Patents by Inventor Tristan Sommers

Tristan Sommers 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: 12232950
    Abstract: Bone anchors and bone anchor insertion systems are provided that enable smaller bone holes for inserting a bone anchor by eliminating the need for a cannula. Smaller bone holes may help reduce patient recovery times. The provided bone anchor includes two flexible wings extending from a base portion that splay away from the base portion's central axis at rest, though may be bent towards or away from the central axis in response to an applied force. The bone anchor includes a drive feature that enables an inserter to couple and decouple to the bone anchor. A surgeon may drive the bone anchor through a bone hole via the coupled inserter while the bone hole maintains the bone anchor in a compressed state, and may decouple the inserter when the bone anchor is properly positioned, thereby eliminating the need for a cannula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Acumed LLC
    Inventors: Brandon Wedam, Travis Cox, Steven P. Horst, Tristan Sommers
  • Publication number: 20240382190
    Abstract: A button inserter and system are disclosed that enable easily and effectively deploying a near bone suture button from the button inserter when implementing the suture button technique. To deploy the near bone button, with a far bone button deployed from the button inserter and against the far bone, the button inserter's handle may be translated away from the deployed far bone button. Translating the handle changes a position of a carriage body within a channel of the handle thereby compressing a spring. Protrusions on the carriage body may be forced through notches in the handle, which thereby alters an orientation of the carriage and releases the compressed spring, which applies force to the carriage body. The combination of force induces the carriage to rotate, which thereby releases the near bone button from the carriage. A free end of suture also releases from the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2024
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, Ann Nicole Santich, David William Vanvleet, Gretchen Hinton, Tristan Sommers
  • Patent number: 12064102
    Abstract: A button inserter and system are disclosed that enable easily and effectively deploying a near bone suture button from the button inserter when implementing the suture button technique. To deploy the near bone button, with a far bone button deployed from the button inserter and against the far bone, the button inserter's handle may be translated away from the deployed far bone button. Translating the handle changes a position of a carriage body within a channel of the handle thereby compressing a spring. Protrusions on the carriage body may be forced through notches in the handle, which thereby alters an orientation of the carriage and releases the compressed spring, which applies force to the carriage body. The combination of force induces the carriage to rotate, which thereby releases the near bone button from the carriage. A free end of suture also releases from the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Acumed LLC
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, Ann Nicole Santich, David William Vanvleet, Gretchen Hinton, Tristan Sommers
  • Publication number: 20220133466
    Abstract: Bone anchors and bone anchor insertion systems are provided that enable smaller bone holes for inserting a bone anchor by eliminating the need for a cannula. Smaller bone holes may help reduce patient recovery times. The provided bone anchor includes two flexible wings extending from a base portion that splay away from the base portion's central axis at rest, though may be bent towards or away from the central axis in response to an applied force. The bone anchor includes a drive feature that enables an inserter to couple and decouple to the bone anchor. A surgeon may drive the bone anchor through a bone hole via the coupled inserter while the bone hole maintains the bone anchor in a compressed state, and may decouple the inserter when the bone anchor is properly positioned, thereby eliminating the need for a cannula.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Brandon Wedam, Travis Cox, Steven P. Horst, Tristan Sommers
  • Publication number: 20210338227
    Abstract: A button inserter and system are disclosed that enable easily and effectively deploying a near bone suture button from the button inserter when implementing the suture button technique. To deploy the near bone button, with a far bone button deployed from the button inserter and against the far bone, the button inserter's handle may be translated away from the deployed far bone button. Translating the handle changes a position of a carriage body within a channel of the handle thereby compressing a spring. Protrusions on the carriage body may be forced through notches in the handle, which thereby alters an orientation of the carriage and releases the compressed spring, which applies force to the carriage body. The combination of force induces the carriage to rotate, which thereby releases the near bone button from the carriage. A free end of suture also releases from the carriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua P. Federspiel, Ann Nicole Santich, David William Vanvleet, Gretchen Hinton, Tristan Sommers