Patents by Inventor Alan A. Alten

Alan A. Alten has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6155310
    Abstract: Machinery for automated manufacture of formed wire structures such as innerspring assemblies for mattresses and seating and flexible support structures includes one or more coil formation devices configurable to produce generally helical spring coils having a terminal convolution which extends beyond an end of the coil; a conveyor system having a plurality of flights slidably mounted upon a continuous track and connected to a chain and driven by an index driver; a coil transfer machine which removes a row of coils from the conveyor and inserts the coils into an innerspring assembler; an innerspring assembler having first and second sets of coil-engaging dies in a parallel arrangement, each set of dies having an upper row positioned over a lower row, the dies being mounted upon carrier bars which are vertically translated within the innerspring assembler to diverge the upper and lower dies of a set to allow positioning of a row of uncompressed coils between the upper and lower dies, and to converge the upper a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Sealy Technology LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Haubert, Larry Schluer, Lawrence C. Bullen, K. Bryan Scott, Jan B. Yates, Donald J. Hackman, David A. Easter, John R. Hetteberg, David Fingerhuth, Alan A. Alten
  • Patent number: 6053877
    Abstract: An instrument for obtaining tissue samples from a site deep within the body. The instrument has an elongated proximal portion that is constructed to follow a long, torturous path to the site and has a distal end constructed to sever and remove a tissue sample from the body, including tissue specimens, polyps or the like. The instrument is constructed to take multiple biopsy samples without being withdrawn from the body. The instrument includes a tissue sample retractor. The retractor is axially movable between an extended tissue-engaging position and a retracted position. There is an open passage into which the retractor moves when moving from the extended to the retracted position. The retractor has a distal end portion constructed to engage tissue and apply axial transporting force thereto while moving from the extended to the retracted position. The retractor is constructed to be advanced and retracted repeatedly to accumulate a series of samples in the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. Banik, Joseph E. Young, Scott E. Swaffar, Michael B. Mosholder, Kenneth E. Hughes, Jan B. Yates, Norman J. Hedman, Jeremy M. Harris, Alan A. Alten
  • Patent number: 5871453
    Abstract: An instrument for obtaining tissue samples from a site deep within the body. The instrument has an elongated proximal portion that is constructed to follow a long, torturous path to the site and has a distal end constructed to sever and remove a tissue sample from the body, including tissue specimens, polyps or the like. The instrument is constructed to take multiple biopsy samples without being withdrawn from the body. The instrument includes a tissue sample retractor. The retractor is axially movable between an extended tissue-engaging position and a retracted position. There is an open passage into which the retractor moves when moving from the extended to the retracted position. The retractor has a distal end portion constructed to engage tissue and apply axial transporting force thereto while moving from the extended to the retracted position. The retractor is constructed to be advanced and retracted repeatedly to accumulate a series of samples in the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. Banik, Joseph E. Young, Scott E. Swaffar, Michael B. Mosholder, Kenneth E. Hughes, Jan B. Yates, Norman J. Hedman, Jeremy M. Harris, Alan A. Alten
  • Patent number: 5415032
    Abstract: A compact, 4-chamber gas meter comprising crankpost and valve drive mechanisms whereby each reciprocating valve moves from a stroke shifting point near center to a stroke endpoint and back to said stroke shifting point with each 180.degree. rotation of the crankpost and each stroke of each diaphragm occurs over said 180.degree. rotation of the crankpost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: James C. Swain, Larry E. Schluer, Donald L. Cooper, Alan A. Alten