Abstract: An implant and suture locking system is provided. The implant can include a lateral or distal anchor, and a medial or proximal anchor. One or more suture loops can extend between and operatively connect the anchors. A medial suture loop can extend through apertures in the medial anchor to provide efficient and easily adjustable tensioning and suture locking for the implant.

Abstract: Devices and related methods to engage tissue layers to access the space between the layers are provided. The access devices include engagement arms that can be deployed and retracted to easily engage the top tissue layer and allow it to be separated from the underlying layer. The engagement arms are coupled to an actuation rod that is in turn coupled to a switch or lever that allows a user to control the actuation from outside the patient. The engagement arms and coupling to the actuation rod are unique and compact to ensure the entire mechanism fits in a small diameter shaft.

Abstract: Devices and related methods to engage tissue layers to access the space between the layers are provided. The access devices include engagement arms that can be deployed and retracted to easily engage the top tissue layer and allow it to be separated from the underlying layer. The engagement arms are coupled to an actuation rod that is in turn coupled to a switch or lever that allows a user to control the actuation from outside the patient. The engagement arms and coupling to the actuation rod are unique and compact to ensure the entire mechanism fits in a small diameter shaft.

Abstract: A method and system for providing remote or automatic release of a leash is disclosed. The release of the leash can be triggered by a remote user control, by a predetermined distance between the user and what is connected to the leash, or by various other means or events. The leash can be selectively released from a latch mechanism, from an integrally-attached spool housing, and the like.

Abstract: An earring removal device is provided to remove a stud type earring. The removal device includes tips that easily interface with the earring post and backer to facilitate removal. The tips are coupled to an arcuate structure with a spring characteristic. Simple squeezing of the arcuate structure actuates the tips to separate the backer from the post. The spring characteristic is biased to keep the tips spaced apart, or open, in the absence of a squeezing force.

Abstract: Devices and related methods to engage tissue layers to access the space between the layers are provided. The access devices include engagement arms that can be deployed and retracted to easily engage the top tissue layer and allow it to be separated from the underlying layer. The engagement arms are coupled to an actuation rod that is in turn coupled to a switch or lever that allows a user to control the actuation from outside the patient. The engagement arms and coupling to the actuation rod are unique and compact to ensure the entire mechanism fits in a small diameter shaft.

Abstract: An implant and suture locking system is provided. The implant can include a lateral or distal anchor, and a medial or proximal anchor. One or more suture loops can extend between and operatively connect the anchors. A medial suture loop can extend through apertures in the medial anchor to provide efficient and easily adjustable tensioning and suture locking for the implant.

Abstract: Devices and related methods to remove stud-type earrings. The removal devices include tips that easily interface with the earring post and backer to facilitate removal. The tips are coupled to a structure with a spring characteristic. Simple squeezing of the structure actuates the tips to separate the backer from the post. The spring characteristic is biased to keep the tips spaced apart, or open, in the absence of a squeezing force.

Abstract: An electronic assembly for housing circuit cards of different types, which communicate with one another at high speed. Circuit cards of a first type plug into a backplane side-by-side. Circuit cards of a second type are arranged perpendicularly to the circuit cards of the first type. The arrangement allows cards of the first type to communicate with cards of the second type over short distances, thus improving system throughput. It also allows cards of different types to be cooled differently, thus promoting efficient cooling.

Abstract: An electrical interconnection system with high speed, differential electrical connectors. The connector is assembled from wafers containing columns of conductive elements, some of which form differential pairs. Each column may include ground conductors adjacent pairs of signal conductors. The ground conductors may be wider than the signal conductors, with ground conductors between adjacent pairs of signal conductors being wider than ground conductors positioned at an end of at least some of the columns. Each of the conductive elements may end in a mating contact portion positioned to engage a complementary contact element in a mating connector. The mating contact portions of the signal conductors in some of the pairs may be rotated relative to the columns. The printed circuit board to which the differential signal connector is mounted may be constructed with elongated antipads around pairs of signal conductors.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to cool high-performance instruments within a semiconductor test head using direct facility water. The direct facility water cooling apparatus consists of an air chamber, a first base to receive and removably mount the instrument within the air chamber, a test head inlet in fluid communication with the first base and a facility water supply, a test head discharge in fluid communication with the first base and a facility drain, and a fan in fluid communication with the air chamber inlet to induce the flow of air from the air chamber inlet to the air chamber outlet.

Abstract: A chiller assembly shaped for use in a standard electronics rack. The chiller has a low profile, and is capable of being made to occupy less than 5 rack units. The chiller is modular, with subassemblies positioned to allow easy removal for maintenance. The fan and power supply are made as replaceable subassemblies that can be inserted or removed from the front of the unit without any special tools. The pump is made with a magnetically coupled motor, allowing the motor to be easily removed for service or replacement. The motor is also accessible from the front panel of the assembly.

Abstract: An electrical interconnection system with high speed, differential electrical connectors. The connector is assembled from wafers containing columns of conductive elements, some of which form differential pairs. Each column may include ground conductors adjacent pairs of signal conductors. The ground conductors may be wider than the signal conductors, with ground conductors between adjacent pairs of signal conductors being wider than ground conductors positioned at an end of at least some of the columns. Each of the conductive elements may end in a mating contact portion positioned to engage a complementary contact element in a mating connector. The mating contact portions of the signal conductors in some of the pairs may be rotated relative to the columns. The printed circuit board to which the differential signal connector is mounted may be constructed with elongated antipads around pairs of signal conductors.

Abstract: An electronic system includes an array of electronic assemblies at a first location within a system. An array of liquid cooling assemblies is placed at a second location within the system. Hoses or other liquid transport pathways connect the cooling assemblies to the electronic assemblies, for cooling the electronic assemblies. As more electronic assemblies are added to the system, additional cooling assemblies may be provided to manage the increased thermal demands.

Abstract: An electronic system is disclosed that uses air for cooling first and second orthogonally oriented arrays of parallel circuit boards. Air is drawn into the front of the system, passes alongside the circuit boards in the first array, takes a 90-degree turn, continues over the circuit boards in the second array, and takes another 90-degree turn to exhaust through the rear of the system. The circuit boards in the first array are cooled through a separate airflow path, which preferably also runs front-to-rear.

Abstract: A two-phase cooling system operated at atmospheric pressure. A reservoir containing cooling fluid has a stack that is vented to the atmosphere. The stack is shaped to allow condensation of substantially all of the cooling fluid in vapor form entering the stack. Condensation may be enhanced by cooling the stack, such as with flowing air along the outer walls of the stack or placing a thermoelectric device in contact with the stack. The system provides high thermal capacity but is easy to use and service.

Abstract: A method for controlling the temperature of a device is described. The method includes providing a body having a heating/cooling region to which the device is exposed, heating the device with a heating channel provided in the body with one end exposed to the heating/cooling region and cooling the device with cooling channel provided in the body with one end exposed to the heating/cooling region. The heating and cooling channels are provided in the body such that energy propagating in the heating channel is intermingled with gas propagating in the cooling channel and the heating and cooling sources directly impinge upon the device in the heating region.

Abstract: A strip, leadframe or panel type handling device for use in testing semiconductor components. The handling device has a thermal plate assembly with embedded electrical resistance heaters. The heaters are separately controlled in zones to provide uniform temperature across the plate for elevated temperature testing. Cooling channels are formed in the plate. Intermingling channels are provided to allow different types of cooling fluids to be used to cool at different rates or hold a cold temperature at different levels. The cooling channels can likewise be provided in zones to promote temperature uniformity. Vacuum channels are used to hold the semiconductor parts under test in close contact with the thermal plate.

Abstract: A semiconductor handling system has a temperature soak assembly to temperature soak a semiconductor structure (e.g., a panel), a test assembly to test the semiconductor structure, and a temperature desoak assembly to temperature desoak the semiconductor structure. The temperature desoak assembly includes (i) a heat sink that defines a surface which is configured to thermally couple with the semiconductor structure, (ii) a fluid guide coupled to the heat sink, and (iii) a fluid controller coupled to the fluid guide. The fluid controller provides a fluid (e.g., room temperature air) which the fluid guide directs over the heat sink to bring a temperature of the heat sink to a temperature of the fluid. This arrangement provides an effective low cost and low power means for temperature desoaking a semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor handling system has a temperature soak assembly to temperature soak a semiconductor structure (e.g., a panel), a test assembly to test the semiconductor structure, and a temperature desoak assembly to temperature desoak the semiconductor structure. The temperature desoak assembly includes (i) a heat sink that defines a surface which is configured to thermally couple with the semiconductor structure, (ii) a fluid guide coupled to the heat sink, and (iii) a fluid controller coupled to the fluid guide. The fluid controller provides a fluid (e.g., room temperature air) which the fluid guide directs over the heat sink to bring a temperature of the heat sink to a temperature of the fluid. This arrangement provides an effective low cost and low power means for temperature desoaking a semiconductor structure.