Patents by Inventor Westin Michael Hill

Westin Michael Hill 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: 10688284
    Abstract: A steerable endoscopic tool uses concentric sleeves of varying curvature to steer a tool tip toward or in the direction of a location of surgical interest. By rotating and/or axially displacing such sleeves relative to one another the tool tip may be maneuvered within a current field of view with several degrees of freedom without any physical movement of an endoscope, thus facilitating improved surgical access and control without complex mechanical systems in the endoscope or at the surgical site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Westin Michael Hill, Matthew Roy Johnson, Tara Lee Schmidt Boettcher, Patrick James Codd
  • Publication number: 20180256015
    Abstract: A variety of tools and techniques are provided to support removal of ligamentum flavum in a spinal canal and other, similar tissue removal procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Matthew Roy Johnson, Westin Michael Hill, Patrick James Codd
  • Publication number: 20160095505
    Abstract: A variety of tools and techniques are provided to support removal of ligamentum flavum in a spinal canal and other, similar tissue removal procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Matthew Roy Johnson, Westin Michael Hill, Patrick James Codd
  • Publication number: 20150148602
    Abstract: A steerable endoscopic tool uses concentric sleeves of varying curvature to steer a tool tip toward or in the direction of a location of surgical interest. By rotating and/or axially displacing such sleeves relative to one another the tool tip may be maneuvered within a current field of view with several degrees of freedom without any physical movement of an endoscope, thus facilitating improved surgical access and control without complex mechanical systems in the endoscope or at the surgical site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Westin Michael Hill, Matthew Roy Johnson, Tara Lee Schmidt Boettcher, Patrick James Codd