Patents by Inventor Alvin E. Reynolds

Alvin E. Reynolds 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: 6051023
    Abstract: Surgical apparatus for inserting a plastic, split end, adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea of the eye wherein the adjusting ring includes, as a part thereof, a dissecting head to part the stroma and provide a pathway for the adjusting ring as the ring is rotated. The ends of the adjusting ring are moved to change the shape of the cornea to a desired shape in accordance with the desired visual correction after which the ends of the adjusting ring are fixably joined to maintain the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: KeraVision, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 5505722
    Abstract: Surgical apparatus for inserting a plastic, split end, adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea of the eye wherein the adjusting ring includes, as a part thereof, a dissecting head to part the stroma and provide a pathway for the adjusting ring as the ring is rotated. The ends of the adjusting ring are moved to change the shape of the cornea to a desired shape in accordance with the desired visual correction after which the ends of the adjusting ring are fixably joined to maintain the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: KeraVision, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 5395385
    Abstract: Refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure of rotating or oscillating, about a center axis of the cornea, a sharpened knife edge blade that is tangential to and against that portion of the cornea to be corrected, and microaxially advanced until the refractive error has been corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Corneal Contouring, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 5368604
    Abstract: Refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure performed within a vacuum chamber formed above the cornea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Corneal Contouring Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 5318044
    Abstract: Hyperopia (far-sighted) refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure of rotating or oscillating a tool having a central pressure pad with a plurality of curved sharpened knife-edge blades that initially are tangential to and against an outer zone or band of the cornea and micro-axially advanced until the refractive error has been corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Corneal Contouring, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 5312424
    Abstract: Surgical apparatus for inserting a plastic, split end, adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea of the eye wherein the adjusting ring includes, as a part thereof, a dissecting head to part the stroma and provide a pathway for the adjusting ring as the ring is rotated. The ends of the adjusting ring are moved to change the shape of the cornea to a desired shape in accordance with the desired visual correction after which the ends of the adjusting ring are fixably joined to maintain the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Keravision, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 5188125
    Abstract: Surgical apparatus for inserting a plastic, split end, adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea of the eye wherein the adjusting ring includes, as a part thereof, a dissecting head to part the stroma and provide a pathway for the adjusting ring as the ring is rotated. The ends of the adjusting ring are moved to change the shape of the cornea to a desired shape in accordance with the desired visual correction after which the ends of the adjusting ring are fixably joined to maintain the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: Keravision, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 5063942
    Abstract: Refractive error of the cornea is corrected by a scraping procedure of rotating or oscillating a sharpened knife edge blade that is tangential to and against a top of the cornea at its center axis, and micro-axially advanced until the refractive error has been corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Corneal Contouring, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 4961744
    Abstract: Surgical apparatus for inserting a plastic, split end, adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea of the eye wherein the adjusting ring includes, as a part thereof, a dissecting head to part the stroma and provide a pathway for the adjusting ring as the ring is rotated. The ends of the adjusting ring are moved to change the shape of the cornea to a desired shape in accordance with the desired visual correction after which the ends of the adjusting ring are fixably joined to maintain the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: Keravision, Inc.
    Inventors: Lauren G. Kilmer, Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 4766895
    Abstract: In a system for adjusting the curvature of the cornea of the eye involving the insertion of a plastic split end adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea, a holder has a concave end surface and circular groove therein for receiving a metal dissecting ring and for holding it in a circular shape. As the holder is rotated the inserted end of the metal ring is magnetically forced to follow rotation of the holder thus the dissecting ring is inserted in a circular path within the stroma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1988
    Assignee: Kera Corneal Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 4671276
    Abstract: A system for adjusting the curvature of the cornea of the eye involves inserting a plastic split end adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea by first making a first incision in the cornea above the corneal ring at about the eight millimeter chord, then inserting one end of a metal split end dissecting ring into the incision with the trailing end of the dissecting ring remaining outside the cornea. The one end of the dissecting ring has a transverse hole therein near its tip end. The dissecting ring is held by a magnetic holding and rotating device which has a concave end surface and circular groove therein for receiving the metal dissecting ring and for holding it in a circular shape. As the holder is rotated the inserted end of the metal ring is magnetically forced to follow rotation of the holder thus the dissecting ring is inserted in a circular path within the stroma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1987
    Assignee: Kera Associates
    Inventor: Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 4490022
    Abstract: A quantitative corneascope for use with a surgical microscope in performing corrective techniques on the eye includes a pair of hinged image projection housing members movably mounted on each side of a surgical microscope and a light and image source for reflecting partial segments of placido rings (mires) from the corneal surface of the eye. The microscope utilizes a beam splitter to provide multiple viewing by an operating doctor, an assistant and a television camera. The camera permits viewing of the mires as reflected from the eye, on a monitor. The monitor is provided with apparatus for generating cursor lines on the viewing surface, which cursor lines represent predetermined radii of curvature corresponding to the range of spherical eye shapes. The cursor lines may be adjusted to discrete values in this range of radii of curvature which in turn changes the spacing between the straight lines of the cursor display. The cursor lines may also be adjusted along the X-Y coordinates of the viewing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1984
    Inventor: Alvin E. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 4452235
    Abstract: A system for adjusting the curvature of the cornea of the eye involves inserting a plastic split end adjusting ring into the stroma of the cornea by first making a first incision in the cornea above the corneal ring at about the eight millimeter chord, then inserting one end of a metal split end dissecting ring into the incision with the trailing end of the dissecting ring remaining outside the cornea. A connecting link member is inserted through the holes in the ends of the respective dissecting and adjusting rings to releasably join the two rings, the rotational direction of the holding tool is then reversed which "backs out" the dissecting ring and at the same time pulls in behind it the plastic adjusting ring. When the now joined ends of the two rings are rotated back around to the insertion point, the now withdrawn dissecting ring is released from the adjusting ring. A corneascope type image of the corneal topography is displayed on a visual surface and compared to a desired target image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Inventor: Alvin E. Reynolds