Patents by Inventor Dana Ray Mester

Dana Ray Mester 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: 8740970
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and includes a body section having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an inner edge circumferentially arranged around at least a portion of an open area. The apparatus also includes a tool extending from the body section into the open area for holding a graft vessel. The lower surface of the body section opposes a receiving vessel when the tool is positioned to transfer the graft vessel to the receiving vessel, such that the graft vessel is axially accessible through the open area to be attached to the receiving vessel. In more specific embodiments, the body section has first and second opposing ends defining a gap sized to permit the vessel to pass through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Castlewood Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Baron L. Hamman, William E. Cohn, Devin S. Dobie, Kirk S. Honour, Dana Ray Mester
  • Patent number: 8597345
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and includes a body section having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an inner edge circumferentially arranged around at least a portion of an open area. The apparatus also includes a tool extending from the body section into the open area for holding a graft vessel. The lower surface of the body section opposes a receiving vessel when the tool is positioned to transfer the graft vessel to the receiving vessel, such that the graft vessel is axially accessible through the open area to be attached to the receiving vessel. In more specific embodiments, the body section has first and second opposing ends defining a gap sized to permit the vessel to pass through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Castlewood Surgical, Inc.
    Inventors: Baron L. Hamman, William E. Cohn, Devin S. Dobie, Kirk S. Honour, Dana Ray Mester
  • Publication number: 20120271336
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment including a body section including inner and outer edges with the inner edge surrounding at least a portion of an open area. The body section further includes a lower surface extending between the inner and outer edges, and a handle adjacent to the lower surface. The apparatus also comprises a plurality of arms that include opposing tips and proximal ends received in the body section. The opposing tips define a tip spacing therebetween, and the arms are configured to extend and retract to decrease and increase, respectively, a dimension of the tip spacing. In more specific embodiments, the lower surface of the apparatus includes size markers, and each size marker corresponds to a dimension of the tip spacing when the handle is aligned with the size marker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Baron L. Hamman, William E. Cohn, Devin S. Dobie, Kirk S. Honour, Dana Ray Mester
  • Publication number: 20110130624
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided in one example embodiment and includes a body section having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an inner edge circumferentially arranged around at least a portion of an open area. The apparatus also includes a tool extending from the body section into the open area for holding a graft vessel. The lower surface of the body section opposes a receiving vessel when the tool is positioned to transfer the graft vessel to the receiving vessel, such that the graft vessel is axially accessible through the open area to be attached to the receiving vessel. In more specific embodiments, the body section has first and second opposing ends defining a gap sized to permit the vessel to pass through.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Baron L. Hamman, William E. Cohn, Devin S. Dobie, Kirk S. Honour, Dana Ray Mester
  • Patent number: 7238180
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating a body tissue in situ (e.g., an atrial tissue of a heart to treat atrial fibrillation) include a lesion formation tool is positioned against the heart surface. The apparatus includes a guide member having a tissue-opposing surface for placement against a heart surface. The guide member also has interior surfaces and a longitudinal axis. A guide carriage is sized to be received with the guide member and moveable therein along the longitudinal axis. An optical fiber is positioned within the guide carriage with the carriage retaining the fiber. The carriage receives the fiber with an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and bends the fiber to a distal tip with an axis of said fiber at said distal tip at least 45 degrees to the longitudinal axis and aligned for discharge of laser energy through the tissue opposing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: MedicalCV Inc.
    Inventors: Dana Ray Mester, Kenneth Wayne Grace, Gregory G. Brucker, Steven D. Savage