Patents by Inventor Steven F. Bierman
Steven F. Bierman 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).
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Patent number: 11839735Abstract: The device includes a dilator having a valve element configured to at least inhibit fluid flow through the dilator in a distal direction, while not inhibiting the passage of articles (e.g., a guidewire) through the dilator in a proximal direction.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2019Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Publication number: 20230380520Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a wetsuit that provides support for the lumbosacral region of the wearer. The wetsuit has at least one layer of foam rubber or other wetsuit material with a lumbar portion disposed in the lumbosacral region of the wearer. In certain embodiments, the wetsuit has at least one tensioning mechanism that allows the wearer to selectively change a level of support provided by the lumbar portion to the lumbosacral region of the wearer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Patent number: 11813407Abstract: An anchoring system secures a catheter to the body of a patient and arrests axial movement of the catheter without impairing fluid flow through the catheter. The anchoring system can include an anchor pad that adheres to the patient's skin and supports a retainer. The retainer can include interengaging structure that moves the retainer between an open and a closed position. When in the open position, the retainer can receive a portion of the catheter and be subsequently moved to the closed position. The interengaging structure can allow the retainer to receive catheters of various sizes. The retainer can include one or more retention mechanisms to further inhibit axial movement of the catheter relative to the retainer when the catheter is secured therein. The anchoring system can include a mount that allows the retainer to rotate relative to the anchor pad.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2020Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: C. R. Bard, Inc.Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth
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Patent number: 11766277Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a medical article. The needle can include an elongated needle body with a distal end and a hub from which the needle body extends. The elongated needle body can include at least one side fenestration and an outer diameter. The dilator can be slideably disposed on the needle body and include a dilator hub and an elongated dilator shaft that extends from the dilator hub. The dilator shaft can include at least one side fenestration in communication with the needle side fenestration. The dilator shaft can also include an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the needle. The medical article can include a tubular section and a hub. The tubular section can be disposed on the dilator and define a space between the medical article and the dilator in communication with the needle side fenestration through the dilator side fenestration.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2020Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth
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Patent number: 11738179Abstract: The device includes a dilator having a locking mechanism configured to limit a distance a guidewire can be advanced out of a distal end of the dilator.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Patent number: 11712543Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a syringe, a needle, and a sheath which are employed together with a guide wire. The sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle. During insertion of the sheath over the needle, guide wire and into the body space, the syringe provides a negative pressure to ensure that any air located between the inside diameter of the sheath and the outside diameter of the needle is drawn into the needle rather than into the body space. In certain embodiments, a dilator is coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle and within the sheath.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2021Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Patent number: 11697000Abstract: A splittable sheath includes a splittable sheath body, a splittable sheath hub, and a valve element. The sheath body comprises a generally flexible tubular structure, a proximal end, and a distal end. The sheath body defines a longitudinal axis and is splittable into two halves along a pre-determined line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The sheath hub extends from the proximal end of the sheath body and defines a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sheath body. The sheath body and sheath hub form an inner cavity along their respective longitudinal axes. The valve element includes a resilient plate and a sealing element. The resilient plate includes a distal portion extending radially inwardly from a side of the inner cavity.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2020Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth
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Patent number: 11697001Abstract: A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2020Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Patent number: 11627766Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a wetsuit that provides support for the lumbosacral region of the wearer. The wetsuit has at least one layer of foam rubber or other wetsuit material with a lumbar portion disposed in the lumbosacral region of the wearer. In certain embodiments, the wetsuit has at least one tensioning mechanism that allows the wearer to selectively change a level of support provided by the lumbar portion to the lumbosacral region of the wearer.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2018Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Patent number: 11291804Abstract: An access device places a medical article within a body space of a patient. The device has a needle that includes an elongated body and a needle hub. The device further includes a dilator disposed on and slideable along the elongated body of the needle and a medical article. The medical article is disposed on and slideable along the dilator. A track extends in a proximal direction from the dilator. The needle hub slides along at least a portion of the track between a first position and a second position. The device further includes a locking mechanism operably disposed between the track and the needle hub so as to inhibit further axial movement of the needle in the proximal direction when the needle hub is in the second position.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth, Janelle Anderson, Wei Huang
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Publication number: 20210260343Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a syringe, a needle, and a sheath which are employed together with a guide wire. The sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle. During insertion of the sheath over the needle, guide wire and into the body space, the syringe provides a negative pressure to ensure that any air located between the inside diameter of the sheath and the outside diameter of the needle is drawn into the needle rather than into the body space. In certain embodiments, a dilator is coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle and within the sheath.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Patent number: 11027099Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a syringe, a needle, and a sheath which are employed together with a guide wire. The sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle. During insertion of the sheath over the needle, guide wire and into the body space, the syringe provides a negative pressure to ensure that any air located between the inside diameter of the sheath and the outside diameter of the needle is drawn into the needle rather than into the body space. In certain embodiments, a dilator is coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle and within the sheath.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2016Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Publication number: 20210060304Abstract: A splittable sheath includes a splittable sheath body, a splittable sheath hub, and a valve element. The sheath body comprises a generally flexible tubular structure, a proximal end, and a distal end. The sheath body defines a longitudinal axis and is splittable into two halves along a pre-determined line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The sheath hub extends from the proximal end of the sheath body and defines a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sheath body. The sheath body and sheath hub form an inner cavity along their respective longitudinal axes. The valve element includes a resilient plate and a sealing element. The resilient plate includes a distal portion extending radially inwardly from a side of the inner cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth
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Publication number: 20210038252Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a medical article. The needle can include an elongated needle body with a distal end and a hub from which the needle body extends. The elongated needle body can include at least one side fenestration and an outer diameter. The dilator can be slideably disposed on the needle body and include a dilator hub and an elongated dilator shaft that extends from the dilator hub. The dilator shaft can include at least one side fenestration in communication with the needle side fenestration. The dilator shaft can also include an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the needle. The medical article can include a tubular section and a hub. The tubular section can be disposed on the dilator and define a space between the medical article and the dilator in communication with the needle side fenestration through the dilator side fenestration.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth
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Publication number: 20200391011Abstract: A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: December 17, 2020Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Patent number: 10864353Abstract: A splittable sheath includes a splittable sheath body, a splittable sheath hub, and a valve element. The sheath body comprises a generally flexible tubular structure, a proximal end, and a distal end. The sheath body defines a longitudinal axis and is splittable into two halves along a pre-determined line generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The sheath hub extends from the proximal end of the sheath body and defines a longitudinal axis generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the sheath body. The sheath body and sheath hub form an inner cavity along their respective longitudinal axes. The valve element includes a resilient plate and a sealing element. The resilient plate includes a distal portion extending radially inwardly from a side of the inner cavity.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth
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Patent number: 10849651Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a medical article. The needle can include an elongated needle body with a distal end and a hub from which the needle body extends. The elongated needle body can include at least one side fenestration and an outer diameter. The dilator can be slideably disposed on the needle body and include a dilator hub and an elongated dilator shaft that extends from the dilator hub. The dilator shaft can include at least one side fenestration in communication with the needle side fenestration. The dilator shaft can also include an inner diameter that is less than the outer diameter of the needle. The medical article can include a tubular section and a hub. The tubular section can be disposed on the dilator and define a space between the medical article and the dilator in communication with the needle side fenestration through the dilator side fenestration.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2018Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: SMITHS MEDICAL ASD, INC.Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth
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Publication number: 20200315656Abstract: An access device for placing a medical article within a body space includes a needle, a dilator, and a sheath. The dilator can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the needle, and the sheath can be coaxially and slideably disposed about the dilator. The access device can further include a inner member coaxially disposed between the needle and dilator. The needle can include a fenestration in fluid communication with a space between the needle and inner member. When the needle punctures a blood vessel, the fenestration allows blood to flow into the space between the needle and inner member to provide a visual indicator to a physician or healthcare professional that the needle is in a vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2020Publication date: October 8, 2020Inventors: Steven F. Bierman, Richard A. Pluth, Tu Nguyen
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Patent number: 10792470Abstract: A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.Inventor: Steven F. Bierman
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Publication number: 20200246595Abstract: The device includes a dilator having a locking mechanism configured to limit a distance a guidewire can be advanced out of a distal end of the dilator.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventor: Steven F. Bierman