Abstract: The present invention is directed to an intracorporeal device, preferably a guidewire, and method for making the device. The guidewire of the present invention is formed, at least in part, of a composite elongate core formed, at least in part, of precipitation hardened material. The elongate core members of the present invention will have an ultimate tensile strength and modulus of elasticity greater than the same for an identically dimensioned elongate member formed from superelastic NITINOL alone.

Abstract: An elongated balloon catheter having a distal tip member on the distal end of the catheter and having a sleeve surrounding and secured at least to the proximal end of the distal tip member.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided for removing greenhouse gases, particulates and pollutants from the atmosphere utilizing a greenhouse gas collection apparatus. An atmospheric mixture is collected and progressively treated in first, second and third tube furnaces and a scrubber to produce an effluent for treatment in a chemical processing plant. The first tube furnace oxidizes hydrocarbons, the second tube furnace oxidizes any remaining nitrous and nitric oxides, and the third tube furnace oxidizes sulfur dioxide. The scrubber precipitates carbon dioxide as calcium carbonate. A vacuum pump draws the atmospheric mixture through tube furnaces and the scrubber.

Abstract: A server transmits a message from a sender to a destination address. During transmission, the server and the destination address have a dialog constituting an attachment, via a particular one of SMTP and ESMTP protocols, concerning the message, the server and the destination address. The message passes through servers between the server and the destination address. This passage is included in the attachment. Verifiers are provided for the message and for the attachments. The verifiers may constitute encrypted hashes of the message and of the attachment. The sender receives the message, the attachments and the verifications from the server before authentication and transmits the message, the attachments and the verifiers to the server to obtain authentication by the server. The server operates on the message and the message verifier to authenticate the message and operates on the attachments and the attachments' verifier to verify the attachments.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automatically limiting the drainage of a bodily fluid such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a patient into a collection chamber. The collection chamber includes a vent having an hydrophobic filter for the passage of air to facilitate the movement of CSF yet to maintain a closed system. The system includes a buoyant float hingedly connected with the top of the collection chamber in one embodiment. When fluid rises in the collection chamber to a predetermined volume, buoyant force raises the float and causes a seal plug mounted on top of the float to seal one of an inflow port or a vent port. The float is limited to pivoting movement in one plane and to a certain angle within that plane. The system and method avoid overdrainage of CSF from the patient and overfilling of the collection chamber.

Abstract: A method of securely mounting a stent on a balloon of a catheter. The method generally includes crimping a stent on a balloon of a catheter at least one time, and positioning the balloon with the stent thereon within a polished bore of a mold formed at least in part of a metallic material. The balloon is pressurized and heated within the mold, or within a sheath, in two stages as the stent is restrained from radially expanding. The method may include crimping the stent onto the balloon one or two times during processing. The method increases retention of the stent on the balloon catheter following sterilization.

Abstract: A passive RFID transponder sensor system includes a sensor assembly having a focused field transponder antenna with a highly magnetically permeable transponder antenna stem, and a reader antenna with an electrical reader coil generating a magnetic field having magnetic flux extending between the reader antenna and a sensor assembly. The electrical transponder coil and the electrical reader coil are coupled by the magnetic field, so that information can be transferred to and from the sensor assembly through the magnetic field by which the electrical transponder coil and the electrical reader coil are coupled.

Abstract: The invention is directed a delivery system for implantation a self-expanding medical device in a body which includes a control handle and a catheter portion. The catheter portion includes an outer restraining member which covers the collapsed, medical device, an inner catheter member having a distal end including a region upon which the medical device is mounted, and an outer sheath which is removably attached to the control handle. The outer sheath creates a conduit for the catheter portion to prevent the inner catheter member from moving axially when the outer restraining member is retracted. The control handle has a rotatable thumbwheel to actuate a retraction mechanism attached to the proximal end of the outer restraining member which moves the restraining member in a proximal direction to deploy the medical device.

Abstract: A shopping bag having walls formed on their inner surfaces with indicia defining templates corresponding with the size of selected books.

Abstract: A stent crimping assembly is provided for crimping a stent from a first diameter to a reduced second diameter. The crimping assembly includes a plurality of movable wedges disposed about a rotational axis to form a wedge assembly. Each wedge includes a respective first side and a second side converging to form a tip portion. The tip portions are arranged to collectively form an iris about the rotational axis thereof. The iris defining a crimp aperture about which the movable wedges are disposed. Each wedge is associated with a stationary structure and an rotational actuation unit such that during rotation of the actuation unit about the rotational axis, the iris is caused to rotate about the rotational axis, relative the stationary structure, for inward movement of the wedges to decrease the size of the aperture and outward movement of the wedges to increase the size of the aperture.

Abstract: A system prevents oxidation of a laser cut workpiece by utilizing a laser source that utilizes laser source with an inert gas, such as argon or helium, rather than air or oxygen, to create the slots or kerfs which form the pattern cut into the workpiece. The system introduces oxygen gas through the workpiece as it is being laser cut to oxidize any slag or dross created during the laser cutting process. Oxygen or a mixture of oxygen with other gases cools the slag and the workpiece while at the same time oxidizing the slag to either completely burn or partial burn the slag before it strikes an exposed surface of the tubular member.

Abstract: A capsule for use in a vacuum crane game is disclosed that is adapted to releasably enclose a prize, the capsule formed by first and second hollow hemispherical elements cooperating to form a plastic sphere when configured in a mating arrangement, at least one of said first and second hollow hemispherical elements including a radially outwardly projecting member substantially circumscribing a first circular edge of said at least one of said first and second hollow hemispherical elements to prevent a vacuum member from engaging the capsule at the radially outwardly projecting member.

Abstract: A measurement module for glucose testing includes a glucose testing measurement module housing, a test strip receptacle formed in the housing, and a connector portion formed in the housing and shaped to permit mechanical removable attachment of the housing to a hand-held computer. Electronics determine the amount of glucose present in a sample of body fluid, when the test strip is positioned in the receptacle and the body fluid is placed on a test strip, and communicate the glucose amount to the hand-held computer via the connector portion.

Abstract: In a brushless motor, the rotational frequency N (Hz) of the hub satisfies N<F0/(3*P+2), where F0 (Hz) is an Eigen frequency of the second order rocking-mode resonance when not rotating in the situation where the recording disk is mounted on the hub. The recording disk is mounted on the hub. A base plate rotatably supports the hub. A laminated core is fixed to the base. The core has a ring portion and a plurality of teeth that extend radially from the ring portion. Coils are wound around the plurality of teeth. The coils are three-phase driven. A cylindrical magnet is fixed to the hub. The cylindrical magnet are magnetized for driving with P (P is a natural number) poles along the circumferential direction and are arranged to radially face the plurality of teeth.

Abstract: The disk drive device includes a base member, a hub, a bearing unit which is arranged on the base member and which rotatably supports the hub, and a spindle drive unit which drives the hub to rotate. The spindle drive unit includes a stator core having a salient pole, a coil wound around the salient pole and a magnet opposed to the salient pole. The hub formed of magnetic material includes an outer cylinder portion engaged with an inner circumference of a recording disk and an inner cylinder portion to which an outer circumference of the magnet is fixed. The diameter of the inner cylinder portion is larger than the diameter of the outer cylinder portion.

Abstract: An expandable stent is implanted in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen for treating an area of vulnerable plaque. The invention provides for a an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by undulating links. The stent has a high degree of flexibility in the longitudinal direction, yet has adequate vessel wall coverage and radial strength sufficient to hold open an artery or other body lumen. A central section is positioned between distal and proximal sections and is aligned with the area of vulnerable plaque to enhance growth of endothelial cells over the fibrous cap of the vulnerable plaque to reinforce the area and reduce the likelihood of rupture.

Abstract: The rotating sprinkler head valve includes an upper assembly with a stationary rigid cone received in a conical interior chamber of a rotor, and a cylindrical shaft extending through the stationary rigid cone and rotor. A lower assembly includes a bottom helix member, a strainer adapter having an internal transverse slotted plate and a rotatable slotted flow plate to permit flow when the flow plate slots are aligned with slots in the internal transverse slotted plate. A base top member includes a downwardly extending inner tubular portion and a lower interior edge surface with a helical lower surface forming an adjustable helical aperture in cooperation with the bottom helix member, and a recessed inner helical lip is configured to receive the upper helical surface of the bottom helix member for adjusting a helical aperture.

Abstract: In order to provide third party verification of the content and delivery of an electronic message such as an e-snail, a server receives the e-mail intended to be sent or forwarded to a specified addressee, and “tags” the message to indicate that it is “registered” with the provider of the service. The server then establishes a direct telnet connection with the addressee's Mail User Agent (MUA), and transmits the tagged email to the addressee's MUA, as well as to the MUA's of any other addressees. After receiving responses from the receiving MUA's that the message was successfully received, the server then creates and forwards to the message originator an electronic receipt.

Abstract: The combination of a jack stand and a vertically oriented, compact hydraulic jack enables a user to avoid misplacement when lifting a load. The stand includes a vertically oriented column moveable between a plurality of different elevated positions. An underside of an overhanging member attached to the column is engaged by a piston member of the jack to elevated the column as the jack is elevated.

Abstract: The system and method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, such as an aircraft brake, an aircraft tire, a standby system, and landing gear. One or more sensors are provided for sensing a parameter of usage, and an estimate of usage of the part can be determined based upon the signal indicating the sensed value of the parameter of usage of the aircraft part. A plurality of sensors can be provided for sensing usage of a plurality of parts of the aircraft, and the estimate of usage of the part can be stored for access of the estimate by ground personnel. As applied to monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake moves a discrete distance when the brake is actuated, and a linear position encoder measures the distance traveled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage.