Patents Represented by Attorney Lew Schwartz
  • Patent number: 4106512
    Abstract: A body-implantable, intravascular lead affixed with a pin or pins at its proximal end adapted to be connected to a cardiac pacemaker pulse generator and with an electrode or electrodes at its distal end adapted to be securely and permanently attached to a body organ through endothelial tissue. An electrode in spiral shaped form of a rigid, electrically conductive helix with a sharp tip at the distal end of the lead is adapted to be screwed through endothelial tissue into the body organ by means of a rotational motion applied to the conductor at the proximal end of the lead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1978
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Hans Jurgen Bisping
  • Patent number: 4078268
    Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis having an annular base carrying two pivoting valving members for use in a heart to control the flow of blood. The valving members are pivotally mounted on the annular base for pivotal movement about separate axes spaced from the center of the base. In one form of the prosthesis the base is removably attached to a suturing assembly adapted to be connected to heart tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1978
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Inc.
    Inventor: Zinon C. Possis
  • Patent number: 4005296
    Abstract: Apparatus adapted for cooperation with the human foot for performing a switching function in response to ambulation. A substrate is provided with a generally centrally located contact. Posts extend from the substrate and space a flexible disc from the contact while allowing the central portion of the disc to flex into electrical communication therewith. The assembly may be positioned in the heel portion of a shoe insole so as to switch between open and closed positions as weight is placed on the heel and removed, as in walking. The switch may be employed in association with muscle and/or nerve stimulators for objectives such as combating foot drop or providing hip stabilization. In addition, proper selection of the flexible disc and post spacing will provide a normally open switch which will close when a preselected limb load has been applied. Also, the apparatus may be made bi-directional such that the same insole assembly may be employed with either foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1977
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert K. Olson
  • Patent number: 3999557
    Abstract: A demand pacemaker having different standby and pacing rates and circuitry for selectively rendering the standby and pacing rates substantially identical. First and second capacitors control the standby and pacing rates, respectively, one capacitor being responsive to either a natural heartbeat or a pacemaker output pulse to alter the rate established by the other. In a preferred embodiment, the second capacitor is charged during a pacemaker output pulse and discharges through the first capacitor to decrease its charging time, the charging time of the first capacitor controlling the pacemaker output pulse frequency. Circuitry responsive to externally generated signals causes the second capacitor to charge during both a natural heartbeat or a pacemaker output pulse to render the pacemaker standby and pacing rates substantially identical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1976
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Citron, John M. Adams
  • Patent number: 3979707
    Abstract: A power-pack assembly including a bobbin, at least primary and secondary windings wound on the bobbin and a core carried by the bobbin. Solderless connection devices are secured to the bobbin and electrically connected to the windings. The solderless connection devices include clips which engage input and output terminals to make an electrical and mechanical connection therewith. In a preferred embodiment, the terminals are carried by a terminal block which provides a single step plug-in connection between the connection devices and the terminals. A core-grounding system is also disclosed which includes a core-grounding terminal, a spring for electrically contacting the core and a clip secured to the bobbin for engaging the core-grounding terminal and maintaining it in electrical contact with the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1976
    Assignee: Ault Incorporated
    Inventor: Luther T. Prince, Jr.
  • Patent number: 3972331
    Abstract: An intrauterine catheter attached to a fluid dispensing unit for injecting fluids, as drug materials, into the canal of the Fallopian tube. The catheter is an elongated tubular member having a pair of isolated tubes. A first of the tubes has an expandable balloon on its outer end for substantially completely filling a uterine cavity when expanded. The dispensing unit has a housing with chambers. Containers storing the drug material and fluid are located in the chambers. The containers are collapsible hollow bodies which are pierced by needles which carry the fluids to the tubular member. Plungers collapse the containers to drive the needles through the container walls whereby the fluid in the containers is discharged into the tubes of the catheter. A hand operated actuator is operable to sequentially dispense fluid from a first container into the first tube and then a second container into the other tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1976
    Assignee: Population Research Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee R. Bolduc, Eugene A. Dickhudt
  • Patent number: 3964958
    Abstract: A device for heat bonding thermoplastic materials. At least one pressure chamber having a diaphragm is spaced from a supporting surface with the diaphragm and supporting surface in opposing relation to each other. Materials to be bonded are positioned between the pressure chamber diaphragm and supporting surface and the pressure in the chamber is raised above ambient pressure causing a deflection of the diaphragm. The amount of diaphragm deflection increases with the distance from the pressure chamber side wall. Either the supporting surface or the pressure chamber, or both, is moved toward the other causing a contact between the deflected diaphragm, supporting surface and the materials to be bonded. As the relative movement continues, the contact area with the materials to be bonded increases thereby progressively expelling air trapped between the materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
    Inventor: Orin B. Johnston
  • Patent number: 3964470
    Abstract: A percutaneous intradermal electrical connection system and implant device, the implant device including a flange and a neck extending from the flange. The neck has a cavity in its end and is provided with a lip for inhibiting the growth of epithelial or connective tissue over the neck cavity. A connecting device is partially housed within the neck cavity and allows a lead connected to the implant device to rotate through 360.degree.. The entire surface of the implant device may be electrically conductive and connected to the lead or, alternatively, the implant device may be provided with a separate electrode portion with the remainder of its surface being electrically insulated from the lead. In a preferred embodiment, the implant device is a unitary titanium member whose surface may be partially anodized to provide an insulated surface and establish the separate electrode portion. A preferred connecting device embodiment is magnetic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Trombley
  • Patent number: 3957056
    Abstract: An improved power-source canister for isolating a power source from the device or devices to be powered when packaged therewith for implantation in a living animal body. The canister is formed by a bottom wall and a continuous side wall and is provided with a cover. Feed-through terminals pass through the side wall, at locations spaced along the perimeter of the side wall, for making an electrical connection between a power source within the canister and the device or devices to be powered. The side wall is formed by four generally straight portions of approximately equal length, each straight portion being generally perpendicular to two of the others and generally parallel to a third. The straight portions are joined by arcuate portions having a radius of curvature approximately equal to one-fourth the distance between parallel straight portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1974
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard H. Comben, Richard L. Doty
  • Patent number: 3949758
    Abstract: In a cardiac pacer including a source of timed pulses and means responsive to the timed pulses for providing controlled energy cardiac stimulating pulses, the improved apparatus including means for successively decreasing the energy of the cardiac stimulating pulses after every n pulses from the timed pulse source, n being a number greater than 1. The apparatus may also include means for increasing the energy of the cardiac stimulating pulses in the absence of a driven heartbeat and, in a preferred embodiment, may include additional apparatus to prevent loss of a heartbeat on loss of capture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1976
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas L. Jirak
  • Patent number: 3948259
    Abstract: A fluid dispensing instrument and method for placing a material in the uterine cavity and moving the material from the uterine cavity to the canals of the Fallopian tubes of a female. The instrument has an elongated probe carrying an expandable sleeve. A housing connected to the probe has a chamber for a container storing the material. A plunger is operable to move the container onto a needle and force the material through the probe and into the uterine cavity. In one form, an actuator is continuously moved into the housing to initially partially expand the sleeve member to displace part of the uterine cavity. Further movement of the actuator dispenses the material from the probe into the uterine cavity. Continued movement of the actuator fully expands the sleeve member to displace the entire uterine cavity and pump the material into the canals of the Fallopian tubes. After the sleeve member is contracted by releasing the fluid pressure applied thereto, the probe is removed from the uterine cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1976
    Assignee: Population Research Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee R. Bolduc, Eugene A. Dickhudt
  • Patent number: 3945497
    Abstract: A storage appliance for use with tubing, pipes and similar items. A generally U-shaped member carries a peg at a distal end of each of its legs and a coupling device at their proximal end. The pegs have a first portion of a generally circular cross section and taper to a rounded point at one terminus. The coupling device has an aperture of the same general cross section as the peg first portion. A storage rack is assembled from the appliances by inserting the pegs of one appliance into the coupling devices of another, the number of appliances used being dependent upon the particular storage requirement. The distal ends of the legs of each appliance are made flat to provide a mating surface for an appliance placed thereon while the tapered pegs allow a cooperation between the pegs of one appliance and the coupling device of another even when the legs of the peg-carrying appliance are spread due to loading or otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1974
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1976
    Assignee: Norman Goldetsky
    Inventor: Percy Greenberg
  • Patent number: 3939843
    Abstract: A transvenous lead including a conductor encased in an insulating material which is generally inert in body fluids and tissues, the conductor being connected to an exposed, electrically conductive electrode at, or adjacent to, the lead terminus. At least one tine extends from the casing adjacent the lead terminus for engaging the inner wall or trabeculae of an internal body organ or chamber to urge the electrode in a given generally transverse direction, all of such tines extending from the casing in directions which fall within an 180.degree. arc around its periphery with no tine extending in a direction less than 90.degree. from the given direction. In one preferred embodiment, the electrode forms a conductive lead tip and includes a portion skewed toward the given direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1974
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1976
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas P. D. Smyth
  • Patent number: 3937226
    Abstract: A device for preventing arrhythmias such as fibrillation in which a plurality of electrodes are placed at selected points on a heart to sense depolarizations. An astable multivibrator receives the depolarization signals from the electrodes and provides an output signal to a device which in turn provides cardiac stimulation signals to all of the electrodes on the heart for the purpose of preventing the arrhythmia. The multivibrator is preferably synchronized to the QRS complex of the heart with its refractory period. In a second embodiment of the device, separate sensing and stimulation electrodes are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1974
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1976
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventor: Herman D. Funke
  • Patent number: 3930467
    Abstract: A stackable poultry coop formed of complementary upper and lower sections and a door. The upper section has an upper wall with a central opening bounded by a plurality of upwardly extending flanges. The lower section has a lower wall formed of a flexible grid and a plurality of downwardly extending ribs adapted to engage and nest with the flanges of another coop when in stacking relation thereto. The lower wall ribs are positioned around the periphery of the lower wall to allow at least its central portion to flex and each of the upper and lower walls have a marginal wall extending generally at right angles from their periphery. The upper, lower and marginal walls are provided with a plurality of openings to provide ventilation as well as to facilitate cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1976
    Assignee: Norwesco, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward J. Fier, Jr.