Patents by Inventor Raymond A. Fredricks
Raymond A. Fredricks 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: 7938825Abstract: A multiple RF return pad contact detection system is provided which is adaptive to different physiological characteristics of patients without being susceptible to electrosurgical current interference (e.g., interference or measurement interaction between components of the detection system). The detection system can measure or sense the contact resistance or impedance between the patient and pairs of RF return pads or return electrodes where multiple pairs of RF return pads are utilized due to the high current frequently needed during electrosurgery while eliminating or minimizing the risk of measurement interaction between the RF return pad pairs. The system allows for the independent and simultaneous measurement of the pad contact impedance for each pair of RF return pads. If the impedance of any pad pair is above a predetermined limit, the system turns off or reduces the electrosurgical output of the electrosurgical generator to prevent excess heating.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2006Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Covidien AGInventors: Thomas A. Sturm, William N. Gregg, Raymond A. Fredricks
-
Publication number: 20100274243Abstract: An elongated probe member is disclosed. The elongated probe member comprises proximal and distal ends, an outer wall, and a guidable region. The elongated probe member includes an internal lumen and a longitudinal axis defined therethrough. The guidable region is adjacent the distal end of the elongated probe member. The guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2010Publication date: October 28, 2010Inventors: Raymond Fredricks, John Shanahan
-
Patent number: 7702397Abstract: A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its distal end with an undulating groove defined in its outer surface. The undulating groove is dimensioned to facilitate bending of the guidable region in at least one radial direction of movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the thermal probe. Preferably, the guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves, whereby adjacent undulating grooves are longitudinally spaced with respect to each other. The undulating grooves each define a sinusoidal configuration which may be arranged about an undulating axis extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis. The guidable region also includes a longitudinally extending backbone which resists bending of the guidable region in a radial direction of movement.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2005Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Covidien AGInventors: Raymond Fredricks, John Shanahan
-
Publication number: 20070073284Abstract: A multiple RF return pad contact detection system is provided which is adaptive to different physiological characteristics of patients without being susceptible to electrosurgical current interference (e.g., interference or measurement interaction between components of the detection system). The detection system can measure or sense the contact resistance or impedance between the patient and pairs of RF return pads or return electrodes where multiple pairs of RF return pads are utilized due to the high current frequently needed during electrosurgery while eliminating or minimizing the risk of measurement interaction between the RF return pad pairs. The system allows for the independent and simultaneous measurement of the pad contact impedance for each pair of RF return pads. If the impedance of any pad pair is above a predetermined limit, the system turns off or reduces the electrosurgical output of the electrosurgical generator to prevent excess heating.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2006Publication date: March 29, 2007Inventors: Thomas Sturm, William Gregg, Raymond Fredricks
-
Patent number: 7160293Abstract: A multiple RF return pad contact detection system is provided which is adaptive to different physiological characteristics of patients without being susceptible to electrosurgical current interference (e.g., interference or measurement interaction between components of the detection system). The detection system can measure or sense the contact resistance or impedance between the patient and pairs of RF return pads or return electrodes where multiple pairs of RF return pads are utilized due to the high current frequently needed during electrosurgery while eliminating or minimizing the risk of measurement interaction between the RF return pad pairs. The system allows for the independent and simultaneous measurement of the pad contact impedance for each pair of RF return pads. If the impedance of any pad pair is above a predetermined limit, the system turns off or reduces the electrosurgical output of the electrosurgical generator to prevent excess heating.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2004Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Sherwood Services AGInventors: Thomas A. Sturm, William N. Gregg, Raymond A. Fredricks
-
Publication number: 20060052848Abstract: A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its distal end with an undulating groove defined in its outer surface. The undulating groove is dimensioned to facilitate bending of the guidable region in at least one radial direction of movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the thermal probe. Preferably, the guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves, whereby adjacent undulating grooves are longitudinally spaced with respect to each other. The undulating grooves each define a sinusoidal configuration which may be arranged about an undulating axis extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis. The guidable region also includes a longitudinally extending backbone which resists bending of the guidable region in a radial direction of movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2005Publication date: March 9, 2006Inventors: Raymond Fredricks, John Shanahan
-
Patent number: 6980862Abstract: A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its distal end with an undulating groove defined in its outer surface. The undulating groove is dimensioned to facilitate bending of the guidable region in at least one radial direction of movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the thermal probe. Preferably, the guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves, whereby adjacent undulating grooves are longitudinally spaced with respect to each other. The undulating grooves each define a sinusoidal configuration which may be arranged about an undulating axis extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis. The guidable region also includes a longitudinally extending backbone which resists bending of the guidable region in a radial direction of movement.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2003Date of Patent: December 27, 2005Assignee: Sherwood Services AGInventors: Raymond Fredricks, John Shanahan
-
Patent number: 6860881Abstract: A multiple RF return pad contact detection system is provided which is adaptive to different physiological characteristics of patients without being susceptible to electrosurgical current interference (e.g., interference or measurement interaction between components of the detection system). The detection system can measure or sense the contact resistance or impedance between the patient and pairs of RF return pads or return electrodes where multiple pairs of RF return pads are utilized due to the high current frequently needed during electrosurgery while eliminating or minimizing the risk of measurement interaction between the RF return pad pairs. The system allows for the independent and simultaneous measurement of the pad contact impedance for each pair of RF return pads. If the impedance of any pad pair is above a predetermined limit, the system turns off or reduces the electrosurgical output of the electrosurgical generator to prevent excess heating.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2002Date of Patent: March 1, 2005Assignee: Sherwood Services AGInventors: Thomas A. Sturm, William N. Gregg, Raymond A. Fredricks
-
Publication number: 20050021022Abstract: A multiple RF return pad contact detection system is provided which is adaptive to different physiological characteristics of patients without being susceptible to electrosurgical current interference (e.g., interference or measurement interaction between components of the detection system). The detection system can measure or sense the contact resistance or impedance between the patient and pairs of RF return pads or return electrodes where multiple pairs of RF return pads are utilized due to the high current frequently needed during electrosurgery while eliminating or minimizing the risk of measurement interaction between the RF return pad pairs. The system allows for the independent and simultaneous measurement of the pad contact impedance for each pair of RF return pads. If the impedance of any pad pair is above a predetermined limit, the system turns off or reduces the electrosurgical output of the electrosurgical generator to prevent excess heating.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2004Publication date: January 27, 2005Inventors: Thomas Sturm, William Gregg, Raymond Fredricks
-
Publication number: 20040059323Abstract: A multiple RF return pad contact detection system is provided which is adaptive to different physiological characteristics of patients without being susceptible to electrosurgical current interference (e.g., interference or measurement interaction between components of the detection system). The detection system can measure or sense the contact resistance or impedance between the patient and pairs of RF return pads or return electrodes where multiple pairs of RF return pads are utilized due to the high current frequently needed during electrosurgery while eliminating or minimizing the risk of measurement interaction between the RF return pad pairs. The system allows for the independent and simultaneous measurement of the pad contact impedance for each pair of RF return pads. If the impedance of any pad pair is above a predetermined limit, the system turns off or reduces the electrosurgical output of the electrosurgical generator to prevent excess heating.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2002Publication date: March 25, 2004Inventors: Thomas A. Sturm, William N. Gregg, Raymond A. Fredricks
-
Publication number: 20040015215Abstract: A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its distal end with an undulating groove defined in its outer surface. The undulating groove is dimensioned to facilitate bending of the guidable region in at least one radial direction of movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the thermal probe. Preferably, the guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves, whereby adjacent undulating grooves are longitudinally spaced with respect to each other. The undulating grooves each define a sinusoidal configuration which may be arranged about an undulating axis extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis. The guidable region also includes a longitudinally extending backbone which resists bending of the guidable region in a radial direction of movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2003Publication date: January 22, 2004Inventors: Raymond Fredricks, John Shanahan
-
Patent number: 6604003Abstract: A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its distal end with an undulating groove defined in its outer surface. The undulating groove is dimensioned to facilitate bending of the guidable region in at least one radial direction of movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the thermal probe. Preferably, the guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves, whereby adjacent undulating grooves are longitudinally spaced with respect to each other. The undulating grooves each define a sinusoidal configuration which may be arranged about an undulating axis extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis. The guidable region also includes a longitudinally extending backbone which resists bending of the guidable region in a radial direction of movement.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2001Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Sherwood Services AGInventors: Raymond Fredricks, John Shanahan
-
Publication number: 20020065541Abstract: A system and method for approaching the intervertebral disc through a percutaneous insertion from the back of a patient for thermal or electromagnetic treatment of an intervertebral disc, includes an elongated probe member having a guidable region adjacent its distal end with an undulating groove defined in its outer surface. The undulating groove is dimensioned to facilitate bending of the guidable region in at least one radial direction of movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the thermal probe. Preferably, the guidable region includes a plurality of undulating grooves, whereby adjacent undulating grooves are longitudinally spaced with respect to each other. The undulating grooves each define a sinusoidal configuration which may be arranged about an undulating axis extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis. The guidable region also includes a longitudinally extending backbone which resists bending of the guidable region in a radial direction of movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2001Publication date: May 30, 2002Inventors: Raymond Fredricks, John Shanahan
-
Patent number: 5988869Abstract: An agitator capable of generating complex mixing motions is described. In some embodiments, an agitator in accordance with the present teachings includes a movable assembly that is suspended, via several resilient supports, from a frame. The movable assembly receives a vessel containing a material(s) to be agitated. The movable assembly advantageously includes spaced upper and lower plates having a rotatably-supported member disposed therebetween. The mass of the rotatably-supported member is asymmetrically distributed about its rotational axis. A drive force, such as a directed air flow, which may be used in conjunction with a belt drive mechanism, causes the rotatably-supported member to rotate. Due to the asymmetric mass distribution of the rotatably-supported member, force is non-uniformly applied to resilient supports such that, at any given time, some of such resilient supports are subjected to a compressive force while other resilient supports are placed under tension.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1998Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: Pharmacopeia, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Bruce Davidson, Ilya Feygin, Raymond Fredrick Gastgeb
-
Patent number: 4118079Abstract: A fluid bearing assembly includes a shaft mounted for rotation in a housing on a fluid film in a gap formed between the shaft surface and confronting surfaces on a plurality of shells mounted in the housing. The shells are relatively thick so that they bend in the manner of a stiff beam, and resilient supports are disposed between the shells and the housing which transmit fluid pressure forces on the shells to the housing and at the same time provide reaction loads on the shells which operate in pre-determined manner in opposition to changes in the fluid pressure forces to bend the shells to increase the load carrying capacity of the bearing.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 1977Date of Patent: October 3, 1978Assignee: Rolls-Royce LimitedInventors: Paul Newman, Raymond Fredrick Sargent