Patents by Inventor Rebecca J. Gettinger
Rebecca J. Gettinger 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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Publication number: 20220395288Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2022Publication date: December 15, 2022Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael A. Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nichole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellman, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
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Publication number: 20220287709Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a lower jaw, an anvil, and a resilient member. The anvil is pivotable relative to the lower jaw between a fully opened position and a fully closed position. The resilient member is configured to bias the anvil to remain in the fully opened position when the anvil is in the fully opened position. The end effector may include a closure ring coupled with the anvil that is translatable relative to the lower jaw and configured to engage the anvil at an interface as the closure ring translates proximally relative to the lower jaw to thereby pivot the anvil relative to the lower jaw toward the fully opened position. In various embodiments, the resilient member may comprise elastomeric material positioned between the closure ring and the anvil or a pair of springs or resilient arms that engage the anvil.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2022Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, Katherine J. Schmid, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Patent number: 11389192Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Cilag GmbH InternationalInventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nichole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellmann, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
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Patent number: 11304694Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a lower jaw, an anvil, and a resilient member. The anvil is pivotable relative to the lower jaw between a fully opened position and a fully closed position. The resilient member is configured to bias the anvil to remain in the fully opened position when the anvil is in the fully opened position. The end effector may include a closure ring coupled with the anvil that is translatable relative to the lower jaw and configured to engage the anvil at an interface as the closure ring translates proximally relative to the lower jaw to thereby pivot the anvil relative to the lower jaw toward the fully opened position. In various embodiments, the resilient member may comprise elastomeric material positioned between the closure ring and the anvil or a pair of springs or resilient arms that engage the anvil.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Cilag GmbH InternationalInventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, Katherine J. Schmid, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Patent number: 10709440Abstract: A surgical instrument and method for indicating a tissue penetration site includes an inner needle and a head. The inner needle has a driver configured to translate the inner needle form a first position to a second position. The head is securely attached to the inner needle at an end opposite the driver and is configured to expand from a contracted state to an expanded state and thereby indicate the tissue penetration site.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: July 14, 2020Assignee: Ethicon LLCInventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Rebecca J. Gettinger
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Publication number: 20200060676Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a lower jaw, an anvil, and a resilient member. The anvil is pivotable relative to the lower jaw between a fully opened position and a fully closed position. The resilient member is configured to bias the anvil to remain in the fully opened position when the anvil is in the fully opened position. The end effector may include a closure ring coupled with the anvil that is translatable relative to the lower jaw and configured to engage the anvil at an interface as the closure ring translates proximally relative to the lower jaw to thereby pivot the anvil relative to the lower jaw toward the fully opened position. In various embodiments, the resilient member may comprise elastomeric material positioned between the closure ring and the anvil or a pair of springs or resilient arms that engage the anvil.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, Katherine J. Schmid, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Patent number: 10456132Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a lower jaw, an anvil, and a resilient member. The anvil is pivotable relative to the lower jaw between a fully opened position and a fully closed position. The resilient member is configured to bias the anvil to remain in the fully opened position when the anvil is in the fully opened position. The end effector may include a closure ring coupled with the anvil that is translatable relative to the lower jaw and configured to engage the anvil at an interface as the closure ring translates proximally relative to the lower jaw to thereby pivot the anvil relative to the lower jaw toward the fully opened position. In various embodiments, the resilient member may comprise elastomeric material positioned between the closure ring and the anvil or a pair of springs or resilient arms that engage the anvil.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Ethicon LLCInventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, Katherine J. Schmid, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Publication number: 20190000496Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nicole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellmann, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
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Publication number: 20190000444Abstract: A surgical instrument and method for indicating a tissue penetration site includes an inner needle and a head. The inner needle has a driver configured to translate the inner needle form a first position to a second position. The head is securely attached to the inner needle at an end opposite the driver and is configured to expand from a contracted state to an expanded state and thereby indicate the tissue penetration site.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2017Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Rebecca J. Gettinger
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Patent number: 10064620Abstract: A method for using a surgical instrument comprises translating a first translatable member to unlock an articulation joint, translating a second translatable member to articulate and end effector at the articulation joint, and translating the second translatable member again to lock the articulation joint. The first and second translatable members may be translatable independently of each other. The act of unlocking an articulation joint may include moving a locking feature along a plane that is parallel to both the longitudinal axis of a shaft assembly and an articulation axis of the articulation joint. The locking feature may move longitudinally along the articulation axis, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2014Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Ethicon LLCInventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, David Bruns, John C. Schuckmann, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Patent number: 9693774Abstract: An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and an articulation joint. The end effector is operable to manipulate (e.g., staple) tissue. The articulation joint couples the end effector with the shaft assembly and permits the end effector to deflect away from the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly. The articulation joint comprises a locking assembly, which is operable to selectively lock the angular position of the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly; and an unlocking feature. The unlocking feature is operable to selectively unlock the locking assembly. The shaft assembly further comprises a first movable member, which is operable to selectively drive articulation of the end effector at the articulation joint; and a second movable member, which is operable to selectively drive the unlocking feature. The second movable member is movable independently relative to the first movable member.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2014Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Ethicon LLCInventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, Robert J. Simms, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Patent number: 9622746Abstract: An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft, and an end effector that is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The end effector comprises and anvil and a cartridge. A longitudinal axis intersects the distal tip of the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position. The cartridge defines a sight line extending along a distal surface of the cartridge from a first side of the cartridge toward the anvil. The first side of the cartridge is opposite to the anvil. The distal surface of the cartridge is neither parallel to nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The sight line intersects the longitudinal axis near the distal tip when the anvil is in the closed position. A segment of the sight line and a segment the longitudinal axis define an angle ?. The angle ? is larger than 90°.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2013Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLCInventors: Robert J. Simms, Douglas B. Hoffman, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Timothy S. Bedard, Dean L. Garner, Glen A. Armstrong, Janna B. Volz
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Publication number: 20150374361Abstract: An end effector for use with a surgical instrument includes a lower jaw, an anvil, and a resilient member. The anvil is pivotable relative to the lower jaw between a fully opened position and a fully closed position. The resilient member is configured to bias the anvil to remain in the fully opened position when the anvil is in the fully opened position. The end effector may include a closure ring coupled with the anvil that is translatable relative to the lower jaw and configured to engage the anvil at an interface as the closure ring translates proximally relative to the lower jaw to thereby pivot the anvil relative to the lower jaw toward the fully opened position. In various embodiments, the resilient member may comprise elastomeric material positioned between the closure ring and the anvil or a pair of springs or resilient arms that engage the anvil.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, Katherine J. Schmid, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Publication number: 20150374362Abstract: A method for using a surgical instrument comprises translating a first translatable member to unlock an articulation joint, translating a second translatable member to articulate and end effector at the articulation joint, and translating the second translatable member again to lock the articulation joint. The first and second translatable members may be translatable independently of each other. The act of unlocking an articulation joint may include moving a locking feature along a plane that is parallel to both the longitudinal axis of a shaft assembly and an articulation axis of the articulation joint. The locking feature may move longitudinally along the articulation axis, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, David Bruns, John C. Schuckmann, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Publication number: 20150374364Abstract: An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and an articulation joint. The end effector is operable to manipulate (e.g., staple) tissue. The articulation joint couples the end effector with the shaft assembly and permits the end effector to deflect away from the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly. The articulation joint comprises a locking assembly, which is operable to selectively lock the angular position of the end effector relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly; and an unlocking feature. The unlocking feature is operable to selectively unlock the locking assembly. The shaft assembly further comprises a first movable member, which is operable to selectively drive articulation of the end effector at the articulation joint; and a second movable member, which is operable to selectively drive the unlocking feature. The second movable member is movable independently relative to the first movable member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Rebecca J. Gettinger, Robert J. Simms, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
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Publication number: 20140239043Abstract: An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft, and an end effector that is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The end effector comprises and anvil and a cartridge. A longitudinal axis intersects the distal tip of the anvil when the anvil is in a closed position. The cartridge defines a sight line extending along a distal surface of the cartridge from a first side of the cartridge toward the anvil. The first side of the cartridge is opposite to the anvil. The distal surface of the cartridge is neither parallel to nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The sight line intersects the longitudinal axis near the distal tip when the anvil is in the closed position. A segment of the sight line and a segment the longitudinal axis define an angle ?. The angle ? is larger than 90°.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2013Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Simms, Douglas B. Hoffman, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Timothy S. Bedard, Dean L. Garner, Glen A. Armstrong, Janna B. Volz