Abstract: Provided is a catheter system for intraluminal passages, including blood vessels, which includes a guidewire incorporating a work element, and an inflatable balloon enveloping the work element. The work element includes a lesion-smoothing member which in a work configuration projects radially from a longitudinal axis of the balloon. The work element may be configured to allow for controllable rotation about the longitudinal axis, such that the rotation thereby substantially defines a closed ellipsoid-like surface. When the balloon is inflated with a fluid and is inside an intraluminal passage, rotation of the work element causes the lesion-smoothing member to rotate along a surface of the balloon and simultaneously push against the balloon surface. The pushing against the balloon surface exerts force against the walls of the intraluminal passage, thereby allowing for smoothing lesion material located on the walls of the intraluminal passage.

Abstract: Provided is a catheter system for intraluminal passages, including blood vessels, which includes a guidewire incorporating a work element, and an inflatable balloon enveloping the work element. The work element includes a lesion-smoothing member, which in a work configuration projects radially from a longitudinal axis of the balloon. The work element may be configured to allow for controllable rotation about the longitudinal axis, such that the rotation thereby substantially defines a closed ellipsoid-like surface. When the balloon is inflated with a fluid and is inside an intraluminal passage, rotation of the work element causes the lesion-smoothing member to rotate along a surface of the balloon and simultaneously push against the balloon surface. The pushing against the balloon surface exerts force against the walls of the intraluminal passage, thereby allowing for smoothing lesion material located on the walls of the intraluminal passage.

Abstract: A control system for a refrigerator having an absorption cooling arrangement and a generator can include a temperature sensor associated with the generator and operable to sense a temperature of the cooling arrangement, a level sensor associated with the refrigerator and operable to sense a level condition of the cooling arrangement, and a heat source operably associated with at least the generator. A control circuit can include a processor and can be in communication with at least the temperature sensor, the level sensor and the heat source, and can be configured to determine a sensed temperature from the temperature sensor and a sensed level condition from the level sensor. The control circuit can be configured to turn off the heat source based on determining the sensed temperature is below a first predetermined threshold or based at least in part on determining the sensed level condition exceeds a second predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the presence of a burner flame of a gas appliance includes a detection element for optically detecting the burner flame. The detection element is positioned adjacent to a location of the burner flame. The apparatus additionally includes a display element positioned remotely from the detection element. The display element is operative in a first mode to indicate the presence of a burner flame and a second mode to indicate the absence of a burner flame. The apparatus further includes a transmission element connecting the detection element and the display element. The transmission element causes the display element to operate in the first mode when the detection element optically detects the burner flame.

Abstract: A system for operating minibars in hotel rooms based on a plurality of individual minibars, one in each of the hotel rooms, each of which is equipped with means for reading an electronic card coded for each hotel guest or according to the credit card of a guest, thus enabling the guest to open the minibar, a central computer which receives information on each opening of the individual minibar, and which can be used to deny access to such minibar when a reason for this exists. The system can also comprise means for monitoring the cooling of each minibar. The main computer stores data on each individual access to the minibar by each guest and facilitates the presentation of a list of charges to the guest checking out from the hotel.

Abstract: The invention relates to minibars located in hotel rooms, and more specifically to such minibars provided with means for ascertaining whether any item has been removed, its nature and its price, thus facilitating the recharging of the minibar and the charging of the bill of the guest for the item taken.The system is based on accurate weight measurements which are indicative of the kind of item removed by the guest.