Taurus Tetraconcepts, Inc.

Origin Medsystems, Inc.

Advanced Warming Systems, Inc.

Rick J Kaufmann

Robert L Lathrop, Jr

Richard Dean Phipps

Charles T Groswith, Iii

John F Stewart

Albert K Chin

Frederic H Moll

Charles Gresl, Jr

Loren D Stirling

Rick E Emerson

A fan retractor has a pair of angle-shaped elements moveable relative to one another. The angle-shaped elements include first legs disposed in a generally parallel relationship, and second legs that extend laterally from the first legs, and are adapted for engaging with the abdominal wall. The second legs fan out upon rotation of the first legs relative to one another and have an effective thickness, measured in the direction defined by the first legs, that decreases distally from the first legs. The retractor also includes a lifting device that applies a lifting force to the angle-shaped elements. In variations, the second legs have a stiffness that decreases distally from the first legs; the first legs are linked so as to contrarotate relative to one another; the retractor includes a lifting force indicator; and the lifting device unidirectionally applies the lifting force to the angle-shaped elements. The fan retractor is preferably used properitoneally, that is, the second legs of the retractor are inserted between the properitoneal fat layer and the peritoneum. With this placement of the retractor, the peritoneum provides a drape over the bowel and omentum and prevents the second legs of the retractor from snagging the bowel or the omentum. The fan retractor may additionally be used conventionally with its second legs placed posteriorly relative to the peritoneum.

Properitoneal mechanical retraction apparatus and methods of using

Hypothermia therapy apparatus comprises an inflatable blanket having a cavity therein, and a neck extending outwardly of the perimeter of the blanket body, the interior of the neck being in communication with the cavity. A nozzle is also provided, the forward portion of the nozzle being receivable in the outer end of the neck, and the rearward portion of the nozzle is connectable with a source of air. The nozzle includes an engagement mechanism for engaging at least a portion of the exterior surface of the neck. The engagement mechanism comprises a spring clip normally biased in the closed position and selectively openable to receive a portion of the neck thereunder. The forward portion of the nozzle is frusto-conical to facilitate insertion into the open end of the neck, and the neck is dimensioned to loosely engage the intermediate portion of the nozzle. A connector is provided for removably connecting an air hose to the rearward portion of the nozzle. The nozzle and the connector are rotatable relative to each other about their longitudinal axes, to prevent twisting of the blanket when the nozzle is attached to the neck.

Inflatable blanket and nozzle therefor

A binding apparatus having a base portion and a binding mechanism is disclosed which binds a stack of punched paper sheets with a plastic binding element having an elongated linear spine and integral spaced resilient curled fingers extending from the spine. The binding mechanism includes a fixed binding comb and a series of push fingers. The binding comb has a series of upstanding fixed spaced pickets having sufficient clearance between each other to allow the binding element curled fingers to be manually shifted laterally relative to the fixed pickets such that each of the curled fingers surrounds a portion of the push fingers. The binding mechanism also has a device for moving the push fingers outwardly from the pickets to uncurl the curled fingers so that a stack of punched paper sheets can be placed on the uncurled fingers.

Punched paper sheets binding apparatus

A paper punch and binding apparatus has two punch mechanisms, one for punching round holes in a paper sheets stack and one for punching rectangular holes in another paper sheets stack. A single lever or crank simultaneously operates and drives a series of round end punches to shear the round holes and a punch plate with integral rectangular punch elements shear rectangular holes. A four-bar linkage connects the lever to the punch plate and the series of the punches in a manner that both the plate and punches are driven in a vertical straight line and with a greater mechanical advantage at the start and over the first increments of the punching operation. In a preferred embodiment, a binding station is provided in an apparatus base portion particularly for binding with a Douvry-type plastic resilient loops binding element. The binding station has an operating knob which operates a simple gear interconnect train for uncurling the resilient loops and allowing the punched hole stack to be inserted thereon. In an additional embodiment two rows of large and smaller diameter punches are provided in one round punch mechanism with an apertured translatable bar for rendering inoperative one or the other of these rows of punches.

Paper sheets punching apparatus

A dual paper binding and multiple punch apparatus (10) includes a punch lever (17) operating bending blades (58) for bending flexible studs (63) of one binding strip (60) into grooves (62) on a second apertured binding strip (61) through which the studs pass after being passed through holes of a stack of apertured paper sheets. Racks (64, 69a, 69b and 69c) and gears (66a, 66b and 70) link the punch lever (17) to a pair of shuttles (68, 72) mounting the bending blades (58). The strips (60, 61) and paper stack (6) are first compressed by a rotory pressure bar (42) containing tangential fingers (36) cam operated by a slide bar (51) by manual movement. A cover (16) encloses the compression and stud bending mechanisms when not in use and is extendible to form an additional platen (23a) to support the paper stack (6) being bound.

Paper sheets binding apparatus

A paper punch and binding apparatus has two punch mechanisms, one for punching round holes in a paper sheets stack and one for punching rectangular holes in another paper sheet stack. A single layer or crank simultaneously operates and drives a series of round end punches to shear the round holes and a punch plate with integral rectangular punch elements shear rectangular holes. A four-bar linkage connects the lever to the punch plate and the series of the punches in a manner that both the plate and punches are driven in a vertical straight line and with a greater mechanical advantage at the start and over the first increments of the punching operation. In a preferred embodiment, a binding station is provided in an apparatus base portion particularly for binding with a Douvry-type plastic resilient loops binding element. The binding station has an operating knob which operates a simple gear interconnect train for uncurling the resilient loops and allowing the punched hole stack to be inserted thereon. In an additional embodiment two rows of large and smaller diameter punches are provided in one round punch mechanism with an apertured translatable bar for rendering inoperative one or the other of these rows of punches.

Growing community of inventors

Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Rick J Kaufmann