Abstract: The food processor apparatus comprises a spill-proof cutting surface and includes a cutting surface and a flexible flange attached to the cutting surface. The flexible flange is bendable and creates a raised rim around the cutting surface. The flexible flange is itself liquid-proof and is attached to the cutting surface in a liquid-proof manner.

Abstract: A hinged wall profile door assembly including a first and second longitudinal wall profile having a body configured for mounting to a wall, and a longitudinal hinge profile having a body configured to be received within an inner section of the first longitudinal wall profile. The assembly also includes a profile door, at least a first hinge assembly and a second hinge assembly secured to the longitudinal hinge profile and configured for mounting to the profile door, the first and second hinge assemblies having a body and a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the body is configured to be curved and the second end of the body is configured to form a longitudinal channel for receiving the profile door therethrough.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a foam dispensing apparatus including a nozzle portion that mixes a liquid with gas so as to dispense the liquid in a form of a foam. The nozzle portion includes: a foam generation mechanism including a gas liquid mixing portion in which the liquid and the gas are mixed and a first porous body that is disposed downstream of the gas liquid mixing portion; a cavity that is located below the first porous body and whose cross-sectional area defined by a plane perpendicular to a foam dispensing direction T is larger than the area of the first porous body; and a foam dispensing outlet that dispenses foam that has passed through the cavity to an outside. The foam dispensing outlet is configured so as to form shaped foam having a predetermined shape, and an opening area of the foam dispensing outlet that is on the cavity side is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the cavity.

Abstract: An automatic foam soap dispenser includes a liquid soap dispenser, an activation unit, and an actuation unit. The liquid soap dispenser includes an outlet, a fluid reservoir for containing liquid soap, and a pump being depressed for dispensing the liquid soap in the fluid reservoir to the outlet. The activation unit includes a sensor for detecting a presence of a user of the liquid soap dispenser, and a motor having a transmission shaft, wherein the motor is activated by the sensor for generating a rotational power to the transmission shaft. The actuation unit includes a pressing member and a linkage system arranged to transmit the rotational power from the motor to a linear movement to the pressing member so as to drive the pressing member to depress the pump.

Abstract: A water faucet system including a faucet having a neck comprising a water passageway and liquid soap delivery line, both integrated within the neck assembly. The water faucet system features a streamlined neck assembly that includes a water outlet or spout, located at the distal portion of the neck assembly, and additionally includes a separate soap outlet located at a predetermined location. The soap delivery (soap dispensing) is initiated by a user performing an activation event directed to a sensor system located in the neck assembly. In preferred embodiments, the sensor system utilizes touchless type sensors so to avoid any physical contact with the neck assembly.

Abstract: A skin cleanser includes a surface, such as a silicone surface, with at least one textured portion for transmitting vibrational tapping to the skin. The skin cleanser includes at least one oscillating motor for generating the tapping motion to the skin. The textured portion includes touch-points or a wave that transmit the tapping motion to skin in contact with the textured portions. The touch-points may include thicker and thinner formations of the touch-points to provide firmer or softer vibrations to the skin. The touch-points are within about 0.5 to 2.5 mm in diameter. One configuration includes multiple oscillating motors configured to provide different vibration frequencies at around 50-300 Hertz and operable simultaneously.

Abstract: A device for reducing a level of infectious agents present on one or more hands of a user. This device may reduce the level of infectious agents present on one or more fingers and/or thumbs of a user, specifically reducing a level of infectious agents present on the distal aspect of the digit; including, but not limited to an underside of a nail plate, and an area of hyponychium skin between a free margin of the nail plate and an onychodermal band of a digit, such as for example, a finger, thumb, or toe.

Abstract: A refillable dispenser for pre-moistened wipes includes a flexible pouch. The pouch has a front wall, a back wall, and an interior space therebetween. A dispensing opening is formed in the front wall, and a movable cover can cover the dispensing opening. The dispenser includes a seam that can be opened to an open position and resealed to a closed position to connect the front wall to the back wall. The open position defines a refill opening. The dispenser includes a front wall eyelet extending through the front wall and a back wall eyelet extending through the back wall, and the front wall eyelet is superposed over the back wall eyelet. The dispenser includes a handle connected to the pouch via a handle connector. The handle connector extends through the front wall eyelet and the back wall eyelet.

Abstract: A toilet disinfecting assembly for disinfecting a toilet use and other hard surfaces in a bathroom includes a mount is removably coupled to a wall in a bathroom. A container containing a plurality of disinfecting wipes is provided and each of the disinfecting wipes is infused with a chemical disinfectant for disinfecting a hard surface. The container is positionable on the mount and each of the dispensing wipes is selectively removable from the container for wiping a toilet seat in the bathroom for disinfecting the toilet seat prior to use. A shell is provided and the shell is hingedly coupled to the mount. The shell is positionable in a closed position such that each of the shell and the mount forms a housing enclosing the container of disinfecting wipes. The shell is positionable in an open position to access the container of disinfecting wipes.

Abstract: A hand dryer that includes a capacitance-detection-type proximity sensor structure that detects a capacitance generated in a capacitance detection electrode to detect a presence or absence of an object to be detected, includes a plurality of capacitance-detection-type proximity sensor structures. While one of the capacitance-detection-type proximity sensor structures is in operation, an operation of at least another of the capacitance-detection-type proximity sensor structures is stopped to operate the capacitance-detection-type proximity sensor structures during different periods of time.

Abstract: The toilet apparatus includes a main part and a toilet seat. The main part includes a case cover covering a function part and is attached on a toilet bowl. The toilet seat is attached rotatably to the case cover, and shifts between a closed state and an open state. The case cover includes an extending portion. A height becomes low toward forward. The toilet seat includes a toilet seat main body and a heating part. The toilet seat main body includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is positioned in front of the case cover in the closed state. The second portion rises backward from the first portion in the closed state, and overlaps the extending portion. An upper end surface of the extending portion changes to lower a height toward forward and to lower a height toward a side.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner main body capable of picking up images over a wide range by a camera securely without being interrupted by any obstacles. The vacuum cleaner main body includes a main casing, a camera capable of picking up images and provided in the main casing, driving wheels for enabling the main casing to travel, a sensor part provided in the main casing to detect a distance to an obstacle around the main casing, and a control unit. The control unit has at least a traveling mode and an image pickup mode. In the image pickup mode, the control unit makes the main casing autonomously travel to an image pickup position where no obstacles within a certain distance around the main casing are detected by the sensor part and where still images in a plurality of directions are picked up.

Abstract: Provided is an autonomous mobile cleaner including a main body, a suction unit having a handle and configured to suck up surrounding foreign material, an air pipe configured to connect the main body and the suction unit and guide the foreign material into the main body, at least one driving wheel installed below the main body, a driving unit configured to drive the driving wheel by operating a driving motor, a wheel sensor configured to sense rotation of the driving wheel, and a controller configured to control the movement of the main body through the driving unit on the basis of the rotation of the driving wheel sensed by the wheel sensor.

Abstract: A device for cleaning a surface (11) comprises at least one rotatable brush (3,4) which is provided with flexible brush elements (18) for contacting the surface (11) and picking up dirt particles (10) and liquid which are present on the surface (11) during a dirt pick-up period of each revolution of the brush (3, 4), and means for driving the brush (3, 4). A linear mass density of the flexible brush elements (18) is chosen such as to be lower than 50 g per 10 km, at least at tip portions, and an acceleration at tips of the brush elements (18) is set such as to be at least 3,000 m/sec2, at least at some time during another period of each revolution of the brush (3, 4) than the dirt pick-up period, namely a period in which the brush elements (18) are free from contact to the surface (11).

Abstract: A surface-cleaning machine is provided, which includes an appliance body on which a suction apparatus device is arranged, a cleaning head on which at least one cleaning roller is arranged, and a drive device for driving the at least one cleaning roller in rotation, wherein the cleaning head has, between a first face side and an oppositely situated second face side, a first region, a second region and a central region situated between the first and second regions, and wherein at least one first suction mouth is positioned at the first region and associated with the at least one cleaning roller and at least one second suction mouth is positioned at the second region and associated with the at least one cleaning roller, wherein the at least one first suction mouth and the at least one second suction mouth are fluidically connected to the suction apparatus device.

Abstract: A mobile robot of the present disclosure includes a first pattern emission unit configured to emit a first patterned light downward and forward from the main body on a floor of an area to be cleaned; and an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image of first patterned light emitted by the first pattern emission unit and is incident on an obstacle, so as to determine an obstacle based on a pattern detected from the acquired image. Accordingly, based on the information on the nearby obstacles, by determining whether the mobile robot is in a stuck state where traveling of the mobile robot is limited by a plurality of obstacles, and by setting up an escape for traveling, traveling state of the mobile robot and obstacles may be determined rapidly and a corresponding operation may be performed, thereby enabling effective traveling to escape from the stuck state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cleansing articles comprising first and second members forming the first and second outer surface of the article respectively, where the coefficient of friction and/or permeability of the members are different. In certain embodiments the first member comprises a plurality of polymeric protuberances and the second member comprises a plurality of hollow projections.

Abstract: A laminate cleaning implement. The laminate cleaning implement has a backing sheet, a substrate, and a facing sheet. The backing sheet and the facing sheet are connected at a plurality of discrete bonding points to form a coherent laminate structure and the substrate is disposed between the backing sheet and the facing sheet.

Abstract: A double-sided mop according to this invention, being provided to solve the problems of a conventional mop on poor floor mopping quality, includes a mop pole, a mop head connecting to the mop pole, and a cleaning cloth provided on the surface of mop head. The mop head includes a mounting plate, a first panel, a second panel, a hinged shaft, a universal joint, and an elastic part, in which the mounting plate is provided between the first panel and the second panel, the mounting plate is hinged and connects to the hinged shaft together with the first panel and the second panel, the elastic part applies a force to clamp the first panel and the second panel, the universal joint is installed on the mounting plate by rotation, and the mop pole connects to the universal joint.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a cleaning device that has at least one sensor for detecting at least one state variable, including carrying out a calibration measurement, establishing an electronic connection between the calibration sensor and a controller of the cleaning device, and electronically transmitting the reference value to the controller; and comparing the reference value with at least one measurement value of the sensor of the cleaning device and adjusting at least one correction function in accordance with the comparison. At least one state variable is detected and at least one reference value is determined by means of at least one calibration sensor independently of the sensor of the cleaning device. Future measurement values of the sensor of the cleaning device are automatically corrected using the correction function.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a dishmachine that includes one or more features directed to water, energy or material savings. The disclosed dishmachines are still capable of meeting the soil demands of the articles to be cleaned.

Abstract: A glasses rack for a dishwasher may be configured to hold glasses in an inclined position. The glasses may be inclined at a predetermined angle relative to horizontal to allow draining of treating liquid from the glasses yet achieve a reduced overall height of the dish rack relative to a conventional dish rack. A bottom wall of the dish rack may be inclined at an angle that matches an effective inclination angle of an upper, tiered dish rack, and the bottom wall inclination angle may correspond to the glasses inclination angle. A sprayer may be mounted to the dish rack and arranged to spray treating liquid into the interior of the glasses.

Abstract: A dishwasher includes a rack provided with interior and exterior corner nozzles to direct washing fluid onto interior and exterior surface portions of an object placed in a corner of the rack.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dishwasher that includes a linear type injection structure with an easily separable filter assembly. The dishwasher includes a washing tub configured to wash dishes, a sump configured to store washing water injected toward the washing tub, and a coarse filter located at a bottom plate of the washing tub and configured to filter foreign substances included in the washing water. Here, the coarse filter includes a first coarse filter including filter holes through which the washing water that drops to the bottom plate passes, and is configured to protrude from the bottom plate of the washing tub, and a second coarse filter located below the first coarse filter.

Abstract: A foreign object protection system for dishwashers is disclosed. The foreign object protection system prevents large objects from damaging other components of a dishwasher.

Abstract: A dishwashing appliance having a static jet assembly is provided herein. The dishwashing appliance may include a tub defining a wash chamber, a pump, and a spray assembly. The pump may be configured to deliver a wash fluid into the wash chamber. The spray assembly may be housed within the wash chamber of the tub in fluid communication with the pump to receive wash fluid therefrom. The static jet assembly may be disposed within the wash chamber and include a static body. The static body may extend about an exterior hole. The static body may define an interior passage and a jet aperture in fluid communication with the pump. The jet aperture may be defined in fluid communication between the interior passage and the wash chamber.

Abstract: A pump assembly for a dishwashing appliance includes an inner diffuser shell defining a motor housing and an outer diffuser shell spaced apart from the inner diffuser shell to define a diffusing plenum. A motor positioned within the motor housing rotates a wash pump impeller and urges a flow of wash fluid through the diffusing plenum. Within the diffusing plenum, guide vanes extend between the inner diffuser shell and the outer diffuser shell to diffuse and direct the flow of wash fluid.

Abstract: A pump assembly for a dishwashing appliance includes an inner diffuser shell defining a motor housing and an outer diffuser shell spaced apart from the inner diffuser shell to define a diffusing plenum. A motor positioned within the motor housing rotates a wash pump impeller and urges a flow of wash fluid through the diffusing plenum. Within the diffusing plenum, guide vanes extend between the inner diffuser shell and the outer diffuser shell to diffuse and direct the flow of wash fluid. The motor is powered by electrical wires that pass through a hole defined through the outer diffuser shell, through one of the plurality of guide vanes, and through the inner diffuser shell.

Abstract: A dishwasher includes a tub. The dishwasher further includes a spray arm that includes a main arm and an auxiliary arm. The dishwasher further includes a fixed gear part that is connected to the tub, that is configured to rotatably support the main arm, and that includes teeth along an outer circumferential surface of the fixed gear part. The dishwasher further includes a rotating gear part that is connected to the main arm and that is configured to rotate and engage the teeth of the fixed gear part based on rotation of the main arm. The dishwasher further includes a link unit that is connected to the rotating gear part, the main arm, and the auxiliary arm, that is configured to move based on rotation of the rotating gear part, and that is configured to guide reciprocation of the auxiliary arm through the predetermined arc.

Abstract: The invention proposes a domestic appliance having a drying apparatus, such as a dishwasher, a tumble dryer, a washing machine or the like, wherein the drying apparatus (8) has a contact space (8, 14) for establishing contact between drying air which originates from a working space (11) in the domestic appliance and a hygroscopic liquid (4) which is provided for drying purposes, in which domestic appliance effective drying is possible in a comparatively short time. According to the invention, this is achieved in that at least one nozzle (15, 16) for atomizing the hygroscopic liquid (4) in the contact chamber (8, 14) and/or for sprinkling the hygroscopic liquid (4) in the contact chamber (8, 14) is provided.

Abstract: A personal grooming device designed to loosen and remove dirt and other debris from the surface of a material, such as a shirt or jacket. The grooming device comprises a handle, an inner cage fixedly attached to the handle and sized to receive a travel-size lint roller, an outer cage sized to fit over the travel-size lint roller, and an outer sleeve made from moleskin sized to fit around the outer cage. The outer sleeve may be constructed from an piece of adhesive-backed material wrapped around the outer cage or a single piece of cylindrical material sized to snuggly fit around the external cage. The outer sleeve may be made from other materials. In use, the sleeve loosens debris from a surface after which the external cage with sleeve is removed to expose the lint roller. The lint roller then picks up the loosed dirt and debris.

Abstract: An endoscope system has an insertion portion, a front-view observation window that acquires a first object image, a side-view observation window that is provided in the insertion portion, and acquires a second object image, a video processor that generates a signal of an image, a setting storage section that records information on a deviation amount concerning a deviation, and an image processing section that performs, for the image, processing of changing disposition of at least either the image of the object in the first object image or the image of the object in the second object image in accordance with the deviation amount, and aligning a position of the image of the object in the first object image, and a position of the image of the object in the second object image with each other.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for fluid management in an endoscopic procedure are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fluid management device may comprise a pair of electrodes and a controller connected to the pair of electrodes. In at least some embodiments, the controller may be configured to receive signals from the pair of electrodes and determine whether a fluid in a fluid reservoir is an ionic fluid or a non-ionic fluid based on signals received from the pair of electrodes. In at least some additional embodiments, the controller may be further configured to automatically set a fluid deficit alarm threshold based on the determination of whether the fluid in the fluid reservoir is an ionic fluid or a non-ionic fluid.

Abstract: An endoscopic device for approximating tissue includes an elongated body having a plurality of articulatable segments and a steerable distal portion. The device includes a first tissue approximation component positioned at a first axial position of the body. The first component is configured to move in a radial direction relative to the elongated body between a first position and a second position and be placed in an actuated state in which it is configured to grip tissue. The device includes a second tissue approximation component positioned at a second axial position of the body. The second component is configured to move in a radial direction relative to the elongated body between a first position and a second position and be placed in an actuated state in which it is configured to grip tissue. The components are configured to translate toward one another along a longitudinal direction of the elongated body.

Abstract: Methods and devices for introducing a colonoscope. An head of an endoscopic guide includes a balloon configured to accommodate a magnetic or ferromagnetic agent. A magnetic field source is configured to generate a magnetic field to exert a retaining force on the magnetic or ferromagnetic agent contained in the endoscopic balloon. The magnetic field is applied using the magnetic field source externally at an area of an abdomen of the patient in which the expanded endoscopic balloon with the magnetic or ferromagnetic agent is present to attract the endoscopic balloon against an anchoring point on a wall of the colon with a retaining force on the magnetic or ferromagnetic agent. The endoscopic guide is put in traction by applying a pulling force on the proximal end of the endoscopic guide to keep the endoscopic guide tensioned and to reduce curvature of loops of the colon.

Abstract: Improved systems, methods, and devices relating to optical fiber scanners are provided. In one aspect, a scanning apparatus includes an optical fiber and a piezoelectric actuator coupled to the optical fiber to deflect a distal end of the optical fiber in a scanning pattern. The apparatus can include drive circuitry coupled to the piezoelectric actuator, sense circuitry electrically coupled to the piezoelectric actuator and the drive circuitry to determine displacement of the piezoelectric actuator, and a processor coupled to the drive circuitry and the sense circuitry to drive the piezoelectric actuator in response to the displacement.

Abstract: An endoscope device includes: an insertion unit having segments continuously provided along an axial direction of the insertion unit and configured to be inserted into a lumen; a state quantity calculating unit configured to calculate a state quantity of each segment; variable rigidity portions provided for each segment to allow bending rigidity of each segment to be variable; an origin specifying unit configured to specify an origin segment among the segments in setting a segment range indicating which segment the bending rigidity is to be changed or in setting the bending rigidity, based on the state quantity of each segment; and an operation controller configured to: set the segment range or set the bending rigidity of each segment, based on the origin segment; and decrease bending rigidities of two or more continuously provided segments based on the set segment range or on the set bending rigidity.

Abstract: The present invention may be embodied as a retrievable device capable of sensing one or more properties of an individual (e.g., chemical or physical parameters, etc.) In use, the retrievable device can continuously determine the chemical concentrations within the vaginal tract. An embodiment of the retrievable device comprises a first housing having a light source and an image capture device, a second housing removably connected to the first housing and having a sensor, and a fitting for retrieving the device. The sensor may be an analyte sensor configured to obtain at least one measurement of a concentration of an analyte in a fluid. The analyte sensor comprises a sensor substance in a sol-gel material so the sensor substance reversibly interacts with an analyte of interest. In addition, the retrievable device can be configured to determine different physical parameters and re-implanted.

Abstract: An imaging catheter device includes a catheter body with a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen; a cleaning member disposed at the distal end; and an imaging device movably disposed in the lumen and through the cleaning member; wherein the cleaning member includes a conduit through which the imaging device moves and a flexible material at least partially occluding the conduit such that the imaging device displaces at least some of the flexible material when moved through the conduit. A method of cleaning an imaging catheter device includes disposing a cleaning member including a conduit and a flexible material at least partially occluding the conduit at a distal end of a catheter lumen; positioning an imaging device in the catheter lumen; and cleaning the imaging device by moving it through the conduit such that it displaces at least some of the flexible material.

Abstract: A guiding device for use with a laryngoscope for assisting in the insertion of an endotracheal tube into a patient, the device comprising a guiding means for guiding an endotracheal tube through the patient's upper airways, and an attachment means to attach the guiding means to the blade of the laryngoscope. A laryngoscope comprising the guiding device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A retractor used in inner-oral surgery is provided that includes a maxilla portion configured to maintain a patient's mount in an open state. The retractor also includes a blade that maintains the position of the tongue so that surgical tools are not obstructed. The maxilla portion of one embodiment only extends a portion of the length of the blade.

Abstract: Visualization and ablation systems and catheters. The systems can capture a plurality of different 2D images of the patient's anatomy adjacent an expandable member, each of which visualizes at least one part of the patient that is in contact with the expandable membrane, tag each of the plurality of different 2D images with information indicative of the position and orientation of a locational element when each of the plurality of different 2D images was captured, create a patient map, wherein creating the patient map comprises placing each of the plurality of different 2D images at the corresponding tagged position and orientation into a 3 space, and display the patient map.

Abstract: A method of determining a measurement of at least one cell type in an eye, comprising (i) obtaining a map of the cell type in the eye, (ii) obtaining a representation of the retina of the eye, (iii) matching the eye cell type map to the representation of the retina of the eye, (iv) defining a region of interest on the representation of the retina of the eye, (v) calculating a size of the region of interest on the representation of the retina of the eye, (vi) using the matched eye cell type map and the size of the region of interest to determine a measure of the cell type in the region of interest of the retina of the eye.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a detecting unit configured to execute structural analysis on a tomographic image acquired by an acquiring unit and detect an abnormal portion of the eye; and a display control unit configured to cause a displaying unit to display a finding of the abnormal portion detected by the detecting unit, as a sentence or a word in a manner superimposed on the tomographic image.

Abstract: A head mount-type vision testing device, which is a head-mount type vision testing device mounted on a testee's head, including: a device main body having display devices for displaying a visual target for the testee and imaging devices for imaging eyeballs of the testee; a mounting fixture for mounting the device main body on the testee's head; and a controller that displays images of the eyeballs imaged by the imaging devices on the display devices, so that the testee can recognize a positional displacement state of the eyeballs caused by a positional displacement of the device main body mounted on the testee's head using the mounting fixture.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring an aberration of a patient's eye are disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable wavefront aberrometer comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein an aperture is formed in the housing at the proximal end; an activatable light source; a light detector; and optical components housed within the housing, the optical components comprising a microlens array, a plurality of lenses, one or more reflectors, and one or more beam splitters, wherein the optical components are arranged to define a first light path and a second light path.

Abstract: An ophthalmic imaging apparatus that captures a tomographic image of an subject's eye based on light obtained by combining a return light with a reference light, the return light being from the subject's eye when irradiated with a measurement light, the reference light corresponding to the measurement light includes a first optical fiber disposed in an optical path of the reference light and including a light guide portion for guiding the reference light, and a second optical fiber disposed in an optical path of the measurement light and including a light guide portion for guiding the measurement light, wherein a diameter of each of the light guide portions of ejection ends of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber is larger than a diameter of a light guide portion in a position different from a position of each of the ejection ends.

Abstract: Eye prescriptions may be determined by providing a simple, easy to use, portable device with a specially configured targeting light source that aligns the eye, mitigates accommodation, and provides accurate results. Unlike stationary, closed view autorefractors, this device typically is portable, self-usable, relatively inexpensive, enabling more widespread use across the world.

Abstract: An optical measuring instrument 1 is equipped with an optical system 20 to be used for measuring a characteristic of the aqueous humor in the anterior chamber 13 of an eyeball 10 of a measurement subject person and a holding unit 50 which holds the optical system 20 etc. The optical system 20 is equipped with a light emitting system 20A and a photodetecting system 20B. An optical path 28 is set so that light emitted from the light emitting system 20A passes through (traverses) the anterior chamber 13 and is detected by the photodetecting system 20B in a state that the eyeball 10 is turned outward.

Abstract: A method of detecting the boundary between the iris and the sclera, particularly, a method of detecting the boundary between the iris and the sclera from part of a captured image of a user's eye area, is provided. According to this method, the boundary between the iris and the sclera can be quickly and precisely detected, compared to when using an existing circular boundary detector.