Patents by Inventor Michael P. Schaller

Michael P. Schaller 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: 8365975
    Abstract: A surgical instrument may include a knife moveable from a stowed position completely within said surgical instrument to a cutting position in which at least part of the knife is positioned outside the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may also include at least two cam slots, a cam pin extending from the knife into the cam slots, at least two guide slots that are substantially linear and are spaced apart from said cam slots, and a guide pin extending from the knife into the guide slots. In some embodiments, the cam slots are shaped to cause the knife to move from the stowed position to the cutting position as the knife is urged proximally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Cardica, Inc.
    Inventors: Philipe R. Manoux, Michael P. Schaller
  • Patent number: 8167898
    Abstract: An exemplary surgical apparatus may include an anvil including an outer surface, a channel defined therein, and an aperture defined in the outer surface, where the aperture opens to the channel; and a cutter slidable along and within the channel, where at least a portion of the cutter is flexible. Another exemplary surgical apparatus may include an anvil including an open channel defined therein; and a one-piece cutter including a knife adjacent to a bending region, where the cutter is slidable in the channel; where the knife is initially held completely within the anvil, and where the knife flexes out of the channel and out of the anvil in response to proximal motion of the cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Cardica, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Schaller, Michael Murillo, Nathan H. White, Hung K. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20120080497
    Abstract: One exemplary surgical apparatus may include at least one carrier, staples fixed to a corresponding carrier, and a feeder belt to which at least one carrier is frangibly connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: CARDICA, INC.
    Inventors: Nathan H. White, Michael P. Schaller, Michael Murillo, Jared L. Van Cleave, Philipe R. Manoux, Bryan D. Knodel, Benjamin J. Matthias, John E. Rivera
  • Patent number: 8056789
    Abstract: One exemplary surgical apparatus may include at least one carrier, staples fixed to a corresponding carrier, and a feeder belt to which at least one carrier is frangibly connected. Another exemplary surgical apparatus may include a staple holder, an anvil movably connected to the staple holder, a feeder belt, where at least part of the feeder belt extends into the staple holder, and staples fixed to and frangibly separable from the feeder belt; where the staples are organized into at least two groups spaced apart from one another; and where at least one staple is deployable to a different closed shape than at least one other staple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Cardica, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan H. White, Michael P. Schaller, Michael Murillo, Jared L. Van Cleave, Philipe R. Manoux, Bryan D. Knodel, Benjamin J. Matthias, John E. Rivera
  • Publication number: 20110106150
    Abstract: A surgical method for treating a tissue structure having a wall and a lumen may include providing a substantially rigid anvil and a flexible tip affixed to and extending from the distal end of that anvil; making an incision in the wall of the tissue structure; inserting the flexible tip and at least a portion of the rigid anvil through the incision into the lumen of the tissue structure; and deforming at least one connector, introduced from outside the wall of the tissue structure, against the portion of the rigid anvil located within the lumen of the tissue structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: CARDICA, INC.
    Inventors: Nathan H. White, Michael P. Schaller, Luke W. Clauson, Michael Murillo, Bernard A. Hausen
  • Patent number: 7866523
    Abstract: A tool for treating tissue in conjunction with one or more connectors may include an anvil against which at least one connector is urged, and a flexible tip extending from the distal end of said anvil. At least one connector may be held by a connector holder that is pivotally connected to the anvil. The anvil may be used to treat tissue by making an incision in the wall of the blood vessel, inserting the flexible tip and at least a portion of the anvil through the incision into the lumen of the blood vessel, and deforming at least one connector, introduced from outside the wall of the blood vessel, against the portion of the anvil that is located within the lumen of the blood vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Cardica, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan H. White, Michael P. Schaller, Luke W. Clauson, Michael Murillo, Bernard A. Hausen