A system for enabling a medical device. The system includes a cradle having a magnet for generating a magnetic field. The cradle supports and aligns the medical device in a predetermined orientation. Medical device placed in the cradle exposes a magnetic sensitive switch to the magnetic field of the magnet that produces a change in state of the magnetic sensitive switch. Medical device further includes a switch, indicator, logic circuitry, delay circuit, and detect circuit for coupling a power source to electronic circuitry. In a first mode of operation the medical device can be turned on and then turned off. In a second mode of operation the medical device cannot be turned off after being turned on.

Device and method for enabling an orthopedic tool for parameter measurement

A printed circuit board (PCB) has a plurality of switch interfaces on its top surface. Each interface is an array of sensors, such as proximity sensors, hall-effect sensors, or a series of inductor coils. The sensors in each array are closely mounted and are all the same for a given PCB. Each array may or may not mount a non-contacting switch selected from a plurality of different types of switches, such as a single push button switch, dual push button switch, a toggle switch, a 3-position rocker switch, a rotary switch, or other type switch. Each switch mounted on the PCB includes one or more indicators for sensing by the sensors or coils, with feedback to determine what type of switch is mounted in each position. The same PCB, or other mount, may thus be used for a variety of unique applications, such as switch packs used in vehicles.

Configurable networked user interface and switch pack

A load balance and alignment system is provided to assess load forces on the vertebra in conjunction with overall spinal alignment. The system includes a spine instrument having an electronic assembly and a sensorized head. The sensorized head can be inserted between vertebra and report vertebral conditions such as force, pressure, orientation and edge loading. A GUI is therewith provided to show where the spine instrument is positioned relative to vertebral bodies as the instrument is placed in the inter-vetebral space. The system can report optimal prosthetic size and placement in view of the sensed load and location parameters including optional orientation, rotation and insertion angle along a determined insert trajectory.

System and method for vertebral load and location sensing

An inductive sensor for detecting the position of a vehicle seat or for a gate shifting unit of an automatic transmission is described. The inductive sensor unit has a plurality of sensor coils that are disposed in planar fashion on a printed circuit board A conductive actuation element is guided, spaced apart, in a path over the sensor coils and an electrical evaluation circuit detects changes in inductance of the sensor coils in accordance with the path position of the actuation element and converts the changes into electrical signals corresponding to seat position signals on gear shifting signals. The actuation element is guided along the sensor coils with conductive bottom faces that are staggered in the direction of the path.

Sensor unit with staggered actuation faces

A detection coil is incorporated in a self-oscillation circuit. The oscillation frequency of the self-oscillation circuit, which comprises the coil and a capacitor, is set to a high frequency band (e.g., around 1 MHz or higher). A target section whose relative position to the coil section varies in response to displacement of a detection object, and includes a magnetism-responsive member constructed to cause inductance of the coil to vary with the relative position. A rectifier circuit extracts an amplitude level of an oscillation output signal of the self-oscillation circuit and outputs the extracted level as detected position data. For example, a plurality of self-oscillation circuits are provided. Alternatively, a single self-oscillation circuit forms a plurality of series circuits by, for each coil pair, connecting in series the two coils of the coil pair, and includes the result of connecting the series circuits in parallel as an inductor element for self-oscillation.

Position detection device

Sensor coils (L1-L5,L1'-L5') attach to a printed circuit board (3) in a planar manner. A conductive activating element (CAE) (7) i.e. a forked metal plate fits with a clearance (a) at either side above the sensor coils on a track. An electric evaluatory circuit detects inductance changes in the sensor coils corresponding to the CAE's track position.

Inductive sensor unit

The component (3d) has flat coils or planar coils moved relative to each other and lying together in rows at a preset distance to influence inductivity of the coils through eddy current damping. Rhombus contour shapes have two corners, which are curved inwards. A plastic carrier has a foil made of copper sheet. A temperature expansion coefficient of the foil conforms to a temperature expansion coefficient of the carrier. A middle line in the trapezoidal shape lies in direction of the movement. The foil is designed as a damping component (3).

Measuring device for angle measurement comprising an inductive eddy current actuating element

Method for determining the actual path position of an actuating element of an inductive sensor unit

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for testing a device for protecting an electronic component (6) against overheating, wherein the device (1) comprises a temperature sensor (2), which is thermally connected to the electronic component (6), and a first control circuit (4) for the electronic component (6), wherein the temperature sensor (2) is electrically connected to the first control circuit (4), wherein the arrangement has a heating element (3), which is thermally connected to the temperature sensor (2) and which can be controlled by means of a second control circuit (7).

Arrangement for testing a device for protecting an electronic component against overheating and pertaining method

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an induction-type eddy-current type operation element, arranged to move along at a predetermined distance over a series of tightly adjacent flat coils or planar coils, in order to affect the inductance of mainly three coils by means of eddy-current damping, to further enhance the measurement accuracy of an inductive sensor, by improving the type of induction-type operation element whose outer edges are in the shape of a rhombus (defined by A, B, C, D). SOLUTION: At least two sides (e.g., a and b) of the rhombus (defined by A, B, C, D) are curved in the inward direction. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Luber Thomas

Papers

Inductive sensor unit

Measuring device for angle measurement comprising an inductive eddy current actuating element

Method for determining the actual path position of an actuating element of an inductive sensor unit

Arrangement for testing a device for protecting an electronic component against overheating and pertaining method

Inductive damping element and inductive eddy-current-type operation element