Patents Examined by Scott A. Smith
  • Patent number: 11793521
    Abstract: In one general aspect, various embodiments of the present invention can include a motorized surgical cutting and fastening instrument having a drive shaft, a motor selectively engageable with the drive shaft, and a manual return mechanism configured to operably disengage the motor from the drive shaft and retract the drive shaft. In at least one embodiment, a surgeon, or other operator of the surgical instrument, can utilize the manual return mechanism to retract the drive shaft after it has been advanced, especially when the motor, or a power source supplying the motor, has failed or is otherwise unable to provide a force sufficient to retract the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Brett E. Swensgard, Mark D. Overmyer, Shane R. Adams, Thomas W. Lytle, IV, Richard L. Leimbach, Kevin L. Houser
  • Patent number: 11793519
    Abstract: A system comprises a surgical instrument comprising an end effector comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member, the second jaw member comprising or being configured to receive a plurality of staples; and an actuation mechanism operably coupled to the end effector to actuate the end effector to perform at least one of a clamping procedure or a staple firing procedure. The system further comprises a drive system configured to drive the actuation mechanism, a controller operably coupled to the drive system, and a user interface operably coupled to the controller, which is configured to determine the clamping procedure or the staple firing procedure has failed based on a magnitude of an actuation force applied by the drive system to the actuation mechanism; and cause the user interface to output a failure indication indicative of the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Patrick Flanagan, David W. Weir
  • Patent number: 11786242
    Abstract: A surgical stapler includes a first elongate member, a second elongate member, and a clamp member operable to releasably clamp the first elongate member against the second elongate member. A distal portion of the first elongate member supports an anvil surface having a plurality of staple forming pockets. A distal portion of the second elongate member is configured to receive a staple cartridge. A firing assembly of the surgical stapler is translatable from a first longitudinal position to a second longitudinal position to fire the staple cartridge when the first elongate member is clamped against the second elongate member. A retaining assembly of the surgical stapler includes a first retaining member configured to releasably couple a proximal end of the first elongate member with a proximal end of the second elongate member, and a second retaining member configured to releasably retain the firing assembly in the first longitudinal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Andrew C. Deck, Jason D. Jones, Gregory J. Bakos, Brian D. Schings
  • Patent number: 11786240
    Abstract: In general, systems and methods described herein include active or passive sensing mechanisms, such as sensors, that can monitor at least one exposure condition of an adjunct and any medicant(s) retained therein. In some instances, the active or passive sensing mechanisms can also track the extent of the adjunct's and medicant(s)'s exposure, e.g., frequency, intensity, and/or duration).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Michael J. Vendely, Shane R. Adams, Jason L. Harris
  • Patent number: 11779329
    Abstract: A surgical instrument including a flex circuit comprising a sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Sudhir B. Patel, Shane R. Adams, Nicholas J. Ross, Jason L. Harris
  • Patent number: 11779425
    Abstract: A color-coded surgical table covering or floor mat and/or a surgical color-coded skin marker can be used in a medical setting to identify a bodily location of patient for which a medical procedure is to take place. The surgical color-coded skin marker may be used to mark the location of the medical procedure site on a patient. The medical patient would be oriented to match the surgical table covering or floor mat body form that identifies, through color and orientation, or text, the bodily location of a medical procedure to take place. The combination of the two (table covering/floor mat and skin marker) provides an unmistakable indication that will help limit or reduce wrong-site medical procedures. A surgical mat using a color-coded system or using visual indicia may be used to identify the medical procedure site to medical practitioners, in order to reduce wrong-site medical procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Inventor: Colleen S. Maxcy
  • Patent number: 11779335
    Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a housing assembly that is coupled to a tool assembly by a flexible elongate body that having an outer tube, a middle tube, and an inner cable. Each of the outer tube and the inner cable has a proximal end portion fixedly connected to the housing assembly and a distal end portion that is fixedly connected to the tool assembly. The middle tube is positioned within the outer tube about the inner cable and is movable from a retracted position to an advanced position to operate the tool assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Justin Williams
  • Patent number: 11771424
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes apparatuses for a surgical handle assembly. An example apparatus includes a reloadable cartridge assembly and a surgical handle assembly including an articulation assembly configured to maintain the reloadable cartridge assembly in a first operation position, the articulation assembly comprising a knob in a first position, a lock core coupled to the knob, a housing, a first roller and a second roller, and a first spring, wherein the first roller is positioned on a first end of the first spring and the second roller is positioned on a second end of the first spring, and wherein the first spring is configured to bias the first roller and the second roller between the lock core and the housing to maintain the knob in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Lexington Medical , Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Marecki
  • Patent number: 11766255
    Abstract: An adapter assembly of a surgical instrument includes a cam member defining a proximal cam slot and a distal cam slot, a first articulation shaft, and a second articulation shaft. The first articulation shaft has a proximal end portion received in the proximal cam slot, and a distal end portion configured to be coupled to a surgical loading unit. The second articulation shaft has a proximal end portion received in the distal cam slot, and a distal end portion configured to be coupled to the surgical loading unit. The first and second articulation shafts are configured to move in opposing longitudinal directions in response to a rotation of the cam member to articulate the surgical loading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Kenneth Whitfield, Thomas Casasanta, John W. Beardsley
  • Patent number: 11759204
    Abstract: A medical device may include a shaft extending from a proximal end toward a distal end, the shaft including a lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end; a first stapling head at the distal end, the first stapling head configured to contain one or more staples, and the first stapling head having a block disposed within, and movable relative to, the first stapling head; a second stapling head at the distal end; and a pushing element extending through the lumen, the pushing element being movable from a first position to a second position, wherein transition of the pushing element from the first position to the second position urges the block to move toward second stapling head to deploy the one or more staples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Nora Belkhayat, Ryan V. Wales, Paul Smith, Conor Reid, Jeff Gray
  • Patent number: 11759208
    Abstract: A surgical instrument has a staple cartridge housing a plurality of staples and an anvil configured to capture tissue therebetween. The surgical instrument also has a firing assembly configured to deploy the plurality of staples into the captured tissue during a firing sequence, and a handle that includes an electric motor operably coupled to the firing assembly, wherein the electric motor is configured to motivate the firing assembly to deploy the plurality of staples into the captured tissue during the firing sequence, and a power pack. The power pack includes rechargeable battery cells configured to power the electric motor, at least one battery-cell health indicator, and an electronic control circuit configured to assess whether a subset of rechargeable battery cells is damaged during the firing sequence based on at least one measurement performed by the at least one battery-cell health indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, David C. Yates, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11752610
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a powered fastener driving tool including a spring/gas chamber configured to contain pressurized gas that causes a piston to compress a fuel/gas mixture, the mixture combusted to provide necessary levels of power for driving fasteners while using less fuel. One embodiment includes: a housing; a spring/gas chamber in the housing configured to contain pressurized gas; a dual compression/combustion chamber in the housing configured to contain a fuel/gas mixture; a gas communication channel in the housing fluidly connecting the spring/gas chamber and the dual compression/combustion chamber; a movable piston in the housing such that pressurized gas in the spring/gas chamber causes the piston to move in the housing to compress the fuel/gas mixture in the dual compression/combustion chamber; and a driving blade connected to the piston such that combustion of the compressed fuel/gas mixture causes the piston to move in the housing to cause the driving blade to drive a fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Chinbay Q. Fan, Patrick Talano
  • Patent number: 11744567
    Abstract: A medical device including an attachment device having a longitudinal axis, a pivot arm having a first end pivotally attached to the attachment device, an end effector pivotally attached to a second end of the pivot arm and configured to move from a first configuration to a second configuration, and a longitudinally extending body attached to a proximal end of the end effector. Movement of the longitudinally extending body in a proximal direction rotates the end effector from the first configuration to the second configuration, the end effector is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the attachment device in the first configuration, and the end effector is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the attachment device in the second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher R. Deuel, Ramon Estevez
  • Patent number: 11737749
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a firing drive and a bailout retraction system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Shane R. Adams
  • Patent number: 11738439
    Abstract: A tool having a housing assembly, which defines a handle, a motor assembly, a trigger assembly, a spindle and a transmission assembly. The motor assembly is received in the housing assembly and has an output shaft. The trigger assembly is coupled to the housing assembly and is configured for use in actuating the motor assembly. The transmission assembly transmits rotary power between the output shaft of the motor assembly and the spindle. The transmission assembly includes a planetary stage with an input sun gear, an output planet carrier and a compound planet gear having a first planet gear and a second planet gear coupled together for common rotation on the output planet carrier. The planetary stage is selectively operable in a first gear reduction and a second, relatively lower gear reduction in which the compound planet gear cooperates to produce at least one intermediate gear reduction within the planetary stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventor: David C. Tomayko
  • Patent number: 11730477
    Abstract: In one general aspect, various embodiments of the present invention can include a motorized surgical cutting and fastening instrument having a drive shaft, a motor selectively engageable with the drive shaft, and a manual return mechanism configured to operably disengage the motor from the drive shaft and retract the drive shaft. In at least one embodiment, a surgeon, or other operator of the surgical instrument, can utilize the manual return mechanism to retract the drive shaft after it has been advanced, especially when the motor, or a power source supplying the motor, has failed or is otherwise unable to provide a force sufficient to retract the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Bret W. Smith, Daniel J. Abbott, Richard F. Schwemberger, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Chad P. Boudreaux, Brett E. Swensgard, Ryan J. Laurent
  • Patent number: 11730558
    Abstract: A medical instrument, including an atomic layer deposition, ALD, coating to indicate the type of the medical instrument, and use of ALD to indicate number of re-uses of a medical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Picosun Oy
    Inventors: Jani Kivioja, Niku Oksala
  • Patent number: 11723662
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising an articulatable end effector and a control system that controls the articulation of the end effector and provides feedback to the user of the surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Richard L. Leimbach, Nina Mastroianni, Craig P. Siders, Timothy L. Guest, Zhifan F. Huang, Thomas A. Stoughton, Nicholas J. Ross, John Kevin Bruce
  • Patent number: 11712793
    Abstract: A hot stapler includes a body, two heat conducting units, an electrical storage unit, a circuit unit, and a switch button. The body includes a head and a handle. The electrical storage unit is disposed in the handle and has a voltage value less than 6 volts. A first wire and a first resistor of the circuit unit are electrically mounted between one of the two heat conducting units and the electrical storage unit. A second wire and a second resistor of the circuit unit are electrically mounted between the other one of the two heat conducting units and the electrical storage unit. The switch button is disposed on the handle and is switchable between a power-on position and a power-off position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: GOODHOUSE Enterprise Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-Fa Tsai
  • Patent number: 11707830
    Abstract: A power tool with an ergonomic handgrip includes a housing with a rear end portion, a first front end portion, a second front end portion, and lateral sidewalls. A working end proximate the first front end portion is configured to be driven by a motor. A handle has a proximal portion coupled to the housing, a distal end portion away from the housing, a rear wall portion, a front wall portion, and a pair of sidewalls, and defines a handle axis. A trigger is coupled to the handle and defines a trigger axis. A first gripping region includes a rear concave recess on the rear end portion and a lateral concave recess extending along at least one of the lateral sidewalls generally parallel to the tool axis. A second gripping region is on the rear wall portion of the proximal portion of the handle. A third gripping region is on the second front end portion of the housing and offset rearward from first front end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Christian Elder, Daniel N. Lopano, Gabriel Concari