Patents by Inventor Walter J. Stevens
Walter J. Stevens 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).
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Patent number: 9547123Abstract: An apparatus for treating a hollow anatomical structure can include a light delivery device. The light delivery device comprises an optical fiber that is located in a lumen of a shaft suitable for insertion into the hollow anatomical structure and has a fiber tip located proximal of a distal end of the shaft during treatment of the hollow anatomical structure. The apparatus can further include a liquid source for providing a liquid flow over the optical fiber at a predetermined liquid flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2013Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Walter J. Stevens, Stephen W. Lee, Michael S. Mirizzi, Hoa D. Nguyen
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Patent number: 9282970Abstract: Bodily implants that can be compacted in a distal-to-proximal direction, and which facilitate repositioning of the implant after compaction. The implants include at least one pull string for expanding the implant in a radial direction while compacting the implant in the longitudinal direction. Where multiple pull strings are provided, they can be secured to the implant at spaced locations along the implant length, and pulled successively to compact the implant in a distal-to-proximal direction. A guide member may also be provided to receive the pull strings and facilitate longitudinal compaction.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Stephen W. Lee, Ric C. Leguidleguid, Walter J. Stevens, III
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Publication number: 20150094752Abstract: Bodily implants that can be compacted in a distal-to-proximal direction, and which facilitate repositioning of the implant after compaction. The implants include at least one pull string for expanding the implant in a radial direction while compacting the implant in the longitudinal direction. Where multiple pull strings are provided, they can be secured to the implant at spaced locations along the implant length, and pulled successively to compact the implant in a distal-to-proximal direction. A guide member may also be provided to receive the pull strings and facilitate longitudinal compaction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2013Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: Covidien LPInventors: Stephen W. Lee, Ric C. Leguidleguid, Walter J. Stevens, III
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Publication number: 20140133814Abstract: An apparatus for treating a hollow anatomical structure can include a light delivery device. The light delivery device comprises an optical fiber that is located in a lumen of a shaft suitable for insertion into the hollow anatomical structure and has a fiber tip located proximal of a distal end of the shaft during treatment of the hollow anatomical structure. The apparatus can further include a liquid source for providing a liquid flow over the optical fiber at a predetermined liquid flow rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Covidien LPInventors: Walter J. Stevens, Stephen W. Lee, Michael S. Mirizzi, Hoa D. Nguyen
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Patent number: 8435235Abstract: An apparatus for treating a hollow anatomical structure can include a light delivery device. The light delivery device comprises an optical fiber that is located in a lumen of a shaft suitable for insertion into the hollow anatomical structure and has a fiber tip located proximal of a distal end of the shaft during treatment of the hollow anatomical structure. The apparatus can further include a liquid source for providing a liquid flow over the optical fiber at a predetermined liquid flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2008Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Covidien LPInventors: Walter J. Stevens, Stephen W. Lee, Sr., Michael S. Mirizzi, Hoa D. Nguyen
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Publication number: 20080292255Abstract: An apparatus for treating a hollow anatomical structure can include a light delivery device. The light delivery device comprises an optical fiber that is located in a lumen of a shaft suitable for insertion into the hollow anatomical structure and has a fiber tip located proximal of a distal end of the shaft during treatment of the hollow anatomical structure. The apparatus can further include a liquid source for providing a liquid flow over the optical fiber at a predetermined liquid flow rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2008Publication date: November 27, 2008Applicant: VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Walter J. Stevens, Stephen W. Lee, Michael S. Mirizzi, Hoa D. Nguyen
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Patent number: 6699279Abstract: An expandable space frame is manufactured by linking a plurality of flexible joints through spacing arms to form a closed structure. The spacing arms are sterically offset, linking the bottom of one joint to the top of the next joint in an stepwise fashion. The offset allows the frame to be collapsed with minimal steric hindrance between the centered joints. This lack of steric hindrance permits a very high ratio of the expansion to compression diameters for the frame. The space frame forms the basis for different types of stents. A spiral frame, or a series of individual frames are linked to each other to form a luminal stent, or are linked to longitudinal struts to form the support structure for a stent. The stents formed from the expandable space frame can be designed to have a number of additional features as set forth herein.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2002Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior UniversityInventors: Walter J. Stevens, George S. Springer
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Patent number: 6502574Abstract: A method for treating snoring includes identifying first and second locations disposed on right and left sides, respectively, of a soft palate and separated by an anterior-posterior midline extending centrally positioned on the palate. The first and second locations are linked across the midline by creating a linkage between the first and second locations and through the midline with the linkage having a stiffness greater than a stiffness of untreated tissue naturally residing between the locations.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2001Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: Pi Medical, Inc.Inventors: Walter J. Stevens, Anja K. Metzger, Larry A. Walter, Mark B. Knudson, Timothy R. Conrad
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Patent number: 6497724Abstract: An expandable space frame is manufactured by linking a plurality of flexible joints through spacing arms to form a closed structure. The spacing arms are sterically offset, linking the bottom of one joint to the top of the next joint in an stepwise fashion. The offset allows the frame to be collapsed with minimal steric hindrance between the centered joints. This lack of steric hindrance permits a very high ratio of the expansion to compression diameters for the frame. The space frame forms the basis for different types of stents. A spiral frame, or a series of individual frames are linked to each other to form a luminal stent, or are linked to longitudinal struts to form the support structure for a stent. The stents formed from the expandable space frame can be designed to have a number of additional features as set forth herein.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2000Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior UniversityInventors: Walter J. Stevens, George S. Springer
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Publication number: 20020183833Abstract: An expandable space frame is manufactured by linking a plurality of flexible joints through spacing arms to form a closed structure. The spacing arms are sterically offset, linking the bottom of one joint to the top of the next joint in an stepwise fashion. The offset allows the frame to be collapsed with minimal steric hindrance between the centered joints. This lack of steric hindrance permits a very high ratio of the expansion to compression diameters for the frame. The space frame forms the basis for different types of stents. A spiral frame, or a series of individual frames are linked to each other to form a luminal stent, or are linked to longitudinal struts to form the support structure for a stent. The stents formed from the expandable space frame can be designed to have a number of additional features as set forth herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2002Publication date: December 5, 2002Inventors: Walter J. Stevens, George S. Springer
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Publication number: 20020116018Abstract: An anastomosis system and methods for its use in end-to-side anastomoses are provided. The subject anastomosis system includes nesting, first and second structural means which are each tubular in structure and have a lip at at least one end. In performing an end-to-side anastomosis according to the subject invention, the subject anastomosis system is used to stably attach the graft vessel to the side of the host vessel in a manner that provides for fluid communication between the lumens of the graft and host vessels. Also provided are kits that include the subject systems. The subject anastomosis systems and methods find use in a variety of different anastomosis applications, including vascular anastomoses, and particular proximal anastomoses.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2001Publication date: August 22, 2002Inventors: Walter J. Stevens, Eunice Chen, Jessica Smith, Douglas Oguss, Mary K. O'Connell, Jay Story
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Publication number: 20020035994Abstract: A method for treating snoring includes identifying first and second locations disposed on right and left sides, respectively, of a soft palate and separated by an anterior-posterior midline extending centrally positioned on the palate. The first and second locations are linked across the midline by creating a linkage between the first and second locations and through the midline with the linkage having a stiffness greater than a stiffness of untreated tissue naturally residing between the locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2001Publication date: March 28, 2002Applicant: Pi Medical, Inc.Inventors: Walter J. Stevens, Anja K. Metzger, Larry A. Walter, Mark B. Knudson, Timothy R. Conrad
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Patent number: 4763621Abstract: The invention includes a fuel tank containing an emergency supply of fuel for an internal combustion engine in the general proximity of the engine, with the arrangement being such that proper communication from this alternate source of fuel directly to the air-fuel mixer of the engine is effected. The preferred example of the air-fuel mixer is a carburetor. In this way, by utilizing a reliable arrangement for the delivery of fuel directly to the carburetor, a temporary problem with the primary fuel supply can be circumvented.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1986Date of Patent: August 16, 1988Inventor: Walter J. Stevens
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Patent number: 4161963Abstract: An ion exchange liquid treatment apparatus including a tank having an upwardly dished bottom wall and a distributor of the type having a central header and a plurality of distributor conduits extending outwardly from this header. Each distributor conduit is formed of a first straight conduit section that extends generally radially outwardly from the header and a second straight conduit section that is connected to the first conduit section by a pipe elbow whereby the second conduit section can be positioned oblique to a plane through the longitudinal axis of the tank and at a shallow angle to a plane perpendicular to the tank axis to generally conform to the contour of the dished bottom wall of the tank. Each of the second distributor conduit sections preferably have lateral conduits extending transverse thereto to achieve generally uniform liquid flow throughout the cross-section of the tank.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1975Date of Patent: July 24, 1979Assignee: Techni-Chem, Inc.Inventor: Walter J. Stevens