Patents by Inventor Thomas K. Fitzmaurice
Thomas K. Fitzmaurice 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: 7001358Abstract: The invention is a dilation catheter which comprises an elongated catheter shaft, a guide wire tube, and an angioplasty balloon. The distal end of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the guide wire tube, and the proximal portion of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the catheter shaft. A stiffening wire is attached to the inner wall of the catheter shaft at a plurality of points along its length. The distal extremity of the guide wire tube is decreased in size relative to the proximal portion of the guide wire tube. A fluid is contained within the guide wire lumen.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.Inventors: Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, Paul Gilson, Patrick J. E. Duane
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Publication number: 20030176837Abstract: The invention is a dilation catheter which comprises an elongated catheter shaft, a guide wire tube, and an angioplasty balloon. The distal end of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the guide wire tube, and the proximal portion of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the catheter shaft. A stiffening wire is attached to the inner wall of the catheter shaft at a plurality of points along its length. The distal extremity of the guide wire tube is decreased in size relative to the proximal portion of the guide wire tube. A fluid is contained within the guide wire lumen.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventors: Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, Paul Gilson, Patrick J.E. Duane
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Patent number: 6605057Abstract: The invention is a dilation catheter which comprises an elongated catheter shaft, a guide wire tube, and an angioplasty balloon. The distal end of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the guide wire tube, and the proximal portion of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the catheter shaft. A stiffening wire is attached to the inner wall of the catheter shaft at a plurality of points along its length. The distal extremity of the guide wire tube is decreased in size relative to the proximal portion of the guide wire tube. A fluid is contained within the guide wire lumen.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2001Date of Patent: August 12, 2003Assignee: Medtronic AVE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, Paul Gilson, Patrick J. E. Duane
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Publication number: 20020177841Abstract: A rapid exchange dilation catheter having an elongated tubular shaft section with a guidewire port for entry of a guidewire into said distal section at an exchange joint. A stiffening wire is positioned within the elongated tubular shaft with its distal end anchored approximate the exchange joint and its proximal end freely floating within the proximal section of the catheter.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2002Publication date: November 28, 2002Inventors: Noreen Moloney, Patrick J. Duane, Thomas K. Fitzmaurice
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Patent number: 6368302Abstract: A Balloon dilation catheter comprising an elongated tubular shaft and an inner tube defining inflation and guide wire lumens. A dilation balloon is mounted on the distal end of the tubular shaft and communicates with the inflation lumen. The guide wire lumen extends through the balloon. A stiffening wire is positioned within the tubular shaft and has a proximal end secured in the proximal portion of the catheter. The distal end of the stiffening wire is anchored within the inner tube in an area adjacent the guide wire entrance port. The stiffening wire maximizes strength to the proximal portion of the catheter while maintaining flexibility in the distal end of the catheter as well as the balloon.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1998Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Medtronic AVE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, Patrick J. E. Duane, Denyse Collins
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Publication number: 20010011180Abstract: The invention is a dilation catheter which comprises an elongated catheter shaft, a guide wire tube, and an angioplasty balloon. The distal end of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the guide wire tube, and the proximal portion of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the catheter shaft. A stiffening wire is attached to the inner wall of the catheter shaft at a plurality of points along its length. The distal extremity of the guide wire tube is decreased in size relative to the proximal portion of the guide wire tube. A fluid is contained within the guide wire lumen.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2001Publication date: August 2, 2001Applicant: AVE ConnaughtInventors: Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, Paul Gilson, Patrick J. E. Duane
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Patent number: 6190358Abstract: The invention is a dilation catheter which comprises an elongated catheter shaft, a guide wire tube, and an angioplasty balloon. The distal end of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the guide wire tube, and the proximal portion of the balloon is attached to the distal portion of the catheter shaft. A stiffening wire is attached to the inner wall of the catheter shaft at a plurality of points along its length. The distal extremity of the guide wire tube is decreased in size relative to the proximal portion of the guide wire tube. A fluid is contained within the guide wire lumen.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1997Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Medtronic AVE, Inc.Inventors: Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, Paul Gilson
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Patent number: 6106487Abstract: An exchange accessory useful with monorail and other types of catheters has a hollow, elongated sleeve for insertion into a Tuohy-Borst connector or the like, and an enlarged head at its proximal end to restrain the sleeve from advancing with the catheter into the connector. The sleeve is slidably mounted on the catheter shaft so that it may be interposed between a sealing member within the connector and the catheter. The internal diameter of the sleeve is greater than and complementary with the external diameter of the catheter shaft to define a space about the catheter shaft sufficient to allow backbleed of blood therethrough in a controlled manner.In one embodiment, the sleeve has a slotted head to accommodate a guidewire which may extend in parallel to the catheter shaft, for example, when used with a monorail type catheter. The slot permits the guidewire to extend proximal to the connector without bending or kinking.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1998Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: AVE ConnaughtInventors: Patrick J Duane, Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, James Paul Gilson, Ronan Micheal Thornton, David Leason
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Patent number: 5836306Abstract: An exchange accessory useful with monorail and other types of catheters has a hollow, elongated sleeve for insertion into a Tuohy-Borst connector or the like, and an enlarged head at its proximal end to restrain the sleeve from advancing with the catheter into the connector. The sleeve is slidably mounted on the catheter shaft so that it may be interposed between a sealing member within the connector and the catheter. The internal diameter of the sleeve is greater than and complementary with the external diameter of the catheter shaft to define a space about the catheter shaft sufficient to allow backbleed of blood therethrough in a controlled manner. In one embodiment, the sleeve has a slotted head to accommodate a guidewire which may extend in parallel to the catheter shaft, for example, when used with a monorail type catheter. The slot permits the guidewire to extend proximal to the connector without bending or kinking.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1994Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Bard ConnaughtInventors: Patrick J. Duane, Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, James Paul Gilson, Ronan Micheal Thornton
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Patent number: 5823995Abstract: A balloon dilatation catheter comprising an elongated tubular shaft and an inner tube defining inflation and guide wire lumens. A dilatation balloon is mounted on the distal end of the tubular shaft and communicates with the inflation lumen. The guide wire lumen extends through the balloon. A stiffening wire is positioned within the tubular shaft and has a proximal end secured in the proximal portion of the catheter. The distal end of the stiffening wire is anchored within the inner tube in an area adjacent the guide wire entrance port. The stiffening wire maximizes strength to the proximal portion of the catheter while maintaining flexibility in the distal end of the catheter as well as the balloon.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 1995Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: Bard ConnaughtInventors: Thomas K. Fitzmaurice, Patrick J. E. Duane, Denyse M. Collins