Abstract: A disposable ultrasonic handpiece that contains a transducer and a connecting body that is attached to a tube with a cobra work tip at its distal end. The housing that surrounds the ultrasonic transducer does not require waterproofing for repeated autoclaving. Also, the electrical cord that provides power to the transducer is made of very inexpensive wire, along with a low-cost electrical connector. A power cord can be plugged into and unplugged from a socket at the proximal end of the housing and can be reused. Thus, only the housing and its contents need to be disposed of after a procedure, making the disposable part of the handpiece low cost. In addition, the cobra work tip can be provided with a cutting gap that increases its ability to cut.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe parachute system. The parachute system includes an activation system, an extraction system, a harness system, and a parachute assembly.

Abstract: Devices and methods described herein provide electrode pair access from a single side of a device by using one or more via holes through the device. The via hole can pass through or near the center of the device. By creating a conductive path through the via hole of the device, devices and methods of the present disclosure advantageously provide access to a pair of electrodes, each of which contacts a different side of a device layer, on a single side of the device while enabling a greater active device area than is possible using conventional techniques. In addition, the central location of the via hole provides favorable mechanical properties by avoiding radial constriction of the device layers in applications such as piezoelectric devices.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe parachute system. The parachute system includes an activation system, an extraction system, a harness system, and a parachute assembly.

Abstract: A cloud-based method for identifying a energy profile of an end user is provided. The method includes obtaining information including a total amount of consumed energy and a total equivalent for at least one previous period from at least one listing of the end user, and estimating a consumption profile for a plurality of time slots based on the total amount of consumed energy.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a prediction system is provided. The system comprises a first data decomposition facility configured to decompose a provided time series of consumption data into a plurality of different training sets for different types of days and a second data decomposition facility configured to decompose each one of the plurality of training sets into at least a seasonal component and a trend component. The system further comprises a regression facility configured to perform a regression analysis on the decomposed consumption data based on at least the trend component and chronological information associated with the consumption data of the respective training set to train a prediction function and a prediction facility configured to estimate predicted energy consumption data based on the trained prediction function and the type of a day for which the prediction is performed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for chemically treating a cataract in the eye of a patient comprising the steps of (a) inserting a dual lumen work tip into the eye and placing it adjacent the cataract tissue; (b) causing the work tip to vibrate so that pieces of the cataract separate or emulsify; (c) moving the work tip into the cataract tissue so as to form a tunnel therein; and (d) injecting into the tunnel a pharmaceutical compound capable of treating cataract tissue.

Abstract: An energy consumption alerting system is provided. The system includes a plurality of sensors deployed at different locations of at least one monitored site, the sensors being able to provide location-specific energy consumption values. The system further includes a data aggregation facility so as to sum up location-specific energy consumption values associated with at least two corresponding predetermined sensors of the plurality of sensors to obtain an aggregated energy consumption value. The system further includes an alerting facility this is able to compare the aggregated energy consumption value with an user-defined threshold level and notify a user if the at least one aggregated energy consumption value exceeds the at least one user-defined threshold level. A cloud-based energy consumption alerting platform and an energy consumption alerting method are also provided.

Abstract: A phacoemulsification system includes a console connected to a hand piece that has an ultrasonically vibrated cutting tip. The console generates an ultrasonic electrical signal for the cutting tip, provides irrigation fluid and is the source of aspiration force. The console also has a pressure sensor. The control system has automatic operation such that the aspiration force lowers when a first preset pressure limit is reached, and the aspiration force and ultrasonic vibration are turned off at a second preset pressure limit higher than the first. The control system also lowers the aspiration force initially when a change in pressure per unit of time exceeds a preset limit and then increases the aspiration flow if the pressure level drops below the limit.

Abstract: A disposable ultrasonic handpiece that contains a transducer and a connecting body that tapers to a surgical blade in a single piece. The housing that surrounds the ultrasonic transducer does not require waterproofing for repeated autoclaving. Also, the electrical cord that provides power to the transducer is made of very inexpensive wire, along with a low-cost electrical connector. By making the blade, connecting body with a protective sheet and transducer as a unit with an electrical terminal at the proximal end, they can be plugged and unplugged from a socket and electrical cord in the housing of the handpiece. Thus, only the unit needs to be disposed of after a procedure, making the disposable part of the handpiece even less expensive. The low-cost, disposable handpiece can be packaged along with additional disposable items that are required for one of several types surgeries.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a source of ultrasonic energy connected to a one-piece member that transmits the ultrasonic energy. A distal end of the member is a surgical work tip.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a solid surgical knife connected to a source of ultrasonic energy. Two or more rigid plastic irrigation and aspiration tubes are provided alongside the knife and they may be supported with respect to the knife by tube holders fastened to the hand piece housing for the source of ultrasonic energy. The rigid plastic tubes may be connected toward their distal ends by a support in the form of bands about the tubes and knife, a sleeve about the tubes and knife or a sleeve about the knife with the tubes supported on the external surface thereof.

Abstract: A work tip for a surgical hand piece has a solid knife connected to a source of ultrasonic energy in the hand piece and a sleeve having a generally uniform cylindrical shape that surrounds the distal end of the knife. The distal end of the knife has at least a portion of a conical tip, e.g., a Cobra tip. The sleeve provides irrigation and aspiration fluid channels. Also, a structure in the sleeve blocks the proximal opening in the upper part of the conical tip when the knife is withdrawn into the sleeve. A hole is provided in the sleeve adjacent to, but proximally of the structure so that when a portion of the opening is blocked, aspiration fluid flows through the hole to provide I/A clean up.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a solid knife connected to and supported at its proximal end by a source of ultrasonic energy. A plastic sleeve has the knife located in it. A support is provided between the sleeve and the knife to support the sleeve while minimizing the effect of the vibration of the knife on the sleeve. The space between the knife and the sleeve form a first fluid channel. A plastic fluid tube can be located along the sleeve and can provide a second fluid channel. In order to use the handpiece for cleanup the sleeve can be moved forward to cover the knife and a small aspiration tube can be provided within the sleeve.

Abstract: An adapter for a surgical hand piece having a single lumen work tip with an open end and a small lateral hole is designed to convert the work tip to infusion/aspiration (I/A) cleanup of lens epithelial cells after phacoemulsification. The adapter is in the form of a sleeve adapted to be slid over the distal end of the work tip. The sleeve includes at least one aspiration hole located toward the distal end of the sleeve. When the distal end of the sleeve is at a first distance L1 from the distal end of the work tip, aspiration occurs through the aspiration hole of the sleeve and the open end of the work tip. When the distal end of the sleeve is at a second and smaller distance L2 from the open end of the work tip, aspiration through the open end of the work tip is blocked by the sleeve and aspiration occurs through the aspiration hole of the sleeve and the lateral hole in the work tip.

Abstract: An adapter for a surgical hand piece with a single lumen work tip converts the handpiece to infusion/aspiration (I/A) cleanup of lens epithelial cells in the capsular bag of the eye a patient after phacoemulsification. The adapter is in the form of a sleeve whose proximal end is to be joined to the distal end of work tip. The sleeve also has at least one aspiration hole located toward the distal end of the sleeve.

Abstract: A surgical handpiece has a connecting body with a distal end and a work tip with a hub at a proximal end. The hub is detachably connected to the connecting body by a threaded connector. The work tip has an open operating end at a distal end. This opening leads an axial channel extending through the work tip from the operating end to the hub. A radial channel extends from the axial channel in the hub to the external surface of the hub. A sleeve surrounds and is spaced from the hub. This sleeve extends to the vicinity of the operating end of the work tip, and has a first external connector in the region of the radial channel of the hub. The sleeve also has a second external connector. A seal is provided for establishing a fluid connection between the radial channel of the hub and the second external connector of the sleeve. The first external connector of the sleeve is in fluid connection with an irrigation channel between the inner surface of the sleeve and the external surface of the work tip.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a connecting body having first and second passages detachably connected to first and second lumens which are used in the eye for phacoemulsification procedures and/or cleanup of the eye capsule after the procedure. The lumens receive or discharge fluid from first and second fluid sources. A work tip supporting the first and second tubes can be rotated so as to change the function of the first and second tubes from aspiration to irrigation and vice versa. As an alternative, a sleeve holding the fluid sources can be rotated so as to change the function of the first and second tubes from aspiration to irrigation and vice versa.

Abstract: A surgical hand piece has a source of ultrasonic energy provided to a connecting body having a first passage with one end to receive fluid from a first source and the other end at the connecting body distal end. A work tip has first and second tubes each having at least one opening at its distal end and the proximal end of one or both of the tubes connected to the connecting body distal end to receive the ultrasonic energy and to selectively receive or discharge fluid from either the first or second source as controlled by a valve. A cannula is provided which is adapted to be placed in an opening in the cornea through which the work tip extends during the removal of cataracts from the eye by phacoemulsification. The cannula may be equipped with channels that permit additional infusion of fluid into the eye during the procedure, which infusion also cools the surrounding corneal tissue to protect against heat generated by the ultrasonic vibration of the work tip.

Abstract: An aircraft includes an airframe parachute system. The parachute system includes an activation system, an extraction system, a harness system, and a parachute assembly.