Patents by Inventor William C. Meyers

William C. Meyers 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: 5925064
    Abstract: The invention is a series of minimally invasive, miniature surgical instruments mounted directly on a surgeon's fingertips in a way that the surgeon can insert his or her hand into a patient through a minimal incision to perform surgical procedures, and also to use his or her fingers to manipulate tissues. The invention enables the surgeon to perform the procedures with all the benefits of minimally invasive surgery, but with much greater tactile sense, control, and ease of manipulation, than enabled by known minimally invasive surgical instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignees: University of Massachusetts, Smith & Nephew, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Meyers, Steven Ek, Javier Verdura, Maureen E. Carroll, Kirk W. Charles
  • Patent number: 5039263
    Abstract: The utility of a cover for vents or drains is improved by having a unitary, integral fastening means which can be used to either secure the covering so securely that mutilation of the cover may be required to remove the cover or that the cover may be easily removed and replaced. The cover can be formed from any polymer with any desired surface configuration, i.e., hole size and shape, and can be used to modify existing covers or as the original cover for a hole or vent. The fastening means when integral is made of the same material as the cover and can be easily expanded and secured by pressure elements. Since the normal sleeve has been replaced by the integral fastener which is part of the cover, no relative rotation of the sleeve and pressure means can occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Polyco Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Meyer, Gerbrig W. Vander Woude