Patents by Inventor David R. Seward

David R. Seward 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: 11857193
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for facilitating surgical anastomosis between bodily passages. In an illustrative embodiment, an eversion mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening of a receiving passage and further configured to leave a proximal portion of the opening of the receiving passage in a non-everted position. A donor support mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening at an end of a donor passage and further configured to leave a first proximal portion of the end of the donor passage in a non-everted position. The donor support mechanism is further configured to form a passage juncture at the end of the donor passage and the opening of the receiving passage. A suturing mechanism is configured to motivate a filament through a generally helical path around the passage juncture to suture the donor passage to the receiving passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, Clinton L Finger, David R. Seward
  • Publication number: 20220387039
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for driving a needle to facilitate suturing, such as may be performed in a surgical anastomosis procedure. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a frame. First and second rollers are rotatably mounted parallel with each other in the frame and are configured to engage therebetween a shaft of a needle formed in a helical shape. The first and second rollers are configured to counter-rotate. The needle is revolvable eccentrically around the first roller responsive to counter-rotation of the first and second rollers. A drive mechanism is secured to the frame and is configured to move the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Adam Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, David R. Seward, Chenhao Fu, Ilia Timonin, Blake Stancik, Amanda Kay Woodcock, David A. Desmarais, Donald C. Baumgarten, Paul T. Hinrichs, Thomas H. Ruscher
  • Patent number: 11439397
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for driving a needle to facilitate suturing, such as may be performed in a surgical anastomosis procedure. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a frame. First and second rollers are rotatably mounted parallel with each other in the frame and are configured to engage therebetween a shaft of a needle formed in a helical shape. The first and second rollers are configured to counter-rotate. The needle is revolvable eccentrically around the first roller responsive to counter-rotation of the first and second rollers. A drive mechanism is secured to the frame and is configured to move the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, David R. Seward, Chenhao Fu, Ilia Timonin, Blake R. Stancik, Amanda Kay Woodcock, David A. Desmarais, Donald C. Baumgarten, Paul T. Hinrichs, Thomas H. Ruscher
  • Publication number: 20210378673
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for facilitating surgical anastomosis between bodily passages. In an illustrative embodiment, an eversion mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening of a receiving passage and further configured to leave a proximal portion of the opening of the receiving passage in a non-everted position. A donor support mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening at an end of a donor passage and further configured to leave a first proximal portion of the end of the donor passage in a non-everted position. The donor support mechanism is further configured to form a passage juncture at the end of the donor passage and the opening of the receiving passage. A suturing mechanism is configured to motivate a filament through a generally helical path around the passage juncture to suture the donor passage to the receiving passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, Clinton L. Finger, David R. Seward
  • Patent number: 11116506
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for facilitating surgical anastomosis between bodily passages. In an illustrative embodiment, an eversion mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening of a receiving passage and further configured to leave a proximal portion of the opening of the receiving passage in a non-everted position. A donor support mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening at an end of a donor passage and further configured to leave a first proximal portion of the end of the donor passage in a non-everted position. The donor support mechanism is further configured to form a passage juncture at the end of the donor passage and the opening of the receiving passage. A suturing mechanism is configured to motivate a filament through a generally helical path around the passage juncture to suture the donor passage to the receiving passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, Clinton L. Finger, David R. Seward
  • Patent number: 11033271
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for facilitating surgical anastomosis. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a first connector configured to engage an opening of a donor passage. A second connector is configured to engage an opening in a receiving passage. A separator is configured to support the first connector and the second connector and to fix relative positions of the end of the donor passage to edges of the opening in a receiving passage across a gap. The separator is configured to maintain the gap between the first connector and the second connector while multiple loops of a suture are passed through the edge of the opening in the donor passage and the edges of the opening in the receiving passage. The first connector, the second connector, and the separator are further configured to be removed from between adjacent loops of the multiple loops of the suture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Gyrus ACMI, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, Clinton L. Finger, David R. Seward
  • Publication number: 20200305875
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for facilitating surgical anastomosis. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a first connector configured to engage an opening of a donor passage. A second connector is configured to engage an opening in a receiving passage. A separator is configured to support the first connector and the second connector and to fix relative positions of the end of the donor passage to edges of the opening in a receiving passage across a gap. The separator is configured to maintain the gap between the first connector and the second connector while multiple loops of a suture are passed through the edge of the opening in the donor passage and the edges of the opening in the receiving passage. The first connector, the second connector, and the separator are further configured to be removed from between adjacent loops of the multiple loops of the suture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Spiration, Inc., d/b/a Olympus Respiratory America
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, Clinton L. Finger, David R. Seward
  • Publication number: 20200305876
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for driving a needle to facilitate suturing, such as may be performed in a surgical anastomosis procedure. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a frame. First and second rollers are rotatably mounted parallel with each other in the frame and are configured to engage therebetween a shaft of a needle formed in a helical shape. The first and second rollers are configured to counter-rotate. The needle is revolvable eccentrically around the first roller responsive to counter-rotation of the first and second rollers. A drive mechanism is secured to the frame and is configured to move the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Spiration, Inc., d/b/a Olympus Respiratory America
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, David R. Seward, Chenhao Fu, Ilia Timonin, Blake R. Stancik, Amanda Kay Woodcock, David A. Desmarais, Donald C. Baumgarten, Paul T. Hinrichs, Thomas H. Ruscher
  • Publication number: 20190343527
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for facilitating surgical anastomosis between bodily passages. In an illustrative embodiment, an eversion mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening of a receiving passage and further configured to leave a proximal portion of the opening of the receiving passage in a non-everted position. A donor support mechanism is configured to partially evert a distal portion of an opening at an end of a donor passage and further configured to leave a first proximal portion of the end of the donor passage in a non-everted position. The donor support mechanism is further configured to form a passage juncture at the end of the donor passage and the opening of the receiving passage. A suturing mechanism is configured to motivate a filament through a generally helical path around the passage juncture to suture the donor passage to the receiving passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicant: Spiration, Inc., d/b/a Olympus Respiratory America
    Inventors: Adam Lee Smith, Clifton A. Alferness, Gina M. Muia-Longman, Clinton L. Finger, David R. Seward
  • Patent number: 6217306
    Abstract: A reversible double-throw air motor provides for forward and reverse operation by having a cylinder member rotate relative to a stationary valve plate between fixed forward and reverse positions of the cylinder member. The valve plate has diametrically opposite pressure ports and diametrically opposite exhaust ports at an end surface that faces the cylinder member. The cylinder member has a transfer passage associated with each quadrant of the inner surface, the transfer passages opening at wall ports at the inner surface close to each of the two bottom dead center lines. In the forward position of the cylinder, pressure is supplied from the pressure ports in the valve plate through two of the transfer passages to opposite quadrants while the other two quadrants are open to the exhaust ports in the valve plate. For reverse operation, the cylinder is rotated, which reverses the quadrants open to the pressure and exhaust paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: David R. Seward, Paul A. Biek
  • Patent number: 6082986
    Abstract: A reversible double-throw air motor provides for forward and reverse operation by having a cylinder member rotate relative to a stationary valve plate between fixed forward and reverse positions of the cylinder member. The valve plate has diametrically opposite pressure ports and diametrically opposite exhaust ports at an end surface that faces the cylinder member. The cylinder member has a transfer passage associated with each quadrant of the inner surface, the transfer passages opening at wall ports at the inner surface close to each of the two bottom dead center lines. In the forward position of the cylinder, pressure is supplied from the pressure ports in the valve plate through two of the transfer passages to opposite quadrants while the other two quadrants are open to the exhaust ports in the valve plate. For reverse operation, the cylinder is rotated, which reverses the quadrants open to the pressure and exhaust paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies
    Inventors: David R. Seward, Paul A. Biek