Patents by Inventor Thomas D. Maurer

Thomas D. Maurer 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).

  • Method of and apparatus for welding surgical needle stock to a metal tape
    Patent number: 5887778
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is available for receiving surgical needle stock from a needle fabrication line and welding the surgical needle stock to a metal tape. The apparatus includes a welding station where the needle stock is welded to the tape. A tape indexing unit is arranged to move the metal tape through the welding station. A preload chuck is arranged to receive the surgical needle stock from the needle fabrication line and a gripper assembly is arranged to receive the surgical needle stock from the preload chuck and transfer the surgical needle stock from the preload chuck to the welding station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas D. Maurer, Michael J. Brown, deceased
  • Surgical needle configuration with five-sided cross-section
    Patent number: 5030228
    Abstract: A needle having three fluted edges, all of the same angular size. The needle presents a five sided cross-section at a tapered end. This results in easier tissue penetration, reduced cross-sectional needle area, better wound opening area performance, and minimized tissue distortion. In an alternate embodiment, the flat surface from which the taper is formed is on the inside of the needle so that the outer fluted edges are formed outside that configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wong, Thomas D. Maurer, Robert Brown, Robert J. Baker
  • Surgical needle configuration with five-sided cross-section
    Patent number: 4932961
    Abstract: A needle having three fluted edges, all of the same angular size. The needle presents a five sided cross-section at a tapered end. This results in easier tissue penetration, reduced cross-sectional needle area, better wound opening area performance, and minimized tissue distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: John Wong, Thomas D. Maurer, Robert Brown, Robert J. Baker