Abstract: Wheel with an in-wheel suspension system, and suspension member thereof. Wheel includes: stationary member including an axis, rotary member rotatable about the axis, and selective suspension system. The selective suspension system has at least one suspension member positioned between the stationary member and the rotary member, thereby providing a fixed distance therebetween, and retains the fixed distance when stressed up to a threshold value, and recoverably alters the fixed distance when stressed over the threshold value. The suspension member includes: cylindrical housing, piston slidably movable in the cylindrical housing, and compression spring whose first end is connected to the piston and second end is connected to the housing. The compression spring, when fully relaxed or compressed under the threshold value, maintains the housing and piston at a normally fixed distance. Applicable to wheelchairs and bicycles, among other self-propelled and powered vehicles.

Abstract: Landing gear apparatuses and applications, wherein wheels include embedded (in-wheel) high impact shock absorbing capabilities. Landing gear assembly includes: wheel with wheel rim connected to wheel hub, wheel rim encompasses inner boundary and has inner radius, wheel hub is movable and positionable to a nominal position in space within rim inner boundary; a wheel hub positioning mechanism, connected to wheel hub, selectively confining and positioning wheel hub within space to pre-determined position different from nominal position; and wheel hub suspension assembly, connected to wheel hub, operable in response to hub moving relative to pre-determined position, and including damper for absorbing shocks or/and dissipate kinetic energy during hub motion. When wheel is subjected to landing impact shock at least 2 meters-per-second vertical velocity, hub moves from or across pre-determined position towards rim inner boundary, along wheel hub maximal shifting path longer than rim inner radius.

Abstract: A wheel connectable to a vehicle. The wheel includes a stationary member having an axis, a rotary member rotatable about the axis, and at least one support member positioned between the stationary member and the rotary member, thereby providing a normally fixed distance therebetween. The support member is adapted to retain the distance when stressed up to a threshold value and to recoverably alter the distance when stressed over the threshold value.

Abstract: Staplers and stapler heads for surgically fastening and cutting a bodily tissue or/and organ, including: a stapling jaw configured to include a first stapling jaw portion and a second stapling jaw portion separated from each other by a longitudinal channel. A blade having a sharp edge may be shiftable from a horizontal position to a vertical position so as to allow traveling thereof along the longitudinal channel. First stapling jaw portion may include a first row of tissue fasteners of a first staple size or/and type, and second stapling jaw portion may include a second row of tissue fasteners of a second staple size or/and type. Also described are methods for surgically fastening and cutting a bodily tissue or/and organ.

Abstract: A laparoscopic port is disclosed which includes a tubular member comprising a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending there between. At least one seal member provided in the lumen adapted to prevent pressurized gas flow from the distal end to the proximal end of the tubular member. The laparoscopic port further includes a shielding trigger positioned distal to the seal member in the lumen, the shielding trigger is shaped so as at least a proximal portion of the shielding trigger has a narrowing cross-section that extends towards the seal member, the proximal portion is adapted to actuate a reversibly opening and protection of the seal member upon a proximally projected pressure from a distal end of an artifact.

Abstract: A system for positioning an interchangeable tool in a body cavity includes a channel having a lumen in direct communication with the body cavity; a tool introducer having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, the tool introducer capable of traveling through the channel lumen; and a tool holder covering at least a portion of the interchangeable tool that is pivotally connected to the tool introducer allowing angular positioning of the interchangeable tool after the tool holder emerges from the channel into the body cavity. A method for engaging an interchangeable tool with a distal portion of a tool manipulator in a body cavity includes inserting a tool introducer into a channel, orienting the distal portion of the tool manipulator in the body cavity; emerging the interchangeable tool from the channel into the body cavity; and positioning the interchangeable tool eccentrically to the lumen of the channel.

Abstract: A laparoscopic port is disclosed which includes a tubular member comprising a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending there between. At least one seal member provided in the lumen adapted to prevent pressurized gas flow from the distal end to the proximal end of the tubular member. The laparoscopic port further includes a shielding trigger positioned distal to the seal member in the lumen, the shielding trigger is shaped so as at least a proximal portion of the shielding trigger has a narrowing cross-section that extends towards the seal member, the proximal portion is adapted to actuate a reversibly opening and protection of the seal member upon a proximally projected pressure from a distal end of an artifact.

Abstract: A wheel with a suspension system being connectable to a vehicle, like a wheel chair. The wheel includes a hub and a rim rotatable about the axle of the hub. Between the hub and the rim, a number of support members is located. The support members are adapted to retain the distance when stressed up to a threshold value and recoverly alter the distanced when stressed over this threshold value. Exemplary support members are spring elements, damping strokes by compression if the support member is compressed or elongated. The spring elements may be preloaded.

Abstract: A system for positioning an interchangeable tool in a body cavity includes a channel having a lumen in direct communication with the body cavity, a tool introducer having a longitudinal axis and a distal end, and a tool holder covering at least a portion of the interchangeable tool that is pivotally connected to the tool introducer allowing angular positioning of the interchangeable tool after the tool holder emerges from the channel into the body cavity. A method for engaging an interchangeable tool with a distal portion of a tool manipulator in a body cavity includes inserting a tool introducer into a channel, orienting the distal portion of the tool manipulator in the body cavity, emerging the interchangeable tool from the channel into the body cavity, and positioning the interchangeable tool eccentrically to the lumen of the channel.

Abstract: A wheel with a suspension system being connectable to a vehicle, like a wheel chair, comprises a hub (38) and a rim (34) rotatable about the axle (42) of the hub (38). Between the hub (38) and the rim (34), a number of support members (40) is located. The support members (40) are adapted to retain the distance when stressed up to a threshold value and recoverly alter the distanced when stressed over this threshold value. According to the invention, the support members (40) are comprising spring elements (50), damping strokes by compression if the support member (40) is compressed or elongated. The spring elements (50) are preferably preloaded.

Abstract: Rapid exchange balloon catheter, and applications thereof. The balloon catheter includes a shaft and a guidewire channel. Shaft includes infusion and inflation walls. Infusion wall encloses an infusion lumen and comprises fluid inlet and fluid outlet located distally to fluid inlet. The inflation lumen extending axially therealong opened at a distal end thereof into an inner volume of a dilatation balloon. Guidewire channel is sized to closely fit over a pre-scribed guidewire for allowing unhindered passing therethrough with the guidewire. Guidewire channel includes a channel distal end protruding distally from the balloon with a distal guidewire opening, and a channel proximal end with a proximal guidewire opening at the shaft between fluid inlet and fluid outlet. Applications include methods for angioplasty and revascularization in which a single balloon catheter is used for dilatation and/or occlusion, and for delivering fluid proximally to the balloon.

Abstract: Implant for supporting bodily conduits, such as blood vessels or/and grafted vessels, inside a subject. In exemplary embodiments, the implant includes a support fixedly displaceable and plastically stretchable to points along longitudinal axis of the support, when subjected to a stretching force, thereby forming a new shape, the support substantially maintains the new shape upon removal of the stretching force. The support, when forming the new shape, is plastically reversely compressible in a direction along the support longitudinal axis, when subjected to axially compressive force. Support may include a radially elastic portion configured to regain fixedly deformed diameter upon removal of radially compressive force applied thereto. Support is configurable as an intraluminal support for intraluminal deployment and setting in a conduit segment, or, as an external support for enveloping a conduit segment, so as to change route or/and shape of the conduit segment.

Abstract: A laparoscopic port is disclosed which includes a tubular member comprising a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending there between. At least one seal member provided in the lumen adapted to prevent pressurized gas flow from the distal end to the proximal end of the tubular member. The laparoscopic port further includes a shielding trigger positioned distal to the seal member in the lumen, the shielding trigger is shaped so as at least a proximal portion of the shielding trigger has a narrowing cross-section that extends towards the seal member, the proximal portion is adapted to actuate a reversibly opening and protection of the seal member upon a proximally projected pressure from a distal end of an artifact.

Abstract: A wheel comprises a rim, a hub and a suspension unit. The wheel incorporates or is connectable to a torque source capable of producing torques up to a maximal torque for rotating the wheel around a rotation-axis. In this invention, the suspension unit includes at least one structural member, provided at least partially between the rim and the hub, configured to change in size and/or shape, relative to a nominal size and/or shape thereof, during displacements and/or rotations of the hub relative to a center point of the rim. The suspension unit also includes at least one motion resisting component adapted to retain the structural member at the nominal size and/or shape thereof under torques smaller than the maximal torque.

Abstract: Methods of supporting a vein, featuring deforming a vein support while being mounted on the vein. Such deformation may be sufficient to impose thereupon a plastic deformation that alters a length of the vein support, from a pre-deformation relaxed length to a post-deformation relaxed length different than the pre-deformation relaxed length. Following the plastic deformation, the vein support may maintain a new shape relative to a longitudinal axis thereof.

Abstract: External support implant for unbound covering of a blood vessel graft in a peripheral vascular bypass system. The implant includes: elongate body having a longitudinal axis, and interior collapsible upon exterior of the blood vessel graft. Elongate body includes tubular fabric having intertwined coiled compression springs configured for elastically resisting longitudinal compression of the elongate body from a relaxed length, when compression springs are slightly stressed, and for elastically increasing diameter of the elongate body when compression springs are subjected to the longitudinal compression.

Abstract: An implant (110) includes an antenna unit (130) and an encapsulation. The antenna unit includes an elongated ferrite core (142) having a first length and an antenna coil (146) wound around the ferrite core, and is configured to communicate with an external unit (120) using inductive coupling of a magnetic field. The encapsulation encapsulates the antenna unit, and includes one or more openings (134) that are aligned with the ferrite core and have respective second lengths that are equal to or greater than the first length of the ferrite core.

Abstract: An external bodily vessel support comprising an elongate body with a longitudinal axis and an interior to be brought into apposition with an exterior of the bodily vessel. The elongate body including a tubular fabric of a plurality of threads, the body when in a relaxed configuration having a relaxed length and being sized and shaped to fit over of the exterior of the bodily vessel, the tubular fabric being longitudinally elastic to maintain the length with an axial stiffness of at least 0.1 N/m.

Abstract: The application provides systems, devices and methods for anchoring implants within the human body, and more specifically to retention means for attaching sensory and other implants in a heart chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a shoulder implant, for example, for the glenohumeral joint. The implant is expandable and deflatable during implantation. The implant is sized for the glenoid fossa. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the selection and/or implantation of the implant include adapting the implant by size and function to a particular patient's need.