Patents by Inventor Ronald Gatchell

Ronald Gatchell 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: 8252246
    Abstract: A portable steam sterilizer for surgical and dental instruments includes an outer casing and a pressure chamber configured to receive steam therein. A tray is configured to hold the instruments and is releasably received within the pressure chamber while a boiler is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber for providing steam thereto. The sterilizer further includes a container for receiving condensed steam evacuated from the pressure chamber. The container is spaced from the outer casing and includes a main body and a lid that is substantially non-rotationally coupled to the main body. A conduit is coupled to the lid and fluid communicates the container with the pressure chamber. The main body of the container may include a base while the lid may include a wall oriented generally orthogonal to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Coyle, Ronald A. Gatchell, Richard L. Jones, Philip Marc Stewart, James E. Clapp, Dennis L. Harris
  • Patent number: 8236253
    Abstract: A portable steam sterilizer for surgical instruments includes a tray configured to hold the instruments and a pressure chamber. The pressure chamber includes a cavity portion and a handle portion. The cavity portion includes a set of walls and is configured to releasably receive the tray, while the handle portion is coupled to the tray for selectively inserting and removing the tray respectively into and from within the cavity portion. The handle portion is sealingly engageable with the cavity portion to thereby define the pressure chamber. A steam inlet fluidly communicates the pressure chamber with a source of steam to selectively permit steam to flow from the source of steam and into the pressure chamber. A steam outlet fluidly communicates the pressure chamber with a steam management assembly to selectively permit steam to flow from the pressure chamber and into the steam management assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Coyle, Ronald A. Gatchell, Richard L. Jones, Philip Marc Stewart, James E. Clapp, Dennis L. Harris
  • Patent number: 7951342
    Abstract: A sterilizer (20) is provided having a steam filled sterilizer chamber (24) for sterilizer articles placed within the chamber (24). An electronic air valve (186) is provided to control the venting rate of the steam is vented back to a water reservoir (140) after the articles have been sterilized. The electronic air valve (186) also vents the chamber (24) in a controlled manner during the heat up portion of the sterilization cycle to obtain an optimum saturated steam environment with the chamber (24) for the sterilizing process. The sterilizer (20) has pre-programmed and programmable sterilization cycles. And the drying times of each of these cycles is programmable by a user. The programmable sterilization cycles also provide a programmable vent rate which may be selected by the user to minimize damage to the sterilized articles. A steam condensing coil (200) is associated with the water reservoir (140) to minimize pressure build up within the water reservoir (140).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Gary W. Benning, Michael J. Coyle, Ronald A. Gatchell, Richard L. Jones, Philip Marc Stewart
  • Publication number: 20080299003
    Abstract: A portable steam sterilizer for surgical instruments includes a tray configured to hold the instruments and a pressure chamber. The pressure chamber includes a cavity portion and a handle portion. The cavity portion includes a set of walls and is configured to releasably receive the tray, while the handle portion is coupled to the tray for selectively inserting and removing the tray respectively into and from within the cavity portion. The handle portion is sealingly engageable with the cavity portion to thereby define the pressure chamber. A steam inlet fluidly communicates the pressure chamber with a source of steam to selectively permit steam to flow from the source of steam and into the pressure chamber. A steam outlet fluidly communicates the pressure chamber with a steam management assembly to selectively permit steam to flow from the pressure chamber and into the steam management assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: MIDMARK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Coyle, Ronald A. Gatchell, Richard L. Jones, Philip Marc Stewart, James E. Clapp, Dennis L. Harris
  • Publication number: 20080267817
    Abstract: A portable steam sterilizer for surgical and dental instruments includes an outer casing and a pressure chamber configured to receive steam therein. A tray is configured to hold the instruments and is releasably received within the pressure chamber while a boiler is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber for providing steam thereto. The sterilizer further includes a container for receiving condensed steam evacuated from the pressure chamber. The container is spaced from the outer casing and includes a main body and a lid that is substantially non-rotationally coupled to the main body. A conduit is coupled to the lid and fluid communicates the container with the pressure chamber. The main body of the container may include a base while the lid may include a wall oriented generally orthogonal to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: MIDMARK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael J. Coyle, Ronald A. Gatchell, Richard L. Jones, Philip Marc Stewart, James E. Clapp, Dennis L. Harris
  • Publication number: 20060251540
    Abstract: A sterilizer (20) is provided having a steam filled sterilizer chamber (24) for sterilizer articles placed within the chamber (24). An electronic air valve (186) is provided to control the venting rate of the steam is vented back to a water reservoir (140) after the articles have been sterilized. The electronic air valve (186) also vents the chamber (24) in a controlled manner during the heat up portion of the sterilization cycle to obtain an optimum saturated steam environment with the chamber (24) for the sterilizing process. The sterilizer (20) has pre-programmed and programmable sterilization cycles. And the drying times of each of these cycles is programmable by a user. The programmable sterilization cycles also provide a programmable vent rate which may be selected by the user to minimize damage to the sterilized articles. A steam condensing coil (200) is associated with the water reservoir (140) to minimize pressure build up within the water reservoir (140).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Gary Benning, Michael Coyle, Ronald Gatchell, Richard Jones, Philip Stewart
  • Patent number: 6984359
    Abstract: A sterilizer including a sterilization chamber for receiving articles to be sterilized and a door supported on a horizontal pivot at an access opening of the sterilizer chamber. The door includes a seal plate and a resilient seal member supported on the seal plate wherein the seal member includes an annular lip extending transversely to the plane of the seal plate. The lip extends into the sterilizer chamber wherein pressure within the chamber exerts a force biasing an opposing surface of the lip into engagement with an inner surface of the chamber. The sterilizer door is movable between a fully closed and a fully open position and includes a mechanism for holding the door in a partially open position. In the partially open position, the lip extends into contact with a surface of the sterilizer chamber to thereby form a bridge between the door and chamber and prevent condensation from dripping down away from the chamber and door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Edward J. Florkey, Ronald A. Gatchell, Richard L. Jones, Michael J. Coyle, Philip M. Stewart
  • Publication number: 20020085945
    Abstract: A sterilizer including a sterilization chamber for receiving articles to be sterilized and a door supported on a horizontal pivot at an access opening of the sterilizer chamber. The door includes a seal plate and a resilient seal member supported on the seal plate wherein the seal member includes an annular lip extending transversely to the plane of the seal plate. The lip extends into the sterilizer chamber wherein pressure within the chamber exerts a force biasing an opposing surface of the lip into engagement with an inner surface of the chamber. The sterilizer door is movable between a fully closed and a fully open position and includes a mechanism for holding the door in a partially open position. In the partially open position, the lip extends into contact with a surface of the sterilizer chamber to thereby form a bridge between the door and chamber and prevent condensation from dripping down away from the chamber and door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: Edward J. Florkey, Ronald A. Gatchell, Richard L. Jones, Michael J. Coyle, Philip M. Stewart
  • Patent number: D598564
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Coyle, George Chow, Ronald A. Gatchell, Philip Marc Stewart, Kimberly S. Maalouf
  • Patent number: D598565
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Coyle, Ronald A. Gatchell, Philip Marc Stewart, Kimberly S. Maalouf
  • Patent number: D603053
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Midmark Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Coyle, George Chow, Ronald A. Gatchell, Philip Marc Stewart, Kimberly S. Maalouf