Abstract: An expanded beam ferrule includes a first ferrule halve having reflective surfaces and a second ferrule halve, which together retain optical fibers. The reflective surfaces output light perpendicular to the mid-plane of the ferrule. A sleeve aligns the external surface of two similar ferrules, with the reflective surfaces of the respective ferrules facing each other. Output light from an optical fiber held in the first ferrule is bent and collimated by a reflective surface, transmitted to the facing reflective surface in a second ferrule aligned by the sleeve, which bends the light to input to the optical fiber held in the second ferrule. The ferrule components and/or sleeve are precision formed by high throughput metal stamping. The ferrule is incorporated in an optical fiber connector.

Abstract: An optical coupling device for routing optical signals for use in an optical communications module, in which defined on a base are a structured surface having a surface profile that reshapes and/or reflect an incident light, and an alignment structure defined on the base, configured with a surface feature to facilitate positioning an optical component on the base in optical alignment with the structured surface to allow light to be transmitted along a defined path between the structured surface and the optical component. The structured surface and the alignment structure are integrally defined on the base by stamping a malleable material of the base. The alignment structure facilitates passive alignment of the optical component on the base in optical alignment with the structured surface to allow light to be transmitted along a defined path between the structured surface and the optical component. The structured surface has a reflective surface profile, which reflects and/or reshape incident light.

Abstract: An optical bench subassembly including an integrated photonic device. Optical alignment of the photonic device with the optical bench can be performed outside of an optoelectronic package assembly before attaching thereto. The photonic device is attached to a base of the optical bench, with its optical input/output in optical alignment with the optical output/input of the optical bench. The optical bench supports an array of optical fibers in precise relationship to a structured reflective surface. The photonic device is mounted on a submount to be attached to the optical bench. The photonic device may be actively or passively aligned with the optical bench. After achieving optical alignment, the submount of the photonic device is fixedly attached to the base of the optical bench. The optical bench subassembly may be structured to be hermetically sealed as a hermetic feedthrough, to be hermetically attached to a hermetic optoelectronic package.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by a solid support structure and an integral porous structure, the porous structure extending from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The porous structure embeds or encapsulates at least a portion of the solid support structure.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an internal chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by an integral porous structure.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by a solid support structure and an integral porous structure, the porous structure extending from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The porous structure embeds or encapsulates at least a portion of the solid support structure.

Abstract: An intervertebral implant for implantation in an intervertebral space between vertebrae. The implant includes a body extending from an upper surface to a lower surface. The body has a front end, a rear end and a pair of spaced apart first and second side walls extending between the front and rear walls such that an interior chamber is defined within the front and rear ends and the first and second walls. The body defines an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter extending about the internal chamber. At least one of the side walls is defined by a solid support structure and an integral porous structure, the porous structure extending from the outer perimeter to the inner perimeter. The porous structure embeds or encapsulates at least a portion of the solid support structure.

Abstract: A refuse body adapter includes a sub-frame assembly, a sub-frame adapter, and a spacer. The sub-frame assembly is configured to be coupled to a cargo body. The sub-frame adapter is configured to be coupled to a chassis of a vehicle. The spacer is coupled to both the sub-frame assembly and the sub-frame adapter. The spacer is disposed in a gap formed between the sub-frame assembly and the sub-frame adapter. A thickness of the spacer may be adjusted to accommodate different gap sizes between the sub-frame assembly and the sub-frame adapter.

Abstract: A custom oral device is provided that fits on the maxillary or mandibular arch of a wearer. The oral device comprises a tray that corresponds with the shape and size of a wearer's oral anatomy. A soft liner is disposed within an occlusal channel of the tray having an upper surface that comprises an impression having features that correspond to at least a portion of the wearer's dentition and in which the wearer's teeth align. An apparatus and a method for making the custom oral device are provided.

Abstract: A composite structure includes a base and an auxiliary portion of dissimilar materials. The auxiliary portion is shaped by stamping. As the auxiliary portion is stamped, it interlocks with the base, and at the same time forming a desired structured feature on the auxiliary portion, such as a structured reflective surface, an alignment feature, etc. With this approach, relatively less critical structured features can be shaped on the bulk of the base with less effort to maintain a relatively larger tolerance, while the relatively more critical structured features on the auxiliary portion are more precisely shaped with further considerations to define dimensions, geometries and/or finishes at relatively smaller tolerances. The auxiliary portion may include a composite structure of two dissimilar materials associated with different properties for stamping different structured features.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter for peri-vascular or peri-urethral tissue ablation includes multiple needles advanced through supported guide tubes which expand with open ends around a central axis to engage the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the injection an ablative fluid for ablating tissue, such as nerve fibers in the outer layer or deep to the outer layer of the vessel, or in prostatic tissue. The system also controls the depth of penetration of the ablative fluid into and beyond the tissue of the vessel wall. The catheter includes structures which provide radial and lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes open uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened injection needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to communicate via a weld cable are disclosed. An example welding accessory includes a first port to receive input power via a first weld cable, a power converter to convert the input power to output power, a second port to output the input power via a second weld cable, and one or more output switches to selectively divert the input power from the power converter to the second port.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter for peri-vascular and/or peri-urethral tissue ablation includes multiple needles advanced through supported guide tubes which expand around a central axis to engage the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the injection an ablative fluid for ablating tissue, and/or nerve fibers in the outer layer or deep to the outer layer of the vessel, or in prostatic tissue. The system may also include a means to limit and/or adjust the depth of penetration of the ablative fluid into and beyond the tissue of the vessel wall. The catheter may also include structures which provide radial and/or lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes expand uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened injection needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for associating electronic devices together based on received audio commands are described. Methods for associating an audio-controlled device with a physically separate display screen device such that information responses can then be provided in both audio and graphic formats using the two devices in conjunction with each other are described. The audio-controlled device can receive audio commands that can be analyzed to determine the author, which can then be used to further streamline the association operation.

Abstract: A system for sensing multiple local electric voltages from endocardial surface of a heart, includes: an elongate tubular member having a lumen, a proximal end and a distal end; a plurality of flexible splines; an anchor for securably affixing the proximal portions of the splines, where the anchor is securably affixed within the lumen of the elongate tubular member at the distal end of the elongate tubular member; and a metallic tip for securably affixing the distal portions of the splines.

Abstract: A ferrule for an optical fiber connector has an external surface for alignment with a complementary surface of an alignment sleeve (i.e., the inside surface of a generally cylindrical or tubular sleeve). The external surface of the ferrule is generally cylindrical, having a sectional contact surface profile that is generally oval in shape. More specifically, a plurality of points of contact between the ferrule and the sleeve are defined along a curve in cross-section, wherein the center of curvature at each of the contact points along this contact point curve (i.e., the curve containing contact points that contribute to alignment) does not lie in the plane of the axis of the array of optical fibers.

Abstract: An expanded beam ferrule includes a first ferrule halve having first reflective surfaces and a second ferrule halve having second reflective surfaces, which together retain optical fibers. The pair of reflective surfaces output collimated light parallel to the mid-plane of the ferrule. An external sleeve aligns the external surface of two similar ferrules, with corresponding second reflective surfaces of the ferrules facing each other. Output light from an optical fiber held in one ferrule is bent twice by the pair of reflective surfaces, with beam divergence after the first bent, and collimation after the second bent. The collimated light is transmitted to the facing second reflective surface in a facing second ferrule aligned by the sleeve, which is subject to optical reshaping in reverse to that undertaken in the first ferrule, so as to converge and focus light to input to the optical fiber held in the other ferrule.

Abstract: A ferrule for an optical fiber connector has an external surface for alignment with a complementary surface of an alignment sleeve (i.e., the inside surface of a generally cylindrical or tubular sleeve). The external surface of the ferrule is generally cylindrical, having a sectional contact surface profile that is generally oval in shape. More specifically, a plurality of points of contact between the ferrule and the sleeve are defined along a curve in cross-section, wherein the center of curvature at each of the contact points along this contact point curve (i.e., the curve containing contact points that contribute to alignment) does not lie in the plane of the axis of the array of optical fibers.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter for peri-vascular or peri-urethral tissue ablation includes multiple needles advanced through supported guide tubes which expand around a central axis to engage the interior surface of the wall of the renal artery or other vessel of a human body allowing the injection an ablative fluid for ablating tissue, such as nerve fibers in the outer layer or deep to the outer layer of the vessel, or in prostatic tissue. The system may also control the depth of penetration of the ablative fluid into and beyond the tissue of the vessel wall. The catheter may also include structures which provide radial or lateral support to the guide tubes so that the guide tubes expand uniformly and maintain their position against the interior surface of the vessel wall as the sharpened injection needles are advanced to penetrate into the vessel wall.

Abstract: The premixed pilot nozzle includes axially elongated tubes defined within a plenum between an outer shroud and a first shroud disposed radially inward of the outer shroud. The tubes extend between tube inlets defined through a forward face and tube outlets defined through an aft face. A second shroud is disposed radially inward of the first shroud, thereby defining a fuel plenum between the first shroud and the second shroud, and the fuel plenum is in communication with a gaseous fuel supply. A fuel injection port, which is positioned between the tube inlet and the tube outlet of each tube, is in fluid communication with the fuel plenum. An air supply configured to fluidly communicate with the tube inlet of each tube. The second shroud defines a second plenum therein, the second plenum being coupled to a source of a non-combustible fluid.