Patents Examined by Vy Quang Bui
  • Patent number: 5908434
    Abstract: A lancet device used to pierce a user's skin and including a lancet with a body portion and a piercing tip, a primary housing, a cover assembly with a piercing opening and structured to be matingly coupled with the primary housing to define an interior chamber, and a lancet receiving assembly movably disposed within the interior chamber and structured and disposed to hold the lancet during its driven movement between a cocked orientation, a piercing orientation and a fired orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Inventor: Steven Schraga
  • Patent number: 5908425
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for hair removal are provided. A hand held, manually operated depilatory device removes hairs located along a length of a linear axis. A string-like, elongate element is positioned within a frame and may be removed for cleaning or replacement. Hair is engaged with and captured by a moving twisted engagement of an elongate, string-like element and pulled away and removed from the skin of a subject. The elongate element is removable and replaceable which improves hygienic maintenance and performance adjustment of the apparatus. The length of the twisted engagement and the number of its twists are adjustable by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Inventor: Helen Adam
  • Patent number: 5906619
    Abstract: Improved systems, devices, and methods for deployment of endoluminal prostheses within the lumens of the body withdraw a sheath from over the tightly compressed prostheses using an actuation mechanism having a variable mechanical advantage. This allows movement of the sheath to be initiated with ease and accuracy. Once deployment is safely underway, and after static frictional forces have been overcome, the remainder of the deployment may proceed more rapidly without significantly degrading overall safety or ease of use of the delivery system. In another improvement, the handle for the actuation mechanism may rotate about an axis parallel to the axis of the sheath. An outer tube may be provided around the sheath and coupled to the prosthesis restraining member within the sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve L. Olson, Glenn R. Davis
  • Patent number: 5904699
    Abstract: A trocar which has an obturator assembly for establishment of a surgical port for endoscopic or arthroscopic surgery is disclosed. The obturator includes a flat cutting blade, a shield that moves proximally and distally, a precock lever to move the shield proximally to expose the flat cutting blade, and a shield retaining assembly to constrain the shield in the proximal position. "Precocking" the trocar moves the shield from the distal position wherein the flat blade is covered, to a proximal position wherein the flat blade is exposed, and the shield is constrained by the shield retaining assembly. The exposed flat cutting blade of the precocked trocar can be used to incise or pierce tissue, thus avoiding the need to use a separate surgical sharp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard F. Schwemberger, William D. Kelly, Joseph F. Paraschac, John P. Measamer
  • Patent number: 5904700
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic apparatus pointer of traditional Chinese medicine for health care, and in particular, relates to a magnetic medicine instrument of acupuncture. The apparatus of pointer includes an air bag, and a permanent magnetic head provided within the hollow case. To operate the pointer of the present invention, the air bag shall be pressed, and at the same time, the hollow case shall be attached closely to the acupuncture point of human body. When the press is released, the air bag restores to the original shape and the air within the hollow case is sucked into said bag, so as to make the magnet head closely attached to the acupuncture point of human body. The pointers with N pole and S pole may be positioned on both sides of human body making vertical cutting lines of magnetic force acting upon human body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Inventor: Liwen Guo
  • Patent number: 5904691
    Abstract: A surgical guide for use with an image guided surgery includes first and second surfaces. At least three signaling devices such as infrared emitters are disposed on the first surface, and a cylindrical mounting boss is disposed on the second surface. A guide aperture is perpendicular to the first and second surfaces and extends between them. The guide aperture is configured to support a surgical tool such as a biopsy needle. A sleeve may be placed in the aperture to support additional tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignees: Picker International, Inc., The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
    Inventors: Gene H. Barnett, Christopher H. Wood, Patrick A. Dayton
  • Patent number: 5899909
    Abstract: A surgical instrument and a method for treating female urinary incontinence. The instrument comprises a shank having a handle at one end thereof, and two curved needle-like elements which are connected at one end thereof each with one end of a tape intended to be implanted into the body. These elements can be connected one at a time with the shank at the other end thereof to form a curved end portion of the shank and are intended to be passed into the body via the vagina, each element being dimensioned to extend from the inside of the vaginal wall over the back of the pubic bone to the outside of the abdominal wall. When practicing the method the tape is passed into the body via the vagina first at one end and then at the other end at one side and the other, respectively, of the urethra to form a loop around the urethra, located between urethra and the vaginal wall. The tape is extended over the pubis and through the abdominal wall and is tightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Medscand Medical AB
    Inventors: Jan Claren, Ulf Ulmsten
  • Patent number: 5893878
    Abstract: An apparatus for surgically manipulating tissue without causing irreparable damage to the tissue during retention and manipulation is disclosed. The tissue manipulator apparatus includes a shaft having proximal and distal ends, a rod member with proximal and distal ends circumferentially contained within the shaft, a contact member having at least one tissue contact surface area comprising a plurality of projections connected to the distal end of the rod member, and a handle member attached near the proximal end of the shaft. The plurality of projections preferably point in the direction of retraction of the targeted tissue. The apparatus is designed to distribute the interdentating contact over the tissue micro surface area in an effort to reduce reliance on pressure induced friction alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Inventor: Javin Pierce
  • Patent number: 5871494
    Abstract: A blood analysis apparatus for obtaining blood for analysis from the skin of a patient with a controlled degree of lancing. The apparatus including a cartridge and a driver. The cartridge includes a cartridge case and a lancet. The lancet has a tip and is housed in the cartridge case. The lancet can be driven to extend the tip outside the cartridge case through an opening for lancing the skin of the patient to yield blood. The driver drives the lancet to move the tip distally to lance the skin. The driver is triggerable by the skin which is to be lanced exerting a force exceeding a preset amount against the triggering mechanism of the apparatus, to drive the lancet toward the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Tad Decatur Simons, Michael Greenstein, Dominique Freeman, Leslie Anne Leonard, David A. King, Paul Lum
  • Patent number: 5868769
    Abstract: A tongue scraper having a convex-shaped edge and a linear edge. The convex-shaped edge conforms to the lateral concavity of the tongue. The linear edge conforms to planar areas of the tongue. Tight gripping of the scraper is facilitated by a hole at each end intended to be pinched between the thumb and finger. In a first embodiment the scraper includes serrations on the convex and linear edges. In a second embodiment the convex and linear edges are smooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Discus Dental Impressions, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Rosenblood, Robert G. Hayman
  • Patent number: 5858019
    Abstract: A surgical device comprises a first horizontal flat spongy flexible layer having upper and lower surfaces. A second horizontal flat plastic layer also has upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of the second layer being secured to the lower surface of the first layer. A third horizontal flat spongy flexible layer also has upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface of the third layer being secured to the lower surface of the second layer. A plurality of surgical cutting units are imbedded in the layers in spaced apart positions, each unit having a plurality of knife elements having downwardly extending cutting points disposed within the third layer adjacent the lower surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Inventor: Bahman Ashraf
  • Patent number: 5817114
    Abstract: A hygienic tongue cleaner includes a support member having an upper surface area arranged so as to fit snugly within the roof area of a mouth of an individual user. The lower surface of the support member includes a tongue cleaner element or elements against which one's tongue may be rubbed to obtain a cleansing action of the upper surface of the tongue while the support member is retained in position within the roof area of the mouth. The support member may include teeth engaging portions that secure the support member against motion during the tongue rubbing and cleansing procedure. The location and arrangement of the tongue cleaner avoids generation of a gagging reflex in a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventors: Lorrie E. Anderson, Portia E. Anderson