Recently Issued Patents

An indwelling valve actuated urinary catheter has an inner catheter having an inlet port configured on a distal end and for locating within the bladder and a sheath that slides over the inner catheter to produce a valve. The sheath extends over the inlet port when the valve is in a closed position and manipulation of a valve actuator on the proximal end, located within the penis, opens the valve. The sheath may include a window that is aligned with the inlet port when the sheath is moved to open the valve. The valve actuator may comprise a proximal nodule and a distal nodule that are configured within the urethra along the penis. Manual manipulation of the valve actuator through the penis, such as by pinching the penis, moves the proximal and distal nodules with respect to each other to open or close the valve.

A hanger organizer has a hanger portion with a rod hook that suspends the hanger organizer from a closest rod. An extension from the rod hook extends to a coupler portion from which a first and second hanger retainer arm extends. The first and second hanger retainer arms extend in opposing direction and have a bend that leads to the arms for retaining the hanger loop ends. A hanger hook retainer which may be a receptacle extends out perpendicularly to the vertical axis of the hanger organizer for hooking a clothes hanger there around. A plurality of ties may be placed in the receptacle and used to synch around a plurality of hangers for return to the dry-cleaners.

A personal cooling device utilizes a portable container for retaining a liquid that is wicked into a wicking, material and a fan to draw air into the container through a plurality of apertures to produce a flow of cool air. Air drawn into the container through the apertures flows through the wicking material and is cooled by evaporative cooling. The air then flows out of the top of the container and through the air moving device. A funnel is configured around the outer perimeter of the container to capture any liquid that spills out of the apertures and direct it back into the container. A battery pack may be coupled to the air moving device by an extension cable for storing the battery pack in a more convenient location, such as on a belt.

An enclosure temperature control system utilizes a renewable power source and a thermal sink to reduce the overall power requirements from a power grid. A renewable power source, such as a solar panel may provide power that drives the components required to maintain the greenhouse temperature within upper and lower limits, including a HVAC system and/or a heat transfer system coupled with a thermal sink. The thermal sink includes a phase change material that releases heat when it solidifies and this heat can be used to heat the greenhouse. Likewise, the phase change material absorbs heat during the day to reduce the temperature within the greenhouse. A heat transfer system may be coupled with the phase change material and a solid conductor component within the tank of a phase change material may increase thermal transfer rate.

A dual engine generator has two engines and two inverters and two alternators configured within an inner enclosure. An outer enclosure extends around the inner enclosure to create plenums for airflow. Cooling airflow enters through the outer cover and flows through the plenums and into the inner enclosure to cool the components therein. Airflows out of the inner enclosure and into the plenums and finally exhausts from the outer enclosure. The outer enclosure may have rounded sides to form a pill shaped enclosure. The outer covers are configured to deflect or flex in high wind condition and protect the inner enclosure. The engines are configured above the alternator and inverter and a flow of air reduces heat from the engines from overheating the other components. The mufflers are within the plenums and a flow of exhaust air from within the inner enclosure is directed over the mufflers.

An invention pertaining to footwear is described, including a flexible protection plate, an insole, and a shoe with three forefoot pads and three toe compartments. The sections of the protection plate are hinged or separated to allow a greater degree of independent movement of the three main groups of muscles and bones in the forefoot in response to varying walking, hiking and running terrain. A separate insole is described that incorporates the forefoot protection plate and that can be inserted into and removed from footwear in order to provide additional protection as needed. A shoe including outersole, midsole and upper, are also described in which the forward portion is divided into three toe compartments that are configured to allow independent articulation of corresponding individual toes and/or pairs of toes inserted in the footwear.

An air treatment system includes a particulate filtration portion and a disinfecting portion that may be configured within a single enclosure, such as a conduit. The disinfecting portion may include a UV light source that emits UV light onto the interior surface of the conduit that has a photocatalyst surface. A disinfecting portion may include an X-ray portion, wherein an X-ray emitter is configured within the conduit. In one embodiment, the X-ray emitter is configured to emit X-rays along the conduit and toward a photocatalytic mesh that is also configured within the conduit. The particulate filtration portion may be configured upstream of the disinfection portion.

A pill dispenser is configured to receive a plurality of different pill types into discrete pill reservoirs, whereby a dose of different pills may be provided to a user in a dispense reservoir. A vacuum manifold may be configured with a vacuum tube for removing pills from the discrete reservoirs and placing them into the dispense reservoir. In one embodiment, a pill dispenser is part of a pill dispenser system that utilizes a remote electronic device having an application software program for setting, managing and displaying the dosing regimens for pills loaded into the pill dispenser. The application software program may be coupled with a prescribing pill database, whereby prescription pill information, including dosing regimens may be loaded onto the application software program to ensure compliance with the prescription.

A device capable of measuring one or more degrees of freedom with respect to a beam of light is described. The angle of rotation around the beam is obtained with a polarized beam of light and a polarizing optic and a sensor. A control system holds a sensor reading to a predetermined value. Therefore as the device is rotated around the beam, the optic will be rotated to maintain the sensor reading and an encoder provides the measurement of the amount of rotation. A position sensing device provides transverse information about the location of the beam and rotation of the device around two other axes. A second position sensing device at a difference distance from the light transmitter allows for the separation of transverse and rotational measurements. Alternately, the transverse measurement can be obtained by a light transmitter capable of making the measurement on a reflected beam.

A dental mirror instrument has a light waveguide and an airflow conduit that extend along the length of an elongated member to a mirror portion. An airflow exiting from the airflow conduit may be directed over the mirror surface to remove fluids and debris. Light from a light source is transmitted along the light waveguide and is reflected off of a back-side of a land portion through a Fresnel lens to produce a task light. A mirror may have a hydrophobic surface and this surface may have raised portions or a patterned surface that further enhances the removal of fluids or debris. The optical component of the dental instrument may be detachable to a source component and may be disposable. A flexible connector may be coupled with the source component to provide an airflow to the airflow conduit and/or electrical power to the light source.