Patents by Inventor Fredrick J. Kim

Fredrick J. Kim 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).

  • Publication number: 20220032007
    Abstract: Catheters with deployable instruments (e.g., needles) can damage tissue if the instrument unintentionally deploys during use. Described herein are devices and methods for controlling the position of a deployable catheter instrument. In one embodiment, a catheter can include an instrument slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the catheter and coupled to at least one protrusion, as well as a retraction stop coupled to the catheter. The catheter can further include a biasing element coupled to the instrument that can urge the instrument proximally such that the at least one protrusion abuts against the retraction stop, as well as an advancing mechanism to selectively engage the instrument and urge it distally. In some embodiments, the biasing element can be omitted and a deployment stop can be included distal to the retraction stop. These configurations can prevent unintentional instrument deployment and provide greater positioning precision during instrument deployment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Michael G. Curley, Fredrick J. Kim, Michael T. Howard, Erik Delly, Gregory R. Eberl, Jeffrey J. Lesica
  • Patent number: 11083871
    Abstract: Catheters with deployable instruments (e.g., needles) can damage tissue if the instrument unintentionally deploys during use. Described herein are devices and methods for controlling the position of a deployable catheter instrument. In one embodiment, a catheter can include an instrument slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the catheter and coupled to at least one protrusion, as well as a retraction stop coupled to the catheter. The catheter can further include a biasing element coupled to the instrument that can urge the instrument proximally such that the at least one protrusion abuts against the retraction stop, as well as an advancing mechanism to selectively engage the instrument and urge it distally. In some embodiments, the biasing element can be omitted and a deployment stop can be included distal to the retraction stop. These configurations can prevent unintentional instrument deployment and provide greater positioning precision during instrument deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Thermedical, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Curley, Fredrick J. Kim, Michael T. Howard, Erik Delly, Gregory R. Eberl, Jeffrey J. Lesica
  • Publication number: 20180140345
    Abstract: Devices and methods for efficiently and reproducibly heating fluid for use in fluid enhanced ablation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an ablation device is provided having an elongate body, at least one wire extending through an inner lumen of the elongate body, and at least one spacer disposed within the inner lumen. The at least one wire extends through the at least one spacer such that the at least one spacer is effective to maintain an adjacent portion of the at least one wire in a substantially fixed geometric relationship with the inner lumen, thereby preventing electrical shorts and providing for the consistent and uniform heating of fluid flowing through the inner lumen of the elongate body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Michael G. Curley, Fredrick J. Kim
  • Patent number: 9877768
    Abstract: Devices and methods for efficiently and reproducibly heating fluid for use in fluid enhanced ablation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an ablation device is provided having an elongate body, at least one wire extending through an inner lumen of the elongate body, and at least one spacer disposed within the inner lumen. The at least one wire extends through the at least one spacer such that the at least one spacer is effective to maintain an adjacent portion of the at least one wire in a substantially fixed geometric relationship with the inner lumen, thereby preventing electrical shorts and providing for the consistent and uniform heating of fluid flowing through the inner lumen of the elongate body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Thermedical, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Curley, Fredrick J. Kim
  • Publication number: 20150359582
    Abstract: Devices and methods for efficiently and reproducibly heating fluid for use in fluid enhanced ablation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an ablation device is provided having an elongate body, at least one wire extending through an inner lumen of the elongate body, and at least one spacer disposed within the inner lumen. The at least one wire extends through the at least one spacer such that the at least one spacer is effective to maintain an adjacent portion of the at least one wire in a substantially fixed geometric relationship with the inner lumen, thereby preventing electrical shorts and providing for the consistent and uniform heating of fluid flowing through the inner lumen of the elongate body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Michael G. Curley, Fredrick J. Kim
  • Patent number: 9138287
    Abstract: Devices and methods for efficiently and reproducibly heating fluid for use in fluid enhanced ablation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an ablation device is provided having an elongate body, at least one wire extending through an inner lumen of the elongate body, and at least one spacer disposed within the inner lumen. The at least one wire extends through the at least one spacer such that the at least one spacer is effective to maintain an adjacent portion of the at least one wire in a substantially fixed geometric relationship with the inner lumen, thereby preventing electrical shorts and providing for the consistent and uniform heating of fluid flowing through the inner lumen of the elongate body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Thermedical, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Curley, Fredrick J. Kim
  • Publication number: 20120265190
    Abstract: Devices and methods for efficiently and reproducibly heating fluid for use in fluid enhanced ablation are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an ablation device is provided having an elongate body, at least one wire extending through an inner lumen of the elongate body, and at least one spacer disposed within the inner lumen. The at least one wire extends through the at least one spacer such that the at least one spacer is effective to maintain an adjacent portion of the at least one wire in a substantially fixed geometric relationship with the inner lumen, thereby preventing electrical shorts and providing for the consistent and uniform heating of fluid flowing through the inner lumen of the elongate body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: THERMEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Michael G. Curley, Fredrick J. Kim