Patents by Inventor Maggie Nixon

Maggie Nixon 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: 20150238269
    Abstract: End effectors with closing mechanisms, and related tools and methods are disclosed. The disclosed end effectors may be particularly beneficial when used for minimally invasive surgery. An example surgical tool comprises a first and second jaw movable between a closed grasped or clamped configuration and an open configuration. The tool further comprises a soft grip mode for grasping the tissue at a first force during which a separation parameter between the jaws is measured, and a therapeutic clamping mode in which the jaws clamp on the body tissue at a force greater than the grasping force. The methods comprise grasping the body tissue between jaw members, measuring the separation parameter between jaws, indicating on a user interface the separation parameter for comparison to a desired separation parameter, and then releasing the body tissue for repositioning or therapeutically clamping the body tissue in response to the separation parameter indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: DAVID WEIR, GRANT DUQUE, KEVIN DURANT, PATRICK FLANAGAN, MAGGIE NIXON, DAVID ROBINSON, JOHN ZABINSKI
  • Publication number: 20150238268
    Abstract: End effectors with closing mechanisms, and related tools and methods are disclosed. The disclosed end effectors may be particularly beneficial when used for minimally invasive surgery. An example surgical tool comprises a first and second jaw movable between a closed grasped or clamped configuration and an open configuration. The tool further comprises a soft grip mode for grasping the tissue at a first force during which a separation parameter between the jaws is measured, and a therapeutic clamping mode in which the jaws clamp on the body tissue at a force greater than the grasping force. The methods comprise grasping the body tissue between jaw members, measuring the separation parameter between jaws, indicating on a user interface the separation parameter for comparison to a desired separation parameter, and then releasing the body tissue for repositioning or therapeutically clamping the body tissue in response to the separation parameter indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: DAVID WEIR, GRANT DUQUE, KEVIN DURANT, PATRICK FLANAGAN, MAGGIE NIXON, DAVID ROBINSON, JOHN ZABINSKI
  • Patent number: 8989903
    Abstract: End effectors with closing mechanisms, and related tools and methods to facilitate clamping, are provided. An example surgical tool comprises a first and second jaw movable between a closed grasped or clamped configuration and an open configuration. The tool further comprises a soft grip mode for grasping the tissue at a first force during which a separation parameter between the jaws is measured, and a therapeutic clamping mode in which the jaws clamp on the body tissue at a force greater than the grasping force. The methods comprise grasping the body tissue between jaw members, measuring the separation parameter between jaws, indicating on a user interface the separation parameter for comparison to a desired separation parameter, and then releasing the body tissue for repositioning or therapeutically clamping the body tissue in response to the separation parameter indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: David Weir, Grant Duque, Kevin Durant, Patrick Flanagan, Maggie Nixon, David Robinson, John Zabinski
  • Publication number: 20120209314
    Abstract: End effectors with closing mechanisms, and related tools and methods are disclosed. The disclosed end effectors may be particularly beneficial when used for minimally invasive surgery. An example surgical tool comprises a first and second jaw movable between a closed grasped or clamped configuration and an open configuration. The tool further comprises a soft grip mode for grasping the tissue at a first force during which a separation parameter between the jaws is measured, and a therapeutic clamping mode in which the jaws clamp on the body tissue at a force greater than the grasping force. The methods comprise grasping the body tissue between jaw members, measuring the separation parameter between jaws, indicating on a user interface the separation parameter for comparison to a desired separation parameter, and then releasing the body tissue for repositioning or therapeutically clamping the body tissue in response to the separation parameter indication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: David Weir, Grant Duque, Kevin Durant, Patrick Flanagan, Maggie Nixon, David Robinson, John Zabinski