Patents by Inventor Frederick E. Shelton

Frederick E. Shelton 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).

  • Modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument with selective application of energy based on button displacement, intensity, or local tissue characterization
    Patent number: 12239360
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprises a controller configured to control application of RF or ultrasonic energy at a low level when displacement or intensity of a button is above a first threshold but below a second threshold higher than the first threshold, and control application of RF or ultrasonic energy at a high level when the displacement or intensity exceeds the second threshold. In another aspect, a surgical instrument comprises a first sensor configured to measure a tissue characteristic at a first location, a second sensor configured to measure the tissue characteristic at a second location, and a controller configured to, based at least in part on the measured tissue characteristic at the first location and the second location, control application of RF or ultrasonic energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Kevin L. Houser, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Jason L. Harris
  • Systems for detecting proximity of surgical end effector to cancerous tissue
    Patent number: 12232729
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an end effector having a first jaw, a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw to grasp tissue therebetween, an anvil, a staple cartridge comprising staples deployable into the tissue, wherein the staples are deformable by the anvil, and a sensor configured to provide a sensor signal according to a physiological parameter of the tissue. The surgical instrument further includes a control circuit coupled to the sensor, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive the sensor signal, and assess proximity of the sensor to cancerous tissue based on the sensor signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Chad E. Eckert
  • Surgical instrument with multiple program responses during a firing motion
    Patent number: 12232726
    Abstract: A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes an elongated channel configured to support a staple cartridge, an anvil pivotably connected to the elongated channel, a knife mechanically coupled to the staple cartridge, an electric motor and a control circuit electrically connected to the electric motor. The control circuit is configured to change a firing motion of the surgical instrument based on a combination of events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH Intemational
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Michael J. Vendely, Charles J. Scheib
  • Method of using multiple RFID chips with a surgical assembly
    Patent number: 12232735
    Abstract: A method of operating a surgical assembly is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first input from a first RFID scanner indicative of a first information stored in a first RFID chip of a first modular component of the surgical assembly, receiving a second input from a second RFID scanner indicative of a second information stored in a second RFID chip of a second modular component of the surgical assembly, determining an operational parameter of a motor of the surgical assembly based on the first input and the second input, and causing the motor to effect a tissue treatment motion of the first modular component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Shane R. Adams, Kevin M. Fiebig
  • Electrosurgical techniques for sealing, short circuit detection, and system determination of power level
    Patent number: 12232796
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of detecting a short circuit in the jaws of an end effector of a surgical instrument. The method includes applying a sub-therapeutic electrical signal to an electrode located in the jaws of the end effector. The sub-therapeutic electrical signal comprises a sequence of exploratory waveforms comprising pulsed current and voltage waveforms. The method includes detecting a shorted electrode when a measured electrical parameter in the jaws of the end effector is less than a predetermined value and modifying electrical current applied to the shorted electrode by the RF generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Shane R. Adams, Daniel V. Boguszewski, Nicholas J. Ross, Marc A. Molnar, Matthew D. Cowperthwait
  • Systems and methods for controlling a segmented circuit
    Patent number: 12232723
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a surgical instrument. The method includes connecting a power assembly to a control circuit, wherein the power assembly is configured to provide a source voltage, energizing, by the power assembly, a voltage boost convertor circuit configured to provide a set voltage greater than the source voltage, and energizing, by the voltage boost convertor, one or more voltage convertors configured to provide one or more operating voltages to one or more circuit components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Richard L. Leimbach, Shane R. Adams, Mark D. Overmyer, Brett E. Swensgard, Thomas W. Lytle, IV, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Kevin L. Houser
  • Method of surgical stapling with end effector component having a curved tip
    Patent number: 12232728
    Abstract: A method of surgical stapling that uses a surgical instrument operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector with a pair of jaws. A placement tip extends distally from one of the jaws of the end effector. The method includes positioning the end effector at a desired site for surgical stapling. The method also includes controlling one or more of the jaws of the end effector to place the end effector in an open position. The method also includes positioning the end effector such that tissue is located between the jaws. The method also includes clamping the tissue between the jaws by moving at least one of the jaws toward the other jaw. The method also includes advancing a firing beam of the apparatus from a proximal position to a distal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, Gregory J. Bakos, Chester O. Baxter, III, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Hilary A. Reinhardt, Christopher J. Hess, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Daniel L. Baber
  • Surgical stapler with sloped staple deck for varying tissue compression
    Patent number: 12232725
    Abstract: A cartridge for use with a surgical instrument includes a curved body and a deck defined by the curved body and configured to clamp tissue against an anvil. A plurality of staple openings is formed in the deck and is configured to house a plurality of staples. An arcuate slot is formed in the deck and is configured to slidably receive a cutting member therethrough. The deck includes a sloped deck portion that slopes away from the arcuate slot in a direction transverse to a length of the arcuate slot. The sloped deck portion is configured to provide varied compression of tissue across a width of the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Ryan P. Posey, Nicholas D. Courtwright, Stephen D. Geresy, Kevin D. Sackett, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Surgical instruments with sled location detection and adjustment features
    Patent number: 12232724
    Abstract: A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The loading unit comprises a shaft and an end effector extending from the shaft. The end effector comprises a first jaw that comprising an anvil, and a second jaw. At least one of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable relative to the other to grasp tissue. The second jaw comprises an elongated channel comprising retaining features, and a staple cartridge insertable into the elongated channel for assembly therewith. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge pan, and a sled translatable relative to the cartridge pan from a first position toward a second position. The retaining features are configured to resist a movement by the sled beyond the first position up to a predetermined force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Kevin M. Fiebig, Nina Mastroianni, Timothy P. O. Moses, Jr., Diana M. Harbach, Nicholas M. Morgan, Austin J. Bridges, Ravi C. Patel, Gregory G. Scott, Jeffrey D. Bruns
  • Surgical instrument with a sensing array
    Patent number: 12226166
    Abstract: A surgical instrument is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a shaft, a sensing array and a fluid detection circuit. The sensing array is positioned within the shaft. The fluid detection circuit is electrically coupled to the sensing array, and is configured to determine when a fluid originating from an environment external to the shaft is present within the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Michael J. Vendely, Jason L. Harris, Gregory J. Bakos
  • System comprising control circuit to determine a property of a fluid at a surgical site
    Patent number: 12226070
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for contextually controlling a surgical device is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a computer system, perioperative data from the surgical device, the perioperative data associated with a surgical procedure; receiving, by the computer system, images from a scope, the images visualizing the surgical device during the surgical procedure; determining, by the computer system, an attribute of the surgical device from the images; determining, by the computer system, procedural context data based at least on the perioperative data and the attribute of the surgical device; and controlling, by the computer system, the surgical device according to the procedural context data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, David C Yates
  • Capacitive coupled return path pad with separable array elements
    Patent number: 12226151
    Abstract: A return pad of an electrosurgical system is disclosed. The return pad includes a plurality of conductive members and a plurality of sensing devices. The conductive members are configured to receive radio frequency current applied to a patient. The sensing devices are configured to detect at least one of the following: a nerve control signal applied to the patient; and a movement of an anatomical feature of the patient resulting from application of the nerve control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Cameron R. Nott, Tamara S. Widenhouse, Jason L. Harris
  • Method of deforming staples from two different types of staple cartridges with the same surgical stapling instrument
    Patent number: 12226100
    Abstract: Methods for providing and using a surgical instrument system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Gregory J. Bakos
  • CLOSED LOOP CONTROL OF MOTOR VELOCITY OF A SURGICAL STAPLER
    Publication number: 20250049446
    Abstract: A surgical stapler is presented which includes an end effector, a firing drive electric motor, and a control circuit. The motor is configured to translate a firing bar to deploy staples from the end effector during a staple firing stroke. The control circuit is configured to provide a pulse width modulated (PWM) electrical signal to the firing drive electric motor, compare an actual velocity of the firing bar to a directed velocity, and adjust a duty cycle of the PWM electrical signal based at least in part on the comparison. The control circuit can adjust the duty cycle based on one or more of a short term error (S), cumulative error (C), change error (R), a number of overshoots (N) calculated based on the comparison of the actual velocity to the directed velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: RAYMOND E. PARFETT, SHANE R. ADAMS, FREDERICK E. SHELTON, IV, JASON L. HARRIS
  • METHOD OF SUTURING A TROCAR PATH INCISION
    Publication number: 20250049467
    Abstract: A method of suturing a trocar path incision in a tissue of a patient with an obturator includes inserting the obturator through the tissue such that a shaft of the obturator extends through a tissue opening about the trocar path incision and a distal tip of the obturator is positioned within a cavity of the patient. The method also includes directing the suture via a suturing feature with the obturator inserted through the tissue in order to direct the suture relative to the tissue. Furthermore, the method includes closing the tissue opening about the trocar path incision with the suture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Gregory J. Bakos, Layne D. Christopher, Rebecca J. Gettinger, Jason L. Harris, Christopher J. Hess, Zhifan F. Huang, John V. Hunt, Michael A. Jacobs, Anil R. Jadhav, John A. Jast, Nichole Y. Kwee, Kevin A. Larson, James G. Lee, David T. Martin, Jerome R. Morgan, Michael A. Murray, Shailendra K. Parihar, Sol Posada, Devanathan Raghavan, Brian D. Schings, Patrick M. Schleitweiler, Nicholas Seipelt, Melinda Tellmann, Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse
  • METHOD OF USING IMAGING DEVICES IN SURGERY
    Publication number: 20250049293
    Abstract: A method for generating and updating a three-dimensional representation of a surgical site based on imaging data from an imaging system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of generating a first image of the surgical site based on structured electromagnetic radiation emitted from the imaging system, receiving a second image of the surgical site, aligning the first image and the second image, generating a three-dimensional representation of the surgical site based on the first image and the second image as aligned, displaying the three-dimensional representation on a display screen, receiving a user selection to manipulate the three-dimensional representation, and updating the three-dimensional representation as displayed on the display screen from a first state to a second state according to the received user selection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Andrew C. Deck, Jason L. Harris, Chad E. Eckert, Daniel J. Mumaw, Kevin M. Fiebig, Sarah A. Worthington
  • Apparatus and method to determine end of life of battery powered surgical instrument
    Patent number: 12220117
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, a power source coupled with the handle assembly, and a control circuit coupled with the handle assembly and the power source. The handle assembly, the power source, and the control circuit are configured to drive an end effector of a shaft assembly coupled with the handle assembly to perform an operation on tissue. The control circuit is configured to receive life deduction event data. The control circuit is configured to determine an end of life for the power source based on the life deduction event data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Jason L. Harris, Michael J. Vendely
  • Compressible knitted adjuncts with varying interconnections
    Patent number: 12220127
    Abstract: Stapling assemblies for use with a surgical stapler are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a stapling assembly can include a cartridge and a knitted adjunct that is configured to be releasably retained on the cartridge. The adjunct can include at least one knitted layer formed of first fibers and at least one core layer formed of second fibers that are interconnected with the first fibers to form a plurality of interconnections, in which one of the plurality of interconnections differs from at least another one of the plurality of interconnections to provide a variable compression strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, Michael J. Vendely, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • METHOD OF HUB COMMUNICATION WITH SURGICAL INSTRUMENT SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20250040999
    Abstract: A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of gathering data during surgical procedures, wherein the surgical procedures include the use of a surgical instrument, analyzing the gathered data to determine an appropriate operational adjustment of the surgical instrument, and adjusting the operation of the surgical instrument to improve the operation of the surgical instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2024
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris
  • DISPLAY ARRANGEMENTS FOR ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGICAL PLATFORMS
    Publication number: 20250041000
    Abstract: Various surgical systems are disclosed. A surgical system comprises a robotic tool, a robot control system, a surgical instrument, and a surgical hub. The robot control system comprises a control console and a control unit in signal communication with the control console and the robotic tool. The surgical hub comprises a display. The surgical hub is in signal communication with the robot control system. The surgical hub is configured to detect the surgical instrument and represent the surgical instrument on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2024
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Jason L. Harris