A microwave heating device includes a variable frequency microwave power supply, a waveguide launcher, and a fixture to contain a material to be heated, with the fixture located directly adjacent to the end of the launcher. All heating occurs in the near-field region. This condition may be insured by keeping the thickness of the fixture or workpiece under one wavelength (at all microwave frequencies being used). The launcher is preferably a horn or waveguide configured to apply the microwave power to a small area to perform spot curing or repair operations involving adhesives and composites. The spot curing may secure components in place for further handling, after which a thermal or oven treatment will cure the remaining adhesive to develop adequate strength for service. A related method is also disclosed.

A deflection member that includes a reinforcing member that includes a resin coating, and at least one tile fastened to the resin coating.

Various ultrasonic instruments are disclosed. The ultrasonic instruments include an ultrasonic waveguide acoustically coupled to an ultrasonic transducer. Several techniques for acoustically coupling the ultrasonic transducer to the ultrasonic waveguide are disclosed.

A deflection member that includes a reinforcing member and a plurality of tiles fastened to the reinforcing member.

The invention relates to a sealing device for repair of cardiac and vascular defects or tissue opening such as a patent foramen ovale (PFO) or shunt in the heart, the vascular system, etc. and particularly provides an occluder device and trans-catheter occluder delivery system. The sealing device would have improved conformity to heart anatomy and be easily deployed, repositioned, and retrieved at the opening site.

Fabrication of ballistic resistant fibrous composites having improved ballistic resistance properties. More particularly, ballistic resistant fibrous composites having high interlaminar lap shear strength between component fiber plies or fiber layers, which correlates to low composite backface signature. The high lap shear strength, low backface signature composites are useful for the production of hard armor articles, including helmet armor.

Aspects of the present disclosure include various ultrasonic surgical instruments. At least one disclosed surgical instrument includes a waveguide including a blade and a transducer base plate. The transducer base plate may be coupled to the waveguide to define a tapered joint at an interface between the waveguide and the transducer base plate. The transducer base plate may include first and second sides defining corresponding first and second flat faces configured to receive first and second piezoelectric elements. The first and second piezoelectric elements are configured to operate in a D31 mode.

A method of fastening at least one second object to at least one first object, wherein mechanical vibration acts from a sonotrode on the second object to fasten the second object to the first object. Between the sonotrode and the second object, an auxiliary sheet is placed, for example of paper. After the vibration stops, the auxiliary sheet is displaced relative to the sonotrode for a next fastening step.

Disclosed is an ultrasonic surgical instrument comprising a transducer base plate, first and second piezoelectric elements positioned on opposite faces of the transducer base plate. The transducer base plate is coupled to a waveguide. The waveguide is electrically coupled to the first and second piezoelectric elements by a conductive adhesive. The first and second piezoelectric elements are electrically coupled to an ultrasonic signal generator through an electrode. A thermal conductor conducts thermal energy away from the first and second piezoelectric elements. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating such an ultrasonic surgical instrument.

A process for manufacturing an undergarment having two superimposed textiles, comprising depositing on certain parts of reinforcements (8) comprising a thick layer of a shaped memory foam elastic material, the polymerization of this material and also the shaping of the textiles of the undergarment by thermoforming, characterized in that it comprises a step of depositing, on the entire surface of at least the textiles, a thin layer of an elastic adhesive-bonding material, and then a step of polymerizing this thin layer of adhesive bonding during the thermoforming for shaping, and in that it comprises a step of prior depositing, on the textile receiving the layer of reinforcement (8), of a barrier layer of an elastic material, which is polymerized before the depositing of this reinforcement.