Patents by Inventor Brian Rockrohr

Brian Rockrohr 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: 20100249695
    Abstract: A trocar assembly that comprises a trocar valve body defining a cavity, the valve body for communicating insufflation fluid therethrough. The assembly also comprises a selectively rotatable valve handle for controlling a flow of said insufflation fluid through the valve body. The rotatable valve handle is elongated and has a first end and a second end. The first end is sized and configured to be rotatably maintained within the cavity and the second end extends outwardly so as to be actuatable by a user. The rotatable valve handle defines a bore therethrough which extends longitudinally from the first end to the second end. The valve body defines an outlet that communicates with the cavity. The rotatable valve handle is rotatable from an open position, in which the bore of the valve is at least partially aligned with the outlet so as permit fluid to pass through the bore, and a closed position, in which the bore of the valve is not aligned with the outlet so as prevent fluid to pass through the bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Inventor: Brian Rockrohr
  • Publication number: 20100094228
    Abstract: A surgical system comprising a cannula assembly and an obturator assembly for penetrating tissue is disclosed. A cover of the cannula assembly is mounted to a cannula housing and has a cover aperture therethrough. The cover has a trailing end face defining a predetermined geometrical configuration, at least a portion of the trailing end face is obliquely arranged relative to a longitudinal axis and terminates in, and leads toward the cover aperture to facilitate guiding of the surgical object through the cover aperture. The obturator assembly includes an obturator housing and an obturator member. The obturator housing has a housing base defining a leading end face, which defines a predetermined geometrical configuration corresponding to the predetermined geometrical configuration of the trailing end face of the cover to mate therewith upon assembly of the obturator assembly with the cannula assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Bettuchi, Robert C. Smith, Michael Davis, Brian Rockrohr, Gregory Fischvogt
  • Publication number: 20100016797
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a surgical access member for establishing percutaneous access to a surgical worksite within tissue. The surgical access member includes a constricting mechanism that is adapted to removably receive a surgical instrument and resiliently transition between an open state and a constricted state. In the open state, insertion of the surgical instrument through the constricting mechanism is substantially uninhibited. In the constricted state, the constricting mechanism substantially limits transverse movement of the surgical instrument, and may facilitate the creation of a substantially fluid-tight seal therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventor: Brian Rockrohr
  • Publication number: 20100016800
    Abstract: A surgical portal apparatus for use during a minimally invasive procedure includes a housing and a portal member extending distally from the housing. The housing and portal member combination defines a longitudinal axis. The portal member is sized to be positioned within tissue and has an opening at the distal end. The apparatus also has a pliable seal and a plurality of concentrically arranged piston members, disposed within the housing. The pistons are engageable with the pliable seal and are adapted for moving relative to the housing to control the diameter of a passage through the inner portion of the seal in response to the insertion of a surgical object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventor: Brian Rockrohr
  • Publication number: 20100004600
    Abstract: A surgical portal apparatus is provided. The surgical portal apparatus includes a portal member defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal opening therethrough for receiving a surgical object, a seal member positioned along the longitudinal opening for receiving a surgical object in a sealing manner, and a centering mechanism maintained within the portal member, wherein the centering mechanism including a pair of rollers arranged in general diametrical opposed relation, the rollers movable relative to the longitudinal axis from a radial inward position to a radial outward position to permit passage of the surgical object, the rollers being biased toward the radial inward direction to correspondingly bias the surgical object in general alignment with the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Brian Rockrohr, Gregory Fischvogt
  • Publication number: 20090326466
    Abstract: A surgical portal assembly includes a portal member adapted for positioning within tissue. The portal member defines a central longitudinal axis and has a longitudinal passageway for permitting passage of a surgical object. In addition, the portal member includes a seal mount. A seal member is mounted within the seal mount of the portal member. Further, the seal member has inner surface portions defining a passage for receiving the surgical object. Aside from the seal member, the surgical portal assembly contains a plurality of seal magnets mounted to the seal member. The seal magnets are arranged with respect to the passage of the seal member whereby respective poles of the seal magnets generate an attractive force to draw the inner surface portions of the seal member about the surgical object to facilitate establishing a substantial sealing relation therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Adam J. Ross, Michael A. Zemlok, Brian Rockrohr
  • Publication number: 20090326469
    Abstract: A surgical access instrument for use during the course of a minimally invasive surgical procedure, includes an access member defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal opening for reception and passage of a surgical object, a valve membrane mounted to the access member defining at least one internal cavity and permitting passage of the surgical object and a dynamic fluid disposed within the internal cavity. The dynamic fluid is adapted to transition from a first state to a second state upon exposure thereof to a stimulus to assist in stabilizing the surgical object relative to the access member. In its first state, the fluid defines a first set of physical attributes, including but not being limited to viscosity and density, that allow for the displacement of the fluid, whereas in the second state, the fluid defines a second, dissimilar set of physical attributes, e.g., a greater viscosity and a greater density, that substantially limit displacement of the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Brian Rockrohr