Patents by Inventor Kathryn J. Kitching

Kathryn J. Kitching 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).

  • Wettable ePTFE medical devices
    Patent number: 8029562
    Abstract: Methods are provided for surface modifying a hydrophobic polymer substrate to increase wettability comprising the steps of pre-treating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a radio frequency (RF)-generated first plasma and a RF-generated second plasma wherein the first plasma and the second plasma are applied sequentially, coating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a hydrophilic coating; and polymerizing the hydrophilic coating on the hydrophobic polymer substrate by exposure to a RF-generated third plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Kathryn J. Kitching, Catherine E. Taylor
  • Wettable ePTFE medical devices
    Patent number: 7923053
    Abstract: Methods are provided for surface modifying a hydrophobic polymer substrate to increase wettability comprising the steps of pre-treating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a radio frequency (RF)-generated first plasma and a RF-generated second plasma wherein the first plasma and the second plasma are applied sequentially, coating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a hydrophilic coating; and polymerizing the hydrophilic coating on the hydrophobic polymer substrate by exposure to a RF-generated third plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Inventors: Kathryn J. Kitching, Catherine E. Taylor
  • Wettable ePTFE Medical Devices
    Publication number: 20110060402
    Abstract: Methods are provided for surface modifying a hydrophobic polymer substrate to increase wettability comprising the steps of pre-treating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a radio frequency (RF)-generated first plasma and a RF-generated second plasma wherein the first plasma and the second plasma are applied sequentially, coating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a hydrophilic coating; and polymerizing the hydrophilic coating on the hydrophobic polymer substrate by exposure to a RF-generated third plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Kathryn J. Kitching, Catherine E. Taylor
  • Modification of chemical forces of bone constructs
    Patent number: 7749555
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for enhancing ingrowth of host bone comprising: modifying a bone graft structure to provide an ionic gradient to produce a modified bone graft structure; and implanting the modified bone graft structure. The present invention also relates to a method of enhancing the binding of growth factors and cell cultures to a bone graft structure comprising: applying ex vivo an effective quantity of an ionic force change agent to the surface of a bone graft structure to produce a binding-sensitized bone graft structure; implanting the binding-sensitized bone graft structure into a host bone; and administering to the binding-sensitized bone graft structure a molecule, a cell culture or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Inventors: John M. Zanella, Sean M. Haddock, Catherine E. Taylor, Kathryn J. Kitching
  • WETTABLE ePTFE MEDICAL DEVICES
    Publication number: 20080234811
    Abstract: Methods are provided for surface modifying a hydrophobic polymer substrate to increase wettability comprising the steps of pre-treating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a radio frequency (RF)-generated first plasma and a RF-generated second plasma wherein the first plasma and the second plasma are applied sequentially, coating the hydrophobic polymer substrate with a hydrophilic coating; and polymerizing the hydrophilic coating on the hydrophobic polymer substrate by exposure to a RF-generated third plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Kathryn J. Kitching, Catherine E. Taylor
  • Method and apparatus for precision coating of molecules on the surfaces of materials and devices
    Publication number: 20030157269
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma treatment and deposition of ionized molecules on a surface of an object in a vacuum. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a vacuum system having a plasma-treatment system and an ion deposition system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: University of Washington
    Inventors: Buddy D. Ratner, Frank Turecek, William T. Elam, Hak-No Lee, Kathryn J. Kitching