Abstract: Described are implants for placing in a body, tools for delivering the implants, and systems and methods for using implants and tools for placing in a body and more particularly to nasal implants, tools for delivering nasal implants, and systems and methods for using such implants and tools. A tool may include a hand-held implant delivery device that cuts, holds, moves, orients, inserts, or shapes an implant. An implant may be a biodegradable, longitudinal implant that may be oriented for implantation by an implant delivery device.

Abstract: Spaced cutting tools, each having a plurality of linear axes and a rotational axis, are supported with a conveyor carrying successive parts past the tools. The tools include positioning motors and are positioned by a computer driven system including a controller and a tool program for positioning the tools to sequentially cut each part. Separate computer boards each include a memory unit and a CPU for coupling to individual positioning motors for each tool. The controller downloads the program for particular axes to the board for the tools. A positioning sensor is coupled to each tool axes and connected to the computer input for monitoring each tool position. All tools are simultaneously positioned using an initial fast constant speed feed followed by a varying slow speed, with a closed loop control, within a fixed time period.

Abstract: A multiple head gang saw has a plurality of moveable saw heads (12, 14) providing variable width cutting, and a single magnetostrictive displacement transducer (40) sensing displacement of all of the saw heads. The transducer sender unit (42) is mounted to a transverse cross beam (10), and a magnetostrictive rod (44) extends from the sender unit along and parallel to the cross beam. A plurality of pairs of electromagnets (62, 64, 87, 89) are mounted to respective saw heads proximate the magnetostrictive rod. Switching circuitry (116) selectively energizes a chosen electromagnet pair and de-energizes the remaining electromagnet pairs such that only the chosen electromagnet pair generates a magnetic field interacting with the signal in the rod from the sender unit, such that the displacement transducer indicates the distance from the sender unit to the chosen electromagnet pair and its respective saw head along the cross beam.

Abstract: A woodworking machine has a series of stations spaced along a conveyor having a clamp support for holding flat wood parts and passing the edges through the stations which include cope stations as well as others. The coping stations have a tool unit with a stack of tools mounted on a common spindle. The tools in each stack at the several stations are interrelated such that the cuts of the individual tools can be combined to form different final profiles in a wood part moving through the several stations. The particular cuts in the profile line are analyzed and interrelated to define basic cuts which can be combined to form the final profiles. One tool of each tool stack provides a particular cut, and by precise positioning of the individual tools, the combination of sequential cuts provide the final profile. Each tool may form a complete cut, may overlap a previous cut to form a continuation of such previous cut or may form a cut which includes only a portion of its cutting face.

Abstract: A woodworking apparatus includes a computer based control unit for absolute positioning of tool units located in longitudinally spaced relationship to one or both sides of a conveyor. Absolute position sensors are connected to each axis of tool movement. Each axis has a separate permanent magnetic motor to position the tool on the corresponding axis. A multiplexing board selectively connects each sensor to the computer and a multiplexing position motor drive board selectively connects the corresponding motor in a closed loop absolute position control. Each position sensor includes spaced Hall cells secured to a movable sensor head, with limit signals hardwired via the multiplexing board directly to the control system. The PM motor is a low cost motor which rapidly drives the tool unit in accordance with the output of the sensor. The motor drive system includes a fast drive mode in an open loop for rapidly moving the several tool units and sequentially to slowly move the tools to the final position.