Patents by Inventor Dean M. Acker

Dean M. Acker 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: 10391593
    Abstract: A plurality of individual medical devices is created that define a medical device family. Within the family of medical devices, each of the plurality of medical devices has at least one dimension that, within an acceptable tolerance, is substantially equal to the same dimension of another of the plurality of medical devices. Thus, for each medical device in the family, another, corresponding medical device has at least one substantially similar dimension. For example, a first medical device may have a first value for a dimension and a second medical device may have a second value for the same dimension that is equal to one of the sum of the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance or the difference between the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance. Thus, each of the plurality of medical devices varies from another of the plurality of medical devices by the acceptable tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam H. Sanford, Dean M. Acker, Jeffrey D. Brown, Brian D. Earl, John E. Pendleton
  • Patent number: 9802281
    Abstract: A plurality of individual medical devices is created that define a medical device family. Within the family of medical devices, each of the plurality of medical devices has at least one dimension that, within an acceptable tolerance, is substantially equal to the same dimension of another of the plurality of medical devices. Thus, for each medical device in the family, another, corresponding medical device has at least one substantially similar dimension. For example, a first medical device may have a first value for a dimension and a second medical device may have a second value for the same dimension that is equal to one of the sum of the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance or the difference between the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance. Thus, each of the plurality of medical devices varies from another of the plurality of medical devices by the acceptable tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam H. Sanford, Dean M. Acker, Jeffrey D. Brown, Brian D. Earl, John E. Pendleton
  • Publication number: 20170252879
    Abstract: A plurality of individual medical devices is created that define a medical device family. Within the family of medical devices, each of the plurality of medical devices has at least one dimension that, within an acceptable tolerance, is substantially equal to the same dimension of another of the plurality of medical devices. Thus, for each medical device in the family, another, corresponding medical device has at least one substantially similar dimension. For example, a first medical device may have a first value for a dimension and a second medical device may have a second value for the same dimension that is equal to one of the sum of the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance or the difference between the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance. Thus, each of the plurality of medical devices varies from another of the plurality of medical devices by the acceptable tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Adam H. Sanford, Dean M. Acker, Jeffrey D. Brown, Brian D. Earl, John E. Pendleton
  • Patent number: 9707316
    Abstract: Polymer compositions having one or more antioxidants providing high crosslink density and improved oxidation resistance to the polymer composition and methods for making same. Such polymer compositions can be used to make orthopedic implants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian H. Thomas, Dean M. Acker, Ray Gsell, Norman Stark
  • Publication number: 20160250381
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to polymer compositions having one or more antioxidants providing high crosslink density and improved oxidation resistance to the polymer composition and methods for making same. Such polymer compositions can be advantageously used to make orthopedic implants. The disclosure also provides methods for selecting antioxidants providing desirable properties to the polymer composition. In one embodiment, a measure of OIT can be used to select the antioxidant and antioxidant blend. In another embodiment, measurements of OIT and OI-rate can be used to select the one or more antioxidants. In another embodiment, the product of OIT and crosslink density can be calculated to predict wear resistance and oxidation resistance of a polymer composition including one or more antioxidants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Brian H. Thomas, Dean M. Acker, Ray Gsell, Norman Stark
  • Patent number: 9370602
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to polymer compositions having one or more antioxidants providing high crosslink density and improved oxidation resistance to the polymer composition and methods for making same. Such polymer compositions can be advantageously used to make orthopedic implants. The disclosure also provides methods for selecting antioxidants providing desirable properties to the polymer composition. In one embodiment, a measure of OIT can be used to select the antioxidant and antioxidant blend. In another embodiment, measurements of OIT and OI-rate can be used to select the one or more antioxidants. In an other embodiment, the product of OIT and crosslink density can be calculated to predict wear resistance and oxidation resistance of a polymer composition including one or more antioxidants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian H. Thomas, Dean M. Acker, Ray Gsell, Norman Stark
  • Publication number: 20150257888
    Abstract: Prosthetic hip stems for use in prosthetic hip joints and, in particular, provides prosthetic hip stems that are designed to achieve more optimized outcomes with certain types of patient anatomy, such as the anatomy of female patients and/or patients having osteoporosis. Each hip stem in a family or set of hip stems has diaphyseal width, metaphyseal width, offset, and head height dimensions. In a set of hip stems of increasing nominal size, the diaphyseal width dimension increases substantially non-proportionally to the corresponding increase of the metaphyseal width, offset, and head height dimensions, thereby providing a family or set of hip stems that is particularly adapted for patients having osteoporosis, in which the cortical bone of the diaphysis of the femur becomes thinner with progression of the osteoporosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Dean M. Acker, Stephen H. Hoag, Danielle L. Whitlock, Wayne Paprosky
  • Publication number: 20140331481
    Abstract: A plurality of individual medical devices is created that define a medical device family. Within the family of medical devices, each of the plurality of medical devices has at least one dimension that, within an acceptable tolerance, is substantially equal to the same dimension of another of the plurality of medical devices. Thus, for each medical device in the family, another, corresponding medical device has at least one substantially similar dimension. For example, a first medical device may have a first value for a dimension and a second medical device may have a second value for the same dimension that is equal to one of the sum of the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance or the difference between the second dimension and the acceptable tolerance. Thus, each of the plurality of medical devices varies from another of the plurality of medical devices by the acceptable tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Adam H. Sanford, Dean M. Acker, Jeffrey D. Brown, Brian D. Earl, John E. Pendleton
  • Publication number: 20140147814
    Abstract: A flexible containment device can comprise a textile material including at least one of a woven material, a braided material, a knit material, a felt material, and an electrospun material, wherein the textile material includes a plurality of biocompatible strengthening fibers configured to engage a bone graft material and configured to remain in a patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Collins, Sarah Zimmerman, Donald L. Yakimicki, Daniel P. Murphy, Dean M. Acker
  • Publication number: 20140005293
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to polymer compositions having one or more antioxidants providing high crosslink density and improved oxidation resistance to the polymer composition and methods for making same. Such polymer compositions can be advantageously used to make orthopedic implants. The disclosure also provides methods for selecting antioxidants providing desirable properties to the polymer composition. In one embodiment, a measure of OIT can be used to select the antioxidant and antioxidant blend. In another embodiment, measurements of OIT and OI-rate can be used to select the one or more antioxidants. In an other embodiment, the product of OIT and crosslink density can be calculated to predict wear resistance and oxidation resistance of a polymer composition including one or more antioxidants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian H. Thomas, Dean M. Acker, Ray Gsell, Norman Stark
  • Patent number: 8613938
    Abstract: A bone void filler composition is described containing an acidic mineral component that contains a calcium source and a phosphate source or a lower alkyl carboxylate source; an osteoinductive component that contains demineralized bone; and a three-dimensional, osteoconductive biologically acceptable carrier component that contains a collagenous material. The bone void filler composition may be in the form of a sponge or in the form of a paste or putty used to form a sponge or is obtained from particulated sponge, or that forms after a sponge is rehydrated. A pre-mixed bone void filler composition is described containing the acidic mineral component or the lower alkyl carboxylate source; the osteoinductive component; and a biologically acceptable carrier component that contains a liquid carrier. Methods of making and using the compositions are also described. The ratio of demineralized bone component to acidic mineral component may range from about 0.5:1 to about 80:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Zimmer Orthobiologics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rama Akella, Ian Ross Garrett, Hai Bo Wen, Shuliang Li, Dean M. Acker, Nichole Wilhelm
  • Publication number: 20120121660
    Abstract: A bone void filler composition is described containing an acidic mineral component that contains a calcium source and a phosphate source or a lower alkyl carboxylate source; an osteoinductive component that contains demineralized bone; and a three-dimensional, osteoconductive biologically acceptable carrier component that contains a collagenous material. The bone void filler composition may be in the form of a sponge or in the form of a paste or putty used to form a sponge or is obtained from particulated sponge, or that forms after a sponge is rehydrated. A pre-mixed bone void filler composition is described containing the acidic mineral component or the lower alkyl carboxylate source; the osteoinductive component; and a biologically acceptable carrier component that contains a liquid carrier. Methods of making and using the compositions are also described. The ratio of demineralized bone component to acidic mineral component may range from about 0.5:1 to about 80:1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Zimmer Orthobiologics, Inc.
    Inventors: Rama Akella, Ian Ross Garrett, Hai Bo Wen, Shuliang Li, Dean M. Acker, Nichole Wilhelm