Patents by Inventor Keith R. McCrea

Keith R. McCrea 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: 20160082177
    Abstract: The present technology relates to methods and devices for the removal of toxins and pathogens from infected blood of patients. In particular, devices are designed to be portable, wearable, disposable and self-contained extracorporeal devices that can be easily assembled from a kit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: EXTHERA MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: ROBERT S. WARD, KEITH R. McCREA
  • Publication number: 20140231357
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for removing cytokines and/or pathogens from blood or blood serum (blood) by contacting the blood with a solid, essentially non microporous substrate which has been surface treated with heparin, heparan sulfate and/or other molecules or chemical groups (the adsorbent media or media) having a binding affinity for the cytokine or pathogen(s) to be removed (the adsorbates), and wherein the size of the interstitial channels within said media is balanced with the amount of media surface area and the surface concentration of binding sites on the media in order to provide adequate adsorptive capacity while also allowing relatively high flow rates of blood through the adsorbent media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: EXTHERA MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert S Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Olle Larm, Lars Adolfsson
  • Patent number: 8758286
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for removing cytokines and/or pathogens from blood or blood serum (blood) by contacting the blood with a solid, essentially non micro-porous substrate which has been surface treated with heparin, heparan sulfate and/or other molecules or chemical groups (the adsorbent media or media) having a binding affinity for the cytokine or pathogen(s) to be removed (the adsorbates), and wherein the size of the interstitial channels within said media is balanced with the amount of media surface area and the surface concentration of binding sites on the media in order to provide adequate adsorptive capacity while also allowing relatively high flow rates of blood through the adsorbent media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Exthera Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Robert S Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Olle Larm, Lars Adolfsson
  • Patent number: 8344090
    Abstract: Methods for preparing functionalized polyvinylpyrrolidones with polymerizable functions. Also, amphipathic polydimethylsiloxane-PVP block copolymers, such as and (meth)acrylated and (meth)acrylamide-functionalized polyvinylpyrrolidone compounds, such as The block copolymers are useful as biomaterial components in biomedical devices. They provide improved wettability, lubricity, and material compatibility to the biomedical device, e.g., ophthalmic lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: DSM IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: James Parakka, Keith R. McCrea, Robert S. Ward
  • Publication number: 20120095166
    Abstract: Polymers having the formula R(LE)X wherein R is a polymeric core having a number average molecular weight of from 5000 to 7,000,000 daltons and x endgroups, E is an endgroup that is covalently linked to polymeric core R by linkage L, L is a divalent oligomeric chain having at least 5 identical repeat units that is capable of self-assembly with L chains on adjacent molecules of the polymer, and the moieties (LE)X in the polymer may be the same as or different from one another. Monomers, oligomers, or other reactive structures otherwise analogous to known Self Assembled Monolayers but with at least one reactive chemical group capable of binding them to the terminus of a polymer, so that the thiol-free SAM analogue becomes the self-assembling surface modifying endgroup of that polymer, may be designed. Use of the polymer to fabricate a configured article from the surface-modified polymer or to fabricate a coating or topical treatment on an article made from another material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Robert S. WARD, Keith R. McCREA, Yuan TIAN, James P. PARAKKA, Shanger WANG
  • Patent number: 8153728
    Abstract: Methods for preparing functionalized polyvinylpyrrolidones with polymerizable functions. Also, amphipathic polydimethylsiloxane-PVP block copolymers, such as and (meth)acrylated and (meth)acrylamide-functionalized polyvinylpyrrolidone compounds, such as The block copolymers are useful as biomaterial components in biomedical devices. They provide improved wettability, lubricity, and material compatibility to the biomedical device, e.g., ophthalmic lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: DSM IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: James Parakka, Keith R. McCrea, Robert S. Ward
  • Publication number: 20120083573
    Abstract: Methods for preparing functionalized polyvinylpyrrolidones with polymerizable functions. Also, amphipathic polydimethylsiloxane-PVP block copolymers, such as and (meth)acrylated and (meth)acrylamide-functionalized polyvinylpyrrolidone compounds, such as The block copolymers are useful as biomaterial components in biomedical devices. They provide improved wettability, lubricity, and material compatibility to the biomedical device, e.g., ophthalmic lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Inventors: James PARAKKA, Keith R. McCrea, Robert S. Ward
  • Publication number: 20110184377
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for removing cytokines and/or pathogens from blood or blood serum (blood) by contacting the blood with a solid, essentially non micro-porous substrate which has been surface treated with heparin, heparan sulfate and/or other molecules or chemical groups (the adsorbent media or media) having a binding affinity for the cytokine or pathogen(s) to be removed (the adsorbates), and wherein the size of the interstitial channels within said media is balanced with the amount of media surface area and the surface concentration of binding sites on the media in order to provide adequate adsorptive capacity while also allowing relatively high flow rates of blood through the adsorbent media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: EXTHERA MEDICAL, LLC
    Inventors: Robert S. WARD, Keith R. MCCREA, Olle Larm, Lars Adolfsson
  • Publication number: 20110086077
    Abstract: A silicone hydrogel formulation may contains random and/or block copolymers or oligomers or macromers. The silicone copolymer is copolymerized or blended with other polymers or monomers or macromers to obtain final formulation. The silicone hydrogel may contain crosslinking groups to provide a complete or partially crosslinked final structure. The silicone hydrogel formulation may be pre-formed as a film or other structure, or it may be polymerized during application as in the case of an adhesive formulation. A wound dressing comprising a silicone hydrogel formed as a film, either prior to application to a wound or in situ on a wound, which film has gas permeability, moisture permeability, and high water content, wherein said silicone hydrogel is formed from a polymerizable silicone such as a difunctional polydimethylsiloxane methacrylate and crosslinking agents such as N,N-dimethyllacrylamide (DMA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and trimethylsiloxy silane (TRIS).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: The Polymer Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith R. McCrea, Robert S. Ward, Yuan Tian
  • Patent number: 7884171
    Abstract: Polymers whose surfaces are modified by endgroups that include amphipathic surface-modifying moieties. An amphipathic endgroup of a polymer molecule is an endgroup that contains at least two moieties of significantly differing composition, such that the amphipathic endgroup spontaneously rearranges its positioning in a polymer body to position the moiety on the surface of the body, depending upon the composition of the medium with which the body is in contact, when that re-positioning causes a reduction in interfacial energy. An example of an amphipathic surface-modifying endgroup is one that has both a hydrophobic moiety and a hydrophilic moiety in a single endgroup. For instance, a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) terminated with a hydrophilic hydroxyl group is not surface active in air when the surface-modifying endgroup is bonded to a more hydrophobic base polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: DSM IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: Robert S. Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Yuan Tian, James P. Parakka
  • Publication number: 20110028661
    Abstract: Block copolymers are formulated with multifunctional chain extenders. The block copolymers include a soft segment and a hard segment made from a diisocyanate, an alkylene diamine chain extender, and a multifunctional chain extender which provides delayed crosslinking. The multifunctional chain extenders have a functionality and typically have at least one OH group. The multifunctional chain extenders may be aliphatic or aromatic triols or polyols, or may have other configurations, as described. The resulting block copolymers have improved mechanical properties such as compression set. They may be used in medical applications, or in industrial applications such as seal and gasket applications, including O-rings, window seals, and automotive gaskets. The initially-formed polyurethane resin behaves as a thermoplastic processable material, while the configured end-use product is thermoset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Inventors: Robert S. Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Yuan Tian, Jim Yang
  • Publication number: 20100113711
    Abstract: Polymers whose surfaces are modified by endgroups that include amphipathic surface-modifying moieties. An amphipathic endgroup of a polymer molecule is an endgroup that contains at least two moieties of significantly differing composition, such that the amphipathic endgroup spontaneously rearranges its positioning in a polymer body to position the moiety on the surface of the body, depending upon the composition of the medium with which the body is in contact, when that re-positioning causes a reduction in interfacial energy. An example of an amphipathic surface-modifying endgroup is one that has both a hydrophobic moiety and a hydrophilic moiety in a single endgroup. For instance, a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) terminated with a hydrophilic hydroxyl group is not surface active in air when the surface-modifying endgroup is bonded to a more hydrophobic base polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventors: Robert S. Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Yuan Tian, James P. Parakka
  • Patent number: 7671162
    Abstract: Polymers whose surfaces are modified by endgroups that include amphipathic surface-modifying moieties. An amphipathic endgroup of a polymer molecule is an endgroup that contains at least two moieties of significantly differing composition, such that the amphipathic endgroup spontaneously rearranges its positioning in a polymer body to position the moiety on the surface of the body, depending upon the composition of the medium with which the body is in contact, when that re-positioning causes a reduction in interfacial energy. An example of an amphipathic surface-modifying endgroup is one that has both a hydrophobic moiety and a hydrophilic moiety in a single endgroup. For instance, a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) terminated with a hydrophilic hydroxyl group is not surface active in air when the surface-modifying endgroup is bonded to a more hydrophobic base polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: DSM IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: Robert S. Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Yuan Tian, James P. Parakka
  • Publication number: 20090258048
    Abstract: Polymers having the formula R(LE)x wherein R is a polymeric core having a number average molecular weight of from 5000 to 7,000,000 daltons and having x endgroups, E is an endgroup covalently linked to polymeric core R by linkage L, L is a divalent oligomeric chain, having at least 5 identical repeat units, capable of self-assembly with L chains on adjacent molecules of the polymer, and the moieties (LE)x in the polymer may be the same as or different from one another. Design of monomers, oligomers, or other reactive structures otherwise analogous to known Self Assembled Monolayers but with at least one reactive chemical group capable of binding them to the terminus of a polymer, so that the thiol-free SAM analogue becomes the self-assembling surface modifying endgroup of that polymer. Use of the polymer to fabricate a configured article from the surface-modified polymer or a coating or topical treatment on an article made from another material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: The Polymer Technology Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Ward, Keith R. McCrea, Yuan Tian, James P. Parakka, Shanger Wang