Patents by Inventor William F. Witt
William F. Witt 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: 8277476Abstract: The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes orgy minimal excess motion at the surgery site.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2003Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Maguet Cardiovascular LLCInventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Thomas L. Baughman, Federico J. Benetti, Brian J. Bennett, Michael J. Billig, Thomas J. Fogarty, John J. Frantzen, Richard S. Ginn, Robert C. Glines, Harry L. Green, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Amr Salahieh, Ivan Sepetka, Benjamin Sherman, Christian Skieller, Valavanur A. Subramanian, Gary B. Weller, William F. Witt
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Patent number: 7909846Abstract: An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and a sternal pad interconnected to a blade. The superior blade is preferably pivotally coupled to the spreader member such that it naturally rises as the blades are separated. Alternatively, a vertical displacement member is operably interconnected to a blade and the spreader member and is used to vertically displace the interconnected superior blade and, thus, increase a surgeon's working space and visual access for the dissection of an internal mammary artery. A tissue retractor is interconnected to the blades to draw the soft tissue around an incision away from the surgeon's working area.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2000Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: MAQUET Cardiovascular LLCInventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Federico J. Benetti, Richard S. Ginn, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Ivan Sepetka, William F. Witt
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Patent number: 7699774Abstract: An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and a sternal pad interconnected to a blade. The superior blade is pivotally coupled to the spreader member such that it naturally rises as the blades are separated. Alternatively, a vertical displacement member is operably interconnected to a blade and the spreader member and is used to vertically displace the interconnected superior blade and, thus, increase a surgeon's working space and visual access for the dissection of an internal mammary artery. A tissue retractor is interconnected to the blades to draw the soft tissue around an incision away from the surgeon's working area.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 1999Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Maquet Cardiovascular LLCInventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Federico J. Benetti, Richard S. Ginn, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Ivan Sepetka, William F. Witt
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Patent number: 7585277Abstract: Methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. A stabilizing device may be introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles in a vicinity of a site of surgery to be performed, is effectively eliminated. A surgeon may contact the heart with the stabilizing means, assess the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exert a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes only minimal excess motion at the surgery site. The stabilizing means may be attached to a rigid support or may be attached to a semi-rigid support which is rendered motionless mechanically, chemically, or by human intervention.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2006Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: MAQUET Cardiovascular LLCInventors: Charles S. Taylor, Dwight P. Morejohn, Benjamin Sherman, Gary B. Weller, William F. Witt, Caralin R. Adair
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Patent number: 7288065Abstract: An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and a sternal pad interconnected to a blade. The superior blade is preferably pivotally coupled to the spreader member such that it naturally rises as the blades are separated. Alternatively, a vertical displacement member is operably interconnected to a blade and the spreader member and is used to vertically displace the interconnected superior blade and, thus, increase a surgeon's working space and visual access for the dissection of an internal mammary artery. A tissue retractor is interconnected to the blades to draw the soft tissue around an incision away from the surgeon's working area.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2000Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: CardioThoracic System, Inc.Inventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Federico J. Benetti, Richard S. Ginn, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Ivan Sepetka, William F. Witt
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Publication number: 20040230099Abstract: The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes orgy minimal excess motion at the surgery site.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2003Publication date: November 18, 2004Inventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Thomas L. Baughman, Federico J. Benetti, Brian J. Bennett, Michael J. Billig, Thomas J. Fogarty, John J. Frantzen, Richard S. Ginn, Robert C. Glines, Harry L. Green, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Amr Salahieh, Ivan Sepetka, Benjamin Sherman, Christian Skieller, Valavanur A. Subramanian, Gary B. Weller, William F. Witt
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Patent number: 6773160Abstract: A combined imaging plate scanning and erasing system, comprising: (a) a housing; (b) an imaging plate cassette infeed assembly positioned within the housing, the maging plate cassette infeed assembly comprising: (i) a mechanism to pull an imaging plate cassette into the housing; (ii) a mechanism to open the imaging plate cassette; and (iii) a mechanism to remove an imaging plate from the cassette; (c) a scanner positioned within the housing; (d) a curved path erasing assembly positioned between the imaging plate infeed assembly and the scanner; and (e) an imaging plate transportation assembly to move the imaging plate back and forth in a path extending from the imaging plate cassette, past the erasing assembly and through a scan area adjacent to the scanner.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2001Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: Alara, Inc.Inventors: Wayne Evans, H. Keith Nishihara, Brian P. Wilfley, Douglas A. Reim, William F. Witt, Sung Kim, Ron Smith, Perry Anderson, Heather Klaubert, Gary Cantu, James Olef Jensen, Eric J. Shrader
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Patent number: 6743169Abstract: The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes orgy minimal excess motion at the surgery site.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2001Date of Patent: June 1, 2004Assignee: Cardiothoracic Systems, Inc.Inventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Thomas L. Baughman, Federico J. Benetti, Brian J. Bennett, Michael J. Billig, Thomas J. Fogarty, John J. Frantzen, Richard S. Ginn, Robert C. Glines, Harry L. Green, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Amr Salahieh, Ivan Sepetka, Benjamin Sherman, Christian Skieller, Valavanur A. Subramanian, Gary B. Weller, William F. Witt
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Publication number: 20030123613Abstract: A combined imaging plate scanning and erasing system, comprising: (a) a housing; (b) an imaging plate cassette infeed assembly positioned within the housing, the maging plate cassette infeed assembly comprising: (i) a mechanism to pull an imaging plate cassette into the housing; (ii) a mechanism to open the imaging plate cassette; and (iii) a mechanism to remove an imaging plate from the cassette; (c) a scanner positioned within the housing; (d) a curved path erasing assembly positioned between the imaging plate infeed assembly and the scanner; and (e) an imaging plate transportation assembly to move the imaging plate back and forth in a path extending from the imaging plate cassette, past the erasing assembly and through a scan area adjacent to the scanner.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2001Publication date: July 3, 2003Inventors: Wayne Evans, H. Keith Nishihara, Brian Wilfley, Douglas A. Reim, William F. Witt, Sung Kim, Ron Smith, Perry Anderson, Heather Klaubert, Gary Cantu, James Olef Jensen, Eric J. Shrader
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Publication number: 20020111537Abstract: The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes orgy minimal excess motion at the surgery site.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2002Publication date: August 15, 2002Inventors: Charles S. Taylor, Dwight P. Morejohn, Benjamin Sherman, Gary B. Weller, William F. Witt, Caralin R. Adair
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Publication number: 20020099270Abstract: The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes orgy minimal excess motion at the surgery site.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2002Publication date: July 25, 2002Inventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Thomas L. Baughman, Federico J. Benetti, Brian J. Bennett, Michael J. Billig, Thomas J. Fogarty, John J. Frantzen, Richard S. Ginn, Robert C. Glines, Harry L. Green, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Amr Salahieh, Ivan Sepetka, Benjamin Sherman, Christian Skieller, Valavanur A. Subramanian, Gary B. Weller, William F. Witt
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Patent number: 6346077Abstract: The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes orgy minimal excess motion at the surgery site.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1997Date of Patent: February 12, 2002Assignee: Cardiothoracic Systems, Inc.Inventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Thomas L. Baughman, Federico J. Benetti, Brian J. Bennett, Michael J. Billig, Thomas J. Fogarty, John J. Frantzen, Richard S. Ginn, Robert C. Glines, Harry L. Green, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Amr Salahieh, Ivan Sepetka, Benjamin Sherman, Christian Skieller, Valavanur A. Subramanian, Gary B. Weller, William F. Witt
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Publication number: 20020010388Abstract: The invention is methods and devices which a surgeon may use to stabilize the beating heart during a surgical procedure on the heart. Pursuant to the invention, a stabilizing device is introduced through an opening in the chest and brought into contact with the beating heart. By contacting the heart with the device and by exerting a stabilizing force on the device, the motion of the heart caused by the contraction of the heart muscles is effectively eliminated such that the heart is stabilized and the site of the surgery moves only minimally if at all. Typically, in separate steps, the surgeon contacts the heart with the stabilizing means, assesses the degree of movement of the anastomosis site, and exerts a force on the stabilizing means such that the contraction of the beating heart causes orgy minimal excess motion at the surgery site.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 1997Publication date: January 24, 2002Inventors: CHARLES S. TAYLOR, WILLIAM N. ALDRICH, THOMAS L. BAUGHMAN, FEDERICO J. BENETTI, BRIAN J. BENNETT, MICHAEL J. BILLIG, THOMAS J. FOGARTY, JOHN J. FRANTZEN, RICHARD S. GINN, ROBERT C. GLINES, HARRY L. GREEN, DWIGHT P. MOREJOHN, BRENT REGAN, EUGENE E. REIS, AMR SALAHIEH, IVAN SEPETKA, BENJAMIN SHERMAN, CHRISTIAN SKIELLER, VALAVANUR A. SUBRAMANIAN, GARY B. WELLER, WILLIAM F. WITT
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Patent number: 5944736Abstract: An access platform having a first and a second blade interconnected to a spreader member that laterally drives the blades apart or together and a sternal pad interconnected to a blade. The superior blade is pivotally coupled to the spreader member such that it naturally rises as the blades are separated. Alternatively, a vertical displacement member is operably interconnected to a blade and the spreader member and is used to vertically displace the interconnected superior blade and, thus, increase a surgeon's working space and visual access for the dissection of an internal mammary artery. A tissue retractor is interconnected to the blades to draw the soft tissue around an incision away from the surgeon's working area.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1997Date of Patent: August 31, 1999Assignee: Cardiothoracic Systems, Inc.Inventors: Charles S. Taylor, William N. Aldrich, Federico J. Benetti, Richard S. Ginn, Dwight P. Morejohn, Brent Regan, Eugene E. Reis, Ivan Sepetka, William F. Witt
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Patent number: 5535072Abstract: A disk drive 50 for receiving a removable cartridge 52 containing a disk 256 for storing data. The disk drive 50 includes a spindle motor 102 for engaging and causing the disk 256 of the cartridge 52 to spin at an appropriate speed and a mechanism 168 for mounting the spindle motor 102 to the disk drive 50 so that the spindle 102 motor is movable from a first position out of engagement with the disk 256 to a second position operably engaged with the disk 256. The spindle motor 102 can thus move in a plane which is not coplaner with the cartridge receiving plane. The disk drive further includes an ejecting mechanism 106 for engaging and lockingly holding the cartridge 52 in place in the cartridge receiver 60 and for ejecting the cartridge from the cartridge receiver 60.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1994Date of Patent: July 9, 1996Assignee: Syquest Technology, Inc.Inventors: William F. Witt, Hans K. Tannert
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Patent number: 5317464Abstract: A disk drive 50 for receiving a removable cartridge 52 containing a disk 256 for storing data. The disk drive 50 includes a spindle motor 102 for engaging and causing the disk 256 of the cartridge 52 to spin at an appropriate speed and a mechanism 168 for mounting the spindle motor 102 to the disk drive 50 so that the spindle 102 motor is movable from a first position out of engagement with the disk 256 to a second position operably engaged with the disk 256. The spindle motor 102 can thus move in a plane which is not coplaner with the cartridge receiving plane. The disk drive further includes an ejecting mechanism 106 for engaging and lockingly holding the cartridge 52 in place in the cartridge receiver 60 and for ejecting the cartridge from the cartridge receiver 60.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1991Date of Patent: May 31, 1994Assignee: SyQuest Technology, Inc.Inventors: William F. Witt, Hans K. Tannert
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Patent number: 4820109Abstract: A bidirectional transfer mechanism is provided for independent or simultaneous X-axis and Y-axis precision displacement of a mobile component, such as a video cassette pick-up unit for retrieving or returning video cassettes from a cassette library. The transfer mechanism comprises an upright column assembly supported on a machine frame for X-axis displacement and carrying the pick-up unit for Y-axis displacement. A first drive cable is connected to the upper and lower ends of the column assembly and threaded over a first set of pulleys on the machine frame, with a portion of the first cable being wrapped about a motor-driven winding drum for displacing the column assembly in the X-axis direction. A second drive cable has a portion thereof wrapped about another motor-driven winding drum and is threaded about a second set of pulleys on the column assembly and the pick-up unit, whereby drum rotation displaces the pick-up unit along the column assembly in the Y-axis direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1986Date of Patent: April 11, 1989Assignee: Ampex CorporationInventor: William F. Witt
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Patent number: 4466512Abstract: A differential band brake is independently spring loaded at each end so that changes in the differential braking force ratio can be conveniently effected by changing to springs of different strength such as are readily available on the commercial market, rather than by changing the parameters of other portions of the apparatus of types not so readily available.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 1982Date of Patent: August 21, 1984Assignee: Ampex CorporationInventor: William F. Witt