Patents by Inventor DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS

DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS 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: 20190151009
    Abstract: An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical generator and an instrument coupled to the electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical generator includes an output stage configured to generate the electrosurgical energy at a plurality of radio frequencies, a plurality of sensors configured to sense a voltage waveform and a current waveform of the electrosurgical energy, and a controller coupled to the output stage and the plurality of sensors. The instrument supplies the electrosurgical energy to the tissue. The controller of the electrosurgical generator is further configured to calculate at least one parasitic parameter based on the electrosurgical energy at the plurality of frequencies and control the output stage based on the at least one parasitic parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventor: DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS
  • Patent number: 10278685
    Abstract: An electrosurgical electrospinning device is presented including a reservoir having a polymer solution disposed therein, the reservoir cooperating with a dispensing apparatus configured to dispense the polymer solution from the reservoir. The electrosurgical electrospinning device further includes a plurality of nozzles connected to the reservoir, each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles including a plurality of needles and a blow-spraying mechanism for blowing gas around each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles when the polymer solution is dispensed from the plurality of needles. The gas from the blow-spraying mechanism and the polymer solution from the plurality of needles are coaxially applied directly onto tissue at voltages of less than or equal to 3 kV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Vincent Zaballa, Daniel A. Friedrichs
  • Publication number: 20190125425
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a plasma catheter including a tubular member; a conductive cylindrical member; a first electrode; and a second electrode. The tubular member defines a longitudinal lumen therethrough and has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The conductive cylindrical member is disposed at the distal portion of the tubular member. The first electrode is embedded in a first side of the tubular member and coupled to the conductive cylindrical member. The second electrode is embedded in a second side of the tubular member diametrically opposed to the first side. The second electrode is offset from the tubular member and aligned with a center axis defined by the conductive cylindrical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Joe D. SARTOR, Daniel A. FRIEDRICHS, William Scott DARROW
  • Patent number: 10271896
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument includes a housing, an elongated shaft, and an end-effector assembly. The proximal end of the shaft is operably associated with the housing. The end-effector assembly is operably coupled to the distal end of the shaft and includes first and second jaw members. Each of the first and second jaw members includes a sealing plate and a bipolar electrode. Either one or both of the first and second jaw members is movable from a position in spaced relation relative to the other jaw member to at least one subsequent position wherein the sealing plates cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. The electrosurgical instrument includes a semiconductor switch operably coupled to at least one of the sealing plates and at least one of the bipolar electrodes. The semiconductor switch is configured to enable user selection between energizing the at least one sealing plate or the at least one bipolar electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Joe D. Sartor, Daniel Friedrichs
  • Patent number: 10237962
    Abstract: A plasma system is disclosed. The plasma system includes a plasma instrument having an elongated body defining a lumen therethrough and a first electrode and a second electrode; an ionizable media source in fluid communication with the lumen and configured to supply ionizable media thereto; and a variable frequency energy source adapted to be coupled to the first and second electrodes and configured to supply energy to the first and second electrodes sufficient to ignite ionizable media supplied by the ionizable media source to generate a plasma influent, wherein a frequency of the energy is adjustable to modify at least one property of the plasma effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: James E. Thompson, Daniel A. Friedrichs
  • Publication number: 20190076675
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motion generator includes a non-resonant inverter, an ultrasonic transducer, and a comparator. The non-resonant inverter inverts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) having a first frequency. The ultrasonic transducer is electrically coupled with the non-resonant inverter and generates an ultrasonic motion based on the inverted AC. The comparator automatically detects a deviation of the first frequency from a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer based on motion current passing through the ultrasonic transducer and generates an output signal based on the deviation to drive the non-resonant inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: XIAOSEN LIU, ADRIAN I. COLLI-MENCHI, JAMES A. GILBERT, DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS, KEITH W. MALANG, EDGAR SANCHEZ-SINENCIO
  • Patent number: 10188448
    Abstract: An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical generator and an instrument coupled to the electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical generator includes an output stage configured to generate the electrosurgical energy at a plurality of radio frequencies, a plurality of sensors configured to sense a voltage waveform and a current waveform of the electrosurgical energy, and a controller coupled to the output stage and the plurality of sensors. The instrument supplies the electrosurgical energy to the tissue. The controller of the electrosurgical generator is further configured to calculate at least one parasitic parameter based on the electrosurgical energy at the plurality of frequencies and control the output stage based on the at least one parasitic parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventor: Daniel A. Friedrichs
  • Patent number: 10159523
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a plasma catheter including a tubular member; a conductive cylindrical member; a first electrode; and a second electrode. The tubular member defines a longitudinal lumen therethrough and has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The conductive cylindrical member is disposed at the distal portion of the tubular member. The first electrode is embedded in a first side of the tubular member and coupled to the conductive cylindrical member. The second electrode is embedded in a second side of the tubular member diametrically opposed to the first side. The second electrode is offset from the tubular member and aligned with a center axis defined by the conductive cylindrical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Joe D. Sartor, Daniel A. Friedrichs, William Scott Darrow
  • Patent number: 10123460
    Abstract: A thermal management system and method for electronic devices is provided. The system includes an electronic device, a heat sink, and a thermally conducting and electrically insulating thermal bridge that is interposed between the electronic device and the heat sink. The thermal bridge thermally couples the electronic device to the heat sink and electrically isolates the electronic device from the heat sink. The electronic device, the heat sink, and the thermal bridge are mounted on a same planar surface of a printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LLP
    Inventors: Steven C. Rupp, Daniel A. Friedrichs, Robert B. Smith
  • Patent number: 10086217
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motion generator includes a non-resonant inverter, an ultrasonic transducer, and a comparator. The non-resonant inverter inverts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) having a first frequency. The ultrasonic transducer is electrically coupled with the non-resonant inverter and generates an ultrasonic motion based on the inverted AC. The comparator automatically detects a deviation of the first frequency from a resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer based on motion current passing through the ultrasonic transducer and generates an output signal based on the deviation to drive the non-resonant inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Xiaosen Liu, Adrian I. Colli-Menchi, James A. Gilbert, Daniel A. Friedrichs, Keith W. Malang, Edgar Sanchez-Sinencio
  • Publication number: 20180042659
    Abstract: A generator is configured to output two or more waveforms at different frequencies. In particular, the generator is configured to provide an ultrasonic waveform, which may be suitable for driving a transducer of an ultrasonic surgical instrument, and electrosurgical radiofrequency energy, which may be suitable for electrosurgical instruments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: STEVEN C. RUPP, ROBERT B. SMITH, DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS
  • Patent number: 9877772
    Abstract: An electrosurgical generator may reduce unintended tissue damage by improving regulation of output power. The electrosurgical generator may control the power during a cycle, and react to a change in power if arcing occurs. Voltage sources, especially, demonstrate the tendency to have large, uncontrolled power excursions during normal electrosurgical use. The magnitude of the power excursions may be dependent on various factors. An exemplary electrosurgical generator control scheme reduces or minimizes the thermal spread by accurately supplying the specified power within a few cycles. Additionally, fast and accurate regulation provided by the constant voltage mode reduces or minimizes unintentional tissue charring. Thus, reduced thermal spread and charring should result in better surgical outcomes by reducing scarring and decreasing healing times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate, Covidien LP
    Inventors: Robert Erickson, Daniel Friedrichs, James Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20170365398
    Abstract: An electronic device includes: a multilayered dielectric substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers; a planar magnetic device disposed on at least one internal dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers; and an overlapping shield assembly including a first shield layer and a second shield layer separated by at least one of the plurality of dielectric layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: ROBERT B. SMITH, DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS, STEVEN C. RUPP
  • Publication number: 20170354455
    Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes: a power supply configured to output a direct current; a current source coupled to the power supply and configured to output source current based on the direct current, and a power converter coupled to the current source, the power converter including at least one power switching element operated at a switching waveform. The power converter is configured to generate a converted waveform based on the source current. The electrosurgical generator also includes a controller coupled to the power converter and configured to modulate the switching waveform and a snubber circuit coupled to the current source and the power converter. The snubber circuit is configured to return the voltage at the at least one power switching element to zero after the power converter generates at least a portion of the converted waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: ROBERT B. SMITH, STEVEN C. RUPP, DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS
  • Patent number: 9839470
    Abstract: A system for minimizing neuromuscular stimulation includes a converter, an inverter, and a controller. The converter is configured to output a dc waveform and includes at least one first switching element operated at a first duty cycle. The inverter is coupled to the converter and includes at least one second switching element operated at a second duty cycle. The inverter is configured to invert the DC waveform to generate an electrosurgical pulse waveform. The controller is coupled to the converter and the inverter, and is configured to control the first duty cycle to adjust a magnitude of the electrosurgical pulse waveform and the second duty cycle to adjust at least one property of the electrosurgical pulse waveform to minimize neuromuscular stimulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: James A. Gilbert, Daniel A. Friedrichs
  • Publication number: 20170325872
    Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes: a power supply configured to output a direct current; an energy metering stage including at least one metering switching component operated by a metering switching waveform, the energy metering stage configured to generate a metered energy packet from the direct current; a power converter coupled to the energy metering stage, the power converter including at least one power switching element operated by a power switching waveform, the power converter configured to generate a radio frequency half cycle based on the metered energy packet; and a controller coupled to the power converter, the controller is configured to modulate the metering switching waveform and the power switching waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS, ROBERT B. SMITH, STEVEN C. RUPP
  • Publication number: 20170325837
    Abstract: A surgical system includes a surgical instrument and a cooling module. The cooling module includes a fluid reservoir retaining a conductive cooling fluid, a pump configured to pump the conductive cooling fluid along a flowpath, first and second electrodes disposed at first and second positions along the flowpath and configured to sense an electrical property of the conductive cooling fluid at the first and second positions, and a controller configured to determine an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the sensed electrical properties of the first and second electrodes. A method for cooling a surgical instrument includes detecting an electrical property of a conductive cooling fluid at first and second positions along a flowpath and determining an impedance of the conductive cooling fluid between the first and second positions based upon the detected electrical properties at the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: JAMES E. THOMPSON, ROBERT B. SMITH, DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS
  • Publication number: 20170325873
    Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes a power supply configured to output a DC waveform, a current or voltage source coupled to the power supply and a power converter coupled to the current or voltage source, the power converter including at least one power switching element and a power inductor having an inductance value during switching of the at least one power switching element. The electrosurgical generator further includes a zero voltage switching (ZVS) inducing circuit coupled to the power converter at a switching node, the ZVS inducing circuit including an inductor having an inductance which is greater than the inductance value of the power inductor of the at least one power switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: STEVEN C. RUPP, ROBERT B. SMITH, DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS
  • Publication number: 20170312005
    Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes: a power supply configured to output a DC waveform; an inverter coupled to the power supply, the inverter including a plurality of switching elements; and a controller coupled to the inverter and configured to generate a switching angle waveform including a plurality of switching pulses. The controller is further configured to at least one of select or calculate the plurality of switching pulses to activate the plurality of switching elements to generate a radio frequency waveform based on the DC waveform and to minimize harmonics of the radio frequency waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS, MARK A. JOHNSTON, DANIEL J. COSTINETT, BRADFORD C. TRENTO, CHONGWEN ZHAO
  • Publication number: 20170311974
    Abstract: A cartridge includes an electrical connection assembly, a first port, a second port, a pumping mechanism, a valve, and a fluid flow sensor. The electrical connection assembly is configured to electrically couple to an electrosurgical unit. The first port is configured to fluidly couple to a fluid source. The second port is configured to fluidly and electrically couple to a surgical instrument. The pumping mechanism is disposed between the first and second ports and is configured to draw fluid from the fluid source and pump the fluid to the surgical instrument. The valve is disposed between the first and second ports and is configured to selectively obstruct the flow of the fluid therethrough. The fluid flow sensor is disposed between the first and second ports and is configured to sense fluid flow therethrough. The fluid flow sensor is configured to electrically communicate with the electrosurgical unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventor: DANIEL A. FRIEDRICHS