U.S. patents available from 1976 to present.
U.S. patent applications available from 2005 to present.

Icon_funbox Bizarre Patents

Patent No. 5979328

Vehicular Impact Signaling Device

An apparatus for the deployment of a visible plume to alert other motorists that a proximate motor vehicle has been involved in a collision.

Newsletter  PatentStorm News

Make the Most of Our Site

See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.

Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.

Registered users: Manage your profile.

 

Attorney: Schar; Brian A.


Number of patents: 89
Last date: May 22, 2012

1      
NumberTitleIssue Date
8182494Minimally-invasive surgical system
A minimally-invasive anastomosis system includes a base that is inserted through an incision is made in the chest of a patient between two adjacent ribs. An anastomosis tool and a sensor are attached to the base. The base is attached to the heart, such as by suction...
05/22/2012
8167898Flexible cutter for surgical stapler
An exemplary surgical apparatus may include an anvil including an outer surface, a channel defined therein, and an aperture defined in the outer surface, where the aperture opens to the channel; and a cutter slidable along and within the channel, where at least a po...
05/01/2012
8163010Staple-based heart valve treatment
A medical device for treating a heart valve may include a master staple and a loop fixed to the master staple prior to deployment of the master staple. The heart valve may be treated with that master staple and loop, and a plurality of follower staples that are inde...
04/24/2012
8123795System for attaching an abdominal aortic stent or the like
A surgical tool useful for connecting an abdominal aortic stent or the like to tissue may include a head holding at least one fastener, a shaft, and a joint connecting the head to the shaft, the joint allowing the head to rotate in at least one direction relative to...
02/28/2012
8096457Articulation mechanisms for surgical instrument
An exemplary surgical apparatus may include a flexible articulation insert separated into segments, where at least one segment is longitudinally slidable relative to at least one other segment, and where at least one passage is defined longitudinally through the ins...
01/17/2012
8087562Anvil for surgical instrument
An exemplary surgical apparatus may include an anvil with a body having a cavity defined therein, and at least one insert fixed within the cavity. Another exemplary surgical apparatus may include an anvil with an upper layer composed of a first material, and a lower...
01/03/2012
8070036True multi-fire surgical stapler configured to fire staples of different sizes
A surgical apparatus may include a knife, a staple holder along which the knife is slidable, a plurality of feeder belts located on each side of the knife, and a plurality of staples separably connected to each feeder belt, where the staple holder is configured to f...
12/06/2011
8066720Surgical method for stapling tissue
An exemplary method for surgically stapling tissue may include providing a surgical stapler that includes at least one staple, a pusher configured to hold at least one staple, a splay arm movable relative to the pusher, where that splay arm includes two spaced-apart...
11/29/2011
8056789Staple and feeder belt configurations for surgical stapler
One exemplary surgical apparatus may include at least one carrier, staples fixed to a corresponding carrier, and a feeder belt to which at least one carrier is frangibly connected. Another exemplary surgical apparatus may include a staple holder, an anvil movably co...
11/15/2011
8012164Method and apparatus for creating an opening in the wall of a tubular vessel
An auger is axially fixed to and positioned within a cutter. The auger and cutter advance at the same time relative to a contact structure placed against a vessel, penetrating the wall of the vessel and cutting a tissue plug. When the auger and the cutter are retrac...
09/06/2011
7988026Endocutter with staple feed
A surgical endocutter may include an end effector, at least one feeder belt that extends at least partially into the end effector; and two or more staples, where each staple has a first end frangibly connected to a corresponding feeder belt and a second, free end, a...
08/02/2011
7963432Driverless surgical stapler
An exemplary driverless surgical stapler may include a staple holder; staples positioned within that staple holder; and at least one wedge, where each wedge is slidable to directly contact at least one staple, where that contact causes deployment of each contacted s...
06/21/2011
7954683Feeder belt with integrated surgical staples
A surgical apparatus may include a feeder belt having two lateral edges, and a number of staples, where each staple includes a first end frangibly connected to the feeder belt and a second free end, where at least one staple is oriented relative to the feeder belt i...
06/07/2011
7918376Articulated surgical instrument
One example of a surgical instrument may include a handle, an end effector, and a shaft that connects the handle to the end effector, where the shaft includes an articulated region. At least one feeder belt may extend through the lumen of the shaft into the end effe...
04/05/2011
7883518Surgical knot
A length of suture is provided, and a knot is partially tied in that suture around a tube. The partially-tied knot includes a noose portion connected to a loosely-tied barrel portion. The knot is tied by holding a standing end of the suture substantially stationary ...
02/08/2011
7875053Apparatus and method for closure of patent foramen ovale
A method for closing a patent foramen ovale in the heart tissue of a patient may include percutaneously advancing a connector applicator to the patent foramen ovale, registering the connector applicator with the patent foramen ovale, deploying connectors into heart ...
01/25/2011
7875029Surgical device switchable between clip application and coagulation modes
One example of surgical apparatus for treating tissue may include an effector including at least two jaws movable toward one another, where the effector holds and is configured to deploy a of clips in a clip application mode, and where the jaws are configured to del...
01/25/2011
7866523Soft-tipped anvil
A tool for treating tissue in conjunction with one or more connectors may include an anvil against which at least one connector is urged, and a flexible tip extending from the distal end of said anvil. At least one connector may be held by a connector holder that is...
01/11/2011
7850703System for performing anastomosis
An anastomosis system for connecting a graft vessel to a target vessel includes spaced-apart arms, and an anvil connected to those arms, where that anvil has a blunt distal end. The anvil is insertable into the target vessel. One or more connectors, such as staples,...
12/14/2010
7794471Compliant anastomosis system
An integrated anastomosis tool may include an effector that both makes an opening in the wall of a target vessel and connects a graft vessel to the target vessel. The connection between the graft vessel and the target vessel may be compliant, and may be achieved by ...
09/14/2010
7766924System for performing anastomosis
An anastomosis tool includes a handle connected to a tissue effector that may be capable of being oriented in two or more positions relative to the handle. The tissue effector holds a graft vessel having at least one flap defined in at least one end thereof against ...
08/03/2010
7753250Surgical stapler with splaying mechanism
One example of a surgical stapler may include a pusher, at least one generally planar staple, where the pusher holds at least one staple, and a splay arm that includes spaced-apart splay fingers extending generally distally, where at least one splay finger includes ...
07/13/2010
7744610System for closing a tissue structure from inside
A method for closing an aneurysm in a blood vessel may utilize a staple having two or more tines, where those tines are oriented at least partially in the proximal direction. The method may include advancing the staple through the vasculature to a location within th...
06/29/2010
7730889Fallopian tube occlusion system
An implantable sterilization device may include a ring having an inner diameter, a core slidable through the inner diameter of the ring, and a tissue securing element, at least part of which is positioned between the ring and the core. A method of closing a fallopia...
06/08/2010
7727245Method for closing an opening in tissue with a splayable staple
One method for closing an opening in tissue may include providing a substantially continuous solid staple having a plurality of tines and a longitudinal centerline, plastically deforming the staple to a splayed configuration; penetrating at least one tine into tissu...
06/01/2010
7699859Method of performing anastomosis
A method for anastomosing a first vessel to a second vessel may include connecting an end of the first vessel to the side of the second vessel and creating an opening in the wall of the second vessel from within the lumen of the second vessel, where that opening all...
04/20/2010
7682368Anastomosis tool actuated with stored energy
An anastomosis tool may include a tissue effector having an anvil and a staple holder movable relative to one another, where that tissue effector may be movable from an open position to a closed position. A fluid-driven actuator may be utilized to move the tissue ef...
03/23/2010
7678121Surgical stapling tool
A surgical stapler may include a catheter connected to a stapler head and a handle. The stapler head may be configured for introduction into the vasculature of a patient. The stapler head may include a driver movable in two dimensions relative to a plurality of stap...
03/16/2010
7662162Tool and method for minimally invasive bypass surgery
A minimally-invasive coronary artery bypass graft procedure may be performed with a splittable proximal anastomosis tool. A distal anastomosis tool may be used as well, where that distal anastomosis tool may include a staple holder having two spaced-apart arms, stap...
02/16/2010
7611523Method for sutureless connection of vessels
An anastomosis device is a one piece device for connecting a graft vessel to a target vessel without the use of conventional sutures. The anastomosis device includes an expandable tube configured to have a graft vessel secured to the tube. The device has an expandab...
11/03/2009
7569064Apparatus and method for closing an atrial appendage
A surgical apparatus useful in closing an atrial appendage may include a clamp with a first arm and a second arm spaced apart from one another along at least a portion of their length, pins associated with the first arm, and a locking plate associated with the secon...
08/04/2009
7533790Surgical stapler
A surgical stapler may include a staple, a pusher that holds the staple, a driver, and a splay arm, where motion of at least one of the splay arm and the pusher relative to the other may cause the splay arm to contact and then splay the staple, and wherein the drive...
05/19/2009
7530987Surgical tool for creating an incision in a tubular vessel
A single tool penetrates a target vessel and cuts an incision of a known length in the vessel. The tool is easily held by the user in one hand and actuated with that single hand. The tool has features to allow for easy penetration of the target vessel as well as saf...
05/12/2009
7520885Functional package for an anastomosis procedure
A system for preparing a graft vessel for anastomosis includes one or more tools held within a functional package having at least one recess. An anastomosis tool or portion thereof may be held in at least one recess. An anastomosis device is connected to the anastom...
04/21/2009
7473258Surgical stapler
A method for surgically stapling tissue may include providing staples in a first configuration, plastically deforming at least one staple to a second configuration different from the first configuration; and then plastically deforming at least one staple to a third ...
01/06/2009
7468066Trocar for use in deploying an anastomosis device and method of performing anastomosis
An apparatus for performing anastomosis between a graft vessel and a target vessel may include a trocar that may create an opening in the target vessel. At least part of the trocar may be expandable to allow an anastomosis device to pass through the distal end there...
12/23/2008
7462185Intravascular stapling tool
An intravascular stapler may include a catheter connected to a stapler head and to a handle. The stapler head may be introduced into the vasculature of a patient through an opening in the femoral artery or other part of the vasculature, and advanced to a treatment s...
12/09/2008
7458978Vascular closure system utilizing a staple
A system for closing an opening in tissue may include an end effector that holds a staple, where the staple is deformed to a splayed configuration for engaging tissue, then deformed to a closed condition for closing the opening. The system may include one or more bu...
12/02/2008
7455677Anastomosis device having a deployable section
An anastomosis device includes a deployable section that may be connected to a discard section. The deployable section may be configured to expand in two substantially orthogonal directions during deployment. The deployable section may include a ring that includes o...
11/25/2008
7427261System for preparing a craft vessel for anastomosis
A system for preparing a graft vessel for anastomosis includes one or more tools held within a functional package. The package includes a tray and tray top, either or both of which may include one or more features configured to hold the contents of the tray securely...
09/23/2008
1      
 
Sign InRegister
Username  
Password   
forgot password?