Abstract: A waterfall-simulated wall structure for a shower stall/tub for providing a unique outdoorsy type of environment for taking showers. The waterfall-simulated wall structure for a shower stall/tub includes a wall assembly including portable walls being adapted to be spaced from stall/tub walls forming a conventional shower stall/tub, and being arranged to allow water to occupy the space between the portable walls and the stall/tub walls, each of said portable walls having a front side which simulates a side of a waterfall, said wall assembly further including rock-simulated members being attached at bases of the portable walls for allowing a user to rest one's feet thereupon when washing.

Abstract: A waste disposer assist tool for automatically feeding waste food contained within the housing of a standard kitchen electric food disposer and for spraying liquid soap. The tool includes a hollow handle and a piston which screw together through a central hole of a flexible plunger. The plunger is held between respective flanges ofthe handle and the piston with the piston slightly protruding from within the plunger. The tool is positioned over the opening of the sink above the garbage disposer with the piston fitted within and in a substantially air-tight seal with the interior of the housing of the disposer unit. The plunger fits in a substantially air-tight seal against the bottom interior of the sink. The slight vacuum created by the outflow of ground food waste and water by the garbage disposer blades below the piston causes the higher ambient pressure against the upper side of the plunger to force the piston downward against he waste food in an automatic feed fashion.

Abstract: A cartridge is configured to be inserted into a medical instrument for treating patients with radioactive seeds. The cartridge includes a rotating internal barrel that is loaded with a plurality of seeds, where the internal barrel has a plurality of conduits for accepting the seeds. As the internal barrel rotates, a seed from one of the conduits is deposited into a shuttle, and then the shuttle is fully extended so as to provide the seed to the medical instrument. The shuttle is then retracted, and the barrel is rotated to the next conduit, so as to receive a seed from that next conduit. The cartridge includes a first shield and a second shield, each having slots where the slots of the first and second shields are aligned in a first verification or calibration mode, and where the slots are not aligned in a normal, seed depositing mode. The second shield also includes a plurality of numeric indicators that indicate a current number of seeds remaining in the cartridge.

Abstract: A bath tap fitting in the known way comprises a securing device which can be attached to a mounting plate. This has a securing body which extends upward and in its upper area possesses a multi-faced outer contour. An outlet spout can be fitted to the securing body with a multi-faced seating aperture so that it does not turn. A locking screw can be screwed through a threaded hole of the outlet spout against the securing body so that two faces of the seating aperture of the outlet spout, enclosing an angle with each other are pressed against two faces of the securing body enclosing a corresponding angle. In this way the securing body is “wedged” in the seating aperture of the outlet spout. The outlet spout sits absolutely firmly on the securing body.

Abstract: A new and improved bathing chair and method of using the bathing chair for positionment within a bathtub is described. The bathing chair having a generally U-shaped framework comprising a seat; a support rod; a pair of U-shaped frame members; a pair of caps; a pair of bottom support members; a pair of top support members; a base member; a yoke member; and a collar. The support rod has a generally S-shaped configuration, in which the top end of the support rod is pivotally attached to the seat. Each of the U-shaped frame members has an upside down J-shaped configuration at the proximate end and an upside down L-shaped configuration at the distal end. The pair of caps are attached to the distal ends of the pair of U-shaped frame members. The pair of bottom support members are connected the bottom portions of each U-shaped frame members together. The pair of top support members are connected to the top portions of each U-shaped frame members together.

Abstract: A toilet mounting assembly for securely and easily mounting a toilet to a structure includes a sealing ring securable to a structure and having either integral threaded rods extending from a main body portion of the sealing ring or threaded rods easily and securely attached to the sealing ring using a tongue and groove. Alternately, the sealing ring may include threaded apertures for receiving specially structured bolts to secure the toilet to the sealing ring.

Abstract: An inhalation device for administering a powdered medicament by inhalation including a suction tube through which the medicament is drawn on inhalation by a user, a blister pack, a housing which carries the blister pack and has housing surfaces, the suction tube being removably connected to the housing and having a distal end which can interact with the blister pack and a proximal end through which the user inhales, and a resilient member that resiliently biases the suction tube into a position where it is spaced from the housing surfaces to facilitate grasping of the suction tube by the user when the inhalation device is ready for use.

Abstract: This reinforcement consists of a reinforcement piece (2) and of a flap (3) connected to this reinforcement piece (2); the reinforcement piece (2) is made of a prosthetic knit and has a slit (5) for its engagement around the spermatic cord; the flap (3) is able to be folded over the slit (5).

Abstract: A water misting device has a hook and loop fastener connected to a nozzle mounting assembly. The nozzle mounting assembly has an inlet tube bore and a connected nozzle bore. A misting nozzle is attached to the nozzle mounting assembly. A water inlet tube is connected to the nozzle mounting assembly. An electrically driven water pump is connected to the water inlet tube. A timer is electrically connected to the water pump for selectively powering the water pump to intermittently force the flow of water through the water pump. A power supply connection is electrically connected to the timer.

Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument for clamping and stapling tissue. The instrument has a handle and first and a second opposed tissue clamping members connected to the handle. The members are movable between an open position for receiving tissue therebetween and a closed position for stapling tissue therebetween. At least one of the first and second clamping members houses a plurality of staples. The device also includes a strip of buttress material releasably attached to at least one of the first and second tissue clamping members by a hot melt adhesive. The buttress material disposed on the clamping member such that the staples can attach the buttress material to tissue between the clamping members.

Abstract: A sink, and a method of reducing vibration and resulting noise of such sinks, are disclosed. The sink includes a basin, a drain and first and second pads. The basin has a bottom wall, side walls, and inner and outer surfaces of such walls. The drain is in the bottom of the basin, and first and second regions are defined between the drain orifice and the first and second sides, respectively. The pads are attached to the bottom and a side wall, in each case proximate respective midpoints of open regions thereon. The pads are a laminate of a rubber-like material and metal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a knee joint prosthesis system adapted to replace the articulating knee portion of a femur and a tibia. The knee joint prosthesis system includes a first femoral component and a second femoral component. The first femoral component includes a first femoral engagement region and a first condylar portion having a first femoral bearing surface. The first femoral engagement region is operable to engage a resecting engagement surface of the femur and the first condylar portion includes a first posterior region having a first thickness. The second femoral component includes a second femoral engagement region and a second condylar portion having a second femoral bearing surface. The second femoral engagement region is operable to engage the resected engagement surface of the femur and the second condylar portion includes a second posterior region having a second thickness.

Abstract: A bath tap fitting is composed in the known way of a securing device which can be attached to a mounting plate and a movable outlet spout fitted to this. The securing device comprises a securing body which is composed of a lower part and an upper part which can be pushed onto the lower part so that it cannot turn but can be adjusted for height. An adjusting bush is axially fitted in the upper part of the securing body, which however can be turned. It has in the lower area an outer thread, with which it is screwed into a threaded hole of the lower part of the securing body. By turning the adjusting bush therefore the height of the upper part can be changed in comparison to the lower part. The upper part grips over the lower part with a skirt which is divided into segments from below by axis-parallel slits and has an outer thread there.

Abstract: A system utilizing multiple spacer and shim elements that nest together to raise a closet ring to the height required for the particular floor being used in a given application for a toilet bowl installation. The nested spacer and shim elements are placed on the rough floor and receive the closet ring mounting flange. Bosses on an upper side of a lower spacer and shim element are received in detents in a lower side of a corresponding upper spacer and shim element so that the spacer and shim elements are held securely in their nested position so as to form a registered spacer/shim stack. The spacer and shim elements will typically be ¼″ thick. The spacer and shim elements further include breakaway mounting tabs positioned about an outer circumference of the main body of the spacer and shim elements.

Abstract: An air-blowing assembly for providing cooling air to the user of a spa, jetted bathtub or other heated water-containing member. The assembly has an air blower with an air blower inlet which received air from outside of the area of the spa. The blower conducts cooling air into a manifold. The manifold directs cooling air out of a series of vents on the upper lip of the spa. The air vents are adjustable in direction so that the user of the spa can direct cooling air to alleviate discomfort from an otherwise hot and moist atmosphere.

Abstract: An intervertebral disc prosthesis comprising two opposing plates and a flexible seal extending between the two opposing plates for forming a closed chamber between the two plates, the flexible seal being adapted to enable the plates to move relative to one another. The disc prosthesis also includes a compressible body disposed in the closed chamber and located between the plates. The compressible body has a first surface in contact with a face of one of the plates, whereby an area of contact between the first surface of the compressible body and the face of the one of the plates increases when compressive forces are exerted upon the compressible body.

Abstract: A porous metal intervertebral spacer having at least one angled through hole extending from the side of the implant to a surface which interfaces with a vertebral body end plate such that an interference screw may be driven through the implant and into the bone, thereby securing the implant from undesired motion. In particular, the through holes are tapered to receive a screw and coupling element therethrough such that once fully seated, the screw is locked to the implant by virtue of a coupling element-through hole mutually tapered nesting. The head of the screw is round, as is the interior of the coupling element, thereby allowing the screw to be inserted at various angles relative to the hole without interfering with the proper seating of the coupling element in the through hole.

Abstract: A crop residue spreader for an agricultural combine including a unique support element which is an elongate tube, including a center portion and a pair of legs extending outwardly in opposite directions from the center portion, each of the legs including an end portion opposite the center portion and an intermediate portion. The end portions include pivot elements coaxially aligned about a pivotal axis for pivotal connection to a rear end of the combine for movement between spreading and non-spreading positions. The intermediate portions include mounting elements for supporting rotatable crop accelerators in side-by-side relation, and the center portion includes at least one mount for mounting a pair of crop residue deflectors in cantilever relation to the tube and extending partially around the crop residue accelerators, respectively. The tube can also include mounts or supports for holding a shield in desired relation to the crop residue accelerators.

Abstract: A fuel injection device having a fuel pump for each cylinder of an internal combustion engine, which fuel pump has a pump piston that is driven into a stroke motion by the engine and delimits a pump working chamber, which is supplied with fuel from a fuel tank and is connected to a fuel injection valve, which has an injection valve member that controls at least one injection opening and can be moved by the pressure generated in the pump working chamber in an opening direction counter to a closing force. A first electrically controlled control valve controls a connection of the pump working chamber to a discharge chamber, and a second electrically controlled control valve controls the pressure prevailing in a control pressure chamber of the fuel injection valve, which pressure acts on the injection valve member in the closing direction.

Abstract: A patient recovering from major surgery often suffers from cracked lips and parched palate. The patient usually frequently contacts the nursing staff and requests that they provide the patient with cool water and/or cracked ice. The amount of water and/or cracked ice which the patient can have has to be very limited in order to prevent debilitating vomiting by the patient. The patient's discomfort and suffering is greatly reduced by the mouth moisturizer which via an atomizer supplies a controlled amount of water mist to the lips and palate of the patient. Also, the nurses have more time to devote to their other duties.