Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed. The connector is made up of an electrical connector comprising: a first (female) housing and a second (male) housing, the first and second housings being capable of mating by being brought together along an axis, such that when the housings are mated the second housing lies at least partially within the first housing. Mounted in the first housing is a first conductor. The first conductor has a fixed end mounted in the housing and a free end and is biased in a first direction substantially transverse to the axis. A second conductor is mounted in the second housing at a position in relation to the axis such that when the first and second housings are mated the first conductor is adjacent the second conductor. A camming means is mounted in the second housing for interacting with the first conductor on mating of the housings.

Abstract: An electrical connector is disclosed. The connector is made up of first and second housings, one of which is male and the other female. The first housing contains one conductor or two or more opposed conductors. The conductor is made of an elastically deformable and resilient conducting substance. A second housing contains a substrate which carries a conductor in the form of an edge contact pad. The second housing also contains a camming surface or surfaces which interact with the conductor in the first housing. The first and second housings are brought together so that the conductor in the first housing lies opposite the contact pad in the second housing. The housings are then mated. On full mating, the conductor in the first housing is brought into contact with the contact pad in the second housing by the camming surface translates the lateral relative motion of the first and second housings into substantially transverse motion of the conductor in the first housing.

Abstract: A catheter introducer set is disclosed. The device comprises a cannula for insertion into a blood vessel, a tube in fluid communication with the cannula and a needle for assisting in the introduction of the cannula into the vessel. Between the cannula and the tube is an intermediate member which allows the needle to be gripped so that it can be inserted into the blood vessel. The intermediate member preferably has a pair of wings to facilitate the gripping of the needle. The needle has an opening or openings in it to allow a user to observe blood flashback during insertion of the needle into the blood vessel. The intermediate member is made of polyurethane and is provided with a groove to facilitate the gripping of the needle. The wings have ramps on thereto facilitate the gripping of the needle. Ribs are also provided between the ramp and the intermediate member to facilitate gripping. The wings describe an angle of less than 180 degrees.

Abstract: A catheter having a side port for selective infusion of fluids is disclosed. The side port may be deactivated so that the catheter can be used as a non-side port catheter. The side port is rotable about the catheter housing to; block off access to the catheter lumen from the side port when the side port is deactivated. The catheter is also provided with a valve to facilitate the selective infusion of fluid from the side port into the catheter lumen.

Abstract: A catheter introducer assembly is disclosed. The catheter introducer assembly is made UP of a housing having a needle attached to it. A guidewire is slidably located within the lumen of the needle. A catheter assembly is mounted over the needle. Within the housing is a plunger and secured to the plunger is a retainer for releasably retaining the guidewire within the needle lumen. Axial movement of the plunger causes axial movement of the guidewire. The retainer releasably retains the guidewire. Also disclosed is a method of introducing a catheter into a blood vessel. The method involves the steps of piercing the blood vessel with a sharp needle having a catheter mounted axially on it; sliding a guidewire through the lumen of the needle so that the guidewire protrudes from the distal end of the needle and into the vessel; sliding the catheter over the guidewire and into the vessel; withdrawing the needle from the catheter; and retaining the guidewire within the catheter after withdrawal of the needle.

Abstract: A balloon catheter with a shaft having a balloon located proximate a distal end thereof, with the shaft having a lumen through which a balloon is supplied and a lumen through which a guide wire is passed. The shaft consists of a proximal area and a distal area, with the shaft being made of a stiffer material in the proximal shaft area than in the distal shaft area. In one embodiment of the proximal shaft area, the supply lumen and the guide lumen are coaxially disposed. In one embodiment of the distal shaft area, the supply lumen and the guide lumen are biaxially disposed. An /utlet opening for the guide wire is disposed in the shaft in the proximal area of the catheter wherein a guide wire passing through the opening can be advanced into the guide lumen and towards the balloon for passage through the distal end.

Abstract: A catheter system for mechanical dilatation of coronary arterial stenoses includes a balloon dilatation catheter, a guide wire and a guide catheter. The balloon dilatation catheter has, for the perfusion of vessel fluid during dilatation, side openings arranged both distal and proximal of the balloon and connected to one another via a lumen extending within the balloon. The internal lumen configuration of the balloon dilatation catheter permits the catheter system to be utilized as either a "monorail"-type or an "over-the-wire" system.

Abstract: A stent for placement within a body lumen and comprising a wall structure wherein at least a portion thereof is a hollow wall. The hollow wall has disposed therein a hydrophilic material which can be in the form of a gel, for example, which swells upon introduction of a liquid into the hollow wall to thereby achieve inflation thereof. The hollow wall is fabricated of a semi-permeable membrane whereby fluid from tissues surrounding the stent at the site of placement can pass through the membrane and swell the hydrophilic material to thereby inflate the hollow wall. A drug can be disposed with the hydrophilic material for release through the membrane at the site of stent placement. The entire wall structure of the stent can be a hollow wall, or the wall structure can incorporate both hollow and non-hollow wall portions such as hollow and solid fibers which are braided, woven or wound together.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and forming tubular members useful for positioning heat sources inside a smoking article is disclosed. The tubular members are carried by a plurality of fluted drums from one operation to the next. The tubular members are cut to the desired size by a plurality of rotating circular knives. The ends of the tubular members are then formed by one or more dies that are caused to move into contact with the ends of the tubular members.

Abstract: An apparatus for embossing and cutting printed labels from a sheet of printed labels is disclosed. The apparatus accurately embosses each printed label on the sheet at a particular location within specified tolerances. The apparatus thereafter accurately cuts each embossed printed label from the sheet of labels.

Abstract: This invention relates to a continuous cord roll up window blind. This continuous cord roll up window blind has an endless cord that engages and causes a sprocket to rotate. The sprocket in turn causes a take up spool to rotate. When the take up spool rotates, a take up cord, which is wrapped around the window covering material, either wraps around or unwraps from the take up spool, depending upon which way the take up spool is rotated. This in turn causes the take up cord to raise or lower the window covering material. A take up cord guide is positioned by the take up cord and, when the window blind is completely rolled down, limits the direction in which the endless cord can be pulled to require that the window blind be rolled up toward the interior surface of the window blind.

Abstract: A hinged top cigarette box is provided. The box has an inner sleeve nested inside an outer sleeve. Preferably both the inner sleeve member and the outer sleeve member are formed from the same laminate blank. The outer sleeve member has a cover member formed therein. The cover member opens and closes by the use of a flexural hinge. Alternatively, the hinged top box can be formed by separate laminate blanks. Plugs may be used to close the top and bottom portion of the hinged top box to hold the shape of the hinged top box and to prevent cigarettes or loose tobacco from falling therethrough.

Abstract: A front loading refuse collection apparatus has a body with a rear area for storing refuse, and a front hopper section for receiving refuse. The storage area has a curved roof, a curved floor and curved sidewalls. The hooper has a top opening, a curve floor and curved sidewalls. The curved sidewalls of the hopper have a smaller radius of curvature than the curved sidewalls of the storage area. The curved sidewalls of the hopper also are not symmetrical about a horizontal axis. In this way, the sidewalls of the hopper do not interfere with the operation of the loading arms and do not unnecessarily restrict the opening at the top of the hopper. The curved roof, curved floor and curved sidewalls are made from an aluminum alloy making the front loading refuse collection apparatus lightweight.

Abstract: A filter cigarette is provided with a filter assembly having a substantially tubular sleeve with at least one hinge formed in the periphery of the substantially tubular sleeve. The hinge causes the sleeve to be resilient in the radial direction which allows the sleeve diameter to decrease and increase so that the radii of the tobacco rod and filter assembly can be properly matched and the tipping materail can be tightly wrapped around the filter assembly.