Abstract: A vaginal speculum comprises upper and lower blades arranged to pivot relative to each other about coupling elements each associated with a respective blade. The upper blade is detachable from the lower blade, when the speculum is in situ in the vaginal cavity, upon pulling the upper blade generally proximally. This decouples the coupling elements from each other or detaches at least one of the coupling elements from the associated blade. The speculum has optional side blades.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of fabricating a low friction, wear resistant, polydopamine/polytetrafluoroethylene layered film. In one embodiment, the method comprises the deposition of a polydopamine film on a stainless steel substrate through an oxidative polymerization process, the deposition of a polytetrafluoroethylene nanoparticle film on top of the polydopamine film, and heat treating the layered film to remove moisture and fuse the particles together.

Abstract: A transducer holder for holding a transducer in signal-receiving contact with a patient's body, the holder comprising: a base adherently attachable to the patient's skin; and a retainer attached or attachable to the base; wherein, in use, the retainer holds the transducer in signal-receiving contact with the patient's body and retains the transducer in the holder.

Abstract: Computer method and apparatus processing batch changes to a plurality of records employs heuristics. The system includes a computer based source of a plurality of records subject to a batch update. Each record in the plurality has respective meta data information. A computer processor projects application of changes forming the batch update in one record of the plurality. The processor applies heuristics including noting metadata information of the one record impacting changes to each record in the plurality. Using the noted metadata information and heuristics, the system further projects application of the batch update changes to remaining records in the plurality. A preview display of the projected results of the batch changes allows the user to commit, modify or revert batch updates per record.

Abstract: A cutting instrument (10) comprising a handle (12) having a side-to-side thickness less than its depth in a direction transverse to its thickness and a sheath (16) movable longitudinally along the handle between a distal protective position to cover a blade (14) at a distal end of the handle and a proximal use position to expose the blade for cutting, wherein the sheath and the handle have complementary engagement formations (36,38,40) that define the protective position and the use position, the engagement formations comprising at least one engagement formation (36,38) on the handle being located on at least one edge region (26) of the handle between the sides.

Abstract: Scissors, especially surgical scissors, having first and second elongate members each having a handle portion and a blade portion and being connected by a pivot between the handle portions and the blade portions for relative pivotal movement generally in a cutting plane during a cutting stroke. At least one of the handle portions supports a channel member having a length that extends toward, embraces and extends beyond the handle portion of the other elongate member to restrain movement of the handle portions out of the cutting plane and thus to resist relative lateral movement of the blade portions away from each other during the cutting stroke. The scissors are robust and are able to cleanly, effectively and accurately cut tough or slippery items which might otherwise cause the blades to splay away from each other.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly includes: a nozzle chamber having a planar roof spaced apart from a floor, the roof having a nozzle aperture defined therein; and a heater element disposed in the nozzle chamber, the heater element being configured as a planar beam extending longitudinally and parallel with a plane of the roof. The nozzle aperture is elliptical having a centroid, a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis of the nozzle aperture is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the beam, the centroid of the nozzle aperture is offset from a longitudinal centroid of the planar beam, and the minor axis of the nozzle aperture overlaps with a whole width of the beam.

Abstract: An obstetric vacuum extractor (20) comprises a cylinder (22) communicating with a cup (26), and a handle (46) connected to a piston (38) via an extensible bias element (52) to evacuate the cup. The bias element permits relative movement between the handle and the piston. The bias element limits force transmitted to the piston, and movement of the piston relative to the handle operates an indicator to confirm that low pressure has been maintained within the cup. A cup for such an extractor comprises inner (130) and outer (132) sections, at least the outer section being reconfigurable, by applying distal force to a proximal side of the cup, from a convex insertion state for insertion into a mother's birth canal into a concave engagement state for engagement with a baby's head. A boundary between the sections is shaped such that the inner section may be concave while the outer section is convex, to create an inner suction cup.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly includes a nozzle chamber having a planar roof spaced apart from a floor. A heater element is suspended in the nozzle chamber and is configured as a planar beam extending longitudinally and parallel with a plane of the roof. A nozzle aperture defined in the roof has a centroid offset from a longitudinal centroid of the planar beam.

Abstract: A detachable fluid coupling for connecting an inkjet printhead with an ink supply, the detachable coupling having a fixed valve member defining a valve seat, a sealing collar (146) for sealing engagement with the valve seat (148), a resilient sleeve (126) having one annular end fixed relative to the fixed valve member (128), and the other annular end engaging the sealing collar to bias it into sealing engagement with the valve seat. The coupling also having a conduit opening (150) that is movable relative to the fixed valve member for engaging the sealing collar (146) to unseal it from the valve seat. Unsealing the sealing collar from the valve seat compresses the resilient sleeve (126) such that an intermediate section of the sleeve displaces outwardly relative to the annular ends. With a resilient sleeve that buckles or folds outwardly, the diameter of the coupling is smaller that the conventional couplings that use an annular resilient element that biases the valve shut remaining residual tension.

Abstract: A structure for an inkjet printhead is disclosed. The printhead structure has an elongate support structure for supporting a printhead integrated circuit, and ink conduits formed in the elongate support structure for supplying ink to an array of nozzles of the printhead integrated circuit. Each ink conduit includes cavities distributed along a roof of the ink conduit. An opening to each cavity has an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The upstream edge contacts the ink before the downstream edge during initial priming of the ink conduits from an ink supply. The upstream edge has a transition face between the ink conduit and the cavity interior, the transition face being configured to inhibit ink from filling the cavity by capillary action during initial priming of the ink conduit. This causes gas to be trapped within the cavity. The gas acts to compress pressure pulses in the ink.

Abstract: Systems and methods for serial analysis of electrocardiograms are presented, wherein serial electrocardiographic (ECG) assessment is incorporated with three-dimensional vectorial analysis of the cardiac electrical signal, using changes in novel 3D-based vectorial markers over time to improve diagnostic sensitivity for acute coronary syndromes (ACS), and improve differentiation of ACS from the broad range of heart diseases that resemble ACS on ECG.

Abstract: An inkjet printer that has a printhead with a nozzle array for ejecting droplets of ink onto a media substrate, a media feed assembly for feeding media passed the printhead in a media feed direction such that the nozzle array and the media substrate are separated by a print gap and, an air flow generation mechanism for generating an air flow in the print gap opposite to the media feed direction.

Abstract: A fluid sensor for detecting fluid in a chamber, has a MEMS sensing element of conductive material with a resistance that is a function of temperature, and electrical contacts for connection to an electrical power source for heating the sensing element with an electrical signal, so that control circuitry can measure the current passing through the sensing element during heating of the sensing element; and determine the temperature of the sensing element from the known applied voltage, the measured current and the known relationship between the current, resistance and temperature. As the temperature of the element will be greater if it is in the presence of gas rather than liquid, the sensor determines if there is liquid or gas in the chamber. This is particularly useful to detect if the chambers of an inkjet printhead are primed with ink.

Abstract: An inkjet nozzle assembly has a chamber with a nozzle opening for ejecting a liquid, a heater element disposed in the chamber, and a dielectric layer sandwiched between the heater element and a wall of the chamber. The dielectric layer has a thermal product of less than 1495 Jm?2K?1s?1/2. The thermal product is defined as (?Ck)1/2, where ? is the density of the layer, C is specific heat of the layer and k is thermal conductivity of the layer.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for changing query result data graphically displayed on an electronic device. A query of a data repository is performed. A graphical representation of a set of query results identified from the query is displayed. The query results include a plurality of query result records. The graphical representation includes a first node corresponding to a first record field value and a second node corresponding to a second record field value. A region proximal to the first node displays a query result record having the first record field value. A query result record having the first record field value is selected. A field value of a selected query result record is changed from the first record field value to the second record field value by transitioning the selected query result record to a region proximal to the second node.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for changing query result data graphically displayed on an electronic device. A query of a data repository is performed. A graphical representation of a set of query results identified from the query is displayed. The set of query results includes a plurality of query result records. The graphical representation includes a first node corresponding to a first record field value and a second node corresponding to a second record field value. A region proximal to the first node displays at least one query result record having the first record field value. A query result record of the at least one query result record having the first record field value is selected. A field value of a selected query result record is changed from the first record field value to the second record field value by transitioning the selected query result record to a region proximal to the second node of the graphical representation.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a pressure sensor (30) for harsh environments such as vehicle tires, formed from a first wafer substrate (32) having first and second opposing planar surfaces. CMOS circuitry (34) is deposited on the first planar surface and a layer of passivation material is deposited on the circuitry. Openings in the passivation layer are etched to expose parts of the circuitry and an aperture is etched into the first wafer from the first planar surface towards the second planar surface. Sacrificial material is deposited in the aperture and then a flexible membrane (50) is deposited on the sacrificial material and the exposed parts of the circuitry. The sacrificial material is subsequently plasma cleaned out of the aperture from the second surface and a second substrate is sealed to the second planar surface of the first wafer substrate to define a chamber (58) containing a fluid at a reference pressure.

Abstract: Computer method and apparatus processing batch changes to a plurality of records employs heuristics. The system includes a computer based source of a plurality of records subject to a batch update. Each record in the plurality has respective meta data information. A computer processor projects application of changes forming the batch update in one record of the plurality. The processor applies heuristics including noting metadata information of the one record impacting changes to each record in the plurality. Using the noted metadata information and heuristics, the system further projects application of the batch update changes to remaining records in the plurality. A preview display of the projected results of the batch changes allows the user to commit, modify or revert batch updates per record.