Patents by Inventor Michael Zung

Michael Zung 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: 20210177262
    Abstract: A system for imaging a body lumen includes a controller and a display. The controller is configured to connect to a proximal end of a catheter having an optical fiber extending along the length of an elongate catheter body. The controller is further configured to rotate a distal end of the optical fiber from a location near a proximal end of the elongate catheter body, acquire optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using the optical fiber as the distal end of the optical fiber rotates, and determine a rotational lag of the distal end of the optical fiber. The display is configured to display one or more OCT images corrected for the rotational lag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Maegan K. SPENCER, Christopher B. WHITE, Charles W. MCNALL, Dennis W. JACKSON, Michael ZUNG, Nicholas J. SPINELLI, Benjamin NGO, Evangeline LUMABAS, Kin F. CHAN, John F. BLACK, Michael H. ROSENTHAL, John B. SIMPSON
  • Publication number: 20200315654
    Abstract: An atherectomy catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body, a cutter near the distal end of the catheter body, a drive shaft connected to the cutter and extending within the catheter body, an imaging element near the distal end of the catheter body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Himanshu N. PATEL, John B. SIMPSON, Anthony J. FERNANDEZ, Richard R. NEWHAUSER, Priyanshu GUPTA, Michael ZUNG, Wendy Ngo LAM, Maegan K. SPENCER, Peter Howard SMITH, Stephen C. DAVIES, Nicholas J. SPINELLI, Charles W. MCNALL, Theodore W. KETAI, Manish KANKARIA, Mark W. ASKEW, Kent C.B. STALKER
  • Patent number: 10767949
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of safety selector assemblies for firearms. In one embodiment, a safety selector assembly includes a body and a pivoting arm. A portion of the body is configured to be positioned within the frame of the firearm. The pivoting arm is pivotably mounted to the body of the safety selector assembly and is configured to selectively engage a safety selector stop tab that extends from the frame to restrict the body of the safety selector assembly from rotating when the pivoting arm is engaged with the safety selector stop tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Safe Operator Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Michael Zung, John Mark Cobb
  • Patent number: 10729326
    Abstract: A system for imaging a body lumen includes a controller and a display. The controller is configured to connect to a proximal end of a catheter having an optical fiber extending along the length of an elongate catheter body. The controller is further configured to rotate a distal end of the optical fiber from a location near a proximal end of the elongate catheter body, acquire optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using the optical fiber as the distal end of the optical fiber rotates, and determine a rotational lag of the distal end of the optical fiber. The display is configured to display one or more OCT images corrected for the rotational lag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Maegan K. Spencer, Christopher B. White, Charles W. McNall, Dennis W. Jackson, Michael Zung, Nicholas J. Spinelli, Benjamin Ngo, Evangeline Lumabas, Kin F. Chan, John F. Black, Michael H. Rosenthal, John B. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20200116448
    Abstract: Embodiments of safety selectors are disclosed. A safety selector can include a body configured to engage an internal safety mechanisms of a firearm. The safety selector can further include a first arm and a second arm that extend from the body. The first arm and the second arm can be oriented such that a non-zero angle exists between a first axis associated with the first arm and a second axis associated with the second arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Zung, John Mark Cobb
  • Publication number: 20200069253
    Abstract: Described herein are catheters for use with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) that include an optical fiber core having a first refractive index and an interface medium having a second refractive index, where the first and second refractive indexes are mismatched such that receiving electronics configured to receive optical radiation reflected from the reference interface and the target operate in a total noise range that is within 5 dB of the shot noise limit. These OCT catheters may include a silicon die mirror having a reflective coating that is embedded in the interface medium. The optical fiber can be fixed at just the distal end of the catheter, and may be managed within a handle that is attached to the proximal end of the catheter body, and is configured to allow rotation of the both catheter body and the optical fiber relative to the handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: John F. BLACK, Maegan K. SPENCER, Michael ZUNG, Charles W. MCNALL, Evangeline LUMABAS, Michael H. ROSENTHAL, John B. SIMPSON
  • Publication number: 20200060718
    Abstract: Described herein are atherectomy catheters, systems and methods that include longitudinally displaceable drive shafts that drive actuation of one or more cutters at the distal end of the catheter. The catheters described herein may include one or more imaging sensors for imaging before, during or after cutting tissue. In some variations the imaging sensor may be rotated around the perimeter of the catheter independently of the rotation of the cutter. Also describe herein are imaging catheters that may be used without cutters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Himanshu N. PATEL, John B. SIMPSON, Charles W. McNALL, Maegan K. SPENCER, Michael ZUNG, Priyanshu GUPTA, Nicholas J. SPINELLI, Myra L. FABRO, Eduardo SUCGANG, Theodore W. KETAI
  • Patent number: 10548478
    Abstract: An atherectomy catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body, a cutter near the distal end of the catheter body, a drive shaft connected to the cutter and extending within the catheter body, an imaging element near the distal end of the catheter body and an imaging shaft connected to the imaging element and extending within the catheter body. The cutter and the imaging element are mechanically isolated, and the drive shaft is configured to be axially translated relative to the imaging shaft and the catheter body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Simpson, Priyanshu Gupta, Michael Zung, Wendy N. Lam, Maegan K. Spencer, Peter H. Smith, Stephen C. Davies, Nicholas J. Spinelli, Charles W. McNall, Theodore W. Ketai, Manish Kankaria, Mark W. Askew, Kent C. B. Stalker
  • Publication number: 20200029801
    Abstract: A drive assembly for driving an imaging catheter has a rotatable fiber and a rotatable drive shaft. The drive assembly includes a fiber optic rotating junction and a motor configured to rotate the rotatable portion of the fiber optic rotating junction. In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes a sensor configured to detect a rotational position of the fiber optic rotating junction and a processor configured to obtain the detected rotational position and stop the motor only when the fiber optic rotating junction is in a predetermined rotational position. In some embodiments, the motor includes a hollow shaft through which at least a portion of the fiber optic rotating junction extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Brian Y. TACHIBANA, Charles W. McNALL, Michael ZUNG, Peter Howard SMITH, Brian CHIU, Douglas Joseph Scott BOURNE, Priyanshu GUPTA
  • Publication number: 20200025486
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of safety selector assemblies for firearms. In one embodiment, a safety selector assembly includes a body and a pivoting arm. A portion of the body is configured to be positioned within the frame of the firearm. The pivoting arm is pivotably mounted to the body of the safety selector assembly and is configured to selectively engage a safety selector stop tab that extends from the frame to restrict the body of the safety selector assembly from rotating when the pivoting arm is engaged with the safety selector stop tab.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: MIchael Zung, John Mark Cobb
  • Publication number: 20190261964
    Abstract: A device for closing an opening in tissue includes a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a channel disposed between the proximal and distal ends. A pair of pins are disposed within the channel and cooperate with a slidable and axially movable foot. The foot extends distally from the channel with a flexible guidebody extending from a distal foot end of the foot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Zung, Jasper Jackson
  • Patent number: 10349974
    Abstract: Described herein are atherectomy catheters, systems and methods that include longitudinally displaceable drive shafts that drive actuation of one or more cutters at the distal end of the catheter. The catheters described herein may include one or more imaging sensors for imaging before, during or after cutting tissue. In some variations the imaging sensor may be rotated around the perimeter of the catheter independently of the rotation of the cutter. Also describe herein are imaging catheters that may be used without cutters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Patel, John B. Simpson, Charles W. McNall, Maegan K. Spencer, Michael Zung, Priyanshu Gupta
  • Patent number: 10342491
    Abstract: Described herein are catheters for use with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) that include an optical fiber core having a first refractive index and an interface medium having a second refractive index, where the first and second refractive indexes are mismatched such that receiving electronics configured to receive optical radiation reflected from the reference interface and the target operate in a total noise range that is within 5 dB of the shot noise limit. These OCT catheters may include a silicon die mirror having a reflective coating that is embedded in the interface medium. The optical fiber can be fixed at just the distal end of the catheter, and may be managed within a handle that is attached to the proximal end of the catheter body, and is configured to allow rotation of the both catheter body and the optical fiber relative to the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Black, Maegan K. Spencer, Michael Zung, Charles W. McNall, Evangeline Lumabas, Michael H. Rosenthal, John B. Simpson
  • Publication number: 20190110809
    Abstract: Described herein are atherectomy catheters, systems and methods that include a distal tip region that may be moved laterally so that its long axis is parallel with the long axis of the main catheter body axis. Displacing the distal tip region laterally out of the main catheter body axis exposes an annular blade and opens a passageway for cut tissue to enter a storage region within the catheter. The annular blade may be internally coupled to a drive shaft that rotates the blade, and thus the exposed blade edge may have the same crossing profile (OD) as the rest of the distal end region of the catheter. Also described herein are gear-driven atherectomy devices that may use a cable drive shaft to actuate the annular blade. Both push-to-cut and pull-to-cut variations are described, as are methods for cutting tissue and systems including these atherectomy catheters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Michael H. ROSENTHAL, Michael ZUNG, Nicholas J. SPINELLI, Charles W. McNALL, John B. SIMPSON, John F. BLACK
  • Patent number: 10244934
    Abstract: A drive assembly for driving an imaging catheter has a rotatable fiber and a rotatable drive shaft. The drive assembly includes a fiber optic rotating junction and a motor configured to rotate the rotatable portion of the fiber optic rotating junction. In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes a sensor configured to detect a rotational position of the fiber optic rotating junction and a processor configured to obtain the detected rotational position and stop the motor only when the fiber optic rotating junction is in a predetermined rotational position. In some embodiments, the motor includes a hollow shaft through which at least a portion of the fiber optic rotating junction extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Y. Tachibana, Charles W. McNall, Michael Zung, Peter Howard Smith, Brian Chiu, Douglas Joseph Scott Bourne, Priyanshu Gupta
  • Publication number: 20180368688
    Abstract: An atherectomy catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body, a cutter near the distal end of the catheter body, a drive shaft connected to the cutter and extending within the catheter body, an imaging element near the distal end of the catheter body and an imaging shaft connected to the imaging element and extending within the catheter body. The cutter and the imaging element are mechanically isolated, and the drive shaft is configured to be axially translated relative to the imaging shaft and the catheter body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: John B. Simpson, Priyanshu Gupta, Michael Zung, Wendy N. Lam, Maegan K. Spencer, Peter H. Smith, Stephen C. Davies, Nicholas J. Spinelli, Charles W. McNall, Theodore W. Ketai, Manish Kankaria, Mark W. Askew, Kent C. B. Stalker
  • Patent number: 10052125
    Abstract: Described herein are atherectomy catheters, systems and methods that include a distal tip region that may be moved laterally so that its long axis is parallel with the long axis of the main catheter body axis. Displacing the distal tip region laterally out of the main catheter body axis exposes an annular blade and opens a passageway for cut tissue to enter a storage region within the catheter. The annular blade may be internally coupled to a drive shaft that rotates the blade, and thus the exposed blade edge may have the same crossing profile (OD) as the rest of the distal end region of the catheter. Also described herein are gear-driven atherectomy devices that may use a cable drive shaft to actuate the annular blade. Both push-to-cut and pull-to-cut variations are described, as are methods for cutting tissue and systems including these atherectomy catheters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael H. Rosenthal, Michael Zung, Nicholas J. Spinelli, Charles W. McNall, John B. Simpson, John F. Black
  • Publication number: 20180207417
    Abstract: A self-aligning system for coupling a catheter to a rotational drive assembly includes a catheter and a drive assembly. The catheter includes an elongate catheter body, a rotatable driveshaft extending within the elongate catheter body, a connector at a proximal end of the elongate catheter body, and a keyed feature extending from an outer diameter of the connector. The drive assembly includes a motor configured to rotate the driveshaft, a receiving tube with a distal opening configured to receive the connector, and a channel on an inner surface of the receiving tube, the channel including two opposing curved walls that are angled towards a substantially straight section. The keyed feature is configured to slide against one of the opposing curved walls and into the substantially straight section to rotationally align the proximal end of the catheter with the drive assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Michael ZUNG, Douglas Joseph Scott BOURNE
  • Publication number: 20180049700
    Abstract: Described herein are catheters for use with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) that include an optical fiber core having a first refractive index and an interface medium having a second refractive index, where the first and second refractive indexes are mismatched such that receiving electronics configured to receive optical radiation reflected from the reference interface and the target operate in a total noise range that is within 5 dB of the shot noise limit. These OCT catheters may include a silicon die mirror having a reflective coating that is embedded in the interface medium. The optical fiber can be fixed at just the distal end of the catheter, and may be managed within a handle that is attached to the proximal end of the catheter body, and is configured to allow rotation of the both catheter body and the optical fiber relative to the handle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: John F. BLACK, Maegan K. SPENCER, Michael ZUNG, Charles W. MCNALL, Evangeline LUMABAS, Michael H. ROSENTHAL, John B. SIMPSON
  • Patent number: 9788790
    Abstract: Described herein are catheters for use with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) that include an optical fiber core having a first refractive index and an interface medium having a second refractive index, where the first and second refractive indexes are mismatched such that receiving electronics configured to receive optical radiation reflected from the reference interface and the target operate in a total noise range that is within 5dB of the shot noise limit. These OCT catheters may include a silicon die mirror having a reflective coating that is embedded in the interface medium. The optical fiber can be fixed at just the distal end of the catheter, and may be managed within a handle that is attached to the proximal end of the catheter body, and is configured to allow rotation of both the catheter body and the optical fiber relative to the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: AVINGER, INC.
    Inventors: John F. Black, Maegan K. Spencer, Michael Zung, Charles W. McNall, Evangeline Lumabas, Michael H. Rosenthal, John B. Simpson