Patents by Inventor Larry D. Estes

Larry D. Estes 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: 10080568
    Abstract: Devices are described relating to the retaining of surgical tools within the chuck of a reciprocating surgical instrument, such as a reciprocating saw. A securing chuck is disclosed for securing a surgical tool to a reciprocating surgical instrument that comprises a shaft and a securing member. The shaft defines an axis and has a cylindrical bore extending along the axis. The bore is shaped to receive a substantially rounded tool shank. A pair of transverse slots extends into the shaft along a plane passing through the axis for receiving a substantially flattened tool shank. The transverse slots intersect with the cylindrical bore. The securing member is carried by the shaft and is radially movable relative to the bore both inwardly and outwardly to secure the surgical tool in the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Estes
  • Publication number: 20160249938
    Abstract: Devices are described relating to the retaining of surgical tools within the chuck of a reciprocating surgical instrument, such as a reciprocating saw. A securing chuck is disclosed for securing a surgical tool to a reciprocating surgical instrument that comprises a shaft and a securing member. The shaft defines an axis and has a cylindrical bore extending along the axis. The bore is shaped to receive a substantially rounded tool shank. A pair of transverse slots extends into the shaft along a plane passing through the axis for receiving a substantially flattened tool shank. The transverse slots intersect with the cylindrical bore. The securing member is carried by the shaft and is radially movable relative to the bore both inwardly and outwardly to secure the surgical tool in the chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventor: Larry D. ESTES
  • Patent number: 9332996
    Abstract: Devices are described relating to the retaining of surgical tools within the chuck of a reciprocating surgical instrument, such as a reciprocating saw. A securing chuck is disclosed for securing a surgical tool to a reciprocating surgical instrument that comprises a shaft and a securing member. The shaft defines an axis and has a cylindrical bore extending along the axis. The bore is shaped to receive a substantially rounded tool shank. A pair of transverse slots extends into the shaft along a plane passing through the axis for receiving a substantially flattened tool shank. The transverse slots intersect with the cylindrical bore. The securing member is carried by the shaft and is radially movable relative to the bore both inwardly and outwardly to secure the surgical tool in the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Estes
  • Patent number: 8763758
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a body, a reservoir, a filter, and a tab. The body is configured to be held in a fixed relationship relative to a stem, wherein the body comprises an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is configured to receive a fluid from a surgical instrument via the stem. The outlet is configured to output a first portion of the fluid from the cartridge. The reservoir is configured to receive the fluid from the inlet. The filter is configured to filter the first portion of the fluid as the first portion of the fluid is directed from the inlet, through the filter, and to the outlet. The tab connected to the body and configured to engage with the stem. The tab is configured to, when the cartridge is moved to disengage from the stem, at least one of break away from the body and become functionally inoperable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Shane Dexter, Larry D. Estes, Gabriel A. Johnston, Durrell G. Tidwell, Bret Hauser, Lauren Devita
  • Publication number: 20130277922
    Abstract: Devices are described relating to the retaining of surgical tools within the chuck of a reciprocating surgical instrument, such as a reciprocating saw. A securing chuck is disclosed for securing a surgical tool to a reciprocating surgical instrument that comprises a shaft and a securing member. The shaft defines an axis and has a cylindrical bore extending along the axis. The bore is shaped to receive a substantially rounded tool shank. A pair of transverse slots extends into the shaft along a plane passing through the axis for receiving a substantially flattened tool shank. The transverse slots intersect with the cylindrical bore. The securing member is carried by the shaft and is radially movable relative to the bore both inwardly and outwardly to secure the surgical tool in the chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Larry D. ESTES
  • Publication number: 20130274775
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a body, a reservoir, a filter, and a tab. The body is configured to be held in a fixed relationship relative to a stem, wherein the body comprises an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is configured to receive a fluid from a surgical instrument via the stem. The outlet is configured to output a first portion of the fluid from the cartridge. The reservoir is configured to receive the fluid from the inlet. The filter is configured to filter the first portion of the fluid as the first portion of the fluid is directed from the inlet, through the filter, and to the outlet. The tab connected to the body and configured to engage with the stem. The tab is configured to, when the cartridge is moved to disengage from the stem, at least one of break away from the body and become functionally inoperable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: S. Shane DEXTER, Larry D. ESTES, Gabriel A. JOHNSTON, Durrell G. TIDWELL, Bret HAUSER, Lauren DEVITA
  • Patent number: 8465492
    Abstract: Devices are described relating to the retaining of surgical tools within the chuck of a reciprocating surgical instrument, such as a reciprocating saw. A securing chuck is disclosed for securing a surgical tool to a reciprocating surgical instrument that comprises a shaft and a securing member. The shaft defines an axis and has a cylindrical bore extending along the axis. The bore is shaped to receive a substantially rounded tool shank. A pair of transverse slots extends into the shaft along a plane passing through the axis for receiving a substantially flattened tool shank. The transverse slots intersect with the cylindrical bore. The securing member is carried by the shaft and is radially movable relative to the bore both inwardly and outwardly to secure the surgical tool in the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry D. Estes
  • Patent number: 8459414
    Abstract: A lubrication cartridge includes a cartridge body. A cartridge coupling is located on the cartridge body and defines a first passage and a second passage. A lubricant reservoir is housed in the cartridge body and comprises a pressurized fluid inlet coupled to the first passage and a lubricant outlet coupled to the second passage. A metering insert is located between the lubricant outlet and the second passage and comprises a density that controls lubricant flow between the lubricant reservoir and the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Shane Dexter, Larry D. Estes, Gabriel A. Johnston, Durrell G. Tidwell, Bret Hauser, Lauren Devita
  • Patent number: 7641655
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved coupling arrangements for medical instruments. In one example, a coupling system for a medical dissection tool includes: an internal passage adapted for receiving a portion of a medical dissection tool; and at least one locking member movable through a first angled path into a locked position to prevent the medical dissection tool from moving along a longitudinal axis of the internal passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Rex Wesley Shores, Paul A. Cihak, Larry D. Estes
  • Publication number: 20090326540
    Abstract: Devices are described relating to the retaining of surgical tools within the chuck of a reciprocating surgical instrument, such as a reciprocating saw. A securing chuck is disclosed for securing a surgical tool to a reciprocating surgical instrument that comprises a shaft and a securing member. The shaft defines an axis and has a cylindrical bore extending along the axis. The bore is shaped to receive a substantially rounded tool shank. A pair of transverse slots extends into the shaft along a plane passing through the axis for receiving a substantially flattened tool shank. The transverse slots intersect with the cylindrical bore. The securing member is carried by the shaft and is radially movable relative to the bore both inwardly and outwardly to secure the surgical tool in the chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: MEDTRONIC XOMED, INC.
    Inventor: Larry D. Estes
  • Patent number: 7549992
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is disclosed a surgical instrument for the dissection of bone or other tissue, the surgical instrument including a tool having a shaft with a dissection area disposed adjacent a distal end and a coupling area disposed adjacent a proximal end; a coupling assembly configured for coupling to a power output of a motor to said coupling area of said tool; and an angled attachment tube positionable along at least a portion of said shaft and substantially supporting a portion of said shaft disposed adjacent said dissection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Rex Wesley Shores, Larry D. Estes, Paul A. Cihak, Allen P. Hilton, Donald L. Hilton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7431230
    Abstract: A bone morselization apparatus and method according to which a cutter bit is mounted to a casing containing a motor; and the casing is manually grasped and positioned over a plurality of bone segments. When the motor is activated, the cutter bit reciprocates and the bone segments are impacted by the cutter bit to morselize the segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Medtronic PS Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Cameron N. McPherson, Larry D. Estes, Scott A. Singer
  • Patent number: 5989257
    Abstract: A surgical instrument has a motor which rotates a tubular shaft about an axis. The shaft drives an implement and has an aperture which contains a ball. When the implement is installed, the ball extends through the aperture to engage the implement and lock it in. The tool has an actuation sleeve which is axially movable between locked and released positions for engaging and disengaging the ball to the implement. The actuation sleeve has an axial slot and a safety sleeve located radially outward from the actuation sleeve. The safety sleeve has a pin which extends radially inward and a cylinder extending radially outward. The cylinder contains a ball which is biased inward. The outer surface of the tool has a pair of detents for receiving the ball. The safety sleeve has locked and unlocked positions. In the unlocked position, the pin is aligned with the slot and the ball engages the first detent to permit the actuation sleeve to move between the locked and released positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Midas Rex L.P.
    Inventors: Durrell G. Tidwell, Larry D. Estes, Gary B. Gage
  • Patent number: 5569256
    Abstract: A surgical resection tool of the type having a rotary motor, a dissecting tool and a bearing tube is provided with dual quick releases for quickly releasing and latching dissecting tools and bearing tubes to expedite tooling changes during surgical procedures. The surgical resection tool preferably has a canted centerline in which the centerline for the rotary motor is canted with respect to the centerline for the dissecting tool and the bearing tube to provide an ergonomic shape for holding the resection tool. In a preferred embodiment, the two quick releases are provided by collet type latches having latching balls and slidable sleeves. The slidable sleeves are coupled together for selectively moving to a latching position where latching balls are pressed into grooves formed into dissecting tools and bearing tubes to latch a dissecting tool and a bearing tube into the resection tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Midas Rex Pneumatic Tools, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Vaughn, Ray E. Umber, William E. St. Clair, Larry D. Estes, Glenn T. Carlson