Other

Arthrex, Gmbh

Asac Corporation

Troy M Watson

Mihaela Morar

Zack Day

Alan M Weiss

Scott M Peterson

Ricky D Stafford

A plating system includes a bone plate including an aperture. A locking member is receivable in the aperture to attach the bone plate to a joint. The plating system includes a guide including a body having a first end portion, a second end portion, an attachment portion attached to the bone plate, and a rotating portion including a sleeve to receive a drill or a guide wire. The first end portion of the body is rotationally connected to the attachment portion to pivot the body about a first axis to move the sleeve, and the rotating portion is rotationally connected to the second end portion of the body of the guide to pivot the rotating portion about a second axis to move the sleeve. The rotating portion translates along the second axis to move the sleeve, and the sleeve defines one of a plurality of trajectories.

Interfragmentary guide and plate system

An interface connector system that provides active buffering, amplification, level shifting, filtering, and other functional electronic processing between one side of the connector and the opposing side. In addition, the local generation of electrical stimulus and signals can be provided on one side of the connector. Modules are installed into a housing for each signal pin at manufacture to perform a specific function. The housing populated with the modules is inserted between a circuit board or connector of a cable assembly on one side and integrated circuit, multi-chip module or another cable connector on the other side. The signals that transit between the two sides are electrically processed. Since the functionality is provided from one side to the next, modules can be stacked to enable multiple processes as the signal transitions from one connector to the next connector. The signal transitions through the interface connector between any combination of printed wiring board, integrated circuit, multi-chip module, system on a chip (SOC), or cable-assembly. By inserting the connector in-line, short connections are provided, hence inductance and capacitance are decreased thereby improving high-speed and RF performance while decreasing noise generation or pickup. The housing of the connector not only mechanically supports the individual modules but also can supply power, grounds and otherwise interconnect the modules. The modules, whose outer profile closely matches the profile of the housing openings can have the powers, grounds and other signals bonded to the conductive layers of the housing by heating the assembly to thereby flow the pre-applied solder or by compression fitting, either by pressing or thermal fitting.

Active configurable and stackable interface connector

A compression attachment/contact system, for interconnecting microelectronic circuits and cable assemblies, provides capability of electrical shielding, characteristic-impedance control, and resistive loading and dampening. It utilizes cylindrical conducting elements that can be configured in high-density multi-connector arrays that are mounted in cylindrical through-openings provided of a housing panel. Each conducting element can be made resistive to affect a series resistor within the connection or be highly conductive for minimum electrical power loss. Each conducting element has an opposing attachment end and contact end. The attachment end can be made in different shapes to receive stripped interconnecting wire. The contact end electrically engages an external mating connector, where engagement is either applied under pressure or attached with solder or a weld. Each conducting element is surrounded by a tubular sleeve fitted into the cylindrical through-opening of the housing panel. The sleeve can be configured to have a specific parallel resistance to provide loading/signal-termination to ground, or, have a specific dielectric constant to affect the capacitance of the conducting element to ground. The housing panel can serve as a low-impedance reference plane such as for ground or electro-static shielding, or alternatively be magnetically permeable for electro-magnetic shielding.

Impedance-controlled high-density compression connector

A compression connector for interconnecting microelectronic circuit and cable assemblies, providing shielding and characteristic impedance control, is readily configurable for high-density multi-connector arrays. A first embodiment includes a loop of insulated wire that resides in a magnetically permeable, electrically non-conductive or electrically conductive housing. This wire loop can be affixed to the housing or can be floating and be longitudinally driven. The loop of insulated wire can have a range of insulation removed, from only exposing the extreme end of the wire loop or have the majority of the insulation removed at the loop. A second embodiment includes two contiguous, parallel wire segments that are bonded or welded together, with the contiguous, parallel wire segments used in lieu of the bare-wire loop configuration; this configuration can also be affixed to the housing or be floating and driven.

Sleeveless high-density compression connector

A compression connector assembly for interconnecting microelectronic circuit and cable assemblies, which provides shielding and characteristic impedance control, and is configurable in high-density multi-connector arrays. In a first embodiment, the connector includes a bare-wire loop contact element rigidly maintained within a cylindrical sleeve closely received within a cylindrical receptacle of a conductive housing. In a second embodiment, the connector includes a bare-wire loop contact element closely received within a cylindrical receptacle of an insulating housing. In a third embodiment, the connector includes a contact element formed from two bare-wire segments bonded together and disposed within a cylindrical sleeve closely received within a cylindrical receptacle of a conductive housing. In a fourth embodiment, the connector includes a contact element formed from two bare-wire segments bonded together and closely received within a cylindrical receptacle of an insulating housing. In each embodiment, connector contact elements are either attached to the sleeve or housing, or float and are longitudinally movable.

High-density compression connector

A coupler of the zero insertion force (ZIF) type for connecting two coaxial cables. A first embodiment includes a pair of opposed (inner) cylindrical receptacles, electrically connected, each formed from two lengths of helically coiled, interleaved wire, which each receive and grip a cable center-conductor. A pair of opposed (outer) cylindrical receptacles, electrically connected, each formed from two lengths of helically coiled, interleaved wire ribbon, each receive, contact, and grip a cable outer-conductor. The first embodiment further includes means for concurrently enlarging or contracting each (inner, outer) receptacle pair, and means for maintaining receptacle contraction. A second embodiment includes a pair of opposed (inner) cylindrical receptacles, electrically connected, each formed from a length of helically coiled wire, which each receive, contact and grip a cable center-conductor. A pair of opposed (outer) cylindrical receptacles, electrically connected, each formed from a length of helically coiled wire ribbon, each receive and grip a cable outer-conductor. The second embodiment further includes means for concurrently enlarging or contracting each (inner, outer) receptacle pair, and means for maintaining receptacle contraction.

Helical zero insertion force connector for coaxial cables

A method and a device for diametric active scanning of a forward region using a collimated beam of radiation energy to detect and track target objects by collecting beam energy scattered by the objects. Each scan line of the beam proceeds from an edge of a circular field-of-view through the center to the opposite edge. The azimuthal scan angle is advanced by a constant increment for each successive scan, and scanning progresses uniformly and continuously. A device implementing the method includes a rotor assembly having first and second angled reflectors which rotates within a concentric ring which includes an array of curved reflecting facets. A collimated beam emitted by a radiation source is reflected by the first reflector onto contiguous segments of each successive facet instantaneously aligned with the reflected beam path, the beam being obliquely re-reflected and redirected to the second angled reflector which reflects and redirects the beam so as to scan a rotating pattern of diametric scan traces.

Active energy diametric scanning

Pads for surface-mount components are formed in elongated rectangular openings in a circuit board directly from stripped portions of insulated hookup wire, thus eliminating additional interconnecting hardware parts and dependency on printed circuitry. For each pad, the wire is formed into a U shape by pressing the wire into the opening from a wiring side the circuit board with a press-driven mandrel shaped to place side portions of the loop at ends of the opening, and a solid, spring-loaded or adhesive filler inserted into the opening between the side wire portion to anchor the loop in place. The bridge portion of the loop, forming the pad, may be positioned so as to be recessed slightly below the circuit board surface so as to capture component leads in the depressed cavity with solder barriers between pads. Alternatively the pad may be located flush with the circuit board or slightly protruding, the location being determined by the travel of the press-driven mandrel. As a further alternative, the loop may be made to protrude prominently so as to form a terminal post which may be utilized for wire or component lead connection or for a test terminal. Wire pairs interconnecting pairs of such pads or protruding terminal loops may be twisted together in the process to provide twisted pair interconnection lines for high speed digital transmission. Interconnection wiring in accordance with this invention is highly compatible with the concept of forming helical terminals as taught by the inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,146, which may utilize identical or similar hookup wire and fabrication tooling in common with the present invention, including twisted pair aspects.

Surface mount component pads

A zero insertion force type connector system provides a receptacle with variable inside diameter for typical use in cooperation with a solid elongated pin, typically or round cross-section, as the opposite member of a mating connector pair. The receptacle is configured as a double-helix formed from a single length of wire which may be a stripped length of insulated hookup wire thus providing two integrally connected insulated leads for highly reliable external interconnections, which may include coaxial cables. The double-helix is formed into a diametric loop at one end of the double-helix, and the other end is constrained against rotation by a pair of leads emerging at diametrically opposite sides captured within conduit slots of a protective insulated casing. The loop is engaged and rotationally driven by a slotted drive head to vary the inside diameter of the receptacle, typically expanding it to provide zero insertion force during pin entry, following which, upon removal of the external drive head torque, internal spring tension of the wire causes the coils of the double-helix to grip the pin and provide electrical contact pressure. Alternatively part of all of the total contact pressure may be provided from an external torque source via the drive head and the loop, preferably including resilient linkage such as spring lever arms to maintain constant torque, and particularly in the case of multiple contact connector assemblies, to evenly distribute torque to multiple double-helix receptacles.

Double-helix zero insertion force connector system

Diametric scanning of a forward target region, wherein each scan line proceeds from an edge of a circular field of view through the center to the opposite edge while the scan angle is advancing. Processing of line scan data for target acquisition and tracking is facilitated by rotational translation, since each successive diametrically-scanned line is incrementally related to the previous line. Scanning progresses uniformly and continuously. An optical path between a target area and an energy sensor is intercepted by a first angled reflector of a dual reflector assembly, rotating around the optical path axis as part of a rotor having a peripheral ring with a single gap. Rotating about the axis is a ring fitted with an array of reflecting facets. The energy beam is redirected by a first reflector of the dual reflector assembly through the gap and reflected by a facet moving past the gap and thence to the sensor via a second angled reflector. In one embodiment, curvature of the reflective surface on each facet results in repetitive displacement of the targeted object point in the field of view, scanning the field of view in a rotating pattern of diametric scan lines while keeping the image of the targeted object point focused on the sensor. In another embodiment, elementary-sized facets on the facet ring scan the first image diametrically as it rotates within the gap. The resultant intensity modulation of the reflected and redirected beam is detected.

Passive energy diametric scanner

Trash bag holder

Insulated hookup wire is processed to provide point-to-point interconnections on a circuit board, including helical terminals formed integrally from stripped portions of the hookup wire and set into circuit board holes; the helical terminals serve as receptacles for contact pins of components such as DIP ICs, leads of components such as resistors or capacitors, or even for stripped ends of additional hookup wire, for example in interboard wiring. Regular dip or wave soldering may be performed subsequently. For special purposes, the wiring system of this invention may be utilized throughout a circuit board, or else it may be utilized strategically to supplement regular printed circuitry. In a three piece machine tool set, a shaped mandrel rotates to wind a portion of stripped wire into a dual interleaved helix and then press the helix into place as a helical terminal/receptacle in a circuit board hole, with one or two insulated hookup wires integrally attached for interconnection. A dual wire handling mechanism implements the installation of twisted pair runs which may include pairs of terminals at intermediate locations as well as at each end of a run. Such twisted pairs utilized as balanced transmission lines outperform unshielded printed circuit parallel microstrip lines in suppressing crosstalk and r.f. interference, and may enable transmission of critical digital and high frequency signals between widely separated regions of a circuit board while avoiding the cost, complexity, producibility and reliability penalties involved in the classic alternatives of adding several layers in a multilayer circuit board to provide buried stripline transmission paths or handwiring flexible or rigid coaxial cable runs with associated interfacing difficulties.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Troy M Watson