Patents by Inventor Douglas Warren Ackerman

Douglas Warren Ackerman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Process for heat treating and tempering surgical needles
    Patent number: 5814166
    Abstract: A continuous process for heat treating and cleaning and tempering martensitic stainless steel surgical needles is disclosed. The method comprises exposing the surgical needles to a partial vacuum at a temperature less than the heat treating temperature to remove volatile surface contaminant. Then the needles are heat treated in an argon gas environment at a pressure equal to or greater than 1.0 Torr. Next the temperature of the oven is lowered to temper the needles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Warren Ackerman, Timothy Sardelis, William McJames
  • Process for the heat treatment of surgical needles by aging
    Patent number: 5783001
    Abstract: A method of heat treating and cleaning maraging or precipitation hardening stainless steel surgical needles is disclosed. The method comprises exposing the surgical needles to a partial vacuum at a temperature less than the aging temperature to remove volatile surface contaminants. Then the needles are heat treated in an argon gas environment at a pressure equal to or greater than 1.0 atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Sardelis, Douglas Warren Ackerman, William McJames