Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120130392 | NECROSECTOMY ASSIST DEVICE - Endoscopic approach necrosectomy assist devices and methods of use to collect necrotic pancreatic tissue. One embodiment of the device includes a body, an expandable cap on a distal end of the body, an actuating mechanism for causing the cap to move between a reduced diameter retracted state and an expanded diameter operational state, a tissue collecting band on the cap, and a band actuating mechanism. Another embodiment of the invention includes a handle and a scoop on the handle. The scoop is movable between a reduced diameter retracted state and an expanded diameter operational state. The scoop is formed from a shape memory material and is self biased to the operational state. Blades, rake tips, cutters or abrasive can be included on the scoop. | 05-24-2012 |
20130096692 | NON-CIRCULAR ESOPHAGEAL STENTS AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS - Stents that have non-circular cross-sectional profiles and systems for delivering the stents are described herein. | 04-18-2013 |
20150216559 | PERCUTANEOUS ENDOSCOPIC THERAPY - This document provides methods and materials for performing percutaneous endoscopic therapy (e.g., percutaneous assisted transprosthetic endoscopic therapy). For example, access devices (e.g., inflatable access devices) for performing percutaneous endoscopic therapy are provided. | 08-06-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20150297776 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF A NETWORK OF DIFFUSERS INCLUDING A LIQUID LEVEL SENSOR - Systems and methods for managing scent in an environment include disposing a plurality of scent diffusion devices within an environment, wherein the diffusion devices include a communications facility that enables transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a remote computer and disposing at least one sensor within the environment that transmits sensor data to the remote computer. At least one scent parameter for scenting an environment is received at the remote computer. The remote computer controls diffusion of a liquid from a source of a liquid in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of scent diffusion devices to achieve the scent parameter. Controlling includes setting or adjusting an operation parameter of the scent diffusion device in response to the sensor data. | 10-22-2015 |
20150297777 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SWITCHING BETWEEN PACKAGES IN A DIFFUSION DEVICE BASED ON A LIQUID LEVEL SENSOR - The disclosure herein concerns an atomizing diffusion device including at least two packages with liquid in fluid communication with the atomizing diffusion device, a liquid level sensor that determines the liquid level in the package, and a processor, operatively coupled to the liquid level sensor, for generating a signal indicative of the liquid level and a control instruction for a switch based on the signal, wherein the switch, operatively coupled to the processor, receives the control instruction from the processor, and wherein the control instruction causes the diffusion device to switch from utilizing one package in the diffusion device to utilizing a different package in the diffusion device. | 10-22-2015 |
20150297778 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF SENSOR FEEDBACK FOR A SCENT DIFFUSION DEVICE - The disclosure herein concerns a method including receiving at a computer at least one target value of a scent parameter for an environment that is remote from the computer, receiving at the computer a sensed parameter of the environment, and controlling, via the computer, diffusion of a liquid from a source of the liquid in fluid communication with at least one scent diffusion device to achieve the target value of the scent parameter, wherein controlling includes setting or adjusting an operation parameter of the at least one scent diffusion device in response to the sensed parameter. | 10-22-2015 |
20150297779 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF IDENTIFYING TAMPERING IN A SCENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - Scent cartridges for use in a networked scent diffusion device include a reservoir that holds a liquid and an atomizer head assembly. An anti-tampering identifier is associated with at least one of the reservoir and the atomizer head assembly. Scent diffusion from the device is based on the condition of the anti-tampering identifier. | 10-22-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100139406 | Micromechanical chemical sensors with multiple chemoselective resonant elements and frequency division multiplexed readout - Micro-opto-mechanical chemical sensors and methods for simultaneously detecting and discriminating between a variety of vapor-phase analytes. One embodiment of the sensor is a photonic microharp chemical sensor with an array of closely spaced microbridges, each differing slightly in length and coated with a different sorbent polymer. The microbridges can be excited photothermally, and the microbridges can be optically interrogated using microcavity interferometry. Other actuation methods include piezoelectric, piezoresistive, electrothermal, and magnetic. Other read-out techniques include using a lever arm and other interferometric techniques. | 06-10-2010 |
20100238454 | Optical MEMS Chemical Sensor Array - A change in mass of a microbridge in a mass sensor can be sensed by applying a time-varying amplitude modulated electrostatic force to excite the microbridge into resonance at the frequency of amplitude modulation. An optical energy is then transmitted at a wavelength close to a resonant wavelength of a Fabry-Perot microcavity, which is formed by etching a movable reflective mirror into a region of the microbridge and by etching a fixed reflective minor in a region spaced apart from the microbridge. The two mirrors are interconnected by an optical waveguide. The movable mirror and fixed mirror reflect the optical energy to a receiver, and a change in the Fabry-Perot microcavity's reflectivity is interferometrically determined. The change in reflectivity indicates a change in the microbridge's resonant frequency due to increased mass of the microbridge resulting from sorption of a target chemical by a layer of chemoselective material deposited on the microbridge. | 09-23-2010 |
20110188112 | Nonlinear Frequency Conversion in Nanoslot Optical Waveguides - A waveguide device for frequency mixing or conversion through birefringent phase matching, having two suspended horizontal waveguides with an air-filled horizontal nanoslot between them. The waveguides are formed of a material with a high nonlinear susceptibility, and one waveguide can be n-doped with the other waveguide slab being p-doped. The system can be tuned to operate at different frequencies by varying the nanoslot gap distance by electrostatically actuating the suspended air-clad waveguides. | 08-04-2011 |
20130294719 | Nonlinear Frequency Conversion in Nanoslab Optical Waveguides - A waveguide device for frequency mixing or conversion through birefringent phase matching, having a horizontal waveguide suspended above a substrate. The waveguide is formed of a zinc blende type III-V semiconductor material with a high nonlinear susceptibility. | 11-07-2013 |
20130330232 | CAVITY OPTO-MECHANICAL SENSOR ARRAY - A mass sensor system including multiple Fabry-Perot microcavities connected in parallel by multiple waveguides. Each of the mass sensors includes a microbridge having a fundamental resonance frequency, and a movable reflective mirror etched into the microbridge; a fixed reflective mirror etched in a substrate, the fixed reflective mirror being fixed to the substrate in a region spaced apart from the movable reflective mirror; and an optical waveguide etched in the substrate that connects the movable mirror and the fixed mirror forming the Fabry-Perot microcavity interferometer. The system includes a tunable continuous-wave laser operative to optically interrogate the Fabry-Perot microcavity of each of the plurality of mass sensors, and a receiver operative to receive sensor signals from each of the plurality of mass sensors, the sensor signals comprising reflective signals and transmitted signals. A continuous-wave laser may generate optical forces that modify the motion, dynamics, or mechanical Q-factor of the microbridge. | 12-12-2013 |
20140260535 | GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC "IN COLUMN" SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS - A chemical detector for rapid, simultaneous detection of multiple chemicals including chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals, and explosives having one or more gas chromatography columns each with a chemosorbent or a chemo-reactive stationary phase and an infrared-transparent base, a bright infrared light source, a mechanism to direct the light source to any point along any of the columns, and an infrared sensor. Another disclosed detector has one or more gas chromatography columns each on the surface of a substrate having at least one infrared-transparent waveguide pattern, a bright infrared light source, and at least one ring resonator for each column, where each ring resonator is coated with a chemosorbent or a chemo-reactive stationary phase, and where each ring resonator spectroscopically probes the stationary phase. Also disclosed are the related methods for chemical detection. | 09-18-2014 |
20150131106 | Evanescent Field Opto-Mechanical Displacement Sensor and Phase Shifter - A method and system described for sensing a displacement by receiving and propagating a laser light signal with an etched waveguide that is configured to enable an evanescent optical field above the waveguide surface. A movable perturber can be positioned so the perturber interacts with the evanescent optical field above the waveguide surface. An optical phase shift can be induced in the waveguide when the movable perturber is displaced in the evanescent optical field, and the optical phase shift can be measured with an optical readout circuit. | 05-14-2015 |
20150323466 | CAVITY OPTO-MECHANICAL SENSOR SYSTEM - A mass sensor system including multiple Fabry-Perot microcavities connected in parallel by multiple waveguides. Each of the mass sensors includes a microbridge having a fundamental resonance frequency, and a movable reflective mirror etched into the microbridge; a fixed reflective mirror etched in a substrate, the fixed reflective mirror being fixed to the substrate in a region spaced apart from the movable reflective mirror; and an optical waveguide etched in the substrate that connects the movable mirror and the fixed mirror forming the Fabry-Perot microcavity interferometer. The system includes a tunable continuous-wave laser operative to optically interrogate the Fabry-Perot microcavity of each of the plurality of mass sensors, and a receiver operative to receive sensor signals from each of the plurality of mass sensors, the sensor signals comprising reflective signals and transmitted signals. A continuous-wave laser may generate optical forces that modify the motion, dynamics, or mechanical Q-factor of the microbridge. | 11-12-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090043228 | LASER SHOCK PEENING OF MEDICAL DEVICES - A laser shock peening process for producing one or more compressive residual stress regions in a medical device is disclosed. A high-energy laser apparatus can be utilized to direct an intense laser beam through a confining medium and onto the target surface of a workpiece. An absorption overlay disposed on the target surface of the workpiece absorbs the laser beam, inducing a pressure shock wave that forms a compressive residual stress region deep within the workpiece. Medical devices such as stents, guidewires, catheters, and the like having one or more of these compressive residual stress regions are also disclosed. | 02-12-2009 |
20090043283 | MICROFABRICATED CATHETER WITH IMPROVED BONDING STRUCTURE - Medical devices and methods for making and using the same. An example medical device may include a tubular member and a liner disposed within the liner. The tubular member may have a plurality of slots formed therein. A space may be defined between the tubular member and the liner. One or more bonding members may be disposed in the space. | 02-12-2009 |
20100198128 | FLEXIBLE STRUCTURAL APPARATUS, SPRING, WOUND COVERING, AND METHODS - A flexible structural apparatus which may be used as a wound covering which extends above the wound such that the wound covering does not contact the wound and also protects the wound from contact. The apparatus provides a high degree of flexibility while retaining structural strength and resisting collapse, for example, so as to adequately protect the wound. Various embodiments include parallel beams and connections between beams that alternate in location along the beams to provide flexibility. Some embodiments may be used as springs and may have attachment features, such as holes, which may be located at the end beams, for example. | 08-05-2010 |
20100204774 | STENT DELIVERY CATHETER - Stent delivery catheters adapted to provide both flexibility and strength are disclosed. Such stent delivery catheters may have outer shafts adapted for tensile strength and inner shafts adapted for compressive strength. In some instances, at least one of the outer shaft and/or the inner shaft may include a micromachined portion. | 08-12-2010 |
20130072904 | MICROMACHINED MEDICAL DEVICES - Medical devices that include micromachined hypotubes or that have themselves been micromachined can provide advantages in flexibility, strength and other desirable properties. Examples of such medical devices may include catheters such as guide catheters and balloon catheters. Such devices may also include dual shaft medical devices in which an outer shaft is reversibly lockable onto an inner shaft. | 03-21-2013 |
20130072924 | ABLATION ANTENNA - A radio frequency ablation antenna is disclosed. The micro-strip ablation antenna has a dielectric member having a substantially tubular shape. A first conductor is disposed within the dielectric member, and a second conductor is disposed on an outer surface of the dielectric member. The first conductor is configured to be electrically connected to a radio frequency source or ground, and the second conductor is configured to be electrically connected to the other of the radio frequency source or the ground. | 03-21-2013 |
20150366612 | ABLATION EMITTER ASSEMBLY - An emitter assembly can include a proximal shaft, a distal shaft, a shunt that connects the proximal shaft to the distal shaft, and a tip that is connected to a distal end of the distal shaft. An inner conductor can extend through the proximal shaft, the shunt, and the distal shaft and into the tip to provide microwave energy to the tip. An outer conductor can extend into the shunt. The shunt can therefore form an electrical connection between the outer conductor and a proximal ring of electrically conductive material formed on an exterior surface of the distal shaft. Distal shaft can be made of a thermally conductive but electrically insulated material to facilitate transfer of heat from the distal shaft to the proximal shaft. | 12-24-2015 |
20150366613 | ABLATION PROBE WITH METALIZED CERAMIC COMPONENT - Ablation probes can include one or more metalized ceramic components. A metalized ceramic component can include one or more traces for conducting electrical energy and/or for functioning as an antenna for emitting radiation during an ablation procedure. A shaft of an ablation probe may be formed of metalized ceramic to give the shaft strength and to provide an electrical insulator between traces formed on the shaft and other components of the probe. A tip of an ablation probe may also be formed of metalized ceramic. | 12-24-2015 |