Abstract: A catheter comprises an elongated catheter body, a control handle, and a hollow tip electrode having a radially-symmetrical shell defining a cavity surrounding a center inner location from which light is emitted to pass through a plurality of openings formed in the shell for interaction with tissue and/or fluid, such as blood, outside of and in contact with the shell. Light interacting with tissue is reflected back into the cavity for collection whereas light interacting with fluid, such as blood, is absorbed. By analyzing the light collected in the cavity, a determination is made as to a ratio of light reflected by tissue versus light absorbed by fluid for indicating the amount of contact between the tip electrode and tissue. Alternatively, fluorescence may similarly be employed (light is emitted at one wavelength and detected at one or more different wavelengths) since tissue and blood have different fluorescence properties at various wavelengths.

Abstract: A seating assembly 10 having a pair of armrests 12, 14; a footrest 20; a backrest 30, and a seat portion 24 which may each be independently and selectively moveable.

Abstract: A catheter has a two-piece tip electrode with a shell and a support structure that are secured to each other by multiple redundant mechanisms in order to reduce the risk of tip detachment during a procedure. The tip electrode includes at least two different welds attaching the shell to the support structure to provide a dual failure mode. One weld includes a seam weld and another weld includes a penetration weld.

Abstract: A power receptacle module for a work surface having multiple power receptacles includes a mounting frame configured to be received within an aperture in the work surface, a pivoting receptacle assembly pivotally mounted in the mounting frame and configured to pivot between a first orientation and a second orientation, relative to the mounting frame. The pivoting receptacle assembly has a flat face plate and a plurality of power receptacles fixedly mounted below the flat face plate. When the pivoting receptacle assembly is in the first orientation, the flat face plate is flush with a top surface of the work surface, and the plurality of power receptacles are hidden below the work surface. When the pivoting receptacle assembly is in the second orientation, the flat face plate is disposed at an oblique angle relative to the work surface, and the plurality of power receptacles are exposed.

Abstract: A control handle for a surgical tool, e.g., an irrigated ablation catheter for use with a fluid side arm, has a housing defining an interior cavity and having a port through which the component can extend into the interior cavity. The housing has a detachable plug covering at least a portion of the port and being at least partially surrounded by a recessed groove to facilitate detachment of the plug from the housing. The recessed groove may be formed on an outer surface of the housing and there may be a second recessed groove on an inner surface of the housing generally tracing the first groove. The plug may also include a hinge to allow the plug to be arranged at an angled position relative to the housing without being fully detached from the housing.

Abstract: A catheter tip electrode has a tissue contacting surface which electrically conducts RF energy to the tissue and is more thermally conductive than adjacent non-electrically conductive coating or cover which prevents RF conduction to the tissue contacting that surface. The tip electrode has a shell with a nonablating hollow proximal neck portion and a distal ablating portion defining a fluid chamber, and a plug-like support member which is configured with a fluid channel on its outer surface so a fluid passage is provided between the member and the neck portion for convective or direct cooling of the nonablating neck portion and nonconductive tubing covering it.

Abstract: A catheter is responsive to external and internal magnetic field generators for generating position data of the catheter position and pressure data to determine pressured exerted on a distal end of the catheter when engaged with tissue, with a reduced number of sensing coils and reduced number of sensing coil leads for minimizing lead breakage and failure. The catheter includes a distal section adapted for engagement with patient tissue, where the distal section has a proximal portion, a distal portion and a flexible joint with a resilient member adapted to allow axial displacement and angular deflection between the proximal and distal portions of the distal section. The catheter may have three or less sensing coils with three or less leads, each transmitting signals between a respective sensing coil and the signal processor.

Abstract: A catheter includes a tip electrode with a shell and a support member to provide a plenum chamber. The plug is formed with a U-shaped passage for a safety line to wrap around and secure the support member (with the shell affixed thereto) to the catheter. Additional passages are formed in the plug to accommodate components such as irrigation tubing, lead wire and thermocouple wire pair. A method of manufacture provides distal installation and/or anchoring of the safety line, lead wire and thermocouple wire pair in the support member prior to sealing the support member and mounting the shell.

Abstract: A catheter is responsive to external and internal magnetic field generators for generating signals representing position and pressure data, with a reduced number of sensing coil leads for minimizing lead breakage and failure. The catheter includes a flexible joint with pressure sensing and position coils, at least pair of a pressure sensing coil and a position coil are serially connected. Methods of calibrating a catheter for position and pressure sensing, and detecting magnetic field interference with one catheter by another catheter or other metal or ferrous object advantageously use signals between two sets of sensors as a “back up” or “error check”.

Abstract: A seating assembly 10 having a pair of armrests 12, 14; a footrest 20; a backrest 30, and a seat portion 24 which may each be independently and selectively moveable.

Abstract: An irrigated ablation catheter includes a tip electrode with a thin shell and a plug to provide a plenum chamber. The tip electrode has an inlet of a predetermined size and noncircular shape, and outlets in the form of fluid ports formed in the thin shell wall. The plurality of the fluid ports is predetermined, as is their diameter. The tip electrode thus considers a diffusion ratio of total fluid output area to fluid input area, and a fluid port ratio. The tip electrode also considers a fluid inlet aspect ratio where the fluid inlet has a noncircular (for example, oval or elliptical) radial cross-section. The plenum chamber has a narrow proximal portion opening to a wider distal portion so that fluid pressure decreases while fluid velocity increases with the desired effect of increased turbulence which decreases momentum for a more uniform distribution of fluid in the tip electrode.

Abstract: An irrigated ablation catheter includes a tip electrode with a thin shell and a plug to provide a plenum chamber. The tip electrode has an inlet of a predetermined size and noncircular shape, and outlets in the form of fluid ports formed in the thin shell wall. The plurality of the fluid ports is predetermined, as is their diameter. The tip electrode thus considers a diffusion ratio of total fluid output area to fluid input area, and a fluid port ratio. The tip electrode also considers a fluid inlet aspect ratio where the fluid inlet has a noncircular (for example, oval or elliptical) radial cross-section. The plenum chamber has a narrow proximal portion opening to a wider distal portion so that fluid pressure decreases while fluid velocity increases with the desired effect of increased turbulence which decreases momentum for a more uniform distribution of fluid in the tip electrode.

Abstract: A catheter carries a position sensor in a distal, on-axis position in an irrigated ablation tip electrode. The tip electrode has a shell wall that defines a cavity through which fluid flows and exits via fluid ports formed in the shell wall. The cavity is sealed by an internal member extends into the cavity with a baffle portion and a distal portion. The distal portion safely houses the position sensor and the baffle portion diffuses and disperses fluid entering the tip electrode for a more uniform flow through the cavity. The distal portion is configured to provide an annular region that runs along the length of the tip electrode to better feed fluid to the more distal fluid ports on the tip electrode for more uniform cooling at all locations on the tip electrode.

Abstract: A work space system including a plurality of work areas. A work area includes a spine wall, a first wall adjacent to the spine wall and extending from the spine wall, and a second wall adjacent to the first wall and including an entrance to the work area. The height of the second wall is greater than the height of the first wall, and the height of the first wall is greater than the height of the spine wall.

Abstract: A system for management of workstation energy is provided. The system includes a workstation having an energy outlet operable to provide energy to the workstation, a workstation occupancy sensor disposed in the workstation, and a cluster energy manager coupled with the energy outlet and workstation occupancy sensor. The workstation may be connected in a workstation cluster. The workstation occupancy sensor may be operable to detect occupancy of the workstation. The cluster energy manager may have a distribution circuit configured to control energy provided to the energy outlet, the cluster energy manager operable to control the energy based on occupancy of the workstation and/or a network event. The cluster energy manager is operable to report occupancy or workstation energy consumption to a monitoring system.

Abstract: A head restraint assembly adapted for inwardly rotating between a substantially upright use position and a relatively retracted storage position is disclosed. According to one exemplary embodiment, the head restraint assembly is configured for use with a vehicle seat having a collapsible seat back for providing improved clearance as the seat back moves between a use position and a storage position. The head restraint assembly generally includes a support member having a first portion adapted for pivotally coupling to the seat back and a second portion that outwardly extends through an aperture defined by a top surface of the seat back for supporting a head supporting cushion. The first portion of the support member has a substantially curvilinear profile for allowing the required size of the aperture in the top surface of the seat back to be minimized in a longitudinal direction relative to the seat back.

Abstract: An adjustable swivel base assembly and track for swivel mounting fishing boat downrigger or planar board masts, including a planar mounting base plate, a pair of stationary riser supports on the base plate, and a planar bottom bearing plate stationarily supported on the upper ends of the supports. Vertically spaced planar bottom and top bearings are stationarily affixed to the bearing plate and a planar swivel top plate is supported on and sandwiched slidably between the bearings, and is adapted to carry and swivel the mast load. An indexable locking system selectively locks the swivel plate in any one of a plurality of angularly spaced positions. A track is mounted on a fishing boat and has side edge flanges with mutually facing in-turned lips that overlap opposite side edges of the base plate when slidably and releasably mounted in the track.

Abstract: Adjustable holder apparatus for holding a trolling fishing rod in various upright orientations on a boat-mounted track. The apparatus includes a track-mounted base plate, a pivot bracket on the base plate, and a rod holder for detachably mounting and cantilever supporting the rod upright on the holder. A locking gear is fixed to the holder and pivotally secured to the bracket by a pivot pin for supporting the holder on the base plate for pivotal motion of the fishing rod for pivotally raising and lowering the rod. The gear has a circumferentially extending row of locking teeth arrayed in the holder pivot plane. A locking handle mechanism includes a locking pin bodily movable by the mechanism into and out of locking engagement with a selected root space between any two of the locking teeth for adjustably holding said holder in selected angularly spaced positions in the pivot plane.

Abstract: A mounting system for body mounted camera equipment includes a tube supported on a three-axis gimbal and having connector assemblies at each end for mounting the equipment. Each connector assembly is made up of two connectors which axially engage. One of the connectors includes grooves in the cylindrical sidewall to include radially extending pins in the other connector. The grooves each include an axial entry portion, a circumferential portion and an axial seating portion. The connectors further include an angular interlock with three pins and six sockets with the pins and sockets including mating conical surfaces. The axial pins and sockets, the grooves and the radial pins are all configured to define a locking system having an entry requiring separate axial and rotational motions of the connectors before the pins and sockets can be engaged.

Abstract: An extendable support system having a plurality of support members and a plurality of pairs of spaced-apart side rails, each pair of which being affixed to one support member. Each of the support members move longitudinally relative to the other and include stop tabs which are configured to limit the longitudinal extension of the support system. The support members are L-shaped to add strength to the system as well as limit longitudinal retraction of the system. The extendable support system is attached to a platform by means of a pair of spaced-apart T-rails and includes extension means for increasing the angle of motion of a pivotal platform.