Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Gregory L. Bradley
  • Patent number: 7029458
    Abstract: A syringe adapter, which permits use of syringes of various types and sizes to be used with a front-loading injector, includes a piston extension and an adapter face plate. The piston extension includes structure for connecting the piston extension to a drive piston of the injector and a plunger of the syringe. The adapter face plate includes a mounting device for attaching the adapter face plate to an injector and a recess for receiving the distal flange of the syringe. The adapter face plate may also include locking pivot arms for releasably engaging the syringe flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: MEDRAD, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Spohn, Robert J. Ashcraft, Jr., Craig John Bowser, P. Eric Pavlik, Albert John Yarzebinski, David M. Reilly, Joseph B. Havrilla
  • Patent number: 7025757
    Abstract: A syringe loading/filling device (or “syringe loader”) includes a syringe mounting mechanism adapted to cooperate with an attachment mechanism of a syringe to attach the syringe to the syringe loader and a drive member adapted to impart motion to the syringe plunger. The syringes for use with the syringe loader include a syringe plunger slidably disposed therein and an attachment mechanism for attachment of the syringe to an injector. Such injectors include a mounting mechanism adapted to cooperate with the attachment mechanism on the syringe to mount the syringe on the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Reilly, Frederick W. Trombley, III, Mark Trocki
  • Patent number: 7018363
    Abstract: A syringe for use with a powered injector to inject a fluid into a patient that includes a length of material adapted to transmit or propagate electromagnetic energy therethrough. The length of material includes at least a first indicator positioned along the length of material. The first indicator is adapted to interact with at least a portion of the energy being propagated through the length of material in a manner that is detectable. The presence (or absence) of the first indicator provides or corresponds to information about the syringe configuration. The indicator(s) of the present invention can, for example, provide information about syringe configuration by the number and/or position thereof. A plurality or set of such syringes can be provided, with the configuration of each such syringe being represented by the presence or absence of indicator(s) of that syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin P. Cowan, Barry Iddon, Michael J. Yanniello, John A. Brosovich, Alan D. Hirschman
  • Patent number: 6984222
    Abstract: The plunger systems for use in an injector-actuated syringe of the present invention include a dynamic wedge seal which improves the sealing engagement between the plunger cover and syringe barrel, and flexible capture members extending from the rear surface of the plunger which permit the engagement and disengagement of the plunger from the injector drive means at any plunger position within the syringe. Further, the plunger systems include a contrast saving tip which expells the injection liquid from the syringe tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Hitchins, Edward J. Rhinehart, David M. Reilly, Anthony S. McCoppin, Thomas L. Dufalla, Robert J. Masarik
  • Patent number: 6974443
    Abstract: An injector system includes a syringe and an injector. The syringe includes a body portion and a plunger movably disposed within the body portion. The injector includes a housing defining a front opening therein, a drive member extendible through the front opening of the housing for imparting motive force to the plunger disposed within the syringe, and a pressure jacket assembly associated with the housing for substantially enclosing the syringe during an injection procedure. The pressure jacket assembly includes a jacket cylinder having an open front end for receiving the syringe and a front member associated with the housing. The front member is pivotable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the syringe to be inserted into and removed from the front end of the jacket cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Reilly, Arthur E. Uber, III, Alan D. Hirschman, Eugene A. Gelblum
  • Patent number: 6972001
    Abstract: A fluid delivery system for delivery of an injection fluid to a patient generally includes a first pump system, a second pump system, a patient interface in removable fluid connection with the first and second pump systems, and a fluid path in fluid connection between the first and second pump systems and the patient interface. The fluid path preferably includes a housing member defining a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet. The first and second pump systems are placed in fluid connection with the respective first and second inlets of the housing member and the patient interface is placed in removable fluid connection with the outlet of the housing member. A first check valve is in fluid connection between an outlet of the first pump system and the first inlet of the housing member, and a second check valve is in fluid connection between an outlet of the second pump system and the second inlet of the housing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F. Emig, Klaus Urich, Frederick Trombley, III, Joseph B. Havrilla, Edward J. Rhinehart, Gerald W. Callan
  • Patent number: 6966894
    Abstract: A syringe for use with an injector includes a body comprising a distal discharge end, a plunger movably disposed within the body, and an agitation element disposed within the body between the plunger and the distal discharge end. A movement mechanism is operably associated with the injector to move the syringe in such a way that the at least one agitation element agitates a fluid contained in the syringe. Preferably, the syringe contains an ultrasound contrast agent that is agitated by the agitation element. An injector system and a method for agitating the contents of a syringe are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Schering Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Klaus Urich
  • Patent number: 6958053
    Abstract: An injector for injecting a fluid from a syringe (which syringe includes a body, a plunger moveably positioned within the body, and an encoding device providing syringe information)r includes a housing, a motor disposed within the housing, a controller operably associated with the motor, a sensor operably associated with the controller and operable to read the encoded syringe information provided by the encoding device when the syringe is attached to the injector, a drive member disposed in the housing and powered by the motor, the drive member operable to automatically advance and engage the plunger when the sensor reads the syringe information provided by the encoding device, and a plunger engagement detection device operably associated with the controller and operable to indicate when the drive member of the injector has engaged the plunger of the syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Reilly
  • Patent number: 6939302
    Abstract: A system for delivery of a medium having ultrasound contrast enhancement agents therein to a patient includes a pressurizing device for pressurizing the medium, a fluid path connecting the pressurizing device to the patient and a concentration sensor in communication with the fluid path. The concentration of the contrast enhancement agents is measured by the concentration sensor during injection of the medium into the patient to assist in controlling the delivery system and/or an imaging procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: MEDRAD, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Griffiths, Arthur E. Uber, III
  • Patent number: 6936030
    Abstract: An injector system for use in delivering a fluid to a patient in a medical procedure includes an injection head unit having at least one pressurizing member. The pressurizing member is in communicative connection with a remote power source via at least one non-rigid drive connection. A connecting member is attached to the injection head unit. The injector system further includes a base unit having a base member that is attachable to a surface and a support member to which the connecting member is attachable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: P. Eric Pavlik, Edward J. Ramsey
  • Patent number: 6921384
    Abstract: An injection apparatus for use with a syringe is provided. The injection apparatus includes an injector and a pressure jacket assembly. The injector preferably includes a housing defining a front opening and a drive piston extendible through the front opening for imparting motive force to a plunger disposed within the syringe. The pressure jacket assembly preferably includes a jacket cylinder having a rear end coupled to the injector housing and an open front end for receiving the syringe therethrough, a support member having a rear end pivotally coupled to the injector housing and a front end, and a front member pivotally coupled to the front end of the support member. Preferably, the front member is pivotable between a closed position for retaining the syringe within the jacket cylinder and an open position for allowing the syringe to be inserted into and removed from the front end of the jacket cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Reilly, Arthur E. Uber, III, Alan D. Hirschman, Eugene A. Gelblum
  • Patent number: 6901283
    Abstract: A system for producing an image of a patient preferably includes a source of contrast medium, a pressurizing unit operably associated with the source of contrast medium for injecting the contrast medium into the patient, an imaging unit providing an internal image of the patient based upon a condition of the contrast medium in the patient, a control unit adapted to adjust the condition of the contrast medium injected into the patient, an electronic interface in communication with at least one of the pressurizing unit and the imaging unit, and a fluid path disposed between the pressurizing unit and the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell Morrison Evans, III, Arthur E. Uber, III
  • Patent number: 6881043
    Abstract: A piston pump propels liquid through a lumen of a flexible tube segment. The pump includes a first tube clamping member, a first set of tube squeezing members, a second tube clamping member, a second set of tube squeezing members and a synchronizing arrangement for activating the members in a sequential order such that fluid in the tube is displaced in a downstream direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventor: Swi Barak
  • Patent number: 6866654
    Abstract: A pressure isolation mechanism for use in a medical procedure includes a lumen, an isolation port in fluid connection with the lumen, and a valve having a first state and a second state. The first state occurs when the lumen and the isolation port are connected. The second state occurs when the lumen and the isolation port are disconnected. The lumen remains open for flow of fluid therethrough in the first state and in the second state. The valve is preferably spring-biased in the first state and is switchable to the second state when fluid pressure in the lumen reaches a predetermined pressure level. Alternately, an actuator can control the state of the valve. A pressure transducer can be in fluid connection with the isolation port of the pressure isolation mechanism. A fluid delivery system includes a syringe and a pressure isolation mechanism as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald W. Callan, Luis A. Pedraza, Jennie Kwo, Christopher T. Zirps, Roderick H. Beaulieu
  • Patent number: 6833705
    Abstract: A coil interface allows a neurovascular coil system to be coupled to a magnetic resonance (MR) system. The neurovascular coil system has an array of coils including a birdcage coil, a spine coil, and at least one neck coil, with the MR system being equipped with a number of receivers. The coil interface includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and an interface circuit. The plurality of input ports are for coupling to the coils of the neurovascular coil system, and the plurality of output ports for coupling to the receivers of the MR system. The interface circuit enables the input ports and output ports to be selectively interconnected, and thereby enables the neurovascular coil system to be selectively operated in (I) a neurovascular mode; (II) a high resolution brain mode; (III) a high speed brain mode; and (IV) a volume neck mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventor: George J. Misic
  • Patent number: 6831460
    Abstract: A coil for creating improved homogeneity in magnetic flux density in a radio frequency resonator for magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of the human head. The coil has a plurality of conductive members. Each of the conductive members has a linear portion and a tapered portion. The conductive members are arranged to form a first opening having a first diameter and a second opening having a second diameter, with the second diameter being different from the first diameter. The tapered portions of the conductive members provide the coil with a substantially homogeneous pattern of magnetic flux density in at least one of three orthogonal imaging planes of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Inventors: Theodore J. Reisker, William J. Monski, Eric D. Reid, George J. Misic
  • Patent number: 6821013
    Abstract: An adapter for use with a powered injector imparts agitating motion to a syringe, which is connectable to the powered injector. The powered injector includes a drive member to impart motion to a plunger slidably disposed within the syringe. The adapter includes an injector attachment mechanism to attach the adapter to the powered injector and a syringe interface to attach the syringe to the adapter. The adapter preferably further includes an intermediate drive member having a drive attachment to attach the intermediate drive member to the drive member of the powered injector and a plunger attachment member to attach the intermediate drive member to the syringe plunger. The intermediate drive member is operable to translate motion of the drive member of the powered injector to the syringe plunger. The adapter also includes at least one powered agitator to provide agitating motion the syringe interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Reilly, David M. Griffiths
  • Patent number: 6808513
    Abstract: A front-loading syringe, which comprises a movable plunger for injecting liquid contrast media, is mountable on a front wall of an injector housing having a pressure jacket, by a first quick release mechanism. At the same time, the plunger is connected to an injector drive mechanism by a second readily releasable mechanism. During the mounting operation, a sensor reads injection information from an indicator device on the syringe and feeds it to an injector control. An injection end of the syringe may include loop-shaped reinforcing handle portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Reilly, Joseph B. Havrilla, Eugene A. Gelblum, Daniel Kazousky
  • Patent number: 6798206
    Abstract: A coil interface allows a neurovascular coil system to be coupled to a magnetic resonance (MR) system. The neurovascular coil system has an array of coils including a birdcage coil, at least one spine coil, and at least one neck coil, with the MR system being equipped with a number of receivers. The coil interface includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and an interface circuit. The plurality of input ports are for coupling to the coils of the neruovascular coil system, and the plurality of output ports for coupling to the receivers of the MR system. The interface circuit enables the input ports and the output ports to be selectively interconnected, and thereby enables the neurovascular coil system to be selectively operated in (I) a neurovascular mode; (II) a high resolution brain mode; (III) a high speed brain mode; (IV) a high resolution brain and c-spine mode; (V) a cervical spine mode; and (VI) a volume neck mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventor: George J. Misic
  • Patent number: 6767319
    Abstract: A method of dispensing a hazardous pharmaceutical includes the steps of: connecting a source of flushing fluid to a first port of a fluid delivery set; connecting a pressurizing unit of a powered injector system (including a powered injector and the pressurizing unit) to a second port of the fluid delivery set; purging air from the fluid delivery set; and, after purging air from the fluid delivery set, connecting a third port of the fluid delivery set to a source of the hazardous pharmaceutical. The fluid delivery set can, for example, include a valve system or assembly to control flow of fluid through the fluid delivery set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Medrad, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Reilly, Alan D. Hirschman, David M. Griffiths, Currie Crookston