Patents by Inventor Brian C. Dougherty

Brian C. Dougherty 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: 20140163547
    Abstract: Multiple surgical devices that may be used during surgical procedures are shown and described herein. A surgical device includes an outer cannula and an inner member that has a pair of electrodes positioned at a distal end. The inner member defines an aspiration delivery channel with an opening. A handle assembly actuates the outer cannula relative to the inner member, thereby adjusting a size of the opening of the aspiration delivery channel. In another exemplary configuration, an irrigation hub is provided to deliver irrigation through the surgical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20140066930
    Abstract: A surgical device is disclosed that comprises a sleeve member, a shaft member and a pair of electrodes. The shaft member extends distally of the sleeve member and has a pair of electrode channels that open at the distal end of the shaft member, wherein the electrode channels are positioned adjacent to one another. The pair of electrodes are configured to deliver energy, and one of the pair of electrodes are configured to be disposed in each electrode channel such that distal ends of each of the electrodes are arranged to protrude from the distal end of the shaft member. An irrigation annulus is formed about the electrodes. The shaft member further includes at least one lumen opening at the distal end of the shaft member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Nico Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Amin Kassam, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20140066929
    Abstract: A surgical device is disclosed that comprises a shaft member and a pair of electrodes. The shaft member has a pair of electrode channels that open at the distal end of the shaft member, wherein the electrode channels are positioned adjacent to one another. The pair of electrodes are configured to deliver energy, and one of the pair of electrodes are configured to be disposed in each electrode channel such that distal ends of each of the electrodes are arranged to protrude from the distal end of the shaft member. The shaft member further includes at least one lumen opening at the distal end of the shaft member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Nico Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Amin Kassam, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20130237753
    Abstract: Surgical interfaces and adaptors for properly positioning a portion of a medical instrument within an endoscope at a site of interest is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Nico Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 8486097
    Abstract: A tissue cutting device includes an outer cannula, and axially fixed inner member, an actuation assembly, a slidable shuttle member, and a vacuum fitting configured to connect to a vacuum source. The outer cannula is configured for selective rotation. The shuttle member is operatively connected to the outer cannula to reciprocate the outer cannula. The axially fixed inner member is disposed within the outer cannula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Nico Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20120157879
    Abstract: A tissue cutting device that is especially suited for neurosurgical applications is disclosed and described, as well as alternative systems for tissue preservation and transport. The cutting device includes an outer cannula in which a reciprocating inner cannula is disposed. A tissue collector is also provided and is in fluid communication with the lumen of the inner cannula. A temperature control sleeve may be disposed around the tissue collector to control the temperature of the tissue samples. A preservation system may be supplied that is configured to deliver fluids to tissue samples in the tissue collector. A fluid supply sleeve may be disposed about the outer cannula and is selectively positionable along the length of the outer cannula.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty, Alexandra Schwier
  • Publication number: 20120071748
    Abstract: A surgical access assembly is disclosed. The surgical access assembly comprises an outer sheath and an obturator. The outer sheath is defined by an open distal end and an open proximal end and includes a hollow body portion therebetween. The obturator is defined by a distal end and a proximal end and the distal end further comprises a tapered distal tip member that terminates in a closed radiused distal tip. The obturator is configured to be received within the outer sheath such that the tapered distal tip member protrudes from the open distal end of the outer sheath when the obturator is in an introducing configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Amin Kassam, Brian C. Dougherty, Chad LaMar
  • Publication number: 20120029354
    Abstract: A tissue cutting device that is especially suited for neurosurgical applications is disclosed and described. The device includes a handpiece and an outer cannula in which a reciprocating inner cannula is disposed. A delivery sleeve may be selectively provided that is configured to be disposed about the outer cannula for delivery of a variety of devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20110190801
    Abstract: A tissue removal device is disclosed. In one arrangement, the tissue removal device comprises a cutting member operatively connected to an actuator assembly and a fixed member. The cutting member is configured to slide with respect to the fixed member in a reciprocating manner. A vacuum source is operatively connected to the tissue removal device such that vacuum is supplied to the cutting member to deliver vacuum through the cutting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20110190802
    Abstract: A tissue removal device is disclosed. In one arrangement, the tissue removal device comprises a cutting member operatively connected to an actuator assembly and a fixed member. The cutting member is configured to slide with respect to the fixed member in a reciprocating manner. The fixed member includes an upwardly extending foot plate that defines a contact surface that is configured with an uneven texture that serves as a grip to operatively retain material to be cut when the cutting member is moved toward the foot plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty
  • Publication number: 20110112359
    Abstract: Adapters for properly positioning a portion of a medical instrument that is positioned within an endoscope at site of interest is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Joseph L. Mark, Brian C. Dougherty, Chad LaMar
  • Patent number: 6881957
    Abstract: A passive low power device for detection of boundary crossings includes a dual element pyro-electric infrared (PIR) sensor. The sensor is designed with a lens that provides a very narrow field of view and two pyro-electric elements that produce a waveform with two voltage swings of opposite polarity when a warm object moves past the sensor. The waveform is filtered and amplified before it is passed on to a comparator. The comparator triggers off the extremes of each waveform. The comparator includes two outputs that are normally high, but go low when a change in infrared radiation is detected. A processor makes an approximation of the zero crossing time based on the rising edge of the first comparator output. This approximate zero crossing time serves as an estimate of the boundary crossing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Home Data Source, LLC
    Inventors: Brian C. Dougherty, Robert M. Bunch, Rachel E. Lukens, James Nagel, Christopher L. Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20040129883
    Abstract: A passive low power device for detection of boundary crossings includes a dual element pyro-electric infrared (PIR) sensor. The sensor is designed with a lens that provides a very narrow field of view and two pyro-electric elements that produce a waveform with two voltage swings of opposite polarity when a warm object moves past the sensor. The waveform is filtered and amplified before it is passed on to a comparator. The comparator triggers off the extremes of each waveform. The comparator includes two outputs that are normally high, but go low when a change in infrared radiation is detected. A processor makes an approximation of the zero crossing time based on the rising edge of the first comparator output. This approximate zero crossing time serves as an estimate of the boundary crossing time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: Home Data Source
    Inventors: Brian C. Dougherty, Robert M. Bunch, Rachel E. Lukens, James Nagel, Christopher L. Wolfe