Patents by Inventor John C. Huculak

John C. Huculak 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: 20240131269
    Abstract: Injector devices and methods for using them to deliver medicament into a patient's body, e.g., sub-retinally within an eye, are provided. The injector includes a cartridge including a piston slidably disposed within an interior for delivering medicament within the interior through an outlet, and a driver including a plunger coupled to the piston, a source of pressurized fluid, and an actuator member for opening a flow path at least partially between the source and the plunger to advance the plunger and piston to deliver medicament from the interior. One or more sensors are operatively coupled to the plunger to measure displacement of the plunger, a processor is coupled to the sensor(s) for analyzing sensor signals to measure volume of medicament delivered from the interior, and an output device, e.g., one or more LEDs or speakers, provide outputs related to the volume of medicament delivered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: John C. Huculak, Jack R. Auld, Hien Nguyen, Tammo Heeren, Matthew McCawley, Eric Anderfaas, John C. Dunne, JR.
  • Publication number: 20230355430
    Abstract: Injector devices and methods for using them to deliver medicament into a patient's body, e.g., sub-retinally within an eye, are provided. The injector includes an injector cannula having a soft injector tip. A retractable tip protector tube is slidably disposed on the flow cannula between an extended position in which the tip protector tube covers the entire injector tip, and a retracted position in which the tip protector tube is retracted proximally thereby exposing at least part of the injector tip. Accordingly, the tip protector tube protects the injector tip from being damaged while advancing the injector tip to a target injection site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, Matthew Flowers, Tammo Heeren, Hien Nguyen, John C. Huculak, Eric Anderfaas
  • Patent number: 11738154
    Abstract: Injector devices and methods for using them to deliver medicament into a patient's body, e.g., sub-retinally within an eye, are provided. The injector includes a cartridge including a piston slidably disposed within an interior for delivering medicament within the interior through an outlet, and a driver including a plunger coupled to the piston, a source of pressurized fluid, and an actuator member for opening a flow path at least partially between the source and the plunger to advance the plunger and piston to deliver medicament from the interior. One or more sensors are operatively coupled to the plunger to measure displacement of the plunger, a processor is coupled to the sensor(s) for analyzing sensor signals to measure volume of medicament delivered from the interior, and an output device, e.g., one or more LEDs or speakers, provide outputs related to the volume of medicament delivered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: ALTAVIZ, LLC
    Inventors: John C. Huculak, Jack R. Auld, Hien Nguyen, Tammo Heeren, Matthew McCawley, Eric Anderfaas, John C. Dunne, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11701254
    Abstract: Injector devices and methods for using them to deliver medicament into a patient's body, e.g., sub-retinally within an eye, are provided. The injector includes an injector cannula having a soft injector tip. A retractable tip protector tube is slidably disposed on the flow cannula between an extended position in which the tip protector tube covers the entire injector tip, and a retracted position in which the tip protector tube is retracted proximally thereby exposing at least part of the injector tip. Accordingly, the tip protector tube protects the injector tip from being damaged while advancing the injector tip to a target injection site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ALTAVIZ, LLC
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, Matthew Flowers, Tammo Heeren, Hien Nguyen, John C. Huculak, Eric Anderfaas
  • Publication number: 20210154046
    Abstract: Injector devices and methods for using them to deliver medicament into a patient's body, e.g., sub-retinally within an eye, are provided. The injector includes an injector cannula having a soft injector tip. A retractable tip protector tube is slidably disposed on the flow cannula between an extended position in which the tip protector tube covers the entire injector tip, and a retracted position in which the tip protector tube is retracted proximally thereby exposing at least part of the injector tip. Accordingly, the tip protector tube protects the injector tip from being damaged while advancing the injector tip to a target injection site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, Matthew Flowers, Tammo Heeren, Hien Nguyen, John C. Huculak, Eric Anderfaas
  • Publication number: 20210113327
    Abstract: An intraocular lens inserter can include a drive device with controllable advance motion. The drive device may include an actuator device and an energy device. The actuator device may include a piston rod that uses the advance motion to push an intraocular lens from a cartridge for insertion into an eye of an animal. The energy device may act upon the actuator device to generate the advance motion. The actuator device may include a dampening medium to control the advance motion, such as by controllably dampening the advance motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, John C. Huculak, Matthew Douglas Mccawley, Matthew Braden Flowers
  • Publication number: 20210069426
    Abstract: Injector devices and methods for using them to deliver medicament into a patient's body, e.g., sub-retinally within an eye, are provided. The injector includes a cartridge including a piston slidably disposed within an interior for delivering medicament within the interior through an outlet, and a driver including a plunger coupled to the piston, a source of pressurized fluid, and an actuator member for opening a flow path at least partially between the source and the plunger to advance the plunger and piston to deliver medicament from the interior. One or more sensors are operatively coupled to the plunger to measure displacement of the plunger, a processor is coupled to the sensor(s) for analyzing sensor signals to measure volume of medicament delivered from the interior, and an output device, e.g., one or more LEDs or speakers, provide outputs related to the volume of medicament delivered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: John C. Huculak, Jack R. Auld, Hien Nguyen, Tammo Heeren, Matthew McCawley, Eric Anderfaas, John Dunne
  • Publication number: 20210001037
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for delivering fluid into a patient's body. In an exemplary embodiment, the device may include a syringe cartridge and a syringe driver that may be coupled to the cartridge. The cartridge may include a housing including a proximal end, a distal end, and defining an interior, the cartridge further including a piston slidably disposed within the interior for delivering fluid within the interior through a port in the distal end. The driver may include a plunger for advancing the piston within the interior of the housing, a source of pressurized fluid, a valve, and an actuator member coupled to the valve for selectively opening a flow path from the source to the plunger to control flow of the pressurized fluid to advance the plunger to deliver fluid from the interior of the housing at a desired rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, Matthew Flowers, Matthew McCawley, John C. Huculak, Andrew Scheiber, James Lescoulie
  • Patent number: 10716892
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for delivering fluid into a patient's body. In an exemplary embodiment, the device may include a syringe cartridge and a syringe driver that may be coupled to the cartridge. The cartridge may include a housing including a proximal end, a distal end, and defining an interior, the cartridge further including a piston slidably disposed within the interior for delivering fluid within the interior through a port in the distal end. The driver may include a plunger for advancing the piston within the interior of the housing, a source of pressurized fluid, a valve, and an actuator member coupled to the valve for selectively opening a flow path from the source to the plunger to control flow of the pressurized fluid to advance the plunger to deliver fluid from the interior of the housing at a desired rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: ALTAVIZ, LLC
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, Matthew Flowers, Matthew McCawley, John C. Huculak, Andrew Scheiber, James Lescoulie
  • Patent number: 10434010
    Abstract: A gas mixture apparatus includes a measurement control system, an activation system, a pressurized chamber with one or more gases, and a mixing chamber. The apparatus can also include additional pressure regulation control systems. The gas mixture apparatus can be used to introduce and automatically perform the steps to achieve a desired concentration of the one or more gases contained in the pressurized chamber. The gas mixture apparatus can include the pressurized chamber within the apparatus itself such that no external devices are necessary for introducing the one or more gases into the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Alcon Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, John C. Huculak, Christopher L. McCollam
  • Patent number: 10182906
    Abstract: An intraocular lens inserter can include an energy storage portion, an actuator portion that provides temperature compensation, and a lens support portion. The energy storage portion can include a compressible energy storage device, such as a compressible fluid, springs, and other devices. The inserter can include an actuator portion operating with a substantially incompressible fluid. The actuator can be configured to provide an operator with control over the release of pressurized fluid so as to move a plunger for the discharge of a lens from an intraocular lens cartridge, discharge of the lens being limited based at least in part on pressure feedback from the pressurized fluid due temperature increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Alcon Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, John C. Huculak, Matthew McCawley, Matthew Flowers
  • Patent number: 10029052
    Abstract: A self-contained apparatus and corresponding methods are provided for delivering viscous fluids in a controlled manner, such as delivering a viscous fluid in a surgical setting. The self-contained apparatus can include a motion following pressure regulator that allows for linear control of a regulated pressure. The regulated pressure can be used for dispensing a viscous fluid from a syringe that is coupled to the self-contained apparatus. The pressure regulator regulates a pressure derived from a pressurized fluid reservoir located at least partially within a housing of the apparatus. This allows the viscous fluid to be delivered using pressure to provide a driving force greater than a force easily delivered manually, while still allowing a surgeon to retain fine control over the rate of viscous fluid delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: ALTAVIZ LLC
    Inventors: Jack R Auld, John C Huculak, Matthew McCawley
  • Patent number: 10010408
    Abstract: An intraocular lens inserter can include a drive device with controllable advance motion. The drive device may include an actuator device and an energy device. The actuator device may include a piston rod that uses the advance motion to push an intraocular lens from a cartridge for insertion into an eye of an animal. The energy device may act upon the actuator device to generate the advance motion. The actuator device may include a dampening medium to control the advance motion, such as by controllably dampening the advance motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Alcon Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, John C. Huculak, Matthew Douglas McCawley, Matthew Braden Flowers
  • Publication number: 20170325995
    Abstract: A gas mixture apparatus includes a measurement control system, an activation system, a pressurized chamber with one or more gases, and a mixing chamber. The apparatus can also include additional pressure regulation control systems. The gas mixture apparatus can be used to introduce and automatically perform the steps to achieve a desired concentration of the one or more gases contained in the pressurized chamber. The gas mixture apparatus can include the pressurized chamber within the apparatus itself such that no external devices are necessary for introducing the one or more gases into the mixing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, John C. Huculak, Christopher L. McCollam
  • Publication number: 20170312422
    Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for delivering fluid into a patient's body. In an exemplary embodiment, the device may include a syringe cartridge and a syringe driver that may be coupled to the cartridge. The cartridge may include a housing including a proximal end, a distal end, and defining an interior, the cartridge further including a piston slidably disposed within the interior for delivering fluid within the interior through a port in the distal end. The driver may include a plunger for advancing the piston within the interior of the housing, a source of pressurized fluid, a valve, and an actuator member coupled to the valve for selectively opening a flow path from the source to the plunger to control flow of the pressurized fluid to advance the plunger to deliver fluid from the interior of the housing at a desired rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, Matthew Flowers, Matthew McCawley, John C. Huculak, Andrew Scheiber, James Lescoulie
  • Patent number: 9764088
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for filling syringes, e.g., for use during pneumatic retinopexy or other medical procedures. In one embodiment, the system includes a housing carrying a gas canister including an outlet communicating with a fluid path extending from the outlet to a syringe cavity. A syringe includes a barrel receivable in the syringe cavity such that a port of the barrel communicates with the fluid path. An actuator is provided on the housing for selectively opening the outlet of the gas canister to deliver gas therein along the fluid path into the interior of the barrel, thereby causing the plunger to move from a distal position to a proximal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ALTAVIZ, LLC
    Inventors: John C. Huculak, Jack R. Auld, Christopher L. McCollam, James Lescoulie
  • Patent number: 9693895
    Abstract: A gas mixture apparatus includes a measurement control system, an activation system, a pressurized chamber with one or more gases, and a mixing chamber. The apparatus can also include additional pressure regulation control systems. The gas mixture apparatus can be used to introduce and automatically perform the steps to achieve a desired concentration of the one or more gases contained in the pressurized chamber. The gas mixture apparatus can include the pressurized chamber within the apparatus itself such that no external devices are necessary for introducing the one or more gases into the mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Altaviz, LLC
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, John C. Huculak, Christopher L. McCollam
  • Patent number: 9505505
    Abstract: An ophthalmic surgical system for filling a syringe with a retinal tamponading gas is disclosed. The system includes a surgical console having a user interface, a computer, first and second bottles containing pressurized retinal tamponading gases, and a port for fluidly coupling to an automatic gas filling consumable including a syringe. A user selects a particular retinal tamponading gas via the user interface, and the system fills the syringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Mark A. Hopkins, John C. Huculak, Denis P. Turner
  • Publication number: 20160325054
    Abstract: A self-contained apparatus and corresponding methods are provided for delivering viscous fluids in a controlled manner, such as delivering a viscous fluid in a surgical setting. The self-contained apparatus can include a motion following pressure regulator that allows for linear control of a regulated pressure. The regulated pressure can be used for dispensing a viscous fluid from a syringe that is coupled to the self-contained apparatus. The pressure regulator regulates a pressure derived from a pressurized fluid reservoir located at least partially within a housing of the apparatus. This allows the viscous fluid to be delivered using pressure to provide a driving force greater than a force easily delivered manually, while still allowing a surgeon to retain fine control over the rate of viscous fluid delivery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: JACK R. AULD, John C. Huculak, Matthew McCawley
  • Patent number: 9393370
    Abstract: A self-contained apparatus and corresponding methods are provided for delivering viscous fluids in a controlled manner, such as delivering a viscous fluid in a surgical setting. The self-contained apparatus can include a motion following pressure regulator that allows for linear control of a regulated pressure. The regulated pressure can be used for dispensing a viscous fluid from a syringe that is coupled to the self-contained apparatus. The pressure regulator regulates a pressure derived from a pressurized fluid reservoir located at least partially within a housing of the apparatus. This allows the viscous fluid to be delivered using pressure to provide a driving force greater than a force easily delivered manually, while still allowing a surgeon to retain fine control over the rate of viscous fluid delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: ALTAVIZ LLC
    Inventors: Jack R Auld, John C Huculak, Matthew McCawley