Patents Examined by Michael D'Abreu
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Patent number: 10384052Abstract: Systems, methods and devices, for stimulating one or more esophageal muscle contractions are provided. The system, methods, and devices may be designed to evoke motion and/or restore function in one or more organs that are located distal to the lower esophageal sphincter. A controller and a generator may be used to transmit signals to one or more electrodes in a tube placed in a patient's GI tract. In some aspect, the generator is configures to generate a series of pulses for one or more periods of time. In some aspects, a preliminary pulse is transmitted to narrow and esophageal portion such that an esophageal wall is in contact with at least one electrode thus lowering the nominal stimulation threshold.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: E-MOTION MEDICAL, LTDInventors: Michael Gabriel Tal, Amichay Haim Gross, Yuri Shpolansky
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Patent number: 10245426Abstract: A medical patch having an electric potential generating structure which is attachable to a wound to thus regenerate injured skin tissues is provided. The medical patch includes a unit patch having a piezoelectric potential generating structure. The unit patch includes a first layer, a second layer and a piezoelectric nanomaterial disposed between the first and second layers.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2014Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignees: Seoul National University RDB Foundation, Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei UniversityInventors: Hong Koo Baik, Woo Soon Jang, Tae Il Lee, Byung Soo Kim, Suk Ho Bhang, Wan Geun La
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Patent number: 10231772Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument includes a housing including an elongated shaft. A stationary actuation member is axially disposed within the elongated shaft and includes a cam pin. An actuating mechanism is operably coupled to the elongated shaft and is moveable relative to the housing to selectively cause movement of the elongated shaft. An end effector includes a pair of opposing first and second jaw members operably coupled about a common pivot. One or both of the jaw members includes a camming slot configured to engage the cam pin. Each jaw member includes an electrically conductive tissue sealing surface adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy. A knife blade is supported in the elongated shaft and moveable in a longitudinal direction to cut tissue disposed between the jaw members. A wire retention unit is supported within the housing and includes a plurality of wire clasps and a plurality of guide ribs configured to define at least one wire path.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2014Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: COVIDIEN LPInventors: Terry M. Duffin, John R. Twomey, Jessica E. C. Olson, Grant T. Sims, Kenneth E. Netzel, Monte S. Fry, Daniel Mercier
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Patent number: 10232099Abstract: A blood pump has a hollow body in which an impeller with a spiral blading produces an axial propulsion of blood along the impeller, as well as an at least partly actively stabilized magnetic bearing device and a hydrodynamic bearing device for the impeller. The impeller may be set into a rotation about a rotation axis of the impeller with a motor stator located outside the hollow body. The hollow body has an inlet for the flow of blood into the hollow body in an inflow direction which is essentially parallel to the rotation axis, and an outlet for the outflow of the blood out of the hollow body in an outflow direction which is offset to the rotation axis of the impeller to produce a non-zero outflow angle (?) between the inflow direction and the outflow direction. A total artificial heart can be formed from two such blood pumps.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: BERLIN HEART GMBHInventors: Hans-Erhard Peters, Jörg Müller, Kurt Graichen, Peter Nüsser, Manfred Göllner, Andreas Arndt
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Patent number: 10226623Abstract: A physiotherapeutic device comprises a skin soaker for soaking a portion of the user's skin with a liquid when the device is attached to the user. The soaker comprises a tub for receiving the liquid and a resilient seal at a brim of the tub for sealing engagement with the skin to prevent leak of the liquid. The device also has an electrical stimulator comprising a first electrode and a second electrode for contacting the skin to stimulate tissues under the soaked portion of the skin. The soaked portion of the skin extends between the electrodes and the electrodes are isolated from the liquid.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Inventor: Jianqiao Yang
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Patent number: 10220201Abstract: An implantable hearing prosthesis, comprising an integrated integrity system. The integrity system is configured to measure one or more electrical characteristics of at least one component of the prosthesis, to evaluate the integrity of the prosthesis based on the measurements, and to perform at least one diagnostic operation based on the evaluation.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Cochlear LimitedInventors: Herbert Mauch, Peter Seligman, Barry Nevison, Paul Carter
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Patent number: 10213538Abstract: An implant device includes a housing and an energy receiving element disposed in the housing. The energy receiving element is configured to be electrically connected to an energy-consuming device. The implant device is configured to be mounted within a body of a human or non-human animal. The housing includes a feature configured to be accessible through skin of the animal and to receive a corresponding mating member of an external charger including an energy transmitting element. The energy receiving element is configured to receive energy wirelessly from the energy transmitting element when the external charger is mated with the housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: HeartWare, Inc.Inventor: John Rudser
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Patent number: 10213536Abstract: An implantable connector assembly (14) for communicating an element to an implantable device (12) within a patient (20) comprises a plug (16), a receptacle (18), and a pair of communication structures (72, 108). The plug (16) includes a plunger body (64). The receptacle (18) includes a sleeve (98) and a stopper (114). The sleeve (98) defines an opening (104), and the stopper (114) is resiliently mounted within the sleeve (98) to cover and fluidly seal the opening (104). The pair of communication structures (72, 108) is positioned respectively on the plunger body (64) and the sleeve (98). One of the communication structures (72, 108) connects to a source and the other communication structure (108, 72) connects to the implantable device (12). The plunger body (64) inserts into the sleeve (98) to displace the stopper (114) and couple the pair of communication structures (72, 108) for communication of the element therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: CircuLite, Inc.Inventors: Wolfgang Kerkhoffs, Ellen Keysselitz, J. Christopher Flaherty, Josef Weigand
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Patent number: 10206601Abstract: Systems, methods, and interfaces are described herein for assisting a user in noninvasive evaluation of patients for cardiac therapy and noninvasive evaluation of cardiac therapy being delivered. The systems, methods, and interfaces may provide graphical representations of cardiac electrical activation times about one or more portions of human anatomy and one or more cardiac health metrics.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: MEDTRONIC, INC.Inventors: Jeffrey Gillberg, Subham Ghosh
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Patent number: 10201699Abstract: A therapy lead has a distal header, a helix-shaft assembly, and a ring seal. The distal header has a cylindrical passage, and the helix-shaft assembly has a shaft and a helical anchor distally extending from the shaft. The shaft extends through the cylindrical passage. The ring seal circumferentially extends about the shaft and inside the cylindrical passage. The ring seal has a proximal face, a distal face, an outer circumferential surface, an inner circumferential surface, and a side wall. The distal face is opposite the proximal face. The outer circumferential surface extends between the proximal face and distal face. The inner circumferential surface is opposite the outer circumferential surface and extends between the proximal face and distal face. The inner circumferential surface defines a center hole of the ring seal that extends between the proximal face and distal face.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2016Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: PACESETTER, INC.Inventors: Matthew Malone, Tyler Smith, Tyler Strang, Xiangqun Chen, Steven R. Conger, Jeremy Hurwitz
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Patent number: 10201703Abstract: The present invention provides a thin and flexible device and method of use thereof for wound treatment and infection control. The integrated surface stimulation device may comprise a complete wireless stimulation system in a disposable and/or reusable flexible device for widespread use in multiple therapeutic applications. The invention would be situated on the skin surface of a patient and would be activated so as to reduce the overall occurrence of infections and/or increase wound healing rates. As provided, the device will comprise an integrated power supply and pre-programmable stimulator/control system on a flexible polymeric substrate layer with areas of stimulating electrodes, applied using techniques such as those found in additive manufacturing processes. The device is especially valuable in treating biofilm-based infections.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignees: The United States of America, as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Case Western Reserve UniversityInventors: Kath M. Bogie, Steven L. Garverick, Christian A. Zorman, Daniel S. Howe
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Patent number: 10201305Abstract: An apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. An implanted device obtains data and stores the data in the data record in a first data structure that is age-based. Before an oldest data record is lost, the oldest data record may be stored in a second data structure that is priority index-based. The priority index may be determined by a severity level and may be further determined by associated factors. The implanted device may organize, off-load, report, and/or display a plurality of data records based on an associated priority index. Additionally, the implanted device may select a subset or composite of physiologic channels from the available physiologic channels based on a selection criterion.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2005Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: MEDTRONIC, INC.Inventors: Touby A. Drew, Jonathon E. Giftakis, Nina M. Graves, Jonathan C. Werder, David L. Carlson
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Patent number: 10194806Abstract: A system and method, for measuring phase delay and amplitude of a near infrared signal emanating from tissue of an animal subject in response a near infrared signal input to such tissue, operate by processing a signal from an optical detector and a corresponding signal from an optical detector emulation circuit. In some aspects, the processed signals are fed into zero crossing detectors that in turn feed a time-to-digital converter providing at an output thereof a digital measure of the phase delay of the received optical signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2015Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Tufts UniversityInventors: Valencia Koomson, Chirag Sthalekar
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Patent number: 10178941Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an abnormal candidate region detection unit configured to detect an abnormal candidate region, as a candidate for an abnormal portion, from an intraluminal image obtained by capturing an image of an inside of a lumen of a subject, a tubular region detection unit configured to detect a tubular region from the intraluminal image, a connectivity determination unit configured to determine whether the abnormal candidate region and the tubular region are connected in a region of a color similar to that of the tubular region, and an abnormality determination unit configured to determine whether the abnormal candidate region is the abnormal portion, based on results of determination by the connectivity determination unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Masashi Hirota, Yamato Kanda, Makoto Kitamura, Takashi Kono
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Patent number: 10149975Abstract: A transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation device configured to provide therapy to a patient includes a control unit assembly, a power source, and a therapy plate electrically coupled to the power source. The therapy plate includes an electrical source configured to deliver electrical stimulation to the patient, a heat source configured to deliver heat to the patient, and a radiation source configured to deliver radiation to the patient. The transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation device further includes a rigid connector electrically coupling the therapy plate to the power source such that the therapy plate is fixed relative to the power source.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2016Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: EASYWELL BIOMEDICALS, INC.Inventor: Cheng-Lin Chuang
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Patent number: 10136825Abstract: Field effect devices, such as capacitors and field effect transistors, are used to interact with neurons. Cubic silicon carbide is biocompatible with the neuronal environment and has the chemical and physical resilience required to withstand the body environment and does not produce toxic byproducts. It is used as a basis for generating a biocompatible semiconductor field effect device that interacts with the brain for long periods of time. The device signals capacitively and receives signals using field effect transistors. These signals can be used to drive very complicated systems such as multiple degree of freedom limb prosthetics, sensory replacements, and may additionally assist in therapies for diseases like Parkinson's disease.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2014Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: University of South FloridaInventors: Christopher Leroy Frewin, Stephen E. Saddow
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Patent number: 10139271Abstract: A light detection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a light detector having a main surface and including at least one first detector and at least one second detector disposed along the main surface; a light coupling layer disposed on or apart from the light detector and including a first low-refractive-index layer, a first high-refractive-index layer disposed on the first low-refractive-index layer and including a first grating, and a second low-refractive-index layer disposed on the first high-refractive-index layer, the first high-refractive-index layer having a higher refractive index than the first and second low-refractive-index layers; and a light shielding film disposed on the light coupling layer and including at least one light transmitting region and at least one light shielding region adjacent to the at least one light transmitting region.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventor: Seiji Nishiwaki
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Patent number: 10118041Abstract: Techniques for performing lead functionality tests, e.g., lead impedance tests, for implantable electrical leads are described. In some of the described embodiments, an implantable medical device determines whether a patient is in a target activity state, e.g., an activity state in which lead impedance testing will be unobtrusive, such as when a patient is asleep, or capture information of particular interest, such as when the patient is active, in a particular posture, or changing postures. The implantable medical device performs the lead functionality test based on this determination. Additionally, in some embodiments, the implantable medical device may group a plurality of measurements for a single lead functionality test into a plurality of sessions, and perform the measurement sessions interleaved with delivery of therapeutic stimulation.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2006Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Goetz, Nathan A. Torgerson, Michael T. Lee
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Patent number: 10111613Abstract: Methods for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. An implanted device obtains data and stores the data in the data record in a first data structure that is age-based. Before an oldest data record is lost, the oldest data record may be stored in a second data structure that is priority index-based. The priority index may be determined by a severity level and may be further determined by associated factors. The implanted device may organize, off-load, report, and/or display a plurality of data records based on an associated priority index. Additionally, the implanted device may select a subset or composite of physiologic channels from the available physiologic channels based on a selection criterion.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2005Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: MEDTRONIC, INC.Inventors: Touby A. Drew, Jonathon E. Giftakis, Nina M. Graves, Jonathan C. Werder, David L. Carlson
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Patent number: 10112046Abstract: A bionic cochlea includes a fluid filled vessel having a flexible window disposed in one or its walls. The flexible window flexes when exposed to an acoustic pulse to produce an acoustic pressure pulse in the fluid inside the vessel. A plurality of piezoelectric nanowires is disposed on a flexible membrane disposed within the fluid filled vessel. The nanowires vibrate in response to at least one predetermined wavelength in the acoustic pressure pulse and produce electrical signals. Electrical wires in communication with the nanowires receive the electrical signals and pass these signals through the walls of the vessel to the mammalian auditory nerve.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2014Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventor: Edward F. Downs, Jr.