Abstract: A system, an instrument, a computer-implemented method, and a clinical workflow for mesodissection of biological specimens on tissue slides by incorporating annotations. An image of an annotated reference slide is acquired and transposed onto a plurality of serial samples on the tissue slides along with the corresponding annotations and metadata. The serial samples are milled based on the annotations, and the milled tissue is automatically collected along with a milling buffer solution inside milling tips, and then dispensed in designated collection vials. The instrument automates the filling of aqueous buffer inside the milling tips and the monitoring of the buffer solution and the sequential filling of the milling tips. The workflow provides an integrated interface that performs tissue annotation, alignment, dissection, tracking, and reporting on a single screen. The degree of precision, ease of use and repeatability will improve PCR and NGS test results, ultimately providing timely patient results.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of cataract surgery and more particularly to methods and apparatus for performing a capsulorhexis. This invention is in the field of medical devices. The present invention relates to a device constructed from metals, polymers or other materials that are amenable to precise surface modifications and methods for its use, wherein (1) the device assists in capsulorhexis and (2) a patterned surface having milli-, micron-, and/or nano-sized micropatterning characteristics that imparts surface stabilizing and self-adhesive properties.

Abstract: A device for trimming the distal ends of hair drawn therethrough is provided which has a head portion having a handle portion extending therefrom. Drawing hair strands along a serpentine pathway formed between a positioning member and a recess in the head, causes distal ends thereof to momentarily project through an opening and into a cutting cavity where they are cut only when a flexible paddle urges the projecting distal ends into a cutting component. The length of the distal ends cut may be adjusted by engagement of variable sized interchangeable cutting components.

Abstract: A device for trimming the distal ends of hair drawn therethrough is provided which has a head portion having a handle portion extending therefrom. Drawing hair strands along a serpentine pathway formed between a positioning member and a recess in the head, causes distal ends thereof to momentarily project through an opening and into a cutting cavity where they are cut only when a flexible paddle urges the projecting distal ends into a cutting component. The length of the distal ends cut may be adjusted by engagement of variable sized interchangeable cutting components.

Abstract: An insulation cutting tool configured to cut fiber based insulation that is coupled to an underlying vapor barrier such as a vinyl web, transverse to the vinyl web without adversely damaging the vinyl web. The tool includes a body, an upper guide, a lower guide and a cutting assembly. A guide can also be coupled to the body to provide an outside guide to assist with the cut. Finally, a wall utilizing insulation cut by the insulation cutting tool is disclosed.

Abstract: A food topping and cutting device includes a handle coupled to a cutting edge, and further includes a container coupled to the handle. The container has a dispenser at one end configured to dispense, adjacent to the cutting edge, a food topping supplied from the container.

Abstract: A circular saw in which cutting speed of a saw blade is smoothly controlled. A speed change mechanism of a circular saw includes first and second rotating shafts disposed parallel to each other, and first and second gear trains having different gear ratios and each having a combination of a drive gear and a driven gear as one unit which are engaged with each other and transmit torque of the first rotating shaft to the second rotating shaft. A torque transmission path via the first gear train is defined as a first power transmission path and a torque transmission path via the second gear train is defined as a second power transmission path, and the transmission path is switched between the first power transmission path and the second power transmission path.

Abstract: A power tool includes a power source, a speed change mechanism and a tool bit. The speed change mechanism includes first and second rotating shafts disposed parallel to each other, a first power transmission path provided with a first gear train and a first clutch and a second power transmission path provided with a second gear train and a second clutch. The power transmission path is switched between the first power transmission path and the second power transmission path while the first and second gear trains are held engaged, by shifting of the first and second clutches between the power transmission state and the power transmission interrupted state according to a load applied to the tool bit. The speed change mechanism further includes a switching retaining mechanism, a switching preventing mechanism, a switching set value adjusting mechanism or a switching mechanism.

Abstract: A saw assembly includes a housing, a drive member, a motor, a switch, a trigger, a lockout lever, a stop structure, and a lock-on member. The housing defines an interior space, and has a forward housing portion defining a forward housing opening and a rearward housing portion defining a rearward housing opening. The drive member extends through the forward housing opening, and is configured to be moved in a repeating pattern. The motor is positioned in the interior space and is configured to move the drive member in the repeating pattern. The switch is positioned in the interior space and has an actuator movable between an actuated and a deactuated position. When the switch is in the actuated position, the motor moves the drive member in the repeating pattern, and when the switch is in the deactuated position, the motor does not move the drive member in the repeating pattern.

Abstract: Cutting apparatus for cutting material, the apparatus comprising two blades arranged so that in use together they can effect a cutting operation in a cutting region therebetween, the blades being mounted relative to one another so that they are urged together in the cutting region as a result of a cutting force initiated by the cutting operation. In one embodiment at least one of the blades is mounted for pivotal movement about a pivot axis so that during the cutting operation the cutting or shearing force generated causes the blade to be pivotally urged towards the other blade. In another embodiment one blade is a rotatable cutter blade and the other blade is a further cutter blade which is adapted to cooperate together to perform the cutting operation in a cutting region, the further cutting blade being mounted so as to be urged towards the rotatable blade as a result of the cutting or shearing forces generated during the cutting operation.

Abstract: An opener for a blister package or for cutting of other planar material is disclosed. A cutter pair is provided adjacent an engagement area. When blister package layers are fed into the engagement area, the cutter pair including a top cutter and bottom cutter rotate to feed the package material through the engagement area. The cutters are closer together than a thickness of the package. At least one of the cutters includes a knife thereon to cause cutting of the material as it is fed between the cutter pair. A handle is provided supporting a head which has the cutter pair thereon. A motor provides power to cause rotation of the cutter pair through a gear set. A hand crank is also provided which can separately deliver power to the gear set to cause the cutters to rotate.

Abstract: A food product slicer includes a base and a knife mounted for rotation relative to the base. A slide rod extends in a direction past the knife. A carriage assembly is mounted for reciprocal movement back and forth past a cutting edge of the knife. At least one bearing arrangement connects the carriage assembly to the slide rod to facilitate the reciprocal movement of the carriage assembly. The bearing arrangement includes a lubricant reservoir. A bearing bracket holds a bearing that rides on the slide rod. The lubricant reservoir is fluidly connected to deliver lubricant to the slide rod in proximity to the bearing.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus for easily opening plastic packaging comprises: first support member 100, second support member 200, first shaft 400, second shaft 401, third shaft 402, first cutting wheel 300, second cutting wheel 301, third cutting wheel 302, handle 303, first drive wheel 304, and a second drive wheel 305.

Abstract: A split-end hair remover comprising an enclosure having top, bottom and sides, where the top includes a substantially planar screen having upper and lower surfaces that include a plurality of apertures through which one or more split hair ends may project, a motor carried within the enclosure that drives several sets of blades, each set of which is disposed around a center of rotation and where each of the blades of a set has a cutting edge disposed parallel to and proximate the lower surface of the planar screen.

Abstract: A battery (4) driven circular saw includes a housing (1a) with a motor (3) for driving the circular saw blade (2). The circular saw blade (2) is fixed to a drive shaft (7) that runs transverse to the plane (E) of the circular saw blade (2), the drive shaft being functionally connected by means of a linkage (15) to the motor (3). In order to achieve the most compact construction possible of the circular saw, the axis of rotation (R) of the motor (3) runs parallel to the plane (E) of the circular saw blade (2).

Abstract: A portable, handheld envelope opening device is disclosed. The envelope opening device has a head portion and a handle portion. The head portion includes a slot defined by a pair of opposing walls and a base plate. The walls being spaced so as to guide the passage of an envelope and preferably are slightly angled to provide a tapered insertion end. A pair of rotary discs disposed within the head portion adjacent the base plate intersects in partially overlapping fashion along a centerline of said slot. The discs are spaced and positioned adjacent the base plate. The first disc includes a cutting edge, and the second disc is adapted to urge the envelope into engagement with the first cutting disc to sever a marginal edge of the envelope to expose the contents. A motor is coupled through a gearbox to the rotary discs to drive the discs. A switch is used to couple the motor to a battery power supply.

Abstract: A bi-directional grinder for allowing an operator to change the direction of rotation of the wheel, having a housing, a motor capable of bi-directional rotation, and a shaft. The grinding wheel is mounted on the shaft within a shroud and attached to the shaft with a locking mechanism. The shaft has a left threaded bottom portion and a right threaded bore therein. Once the grinding wheel is positioned on the shaft, a nut is tightened onto the threaded bottom portion of the shaft to tighten the wheel against the shoulder. A bolt with a broad head is inserted into the shaft bore so that the broad head is tightened against the nut. A spring loaded pin extends through the housing and is mateable with an off center transverse hole in the circular gear. When aligned, the pin may be inserted into the gear hole to cause the gear and shaft to cease rotation.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to various aspects of automated excision of undesirable material (and optionally excision of bone) from meat, and automated production of starting material for restructured meat, including: (a) an apparatus and method generally drawn to, optical detection of the location of undesirable material in meat, communication of information regarding the location of the undesirable material to a control means, and excision of the undesirable material from the meat using a high pressure water jet controlled by the control means; (b) a bone location sensor and method of bone location sensing, each employing a plurality of needles, and; (c) a multiple blade slicer.

Abstract: A clipper includes a first hollow tube that has an upper end provided with a first detachable trimming device and a lower end that is provided with a circumferential oblong slot that has an axial access which extends from the periphery of the lower end. The axial access includes two opposed faces, one of which has a projection formed thereon. The projection and a remaining one of the faces cooperatively define a predetermined clearance. A second hollow tube is inserted co-axially into the first tube and has an upper end provided with a second detachable trimming device, and a lower end that has an engaging rod which extends radially outward from an external surface of the second tube. The engaging rod has a diameter that is wider than the predetermined clearance. The engaging rod is pressed past the projection of the axial access of the first tube when the second tube is inserted into the first tube.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a cutter apparatus having a stationary blade and a rotating blade. The rotating blade is driven in rotation by a drive motor. The rotating motion causes the knife and blade to slide relative and over each other in a manner of scissors. The blade and knife each include a plurality of cutting edges with the cutting edges of the knife and blade being so arranged that they run toward each other at an angle opening outwardly. The cutting edges of the stationary blade are formed on radially extending fingers arranged in a star-shaped configuration which facilitates the manipulation of the cutter apparatus and improves the cutting quality thereof. The cutting apparatus is suitable for all kinds of vegetation including leaves and grass blades.

Abstract: A rotary blade cutter (10) including a semitubular rotary cutting blade (12) rotatably mounted within a tubular housing (14). The tubular housing 14 includes an entrance slit (22) and a diametrically opposed exit slit (24) for insertion of a web into the cutting device. A first cutting edge (32) is formed along a first side of the entrance slit. The semitubular rotary cutting blade includes a first slit (36) nominally aligned with the housing entrance slit when the rotary blade is in a retracted position, and includes a second cutting edge (48) that is formed adjacent a second side (46) of the entrance slit to oppose the first cutting edge. The second cutting edge is tapered to spiral around the longitudinal axis of the housing. The rotary cutting blade includes a spiral groove (50) that coacts with a guide pin (52) projecting inwardly from the housing to constrain the rotary cutting blade to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the housing when the rotary blade is longitudinally advanced within the housing.

Abstract: An ophthalmic surgical instrument (10) is provided for incising the anterior lens capsule of the crystalline lens of an eye. The surgical instrument (10) includes a handle (12) adapted for support in a hand of a user. A tubular member (16) extends from the handle (12) and terminates in a loop (18). A circular cutting device (20) is rotatably mounted within the loop (18). A flexible elongate wire (24) is disposed within the tubular member (16) and is interconnected to the circular cutting device (20) and the handle (12) such that the circular cutting device (20) is rotated upon compression of the handle (12).

Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument comprises a cutting working portion (1) which incorporates two ring-shaped electrodes (3, 4) separated with a disk (2) from an insulating material, a power actuator to impart rotation to the working portion (1), and current leads, each adapted to interact with the respective ring electrode (3 or 4). The cutting working portion (1) is additionally provided with a knife (14) whose cutting edge (15) is shaped as a circular arc whose size is not in excess of 90 arc degrees of the outer circumference of the working portion (1). The cutting edge (15) may stand over the outer circumference of the disk (2), or be an integral part thereof.

Abstract: A rotary shear attachment and tool for laminated plastic and other materials is disclosed. The shear attachment comprises a frame which is fixed to an existing motor case and has an upper and a lower portion spaced apart and separated by a central portion. Driving and cutting wheels are positioned on the frame and are rotatably mounted for cutting the plastic and other materials. A chip breaker is positioned on the frame to break up the chip formed by the shear attachment and the frame has means associated with it for diverting one side of the plastic being cut in a direction away from the plane of the other side of the plastic. The novel rotary shear attachment may be incorporated into an improved rotary tool, may be incorporated into existing rotary tools and may also be used with a novel table for cutting a large sheet of plastic at a job site.

Abstract: A blade for a vibratory cutter having a plurality of serrated teeth. A plurality of first teeth provided on one side of the center line of the blade are angled in one direction, and a plurality of second teeth provided on the second side of the center line are equally angled to the first set of teeth in the opposite direction. When used in conjunction with a vibratory tool, the blade will sever material in two directions parallel to the surface endeavored to be cut.