Abstract: An ankle brace having an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion defines an interior having a first circumference. The lower portion defines an interior having a second circumference. The ankle brace further comprises a means for adjusting the sizes of the first and second circumferences independently from each other.

Abstract: An exercise device having a simple and inexpensive configuration including an exercise load unit connected to a movable knee hold unit, and a seat unit having a seat plate and a back plate which are selectively or completely movable during an exercise, irrespective of whether or not a leg support unit having foot holders is in a fixed state or in a movable state, thereby being capable of achieving a variety of exercises for the whole part of the human body using the upper body or lower body, or using both the upper and lower bodies.

Abstract: A surgical drape manufactured or fabricated from a polymeric film having a low glare finish and a predetermined coloration for reducing the luminous intensity of light reflected from the surface thereof is provided. Such surgical drape thereby minimizes reflectivity therefrom, and thus eye strain and fatigue. The subject invention includes the use of colorants, dyes, pigments, etc. to form translucent polymeric surgical drapes that absorb a selected range of wavelengths from surface reflected light. More particularly, the use of coloring agents in combination with a textured surface yield a surgical drape possessing reduced luminance and glare, thereby mitigating eye strain and fatigue. The preferred range of reflected light, in order of preference, is 625-700 nm, 520-560 nm, 450-520 nm, 400-450 nm, 600-625 nm, and 560-600 nm.

Abstract: A catheter provided with a collapsible inner lumen within a main body. The catheter can deploy a distal protection device using a guidewire which is threaded through the inner lumen, the inner lumen collapsing upon retrieval of the device into the catheter main body.

Abstract: A packaging installation for forming finished products, from batches of articles, including a conveyor, a feed track, an article transferring mechanism, and a conveyor drive mechanism. The conveyer is able to receive batches of articles to route them from an upstream location to a downstream location. The feed track routes articles to the conveyer. The article transferring mechanism that transfers articles from the feed track to the conveyer groups the articles to form spaced apart batches. The transporter routes cardboard blanks or equivalent to the conveyer, and disposes the blanks on the conveyer opposite batches of articles. The conveyor, transfer, and transport drive mechanism, is characterized in that it comprises a control and slaving device, that applies a speed profile to each drive mechanism to allow the adjustment of the pitch and/or number of articles per batch according to the pitch and/or type of batch required.

Abstract: A recumbent bicycle, the manufacture thereof, and apparatus for forming same, is provided. The recumbent bicycle generally includes a frame having joined forward and rearward frame portions. The forward frame portion is a sit-up bicycle frame adpated to support a steerable front ground engaging wheel. The rearward frame portion is adapted to support a suspension assembly and substantially bear a rider thereon. Preferably, the sit-up bicycle frame includes a head tube, down tube, bottom bracket, seat tube, chainstay, seatstay, and dropouts, and the rearward frame portion includes a supplemental chainstay. The rearward frame portion is joined to the forward frame portion such that the supplemental chainstay rearwardly extends from the dropouts as a substantial continuation of the chainstay of the forward frame portion.

Abstract: A high performance electromechanical device which improves electrical continuity between a device under test (DUT) and a socket (or contactor), ideally suited for, but not limited to, automated semiconductor test. An ultrasonic transducer is incorporated into the test set-up such that its ultrasonic energy is coupled either into the DUT and thereby into the contacts of the socket or is coupled into the contacts of the socket and thereby into the leads (or equivalent I/O) of the DUT. This coupled ultrasonic energy generates a high frequency mechanical wipe action of microscopic amplitude between the contacting surfaces, thereby displacing oxides and other debris from the contact site. This enhances electrical continuity by reducing apparent contact resistance and by reducing the apparent contact resistance force rate. This high frequency/low amplitude mechanical wipe action can be varied and controlled to yield an effective wipe which is from 10 times to 100,000 times greater than the current state of the art.

Abstract: A urinary flow control device having a bladder responsive flow control assembly operatively engaged with an elongate member having proximal and distal ends, and a lumen capable of discharging urine therethrough is provided. The flow control assembly includes first and second fluid containing compartments adapted to be in fluid communication. The flow control assembly is adapted to receive and contain urine from a bladder so as to impinge upon the first fluid containing compartment. The flow control assembly is responsive to increased bladder pressure such that fluid is displaced from the first fluid containing compartment to the second fluid containing compartment to thereby permit select passage of received urine to the lumen of the elongate member for discharge therethrough. A method of controlling urinary flow is likewise provided.

Abstract: A device for forming successive batches (4) of articles (2), which comprises: a supply track (8) along which the articles (2) are routed up to a supply station (9), at a substantially constant input speed; a discharge track (10) able to receive, at a discharge station (11), the successive batches (4) of articles (2) in order to route them at an output speed greater than the input speed; device (12) of transferring the articles (2) from the supply station (9) to the discharge station (11), able to group the articles (2) in order to form batches (4) spaced apart, and which comprise a succession of gripping members (13) arranged so as to engage the articles (2) at the supply station (9) and to disengage them at the discharge station (11).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively viewing nets within a database editor tool. The present invention provides four primary features for selectively viewing nets. First, the present invention contemplates selecting a number of objects, and viewing only those nets that are either driven from or received by the selected objects. In a preferred embodiment, the number of objects are placed objects within a placement tool. Second, for those nets that are selected, and that are also coupled to un-placed cells, the present invention contemplate providing fly-wires from the corresponding selected objects to a predetermined location representative of an approximate expected location for the un-placed cells. Third, the present invention contemplate providing a vector filter which may permit only vectored nets with a selected bus width range to be viewed.

Abstract: The present invention is a storage and shaping device for caps having a bill. The device is comprised of a cavity that is sized to accommodate at least one billed cap. The cavity has an opening on one end that allows for the insertion of caps into the device. A portion of the cavity is provided as a bill shaping structure.

Abstract: The present invention is a mechanical draft controller. The draft controller is comprised of a draft controller portion, a means for pivoting the controller portion, and a means for counterbalancing the controller portion. The draft controller portion has a surface that is movable in a generally arcuate path with respect to a central axis, a second surface extending between the first surface and the central axis, and two side surfaces extending between the first surface and the central axis. The side surfaces are spaced apart and have the second surface oriented between the side surfaces.

Abstract: A process for removing residual amounts of a first solvent from a granular material. The process includes the selection of a second solvent which has an ambient pressure boiling point lower than that of the first solvent in mixing the second solvent with the granular material and first solvent. Most of the liquid solvent mixture is removed from the granular material using a simple solid/liquid extraction process. The remaining solvent mixture, which primarily is the second solvent, is removed from the granular material using a thermal and/or vacuum process.

Abstract: An adhesive composition having dispersed therein a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent for use in medical applications, such as an adhesive for surgical drapes, wound dressings and tapes. The adhesive is composed of acrylic polymers, tackifiers and a preferred antimicrobial agent, diiodomethyl-p-tolylsulfone. The adhesive composition is essentially solventless and capable of application in a hot melt process while maintaining stability at elevated temperatures in the range of 275° F. to 350° F., which not only allows hot melt application, but allows for ethylene oxide sterilization under heat stress.

Abstract: The invention relates to assembling together at least two envelope elements with at least one deformable element between the two envelope elements so that the elements are secured together rigidly in irreversible manner, the assembled-together elements being designed to be subjected to compression stresses in a direction that at least intersects an assembly surface; bonding treatment is provided so that at least one compression pad has its first assembly surface in contact with the assembly surface of the first envelope element and so that a second assembly surface of a pad is in contact with an assembly surface of the second envelope element.

Abstract: A cover on an open-topped container of food and/or drink either attached to the open top of the container by a first adhesive means forming a receptacle that can be slipped over the container. The cover has second adhesive means thereon so that, when the cover has been entirely or partially removed from the container to open the cover, it will remain attached to, or be attachable to, the container by the second adhesive means and can hang down, as a receptacle, from one side of the container, for receiving waste material.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for performing electrophysiological mapping of myocardial tissue. An electrode at a distal portion of a sensing catheter electrically contacts the tissue permitting the catheter to conduct a sensed signal to analysis and display equipment. The electrode is formed of a biocompatible metal. This basic structure is coated with a material with micro texturizes the electrode surface to increase the effective surface area without significantly increasing the electrode footprint.

Abstract: A ski pole handle assembly having an elongated body adapted to axially engage an upper portion of a ski pole wherein the upper portion of the ski pole is substantially aligned with a shaft of the ski pole, a hand grip pivotable between pull and push poling stroke positions, and a hand grip return mechanism for urging said hand grip from the push position to the pull position of a poling stroke is provided. The hand grip has upper and lower end portions, the upper end portion being pivotably connected to a free end of the elongated body.