Abstract: A femoral caliper having one or more anatomical referencing members for placement against portions of the femur, such as the anterior cortex and posterior portion of the femoral condyles, to measure the femur for sizing of the femoral component. A reference mark positioning guide of the femoral caliper is connected to the anatomical referencing member and is capable of guiding placement of a reference mark on the femur that facilitates positioning of the femoral component. The femoral caliper includes an adjustment mechanism capable of displacing the reference mark positioning guide relative to the anatomical referencing member. This allows adjustment of the position of the reference mark (and hence the femoral component) on the femur to account for the up or down sizing of the femoral component. Preferably, the adjustment mechanism adjusts the reference mark positioning guide in the anterior-posterior direction to allow balancing of the tightness or laxity of the selected component.

Abstract: The present invention relates, generally, to reporting the approximate three-dimensional orientation of the steerable distal portion of an endoscope to the user of the endoscope. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing the endoscope-user a display from which to more easily determine the approximate three-dimensional orientation of the steerable distal portion of the endoscope, thereby facilitating navigation of the endoscope. The present invention also relates to a system and method for limiting the amount the steerable distal portion can bend overall to reduce or eliminate the user's ability to over-retroflex the steerable distal portion of the endoscope.

Abstract: A compacting broach comprises an elongate body and a distal tip at a forward end of the body. The body plurality of corner edges corresponding to the corner edges of a prosthetic component, cutting teeth along the corner edges and side walls between the cutting teeth of adjacent corner edges. The side walls extend inwardly from the cutting teeth of adjacent corner edges and compact cancellous bone as the cutting teeth penetrate cortical bone during advancement of the broach in the intramedullary canal. The distal tip comprises a plurality of fins radial to a central longitudinal axis of the broach and extending longitudinally, distally from the body. The fins contact the side of the canal at locations about a central axis of the canal to center the broach in the canal prior to the cutting teeth engaging cortical bone as the broach is advanced therein.

Abstract: A clamp device, cutting guide, and clamp slider used together in preparation to cutting of the distal end of the femur bone during total knee replacement surgery. The clamp device includes an upper arm and a lower arm rotatably secured to one another in a scissor-like manner. A curved movable component is rotatably secured to the proximal end of the lower arm. The clamp device is positioned around a portion of the distal end of the femur bone so that the distal end of the upper arm grasps a posterior ridge of the femur bone and the movable component of the lower arm is positioned along the contour of the deepest part of the trochlear groove, thereby defining a plane through the deepest part of the trochlear groove of the femur bone. Next, a clamp slider is removably secured to a cutting guide so that channels defined in the clamp slider and cutting guide are substantially aligned with one another.

Abstract: A knee prosthesis including a tibial component for mounting to the proximal end of a tibia, and a femoral component for mounting to the distal end of a femur. At least the face surface of the medial condylar portion of the femoral component may be preferably substantially congruent with the face surface of a medial cavity in the upper surface of the tibial component so that substantially complete surface-to-surface contact between the face surface of the medial cavity in the upper surface of the tibial component and the face surface of the medial condylar portion of the femoral component is provided throughout a significant portion of the range of flexion of the knee joint.

Abstract: A delay announcer groups and delay announcement time controller for a telephone system having a host computer for directing an incoming call based on information provided in the incoming call, for issuing a delay message based on information in the call, and for controlling the time of issuing the delay message based upon information in the incoming call.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of producing an adherent and corrosion-inhibiting multi-layer coating on metal parts comprising the steps of(A) phosphating the metal parts with an aqueous metal phosphating solution;(B) electrophoretically depositing a film of a siccative organic coating composition on the phosphated metal parts;(C) applying a second film of a composition comprising at least one film-forming organic resin component as a seal coat;(D) curing the coating on the metal parts; and optionally(E) applying a corrosion-inhibiting film as a top seal coat.

Abstract: The invention describes a method of producing an adherent and corrosion-inhibiting multi-layer coating on metal parts comprising the steps of(A) phosphating the metal parts with an aqueous metal phosphating solution;(B) electrophoretically depositing a film of a siccative organic coating composition on the phosphated metal parts;(C) applying a second film of a composition comprising at least one film-forming organic resin component as a seal coat;(D) curing the coating on the metal parts; and optionally(E) applying a corrosion-inhibiting film as a top seal coat.

Abstract: An aircraft icing detection system detects accumulation of ice on an upper surface (12) of a wing (10) of an aircraft. The system includes an air pump (18) that delivers air through first and second conduits (24, 26). The first conduit delivers air through a first air knife (32) to openings (34) in the upper surface of the wing. The second conduit delivers air through a lower wing surface (14) through openings in a second air knife (42). When ice accumulates on the upper surface, flow from the first air knife is restricted. A differential pressure sensor (46) senses a pressure difference between the conduits and warns the pilot of possible ice accumulation by illuminating a warning light (50).

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an aqueous coating composition comprising in addition to water,(A) at least one water-dispersible or emulsifiable film-forming resin;(B) from about 0.1 to about 15% by weight, based on the weight of resin (A) of a hydrophobic fluoroalkene polymer; and(C) an effective amount of at least one nonionic fluorocarbon surfactant.In one preferred embodiment, the aqueous coating compositions of the present invention may contain an organic phosphate ester. The compositions may also contain one or more pigments. The invention also relates to the use of such coating compositions for depositing coatings on metal substrates, and in particular, for coatings on phosphated metal substrates.

Abstract: Both a bone fixation device and a method for retrofitting this device in a conventional hollow, intramedullary nail are disclosed herein. The bone fixation device of the invention generally comprises at least one blade member having a top portion registrable with a blade slot provided in the body of the nail, and a bottom surface including a rail slot, as well as at least one wedge member having an inclined top surface for transmitting a blade extending force to the bottom surface of the blade member, as well as a rail which is slidably engageable with the blade member slot. The blade slot and wedge rail interlock to provide a positive retracting force on the blade when it is desired to remove the nail from a bone. Additionally, the wedge member includes a key which interlocks with the longitudinal slot which extends along the longitudinal axis of a conventional Kuntscher intramedullary nail in order to facilitate angular alignment of the blade member with the blade receiving slot in the nail.