Patents by Inventor Trent Pals

Trent Pals 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: 9451969
    Abstract: A femoral reamer (100) can include a base material (304) and a coating (302) disposed on the base material. The coating can be harder than the base material and, as a result, the femoral reamer can wear more slowly than if the coating was absent. The coating can be a different color than the base material. When the coating is worn off, such wear can be easily observed from a visual inspection of the femoral reamer. The coating can have an initial thickness (i.e., a thickness prior to use) that is related to a tolerance on a size and/or a shape of a hole drilled by the femoral reamer. When the coating is worn off, the size and/or the shape of the hole drilled by the femoral reamer may be at or near an edge of a specified tolerance range. The femoral reamer can be part of a kit and a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Borries, Bart C. Benedict, Trent Pals
  • Publication number: 20160074045
    Abstract: A femoral reamer (100) can include a base material (304) and a coating (302) disposed on the base material. The coating can be harder than the base material and, as a result, the femoral reamer can wear more slowly than if the coating was absent. The coating can be a different color than the base material. When the coating is worn off, such wear can be easily observed from a visual inspection of the femoral reamer. The coating can have an initial thickness (i.e., a thickness prior to use) that is related to a tolerance on a size and/or a shape of a hole drilled by the femoral reamer. When the coating is worn off, the size and/or the shape of the hole drilled by the femoral reamer may be at or near an edge of a specified tolerance range. The femoral reamer can be part of a kit and a method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Paul Borries, Bart C. Benedict, Trent Pals