Patents Examined by Tiffany Shipmon
  • Patent number: 9078745
    Abstract: An ophthalmic lens includes an optical filter operable to filter out at least visible light having a wavelength less than 450 nm. The lens also includes a first diffractive structure adapted to produce a focus for visible light in a first wavelength range above 550 nm and to reduce longitudinal chromatic aberration to less than one diopter for incoming visible light in the first wavelength range. The lens also includes a second diffractive structure outside the first diffractive structure in a radial direction and adapted to produce a focus for visible light in a second wavelength range between 450 nm and 550 nm. The second diffractive structure is also adapted to reduce longitudinal chromatic aberration for incoming visible light in the second wavelength range to less than one diopter while allowing longitudinal chromatic aberration in the first wavelength range in an amount greater than the first diffractive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: NOVARTIS AG
    Inventors: Xiaoxiao Zhang, Costin Eugene Curatu, Krishnakumar Venkateswaran, Daniel Robert Carson, Mutlu Karakelle, Xin Hong, Yueai Liu
  • Patent number: 9056021
    Abstract: A device (1, 7) for separating a sleeve from an implant head, comprising a drive shaft (2) having a proximal end (3) and a distal end (4), the distal end having a cam (6), wherein the cam is disposed such that when, in use, a torque is applied to the drive shaft via the proximal end the cam acts in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the drive shaft. A method of separating a sleeve from an implant head using such a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: SMITH & NEPHEW PLC
    Inventor: Nicholas Turner
  • Patent number: 9028541
    Abstract: A stent and method comprising inserting within a vessel an unexpanded stent that includes a first zone comprising a plurality of adjacent ring elements, not less than three in number, that are distributed along the stent with a first spacing, and a second zone comprising a plurality of adjacent ring elements that are distributed along the stent with a second spacing, and expanding the stent to cause the plurality of ring elements in the first zone to redistribute to a third spacing that is smaller than the first spacing and to cause ring elements in the second zone to distribute to a fourth spacing larger than the first spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Inventor: Chad Abunassar
  • Patent number: 9023103
    Abstract: Accommodative intraocular lens comprising an optic part (1), which in turn comprises at least one incurving notch (3) and a peripheral edge of the optic (2); a haptic part (8), which in turn comprises at least one central branch (9), one lateral branch (10) and one angular branch of the haptic (11); an incomplete incurving ring (6) that in turn comprises at least one angled branch of the ring (17); an incurving tab (5); and means for sliding and/or stopping and/or amplifying the moving parts. The new accommodative intraocular lens accommodates in near vision by a posteroanterior displacement of the optic, changes in its curvature and changes in its thickness. The design of the incomplete incurving ring allows keeping the capsular bag open and tense to allow a greater displacement of the optic, and the incurving tabs (5) provide a greater accommodation power by curving the optic and increasing its thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Inventor: Luis Olcina Portilla
  • Patent number: 8998984
    Abstract: An adjustable astigmatism-reducing intraocular lens includes a toric optic with a long axis. The optic is rotationally coupled to haptics, and a plurality of struts extend between the optic and the haptics. The struts are held under tension and individually releasable via laser, or are heat shrinkable to increase the tension of selective struts. When a strut is released or shrunk, a torsional force is applied to angularly adjust the optic relative to the haptics. After the lens has been implanted and healed relative to the tissue, struts are individually released via laser ablation to cause torsional instability and resulting net rotational adjustment, or individually heat shrunk to tension the strut, to cause torsional instability, and effect net rotational adjustment to ensure that a long axis of optic is aligned with the axis of astigmatic correction of the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventor: Andrew F. Phillips
  • Patent number: 8974518
    Abstract: A method of deploying an eversible branch stent-graft includes deploying the eversible branch stent-graft into a main vessel such that a collateral opening in a main stent-graft of the eversible branch stent-graft is aligned with an ostium of a branch vessel emanating from the main vessel. A branch stent ring suture threaded though outer exposed crowns of an outer stent ring of the branch stent-graft is grasped and pulled through the collateral opening to evert the branch stent-graft into the branch vessel as a branch anchor suture is removed to release a protruding end of a branch stent-graft from a proximal end of the main stent-graft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Bruszewski, Masoumeh Mafi, Shyam Nagasrinivasa, Maria D. Acosta De Acevedo
  • Patent number: 8974523
    Abstract: A stentless support structure capable of being at least partly assembled in situ. The support structure comprises a braided tube that is very flexible and, when elongated, becomes very long and very small in diameter, thereby being capable of placement within a small diameter catheter. The support structure is preferably constructed of one or more thin strands of a super-elastic or shape memory material such as Nitinol. When released from the catheter, the support structure folds itself into a longitudinally compact configuration. The support structure thus gains significant strength as the number of folds increase. This radial strength obviates the need for a support stent. The support structure may include attachment points for a prosthetic valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: HLT, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Thill, Robert Foster Wilson, John Gainor, Christopher M. Banick
  • Patent number: 8968399
    Abstract: A vision correction arrangement is described in which a lens system having variable optical power varies in dependence on the orientation of the user's eye. The vision correction arrangement may be embodied as an intraocular lens implant, or an extraocular device such as spectacles. The intraocular lens implant comprises a fixed lens element (11) and a movable lens (12) element sensitive to the orientation of the eye, so that the optical power of the intraocular lens implant is increased when the user looks downward, and returns to a reduced optical power condition when the user's eye returns to a horizontal gaze. The fixed lens element may have a convex rear surface and a concave front surface, and the second lens element may be pivotally mounted in front of the first lens element, so that downward inclination of the eye causes the second lens element to swing away from the fixed lens element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Marwan Ghabra
  • Patent number: 8961597
    Abstract: Mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation can be treating by implanting in the mitral annulus a transvalvular intraannular band. The band has a first end, a first anchoring portion located proximate the first end, a second end, a second anchoring portion located proximate the second end, and a central portion. The central portion is positioned so that it extends transversely across a coaptive edge formed by the closure of the mitral valve leaflets. The band may be implanted via translumenal access or via thoracotomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Heart Repair Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Valavanur A. Subramanian, Thomas Afzal, Gary Hulme, Jeffrey Christian, Michael L. Reo
  • Patent number: 8961602
    Abstract: An adjustable annuloplasty ring includes a body in the form of an endless loop having an internal lumen therethrough, an adjustment suture extending through at least a portion of the internal lumen, a first portion of the suture exiting the lumen through a first opening in the body and a second portion of the suture exiting the lumen through a second opening in the body, and a first adjustment marker on the first portion of the suture outside of the body. The suture may be adapted to reduce the length of the body around the loop when tightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Melinda K. Kovach, Rebecca Volovsek, XueMei Li
  • Patent number: 8956406
    Abstract: Mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation can be treating by implanting in the mitral annulus a transvalvular intraannular band. The band is positioned so that it extends transversely across a coaptive edge formed by the closure of the mitral valve leaflets, to inhibit prolapse into the left atrium. At least one marginal chordae is severed, to permit leaflet closure against the band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Heart Repair Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Valavanur A. Subramanian, Thomas Afzal, Gary Hulme, Jeffrey Christian, Michael L. Reo
  • Patent number: 8945209
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns embodiments of implantable prosthetic devices, and in particular, implantable prosthetic valves, and methods for making such devices. In one aspect, a prosthetic device includes encapsulating layers that extend over a fabric layer and secure the fabric layer to another component of the device. In particular embodiments, the prosthetic device comprises a prosthetic heart valve, and can be configured to be implanted in any of the native heart valves. In addition, the prosthetic heart valve can be, for example, a transcatheter heart valve, a surgical heart valve, or a minimally-invasive heart valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: Celeste C. Bonyuet, Andrew L. Walls, John F. Migliazza, Itai Pelled
  • Patent number: 8945215
    Abstract: An accommodating intraocular lens for providing a range of accommodative vision contains an optic and a haptic. The haptic includes a plurality of arms coupled to a compressible inner structure. The compressible inner structure of the haptic is configured to exert a compressive force on the optic in response to an ocular force to provide accommodation. The compressible inner structure can include a plurality of arcuate segments that join to form a ring in the fully compressed state or a sinusoidal ring having a varying radial dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Abbott Medical Optics Inc.
    Inventor: Brooke C. Basinger
  • Patent number: 8945205
    Abstract: The present embodiments provide a branch vessel prosthesis for placement at least partially between a main vessel and a branch vessel of a patient. The branch vessel prosthesis has a graft including a generally tubular body of a biocompatible material. At least one stent is coupled to a proximal region of the graft, and at least one stent is coupled to a distal region of the graft. The proximal region of the graft includes a generally straight configuration in an expanded deployed state that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of a main vessel. The distal region of the graft includes a generally straight configuration in the expanded deployed state that is substantially parallel to a branch vessel. A curvature of a central region varies an angle in which the distal region of the graft is disposed relative to the proximal region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
    Inventor: Roy K. Greenberg
  • Patent number: 8940040
    Abstract: A device and method for endovascular repair of a patient's aorta is disclosed. The device includes a frame component that has a balloon-expandable frame and a self-expanding frame secured to the balloon-expandable frame. The device also includes a valve element positioned at the proximal end of the frame component. The device may include another prosthetic component that may be secured to the frame component. The prosthetic component may include at least one conduit configured to receive a covered stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Aortic Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Ali Shahriari
  • Patent number: 8932352
    Abstract: An optical device comprising an optical hydrogel with select regions that have been irradiated with laser light having a pulse energy from 0.01 nJ to 50 nJ and a wavelength from 600 nm to 900 nm. The irradiated regions are characterized by a positive change in refractive index of from 0.01 to 0.06, and exhibit little or no scattering loss. The optical hydrogel is prepared with a hydrophilic monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Wayne H. Knox, Li Ding, Jay F. Kunzler, Dharmendra Jani
  • Patent number: 8932351
    Abstract: An accommodating intraocular lens (AIOL) comprising an optic, and at least one haptic plate coupled to the optic by at least one connector, the connector being less rigid than the haptic plate, the at least one haptic plate surrounding the optic, and the optic and haptic plate having a combined surface area between 70 mm2 and 100 mm2. The at least one haptic plate may form a continuous 360-degree boundary around the optic. The at least one haptic plate has a width in a radial dimension of 1.0-3.5 mm across its entire angular extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventor: Steven J. Dell
  • Patent number: 8926689
    Abstract: A composite implantable prosthesis including a scaffold with a plurality of axially spaced apart sections connected by one or more bridges, each bridge including one or more hinges. The material of the bridges is generally distinct from the material of the scaffold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: C. R. Bard, Inc.
    Inventor: David L. Bogert
  • Patent number: 8920489
    Abstract: The present invention relates to tissue-supporting medical devices and drug delivery systems, and more particularly to tubular flexible stents that are implanted within a body lumen of a living animal or human to support the organ, maintain patency and/or deliver drugs or agents. The tubular flexible stent has a cylindrical shape defining a longitudinal axis and includes a helical section having of a plurality of longitudinally oriented strut members and a plurality of circumferentially oriented hinge members connecting circumferentially adjacent strut members to form a band. The band is wrapped about the longitudinal axis in a substantially helical manner to form a plurality of helical windings. At least one connector member extends between adjacent windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Inventors: Brian P. Baillargeon, Ramesh Marrey, John Kenneth Ryder, Randy David B Grishaber, Ryan R. Donovan
  • Patent number: 8911495
    Abstract: An implantable ophthalmological device (10) in the form of a punctal plug or canalicular implant is configured for use at or near the nasolacrimal drainage system. In a deployed state, the device (10) may include an elongated body (25), an anchor (15) operably connected to the elongated body (25), a radially expanding occlusive feature disposed on an outer circumference of the elongated body (32), and a flange (30). The elongated body (25) may define a lumen (35) configured to receive a pharmacological treatment (55). The device (10) is made of a shape memory material such as a shape memory polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Endoshape, Inc., The Regents of The University of Colorado, a body corporate
    Inventors: Michael B. Lyons, Julie Marie Trommeter, Naresh Mandava, Malik Kahook, Robin Shandas, James Fogelberg, Jeffrey Paul Castleberry