Patents by Inventor Paul D. Gassler

Paul D. Gassler 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: 20190133759
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. The composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as heart pacing lead or heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes at least one porous expanded fluoropolymer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20180200050
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. The composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes at least one porous expanded fluoropolymer layer and an elastomer present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 10022219
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. The composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes at least one porous expanded fluoropolymer layer and an elastomer present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20180008406
    Abstract: Thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite materials are disclosed that are suitable for use in a prosthetic valve for regulating blood flow direction. In one aspect, the leaflet material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The leaflet material includes a coherent single layer and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present in the pores of the porous coherent single layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Bill R. Finney, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 9801712
    Abstract: Thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite materials are disclosed that are suitable for use in a prosthetic valve for regulating blood flow direction. In one aspect, the leaflet material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The leaflet material includes a coherent single layer and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present in the pores of the porous coherent single layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Bill R. Finney, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 9795475
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. In one aspect, the composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes a porous expanded fluoropolymer membrane and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 9770327
    Abstract: Methods are provided to make a prosthetic valve having a thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material. In one aspect, the composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes a porous expanded fluoropolymer membrane and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20170239042
    Abstract: Thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite materials are disclosed that are suitable for use in a valve for regulating blood flow direction. In one aspect, the composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes a porous polymer membrane and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer fills substantially all of the pores of the porous polymer membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh, Charles F. White
  • Publication number: 20170231757
    Abstract: Described embodiments are related to a prosthetic valve for surgical placement with a sewing cuff durably attached to a frame. The durability of the attachment is accomplished by sandwiching a fabric between the frame and a composite material. The fabric extends beyond the frame base to form a sewing cuff that is integral to a frame assembly. The sewing cuff facilitates tissue ingrowth while tissue ingrowth is discouraged elsewhere around the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventor: Paul D. Gassler
  • Publication number: 20170231758
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. The composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as heart pacing lead or heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes at least one porous expanded fluoropolymer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20170080126
    Abstract: Implantable grafts, particularly for arteriovenous access that may be punctured by an object such as a needle and, following removal of the object, will reseal the resulting hole to the extent of reducing fluid leakage through the graft at the puncture site to an amount less than would be typical for a conventional graft. More particularly, the grafts comprise three layers; an inner layer of implantable graft material such as ePTFE, a middle layer of self sealing elastomeric material such as silicone, and an outer layer of implantable graft material such as ePTFE. Following manufacture, the tubular form of the three-layer graft is everted to put substantially the entire wall thickness of the elastomeric material layer under circumferential compression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Edward H. Cully, Jeffrey B. Duncan, Paul D. Gassler
  • Patent number: 9554900
    Abstract: Thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite materials are disclosed that are suitable for use in a valve for regulating blood flow direction. In one aspect, the composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes a porous polymer membrane and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer fills substantially all of the pores of the porous polymer membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh, Charles F. White
  • Patent number: 9539360
    Abstract: Implantable grafts, particularly for arteriovenous access that may be punctured by an object such as a needle and, following removal of the object, will reseal the resulting hole to the extent of reducing fluid leakage through the graft at the puncture site to an amount less than would be typical for a conventional graft. More particularly, the grafts comprise three layers; an inner layer of implantable graft material such as ePTFE, a middle layer of self sealing elastomeric material such as silicone, and an outer layer of implantable graft material such as ePTFE. Following manufacture, the tubular form of the three-layer graft is everted to put substantially the entire wall thickness of the elastomeric material layer under circumferential compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associaes, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward H. Cully, Jeffrey B. Duncan, Paul D. Gassler
  • Publication number: 20150257875
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. In one aspect, the composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes a porous expanded fluoropolymer membrane and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20150257876
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. The composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes at least one porous expanded fluoropolymer layer and an elastomer present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20150224231
    Abstract: Thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite materials are disclosed that are suitable for use in a prosthetic valve for regulating blood flow direction. In one aspect, the leaflet material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a prosthetic heart valve leaflet. The leaflet material includes a coherent single layer and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present in the pores of the porous coherent single layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Bill R. Finney, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20150144262
    Abstract: Methods are provided to make a prosthetic valve having a thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material. In one aspect, the composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as a heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes a porous expanded fluoropolymer membrane and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer is present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Publication number: 20150135537
    Abstract: Methods are presented that provide a thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material that is suitable for use in prosthetic valves. The composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to prosthetic valve leaflets. The composite material includes more than one porous expanded fluoropolymer layer and an elastomer present in the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 8961599
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. In one aspect, the composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as heart pacing lead or heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes a porous expanded fluoropolymer membrane and an elastomer, wherein the elastomer fills substantially all of the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer, and the composite material comprising less than about 80% fluoropolymer by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh, Charles F. White
  • Patent number: 8945212
    Abstract: A thin, biocompatible, high-strength, composite material is disclosed that is suitable for use in various implanted configurations. The composite material maintains flexibility in high-cycle flexural applications, making it particularly applicable to high-flex implants such as heart pacing lead or heart valve leaflet. The composite material includes at least one porous expanded fluoropolymer layer and an elastomer substantially filling substantially all of the pores of the porous expanded fluoropolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Bruchman, Paul D. Gassler, Cody L. Hartman, Peter J. Walsh