Patents by Inventor Kenneth H. Whitfield

Kenneth H. Whitfield 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: 20220031332
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Gregory Sorrentino, Kenneth H. Whitfield
  • Patent number: 11213299
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly and a shaft assembly. The handle assembly includes a drive assembly; and a trigger operatively connected to the drive assembly. The shaft assembly extends from the handle assembly and includes an articulating neck assembly; and an end effector assembly supported on a distal end of the articulating neck assembly and being configured to form a surgical clip in place on the body tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Whitfield, Csaba L. Rethy
  • Patent number: 11213298
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Gregory Sorrentino, Kenneth H. Whitfield
  • Publication number: 20210386424
    Abstract: A surgical stapling apparatus includes a housing assembly and an elongated shaft assembly. The elongated shaft assembly is selectively attachable to the housing assembly. The elongated shaft assembly includes an adapter assembly and a loading unit. The adapter assembly extends distally to a distal tip housing. The distal tip housing supports an adapter electrical connector assembly therein. The loading unit is selectively attachable to the adapter assembly and extends distally to an end effector supporting one or more sensors therein. The loading unit supports a loading unit electrical connector assembly therein. The loading unit electrical connector assembly is positioned to contact the adapter electrical connector assembly when the adapter assembly and the loading unit are coupled together to electrically couple the one or more sensors to the housing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Pawel Abramek, Kenneth H. Whitfield, Roanit A. Fernandes, Kenneth M. Cappola
  • Publication number: 20210290230
    Abstract: A loading unit includes a staple cartridge assembly, an anvil assembly, and an anvil hook assembly. The anvil assembly has an opening defined therethrough, and the anvil hook assembly includes an anvil hook disposed within the opening of the anvil assembly and a pivot pin extending through the anvil hook and the anvil assembly. The anvil hook is pivotable with respect to the anvil assembly about the pivot pin between a loading position and a loaded position. The loading unit may further include a surgical buttress assembly including a cartridge buttress releasably attached to the staple cartridge assembly, an anvil buttress releasably attachable to the anvil assembly by the anvil hook, and a connecting member interconnecting the cartridge and anvil buttresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Roanit Fernandes, Kenneth H. Whitfield
  • Publication number: 20210128149
    Abstract: A staple cartridge includes a cartridge body and a plurality of staples. The cartridge body defines a plurality of rows of staple pockets and a central knife slot. One of the staples is received in each of the staple pockets. Each of the staples defines a burr or facet that faces the central knife slot and defines a plane that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Whitfield, Thomas Casasanta, Wojciech Kisiel
  • Publication number: 20210045743
    Abstract: A surgical stapler includes a body portion and a tool assembly. The body portion includes a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion extending distally from the large diameter portion. The large diameter portion supports larger internal components of the device including a lockout assembly adapted to prevent refiring of the stapler to allow the diameter of the small diameter portion of the device to be minimized to facilitate passage of the small diameter portion of the stapler and the tool assembly through an 8 mm trocar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Kenneth H. WHITFIELD, Thomas CASASANTA, Timothy D. EBNER, Anthony GADDY
  • Publication number: 20200289112
    Abstract: An end effector for a surgical stapling apparatus includes a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. The cartridge assembly supports staples. Each staple includes a backspan, a first leg, and a second leg. The first and second legs extend from the backspan. The anvil assembly is coupled to the cartridge assembly. The anvil assembly includes an anvil having opposed side surfaces. The anvil defines a knife slot and biased staple-forming pockets disposed between the opposed side surfaces of the anvil. Each biased staple-forming pocket is positioned to form the first and second legs of a respective staple on one side of the backspan of the respective staple. The one side of the backspan is positioned toward the knife slot of the anvil relative to the opposed side surfaces of the anvil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Whitfield, Roanit A. Fernandes, Anthony Gaddy
  • Publication number: 20200187941
    Abstract: A surgical stapling device for sequentially applying a plurality of fasteners to body tissue and simultaneously incising tissue is provided. The surgical stapling device is adapted to receive disposable loading units having staples in linear rows whose length can be between about 30 mm and 60 mm. The disposable loading unit includes a proximal body portion, a mounting assembly and a tool assembly. The mounting assembly is secured to the proximal end of the tool assembly and pivotally mounted about a pivot axis to the distal end of the proximal body portion. A support member or blow-out plate assembly is positioned on opposite sides of the pivot axis and extends between the proximal body portion and the mounting assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas Wenchell, Stanislaw Marczyk, Kenneth H. Whitfield, Roman Czernik, Henry E. Holsten, Frank C. Maffei
  • Patent number: 10682135
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Gregory Sorrentino, Kenneth H. Whitfield
  • Patent number: 10617415
    Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a body portion, a tool assembly, a mounting assembly, a retaining member, and an articulation member that is coupled to the tool assembly for articulating the tool assembly in relation to the body portion. The retaining member is engaged with the articulation member to prevent movement of the articulation member until the articulation member is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Thomas Wenchell, Stanislaw Marczyk, Kenneth H. Whitfield, Roman Czernik, Henry E. Holsten, Frank C. Maffei
  • Patent number: 10485538
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue has a handle portion; a body extending distally from the handle portion; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the body; and a jaw assembly mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the body. The jaw assembly includes first and second jaw portions movable between a spaced-apart and an approximated position. The apparatus also has a wedge plate longitudinally movable between the first and the second jaw portions, a clip pusher configured to individually distally advance a surgical clip to the jaw assembly while the jaw portions are in the spaced apart position; an actuator at least partially disposed within the body and longitudinally movable in response to actuation of the handle portion; and a jaw closure member positioned adjacent the first and second jaw portions to move the jaw portions to the approximated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Whitfield, Gregory Sorrentino
  • Patent number: 10363045
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips includes a lockout system selectively engagable with a pusher bar to prevent the pusher bar from returning to a home position and to prevent a trigger from completing a full stroke when a plurality of clips are substantially exhausted. The apparatus may include a trip mechanism including a trip lever biased into contact with the pusher bar, wherein distal movement of the drive bar moves the trip mechanism until the trip lever engages a lip of the pusher bar and in turn distally moves the pusher bar. The apparatus may include a wedge plate including a distal end placeable between spaced-apart jaw members, wherein the wedge plate is moved proximally to withdraw the distal end thereof from between the jaw members when a drive channel is moved in a distal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Whitfield, Gregory Sorrentino
  • Patent number: 10349950
    Abstract: A clip applying apparatus is described for applying clips seriatim to tissue. The apparatus includes a lockout member for limiting distal movement of the camming member after the proximal-most clip has been applied to tissue. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a jaw locking member for preventing approximation of the jaw members of the apparatus. In one embodiment, a latch assembly is provided to releasably engage a clip pusher of the apparatus to the camming member of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Ernest Aranyi, Kenneth H. Whitfield, Greg Sorrentino
  • Publication number: 20190209177
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly and a shaft assembly. The handle assembly includes a drive assembly; and a trigger operatively connected to the drive assembly. The shaft assembly extends from the handle assembly and includes an articulating neck assembly; and an end effector assembly supported on a distal end of the articulating neck assembly and being configured to form a surgical clip in place on the body tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Whitfield, Csaba L. Rethy
  • Publication number: 20190150934
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Gregory Sorrentino, Kenneth H. Whitfield
  • Patent number: 10271854
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly and a shaft assembly. The handle assembly includes a drive assembly; and a trigger operatively connected to the drive assembly. The shaft assembly extends from the handle assembly and includes an articulating neck assembly; and an end effector assembly supported on a distal end of the articulating neck assembly and being configured to form a surgical clip in place on the body tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Whitfield, Csaba L. Rethy
  • Patent number: 10258346
    Abstract: A surgical clip applier is provided including a housing; a pair of handles; a channel assembly extending from the housing; a clip carrier disposed within said channel assembly and defining a channel and a plurality of windows; a wedge plate slidably disposed within said channel assembly and being operatively connected to said handles, said wedge plate including a plurality of apertures formed along a length thereof; a plurality of clips slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier; and a clip follower slidably disposed within said channel of said clip carrier at a location proximal of said plurality of clips. The clip follower is configured and adapted for selective engagement with said windows of said clip carrier and said apertures of said wedge plate to distally urge said plurality of clips relative to said clip carrier upon a distal advancement of said wedge plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Earl M. Zergiebel, Kenneth H. Whitfield, Gregory Sorrentino, Kevin Robert Slisz, Roberto Pedros
  • Patent number: 10231738
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Gregory Sorrentino, Kenneth H. Whitfield
  • Patent number: 10231735
    Abstract: An apparatus for application of surgical clips to body tissue is provided and includes a handle assembly; a shaft assembly including a housing extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis; a plurality of surgical clips disposed within the shaft assembly; a jaw mounted adjacent a distal end portion of the shaft assembly, the jaw being movable between an open spaced-apart condition and a closed approximated condition; and a pusher bar reciprocally disposed within the housing of the shaft assembly and being detachably connectable to the housing of the shaft assembly, the pusher bar being configured to load a distal-most surgical clip into the jaws during distal movement and remain connected to the housing of the shaft assembly and in a distally advanced position during an approximation of the jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Gregory Sorrentino, Kenneth H. Whitfield