Patents by Inventor Kevin L. Houser, IV

Kevin L. Houser, IV 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: 11974772
    Abstract: A surgical instrument is disclosed comprising a shaft assembly comprising a shaft, a housing coupled to a proximal end of the shaft, a button, a driver, a motor configured to actuate the driver, and a controller for translating displacement of the button to a velocity of the motor. The controller is configured to detect a displacement of the button, wherein the displacement is manifested as a frequency and magnitude over a period of time, compare the detected frequency to a frequency threshold, compare the detected magnitude with a magnitude threshold, determine that the detected frequency exceeds the frequency threshold and the detected magnitude exceeds the magnitude threshold, and smooth the velocity of the motor over the period of time based on determining the detected frequency exceeds frequency threshold and determining the detected magnitude exceeds the a magnitude threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH Intemational
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Kevin L. Houser, Jason L. Harris
  • Publication number: 20240081802
    Abstract: Various methods and devices are provided for allowing multiple surgical instruments to be inserted into sealing elements of a single surgical access device. The sealing elements can be movable along predefined pathways within the device to allow surgical instruments inserted through the sealing elements to be moved laterally, rotationally, angularly, and vertically relative to a central longitudinal axis of the device for ease of manipulation within a patient's body while maintaining insufflation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Mark S. Ortiz, David T. Martin, Matthew C. Miller, Mark J. Reese, Wells D. Haberstich, Carl Shurtleff, Charles J. Scheib, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jerome R. Morgan, Daniel H. Duke, Daniel J. Mumaw, Gregory W. Johnson, Kevin L. Houser
  • Publication number: 20240081855
    Abstract: Provided is a system and medical device that includes self diagnosing control switches. The control switch may be slidable within a slot in order to control activation of some function of the medical device. Due to natural wear and tear of movement of a control switch, the distances along the sliding slot that correspond to how much energy is used for the function may need to be adjusted over time in order to reflect the changing physical attributes of the actuator mechanism. The self diagnosing control switches of the present disclosures may be configured to automatically adjust for these thresholds using, for example, Hall effect sensors and magnets. In addition, in some cases, the self diagnosing control switches may be capable of indicating external influences on the controls, as well as predict a time until replacement is needed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, David C. Yates, Kevin L. Houser, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Jason L. Harris
  • Publication number: 20190105035
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for controlling a surgical instrument. The method includes connecting a power assembly to a control circuit, wherein the power assembly is configured to provide a source voltage, energizing, by the power assembly, a voltage boost convertor circuit configured to provide a set voltage greater than the source voltage, and energizing, by the voltage boost convertor, one or more voltage convertors configured to provide one or more operating voltages to one or more circuit components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Brett E. Swensgard, Richard L. Leimbach, Shane R. Adams, Mark D. Overmyer, IV, Kevin L. Houser, IV