Abstract: An automated trailer coupling arrangement includes a downwardly opening receiver member supported in a bottom surface of a towed vehicle at a first vertical height and including pneumatic/electrical couplers, a shuttle member including pneumatic/electrical couplers to couple to pneumatic and electrical supply sources and an arm pivotably coupled to a towing vehicle at a second vertical height that is less than the first vertical height and including a carrier member to operably couple/uncouple with the shuttle member, and an actuator coupled to the carrier member to move the carrier between a first position where the carrier member is coupled with the shuttle member and the shuttle member is spaced from the receiver member, and a second position where the pneumatic couplers and electrical couplers are respectively coupled with one another and the carrier is uncoupled and spaced from the shuttle member.

Abstract: A seating assembly is described with a seat member, attached to which is an attachment assembly which can support adjustable arms that support a work surface. The seat member attachment or attachment assembly is includes a plate and a seat mounting assembly. A first adjustable arm is attached to the seat member by a first connecting means. The attachment assembly includes a seat bar member that can be fixed to the seat member and mounting assembly to permit rotation of the adjustable arms around an axis that is perpendicular to the seat member. The mounting assembly has a male component that is adapted to mate with a female component in the first connecting means and a plate member that attaches to the bar member.

Abstract: A seating assembly is described with a seat member, attached to which is an attachment assembly which can support adjustable arms that support a work surface. The seat member attachment or attachment assembly is includes a plate and a seat mounting assembly. A first adjustable arm is attached to the seat member by a first connecting means. The attachment assembly includes a seat bar member that can be fixed to the seat member and mounting assembly to permit rotation of the adjustable arms around an axis that is perpendicular to the seat member. The mounting assembly has a male component that is adapted to mate with a female component in the first connecting means and a plate member that attaches to the bar member.

Abstract: An apparatus for lancing skin and collecting a liquid sample. The apparatus having a housing with an outer periphery and a rotatable arm having a lance to puncture the skin. A sample collection area is attached to the arm. The arm of the apparatus rotates from a first position to a second position. As the arm rotates, the lance extends beyond the housing allowing the lance to contact the user's skin and create a lance site. As the arm continues to move to the second position, the lance is brought out of contact with the user's skin and back within the housing while the collection area is brought into position. When the arm is located in the second position, the collection area is in substantially the same location as the lance site on the user's skin.

Abstract: A patch for iontophoretic transdermal application of a medicant, where the patch includes a border portion disposed about an aperture. The border portion can include a first polarity electrode in electrical communication with the medicant, and a second border portion including a second electrode having a second polarity opposite the first electrode polarity. One patch has a liftable cover, preferably a transparent and non-adherent cover, disposed over the patch aperture. A preferred medicant for inclusion in the present invention is a local anesthetic or analgesic. Other medicants such as anti-inflammatory agents or anti-infective agents may be used to locally reduce inflammation, contain infection, and alleviate pain. The present invention can allow performing a field block anesthetic about an epidermal target site. The present invention can allow observing a target or treatment site while leaving the patch in place.

Abstract: An apparatus for lancing skin and collecting a liquid sample. The apparatus having a housing with an outer periphery and a rotatable arm having a lance to puncture the skin. A sample collection area is attached to the arm. The arm of the apparatus rotates from a first position to a second position. As the arm rotates, the lance extends beyond the housing allowing the lance to contact the user's skin and create a lance site. As the arm continues to move to the second position, the lance is brought out of contact with the user's skin and back within the housing while the collection area is brought into position. When the arm is located in the second position, the collection area is in substantially the same location as the lance site on the user's skin.

Abstract: A swelling packer system uses modules that can be joined together and mounted over a tubular using a vertical split that can be drawn closed with a tapered pin in overlapping loops. The pins are circumferentially spaced apart as between adjacent modules. End rings can protect the modules for run in and act as extrusion barriers during and after the swelling is complete. The module ends can be overlapped in an interlocking fashion which allows multiple elements to be joined together to make a packer assembly as long as desired with any combination of swelling elements in a single packer assembly. Optionally, interior grooves in the swelling material can hold split ring seals or o-ring type seals that are slipped over a tubular end before a module is clamped on. The sealing elements can be triggered with water or hydrocarbons or with other materials already in the wellbore or introduced to it or other surface or locally actuated triggers.

Abstract: An apparatus for lancing skin and collecting a liquid sample. The apparatus having a housing with an outer periphery and a rotatable arm having a lance to puncture the skin. A sample collection area is attached to the arm. The arm of the apparatus rotates from a first position to a second position. As the arm rotates, the lance extends beyond the housing allowing the lance to contact the user's skin and create a lance site. As the arm continues to move to the second position, the lance is brought out of contact with the user's skin and back within the housing while the collection area is brought into position. When the arm is located in the second position, the collection area is in substantially the same location as the lance site on the user's skin.

Abstract: A swelling packer system uses modules that can be joined together and mounted over a tubular using a vertical split that can be drawn closed with a tapered pin in overlapping loops. The pins are circumferentially spaced apart as between adjacent modules. End rings can protect the modules for run in and act as extrusion barriers during and after the swelling is complete. The module ends can be overlapped in an interlocking fashion which allows multiple elements to be joined together to make a packer assembly as long as desired with any combination of swelling elements in a single packer assembly. Optionally, interior grooves in the swelling material can hold split ring seals or o-ring type seals that are slipped over a tubular end before a module is clamped on. The sealing elements can be triggered with water or hydrocarbons or with other materials already in the wellbore or introduced to it or other surface or locally actuated triggers.

Abstract: Devices and methods to heat and cool human beings, including inducing and maintaining hypothermia in human patients. Methods include inducing hypothermia to treat ischemic events, including heart attack and stroke, to limit damage caused by the ischemic event. Methods can include: using the lungs for heat exchange; using cooled gases for ventilation; using helium in the ventilation gas mixture, using medications to control reflex heat production; and injecting a perfluorocarbon mist into the gas stream to increase the cooling rate. The high thermal conductivity and diffusivity of helium results in greater inspired gas temperature equalization toward body temperature. Due to the latent heat of vaporization, addition of even small quantity of phase-change perfluorocarbon dramatically increases the heat carrying capacity of the respiratory gases. Hypothermia may be terminated by discontinuing the medications and warming the patient using a warmed helium-oxygen mixture.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing simultaneous positive pressure ventilation to a patient together with introduction of medical device shafts into the trachea, esophagus, and/or nasal cavity of a patient. A face mask according to present invention can be used to provide positive pressure ventilation and delivery of general anesthesia gas while maintaining an airtight seal about the face, simultaneous with the introduction of a medical device shaft, for example, a fiber optic laryngoscope, into the trachea of a patient. The mask can include a standard breathing circuit port and a second instrument port having a controllably variable or adjustable inside diameter for providing a tight seal about the inserted medical device shaft. One mask has an inflatable and deflatable cuff disposed within the inside tubular walls of the instrument port.

Abstract: A patch for iontophoretic transdermal application of a medicant, where the patch includes a border portion disposed about an aperture. The border portion can include a first polarity electrode in electrical communication with the medicant, and a second border portion including a second electrode having a second polarity opposite the first electrode polarity. One patch has a liftable cover, preferably a transparent and non-adherent cover, disposed over the patch aperture. A preferred medicant for inclusion in the present invention is a local anesthetic or analgesic. Other medicants such as anti-inflammatory agents or anti-infective agents may be used to locally reduce inflammation, contain infection, and alleviate pain. The present invention can allow performing a field block anesthetic about an epidermal target site. The present invention can allow observing a target or treatment site while leaving the patch in place.

Abstract: Devices and methods to heat and cool human beings, including inducing and maintaining hypothermia in human patients. Methods include inducing hypothermia to treat ischemic events, including heart attack and stroke, to limit damage caused by the ischemic event. Methods can include: using the lungs for heat exchange; using cooled gases for ventilation; using helium in the ventilation gas mixture, using medications to control reflex heat production; and injecting a perfluorocarbon mist into the gas stream to increase the cooling rate. The high thermal conductivity and diffusivity of helium results in greater inspired gas temperature equalization toward body temperature. Due to the latent heat of vaporization, addition of even small quantity of phase-change perfluorocarbon dramatically increases the heat carrying capacity of the respiratory gases. Hypothermia may be terminated by discontinuing the medications and warming the patient using a warmed helium-oxygen mixture.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for injecting fluid into the epidural space. An improved epidural needle or cannula is provided having a distal bulge or flare located within a few millimeters of the distal tip. The distal flare provides an increased resistance to penetration while the needle is penetrating the ligamentum flavum, and a decrease in resistance to penetration after the distal flare has successfully penetrated the ligamentum flavum. In a preferred embodiment, the distal bulge begins proximally at a distance of less than about 6 millimeters from the distal tip. The epidural needle according to the present invention preferably has the distal bulge or flare beginning proximally at a distance from the distal tip of less than the width of the epidural space.

Abstract: A patch for iontophoretic transdermal application of a medicant, where the patch includes a border portion disposed about an aperture. The border portion can include a first polarity electrode in electrical communication with the medicant, and a second border portion including a second electrode having a second polarity opposite the first electrode polarity. One patch has a liftable cover, preferably a transparent and non-adherent cover, disposed over the patch aperture. A preferred medicant for inclusion in the present invention is a local anesthetic or analgesic. Other medicants such as anti-inflammatory agents or anti-infective agents may be used to locally reduce inflammation, contain infection, and alleviate pain. The present invention can allow performing a field block anesthetic about an epidermal target site. The present invention can allow observing a target or treatment site while leaving the patch in place.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing simultaneous positive pressure ventilation to a patient together with introduction of medical device shafts into the trachea, esophagus, and/or nasal cavity of a patient. A face mask according to present invention can be used to provide positive pressure ventilation and delivery of general anesthesia gas while maintaining an airtight seal about the face, simultaneous with the introduction of a medical device shaft, for example, a fiber optic laryngoscope, into the trachea of a patient. The mask can include a standard breathing circuit port and a second instrument port having a controllably variable or adjustable inside diameter for providing a tight seal about the inserted medical device shaft. One mask has an inflatable and deflatable cuff disposed within the inside tubular walls of the instrument port.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for injecting fluid into the epidural space. An improved epidural needle or cannula is provided having a distal bulge or flare located within a few millimeters of the distal tip. The distal flare provides an increased resistance to penetration while the needle is penetrating the ligamentum flavum, and a decrease in resistance to penetration after the distal flare has successfully penetrated the ligamentum flavum. In a preferred embodiment, the distal bulge begins proximally at a distance of less than about 6 millimeters from the distal tip. The epidural needle according to the present invention preferably has the distal bulge or flare beginning proximally at a distance from the distal tip of less than the width of the epidural space.

Abstract: An interface system for a television receiver includes an interface connector having a plurality of contacts connected to various component circuits in the television receiver. In order to provide various functions for the television receiver, the interface system includes various circuit boards each having a plug connectable with the interface connector. The plug includes a number of contacts equal to or less than the plurality of contacts in the interface connector. A particular embodiment of one of the circuit boards includes circuitry for connecting the television receiver to an interconnecting network and for enabling a user to send and receive electronic mail messages using a remote control transmitter for the television receiver.

Abstract: An interface system for a television receiver includes an interface connector having a plurality of contacts connected to various component circuits in the television receiver. In order to provide various functions for the television receiver, the interface system includes various circuit boards each having a plug connectable with the interface connector. The plug includes a number of contacts equal to or less than the plurality of contacts in the interface connector. A particular embodiment of one of the circuit boards includes circuitry for connecting the television receiver to an interconnecting network and for enabling the television receiver to control, and to be controlled by, another television receiver also connected to the interconnecting network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for calibrating a sensor for determination of analyte concentration. The meter includes a sensor for receiving a user sample to be measured and a processor for performing a predefined test sequence for measuring a predefined parameter value. A memory can be coupled to the processor for storing predefined parameter data values. A calibration code is associated with the sensor and read by the processor before the user sample to be measured is received. The calibration code is used in measuring the predefined parameter data value to compensate for different sensor characteristics.