Abstract: A mounting and transfer device and method for installing a stent on a delivery device that inserts the stent into a body lumen. The device includes a generally cylindrical mandrel for receiving and frictionally holding a stent, a handle at a first end of the mandrel and a guide rod extending axially from the second of the mandrel. The second end of the mandrel has a conical recess surrounding the guide rod exit. In use, a stent is placed on the mandrel, the distal end of the guide rod is fully inserted into a guide wire lumen at an end a delivery system such as a catheter and the stent is slid from the mandrel onto the balloon and crimped in place. A tube of heat shrinkable material may be placed over the stent on the mandrel and heat shrunk to lightly press against the stent. The tube and stent are transferred to the balloon and crimped.

Abstract: An airborne particle impaction system and a particle impaction cell for use therewith. The cell includes a device for holding a removable planar support sheet with a tacky surface. The cell includes an inlet slit adjacent to a support sheet in the cell and an outlet opposite the sheet. A flexible tube connects the cell outlet to a vacuum pump. Air is drawn in the cell inlet slit, travels across the support sheet, around sheet edges and out the cell outlet. Particles in the air stream are forced by inertial forces to impact the support sheet, where they are retained by the tacky layer. The cell further includes a base having a floor, a rim around the floor and the cell outlet and a cover having a top surface bearing the slit and a lip configured to fit within and engage the base rim in a substantially air tight arrangement. A ledge around the base interior supports the corners of a polyhedral sheet. The support sheet is clamped between the cover lip and the ledge. Ideally, the slit exit is spaced closely (e.g.

Abstract: A level measuring system for leveling structures using the principal that water seeks its own level. A plurality of sensor vessels each of which includes ultrasonic transducers for measuring the level of a liquid in the vessel. A liquid source provides liquid to the sensors and a vacuum pump withdraws the liquid after measurements are complete. Each sensor vessel includes two ultrasonic transducers, one of which measures the sonic velocity and the other measures the level of the liquid. A calibration device is provided to verify calibration of the level measuring sensor. In one embodiment, the two ultrasonic sensors are arranged vertically in a transparent cylindrical housing. In a second embodiment, a first horizontal bore and a second intersecting vertical bore are provided in a solid material, with the sonic velocity measuring sensor at one end of the horizontal bore and the level measuring sensor in the vertical bore.

Abstract: A peristaltic pump for pumping liquids through a resilient tube. The pump includes a platen against which a resilient tube is placed. A cam assembly is positioned adjacent to the platen and tube. A plurality of pump fingers are mounted between tube and cam assembly in a manner permitting movement of the pump fingers toward and away from the tube. As the cam assembly rotates, the fingers are pressed toward the tube sequentially so as to pump liquid through the tube. The pump finger ends should press the tube sufficiently to at least nearly occlude the tube and prevent back flow without over pressing and damaging the tube. A transverse pinch finger is provided in a cavity in the platen opposite each pump finger, with a tip on each finger spring biased to extend from the tube pressing face of the platen. At the tube occluding position, the pump finger nearly occludes the tube and the pinch finger completes occlusion without pressing the tube beyond the fully occluded position.

Abstract: A versatile assembly of interchangeable kitchen implements including stirring and vegetable coring implements. One embodiment includes a collar for holding an electric drive unit, the collar mountable on a pot or pan with adjustable legs. Various implements, such as paddles, whisks, vegetable coring devices, etc. can be mounted on the drive unit. Stirring implements, such as whisks may be mounted for untended stirring, either directly to the drive for rotating around one axis or through a flexible connection for both rotating and revolving in a circle. A brace may be used for helping support elongated stirring devices, such as a rod having a transversely extending stirring wire. Also, coring embodiments having a drill part for drilling a hole in an elongated vegetable, a side cutting portion for widening and hollowing the vegetable and a rounded distal end stop to prevent inadvertent drilling though the vegetable end wall.

Abstract: A stent mounting device and method of using the device comprising a disposable device for holding a stent, into which a delivery system such as a balloon catheter can be inserted, and the stent crimped onto the delivery system, after which the delivery system and mounted stent are removed from the device. A stent is carried in a channel formed by four corner segments of four co-axillay arranged spaced blocks. Two adjacent blocks are elastically mounted in each of two parallel, opposed, cooperating actuators. The corner segments form an elongated channel sized to retain a conventional stent. Two elastic rods are placed between opposite blocks in opposite actuators. When the actuators are pressed together the rods are deformed to provide pressure transverse to the line of pressure, so that the cross sectional area of the channel is decreased in both directions, crimping the stent uniformly onto a delivery system.

Abstract: A holder for supporting magnetic cylindrical tools of varying diameter such as wrench sockets, drill bits, etc. in order. A member having a series of recesses having shapes corresponding to the tools to be held is backed by an elongated magnet. In one embodiment, the member is a non-magnetic material and the magnet is made up of a plurality of transverse magnetic regions, having alternately north and south pole regions on the surface toward the recesses, with the lines between adjacent north and south regions aligned with the centerline of the recesses and a narrow non-magnetized region separating each pair of adjacent magnetic regions. The magnet may be in the form of individual magnet pairs spaced along a magnetic metal sheet with the interface between each magnet pair aligned with a recess. A magnet layer may be provided on the back of the metal sheet so that the assembly may be mounted on a magnetic metal surface. Other variations in magnet and recess structure are described.

Abstract: A six component balance for use in measuring forces and moments on an aircraft model in a wind tunnel or the like. The balance is mounted on a wind tunnel sting by means of a sleeve that surrounds and is spaced from a central core. The central core is connected to a model by support bars passing through slots in the sleeve from the core. Core ends are secured to the sleeve and support the central core through a plurality of webs. A plurality of strain gages are mounted on the webs to detect strain on the webs resulting from forces and moments applied to the model. This system measures six components, i.e., lift force, drag force, side force, pitching moment, yawing moment and rolling moment.

Abstract: A hydrostatic system for measuring the elevation at two spaced locations. A first stand having a multi-leg base includes a toroidal tank slidably mounted on a shaft that extends through a tank central aperture. The legs include a bracket arrangement to permit securing each leg at an acute angle, an obtuse angle or parallel to the first stand. Thus, the tank can be positioned above or below the leg connection to measure high or low levels. A second stand includes a vertical transparent tube marked with linear distance indicia. A flexible hose connects the tank to the tube so that water (or other liquid) in the tank, hose and tube reaches the same level in both tank and tube. Two or more second stand, transparent tube and hose assemblies may be connected to the tank to permit simultaneous measurement of elevation at plural locations. The first and second stands and transparent tube may each be telescoping to increase the range of elevation measurements that can be accommodated.

Abstract: A holder for standard liquid filled cartons, such as those containing milk or juice. The holder includes a sleeve that surrounds the carton sides, a base closing the sleeve for supporting the bottom of a carton and a handle for lifting and carrying the holder and carton and for pouring liquid from the carton. The handle preferably is movable between a deployed position for use and a stored position folded against the holder. The holder may also be used as a measuring vessel when a carton is not housed therein. A second set of indica may be provided on the sleeve indicating the volume at different levels in the holder without a carton therein. Also, a thermometer, preferably a liquid crystal temperature indicating strip, may be provided on the inside of a transparent sleeve to show the temperature of a container therein.

Abstract: An intake and exhaust system for use with internal combustion engines that uses two intake valves and one exhaust valve for each engine cylinder. Said three valves are preferably round and spaced around said cylinder centerline in said cylinder head. A spark plug is provided in said head on said cylinder centerline and/or between each pair of adjacent valves. For best results, said two intake valves have substantially equal diameters. Said ratio of said area of said exhaust valve to said total area of an intake valve of from about is about 45 to 65%. Said head has three substantially hemispheric depressions each housing one of said valves. Squish areas are preferably provided around said combustion chamber periphery. Said piston surface is at least partially planar and can have an angled or radiused periphery or may have a central recess corresponding generally to said valve region.

Abstract: A suspension member for a bicycle is set forth which includes a strut telescopically received into a cylinder. A head assembly extends from the cylinder through a piston defined at the end of the strut and into the strut. Mounted to the assembly is a valve member which forms between it and the piston a volume which increases and decreases as the suspension telescopes. In response to a bump, the suspension collapses against a bias. The bias urges the member to rebound. When rebounding the valve member acts to define a restriction to exhaust air from the volume to dampen removed. Also set forth are elastomer pads and couplers which can be removed from the suspension member as a unit for replacement.

Abstract: A device for mounting a stent on a delivery system such as a balloon catheter and methods of making and using the device. Typically, the device includes an elongated, preferably transparent body having an axial aperture and two axial grooves in the outside surface. A stent is located in the axial aperture, preferably in a correspondingly configured recess. A sleeve of low friction, preferably transparent, material is situated inside the stent with the stent in tension on the sleeve. To mount the stent on the a balloon catheter or the like, the balloon is inserted into the sleeve with the balloon preferably in compression. The position of the balloon within the device is visible through the sleeve and body. The sleeve is pulled out of the aperture, then the body is split along the grooves and removed.

Abstract: A skirt system for caster wheels to prevent a rolling caster from colliding with floor debris. A skirt assembly is fastened to a caster having a swiveling housing in which is mounted a caster wheel on an axle. The skirt thus swivels with the caster. The skirt assembly includes a circular skirt housing fastenable to a caster housing and having a central opening through which the caster wheel extends. Skirt material, such as brush fibers, is secured in a split ring which is removably held to the skirt housing by ring spring tension. The skirt may extend entirely around the caster or a segment may be portioned in front of the caster wheel.

Abstract: An assembly for mounting an abrasive sheet on a rotary abrading tool having a circular mounting member fastenable to the tool drive shaft and having an opposite surface bearing a typically square raised backup pad to which a square sheet of abrasive material can be fastened. Other straight edged backup pad configurations can be used if desired. Entrance holes are formed through the mounting member adjacent to the backup pad. A circular shroud is provided on the mounting member surface opposite the backup pad covering the exit holes. Air and dust are evacuated from said shroud and holes with a vacuum or built-in impeller evacuation system. The shroud has a diameter less than that of the mounting member and may have an edge engaging a circular groove in the mounting member to minimize air leakage between shroud and mounting member. The back up pad may be a reversible, double sided pad snapped into a mounting member recess. Additional dust evacuation holes and grooves may be formed in the backup pad itself.

Abstract: A conductor splice and splice support structure and method of assembly for use with cable-in-conduit superconductor cable of the type having a plurality of spaced sub-cables each including stabilizer and superconductor strands in an annular tube. Two transition ramp members, each having a cross section varying from a first end conforming to the cable configuration to a second end having an enlarged, oval, configuration have a plurality of surface grooves each sized to hold one sub-cable. Between the two transition ramp members is provided a main support member having grooves aligned with the transition members grooves. The main support member grooves are sized to hold two overlapping sub-cables. Preferably, a braid of superconductor material is placed around the overlapping sub-cable ends. The space within the grooves surrounding the sub-cables is preferably filled with solder.

Abstract: A contra-rotating twin crankshaft system for internal combustion engines. Two crankshafts are arranged in parallel, and are connected together to rotate in opposite directions. At least one piston is spaced from the crankshafts. Connecting rod assemblies extend in a crossed relationship from each crankshaft to two spaced wristpins at the piston. Preferably, one connecting rod assembly is made up of two spaced connecting rods and the other is a single connecting rod which passes between the two spaced connecting rods to form the crossing relationship. If desired, the dual connecting rod assembly may be two spaced single connecting rods or have one connecting rod in the form of a fork, with the single connecting rod passing between the tines of the forked connecting rod.

Abstract: Method and arrangement for detecting the level of a liquid cryogen having a predetermined boiling point and which is being held in a container relative to the bottom of the container. The arrangement includes a container which receives the liquid cryogen and a longitudinal extending sensing member having a length extending from the bottom of the container to a level that is greater than any depth experienced for the liquid cryogen. The sensing member is vertically disposed in the container with one end in contact with the bottom of the container and the other end extending out of the liquid cryogen. The sensing member is composed of a high temperature superconductor material having a critical temperature that is higher than the predetermined boiling point of a selected cryogen. An electrical current is passed through the sensing member and the voltage drop across the sensing member is measured.

Abstract: A water tank assembly for mounting between a motor vehicle frame member and the lower portion of a body panel along a side of the vehicle. The assembly includes, typically, a plastic cylindrical tank and at least two straps having an adjustable length and J-bolts at the ends for securing the tank to the typically channel section frame member. Saddle members are provided to fill the space between the tank and frame member. Preferably, shallow strap-receiving grooves are provided around the tank to hold the straps in position. A valved fill/dispense tube is provided near the lower tank side through which the tank is filled and which dispenses water as needed. An overflow device, typically a sprinkler system "bubbler" is provided at the top of the tank. The tank fill/dispense tube is readily accessible just below the vehicle body side while the tank is out of sight behind the side panel.

Abstract: Apparatus for illuminating a central area of an eye by lamellar lighting during eye surgery. Basically, a support fixture carrying a light emitter is adapted to be placed adjacent to the surgical field. The support fixture, when in place on an eye, directs light from the light emitter toward the surgical field tangentially to the cornea, at an angle of from about 0 to 45.degree. to the plane of the eye iris. The light entering the eye travels along the lamellae of the cornea in the manner of a light pipe. Very little, if any light reaches the back of the eye, avoiding patient discomfort, or is directed toward the surgical microscope as glare. This lamellar lighting combines scleral scatter and retro illumination. In preferred embodiments, the light emitter may be mounted on, or incorporated in, a conventional eyelid speculum or a fixation ring.