Patents by Inventor Austin M. Fischer

Austin M. Fischer 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).

  • Push/pull articulation drive systems for articulatable surgical instruments
    Patent number: 10178992
    Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that that defines a shaft axis and includes a surgical end effector that is operably coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The surgical instrument further includes a rotary articulation member that is supported for rotation travel about a rotary axis that is transverse to the shaft axis. A first distal articulation driver assembly and a second distal articulation driver assembly operably interface with the surgical end effector and the rotary articulation member such that rotation of the rotary articulation member causes the first and second distal articulation drivers to articulate the surgical end effector relative to the shaft axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Austin E. Wise, Adam D. Hensel, Daniel V. Jones, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Lauren S. Weaner, Morgan R. Hunter, Austin M. Fischer, Chester O. Baxter, III, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • PUSH/PULL ARTICULATION DRIVE SYSTEMS FOR ARTICULATABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
    Publication number: 20160367245
    Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that that defines a shaft axis and includes a surgical end effector that is operably coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The surgical instrument further includes a rotary articulation member that is supported for rotation travel about a rotary axis that is transverse to the shaft axis. A first distal articulation driver assembly and a second distal articulation driver assembly operably interface with the surgical end effector and the rotary articulation member such that rotation of the rotary articulation member causes the first and second distal articulation drivers to articulate the surgical end effector relative to the shaft axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Austin E. Wise, Adam D. Hensel, Daniel V. Jones, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Lauren S. Weaner, Morgan R. Hunter, Austin M. Fischer, Chester O. Baxter, III, Frederick E. Shelton, IV