Abstract: A lancet actuator device and mechanism for sequentially advancing and retracting a lancet blade include a housing having an opening for operating projection of the lancet blade. The actuator mechanism includes a drive spring structure insertably mounted in the housing and arranged to drive pivotal motion of the lancet blade including sequential thrusting of the blade from the housing aperture followed by immediate pivotally reverse retracting of the blade from the aperture into the housing as the spring deengerizes.

Abstract: A syringe instrument for particular use in medical balloon inflation procedures comprises a fluid chamber and a plunger arranged to displace fluid from the chamber for delivery to inflate the balloon, and incorporates control structure arranged to provide a series of releasible space limits for respective displacements of the plunger within the chamber. The control structure allows the fluid in the chamber to be pressurized at selective predetermined pressure levels governed by the releasable limits for the plunger displacements. A reverse drive structure is provided for reverse-displacement of the plunger from the fluid chamber to enable self-aspiration of fluid into the chamber from the balloon in order to simplify balloon deflation and removal from the patient. The reverse drive structure is manually activated with the same hand which depresses the plunger, for single handed operation of both the forward and reverse plunger motions.

Abstract: A coagulation timer device is used to monitor the bleeding time of a patient to determine the amount of time required to achieve clotting. The coagulation timer device includes a carrier member, a linearly oriented absorbing medium which is affixed to the carrier member and a bag member which overlays the carrier member and the medium. The medium, such as filter paper or the like, is used to blot blood from an incision which has been formed through the skin. The medium is affixed to the carrier member and includes a plurality of segments each of which are defined by a scalloped edge portion which extends beyond the edges of the carrier member. The segments are used one at a time at predetermined intervals to blot the blood by touching the scalloped edge to the blood.

Abstract: A needle connector assembly for attachment to an IV receptacle which includes a needle hub with a cannula or needle attached thereto and a housing to which the needle hub is mounted. The hub has a plurality of equi-spaced splines thereon and the housing has an aperture in the rear portion thereof defining a plurality of equi-spaced slots therein which mate with the splines when the hub and the housing are secured together. Along the length of the interchangeable splines and slots, an inwardly projecting, one-way barb is provided which has an inclined or cam surface at its leading edge. When the hub is inserted into the housing, the needle is completely surrounded by the housing and the barbs bite into the adjacent material to preclude withdrawal of the hub from the housing. The housing and the receptacle may interlock with each other at a patient IV site to secure the housing to the receptacle.

Abstract: A coagulation timer device is used to monitor the bleeding time of a patient to determine the amount of time required to achieve clotting. The coagulation timer device includes a carrier member, a linearly oriented absorbing medium which is affixed to the carrier member and a bag member which overlays the carrier member and the medium. The medium, such as filter paper or the like, is used to blot blood from an incision which has been formed through the skin. The medium is affixed to the carrier member and includes a plurality of segments each of which are defined by a scalloped edge portion which extends beyond the edges of the carrier member. The segments are used one at a time at predetermined intervals to blot the blood by touching the scalloped edge to the blood.

Abstract: An actuator device for propulsion of a needle assembly particularly employed for tissue sampling procedures includes a movable drive structure for propelling tissue sampling displacement of the needle assembly and a cocking structure arranged to reverse the displacement of the drive structure after the needle propulsion. A trigger structure in the actuator device cooperates with the drive structure to selectively activate the needle propulsion, and the trigger structure comprises a retention mechanism for releasably restraining the propulsion. The trigger structure also includes safety lock structure which releasably locks the activation restraint by the retention mechanism, and the cocking structure has release structure for unlocking the restraint by the retention mechanism to selectively allow operation of the trigger structure to activate propulsion by the drive structure.

Abstract: An actuator mechanism and assembly for sequentially advancing and retracting a lancet needle includes a housing having an opening for operating projection of the needle. Two guide tracks are provided within the housing for guiding separate motions of a two-part needle holder structure propelled by a drive spring, and the needle itself is smoothly guided along one of the tracks to advance and thrust the needle into a tissue penetration position immediately followed by automatic retraction along the same highly accurate linear path.

Abstract: An infant supporting and positioning system for retaining and supporting an infant in a selected position. The supporting and positioning system includes a generally horizontally oriented base which has a primary surface in which is formed a plurality of bores. The system includes a plurality of infant positioning modules each of which have a body portion and at least one post projecting from the body portion. The posts are sized and dimensioned for cooperative engagement with a corresponding one of the plurality of the bores in the base. The posts interfit with the bores with sufficient interference to maintain the modules in the selected position relative to the base. The interference between the posts and bores allow for removal of a post from a bore to change the position of the corresponding module as necessary to configure the system to achieve desired infant support and positioning.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing container particularly for single-use dispensing if eye medication and self-application if eye drop. The container for the liquid storage cavity has a molded plastic housing and a flexible cavity wall. The wall is manually squeezable or deformable to enable a reduction in the volume of the cavity and compression and displacement of the medication therefrom. The plastic housing has an integrally molded nozzle which combine to control displaced flow and drop size of the dispensed medication.

Abstract: A percutaneous vaccine applicator system which includes a percutaneous vaccine applicator and a packaging assembly for housing the vaccine applicator. The percutaneous vaccine applicator includes a handle and spiked portion attached to the handle. A plurality of spikes project from the spiked portion for puncturing the skin of a patient to deliver a percutaneous vaccine. The packaging assembly includes a hollow container and a removable cover attached to the container. The hollow container defines a cavity being sized and dimensioned for receiving the vaccine applicator. The container has structures for positively receiving and retaining an applicator placed therein.

Abstract: A fluid pumping assembly for particular use in delivery of sterile fluid used in surgical procedures, includes a pump control structure to which a replaceable fluid pumping cartridge is connected and disconnected to provide convenient replacement and disposability of the cartridge. The pump cartridge is self-contained in that it includes a fluid pump which is adapted for automatic connection to a pump drive structure when the cartridge is inserted into the assembly, so that the sterile fluid is pumped only through the pumping cartridge and fluid flow is entirely isolated from the pump control structure to ensure that the fluid is maintained sterile during pumping. The cartridge can include a selectively activated pulsation control to enable discharging the fluid from the cartridge in either a continuous flow or pulsating flow of the fluid. The cartridge can also include fluid flow dampening and safety vent features.

Abstract: A lancet actuator device and mechanism for sequentially advancing and retracting a lancet blade include a housing having an opening for operating projection of the lancet blade. The actuator mechanism includes a drive spring structure insertably mounted in the housing and arranged to drive pivotal motion of the lancet blade including sequential thrusting of the blade from the housing aperture followed by immediate pivotally reverse retracting of the blade from the aperture into the housing as the spring deengerizes.

Abstract: A surgical staple extractor which has a gripping portion and a pair spaced-apart jaws and an anvil associated with the gripping portion. Structures are provided with the gripping portion for moving the anvil and the jaws in a scissor action to transfer forces from the anvil and jaws to a staple retained therebetween in order to mechanically deform or reform the staple for extraction from a patient. Cams are positioned between the jaws and the anvil for positively camming or displacing the jaws outwardly when the anvil jaws and jaws are operated. Actuation of the gripping portion results in moving the anvil and jaws with the cams interacting between the anvil and jaws for positively displacing the jaws outwardly in relation to the anvil for promoting controlled deformation of the staple in a removal path approximating the entry path thereby disengaging the staple from the patient.

Abstract: A medical alert pendant for use as a wireless remote actuation device in an emergency alarm system or the like includes a housing with a circuit board assembly and a resilient mounting and sealing membrane mounted therein. The housing includes an upper housing section which has an opening in the surface thereof, and a lower housing section. The circuit board assembly includes a power source, a signal transmitter and a depressible switch which activates the transmitter. The membrane is positioned between the housing sections and includes a flexible button which is disposed in the housing opening and juxtaposed to the switch on the circuit board assembly. The depression of the flexible button will operate the switch on the circuit board. The membrane includes a first peripheral seal which seals the juncture between the housing sections and a secondary seal which seals the opening in the upper housing section.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly is provided for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity for manually squeezed dispensing of liquid from the cavity through the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly maintains the liquid, such as contact lens cleaning and conditioning solutions in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing of the liquid from the container cavity. The nozzle assembly includes a liquid conduit for communication form the container cavity to a liquid discharge port from the nozzle assembly to enable dispensing of the liquid displaced by manually squeezing the flexible wall of the container.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing container particularly for single-use dispensing of eye medication and self-application of eye drop. The container for the liquid storage cavity has a molded plastic housing and at least one metallic foil wall secured to form an exterior wall of the housing and a flexible cavity wall. The foil wall is manually squeezable or deformable to enable a reduction in the volume of the cavity and compression and displacement of the medication therefrom. The foil wall is impervious to water vapor transmission out of the cavity which extends the shelf life of the stored container. The foil wall is also conveniently printed with labelling text and color. The plastic housing has an integrally molded nozzle which combine to control displaced flow and drop size of the dispensed medication.

Abstract: A tissue sampling instrument for aspirating sample tissue into a needle structure includes a suction chamber having first and second moveable chamber walls arranged to enlarge the volume of the chamber and reduce the pressure therein by movement of at least one of the first and second chamber walls. The needle structure has a lumen arranged in flow communication with the suction chamber to enable communication of the reduced pressure to the lumen in order to promote aspiration of sample tissue into a separate tissue entry aperture formed into the lumen. In one embodiment, the two moveable chamber walls are defined by a displaceable cylinder structure and piston structure moveable within the cylinder structure. The moveable cylinder and piston are formed within a separate 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 a hook member. Preferably, a pair of the flexible extensions are formed as vertically aligned and thinned tabs on opposing edges of each basket, which are snap-fit against a corresponding pair of hooks formed on each side of the lens support structure.