Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing extruded polymer products such as hollow extrusions and conductor coatings having wall thicknesses of 0.002 inches or less. The apparatus may comprise more than one of the following: an external heat source; temperature measurement and heater control; video monitoring equipment to allow magnified observation of the extrudate, thereby providing opportunity to observe any deficiency in the extrudate; and a die holder and die allowing for more expedient die adjustments.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe assembly adapted for bio-imaging. The assembly comprises a catheter, an electrical assembly, including a set of linear conductors, at least partially housed within said catheter. An ultrasound transceiving unit is electrically connected to said electrical assembly and can be placed in both an undeployed state in which the transceiving unit is oriented coincidentally to said catheter and a deployed state in which it is directed to provide imaging signals over a volume of interest.

Abstract: A percutaneous connector comprises a female-half that includes a housing that has a pair of side walls, each having an interior surface. An electrical contact assembly is arranged along the interior surface of at least one of the side walls and has a set of first electrical contacts. Insulating material electrically isolates the electrical contacts from one another. In addition, an electrical conductor attached to each electrical contact extends outside of the housing. A male-half includes a sheet of resilient material, bent into a U-shape and having two opposed outer surfaces. A handle assembly is adapted to permit a user to squeeze the two opposed outer surfaces closer to each other. In addition, a set of second contacts is attached to at least one of the outer surfaces and is arranged in matching configuration to the first set of contacts. Insulating material electrically isolates the contacts from one another.

Abstract: A method of making a rotating removable data storage device hub, such as a hub for a micro-floppy magnetic data storage disc, that has a core of plain carbon steel and a primary coating. The hub also includes a vapor corrosion inhibiting layer on the primary coating. The plain carbon steel can have about 0.5% or less carbon. The primary coating can be tin, nickel, zinc, chrome, paints, epoxies, epoxy-urethanes, phenolic resins, and combinations thereof. The vapor corrosion inhibiting layer may include an amine to reduce the rate of oxidation of the plain carbon steel core.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removable data storage cartridge in which the data storage media is first enclosed within a shutter assembly having a shutter window exposing less than half of the media. The shutter assembly is enclosed within a cartridge housing that includes a cartridge window. Rotation of the shutter assembly within the cartridge housing moves the removable data storage cartridge between an open position in which the shutter window is located within the cartridge window, thereby exposing the media, and a closed position in which the shutter window is located within the cartridge housing.

Abstract: A removable data storage cartridge having a releasable shutter assembly. The shutter assembly rotatably maintains a data storage media and includes a first half and a second half. In this regard, at least a portion of an outer periphery of the first half is configured to releasably engage at least a portion of an outer periphery of the second half. With this configuration, the first half can easily be disassembled from the second half for replacing the media if found to be defective. In one preferred embodiment, the shutter assembly further includes a hinge integrally formed with the first half and the second half for facilitating axial assembly of the first half to the second half.

Abstract: A rotating removable data storage device hub, such as a hub for a micro-floppy magnetic data storage disc, that has a core of plain carbon steel and a primary coating. The hub may also include a vapor corrosion inhibiting layer on the primary coating. The plain carbon steel can have about 0.5% or less carbon. The primary coating can be tin, nickel, zinc, chrome, paints, epoxies, epoxy-urethanes, phenolic resins, and combinations thereof. The vapor corrosion inhibiting layer may include an amine to reduce the rate of oxidation of the plain carbon steel core.

Abstract: A plain carbon steel shutter for a removable data storage device includes a primary coating thereon to improve its appearance, wear, durability and resistance to corrosion. In addition to the primary coating, the shutter also includes a vapor corrosion inhibitor to reduce corrosion caused by ambient moisture in the atmosphere. To increase stiffniess, the fillet radius of the bends in the shutter are increased.

Abstract: An optical data storage disc comprising a disc-shaped substrate and a centrally-located magnetizable hub. The disc has a central bore configured to receive a drive pin from an optical disc drive. The substrate has a recessed annular portion adjacent its center bore. The hub is provided within the recessed portion of the substrate. The central bore of the disc may be defined by the central bore of the hub alone, so that the diameter of the hub's bore is less than that of the substrate. In the alternative, the central bore of the disc may be defined in part by the inner bores of both the substrate and the hub, in which case those inner bores are of equal diameter. In either case, the thickness of the disc when measured at its inner portion, i.e., in the area of the hub and recessed portion, is equal to the thickness of the substrate at the periphery thereof.

Abstract: A multi-electrode cochlear implant is taught in which approximately twenty or more insulated metal wires are wound around a flexible tube. These wires are held in place with a further layer of dielectric insulating material. The insulation is selectively removed with a laser beam to form electrodes. Two or more layers or valences of wires can be used, with the inner layer of wires terminating distal to the outer layers to provide a stepwise approximation of the tapering of the scala tympani. A shape memory material core may be introduced into the tube, so that the implant will retain an effective shape after implantation. In a preferred embodiment, electrical conductors are connected to the shape memory material to permit the select warming of the shape memory material by the passing of an electric current through it. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the shape memory material is warmed by adjacent heating elements.

Abstract: A multi-electrode cochlear implant is taught in which approximately twenty or more insulated metal wires are wound around a flexible tube. These wires are held in place with a further layer of dielectric insulating material. The insulation is selectively removed with a laser beam to form electrodes. Two or more layers or valences of wires can be used, with the inner layer of wires terminating distal to the outer layers to provide a stepwise approximation of the tapering of the scala tympani. A core of shape memory material may be introduced into the tube, so that the implant will retain an effective shape after implantation.

Abstract: A liquid-impregnated flexible sheet includes high capillarity pores for retaining the impregnated fluid. The fluid may be an oil having a boiling point and vapor pressure sufficient to promote vaporization of the oil at room temperature. The vaporizable oil can function as a corrosion inhibitor making the sheet useful for wrapping metallic articles. A surfactant may also be added to the sheet to enhance corrosion inhibition. The sheet comprises a homogenous mixture of a polyolefin-based component and an inert filler. The sheet may be used alone or as one component of a composite that includes materials that have other desirable properties. The composite may be assembled into a container, such as a gun case.

Abstract: A lifter for cleaning a flexible magnetic recording disc. The lifter forces a fabric liner on the inner surface of a cartridge toward the rotating disc. The perimeter of the lifter is configured so that the force profile of the lifter taken across the width of its leading edge is not characterized by sudden changes in force across its width. The lifter can include a cut-out region within the area of the lifter, the region being configured to increase the force applied by the lifter along the inner tracks of the magnetic recording disc. The lifter does not significantly increase the torque required to drive the disc. The invention also includes a method of cleaning a disc using the lifter described above.

Abstract: An erasable optical data storage medium has an integral recording layer including an expansion zone and a retention zone having different optical and thermal-mechanical properties. A uniform integral layer of dyed polymer material has the dye leached out of the surface region and a second dye diffused into the surface region to create a retention zone. The retention zone has a higher elastic modulus and glass transition temperature than the underlying expansion zone and is adapted to absorb and transmit light which is centered about a different wavelength than the expansion zone. The medium is adapted to be used with a non-ablative and non-vesicular method to create and erase optically detectable deformations in the retention zone.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium includes a triple layer recording structure having an expansion layer, a retention layer and a very thin reflective layer interposed between the retention and expansion layers. The three layers are strongly bonded together so that the thermally and mechanically active expansion and retention layers can mechanically act upon each other through the intermediate reflective layer. The expansion and retention layers are dyed to selectively pass or absorb light of preselected wavelengths. The thin reflective layer is adapted to partially pass and partially reflect light of preselected wavelengths.

Abstract: An erasable optical data storage medium has an embedded servo track and a subsurface recording interface. An erasable recording structure having two dyed polymer layers is separated from the servo track by a compression layer. The servo track is formed in a hard substrate which provides mechanical support for the medium. The medium is adapted to form non-vesicular data bumps projecting into the compression layer when exposed to a write laser beam of predetermined wavelength projected through the substrate and compression layer. The embedded servo track and recording interface are sufficiently close to each to be read simultaneously in the same focal plane.