Patents by Inventor David A. Paulk

David A. Paulk 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).

  • Tumor ablation needle with independently activated and independently traversing tines
    Patent number: 7025767
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for utilizing energy, such as radio frequency (RF) energy, to treat defined areas of tissue and more particularly to ablate tumors with RF energy through the use of a needle having a spreading array of individually traversing conductive tines which are independently positioned and activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean A. Schaefer, David Paulk, John Sherry
  • Intravascular catheter with axial member
    Patent number: 6942654
    Abstract: An intravascular catheter having a shaft, at least a portion of which includes a braid reinforcement with an axial wire or fiber disposed between the helical members that form the braid. The axial member prevents the elongation of the shaft of the catheter thereby maintaining one-to-one correspondence in axial manipulation of the catheter, even when the shaft is placed in tension. By positioning the axial member between the helical members, the axial member does not create a protrusion and does not become fixed to any adjacent polymer layer. Thus, the axial member limits axial strain of the catheter, without creating the undesirable effects of friction caused by an axial protrusion and without creating the undesirable effects of limited flexure caused by an adjacent polymer layer becoming fixed to the axial member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean A. Schaefer, David Paulk, Steven M. Anderson
  • Intravascular catheter with multiple axial fibers
    Publication number: 20040162543
    Abstract: An intravascular catheter having a shaft, at least a portion of which includes a braid reinforcement with a plurality of axial members disposed between the helical members that form the braid. The axial members provide a number of advantages including: maintaining one-to-one correspondence in axial manipulation; maintaining uniform flexibility in several planes of flexure; reducing the likelihood of causing a curling effect; increasing the strength of connections between shaft segments; uniformly increasing stiffness of the catheter; and increasing the burst strength of the catheter. By positioning the axial members between the helical members, the axial members do not create a protrusion and do not become fixed to any adjacent polymer layer. Thus, the benefits of axial members are retained, without creating the undesirable effects of friction caused by an axial protrusion and without creating the undesirable effects of limited flexure caused by an adjacent polymer layer becoming fixed to the axial member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean A. Schaefer, David Paulk, Steven M. Anderson
  • Tumor ablation needle with independently activated and independently traversing tines
    Publication number: 20040133196
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for utilizing energy, such as radio frequency (RF) energy, to treat defined areas of tissue and more particularly to ablate tumors with RF energy through the use of a needle having a spreading array of individually traversing conductive tines which are independently positioned and activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean A. Schaefer, David Paulk, John Sherry
  • Intravascular catheter with multiple axial fibers
    Patent number: 6709429
    Abstract: An intravascular catheter having a shaft, at least a portion of which includes a braid reinforcement with a plurality of axial members disposed between the helical members that form the braid. The axial members provide a number of advantages including: maintaining one-to-one correspondence in axial manipulation; maintaining uniform flexibility in several planes of flexure; reducing the likelihood of causing a curling effect; increasing the strength of connections between shaft segments; uniformly increasing stiffness of the catheter; and increasing the burst strength of the catheter. By positioning the axial members between the helical members, the axial members do not create a protrusion and do not become fixed to any adjacent polymer layer. Thus, the benefits of axial members are retained, without creating the undesirable effects of friction caused by an axial protrusion and without creating the undesirable effects of limited flexure caused by an adjacent polymer layer becoming fixed to the axial member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean A. Schaefer, David Paulk, Steven M. Anderson
  • Tumor ablation needle with independently activated and independently traversing tines
    Patent number: 6638277
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for utilizing energy, such as radio frequency (RF) energy, to treat defined areas of tissue and more particularly to ablate tumors with RF energy through the use of a needle having a spreading array of individually traversing conductive tines which are independently positioned and activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean A. Schaefer, David Paulk, John Sherry
  • Tumor ablation needle with independently activated and independently traversing tines
    Publication number: 20020072742
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for utilizing energy, such as radio frequency (RF) energy, to treat defined areas of tissue and more particularly to ablate tumors with RF energy through the use of a needle having a spreading array of individually traversing conductive tines which are independently positioned and activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Dean A. Schaefer, David Paulk, John Sherry