Mandrel

Abstract: A surgical stapling device utilizes staples each having a pair of parallel limbs bridges by a straight cross-piece. As the limbs are implanted by the device on opposite sides of a skin incision, they are bent inwardly towards each other below the skin surface to close the incision and the cross-piece is bent to create an arched air gap above the skin surface to allow space for post-operative swelling and to facilitate subsequent removal of the staple. In the device, a row of staples straddling a rail (20a) are advanced toward a metal mandrel (20b) projecting from the front end of the rail into an outlet (19). The mandrel (20b), which has an arched forma­ tion, is flanked by a pair of abutments (29) on the front end of the rail (20a) whereby the foremost staple in the advancing row is deposited onto the mandrel (20b). Cooperating with the mandrel (20b) is a plate-like former (12) whose leading edge has a recess therein leading to an inner arched section (13) which generally conforms to the arched mandrel. When the device is actuated, the leading edge of the former (12) which is normally retracted from the mandrel (20b), adv­ ances towards the mandrel (20b), the former (12) sliding along the end abutments (29) of the rail (20a) and causing the staple engaged thereby to emerge from the outlet (19), in the course of which movement the staple is implanted in the skin and is formed on the mandrel to assume the desired configuration.

Abstract: A disposable mandrel and bladder is shown in which the mandrel is injected molded or machine fabricated in some other way that allows it to be permanently incorporated within the driver bladder of a surgical stapling mechanism. Supply line tubing is an integral part of the mandrel and would thus be permanently bonded to the bladder sub-assembly. Such configuration prevents tube clogging, bladder folding over infusion lines, and produces reliable firing of the stapler while using pneumatic driving mechanism.

Abstract: This invention is an endometrial ablation device and a method of manufacturing and using the device. An RF current is passed through an endometrium (22) to heat it. An electro-conductive expandable member such as a balloon (10) is used as the medium for passing the current and causing the heating of the endometrium (22). The power delivered from a power source to the balloon (10) is selectively provided to a plurality of electrode area segments (34) on the balloon (10) with each of the segments (34) having a thermistor (32) associated with it whereby temperature is monitored and controlled by a feedback arrangement from the thermistors (32). The method of manufacturing the ablation device includes using commercially available stretchable sheet material or providing a mandrel (324) or support base (352) and coating the mandrel or base with an uncured emulsion. The emulsion is then cured to form a bladder-like coating, which is thereafter removed from the mandrel or base to form a bladder (320).

Abstract: The process starts with a primary mask, which may be characterized as a pattern of parallel, photoresist strips having substantially vertical edges, each having a minimum feature width F, and being separated from neighboring strips by a minimum space width which is also approximately equal to F. From this primary mask, a set of expendable mandrel strips is created either directly or indirectly. The set of mandrel strips may be characterized as a pattern of parallel strips, each having a feature width of F/2, and with neighboring strips being spaced from one another by a space width equal to 3/2F. A conformal stringer layer is then deposited. The stringer layer material is selected such that it may be etched with a high degree of selectivity with regard to both the mandrel strips and an underlying layer which will ultimately be patterned using a resultant, reduced-pitch mask. The stringer layer is then anisotropically etched to the point where the top of each mandrel strip is exposed. The mandrel strips are then removed with an appropriate etch. A pattern of stringer strips remains which can then be used as a half-pitch mask to pattern the underlying layer. This process may also be repeated, starting with the half-pitch mask and creating a quarter-pitch mask, etc. As can be seen, this technique permits a reduction in the minimum pitch of the primary mask by a factor of 2-N (where N is an integer 1, 2, 3, . . . ).