Patents Examined by Sean Dougherty
  • Patent number: 10226194
    Abstract: Tools and techniques for the rapid, continuous, invasive and/or noninvasive measurement, estimation, and/or prediction of a patient's physiological state. In an aspect, some tools and techniques can estimate predict the onset of conditions intracranial pressure, an amount of blood volume loss, cardiovascular collapse, and/or dehydration. Some tools can recommend (and, in some cases, administer) a therapeutic treatment for the patient's condition. In another aspect, some techniques employ high speed software technology that enables active, long term learning from extremely large, continually changing datasets. In some cases, this technology utilizes feature extraction, state-of-the-art machine learning and/or statistical methods to autonomously build and apply relevant models in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Flashback Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Zlatko Grudic, Steven Lee Moulton, Isobel Jane Mulligan
  • Patent number: 10220146
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and techniques for adjusting posture state definitions used to determine a posture state of a patient are described. In one example, a system may include an external programmer that includes a user interface configured to present an indication of a first posture state determined from the data representative of the patient posture during the period of time and a set of posture state definitions that at least partially define a plurality of posture states. The external programmer may also include a processor configured to receive an adjustment input from a user that requests an adjustment to the set of posture state definitions and obtain a second posture state, the second posture state determined from the data representative of the patient posture during the period of time and the adjusted set of posture state definitions. The user interface presents an indication of the second posture state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Cerny, Debbie A. McConnell, Michael E. Newell, Raj Mehra
  • Patent number: 10206665
    Abstract: A biopsy device comprises a body, a needle, a cutter, and a valve assembly. The needle extends distally relative to the body. The needle defines a first lumen and a second lumen. The first and second lumens extend along a first and second longitudinal axis, respectively. The needle includes an opening fluidly coupling the first and second lumens. The cutter is translatable relative to the needle. The valve assembly comprises a vent opening and a spool body. The spool body is movable relative to the vent opening between a first and second position. The second lumen is coupled to the vent opening when the spool body is in the first position. The second lumen is sealed relative to the vent opening when the spool body is in the second position. The spool body is configured to transition between the first and second position by translation of the cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Devicor Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Fiebig, Edward A. Rhad, Andrew P. Nock
  • Patent number: 10206614
    Abstract: A pre-sterilized fluid sampling syringe is provided which includes a locking vacuum syringe, 3-way valve, check valve and thermoplastic inlet tubing capable of both aseptic welding and direct connections. The syringe is assembled with components and rendered sterile in its packaging. The packaging permits manipulation of the syringe by the user such that at time of use a vacuum can be generated in the syringe barrel by pulling and locking the plunger into a fully withdrawn position. By using the check valve and vacuum feature of the sampling system the user of the device has a means of aseptically flushing and obtaining fluid samples from a desired system, typically a bioreactor or other process used in biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical laboratories and manufacturing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: PAW BioScience Products, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin R. Willemstyn, Timothy Korwan
  • Patent number: 10201315
    Abstract: Devices, computer readable programs and methods determine a patient parameter, including volume and/or flow rate of a fluid draining through a drain tube from a chest cavity of a patient, by using at least one pressure value at an end of the drain tube associated with a fluid collection canister and at least one pressure value within the drain tube at a location distant from the collection canister. The pressure values are processed with a non-linear solver to determine the patient parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: ATRIUM MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Greg Peatfield, Ted Karwoski
  • Patent number: 10189020
    Abstract: A specimen collection apparatus is provided. The specimen collection apparatus may include a container, a funnel for removable insertion in an opening of the container, a funnel cover; a removable seal, and a dispensing apparatus sealed within the funnel cover in a reagent-specific atmosphere. The dispensing apparatus may include a cap, a reagent housing attached to the cap, and a reagent designed to liquefy a specimen, stabilize the pH of the liquefied specimen, and be compatible with diagnostic procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Alpha Tec Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard O Williams, Mark R Williams, Christopher O Williams
  • Patent number: 10182722
    Abstract: Aspects relate to a portable device that may be used to identify a critical intensity and an anaerobic work capacity of an individual. The device may utilize muscle oxygen sensor data, speed data, or power data. The device may utilize data from multiple exercise sessions, or may utilize data from a single exercise session. The device may additionally estimate a critical intensity from a previous race time input from a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett S. Kirby, Bradley W. Wilkins, David Clark, Eric Bradley, Elizabeth Besemer
  • Patent number: 10182798
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an adjustable delivery handle system for interchangeably delivering a needle to a biopsy site. The adjustable delivery handle system includes a delivery handle having an inner hub housing component configured to interchangeably receive a needle subassembly that can be inserted into and withdrawn from the proximal handle member. The needle subassembly includes a biopsy needle having a distinct tissue collection distal end configured to maximize tissue sampling yield and collect a cohesive unit of sampled tissue. The distal end of the needle includes first and second tip portions extending therefrom and radially opposing one another. The first tip portion has a length greater than the second tip portion, thereby resulting in an increased surface area of a curvilinear cutting edge extending from the first tip portion to the second tip portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: John O. McWeeney, Stephen Tully, Eugene Campbell, Bora Gumustop, Brian Tinkham
  • Patent number: 10182967
    Abstract: A plug that allows the plug body to be easily and reliably pierced through by a hollow bodily fluid collection needle, makes the bodily fluid collection needle difficult to draw back out of the plug body owing to a resilience of a sheath after the start of bodily fluid collection, and enables easy and reliable collection of the bodily fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SEKISUI MEDICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Niunoya, Ryusuke Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10172547
    Abstract: Provided are a sleeping state detection system and method that can detect the sleeping state of a subject such as an inpatient or a tenant without causing the subject stress, and that can ascertain the health state of the subject from the detection results. The sleeping state detection system includes a room or closed space (201) in which the subject sleeps, and a dust counter (206) that measures the dust particles inside the room or closed space (201). In a state where the inside of the room or closed space (201) is kept cleaner than the outside of the room or closed space (201) by using a fan filter unit (208) disposed in the room or closed space (201), while the subject sleeps, the change over time in the number of dust particles inside the room or closed space (201) is measured using the dust counter (206), and thereby the sleeping state of the subject is detected. The inside of the room or closed space (201) is preferably kept at a cleanliness of US 209D Class100 or better.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignees: C'Stec Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Ishibashi, Masahiro Yasutake, Fusao Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 10165979
    Abstract: Embodiments include methods, systems and computer program products for monitoring a user of a helmet for cumulative concussions. Aspects include monitoring one or more sensors in the helmet and receiving an output from the one or more sensors corresponding to an impact experienced by the helmet. Aspects also include calculating a cumulative concussion score based on the output of the one or more sensors and displaying an indication of the cumulative concussion score via an indicator on the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: James R. Kozloski, Mark C. H. Lamorey, Clifford A. Pickover, John J. Rice
  • Patent number: 10159470
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a biopsy needle configured to maximize tissue sampling yield and collect a cohesive unit of sampled tissue. The biopsy needle includes an elongate tubular body comprising a lumen extending therethrough from a proximal open end to a distal open end of the body. The distal end includes first and second tip portions extending therefrom and radially opposing one another. The first tip portion has a length greater than the second tip portion, thereby resulting in an increased surface area of a curvilinear cutting edge extending from the first tip portion to the second tip portion. Additionally, each of the first and second tip portions defines a point configured to pierce the tissue to be sampled and further direct tissue towards the lumen of the body to be excised by the cutting edge upon contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: John O. McWeeney, Stephen Tully, Eugene Campbell, Bora Gumustop, Brian Tinkham
  • Patent number: 10149646
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to objective evaluation of shoulder stability. An accelerometer is attached adjacent the subject's shoulder and the subject is provided with a vibrating device that is held in the hand of the subject's outstretched arm. The subject is instructed to keep his or her arm as still as possible while holding the vibrating device. Data is obtained from the accelerometer over a predetermined length of time. Using a processor, preferably wirelessly connected to the accelerometer, shoulder stability is evaluated in relation to the subject's ability to resist vibratory forces. In an embodiment, the processor evaluates shoulder stability by averaging measured g-forces obtained from the accelerometer along three axes. The average g-forces across each axis are averaged together to give an overall average. The overall average is compared with available normative values to determine the risk level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Inventor: Elizabeth Andreadis
  • Patent number: 10149641
    Abstract: The various embodiments disclosed herein are devices that deliver electrical stimulation and/or vibration stimulation to the surface of skin in proximity to insulin injections and/or glucose testing in order to decrease or eliminate the pain of these procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Innova Medical Design, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy O'Malley, Rommel P. Vallero
  • Patent number: 10149965
    Abstract: A guide wire is described for navigating body channels such as vessels. The guide wire can include an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and a fluid passage to transport a fluid from the proximal portion to the distal portion. The distal portion of the elongated member can include a shape memory material with two way memory effect. The shape memory material can have a transition temperature less than a body temperature such that the distal portion has a first shape at the body temperature and a second shape different from the first shape at a temperature less than the transition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: COOK MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Himanshu Suri
  • Patent number: 10143447
    Abstract: The present invention provides a skin surface sampling device in which a supply tube and a recovery tube are housed in an elongated hand-holdable tubular sleeve, the sleeve having upper and lower ends positioned along a longitudinal axis and the lower end being provided with a sampling head; in which: the supply tube is adapted to convey liquid from a liquid source to the sampling head; the recovery tube is adapted to convey liquid from the sampling head to a liquid collection vessel; the sampling head has a planar surface adapted for application to the surface of the skin to form a contact therewith during sampling; the planar surface has a liquid entry port adapted for liquid communication with the supply tube and a liquid exit port adapted for liquid communication with the recovery tube; and characterized in that: the liquid entry port and the liquid exit port are connected via a guide channel which is adapted to guide liquid from the liquid entry port, along the surface of the skin for the elution of mate
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Corrinne Burns, Peter David Carroll, Pareenkumar Patel, Svetlana Riazanskaia, Charles Lawrence Paul Thomas
  • Patent number: 10123701
    Abstract: An intraocular pressure detecting device includes a pressure generation unit, a light source, an image sensing unit and a processing unit. The pressure generation unit applies pressure to a target surface of an eyeball along a first operation axis direction, such that a deformation is generated on the target surface. The light source emits light that irradiates the target surface along a second operation axis direction, so as to generate a speckle pattern on the target surface. The image sensing unit observes and records an image variation of the speckle pattern along a third operation axis direction. The processing unit is signally connected with the image sensing unit to receive an image of the speckle pattern. The processing unit identifies and analyzes a feature size of the image of the speckle pattern for obtaining an intraocular pressure value of the eyeball. An intraocular pressure detecting method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Yio-Wha Shau, De-Yi Chiou, Wan-Ting Tien, Tian-Yuan Chen, Chun-Chuan Lin, Shih-Bin Luo
  • Patent number: 10123786
    Abstract: Bone marrow harvesting devices and methods of use for harvesting bone marrow from a biological source of bone marrow are provided that promote ease of use, and reduce patient pain and potential trauma to harvested bone marrow, wherein an exemplary bone marrow harvesting device includes an elongated shaft comprising a distal region, a proximal region, and a lumen extending therebetween, the distal region comprising a plurality of through-wall apertures in fluid communication with the lumen; and an expandable member disposed along the distal region thereof and configured to transition between a collapsed state and an expanded state for vibrating to disrupt the bone marrow. Methods of using the inventive bone marrow harvesting device to provide more efficient bone marrow disruption, improve the efficiency of bone marrow aspiration, and increase the quantity of bone marrow harvested in a single procedure are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Krishna Rocha-Singh, M.D.
    Inventor: Krishna Rocha-Singh
  • Patent number: 10105084
    Abstract: A blood sampler includes a hollow transparent barrel including a reduced collection portion located at a front end thereof and terminating in a reduced coupling portion, an outlet defined in the coupling portion and a plurality of ribs spaced around and raised from an inside wall near an opposing rear end thereof, a piston axially movably fitted into the hollow transparent barrel and having a screw hole and peripheral ribs, a cap detachably capped onto the collection portion to seal the outlet, and a plunger having a screw rod located at a front end thereof and threaded into the screw hole of the piston for allowing movement the piston with the plunger. The hollow transparent barrel enables collecting blood sample from a patient, separating the collected blood sample into platelet-rich plasma, platelet-rich plasma and serum in a centrifuge and injecting the collected platelet-rich plasma into a patient body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: JIERYANG BIOTECH, INC.
    Inventor: Chih-Fu Chen
  • Patent number: 10105178
    Abstract: The present invention has for object a device (1) for detecting the temperature of the esophagus (E) in cardiac ablation treatments which device, unlike known devices, allows to more securely monitor the temperature of the esophageal lumen, thereby promptly detecting any possible criticality to which the patient (P) may be exposed due to excessively rapid temperature fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: FIAB S.P.A.
    Inventors: Alberto Calabro′, Antonio Fasano