Patents Examined by Michael Lynch
  • Patent number: 5201656
    Abstract: A trephine-type dental drill for polishing the external cylindrical surface of a dental implant in a mouth. The drill includes a shank for mounting upon a dental drill drive, and a mount affixed the shank for mounting an abrasive element. The abrasive element has a hollow circular bore defined by a bore wall which is coated with an abrasive material. The inner bore wall is sized to closely fit and rotationally polish the external cylindrical surface of the dental implant installed within a mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Inventor: Robert J. Sicurelli, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5180372
    Abstract: An improved placement catheter of the type having a longitudinal line of weakness whereby the catheter may be split longitudinally. The improved catheter is made with radiation cross-linked tubing to provide better splittability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett R. Vegoe, Richard L. Molacek
  • Patent number: 5169387
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for catheterization of a body cavity, the catheterization apparatus having a sheath, a cannula with a blunt end and a stylet with a sharp end. To use the apparatus the three elements are initially arranged with the stylet leading the apparatus. The apparatus is advanced a distance into the flesh of a patient. The apparatus is readjusted leaving the cannula in a leading position. The apparatus is then advanced further into the flesh of the patient and into communication with a body cavity. The apparatus is again readjusted, leaving the sheath in communication with the body cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Inventor: Richard F. Kronner
  • Patent number: 5163909
    Abstract: A compressed gas actuated, portable fluid delivery system including separate disposable components which provides multiple, precisely rate controlled administration of medical fluids to patients. A pressurization housing includes a holder for a liquid gas cylinder, a mechanism for piercing the cylinder and connecting the cylinder output in a sealed relationship to an output tube through pressure regulators and a pressure gauge. The pressurization housing includes a safety latch interconnected to a pressure on-off valve for preventing opening the housing while pressurized. The output tube leads to a pressure chamber in which a flexible bag containing a fluid to be delivered may be placed. Pressure within the chamber squeezes the bag, forcing fluid through a fluid output tube to, in seriatim, a particulate filter, a binary flow control valve assembly, an air eliminating filter and finally to a fitting adapted to connect to an administration device such as a hypodermic needle, nasal tube or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Alan E. Jordan
    Inventor: Gene L. Stewart
  • Patent number: 5160327
    Abstract: A rotational pressure drive for a medical syringe to obtain, maintain, and release a desired fluid pressure within the syringe. The commercially available medical syringe includes a barrel with a plunger extending therein. Extending laterally and radially about the proximal end of the syringe barrel are several flanges. The rotational pressure drive comprises a hollow cylindrical chamber with a closed end for engaging the proximal end of the syringe plunger, and a hollow passageway extending therethrough to an open end which receives the plunger. Positioned circumferentially and longitudinally along the chamber are pluralities of internal threads with individual starts for engaging the radially extending flanges of the syringe barrel. The extended plunger is inserted into the passageway of the drive to the closed end, whereas the flanges of the syringe barrel are rotationally engaged with the starts of the internal thread pluralities for advancement into the passageway of the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Vance Products Incorporated
    Inventor: Joseph R. Stines
  • Patent number: 5160265
    Abstract: A hair piece selection kit for aiding a person in the selection of a desired hairstyle is disclosed having a plurality of generally square-shaped flat members. A facial hole is cut generally centrally in the flat members, each of the flat members having a different hairstyle printed thereon about the facial hole to depict a hairstyle, and a reflective surface for viewing each hairstyle when said person inserts the face into the facial hole to view the hairstyle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Inventor: Jin S. Kim
  • Patent number: 5158040
    Abstract: The device disclosed includes an outer cage of bars through which cows may pass their heads and necks, but not their shoulders. The device includes an inner cage, which holds a cylindrical hay-bale. The arrangement is such that the cows must reach through the bars of the outer cage in order to reach the hay in the inner cage. The device includes a trough which extends between the two cages, so that any hay that falls from the cow's mouth while the cow has its head between the bars is caught in the trough. The feeder practically eliminates hay wastage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: H. Kuntz Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Martin
  • Patent number: 5158455
    Abstract: A control box for both a scaler and an airpolisher wherein the abrasive flow to the airpolisher and the power to the scaler is controlled by a single control knob. Activation of the scaler or polisher handpiece is automatic upon lifting the selected handpiece from its bracket. The polisher portion of the unit includes an abrasive pickup system having a replaceable abrasive container. Air flow within the container is such that the abrasive empties substantially linearly with time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Young Dental Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Ronald L. Bailey
  • Patent number: 5152749
    Abstract: A surgical apparatus for the placement of an instrument within a body cavity which comprises (i) a placement device including an elongate element with an exposable tissue piercing tip, a first coupler adjacent to the tip, and a structure for selectively exposing the tip; and (ii) an elongate instrument for placement including a second coupler adapted to be coupled to the first coupler to effect an end to end coupling of the device and the instrument whereby the instrument is positioned within the body cavity. Preferably the instrument is a suprapubic instrument for placement within a bladder. A method for placement of a suprapubic instrument is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: American Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry D. Giesy, Matthew W. Hoskins
  • Patent number: 5152306
    Abstract: A hairdressing comb comprises a series of hair lifting teeth each having a barb or hook-like formation at the end thereof, and, between each adjacent pair of hair lifting teeth, one or more plain comb teeth. The comb forms part of a hairdressing kit 30 for use in the foil highlighting of hair. The kit further comprises a former and a tray. The former facilitates the cutting of a sheet of metal foil into strips of equal width which fit in the tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Inventor: Carl W. B. Stephan
  • Patent number: 5152279
    Abstract: A retractor instrument for use in laparoscopic surgery, comprises an elongate frame or holder and a substantially rigid retractor member movably mounted to the frame. A first retainer component is mounted to frame for maintaining the retractor member in substantially parallel relation to the frame during an insertion of the retractor instrument through a patient's abdominal wall and partially into the patient's abdominal cavity in a laparoscopic procedure. A second retainer component is connected to the frame for maintaining the retractor member in an angled orientation with respect to the frame during utilization of the retractor instrument to displace an internal body organ of the patient in the laparoscopic procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Inventor: Peter J. Wilk
  • Patent number: 5151087
    Abstract: A cannula assembly including a tube cannula and a hollow introducer needle. At the proximal end of the cannula are three fittings: first, a first luer fitting affixed to the proximal end of the tube cannula; second, a luer fitting removably attached to the first luer fitting, this second luer fitting having a first air porous water locking plug at a proximal end penetrated by the needle; and, third, a needle handle removably attachable to the second luer fitting. The proximal end of the needle handle is blocked also by a second air porous water blocking plug. The second plug prevents escape of blood from the hollow needle upon penetration of the arterial wall. The first plug controls the rate of flow of blood to the cannula tube and allows clamping of the tube after withdrawal of the introducer needle and prior to connection to a cardioplegia supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: DLP, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Jonkman
  • Patent number: 5149327
    Abstract: A medical valve comprises a valve member made of a flexible elastic material and having at least two faces. A first slit is disposed between a first face of said at least two faces and a second face of said at least two faces, and a second slit is disposed between said first face and said second face, wherein the first slit and the second slit intersect each other. A first opening width of the first slit on the first face is different from a second opening width of the first slit on the second face, and a first opening width of the second slit on the first face is different from a second opening width of the second slit on the second face. A catheter assembly comprises a catheter and a connecting instrument. The catheter includes a hollow body introducible into a blood vessel and a proximal member communicating with a hollow portion of the hollow body, the proximal member having an introduction passage in which a valve is disposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroaki Oshiyama
  • Patent number: 5149325
    Abstract: A system is described for the collection and re-infusion of fluids from a patient. The system includes a non-disposable rigid cannister and a disposable flexible liner that is placed in the cannister. Fluids are collected from a patient in the cannister liner. The liner is then removed from the cannister and the contents are re-infused back into a patient. The system is unique in that it provides a stand along vacuum means for continuously providing a relatively high vacuum to the cannister and a relatively low vacuum inside the liner to cause the liner to expand against the walls of the cannister. The stand alone vacuum means also provides a consistent relatively low vacuum to a patient's cavity for collecting fluids from the patient without damaging the patient's internal organs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
    Inventors: Anil M. Telang, Douglas J. McDowell
  • Patent number: 5147309
    Abstract: The apparatus for priming a hypodermic needle with hazardous fluid and for retaining the hazardous fluid expelled from the needle in purging air from the needle includes a hypodermic needle and a tubular sheath member with a distal fluid containment chamber. The proximal end of the needle is adapted to be connected to a syringe or I.V. tubing, and is preferably removably mounted in the base portion of the sheath. The containment chamber includes a sealing membrane through which the needle extends, and a vent with a hydrophobic filter is disposed in the distal end of the containment chamber for venting air. A deflector shield is also provided within the containment chamber between the hydrophobic filter at the vent opening and the hypodermic needle for deflecting the hazardous fluid expelled from the distal end of the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Biosafety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl J. Hemmerich, Henry D. Kraus
  • Patent number: 5147306
    Abstract: A self-injection facilitating device is made in the form of two arm portions having body contacting jaws at one end and manipulating handles at the other. The jaws are biased toward each other by a spring and have a sharp taper at the inner sides opposed to each other to effectively grasp the flesh at the surface of the body when applied thereto in order to pucker the flesh into a small mound into which an injection can conveniently be made with a hypodermic needle using only one hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Inventor: Stephen J. Gubich
  • Patent number: 5147313
    Abstract: A medical fluid delivery system comprising a peristaltic pump unit and a fluid delivery set adapted to be operatively mounted on the pump unit. The fluid delivery set comprises a drip container for holding fluid to be pumped by the pump unit, and a formation on the drip container having an external contour of unique configuration. The pump unit comprising a holder having a socket therein for receiving and holding the drip container in an operative position on the pump unit. The socket has a uniquely configured internal contour adapted to mate with the uniquely configured external contour of the formation on the drip container whereby a fluid delivery set without the uniquely configured formation cannot be mounted in operative position on the pump unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Entracare Corporation
    Inventor: Cary Dikeman
  • Patent number: 5147319
    Abstract: A winged needle with which the needle can be safely exposed and covered. The winged needle comprises a base into which the needle is rooted, wings which can be folded to cover the needle, sheath-portion of the wings which surrounds the needle on all sides when the wings are folded, and a coupling device which couples the wings. This structure enables a user to handle the winged needle from the base side without having his hand face the needle tip, significantly reducing the possibility of puncturing the user's hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Kato Hatsujo Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toichi Ishikawa, Hiroyuki Asano
  • Patent number: 5147314
    Abstract: A sheath which contains a catheter or guide wire is provided with a connector at one end which, in turn, has a sealing membrane which can be pierced by a hollow needle when the catheter/guide wire is to be expelled from the adaptor assembly. An introducer, which is to be implanted in a body cavity such as a blood vessel, also has a hub with a sealing membrane disposed across the hub so as to abut the sealing membrane of the adaptor assembly. This membrane is also pierced by the hollow needle when the connection is made prior to insertion of a catheter or guide wire into the blood vessel. In one embodiment, a syringe may be provided with a connector and mounted on the hub of the introducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Inventor: Vincent L. Vaillancourt
  • Patent number: 5140862
    Abstract: An injection pump calibration device insertable in place of an actual syringe in an infusion syringe pump is described. The housing is shaped like a syringe body and configured to detachably mount in place of an actual syringe in an infusion syringe pump. A plunge is affixed to the housing and is moveable between a first position away from the housing and a second position adjacent the housing.A position detector is adapted to the plunger to measure movement of the plunger between the first position away from the housing and the second position adjacent the housing to calibrate or verify parameters of the infusion syringe pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Inventor: Joseph T. Pappalardo