초록 ▼

An air filter system for use by airline passengers on commercial airlines and the like. The housing is configured to clamp to the gasper air supply nozzle of the airliner. The housing is configured to direct air from the air supply nozzle through the filter medium. Thus, the present invention provid

An air filter system for use by airline passengers on commercial airlines and the like. The housing is configured to clamp to the gasper air supply nozzle of the airliner. The housing is configured to direct air from the air supply nozzle through the filter medium. Thus, the present invention provides a filter which may easily be installed by an airline passenger so as to mitigate airborne contaminants from the air supply nozzle of the airliner. The air filter system provides a flow of comparatively clean air to the passenger and the flow of comparatively clean air directs undesirable airborne contaminants found within the passenger cabin of the airliner away from the passenger, thus forming a region of comparatively clean air generally around the passenger.

대표청구항 ▼

An air filter system for use by airline passengers on commercial airlines and the like. The housing is configured to clamp to the gasper air supply nozzle of the airliner. The housing is configured to direct air from the air supply nozzle through the filter medium. Thus, the present invention provid

An air filter system for use by airline passengers on commercial airlines and the like. The housing is configured to clamp to the gasper air supply nozzle of the airliner. The housing is configured to direct air from the air supply nozzle through the filter medium. Thus, the present invention provides a filter which may easily be installed by an airline passenger so as to mitigate airborne contaminants from the air supply nozzle of the airliner. The air filter system provides a flow of comparatively clean air to the passenger and the flow of comparatively clean air directs undesirable airborne contaminants found within the passenger cabin of the airliner away from the passenger, thus forming a region of comparatively clean air generally around the passenger. longate body. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the microcontroller is in electrical communication with the master controller. 14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the microcontroller is in optical communication with the master controller. 15. A system for inserting an apparatus into a body cavity, comprising: an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end and defining a lumen therebetween, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints; at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable, and wherein when the distal end assumes a selected curve, the selected curve is propagatable along the elongate body by each motor selectively actuating the adjacent segment; and a master controller in communication with each of the segments for selectively controlling each motor to alter the relative position of the adjacent segments when the selected curve is propagated along the elongate body. 16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a depth referencing device having a sensor for measuring a distance the elongate body is advanced or withdrawn from the body cavity. 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the sensor measures the distance via non-contact methods or contact methods. 18. The system of claim 17 wherein the sensor comprises a non-contact sensor selected from the group consisting of optical sensors, infra-red sensors, and electromagnetic sensors. 19. The system of claim 17 wherein the sensor comprises a contact sensor selected from the group consisting of axial motion transducers, rollers, and friction wheels. 20. The system of claim 15 further comprising a steering controller in communication with the steerable distal end for choosing the selected curve. 21. The system of claim 20 wherein the steering controller comprises a controller selected from the group consisting of joysticks and control wheels. 22. The system of claim 15 further comprising an imaging system for transmitting an image from the distal end to the proximal end of the elongated body. 23. The system of claim 22 wherein the imaging system comprises a fiberoptic imaging bundle extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the elongate body. 24. The system of claim 22 wherein the imaging system comprises a CCD or CMOS camera. 25. The system of claim 15 further comprising at least one illumination source on the elongate body for providing a source of light. 26. The system of claim 25 wherein the illumination source comprises at least one illumination fiber extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the elongate body. 27. The system of claim 15 further comprising a recording device in communication with the elongate body for recording images from the distal end of the elongate body. 28. The system of claim 15 wherein the elongate body is configured as an endoscope for insertion into a patient's body. 29. The system of claim 15 wherein the elongate body is configured as a colonoscope for insertion into a patient's colon. 30. A method of advancing an apparatus along a selected path, comprising: providing an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints and at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable; selectively steering the distal end to assume a first selected curve along a desired path; and advancing the elongate body distally while controlling the proximal end of the instrument to assume the first selected curve of the distal end. 31. The method of claim 30 further comprising measuring a depth change of the elongate body while advancing the instrument distally. 32. The method of claim 31 further comprising incrementing a current depth by the dep th change. 33. The method of claim 32 further comprising communicating to each segment to adjust a position of each segment while advancing the elongate body. 34. The method of claim 30 further comprising advancing the elongate body proximally while controlling the proximal end of the instrument to assume the first selected curve of the distal end. 35. The method of claim 34 further comprising measuring a depth change of the elongate body while advancing the instrument proximally. 36. The method of claim 35 further comprising decrementing a current depth by the depth change. 37. The method of claim 36 further comprising communicating to each segment to adjust a position of each segment while advancing the elongate body. 38. The method of claim 30 further comprising activating at least a first motor on a first segment to actuate the first segment while advancing the elongate body distally. 39. The method of claim 38 further comprising activating at least a second motor on a second segment to actuate the second segment while advancing the elongate body distally. 40. The method of claim 30 further comprising measuring an angle between each of the segments and comparing the measured angle to a predetermined range of angles prior to selectively steering the distal end. 41. The method of claim 40 further comprising indicating to a user upon an indication of the measured angle not being within the predetermined range of angles. 42. The method of claim 40 further comprising placing each of the segments into a neutral position relative to one another upon an indication of the measured angle not being within the predetermined range of angles. 43. A system for determining a location of an apparatus within a body cavity, comprising: an elongate body having a proximal end and a selectively steerable distal end and defining a lumen therebetween, the elongate body comprising a plurality of segments interconnected via joints; at least one motor attached to each of at least a majority of segments for actuating an adjacent segment and wherein each motor is independently controllable, and wherein when the distal end assumes a selected curve, the selected curve is propagatable along the elongate body by each motor selectively actuating the adjacent segment; and at least one transponder disposed along the body which is detectable by an external navigational detector. 44. The system of claim 43 wherein the transponder comprises a coil having a predetermined resonant frequency. 45. The system of claim 43 wherein the transponder comprises a magnet. 46. The system of claim 43 wherein the transponder is disposed at the distal end of the elongate body. 47. The system of claim 43 further comprising a plurality of additional transponders disposed along the elongate body at predetermined positions. 48. The system of claim 43 wherein the external navigational detector comprises a global positioning device for remotely determining the sensor location within the body cavity. O 00/09055, WO verage subcardiac. 2. A method for supplementing the circulation of blood through a patient without connecting any component to the patient's heart, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a distal end of an inflow conduit of a rotary pump to a first blood vessel that is not a primary blood vessel with a conduit having an inner diameter no greater than about 25 millimeters using a minimally invasive surgical procedure to permit the flow of blood to the pump from the first blood vessel, said pump configured to pump blood at volumetric rates that are on average subcardiac; connecting a distal end of an outflow conduit of the pump to a second blood vessel that is not a primary blood vessel with a conduit having an inner diameter no greater than about 25 millimeters using a minimally invasive surgical procedure to permit the flow of blood away from the pump to the second blood vessel, wherein the step of connecting the outflow conduit to the second blood vessel comprises using a cannula that projects into the second blood vessel so as to direct blood to a point upstream of the point of blood vessel penetration; and operating said pump to perfuse blood through the patient's circulatory system at volumetric rates that are on average subcardiac. 3. A method for supplementing the circulation of blood through the patient without connecting any component to the patient's heart, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a distal end of an inflow conduit of a rotary pump to a non-primary blood vessel via a cannula through a minimally invasive surgical procedure to permit the flow of blood to the pump, said rotary pump configured to pump blood at volumetric rates that are on average subcardiac; contemporaneously connecting a distal end of an outflow conduit of the pump to the non-primary blood vessel via a cannula with a minimally invasive surgical procedure to permit the flow of blood away from the pump; and operating said pump at subcardiac rates to perfuse blood through the patient's circulatory system. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of connecting the inflow conduit comprises connecting the inflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a first position, and the step of connecting the outflow conduit comprises connecting the outflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a second position downstream of the first position. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of connecting the inflow conduit comprises connecting the inflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a first position, and the step of connecting the outflow conduit comprises connecting the outflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a second position upstream of the first position. 6. The method of claim 3, wherein the non-primary blood vessel is a vein. 7. The method of claim 3, wherein the non-primary blood vessel is a artery. 8. The method of claim 3, wherein the non-primary blood vessel is a femoral artery. 9. The method of claim 3, wherein the inflow conduit is connected so as to permit the flow of blood to the pump from the non-primary blood vessel. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of connecting the inflow conduit comprises connecting the inflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a first position, and the step of connecting the outflow conduit comprises connecting the outflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a second position downstream of the first position. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of connecting the inflow conduit comprises connecting the inflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a first position, and the step of connecting the outflow conduit comprises connecting the outflow conduit to the non-primary vessel at a second position upstream of the first position. 12. The method of claim 3, wherein the inflow conduit is connected so as to permit the flow of blood to the pump from a second blood vessel. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of connecting the inflow conduit comprises connect