1. An intramedullar distraction device for bone elongation based on the Callotasis phenomenon, which enables mechanical activation by a patient, said device comprised of:
a nail assembly that is rigidly connected to ratchet assembly, installed within a prepared medullar cavity of a long bone, said nail assembly including at least two interconnected metal pieces;
a ratchet assembly including a ratchet cover and a long screw which rotates in an amount equivalent to at least one tooth on a gear, wherein said long screw rotation alters the length of the nail assembly; and
a subcutaneous button located at the outer most end of said ratchet assembly, below and close to the surface of the skin for initiating a ratchet action.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the ratchet assembly includes a center chamber, a leverage mechanism, and a gear, wherein one end of leverage mechanism is flexibly connected to the center chamber and the second end of leverage mechanism is connected to the gear, such that upon depressing the subcutaneous button, the center chamber moves forward to actuate the leverage mechanism and cause the gear to rotate, whereas the gear rotation rotates the long screw.
3. The device of claim 2 further comprising a floating stopper mounted within ratchet assembly between the leverage mechanism and the gear
4. The device of claim 2 wherein the leverage mechanism includes a pin, wherein upon pushing the subcutaneous button, said pin contacts said gear.
5. The device of claim 2 wherein the center chamber includes a cylinder-plate that connects the subcutaneous button and a locking spring, wherein the cylinder-plate slides freely within the center chamber.
6. The device of claim 2 wherein the cylinder plate includes at least two diametrically opposed holes and the locking spring sits inside said holes compressed against the internal wall of the center chamber thus holding the cylinder-plate in place.
7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a spacer located between a center chamber and the subcutaneous button for extending the subcutaneous button to accommodate the thickness of the fat and skin.
8. The device of claim 6 further comprising an opening located at the terminal end of subcutaneous button and wherein the center chamber includes at least two holes which are aligned with the holes of the cylinder plate holes wherein upon inserting a pin through the opening, the cylinder plates moves forwards, freeing the ends of the locking spring to move out into the center chamber holes, thus locking said ratchet mechanism.
9. The device of claim 2 wherein the leverage mechanism is a rocker-type mechanism that spans the gap between the center chamber and a gear.
10. The device of claim 2 wherein the ratchet assembly further comprises a floating mechanism mounted between the leverage mechanism and the gear that ensures that the gear can rotate in either of the desired directions, causing the nail assembly to be shortened or elongated according to gear rotation direction.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the nail assembly includes an outer tube, and an inner tube seated within the outer tube, wherein the long screw runs down through the center length of both the outer tube and the inner tube, connecting thereof.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the outer tube has at least one hole enabling the anchoring of said tube to the patient’s bone.
13. The device of claim 11 wherein outer tube includes a guiding system wherein said the outer tube has a channel and said inner tube has a protrusion that slides within said channel, for supporting and guiding the inner tube movement.
14. The device of claim 11 wherein the inner tube and the long screw have matching threads enabling the inner tube to be connected to the long screw.
15. The device of claim 11 wherein the inner tube includes alignment holes which enable rotating and adjusting the device to the correct position within the bone.
16. The device of claim 11 wherein the inner tube has at least one hole enabling the anchoring of said tube to the patient’s bone.
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. A sprinkler control system, comprising:
an outdoor light comprising a control circuit and a first radio frequency transceiver; and
a sprinkler zone controller comprising a second radio frequency transceiver and electronics for controlling at least one flow control device of the sprinkler zone;
wherein the control circuit for the outdoor light is configured to provide a control signal to the sprinkler zone controller via the first radio frequency transceiver and the second radio frequency transceiver.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit of the outdoor light is configured to identify sprinkler information in data received at the first radio frequency transceiver and is configured to retransmit the identified sprinkler information via the first radio frequency transceiver as the control signal.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sprinkler zone controller is configured to retransmit the control signal for other sprinkler controllers in response to receiving the control signal at the second radio frequency transceiver.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second radio frequency transceivers are configured for wireless mesh networking with additional radio frequency transceivers.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sprinkler zone controller includes an environment sensor configured to sense a condition of an outdoor area associated with the sprinkler zone controller.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the flow control device is one of a hydraulic valve and a pump, wherein the sprinkler zone controller comprises a logic module configured to determine whether the sprinkler zone controller should cause the flow control device to change states based on the condition sensed by the environment sensor.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the logic module is configured to cause the second radio frequency transceiver to transmit information representative of the sensed condition to the first radio frequency transceiver for routing to a master controller for the sprinkler control system.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the logic module is further configured to cause the second radio frequency transceiver to transmit the information representative of the sensed condition to another sprinkler zone controller for action.
9. A sprinkler system, comprising:
a plurality of electronically controlled valves;
a control circuit coupled to each of the plurality of electronically controlled valves, each control circuit including a transceiver for sending and receiving data communications; and
a master controller configured to cause the plurality of electronically controlled valves to controllably actuate by transmitting a command to at least one of the plurality of electronically controlled valves.
10. The sprinkler system of claim 9, further comprising:
an outdoor lighting fixture having a radio frequency transceiver configured to route communications from the master controller to the transceivers of the control circuits for the plurality of electronically controlled valves.
11. The sprinkler system of claim 10, further comprising an environment sensor configured to sense a condition of an outdoor area associated with the control circuit.
12. The sprinkler system of claim 11, wherein the electronically controlled valves comprise a hydraulic valve, and wherein the master controller comprises a logic module configured to determine whether the master controller should cause the electronically controlled valves to change states based on the condition sensed by the environment sensor.
13. A sprinkler head, comprising:
an electronically controllable valve configured to cause the sprinkler head to controllably release and restrain fluid flow;
a radio frequency transceiver configured to receive a command from a remote source and to provide the command to the control circuit; and
a control circuit configured to provide a signal to the electronically controllable valve in response to the command.
14. The sprinkler head of claim 13, further comprising:
a sensor configured to sense an environment condition and to provide a signal representative of the environment condition to the radio frequency transceiver for transmission to at least one of other sprinkler heads and a master controller.
15. The sprinkler head of claim 14, wherein the command from the first remote source is a command to begin sprinkling and wherein the control circuit is configured to interpret the command to determine whether to provide the signal to the electronically controllable valve in response to the command, wherein the signal is configured to actuate the valve to begin the flow of fluid through the sprinkler head.
16. The sprinkler head of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the radio frequency transceiver to broadcast an indication of the sprinkler head’s operational status for reception by the remote source.