Abstract: A catheter for removing an object in a body lumen includes a rotatable drive shaft including a spiral portion having a spiral shape near a distal end of the drive shaft, an outer tube surrounding the drive shaft, a cutting member connected to the distal end of the drive shaft to be rotated by the drive shaft with respect to a rotation axis and by which the object is cut, a guide wire tube attached to a distal portion of the outer tube, extending substantially straight along a center spiral axis of the spiral portion, and having a first guide wire lumen, and a distal tip attached to a distal end of the guide wire tube and having a second guide wire lumen extending parallel to the rotation axis and communicating with the first guide wire lumen.

Abstract: A catheter for removing an object in a body lumen includes an outer tube, a drive shaft surrounded by the tube, a cutting member connected to a distal end of the shaft to be rotated by the shaft with respect to a rotation axis and by which the object is cut, a guide wire tube attached to a distal end of the outer tube and having a first lumen extending adjacent to the cutting member along the axis, and a distal tip attached to a distal end of the guide wire tube and having a second lumen extending parallel to the rotation axis and communicating with the first lumen. The drive shaft includes a curved portion near the distal end thereof to cause the tip to contact a first inner surface of the body lumen when the curved portion contacts an opposite second inner surface of the body lumen.

Abstract: A catheter for removing an object in a body lumen includes an outer tube, a shaft surrounded by the tube, a cutting member connected to the shaft to be rotated with respect to a rotation axis, a guide wire tube attached to the outer tube and having a first lumen for a guide wire and second lumens, a metal member attached to the wire tube, a part of the metal member surrounded by the member, a distal tip attached to the wire tube and having a third lumen communicating with the first lumen, and a pusher extending along the shaft, connectable to the distal tip or the metal member, and including wires that can pass through the second lumens. The pusher causes the cutting member to move toward a first surface of the body lumen when contacting an opposite second surface of the body lumen.

Abstract: Spring energized seal assemblies each with one or two sealing elements and a canted coil spring located in a spring cavity of the sealing element or of the two sealing elements to bias an inner flange and an outer flange of the respective spring cavity away from one another. The canted coil springs can have un-conventional coil shapes with one or more straight coil segments and/or with curved connecting ends. The coils can have dimples to provide multiple biasing points. The coils can have loops. The canted coil springs with un-conventional coil shapes can be used to improve spring loading on a sealing element.

Abstract: Supported face seal assemblies and related methods are disclosed. The supported face seal assemblies have spring energized seal element supported by a backing ring. When the two components are joined, they form an interlocking face seal assembly that is less prone to separate during installation and/or service. The methods disclosed include the steps of forming a spring energized sealing element with a convex outer surface, forming a backup or support ring with a concave inner surface, assembling the sealing element into the inner bore of the backup or support ring such that the concave inner surface accepts a portion of the convex outer surface and the sealing element is retained within the backup or support ring.

Abstract: Seal assemblies and methods for forming them are described. Aspects of the seal assemblies include a seal ring made of a relative soft material supported by a specially configured backing ring made of a much higher modulus material, such as ferrous and non-ferrous metal or engineered plastic. The seal assemblies may optionally include a retaining ring to prevent slippage relative to the environment or housing in which they are placed and to prevent shuttling. The seal assemblies may also optionally include an energizer to alter the force generating by a sealing lip on the seal ring. The seal assemblies preferably include a rigid hoop ring to minimize shrinkage due to thermal cycling.

Abstract: Spring energized seal assemblies each with one or two sealing elements and a canted coil spring located in a spring cavity of the sealing element or of the two sealing elements to bias an inner flange and an outer flange of the respective spring cavity away from one another. The canted coil springs can have un-conventional coil shapes with one or more straight coil segments and/or with curved connecting ends. The coils can have dimples to provide multiple biasing points. The coils can have loops. The canted coil springs with un-conventional coil shapes can be used to improve spring loading on a sealing element.

Abstract: An automatic animal watering apparatus includes a dish having an automatic watering valve disposed therein. When the valve is first closed, a water level in the dish is at a maximum level, and a hydraulic source pressure acts only across a smaller cross-sectional area of a valve seat which is closed by the valve, thus requiring only a first lower buoyancy force acting on a valve actuator float to maintain the valve closed. The water level can then drop from the maximum water level to a minimum water level before the hydraulic force action on the valve overcomes the first lower buoyancy force on the actuator float and reopens the valve. Then when the valve opens, the hydraulic source pressure acts against a larger cross-sectional area of the valve, thus requiring the buoyancy forces acting on the float to rise to a second higher buoyancy force to reclose the valve.

Abstract: An automatic animal watering apparatus includes a dish having an automatic watering valve disposed therein. When the valve is first closed, a water level in the dish is at a maximum level, and a hydraulic source pressure acts only across a smaller cross-sectional area of a valve seat which is closed by the valve, thus requiring only a first lower buoyancy force acting on a valve actuator float to maintain the valve closed. The water level can then drop from the maximum water level to a minimum water level before the hydraulic force action on the valve overcomes the first lower buoyancy force on the actuator float and reopens the valve. Then when the valve opens, the hydraulic source pressure acts against a larger cross-sectional area of the valve, thus requiring the buoyancy forces acting on the float to rise to a second higher buoyancy force to reclose the valve.

Abstract: Seal assemblies in which a seal member having an energizer located in a seal body groove is positioned inside a housing cavity of a housing are disclosed. The sealing member and the energizer, which can be an O-ring or a spring energizer, can be retained inside the housing cavity by positioning a portion of the energizer in a groove in the housing cavity in a locking or latching engagement. Methods of making and using seal assemblies are also disclosed.

Abstract: A canted coil spring assembly is disclosed having a plurality of coils and a filler material placed within the coils and in the direction of a centerline that goes through the coils. The plurality of coils have a loading direction that is generally perpendicular to a tangent of the centerline of the coils wherein a load is applied in such direction and causes the coils to deflect generally independently of adjacent coils.

Abstract: Seal assemblies in which a seal member having an energizer located in a seal body groove is positioned inside a housing cavity of a housing are disclosed. The sealing member and the energizer, which can be an O-ring or a spring energizer, can be retained inside the housing cavity by positioning a portion of the energizer in a groove in the housing cavity in a locking or latching engagement. Methods of making and using seal assemblies are also disclosed.

Abstract: Supported face seal assemblies and related methods are disclosed. The supported face seal assemblies have spring energized seal element supported by a backing ring. When the two components are joined, they form an interlocking face seal assembly that is less prone to separate during installation and/or service. The methods disclosed include the steps of forming a spring energized sealing element with a convex outer surface, forming a backup or support ring with a concave inner surface, assembling the sealing element into the inner bore of the backup or support ring such that the concave inner surface accepts a portion of the convex outer surface and the sealing element is retained within the backup or support ring.

Abstract: Seal assemblies for sealing around a moveable shaft, such as rotary or reciprocating, or static, are described. The seal assemblies prevent the passage of lubricant or fluid from a relatively high pressure area on a first side of the seal to a relatively low pressure area on a second side of the seal. In some embodiments, these seals are energized by energizers, such as circular springs or canted springs, to keep the seal in contact with the moveable shaft. The seals have primary and secondary seals. The secondary seal provides initial moderate sealing against abrasive particles or contaminants to reduce the exposure and wear of the primary seal.

Abstract: Seal assemblies and methods for forming them are described. Aspects of the seal assemblies include a seal ring made of a relative soft material supported by a specially configured backing ring made of a much higher modulus material, such as ferrous and non-ferrous metal or engineered plastic. The seal assemblies may optionally include a retaining ring to prevent slippage relative to the environment or housing in which they are placed and to prevent shuttling. The seal assemblies may also optionally include an energizer to alter the force generating by a sealing lip on the seal ring.

Abstract: A downhole valve has a closure device (e.g., one or more flappers) for closing off the valve. A no-go actuation mechanism protects the flappers from damage. When the flappers are closed, the mechanism prevents a tool from passing into the valve and causing damage to the flappers. Yet, the mechanism may open the valve's flappers when the tool string is forced into the valve. When the valve has successfully opened, then the mechanism moves out of the way of the toolstring so it can pass through the valve. For the mechanically operated valves, operators use a shifting profile in the valve only in the upward direction to return the valve to the closed position. For hydraulic actuated valves, hydraulic pressure may be used or exhausted, depending on the design, to allow the flappers to go closed. Once the flappers have closed, the no-go mechanism is once again realized.

Abstract: Seal assemblies and methods for forming them are described. Aspects of the seal assemblies include a seal ring made of a relative soft material supported by a specially configured backing ring made of a much higher modulus material, such as ferrous and non-ferrous metal or engineered plastic. The seal assemblies may optionally include a retaining ring to prevent slippage relative to the environment or housing in which they are placed and to prevent shuttling. The seal assemblies may also optionally include an energizer to alter the force generating by a sealing lip on the seal ring. The seal assemblies preferably include a rigid hoop ring to minimize shrinkage due to thermal cycling.

Abstract: Seal assemblies for sealing around a moveable shaft, such as rotary or reciprocating, or static, are described. The seal assemblies prevent the passage of lubricant or fluid from a relatively high pressure area on a first side of the seal to a relatively low pressure area on a second side of the seal. In some embodiments, these seals are energized by energizers, such as circular springs or canted springs, to keep the seal in contact with the moveable shaft. The seals have primary and secondary seals. The secondary seal provides initial moderate sealing against abrasive particles or contaminants to reduce the exposure and wear of the primary seal.

Abstract: A system and method is described for resolving a conflict detected while synchronizing a first data object in a first store associated with a mobile device and a second data object in a second store associated with a server. Once the conflict is detected, properties of the first data object are compared with corresponding properties of the second data object. If the properties and the corresponding properties that differ are designated as mergeable properties, the properties and the corresponding properties are merged. Merging the properties involves sending a preferred state associated with each of the properties and the corresponding properties to the mobile device and the server for updating the first data object and second data object, respectively, when an initial state for the properties and the corresponding properties is different than the preferred state.

Abstract: Seal assemblies and methods for forming them are described. Aspects of the seal assemblies include a seal ring made of a relative soft material supported by a specially configured backing ring made of a much higher modulus material, such as ferrous and non-ferrous metal or engineered plastic. The seal assemblies may optionally include a retaining ring to prevent slippage relative to the environment or housing in which they are placed and to prevent shuttling. The seal assemblies may also optionally include an energizer to alter the force generating by a sealing lip on the seal ring.