Patents by Inventor William H. Patterson

William H. Patterson 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: 6715628
    Abstract: A medical instrument sterilization container (10) is provided which includes a port (18). A removable filter (32) is received within port (18) to enable sterilization of instruments placed within container (10). A removable plug (48) replaces filter (32) to enable container (10) to be used to transport instruments without leaking of fluids therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Steris Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson, Keith F. Lindsey
  • Patent number: 6145687
    Abstract: A medical instrument sterilization container (10) is provided which includes a port (18). A removable filter (32) is received within port (18) to enable sterilization of instruments placed within container (10). A removable plug (48) replaces filter (32) to enable container (10) to be used to transport instruments without leaking of fluids therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson, Keith F. Lindsey
  • Patent number: 5954219
    Abstract: A medical instrument sterilization container (10) is provided which includes a port (18). A removable filter (32) is received within port (18) to enable sterilization of instruments placed within container (10). A removable plug (48) replaces filter (32) to enable container (10) to be used to transport instruments without leaking of fluids therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson, Keith F. Lindsey
  • Patent number: 5736043
    Abstract: A filter (32) is provided for a medical sterilization container (10) having a port (18,22,24) allowing fluid communication between the interior of container (10) and the surrounding environment. A peripheral frame (44) is adapted to cooperate with the port (18,22,24). A plurality of cross-members (54) span an aperture (48) formed by a frame (44). A filter medium (58) is disposed across the aperture (48) so as to be interposed between the interior of the container and the cross-members (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson
  • Patent number: 5474738
    Abstract: A medical instrument sterilization container (10) is provided which includes a port (18). A removable filter (32) is received within port (18) to enable sterilization of instruments placed within container (10). A removable plug (48) replaces filter (32) to enable container (10) to be used to transport instruments without leaking of fluids therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson, Keith F. Lindsey
  • Patent number: 5474679
    Abstract: A filter (32) is provided for a medical sterilization container (10) having a port (18,22,24) allowing fluid communication between the interior of container (10) and the surrounding environment. A peripheral frame (44) is adapted to cooperate with the port (18,22,24). A plurality of cross-members (54) span an aperture (48) formed by a frame (44). A filter medium (58) is disposed across the aperture (48) so as to be interposed between the interior of the container and the cross-members (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson
  • Patent number: 5346075
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for holding a medical instrument. The medical instrument is held in a cradle (112) having first and second interlockable regions (114, 116). The cradle (112) is coupled to a first mating element (124). The first mating element (124) is coupled to a second mating element (126) through a selected aperture (128) of a platform (16), such that the cradle (112) is coupled to the platform (16). The platform (16) has multiple apertures (128, 130, 138).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, Keith F. Lindsey, William H. Patterson
  • Patent number: 5324489
    Abstract: A medical instrument sterilization container (10) is provided which includes a port (18). A removable filter (32) is received within port (18) to enable sterilization of instruments placed within container (10). A removable plug (48) replaces filter (32) to enable container (10) to be used to transport instruments without leaking of fluids therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson, Keith F. Lindsey
  • Patent number: 5253369
    Abstract: A method of making a reversible scarf with visor includes the steps of: (1) cutting two identical size crescent-shape fabric pieces from two different materials; (2) providing a crescent-shape flexible polycarbonate or equivalent stiffener; (3) placing the two crescent-shape fabric pieces in overlying wrong-side-out orientation; (4) stitching the two crescent-shape fabric pieces together along their convex edges to form an envelope; (5) turning the envelope right-side-out; (6) inserting the stiffener into the envelope; (7) stitching around the entire periphery of the envelope, through the stiffener, to form a visor; (8) cutting two identical size isosceles right triangle-shape fabric pieces from two different materials; (9) placing the two triangular fabric pieces in overlying wrong-side-out orientation; (10) placing the visor between the triangular fabric pieces, with a concave edge of the visor disposed centrally between two vertices on a hypotenuse of the triangular fabric pieces; (11) stitching around the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Inventor: William H. Patterson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5227074
    Abstract: A filter (32) is provided for a medical sterilization container (10) having a port (18,22,24) allowing fluid communication between the interior of container (10) and the surrounding environment. A peripheral frame (44) is adapted to cooperate with the port (18,22,24). A plurality of cross-members (54) span an aperture (48) formed by a frame (44). A filter medium (58) is disposed across the aperture (48) so as to be interposed between the interior of the container and the cross-members (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Monarch Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Nichols, William H. Patterson
  • Patent number: 5011718
    Abstract: A method for reducing the build-up of residual levels of ethylene oxide in a polymeric medical instrument sterilization container (32) is provided. The container (32) is electroplated in a tank (50) with successive layers of copper, nickel and chromium. The layers of copper, nickel and chromium provide a protective coating of material dense enough to prevent the ethylene oxide from penetrating to and being absorbed by the less dense polymeric container (32). Thus the polymeric container (32) may be repeatedly sterilized without a hazardous build-up of residual ethylene oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Monarch Products, Inc.
    Inventor: William H. Patterson