Abstract: A tissue sampling instrument for aspirating sample tissue into a needle structure includes a suction chamber having first and second moveable chamber walls arranged to enlarge the volume of the chamber and reduce the pressure therein by movement of at least one of the first and second chamber walls. The needle structure has a lumen arranged in flow communication with the suction chamber to enable communication of the reduced pressure to the lumen in order to promote aspiration of sample tissue into a separate tissue entry aperture formed into the lumen. In one embodiment, the two moveable chamber walls are defined by a displaceable cylinder structure and piston structure moveable within the cylinder structure. The moveable cylinder and piston are formed within a separate housing.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a housing having at least one valve orifice for fluid flow therethrough, and a valve member which moves between a fully closed position and a fully open position, respectively, closing and opening said valve orifice. The valve orifice has a clearance surface forming an auxiliary valve passageway selectively enabling flow communication therethrough in an intermediate position of the valve member between said fully open and fully closed positions, and in the intermediate position the valve member partially obstructs the valve orifice so that the passageway provides attenuated fluid flow communication through the valve orifice relative to fluid flow communication in the fully open position of the valve member. A manually controlled actuator enables limited displacement of the valve member between the fully closed position and the intermediate position for the attenuated flow communication through the valve orifice.

Abstract: A contact lens case includes a cup adapted to receive a quantity of disinfecting or cleaning solution and a cap removably closing the opening mouth of the cup. A lens support structure is associated with the cap and holds a pair of lenses within the cup. The lens support structure includes a base plate which supports one of a pair of the lenses on each side thereof and basket means pivotally connected to the base plate for enclosing the lenses in overlying position and maintaining the lenses on the base plate. A latch structure releasably maintains the basket means in the overlying position, and includes a flexible, integral extension peripherally formed on each basket means and is releasably retained in the overlying position by snap-fit against a hook member. Preferably, a pair of the flexible extensions are formed as vertically aligned and thinned tabs on opposing edges of each basket, which are snap-fit against a corresponding pair of hooks formed on each side of the lens support structure.

Abstract: A bioadhesive applicator is disclosed in the present invention that allows a user to easily spread a melted adhesive material over a surface area surrounding an incision in an eye after a surgery thereby sealing the incision. The applicator generally includes a housing, a heat sink and tip assembly and a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly includes an adhesive material and a plunger assembly for advancing the adhesive material into the heat sink. The heat sink and tip assembly is attached to the front of the housing for melting and dispensing the material onto the surface area of the incision.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly is provided for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity for manually squeezed dispensing of a liquid from the cavity through the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly maintains the liquid, such as contact lens saline solution, in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing of the liquid from the container cavity. The nozzle assembly includes a liquid conduit for communication from the container cavity to a liquid discharge port from the nozzle assembly to enable dispensing of the liquid displaced by manually squeezing the flexible wall of the container. The nozzle assembly also includes an air aspiration conduit separate from the liquid conduit for aspirating air into the container cavity to replace the dispensed liquid. The nozzle assembly includes a partitioned diaphragm including separate portions respectively included in the liquid conduit and the air aspiration conduit.

Abstract: An actuating mechanism for sequentially advancing and retracting a lancet needle includes a carriage for carrying the advancement and retraction of the needle, and a cam-following structure for transmitting propulsion to the carriage during the advancement. The actuating mechanism is also provided with a drive cam structure which engages the cam-following structure to direct the advancement propulsion. The cam-following structure can have a separate surface engagable with the drive cam structure during the retraction of the carriage and during arming of the actuator for the advancement propulsion.

Abstract: A tissue sampling instrument for use with various needle gauges to extract tissue samples includes a support structure, preferably rotatable, including a plurality of needle support seats having different seat dimensions corresponding to respective different needle circumferences. The seats are arranged on the support structure to enable selective access and positioning of each seat in order to selectively support the corresponding needle circumference thereon and ensure accurate linear longitudinal motion of the needle against the selected seat in the tissue sampling procedure. The preferred rotatable support structure can be mounted on an end wall of the body of the instrument so that the supported needle projects from the end wall.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a housing having at least one valve orifice for fluid flow therethrough, and a valve member which moves between a fully closed position and a fully open position, respectively, closing and opening said valve orifice. The valve orifice has a clearance surface forming an auxiliary valve passageway selectively enabling flow communication therethrough in an intermediate position of the valve member between said fully open and fully closed positions, and in the intermediate position the valve member partially obstructs the valve orifice so that the passageway provides attenuated fluid flow communication through the valve orifice relative to fluid flow communication in the fully open position of the valve member. A manually controlled actuator enables limited displacement of the valve member between the fully closed position and the intermediate position for the attenuated flow communication through the valve orifice.

Abstract: A mechanism for adjusting the orientation of vehicle headlamps includes a gear structure coupled to an adjusting member adapted for securement to the headlamp so that rotation of the gear structure imparts linear movement to the adjusting member which adjusts orientation of the headlamp. The adjusting member can be either a translating rack or a drive screw and the preferred drive structure includes a worm drive gear which drives an adjusting gear operatively engaged to provide translation of the rack or the screw. The adjusting member can provide locking of two housing portions which enclose the gear structure. Prevailing torque on the gears as well as the adjusting member can be provided by the locking action of the adjusting member or a drive shaft extending from the drive gear.

Abstract: A syringe for sampling bodily fluids, such as blood and the like, from a patient, comprises a first sleeve member and a second sleeve member disposed for relative shifting. The first sleeve member includes a first receiving chamber, and the second sleeve member includes a second receiving chamber. A needle mount is disposed on the first sleeve member for holding a needle in operative connection with the first receiving chamber so that bodily fluids can pass from the needle into the first receiving chamber. A filter is disposed in at least one of the first and the second sleeve members for permitting gas flow but prohibiting bodily fluid flow therethrough. The first receiving chamber communicates with the second receiving chamber through the filter so that relative shifting of the sleeve members causes gas within the first receiving chamber to flow through the filter into the second receiving chamber, thereby causing bodily fluid to flow into a first receiving chamber.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly is provided for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity for manually squeezed dispensing of a liquid from the cavity through the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly maintains the liquid, such as contact lens saline solution, in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing of the liquid from the container cavity. The nozzle assembly includes a liquid conduit for communication from the container cavity to a liquid discharge port from the nozzle assembly to enable dispensing of the liquid displaced by manually squeezing the flexible wall of the container. The nozzle assembly also includes an air aspiration conduit separate from the liquid conduit for aspirating air into the container cavity to replace the dispensed liquid. The nozzle assembly includes a partitioned diaphragm including separate portions respectively included in the liquid conduit and the air aspiration conduit.

Abstract: An appliance for disinfecting contact lenses or the like wherein the lenses are disposed within a disinfecting solution which liberates the gas during the disinfecting action, includes a container body for immersion of the lenses within the disinfecting solution and a removable cap closing the container body. The appliance further includes a normally closed vent conduit for passage of the pressurized affluent gas from the container body through the cap, and within the vent conduit is a check valve including a disc member having a slit therethrough which opens for vent discharge of the gas with sufficient pressure on the disc exerted by the gas during passage through the vent conduit, after which the slit recloses to vent any subsequent leakage of the solution therethrough.

Abstract: A fastener drive tool for applying a rotational torque to a threaded fastener for driving the fastener into or out of a workpiece. The drive tool has an elongated shaft portion with a free end which is engageable with a recess formed in the fastener. Alternating merging concave and convex partially-cylindrical surfaces are formed on the outside of the shank towards the free end of the drive tool. The axes of curvature of the concave and convex partially-cylindrical surfaces are generally parallel to one another. The drive tool has at least one interlobular fastener retention piece attached between two convex partially-cylindrical surfaces which engage a corresponding convex partially-cylindrical surface formed in the fastener recess. The interlobular fastener retention piece releasably retains the fastener on the drive tool when the drive tool is engaged with the recess formed in the fastener and prevents wobbling of the fastener when it is driven by the drive tool.

Abstract: A contact lens case for use with a contact lens disinfecting system employing one or more disinfecting tablets or catalysts and which comprises a cup having a bottom portion and a basket assembly for releasably holding contact lenses insertable into the cup. The cup is of dimentions sufficient for holding a predetermined amount of disinfecting fluid in disinfecting contact with the lenses when the basket assembly is inserted into the cup. A reaction chamber of predetermined dimensions for retaining the disinfecting tablets in close proximity within the cup for permitting occurrence of disinfecting solution-producing reactions depends from the bottom portion of said cup. There is also provided a novel, one-piece basket assembly including a cap, stem, base plate, hingedly connected baskets and latching extensions.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved adjusting mechanism for an articulated headlamp construction or the like. The adjusting mechanism is comprised of a minimum number of parts, namely a housing, a scroll member and an adjusting rack member. The scroll member provides the input member for the mechanism and upon rotation thereof rotative movement thereof is transformed into transitory movement of the rack member pursuant to a spiral or scroll projection that is engaged with teeth on the adjusting rack member. The transitory movement of the adjusting rack member will correspondingly produce pivotal movement of the articulated headlamp component. If desired, the adjusting rack member may be curved so that the movement of the end thereof affixed to the headlamp will closely approximate the pivotal movement of the headlamp component.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly is provided for mounting on a liquid container and dispenser having a flexible wall and liquid storage cavity for manually squeezed dispensing of a liquid from the cavity through the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly maintains the liquid, such as contact lens saline solution, in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing of the liquid from the container cavity. The nozzle assembly includes a liquid conduit for communication from the container cavity to a liquid discharge port from the nozzle assembly to enable dispensing of the liquid displaced by manually squeezing the flexible wall of the container. The nozzle assembly also includes an air aspiration conduit separate from the liquid conduit for aspirating air into the container cavity to replace the dispensed liquid. The nozzle assembly includes a partitioned diaphragm including separate portions respectively included in the liquid conduit and the air aspiration conduit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved pressurization device for use with angioplasty balloon catheters, or the like. The device has a novel quick release mechanism which enables rapid advancement of a threaded screw plunger to attain initial pressurization, and then the subsequent engagement of said mechanism with the threaded surface of the plunger to achieve precise control during final pressurization of the balloon catheter. In addition, there is provided an improved and novel pressure indicating means for providing the physician with an analog readout of the pressure being applied to the balloon catheter.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing nozzle assembly for mounting on a squeezable liquid container and dispenser to maintain liquid in sterile condition during storage and repeated dispensing from the container, includes a conduit having a liquid discharge port leading to the ambience for discharge of the liquid therethrough to dispense liquid from the container. The liquid discharge port is formed in a discharge structure which eliminates microbial contamination of the discharge port during dispensing and storage of the liquid. Embodiments of the liquid dispensing nozzle have a liquid discharge structure including a composition comprising an antimicrobial component, in order to maintain microbially sterile condition of any liquid retained against the discharge structure following liquid dispensing therefrom.