Abstract: A battery-powered, modular surgical device comprising an electrically powered surgical instrument that requires a pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy to complete a surgical procedure, and a power module assembly that has a battery that powers the surgical instrument and has a current state of electrical charge, and a control circuit that is electrically coupled to the battery and the surgical instrument and has a memory and a microprocessor. The microprocessor determines the current state of electrical charge of the battery, compares the current state of electrical charge to the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy, permits the battery to discharge if the current state of electrical charge is above the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy, and maintains the battery in a non-discharge state if the current state of electrical charge is below the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy.

Abstract: A stair system with freedom of movement between landings associated therewith includes a connection system configured to connect stairs to a landing associated with a construction, wherein the connection system structurally supports the stairs for safe egress over the stairs while concurrently supporting movement between the landing and a second landing associated with the construction by the stairs in at least one dimension, and wherein the movement supports inter-story drift between the landing and the second landing and removes some force translation between the landing and the second landing.

Abstract: Degeneration of shale caused by oxygen in aqueous drilling, fracturing and completion fluids is minimized by introducing imidazolines modified so that they will be attracted efficiently to pyrites in the shale, thereby forming a protective coating on the pyrites. Inhibiting oxidation of the pyrites sharply reduces physical degradation of the shale, and the generation of undesirable oxides, in the presence of drilling, fracturing and completion fluids carrying oxygen. The imidazoline is an ionic salt of a monocarboxylic acid.

Abstract: A method for delivering RF energy to living tissue includes the steps of extending a guidewire to a tissue treatment site in a body. A controllable stiffness catheter is provided with a stiffness device having non-metallic properties and a temperature-changing device. The stiffness device is in a stiff state below a given temperature and in a soft state above the given temperature. While supplying power to the temperature-changing device, the catheter is threaded along the guidewire up to the treatment site in the soft state. Power is removed from the temperature-changing device to alter the non-metallic properties of the stiffness device and directly result in a change of the stiffness device to the stiff state without straightening the catheter. The RF energy supply device is physically contacted with the treatment site and RF energy is delivered to the treatment site from the RF energy supply device.

Abstract: A modular joint barrier retainer assembly, including: a barrier including one or more material layers; a retainer strip coupled to the barrier; and an anchor flange selectively coupled to the retainer strip at a first end of the anchor flange, wherein a second end of the anchor flange is configured to be selectively coupled to one or more of an expansion joint cover and a building substrate. The barrier is selectively disposed within an expansion joint or other gap of a building. The retainer strip is coupled to the barrier via one or more mechanical fasteners that are disposed through the one or more material layers and secured to the retainer strip. The anchor flange includes a hook portion that selectively engages a lip portion of the retainer strip. The anchor flange is selectively secured to the retainer strip via one or more mechanical fasteners.

Abstract: Polyacrylamides, guar gum (sometimes “guar”), xanthan gum, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, and other water-soluble polymers are dissolved and hydrated in salt solutions, including especially recycled drilling, fracturing, and other oilfield fluids having significant salt contents, by passing the water-soluble polymer to an eductor for mixing with the salt-containing solution and then to a cavitation device including an integrated disc pump. The ability to use water-soluble polymers with the salty recycled oilfield fluids has significant environmental benefits, namely (1) fresh water is not needed, (2) disposal of the environmentally undesirable returned fluids is not needed, (3) difficultly degradable synthetic polymers may not be needed, and, in particular, (4) the enhanced ability to use guar, which, being a natural product, is biodegradable, is environmentally favored.

Abstract: A multiple-firing crimp device comprises crimps, a shaft, a crimp movement assembly, and a snare. Each crimp has an internal hollow. The shaft has a distal crimping location, an exterior surface, and an interior with the clips stacked therein, the crimps moving therein along a longitudinal axis. The shaft defines a lateral opening proximal to the crimping location and communicates the interior to the environment outside the exterior surface. The crimp movement assembly within the shaft delivers the first crimp to the distal crimping location by moving the first crimp longitudinally from a first proximal position into the distal crimping location and returning to a second proximal position without the first crimp. The snare pulls at least one cord from distal of the first crimp through the first crimp and through a portion of the shaft and out the side of the shaft through the lateral opening.

Abstract: A device for charging at least one rechargeable battery of a battery-operated surgical instrument that comprises a sealed container operable to enclose and create a microbial seal around the battery. The sealed container permits surgical sterilization and inductive charging of the battery while the battery is enclosed therein. The device further comprises an inductive charging assembly having a power receiver sub-assembly inside the sealed container and electrically coupled to the battery whereby the power receiver sub-assembly is operable to receive electrical power inductively from outside the sealed container and to charge the battery electrically coupled to the power receiver sub-assembly. A power supply is disposed outside the sealed container and supplies power inductively to the power receiver sub-assembly through the sealed container such that the sealed container is not structurally breached.

Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a first jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the shaft terminating at the proximal end of the first jaw and the first jaw has an internal trough running from and through the proximal end of the first jaw and terminating at a point prior to the distal end of the first jaw and a surface having a plurality of teeth on either side of the trough and at the distal end of the first jaw. A second jaw has a surface facing the surface of the first jaw and having a plurality of teeth thereat.

Abstract: An electrocautery surgical device comprising a battery source and radio-frequency signal generating circuitry electrically coupled to the battery source and operable to deliver power.

Abstract: A torque-transmitting, variably-flexible device, comprising a hollow body having a proximal end, a distal end and a given length, a torque-transmitting element that extends substantially entirely over the given length of the hollow body, a steering element that steers the distal end of the hollow body, the steering element being comprised of steering tendons disposed within the hollow body, and stiffening tendons disposed within the hollow body to selectively maintain the hollow body in a relatively stiff condition, wherein the stiffening tendons are unassociated with the steering element of the device.

Abstract: A cavitation device is supplied by a disc pump with fluids for mixing. A cavitation rotor, having an array of cavities on its cylindrical surface, is fixed to a shaft for rotation by a motor. The disc pump and the cavitation device are beneficially in the same housing. At least one disc is spaced from and attached to the rotor near the inlet end of the cylindrical housing, so it will rotate with the rotor. A central hole in the (at least one) disc permits fluid to enter the space between the disc and the rotor; it is flung toward the peripheral space between the rotor and the cylindrical housing, where it is subjected to cavitation, and then passed to an outlet. The shaft may pass through one or both of the end walls of the cylindrical housing. The cavitation pump is especially useful for mixing oil field fluids.

Abstract: An electrocautery surgical device includes a battery power source and radio-frequency signal generating circuitry electrically coupled to the battery power source and operable to deliver power to an electrosurgical forceps. The radio-frequency signal generating circuitry includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. The primary winding includes first and second primary sub-windings. At least one switching component is electrically coupled to the first and second primary sub-windings and is operable to switch between engaging the first primary sub-winding and engaging the second primary sub-winding such that a current flows through the first and/or second primary sub-windings. The first and second primary sub-windings have a different number of turns such that the radio-frequency signal generating circuitry produces a different impedance value depending on which one of the first and second primary sub-windings is engaged.

Abstract: A torque-transmitting, variably-flexible device, comprising a hollow body having a proximal end and a distal end, a torque-transmitting element operable to transmit torque from the proximal end towards the distal end of the hollow body, and a steering element operable to steer the distal end of the hollow body.

Abstract: A battery-powered, modular surgical device includes an electrically powered surgical instrument operable to surgically interface with human tissue and a handle assembly connected to the surgical instrument. The handle assembly has a removable hand grip and a handle body. The hand grip is shaped to permit handling of the surgical device by one hand of an operator, has an upper portion and a cordless internal battery assembly that powers the surgical instrument. The internal battery assembly has at least one energy storage cell. The handle body is operable to removably connect at least the upper portion of the hand grip thereto and create an aseptic seal around at least a portion of the hand grip when connected thereto and electrically couple the internal battery assembly of the hand grip to the surgical instrument and thereby power the surgical instrument for interfacing surgically with the human tissue.

Abstract: A medical device includes a laparoscopic shaft having proximal and distal ends and defining a shaft axis. A surgical end effector is at the distal end of the shaft. A surgical procedure actuator carries out a surgical procedure on tissue at the end effector when actuated. A rotating knob is at the proximal end of the shaft. The rotating knob rotates the end effector with respect to the shaft about the shaft axis when rotated and actuates the procedure actuator when slid in a proximal direction.

Abstract: A battery assembly for use with a surgical device having a battery terminal and operational parameters includes a housing having a shape formed to removably connect with the terminal. The housing contains a modular battery operable to supply power to the device at the terminal and has a control circuit with a microprocessor, a memory, and a real-time clock. The control circuit is communicatively coupled to the battery and is operable to detect an identity of the surgical device, to determine at least one piece of information pertaining to at least one of the operational parameters of the surgical device based upon the detected identity, to record the piece of information at least in the memory, and to selectively allow or prevent the battery from supplying power to the surgical device dependent upon the piece of information.

Abstract: A battery assembly for use in a number of battery-powered, cordless ultrasonic surgical instruments with handles having a battery chamber and coupled to different ultrasonic waveguide types, comprises a housing having an exterior shape formed to removably connect with the battery chamber of the handles. The housing has at least one energy storage cell operable to power an ultrasonic-signal-generation assembly of the surgical instruments. The ultrasonic-signal-generation assembly is operable to dynamically produce a resonant wave along an ultrasonic waveguide. A battery/handle interface has a plurality of connectors shaped to mate with a plurality of corresponding connectors within the battery chamber of the handles. A voltage-control circuit communicatively couples with and provides power to the ultrasonic-signal-generation assembly, detects which one of the ultrasonic waveguide types is coupled to the handle connected to the housing, and provides an output in response to the detected waveguide type.

Abstract: A battery-powered, modular surgical device comprising an electrically powered surgical instrument that requires a pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy to complete a surgical procedure, and a power module assembly that has a battery that powers the surgical instrument and has a current state of electrical charge, and a control circuit that is electrically coupled to the battery and the surgical instrument and has a memory and a microprocessor. The microprocessor determines the current state of electrical charge of the battery, compares the current state of electrical charge to the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy, permits the battery to discharge if the current state of electrical charge is above the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy, and maintains the battery in a non-discharge state if the current state of electrical charge is below the pre-determined minimum amount of electrical energy.

Abstract: A surgical device assembly includes a vessel-sealing end effector having opposing surfaces engaging tissue when disposed therebetween, at least one of the surfaces having an energy delivering component, and a surgical device handle. The surgical device handle is connected to the end effector and has a switch with a switch-actuation direction in which the switch actuates, an unactuated position at a rest point of the switch, a first actuated position at first distance from the rest point in the switch-actuation direction, a second actuated position at a second distance further from the rest point in the switch-actuation direction than the first distance, and a force required to sustain the first actuated position being less than a force required to enter the second actuated position. The energy delivering component delivers energy when in at least one of the first and second actuated positions.