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| 20100087758 | LAMINATED ULTRASONIC WAVEGUIDES FABRICATED FROM SHEET STOCK - A laminated ultrasonic waveguide and a method of fabrication thereof which comprises stamping at least two pieces of sheet stock to form stamped parts of the laminated ultrasonic waveguide. The stamped parts are then laminated together to form a laminated ultrasonic waveguide for transferring ultrasonic acoustic energy along a longitudinal axis of the laminated ultrasonic waveguide. In several disclosed embodiments, the laminated ultrasonic waveguide is part of an ultrasonic surgical instrument having an active tip end-effector which is placed in contact with tissue of a patient to couple ultrasonic energy transferred along the laminated ultrasonic waveguide to the tissue. The stamped pieces of sheet stock can also be stamped to form one or more channels extending along the length of the laminated ultrasonic waveguide. The laminated ultrasonic waveguide can also define a connector at a proximal end thereof to transfer ultrasonic energy into the laminated ultrasonic waveguide. In different embodiments, the laminated ultrasonic waveguide comprises first and second (and third or more) stamped pieces of sheet stock which are laminated together. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100262172 | ULTRASONIC SURGICAL BLADE HAVING TRANSVERSE AND LONGITUDINAL VIBRATION - An ultrasonic surgical blade includes an ultrasonic-surgical-blade body having a longitudinal axis, a distal tip, a proximal end adapted for longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational excitation, a most-distal longitudinal vibration node, a treatment portion extending from the distal tip toward the most-distal longitudinal vibration node, and a functional asymmetry. The functional asymmetry is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis and translates longitudinal ultrasonic vibrational movement of the proximal end into a combination of a longitudinal ultrasonic vibration and a transverse ultrasonic vibration in at least some of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body. An amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration at the distal tip is less than substantially ten percent of a maximum amplitude of the transverse ultrasonic vibration of the treatment portion of the ultrasonic-surgical-blade body. An alternate embodiment of the ultrasonic surgical blade includes at least one functional asymmetry and at least one balance asymmetry. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100262173 | BALANCED ULTRASONIC END EFFECTOR - A balanced ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic transmission rod which is connected to a blade or end effector by a balance portion, which includes first and second balance asymmetries designed to compensate for the imbalances induced by the blade. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20110319918 | BALANCED ULTRASONIC END EFFECTOR - A balanced ultrasonic surgical instrument according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic transmission rod which is connected to a blade or end effector by a balance portion, which includes first and second balance asymmetries designed to compensate for the imbalances induced by the blade. | 12-29-2011 |
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| 20090264909 | Ultrasonic shears stop pad - An ultrasonic-surgical-shears stop pad has a stop-pad body including a base material and at least one filler material. An alternate ultrasonic-surgical-shears stop pad has a stop-pad body adjacent to tissue pad. An ultrasonic surgical shears includes an ultrasonic surgical blade and a clamping arm which is operable to open and close toward the blade and which has a transversely and resiliently flexible distal tip. An alternate ultrasonic surgical shears includes an ultrasonic surgical blade, a clamping arm operable to open and close toward the blade, and a stop pad attached to the clamping arm and having a blade contact surface, wherein at least a portion of the stop pad is resiliently flexible in a direction substantially perpendicular to the blade contact surface. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090270891 | Balanced ultrasonic curved blade - Methods and devices that provide reduced transverse motion in a curved ultrasonic blade and/or ultrasonic surgical instrument with functional asymmetries. An ultrasonic blade in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes a curved functional portion of an ultrasonic blade, wherein the center of mass of the curved functional portion lies on the mid-line of a waveguide delivering ultrasonic energy to the blade. Balancing in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, using placement of the center of mass of the curved portion of the blade appropriately, provides blade balance in a proximal portion of the blade, without reduction of mass and inherent stress increase proximal to the end-effector. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20100063525 | Ultrasonic shears force limiting - The present invention relates to an improved arrangement for limiting the force applied to tissue by a mounted pivotal clamp arm of the present clamp coagulator apparatus and providing the appropriate amount of force to correctly positioned tissue. The arrangement is desirably economical in configuration, and cooperates with the associated pivotal clamp arm to position and maintain the clamp arm in substantial alignment with an associated end-effector, notwithstanding normal manufacturing tolerances of the components. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100063526 | Jaw - The present invention relates generally to ultrasonic surgical devices, and more particularly to an ultrasonic surgical clamp coagulator apparatus for coagulating and/or cutting tissue, including an arrangement for pivotally mounting a clamp arm of the apparatus in order to form an improved jaw useful in manipulating tissue. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100063527 | Tissue pad - The present invention relates generally to ultrasonic surgical devices, and more particularly to an ultrasonic surgical clamp coagulator apparatus for coagulating and/or cutting tissue, including an improved tissue pad for securing tissue within a clamp arm of a surgical clamp coagulator. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100063528 | Ultrasonic shears actuating mechanism - The present invention is directed to an improved arrangement for mounting the pivotal clamp arm of the present clamp coagulator apparatus and providing the means to slideably engage the clamp arm via an outer actuating tube sliding over a non-actuating inner tube upon which the clamp arm is mounted. The arrangement is desirably economical in configuration, and cooperates with the associated pivotal clamp arm to position and maintain the clamp arm in substantial alignment with an associated end-effector, notwithstanding normal manufacturing tolerances of the components. | 03-11-2010 |
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| 20090083435 | ONLINE PLAYBACK SYSTEM WITH COMMUNITY BIAS - A method for entertaining individuals according to a community having similar tastes. Information derived from user accounts form the basis of a community and collateral preferences allow other subscribing individuals to enjoy the benefit of wider-ranging tastes according to the preferences expressed by the other members of the community. Additionally, assuming that individuals sharing one preference in common may be likely to share others, the present method allows those who choose to listen to the “fan station” the ability to enjoy similar music or other data streams according to preferences expressed by the fan community as a whole. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090089327 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMMING OF MEDIA SOURCES - A method, system and user interface are provided for building and programming an online media (radio or TV) station based on collaboration by the station's users. The method includes creating an initial playlist for an online media station; creating a set of recommended media content items distinct from the initial playlist; aggregating user input regarding the recommended media content items; and generating a new playlist in accordance with the aggregated input. The user input regarding a given item of media content may include a positive vote or a negative vote. Each item added to the playlist after the initial playlist is voted on by the users, so that each item of the new playlist has an aggregated positive vote greater than a predetermined vote threshold. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090177654 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LEVERAGING MEDIA VIA USER RATING DATA - A method and system for leveraging user media file rating data. In one aspect, the system comprises a component in communication with a plurality of media file related services, a rating storage, and a component for making the user rating data available to be used by plural services so that each respective service can use the rating data to tailor a user experience during interaction by the particular user with the respective service. In one aspect, the user preference rating is received from any of the media file related services. In one aspect the user preference rating information and the associated media file information are associated with a particular user regardless of the respective media file related service the preference rating was received from. | 07-09-2009 |
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| 20090094095 | RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON AN ADOPTION CURVE - Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for recommendations based on adoption curve. A method includes tracking over a period of time user popularity of a media content using a web service residing in a server, the popularity and period of time representing a life cycle of each of the media content. The method tracks over the period of time users enrolled in the web service and when in the period of time each of the users adopted the tracked media content and associates adopted media content with user profiles representing the users. The method recommends media content associated with a first user who adopted the tracked media content earlier in the period of time to a second user who may want to adopt the tracked media content subsequently in the period of time. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20100205166 | INTERNET RADIO AND BROADCAST METHOD - Data streams are generally selected according to user preferences and transmitted to the user in general alignment with expressed preferences of the user. Such data streams may be audio, video, or other works, such as popular music or the like, or other works, including music videos. Using a large database on the order of tens or hundreds of thousands of songs, users may indicate their general or specific preferences with regards to song, artists, or albums. Other users, particularly ones who access the system often, can act as influencers or controllers of the music transmitted to the user. Any other aspects or factors that might affect the user's preferences can be taken into account, such as popular radio stations in the United States or anywhere in the world. A playlist is created that combines all of these factors, as well as any applicable statutory regulations. The playlist then serves as the basis for feeding the data streams to the user, who is then able to enjoy music generally of his or her choosing, while additionally being exposed to new music (if the user so prefers). An Internet radio is thus established using the expansive and diverse abilities present in the Internet. Each user is able to express his or her own preferences and receive music corresponding to those preferences on an on-going basis. Every individual then is like the manager of his or her own radio station and may broadcast to him- or herself the music that parallels his or her tastes. Other users may also choose to hear the same playlist as another individual, or allow that individual to influence their playlist. | 08-12-2010 |
