Patents Examined by Laura Schell
  • Patent number: 8920404
    Abstract: A catheter tip designed to reduce the outflow velocity and/or directional momentum of fluid being infused by a catheter having such a tip. In one variation, a plurality of channels is provided at the distal portion of the catheter to increase the outflow cross-sectional area. In another variation, the diameter of the catheter at its distal portion where the fluid exits is increased. In yet another variation, a bullet-shaped nose is implemented which may decrease turbulence at the distal end of catheter tip. The low velocity outflow catheter tip may also be implemented on a dual lumen catheter, such as a hemodialysis catheter, to reduce recirculation rate. Various device configurations and methods for such implementations are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: C. R. Bard, Inc.
    Inventors: Attilio E. Difiore, Daniel J. Triplett
  • Patent number: 8911408
    Abstract: An infusion system for delivery of therapeutic fluids from a remote source into a patient's body. The system has an infusion assembly, a rotating pivot joint member, a fluid connector assembly, and a sealing assembly retained within the infusion assembly between the housing of the infusion assembly and the rotating pivot joint member. The seal reduces leakage of fluids. The rotating joint may be pivoted to three distinct positions to allow for emplacement on the patient, delivery of the therapeutic fluid to the patient, and protected, sealed closure of the fluid channels to avoid patient fluid backflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Diabetes Research, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Lynch, Allen E. Brandenburg, Andrew Nelson, Gilles Petitjean
  • Patent number: 8911394
    Abstract: The invention is to provide a gas mist pressure bath device which enables to cause efficiently absorb a gas mist into a skin or mucous membrane of a living-body, and attains to be compact and to lower cost. The device 10 is to cause oxygen, carbon dioxide, or a mixed gas (called as “gas” hereafter) of oxygen and carbon dioxide at a density of not less than a predetermined value to contact the skin or mucous membrane of the living-body, and the device comprises a gas mist generating means 11 for generating and supplying a mist (called as “gas mist” hereafter) prepared by pulverizing and dissolving the gas and liquid, and a substantially bag shaped living-body cover member 21 for covering the living-body's skin or mucous membrane and sealing inside, and the gas mist is supplied into the living-body cover member in order to heighten internal pressure therein so that the gas mist is caused to contact the living-body's skin or mucous membrane at a pressure more than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: ACP Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shoichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8905981
    Abstract: A pump for use in anal irrigation includes a control unit integrated in the pump. The control unit includes a cylindrical housing element and a valve element fitted in the housing. The valve element and the housing element are adapted for rotating with respect to each other between a position allowing the pump to pump air into a balloon, a position allowing the pump to pump air into a reservoir bag and an evacuation position. The control unit is actuated by a handle attached to the rotatable valve element. The handle extends radially out from the rotatable valve element and the cylindrical housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Coloplast A/S
    Inventors: Klaus Budig, Marc Anderson, Steven Vordenberg, James Rudolph, Mark Baerenrodt, Bob Ketelhohn, David Carpenter
  • Patent number: 8900186
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for an injectable substance delivery pen comprising a microneedle hub assembly removably engaged with a pen device body which includes a cartridge, a plunger, and a drive mechanism. The hub assembly includes at least one microneedle for intradermal or shallow subcutaneous injection of the contents of the cartridge. The cartridge, plunger and drive mechanism components of the pen body are fabricated of non-compliant and non-compressible materials to allow effective communication of the cartridge contents via the microneedle patient interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Ronald J. Pettis, Frank E. Martin, Scott A. Kaestner
  • Patent number: 8882748
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for transmucosal drug delivery. The transmucosal drug delivery device may include a housing configured for intralumenal deployment, such as intravaginally, into a human or animal subject; a drug-dispensing portion which contains at least one drug, the drug-dispensing portion being configured to dispense the drug from the housing by positive displacement; and a permeability enhancer-dispensing portion configured to release or generate a permeability enhancing substance to disrupt at least one region of a mucosal barrier adjacent to the housing at a selected time while intralumenally deployed in the human or animal subject. The device may be operable to dispense the drug from the housing to a region of the mucosal barrier disrupted by the permeability enhancing substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott Uhland, Eric Peeters, Hussain Fatakdawala
  • Patent number: 8864714
    Abstract: A catheter and introducer needle assembly with a needle shield is provided. The needle shield includes a means for preventing unwanted distal movement of the needle once the needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. The needle shield also includes a means for connecting the needle shield to the catheter hub until the sharp distal tip of the introducer needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. Thus, when the distal end of the introducer needle extends from the distal portion of the needle shield, the needle shield is connected to the catheter hub and when the sharp distal end of the introducer needle is withdrawn into the needle shield, the needle shield is disconnected from the catheter hub. At that point, the sharp needle tip is secured within the needle shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Weston F. Harding, Christopher N. Cindrich, Glade H. Howell, Greg L. Brimhall
  • Patent number: 8864712
    Abstract: Various sealing structures are used in a front-loading injector, for preventing leakage of spilled fluid from an external surface of a syringe into the vicinity of the drive ram. For example, a sealing gasket may be incorporated into the front face of the injector housing, for mating to the rearward circular edge of the cylindrical body of a syringe. Alternatively, sealing and locking functions may be performed by a single structure on the rearward end of the syringe. Further, leakage may be prevented by including a non-planar sealing flange on the syringe, positioned on the syringe forward of the locking structure, or by a two-piece structure, including a syringe and a separate leakage stopping washer for surrounding the syringe to halt the flow of fluid along the exterior of the syringe. (As part of this aspect, or as an independent feature, the syringe may include an annularly discontinuous flange forward of the locking structure, for providing mechanical support for the syringe against the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt LLC
    Inventors: Frank M. Fago, Robert Ziemba, Gary S. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8845580
    Abstract: A delivery system for delivering a shear-sensitive injectable material into the body of a mammal, such as a human being, acts as a mechanical feed that continuously mixes a shear-sensitive injectable material as it delivers the shear-sensitive injectable material to a target tissue, or to a site adjacent a target tissue. In one embodiment of the invention, the delivery system comprises an injector system including a rotatable mixing member coupled to a driving system. The injector system comprises a housing defining a lumen and having an output end and a driving system connection end and includes a rotatable mixing member for coupling to the driving system and for mixing and delivering the shear-sensitive injectable material. The driving system comprises a drive mechanism, an actuator capable of actuating the drive mechanism, and an interfacing member coupled to the drive mechanism for coupling with the mixing member to rotate the mixing member when the interfacing member is driven by the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry N. Gellman
  • Patent number: 8845586
    Abstract: A warming device for an IV fluid line according to the present invention includes a warmer unit and a wye type fitting with an injection site. The warmer unit includes a tube for intravenous fluid and channels containing a warming fluid to heat the IV tube. One fitting branch is connected to an intravenous fluid source, while the remaining branch houses the injection site. The injection site branch includes an injection safety member that ensures a syringe needle or other instrument is contained within the fitting to prevent rupture of the IV tube. The warming device may include an additional wye type fitting coupled to the initial fitting and including another injection site, where the fittings typically exclude the safety member. A syringe needle is inserted into the additional injection site to prevent rupture of the IV tube. In addition, the warming device may be configured for needleless injections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Patented Medical Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Durward I. Faries, Jr., Bruce R. Heymann, David Hendrix
  • Patent number: 8777889
    Abstract: An apparatus for administering a therapeutic is provided. In various embodiments, the apparatus includes a syringe having a barrel and a plunger and having an ozone generator associated therewith. The generator is initiated and a therapeutic gas is accumulated within the barrel, at which point it can be delivered from the barrel into a target site via a needle, thereby delivering therapeutic effects to that target site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashok V Joshi, James Steppan, Jesse A Nachlas, Kieran P Murphy
  • Patent number: 8777906
    Abstract: Syringes and methods of using are described which protect materials within the syringe barrel cavity from contaminants and photo-chemical degradation. A syringe is provided having an inspection window for viewing medications or other materials within the cavity of a syringe barrel. The syringe barrel and other syringe components may be colored, opaque, darkened, amber, tinted; or the syringe barrel may have applied thereto polarizing filters; or materials having light polarizing properties can be used to manufacture the syringe barrel and other syringe components of the syringe to cancel particular components of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Inventor: Robin Scott Gray
  • Patent number: 8771253
    Abstract: A reduced pressure delivery system for applying a reduced pressure to a tissue site includes a manifold delivery tube having a passageway and a distal end, the distal end configured to be percutaneously inserted and placed adjacent the tissue site. A flowable material is provided and is percutaneously deliverable through the manifold delivery tube to the tissue site. The flowable material is capable of filling a void adjacent the tissue site to create a manifold having a plurality of flow channels in fluid communication with the tissue site. A reduced pressure delivery tube is provided that is capable of fluid communication with the flow channels of the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: KCI Licensing, Inc.
    Inventors: Royce W. Johnson, Archel A. Ambrosio, Larry D. Swain, Joanna Payne
  • Patent number: 8764725
    Abstract: An anchoring mechanism and method for anchoring a device within a biological conduit include an expandable element configured for retaining the device at a desired angle relative to a central axis of the biological conduit. A steering mechanism is preferably provided for orienting the device prior to operation of the anchoring mechanism. The anchoring mechanism and method are employed in drug delivery devices, brachytherapy devices or for anchoring a catheter or sheath to provide a working channel for reliable guidance of a wide range of tools to a target location within the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Dorian Averbuch
  • Patent number: 8758305
    Abstract: One-way valve, especially low-pressure check valve, for use in the medical technology, having a housing consisting of an inlet half and an outlet half and having an inlet channel and an outlet channel with a diaphragm being positioned in a pressure space which is contacting an annular valve seat under pre-tension which is opening into the outlet channel. The pressure space is consisting of two pressure chambers. In the direction of flow before the closing mechanism formed by the valve seat and the diaphragm a second valve mechanism is provided which is opening in the same sense with the first closing mechanism at an over-pressure in the entry channel and which is closing at an over-pressure in the exit channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Filtertek S.A.
    Inventor: Sean Mcmahon
  • Patent number: 8747366
    Abstract: To develop a medical needle having a small protecting member that is not separate from a needle and a hub, is not obstructive to the performer during use, and is easy to switch from being in a usable state to being in a protective state. A pair of wings are pivotally connected to a hub provided at the tail end of a needle, the wings being provided on both sides of the axis of the needle; one or two or more link members are connected to the tip of each of the wings with joints interposed therebetween; the tips of the link members are pivotally connected to a cylindrical protecting member slidably fitted onto the needle; and, when the protecting member is moved toward the tip of the needle, the wings and the link members move in such directions as to become parallel to the needle while the protecting member comes to cover the tip of the needle, whereby the above object is solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Unisis Corporation
    Inventors: Hideya Saitoh, Akihiro Saruya
  • Patent number: 8734424
    Abstract: A catheter includes a proximal shaft, a distal shaft including a proximal end portion having an inner cavity into which a distal end portion of the proximal shaft is fitted, and a core wire extending through the inner cavity of the distal shaft. The core wire has a proximal end portion that is joined to a cutout portion formed in the distal end portion of the proximal shaft. Joining means are formed along a joint surface between the proximal end portion of the core wire and the cutout portion. When the joining means are divided into first joining means and second joining means along a longitudinal axis of the catheter, a length of one of the first joining means and the second joining means is larger than a length of the other of the first joining means and the second joining means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Watanabe, Masatomo Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8728036
    Abstract: A front portion of a tubular inner needle proximal end portion disposed at a proximal end of the inner needle is attached to a rear end portion of a tubular adaptor, a tubular outer needle proximal end portion disposed at a proximal end of the outer needle is inserted from a distal end of the adaptor, and a distal end of the inner needle is caused to protrude from a distal end of the outer needle. A restricting plate having an insertion hole through which the outer needle proximal end portion is inserted is inserted into the adaptor from an opening formed in an upper surface of the adaptor. A protrusion formed on a lower surface of the insertion hole protrudes upward and engages with one of the grooves of the outer needle proximal end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Unisis Corporation
    Inventors: Hideya Saitoh, Akihiro Saruya
  • Patent number: 8702661
    Abstract: The application relates to a device for feeding medical fluids, in particular for applying a pharmaceutical into the hose line of a transfer unit for enteral or parenteral nutrition. The device comprises a base body (1) having an inlet (1A) and an outlet (1B) and a rotatable closure body (2) which has an inlet (2A). The device is characterized in that the base body (1) comprises a hollow cylindrical attachment piece (4) ending in the passage (1E) of the base body between the inlet and outlet (1B, 1B), and the closure body comprises a cylindrical shut-off body (11) that is arranged in the closure body (2) such that the shut-off body (11) sits in the attachment piece (4) of the base body (1) in a sealing manner in a first position of the closure body (2), so that a fluid connection between the inlet (2A) of the closure body (2) and the passage (1E) of the base body (1) is interrupted, and does not sit in the attachment piece in a second position of the closure body, so that the fluid connection is established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: V. Krutten Medizinische Einmalgerate GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hornig, Bernhard Pech
  • Patent number: 8690834
    Abstract: A medical device is provided having a hemostatic valve system that allows substantially leak-free passage of one or more medical interventional devices, such as a catheter, for insertion into a body vessel. The medical device comprises a hemostatic valve system and an elongate tubular member. The hemostatic valve system comprises a body, one or more pouches, and one or more disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Cleve Koehler