Abstract: A suturing assembly is provided which includes a cannula with first and second ends. A first portion adjacent the first end defines a proximal lumen for slidably receiving a needle, a first bend and a needle exit aperture at the first bend in communication with the proximal lumen. The first lumen and the needle exit aperture define a needle path. A second portion is adjacent the second end and defines a distal lumen. The cannula defines a second bend between the first bend and the second portion. A needle entrance aperture is defined in the second portion in communication with the distal lumen and in line with the needle path. The cannula defines a first opening in the first end in communication with the proximal lumen. A needle with a piercing end is slidably disposed within the proximal lumen. The needle has a first position within the proximal lumen and a second deployed position with the piercing end in the distal lumen and the opposite end in the proximal lumen.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument for cutting joint tissue includes an outer tubular member, or cannula, sized for percutaneous insertion into an anatomical space, such as s joint space in the spine. The outer tubular member has a cutting opening at its blunt-tipped distal end. The proximal end is supported by a handpiece. A cutting member is slidably disposed within the outer tubular member and includes a tubular cutting head portion defining an end opening and a cutting edge at the end opening. In the specific embodiment, the cutting member is a tubular tubular member having a cutting head portion at its distal end and a body portion extending therefrom to the handpiece. A hinge is integrally formed in the tubular cannula to connect the cutting head portion with said body portion, to permit pivoting of the cutting head portion relative to the body portion. As the cutting member is reciprocated within the outer cannula, the cutting edge contacts tissue drawn into the cutting opening.

Abstract: A convenient and practical apparatus for transporting digital images for display is achieved by incorporating an internally fixed base camera memory into an electronic or hybrid camera. Specifically, a camera includes a digital imaging system (16, 70) for generating a first digital image of first resolution in response to an exposure signal, a first storage memory (124) for receiving and storing the first digital image generated by the digital imaging system, a fixed memory or a removable memory interface connector (130) for receiving a removable memory device, and a processor (120) for controlling the transfer of the first digital image from the first storage memory to the fixed memory or removable memory interface connector for subsequent storage in a removable memory device, when a removable memory device is coupled to the removable memory interface connector.

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument for cutting tissue includes a flexible outer tubular assembly or cannula sized for percutaneous insertion into an anatomical space, such as a joint space in the spine. The outer tubular assembly has a cutting opening at its angle-tipped distal end, and the proximal end is supported by a handpiece. A cutting member is slidablv disposed within the outer tubular assembly and includes a tubular cutting head portion defining an end opening and a cutting edge at the end opening. In one specific embodiment, the outer tubular assembly includes a flexible segment connected between two more rigid segments by means of locking grooves. The cutting member includes a flexible drive portion attached to the cutting head portion in order to permit the cutting head portion to flex relative to the remainder of the cutting member and relative to the outer tubular assembly.

Abstract: An automatic tissue sampling device includes a housing having an upper opening and a cover closable over the opening. A biopsy needle assembly is operatively disposed within the device, and includes an outer cannula and an inner stylet. A drive mechanism includes a cannula carriage and a stylet carriage slidably disposed within the housing and a system of springs for driving the first and second carriages to pierce a tissue site and obtain a tissue sample. The cannula and stylet of the needle assembly are each supported on the respective carriages by corresponding hubs. The hubs are configured to be received within the carriages to impart driving motion from the carriages to the needle assembly. In one aspect of the invention, the hubs each include a flag attached to the hub and projecting laterally away from the longitudinal axis of the hub. Each flag is sized to be manually grasped to install or remove the hubs from the carriages.

Abstract: A biopsy needle device (10) is provided which includes an introducer cannula (20) defining a lumen (25) sized to receive a biopsy needle (11) therethrough and a lateral opening (24) in communication with the lumen (25) adjacent the first end (21) of the cannula (20). The invention also includes a solid tip (30) having an anatomically distal end (31) secured to the first end (21) of the cannula (20) and a proximal end (32) configured to pierce tissue. A ramp (35) is disposed within the cannula (20) at an end (36) of the lateral opening (24) adjacent the first end (21) of the cannula (20). The ramp (35) is inclined toward the lateral opening (24), whereby a biopsy needle (11) will be deflected through the lateral opening (24) as it advances within the lumen (25) and exits the cannula (20).

Abstract: A surgical cutting instrument for cutting joint tissue includes an outer tubular member, or cannula, sized for percutaneous insertion into an anatomical space, such as s joint space in the spine. The outer tubular member has a cutting opening at its blunt-tipped distal end. The proximal end is supported by a handpiece. A cutting member is slidably disposed within the outer tubular member and includes a tubular cutting head portion defining an end opening and a cutting edge at the end opening. In the specific embodiment, the cutting member is a tubular tubular member having a cutting head portion at its distal end and a body portion extending therefrom to the handpiece. A hinge is integrally formed in the tubular cannula to connect the cutting head portion with said body portion, to permit pivoting of the cutting head portion relative to the body portion. As the cutting member is reciprocated within the outer cannula, the cutting edge contacts tissue drawn into the cutting opening.

Abstract: An automatic package wrapping machine wraps a box of arbitrary size. The box is placed in the machine following which all operations are automatic. As the box is automatically advanced to a ready-to-wrap position, its length, width and height are automatically measured. Paper is withdrawn from a roll supply and automatically cut to a size calculated to wrap the box. The paper is automatically applied to wrap four sides of the box without causing the box to tilt or tumble. The ends are then automatically processed by folding and sealing of flaps, whereupon a neatly wrapped box is ejected from the machine.

Abstract: The invention provides a ski binding comprising a toe piece and a cable tensioned around a heel of the boot to a position below a sole of the boot at the toe, providing a rebound force for returning the boot heel to the ski without preventing the boot heel from being lifted off the ski.

Abstract: An automatic package wrapping machine wraps a box of arbitrary size. The box is placed in the machine following which all operations are automatic. As the box is automatically advanced to a ready-to-wrap position, its length, width and height are automatically measured. Paper is withdrawn from a roll supply and automatically cut to a size calculated to wrap the box. The paper is automatically applied to wrap four sides of the box without causing the box to tilt or tumble. The ends are then automatically processed by folding and sealing of flaps, whereupon a neatly wrapped box is ejected from the machine.

Abstract: A tissue collecting and staging apparatus is operable with a minimally invasive percutaneous tissue removal system to collect a mass of tissue bits and provide an ordered, or staged, version of the bulk tissue prior to removal. The apparatus includes a chamber under vacuum and at least one tube having a first end extending into the chamber for receiving tissue bits therein. A tissue collection container is slidably disposed over the first tube end and extends along a portion of the tube within the chamber. As tissue bits are dispensed from the tube into the tissue collection container, the vacuum draws the container away from the first tube end to maintain vacuum within the tube. The resulting collected tissue mass is a staged reconstruction of the bulk tissue prior to removal to facilitate analysis of the tissue by a pathologist.

Abstract: A rotary surgical cutting instrument for use in cutting tissue within an anatomical space includes an outer cannula sized for percutaneous insertion into the anatomical space. The outer cannula defines a central bore along the length of the outer cannula and a cutting opening adjacent the distal end sized to receive tissue therethrough. A rotatably driven tubular cutting member is disposed within the central bore of the outer cannula, with a cutting edge rotating beneath the cutting opening of the cannula. The cutting edge extends at least substantially completely circumferentially around the tubular cutting head and circumscribes an angle relative to longitudinal and radial planes defined by the outer cannula. The cutting member can include a tubular cutting head and body portion that are connected by a hinge to permit pivoting of the cutting head relative to the body.

Abstract: A reciprocating cutting instrument includes an outer tube housing an inner reciprocating cutting blade. The cutting blade is engaged to a source of power, namely a motor, through a transmission and drive mechanism. This transmission and drive mechanism converts rotary drive movement of the motor to reciprocating movement of the cutting blade. A cam is provided that engages the spindle of the motor, the cam formed by a generally cylindrically shaped cam barrel with a cam channel defined in the outer surface of the barrel. A drive ball rides within the channel and is supported within a boss of a linear in-line driver. The in-line driver reciprocates within a bearing housed by a driver cartridge. Pressure between the drive ball and the cam channel is maintained by a set screw threaded into the boss in the in-line driver. As the motor rotates, the spindle, which is engaged to the cam, rotates the cam barrel.

Abstract: This invention provides a cost effective, simple and sanitary breading machine suitable for coating a variety of food products, such as poultry, with different types of breading materials. After coating of upper and lower surfaces of food products introduced into the breading machine, a significant dwell time within the breading machine is achieved in the construction to allow breading material to more effectively set up on the coated food products. The coating machine further includes structure to enable the food products introduced therein to be flipped a plurality of times, wherein additional coating material is continuously applied to alternate sides of the food products and desirable coating characteristics are achieved.

Abstract: A deep fat fryer having an elongated housing for holding a bath of hot fat through which an endless main conveyor carries a food product through the bath from the infeed end to a discharge end of the housing. Above the main conveyor is a submerger conveyor having a run moving from the infeed end to the discharge end of the housing and adapted in operative position to line close to the food portions on the main conveyor and hold them submerged in the hot fat bath. In operative cooking position of the conveyor apparatus, the submerger conveyor nests into the side rails of the main conveyor and an elongated hood encloses the hot bath housing at a zone above the submerger covneyor from one end of the housing to the other.

Abstract: A steerable intramedullary fracture reduction device has an elongated shaft with a steerable tip pivotally mounted to the distal end of the shaft. Tip actuating apparatus near the proximal end of the shaft enable the operator to steer the tip and the shaft into successive segments of the fractured bone, even when the segments are transversely or rotationally displaced so that the segments can be aligned by the shaft.

Abstract: A breading machine incorporating the present invention for use with fresh or green bread crumbs for continuously coating a battered food product having a frame supporting an endless conveyor on which food product is disposed defining a food product conveyance path, and a rotatable drum type conveyor disposed adjacent to the path and operable to receive fresh bread crumbs and to convey the bread crumbs into a hopper for distribution to the food product conveyor for coating the food product carried thereon.

Abstract: An oil circulation system for use in a deep fat fryer which has a heated bath of cooking oil carried in a reservoir through which food products are carried on a conveyor means for cooking or frying said products; the oil circulation system generating a flow of cooking oil that moves through the oil bath in a direction transverse to the movement of the food product and which provides substantially equal temperature throughout the oil bath.

Abstract: A laser is comprised of a lens, a cavity and an excitation source. The lens comprises a paraboloidically/ellipsoidally curved RF photon transparent element comprised of a periodic superlattice of laminated layers of n-doped CdS with lithium reinforcement in the valence band, a periodic superlattice of laminated layers of p-doped CdTe, and an intermediate intrinsic layer of neutral CdS. The lens is separated into three sectors of equal area tuned to emit red, green and blue light in their respective sector. The lens is mounted at one end of the cavity. The excitation is mounted within the cavity and comprises a source of an acoustic microwave beam directed toward the lens. Spiralling red, green and blue beams are produced in the lens and travel at different phase velocities to recombine to produce a single elliptically polarized white beam at one ellipse per cycle.