Patents by Inventor Nicholas D. Courtwright

Nicholas D. Courtwright 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).

  • Staple cartridge with short circuit prevention features
    Patent number: 10639038
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and an electrical contact assembly. The body includes a power source. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body, the end effector is distal of the shaft assembly. The end effector includes a channel assembly and a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly may selectively couple with the channel assembly. The cartridge assembly includes an electrically activated component. The electrical contact assembly is configured to electrically couple the power source with the electrically activated component. The electrical contact assembly includes a first electrical contact associated with the channel assembly, a second electrical contact associated with the channel assembly, and a hydrophobic layer extending between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Gregory G. Scott, Stephen D. Geresy, Yvan D. Nguetio Tchoumkeu, Laura A. Schoettmer, Andrew Kolpitcke, Sarah A. Worthington, Joshua P. Morgan, Scott A. Jenkins, Nicholas D. Courtwright, Alexander R. Cuti, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Jeffery D. Bruns, John E. Brady, Nichole Y. Kwee, Gregory J. Bakos, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH SHORT CIRCUIT PREVENTION FEATURES
    Publication number: 20190290271
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, and an electrical contact assembly. The body includes a power source. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body, the end effector is distal of the shaft assembly. The end effector includes a channel assembly and a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly may selectively couple with the channel assembly. The cartridge assembly includes an electrically activated component. The electrical contact assembly is configured to electrically couple the power source with the electrically activated component. The electrical contact assembly includes a first electrical contact associated with the channel assembly, a second electrical contact associated with the channel assembly, and a hydrophobic layer extending between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Gregory G. Scott, Stephen D. Geresy, Yvan D. Nguetio Tchoumkeu, Laura A. Schoettmer, Andrew Kolpitcke, Sarah A. Worthington, Joshua P. Morgan, Scott A. Jenkins, Nicholas D. Courtwright, Alexander R. Cuti, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Jeffery D. Bruns, John E. Brady, Nichole Y. Kwee, Gregory J. Bakos, Frederick E. Shelton, IV