Patents by Inventor Phyllis K. Kristal

Phyllis K. Kristal 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).

  • Transportation vehicles and methods
    Patent number: 5971091
    Abstract: There is provided, in a preferred embodiment, a transportation vehicle for transporting an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. This embodiment has a support for supporting the subject. A ground-contacting module, movably attached to the support, serves to suspend the subject in the support over the surface. The orientation of the ground-contacting module defines fore-aft and lateral planes intersecting one another at a vertical. The support and the ground-contacting module are components of an assembly. A motorized drive, mounted to the assembly and coupled to the ground-contacting module, causes locomotion of the assembly and the subject therewith over the surface. Finally, the embodiment has a control loop, in which the motorized drive is included, for dynamically enhancing stability in the fore-aft plane by operation of the motorized drive in connection with the ground-contacting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, Robert J. Duggan, Richard Kurt Heinzmann, Brian R. Key, Andrzej Skoskiewicz, Phyllis K. Kristal
  • Human transporter
    Patent number: 5701965
    Abstract: There is provided, in a preferred embodiment, a device for transporting a human subject over ground having a surface that may be irregular and may include stairs. This embodiment has a support for supporting the subject. A ground-contacting module, movably attached to the support, serves to suspend the subject in the support over the surface. The orientation of the ground-contacting module defines fore-aft and lateral planes intersecting one another at a vertical. The support and the ground-contacting module are components of an assembly. A motorized drive, mounted to the assembly and coupled to the ground-contacting module, causes locomotion of the assembly and the subject therewith over the surface. Finally, the embodiment has a control loop, in which the motorized drive is included, for dynamically enhancing stability in the fore-aft plane by operation of the motorized drive in connection with the ground-contacting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Dean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, Robert J. Duggan, Richard K. Heinzmann, Brian R. Key, Andrzej Skoskiewicz, Phyllis K. Kristal
  • Video-graphic arthroscopy system
    Patent number: 5005559
    Abstract: A position sensing system which allows the arthroscopist to readily determine the location of an arthroscope's tip in relation to the point of entry has been developed. The position sensing apparatus can be employed in conjunction with a graphics module to display the location of the arthroscope in real time and provide perspective views of the instrument's location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Ernesto E. Blanco, Pascal R. Chesnais, Phyllis K. Kristal, Andrew B. Lippman