Patents by Inventor John Rega

John Rega 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: 6820400
    Abstract: An apparatus for inserting surgical needles in needle parks. The apparatus has a frame, a needle block slidably mounted to the frame, a shuttle member slidably mounted to the frame, and a pick-up head. The needle block has a plurality of guide members spaced apart to receive at least one surgical needle and at least one needle park. The apparatus is used in a method of automatically loading surgical needles into the needle parks of surgical suture packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Konstantin Ivanov, John Rega, Clifford Dey, Albert C. Grosenbeck, Robert J. Cerwin, Joseph Stanley Siernos
  • Publication number: 20030196416
    Abstract: An apparatus for inserting surgical needles in needle parks. The apparatus has a frame, a needle block slidably mounted to the frame, a shuttle member slidably mounted to the frame, and a pick-up head. The needle block has a plurality of guide members spaced apart to receive at least one surgical needle and at least one needle park. The apparatus is used in a method of automatically loading surgical needles into the needle parks of surgical suture packages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Inventors: Konstantin Ivanov, John Rega, Clifford Dey, Albert C. Grosenbeck, Robert J. Cerwin, Joseph Stanley Siernos
  • Patent number: 6463719
    Abstract: A machine and process for packaging armed sutures into tray packages. The machine has a frame with a rotatable indexing disc member mounted to the top of frame. A plurality of tool nests are rotatably mounted to the top of the indexing disc. Tray packages mounted in the tool nests are rotated to wind sutures into a suture channel in the packages. A stylus having a front nose member and a rear heel member guides suture into the suture channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Ethicon
    Inventors: Clifford Dey, Konstantin Ivanov, Martin Sobel, Joseph Stanley Siernos, John Rega, David Roslon, Raul Quinones, Alan Hughieson, Mehmet Reyhan, Manfred Reiser, Bernhard Wachter, Manfred Hild, Erwin Bauder
  • Publication number: 20020069617
    Abstract: A machine and process for packaging armed sutures into tray packages. The machine has a frame with a rotatable indexing disc member mounted to the top of frame. A plurality of tool nests are rotatably mounted to the top of the indexing disc. Tray packages mounted in the tool nests are rotated to wind sutures into a suture channel in the packages. A stylus having a front nose member and a rear heel member guides suture into the suture channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Clifford Dey, Konstantin Ivanov, Martin Sobel, Joseph Stanley Siernos, John Rega, David Roslon, Raul Quinones, Alan Hughieson, Mehmet Reyhan, Manfred Reiser, Bernhard Wachter, Manfred Hild, Erwin Bauder
  • Patent number: 5664404
    Abstract: The specification discloses an automated apparatus and method for packaging surgical needles having sutures attached thereto wherein a bundle of needles and sutures are placed at a semi-automated separation station and an operator feeds the needles, one at a time, into a rotating needle feed wheel. As the feed wheel advances, the suture is tensioned and directed along a pre-determined path to separate it from the remaining sutures in the bundle. The apparatus has a plurality of individually rotatable tool nests which are sequentially spaced on a rotating or indexing turntable. These tool nests sequentially receive plastic packages for receiving the needle and suture at a first station. At a second station, a needle is inserted into the package by robotic fingers which have retrieved the needle and attached suture from the rotating needle feed wheel. The rotating needle feed wheel and the rotating tool nests are synchronized to step together as each advances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignees: Ethicon, Inc., Harro Hofliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Konstantin Ivanov, Donald Pompei, John Rega, Lorens Slokovic, Haro Hofliger, Manfred Reiser, Erwin Bauder, Edgar Wieland, Roland Eissele, Manfred Hild