Patents by Inventor Kenneth L. Gong
Kenneth L. Gong 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).
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Patent number: 11000331Abstract: A cover for an electrosurgical instrument having a wrist structure and an end effector is provided. The cover includes a hollow elongated structure, which includes a tip cover portion and a base cover portion integrally connected to the tip cover portion. The tip cover portion has a distal end with an opening therethrough sized to receive the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument and is composed of a first, electrically insulative material having a flexibility sufficient to allow the end effector to be manipulated while the end effector is received in the opening. The base cover portion is composed of a second material having a higher tear strength than the first material. The tip cover portion and the base cover portion overlap at an overlap region configured to receive the wrist structure of the electrosurgical instrument when the end effector is received in the opening.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2018Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Justin Krom, Kenneth L. Gong, Richard D. Gresham, Scott E. Manzo, Joseph P. Orban, III
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Publication number: 20190015148Abstract: A cover for an electrosurgical instrument having a wrist structure and an end effector is provided. The cover includes a hollow elongated structure, which includes a tip cover portion and a base cover portion integrally connected to the tip cover portion. The tip cover portion has a distal end with an opening therethrough sized to receive the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument and is composed of a first, electrically insulative material having a flexibility sufficient to allow the end effector to be manipulated while the end effector is received in the opening. The base cover portion is composed of a second material having a higher tear strength than the first material. The tip cover portion and the base cover portion overlap at an overlap region configured to receive the wrist structure of the electrosurgical instrument when the end effector is received in the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2018Publication date: January 17, 2019Applicant: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Justin KROM, Kenneth L. GONG, Richard D. GRESHAM, Scott E. MANZO, Joseph P. ORBAN, III
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Patent number: 10039594Abstract: A cover for an electrosurgical instrument having a wrist structure and an end effector is provided. The cover includes a hollow elongated structure, which includes a tip cover portion and a base cover portion integrally connected to the tip cover portion. The tip cover portion has a distal end with an opening therethrough sized to receive the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument and is composed of a first, electrically insulative material having a flexibility sufficient to allow the end effector to be manipulated while the end effector is received in the opening. The base cover portion is composed of a second material having a higher tear strength than the first material. The tip cover portion and the base cover portion overlap at an overlap region configured to receive the wrist structure of the electrosurgical instrument when the end effector is received in the opening.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Justin Krom, Kenneth L. Gong, Richard D. Gresham, Scott E. Manzo, Joseph P. Orban, III
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Patent number: 9687302Abstract: A surgical apparatus includes a cannula and a surgical instrument. The cannula includes a curved longitudinal axis along at least a portion of its length. The surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft. At least a portion of the end effector is configured to contact an inner surface of the cannula during insertion of the surgical instrument into the curved cannula. A threshold galling stress between the portion of the end effector and an inner surface of the curved cannula is at least 10,000 pounds per square inch.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Samuel T. Crews, Andrew Crews, Edward P. Donlon, Craig Gerbi, Kenneth L. Gong, Karnarnadakala D. Krishnanand, Peling Lee, Theodore W. Rogers, John Ryan Steger, Charles E. Swinehart
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Publication number: 20150359587Abstract: A cover for an electrosurgical instrument having a wrist structure and an end effector is provided. The cover includes a hollow elongated structure, which includes a tip cover portion and a base cover portion integrally connected to the tip cover portion. The tip cover portion has a distal end with an opening therethrough sized to receive the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument and is composed of a first, electrically insulative material having a flexibility sufficient to allow the end effector to be manipulated while the end effector is received in the opening. The base cover portion is composed of a second material having a higher tear strength than the first material. The tip cover portion and the base cover portion overlap at an overlap region configured to receive the wrist structure of the electrosurgical instrument when the end effector is received in the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2015Publication date: December 17, 2015Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Justin Krom, Kenneth L. Gong, Richard D. Gresham, Scott E. Manzo, Joseph P. Orban, III
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Patent number: 9138284Abstract: A cover for an electrosurgical instrument having a wrist structure and an end effector is provided. The cover includes a hollow elongated structure, which includes a tip cover portion and a base cover portion integrally connected to the tip cover portion. The tip cover portion has a distal end with an opening therethrough sized to receive the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument and is composed of a first, electrically insulative material having a flexibility sufficient to allow the end effector to be manipulated while the end effector is received in the opening. The base cover portion is composed of a second material having a higher tear strength than the first material. The tip cover portion and the base cover portion overlap at an overlap region configured to receive the wrist structure of the electrosurgical instrument when the end effector is received in the opening.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2011Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Justin Krom, Kenneth L. Gong, Richard D. Gresham, Scott E. Manzo, Joseph P. Orban, III
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Publication number: 20140194895Abstract: A surgical apparatus includes a cannula and a surgical instrument. The cannula includes a curved longitudinal axis along at least a portion of its length. The surgical instrument includes an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft. At least a portion of the end effector is configured to contact an inner surface of the cannula during insertion of the surgical instrument into the curved cannula. A threshold galling stress between the portion of the end effector and an inner surface of the curved cannula is at least 10,000 pounds per square inch.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2014Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Samuel T. CREWS, Andrew CREWS, Edward P. DONLON, Craig GERBI, Kenneth L. GONG, Krish KRISHNANAND, Peling LEE, Theodore W. ROGERS, John Ryan STEGER, Charles E. SWINEHART
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Publication number: 20120010611Abstract: A cover for an electrosurgical instrument having a wrist structure and an end effector is provided. The cover includes a hollow elongated structure, which includes a tip cover portion and a base cover portion integrally connected to the tip cover portion. The tip cover portion has a distal end with an opening therethrough sized to receive the end effector of the electrosurgical instrument and is composed of a first, electrically insulative material having a flexibility sufficient to allow the end effector to be manipulated while the end effector is received in the opening. The base cover portion is composed of a second material having a higher tear strength than the first material. The tip cover portion and the base cover portion overlap at an overlap region configured to receive the wrist structure of the electrosurgical instrument when the end effector is received in the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2011Publication date: January 12, 2012Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.Inventors: Justin Krom, Kenneth L. Gong, Richard D. Gresham, Scott E. Manzo, Joseph P. Orban, III