Patents by Inventor Thomas Linsi

Thomas Linsi 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: 11759237
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are surgical instruments used in ophthalmic surgical procedures and associated methods. Particular embodiments relate to a cannula assembly having a cannula tip that is retractable. The cannula assembly may comprise a cannula hub. The cannula assembly may further comprise an outer tube that extends from a distal end the cannula hub. The cannula assembly may further comprise an inner tube that extends from the distal end of the cannula hub and is disposed in the outer tube, wherein the inner tube has a cannula tip that extends from the outer tube and is retractable into the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Philipp Schaller, Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi
  • Patent number: 11751909
    Abstract: A cannula assembly having a retractable cannula tip for use in ophthalmic surgical procedures is disclosed. The apparatus may include a housing having a valve bay disposed between its proximal and distal ends, and a cannula assembly, including an inner and outer tube, that extends from the distal end of the housing. The inner tube may include an elongated portion with a cannula tip at its distal end. The apparatus may further include a valve disposed in the valve bay of the housing. The valve may comprise a valve tubular for adjusting flow through the inner tube, and an actuator for moving the cannula tip from an extended position to a retracted position in the outer tube. The valve tubular may provide a biasing force to the inner tube in the retracted position to move the inner tube back to the extended position upon release of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Philipp Schaller, Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi
  • Patent number: 11752036
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a membrane delamination device for delaminating a membrane from a retina of an eye. The membrane delamination device comprises a blade, a first lever coupled to the blade, and a second lever coupled to the blade. The first lever and the second lever are at least partially housed by a first shaft of a hand-piece. The first lever is fixedly coupled to the first shaft. The second lever is fixedly coupled to the hand-piece. The blade at least partially extends beyond a distal end of the first shaft. The membrane delamination device is configured to be actuated as a result of longitudinal movement of the second lever within and in relation to the first shaft. The second lever moves longitudinally within and in relation to the first shaft due to an application of force to the second lever through the hand-piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Niccolo Maschio
  • Publication number: 20230111131
    Abstract: An apparatus disclosed herein may include a housing, an injection line sub-assembly coupled to a distal end of the housing, a fluid selector coupled to the housing and movable between a first position and a second position, a drug container coupled to the housing and disposed between the fluid selector and the sub-assembly, and a drug container bypass line coupled to the housing and disposed between the fluid selector and the sub-assembly. When the fluid selector is in the first position, a first outlet of the fluid selector is in fluid communication with the drug container bypass line for injecting a fluid through the drug container bypass line and into the sub-assembly. When the fluid selector is in the second position, a second outlet of the fluid selector is in fluid communication with the drug container for injecting a drug from the drug container into the sub-assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Reto Grüebler, Thomas Linsi
  • Publication number: 20230013621
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical instrument comprising a device having a proximal end and a functional end configured to be inserted into a body part, an assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, a shaft coupled to the proximal end of the assembly, the shaft having a shaft housing, a bearing positioned around the assembly, wherein the bearing is configured to slide over the assembly, a hub having a sleeve tube. The basket comprises a plurality of grooved levers, each grooved lever having a proximal end received by the shaft housing and a distal end coupled to a tip of the basket, wherein compressing one or more of the plurality of grooved levers moves the bearing and the hub relative to the shaft and toward the functional end of the device, causing the sleeve tube to transition the device from the deactivated state to an activated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt, Reto Grueebler, Timo Jung, Thomas Linsi, Niccolo Maschio
  • Patent number: 11490915
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical instrument comprising a device having a proximal end and a functional end configured to be inserted into a body part, an assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, a shaft coupled to the proximal end of the assembly, the shaft having a shaft housing, a bearing positioned around the assembly, wherein the bearing is configured to slide over the assembly, a hub having a sleeve tube. The basket comprises a plurality of grooved levers, each grooved lever having a proximal end received by the shaft housing and a distal end coupled to a tip of the basket, wherein compressing one or more of the plurality of grooved levers moves the bearing and the hub relative to the shaft and toward the functional end of the device, causing the sleeve tube to transition the device from the deactivated state to an activated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt, Reto Grueebler, Timo Jung, Thomas Linsi, Niccolo Maschio
  • Patent number: 11433174
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a surgical instrument comprising a hand-piece, an outer tube having a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the hand-piece, an inner tube housed within the outer tube and having a distal end coupled to a soft tip and a proximal end coupled to an actuator, and a valve housed inside the hand-piece and coupled to the proximal end of the actuator. Retraction of the actuator is configured to compress the valve and retract the soft tip into a distal end of the outer tube, such that the soft tip at least partially extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube when the valve is in an uncompressed state and at least partially retracts into the distal end of the outer tube when the valve is a compressed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Philipp Schaller
  • Patent number: 11298146
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical instrument comprising a device having a functional end configured to be inserted into a body part, a shaft coupled to a proximal end of the device, and a shaft housing configured to receive a distal end of the shaft and operable to move along a central axis of the shaft. The surgical instrument further comprises a tube coupled to the distal end of the shaft housing and configured to partially house the device such that the functional end of the device at least partially extends beyond the distal end of the tube. The surgical instrument further comprises a plurality of arcuate levers such that pressing one or more of the plurality of arcuate levers moves the shaft housing and the tube toward the functional end of the device, causing the tube to transition the device from a deactivated state to an activated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Linsi
  • Patent number: 11246752
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for selectively constraining an orientation of a portion of a surgical tool system relative to another. Example surgical tool systems may include a surgical tool having at least one movable component, at least one actuation component, and a surgical tool attachment. The surgical tool attachment may be operable selectively to engage and disengage the moveable component so as to prevent movement of the movable component relative to the surgical tool in an engaged configuration and to permit movement of the movable component relative to the surgical to in a disengaged configuration, respectively. In the engaged configuration, a dynamic component of the surgical tool system may be fixed relative to the surgical tool, and, in a disengaged configuration, the dynamic component may be freely movable relative to the surgical tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt, Thomas Linsi
  • Publication number: 20210113376
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a membrane delamination device for delaminating a membrane from a retina of an eye. The membrane delamination device comprises a blade, a first lever coupled to the blade, and a second lever coupled to the blade. The first lever and the second lever are at least partially housed by a first shaft of a hand-piece. The first lever is fixedly coupled to the first shaft. The second lever is fixedly coupled to the hand-piece. The blade at least partially extends beyond a distal end of the first shaft. The membrane delamination device is configured to be actuated as a result of longitudinal movement of the second lever within and in relation to the first shaft. The second lever moves longitudinally within and in relation to the first shaft due to an application of force to the second lever through the hand-piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Niccolo Maschio
  • Publication number: 20210059702
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical instrument comprising a device having a proximal end and a functional end configured to be inserted into a body part, an assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, a shaft coupled to the proximal end of the assembly, the shaft having a shaft housing, a bearing positioned around the assembly, wherein the bearing is configured to slide over the assembly, a hub having a sleeve tube. The basket comprises a plurality of grooved levers, each grooved lever having a proximal end received by the shaft housing and a distal end coupled to a tip of the basket, wherein compressing one or more of the plurality of grooved levers moves the bearing and the hub relative to the shaft and toward the functional end of the device, causing the sleeve tube to transition the device from the deactivated state to an activated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt, Reto Grueebler, Timo Jung, Thomas Linsi, Niccolo Maschio
  • Publication number: 20200397477
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are surgical instruments used in ophthalmic surgical procedures and associated methods. Particular embodiments relate to a cannula assembly having a cannula tip that is retractable. The cannula assembly may comprise a cannula hub. The cannula assembly may further comprise an outer tube that extends from a distal end the cannula hub. The cannula assembly may further comprise an inner tube that extends from the distal end of the cannula hub and is disposed in the outer tube, wherein the inner tube has a cannula tip that extends from the outer tube and is retractable into the outer tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Philipp Schaller, Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi
  • Publication number: 20200397476
    Abstract: A cannula assembly having a retractable cannula tip for use in ophthalmic surgical procedures is disclosed. The apparatus may include a housing having a valve bay disposed between its proximal and distal ends, and a cannula assembly, including an inner and outer tube, that extends from the distal end of the housing. The inner tube may include an elongated portion with a cannula tip at its distal end. The apparatus may further include a valve disposed in the valve bay of the housing. The valve may comprise a valve tubular for adjusting flow through the inner tube, and an actuator for moving the cannula tip from an extended position to a retracted position in the outer tube. The valve tubular may provide a biasing force to the inner tube in the retracted position to move the inner tube back to the extended position upon release of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Philipp Schaller, Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi
  • Publication number: 20200246034
    Abstract: Particular embodiments disclosed herein provide a surgical instrument comprising a device having a functional end configured to be inserted into a body part, a shaft coupled to a proximal end of the device, and a shaft housing configured to receive a distal end of the shaft and operable to move along a central axis of the shaft. The surgical instrument further comprises a tube coupled to the distal end of the shaft housing and configured to partially house the device such that the functional end of the device at least partially extends beyond the distal end of the tube. The surgical instrument further comprises a plurality of arcuate levers such that pressing one or more of the plurality of arcuate levers moves the shaft housing and the tube toward the functional end of the device, causing the tube to transition the device from a deactivated state to an activated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Thomas Linsi
  • Publication number: 20200188561
    Abstract: Certain embodiments provide a surgical instrument comprising a hand-piece, an outer tube having a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the hand-piece, an inner tube housed within the outer tube and having a distal end coupled to a soft tip and a proximal end coupled to an actuator, and a valve housed inside the hand-piece and coupled to the proximal end of the actuator. Retraction of the actuator is configured to compress the valve and retract the soft tip into a distal end of the outer tube, such that the soft tip at least partially extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube when the valve is in an uncompressed state and at least partially retracts into the distal end of the outer tube when the valve is a compressed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Philipp Schaller
  • Patent number: 10675180
    Abstract: Various membrane delamination devices for removing proliferative membranes from underling tissues are disclosed herein. In some implementations, the delamination device may include a first shearing part and a second shearing part. One of the first shearing part and the second shearing part may be moveable relative to the other of the first shearing part and the second shearing part. One or more of the shearing parts may include a plurality of teeth formed at a leading edge thereof. A shearing action produced by operation of the shearing parts may be used to sever fibers joining proliferative membranes from an underlying tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Rodolfo Wolfer, Bogdan Vigaru, Steven T. Charles
  • Publication number: 20190374249
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to alignment assistors, such as for guiding a surgical tool into axial alignment with a trocar cannula, for instance. Some embodiments are particularly directed to an alignment assistor that connects with a trocar cannula via a first end and receives and guides surgical instruments utilizing the trocar cannula into alignment with an axis of the trocar cannula. In one or more embodiments, for example, an apparatus for use in ocular surgery may include an alignment assistor with a coupling portion and a receiving portion joined via a base. In some embodiments, the coupling portion may include a trocar cannula coupler for connecting with a trocar cannula along an axis of the trocar cannula. The trocar cannula may provide a surgical instrument with access to an interior of an eye, along the axis, via the alignment assistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt, Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Philipp Schaller
  • Publication number: 20190374248
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to a trocar cannula for providing a surgical instrument with access to the interior of an eye, such as a soft tip cannula used in ocular surgery, for instance. Some embodiments are particularly directed to a trocar cannula that facilitates alignment of a surgical instrument with an axis of the cannula with a guidance valve. In one or more embodiments, the trocar cannula may keep one or more portions of the surgical instrument straight as the surgical instrument utilizes the trocar cannula to access the interior of an eye. Many embodiments are directed to a trocar cannula that reduces the amount of intraocular pressure loss when a surgical instrument utilizes the trocar cannula to access the interior of an eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Philipp Schaller
  • Publication number: 20190247229
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for selectively constraining an orientation of a portion of a surgical tool system relative to another. Example surgical tool systems may include a surgical tool having at least one movable component, at least one actuation component, and a surgical tool attachment. The surgical tool attachment may be operable selectively to engage and disengage the moveable component so as to to prevent movement of the movable component relative to the surgical tool in an engaged configuration and to permit movement of the movable component relative to the surgical to in a disengaged configuration, respectively. In the engaged configuration, a dynamic component of the surgical tool system may be fixed relative to the surgical tool, and, in a disengaged configuration, the dynamic component may be freely movable relative to the surgical tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Niels Alexander Abt, Thomas Linsi
  • Publication number: 20170360603
    Abstract: Various membrane delamination devices for removing proliferative membranes from underling tissues are disclosed herein. In some implementations, the delamination device may include a first shearing part and a second shearing part. One of the first shearing part and the second shearing part may be moveable relative to the other of the first shearing part and the second shearing part. One or more of the shearing parts may include a plurality of teeth formed at a leading edge thereof. A shearing action produced by operation of the shearing parts may be used to sever fibers joining proliferative membranes from an underlying tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Reto Grueebler, Thomas Linsi, Rodolfo Wolfer, Bogdan Vigaru, Steven T. Charles