Abstract: The present invention utilizes operation of a valve actuator to generate electrical power. A portion of the mechanical energy generated by operation of a valve actuator is converted to electrical energy. The mechanical energy may be converted to electrical energy at the same time as the valve actuator is operating or the mechanical energy may be stored for later conversion. A valve actuator may be operated manually, electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically. Generated electrical energy may also be stored.

Abstract: In a sheath device for inserting a catheter into a patient's body, comprising a first sheath (10, 11, 13, 21, 21?, 21?, 41, 43) having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein when used as intended the distal end of the first sheath is provided for arrangement in the patient's body and the proximal end of the first sheath is provided for arrangement outside the patient's body, and wherein the first sheath comprises a tubular section (11, 21, 21?, 21?, 41) and a sheath housing (13, 43), which is disposed at the proximal end of the section and comprises a receiving channel (46) for a catheter, according to the invention the tubular section (11, 21, 21?, 21?, 41) is detachably held in a clamping element (45, 48, 50, 62, 63, 64) of the sheath housing in a non-positive manner so as to be able to easily shorten the tubular section.

Abstract: Embolic protection and plaque removal apparatus and methods are provided wherein an aspiration device aspirates, filters and reperfuses blood using a closed fluid circuit having a bi-directional working lumen. The plaque removal device includes a plurality of self-expanding cutting elements that form a cage that self-centers within the blood vessel to reduce the risk of trauma to the vessel lining.

Abstract: A non-sliding solenoid valve has an armature supported by a spring for movement with no sliding contact with other valve surfaces. An inner perimeter of the spring is snapped into position adjacent to an inner perimeter reference surface on the armature. An outer perimeter of the spring engages a reference surface on a shell of the valve, and another reference surface spaced, from the spring reference surface, receives an outer perimeter of a seat for the valve. When the seat is positioned against its reference surface, this urges the inner and outer perimeters of the spring against respective reference surfaces and completes the assembly with assured accuracy.

Abstract: The present invention is a tool coupled to a hemostasis valve and adapted to slit/split a tubular body of a catheter or sheath to facilitate the removal of the tubular body from about a medical device extending through the hemostasis valve and tubular body. The tool comprises a conical barrel portion supporting one or more radially outward extending blades. The tool also comprises a stabilizing component for preventing displacement between the tool and medical device when the tubular body is being removed from about the medical device.

Abstract: A shut-off valve mounting structure is for holding shut-off valves in place in an outdoor unit of an air conditioner, and includes bases, and a fixing portion. The shut-off valves are connected to an indoor unit of the air conditioner via refrigerant communication pipes. The bases extend upwards from a bottom frame of the outdoor unit (2). The fixing portion is continuous with the bases, and holds the shut-off valves in place such that a space exists below the shut-off valves.

Abstract: A brake control valve includes a housing, a quick braking chamber and a piston subject to brake pipe pressure on one side of the piston. A bore in the housing connects the quick braking chamber at a first end and the one side of the piston at a second end. A first valve is in the housing at the first end of the bore. A first operator is in the bore for opening the first valve for a range of positions of the piston. The bore has a first portion of a first diameter and a second portion of a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The first bore portion connects the one side of the piston to the second bore portion. A first operator in the bore is connected to the piston. A seal on the first operator is dimensioned to form a seal with the first bore portion and not with the second bore portion.

Abstract: A pressure sensing catheter having a pressure sensor and an antenna that is coupled to the pressure sensor, e.g., by a connector, are provided. The pressure sensor can be adapted to measure a pressure surrounding the catheter, and the antenna can be adapted to telemetrically communicate the measured pressure to an external device. In an exemplary embodiment, the antenna, pressure sensor, and/or connector are hermetically sealed, e.g., by the catheter and/or a coating, to prevent the antenna, pressure sensor, and connector from coming into contact with fluid, thereby allowing the catheter to be permanently implanted or otherwise used for long term use. Exemplary methods for manufacturing and using pressure sensing catheters are also provided.

Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus for sealing a substrate transfer passage in a chamber are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for sealing a substrate transfer passage in a chamber includes an elongated door member coupled to an actuator by a ball joint. The ball joint is configured to allow movement of the door member relative to the lever arm around a center of the ball joint. In one embodiment, a sealing face of the elongated door is curved. In another embodiment, the chamber is one of a chemical vapor deposition chamber, a load lock chamber, a metrology chamber, a thermal processing chamber, or a physical vapor disposition chamber, a load lock chamber, a substrate transfer chamber or a vacuum chamber.

Abstract: Damping valve for a shock absorber includes a damping valve body with at least one valve seat surface for a valve disk which is loaded in the lifting direction by a flow of damping medium. At least one support disk arranged on the valve disk determines, by its contour, a lever arm up to an effective surface to which pressure is applied by a damping medium in the lifting direction, and this support disk is pretensioned in direction of the valve disk by a tensioning plate, wherein the damping valve body forms a line of tensioning with the valve disk, support disk and tensioning plate, wherein at least one of the contact surfaces within the line of tensioning is profiled, so that there is a contact circle at the support disk, and the radius of the contact circle matches the provided reference dimension for the contour of the support disk determining the lever arm length.

Abstract: A fluid control valve assembly including a microvalve for controlling fluid flow in a fluid circuit having a relatively high fluid pressure requirement, such as vehicular brake system, is fixed to an associated fluid distributing substrate with a high-pressure fluid connection. The fluid distributing substrate is provided with fluid passages adapted for connection to a fluid source to provide communication between the fluid source and the microvalve device. The connection between the microvalve and the fluid distributing substrate may include metallic connections forming electrical current paths between the microvalve and the substrate; solder joints forming part of the pressure boundary of the high-pressure fluid connection; underfill formed of elastomeric or other adhesive; and bonding between the substrate and the microvalves in only selected portions of the surface of the microvalve.

Abstract: There are disclosed a multi-color injection molding process for producing an ink-jet printer member comprising a plastics substrate and an elastic material layer that are integrally composited, which comprises melt-injecting into a mold in turn, a material for a plastics substrate and an elastic material composed of a thermoplastic elastomer; and an insert molding process for producing the ink-jet printer member mentioned above, which comprises placing in advance, a plastics substrate of a prescribed form in a mold, and melt-injecting an elastic material composed of a thermoplastic elastomer into said plastics substrate. The above processes are well suited for the production of the ink-jet printer member such as an ink tank valve for supplying a recording head with an ink to be filled in an ink chamber, also of a sealing member which is installed at an ink supply port or on the main body of an ink-jet printer and prevents an ink from leaking through the ink supply port or through the recording head.

Abstract: The invention relates to a regulating valve having a valve housing (1) and an essentially horizontally arranged linearly movable valve member (2) for regulating a flow through the valve. The valve member is by a cylindrical portion (22) arranged in a bearing (6) contained in the valve housing. To reduce the wear to which the bearing paths of the valve member and the bearing are subjected and, resulting therefrom, the deterioration of the guiding of the valve member, the outer bearing path of the bearing is arranged with a “bed” in the base of the bearing path. The “bed” comprises a depression (29) which is formed as a part, limited by generatrices, of a cylindrical surface having a cross-sectional radius (30) which corresponds to that of the cylindrical portion or just above and is smaller than half of a vertical diametrical dimension of this outer bearing path, and a centre angle (31) of preferably about 70°.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system mixes a fluid using predominantly planar laminar flow. The microelectromechanical system includes a mixing chamber and a set of valves to establish the planar laminar flow in the mixing chamber. In one embodiment, bubble-controlled pumps are operated with bubble-controlled valves to establish the predominantly planar laminar flow in the mixing chamber. The bubble-controlled pumps and valves may be used to establish a pulsed double-dipole flow field in the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A diverting valve for a fire hydrant which has a valve body (20) defining four orifices (28) to which adapter (42) are connected to accept hoses that are directed to a fire and a pumping apparatus. A cylindrical diverter (50) is rotatably disposed within the body and contains a pair of opposed hollow cavities (54) providing a flowpath between adjacent orifices. A lid (84) encloses the valve and a handle (98) affixed upon a stem (52) of the diverter permits manual rotation. The valve is made of lightweight material and the handle is ergonomically shaped.

Abstract: A heater includes an aluminum die cast body defining an enclosure and an adaptor block. A heating element within the enclosure activates, under control of an associated heat sensing device, a heating element within the enclosure to transfer heat energy into the adaptor block. The adaptor block, including features specific to a given mechanical device, e.g., pneumatic valve or pump, transfers the heat energy into the mechanical device to avoid a frozen condition resulting from, for example, sudden expansion of air when passing through the device.

Abstract: An automatic locking pressure regulator or valve for a fuel tank. The regulator or valve includes locking means which prevent loosening of the regulator or valve from a standard fuel cylinder valve outlet connection. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the locking mechanism is coupled to the base of the regulator or valve, and protrudes into the threads on the standard fitting on the fuel cylinder to prevent one-way rotation of the pressure regulator or valve.

Abstract: The clamp for flexible tubing may be used in conjunction with an infusion pump instrument or separately. The clamp includes a pair of elongated clamping members pivotally hinged together and biased to clamp a segment of flexible tubing received between the clamping members. A latch is also preferably provided for allowing the clamping members to be releasably latched apart. The latch, and the elongated clamping members are arranged in a manner such that when the clamp has a segment of flexible tubing received between the clamping members and the clamp and tubing are set between the housing and door of an infusion pump, closing the door causes the clamp to release to an open position allowing fluid flow, and opening the door causes the clamp to automatically move to a closed position, clamping the tubing so as to prevent fluid flow.

Abstract: The system includes a plurality of zone valves located in a gas flow pipeline. These valves contain a fiber optic bundle that is installed in the center of the valve handle. The fiber optic light comes from a source and is read by a light detector. As long as light is detected by the light detector, the circuitry within the detector will function as a closed circuit. As soon as the detector is not sensed, the detector will function as an open circuit and will provide an alarm to a floor control panel and on to a system annunciator. The system processor is capable of performing remote shunting. The operator can determine by visual reference the location of the problem. False alarms caused by intermittent faulty loops can be identified by a built in memory circuit. The circuit is also capable of detecting loss of current flow that could be caused by a number of reasons. The loss will cause an alarm condition to occur and the operator shall be notified of the system's condition.

Abstract: A valve stem-valve element assembly wherein a valve element is provided with a valve stem bore, a valve stem being received in the valve stem bore, there being a bore transverse to the valve stem bore in the valve element which is in register with the hole in the valve stem, a threaded bolt being received in the bore through the threaded hole threadedly engaging the threaded hole, the threaded portion of the bolt also frictionally engaging the smooth walls of the transverse bore.

Abstract: A valve for interrupting the flow of water between a source and a showerhead wherein the valve includes a soap dish moveable from a closed to an open, soap retrieving position, the soap dish being attached to the valve whereby movement of the soap dish to the closed position permits flow of water through the valve to the showerhead, and movement of the soap dish to an open, soap retrieving position closes the valve interrupting water flow to the showerhead. Soap is therefore accessible only when the water flow is interrupted.

Abstract: A valve for interrupting the flow of water between a source and a showerhead wherein the valve includes a soap dish moveable from a closed to an open, soap retrieving position, the soap dish being attached to the valve whereby movement of the soap dish to the closed position permits flow of water through the valve to the showerhead, and movement of the soap dish to an open, soap retrieving position closes the valve interrupting water flow to the showerhead. Soap is therefore only accessible when the water flow is interrupted.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a pocket filled with lubricant attached to the inner sidewall of the tire having a puncture sealant surrounded by an O-ring built into the inside wall of the pocket. The puncture sealant allows lubricant to be injected into the pocket by use of a syringe and eliminates the need for subsequent sealing of the pocket and leakage of lubricant from the pocket.

Abstract: A mounting base is presented for an operating motor for a valve. The mounting base has split locking clamps which mount over the valve stem and are locked in place by clamping bolts.