Patents Examined by Michelle Lopez
  • Patent number: 11219452
    Abstract: The present invention, in accordance with various embodiments thereof, relates to a surgical device for at least one of cutting and stapling a section of tissue. The surgical device includes a housing including at least two drivers. The surgical device also includes an anvil mechanically attachable to the housing and moveable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position. The first driver operates to move the anvil relative to the housing to an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position. The second driver operates to move at least a portion of the housing relative to the anvil between the intermediate position and the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Michael P. Whitman, David A. Nicholas
  • Patent number: 11213933
    Abstract: An electric working machine in one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a motor; a controller for controlling driving of the motor; a first setter; and a second setter. The first setter is operated for setting, as a control method for the motor, which is usable by the controller, one of control methods preliminarily registered. The second setter is operated for setting, as a control method for the motor, which is usable by the controller, at least one of the control methods settable via the first setter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itsuku Kato, Akira Tomonaga, Katsuna Hayashi, Tokuo Hirabayashi, Tomoyuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 11207069
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a surgical instrument which includes a housing and an endoscopic portion extending distally from the housing and defining a first longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument also includes an end effector disposed adjacent a distal portion of the endoscopic portion. The end effector includes an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly. The anvil assembly is pivotally coupled to the cartridge assembly to be movable from a first actuation position to at least one other second actuation position. The surgical instrument further includes a firing rod having a shaft defining a second longitudinal axis, the shaft having a cam member which is in mechanical cooperation with the anvil assembly and is configured to move the anvil assembly from the first actuation position to the at least one other second actuation position upon rotation of the firing rod about the second longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Michael Zemlok, David C. Racenet
  • Patent number: 11207089
    Abstract: An electromechanical surgical system having an instrument housing for connecting with a shaft assembly, a shaft assembly, and an end effector. The end effector is an articulating end effector and the system includes a cable tensioning system for tensioning the articulation cables. The system includes a clutch mechanism for preventing slippage of a drive cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Stanislaw Kostrzewski, Ernest Aranyi, Paul A. Scirica
  • Patent number: 11166722
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a staple cartridge. The end effector includes an anvil and a lower jaw. The anvil is pivotable toward the lower jaw to capture tissue between the anvil and the lower jaw. The staple cartridge is coupled with the lower jaw. The staple cartridge includes a deck and a plurality of staples. The deck faces the anvil. The anvil or the deck (or both) includes a compressible that extends toward the other of the anvil or the deck. The compressible feature of the anvil of the deck is configured to compress tissue against the other of the anvil or the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Charles J. Scheib, Jeffrey S. Swayze, Adam R. Dunki-Jacobs
  • Patent number: 11161642
    Abstract: A fastener assembly for coupling together two or more articles includes a plastic fastener and an anchoring member. The plastic fastener includes a pair of parallel cross-bars that are interconnected by a transverse filament. The anchoring member is constructed as a unitary, solid, plastic disc with opposing flattened surfaces. In use, the anchoring member is disposed against an outer surface of the articles to be coupled together. During the fastener dispensing process, the ejected cross-bar penetrates through the articles as well as the anchoring member. Upon completion, the ejected cross-bar lies directly upon the exposed surface of the anchoring member. As such, the stiffened anchoring member provides structural integrity to articles that are deformable in construction. In this manner, the anchoring member prevents intact removal of a dispensed fastener by either intentional or unintentional widening of the hole in the articles through which the fastener extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Shilale, Charles Burout
  • Patent number: 11161227
    Abstract: An electric working machine in one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a motor, a manipulator, a setter, and a controller. The setter sets first control characteristics preliminarily registered. The first control characteristics are set to achieve a rotational speed of the motor from a minimum rotational speed to a maximum rotational speed with a manipulating range of the manipulator, which is 50% or less of an effective manipulating range thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itsuku Kato, Akira Tomonaga, Katsuna Hayashi, Tokuo Hirabayashi, Tomoyuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 11154298
    Abstract: A stapling system for use with a robotic surgical system is disclosed. The stapling system comprises a housing removably attachable to the robotic system, a plurality of rotatable inputs rotatably supported in the housing, and an end effector comprising first and second jaws. The first jaw is movable relative to the second jaw between an open position and a closed position. A tissue gap is defined between the first jaw and second jaws when the first jaw is in the closed position. The stapling system further comprises a pre-clamping member, a dynamic clamping member, a first rotary drive, and a second rotary drive. The first rotary drive is coupled to the pre-clamping member and is actuable to move the first jaw into the closed position and move the first jaw into the open position. The second rotary drive is coupled to the dynamic clamping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Richard W. Timm, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11147551
    Abstract: A staple cartridge insertable into a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The staple cartridge comprises a threaded rod and a firing member configured to move from a proximal unfired position toward a distal position as the threaded rod is rotated in a first direction. The firing member comprises a first portion comprising a first camming member, wherein an anvil of the surgical stapling instrument receives the first portion when the firing member in the proximal unfired position and a second portion comprising a second camming member, wherein a staple cartridge jaw of the surgical stapling instrument receives the second portion when the firing member is in the proximal unfired position, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured to maintain a distance between the anvil and the staple cartridge jaw during a staple firing stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventor: Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11148273
    Abstract: A rotary power tool comprises a drive mechanism including an electric motor and a transmission, a housing enclosing at least a portion of the drive mechanism, a spindle rotatable in response to receiving torque from the drive mechanism, a first ratchet coupled for co-rotation with the spindle, a second ratchet rotationally fixed to the housing, a sleeve bushing on an interior of the housing, and a bearing arranged between the spindle and the sleeve bushing and rotatably supporting the spindle. The bearing has an outer race. The spindle is movable relative to the housing in response to contact with a workpiece, causing the first and second ratchets to engage and the spindle to reciprocate while rotating. The outer race of the bearing moves along the sleeve bushing during reciprocation of the spindle when the first ratchet and second ratchet are engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan A. Dedrickson, Ian Allen Duncan, Tian Yu, Jian Wei Li
  • Patent number: 11147549
    Abstract: A surgical instrument including an end effector that has a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein. The implement is selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto. An elongate shaft assembly is coupled to the end effector and is configured to transmit the rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to the reciprocatable implement from a robotic system that is configured to generate the rotary actuation motion and said rotary retraction motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Richard W. Timm, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11141152
    Abstract: A loading unit for a surgical stapling device has a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly, the cartridge assembly including a channel and a staple cartridge having a plurality of surgical staples therein. An axial drive assembly has a clamping member, the clamping member having an upper flange for engaging the anvil assembly, and a lower flange for engaging the channel. The axial drive assembly is movable through the staple cartridge to drive the staples out of the staple cartridge and against the anvil assembly. Mechanical features are defined in the channel for indicating an end of stroke for the axial drive assembly, the mechanical features having a first pattern and a second pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Michael Ingmanson, Michael Zemlok
  • Patent number: 11134938
    Abstract: A surgical instrument including an end effector that has a selectively reciprocatable implement movably supported therein. The implement is selectively advanceable in a distal direction upon application of a rotary actuation motion thereto and retractable in a proximal direction upon application of a rotary retraction motion thereto. An elongate shaft assembly is coupled to the end effector and is configured to transmit the rotary actuation motion and rotary retraction motion to the reciprocatable implement from a robotic system that is configured to generate the rotary actuation motion and said rotary retraction motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Richard W. Timm, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11134942
    Abstract: An anvil for a surgical end effector is disclosed. The anvil can include a staple-forming surface, wherein pockets are defined in the staple-forming surface. The pockets can be aligned with staples in a staple cartridge. Moreover, the pockets can define a perimeter in the staple-forming surface, and the perimeter of at least one pocket can be nested with the perimeter of at least one other adjacent pocket. For example, an extended landing zone of a first pocket can extend into a receiving peninsula of a second, adjacent pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Janna B. Volz, Mark S. Zeiner
  • Patent number: 11129616
    Abstract: A surgical stapling system comprising a robotic interface and a surgical stapling attachment assembly configured to be attached to the robotic interface is disclosed. The robotic interface comprises motor-driven output drives. The surgical stapling attachment assembly comprises a closure member configured to be actuated by one of the motor-driven output drives, a firing bar configured to be actuated by another one of the motor-driven output drives, an end effector, and a shaft comprising an articulation joint. The end effector comprises a first jaw, a second jaw, and a pivot pin coupling the first jaw and the second jaw and defining a pivot axis. The closure member is actuatable through a closure stroke to move the second jaw relative to the first jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jerome R. Morgan
  • Patent number: 11116502
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a replaceable staple cartridge is disclosed. The staple cartridge comprises a longitudinal slot and three longitudinal rows of staple cavities defined alongside the longitudinal slot with staples removably stored therein. A double staple driver supports one staple from the first row and one staple from the second row. A single staple driver supports one staple from the third row. A sled comprises a first camming surface configured to contact the double driver, a second camming surface configured to contact the single driver, and a central portion movable through the longitudinal slot during a staple firing stroke. The first camming surface comprises a first width, and the central portion comprises a third width. The third width is greater than the first width. The firing member translates into a lockout recess when the sled is not in a proximal position prior to performing the staple firing stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Michael E. Setser
  • Patent number: 11103246
    Abstract: A surgical system includes a handle having a controller and a motor, an adapter releasably coupled to the handle, and a loading unit releasably coupled to the adapter. The motor is coupled to a drive shaft of the handle. The adapter including an adapter identification device in communication with the controller, configured to store adapter data, and to communicate the adapter data to the controller. The loading unit configured to affect tissue in response to a force transmitted by the adapter from the drive shaft. The loading unit including a loading unit identification device in communication with the controller, configured to store loading unit data, and to communicate the loading unit data to the controller. The controller is configured to adjust output of a motor based on at least one of the adapter data or the loading unit data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Stanislaw Marczyk, Stanislaw Kostrzewski, Philip Irka, David Racenet
  • Patent number: 11103248
    Abstract: A surgical staple cartridge is disclosed comprising a plurality of staples removably stored within the surgical staple cartridge. The staples comprise staple legs which extend from a staple base portion in a parallel and offset plane with respect to a plane defined by the staple base portion. Each staple comprises a center of mass aligned with the staple base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Chester O. Baxter, III, Jeffrey S. Swayze, Jerome R. Morgan
  • Patent number: 11096686
    Abstract: An end effector for use by a surgeon to staple an anatomical structure of a patient during a minimally invasive procedure, the anatomical structure having a first side and a second side, the end effector including an anvil that includes a first end, a second end, and a face, and a cartridge that is configured to house a plurality of staples and that includes a first end, a second end, and a face, and an engagement element that movably couples the first end of the anvil to the first end of the cartridge, and a knife, the knife having a first flange, a second flange, and a web including a cutting edge, and where the second end of the anvil is movably coupled to the second end of the cartridge, each of the anvil and the cartridge is insertable through a trocar, and the end effector is remotely operable from outside the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Standard Bariatrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Thompson, Bennie Thompson, Richard P. Nuchols
  • Patent number: 11084157
    Abstract: A work tool includes a motor, a driving mechanism, a housing, a handle, a detecting mechanism and an elastic support part. The detecting mechanism is configured to detect information corresponding to an operating state of the work tool. The elastic support part supports the detecting mechanism so as to be movable relative to the housing in at least two of a front-rear direction, an up-down direction and a left-right direction. The elastic support part includes at least one elastic member disposed between the detecting mechanism and the housing. The elastic support part has respectively different spring constants in the at least two directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kiyonobu Yoshikane, Yoshitaka Machida, Taro Hisano, Hirokatsu Yamamoto