Patents Examined by John Mulcahy
  • Patent number: 6758856
    Abstract: A cancer thermotherapy apparatus of the present invention has an ortho-hexahedral cavity resonator and a loop antenna on a upper inner wall surface of the cavity resonator. The loop antenna is attached so that its loop face can be parallel to two side inner wall surfaces which are opposed each other, and orthogonal and adjacent to the upper inner wall surface. A high frequency electric power introduced into the cavity resonator is resonated in the parallel direction to the side wall surfaces on an excited mode with a constant electric field intensity along the side wall surfaces. A human body is set in the direction parallel to the side inner wall surfaces in the cavity resonator, and the resonated high frequency electric power is applied to the human body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Niigata University
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Saito
  • Patent number: 6746385
    Abstract: An exercise machine has a frame, a seat and a pair of articulated exercise arm assemblies. Each of the exercise arm assemblies is pivotally attached to the frame with a four bar linkage. Handles at the outer extremities of the articulated arm assemblies are gripped by the user to perform the intended exercise. The geometry of the arms and their pivot points is arranged so that the handles of the articulated assemblies follow arcuate paths which converge as the handles are moved forwardly. At a starting position for a press exercise, the handles are approximately in line with the shoulders of the user. As the handles are pushed forwardly against an exercise resistance, they converge inwardly until they are nearly touching when the user's arms are fully outstretched. The machine may also be used to perform a seated-row exercise, in which case the handles are pulled rearwardly against the exercise resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Nautilus, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodore G. Habing
  • 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: 6736765
    Abstract: A weight plate for use with a barbell or dumbbell which incorporates a plurality of handgrips formed near the peripheral surface of the weight plate. The handgrips have a transverse width and radial height sized to provide a convenient gripping point for individuals with smaller hands, such as women, children, or smaller men. These small circumference handgrips are indented from the outside edges of the weight plate to allow for more convenient manipulation of the weight when the weight abuts against a solid obstruction, such as another weight plate on a weight stack. This indentation of the hand grips also provides protection for the hands and fingers of a weight lifter manipulating the weight plate in a weight lifting environment. The location of the handgrips of the present invention also facilitate the lifting and transport of the weight plate in the weight lifting environment, by reducing the stresses on the weight lifter's shoulder joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Precor Strength Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard S. Wallace, Ronald S. Gibson
  • Patent number: 6736778
    Abstract: An applanation tonometer with a replaceable prism for contacting a cornea has emitter and detector ports arranged opposite each other on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis, with the ports aimed at about 45° to the longitudinal axis. Light from an emitter confronting one of the ports is incident on the applanation surface at about 45° so that light reflecting internally of the prism from the applanation surface is directed toward the opposite port for detection. The portion of the light internally reflected from the applanation surface provides a signal indicating the size of the applanated area, from which intraocular pressure is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Inventors: Francis Y. Falck, Jr., Robert W. Falck
  • Patent number: 6730004
    Abstract: A blow-moldable container, having a centrally located, generally tubular handle spanning a central recess has improved balance and ergonomics over existing blow-molded containers. Such a balanced container has great utility as a handheld freeweight, or as a container for pourable substances. An integrally molded base allows our container to be stood upright on end like a regular bottle. Products may be marketed in such containers under the premise that the consumer automatically acquires a freeweight by purchasing the product. The inclusion of fitably engageable contours on its top and bottom surfaces makes such a container stackable with others of its kind, for ease of packaging, shipping, and storage. A graduated set of handheld fillable freeweights may thus be compactly stored without a special rack. Since blow-molding offers great economy of production for sufficiently large numbers of containers, the average person will now be able to afford an entire graduated set of freeweights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Inventor: Douglas Spriggs Selsam
  • Patent number: 6719685
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a fixing member is integrated with a mouthpiece body through slide grooves and a rotational groove, and this improves the portability. Moreover, a guide tube can easily be fixed to the mouthpiece body only by rotating the fixing member with the rotational groove. Furthermore, an index is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the guide tube. The index is composed of scale lines formed at regular intervals and scale numbers formed at predetermined scale lines. The scale numbers represent the distances from a front end of the guide tube to the scale line, and the distances from a back end of the guide tube to the scale line. The index of the guide tube is used in combination with an index formed on an endoscope insertion part, and this makes it possible to correctly recognize the insertion length of the endoscope insertion part inserted into a body cavity of a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Fujikura, Haruo Akiba
  • Patent number: 6716215
    Abstract: A medical device is provided comprising a MRI compatible cranial drill having a removable sterilizable drill bit and a sterile barrier. The sterile barrier has an interior portion, a proximal end, a distal end, a proximal opening at the proximal end and an opening at the distal end. The opening at the distal end further comprises an aperture. The drill is insertable into the proximal opening, the aperture being constructed and arranged to seal around the drill bit such that the drill is enclosed in the interior portion of the sterile barrier and only a portion of the sterile drill bit extends exteriorly of the barrier. In one embodiment, the medical device includes a MRI compatible adjustable depth stop which limits and defines depth of penetration of the drill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Image-Guided Neurologics
    Inventors: John David, Matthew S. Solar, Gerald W Mills
  • Patent number: 6712758
    Abstract: A grounding system for a fiberscope utilizing an electrically conductive braid surrounding at least a portion of a flexible hollow tube containing fiber optic bundles. The fiberscope also includes an electrically conductive member surrounding the bundle end. The system further possesses connections between the electrically conductive braid and the end member. An electrically conductive ferrule underlies and links the fiberscope housing and the electrically conductive braid. A conductor connects to the ferrule, extending to the exterior portion of the housing for accessibility to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Inventor: Patrick J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 6712740
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus is disclosed including a base structure having a central support member with a first end and a second end to which a vertically oriented resistance assembly is secured. The apparatus also includes a cable having a first strand and a second strand. The cable links a user to the resistance assembly for the application of resistance as the user moves through an exercise routine. The first and second strands exit the resistance assembly at a position adjacent an upper end of the resistance assembly for engagement by the user at a position above the shoulders of the user. The apparatus further includes a user support structure having an upwardly extending support post. The support post includes a first end secured to the central support member and a second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Free Motion Fitness, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy Simonson
  • Patent number: 6712760
    Abstract: A television device of a portable endoscope includes an endoscope including an inserted portion and an operating portion coupled to a base end of the inserted portion, a light source for lightening a subject through the inserted portion provided in the endoscope, a radio transmission television camera for obtaining an image of the subject through the inserted portion and radioing the image as the video signal provided in the endoscope, and a power source, which supplies a power for the light source and the radio transmission television camera, provided in the operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sano, Kenichi Ohara, Masaaki Nakashima, Yoshihiro Obata
  • Patent number: 6709386
    Abstract: An endoscope fill bar including a device to change the cross-section of a rounded end zone of the fill bar that protects distally beyond the endoscope distal end when the fill bar is in its functional position. The cross-sectional altering device is driven by an adjusting system mounted on the fill bar and through an adjustment link, and includes a lever resting at the distal end zone in a spreading-out and retracting manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Olympus Winter & Ibe GmbH
    Inventors: Frank-Michael Smid, Michael Wiegand, Thomas Wosnitza
  • Patent number: 6709387
    Abstract: Systems and methods which vary the frame capture rate of the camera and/or frame display rate of the display unit of in vivo camera systems are discussed. The capture rate is varied based on physical measurements related to the motion of the camera. Alternatively, the frame capture rate is varied based on comparative image processing of a plurality of frames. The frame display rate of the system is varied based on comparative image processing of a multiplicity of frames. Both the frame capture and the frame display rates of such systems can be varied concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Given Imaging Ltd.
    Inventors: Arkady Glukhovsky, Gavriel Meron, Doron Adler, Ofra Zinati, Jerome Avron
  • Patent number: 6709388
    Abstract: A self-propelling device (1) is adapted to travel through a passage (3) having walls containing contractile tissue, the device (1) comprising a body (2) and at least one contractile tissue-stimulating means for stimulating the walls to urge the device selectively in both a forward direction (7). The stimulating means may be electrodes (5,8), and the passage can be the gut of an animal or human. The device is particularly useful as an enteroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: University College London Hospitals NHS Trust
    Inventors: Charles Alexander Mosse, Timothy Mills, Paul Swain
  • Patent number: 6702734
    Abstract: A self-propelled endoscopic micro-robot, comprising a head for obtaining the errorless information of an interior of a tubular organ; an impact force generating unit connected the head generating an impact force according to a pneumatic pressure externally supplied and sucked by a air pressure supplier and making the self-propelled endoscopic micro-robot move in the tubular organ; and a plurality of supporting arms connected the head with end of the impact force for covering the impact force generating unit, making a housing of the self-propelled endoscopic micro-robot, and adjusting frictional force between the interior of the tubular organ and the housing as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Byungkyu Kim, Young Mo Lim, Jinhee Lee, Jisang Park, Soo Hyun Kim, Jong-Oh Park
  • Patent number: 6702738
    Abstract: A portable endoscope has a liquid supplying tube that transmits liquid to the tip of the endoscope, a container that is spatially connected to the liquid supplying tube and stores the liquid, a gas supplying tube that is connected to an inside space of the container and transmits gas to the tip of the endoscope, a liquid and gas supplier that supplies the liquid in the container to the liquid supplying tube and supplies the gas to the gas supplying tube, and a holder that holds the container such that the container generally keeps a horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Pentax Corporation
    Inventor: Shunichi Ito
  • Patent number: 6699182
    Abstract: The invention relates to an endoscope-type device, particularly an endoscope for emergency intubation, comprising a holding portion (7) and a shaft (1) which is configured to be flexible at least in partial areas, with at least two longitudinal bendable pulling and/or pushing elements acting on said shaft (1) in the axial direction at different distances from the proximal end, with said pulling and/or pushing elements extending as far as the proximal end and being lockably received in a fixing device, and with said endoscope-type device comprising an endoscope tip (50) whose movement is controllable via control means (54) and a control device (52) arranged in the proximal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Xion GmbH
    Inventor: Tönis Pilvisto
  • Patent number: 6699180
    Abstract: A rotation restricting section is provided at an inner surface of a cap attached to a distal end portion of an insertion section of an endoscope and is set in abutting contact with a treating tool projected from the distal end of the inserting section to restrict the treating tool from being rotated about an axial direction of the insertion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Tsukasa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6699181
    Abstract: The LG connector is composed of the proximal portion and the case body. The frame is supported by the proximal portion, and the universal cable and the control cable are fixed to this frame. Watertightness between the universal cable and the case body is maintained at an abutting surface which is orthogonal to the axis thereof, and watertightness between the control cable and the case body is maintained at the outer peripheral surface thereof. Thereby, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the assembly operation without deteriorating the watertightness of the LG connector. Also, the proximal portion is provided with the joint to be connected to the optical apparatus, and on this joint, the light guide bar is projectedly provided. Inside the proximal portion, the guide portion which guides the light guide to the insertion port of the light guide bar is projectedly formed. This guide portion enables the light guide to be easily installed without damaging the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumihide Wako
  • 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