Abstract: An actuating mechanism for rapidly and selectively moving a threaded screw and nut member combination into or out of threaded engagement, particularly for use to pressurize angioplasty balloon catheters, or the like. The mechanism includes a housing and a threaded screw structure slidably displaceable through the housing. A nut member having partial threads is selectively engageable and disengageable with the threaded screw structure. The mechanism includes a carrier member and is designed to be assembled from the rear. The carrier member is preferably configured to be retainably engaged with the housing via a bayonet arrangement, such as a quarter-turn bayonet arrangement, and is configured to provide an audible indication when it is, in fact, properly and fully installed. Preferably, the housing is configured to receive a pressure gauge directly into a threaded bore on the housing. An improved method of assembling an actuating mechanism is also provided.

Abstract: A frangible hose connector that has a knit line at the intended point of fracture, as opposed to a circumferential groove or notch. The knit line provides a break zone which has a lower tensile strength than that of the parent material, thereby providing that the connector is relatively easy to fracture. The connector also includes finger grips which makes breaking the connector easier. The finger grips provide that the connector is configured to be fractured via a twisting or torsion force, as opposed to a bending force. As such, the connector tends to break in a manner wherein fluid does not fling or spray. The connector is formed of plastic, and the knit line is created during the plastic injection molded process, wherein two mold fronts are “squared-up” and meet in the mold cavity to form the knit line.

Abstract: A multiple capacity surgical needle immobilization safety device is provided for use in disposal of needles during medical treatment. The device can be included in a procedure kit or trays where several needles and cannulas, up to five per tray, are provided as a set to be used sequentially in performing a specific procedure such as spinal block or other anesthesia.

Abstract: A novel fabricated tube construction includes a sleeve formed from a stock material and a plastic neck member which includes a shoulder. The sleeve has overlapping edges which are joined together to form an lap seam. The neck member shoulder includes a mounting portion which has at least one raised, plastic weld rib thereon. An end portion of the sleeve initially overlays the shoulder such that the lap seam of the sleeve overlays the raised weld rib on the mounting portion. As a result, a small void is formed between the lap seam and the mounting portion. When the sleeve and the shoulder are joined together, the raised, plastic weld rib on the mounting portion melts and flows into the void to fill and seal the void. A portion of the mounting portion also melts to form a seal between the shoulder and the sleeve. When the shoulder and the sleeve are joined together in this manner, a leak-proof seal or joint is formed around the entire periphery of the shoulder between the shoulder and the sleeve.

Abstract: A lancet device for lancing skin with a lancing needle of a lancet. The lancet device includes a housing and a lancet holder within the housing which is engageable with the lancet and moveable along a longitudinal axis of the housing. The device also includes a cam which has an end surface engageable with the lancet holder, cocking structure, biasing means between the cocking structure and the cam, and a trigger which is engageable with the cam for preventing rotation of the cam during actuation of the cocking structure. Actuation of the cocking structure causes the biasing means to become loaded between the cam and cocking structure, wherein upon disengagement of the trigger from the cam, the cam rotates, causing the lancet holder to move generally along the longitudinal axis of the housing. The lancet holder includes a cam follower member which contacts the end surface of the cam. The cam follower member rides along the end surface of the cam when the cam rotates in the housing.

Abstract: A contact lens case includes a cup adapted to receive a quantity of disinfecting or cleaning solution and a cap removably closing the opening mouth of the cup. A lens support structure is associated with the cap and holds a pair of lenses within the cup. The lens support structure includes a base plate which supports one of a pair of the lenses on each side thereof and basket means pivotally connected to the base plate for enclosing the lenses in overlying position and maintaining the lenses on the base plate. A latch structure releasably maintains the basket means in the overlying position, and includes a flexible, integral extension peripherally formed on each basket means and is releasably retained in the overlying position by snap-fit against the hook member laterally projecting from the base plate.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a housing having an axial lumen therethrough, at least one needle having a tip and being attached to the housing and being capable of traversing along a non-linear path from a first position wherein each such needle is substantially within the housing, to a second position wherein each such needle is substantially extended from the housing, and a suture releasably attached to the housing. The suture can be captured by the tip when each such needle is in the second position and pulled from attachment to the housing when each such needle is moved to the first position. Thereafter, the suture can be released from each such needle and a knot can be formed in the suture to close a wound.

Abstract: A dropper tip which is adapted to be connected to a container for dispensing fluid, such as medications and like, from the container includes a body having first and second opposite ends and an inner wall defining a conduit therethrough. The inner wall smoothly diverges and gradually increases in inner diameter from the first end to the second end such that air bubbles are prevented from being permanently trapped along the inner wall. The inner wall is highly polished and may be made of olefinic material, silicone rubber material, or fluorocarbon, including, but not limited to, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), carbon tetrafluoroethylene (CTFE), fluoroethylene propylene (FEP) or the like, to resist fluid wetting, facilitate fluid detachment therefrom and to reduce fluid film thickness therealong. The surface of the inner wall is smoothed to minimize surface roughness.

Abstract: A medical punch having a plurality of cutting edges. The fact that the medical punch has a plurality of cutting edges provides, for example, that the medical punch can be used to achieve a clean and accurate cut, and provides that an excessive amount of hand pressure need not be employed to effect the cut.

Abstract: A novel lancet device is disclosed, and the lancet device is compact and is designed to be held like a writing instrument during use. The device has a trigger relatively close to a firing end so the device can be easily maintained in the desired position while the device is being fired. A cocking knob on the device is rotated one hundred eighty degrees in order to cock the device and prepare the device for use. Only a relatively small amount of rotational force is needed to rotate the cocking knob. The device provides that a lancing needle does not extend and become exposed when the device is cocked. A thumb button is provided on the device, and the thumb button doubles as a depth adjustment knob and an ejector button. The thumb button can be pressed in order to simultaneously eject a tip platform along with the lancing needle, and can be turned in order to set the depth at which the lancing needle will pierce the fingertip when the device is fired.

Abstract: A novel stent compression instrument is used for holding a stent therein during shipping to a hospital and for thereafter crimping the stent onto a balloon catheter. The stent compression instrument includes a body having a central bore; a flexible diaphragm having an axial lumen and mounted within the body central bore, thereby defining a chamber between the body and the diaphragm, and first and second sealing structures for providing seals at opposite ends of the chamber. The diaphragm is formed from a generally tubular, thin wall into which the stent is placed therein and is expandable under a negative pressure condition to expand within the body and compressible under pressure to crimp the stent onto a balloon catheter.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a fluid compression instrument and method for particular use in pre-surgically securing and conforming a vascular stent upon an angioplasty balloon, includes a housing for containing pressurized fluid and an elastic enclosing diaphragm secured within the housing and having an internal cavity and opening arranged to receive the stent disposed on the balloon catheter for secured compression. A pressure chamber is arranged within the housing as an envelope about the diaphragm to enable pressurized fluid forces within the pressure chamber to be imposed upon the outer surface of the diaphragm and transmitted through the diaphragm enabling circumferential application against the inserted stent in order uniformly to compress the stent with correspondingly secured purchase against the deflated balloon surface, producing complete adhesion of the stent thereon.

Abstract: A produce (e.g. fruits and vegetables) marking system is used to etch the skin of a piece of produce with an identifying mark. The first embodiment of the system uses a laser to emit a high intensity light beam to form the identifying mark. The second and third embodiments of the system use a dot matrix printer head. In the second embodiment, the pins of the printer head directly contact the produce skin to etch an area of the skin to form the identifying mark. In the third embodiment, a thermally conductive ribbon member is placed between the printer head and the produce. The pins of the printer head impact the ribbon member thereby forming a hot spot on the ribbon member, which in turn, etches the skin of the produce to form the identifying mark.

Abstract: An actuating mechanism and method for sequentially translating a sheath member relative to an elongate member such as a balloon catheter movably inserted through the sheath includes a coupling structure constructed to enable selectively coupling or uncoupling of a drive member to the sheath member in order to drive translation of the coupled sheath member in one or more translation increments and to enable uncoupling of the drive member following each of said increments of retraction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel aortic punch having a cutter on the end of a hollow body member. The hollow body member is slidable along a non-rotating shaft. On the end of the shaft is an anvil, and helical drive structure is provided between the hollow body member and the shaft or another non-rotating element adjacent the hollow body member. The helical drive structure comprises a flange receivable in a slot such that when a thumb button is pushed into a finger grip, the hollow body slides along, and rotates relative to, the shaft. This movement of the hollow body causes the cutter on the end of the hollow body to rotate relative to the anvil located on the end of the shaft as the cutter slides past the anvil. This rotation of the cutter provides that the aortic punch can be used to achieve a clean and accurate cut to the wall of an aorta during heart surgery.

Abstract: A novel fluid infusion system utilizing a fluid pump device and a syringe is used in an intravenous or infusion application of a liquid product, such as a medication, to a patient. The pump device includes a housing that has a compartment for reception of at least a portion of the plunger of the syringe. A drive component is disposed in the compartment and is relatively movable with respect to the housing for engaging and producing movement of the plunger. A fluid medium is contained within the housing and a relatively movable piston is in operative communication with the fluid medium and a biasing structure is provided for biasing the piston in a first direction to impart a force on the fluid medium. A metering orifice is in communication with the fluid medium and through which the medium can pass upon movement of the piston in the first direction to restrict and control the flow of the medium.

Abstract: A collector unit for collecting tissue or bone from a dental patient during a dental implant procedure generally includes a cover member, a filter support member, a filter medium and a gasket member. The support member is mountable within the cover member with the gasket member positioned therebetween to form the unit. A passage is provided through the unit to allow the passage of fluid material through the unit. The support member has a pair of spaced-apart, opposed filter support arms for removably supporting a substantially flat section of filter medium so that the filter medium overlies the inlet passage such that fluid material passing through the unit must pass through the filter medium which will filter out any bone or tissue specimens. The filter medium is removable from the supporting structure so that it can be positioned in a flat-orientation to facilitate the removal of bone or tissue specimens therefrom. Once removed, the filter medium cannot be reattached to the supporting structure.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a fluid compression instrument and method for particular use in pre-surgically securing and conforming a vascular stent upon an angioplasty balloon, includes a housing for containing pressurized fluid and an elastic enclosing diaphragm secured within the housing and having an internal cavity and opening arranged to receive the stent disposed on the balloon catheter for secured compression. A pressure chamber is arranged within the housing as an envelope about the diaphragm to enable pressurized fluid forces within the pressure chamber to be imposed upon the outer surface of the diaphragm and transmitted through the diaphragm enabling circumferential application against the inserted stent in order uniformly to compress the stent with correspondingly secured purchase against the deflated balloon surface, producing complete adhesion of the stent thereon.