Patents Examined by Emily Lloyd
  • Patent number: 8052614
    Abstract: A biopsy device includes a housing. A drive is enclosed in the housing. A biopsy needle assembly has a biopsy needle carrier that carries a biopsy needle. The biopsy needle carrier is positioned in the housing. A vacuum pump is positioned in the housing. The vacuum pump has an elongate cylinder and a piston sealed and movable inside the elongate cylinder. The piston is drivably coupled to the drive. The elongate cylinder is connected to the biopsy needle to generate a vacuum in the biopsy needle when the piston is driven by the drive. The elongate cylinder and the biopsy needle are arranged in parallel by the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: C. R. Bard, Inc.
    Inventors: Norbert Heske, Thomas Heske
  • Patent number: 8048048
    Abstract: A method and system for measuring a urinary flow rate minimizes impact noise caused by urine to measure the urinary flow rate using a plurality of load cells when prostatic hypertrophy is diagnosed. The method includes measuring an amount of urine collected into a container using a plurality of load cells, extracting and averaging urinary flow rate signals from the measured results, and removing the impact noise from the urinary flow rate signals, converting the urinary flow rate signals into digital signals through an A/D converting circuit, and outputting the digital signals using a personal computer or a microprocessor analyzer which is interfaced with the A/D converting circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Chungbuk National University Industry Academic Corporation Foundation
    Inventors: Kyung Ah Kim, Eun Jong Cha, Seong Su Choi
  • Patent number: 8043253
    Abstract: Device and method for rapid extraction of body tissue from an enclosed body cavity. Hollow entry cannula with optional core element provides entry into body tissue space such as bone marrow. Aspiration cannula is inserted through cannula into body tissue and is manipulated to advance directionally through body cavity. Optional stylet within aspiration cannula aids in advancing aspiration cannula through body tissue and is removed to facilitate extraction of body tissue through the aspiration cannula. Inlet openings near distal tip of aspiration cannula allow tissue aspiration, with negative pressure source at proximal end of aspiration cannula providing controlled negative pressure. Aspiration cannula may be withdrawn and its path adjusted for multiple entries through the same entry point, following different paths through tissue space for subsequent aspiration of more tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel Kraft, James Hole
  • Patent number: 8041420
    Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the electrical impedance of a tissue sample comprises a probe and a sheath comprising an elongated tubular body having one closed end and one open end providing an internal cavity. The sheath is composed of a material which when contacted with a tissue sample is capable of providing a conductive path through the sheath between the electrodes and the tissue sample. The resistivity of the material forming the sheath when contacted with the tissue sample is greater than the resistivity of the tissue sample. The probe is received within the internal cavity of the sheath. The sheath is impervious to bacteria and viruses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignees: The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    Inventors: Brian Hilton Brown, John Anthony Tidy
  • Patent number: 8021312
    Abstract: An arrangement, method and computer program for determining the physical activity level of a human being. The arrangement comprises a movement sensor to be attached to an upper limb of the human being for measuring upper limb movements, a processing unit connected to the movement sensor for filtering upper limb movements following one another more frequently than a predetermined threshold period from upper limb movements during a determination period, for forming the number of upper limb movements during the determination period from the filtered upper limb movements during the determination period, and for determining the physical activity level on the basis of the number of upper limb movements during the determination period formed from the filtered upper limb movements during the determination period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Polar Electro Oy
    Inventors: Hannu Kinnunen, Jari Miettinen
  • Patent number: 8002733
    Abstract: Device and method for rapid extraction of body tissue from an enclosed body cavity. Hollow entry cannula with optional core element provides entry into body tissue space such as bone marrow. Aspiration cannula is inserted through cannula into body tissue and is manipulated to advance directionally through body cavity. Optional stylet within aspiration cannula aids in advancing aspiration cannula through body tissue and is removed to facilitate extraction of body tissue through the aspiration cannula. Inlet openings near distal tip of aspiration cannula allow tissue aspiration, with negative pressure source at proximal end of aspiration cannula providing controlled negative pressure. Aspiration cannula may be withdrawn and its path adjusted for multiple entries through the same entry point, following different paths through tissue space for subsequent aspiration of more tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Inventors: Daniel Kraft, James Hole