Patents by Inventor Dean Kamen
Dean Kamen 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).
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Publication number: 20250114537Abstract: An infusion pump system is disclosed. The infusion pump system includes an infusion pump and a controller device in wireless communication with the infusion pump, wherein the controller including instructions for controlling the infusion pump, wherein the instructions May be synchronized with a secure web portal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2024Publication date: April 10, 2025Inventors: Dean KAMEN, John M. KERWIN, David BLUMBERG, JR., Kevin A. DURAND, Gregory R. LANIER, JR., Gerald M. GUAY, Colin H. MURPHY, Bob D. PERET
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Patent number: 12268841Abstract: A fluid connector assembly. The fluid connector assembly includes a tab portion including a slot; a plug portion slidably connected to the tab portion the plug portion comprising a fluid path and a disc, the disc configured to seat within the slot; a catch feature located on a first end of the tab portion and configured to interact with a reservoir; and a latching feature located on a second end of the tab portion, the latching feature configured to interact and lock onto the reservoir, wherein force applied to the plug portion may overcome a threshold force and unseat the disc from the slot wherein the plug portion moves with respect to the tab portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2022Date of Patent: April 8, 2025Assignee: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIPInventors: Kevin L. Grant, Jason A. Demers, Brian D. Tracey, Dean Kamen, Richard J. Lanigan, Gregory R. Lanier, Jr., Bright C. K. Foo, Lisa A. Panneton, Thomas F. Soldau, Stephen L. Fichera, David D. B. Cannan
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Publication number: 20250102109Abstract: A clamp apparatus is disclosed that includes a body, first and second actuators, first, second, third and fourth gear sets, first and second movable grippers, and at least one leaf spring. The first gear set is coupled to the first actuator and the second gear set is coupled to the second actuator. The first gear set engages the second gear set. The first and second movable grippers are each operatively coupled to the body. The third gear set is coupled to the first movable gripper and the fourth gear set is coupled to the second movable gripper. The third gear set operatively engages the fourth gear set. The leaf spring engages with the third gear set and the fourth gear set to urge the first movable gripper and the second movable gripper toward a clamped position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2024Publication date: March 27, 2025Inventors: Jeffrey M. Janway, Larry B. Gray, Matthew Richard Gill, Richard J. Lanigan, Thomas A. Friedrich, Stephen L. Fichera, John M. Kerwin, Erik N. Sabin, Dean Kamen
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Patent number: 12258988Abstract: A protective mechanism for use when gripping a medical device to a rack is provided. A related system and method are also provided. The protective mechanism includes a connector, an actuation member configured to have a first end portion and a second end portion. The cover member is configured to interact with the actuation member so as to pivot to uncover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a first direction and to pivot to cover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a second direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2023Date of Patent: March 25, 2025Assignee: DEKA Products Limited ParternshipInventors: Dean Kamen, Stephen L. Fichera, Larry B. Gray, Thomas A. Friedrich, Erik N. Sabin, Richard J. Lanigan
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Publication number: 20250082843Abstract: A repeater system may control a pump by using a repeater and a user interface. An adhesive patch system may be used for affixing a pump or other object to a human body. Such an adhesive patch system may include two sets of adhesive members, each member including an adhesive material on at least one side so as to attach to the body. The members of the first set are spaced to allow the members of the second set to attach to the body in spaces provided between the members of the first set, and the members of the second set are spaced to allow members of the first set to detach from the body 10 without detaching the members of the second set. Also, fill stations and base stations are provided for personal pump systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2024Publication date: March 13, 2025Inventors: Dean KAMEN, Larry B. GRAY, Eric YEATON
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Publication number: 20250087331Abstract: A medical device is disclosed. The medical device includes an RFID reader for receiving information from at least one RFID transponder. The medical device also includes a memory for storing a database and at least one processor for processing information. Also, a remote controller for a medical device is disclosed. The remote controller includes an information receiver for receiving information related to food. The infusion device also includes a memory for storing a database and at least one processor for processing information. A method for use in a medical device is also disclosed. The method includes receiving information from an RFID transponder related to food. Also, the processing the information by comparing the information to a database is included in the method. The method also includes determining the acceptability of the food and providing information related to acceptability to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2024Publication date: March 13, 2025Inventor: Dean KAMEN
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Publication number: 20250067230Abstract: A Stirling cycle machine with a liquid fuel/gaseous fuel burner. The burner may include a preheater to capture the thermal energy of the exhaust. The burner directs the preheated air to each burner head, where it enters a prechamber. Each burner head includes a fuel nozzle that directs liquid or gaseous fuel into the prechamber. The prechamber is fluidically connected to a combustion chamber via a prechamber nozzle that has a smaller opening than the prechamber. The burner head ignites the fuel air mixture in the prechamber with an ignitor located above or within the prechamber. The flame is initially lit as a diffusion flame in the prechamber. The flame is pushed out of the prechamber into the combustion chamber by an increased air flow rate. The liquid fuel from the nozzle now evaporates in the prechamber and forms a prevaporized flame in the combustion chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2024Publication date: February 27, 2025Inventors: Dean KAMEN, Christopher C. LANGENFELD, Prashant BHAT, Stanley B. SMITH, III
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Patent number: 12233233Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for regulating fluid flow are disclosed. The apparatus includes a flow rate sensor and a valve. The flow rate sensor uses images to estimate flow through a drip chamber and then controls the valve based on the estimated flow rate. The valve comprises a rigid housing disposed around the tube in which fluid flow is being controlled. Increasing the pressure in the housing controls the size of the lumen within the tube by deforming the tube, therefore controlling flow through the tube.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Bob D. Peret, Brian H. Yoo, Derek G. Kane, Dean Kamen, Colin H. Murphy, John M. Kerwin
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Patent number: 12233235Abstract: A patch-sized fluid delivery device may include a reusable portion and a disposable portion. The disposable portion may include components that come into contact with the fluid, while the reusable portion may include only components that do not come into contact with the fluid. Redundant systems, such as redundant controllers, power sources, motor actuators, and alarms, may be provided. Alternatively or additionally, certain components can be multi-functional, such a microphones and loudspeakers that may be used for both acoustic volume sensing and for other functions and a coil that may be used as both an inductive coupler for a battery recharger and an antenna for a wireless transceiver. Various types of network interfaces may be provided in order to allow for remote control and monitoring of the device.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2020Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean Kamen, Larry B. Gray
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Patent number: 12233236Abstract: A repeater system may control a pump by using a repeater and a user interface. An adhesive patch system may be used for affixing a pump or other object to a human body. Such an adhesive patch system may include two sets of adhesive members, each member including an adhesive material on at least one side so as to attach to the body. The members of the first set are spaced to allow the members of the second set to attach to the body in spaces provided between the members of the first set, and the members of the second set are spaced to allow members of the first set to detach from the body without detaching the members of the second set. Also, fill stations and base stations are provided for personal pump systems.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2021Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean Kamen, Larry B. Gray, Russell H. Beavis, Richard J. Lanigan, Brian D. Tracey
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Patent number: 12221364Abstract: A system for producing and packaging fluid may comprise a water distillation device. The system may further comprise a mixing circuit coupled to an output of the water distillation device and including a source of concentrate. The mixing circuit may include a plurality of flow controllers configured to adjust the flow of fluid through the mixing circuit so as to generate a preset fluid. The system may further comprise an enclosure including an antechamber and a packaging compartment. The system may further comprise a reservoir dispenser in the packaging compartment having a feed plate and a housing block. The reservoir dispenser may include a bias member which urges the feed plate toward the housing block. The system may further comprise a filling station in the packaging compartment including a filling nozzle coupled to the mixing circuit. The system may further comprise a sealing station in the packaging compartment having a ram and a sealing member dispenser.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: February 11, 2025Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean Kamen, Hans Erik Johnson, Thaddeus Joseph Hughes, Michael J. Haynes, Margaret Bayne Bradley, Robert Houston Lawler, Jr., Gregory Hurley, Keller Waldron, Jeremy Shane Dube
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Publication number: 20250046445Abstract: A syringe pump includes a lead screw, a motor, and a sliding block assembly. The lead screw has threads and the motor is coupled to the lead screw to rotate it. The half-nut housing has a half nut and a barrel cam. The half nut is disposed within the half-nut housing. The half nut has half-nut threads at an end adjacent to the lead screw void. The half nut engages or disengages with the threads of the lead screw. The half nut includes a half-nut cam-follower surface and a half nut slot. The barrel cam is disposed within the half-nut housing and engages with the half-nut cam-follower surface. The barrel cam includes a pin to fit within the half nut slot such that the barrel cam rotates between a first position and a second position to actuate the half nut between the engagement position and the disengagement position, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2024Publication date: February 6, 2025Inventors: Dean Kamen, Larry B. Gray, Jesse T. Bodwell, John M. Kerwin, Dirk van der Merwe, Stephen L. Fichera, Jonathan R. Thurber, Martin D. Desch
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Publication number: 20250037833Abstract: A peristaltic pump is disclosed that includes a plunger, a spring, an actuator, a position sensor, and a processor. The plunger actuates toward and away from a tube. The spring biases the plunger toward the tube. The actuator actuates the plunger away from the tube and mechanically engages and disengages from the plunger. The position sensor senses a position of the plunger. The processor receives the sensed position of the plunger and estimates fluid flow within the tube using a first position of the plunger when the actuator is engaged with the plunger and a second position of the plunger when the actuator is disengaged from the plunger.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2024Publication date: January 30, 2025Inventors: Dean Kamen, John M. Kerwin, Colin H. Murphy, Christopher C. Langenfeld, Michael J. Slate, Michael S. Place, Larry B. Gray
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Publication number: 20250032701Abstract: Fill stations and base stations are provided for personal pump systems. The fill stations may be opened and closed to accept a reservoir and to allow fluid to be introduced into the reservoir for use with personal pump systems. The fill stations may hold the reservoir at a tilt relative to an underlying surface and may discourage overfilling of the reservoir. The filling stations may also include viewing windows having fluid lines marked thereon for indicating volume of fluid within the reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2024Publication date: January 30, 2025Inventors: Dean Kamen, Larry B. Gray, Russell H. Beavis
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Patent number: 12205701Abstract: A peristaltic pump includes a plunger-cam follower, a tube receiver, a spring-biased plunger, a spring, a position sensor, and a processor. The plunger-cam follower engages the plunger cam to follow the plunger cam and to disengage from the plunger cam. The spring-biased plunger is coupled to the plunger-cam follower and the spring biases the spring-biased plunger toward the tube receiver. The position sensor determines a position of the spring-biased plunger when the plunger-cam follower is disengaged from the plunger came. The processor estimates fluid flow utilizing at least the position of the spring-biased plunger as indicated by the position sensor when the plunger-cam follower is disengaged from the plunger cam and the spring biases the spring-biased plunger against the tube.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2023Date of Patent: January 21, 2025Assignee: DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIPInventors: Dean Kamen, John M. Kerwin, Colin H. Murphy, Christopher C. Langenfeld, Michael J. Slate, Michael S. Place, Larry B. Gray
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Patent number: 12205697Abstract: A pill dispenser is disclosed that includes a pill-dispensing mechanism, a receptacle, an identifying camera positioned to capture an image of an area adjacent to the pill dispenser, and a processor in operative communication with the pill-dispensing mechanism and the identifying camera.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2023Date of Patent: January 21, 2025Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean Kamen, James G. Turner, Erik N. Sabin, Gregg W. Rivinius, David E. Collins, Benjamin Zaslow, Jonathan Zobro, Alexander R. Therrien, Jared N. Farlow
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Patent number: 12196364Abstract: A clamp apparatus is disclosed that includes a body, first and second actuators, first, second, third and fourth gear sets, first and second movable grippers, and at least one leaf spring. The first gear set is coupled to the first actuator and the second gear set is coupled to the second actuator. The first gear set engages the second gear set. The first and second movable grippers are each operatively coupled to the body. The third gear set is coupled to the first movable gripper and the fourth gear set is coupled to the second movable gripper. The third gear set operatively engages the fourth gear set. The leaf spring engages with the third gear set and the fourth gear set to urge the first movable gripper and the second movable gripper toward a clamped position.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2023Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: DEKA Research Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Jeffrey M. Janway, Larry B. Gray, Matthew Richard Gill, Richard J. Lanigan, Thomas A. Friedrich, Stephen L. Fichera, John M. Kerwin, Erik N. Sabin, Dean Kamen
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Publication number: 20250012304Abstract: A protective mechanism for use when gripping a medical device to a rack is provided. A related system and method are also provided. The protective mechanism includes a guide member, a connector, an actuation member configured to have a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the actuation member is pivotally coupled to the guide member. The cover member is pivotally coupled to the guide member and is configured to interact with the actuation member so as to pivot to uncover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a first direction and to pivot to cover the connector when the actuation member pivots in a second direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2024Publication date: January 9, 2025Inventors: Dean Kamen, Stephen L. Fichera, Larry B. Gray, Thomas A. Friedrich, Erik N. Sabin, Richard J. Lanigan
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Publication number: 20250009946Abstract: A blood circuit assembly for a dialysis unit may include an organizing tray, a pair of pneumatic pumps mounted to the organizing tray for circulating blood received from a patient through a circuit including a dialyzer unit and returned to the patient, an air trap mounted to the organizing tray arranged to remove air from blood circulating in the circuit, a pair of dialyzer connections arranged to connect to the inlet and outlet of a dialyzer unit, and a pair of blood line connectors, one inlet blood line connector for receiving blood from the patient and providing blood to the pneumatic pumps and the other outlet blood line connector for returning blood to the patient.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2024Publication date: January 9, 2025Applicant: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Kevin L. Grant, James D. Dale, Michael J. Wilt, Jason A. Demers, David E. Collins, Brian D. Tracey, Dean Kamen
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Publication number: 20250014741Abstract: A method for adjusting a flow rate of a fluid line is disclosed that includes one or more acts of: capturing an image of a drip chamber using an image sensor; identifying a plurality of pixels of interest within the image; determining a subset of pixels within the plurality of pixels of interest, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels is determined to be within the subset of pixels when there is a path to a baseline corresponding to the drip chamber; performing a rotation operation on the subset of pixels; estimating a volume of the drop within the drip chamber by counting a number of pixels within the rotated subset of pixels; and/or adjusting a flow rate of fluid flowing through a fluid line.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2024Publication date: January 9, 2025Inventors: Derek G. Kane, Bob D. Peret, Colin H. Murphy, John M. Kerwin, Dean Kamen