Author: claimsbot

1. An anvil assembly for use with a surgical stapler, the anvil assembly comprising:
a tissue contact surface;
a plurality of staple pockets formed in the tissue contact surface, each of the plurality of staple pockets defining a longitudinal axis; and
each of the plurality of staple pockets including first and second staple forming cups, each of the first and second staple forming cups having an outside portion and an inside portion, the inside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in close relation to each, the outside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in spaced relation to each other, each of the first and second staple forming cups being defined by sidewalls and an elongated base surface;
wherein upper portions of the sidewalls intersect the tissue contact surface at a line of intersection, and wherein the line of intersection is curved along a majority of its length between the outside portion and the inside portion of each of the staple forming cups.
2. The anvil assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated base surface extends along each of the plurality of staple pockets.
3. The anvil assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated base surface of each of the first and second staple forming cups is transversely linear along the majority of its length.
4. The anvil assembly of claim 2, wherein the elongated base surface of each of the first and second staple forming cups is transversely linear along the majority of its length.
5. The anvil assembly of claim 1, wherein the sidewalls of each of the first and second staple forming cups form an acute angle with respect to a tissue contact surface of the anvil assembly at an outside portion of each of the first and second staple forming cups.
6. The anvil assembly of claim 1, in combination with a surgical stapler comprising a staple cartridge having a plurality of directionally biased staples contained therein and pushers to advance the staples.
7. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 6, wherein the staples are advanced toward the anvil assembly in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the stapler.
8. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 6, wherein the staples are advanced toward the anvil assembly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stapler.
9. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 6, wherein the staples are arranged in substantially linear rows and the staple pockets are arranged in substantially linear rows.
10. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 6, wherein the staples are non-circular in cross section.
11. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein the staples are oval in cross-section.
12. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein the staples are trapezoidal in cross-section.
13. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein the staples are oval in cross- section.
14. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein the staples are rectangular in cross-section.
15. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein the staples are triangular in cross-section.
16. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 15, wherein the staples are scalene triangular in cross-section.
17. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein the staples are substantially oval with linear sides in cross-section.
18. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein the staples form an inverse trapezoidal shape in cross-section.
19. The anvil assembly and surgical stapler of claim 15, wherein axes through the triangular section are offset from the center of the triangle.

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 pump, comprising:
a pump fluid end having a manifold mating surface surrounding a pump fluid port;
a manifold adapted to be affixed to the pump fluid end by a fastener and having a pump mating surface adapted to abut and seal with the manifold mating surface to enable communication of fluid between the pump fluid end and the manifold via the pump fluid port; and
a manifold support extending outward from the pump fluid end, the manifold support shaped to engage the manifold when detached from the fluid end and:
support the weight of the manifold in a first position with the manifold upright and the pump mating surface adjacent the manifold mating surface, and
guide the manifold, still supported, to move to a second position with the manifold upright and the pump mating surface apart from the manifold mating surface.
2. The pump of claim 1, wherein the manifold mating surface and the pump fluid end mating surface are substantially planar and the pump fluid end mating surface is supported oriented toward and substantially parallel to the manifold mating surface when in the first position.
3. The pump of claim 2, wherein the pump fluid end mating surface is substantially parallel to the manifold mating surface when in the second position.
4. The pump of claim 1, wherein the manifold support comprises a track for engaging both an upward facing and a downward facing surface of the manifold.
5. The pump of claim 4, wherein the manifold comprises a flange and the track engages upward facing and downward facing surfaces of the flange.
6. The pump of claim 5, wherein the track comprises a plurality of support pins arranged in a line and positioned to enable the flange to rest on the support pins when the manifold is supported by the manifold support.
7. The pump of claim 6, wherein the support pins comprise rollers.
8. The pump of claim 1, wherein the manifold support guides the manifold to move in a substantially straight path between the first and second position.
9. The pump of claim 1, wherein the manifold support guides the manifold, still supported, to move to a third position apart from the manifold mating surface and on an opposite side of the manifold mating surface from the second position.
10. The pump of claim 1, wherein the manifold support includes provisions to lock the manifold in the second position.
11. A method of servicing a pump, comprising:
disconnecting a manifold of the pump from a remainder of the pump;
supporting the manifold in an orientation adjacent a manifold mating surface on a manifold support of the pump; and
displacing the manifold apart from the manifold mating surface while the manifold is supported in the same orientation on the manifold support.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the manifold has a planar pump mating surface and the manifold mating surface is planar, and when upright, the pump mating surface is substantially parallel to the manifold mating surface.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein displacing the manifold from the manifold mating surface comprises moving the manifold along a track of the manifold support.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising locking the manifold in a position apart from the manifold mating surface.
15. The method of claim 11, installing manifold supports to the pump, and using the manifold supports to support the manifold in the supporting and displacing steps.
16. A device attachable to a pump, the pump having a pump fluid end and a manifold that is detachable from the fluid end, the device comprising:
a manifold support beam portion adapted to affix to the pump fluid end at a location adjacent a manifold mating surface of the pump fluid end and extend outward from the pump fluid end; and
a support on the manifold support beam portion that, when the manifold support beam portion is affixed to the fluid end of the pump, engages the manifold detached from the fluid end and supports the weight of the manifold in a first position with a pump body mating surface of the manifold adjacent a manifold mating surface and guides the manifold, still supported, to slide in a substantially straight path to a second position, apart from the manifold mating surface.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the manifold support beam comprises a flange and the support comprises a track that engages upward facing and downward facing surfaces of the flange.
18. The device of claim 17, wherein the track comprises rollers.
19. The device of claim 16, wherein the manifold support beam is maintained upright in the first position and the second position.
20. The device of claim 16, wherein the manifold support beam includes provisions to lock the manifold in the second position.

1. A shock, absorber comprising:
a cylinder having a hydraulic fluid sealed therein; a piston fitted in the cylinder;
a piston rod connected to the piston and extended to an outside of the cylinder;
an outer tube provided around an outer periphery of the cylinder;
a separator tube provided between the cylinder and the outer tube, the separator tube having a substantially circular cylindrical side wall forming an annular passage communicating with en interior of the cylinder;
a substantially circular cylindrical branch pipe provided on the side wall of the separator tube to project radially outward, the branch pipe communicating with the annular passage;
a damping force generating mechanism connected, to the branch pipe to generate a damping force by controlling a flow of hydraulic fluid induced by movement of the piston;
a tubular casing secured to a side wall, of the outer tube to house the damping force generating mechanism; and
a passage member connecting together the branch pipe and the damping force generating mechanism;
the passage member having a circular cylindrical portion fitted to the branch pipe of the separator tube, the passage member further having a flange portion formed on an outer periphery of one end of the cylindrical portion;
the passage member being secured in the casing with the flange portion abutted between the casing and the damping force generating mechanism;
the flange portion having an abutting surface abutting against the damping force generating mechanism;
the abutting surface having an annular sealing portion abutting against the damping force generating mechanism through an annular sealing member sealing between the flange portion and the damping force generating mechanism, the abutting surface further having an inner support portion disposed at an inner peripheral side of the sealing portion to abut against the damping force generating mechanism.
2. The shock absorber of claim 1, wherein the sealing portion includes an annular seal groove and a sealing member fitted in the seal groove.
3. The shock absorber of claim 1, wherein the passage member has a branch pipe sealing portion covering at least a part of the cylindrical portion to seal between the cylindrical portion and the branch pipe, the branch pipe sealing portion being formed integrally with the sealing member,
4. The shock absorber of claim 2, wherein the passage member has a branch pipe sealing portion covering at least a part of the cylindrical portion to seal between the cylindrical portion and the branch pipe, the branch pipe sealing portion being formed integrally with the sealing member.
5. The shock, absorber of claim 1, wherein the passage member is a press-formed article.
6. The shock absorber of claim 1, wherein the inner support, portion is separate from the passage member.

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. In a communications switching system comprising a plurality of interfaces, each of the interfaces interconnected with at least one of a plurality of communications paths capable of transferring data to a remote destination, the communications paths having at least one predetermined parameter associated therewith, a system for determining which of the plurality of communications paths should be utilized for transferring the data, said system for determining comprising at least one processor that:
determines a data type of the data to be transferred;
measures at least one variable parameter for at least one of said communications paths; and
determines which of the communications paths provides a set of characteristics for transferring the data to the remote destination in accordance with the at least one measured variable parameter, the at least one predetermined parameter, and the data type,
wherein the determining of the communication paths is based on a requisite relative weighting of at least one of, the at least one measured variable parameter and the at least one predetermined parameter.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one variable parameter corresponds to an available bandwidth on the at least one of said paths.
3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:
at least one interface, coupled to the at least one processor, for transmitting the data to the remote destination over the path determined to provide the characteristics;
wherein the at least one variable parameter corresponds to the available bandwidth of the at least one of said paths when the data is transmitted to the remote destination.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one variable parameter corresponds to an operational state of the at least one of said paths.
5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:
at least one interface, coupled to the at least one processor, for transmitting the data to the remote destination over the path determined to provide the characteristics;
wherein the at least one variable parameter corresponds to the operational state of the at least one of said paths when the data is transmitted to the remote destination.
6. The system of claim 3, wherein the determining the data type of the data to be transferred consists of determining whether the data to be transferred corresponds to a facsimile data type or a further different data type.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the determining the data type of the data to be transferred consists of determining whether the data to be transferred corresponds to a facsimile data type or a further different data type.
8. The system of claim 3, wherein the determining the data type of the data to be transferred consists of determining whether the data to be transferred corresponds to a video data type or a further different data type.
9. The system of claim 5, wherein the determining the data type of the data to be transferred consists of determining whether the data to be transferred corresponds to a video data type or a further different data type.
10. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one of said paths is a wireless link.
11. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one of said paths is a wireless link.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is included in a personal communication device coupled to said at least one interface, wherein said at least one interface is a wireless interface.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is included in a personal communication device coupled to said at least one interface, wherein said at least one interface is a wireless interface.
14. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one of said paths is a fiber optic link.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the data to be transferred corresponds to data packets.
16. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one of said paths is a fiber optic link.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor determines the path that provides a set of characteristics for transferring the data to the remote destination in accordance with whether the data comprises an emergency message.
18. The system of claim 1, wherein the requisite relative weighting is based on each of parameters in accordance to a user’s specific requirements as stored in a user priorities memory.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the each of the parameters in accordance to the user’s specific requirements comprises at least one of, maximum amount of bandwidth available for an interface, reliability of an interface, currency expenditure of an interface, availability of an interface, data security of an interface, present state of an interface, average present state of an interface over a prior five minute window, size in kilobyte of a data file to be transmitted, measure in millisecond of delay through a path based on a real-time test on an interface, time of day and day of week, and available bandwidth of an interface at a given time of file transfer.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the determining of the communication paths is also based on fixed weighting values that are stored in a memory in a switching system and used in conjunction with a routing methodology for all files transferred.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the weighting values are used as multipliers for variables in an algorithm in order to allow a user to customize the algorithm as desired.
22. The system of claim 18, wherein, in arriving at a routing decision, the system is configured to allow the user to force a program to ignore certain parameters and rely on only one parameter.
23. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is configured to allow the user to store certain sets of parameter weighting to be used in different situations and then select the set when desired.
24. The system of claim 18, wherein the system is configured to automatically apply certain weighting sets as a function of data type.
25. A telecommunications switching system comprising:
a plurality of interfaces, each of said interfaces interconnected with an associated telecommunications path capable of transferring a data file to a remote destination;
a predetermined parameter associated with each associated telecommunications path stored in memory; and
a processor capable of determining which associated telecommunications path should be utilized for transferring the data file to the remote destination by taking into account the associated predetermined parameter and a variable parameter associated with the telecommunications path measured by the processor,
wherein the processor is configured to determine the communication paths based on a requisite relative weighting of at least one of, at least one measured variable parameter and at least one predetermined parameter.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein the processor is included in a personal communication device coupled to at least one of said plurality of interfaces, wherein said at least one of said plurality of interfaces is a wireless interface.
27. The system of claim 25, wherein the requisite relative weighting is based on each of parameters in accordance to a user’s specific requirements as stored in a user priorities memory.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the each of the parameters in accordance to the user’s specific requirements comprises at least one of, maximum amount of bandwidth available for an interface, reliability of an interface, currency expenditure of an interface, availability of an interface, data security of an interface, present state of an interface, average present state of an interface over a prior five minute window, size in kilobyte of a data file to be transmitted, measure in millisecond of delay through a path based on a real-time test on an interface, time of day and day of week, and available bandwidth of an interface at a given time of file transfer.
29. The system of claim 27, wherein the determining of the communication paths is also based on fixed weighting values that are stored in a memory in a switching system and used in conjunction with a routing methodology for all files transferred.
30. The system of claim 27, wherein the weighting values are used as multipliers for variables in an algorithm in order to allow a user to customize the algorithm as desired.
31. The system of claim 27, wherein, in arriving at a routing decision, the system is configured to allow the user to force a program to ignore certain parameters and rely on only one parameter.
32. The system of claim 27, wherein the system is configured to allow the user to store certain sets of parameter weighting to be used in different situations and then select the set when desired.
33. The system of claim 27, wherein the system is configured to automatically apply certain weighting sets as a function of data type.