Patents by Inventor William Fiehler

William Fiehler 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: 8647364
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The method and apparatus provide for automatic tamping and/or cinching of the sealing plug when the apparatus is withdrawn from the puncture site. The automatic tamping and/or cinching is facilitated by transducing a motive force generated by the withdrawal of the apparatus into a tamping and/or cinching force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC
    Inventors: William Fiehler, John White
  • Patent number: 8568445
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a device are shown and disclosed for closing a vascular access puncture site following percutaneous diagnostic or therapeutic interventional procedures. In one embodiment, the closure device includes a vessel locating member, an anchor and a sealing material. The closure device may be configured to deploy the anchor and the sealing material outside of a hole in a blood vessel to close the hole. The vessel locating member may be used to locate the blood vessel to ensure that the anchor and/or the sealing material are properly placed adjacent to the hole. The closure device may also include a tamper member configured to push or tamp the sealing material against the anchor. The closure device may also include a suture that is used to hold the sealing material and the anchor together adjacent to the hole in the blood vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC
    Inventors: Catherine A. Pipenhagen, Melissa K. Gardner, William Fiehler, Janet L. Jacobsen, Gary J. Schorr, Jyue Boon Lim
  • Publication number: 20110172702
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The method and apparatus provide for automatic tamping and/or cinching of the sealing plug when the apparatus is withdrawn from the puncture site. The automatic tamping and/or cinching is facilitated by transducing a motive force generated by the withdrawal of the apparatus into a tamping and/or cinching force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC
    Inventors: William Fiehler, John White
  • Patent number: 7931670
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The method and apparatus provide for automatic tamping and/or cinching of the sealing plug when the apparatus is withdrawn from the puncture site. The automatic tamping and/or cinching is facilitated by transducing a motive force generated by the withdrawal of the apparatus into a tamping and/or cinching force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC
    Inventors: William Fiehler, John White
  • Patent number: 7837705
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The methods and apparatus provide for automatic tamping and/or cinching of the sealing plug when the apparatus is withdrawn from the puncture site. The automatic tamping and/or cinching may be facilitated by retracting a procedure sheath without moving the sealing plug or a tamping assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC
    Inventors: John O. White, William Fiehler, Andrew T. Forsberg
  • Publication number: 20090054926
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a device are shown and disclosed for closing a vascular access puncture site following percutaneous diagnostic or therapeutic interventional procedures. In one embodiment, the closure device includes a vessel locating member, an anchor and a sealing material. The closure device may be configured to deploy the anchor and the sealing material outside of a hole in a blood vessel to close the hole. The vessel locating member may be used to locate the blood vessel to ensure that the anchor and/or the sealing material are properly placed adjacent to the hole. The closure device may also include a tamper member configured to push or tamp the sealing material against the anchor. The closure device may also include a suture that is used to hold the sealing material and the anchor together adjacent to the hole in the blood vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: ST. JUDE MEDICAL PUERTO RICO B.V.
    Inventors: Catherine A. Pipenhagen, Melissa K. Gardner, William Fiehler, Janet L. Jacobsen, Gary J. Schorr, Jyue Boon Lim
  • Publication number: 20060265007
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The methods and apparatus provide for automatic tamping and/or cinching of the sealing plug when the apparatus is withdrawn from the puncture site. The automatic tamping and/or cinching may be facilitated by retracting a procedure sheath without moving the sealing plug or a tamping assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: John White, William Fiehler, Andrew Forsberg
  • Publication number: 20050096697
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for sealing a subcutaneous tissue puncture. The method and apparatus reduce the occurrence of anchor shuttling by stiffening a tip or end portion of an insertion sheath that acts as a one-way valve to a closure device anchor. The stiffening of the tip reduces shuttling by reducing or eliminating the tendency of prior insertion sheath tips from puckering and creating a gap into which the anchor may reenter. The method of stiffening may take on many different mechanisms, several of which are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Andrew Forsberg, Loran Paprocki, William Fiehler, Russ Terwey
  • Publication number: 20050085851
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing a puncture or incision formed percutaneously in tissue separating two internal portions of the body of a living being with an anchor, a sealing plug and a filament connecting the anchor and sealing plug. The method and apparatus provide for automatic tamping and/or cinching of the sealing plug when the apparatus is withdrawn from the puncture site. The automatic tamping and/or cinching is facilitated by transducing a motive force generated by the withdrawal of the apparatus into a tamping and/or cinching force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: William Fiehler, John White