Patents by Inventor Troy M Walters

Troy M Walters 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: 11730464
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Patent number: 11116495
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Patent number: 10702259
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Publication number: 20190365376
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Patent number: 10441264
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Publication number: 20190150909
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Publication number: 20180235675
    Abstract: A tab is removably connected to a surgical screw having a head. The tab has a longitudinal slot for receiving a connecting rod therethrough for connection to the screw head. The tab has a notch for enlarging a portion of the slot to facilitate the passage of the rod through the tab. A plurality of tabs can be aligned to enable a connecting rod to pass therethrough and be connected to a plurality of screw heads. The length of the enlarged slot portion is less than the length of the longitudinal slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Harry LOCKSTADT, Troy M. WALTERS
  • Publication number: 20180085119
    Abstract: Various suture anchors and surgical methods are provided. A two-part suture anchor is provided having a continuously threaded anchor body defining an axial bore and a pin. The pin includes a tip and a plate defining at least two suture receiving openings aligned in a single plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axial bore is disposed in anchor body. Methods of attaching soft tissue to bone are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Gregory J. Denham, Nathanael K. Conner
  • Publication number: 20170151054
    Abstract: A suture anchor for anchoring a suture in the selected portion of an anatomical portion for fixing a suture thereto. The suture anchor including an anatomical engaging portion and a suture engaging portion wherein both the anatomical engaging portion and a suture engaging portion are adopted to be substantially disposed below an exterior of the anatomical portion after implantation. Suture eyelets are provided in the suture engaging section and a suture passage is formed to interconnect the eyelets to allow a suture to be easily threaded in the suture engaging section from the first eyelet to the second eyelet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Brandon H. Miller, Ryan A. Kaiser
  • Patent number: 9662107
    Abstract: Various suture anchors and surgical methods are provided. A two-part suture anchor is provided having a continuously threaded anchor body defining an axial bore and a pin. The pin includes a tip and a plate defining at least two suture receiving openings aligned in a single plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axial bore is disposed in anchor body. Methods of attaching soft tissue to bone are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Gregory J. Denham, Nathanael K. Conner
  • Publication number: 20170071595
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Patent number: 9532775
    Abstract: A suture anchor operable to secure a suture to a boney tissue. The suture anchor includes a suture-engaging section including a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end is operable to engage the boney tissue and the proximal end is operable to secure the suture. A bone-engaging section is operable to receive at least a portion of the suture engaging section therein. The bone engaging section includes a bone-grasping feature that is operable to engage and secure the bone-engaging section to the boney tissue. The distal end tapers radially outward from a distal tip to define a shoulder that is operable to abut against the bone-engaging section such that when the bone-grasping feature is engaged and secured to the boney tissue, the suture-engaging section is secured and engaged to the boney tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Brandon Miller, Ryan A. Kaiser
  • Patent number: 9414833
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Publication number: 20160058436
    Abstract: A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Andrew Holst
  • Patent number: 9271720
    Abstract: A method for suturing soft tissue in arthroscopic or endoscopic procedures. The method includes inserting a bendable steerable arm in a straightened configuration through an incision, curving the steerable arm, piercing the tissue, deploying a suture holder from a bore of the steerable arm, moving the suture holder relative to the bendable steerable arm, and suturing the tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: BIOMET SPORTS MEDICINE, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. Stone, Troy M. Walters, Ryan A. Kaiser
  • Publication number: 20150320545
    Abstract: Methods for fixation of a soft tissue graft in a bone including: forming in the bone a tunnel defining an entrance opening and an exit opening at opposite ends of the tunnel, the tunnel including an anterior wall surface and a posterior wall surface opposite to the anterior wall surface; positioning the soft tissue graft within the tunnel such that the soft tissue graft extends through both the entrance opening and the exit opening of the tunnel; inserting a graft fixation apparatus into the tunnel and driving spikes of the graft fixation apparatus into the posterior wall surface to mount the graft fixation apparatus to the posterior wall surface of the tunnel such that the graft fixation apparatus is anterior to the posterior wall surface and is not recessed beneath the posterior wall surface; and securing the soft tissue graft inside the tunnel with the graft fixation apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: James BOUCHER, Stephen M. Howell, James Marcinek, Troy M. Walters
  • Patent number: 9011534
    Abstract: Methods for fixation of a soft tissue graft in a bone including: forming in the bone a tunnel defining an entrance opening and an exit opening at opposite ends of the tunnel, the tunnel including an anterior wall surface and a posterior wall surface opposite to the anterior wall surface; positioning the soft tissue graft within the tunnel such that the soft tissue graft extends through both the entrance opening and the exit opening of the tunnel; inserting a graft fixation apparatus into the tunnel and driving spikes of the graft fixation apparatus into the posterior wall surface to mount the graft fixation apparatus to the posterior wall surface of the tunnel such that the graft fixation apparatus is anterior to the posterior wall surface and is not recessed beneath the posterior wall surface; and securing the soft tissue graft inside the tunnel with the graft fixation apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: James A. Boucher, Stephen M. Howell, James Marcinek, Troy M. Walters
  • Patent number: 8784489
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing a surgery, especially an ACL replacement surgery, where a flexible strand insertion rod co-operates with a U-Guide apparatus to insert a flexible strand into a tunnel formed in a bone portion and to guide a pair of drill points to form a pair of tunnels transversely to the tunnel of the insertion rod. The drill points are guided through the insertion rod and the flexible strand is held over the drill points as the transverse tunnels are formed. The insertion rod is then removed from the tunnels formed in the bone and the flexible strand is held looped over the second drill point. Subsequently, a soft tissue replacement is affixed to one end of the flexible strand and pulled over up to the first drill point with the other end of the flexible strand. The first drill point is then used to pull a cross pin through the transverse tunnel to hold the looped end of the soft tissue replacement in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Troy M. Walters, Kevin T. Stone, Jason D. Meridew
  • Publication number: 20130331885
    Abstract: Various suture anchors and surgical methods are provided. A two-part suture anchor is provided having a continuously threaded anchor body defining an axial bore and a pin. The pin includes a tip and a plate defining at least two suture receiving openings aligned in a single plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axial bore is disposed in anchor body. Methods of attaching soft tissue to bone are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Biomet Sports Medicine, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin T. STONE, Troy M. Walters, Gregory J. Denham, Nathanael K. Conner
  • Patent number: D731061
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: NuVasive, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Monterroso, Ryan Donahoe, Troy M. Walters