Patents by Inventor Gretchen Willard

Gretchen Willard 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: 20230201483
    Abstract: A safety needle device is disclosed having a housing configured to couple to a syringe, the housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a housing body. A first guide path, a second guide path and a third guide path may be disposed on the housing body. A needle hub is disposed on the proximal end of the housing and a needle cannula is attached to the needle hub. The device having a retractable sheath configured to move between an initial position, a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the housing, wherein the initial position partially exposes a distal tip of the needle cannula, the retracted position fully exposes the needle cannula, and the extended position fully covers the distal tip of the needle cannula. The retractable sheath also may have a guide element. The first, second and third guide paths are configured to slidingly receive the guide element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2023
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Laurie Sanders, Darrin Swanson, John Hayes, Gretchen Willard
  • Patent number: 11559631
    Abstract: A safety needle device is disclosed having a housing configured to couple to a syringe, the housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a housing body. A first guide path, a second guide path and a third guide path may be disposed on the housing body. A needle hub is disposed on the proximal end of the housing and a needle cannula is attached to the needle hub. The device having a retractable sheath configured to move between an initial position, a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the housing, wherein the initial position partially exposes a distal tip of the needle cannula, the retracted position fully exposes the needle cannula, and the extended position fully covers the distal tip of the needle cannula. The retractable sheath also may have a guide element. The first, second and third guide paths are configured to slidingly receive the guide element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Laurie Sanders, Darrin Swanson, John Hayes, Gretchen Willard
  • Patent number: 10940247
    Abstract: A surgical collection assembly for filtering material from liquid obtained during surgery. A jar having an inlet and an outlet each adapted for connection to a suction line. A set of orientation features to position an upper portion of a collection basket within the jar such that an upper portion of the collection basket does not impede a flow of material entering the jar through the inlet. A bottom surface with a pattern of recessed paths in the bottom surface, the pattern of recessed paths connected to the outlet. A plunger assembly that may be reversibly attached to the jar so that a distal end of a plunger may be used to compress collected material within the collection basket to help remove fluid from the collected material. For certain uses, the surgical collection assembly may have a simple jar lid without an integrated plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Tobra Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Gretchen Willard, Eli Breeden Nichols, Thomas Ralph Blackburn, III, Theodore J. Mosler
  • Publication number: 20200215272
    Abstract: A safety needle device is disclosed having a housing configured to couple to a syringe, the housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a housing body. A first guide path, a second guide path and a third guide path may be disposed on the housing body. A needle hub is disposed on the proximal end of the housing and a needle cannula is attached to the needle hub. The device having a retractable sheath configured to move between an initial position, a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the housing, wherein the initial position partially exposes a distal tip of the needle cannula, the retracted position fully exposes the needle cannula, and the extended position fully covers the distal tip of the needle cannula. The retractable sheath also may have a guide element. The first, second and third guide paths are configured to slidingly receive the guide element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Laurie Sanders, Darrin Swanson, John Hayes, Gretchen Willard
  • Patent number: 10589036
    Abstract: A safety needle device is disclosed having a housing configured to couple to a syringe, the housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a housing body. A first guide path, a second guide path and a third guide path may be disposed on the housing body. A needle hub is disposed on the proximal end of the housing and a needle cannula is attached to the needle hub. The device having a retractable sheath configured to move between an initial position, a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the housing, wherein the initial position partially exposes a distal tip of the needle cannula, the retracted position fully exposes the needle cannula, and the extended position fully covers the distal tip of the needle cannula. The retractable sheath also may have a guide element. The first, second and third guide paths are configured to slidingly receive the guide element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Laurie Sanders, Darrin Swanson, John Hayes, Gretchen Willard
  • Publication number: 20190374380
    Abstract: An intracameral injector needle having a substantially cylindrical body defining a longitudinal flow path therein, and having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer peripheral face and a bevel region. A first bevel of the bevel region has a first bevel angle with respect to the outer peripheral face. A second bevel of the bevel region extends from the first bevel to the proximal end. The second bevel includes a tip of the intracameral injector needle, and has a second bevel angle with respect to the outer peripheral face, where the second bevel angle is different from the first bevel angle, the first bevel and the second bevel defining a transition therebetween. The transition is at least one of: (1) longitudinally positioned between the tip of the intracameral injector needle and a location of a maximum width of the bevel region; and (2) vertically disposed at a position below 50% of a maximum height of the bevel region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Tomas Navratil, Akshay Nitish Nadkarni, Gretchen Willard, Andrew Corson, Matthew Walker
  • Publication number: 20190167869
    Abstract: A surgical collection assembly for filtering material from liquid obtained during surgery. A jar having an inlet and an outlet each adapted for connection to a suction line. A set of orientation features to position an upper portion of a collection basket within the jar such that an upper portion of the collection basket does not impede a flow of material entering the jar through the inlet. A bottom surface with a pattern of recessed paths in the bottom surface, the pattern of recessed paths connected to the outlet. A plunger assembly that may be reversibly attached to the jar so that a distal end of a plunger may be used to compress collected material within the collection basket to help remove fluid from the collected material. For certain uses, the surgical collection assembly may have a simple jar lid without an integrated plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Gretchen WILLARD, Eli Breeden NICHOLS, Thomas Ralph BLACKBURN, III, Theodore J. MOSLER
  • Publication number: 20180161523
    Abstract: A safety needle device is disclosed having a housing configured to couple to a syringe, the housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a housing body. A first guide path, a second guide path and a third guide path may be disposed on the housing body. A needle hub is disposed on the proximal end of the housing and a needle cannula is attached to the needle hub. The device having a retractable sheath configured to move between an initial position, a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the housing, wherein the initial position partially exposes a distal tip of the needle cannula, the retracted position fully exposes the needle cannula, and the extended position fully covers the distal tip of the needle cannula. The retractable sheath also may have a guide element. The first, second and third guide paths are configured to slidingly receive the guide element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Laurie Sanders, Darrin Swanson, John Hayes, Gretchen Willard
  • Publication number: 20180043068
    Abstract: A surgical collection assembly for filtering material from liquid obtained during surgery. A jar having an inlet and an outlet each adapted for connection to a suction line. A set of orientation features to position an upper portion of a collection basket within the jar such that an upper portion of the collection basket does not impede a flow of material entering the jar through the inlet. A bottom surface with a pattern of recessed paths in the bottom surface, the pattern of recessed paths connected to the outlet. A plunger assembly that may be reversibly attached to the jar so that a distal end of a plunger may be used to compress collected material within the collection basket to help remove fluid from the collected material. For certain uses, the surgical collection assembly may have a simple jar lid without an integrated plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Gretchen WILLARD, Eli Breeden NICHOLS, Thomas Ralph BLACKBURN, III, Theodore J. MOSLER
  • Patent number: 9872944
    Abstract: A surgical collection assembly for filtering material from liquid obtained during surgery. A jar having an inlet and an outlet each adapted for connection to a suction line. A set of orientation features to position an upper portion of a collection basket within the jar such that an upper portion of the collection basket does not impede a flow of material entering the jar through the inlet. A bottom surface with a pattern of recessed paths in the bottom surface, the pattern of recessed paths connected to the outlet. A plunger assembly that may be reversibly attached to the jar so that a distal end of a plunger may be used to compress collected material within the collection basket to help remove fluid from the collected material. For certain uses, the surgical collection assembly may have a simple jar lid without an integrated plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: TOBRA MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: Gretchen Willard, Eli Breeden Nichols, Thomas Ralph Blackburn, III, Theodore J. Mosler
  • Publication number: 20170333250
    Abstract: A dispenser comprises a cylinder in fluid communication with a one-way valve and an inlet in fluid communication with the cylinder. A lumen and a flow control member deliver fluid from a container to the inlet. A piston draws fluid through the flow control member and inlet into the cylinder upon movement of the piston in a first direction, and expels the fluid through the one-way valve upon movement of the piston in a second direction. The dispenser may be activated by either a “dual-action” mode of operation where an activating member is moved to retract the piston and provide the stored energy and then an-actuator is depressed to release the stored energy to the piston or a “single-action” mode of operation where an actuator is depressed in a single direction which concurrently retracts the piston, provides the stored energy and then releases the stored energy to piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: David Foshee, Gretchen Willard, Theodore Mosler