Patents by Inventor Benjamin L. Bertram

Benjamin L. Bertram 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).

  • Publication number: 20220249182
    Abstract: A robotic surgical tool includes a handle having a drive input and a spline, a bailout ring arranged at the handle, and a slipper clutch mechanism received within the bailout ring. The slipper clutch mechanism including a slip carrier rotationally fixed to the bailout ring and defining a vertical slot that slidably receives a pin, a first ring arranged within the slip carrier and defining a first interface, a second ring arranged within the slip carrier atop the first ring and defining a second interface, and a pinion gear operatively coupled to the spline and arranged to intermesh with radial gear teeth defined on the second ring. Manual rotation of the bailout ring rotates the slip carrier and the pin and thereby rotates the first and second ring in succession to rotate the spline and manually bail out a function of the robotic surgical tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Raffaele DEFINIS, Benjamin L. BERTRAM, Christopher DENZINGER, Heather E. KNOX, Mark D. OVERMYER, Neil MARKWARDT
  • Publication number: 20220202437
    Abstract: A surgical tool that comprises a surgical end effector comprising opposing jaws, an elongate shaft extending distally to the surgical end effector, and a housing defining a passage therethrough, wherein the elongate shaft extends through the passage. The surgical tool further comprises an actuation mechanism configured to selectively move the housing along the elongate shaft relative to the surgical end effector. The actuation mechanism comprises a pulley, a cable engaged with the pulley, and a lock arrangement configured to releasably lock the housing relative to the elongate shaft. The lock arrangement comprises a washer positioned around the elongate shaft. The cable is engaged with the washer. An actuation of the pulley is configured to apply a tension to the cable to pivot the washer relative to the elongate shaft from a locked orientation to an unlocked orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Mark D. Overmyer, Heather E. Knox, Benjamin L. Bertram