In an aspect, a braiding machine is provided, and has a set of spool shuttles that each dispense a strand of flexible material under tension. A strand retractor releasably retracts the strands from the spool shuttles. A plurality of shuttle stations at which the spool shuttles can be positioned are arranged in a circuit. At least one shuttle carriage, when driven, repeatedly selects an immediately previously unselected spool shuttle and moves the immediately previously unselected spool shuttle from an associated shuttle station to another shuttle station along the circuit spaced from the associated shuttle station by at least one shuttle station that is intermediate the associated shuttle station and the other shuttle station. At least one spool shuttle is parkable at the at least one shuttle station. A drive arrangement is coupled to the shuttle carriage to drive the shuttle carriage.

In an aspect, a braiding machine is provided, and has a set of spool shuttles that each dispense a strand of flexible material under tension. A strand retractor releasably retracts the strands from the spool shuttles. A plurality of shuttle stations at which the spool shuttles can be positioned are arranged in a circuit. At least one shuttle carriage, when driven, repeatedly selects an immediately previously unselected spool shuttle and moves the immediately previously unselected spool shuttle from an associated shuttle station to another shuttle station along the circuit spaced from the associated shuttle station by at least one shuttle station that is intermediate the associated shuttle station and the other shuttle station. At least one spool shuttle is parkable at the at least one shuttle station. A drive arrangement is coupled to the shuttle carriage to drive the shuttle carriage.

The disclosure describes implantable bioprosthesis and constructs having an implantable woven ribbon with at least one integrated suture.

A braid separation apparatus for separating rope strands of a braided rope, thereby allowing reuse of the separated rope strands, is provided and may include an input assembly configured to move a braided rope made of at least three rope strands, into the apparatus. Further, the apparatus may comprise three or more winding carriers, each being coupled to one of the rope strands. The winding carriers configured to move about each other in serpentine path such that rope strands of the braided rope are separated. Each winding carrier may comprise a spool which is connected to the rope strand coupled to the winding carrier. Each winding carrier may further comprise a torque creating unit configured to provide a torque on the spool and to cause the spool to rotate such that the rope strand is wound around the spool.

A braid separation apparatus for separating rope strands of a braided rope, thereby allowing reuse of the separated rope strands, is provided and may include an input assembly configured to move a braided rope made of at least three rope strands, into the apparatus. Further, the apparatus may comprise three or more winding carriers, each being coupled to one of the rope strands. The winding carriers configured to move about each other in serpentine path such that rope strands of the braided rope are separated. Each winding carrier may comprise a spool which is connected to the rope strand coupled to the winding carrier. Each winding carrier may further comprise a torque creating unit configured to provide a torque on the spool and to cause the spool to rotate such that the rope strand is wound around the spool.

A hair braiding device for automatically braiding hair includes a housing which defines an orifice that extends into the housing. A motor is mounted in the housing and is operable to rotate an output shaft of the motor alternately in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite from the first rotational direction. A braiding mechanism is operably coupled to the output shaft of the motor and is mounted in the orifice of the housing. The braiding mechanism comprises a plurality of hair couplers which are configured to move along a figure-eight path when the motor is activated.

A hair braiding device for automatically braiding hair includes a housing which defines an orifice that extends into the housing. A motor is mounted in the housing and is operable to rotate an output shaft of the motor alternately in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction opposite from the first rotational direction. A braiding mechanism is operably coupled to the output shaft of the motor and is mounted in the orifice of the housing. The braiding mechanism comprises a plurality of hair couplers which are configured to move along a figure-eight path when the motor is activated.

In some aspects, a device comprises a plurality of walls defining one or more channels; wherein the one or more channels have a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a vertical axis of the device that changes along the vertical axis; and one or more floats sized to allow movement of the one or more floats within said one or more channels, wherein the one or more floats have a surface characteristic that is different from the surface characteristic of the walls such that, upon contact with a fluid, said walls and said floats form different contact angles and induce a repulsive capillary force between the walls and the one or more floats at a surface of the fluid.

In some aspects, a device comprises a plurality of walls defining one or more channels; wherein the one or more channels have a cross-section in a plane perpendicular to a vertical axis of the device that changes along the vertical axis; and one or more floats sized to allow movement of the one or more floats within said one or more channels, wherein the one or more floats have a surface characteristic that is different from the surface characteristic of the walls such that, upon contact with a fluid, said walls and said floats form different contact angles and induce a repulsive capillary force between the walls and the one or more floats at a surface of the fluid.

In an aspect, a braiding machine is provided, and has a set of spool shuttles that each dispense a strand of flexible material under tension. A strand retractor releasably retracts the strands from the spool shuttles. A plurality of shuttle stations at which the spool shuttles can be positioned are arranged in a circuit. At least one shuttle carriage, when driven, repeatedly selects an immediately previously unselected spool shuttle and moves the immediately previously unselected spool shuttle from an associated shuttle station to another shuttle station along the circuit spaced from the associated shuttle station by at least one shuttle station that is intermediate the associated shuttle station and the other shuttle station. At least one spool shuttle is parkable at the at least one shuttle station. A drive arrangement is coupled to the shuttle carriage to drive the shuttle carriage.