Abstract: An intravascular support device includes a support or reshaper wire, a proximal anchor and a distal anchor. The support wire engages a vessel wall to change the shape of tissue adjacent the vessel in which the intravascular support is placed. The anchors and support wire are designed such that the vessel in which the support is placed remains open and can be accessed by other devices if necessary. The device provides a minimal metal surface area to blood flowing within the vessel to limit the creation of thrombosis. The anchors can be locked in place to secure the support within the vessel.

Abstract: An intravascular support device includes a support or reshaper wire, a proximal anchor and a distal anchor. The support wire engages a vessel wall to change the shape of tissue adjacent the vessel in which the intravascular support is placed. The anchors and support wire are designed such that the vessel in which the support is placed remains open and can be accessed by other devices if necessary. The device provides a minimal metal surface area to blood flowing within the vessel to limit the creation of thrombosis. The anchors can be locked in place to secure the support within the vessel.

Abstract: An anchor anchors a therapeutic device having an elongated body within a body lumen. The anchor includes a fixation member carried on the device which is adjustable from a first configuration that permits placement of the device in the body lumen to a second configuration that anchors the device within the body lumen. The anchor further includes a lock that locks the fixation member in the second configuration. The fixation member may be locked in any one of a plurality of intermediate points between the first configuration and a maximum second configuration.

Abstract: A mitral valve staple device treats mitral regurgitation of a heart. The device includes first and second leg portions, each leg portion terminating in a tissue piercing end, and a connection portion extending between the first and second leg portions. The connection portion has an initial stressed and distorted configuration to separate the first and second leg portion by a first distance when the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus and a final unstressed and undistorted configuration after the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus to separate the first and second leg portions by a second distance which is shorter than the first distance. The device is deployed within the heart transvenously through a catheter positioned in the coronary sinus adjacent the mitral valve annulus. A tool forces the mitral valve staple device through the wall of the catheter for deployment in the heart.

Abstract: A mitral valve therapy device effects the condition of a mitral valve annulus of a heart. The device includes an elongated member dimensioned to be placed in the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus. The elongated member is flexible when placed in the heart in a first orientation to position the device in the coronary sinus adjacent the mitral valve annulus and relatively inflexible when rotated into a second orientation after the device is positioned in the coronary sinus adjacent to the mitral valve annulus to substantially straighten and increase the radius of curvature of the mitral valve annulus.

Abstract: A device effects the mitral valve annulus geometry of a heart. The device includes a first anchor configured to be positioned within and anchored to the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus within the heart and a second anchor configured to be positioned within the coronary sinus of the heart proximal to the first anchor and adjacent the mitral valve annulus within the heart. The second anchor, when deployed, anchors against distal movement and is moveable in a proximal direction. The device further includes a connecting member having a fixed length permanently attached to the first and second anchors. As a result, when the first and second anchors are within the coronary sinus with the first anchor anchored in the coronary sinus, the second anchor may be displaced proximally to effect the geometry of the mitral valve annulus and released to maintain the effect on the mitral valve geometry.

Abstract: A device, system, and method effects mitral valve annulus geometry of a heart. The device includes a first anchor configured to be positioned within and fixed to the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus within the heart. A cable is fixed to the first anchor and extends proximately therefrom and slidingly through a second anchor which is positioned and fixed in the heart proximal to the first anchor. A lock locks the cable to the second anchor when tension is applied to the cable for effecting the mitral valve annulus geometry.

Abstract: A mitral valve therapy device and method treats dilated cardiomyopathy. The device is configured to be placed in the coronary sinus of a heart adjacent to the mitral valve annulus. The device includes a force distributor that distributes an applied force along a pericardial wall of the coronary sinus, and a force applier that applies the applied force to one or more discrete portions of a wall of the coronary sinus adjacent to the mitral valve annulus to reshape the mitral valve annulus in a localized manner.

Abstract: An assembly for effecting the condition of a mitral valve of a heart includes a mitral valve therapy device, a guide wire, and a guide tube. The mitral valve therapy device is configured to reshape the mitral valve annulus of the heart when placed within the coronary sinus adjacent the mitral valve annulus. The guide wire is configured to be fed into the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus. The guide tube has a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end. The guide tube further includes a side port, intermediate the distal and proximal ends which communicates with the lumen. This permits the guide tube to be slidingly received on the guide wire with the guide wire extending from the distal end, through the lumen, and out the side port. In use, the guide tube is slid along the guide wire into the coronary sinus.

Abstract: Provided is a test system and method that permits automatically interchanging a plurality of tools to seamlessly perform various functions on a sample. Each tool is mounted in an assembly and the sample is mounted on a chuck. A path is defined in a plane along which the chuck is transported with the tools each positioned in the same attitude with respect to, and distance from, that path. The chuck is transported along the path to a position adjacent one of the tools and rotated, if necessary, to position a point of interest on the sample immediately adjacent the tool. Once positioned, the tool engages the sample to perform a test. Following testing, the tool is disengaged from the sample and the process repeated as necessary for each additional test to be performed on the sample.

Abstract: An assembly for coupling a truck tractor to a semi-trailer. The assembly comprises an upper coupling plate, an intermediate plate, and a back plate. The upper coupling plate has an opening for receiving the kingpin. The intermediate plate is positioned on an upper surface of the upper coupling plate and has a portal for receiving a portion of the kingpin. The back plate is positioned adjacent the intermediate plate. A double shear attachment means joins the upper coupling plate, the intermediate plate, and the back plate are along a first shear plane and a second shear plane.

Abstract: A tilt switch includes a casing in which a shorting element, such as a ball, is freely movable. An inside surface of the casing forms one fixed electrode surface, and an element projecting into the casing forms a second fixed electrode surface. The shorting element rolls along the first fixed electrode surface toward and away from the second fixed electrode surface. The chamber contains a dielectric liquid which is wettable to the first and second fixed electrode surfaces, and to the surface of the shorting element. The liquid is either a non-polar liquid or a weakly charged polar liquid. Surface tension acting on the liquid causes the surface of the shorting element to be pulled into close intimate relationship with the fixed electrode surfaces, sufficiently for an electric current to be enhanced by a quantum tunneling effect.

Abstract: A combination computer game and board game including a game board, a plurality of toy figures selectably positionable by a player with respect to the game board and apparatus for automatically and non-discretely sensing the location of the toy figures relative to the game board and actuating an audio/visual display sequence in response thereto.