Abstract: An adjustable cargo storage press for organizing and securing cargo items stored in a cargo storage area of an automobile. The adjustable cargo storage press is disposed within or integrated with a cargo area of an automotive vehicle such as a trunk, bed or bed liner of a car, truck, or sport utility vehicle. The press prevents movement of cargo items and potential damage to the cargo items during transport. The press also maintains the position of the cargo items for easy removal from the cargo storage area. The press includes one or more hinged walls that lock in a vertical position and move towards each other along guide tracks. The one or more hinged walls compress the cargo items between the hinged walls, and fold flat when not in use so as not to limit cargo storage capacity of the cargo storage area.

Abstract: A filter device for trapping embolic debris comprises a bag which is deployed by everting it from an end of a delivery catheter. After release from the catheter, with the assistance of a pusher member, the open end of the bag self-expands against the walls of a body lumen. In one method of removal after use, the device is withdrawn into catheter by pulling on a wire attached to the closed end of the bag.

Abstract: A valve (4) for a refrigeration system. Comprises two diaphragms (8, 10) being operatively connected. One diaphragm (8) is in contact with the refrigerant, the other (10) is in contact with the filling fluid. The two diaphragms (8, 10) may have different active areas. In combination with the connection between the two diaphragms (8, 10) this provides a ‘pressure gearing’ between the filling fluid and the refrigerant. Allows the pressure of the filling fluid to be relatively low even when the pressure of the refrigerant is high, while ensuring that the valve (4) can function properly. Particularly suitable for high pressure refrigeration systems, such as CO2 systems.

Abstract: An introducer (10) includes release wires (42?) that constrain at least one stent (4?) while the remainder of a stent graft (18) is expanded during deployment. By allowing the constrained stent (4?) to expand after an adjacent stent (4), the constrained stent (4?) overlaps with the interior of the adjacent stent (4) where the stent graft (18) is deployed within a curved body lumen (70).

Abstract: A door check system includes a rod interconnecting a door assembly and a body of a vehicle. The door check system secures the position of the door at any location along a swing path of the door, between a fully open position and a fully closed position. The door check system includes a rod interconnecting the door assembly and the body. A coil spring is disposed about the rod, with the rod extending through a central aperture thereof. An actuator is coupled to the coil spring and configured for tightening and loosening the coil spring about the rod. When the actuator tightens the spring about the rod, the spring grasps the rod and secures the position of the door assembly relative to the body. When the actuator loosens the spring from about the rod, the door assembly is free to move along the swing path.

Abstract: An introducer assembly includes a carrier element (10) provided with an elongate cannula or catheter (12) upon which a plurality of sleeves (20) are disposed. The sleeves (20) are located within a zone (18) at which a medical device (40) is carried. The sleeves (20) include restraining mechanisms, typically channels (30), for receiving respective trigger wires (42-44). The medical device (40) is radially constrained by the trigger wires (42-44), in combination with the sleeves (20). The sleeves (20) are initially provided as separate elements which are fitted onto the elongate carrier (12) in a number and at locations suitable for the medical device (40) to be located on the carrier element (2). The arrangement provides a simple and effective restraining structure which can be adapted for different medical devices (40) and an arrangement in which the medical device (40) is radially constrained from within.

Abstract: A rotationally-symmetric stent graft for deploying in a curved vessel has identical spaced stents along its length, with the stents being further apart in the region of the greatest curvature. The ends of the stents are parallel to each other and to the ends of the graft. The inter-stent spacing may vary along the entire length of the graft or only adjacent one end.

Abstract: A pre-loaded stent graft delivery device and stent graft, the stent graft delivery device. The stent graft has at least one fenestration or side arm and the fenestration is preloaded with an indwelling guide wire. Indwelling access sheaths are provided within auxiliary lumens of a pusher catheter and dilators are preloaded into the access sheaths along with the indwelling guide wire. A handle assembly at a distal end of the guide wire catheter. The handle includes a multiport manifold with access ports to the auxiliary lumens in the pusher catheter. Upon deployment of the stent graft into the vasculature of a patient, the indwelling guide wire can be used to facilitate cathertisation of a side branch or target vessel through the fenestration or be used to stabilise the access sheath during catheterisation, advancement of the access sheath into the target vessel and deployment of a covered or uncovered stent therein through the access sheath.

Abstract: A stent graft (40) for treating Type-A dissections in the ascending aorta (22) is provided with a plurality of diameter reducing suture loops (56-60) operable to constrain the stent graft during deployment thereof in a patient's aorta. The diameter reducing loops (56-60) allow the stent graft (40) to be partially deployed, in such a manner that its location can be precisely adjusted in the patient's lumen. In this manner, the stent graft can be placed just by the coronary arteries (26, 28) with confidence that these will not be blocked. The stent graft (40) is also provided with proximal and distal bare stents (44,52) for anchoring purposes.

Abstract: A stent graft (10) includes a tubular graft element (12) to which there are attached a plurality of stent rings (14). The stent rings (14) are formed of a plurality of stent struts (16) arranged in a zig-zag arrangement with alternating peaks (18) and valleys (20). The end-most stent (22) is located at the proximal end (24) of the graft tube (12). Between adjacent peaks (18) of the end-most stent (22), there is provided a series of bridging elements (28). These are preferably formed of Nitinol wire and to be substantially more flexible than the stent struts (14). The bridging elements (28) extend in the region of graft material between adjacent stent peaks (18) and are attached to the graft material, for example by suturing. The bridging elements (28) are substantially more flexible than the stent ring (22) and therefore impart little opening force on the graft material in comparison to the force produced by the stent ring (22).

Abstract: A rotationally-symmetric stent graft for deploying in a curved vessel has identical spaced stents along its length, with the stents being further apart in the region of the greatest curvature. The ends of the stents are parallel to each other and to the ends of the graft. The inter-stent spacing may vary along the entire length of the graft or only adjacent one end.

Abstract: A valve (4) for a refrigeration system. Comprises two diaphragms (8, 10) being operatively connected. One diaphragm (8) is in contact with the refrigerant, the other (10) is in contact with the filling fluid. The two diaphragms (8, 10) may have different active areas. In combination with the connection between the two diaphragms (8, 10) this provides a ‘pressure gearing’ between the filling fluid and the refrigerant. Allows the pressure of the filling fluid to be relatively low even when the pressure of the refrigerant is high, while ensuring that the valve (4) can function properly. Particularly suitable for high pressure refrigeration systems, such as CO2 systems.

Abstract: A stent graft (10) is retained on an introducer (38) by retention of an exposed stent (16) of the stent graft to the introducer with trigger wires (44). The introducer has a trigger wire catheter (40) and four trigger wires and each trigger wire extending in a loop from the trigger wire catheter. The stent graft has a tubular body (12) of a graft material and an exposed stent joined to and extending from one end of the tubular body. The exposed stent is a self expanding Z stent with struts (20) and bends (22, 28, 30) between them. A pair of struts and a bend between define an apex a selected apex distance away from the tubular body. Adjacent apices of the exposed stent are different apex distances from the tubular body so that they stack under the trigger wires in an neat fashion. Distally extending barbs (26) on alternate struts of the exposed stent are spaced selected distances from their respective apices to prevent tangling during deployment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of treating a halogen containing solid or semi solid waste material from a flue gas cleaning process, wherein the amount of alkaline compounds is sufficient to provide a suspension of the waste material in water with a pH value of at least 10, said method comprising the steps of a) preparing an aqueous suspension of the solid or semi solid waste material, said suspension having a pH value of at least 10, b) separating the solid and the liquid material from each other to obtain an aqueous solution of waste material and a solid waste material, and collecting the solid waste material. The procedure is repeated one or more times, and optionally the resulting solid waste material is dried.

Abstract: A stent assembly (42) adapted for endoluminal placement by endovascular deployment for the treatment of a false lumen (10) associated with a vascular dissection. The stent assembly has a number of self expanding stents (35) connected together to define an elongate substantially cylindrical lumen wall engaging surface. The stents are adapted to provided pressure on the wall of the lumen adjacent to and extending away from a rupture. A deployment device (40) for the stent assembly includes a sheath (48) and a retention and release arrangement (50) to retain the proximal end (37) of the stent graft to the deployment device. Release of the stent assembly is by withdrawal of the sheath before release of its proximal end by the use of a trigger wire (54) of the retention and release arrangement.

Abstract: An introducer for an expandable endovascular prosthesis having a self a self-expanding stent includes a proximal prosthesis positioning mechanism that has a retention device to retain the self-expanding stent and a control member to selectively release the retention device from the prosthesis. The retention device includes an opening forming a tapered cavity. The control member includes a plurality of loops coupled to the prosthesis and a trigger wire. The trigger wire passes through a first aperture of the retention device, through the plurality of loops, and through and a second aperture of the retention device to retain the loops.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cleaning and/or treatment device for cleaning and/or treating surfaces such as floors, pavements and carpets. The invention particularly relates to a cleaning and/or treatment device using cleaning/treatment solution, wherein the solution is recirculated and thereby used more than one time. The cleaning device comprises a filter unit for cleaning dirt from a dirty solution tank and means for recirculating said cleaned solution to a clean solution tank, wherein said filter unit comprise at least one cross-flow filter, said cross-flow filter preferably being a membrane filter. The invention also relates to a process of cleaning and/or treating surfaces using such a device.

Abstract: A clamp for connecting a cylindrical temperature sensor axis-parallel with a tube has a bendable metallic tension band which tension band on its one end portion has a first jaw and at its other end section is shapewise connectable with a second jaw, and which clamp also has a tension screw. The tension screw is inserted through a bore in the first jaw and is threaded through a threaded bore in the second jaw. To be able to connect the sensor and tube rigidly with little heat transfer resistance the second jaw has a bent plate with two legs. The first leg is provided with the threaded bore and the second leg with a slot through which the other end section can be passed. The tension band length is so chosen that the other end section after the wrapping of the tension band around the temperature sensor and the tube as well as its being passed through the slot is bendable down onto the second leg. The tension screw length is so chosen that after its tightening it lies on the bent down end section.

Abstract: A clamp for connecting a cylindrical temperature sensor axis-parallel with a tube has a bendable metallic tension band which tension band on its one end portion has a first jaw and at its other end section is shapewise connectable with a second jaw, and which clamp also has a tension screw. The tension screw is inserted through a bore in the first jaw and is threaded through a threaded bore in the second jaw. To be able to connect the sensor and tube rigidly with little heat transfer resistance the second jaw has a bent plate with two legs. The first leg is provided with the threaded bore and the second leg with a slot through which the other end section can be passed. The tension band length is so chosen that the other end section after the wrapping of the tension band around the temperature sensor and the tube as well as its being passed through the slot is bendable down onto the second leg. The tension screw length is so chosen that after its tightening it lies on the bent down end section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of treating a halogen containing solid or semi solid waste material from a flue gas cleaning process, wherein the amount of alkaline compounds is sufficient to provide a suspension of the waste material in water with a pH value of at least 10, said method comprising the steps of a) preparing an aqueous suspension of the solid or semi solid waste material, said suspension having a pH value of at least 10, b) separating the solid and the liquid material from each other to obtain an aqueous solution of waste material and a solid waste material, and collecting the solid waste material. The procedure is repeated one or more times, and optionally the resulting solid waste material is dried.