Patents by Inventor Harold L. Crowder
Harold L. Crowder 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: 20230390080Abstract: A method of evaluating soft tissue of a human joint which includes two or more bones and ligaments, wherein the ligaments are under anatomical tension to connect the bones together, creating a load-bearing articulating joint, the method includes: inserting into the joint a tensioner-balancer that includes a means of controlling a distraction force; providing an electronic receiving device; moving the joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; while moving the joint, controlling the distraction force, and collecting displacement and distraction load data of the bones; processing the collected data to produce a digital geometric model of the joint, wherein the model includes: ligament displacement data along a range of flexion angles and ligament load data along a range of flexion angles; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder, Franz Austen Kellar
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Publication number: 20230389913Abstract: A method of evaluating a human knee joint including a femur bone, a tibia bone, and ligaments. The method includes: inserting into the joint a tensioner-balancer that includes at least one force sensor; providing an electronic receiving device; moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one force sensor; processing the collected force data to produce a digital geometric model of the knee joint, wherein the data includes: a medial spline representing a locus of points of contact of a medial condyle of the femur F with the tensioner-balancer, over a range of knee flexion angles; and a lateral spline representing the locus of points of contact of the femur F with the tensioner-balancer, over a range of knee flexion angles; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventors: Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder
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Publication number: 20230390081Abstract: A method of evaluating a human joint including bones and ligaments under anatomical tension to connect the bones. The method includes: defining a primary datum oriented and fixed in six degrees of freedom; defining at least one secondary datum having fixed origins relative to one of the bones of the joint and relative to a tracking device affixed to the bone; providing an electronic receiving device; while moving the bones of the joint relative to each other, using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one tracking device, wherein the data includes information describing the position and movement in six degrees of freedom of the at least one secondary datum relative to the primary datum to produce a digital geometric model of at least a portion of the joint; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2022Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder, Franz Austen Kellar
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Patent number: 11826057Abstract: An apparatus for securing and positioning a jig on a human joint includes: a mounting bracket; a first tracking marker coupled to the mounting bracket, configured to generate a first signal representative of the position and orientation in space of the mounting bracket; a mounting head coupled to a distal end of the mounting bracket by an adjustment mechanism configured to permit six degree of freedom of movement of the mounting head relative to the mounting bracket; position feedback means configured to generate a second signal representative of the position and orientation of the mounting head relative to the mounting bracket; a mounting element coupled to the mounting bracket; an electronic receiving device configured to receive the first and second signals; and a display configured to display the position and orientation of the mounting head relative to the mounting bracket.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: Franz W. Kellar, Harold L. Crowder, Franz Austen Kellar
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Publication number: 20230301699Abstract: An anchor for anchoring tensile members to bone includes: a housing extending along a central axis, with a hollow interior; a collet in the hollow interior having a central bore for accepting tensile members and an exterior surface, the collet being configured to swage around and against tensile members; a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve disposed in the housing's hollow interior axially adjacent to the collet, and movable parallel to the central axis between first and second positions; and wherein at least one of the collet exterior surface and the sleeve interior surface is tapered and the sleeve and the collet are arranged so movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position causes the sleeve interior surface to bear against the collet exterior surface, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around and against one or more tensile members.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder
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Patent number: 11707310Abstract: An anchor for anchoring tensile members to bone includes: a housing extending along a central axis, with a hollow interior; a collet in the hollow interior having a central bore for accepting tensile members and an exterior surface, the collet being configured to swage around and against tensile members; a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve disposed in the housing's hollow interior axially adjacent to the collet, and movable parallel to the central axis between first and second positions; and wherein at least one of the collet exterior surface and the sleeve interior surface is tapered and the sleeve and the collet are arranged so movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position causes the sleeve interior surface to bear against the collet exterior surface, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around and against one or more tensile members.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder
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Publication number: 20230181227Abstract: A knee gap tensioning apparatus includes: a baseplate, a top plate, and a linkage operable to move the top plate relative to the bottom plate between retracted and extended positions, the linkage including: a first toggle linkage, including a lower link and an upper link; a second toggle linkage, including a lower link and an upper link; a connector linkage interconnecting the first and second toggle linkages; wherein the links comprise parallel pivot axes and the linkage is configured so as to produce linear movement of the top plate relative to the base plate, in response to a rotational movement of one or more of the links; and wherein the linkage includes an input shaft coupled to the linkage and configured to accept a rotary input about an axis parallel to the parallel pivot axes of the links of the linkage.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2023Publication date: June 15, 2023Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Harold L. Crowder, Michael D. Bissette, Franz Austen Kellar
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Publication number: 20230165664Abstract: An apparatus for implanting a medical implant into bone includes: an implant having at least one predetermined natural frequency; and an instrument, comprising: a housing; a coupler carried by the housing and configured to be mechanically connected to a medical implant; and a forcing mechanism carried by the housing and operable to apply a cyclic excitation force at the predetermined natural frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2021Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Franz W. Kellar, Harold L. Crowder, Michael D. Bissette
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Publication number: 20230157808Abstract: An anchor for anchoring tensile members to bone includes: a housing having a hollow interior; a collet in the interior of the housing, having a central bore for accepting tensile members therethrough and an exterior surface, wherein the collet is configured to be swaged around the tensile members; a sleeve having opposed interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve disposed in the hollow interior of the housing and positioned adjacent to the collet, so as to be movable between first and second positions; wherein at least one of the exterior surface of the collet and the interior surface of the sleeve is tapered and the sleeve and the collet are arranged such that movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position will cause the collet to swage radially inwards around the tensile members; and a flange element, wherein the housing is pivotally mounted to the flange element.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2022Publication date: May 25, 2023Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder
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Patent number: 11642118Abstract: A method of evaluating a human knee joint including a femur bone, a tibia bone, and ligaments. The method includes: inserting into the joint a tensioner-balancer that includes at least one force sensor; providing an electronic receiving device; moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one force sensor; processing the collected force data to produce a digital geometric model of the knee joint, wherein the data includes: a medial spline representing a locus of points of contact of a medial condyle of the femur F with the tensioner-balancer, over a range of knee flexion angles; and a lateral spline representing the locus of points of contact of the femur F with the tensioner-balancer, over a range of knee flexion angles; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder
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Publication number: 20230104433Abstract: A knee gap tensioning apparatus includes: a tensioner-balancer, including: a baseplate; a top plate; and a linkage operable to move the top plate relative to the bottom plate between retracted and extended positions in response to application of an actuating force, the linkage including: a first toggle linkage, including: a lower link having a first end pivotally connected to the baseplate; an upper link having a first end pivotally connected to the top plate, wherein second ends of the first and second links are pivotally connected to each other; a second toggle linkage, including: a lower link having a first end pivotally connected to the baseplate; an upper link having a first end pivotally connected to the top plate, wherein second ends of the first and second links are pivotally connected to each other; and a connector linkage interconnecting the first and second toggle linkages.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2021Publication date: April 6, 2023Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Harold L. Crowder, Michael D. Bissette, Franz Austen Kellar
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Patent number: 11612503Abstract: A method of evaluating soft tissue of a human joint which includes two or more bones and ligaments, wherein the ligaments are under anatomical tension to connect the bones together, creating a load-bearing articulating joint, the method includes: inserting into the joint a tensioner-balancer that includes a means of controlling a distraction force; providing an electronic receiving device; moving the joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; while moving the joint, controlling the distraction force, and collecting displacement and distraction load data of the bones; processing the collected data to produce a digital geometric model of the joint, wherein the model includes: ligament displacement data along a range of flexion angles and ligament load data along a range of flexion angles; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2022Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder, Franz Austen Kellar
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Patent number: 11612421Abstract: A knee gap tensioning apparatus includes: a tensioner-balancer, including: a baseplate; a top plate; and a linkage operable to move the top plate relative to the bottom plate between retracted and extended positions in response to application of an actuating force, the linkage including: a first toggle linkage, including: a lower link having a first end pivotally connected to the baseplate; an upper link having a first end pivotally connected to the top plate, wherein second ends of the first and second links are pivotally connected to each other; a second toggle linkage, including: a lower link having a first end pivotally connected to the baseplate; an upper link having a first end pivotally connected to the top plate, wherein second ends of the first and second links are pivotally connected to each other; and a connector linkage interconnecting the first and second toggle linkages.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Harold L. Crowder, Michael D. Bissette, Franz Austen Kellar
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Patent number: 11602443Abstract: A method of evaluating a human joint including bones and ligaments under anatomical tension to connect the bones. The method includes: defining a primary datum oriented and fixed in six degrees of freedom; defining at least one secondary datum having fixed origins relative to one of the bones of the joint and relative to a tracking device affixed to the bone; providing an electronic receiving device; associating continuous position and orientation of the at least one secondary datums with respect to the primary datum; while moving the joint, using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one tracking device, wherein the data includes information describing the position and movement in six degrees of freedom of the at least one secondary datum to produce a digital geometric model of at least a portion of the joint; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2022Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder, Franz Austen Kellar
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Publication number: 20220183859Abstract: A method of evaluating a human knee joint which includes a femur bone, a tibia bone, a patella bone, a patellar tendon, and ligaments, wherein the ligaments and patellar tendon are under anatomical tension to connect the femur and tibia together, creating a load-bearing articulating joint, the method including: inserting into the knee joint a gap balancer that includes a tibial interface surface, an opposed femoral interface surface, and at least one force sensor, the method including: providing an electronic receiving device; moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; while moving the knee joint, using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one force sensor; processing the collected data to produce a digital geometric model of at least a portion of the knee joint; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2022Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Franz Austen Kellar, Harold L. Crowder
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Patent number: 11298246Abstract: A method of evaluating a human knee joint which includes a femur bone, a tibia bone, a patella bone, a patellar tendon, and ligaments, wherein the ligaments and patellar tendon are under anatomical tension to connect the femur and tibia together, creating a load-bearing articulating joint, the method including: inserting into the knee joint a gap balancer that includes a tibial interface surface, an opposed femoral interface surface, and at least one force sensor, the method including: providing an electronic receiving device; moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; while moving the knee joint, using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one force sensor; processing the collected data to produce a digital geometric model of at least a portion of the knee joint; and storing the digital geometric model for further use.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2021Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Franz Austen Kellar, Harold L. Crowder
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Publication number: 20210212836Abstract: A method for imparting tension across a human knee joint which includes a femur bone, a tibia bone, a patella bone, a patellar tendon, and ligaments, wherein the ligaments and patellar tendon are under anatomical tension to connect the femur and tibia together, creating a load-bearing articulating joint. The method includes: providing a tensioning device, including: a baseplate; a top plate; and a linkage interconnecting the baseplate and the top plate and operable to move the tensioning device between retracted and extended positions, wherein the top plate is pivotally connected to the linkage so as to be able to freely pivot about a pivot axis; positioning the tensioning device between the femur and the tibia; applying an actuating force to the linkage to move the tensioning device towards the extended position, so as to impart a controlled separating force driving the femur and tibia apart to extend the ligaments.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2021Publication date: July 15, 2021Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Franz Austen Kellar, Harold L. Crowder
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Patent number: 11000382Abstract: A method of evaluating a human knee joint, includes: cutting away a proximal portion of the tibia; inserting the gap tensioner between the tibia and the femur; extending the gap tensioner urging the tibia and the femur apart and applying tension to the medial and lateral collateral ligaments; associating at least two tracking markers with the knee joint; providing an electronic receiving device operable to determine a position and orientation of each of the tracking markers relative to the electronic receiving device; moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion; while moving the knee joint, using the electronic receiving device to collect position data from the tracking markers; processing the collected position data to produce a geometric model of at least a portion of the knee joint; and computing one or more tool paths passing through the knee joint.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2020Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Franz Austen Kellar, Harold L. Crowder
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Patent number: 10925656Abstract: A clamp for anchoring tensile members includes: a collet having a peripheral wall defining a central bore for accepting tensile members therethrough and an exterior surface, wherein the collet is configured to be swaged around the tensile members, and includes an array of longitudinal grooves defining webs configured to collapse inward in response to external compressive force; a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve positioned axially adjacent to the collet, so as to be movable parallel to a mutual central axis of the sleeve and the collet, between first and second positions; and wherein the sleeve and the collet are arranged such that movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position will cause the interior surface of the sleeve to bear against the exterior surface of the collet, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around the tensile members.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2020Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Little Engine, LLCInventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder
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Publication number: 20210022787Abstract: A clamp for anchoring tensile members includes: a collet having a peripheral wall defining a central bore for accepting tensile members therethrough and an exterior surface, wherein the collet is configured to be swaged around the tensile members, and includes an array of longitudinal grooves defining webs configured to collapse inward in response to external compressive force; a sleeve having a peripheral wall defining interior and exterior surfaces, the sleeve positioned axially adjacent to the collet, so as to be movable parallel to a mutual central axis of the sleeve and the collet, between first and second positions; and wherein the sleeve and the collet are arranged such that movement of the sleeve from the first position to the second position will cause the interior surface of the sleeve to bear against the exterior surface of the collet, causing the collet to swage radially inwards around the tensile members.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Inventors: J. Dean Cole, Franz W. Kellar, Michael D. Bissette, Harold L. Crowder