Patents by Inventor Lisa M. Heaton

Lisa M. Heaton 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).

  • Apparatus for applying surgical fasteners
    Patent number: 5878937
    Abstract: A surgical stapling or fastening instrument for applying surgical fasteners to tissue having an adjustable closure mechanism to linearly approximate the distance between the jaw members of the instrument. The adjustable closure mechanism consists of a retaining mechanism and a linkage structure which is actuable to linearly urge the jaw members towards each other. A coupling arrangement is also provided which permits firing of the staples or fasteners only when the jaw members are approximated a predetermined distance towards each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation
    Inventors: David T. Green, Henry Bolanos, Keith Ratcliff, Lisa M. Heaton, John C. Robertson