Patents Assigned to Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
  • Patent number: 4386003
    Abstract: A silica-silicone fluid gel, the properties of which are not significantly affected by sterilizing doses of radiation, is prepared by reaction of a silicone fluid having a narrow viscosity distribution with a filler material and a network former at or below about 120.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1983
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Fiehler
  • Patent number: 4382122
    Abstract: The stability of a reagent comprising an aqueous solution of a phenolsulphonephthalein dye is enhanced by the presence of a weak acid in the reagent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1983
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Louis M. Mezei, Laurence N. Jacobs, Samuel C. Berry
  • Patent number: 4372336
    Abstract: An improved, four-chamber chest drainage system include (1) a collection chamber for collecting blood and other liquids to be drained from the pleural cavity of a patient, (2) an underwater seal chamber for preventing contamination of the patient's pleural cavity by atmospheric air, (3) a manometer chamber for accurately indicating the negative pressure in the patient's pleural cavity, and (4) a suction control chamber for regulating the amount of negative pressure (or suction) applied to the patient's pleural cavity. The suction control chamber has a flexible diaphragm adapted to flex in response to increased negativity above a predetermined level to block the opening to the suction source until the negativity returns to the predetermined level. A combination vent valve-and-filter assembly permits ready venting of the collection chamber to filtered atmospheric air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Cornell, Ronald Crouther, Howard P. Dyer, Alan B. Ranford
  • Patent number: 4369781
    Abstract: A fluid coupler for connecting two devices in locked fluid communication is provided which includes a body (12) having a male Luer lock connector (14) at one end connected in fluid communication with a female connector (28) at the other end. The female connector (28) is radially spaced from an outer wall (32) of the body (12) and has a Luer tapered bore (30) for receiving a male Luer tapered connector (62, 86) and a resilient locking member (40) connected to the body (12) at the other end thereof for frictionally engaging and locking the male Luer connector (62, 86) when inserted into the Luer tapered bore (30) to ensure against any subsequent fluid leakage between the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Gilson, Edward F. Windischman
  • Patent number: 4369250
    Abstract: A complex of a long chain cationic surfactant and an organic anionic dye is useful in demonstrating the presence of and determining the concentration of fatty acids, compounds which hydrolyze to liberate fatty acids, or the activity of hydrolaze enzymes which produce fatty acids from a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1983
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: E. Melvin Gindler
  • Patent number: 4357144
    Abstract: A colorimetric urea determination method, reagent, and reagent kit useful in end point and kinetic urea determination. Urea in a liquid sample reacts with o-phthalaldehyde and chromotropic acid or one of its salts in the presence of a linear long hydrocarbon chain amidobetaine to produce an intensely colored reaction product, the concentration of which is linearly related to the urea concentration in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: E. Melvin Gindler, Olga Daskalakis
  • Patent number: 4354495
    Abstract: A method of connecting a plastic tube to a plastic hub is disclosed which includes preforming the tube by externally heating it in selected areas to cause outward bulging of the tube in those areas, applying an axial force on the tube to cause the bulges to compress axially while heated and molding the hub with the tube bulges in the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond O. Bodicky
  • Patent number: 4353868
    Abstract: A specimen collecting and transporting device is provided which includes a container, a swab in the container connected to a closure cap closing one end of the container, and a reservoir attached to the other end of the container and containing a liquid culture-sustaining medium sealed in a chamber of the reservoir. The bottom end of the container has an opening covered by an absorbent pad and which is in contact with the swab tip. The container has a projection which when moved relatively toward the reservoir, pierces the chamber seal to allow the medium to flow through the opening to the pad and swab tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Joel A. Joslin, Marshall T. Dennison
  • Patent number: 4346711
    Abstract: A medical drainage collection device of the disposable liner type wherein the problems of connecting and disconnecting the liner from the canister of a device is simplified by providing a resilient locking device on a canister cover which receives a snap-in tube connector fixed to the disposable liner. Pressure applied to the locking device resiliently releases the connector from the cover. The liner can be provided with a hydrophobic filter which filters air before reaching the vacuum system to prevent system contamination, and when covered by drainage liquid closes off further gas or air flow through the filter to also provide a maximum-fill shut-off thereby preventing overfilling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald T. Agdanowski, Thomas F. Schuessler
  • Patent number: 4340066
    Abstract: An endometrial sampling device (10) for collecting body material for diagnostic testing includes a handle (12), a generally cylindrical sample collecting member (14, 14a) connected to the handle (12) and having a longitudinal chamber (22, 70), slot (24, 72), and a transverse slot (26) for scraping the walls of the uterus and moving sample material into chamber (22, 70). The handle (12) has a passage (24, 72) connected with the chamber (22, 70) to which a suction force may be applied. A stop member (16) has a slide (36) for gathering collected sample material. The collecting member (14, 14a) is made of a plastic material which can be severed from the handle (12) if desired to convey the sample therein. If desired, the stop member (16) and slide member (36) can be removed from the device (10) after it has gathered the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Nayan S. Shah
  • Patent number: 4337064
    Abstract: A quantitative colorimetric or spectrophotometric method of determining analyte albumin using a specie specific dye-based color reagent is disclosed. The method utilizes a standard solution comprising an aqueous solution of albumin of different specie than that of the analyte and a water soluble surfactant containing at least one hydrophobic group of contiguous carbon atoms. The surfactant is of a type and present in an amount such that the standard solution mimics, with respect to spectrophotometric response, an aqueous solution of the analyte when the standard solution and the analyte solution contain the same concentrations of albumin and color reagent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: E. Melvin Gindler
  • Patent number: 4333455
    Abstract: A catheter introducer (15) includes a tubular component (20) with a pliable catheter (22) disposed lengthwise therein. The tubular component (20) is connected to an introducer cannula (52) that has been placed in a body passageway (65). Pressurized fluid is forced around and along the catheter (22) in the tubular component (20) to flow the catheter (22) into the body passageway (65). An enlarged proximal end (29) of the catheter (22) seats in a tapered portion (56) of the introducer cannula (52). The proximal portion (56) of the introducer cannula (52) becomes the connector for connecting the catheter (22) to an intravenous unit (70). In a modification, a Y component (32) has a needle (60a) in one leg of the Y for insertion into a body passageway (65) so that, after the needle (60a) is withdrawn, the catheter (22) may be flowed by pressurized fluid through the other leg of the Y component (32) into the body passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond O. Bodicky
  • Patent number: 4333564
    Abstract: The rheological properties of thixotropic, gel-like compositions employed in blood separation tubes are controlled by incorporating in the composition up to about five percent by weight, based on the amount of composition, of a disilazane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: William Hertl, Anthony R. Zine, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4332249
    Abstract: Medicinal fluid to be injected into a patient is drawn into a hypodermic syringe barrel through the valve portion of a combination valve and filter assembly, and is ejected through the filter, thereby preventing particulate contamination of the injected medicine. The valve and filter assembly comprises a generally cylindrical, porous filter element, and an elastomeric valve having a generally annular skirt portion overlying the distal end of the filter element and a central portion extending into the central passage in the filter. The central portion of the valve has a slit therein which opens to permit the flow of medicinal fluid therethrough in a distal-to-proximal direction, but closes to block the flow of fluid therethrough in a proximal-to-distal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel A. Joslin
  • Patent number: 4330497
    Abstract: Grooved tubing having a groove in the outer sidewall and a hole through the bottom of the groove is made by extruding a first plastic to produce a molten tubular extrudate, extruding a second plastic in the exterior of the sidewall of the tubular extrudate, subsequently removing the second plastic to provide a groove in the tubular extrudate and forming an opening through the bottom of the groove. This method can be used in making suction catheters wherein the groove walls prevent invagination of body tissue into the hole in the groove during suctioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald T. Agdanowski
  • Patent number: 4328056
    Abstract: A method of making a double-cuffed endotracheal tube is disclosed which includes forming a unitary double-cuff member, inserting and inverting one of the cuffs into the other cuff and connecting the cuffs on a plastic tube, and sealingly connecting the ends of the cuffs to the tube. A method of sealingly connecting one end of the inner cuff which is within the outer cuff to the tube includes inserting a pipe into the tube and through a sidewall opening in the tube, and flowing sealant material through the tube to seal one end of the inner cuff to the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory L. Snooks
  • Patent number: 4317525
    Abstract: A body fluid collection device includes a blow-molded unitary plastic container having a pair of integral tube connectors formed in the upper wall for connecting a pair of tubes in fluid communication with the interior of the container. One tube can be connected with a source of vacuum and the other to a source of body fluid. A line of weakness is formed in the container sidewall adjacent the upper end which permits the upper end of the container to be manually opened for removal of collected material for clinical testing. The line of weakness may be a slot, perforation line or an area of reduced wall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. Schuessler, Douglas K. Melville
  • Patent number: 4315892
    Abstract: A fluid collection device for collecting and separating a liquid into its phases is provided which includes a collection container and an elongate housing having gel-like sealant therein. The sealant has a specific gravity between those of the separated low and high density phases. The housing has a sealant flow control valve in the low density phase portion of the container which is opened in response to a decrease in the specific gravity of the liquid adjacent the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Stone, Gary J. Haglund
  • Patent number: 4311137
    Abstract: A fluid administration device is provided which includes a catheter holder having a passage extending through it, a plastic cannula connected at the distal end of the passage, an elastomeric seal at the proximal end of the passage, and a fluid administration side port intermediate the ends of the passage. The device includes a needle holder having a needle cannula extending through the seal, passage, and into the catheter. When the needle holder is in its initial position, the seal is in a passage venting position so that a source of administration fluid can be connected to the side port and the device flushed of air. When the air is removed, the needle assembly is moved to an armed position forcing the seal into a compressed condition in the passage. After the catheter has been placed into the vein, the needle is withdrawn proximally from the catheter holder with the plug sealing the proximal end of the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventor: William L. Gerard
  • Patent number: 4309112
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection of the magnitude of selected chemical substances in a biological fluid by fixed rate analysis. Photometric analysis is performed sequentially upon a standard solution and then upon an unknown sample to determine the rate reaction in each. The method and apparatus minimize or eliminate error in equipment drift and calibration. The rate reaction is manually initiated in a standard solution carrying a known amount of a chemical substance. The standard is then placed into a photodetector circuit to produce a voltage representing optical density which increases at a constant but unknown rate during the reaction. The time required for the voltage to change from a base-line level to a selected and pre-set value is then measured and stored as a calibration reference time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1982
    Assignee: Sherwood Medical Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Holvor W. Ashley, Vincent H. Li