Patents by Inventor Richard W. Flaker

Richard W. Flaker 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: 12336747
    Abstract: Disclosed is a surgical instrument with an end-effector adapted and configured to deliver a plurality of energy modalities to tissue at a distal end thereof. The energy modalities may be applied simultaneously, independently, or sequentially. A generator is electrically coupled to the surgical instrument and is configured to supply a plurality of energy modalities to the end-effector. In one aspect, the generator is configured to supply electrosurgical energy (e.g., monopolar or bipolar radio frequency (RF) energy) and ultrasonic energy to the end-effector to allow the end-effector to interact with the tissue. The energy modalities may be supplied to the end-effector by a single generator or multiple generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: John M. Sarley, Chad P. Boudreaux, Tyler N. Brehm, Ellen E. Burkart, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Craig N. Faller, Robert S. Bishop, Michael A. Keenan, William A. Olson, Richard W. Flaker, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Frederick L. Estera, Bruce Brunson, Jr., Guion Y. Lucas, Demetrius N. Harris, Stephen M. Leuck, Nina Mastroianni, John E. Brady, Wei Guo, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Joseph S. Salguero, Lauren M. Valente, Joseph H. Kemper
  • Patent number: 11944366
    Abstract: An end-effector is disclosed including an ultrasonic blade configured to acoustically couple to an ultrasonic transducer and electrically couple to a pole of an electrical generator and a clamp arm including a clamp jaw and a cantilever electrode fixed to the clamp jaw. The cantilever electrode is configured to electrically couple to an opposite pole of the electrical generator. The clamp arm may include an I-beam shaped clamp arm pad and the cantilever electrode is disposed between the I-beam. The clamp jaw, the cantilever electrode, and the clamp arm pad may define recesses along a length coinciding with the ultrasonic blade. The clamp arm pad may be fixed to the clamp jaw and disposed between the clamp jaw and the cantilever electrode and may extend beyond the surface of the cantilever electrode. The clamp arm may include a stationary gap setting pad and movable floating gap setting pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Craig N. Faller, Richard W. Flaker, Nina Mastroianni, John E. Brady, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jeffrey D. Messerly
  • Patent number: 11786291
    Abstract: An end-effector is disclosed. The end-effector includes a clamp arm and an ultrasonic blade configured to acoustically couple to an ultrasonic transducer and electrically couple to a pole of an electrical generator. The clamp arm includes a clamp jaw, a clamp arm pad, and a cantilever electrode that is free to deflect. The cantilever electrode is configured to electrically couple to an opposite pole of the electrical generator. Also disclosed are configurations where the clamp arm includes a peripheral cantilever electrode and a clamp arm pad extending beyond the electrode, a floating cantilever electrode and a resilient clamp arm pad, an interlocked cantilever electrode plate and a clamp arm pad configured to receive the plate, a laterally deflectable cantilever electrode and a clamp arm pad extending beyond the electrode, and a flexible cantilever electrode and a clamp arm pad extending beyond the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: John M. Sarley, Chad P. Boudreaux, Tyler N. Brehm, Wei Guo, Ellen E. Burkart, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Craig N. Faller, Robert S. Bishop, Michael A. Keenan, William A. Olson, Richard W. Flaker, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 11547432
    Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic supported by the body, a shaft extending distally from the body and defining a shaft axis, a waveguide extending distally through the shaft, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade coupled to a distal end of the waveguide and having a primary blade treatment surface configured to treat tissue, and a clamp arm coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The shaft and the waveguide are selectively rotatable relative to one another about the shaft axis through a predefined range of angular motion between an assembly state and an operational state. In the assembly state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally offset from one another. In the operational state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Matthew C. Miller, Sean P. Conlon, Michael E. Boehm, Richard W. Flaker, Bryce Hansen, Rafael J. Ruiz Ortiz
  • Publication number: 20210196336
    Abstract: An end-effector is disclosed including an ultrasonic blade configured to acoustically couple to an ultrasonic transducer and electrically couple to a pole of an electrical generator and a clamp arm including a clamp jaw and a cantilever electrode fixed to the clamp jaw. The cantilever electrode is configured to electrically couple to an opposite pole of the electrical generator. The clamp arm may include an I-beam shaped clamp arm pad and the cantilever electrode is disposed between the I-beam. The clamp jaw, the cantilever electrode, and the clamp arm pad may define recesses along a length coinciding with the ultrasonic blade. The clamp arm pad may be fixed to the clamp jaw and disposed between the clamp jaw and the cantilever electrode and may extend beyond the surface of the cantilever electrode. The clamp arm may include a stationary gap setting pad and movable floating gap setting pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Craig N. Faller, Richard W. Flaker, Nina Mastroianni, John E. Brady, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jeffrey D. Messerly
  • Publication number: 20210196334
    Abstract: Disclosed is a surgical instrument with an end-effector adapted and configured to deliver a plurality of energy modalities to tissue at a distal end thereof. The energy modalities may be applied simultaneously, independently, or sequentially. A generator is electrically coupled to the surgical instrument and is configured to supply a plurality of energy modalities to the end-effector. In one aspect, the generator is configured to supply electrosurgical energy (e.g., monopolar or bipolar radio frequency (RF) energy) and ultrasonic energy to the end-effector to allow the end-effector to interact with the tissue. The energy modalities may be supplied to the end-effector by a single generator or multiple generators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: John M. Sarley, Chad P. Boudreaux, Tyler N. Brehm, Ellen E. Burkart, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Craig N. Faller, Robert S. Bishop, Michael A. Keenan, William A. Olson, Richard W. Flaker, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Frederick L. Estera, Bruce Brunson, JR., Guion Y. Lucas, Demetrius N. Harris, Stephen M. Leuck, Nina Mastroianni, John E. Brady, Wei Guo, Geoffrey S. Strobl, Joseph S. Salguero, Lauren M. Valente, Joseph H. Kemper
  • Publication number: 20210196351
    Abstract: An end-effector is disclosed. The end-effector includes a clamp arm and an ultrasonic blade configured to acoustically couple to an ultrasonic transducer and electrically couple to a pole of an electrical generator. The clamp arm includes a clamp jaw, a clamp arm pad, and a cantilever electrode that is free to deflect. The cantilever electrode is configured to electrically couple to an opposite pole of the electrical generator. Also disclosed are configurations where the clamp arm includes a peripheral cantilever electrode and a clamp arm pad extending beyond the electrode, a floating cantilever electrode and a resilient clamp arm pad, an interlocked cantilever electrode plate and a clamp arm pad configured to receive the plate, a laterally deflectable cantilever electrode and a clamp arm pad extending beyond the electrode, and a flexible cantilever electrode and a clamp arm pad extending beyond the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: John M. Sarley, Chad P. Boudreaux, Tyler N. Brehm, Wei Guo, Ellen E. Burkart, Jeffrey D. Messerly, Craig N. Faller, Robert S. Bishop, Michael A. Keenan, William A. Olson, Richard W. Flaker, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Publication number: 20200375626
    Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic supported by the body, a shaft extending distally from the body and defining a shaft axis, a waveguide extending distally through the shaft, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade coupled to a distal end of the waveguide and having a primary blade treatment surface configured to treat tissue, and a clamp arm coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The shaft and the waveguide are selectively rotatable relative to one another about the shaft axis through a predefined range of angular motion between an assembly state and an operational state. In the assembly state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally offset from one another. In the operational state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally aligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Matthew C. Miller, Sean P. Conlon, Michael E. Boehm, Richard W. Flaker, Bryce Hansen, Rafael J. Ruiz Ortiz
  • Patent number: 10743903
    Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic supported by the body, a shaft extending distally from the body and defining a shaft axis, a waveguide extending distally through the shaft, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade coupled to a distal end of the waveguide and having a primary blade treatment surface configured to treat tissue, and a clamp arm coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The shaft and the waveguide are selectively rotatable relative to one another about the shaft axis through a predefined range of angular motion between an assembly state and an operational state. In the assembly state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally offset from one another. In the operational state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Matthew C. Miller, Sean P. Conlon, Michael E. Boehm, Richard W. Flaker, Bryce Hansen, Rafael J. Ruiz Ortiz
  • Publication number: 20190059933
    Abstract: An ultrasonic surgical instrument includes a body, an ultrasonic supported by the body, a shaft extending distally from the body and defining a shaft axis, a waveguide extending distally through the shaft, and an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector includes an ultrasonic blade coupled to a distal end of the waveguide and having a primary blade treatment surface configured to treat tissue, and a clamp arm coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The shaft and the waveguide are selectively rotatable relative to one another about the shaft axis through a predefined range of angular motion between an assembly state and an operational state. In the assembly state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally offset from one another. In the operational state, the clamp arm and the primary blade treatment surface are rotationally aligned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Matthew C. Miller, Sean P. Conlon, Michael E. Boehm, Richard W. Flaker, Bryce Hansen, Rafael J. Ruiz Ortiz
  • Patent number: 8028704
    Abstract: A bite block that is inserted into a patient's mouth during an endoscopic diagnostic or surgical procedure that has a channel for receiving an endoscope or other surgical instrument through the patient's mouth and additional channels transmitting a gas to the patient and transmitting expired gas from the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald L. Reynolds, II, Randy R. Stephens, Richard W. Flaker
  • Patent number: 7935081
    Abstract: Disclosed is an interface between a drug delivery cassette and a medical effector system. The cassette may be mounted to the medical effector system in such a way that a fluid tube located on the cassette is positioned adjacent to a pump located on the medical effector system. The medical effector system may purge the fluid line of air by activating the pump and forcing fluid through the fluid line until a sensor positioned to monitor the fluid line indicates that fluid and not air is present in the tube. To prevent air purging of the fluid tube when connected to the patient, the medical effector system prohibits air purging unless the drug delivery end portion of the fluid tube is in a designated storage site located on the cassette. This is accomplished with a position sensor at the storage site that monitors the position of the fluid tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Flaker, Mark A. Burdorff, Gregory D. Bishop, DeWayne A. Davis, William T. Donofrio, Curt R. Eyster, Hal H. Katz, David J. Keilholz, Ross Krogh, Michael J. Miller, Anil K. Nalagatla, Paul J. Niklewski, Jeffery J. Wuennemann, Jason P. Derouen
  • Patent number: 7727194
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drug-delivery cassette for use with a drug delivery device. The cassette includes a main board and a luer site base portion connected to the main board for positioning a luer on the main board. A drip chamber is included on the main board to collect any drug that exits the luer when the luer is attached to the luer site portion. A deflectable sensor beam is positioned to detect the presence or absence of a luer in the luer site base portion. The drug-delivery cassette further includes a drug vial spike attachable to and detachable from the cassette main board that is connected to the luer by way of a drug delivery tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil K. Nalagatla, Charles B. Burford, Tommy C. Cushing, William T. Donofrio, Richard W. Flaker, Ross Krogh, Lee K. Kulle, Louis Sabo
  • Publication number: 20090133699
    Abstract: Disclosed is a respiratory cannula assembly to deliver and receive gases from a patient. The cannula assembly contains two oral prongs for delivering and receiving gases from the patient as well as at least one gas delivery nasal prong and at least one gas receiving nasal prong. The gas receiving nasal prong extends further into the patients nostril than the gas delivery nasal prong. The cannula assembly further contains a connector that aids in coupling to a medical device, the connector including independent oral and nasal moisture traps that remove moisture from exhaled patient gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Anil K. Nalagatla, Gregory D. Bishop, Tommy C. Cushing, Richard W. Flaker, David J. Keilholz, Lee K. Kulle, Louis Sabo
  • Publication number: 20080295849
    Abstract: A bite block that is inserted into a patient's mouth during an endoscopic diagnostic or surgical procedure that has a channel for receiving an endoscope or other surgical instrument through the patient's mouth and additional channels transmitting a gas to the patient and transmitting expired gas from the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Donald L. Reynolds, II, Randy R. Stephens, Richard W. Flaker
  • Patent number: 5605272
    Abstract: A linear surgical stapler having clamping and firing triggers pivotally mounted to the frame of the instrument for pivotal rotation toward a hand grip is disclosed. The clamping trigger is positioned between the firing trigger and the hand grip. Each of the triggers are pivotally mounted to pivot pins spaced from each other within the body portion of the frame. Pivotal rotation of the first trigger is independent of pivotal rotation of the second trigger. When the clamping trigger is pivotally rotated toward the hand grip, the clamping and firing transmission assemblies move distally in tandem. Before the first trigger is pivoted, the firing transmission assembly blocks pivotal rotation of the second trigger. When the first trigger is pivoted, the initial distal movement of the firing transmission assembly enables the firing trigger to be in a position to pivotally rotate, and therefore cause the firing of staples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Witt, Kirk M. Nicola, Robert G. Cook, Joseph C. Hueil, Richard W. Flaker
  • Patent number: D546947
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil K. Nalagatla, Tommy C. Cushing, Louis Sabo, Lee K. Kulle, Donald L. Reynolds, Richard W. Flaker
  • Patent number: D559383
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil K. Nalagatla, Tommy C. Cushing, Louis Sabo, Lee K. Kulle, Donald L. Reynolds, II, Richard W. Flaker
  • Patent number: D613184
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil K. Nalagatla, Tommy C. Cushing, Louis Sabo, Lee K. Kulle, Michael John Miller, Richard W. Flaker, Gregory D. Bishop
  • Patent number: D621722
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Inventors: Anil K. Nalagatla, Tommy C. Cushing, Louis Sabo, Lee K. Kulle, Michael John Miller, Richard W. Flaker, Gregory D. Bishop