Patents Examined by Michael A. Brown
  • Patent number: 9597224
    Abstract: Contraceptive methods, systems, and devices generally improve the ease, speed, and reliability with which a contraceptive device can be deployed transcervically into an ostium of a fallopian tube. The contraceptive device may remain in a small profile configuration while a sheath is withdrawn proximally, and is thereafter expanded to a large profile configuration engaging the surrounding tissues, by manipulating one or more actuators of a proximal handle with a single hand. This leaves the other hand free to manipulate a hysteroscope, minimizing the number of health care professional required to deploy the contraceptive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: BAYER HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Christian Lowe, Donnell Gurskis, Ashish Khera, Monica Sharmane Barnhart Nachbar, Steven Bacich, Betsy Swann, Roberto Silva-Torres
  • Patent number: 9592371
    Abstract: A port protection device mainly comprised of a rigid back plate with a shock absorbing pad adhered underneath, the device being held in place against the chest of the child by using elastic straps and latching clasps. The absorbing pad provides a consistent soft contact area with the skin and chest which distributes the impact over a large area rather than localized points. This distribution reduces the possibility of pain and injury to the chest. The adjustable elastic straps allow the device be held tightly against the body and chest and not allow for movement of the device during sports and physical activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Inventors: William Suarez, Heather Suarez
  • Patent number: 9592046
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for the securement of tissue and in particular for placement of a tongue base suspension fiber for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. The system incorporates disposable connectors with releasable needles to facilitate the placement of fibers with minimal increase in suture site dilation or trauma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Rousseau, David Lindh
  • Patent number: 9585770
    Abstract: An orthotic device is disclosed. The orthotic device may be adapted to be attached to a limb to enable the limb to replicate normal motion so that the user regains substantially normal operation of the limb. The orthotic device may have a frame system formed of a lightweight supportive material and configured to receive the user's limb, and an electronically actuated muscle operatively connected to the frame system for expanding and contracting at predetermined levels to mimic movement of the limb, when functioning normally. The orthotic device may also have a controller operatively connected to the muscle for transmitting signals corresponding to the predetermined levels to the muscle, and a sensor controlled by the user for actuating the muscle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Inventors: George Robert Simmons, III, Michael T. McDonnell, Jr., Bryn Garrity, Michael Huber, Michael Ciavarella
  • Patent number: 9585785
    Abstract: An occlusal splint arrangement, in particular for sleep apnea therapy includes a maxillary miniplast splint that can be arranged on the maxillary row of teeth and a mandibular miniplast splint that can be arranged on the mandibular row of teeth. The maxillary miniplast splint can be brought to bear against the mandibular miniplast splint. The arrangement includes at least one maxillary positioning guide and at least one mandibular positioning guide, wherein the relative position of the miniplast splints toward each other can be defined in the longitudinal direction and/or in the transverse direction by a form fit between the maxillary and the mandibular positioning guides. The maxillary and/or mandibular miniplast splint include at least one mounting device, and at least two different positioning guides can be secured as mutual replacements on the same mounting device, whereby at least two different relative positions can be defined between the miniplast splints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Inventor: Konrad Hofmann
  • Patent number: 9572702
    Abstract: A shoulder orthosis includes an internal/external rotation device and a flexion/extension device. The internal/extension rotation device is configured to selectively facilitate internal rotation of a shoulder joint of a person and/or external rotation of the shoulder joint of the person. The flexion/extension device is configured to position the shoulder joint of the person in greater than 0 degrees of flexion and/or greater than 0 degrees of extension concurrently with the internal/external rotation device facilitating the internal rotation of the shoulder joint of the person and/or the external rotation of the shoulder joint of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Bonutti Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter M. Bonutti, Boris P. Bonutti, Glen A. Philips, Kevin R. Ruholl, Clayton D. Britton
  • Patent number: 9572641
    Abstract: An oral care device suitable for use in providing a beneficial effect to an oral cavity of a mammal, which device includes means for providing reciprocation of a liquid effective for providing the beneficial effect of the oral cavity when the liquid is contacted with a plurality of surfaces thereof under conditions effective to provide the beneficial effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Fougere, Robert W. Fusi, II, Justin McDonough, Harold D. Ochs
  • Patent number: 9572704
    Abstract: An ankle foot orthosis includes a leg member, a foot member, and a drive member. The drive assembly includes a link member which may be hingedly secured to the foot member at a hinge location adjacent to the posterior end of the foot member. The drive assembly may be operable to selectively impart pivotal movement between the foot member and the link member about a first pivot axis, and pivotal movement between the foot member and the leg member about a second pivot axis at the hinge location. The leg member and the foot member strut may be selectively movable in a medial-lateral direction relative to a base of the foot member and the drive assembly. The inferior-superior location of the second pivot axis may be selectively adjustable for substantially aligning the second pivot axis with an axis of rotation of an ankle joint of the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Bonutti Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Glen A. Phillips
  • Patent number: 9561024
    Abstract: An incrementally adjustable wound retractor (500), having a first ring (504) with a diameter greater than the desired diameter of the wound incision, a flexible second ring (502), having a lumen and a diameter greater than the desired diameter of the wound incision, and a flexible sleeve (506), disposed in a generally cylindrical form between the first and second rings (502, 504), where the second ring may be rolled over itself to provide a sleeve with a radical retraction force sufficient to stretch the incision to the desired diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Nguyen, Donald L. Gadberry, Gary M. Johnson, Charles C. Hart, John R. Brustad, Robert R. Bowes, Jeremy J. Albrecht, Ghassan Sakakine, Henry Kahle
  • Patent number: 9561136
    Abstract: A bandage for applying to and protecting a wound or the like comprises generally of a central cone piece with a plurality of attached legs. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the bandage comprises generally a substantially circular mid-piece with a center region; a proximal first flexible strip end; and a distal second flexible strip end. The substantially circular mid-piece with a center region is perforated along a radius from about the center region to a circumference of the substantially circular mid-piece and the proximal first flexible strip end is perforated longitudinally along a midline from about an end of the proximal first flexible strip to the circumference of the substantially circular mid-piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Inventor: Gregory Troy Williams
  • Patent number: 9554936
    Abstract: A resin MMF/reimplantation kit is provided with a dental arch bar that includes an elongated pliable splint and a plurality of attachment members. The pliable splint includes an interiorly facing side surface and an exteriorly facing side surface. The pliable splint includes a curable component that cures from a moldable state to a rigid state in less than one minute upon being activated. The attachment members can be ether partially embedded in the pliable splint or can be separate from the pliable splint until after the pliable splint is attached to the patient's teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Singer, Mark C. Domanski
  • Patent number: 9554935
    Abstract: An orthopedic device comprises a hip plate, a first strut defining an anatomical curvature between first and second ends, and a second strut having a first end slidably received by the hip plate. A hinge couples the first and second struts to one another at the first end of the first strut and the second end of the second strut, and is arranged to provide adjustable abduction ranging from a plurality of angles. A thigh cuff connects to the second end of the first strut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: OSSUR HF
    Inventors: Arni Thor Ingimundarson, Thorvaldur Ingvarsson, Nina Bakken, Valgeir Petursson, Helga Run Palsdottir, Thorleifur Stefansson, Hronn Kristinsdottir, Stefan Orn Stefansson, Henry Hsu
  • Patent number: 9549842
    Abstract: A method, system and device for addressing the reduction of snoring includes a removable or dissolvable strip of material that adhere to mucosal tissue of a person's soft palate to provide stiffening support therefore, thus reducing the occurrence of vibration of such tissue during sleep. Preferred embodiments include of a specially textured surface, either one both or at least the outer side of an adhesive strip (the side facing away from the mucosal tissue to which it is attached) that has anti-microbial characteristics, bioluminescent expressions, etc. and a surface topography that resists bioadhesion of undesired bacteria that are typically present in a human's mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Inventor: Joseph E. Kovarik
  • Patent number: 9549865
    Abstract: A surgical positioning system includes a flexible air-impermeable shell filled with beads that is wrapped against the patient and subjected to a vacuum to hold the patient in place. An air-impermeable top wall can be joined with an air-impermeable bottom wall to define a plurality of chambers. Each of the chambers can include a peripheral edge that extends around the periphery of the respective chamber. The plurality of chambers can include a first shoulder chamber, a second shoulder chamber, and a main chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Allen Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene L. Hiebert
  • Patent number: 9539135
    Abstract: An orthopedic device and method for using the same are provided for applying a dynamic load on a leg of a user. The orthopedic device has a rigid or semi-rigid frame including lower and upper frames, and a hinge assembly connecting the lower and upper frames. A dynamic loading component is used to urge the load on the user's leg on the basis of flexion of the hinge assembly on the basis of tension in an elongate element connecting the dynamic loading component and at least one of the lower and upper frames. A peak load is generated at a flexion angle between extension and flexion of the hinge assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: OSSUR HF
    Inventors: Harry Duane Romo, Jane Lee, Chris Webster, Jared Olivo, Henry Hsu
  • Patent number: 9539134
    Abstract: An orthotic method for newborn babies includes the step of providing a newborn orthopedic device constructed and dimensioned to fit a newborn baby within hours of birth for a skeletal modification. The method also includes the step of conducting a thorough physical examination of a newborn baby for skeletal abnormalities by an orthopedic or medical professional. A newborn baby is fitted with an appropriate device to correct the prevailing skeletal abnormality and the device is adjusted to overcome the physical abnormality by an increment of one millimeter and allowed to remain in that position for 24 hours. Thereafter the method increases the bias by adjusting the orthopedic device by a movement of about one millimeter and applying the increased bias for about 24 hours before further adjustments in one millimeter increments each for about a 24 hour period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Inventor: Abdulreidha Abdulrasoul AlSaffar
  • Patent number: 9532895
    Abstract: A patellofemoral brace or support has a main substrate, a hinge located on at least one of the lateral and medial sides, and a support system coupled to the main substrate and the hinge. The support system has a compression element removably securable over the main substrate and a cable having a first end anchored to a pivoting element connected to the hinge and a second end anchored to the compression element. The cable engages the hinge such that articulation of the hinge from an extension position to a flexion position pulls the compression element toward the hinge to exert a generally medial force over the main substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: OSSUR HF
    Inventor: Harry Duane Romo
  • Patent number: 9526668
    Abstract: An exoskeleton bracing system includes: a trunk support for affixing to the trunk of a disabled person and leg braces for connecting to the legs of the person, each leg brace including limb segment braces. Motorized joints are adapted to provide relative angular movement between the limb segment braces of the leg braces and between the leg braces and the trunk support. One or more ground force sensors are designed to sense ground force exerted on each of the leg braces. The system also includes a controller for receiving sensed signals from said one or more ground force sensors, with an algorithm for identifying a stance from the sensed signals and, based on the identified stance, actuating the motorized joints to perform an action relating to a mode of locomotion selected from a set of predefined actions corresponding to the identified stance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: ReWalk Robotics Ltd.
    Inventors: Amit Goffer, Chaya Zilberstein
  • Patent number: 9526661
    Abstract: Certain embodiments disclosed herein are directed to methods and apparatus for extended support and maintenance of facial structures by molding and maintaining the skin and underlying fat, fillers and muscle with supportive soft silicone gel pads that apply desired pressure to the structures underlying the skin. In one embodiment, a facial support apparatus is provided that includes a pair of ear connection members connected to at least one pair of facial region support members, wherein each facial region support member comprises an inner skin facing surface that is releasably self-adhesive to a user's skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventor: Mary Frances Riley
  • Patent number: 9526590
    Abstract: A special night guard, named as “AGP night guard”, comprising a “special retention piece and AGP (Anterior Guidance Package), is provided. The “AGP night guard comprises of; 1) one AGP and 2) two special retention pieces having an anteriorly protruded shelf to receive the maxillary guidance component of the AGP and/or mandibular guidance component of the AGP. For severe Class II malocclusion patient an AGP night guard uses: 1) one AGP, 2) one special retention piece of the current application to receive mandibular guidance component of the AGP and 3) one regular retention piece to apply maxillary guidance component of the AGP. For severe Class III malocclusion patient, the AGP night guard uses; 1) one AGP, 2) one special retention piece of the current application to receive maxillary guidance component of the AGP and 3) one regular retention piece to apply mandibular guidance component of the AGP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventor: Kelly Lucas