Did You Know...
...that while attempting to develop a super strong glue, 3M employee Spencer Silver accidentally developed a glue that was so weak it would barely hold two pieces of paper together? However, his colleague Art Fry needed the glue. Fry sang with his church choir and marked the pages of his hymnal with small scraps of paper that often fell out. He used Silver's glue to hold the papers in place. Today we call this invention Post-it Notes.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8181839 | Surgical instruments employing sensors According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a surgical instrument for operating on tissue is provided. The surgical instrument includes an end effector including a first tissue engaging member and a second tissue engaging member in juxtaposed relation to the f... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8181837 | Pneumatic powered surgical stapling device A surgical stapler which includes or onto which a tool assembly can be mounted for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners through and fastening tissue includes a housing having a fixed handle and a clamping handle mountable to the housing. The clamping handle i... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8181838 | Surgical stapling device A surgical stapling device an elongated body portion having proximal and distal portions, and a head portion positioned adjacent the distal portion of the elongated body portion. The head portion includes a shell assembly and an anvil assembly movable relative to th... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8172120 | Maneuverable surgical stapler Embodiments include a surgical device and a method. An embodiment of the surgical instrument includes at least one grasping jaw, the at least one grasping jaw being adapted to deliver surgical staples by a force generated from a force generator mechanism that is con... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8172121 | Stapler powered auxiliary device There is disclosed an auxiliary device for injecting material between the jaws of a surgical stapler. The auxiliary device includes a nozzle assembly having a discharge port and a compression assembly having at least one compression roller for forcing material out o... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8167185 | Surgical instrument having recording capabilities A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument has an end effector and a trigger in communication with the end effector. The surgical instrument also has a first sensor and an externally accessible memory device in communication with the first sensor. The first sens... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8157145 | Pneumatically powered surgical cutting and fastening instrument with electrical feedback A status module for use with a pneumatically powered surgical instrument includes at least one sensor and a housing structured and arranged to releasably connect to the pneumatically powered surgical instrument. At least one contact is connected to the pneumatically... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8157147 | Surgical stapling instrument with chemical sealant Embodiments include a surgical device and a method. An embodiment of the surgical instrument includes at least one grasping jaw, the at least one grasping jaw being adapted to deliver surgical staples by a force generated from a force generator mechanism that is con... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8157149 | Crimp and release of suture holding buttress material A mechanism is provided for crimping and releasing a suture securing a strip of buttress material to an end effector. The mechanism includes a retention member movably mounted within the end effector. The retention member is movable from a first position crimping th... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8157146 | Stapling device An endovascular stapler (100) for securing an endograft to a vessel is disclosed. The stapler has a staple housing (104), an actuating mechanism (148) and an expansion mechanism (126). The staple housing (104) has a plurality of st... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8157148 | Surgical stapling apparatus with locking mechanism The present disclosure provides for a loading unit for use with and/or supportable on a distal end of a surgical stapling apparatus. The loading unit includes a housing portion including a distal end and a proximal end, a drive assembly slidably supported within the... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8136711 | Dissection tip and introducer for surgical instrument The present disclosure describes a surgical fastener applying apparatus that includes an elongate body portion having proximal and distal ends, an end effector including a first movably coupled to a second jaw that is positioned at the distal end of the elongate bod... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8132703 | Surgical instrument with indicator A surgical stapling instrument including a handle assembly, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly, and a head portion. The handle assembly includes a firing trigger and a firing indicator. The firing trigger is movable between a first... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8132704 | Surgical device A surgical device includes a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to the first jaw between a first position, in which the first and second jaws are aligned within a plane, and a second position, in which the second jaw is in non-parallel correspondence to th... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8127975 | Staple drive assembly A staple drive assembly includes an actuation sled and at least one staple pusher. The staple drive assembly is adapted to fit within a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples and a corresponding number of retention slots. The at least one staple pusher inclu... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8118206 | Sensing adjunct for surgical staplers A device and method in accordance with the invention for generating a signal indicative of a property of a subject tissue in contact with the working surface of a surgical instrument. The invention describes a sensing adjunct to surgical staplers. The adjunct can ta... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8113405 | Surgical instrument with indicator A surgical stapling instrument including a handle assembly, an elongated body portion extending distally from the handle assembly, a head portion and an indicator. A firing trigger is movable between first and second positions. The head portion includes an anvil ass... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8109426 | Surgical tilt anvil assembly A surgical tilt anvil assembly including a rod and a head assembly including an anvil plate having staple deforming pockets. The head assembly is pivotally secured to the rod and pivotal in relation to the rod between a first tilted position, a non-tilted position a... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8096458 | Pouch used to deliver medication when ruptured An anvil assembly for a circular stapling device includes an anvil head configured to support an anvil plate thereon, a shaft extending from the anvil head and configured to selectively engage a rod member of the circular stapling device, an anvil plate operatively ... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8096457 | Articulation 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 |
| 8091753 | Surgical stapling device The present disclosure describes a surgical device with a body portion defining a longitudinal axis, a tool assembly including an anvil, a cartridge assembly housing a plurality of staples, a dynamic clamping member movable relative to the tool assembly to eject the... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8083119 | Interlocking buttress material retention system A surgical stapler is provided having a pair of jaws including a staple containing cartridge and an anvil. Buttress material is releasable affixed to the staple containing cartridge and the anvil. One of the jaws includes a pair of longitudinal projections at a firs... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8083118 | Surgical stapling apparatus A surgical stapling device particularly suited for endoscopic procedures is described. The device includes a handle assembly and an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly. The distal end of the elongated body is adapted to engage a disposable loa... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8074858 | Surgical retraction mechanism A retraction mechanism has been developed for use with a hand held surgical apparatus. The retraction mechanism includes a motor, a first speed reducing mechanism, a clutch mechanism incorporating a second speed reducing mechanism, and a shaft. The first speed reduc... | 12/13/2011 |
| 8074857 | Method and apparatus for tissue fastening with single translating trigger operation A mechanical device and method for gathering and securing tissue with a fastener. The device includes an applicator assembly configured to deploy a fastener in a first direction, a tissue manipulation assembly configured to move from a relaxed position to a grasping... | 12/13/2011 |
| 8070032 | Apparatus, system, and method for middle turbinate medializer An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for medializing the middle turbinate following sinus surgery, thus preventing synacheiae, granulation tissue, and other complications of the prior art. The apparatus utilizes a fastening device configured to attach the ... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8070033 | Surgical stapling apparatus A surgical stapling device particularly suited for endoscopic procedures is described. The device includes a handle assembly and an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly. The distal end of the elongated body is adapted to engage a disposable loa... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8066166 | Surgical stapling device with dissecting tip A dissecting tip is provided for use with a surgical stapler or instrument. In one embodiment, the dissecting tip is secured to the end effector of the surgical instrument, e.g., to the cartridge assembly. The dissecting tip extends distally from the end effector an... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8061576 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument comprising a handle assembly, a body, a tool assembly and an articulation assembly is disclosed. The articulation mechanism includes a receptacle, and a main shaft. A lower clutch is fixedly positioned within the receptacle and has a serrated p... | 11/22/2011 |
| 8056786 | Surgical device A surgical device that includes a first jaw having a distal end and a second jaw having a distal end. The second jaw is disposed in opposed correspondence with the first jaw. The first jaw is pivotably coupled to the second jaw. The surgical device also includes a b... | 11/15/2011 |
| 8038044 | Surgical instrument with flexible drive mechanism A drive mechanism for use with a surgical instrument includes a rotatable drive member, a crank operatively coupled to the drive member; a clutch operatively coupled to the crank, wherein rotational motion of the drive member causes oscillating movement of the clutc... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8028882 | Anvil position detector for a surgical stapler An anvil position detector is provided for use with a surgical stapling instrument. The anvil position detector includes a projection formed on a driving or jaw closure mechanism of the surgical instrument and a recess for a notch formed on the jaw or anvil of the s... | 10/04/2011 |
| 8028883 | Methods of using shape memory alloys for buttress attachment A surgical stapling device includes a tissue contacting surface and a buttress attachment feature. The buttress attachment feature permits selectively securing a surgical buttress to the tissue contacting surface, which may be disposed on a cartridge assembly or an ... | 10/04/2011 |
| 8020741 | Endoscopic stapling devices and methods Described herein are endoscopic staplers used to apply one or more fasteners to body tissue. In one embodiment, a fastener-applying device, which is preferably a stapler, is passed transorally into the stomach and used to plicate stomach tissue by engaging tissue fr... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8020742 | Powered surgical stapling device A medical instrument having a tool assembly attachable to a distal end of the medical instrument is disclosed. The tool assembly includes a pair of opposing tissue engaging surfaces for clamping tissue therebetween. The medical instrument also includes a housing hav... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8011552 | Surgical fastener applying apparatus with controlled beam deflection A surgical fastener applying apparatus including an anvil half-section having a distal end and a longitudinal axis; a cartridge receiving half-section having a distal end and operatively couplable with the anvil half-section such that the distal ends of the half-sec... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8011551 | Retraction mechanism with clutch-less drive for use with a surgical apparatus A retraction mechanism allows the full distal retraction of the firing drive from various positions. The retraction mechanism has been developed for use with a hand held surgical apparatus. An embodiment of the retraction mechanism includes a drive member, a first p... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8011550 | Surgical stapling apparatus A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a tool assembly having a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly that are movable in relation to one another; a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8006885 | Surgical stapling apparatus with powered retraction A surgical stapling apparatus comprises a handle assembly, an actuation shaft having a connector, and a retraction mechanism positioned within the handle assembly. The retraction mechanism includes a motor coupled to a transmission shaft, a first gear rotatably moun... | 08/30/2011 |
| 8006886 | Stapler for endoscopes A stapling device for a surgical endoscopic device provided with at least one flexible portion, comprising a staple-firing portion and an anvil portion, wherein one of the staple firing portions and one of the anvil portions are located longitudinally displaced from... | 08/30/2011 |
