Patents by Inventor Fred Gruhl

Fred Gruhl 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).

  • Steerable catheter having steering fins
    Patent number: 6925320
    Abstract: A lumen wall of a blood vessel, such as a coronary artery, is imaged by inserting a catheter into the vessel and emitting near-IR radiation toward the lumen wall through a side window formed in the catheter. Blood flowing through the vessel is caused to react with a fin arrangement formed on a body of the catheter to displace the window toward a region of the lumen wall opposing the window in order to minimize the amount of blood that is interposed between the window and the lumen wall. Thus, the amount of radiation that is scattered or absorbed by the blood is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Terumo Corporation
    Inventor: Fred Gruhl
  • Steerable infrared imaging catheter having steering fins
    Publication number: 20040082861
    Abstract: A lumen wall of a blood vessel, such as a coronary artery, is imaged by inserting a catheter into the vessel and emitting near-IR radiation toward the lumen wall through a side window formed in the catheter. Blood flowing through the vessel is caused to react with a fin arrangement formed on a body of the catheter to displace the window toward a region of the lumen wall opposing the window in order to minimize the amount of blood that is interposed between the window and the lumen wall. Thus, the amount of radiation that is scattered or absorbed by the blood is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: TERUMO CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fred Gruhl
  • Steerable infrared imaging catheter having steering fins
    Patent number: 6658278
    Abstract: A lumen wall of a blood vessel, such as a coronary artery, is imaged by inserting a catheter into the vessel and emitting near-IR radiation toward the lumen wall through a side window formed in the catheter. Blood flowing through the vessel is caused to react with a fin arrangement formed on a body of the catheter to displace the window toward a region of the lumen wall opposing the window in order to minimize the amount of blood that is interposed between the window and the lumen wall. Thus, the amount of radiation that is scattered or absorbed by the blood is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Terumo Cardiovascular Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Fred Gruhl
  • Infrared imaging catheter
    Publication number: 20030073909
    Abstract: A lumen wall of a blood vessel, such as a coronary artery, is imaged by inserting a catheter into the vessel and emitting near-IR radiation toward the lumen wall through a side window formed in the catheter. Blood flowing through the vessel is caused to react with a fin arrangement formed on a body of the catheter to displace the window toward a region of the lumen wall opposing the window in order to minimize the amount of blood that is interposed between the window and the lumen wall. Thus, the amount of radiation that is scattered or absorbed by the blood is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventor: Fred Gruhl