Patents by Inventor Korey Robert Kline
Korey Robert Kline 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: 10920714Abstract: A hybrid rocket engine is described that achieves stable, highly efficient hybrid combustion by having a core flow of fuel-rich gas generator gases, with the flow being surrounded with an annular injection of oxidizer. The fuel-rich gas serves to vaporize and decompose the oxidizer, such as nitrous oxide, and prepare it for effective, stable combustion. In one embodiment, this is done at the head-end of a combustion chamber. The combustion products can then be expanded through a nozzle to create thrust. The engine can be an upper stage engine that can include modular thrust chambers and an integrated aerospike nozzle. The thrust chambers can be arranged in an array that rings the top of the aerospike nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: EXQUADRUM, INC.Inventors: Kevin E. Mahaffy, Byron Henning, Korey Robert Kline, Philip Pelfrey, Eric Schmidt, Elias Wilson
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Publication number: 20160032867Abstract: A hybrid rocket engine is described that achieves stable, highly efficient hybrid combustion by having a core flow of fuel-rich gas generator gases, with the flow being surrounded with an annular injection of oxidizer. The fuel-rich gas serves to vaporize and decompose the oxidizer, such as nitrous oxide, and prepare it for effective, stable combustion. In one embodiment, this is done at the head-end of a combustion chamber. The combustion products can then be expanded through a nozzle to create thrust. The engine can be an upper stage engine that can include modular thrust chambers and an integrated aerospike nozzle. The thrust chambers can be arranged in an array that rings the top of the aerospike nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicant: Exquadrum, Inc.Inventors: Kevin E. MAHAFFY, Byron HENNING, Korey Robert KLINE, Philip PELFREY, Eric Schmidt, Elias Wilson
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Patent number: 8679154Abstract: A compression-self-adjusting staple includes a substantially U-shaped staple body and a compression device. The staple body has a bridge and two legs extending from the bridge at an angle thereto. Each of the legs has a base end integral with the bridge and a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled. The compression device is at least partly disposed between the legs and has a bias portion with a compression surface movably disposed between the legs and a compression resistor connected to the bridge and to the compression surface and formed to resist movement of the compression surface towards the bridge with a force.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2008Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Korey Robert Kline, Derek Dee Deville
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Patent number: 8579176Abstract: A medical device includes a control handle having an articulation joint actuator, a surgical end effector, and a passive articulating joint connecting the end effector to the control handle. The articulation joint actuator, when unactuated, holds the passive articulation joint and, thereby, the end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position, and, when actuated, releases the passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of the end effector with respect to the control handle dependent upon external forces acting upon the end effector. A method for operating the end effector includes retaining the passive articulation joint in a stable position with an articulation lock and actuating a release of the articulation lock to unlock the passive articulation joint and, thereby, permit articulating motion of the end effector through the passive articulation joint dependent upon the external forces acting upon the end effector.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2006Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Korey Robert Kline, Derek Dee Deville
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Patent number: 8083713Abstract: A method and device for treating a Chronic Total Occlusion provides a controllable stiffness catheter with a shaft having a stiffness sheath and an access lumen. The device has a stiffness device in a stiff state below a given temperature and in a soft state above the temperature, a temperature-changing device in thermal contact with the stiffness device, the temperature-changing device changing a temperature of the stiffness device below and above the temperature, and a power controller electrically connected to the stiffness device and selectively supplying power to the temperature-changing device to change a stiffness of the stiffness device between the stiff and soft states. A guidewire is moved to a treatment site and the catheter moves along the guidewire up to CTO in its soft state. The catheter stiffens without straightening and, in the stiff state, the catheter or the guidewire is projecting through the CTO.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2009Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Syntheon, LLCInventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Derek Dee Deville, Sean M. McBrayer, Korey Robert Kline
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Publication number: 20090299280Abstract: A method and device for treating a Chronic Total Occlusion provides a controllable stiffness catheter with a shaft having a stiffness sheath and an access lumen. The device has a stiffness device in a stiff state below a given temperature and in a soft state above the temperature, a temperature-changing device in thermal contact with the stiffness device, the temperature-changing device changing a temperature of the stiffness device below and above the temperature, and a power controller electrically connected to the stiffness device and selectively supplying power to the temperature-changing device to change a stiffness of the stiffness device between the stiff and soft states. A guidewire is moved to a treatment site and the catheter moves along the guidewire up to CTO in its soft state. The catheter stiffens without straightening and, in the stiff state, the catheter or the guidewire is projecting through the CTO.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2009Publication date: December 3, 2009Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Derek Dee Deville, Sean M. McBrayer, Korey Robert Kline
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Patent number: 7559916Abstract: A method and device for treating a Chronic Total Occlusion provides a controllable stiffness catheter with a shaft having a stiffness sheath and an access lumen. The device has a stiffness device in a stiff state below a given temperature and in a soft state above the temperature, a temperature-changing device in thermal contact with the stiffness device, the temperature-changing device changing a temperature of the stiffness device below and above the temperature, and a power controller electrically connected to the stiffness device and selectively supplying power to the temperature-changing device to change a stiffness of the stiffness device between the stiff and soft states. A guidewire is moved to a treatment site and the catheter moves along the guidewire up to CTO in its soft state. The catheter stiffens without straightening and, in the stiff state, the catheter or the guidewire is projecting through the CTO.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Syntheon, LLCInventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Derek Dee Deville, Sean M. McBrayer, Korey Robert Kline
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Patent number: 7419080Abstract: A medical device includes a surgical end effector, an end effector control handle, and a control shaft having a longitudinal axis and a handle portion connecting the control shaft to the control handle rotatably about the longitudinal axis. A passive articulation joint connects the end effector to the control shaft. An articulation joint release unlocks the articulation joint when actuated and locks the articulation joint when unactuated. An end effector control device is rotationally fixedly connected to at least a portion of the control shaft to correspondingly rotate the control shaft about the longitudinal axis when the control device is rotated and is longitudinally connected to the joint release to selectively unlock the articulation joint when actuated.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2007Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Korey Robert Kline, Derek Dee Deville
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Patent number: 7404508Abstract: A medical device includes a control handle, an end effector, and a passive articulating joint connecting the end effector to the handle. The handle has a stapling actuator, an articulation joint actuator different from the stapling actuator, and a body through which the stapling and articulation joint actuators traverse. The end effector has an anvil, a stapler cartridge with staples, and an anvil-cartridge control device connected thereto and to the stapling actuator and staples when the stapling actuator is actuated. The stapling actuator passes through the articulating joint and flexes correspondingly to articulation of the articulating joint. The articulation joint actuator, when unactuated, holds the articulation joint and, thereby, the end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position, and, when actuated, releases the articulation joint into its freely articulating state to permit free articulation of the end effector dependent upon external forces acting upon the end effector.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2006Date of Patent: July 29, 2008Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Korey Robert Kline, Derek Dee Deville
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Publication number: 20080172088Abstract: A compression-self-adjusting staple includes a substantially U-shaped staple body and a compression device. The staple body has a bridge and two legs extending from the bridge at an angle thereto. Each of the legs has a base end integral with the bridge and a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled. The compression device is at least partly disposed between the legs and has a bias portion with a compression surface movably disposed between the legs and a compression resistor connected to the bridge and to the compression surface and formed to resist movement of the compression surface towards the bridge with a force.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2008Publication date: July 17, 2008Applicant: ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC.Inventors: Kevin W. Smith, Matthew A. Palmer, Korey Robert Kline, Derek Dee Deville