Patents by Inventor John A. Kretchman

John A. Kretchman 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).

  • Patent number: 7108660
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a biopsy device and method for the collection of at least one tissue sample from a surgical patient. The device includes a frame and an elongated piercing element attached to the distal end of the frame. The piercing element has distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough. The piercing element has a sharpened member at its distal end for piercing tissue, and a port proximal thereto which exposes the lumen. The device further includes an elongated cutter and tissue remover disposed coaxially and slidably within the lumen of the piercing element for harvesting a tissue mass disposed within the port of the piercing element and depositing the tissue mass proximal to the port for retrieval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy R. Stephens, John A. Kretchman, Mark D. Hileman
  • Publication number: 20050261604
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a biopsy device and method for the collection of at least one tissue sample from a surgical patient. The device includes a frame and an elongated piercing element attached to the distal end of the frame. The piercing element has distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough. The piercing element has a sharpened member at its distal end for piercing tissue, and a port proximal thereto which exposes the lumen. The device further includes an elongated cutter and tissue remover disposed coaxially and slidably within the lumen of the piercing element for harvesting a tissue mass disposed within the port of the piercing element and depositing the tissue mass proximal to the port for retrieval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Inventors: Randy Stephens, John Kretchman, Mark Hileman
  • Patent number: 6620111
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a biopsy device and method for the collection of at least one tissue sample from a surgical patient. The device includes a frame and an elongated piercing element attached to the distal end of the frame. The piercing element has a distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough. The piercing element has a sharpened member at its distal end for piercing tissue, and a port proximal thereto which exposes the lumen. The device further includes an elongated cutter and tissue remover disposed coaxially and slidably within the lumen of the piercing element for harvesting a tissue mass disposed within the port of the piercing element and depositing the tissue mass proximal to the port for retrieval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy R. Stephens, John A. Kretchman, Mark D. Hileman, Douglas N. Ladd
  • Publication number: 20020156395
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided a biopsy device and method for the collection of at least one tissue sample from a surgical patient. The device includes a frame and an elongated piercing element attached to the distal end of the frame. The piercing element has distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough. The piercing element has a sharpened member at its distal end for piercing tissue, and a port proximal thereto which exposes the lumen. The device further includes an elongated cutter and tissue remover disposed coaxially and slidably within the lumen of the piercing element for harvesting a tissue mass disposed within the port of the piercing element and depositing the tissue mass proximal to the port for retrieval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Randy R. Stephens, John A. Kretchman, Mark D. Hileman, Douglas N. Ladd
  • Patent number: 5908149
    Abstract: An improved surgical stapler which allows for the multi-directional release of staples includes a stapler body and a driver contained therein. A magazine is connected to the stapler body and includes a staple track for carrying a plurality of staples wherein each of the staples has staple legs. An anvil is associated with the staple track for providing a staple forming surface for forming a staple thereon. A feeder element which is spring biased against the staples is used for feeding each staple from the staple track to the anvil. A trigger is operatively connected to the driver and is movable from a pre-fire position to a firing position for advancing the driver against the anvil for forming the staple against the anvil. A kick-off spring is positioned beneath and substantially parallel to the staple track and the anvil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Welch, Steven W. Hamblin, Robert L. Koch, Jr., John I. Izuchukwu, Jeff Kirk, John Kretchman, Richard Schweet, David Wolf, Charles Hansford, Navneet Tony Sharma, John Mertz