Patents by Inventor Thomas K Sutton

Thomas K Sutton 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).

  • Needle guard clip with lip
    Patent number: 8403886
    Abstract: A needle guard includes a clip with a canting wall to grip the needle shaft and a distal wall to block the tip thereof, wherein the canting and distal walls may be interconnected by an angled strut, a spring member, such as a leaf spring, may have a portion extending past an edge of the strut to bias the clip to grip the needle shaft, and the distal wall may be or include a stylus and have an L-shape to define a lip to help block the needle tip. The clip may have a depending heel to help pivot the clip about a ledge to grip the needle shaft. A needle support may be provided to limit flexure of the needle which might otherwise allow the needle to come loose from the clip. Arrangements for limiting rotation of the needle hub and needle guard housing are provided, as is a protective shroud to reduce the risk of inadvertent activation of the needle guard. Further, the needle guard may be used with a catheter assembly. Also provided is an improved duckbill release mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis M Bialecki, Sean J Albert, Thomas K Sutton
  • Duckbill catheter release mechanism
    Patent number: 7632243
    Abstract: A needle guard includes a clip with a canting wall to grip the needle shaft and a distal wall to block the tip thereof, wherein the canting and distal walls may be interconnected by an angled strut, a spring member, such as a leaf spring, may have a portion extending past an edge of the strut to bias the clip to grip the needle shaft, and the distal wall may be or include a stylus and have an L-shape to define a lip to help block the needle tip. The clip may have a depending heel to help pivot the clip about a ledge to grip the needle shaft. A needle support may be provided to limit flexure of the needle which might otherwise allow the needle to come loose from the clip. Arrangements for limiting rotation of the needle hub and needle guard housing are provided, as is a protective shroud to reduce the risk of inadvertent activation of the needle guard. Further, the needle guard may be used with a catheter assembly. Also provided is an improved duckbill release mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis M Bialecki, David J Goral, Alan D King, Sean J Albert, Thomas K Sutton
  • Needle guard mechanism with shroud
    Patent number: 7597681
    Abstract: A needle guard includes a clip with a canting wall to grip the needle shaft and a distal wall to block the tip thereof, wherein the canting and distal walls may be interconnected by an angled strut, a spring member, such as a leaf spring, may have a portion extending past an edge of the strut to bias the clip to grip the needle shaft, and the distal wall may be or include a stylus and have an L-shape to define a lip to help block the needle tip. The clip may have a depending heel to help pivot the clip about a ledge to grip the needle shaft. A needle support may be provided to limit flexure of the needle which might otherwise allow the needle to come loose from the clip. Arrangements for limiting rotation of the needle hub and needle guard housing are provided, as is a protective shroud to reduce the risk of inadvertent activation of the needle guard. Further, the needle guard may be used with a catheter assembly. Also provided is an improved duckbill release mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas K Sutton, Sean J Albert, Dennis M Bialecki