Patents by Inventor William Cottle

William Cottle 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).

  • Publication number: 20050177173
    Abstract: A distractor for separating adjacent elements, such as vertebrae. The distractor preferably has a scissors-type distracting mechanism, either in a simple scissors or double-acting scissors configuration. A set of blades is provided on each jaw such that an implant may be inserted between the spaced apart blades. The set of blades includes at least two blades.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Max Aebi, Thomas Steffen, David Paul, William Cottle, Beat Schenk
  • Publication number: 20050142929
    Abstract: The present invention includes a portable power supply having a housing that encloses a battery. Booster cables protrude from the housing and are electrically connected to the battery. Electrical clamps are attached to the booster cables and may connect to electrical terminals. The housing may include a clamp anchor integral thereto. The clamp anchor may include an anchor base and an anchor finger, wherein the anchor finger is generally perpendicular to the anchor base. The electrical clamp may be secured on the clamp anchor. The present invention further includes a booster cable with an electrical clamp that has a clamp cover rotatably mounted on the electrical clamp. The clamp cover may cover some of the electrically conductive portions of the electrical clamp and/or provide additional positioning of the electrical clamp on the clamp anchor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventor: William Cottle
  • Patent number: 5888227
    Abstract: An inter-vertebral implant having of a frame-like cage (1) enclosing a space (20), with a top and bottom surface (11,12), two side surfaces (13, 14), a front (16) and a rear wall (15). The top and bottom surfaces (11, 12) have a plurality of perforations (24), the total area of which amounts to 40 to 55% of the total area of said surfaces (11, 12). The individual area of a single perforation (24) is at most 20% of the total area of the top and bottom surfaces (11, 12). The ratio VH/VK between the volume VH of the space (20) and the total volume VK of the cage (1) is in the range from 70 to 90%. The cage (1) is substantially wedge-shaped with top and bottom surfaces (11, 12) diverging towards the front wall (16). This gives the advantage that, owing to the large bone bearing area of the top and bottom surfaces, the implant is prevented from sinking into the end plates of the body of the vertebra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Synthes (U.S.A.)
    Inventor: William Cottle