Patents by Inventor William W. Furniss

William W. Furniss 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).

  • Method of operating microsurgical instruments
    Patent number: 6773445
    Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Alcon, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell L. Finlay, William W. Furniss, John C. Huculak, Christopher C. Jung
  • Method of operating microsurgical instruments
    Publication number: 20030078609
    Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: Russell L. Finlay, William W. Furniss, John C. Huculak, Christopher C. Jung
  • Method of operating microsurgical instruments
    Patent number: 6514268
    Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Alcon Universal Ltd.
    Inventors: Russell L. Finlay, William W. Furniss, John C. Huculak, Christopher C. Jung
  • METHOD OF OPERATING MICROSURGICAL INSTRUMENTS
    Publication number: 20020173814
    Abstract: A method of operating a microsurgical instrument, such as a vitrectomy probe, is disclosed. The probe includes a port for receiving tissue and an inner cutting member. A flow of tissue is induced into the port with a vacuum source, and the member is actuated in a cyclic manner to open and close the port over a plurality of cut rates. A duty cycle of the member is varied with the cut rate to vary the flow of the tissue into the port. The method yields the ability to adjust flow rate into the probe and aperture of the probe for a given cut rate so as to effectively perform a wide variety of vitreoretinal surgical objectives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 1999
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER C. JUNG, WILLIAM W. FURNISS, RUSSELL L. FINLAY, JOHN C. HUCULAK