Patents by Inventor Joaquin Hoffer

Joaquin Hoffer 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: 20080065184
    Abstract: A nerve cuff comprising a wall band member having an inner surface defining a lumen when the wall band member is in a closed configuration for receiving a nerve therethrough. At least one longitudinal and contiguous conductor extends within the lumen. The conductor is insulated and has at least one exposed portion thereby providing an electrode. When mounting the nerve cuff to a nerve, each electrode is in electrical communication with the nerve. A multi-channel nerve cuff further comprises a plurality of longitudinal ridges formed on the inner surface with each adjacent pair of ridges defining a longitudinal chamber. Each chamber comprises a respective conductor extending therein. When mounting the multi-channel nerve cuff to the nerve, the ridges abut the nerve providing for each chamber to isolate respective longitudinal portions of the nerve. A method and an apparatus for manufacturing such nerve cuffs are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Joaquin Hoffer, Marc-Olivier Imbeau, Jean-Martin Vallieres
  • Publication number: 20050118887
    Abstract: An implantable electrical connector includes a male portion and a female receptacle. The male portion includes a number of wires that terminate in a pattern of conductive areas. The male portion is inserted into a female receptacle and guides in the female receptacle limit the insertion of the male portion to a single direction. A locking mechanism such as a setscrew on the female receptacle forces conductive areas of the exposed conductors onto connecting pins within the female receptacle. The setscrew itself is electrically isolated from the conductive areas. Each pin in the female receptacle is surrounded by a rigid seal that engages a compressible insulating member under compression of the locking mechanism to prevent an electrical connection forming between adjacent pins in the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: June 2, 2005
    Inventors: Joaquin Hoffer, Gary Jenne
  • Publication number: 20050010265
    Abstract: A fully implantable nerve stimulation system includes an event-triggered, closed-loop control unit that detects physiological events from nerve signals and delivers stimulation pulses to a nerve to produce a desired physiological response. The stimulation system includes a low-noise, low-power nerve signal amplifier, accelerometers that detect position and a battery powered processor that selectively powers components in the system to detect physiological events and deliver stimulation pulses with a minimum of battery power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Marcelo Baru Fassio, Joaquin Hoffer, Enric Calderon, Gary Jenne, Albert Calderon