Abstract: A self contained watering apparatus may be buried within the soil in a conventional decorative pot or outdoors in the ground adjacent a plant(s) to be watered. A container for water serves as the source of water and includes a tube for refilling the container. An electric pump, which may be within the container or above the container, pumps water from within the container and discharges the water through a conventional spray nozzle or drip irrigation nozzle. A battery provides electric power to the pump and a settable timer regulates the electrical connection between the battery and the pump.

Abstract: A low cost camera and light emitting diode are coupled to the distal end of an endotracheal tube to obtain an image in real time of tissue at the distal end of the endotracheal tube. Power for the light emitting diode and camera, along with a signal reflective of the image captured by the camera, are transmitted through electrical conductors embedded in the wall of the endotracheal tube and are coupled with a plug. The plug is detachably attached to a radio frequency transmitter module to provide electrical power to the light emitting diode and to the camera and for transmitting the signal of the captured image to a receiver for real time display of the image on a video monitor.

Abstract: A low cost camera and low cost light emitting diode are located at the distal end of a suction catheter to provide a real time image of the trachea or the gastrointestinal tract. Electrical conductors attached to or formed as part of the suction catheter terminate in an electrical connector exterior of the suction catheter for electrical connection with a power supply and a radio frequency or infrared transmitter for transmitting the signal generated by the camera. A radio frequency or infrared receiver receives the transmitted signal and provides it to a video monitor for displaying the image captured by the camera.

Abstract: An endotracheal tube includes an inflatable balloon close to the distal end. A camera is mounted on the wall of the endotracheal tube proximate and upstream from the balloon to provide a real time image of any accumulation of secretions in the area. A light emitting diode is also mounted in the wall of the endotracheal tube to provide illumination for the camera. Sets of electrical conductors may be embedded in the wall of the endotracheal tube to provide electrical power to the camera and to the light emitting diode and to convey a signal from the camera representative of the image captured by the camera. Connectors attached to the electrical conductors are mated with a transmitter module housing electrical power (such as batteries) for providing electrical power to the light emitting diode and to the camera and electrical circuitry for transmitting the signal from the camera with a radio frequency transmitter.

Abstract: A low cost camera and radio frequency transmitter are detachably coupled to an endotracheal tube to obtain an image in real time of tissue at the distal end of the endotracheal tube. The image recorded by the camera is transmitted to a low cost radio frequency receiver nearby and conveyed to a video monitor to display the image. The use of a wireless transmission system avoids the presence of wires and cords that otherwise might become entangled and cause the endotracheal tube to be inadvertently repositioned or pulled out of the patient.

Abstract: A low cost camera and radio frequency transmitter are coupled to an endotracheal tube to obtain an image in real time of tissue at the distal end of the endotracheal tube. The image recorded by the camera is transmitted to a low cost radio frequency receiver nearby and conveyed to a video monitor to display the image. The use of a wireless transmission system avoids the presence of wires and cords that otherwise might become entangled and cause the endotracheal tube to be inadvertently repositioned or pulled out of the patient.

Abstract: An illuminated caliper device includes a caliper assembly having first and second caliper legs each having a pointed tip and a pivot end. A pivot support and first and second pivot elements pivotally connects the pivot ends of the first and second caliper legs to the pivot support. A battery housing attached to the pivot support contains a battery. First and second light emitting diodes are coupled by a switch mounted on the battery housing to first and second terminals of the battery and produced light that is directed to areas of the surface to be measured by pointed tips of the legs. The intensity and color of light emitted by the first light emitting diode are such as to sufficiently illuminate the surface under low ambient illumination conditions without disrupting acquired night vision of a user.

Abstract: An illuminated caliper device includes a caliper assembly having first and second caliper legs each having a pointed tip and a pivot end. A pivot support and first and second pivot elements pivotally connects the pivot ends of the first and second caliper legs to the pivot support. A battery housing attached to the pivot support contains a battery. First and second light emitting diodes are coupled by a switch mounted on the battery housing to first and second terminals of the battery and produced light that is directed to areas of the surface to be measured by pointed tips of the legs. The intensity and color of light emitted by the first light emitting diode are such as to sufficiently illuminate the surface under low ambient illumination conditions without disrupting acquired night vision of a user.

Abstract: An apparatus for contemporaneously treating a sequence of treatment sites in an internal organ and creating a viewable map of the treated sites includes a first catheter having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion through a body passage to tissue needing treatment. A needle assembly is attached to the distal end of the first catheter to permit injection of fluid into treatments sites of the tissue. A fluid injection assembly is connected to the proximal end of the first catheter and containing predetermined amounts of radiographic contrast agent and treatment agent for injection into the various treatment sites. A radiographic visualizing apparatus is aimed at the treatment sites, including a display screen for displaying the extent of migration of radiographic contrast agent around each treatment site after injection, so that a radiographic marking appears on the display screen for a predetermined amount of time after each injection, showing which treatment sites have been treated.

Abstract: An apparatus for contemporaneously treating a sequence of treatment sites in an internal organ and creating a viewable map of the treated sites includes a first catheter having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion through a body passage to tissue needing treatment. A needle assembly is attached to the distal end of the first catheter to permit injection of fluid into treatments sites of the tissue. A fluid injection assembly is connected to the proximal end of the first catheter and containing predetermined amounts of radiographic contrast agent and treatment agent for injection into the various treatment sites. A radiographic visualizing apparatus is aimed at the treatment sites, including a display screen for displaying the extent of migration of radiographic contrast agent around each treatment site after injection, so that a radiographic marking appears on the display screen for a predetermined amount of time after each injection, showing which treatment sites have been treated.

Abstract: An apparatus for contemporaneously treating a sequence of treatment sites in an internal organ and creating a viewable map of the treated sites includes a first catheter having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion through a body passage to tissue needing treatment. A needle assembly is attached to the distal end of the first catheter to permit injection of fluid into treatments sites of the tissue. A fluid injection assembly is connected to the proximal end of the first catheter and containing predetermined amounts of radiographic contrast agent and treatment agent for injection into the various treatment sites. A radiographic visualizing apparatus is aimed at the treatment sites, including a display screen for displaying the extent of migration of radiographic contrast agent around each treatment site after injection, so that a radiographic marking appears on the display screen for a predetermined amount of time after each injection, showing which treatment sites have been treated.

Abstract: An endotracheal tube includes a main tube having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, an inflatable annular cuff disposed on the main tube in sealed relation thereto adjacent on the distal end portion. An inflation tube extends from the distal end portion into the cuff. A viewing lens is located on the distal end portion and optically coupled to a first optical fiber extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion. A viewing device is attached to a proximal end of the first optical fiber. An illumination port is located on the distal end portion coupled to a second optical fiber extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion. An illumination source is optically coupled to a proximal end of the second optical fiber. The extended insertion of the endotracheal tube and conditions of adjacent tissue can be viewed by means of the viewing device.

Abstract: A pen-caliper device includes a pen assembly having a pen barrel, a ballpoint ink cartridge in the barrel, and a mechanism engaging the ink cartridge and the barrel for advancing the ink cartridge to position a ballpoint of the ink cartridge for writing, and later retracting the ballpoint into the pen barrel. The pen-caliper device also includes a caliper assembly having first and second caliper arms each having a pointed tip. First and second gear elements are attached to pivot ends of the first and second caliper arms, respectively. The first and second gear elements engage each other to cause symmetrical opening and closing of the first and second caliper arms. A snug-fitting rigid sheath is slidable over either the caliper assembly or the pen assembly, so a user can remove the sheath from the caliper assembly to expose the first and second divider arms and slide the sheath over the pen assembly for safe-keeping while using the caliper assembly.

Abstract: A transparent plastic collapsible balloon is attached to the distal end of a flexible bronchoscope or angioscope. The inflatable balloon has a cavity or "working well" at its distal end which communicates by means of a tube with the central channel of the angioscope. Separate channels of the angioscope allow inflation of the balloon after it has been introduced into a vein or artery and visualization of tissue against which the distal end of the balloon is pressed. A laser fiber, forceps, or other instrument can be passed through the central channel of the angioscope, and through an opening in the distal end of the balloon into the working well cavity to allow lasing or other procedures to be performed on tissue abutted by the balloon and isolated by the working well cavity, and to also allow direct visualization of such procedures. Accurate visualization of the operation of lasing, use of the forceps to obtain biopsies or to remove foreign objects, and other intravascular procedures can thereby be achieved.

Abstract: An angioplasty catheter includes a light source and eyepiece connected by a cable to a proximal portion of a stiff inner catheter of the angioplasty catheter. A plurality of optical fibers carrying light from the light source are attached to or embedded in the stiff inner catheter and terminate just inside an inflatable transparent balloon of the angioplasty catheter to illuminate the interior of the balloon and the walls of an artery, and plaque or other obstruction in the artery. A plurality of optical fibers with distal ends in the proximal portion of the balloon are embedded in or attached to the stiff inner catheter and have proximal ends connected to the eyepiece to enable a physician to view the walls of the artery and the plaque or obstruction before, during, and after an angioplasty procedure.

Abstract: A transparent plastic collapsible balloon is attached to the distal end of a flexible bronchoscope or angioscope. The inflatable balloon has a cavity or "working well" at its distal end which communicates by means of a tube with the central channel of the angioscope. Separate channels of the angioscope allow inflation of the balloon after it has been introduced into a vein or artery and visualization of tissue against which the distal end of the balloon is pressed. A laser fiber, forceps, or other instrument can be passed through the central channel of the angioscope, and through an opening in the distal end of the balloon into the working well cavity to allow lasing or other procedures to be performed on tissue abutted by the balloon and isolated by the working well cavity, and to also allow direct visualization of such procedures. Accurate visualization of the operating of lasing, use of the forceps to obtain biopsies or to remove foreign objects, and other intravascular procedures can thereby be achieved.