Patents by Inventor Franklin D. Wilson

Franklin D. Wilson 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: 5792084
    Abstract: A knee brace is provided that is mountable over the knee joint of a user. The brace has a compliant sleeve and a compliant cover overlying an anterior portion of the sleeve. The sleeve and cover preferably have corresponding anterior openings aligned to receive the patella when the brace is mounted over the knee joint. The sleeve and cover are joined around the perimeter of the cover to form a pocket therebetween enclosing an inflatable pad having a medial chamber and a lateral chamber in fluid isolation from each other. The chambers are provided with associated pumps and valves, rendering them selectively inflatable or deflatable. In operation, the brace is positioned over the knee joint such that the pad circumscribes a portion of the patella and one or both of the chambers are inflated as desired to stabilize the patella.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Smith & Nephew, Inc.
    Inventors: Franklin D. Wilson, Charles A. Bastyr, Richard E. Gildersleeve, James M. Verespej
  • Patent number: 5437675
    Abstract: A bone punch for altering the cross-section of a tunnel formed in a bone, the punch having a punch body with a distal region, a proximal region, and a plurality of planar guide faces extending between the distal and proximal regions to define a polygon in cross-section. The distal region terminates in a narrowed leading end to facilitate entry into the pre-drilled tunnel. A shaft is connected to the proximal region to transmit a force to drive the punch body into the bone tunnel to alter the cross-section shape of the bone tunnel to match the polygonal cross-section of the punch body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Inventor: Franklin D. Wilson