Patents by Inventor Earl J. Mills

Earl J. Mills 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).

  • Surgical staple for insertion into tissue
    Patent number: 5571285
    Abstract: A new method is shown whereby staples are closed to smaller heights so that virtually total hemostasis is possible. Also, the staple legs in alternate rows in the surgical stapler are made to interlock so that during closure, hemostasis is effected by the interlocking of the staple legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Hector Chow, Earl J. Mills, Federico Bilotti, Ronald J. Brinkerhoff, Martin Madden, Richard L. Grant
  • Surgical trocar
    Patent number: 5342382
    Abstract: A safety trocar is provided which includes a spring-loaded shield that shields the cutting tip of the obturator after the obturator penetrates tissue. The distal end of the shield is hemispheric in profile and contains slides within cutting tip. The rounded distal end enables the shield to spring forward to shield the cutting tip as soon as the tip perforates the tissue. In other embodiments, positive mechanical means effect shielding. Alternately, the obturator tip is retractable into the cannula or shield, by use of mechanical means such as a spring mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald J. Brinkerhoff, Earl J. Mills, Harry C. Parkhurst, Martin Madden
  • Trocar
    Patent number: 5261891
    Abstract: A safety trocar is provided which includes a spring-loaded shield that shields the cutting tip of the obturator after the obturator penetrates tissue. The distal end of the shield is hemispheric in profile and contains slides within cutting tip. The rounded distal end enables the shield to spring forward to shield the cutting tip as soon as the tip perforates the tissue. In other embodiments, positive mechanical means effect shielding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald J. Brinkerhoff, Earl J. Mills, Harry C. Parkhurst, Bela Vincze
  • Trocar
    Patent number: 5104382
    Abstract: A safety trocar is provided which includes a spring-loaded shield that shields the cutting tip of the obturator after the obturator penetrates tissue. The distal end of the shield is hemispheric in profile and contains slides within cutting tip. The rounded distal end enables the shield to spring forward to shield the cutting tip as soon as the tip perforates the tissue. In other embodiments, positive mechanical means effect shielding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald J. Brinkerhoff, Earl J. Mills, Harry C. Parkhurst, Bela Vincze
  • Ligator
    Patent number: 4534351
    Abstract: A disposable ligator for applying clamping clips to veins, arteries and blood vessels. The ligator comprises a first handle terminating at its forward end in a first jaw and a second jaw and a second handle, both pivotally mounted on the first handle near the forward end thereof. The handles are shiftable between open and closed positions and shift the jaws between open and closed clip-clamping positions. A clip tube containing a plurality of clips and a spring biased feeder shoe to constantly urge the clips forwardly therein is mounted in the first handle. A pusher is mounted in the first handle parallel to the clip tube in a pusher track which extends to the forward ends of the jaws. The pusher is shiftable by the first and second handles between a retracted position when the handles are closed and an extended position to locate a clip in the pusher track at the forward ends of the jaws when the handles are open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Assignee: Senmed, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Rothfuss, David K. Kuhl, Federico Bilotti, Hugh Melling, Earl J. Mills