Patents by Inventor Michael McErlean

Michael McErlean 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).

  • Bendable trocars having blunt tips and connectors for advancing wound drain catheters through tissue
    Patent number: 11457948
    Abstract: A trocar includes a shaft having a leading section, a trailing section, a reduced diameter midsection located between the leading and trailing sections, and a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the shaft. The leading section of the shaft has a tapered region that terminates at a blunt tip. The trailing section of the shaft has a connector located at the trailing end thereof. The leading and trailing sections of the shaft having a first diameter and the reduced diameter midsection of the shaft has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter for enabling the shaft to be bent at the reduced diameter midsection. A flexible wound drain catheter having a first end is secured to the connector at the trailing end of the trailing section of the shaft. The flexible wound drain catheter has an outer diameter that matches the first diameter of the leading and trailing sections of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Serge Levine, Jianxin Guo, Michael McErlean, Jonathan Addeo Syby
  • BENDABLE TROCARS HAVING BLUNT TIPS AND CONNECTORS FOR ADVANCING WOUND DRAIN CATHETERS THROUGH TISSUE
    Publication number: 20200261114
    Abstract: A trocar includes a shaft having a leading section, a trailing section, a reduced diameter midsection located between the leading and trailing sections, and a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the shaft. The leading section of the shaft has a tapered region that terminates at a blunt tip. The trailing section of the shaft has a connector located at the trailing end thereof. The leading and trailing sections of the shaft having a first diameter and the reduced diameter midsection of the shaft has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter for enabling the shaft to be bent at the reduced diameter midsection. A flexible wound drain catheter having a first end is secured to the connector at the trailing end of the trailing section of the shaft. The flexible wound drain catheter has an outer diameter that matches the first diameter of the leading and trailing sections of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Serge Levine, Jianxin Guo, Michael McErlean