Patents by Inventor H. Michael Cunningham

H. Michael Cunningham 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).

  • Instrument including connector for facilitating connection onto a guidewire without access to the ends of the guide-wire and method of use
    Patent number: 6926707
    Abstract: A tubular instrument including a hollow wall portion and a connector arranged to be used with a guide-wire. The guide-wire has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the distal end portion of the guide-wire is arranged to be extended to some interior position within the body of a living being, with the proximal end portion of the guide-wire being located outside the being's body. The connector is located at the distal end of the instrument and is arranged to be readily manipulated by a twisting action to connect the instrument onto the guide-wire for sliding movement therealong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Kensey Nash Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Nash, William T. Fisher, H. Michael Cunningham, Gregory Walters
  • Instrument including connector for facilitating connection onto a guidewire without access to the ends of the guide-wire and method of use
    Publication number: 20030120213
    Abstract: A tubular instrument, e.g., a catheter including a hollow wall portion forming the distal end of the instrument and terminating at a distal opening, having a connector arranged to be used with a guide-wire. The guide-wire has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the distal end portion of the guide-wire being arranged to be extended to some interior position within the body of a living being, with the proximal end portion of the guide-wire being located outside the being's body. The connector is located at the distal end of the instrument and is arranged to be readily manipulated by a twisting action to connect the instrument onto the guide-wire for sliding movement therealong. In particular, the connector establishes a path into which a portion of the guide-wire can be inserted from a lateral direction by merely twisting the instrument, without requiring access to either end of the guide-wire. In one embodiment the path is a spiral channel formed in the hollow wall portion of the instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: Kensey Nash Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Nash, William T. Fisher, H. Michael Cunningham, Gregory Walters
  • Device for connecting a catheter or other tubular member onto a guide-wire without access to the ends of the guide-wire
    Patent number: 6569151
    Abstract: A tubular instrument, e.g., a catheter including a hollow wall portion forming the distal end of the instrument and terminating at a distal opening, having a connector arranged to be used with a guide-wire. The guide wire has a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the distal end portion of the guide-wire being arranged to be extended to some interior position within the body of a living being, with the proximal end portion of the guide-wire being located outside the being's body. The connector is located at the distal end of the instrument and is arranged to be readily manipulated by a twisting action to connect the instrument onto the guide-wire for sliding movement therealong. In particular, the connector establishes a path into which a portion of the guide-wire can be inserted from a lateral direction by merely twisting the instrument, without requiring access to either end of the guide-wire. In one embodiment the path is a spiral channel formed in the hollow wall portion of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Kensey Nash Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Nash, William T. Fisher, H. Michael Cunningham, Gregory Walters