Patents by Inventor Murphy L. Pickard

Murphy L. Pickard 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: 4682491
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for testing prosthetic heart valves prior to implant in the human body provides a test chamber having a flow channel therethrough and a passageway which receives a mounting fixture for a heart valve. The test chamber is used in a mock circulatory loop with the flow channel being in the loop. Preferably, the test chamber has a transverse passageway that intersects the flow channel, and the mounting fixture advances completely through the test chamber from an insertion location to a disconnect location while a dynamic seal is maintained. Two such test chambers may be used in a mock loop, and the loop is configured with an intake chamber fluidly interconnecting one side of each test chamber, and a restriction chamber fluidly interconnecting the other sides of the test chambers. The restriction chamber is variable, and pressure compensation is provided between each of test chambers and the restriction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Inventor: Murphy L. Pickard