymeric layer is electrically conductive in a dry state prior to implantation. Preferably, the electrode has two conductive portions, the additional second conductive portion being preferably located at the distal tip. The implantable electrode preferably incorporates an insulating portion wherein an additional length of the helically wound conductor is continuous with the remaining length of helically wound conductor coaxially covered by the electrically conductive polymeric layer. The insulating portion has a coaxial covering of impermeable polymeric electrically insulating material which is preferably silicone tubing. More preferably the coaxial covering of impermeably polymeric electrically insulating material has an additional exterior coaxial covering of porous PTFE for improved biocompatibility and flexibility. The porous PTFE is preferably porous expanded PTFE having a fibril length of less than 10 microns in order to substantially preclude tissue ingrowth and tissue attachment. The electrically conductive polymeric layer of the electrode is preferably made of porous expanded PTFE containing an electrically conductive filler, the porous expanded PTFE again having a fibril length of less than 10 microns.

Implantable electrode with conductive polytetrafluoroethylene elecrode

An implantable lead for use with cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators and other long term implantable electrical devices intended for sensing or tissue stimulation, having a helically wound conductor with a surrounding tubular insulating layer of elastomeric material such as silicone or polyurethane and an additional coaxial tubular exterior biocompatible layer of porous PTFE having a microstructure of nodes interconnected by fibrils. The exterior tubular layer of porous PTFE may be fitted coaxially over the elastomeric tubular layer whereby the porous PTFE tubular layer is in longitudinal compression and the fibrils within the microstructure have a bent and wavy appearance. Any portion of the length of the porous PTFE tubing in longitudinal compression allows that portion of the length of the lead wire to be extensible to a controlled extent limited by the straightening of the bent fibrils within the porous PTFE microstructure.

Implantable lead

A flexible patch electrode for use with living tissue, comprising, in sequential laminar form, a layer of electrically conductive porous polytetrafluoroethylene, a layer of polymeric adhesive, a layer of electrically conductive sheet material having lower resistivity than the layer of porous polytetrafluoroethylene, and an insulating layer. The layer of electrically conductive sheet material is of less length and width than the adjacent layers and is placed so that its edges are not exposed at the edges of the flexible patch electrode.

Patch electrode

Porous polytetrafluoroethylene materials having high strength and coarse microstructure are produced by densifying the materials after removal of lubricant and then stretching. The term, 'coarse,' is used to indicate that the nodes are larger, the fibrils are longer, and the effective pore size is larger than conventional materials of the same matrix tensile strength. Densification can be achieved through the use of such devices as a densification die, a calender machine, or a press. This invention can be used to produce all kinds of shaped articles.

Growing community of inventors

Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America

Richard A Staley