Abstract: An apparatus and a method for surgical suturing with thread management. An apparatus for tissue suturing comprising a cartridge having a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end, the suturing needle capable of rotating about an axis; a pusher assembly comprising a cartridge holder having a needle rotation drive capable of releasably engaging the cartridge and rotating the suturing needle about the axis; and an actuator capable of releasably engaging the needle rotation drive to rotate the needle rotation drive. A method for suturing tissue comprising placing a suturing device having a cartridge containing a suturing needle to span separated tissue segments; activating an actuator to cause rotational movement of the suturing needle through the separated tissue segments; and deactivating the actuator to stop an advancing movement of the suturing needle to cause a suturing material to be pulled through the separated tissue segments forming a stitch.

Abstract: An improved snowshoe is provided which is composed of a semi-rigid plastic web base which has a toe area having a downwardly extending flange encompassing a toe hole. The web base has a heel deck which has a raised retaining wall for maintaining the user's heel in the heel deck to reduce left or right sideslipping. A longitudinal slot is disposed between the toe hole flange and the heel deck. The slot relieves stresses along the web base during a walking motion by the wearer. A binding assembly may include a binding unit and tongue member which are connected to form a flexible two-piece hinge which allows both the user's toe to depress into the toe hole and the snowshoe web to fall away from the wearer's heel as the wearer bends his/her foot in a walking or running motion. A one piece, easy-to-use lace fastening mechanism is also provided to hold the binding assembly in tight engagement with the wearer's boot or shoe.

Abstract: A power director enables a user to apply power through one or more power outlets via one or more switches to a cluster of electrical devices, for example, the components of a desk top computer system. A typical computer system may have a CPU chassis, monitor, printer, CD-ROM and a document scanner each of which may have its own power line cord. The housing of the current power director has internal storage spaces or bays for coiling the excess portions of the power cords of the various computer components to eliminate the tangled mess associated with such systems. The electrical outlets are located in a component bay within the housing separate from but adjacent to the line cord storage bay to be accessible to the plugs of the line cords of the electrical devices sought to be controlled. The component bay contains a first printed circuit board (PCB) which carries the electrical outlets and a second PCB that contains an electrical surge protection circuit, a fault isolation circuit and the switches.

Abstract: A power director enables a user to apply power through one or more power outlets via one or more switches to a cluster of electrical devices, for example, the components of a desk top computer system. A typical computer system may have a CPU chassis, monitor, printer, CD-ROM and a document scanner each of which may have its own power line cord. The housing of the current power director has internal storage spaces or bays for coiling the excess portions of the power cords of the various computer components to eliminate the tangled mess associated with such systems. The electrical outlets are located in a component bay within the housing separate from but adjacent to the line cord storage bay to be accessible to the plugs of the line cords of the electrical devices sought to be controlled. The component bay contains a first printed circuit board (PCB) which carries the electrical outlets and a second PCB that contains an electrical surge protection circuit, a fault isolation circuit and the switches.

Abstract: The system includes a circuit board on which electrical components are mounted. The components are mounted on the front side of the board, and the back side of the board is thermally coupled to the housing by a liquid-filled thermal heat sink pouch between the board and the housing. A heat generating component such as a microprocessor is mounted to the front side of the board, but the top surface of the component is directed toward the back side of the board such that it is also thermally coupled to the housing.

Abstract: A microcomputer system includes a microprocessor and a housing for holding the microprocessor. The housing includes sets of conectors preferably comprised of two alternative sets of connectors. The microcomputer system is light weight, small and portable. Connections to external components such as peripheral devices are achieved with one embodiment via a docking connector. This docking connector includes a set of pin connectors that can be coupled to connectors on the housing. It also includes an ejector mechanism. The ejector mechanism enables decoupling by depression of the ejector. The use of the docking connector allows all peripheral connections to be realized through a single connector.