Explore the 7,360 U.S. Patent Applications published on the 33rd week of 2016, including 5,483 applications that subsequently received a Patent Grant.
FINFETs with wrap-around silicide and method forming the same
A device includes isolation regions extending into a semiconductor substrate, with a substrate strip between opposite portions of the isolation regions having a first width. A source/drain region has a portion overlapping the substrate strip, wherein an upper portion of the source/drain region has a second width greater than the first width. The upper portion of the source/drain region has substantially vertical sidewalls. A source/drain silicide region has inner sidewalls contacting the vertical sidewalls of the source/drain region.
Published: 2016-08-18
SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH WIRELESS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A CONTROL UNIT OF A ROBOTIC SYSTEM AND REMOTE SENSOR
A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Surgical stapling device having supports for a flexible drive mechanism
The present invention includes a surgical stapler having a staple cartridge, an anvil, a cutting member having a cutting surface, and a driver operably engaged with the cutting member to move the cutting member relative to the anvil and the staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, one of the anvil and the staple cartridge defines a slot which is configured to receive at least a portion of the cutting member and guide the cutting member as it is moved relative to the anvil and the staple cartridge. In these embodiments, the slot can also be configured to receive a portion of the driver operably engaged with cutting member and support the driver when it moves the cutting member. In at least one embodiment, the slot is defined by at least one radius of curvature.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Fastener cartridge assembly comprising a cam and driver arrangement
A staple cartridge configured to be contained within a channel of a stapling device that has a sled that is selectively actuatable and an anvil portion that is selectively movable between open and closed positions to produce a different opening between the anvil portion and the staple cartridge in the open and closed positions is disclosed. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples, a cartridge body, a first staple driver defining more than one staple forming distance defining at least one first formed staple height, and a second staple driver defining more than one staple forming distance. At least one of the staple forming distances of the second staple driver is different than any of the staple forming distances of the first staple driver and defines at least one second formed staple height which is different than the at least one first formed staple height.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Staple cartridge comprising a staple driver arrangement
An end effector comprising a first jaw, a second jaw, a plurality of staple cavities, a plurality of staples removably positioned in the staple cavities, and a translatable member is disclosed. One of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable between an open position and closed positions relative to the other of the first jaw and the second jaw. The translatable firing member comprises a first portion configured to engage the first jaw, a second portion configured to engage the second jaw, and an attachment configured to contact one of the first jaw and the second jaw. The first portion is comprised of a metal. The attachment is comprised of a resilient material.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Disposable end effector for use with a surgical instrument
A disposable end effector for use with a surgical fastening instrument is disclosed. The disposable end effector comprises a proximal end configured to be attached to a shaft of the surgical fastening instrument, a distal end, a first jaw, a second jaw, and a firing member. One of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable relative to the other one of the first jaw and the second jaw to transition the disposable end effector between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The firing member transitions the disposable end effector to the closed configuration. The firing member comprises a first flange configured to engage the first jaw, a second flange configured to engage the second jaw, and two engagement surfaces configured to engage the first jaw. The first flange and the second flange are comprised of a metal. Resilient material is inserted on the two engagement surfaces.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Robotically-driven surgical instrument
A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises an end effector, an elongate shaft assembly, a housing, a rotatable drive screw, a firing member configured to be advanced during a firing cycle by the rotatable drive screw, and a sled member configured to be advanced during the firing cycle to eject staples from a staple cartridge to form a staple pattern At least a portion of the sled member is positioned distal to the staple pattern at a completion of the firing cycle. The housing comprises a plurality of rotatable disks couplable to a robotic device. The surgical instrument further comprises means for closing the end effector to a clamped position and opening the end effector to an unclamped position. The means is coupled to a first one of the plurality of rotatable disks.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Robotically-driven surgical instrument
A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes an elongate channel configured to support a staple cartridge, an anvil connected to the elongate channel, a movable cam member, an elongate shaft connected to the elongate channel, a housing coupled to the elongate shaft, and a transmission system. The anvil is movable between an unclamped position and a clamped position. The housing comprises a first rotary drive member, a second rotary drive member, a third rotary drive member and a fourth rotary drive member, each configured to be driven by a robotic surgical device. The transmission system is coupled to the first rotary drive member and is configured to drive at least two independent motions of the surgical instrument based on a rotation of the first rotary drive member. The at least two independent motions include a clamping motion and a firing motion.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: NIDEC COPAL ELECTRONICS CORPORATION.
Gear motor including reduction mechanism
The present invention provides a reduction mechanism in which high torque output can he achieved, thinness and size and weight reduction can be achieved, and the number of teeth of a gear and reduction ratio can be freely set. In a gear motor that includes a reduction mechanism in which a planetary two-stage gear is arrayed between a sun gear of a planetary gear mechanism and an internal gear of a planetary gear mechanism, the reduction mechanism has at least a single planetary two-stage gear arrayed such as to be positioned between the sun gear and the internal gear and including a small gear or a large gear that meshes together with a large gear or a small gear of the planetary two-stage gear, and both end portions of the at least a single planetary two-stage gear are supported by ball bearings.
Published: 2016-08-18 Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD..
Vertical gate all around (VGAA) devices and methods of manufacturing the same
Vertical gate all around (VGAA) devices and methods of manufacture thereof are described. A method for manufacturing a VGAA device includes: forming a first doped region having a first conductivity in a substrate; forming a second doped region having a second conductivity different from the first conductivity in the substrate, the second doped region disposed laterally adjacent to and spaced apart from the first doped region; and oxidizing a semiconductive layer disposed between the substrate and the second doped region to form an oxidized isolation layer.