Patents by Inventor Gregory A. Trees
Gregory A. Trees 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).
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Publication number: 20120078248Abstract: An electrosurgical device comprises a body, an end effector, a cutting member, and a shaft extending between the body and the end effector. The end effector includes a pair of jaws and at least one electrode operable to deliver RF energy to tissue clamped between the jaws. The cutting member is operable to cut tissue clamped between the jaws. The shaft includes an articulation section that is operable to selectively position the end effector at non-parallel positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The articulation section may include beads, segments, asymmetric features, preformedly bent features, an integral hinge, a helical cutout or spring, clevis features, an angled joint, a beaded actuation linkage, and/or an offset pivot, among other things. The device may also include a crimped cutting member, a retroacting cutting member, dual pivoting jaws, and/or a wire tensioning assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Inventors: Barry C. Worrell, Chad P. Boudreaux, Sean P. Conlon, Gary W. Knight, Matthew C. Miller, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Jeffrey S. Swayze, Gregory A. Trees, Aaron C. Voegele, Charles S. Black, Kreena R. Modi
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Publication number: 20120078244Abstract: An electrosurgical device includes a body, an end effector, a cutting member, and a shaft. The end effector comprises a pair of jaws and at least one electrode that is operable to deliver RF energy to tissue clamped between the jaws. The cutting member is operable to cut tissue clamped between the jaws. The shaft includes an articulation section that is operable to selectively articulate the end effector relative to the shaft. The body includes a controller operable to selectively actuate the articulation section. The controller may include a trigger that also drives the cutting member, a rotator that also rotates the shaft and end effector, a wedge-shaped pivoting member, a pivotally coupled pair of housing portions, or a pivoting cam member, etc. A release member may selectively release the articulation section from the controller, allowing a resilient bias to return the end effector into alignment with the shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Inventors: Barry C. Worrell, Chad P. Boudreaux, Matthew C. Miller, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Foster B. Stulen, Gregory A. Trees, Aaron C. Voegele, Steven D. Madsen, William E. Clem, Emron J. Henry
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Publication number: 20120071265Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so they may be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft orientation with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include a shaft adapter and a head adapter. The shaft adapter may have an exterior surface extending along a first axis and a bore having a cross-sectional shape along a second axis configured to attach to a shaft member. The second end of the shaft adapter has a cross-sectional shape of a regular polygon. The head adapter has a first end and a second end along a first axis and a bore having a shape of a regular polygon along a second axis that is shaped to receive the second end of the shaft adapter in a plurality of orientations.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: James S. Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent J. Contini, Raymond J. Sander, James Alan Prescott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Patent number: 8083161Abstract: A cartridge for a handheld electrohydrodynamic (EHD) spraying device and a spraying device incorporating the cartridge. The cartridge is disposable, and can contain therapeutic products. The device includes a wetted lead screw with a compliant seal, where the placement of the seal relative to the screw inhibits leakage during both cartridge use and storage. A frame disposed within the cartridge acts as a load-transferring mechanism for the weight of the cartridge to a handle of the spraying device.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2010Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: James J. Lind, Gregory Trees, Joseph E. Zambanini, Brian Graham, R. Reade Harpham
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Patent number: 8079128Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, James S. Thomas, Matthew P. Rubal, Gregory A. Trees
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Patent number: 8061008Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: James S. Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent Contini, Raymond J. Sander, James Alan Scott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Publication number: 20110207547Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Golf clubs are provided that have spherical releasable connections between the golf club head and the golf club shaft along with head/shaft position adjusting features to allow interchange of shafts and heads and to allow modification of the head/shaft positioning properties. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a hosel insert located within an interior chamber of the club head. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft adapter may be rotated within the hosel insert to create different angles from the shaft so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, Vincent J. Contini, James Alan Prescott, Matthew Paul Rubal, Gregory A. Trees, James Thomas
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Patent number: 7963855Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Golf clubs are provided that have spherical releasable connections between the golf club head and the golf club shaft along with head/shaft position adjusting features to allow interchange of shafts and heads and to allow modification of the head/shaft positioning properties. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a hosel insert located within an interior chamber of the club head. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft adapter may be rotated within the hosel insert to create different angles from the shaft so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2008Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, Vincent J. Contini, James Alan Prescott, Matthew Paul Rubal, Gregory A. Trees, James Thomas
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Publication number: 20110111881Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so they may be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft orientation with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include a shaft adapter and a head adapter. The shaft adapter may have an exterior surface extending along a first axis and a bore having a cross-sectional shape along a second axis configured to attach to a shaft member. The second end of the shaft adapter may have a cross-sectional shape of a regular polygon or a cross-sectional shape defined by splines. The head adapter has a first end and a second end along a first axis and a bore having either a shape of a regular polygon or a cross-sectional shape defined by splines along a second axis that is shaped to receive the second end of the shaft adapter in a plurality of orientations.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2010Publication date: May 12, 2011Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, Gregory A. Trees, Matthew P. Rubal, Michael S. Ulrich, Timothy J. Lastrapes, Matthew S. Young
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Publication number: 20110105241Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2010Publication date: May 5, 2011Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: James Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent Contini, Raymond Sander, James Alan Prescott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Patent number: 7931020Abstract: The invention is directed to devices and methods for electrohydrodynamic (EHD) aerosolization of liquids utilizing a dissociated discharge electrode and an electric field shield disposed between the nozzle and the discharge electrode. Preferred embodiments are designed as inhalers suitable for administration of therapeutic compounds to the respiratory tract of a patient, preferably the lungs.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2006Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Gregory A. Trees, Jason Chungyin Fong
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Publication number: 20110092309Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: James Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent Contini, Raymond Sander, James Alan Prescott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Publication number: 20110092308Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: James Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent Contini, Raymond Sander, James Alan Prescott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Publication number: 20110088244Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2010Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: NIKE, INC.Inventors: James Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent Contini, Raymond Sander, James Alan Prescott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Publication number: 20110087218Abstract: A surgical instrument can comprise a first drive system for advancing a knife bar between a first position and a second position in order to close a jaw, or clamping, member of an end effector. The first drive system can comprise a toggle clamp which can generate and transmit an asymptotical clamping load to the jaw member. The surgical instrument can further comprise a second drive system for advancing the knife bar between the second position and a third position. The second drive system can comprise a rack and pinion system and the surgical instrument can comprise a single trigger for actuating both the first drive system and the second drive system on the same stroke.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2009Publication date: April 14, 2011Applicant: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Chad P. Boudreaux, Michael J. Andreyko, Gregory A. Trees
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Publication number: 20110047778Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, James S. Thomas, Matthew Paul Rubal, Gregory A. Trees
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Patent number: 7883430Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2008Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: James Thomas, Gregory A. Trees, Vincent Contini, Raymond Sander, James Alan Prescott, Scott Allen Harris, Matthew Paul Rubal
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Patent number: 7850540Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2009Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, James S. Thomas, Matthew Paul Rubal, Gregory A. Trees
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Patent number: 7849850Abstract: An improved Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) nozzle particularly suitable for a handheld pulmonary aerosol inhaler increases the consistent and efficient dispensing of therapeutic liquids by reducing or eliminating wetting through shielding of discharge electrodes. Some versions further eliminate wetting while enhances neutralization of the aerosol through presentation of a corona wind of ions annularly surround the aerosol. Incorporation of improved liquid distribution with consistent pressure drops to each EHD nozzle tip allows horizontal dispensing, and by using dielectric nozzle tips with low surface energy to thereby avoid wicking between dispenses and to advantageously reduce achievable particle size when dispensing. Some versions feature enhanced snap-fit assembly and other manufacturability advantages. One of the unique features of the EHD nozzles is achieved high dose rate (microliters/minute) with low wetting and small particle size (1.0-5 microns), although these properties tend to be mutually exclusive.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2003Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: William G. Atterbury, Chad E. Bouton, David R. Busick, James E. Dvorsky, Peter A. Gaydos, David A. Holley, Daniel D. Meek, Gregory A. Trees
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Publication number: 20100234122Abstract: Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a collet, a ferrule, and a club head having an interior chamber. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft adapter so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2009Publication date: September 16, 2010Applicant: NIKE, INC.Inventors: Raymond J. Sander, James S. Thomas, Matthew Paul Rubal, Gregory A. Trees