1. A coupling wire guide for coupling to a previously introduced wire guide in intracorporeal procedures, the coupling wire guide comprising:
a main body having a distal end;
a tip portion securely connected to the distal end of the main body, the tip portion including first, second and third sections oriented along a longitudinal axis, the first section connected to the main body, the second section interconnecting the first and third sections, the third section defining an axial passageway having a distal opening and a proximal opening, the axial passageway sized to receive the previously introduced wire guide therein; and
the second section including a strip extending axially and circumferentially that defines a complementary axially and circumferentially extending opening in communication with the proximal opening, the strip following a curved path between the first and third sections, the strip extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis less than 360 degrees and having a circumferential width less than 180 degrees, the natural unbiased configuration of the tip portion defining the axially and circumferentially extending opening.
2. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the strip extends circumferentially around the longitudinal axis less than or equal to 180 degrees.
3. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the strip follows a helical path between the first and third sections.
4. The coupling wire guide of claim 3, wherein the helical path extends less than or equal to about 180 degrees circumferentially.
5. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the strip is structured to guide the previously introduced wire guide relative to the proximal opening.
6. The coupling wire guide of claim 5, wherein a distal end of the strip is structured to guide the previously introduced wire guide away from the proximal opening.
7. The coupling wire guide of claim 5, wherein a proximal end of the strip is structured to guide the previously introduced wire guide away from the strip.
8. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the strip includes a plurality of holes or slots therein providing flexibility to the strip.
9. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the first section of the tip portion is tubular, and wherein the main body extends through the tubular first section and defines a closed distal end surface located proximate the axially and circumferentially spaced opening.
10. The coupling wire guide of claim 9, wherein the tip portion is welded, bonded, or soldered to the main body.
11. The coupling wire guide of claim 9, wherein the distal end of the main body projects into the axially and circumferentially_extending opening.
12. The coupling wire guide of claim 11, wherein the distal end surface of the main body defines a guide surface exposed to the axially and circumferentially extending opening to guide the previously introduced wire guide away from the distal end of the main body.
13. The coupling wire guide of claim 11, wherein the distal end of the main body is angled less than 90\xb0 relative to a longitudinal axis of the tip portion and defines a guide surface exposed to the opening to guide the previously introduced wire guide away from the distal end of the main body.
14. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the proximal opening faces axially.
15. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the third section is beveled.
16. The coupling wire guide of claim 15, wherein the distal end of the first section is beveled.
17. The coupling wire guide of claim 15, wherein the proximal opening in the third section is angled between 5 and 45 degrees relative to the central axis of the coupling tip.
18. The coupling wire guide of claim 16, wherein the distal opening in the first section is angled between 5 and 45 degrees relative to the central axis of the coupling tip.
19. The coupling wire guide of claim 16, wherein the proximal opening in the third section is angled about 30 degrees, and the distal opening in the first section is angled about 7 degrees.
20. The coupling wire guide of claim 1, wherein the first and third sections of the tip portion are coaxial in the natural unbiased configuration of the tip portion.
21. A coupling wire guide for coupling to a previously introduced wire guide in intracorporeal procedures, the coupling wire guide comprising:
a main body having a distal end;
a tip portion securely connected to the distal end of the main body, the tip portion including first, second and third sections oriented along a longitudinal axis, the first section connected to the main body, the second section interconnecting the first and third sections, the third section having a solid tubular wall defining an axial passageway having a distal opening and a proximal opening, the axial passageway sized to receive the previously introduced wire guide therein; and
the second section including a strip extending axially and circumferentially that defines a complementary axially and circumferentially extending opening in communication with the proximal opening, the strip following a helical path between the first and third sections, the helical path making less than one turn around the longitudinal axis.
22. The coupling wire guide of claim 21, wherein the helical path makes less than or equal to one-half turn around the longitudinal axis.
23. The coupling wire guide of claim 21, wherein the distal end of the main body projects into the opening, and the distal end of the main body is angled less than 90\xb0 relative to a longitudinal axis of the tip portion and defines a guide surface exposed to the opening to guide the previously introduced wire guide away from the distal end of the main body.
24. The coupling wire guide of claim 21, wherein the distal end of the main body projects into the axially and circumferentially extending opening, and the distal end of the main body has a closed distal end surface that defines a guide surface exposed to the axially and circumferentially extending opening to guide the previously introduced wire guide away from the distal end of the main body.
25. A coupling wire guide for coupling to a previously introduced wire guide in intracorporeal procedures, the coupling wire guide comprising:
a main body having a distal end;
a tip portion securely connected to the distal end of the main body, the tip portion including first, second and third sections oriented along a longitudinal axis, the first section connected to the main body the second section interconnecting the first and third sections, the third section defining an axial passageway having a distal opening and a proximal opening, the axial passageway sized to receive the previously introduced wire guide therein, the second section including a strip extending axially and circumferentially that defines a complementary axially and circumferentially extending opening in communication with the proximal opening, the strip following a curved path around the longitudinal axis having less than one turn; and
the tip portion including a cannula having a material void between the ends of the cannula to define the first, second and third sections of the tip portion and the strip of the second section.
26. The coupling wire guide of claim 25, wherein the tip portion is constructed of Nitinol or stainless steel.
27. The coupling wire guide of claim 25, wherein the tip portion is welded or soldered to the main body.
28. The coupling wire guide of claim 25, wherein the material void has opposing ends that are spaced from the ends of the cannula.
29. The coupling wire guide of claim 25, wherein the strip has a semi-annular cross section.
30. The coupling wire guide of claim 25, wherein the curved path of the strip make less than or equal to one-half turn.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for moving a door (60) of a vehicle (62) between one of two positions, the apparatus comprising a fluid cylinder (16) and piston (18) operatively connected to the door and the vehicle, the door having a first position and a second position, a supply of gas generating chemicals (24) and an initiator (26) for initiating said gas generating chemicals (24) to cause said chemicals to rapidly generate a supply of gas and to supply said generated gas to said fluid cylinder (16) to move said piston (18) between said first and second positions to effect movement of the door operatively connected thereto.
2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 for moving the door (60) of a vehicle (62) between a first position and a second position, further including first and second linkage assemblies (27, 65) one of which interconnects said fluid cylinder to either the vehicle or the door and the other of which interconnects said piston (60) to the other of either the door or the vehicle, said first and second linkage assemblies cooperating with said door, piston (18) and fluid cylinder (16) to move said door between said first and second positions in response to initiation of said supply of gas generating chemicals (24).
3. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between a first position and a second position as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas generating chemicals comprises a solid chemical which when initiated rapidly generates a predetermined volume of gas in a predetermined time period which is dependent on the composition of said gas generating chemical, the volume of said gas generating chemical and the shape of said gas generating chemical.
4. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between first and second positions as defined in claim 1, wherein said initiator for initiating said supply of gas generating chemicals (24) includes a bridge wire (80) for initiating ignition of said supply of gas generating chemicals, said bridge wire when energized effecting ignition of said supply of gas generating chemicals (24) to rapidly generate a predetermined volume of gas to move said fluid cylinder (16) and piston (18) between said first and second positions.
5. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between first and second positions as defined in claim 1, wherein said source of energy for energizing said bridge wire (80) includes a piezo-electric device (90) connected to said bridge wire (80), said piezo-electric device when actuated generating a sufficient amount of electrical energy to energize said bridge wire to effect ignition of said supply of gas generating chemicals (24) to generate said predetermined volume of gas to move said fluid cylinder (16) and piston (18) between said first and second positions.
6. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between first and second positions as defined in claim 1, wherein said initiator for initiating said supply of gas generating chemicals (24) includes an explosive primer (100) for effecting ignition of said supply of gas generating chemicals, said primer when detonated effecting ignition of said supply of gas generating chemicals to generate a predetermined volume of gas to move said fluid cylinder and piston between said first and second positions.
7. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between a first position and a second positions as defined in claim 1, wherein said initiator (26) is disposed in close proximity to said supply of gas generating chemicals (24) and a device for activating said initiator, and wherein energization of said device actuates said initiator which rapidly ignites said supply of gas generating chemicals to generate a sufficient amount of gas to move said fluid cylinder and piston between said first and second positions to effect movement of the door between its first and second positions.
8. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between first and second positions as defined in claim 1, further including a safe and arm mechanism (32) disposed between said initiator and said supply of gas generating chemicals (24), said safe and arm mechanism including an arming member (36) having a safe position in which said arming member is interposed between said initiator and said supply of gas generating chemicals to prevent initiation of said supply of gas generating chemicals if said initiator is activated, and an armed position in which said arming member (36) facilitates ignition of said supply of gas generating chemicals upon activation of said initiator to generate sufficient gas to move said fluid cylinder (16) and piston (18) between said first and second positions to effect movement of the door between its first and second positions.
9. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between a first position and a second position as defined in claim 1, further including a fluid chamber interposed (110) between said fluid cylinder (16) and said gas generating chemicals for capturing and releasing to said fluid cylinder at a controlled volume and pressure the gas generated by said gas generating chemical.
10. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between a first position and a second position as defined in claim 1, wherein said supply of gas generated by said gas generating chemicals is inert.
11. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between a first position and a second position as defined in claim 1, wherein said initiator (26) includes first (28) and second (30) spaced apart portions of a readily ignitable material, said second portion (30) being disposed in close proximity to said supply of gas generating chemicals (24) and being operable to ignite said supply of gas generating chemicals when said first portion (28) of said readily ignitable material is ignited and when the arming member (36) is in the armed position.
12. An apparatus for moving the door of a vehicle between a first position and a second position as defined in claim 8, wherein said safe and arm mechanism (32) includes an arming member (36) having a passageway therein which provides for fluid communication between said first (28) and second portions (30) of said readily ignitable material of said initiator (26) when said arming member is in said armed position and which prevents fluid communication between said first and second portions of said readily ignitable material of said initiator when said arming member is in said safe position.
13. An apparatus for moving a door of a vehicle between a first position and a second position according to claim 1, in which a first position is closed and a second position is an open position.
14. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first position is an open door position and the second position is a closed door position.
15. An apparatus for moving a door of a vehicle between one of two positions, the apparatus including a supply of gas generating chemicals, and an initiator for initiating said gas generating chemicals to cause said chemicals to generate a supply of gas and means to supply said generated gas to a rotary actuator means, wherein said rotary motion causes said door to move from a first to a second position.
16. An apparatus for moving a door of a vehicle between a first position and a second position according to claim 15 in which either the first position is closed and a second position is an open position, or the first position is an open door position and the second position is a closed door position