Patents by Inventor Steven C. Alford

Steven C. Alford 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: 11904137
    Abstract: A method of making a needle guard includes providing a mold having a portion defining a volume, the volume being a hollow cylinder with non-uniform walls with a pair of slots therein, the slots being open at one end and closed at the other end, the pair of slots having a major portion of constant width. The walls are thicker at the other end than at the one end. The method includes filling the volume with polymer and releasing a molded part from said mold and cooling a molded part resulting from the filling and releasing such that temperature that the widths of the pair of slots is non-uniform after cooling. The needle guard has upper and lower jaws defining a channel and coming together at a hinge. A winged needle can be inserted between the jaws, with the wings of the winged needle passing through slots between the jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NxStage Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Brugger, Christopher D. Pierson, Steven C. Alford
  • Publication number: 20220288307
    Abstract: A method of making a needle guard includes providing a mold having a portion defining a volume, the volume being a hollow cylinder with non-uniform walls with a pair of slots therein, the slots being open at one end and closed at the other end, the pair of slots having a major portion of constant width. The walls are thicker at the other end than at the one end. The method includes filling the volume with polymer and releasing a molded part from said mold and cooling a molded part resulting from the filling and releasing such that temperature that the widths of the pair of slots is non-uniform after cooling. The needle guard has upper and lower jaws defining a channel and coming together at a hinge. A winged needle can be inserted between the jaws, with the wings of the winged needle passing through slots between the jaws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: NxStage Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. BRUGGER, Christopher D. PIERSON, Steven C. ALFORD
  • Patent number: 11305059
    Abstract: A needle set includes a needle guard and a winged needle. The needle guard has upper and lower jaws, each of the upper and lower jaws defining a channel and coming together at a hinge. The upper and lower jaws are separated by slots in sides of the needle guard, which slots divide the sides into upper and lower side walls, respectively. The winged needle can be inserted between the upper and lower jaws, with wings of the winged needle passing through the slots. The hinge has an opening and a tube connected to the winged needle passes through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NxStage Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Brugger, Christopher D. Pierson, Steven C. Alford
  • Publication number: 20180221592
    Abstract: A needle set includes a needle guard with upper and lower jaws each defining a channel and joined at a hinge. Each edge of the jaws is aligned with and spaced from a respective edge of the opposite jaw defining slots alongside walls of the jaws. A winged needle has a cannula, a hub with a pair of wings with a tube connected to the cannula by the hub. The hinge portion has an opening into which the tube is received, and the side walls are spaced apart to permit the hub to be received between the jaws with the wings in the slots. The slots progressively narrow to a first spacing that is narrower than a thickness of each wing at a point thereof, and thereafter expand linearly to a second spacing that is substantially equal to the thickness of the wings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: NxStage Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. BRUGGER, Christopher D. PIERSON, Steven C. ALFORD
  • Patent number: 8876777
    Abstract: A bandage can be used to secure a needle to an access site so as to prevent unintended movement or withdrawal of the needle from the access site during administration of a treatment to a patient. After treatment, the needle can be removed by manipulating a portion of the bandage. Another portion of the bandage can be maintained in position over the access site during needle removal and can be used to promote clotting of the site after needle removal. The bandage may include a clotting agent, a hemostasis pad, and/or a clot-promoting structure. Additionally or alternatively, finger pressure can be applied to the access site through the bandage. For example, the bandage may include a viewing window without any adhesive to allow visual monitoring of the access site during treatment. Finger pressure may be applied to the viewing window and thereby to the access site during and after needle removal to encourage hemostasis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NxStage Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Brugger, Steven C. Alford, William Schnell, Mark Florence
  • Publication number: 20130304025
    Abstract: A bandage can be used to secure a needle to an access site so as to prevent unintended movement or withdrawal of the needle from the access site during administration of a treatment to a patient. After treatment, the needle can be removed by manipulating a portion of the bandage. Another portion of the bandage can be maintained in position over the access site during needle removal and can be used to promote clotting of the site after needle removal. The bandage may include a clotting agent, a hemostasis pad, and/or a clot-promoting structure. Additionally or alternatively, finger pressure can be applied to the access site through the bandage. For example, the bandage may include a viewing window without any adhesive to allow visual monitoring of the access site during treatment. Finger pressure may be applied to the viewing window and thereby to the access site during and after needle removal to encourage hemostasis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: James M. Brugger, Steven C. Alford, William Schnell, Mark Florence
  • Patent number: 8496625
    Abstract: A bandage can be used to secure a needle to an access site so as to prevent unintended movement or withdrawal of the needle from the access site during administration of a treatment to a patient. After treatment, the needle can be removed by manipulating a portion of the bandage. Another portion of the bandage can be maintained in position over the access site during needle removal and can be used to promote clotting of the site after needle removal. The bandage may include a clotting agent, a hemostasis pad, and/or a clot-promoting structure. Additionally or alternatively, finger pressure can be applied to the access site through the bandage. For example, the bandage may include a viewing window without any adhesive to allow visual monitoring of the access site during treatment. Finger pressure may be applied to the viewing window and thereby to the access site during and after needle removal to encourage hemostasis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: NxStage Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Brugger, Steven C. Alford, William Schnell, Mark Florence
  • Publication number: 20110295207
    Abstract: A bandage can be used to secure a needle to an access site so as to prevent unintended movement or withdrawal of the needle from the access site during administration of a treatment to a patient. After treatment, the needle can be removed by manipulating a portion of the bandage. Another portion of the bandage can be maintained in position over the access site during needle removal and can be used to promote clotting of the site after needle removal. The bandage may include a clotting agent, a hemostasis pad, and/or a clot-promoting structure. Additionally or alternatively, finger pressure can be applied to the access site through the bandage. For example, the bandage may include a viewing window without any adhesive to allow visual monitoring of the access site during treatment. Finger pressure may be applied to the viewing window and thereby to the access site during and after needle removal to encourage hemostasis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: NxStage Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Brugger, Steven C. Alford, William Schnell, Mark Florence
  • Patent number: D801524
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: NXSTAGE MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventors: James M. Brugger, Christopher D. Pierson, Steven C. Alford