Patents by Inventor Nicholas R. Vitale
Nicholas R. Vitale 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).
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Patent number: 10245175Abstract: Systems for maintaining a vacuum in a patient's oral cavity comprises an oral device, a vacuum control system, and an assembly including first and second tubes for connecting the vacuum control system to the oral device. The oral device has an internal plenum, and a vacuum is drawn in the plenum by a vacuum pump connected by a first tube of the tubular assembly. The vacuum is maintained by an air source which is connected to the plenum by the second tube of the tubular assembly. By maintaining a constant circulating air bleed through the oral device and the connecting tubes, saliva may be removed from the system and collected in a saliva trap located before the vacuum pump.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: SOMNICS, INC.Inventors: Jonathan Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, John Edwards Crowe, Matthias Vaska
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Patent number: 9763759Abstract: A saliva collector comprises a reservoir, a bubble barrier, and a membrane, where the bubble barrier and membrane are arranged in tandem on a flow path from an inlet to an outlet on the reservoir. Air aspirated from a patient's oral cavity enters the reservoir through the inlet, passes through the bubble barrier to remove foam and bubbles, passes through the membrane to remove entrained liquid saliva, and passes out through the outlet.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas R. Vitale, Kenneth Mejia, Michael C. Holzbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Jonathan L. Podmore
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Publication number: 20170087004Abstract: Systems for maintaining a vacuum in a patient's oral cavity comprises an oral device, a vacuum control system, and an assembly including first and second tubes for connecting the vacuum control system to the oral device. The oral device has an internal plenum, and a vacuum is drawn in the plenum by a vacuum pump connected by a first tube of the tubular assembly. The vacuum is maintained by an air source which is connected to the plenum by the second tube of the tubular assembly. By maintaining a constant circulating air bleed through the oral device and the connecting tubes, saliva may be removed from the system and collected in a saliva trap located before the vacuum pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Jonathan Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, John Edwards Crowe, Matthias Vaska
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Patent number: 9549795Abstract: Systems for maintaining a vacuum in a patient's oral cavity comprises an oral device, a vacuum control system, and an assembly including first and second tubes for connecting the vacuum control system to the oral device. The oral device has an internal plenum, and a vacuum is drawn in the plenum by a vacuum pump connected by a first tube of the tubular assembly. The vacuum is maintained by an air source which is connected to the plenum by the second tube of the tubular assembly. By maintaining a constant circulating air bleed through the oral device and the connecting tubes, saliva may be removed from the system and collected in a saliva trap located before the vacuum pump.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2015Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: ApniCure, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, John Edwards Crowe, Matthias Vaska
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Publication number: 20160262859Abstract: A saliva collector comprises a reservoir, a bubble barrier, and a membrane, where the bubble barrier and membrane are arranged in tandem on a flow path from an inlet to an outlet on the reservoir. Air aspirated from a patient's oral cavity enters the reservoir through the inlet, passes through the bubble barrier to remove foam and bubbles, passes through the membrane to remove entrained liquid saliva, and passes out through the outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Inventors: Nicholas R. Vitale, Kenneth Mejia, Michael C. Holzbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Jonathan L. Podmore
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Patent number: 9387118Abstract: An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity includes a base, a tongue-engaging member and a tongue pocket. Partial vacuums are separately drawn through the tongue-engaging member and the tongue pocket in order to advance and control the position of the tongue in order to clear the patient's airway to reduce sleep apnea or treat other conditions.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2013Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: ApniCure, Inc.Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan L. Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, Michael C. Holzbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
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Patent number: 9375541Abstract: A saliva collector comprises a reservoir, a bubble barrier, and a membrane, where the bubble barrier and membrane are arranged in tandem on a flow path from an inlet to an outlet on the reservoir. Air aspirated from a patient's oral cavity enters the reservoir through the inlet, passes through the bubble barrier to remove foam and bubbles, passes through the membrane to remove entrained liquid saliva, and passes out through the outlet.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2012Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas R. Vitale, Kenneth Mejia, Michael R. Holzbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Jonathan L. Podmore
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Publication number: 20150157433Abstract: Systems for maintaining a vacuum in a patient's oral cavity comprises an oral device, a vacuum control system, and an assembly including first and second tubes for connecting the vacuum control system to the oral device. The oral device has an internal plenum, and a vacuum is drawn in the plenum by a vacuum pump connected by a first tube of the tubular assembly. The vacuum is maintained by an air source which is connected to the plenum by the second tube of the tubular assembly. By maintaining a constant circulating air bleed through the oral device and the connecting tubes, saliva may be removed from the system and collected in a saliva trap located before the vacuum pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Jonathan PODMORE, Nicholas R. VITALE, John Edwards CROWE, Matthias VASKA
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Publication number: 20150107603Abstract: A saliva collector comprises a reservoir and a flow path from an inlet to an outlet on the reservoir. Air aspirated from the patient's oral cavity passes through an antechamber before reaching the reservoir. The antechamber is shaped to promote the collapse of any bubbles, allowing liquid saliva to drop from the antechamber to the reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventors: Jonathan L. PODMORE, John Edwards CROWE, Nicholas R. VITALE, Michael C. Holzbaur
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Patent number: 8979823Abstract: Systems for maintaining a vacuum in a patient's oral cavity comprises an oral device, a vacuum control system, and an assembly including first and second tubes for connecting the vacuum control system to the oral device. The oral device has an internal plenum, and a vacuum is drawn in the plenum by a vacuum pump connected by a first tube of the tubular assembly. The vacuum is maintained by an air source which is connected to the plenum by the second tube of the tubular assembly. By maintaining a constant circulating air bleed through the oral device and the connecting tubes, saliva may be removed from the system and collected in a saliva trap located before the vacuum pump.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2011Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, John Edwards Crowe, Matthias Vaska
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Publication number: 20140360509Abstract: A saliva collector comprises a reservoir and a flow path from an inlet to an outlet on the reservoir. A heating element is disposed along the flow path. The heating element applies heat to force bubbles and foam present in the air aspirated from a patient's oral cavity to collapse. The collapsed bubbles and foam evaporate or drain into the reservoir bottom as liquid saliva.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2014Publication date: December 11, 2014Inventors: Jonathan L. PODMORE, John Edwards CROWE, Nicholas R. VITALE, Francisco DE LA PAZ, JR., Robert Curtis LOVELACE, Payne McQueen MONTGOMERY, Thomas Duncan KOZLOWSKI
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Publication number: 20140053849Abstract: An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity includes a base, a tongue-engaging member and a tongue pocket. Partial vacuums are separately drawn through the tongue-engaging member and the tongue pocket in order to advance and control the position of the tongue in order to clear the patient's airway to reduce sleep apnea or treat other conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2013Publication date: February 27, 2014Applicant: ApniCure, Inc.Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan L. Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, Michael C. Holzbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
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Publication number: 20140014112Abstract: A saliva collector comprises a reservoir, a bubble barrier, and a membrane, where the bubble barrier and membrane are arranged in tandem on a flow path from an inlet to an outlet on the reservoir. Air aspirated from a patient's oral cavity enters the reservoir through the inlet, passes through the bubble barrier to remove foam and bubbles, passes through the membrane to remove entrained liquid saliva, and passes out through the outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2012Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: Apnicure, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas R. Vitale, Kenneth Mejia, Michael R. Holzbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Jonathan L. Podmore
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Patent number: 8387620Abstract: An oral device for temporary placement in a patient's oral cavity includes a base, a tongue-engaging member and a tongue pocket. Partial vacuums are separately drawn through the tongue-engaging member and the tongue pocket in order to advance and control the position of the tongue in order to clear the patient's airway to reduce sleep apnea or treat other conditions.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Apnicure, Inc.Inventors: Matthias Vaska, Jonathan L. Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, Michael C. Hozbaur, John Edwards Crowe, Sean Christopher Daniel
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Publication number: 20120199135Abstract: Systems for maintaining a vacuum in a patient's oral cavity comprises an oral device, a vacuum control system, and an assembly including first and second tubes for connecting the vacuum control system to the oral device. The oral device has an internal plenum, and a vacuum is drawn in the plenum by a vacuum pump connected by a first tube of the tubular assembly. The vacuum is maintained by an air source which is connected to the plenum by the second tube of the tubular assembly. By maintaining a constant circulating air bleed through the oral device and the connecting tubes, saliva may be removed from the system and collected in a saliva trap located before the vacuum pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2011Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: ApniCure, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Podmore, Nicholas R. Vitale, John Edwards Crowe, Matthias Vaska
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Patent number: 7947234Abstract: A handheld multichannel pipette includes multiple fluid-handling nozzles and a rotary adjustment mechanism for adjusting the width of a pattern of nozzles while maintaining equal spacing between pairs of nozzles. Embodiments of the adjustable-spacing multichannel pipette include an adjustable stop mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2007Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Rainin Instrument, LLCInventors: Kenneth P. O'Connell, Nicholas R. Vitale
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Publication number: 20090104079Abstract: A handheld multichannel pipette includes multiple fluid-handling nozzles and a rotary adjustment mechanism for adjusting the width of a pattern of nozzles while maintaining equal spacing between pairs of nozzles. Embodiments of the adjustable-spacing multichannel pipette include an adjustable stop mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2007Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: Rainin Instrument, LLCInventors: Kenneth P. O'Connell, Nicholas R. Vitale