Y10T29/49895

Surgical instrument with slip ring assembly to power ultrasonic transducer

A surgical instrument includes a rotatable electrical coupling assembly having a first part and a second part that electrically couple and rotate relative to each other. The second part is carried by and rotates with a tube collar coupled to a transducer. A portion of the transducer is inserted through an aperture of the second part, but does not contact the second part. The first part of the assembly may electrically couple to the second part via pogo pins, brush contacts, or ball bearings. Alternatively, the first part may comprise conductive channels formed in the casing. The second part may comprise a rotatable drum with a conductive trace. In some versions, one or more components may comprise MID components. In another version, the rotatable electrical coupling assembly comprises a rotatable PC board and brush contact. Further still, a circuit board may be provided with the transducer inside a transducer casing.

Surgical instrument with modular shaft and end effector

A surgical instrument operable to sever tissue includes a body assembly and a selectively coupleable end effector assembly. The end effector assembly may include a transmission assembly, an end effector, and a rotational knob operable to rotate the transmission assembly and the end effector. The body assembly includes a trigger and a casing having a distal aperture configured to receive a portion of the end effector assembly. First and second coupling mechanism portions cooperatively couple the end effector assembly to the body assembly for use. The coupling may mechanically and/or electrically couple the end effector assembly to the body assembly via various coupling mechanisms. For instance, a threaded slip nut may couple to threads within the body assembly. In one configuration, the end effector assembly may have locking tabs that rotate into rotational recesses in the body assembly. The locking tabs may include electrical contacts and/or optically perceivable indicators.

MODULAR VISCOUS FAN CLUTCH SYSTEM
20230417295 · 2023-12-28 · ·

A viscous clutch head may be replaced by selecting a viscous clutch head and a mount adapter. The viscous clutch head and the mount adapter may be selected from a group of universal modular fan drives and from a group of mount adapters. The mount adapter of a threaded type or a flange and bolt type may be selected. Depending on the viscous clutch head to be replaced, a fan adapter and/or a pilot adapter may also be selected from a group of fan adapters and from a group of pilot adapters. Accordingly, a range of models of viscous fan clutch systems may be replaced by using a limited number of parts. These parts may be stored on a tool cart. As different models of viscous fan clutch systems may be replaced using a limited number of parts, the in-stock inventory of replacement parts may be reduced.

Slide arrangement for cable drawer

A drawer slide having first and second rails interconnected by a center rail. The center rail includes a spool configured to provide half-speed travel of the center rail relative to the travel of the first rail. The drawer slide is configured for use with a drawer assembly having a drawer and a chassis. The drawer assembly further includes a radius limiter secured to the center rail. The radius limiter travels at half-speed relative to the drawer. The radius limiter also automatically rotates relative to the travel of the drawer. The chassis includes sides including threaded backing plates, and mounting brackets. The mounting brackets include tri-lobed holes for receipt of a reciprocally shaped washer and a fastener for mounting the brackets to the chassis sides.

Cam driven coupling between ultrasonic transducer and waveguide in surgical instrument

A surgical instrument includes a body assembly, a waveguide, a transducer, and a coupling assembly. In some versions the coupling assembly translates the transducer to couple the transducer to the waveguide. For instance, a gear having arcuate troughs may engage pins on the transducer and/or waveguide to mate the transducer to waveguide. A pawl may selectively engage and prevent rotation of the gear. Alternatively, lever arms may cam the transducer into the waveguide. The lever arms may selectively couple to a casing to prevent decoupling of the transducer and waveguide. In another configuration, a locking tab can be slid and locked into a slot to couple the transducer and waveguide. Further still, levers with self-locking pins may engage and couple the transducer to the waveguide. In another version, a rotatable body portion may engage a tab on the transducer to rotate and couple the transducer to the waveguide.

METHOD OF SEPARATING A GAS TURBINE ENGINE

A method of reassembling a gas turbine engine including steps to support a core engine on a core stand and support a fan case on a fan stand that includes a base frame coupled a fan case frame by a hinge. The fan case frame is arranged to (i) rotate about an axis of the hinge between abutting the base frame and being perpendicular to the base frame, and (ii) tilt about a yaw axis perpendicular to the hinge, which is located in a plane of the fan case frame. The method includes rotating and tilting the fan case frame to align the fan case and core engine, translating at least one of the core engine and the fan case into axial abutment, coupling the fan case and the core engine to reassemble the gas turbine engine, and decoupling the fan case from the fan stand.

Methods of using a fastener guide to install a fastener
10850373 · 2020-12-01 · ·

A fastener guide defines a downward opening funnel having an upper end that transitions to an elongated barrel in which a drive feature is movably disposed. The funnel can fit over an upright fastener so that a head is guided into and enters the barrel a distance so the drive feature can align and register with the head in the barrel before the drive feature advances the fastener through the funnel. The guide can include a guide sleeve and a biasing element interposed between the sleeve and the barrel to urge the barrel from a retracted mode to an extended mode. The barrel can telescope relative to the sleeve in transitioning from the extended mode to the retracted mode, for example, when the funnel engages a board and the drive feature advances the fastener. The biasing element can compress during this telescoping. Related methods of using the guide are provided.

SPIN-ON FILTER WITH EXTERNAL THREADS AND METHODS

A filter arrangement for threadably securing to a filter head includes a housing having a surrounding wall defining an interior volume, an open mouth providing access to the interior volume and an end opposite of the open mouth. The surrounding wall has an exterior and an interior. A filter media construction is operably held within the interior volume. A sleeve, distinct from the housing, is secured to the exterior of the surrounding wall adjacent to the housing mouth and extending partially along the surrounding wall. The sleeve has an exterior and an interior. The exterior of the sleeve defines mounting threads constructed and arranged to removably mount with the filter head, when the filter arrangement is secured to the filter head. The interior of the sleeve is against the exterior of the surrounding wall. A first seal member is oriented against the sleeve to create a seal with a filter head, when the filter arrangement is secured to the filter head. A filter assembly includes a filter arrangement and a filter head. The filter arrangement is removably secured to the filter head by a threaded connection between the sleeve and the filter head. A system includes an engine utilizing a liquid and a filter assembly in fluid communication with the engine to filter the liquid. Methods of making filter arrangements include utilizing structures characterized above.

WAVELENGTH BEAM COMBINING LASER SYSTEMS WITH MICRO-OPTICS
20200355931 · 2020-11-12 ·

In various embodiments, wavelength beam combining systems feature multiple beam emitters each emitting an individual beam, as well as multiple micro-optics arrangements each disposed optically downstream from a beam emitter to intercept the beam emitted thereby and direct the beam toward a dispersive element for combination into a multi-wavelength output beam.

Methods of manufacturing a pair of jaw members of an end-effector assembly for a surgical instrument
10820940 · 2020-11-03 · ·

A method of manufacturing a matched pair of opposing jaw members of an end-effector assembly includes assembling a first jaw member having a knife channel, assembling a second jaw member having a knife channel, setting a jaw gap and aligning a first sealing plate of the first jaw member and a second sealing plate of the second jaw member in relation to one another by bringing the first jaw member and the second jaw member into clamped engagement with an alignment spacer. The alignment spacer is configured to engage the knife channel of the first jaw member and the knife channel of the second jaw member. The method also includes coupling the first jaw member to the second jaw member.