Patents Examined by Jocelyn Ram
  • Patent number: 6796996
    Abstract: A shape-retaining bag having a front and a back connected to each other to define a chamber between for housing and retaining a fill material within a plurality of cells within the chamber which are made of a plurality of walls and one or more flow diverters adjacent to the cells and on the ends of the walls. A passageway is on a fill-side with a second passageway on an opposing side, each passageway extending approximately from one end side to another end side of the bag. As fill material is introduced into the chamber, it passes through the cells and the passageways in a fashion dictated by the cells and by the flow diverters until the bag is filled. The configuration of the various cells and flow diverters permit the bag to retain its shape notwithstanding the fill material within.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Inventor: Barbara A. Antinoro
  • Patent number: 6786897
    Abstract: A temperature sensing device for attachment to a powered surgical instrument operating a workpiece such as a bur. The device is a thermochromic element which may be embodied as a paint or a thermal insulating device. The device embodiment is in the form of a thermoplastic, elastomeric material which changes color at a predetermined temperature and is formed in a shape adapted to enable the device to be affixed to the distal end of the instrument, adjacent the collet connecting the workpiece to the instrument. The device is attached in a contiguous manner so frictional heat generated by moving parts of the instrument may be conducted through contiguous surfaces of the instrument and the device. The thermochromic element provides a visual indication of the temperature of a portion of the instrument when the temperature exceeds a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Linvatec Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Mc Ie, Glenn A. Tatjes
  • Patent number: 6755852
    Abstract: A cooling body wrap for rapidly inducing hypothermia, includes: (a) a fluid-impermeable, flexible, conformable envelope; (b) a mixture of from about 20 to about 90 weight % of alkanes having a carbon chain length of between 10 and 14, and from about 10 to about 80 weight % of a gel or viscous fluid carrier in which the alkanes are relatively evenly distributed, the mixture being sealed within the envelope; (c) at least one layer of insulation adjacent to a first side of the envelope; and (d) fastening means for fastening the body wrap around a body part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Inventors: Charles A. Lachenbruch, Richard I. Barnett
  • Patent number: 6743166
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for introducing an intubation tube into the trachea. The inventive device comprises a shaft, a receiving element arranged at the distal end of said shaft to which a proximal end of an intubation tube can be mounted and a coupling arranged at the proximal end of the shaft for coupling an endoscope thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: George Berci, Markus Lipp, Christian Pradel
  • Patent number: 6702805
    Abstract: A manipulator for producing a remote center of revolute motion is provided. The manipulator includes a base and a first parallelogram linkage mechanism including a first link pivotally mounted to the base for rotation about a first axis such that the first link moves in a first plane. The manipulator also includes a second parallelogram linkage mechanism including a second link pivotally mounted to the base for rotation about a second axis such that the second link moves in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The first link is pivotal about a third axis perpendicular to the first axis and the second link is pivotal about a fourth axis perpendicular to the second axis. The first and second parallelogram linkages are pivotally connected together by a first connector link and a second connector link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Microdexterity Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Michael Stuart
  • Patent number: 6699184
    Abstract: A system is provided for aspirating fluid from a surgical site. The system includes an outlet tube that leads to a suction canister or other suitable receptacle for collecting fluid. The outlet tube includes an anti-siphon adapter which defines an atmospheric vent downstream of the outflow connection to an endoscopic device. The vent allows atmospheric pressure to enter the outlet tube to increase the pressure at the outflow of the endoscopic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc.
    Inventors: Augustus Felix, Debra Ranucci
  • Patent number: 6699185
    Abstract: An endoscopic instrument is provided comprising a shaft having an endoscope optical system arranged therein, which has a distal front face. The instrument also comprises a working element arranged in the shaft. The shaft provides for the supply of an irrigation fluid. Flow-influencing means are provided, such that the irrigation fluid reaches in front of the front face of the endoscope optical system and can eliminate contaminations, which obstruct the view through the endoscope optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Gminder, Horst Dittrich, Frank Doll
  • Patent number: 6689155
    Abstract: A therapy device for providing heated air to the upper body of a patient and a method of making and using the therapy device have been provided. The therapy device is an inflatable U-shaped tube mounted on a base sheet and having a cover sheet. The patient is placed on the base sheet with the patient's head located between the legs of the tube. The cover sheet is placed over the patient's face. A heated air supply tube is connected to the tube and the heated air inflates the tube and heated air is forced out of the exhaust ports of the tube, thereby providing an environment in which a portion of the patient's body is heated. In one embodiment the exhaust ports are slits cut into the tube sheet material, and the slits are parallel to a tangent line of the tube's sealed edge. The method of fabricating the therapy device includes forming the individual pieces, attaching the tube sheets to form a tube, lancing the tube to form exhaust ports, and attaching the remaining pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Adroit Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford Eugene Gammons, Joseph Greg Jones
  • Patent number: 6679834
    Abstract: An ergonomically superior endoscopic suction-irrigation instrument for surgery comprises a telescope sheath connected at an adjustable angle, preferably approximately 30°, to a vertically elongated handle having thumb-operated irrigation and suction valves and a hook for supporting the handle from the surgeon's hand when the surgeon's grip on the handle is loosened. The instrument is especially suited for sinus surgery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Pilling Weck Incorporated
    Inventors: Glenn H. Stahl, Mosaddeq Hossain, Robert Banik, Li Yue, Stephen Wilcox
  • Patent number: 6676690
    Abstract: An apparatus having an inflatable balloon near a distal end of a multi-lumen catheter, with a plurality of blood flow passageways formed through the interior of the balloon from a proximal face of the inflated balloon to a distal face of the inflated balloon. A heat transfer solution is introduced through a supply lumen of the catheter to inflate the balloon in a selected blood vessel; this allows blood to flow through the blood flow passageways of the balloon, from one exterior face of the balloon to another exterior face. The heat transfer solution continues to circulate around the blood flow passageways inside the balloon, to change the blood temperature, eventually exiting the balloon through a return lumen of the catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Innercool Therapies, Inc.
    Inventor: Randell Werneth
  • Patent number: 6673099
    Abstract: Methods and devices for preventing a change in the core body temperature of a mammal under cold conditions are provided. In the subject methods, a requirement for thermal energy input in said mammal is first detected. In response to the detection of this requirement for thermal energy input, a surface of a portion of the mammal is contacted with a warm temperature medium under negative pressure conditions for a period of time sufficient to introduce thermal energy into the core body of the mammal. The subject devices include at least a means for detecting a requirement for thermal energy input and a means for contacting a surface of the mammal with a warm temperature medium under negative pressure conditions. The subject methods and devices find use in a variety of applications, and are particularly suited for use in maintaining the core body temperature of a mammal substantially constant under cold conditions for an extended period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Dennis A. Grahn, H. Craig Heller
  • Patent number: 6666818
    Abstract: A modular endoscope valve assembly is releasably mounted on the handpiece of an endoscope. This valve assembly includes an inlet port, an outlet port, and a valve manually operable selectively to block and to allow the flow of irrigation fluid from the inlet port to the outlet port. The valve assembly is releasably held to the handpiece of the endoscope by a mechanical fastener such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a strap, a snap lock, or otherwise. Once the valve assembly is releasably mounted to the handpiece, the physician using the endoscope can manually control the flow of irrigation fluid, and optionally suction, with the same hand as the one that supports the handpiece, thereby leaving the other hand of the physician free for surgical procedures. The modular valve assembly of this invention can be used with the widest variety of endoscopes, including flexible, rigid and semi rigid ureteroscopes as well as various percutaneous endoscopes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Innon Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Avtar S. Dhindsa
  • Patent number: 6666846
    Abstract: An introducer having an elongate tubular member and a device connector releasably attached to a proximal end of the tubular member. The introducer allows exchange of medical instruments, such as a blood filter and cardioplegia catheter, through a single lumen. An obturator having a retractable blade for making incision on a tissue is insertable through the lumen of the introducer. Methods of using the obturator and the introducer for introducing medical device(s) into body cavity, such as a vessel or cardiac tissue, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Roman Turovskiy, Richard O. Murphy
  • Patent number: 6663616
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical set of instruments used to treat surfaces of cartilage, bone or body tissue, which set comprises a surgical instrument 1 and a guide device 2 to guide said instrument and/or a tissue applicator 3 for inserting tissue on a defect to be covered. In the meaning of the present invention, the surgical instrument, which can be moved in a circular, elliptical or another way with the aid of the guide device 2 according to the invention, is understood to be a shaver, a scalpel, a drill, a curette, a syringe, or a probe. Depending on the surgical problem, however, other instruments for cutting, milling, punching, sewing, or setting bores in cartilage, bone or body tissue, or injecting operating aids such as glues may also be moved in a specific surface profile using the guide device of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: co.don Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Roth, Hans-Jörg Saile, Mare Oliver Schurr, Gerhard Buess, Olivera Josimovic-Alasevic, Karl-Gerd Fritsch
  • Patent number: 6663617
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for forming a vascular graft by axially distending a blood vessel to induce growth. The device preferably comprises a stretching mechanism which includes (i) a rigid body; (ii) a pair of posts comprising a first post and a second post which are connected to the body; (iii) a driver element slidably secured to the body and disposed between the pair of posts; and (iv) a device for sliding the driver element away from the pair of posts to axially distend a blood vessel positioned between the pair of posts and the driver element. Preferably, the device is implanted, for example using endoscopic techniques, for use in vivo, although the device also can be used in vitro.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond P. Vito, Jack C. Griffis, III
  • Patent number: 6659998
    Abstract: A microsurgical system, and a method of mapping the surgical functions of the microsurgical system to a foot controller operatively coupled with the system, are disclosed. The microsurgical system includes a computer, a foot controller operatively coupled to the computer, and a touch screen display operatively coupled to the computer. The foot controller has a plurality of switches. Each of the switches is for controlling a surgical function of the microsurgical system and for actuation by a user's foot. The touch screen display has the ability to display a graphic representation of the foot controller including the plurality of switches, and to display a list of surgical functions so that the list is associated with the graphical representation of one of the plurality of switches. By touching one of the surgical functions in the list, a user can exchange the surgical functions associated with any two of the plurality of switches on the foot controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Alcon Universal Ltd.
    Inventors: Greg L. DeHoogh, Paul J. Essex, Donn D. Lobdell, Roger Thomas, Kirk W. Todd
  • Patent number: 6645140
    Abstract: A continuously rinsing double-sheath endoscope, which includes an inner sheath and an outer sheath. The inner sheath includes a feed duct and receives an optics. The outer sheath surrounds the inner sheath and cooperates with the inner sheath to subtend a return flow duct. The outer sheath is fitted at its distal end zone with at least one aperture to establish fluid communication between the return duct and the ambience of the outer sheath. Cross-sectional geometric centers of gravity of the inner and outer sheaths are mutually shifted along most of the length of the return-flow duct subtended between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH
    Inventor: Pieter Brommersma
  • Patent number: 6645236
    Abstract: A cooling body wrap for rapidly inducing hypothermia, includes: (a) a fluid-impermeable, flexible, conformable envelope; (b) a mixture of from about 20 to about 90 weight % of alkanes having a carbon chain length of between 10 and 14, and from about 10 to about 80 weight % of a gel or viscous fluid carrier in which the alkanes are relatively evenly distributed, the mixture being sealed within the envelope; (c) at least one layer of insulation adjacent to a first side of the envelope; and (d) fastening means for fastening the body wrap around a body part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Inventors: Charles A. Lachenbruch, Richard I. Barnett
  • Patent number: 6641576
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for forming a vascular graft by axially distending a blood vessel to induce growth. The device preferably comprises a stretching mechanism which includes (i) a stabilization rod, (ii) a pair of rotatable elements, wherein each rotatable element is rotatably attached to the elongated body and has a channel substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and (iii) a means for rotating each rotatable element to axially distend a blood vessel positioned in the channels of the rotatable elements. The elements can be rotated intermittently, cyclically, or continuously, over a period to distend or elongate the donor vessel. Preferably, the device is implanted, for example using endoscopic techniques, for use in vivo, although the device also can be used in vitro.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Raymond P. Vito, Jack C. Griffis, III
  • Patent number: 6641528
    Abstract: The bending part of an endoscope is constructed in which plural joint rings are connected with each other. The adjacent joint rings are rotatably connected with rivets after overlapping a connecting part with another connecting part. A guide hole is formed at the inner head of the rivet, and a bend-control wire is inserted through the guide hole whereby the bend-control wire is guided. A notch and a hole are formed at the end and the base of the connecting part, respectively; therefor the bend-control wire is prevented from coming into contact with the connecting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Torii