Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm (12) comprising a woven fibre body supports damping material (25), for example PVA polymer, on a rearward-facing surface (24). The woven fibre body may be formed of lengths (14) non-metallic fibre material (for example glass fibre) coating with a thin metal coating (32). The mass of the layer of damping material (25) may be less than the mass of the woven fibre body. An attractive sparkly looking loudspeaker diaphragm (12) may thus be provided which damps undesirable vibration whilst providing a flatter frequency-response curve (50).

Abstract: A novel medical device for treating obesity is disclosed. The device is inserted through the oral cavity and into the digestive tract of a human. The device is a passive catheter-style structure that preferentially directs a significant volume of the high calorie fluidic components of the chyme through the digestive tract, preventing exposure to the absorptive tissues of the digestive tract and, in some forms, stimulates negative feedback to the patient when simple sugars and carbohydrates are consumed. The device may be installed or removed though the use of standard endoscopy, or may be offered in the form of an ingestible device. The device may be inflatable or preformed for use within the digestive tract. Also disclosed is a novel method of using the medical device to control obesity.

Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm (12) comprising a woven fibre body supports damping material (25), for example PVA polymer, on a rearward-facing surface (24). The woven fibre body may be formed of lengths (14) non-metallic fibre material (for example glass fibre) coating with a thin metal coating (32). The mass of the layer of damping material (25) may be less than the mass of the woven fibre body. An attractive sparkly looking loudspeaker diaphragm (12) may thus be provided which damps undesirable vibration whilst providing a flatter frequency-response curve (50).

Abstract: A novel medical device for treating obesity is disclosed. The device is inserted through the oral cavity and into the digestive tract of a human. The device is a passive catheter-style structure that preferentially directs a significant volume of the high calorie fluidic components of the chyme through the digestive tract, preventing exposure to the absorptive tissues of the digestive tract and, in some forms, stimulates negative feedback to the patient when simple sugars and carbohydrates are consumed. The device may be installed or removed though the use of standard endoscopy, or may be offered in the form of an ingestible device. The device may be inflatable or preformed for use within the digestive tract. Also disclosed is a novel method of using the medical device to control obesity.

Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm (12) comprising a woven fibre body supports damping material (25), for example PVA polymer, on a rearward-facing surface (24). The woven fibre body may be formed of lengths (14) non-metallic fibre material (for example glass fibre) coating with a thin metal coating (32). The mass of the layer of damping material (25) may be less than the mass of the woven fibre body. An attractive sparkly looking loudspeaker diaphragm (12) may thus be provided which damps undesirable vibration whilst providing a flatter frequency-response curve (50).

Abstract: Tissue securement fibers of reduced cross sectional area and methods of making them are disclosed. The fibers comprising reduced cross sectional areas provide higher degrees of flexibility by providing discrete bending zones most useful in applications when the fiber is bent at an included angle less than 180°, more particularly when the included angle is less than 90°.

Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm (12) comprising a woven fibre body supports damping material (25), for example PVA polymer, on a rearward-facing surface (24). The woven fibre body may be formed of lengths (14) non-metallic fibre material (for example glass fibre) coating with a thin metal coating (32). The mass of the layer of damping material (25) may be less than the mass of the woven fibre body. An attractive sparkly looking loudspeaker diaphragm (12) may thus be provided which damps undesirable vibration whilst providing a flatter frequency-response curve (50).

Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm (12) comprising a woven fiber body supports damping material (25), for example PVA polymer, on a rearward-facing surface (24). The woven fiber body may be formed of lengths (14) non-metallic fiber material (for example glass fiber) coating with a thin metal coating (32). The mass of the layer of damping material (25) may be significantly greater than the mass of the woven fiber body. An attractive sparkly looking loudspeaker diaphragm (12) may thus be provided which damps undesirable vibration while providing a flatter frequency-response curve (50).

Abstract: A surgical stapler having an anvil including a plurality of staple forming pockets for forming staples. The staple forming pockets include first and second staple forming cups configured to receive first and second legs of a staple respectively. The first staple forming cup within each staple forming pocket has a different depth from the second staple forming cup within that staple forming pocket.

Abstract: A loudspeaker chassis assembly (2) comprises a loudspeaker chassis (4) and one or more mass damping elements (6), which dampen vibration of the chassis (4). The mass damping elements (6) may be directly attached to the chassis (4) and may be tuned to dampen one or more particular vibrational modes of the chassis (4).

Abstract: Polymeric fibers, and apparatuses for and methods of processing such fibers to be useful as sutures, where at least one end of a fiber includes a termination feature. The termination feature is formed through the application of energy to a coiled region of the fiber.

Abstract: A joint assembly between a first component and a second component comprises a ball portion configured to be connected to the first component. A socket is configured to be connected to the second component or ground and comprises a socket base, a socket cover, and a spherical joint cavity within the assembled socket base and socket cover to receive the ball portion to form a spherical joint. At least one biasing member is in the joint assembly. A clamp clamps the socket base to the socket cover such that the at least one biasing member biases the socket base and the socket cover toward one another.

Abstract: A device that is inserted through the abdominal wall and into the digestive tract of a human is disclosed. The device may be placed through a method such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). The device includes a gastrostomy style structure that provides fluid communication with the external environment of the patient with the internal contents of the stomach. The device is produced with a series of slotted collection channels that preferentially, when connected to a source of negative relative pressure, directs a significant volume of the high calorie fluidic components of the chyme out of the digestive tract, preventing exposure to the absorptive tissues of the digestive tract when simple sugars and carbohydrates are consumed.

Abstract: A novel medical device for treating obesity is disclosed. The device is inserted through the oral cavity and into the digestive tract of a human. The device is a passive catheter-style structure that preferentially directs a significant volume of the high calorie fluidic components of the chyme through the digestive tract, preventing exposure to the absorptive tissues of the digestive tract and, in some forms, stimulates negative feedback to the patient when simple sugars and carbohydrates are consumed. The device may be installed or removed though the use of standard endoscopy, or may be offered in the form of an ingestible device. The device may be inflatable or preformed for use within the digestive tract. Also disclosed is a novel method of using the medical device to control obesity.

Abstract: A linear actuator comprises a motor having an output. An end block is connected to a casing and to the motor and has a counterbore at a distal end with a bearing seated and retained in the counterbore. A coupling assembly couples the output shaft of the motor to a threaded shaft for transmission of the rotational output to the threaded shaft. A sliding tube is in sliding arrangement with the inner cavity of the casing for moving in translation relative to the casing.

Abstract: A loudspeaker diaphragm (12) comprising a woven fibre body supports damping material (25), for example PVA polymer, on a rearward-facing surface (24). The woven fibre body may be formed of lengths (14) non-metallic fibre material (for example glass fibre) coating with a thin metal coating (32). The mass of the layer of damping material (25) may be significantly greater than the mass of the woven fibre body. An attractive sparkly looking loudspeaker diaphragm (12) may thus be provided which damps undesirable vibration whilst providing a flatter frequency-response curve (50).

Abstract: An implant for treating obstructive sleep apnea includes a first chamber containing an incompressible fluid, a second chamber containing a compressible fluid, and a flexible diaphragm separating the first and second chambers. The incompressible fluid is in communication with the compressible fluid via the flexible diaphragm. The first chamber has a first volume that remains constant in response to an external force applied upon the implant and the second chamber has a second volume that is changeable when the external force is applied upon the implant. The flexible diaphragm is extendible into the second chamber for reducing the second volume of the second chamber and compressing the compressible fluid within the second chamber. The compressible fluid within the second chamber provides less resistance to flexing during initial flexing of the implant and more resistance to flexing during further flexing of the implant.

Abstract: A system for treating obstructive sleep apnea includes a first element implantable in a tongue and a second element implantable between muscle planes of an inframandibular region. The second element has a first end coupled with the first element and a second end coupled with a hyoid bone for preventing the base of the tongue from collapsing against an opposing pharyngeal wall during sleep. The first and second implantable elements have outer surfaces that are substantially impermeable to tissue in-growth to allow for post-surgical adjustment or removal, if necessary. The first implantable element is elongated and includes a first end, a second end, and a center section located between the first and second ends. The center section is implantable in the tongue, and the first and second ends of the first implantable element are advanceable beneath the tongue for being coupled with the anterior end of the second implantable element.

Abstract: A linear actuator comprises a motor having an output shaft. A casing of the motor has an inner cavity with a counterbore seat surface. A threaded shaft is within the inner cavity. A bearing is received in the counterbore seat surface. A coupling assembly has a first coupling component receiving the rotational output from the motor, and a second coupling component coupled to the first coupling component for transmission of the rotational output to the threaded shaft. A sliding tube is sliding arrangement with the casing for moving in translation relative to the casing. A traveling nut is in the sliding tube for moving therewith for converting a rotational motion of the threaded shaft into a translation of the sliding tube. An integral driven assembly unit comprising the bearing, the threaded shaft, the traveling nut and the sliding tube interconnected to one another so as to be removable by pulling out the integral driven assembly as a whole from the inner cavity of the casing via the proximal end.

Abstract: A diaphragm for a loudspeaker drive unit or for a microphone includes a rigid dome-shaped member having a thickness that varies from a first thicker thickness at a first location at the periphery of the dome-shaped member to a second thinner thickness at a second location, which is nearer to the center of the dome-shaped member. There is a step-wise change in thickness at a location between the first location and the second location. Having greater thickness at the periphery of the dome-shaped member may improve stiffness of the diaphragm and may allow for an increased break-up frequency. Having thinner material elsewhere in the dome-shaped member may allow the mass of the diaphragm to be kept low and may result in better acoustic sensitivity.