Patents by Inventor John K. Bruce

John K. Bruce 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).

  • Patent number: 12471913
    Abstract: A method of operating a surgical instrument includes clamping tissue with a surgical instrument end effector and actuating the end effector to drive staples into the clamped tissue, including a first longitudinal row having at least one first formed staple with a first formed shape in which the first legs are aligned laterally with each other and with the first crown; a second longitudinal row having at least one second formed staple with a second formed shape in which each second leg is skewed laterally away from the second crown at a first angle; and a third longitudinal row of third formed staples having at least one third formed staple with a third formed shape in which each third leg is skewed laterally away from the third crown at a second angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2025
    Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Nicholas Fanelli, Kevin M. Fiebig, Jeffery D. Bruns, John K. Bruce, Pierre R. Mesnil, Shannon L. Jones, John W. Stodghill, Gregory G. Scott, Devanathan Raghavan, John P. May, Nicholas A. Wilson, Cory G. Kimball, Kristin L. Jambor, Scott A. Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20250312036
    Abstract: A method of operating a surgical instrument includes clamping tissue with a surgical instrument end effector and actuating the end effector to drive staples into the clamped tissue, including a first longitudinal row having at least one first formed staple with a first formed shape in which the first legs are aligned laterally with each other and with the first crown; a second longitudinal row having at least one second formed staple with a second formed shape in which each second leg is skewed laterally away from the second crown at a first angle; and a third longitudinal row of third formed staples having at least one third formed staple with a third formed shape in which each third leg is skewed laterally away from the third crown at a second angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2025
    Publication date: October 9, 2025
    Inventors: Nicholas Fanelli, Kevin M. Fiebig, Jeffery D. Bruns, John K. Bruce, Pierre R. Mesnil, Shannon L. Jones, John W. Stodghill, Gregory G. Scott, Devanathan Raghavan, John P. May, Nicholas A. Wilson, Cory G. Kimball, Kristin L. Jambor, Scott A. Jenkins
  • Patent number: 12414771
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a jaw body, an anvil surface defined by the jaw body, and an elongate slot extending through the anvil surface and along a longitudinal axis of the jaw body. The apparatus further includes a first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface and configured to form a plurality of first staples such that first legs of each formed first staple are laterally aligned with each other. The apparatus also includes a second longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface laterally outwardly of the first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets relative to the longitudinal axis, and configured to form a plurality of second staples such that second legs of each formed second staple skew laterally away from a second crown of the respective formed second staple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Nicholas Fanelli, Kevin M. Fiebig, Jeffery D. Bruns, John K. Bruce, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, John W. Stodghill, Shannon L. Jones, Pierre R. Mesnil
  • Patent number: 12390219
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, an end effector and a clamp force sensor. The handle assembly includes a closure trigger that is pivotable between a released position and an actuated position. The end effector is coupled with the shaft assembly and includes a cartridge that includes an anvil and a cartridge housing. The cartridge housing is slidable with respect to the anvil between an unclamped position and a clamped position to facilitate selective clamping of patient tissue therebetween. The clamp force sensor is associated with the end effector and is configured to detect a clamping force between the anvil and the cartridge housing and facilitate generation of a notification as a function of the detected clamping force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: John K. Bruce, Devanathan Raghavan, Chad P. Boudreaux, Bradley A. Arnold
  • Patent number: 12364481
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly, a stapling head assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft assembly, and an anvil. The stapling head assembly having a deck member and a closure shaft capable of moving relative to the deck member. The anvil including a head, a shank, a biasing body, and a electronic unit having a distance sensor. The head and the shank being capable of moving relative to each other. The biasing body being interposed between the head and the shank with a known spring constant. The distance sensor being capable of measuring a relative distance between the shank and the head, while the electronic unit can communicate a parameter associated with the relative distance to a console.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Devanathan Raghavan, John K. Bruce, Chad P. Boudreaux
  • Publication number: 20250186043
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a staple cartridge having an elongate body and an implantable pouch. The elongate body includes a central slit, a deck, a plurality of staple pockets, and a plurality of staples. The driver includes at least one of a sled or a knife and can be configured to translate through at least a portion of the central slit. The plurality of staples are disposed within the plurality of staple pockets. The implantable pouch includes a medicant disposed therein. The implantable pouch is removably secured to the elongate body and is positioned to be ruptured by at least one of the driver when it translates through at least the portion of the central slit or at least one of the plurality of staples ejected from one of the plurality of staple pockets thereby releasing the medicant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Publication date: June 12, 2025
    Inventors: JOHN K. BRUCE, NICHOLAS J. ROSS, JONATHAN KOVAL, ZHIFAN F. HUANG, THOMAS A. STOUGHTON, ATUL M. GODBOLE
  • Publication number: 20250143706
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly, a stapling head assembly disposed at a distal end of the shaft assembly, and an anvil. The stapling head assembly having a deck member and a closure shaft capable of moving relative to the deck member. The anvil including a head, a shank, a biasing body, and a electronic unit having a distance sensor. The head and the shank being capable of moving relative to each other. The biasing body being interposed between the head and the shank with a known spring constant. The distance sensor being capable of measuring a relative distance between the shank and the head, while the electronic unit can communicate a parameter associated with the relative distance to a console.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: Devanathan Raghavan, John K. Bruce, Chad P. Boudreaux
  • Publication number: 20250143697
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, a shaft assembly, an end effector and a clamp force sensor. The handle assembly includes a closure trigger that is pivotable between a released position and an actuated position. The end effector is coupled with the shaft assembly and includes a cartridge that includes an anvil and a cartridge housing. The cartridge housing is slidable with respect to the anvil between an unclamped position and a clamped position to facilitate selective clamping of patient tissue therebetween. The clamp force sensor is associated with the end effector and is configured to detect a clamping force between the anvil and the cartridge housing and facilitate generation of a notification as a function of the detected clamping force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: John K. Bruce, Devanathan Raghavan, Chad P. Boudreaux, Bradley A. Arnold
  • Patent number: 12256934
    Abstract: A method of creating an anastomosis is provided using a stapling assembly including a body extending distally along a longitudinal axis and a deck member defining a deck surface. The deck surface includes a first array of staple openings comprising a herringbone pattern, and each staple opening of the first array of staple openings has a same size. The method includes positioning an anvil within a first lumen of a patient and positioning the stapling assembly within a second lumen of the patient. The method also includes releasably coupling the anvil with the stapling assembly and compressing tissue of the first and second lumens between the anvil and the deck member. The method further includes actuating a plurality of staple drivers to drive a first plurality of staples distally and parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first array of staple openings into the tissue to define the anastomosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Shannon L. Jones, Gregory J. Bakos, Chad P. Boudreaux, John S. Kimsey, Yvan D. Nguetio Tchoumkeu, John K. Bruce, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Bradley A. Arnold, Gregory G. Scott, Cory G. Kimball, Nichole Y. Kwee, Jeffrey L. Aldridge
  • Publication number: 20240350137
    Abstract: A method of operating a surgical instrument includes clamping tissue with a surgical instrument end effector and actuating the end effector to drive staples into the clamped tissue, including a first longitudinal row having at least one first formed staple with a first formed shape in which the first legs are aligned laterally with each other and with the first crown; a second longitudinal row having at least one second formed staple with a second formed shape in which each second leg is skewed laterally away from the second crown at a first angle; and a third longitudinal row of third formed staples having at least one third formed staple with a third formed shape in which each third leg is skewed laterally away from the third crown at a second angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Inventors: Nicholas Fanelli, Kevin M. Fiebig, Jeffery D. Bruns, John K. Bruce, Pierre R. Mesnil, Shannon L. Jones, John W. Stodghill, Gregory G. Scott, Devanathan Raghavan, John P. May, Nicholas A. Wilson, Cory G. Kimball, Kristin L. Jambor, Scott A. Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20240341761
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a jaw body, an anvil surface defined by the jaw body, and an elongate slot extending through the anvil surface and along a longitudinal axis of the jaw body. The apparatus further includes a first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface and configured to form a plurality of first staples such that first legs of each formed first staple are laterally aligned with each other. The apparatus also includes a second longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface laterally outwardly of the first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets relative to the longitudinal axis, and configured to form a plurality of second staples such that second legs of each formed second staple skew laterally away from a second crown of the respective formed second staple.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Nicholas Fanelli, Kevin M. Fiebig, Jeffery D. Bruns, John K. Bruce, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, John W. Stodghill, Shannon L. Jones, Pierre R. Mesnil
  • Patent number: 11911039
    Abstract: A surgical stapler instrument includes a stapling head assembly that receives a plurality of staples. The staples are configured with features that allow the staples to expand after deployment so that an anastomosis created by the instrument can increase in size after forming. In some versions the staples expand automatically after deployment, and in other versions the staples expand in response to tissue forces imparted upon the staples after deployment. In some versions the staples are configured to be deployed in various patterns that promote expandability of the circular staple line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Chad P. Boudreaux, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Nicholas M. Morgan, Michael J. Stokes, Marissa T. Kamenir, John K. Bruce, John S. Kimsey, Yvan D. Nguetio Tchoumkeu
  • Publication number: 20230048389
    Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil defining a plurality of staple forming pockets and a stapling head assembly configured to drive a plurality of staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil. The stapling head assembly comprises a coupling member configured to actuate the anvil relative to the stapling head assembly, a firing assembly configured to drive the plurality of staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil, and a deck member. The deck member includes a deck surface extending radially between an inner circular edge and an outer circular edge, and a plurality of staple openings extending through the deck surface. The plurality of staple openings define at least one cross shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: John K. Bruce, John S. Kimsey, Yvan D. Nguetio Tchoumkeu, Morgan R. Hunter, Cory G. Kimball, Gregory J. Bakos, Christopher Q. Seow, Pierre R. Mesnil, Laura A. Downing, Jeffery D. Bruns, Ryan W. McGhee, Chester O. Baxter, III, John E. Feds, Michael J. Stokes
  • Publication number: 20230051305
    Abstract: A method of creating an anastomosis is provided using a stapling assembly including a body extending distally along a longitudinal axis and a deck member defining a deck surface. The deck surface includes a first array of staple openings comprising a herringbone pattern, and each staple opening of the first array of staple openings has a same size. The method includes positioning an anvil within a first lumen of a patient and positioning the stapling assembly within a second lumen of the patient. The method also includes releasably coupling the anvil with the stapling assembly and compressing tissue of the first and second lumens between the anvil and the deck member. The method further includes actuating a plurality of staple drivers to drive a first plurality of staples distally and parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first array of staple openings into the tissue to define the anastomosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Shannon L. Jones, Gregory J. Bakos, Chad P. Boudreaux, John S. Kimsey, Yvan D. Nguetio Tchoumkeu, John K. Bruce, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Bradley A. Arnold, Gregory G. Scott, Cory G. Kimball, Nichole Y. Kwee, Jeffrey L. Aldridge
  • Publication number: 20230051659
    Abstract: A surgical stapler instrument includes a stapling head assembly that receives a plurality of staples. The staples are configured with features that allow the staples to expand after deployment so that an anastomosis created by the instrument can increase in size after forming. In some versions the staples expand automatically after deployment, and in other versions the staples expand in response to tissue forces imparted upon the staples after deployment. In some versions the staples are configured to be deployed in various patterns that promote expandability of the circular staple line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Chad P. Boudreaux, Jeffrey L. Aldridge, Nicholas M. Morgan, Michael J. Stokes, Marissa T. Kamenir, John K. Bruce, John S. Kimsey, Yvan D. Nguetio Tchoumkeu
  • Patent number: 9770549
    Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for delivering medical fluids to a patient. A data storage device (120) is either separately attached to or incorporated within the structure of a reusable fixture that may be detachably connected to a barrel (111) of a syringe (107). A filling station (110) and an power injector (108) may each include a read-write device (114, 122) that is operable to read the data storage device (120) within its field of view. When the read-write devices (114, 122) are attached to the filing station (110) and the power injector (40), respectively, and when the fixture including the data storage device (120) is attached to the syringe (107), the read-write devices (114, 122) may be operable to store data on and read data from the data storage device (120) associated with the syringe (107). After an injection procedure, the fixture may be detached from the syringe (107) and reused with a new or resterilized syringe (107).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: LIEBEL-FLARSHEIM COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: John K. Bruce, Chad M. Gibson, Geoffrey S. Strobl
  • Patent number: 9078966
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide for a syringe mount of a power injector. The syringe mount may include a plurality of syringe retainer components that translate (e.g., move linearly without rotation) toward and away from a longitudinal axis of the injector drive ram. These retainer components may be biased (e.g., via a spring) toward one another and/or the longitudinal axis of the injector drive ram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: LIEBEL-FLARSHEIM COMPANY LLC
    Inventor: John K. Bruce
  • Publication number: 20140323984
    Abstract: A hand-actuated injector (10) includes a handle assembly (200) for providing discharge and aspiration strokes for a plunger (108). The handle assembly (200) includes first and second scissor-like handle members (204, 212) that provide a discharge stroke for the plunger (108) when manipulated in a first manner, and an aspiration stroke for the plunger (108) when manipulated in an opposite, second manner. The handle assembly (200) also includes a meshed-gear locking mechanism or hinge (248) that selectively prevents or at least limits relative movement between the first and second handle members (204, 212) in a manner that is associated with providing an aspiration stroke for the plunger (108).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: John K. Bruce, Geoffrey S. Strobl, David W. Wilson
  • Patent number: 8750967
    Abstract: An injection device (120) used in delivering medical fluids to a patient is provided. The injection device (120) may include a syringe plunger driver (126a) and a syringe (140). The syringe (140) may include a syringe data storage device (134). The injection device (120) may include a communication device (132a) disposable in each of attached and detached conditions. The communication device (132a) may be operable to read a data storage device (134) within its field of view. When the communication device (132a) is attached to the injection device (120) and the syringe (140) is installed on the injection device (120), the communication device (132a) may be operable to read the data storage device (134) associated with the syringe (140). When in a detached condition, the communication device (132a) may be operable to be hand manipulated such that various other data storage devices (134) may be read.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt LLC
    Inventors: John K. Bruce, Chad M. Gibson, Geoffrey S. Strobl
  • Patent number: 8562563
    Abstract: A power injector syringe clamp assembly (300) is disclosed. This clamp assembly (300) includes a first clamp member (302) and a second clamp member (312), where at least one of these clamp members (302, 312) is movable to provide open and closed configurations for the clamp assembly (300). The clamp assembly (300) also includes at least one RFID reader antenna for communicating with at least one RFID tag (336) on a power injector syringe (330), at least when positioned within the clamp assembly (300).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt LLC
    Inventors: Geoffrey S. Strobl, Chad M. Gibson, John K. Bruce