Author: claimsbot

1. A portable infusion pump system, comprising:
a pump housing that defines a space to receive a medicine cartridge; and
a drive system to dispense medicine from the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing, the drive system comprising: a piston rod configured to forwardly advance toward the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing, and a plunger engagement device coupled to the piston rod,
wherein the plunger engagement device comprises at least one penetration member to couple the drive system to a plunger of the medicine cartridge, and a spring adjustable from a deactivated condition to an activated condition in which a spring force of the spring biases the plunger towards the piston rod.
2. The portable infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the plunger engagement device further comprises a retention plate comprising a chassis seated against the spring causing the retention plate to move as the spring expands during adjustment from the deactivated condition to the activated condition, and wherein the chassis is fixedly coupled to the at least one penetration member.
3. The portable infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the plunger engagement device further comprises a trigger tab engageable with a portion of the medicine cartridge to adjust the spring from the deactivated condition to the activated condition in response to a longitudinal force applied to the medicine cartridge.
4. The portable infusion pump system of claim 3, further comprising a cap device that engages the pump housing to retain the medicine cartridge therein when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing, wherein when the cap device engages the pump housing, the cap device acts upon the medicine cartridge to provide the longitudinal force.
5. The portable infusion pump system of claim 4, wherein the cap device comprises a needle device that penetrates an output portion of the medicine cartridge when the cap device engages the pump housing.
6. The portable infusion pump system of claim 3, wherein the trigger tab extends from a chassis supporting the at least one penetration member, and wherein the trigger tab comprises an oblique inwardly facing lip bearing against the portion of the medicine cartridge to move the chassis across the medicine cartridge in response to the longitudinal force.
7. The portable infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the plunger engagement device further comprises a piston hub fixedly coupled to the piston rod, the piston hub comprising a base supporting the spring and a pusher block contacting the plunger when the spring is in the activated condition.
8. The portable infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the plunger engagement device further comprises a spring hub comprising a plurality of radial tabs obliquely outward along a curved upslope to meet an inner wall of the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing.
9. The portable infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the at least one penetration member comprises a pointed head and opposing retention barbs.
10. The portable infusion pump system of claim 1, wherein the plunger engagement device further comprises a catch member engageable with a portion of a piston hub supporting the spring, and wherein the catch member is releasable from the portion of the piston hub to adjust the spring from the deactivated condition to the activated condition.
11. The portable infusion pump system of claim 1, further comprising a controller device removably attachable to the pump housing so as to electrically connect with a pump device comprising the pump housing and the drive system, wherein the controller device houses control circuitry configured to communicate with the drive system positioned in the pump housing to control dispensation of the medicine from the pump device.
12. A portable infusion pump system, comprising:
a pump housing that defines a space to receive a medicine cartridge;
a drive system to dispense medicine from the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing, the drive system comprising: a piston rod configured to forwardly advance toward the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing, and a plunger engagement device coupled to the piston rod; and
a controller device removably attachable to the pump housing so as to electrically connect with a pump device comprising the pump housing and the drive system, wherein the controller device houses control circuitry configured to communicate with the drive system positioned in the pump housing to control dispensation of the medicine from the pump device,
wherein the plunger engagement device comprises: a piston hub coupled to the piston rod, a retention plate installed about the piston hub, at least one penetration member supported by the retention plate to couple the drive system to a plunger of the medicine cartridge, and a spring seated between the piston hub and the retention plate, and
wherein the spring is adjustable from a deactivated condition to an activated condition in which a spring force of the spring biases the retention plate away from the piston hub to pull the plunger against a surface of the piston hub.
13. The portable infusion pump system of claim 12, wherein the retention plate comprises a trigger tab defining an oblique inwardly facing lip bearing against a portion of the medicine cartridge to adjust the spring from the deactivated condition to the activated condition in response to a longitudinal force applied to the medicine cartridge.
14. The portable infusion pump system of claim 13, further comprising a cap device that engages the pump housing to retain the medicine cartridge therein when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing,
wherein when the cap device engages the pump housing, the cap device acts upon the medicine cartridge to provide the longitudinal force, and
wherein the cap device comprises a needle device that penetrates an output portion of the medicine cartridge when the cap device engages the pump housing.
15. The portable infusion pump system of claim 12, wherein the plunger engagement device further comprises a spring hub attached to a base of the piston hub, the spring hub comprising a plurality of radial tabs obliquely outward along a curved upslope to meet an inner wall of the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing.
16. The portable infusion pump system of claim 12, wherein the retention plate comprises a catch member engageable with a portion of a piston hub to hold the spring in the deactivated condition, and wherein the catch member is releasable from the portion of the piston hub to release the spring from the deactivated condition to the activated condition.
17. A portable infusion pump system, comprising:
a pump housing that defines a space to receive a medicine cartridge; and
a drive system to dispense medicine from the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing, the drive system comprising: a piston rod configured to forwardly advance toward the medicine cartridge when the medicine cartridge is received by the pump housing, and a plunger engagement device coupled to the piston rod,
wherein the plunger engagement device comprises at least one means for penetrating a plunger of the medicine cartridge, and a means for biasing the plunger towards the piston rod by adjusting from a deactivated condition to an activated condition.
18. A method of operating an infusion pump device, comprising:
receiving a medicine cartridge in an internal space of a housing of a pump device, wherein a plunger engagement device is positioned in the internal space;
penetrating a plunger of the medicine cartridge with at least one penetration member of the plunger engagement device; and
after penetrating the plunger with said at least one penetration member, applying a spring bias to the plunger to bias the plunger towards a component of a drive system of the pump device.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein penetrating the plunger and applying the spring bias to the plunger comprise applying a longitudinal force to the medicine cartridge.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein applying a spring bias to the plunger further comprises adjusting a spring from a deactivated condition to an activated condition by applying the longitudinal force.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein applying the longitudinal force comprises engaging a cap device with the pump housing to retain the medicine cartridge in the internal space.

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 implantable electrode array comprising:
an electrode array body;
insulation covering said electrode array body forming a surface, defining voids; and
a plurality of mushroom shaped electrodes having an exposed head portion larger in diameter than the diameter of the void and suitable to stimulate a retina.
2. An implantable electrode array comprising:
an electrode array body;
insulation covering said electrode array body forming a surface, defining voids; and
a plurality of mushroom shaped electrodes having an exposed head portion above the surface and larger in diameter than the diameter of the void, but smaller than the surface.
3. The implantable electrode array according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of electrodes are metal slugs attached to a substrate by conductive adhesive.
4. An implantable electrode array comprising:
an electrode array body;
insulation covering said electrode array body forming a convex curved surface to approximate the shape of a retina, defining voids; and

a plurality of mushroom shaped electrodes having an exposed head portion larger in diameter than the diameter of the void and suitable to stimulate a retina.

1. A computing device, comprising:
a flexible sensor to collect input; and
a processor to process the input,
wherein a deformation of the flexible sensor is to change a capacitance of the flexible sensor.
2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the flexible sensor is coupled to a housing of the computing device.
3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the flexible sensor and the housing are joined by the flexible sensor coupled to the housing with an adhesive, the flexible sensor comprising a sleeve overlying the housing, the flexible sensor integrated with the housing, the flexible sensor sandwiched between parts of a computer chassis, or any combination thereof.
4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the change of the capacitance is to initiate a response from the computing device.
5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the response is correlated to a force applied to deform the flexible sensor and a shape factor of an object imparting the force.
6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the flexible sensor comprises at least two electrodes and a dielectric between the electrodes.
7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a flexible polymer.
8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the flexible sensor comprises at least two electrodes and a dielectric between the electrodes, and wherein the electrodes comprise a silicone compounded with a conducting medium.
9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the flexible sensor is deformed by compressing the flexible sensor, stretching the flexible sensor vertically, stretching the flexible sensor horizontally, bending the flexible sensor, twisting the flexible sensor, or any combination thereof.
10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the flexible sensor is less than 500 \u03bcm.
11. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a sensing range of 5 grams to 5 kg.
12. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a supportable strain of at least 350%.
13. A flexible sensor, comprising:
at least two electrodes; and
a dielectric between the electrodes,
wherein a deformation of the flexible sensor is to change a capacitance of the flexible sensor.
14. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a flexible polymer.
15. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the electrodes comprise a silicone compounded with a conducting medium.
16. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein a first electrode comprises a first material and wherein the second electrode comprises a second material.
17. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the flexible sensor is deformed by compressing the flexible sensor, stretching the flexible sensor vertically, stretching the flexible sensor horizontally, bending the flexible sensor, twisting the flexible sensor, or a combination thereof.
18. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the flexible sensor is mounted on a chassis and wherein the flexible sensor is deformed by manipulating the chassis.
19. The flexible sensor of claim 18, wherein the chassis comprises a housing of a computing device.
20. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the flexible sensor is to determine an amount of force applied to deform the flexible sensor.
21. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein a thickness of the flexible sensor is less than 500 \u03bcm.
22. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a sensing range of 5 grams to 5 kg.
23. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a supportable strain of at least 350%.
24. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the change in capacitance is to initiate a response from a computing device.
25. The flexible sensor of claim 13, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a plurality of electrodes coupled together in a grid pattern.
26. The flexible sensor of claim 25, wherein a location of a user flexible is to be determined via the grid pattern.
27. A computing device, comprising:
logic to detect a deformation of a flexible sensor of a computing device;
logic to determine a force applied in deforming the flexible sensor; and
logic to initiate a reaction in the computing device based on the force.
28. The computing device of claim 27, further comprising logic to determine a shape factor of an object applying the force.
29. The computing device of claim 27, further comprising logic to determine a type of deformation of the flexible sensor.
30. The computing device of claim 27, further comprising logic to determine an amount of deformation of the flexible sensor.
31. The computing device of claim 27, wherein deforming the flexible sensor comprises compressing the flexible sensor, stretching the flexible sensor vertically, stretching the flexible sensor horizontally, bending the flexible sensor, twisting the flexible sensor, or a combination thereof.
32. The computing device of claim 27, wherein the flexible sensor comprises a flexible polymer.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. An expanded net useful in protection against the effects of fire, explosion and mechanical impact, said net being formed by longitudinally stretching a continuous sheet of metal foil having a thickness in the range of 0.020 to 0.1 mm and having discontinuous slits in parallel lines which are spaced apart from 2 to 5 mm.
2. The expanded metal net of claim 1 in which said metal foil is aluminum or an alloy thereof.
3. The expanded metal net of claim 1 in which said metal foil is a magnesium alloy.
4. The expanded metal net of claim 1 in which said metal foil is steel.
5. The expanded metal net of claim 1 in which said metal foil is copper or an alloy thereof.
6. The expanded metal net of claim 1 in which said metal foil is an alloy containing from 0.01 to 0.03 carbon.
7. The expanded metal net of claim 1 in which said metal foil is an alloy of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, steel, copper, manganese, zinc, and chrome and contains from 0.01 to 0.03 carbon.
8. An article having a specific internal surface area of at least about 250 ft2 per ft3 and possessing effective flame arresting, explosion suppression and mechanical impact protection properties, comprising a body of multiple components of expanded net formed by longitudinally stretching slitted sheets of material, said material being characterized in having a thickness in the range of 0.020 to 0.1 mm and having discontinuous slits in parallel lines which are spaced apart from 2 to 5 mm.
9. An article as in claim 8 wherein the specific internal surface area is about 300 to 325 ft2 per ft3.
10. An article as in claim 8 wherein the porosity of said article is at least 80%.
11. An article as in claim 8 wherein the porosity of said article is in the range of from about 80 to 99%.
12. An article as in claim 8 wherein said body is in the form of nestled ellipsoids.
13. An article as in claim 8 wherein said sheets of material are a metal foil.
14. An article as in claim 13 wherein said metal is aluminum or an aluminum alloy.
15. An article as in claim 13 wherein said metal is a magnesium alloy.
16. An article as in claim 13 wherein said metal is steel.
17. An article as in claim 13 wherein said metal is copper or a copper alloy.