Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve, either of the mechanical type, or the bioprosthetic type, comprises a circular frame element, a check valve element and a suturing member surrounding the circular frame element. The circular frame element defines a circular opening for the passage of blood therethrough. The check valve element is connected to, and extends across, the circular frame element and is configured to substantially permit the flow of blood through the circular opening in a first direction and to substantially impair the flow of blood through the circular opening in a second direction opposite the first direction. The suturing member surrounds the circular frame element and has a first radial width in a first circumferential region substantially greater than a second radial width in a second circumferential region to define an extended portion of the suturing member.

Abstract: A generally cylindrical membrane-type fiber bundle blood oxygenator concentrically surrounds a generally cylindrical blood heat exchanger including a fiber bundle made of thousands of polymer material micro-conduits. A heat transfer fluid such as water is introduced into the upper end of the heat exchanger and flows downwardly around the outside surfaces of the micro-conduits to an outlet. Upper and lower seals of urethane potting compound separate the heat transfer fluid from the open ends of the micro-conduits through which blood flows. A transition manifold at the upper end of the heat exchanger directs out flowing blood radially outwardly to the upper end of the oxygenator fiber bundle. The blood flows downwardly around the outside surfaces of the fibers of the oxygenator fiber bundle to a blood outlet manifold that collects the oxygenated blood.

Abstract: A device adapter maintains a device polling table in memory that can be dynamically changed in response to disk drive device failures and is updated with each poll so that failed devices can be quickly deleted from the table and alternate device polling mapping can be achieved. A system reconfiguration is not necessary to implement the modifications to the system processing. The device adapter is capable of a greater variety of processing tasks than is conventional, including determining cylinder head position and copying data that otherwise would be performed by a control unit.

Abstract: An FET write driver providing high rates of data transfer to a magnetic storage medium by effectively utilizing the voltage swing provided by supply voltage. A first and a second p-channel FET power switch are coupled between the voltage supply and the inductive head, each having a high aspect ratio for low resistance. A first and a second current mirror are coupled at their inputs to the inductive head and a current source, each current mirror having a reference arm coupled to the current source and a mirror arm coupled to the inductive head. Each current mirror has an output coupled respectively to a first and a second mirror enabling FET switch, each having a high aspect ratio for low resistance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the signal-to-interference ratio and signal-to-noise ratio of a signal transmitted on a reverse channel from a mobile transmitter in a land mobile communications system by using a sectored cell in which the same channel is received by each sector of the cell. Each directional antenna is coupled to a unique associated receiver tuned to the same frequency or frequencies as the other receivers associated with each other directional antenna within the same sectored cell. Depending upon the location of the mobile end system with respect to the antenna pattern of each directional antenna, each signal will typically be redundantly received over more than one, but less than all, of the antennas. In accordance with the present invention, only one of the received signals is to be communicated from the base station to an intermediate system and all others are to be discarded.

Abstract: A system and method for mining databases includes a computer-implemented program which identifies patterns of transaction sequences that are stored in a database and which recur in the database with a user-defined regularity. The invention first identifies which sequences are large, i.e., which recur with the defined regularity, and then determines which sequences are maximal, i.e., which large sequences are not subsets of other large sequences. The set of maximal large sequences is returned to the user to indicate recurring purchasing patterns over time.

Abstract: A non-contact wound treatment device having a flexible portion to accommodate patient motion without peeling off. A removable wound heater may be used to treat the wound area.

Abstract: The present media storage library has magazine storage bins which have front open sides and back open sides so that magazines containing data storage media can be inserted in or withdrawn from the bins from the front open sides by a front magazine picker or inserted in or withdrawn from the back open sides by a back magazine picker. Front and back transport assemblies, which provide a backup for each other, are associated with the front and back magazine pickers, respectively, for transporting magazines to magazine mounts which are located adjacent drives which, in turn, are located at first and second ends of the storage bins. A plurality of magazine mounts can be adjacent each drive for increasing the queue of requested media in close proximity to a drive. The magazines, the magazine storage bins and the magazine mounts adjacent the drives can be kept full for maximizing storage capacity, except for selected empties in some of the components for supporting an exchange scheme.

Abstract: A fin assembly for mounting to a lower surface of a watercraft hull comprises a base for attachment in a fixed position to a watercraft hull lower surface, the base having first hinge pin receiving bores defining a hinge axis, a fin having an inner end having second pin receiving bores for pivotally securing to the base for pivoting about the hinge axis, and a hinge pin mounted in the first and the second hinge receiving means pivotally connecting the fin to the base, and an elastomeric member disposed between the base and the fin for resisting pivotal movement of the fin relative to the base

Abstract: A play yard which is light, portable and operable for easily and quickly transforming between a collapsible configuration and an expanded configuration. The play yard opens up automatically by simply releasing the frame and allowing it to unfold. The play yard includes a frame formed of a flexible material including a first bottom loop forming a rectangular shape and a second elevated loop contacting the first loop at two points. An envelope made of laminar material is attached at selected points to the frame to form a partially enclosed play area. An opening in a top portion of the envelope permits access to the enclosed play area. In a preferred embodiment, the play yard has a removable top for covering the opening when desired.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for (1) transmitting large amounts of data between a least a first and second station over a single twisted pair, (2) reducing cross talk in a network using carrierless amplitude modulation and phase modulation encoding (CAP) with independent data clock source at each station, (3) providing a relatively simple and fast data detection apparatus, (4) maintaining synchronization between stations during idle periods while minimizing cross talk, (5) providing a technique to allow filters to be trained during idle periods, and (6) providing a technique which allows automatic gain control to be used with CAP. Particular signalling symbols are associated with each of the following conditions: (1) idle state, (2) preamble, (3) start of frame detection, (4) test condition, (5) each possible combination of five binary bits representing 32 different data symbols, and (6) jam condition.

Abstract: An electrode apparatus for the application of electroporation to a portion of the body of a patient, comprising a support member, a pair of electrodes adjustably mounted on the support member for movement toward and away from one another for positioning on opposite sides of a body portion to be electroporated, a sensing element for sensing a distance between the electrodes and generating a distance signal proportionate to the distance between the electrodes, and means responsive to said distance signal for applying pulses of high amplitude electric energy to the electrodes proportionate to the distance between the electrodes.

Abstract: A filling installation for hazardous pourable or fluid substances. The substances to be packaged at the output of a production plant are divided into portions and packaged in a glove box of a sacking plant in clean room conditions. The sacking plant may be shut off from the glove box by a sealing swivelling cover. The glove box is held under an overpressure and a laminar flow of pure air is continuously present in the glove box and flows around at least one filling head arranged at the output of the production plant.

Abstract: A high energy multilayer ceramic capacitor formed of alternating ceramic and electrode layers, the capacitor being suitable for use in implantable medical devices. The ceramic layers are comprised of a dielectric composition of lead magnesium niobate with small amounts of dopants, namely, lithium niobate, copper oxide, magnesium titanate, manganese niobate, and zirconium oxide, with appropriate electrical terminations connected to the electrode layers. The capacitor thus fabricated exhibits greatly reduced ferroelectric effect, namely, less than 30% over a bias range of 0-1,000 volts. It has a breakdown voltage of at least 700 volts, a leakage current less than 10 pico amps at 1,000 volts, an energy density of greater than 10 J/cc, has a rectangular form factor 1.5 inches by 2.0 inches by 0.06 inch thick, and weighs no more than 30 grams.

Abstract: An inductive write head has a pole tip region between an air bearing surface (ABS) and a flare point, and a yoke region located between the flare point and a back gap. The write head includes first and second pole piece layers, wherein the second pole piece layer has first and second components. The first component extends from an ABS end, which is located at the ABS, to a recessed end which is located in the yoke region. The second component extends from a recessed end, which is spaced from the ABS, to the back gap. The second component interfaces with the first component in a stitched region so that the first component defines a pole tip in the pole tip region and the second component defines a yoke in the yoke region. A first insulation layer extends from a recessed end, which is spaced from the ABS, into the yoke region. The recessed end of the first insulation layer defines a zero throat height. The first component is sandwiched between the first insulation layer and the second component.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a thin film magnetic write head with a notch structure located on top of one of two pole layers. The notch structure is a generally U-shaped thin film layer which forms a trench inside the U for the containment of one or more pole tip layers in the pole tip region of the head. The notch structure has front surfaces at the tips of the legs of the U which lie in a plane that forms a part of the air bearing surface. The thickness of the notch layer is substantially equal to the thickness or thicknesses of the one or more pole tip layers located in the trench. A method of manufacturing the write head includes forming a very thin photoresist layer for defining the notch structure. The notch structure is well-defined which in turn allows the one or more pole tip layers to be well-defined with a very narrow trackwidth in the trench.

Abstract: A method is provided for making an assembly that has an integrated suspension, actuator arm and actuator coil. At least one actuator coil layer is located in the actuator arm region. The actuator coil layer is mounted to at least one homogeneous support layer which extends between terminal ends of the assembly for supporting all layers. A hole is provided through all layers in the actuator region at a pivot point for receiving an actuator spindle. In some embodiments of the invention, a transducer coil layer may be integrated in the suspension region and may be located in substantially a common plane with the actuator coil layer. The actuator region may be provided with a silicon base which contains integrated processing circuits which are connected to the transducer coil layer. A device may be carried by the assembly for bending the suspension region with respect to the actuator arm region.

Abstract: A deburring tool for deburring the edges of boreholes. The tool has a base body in which at least one recess aligned across the longitudinal axis of the base body is provided, where at least one blade is arranged in said recess so it can be displaced under spring load in the longitudinal direction of the recess. A compression spring is provided in the longitudinal bore of the base body and comes in contact with one end of a control pin whose other end engages in a control recess in the blade to provide at least a holding power to the blade in the direction of displacement.