Did You Know...
...that one person who claimed to be the inventor of the television is Russian emigre Vladimir Zworykin? In 1929 David Sarnoff, founder of RCA, asked Zworykin what it would take to develop TV for commercial use. He said: a year and a half and $100,000. In reality, it took 20 years and $50 million! Before his death in 1982 at the age of 92, Zworykin said of his invention: "The technique is wonderful. It is beyond my expectations. But the programs! I would never let my children even come close to this thing."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8105350 | Surgical instrument The surgical instrument includes a distal tool, a rigid or flexible elongated shaft that supports the distal tool, and a proximal handle or control member, where the tool and the handle are coupled to the respective distal and proximal ends of the elongated shaft vi... | 01/31/2012 |
| 8092488 | Bone retractor tool An improved bone retractor tool includes a pair of arms pivotably connected to one in a pliers-like configuration and a pair of tissue engagement plates each having forward and rearward portions, each of the pair of tissue engagement plates mounted on the upper end ... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8083765 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument that includes an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends, a tool disposed from the distal end of the instrument shaft, a control handle disposed from the proximal end of the instrument shaft, a distal motion member for coupling the dis... | 12/27/2011 |
| 8052718 | Method and apparatus for the detection and occlusion of blood vessels A non-invasive blood vessel occlusion device includes a pair of pressure-applying members with opposed tissue-contacting surfaces, a supporting shaft configured to adjust the distance between tissue-contacting surfaces, and at least one sensor for locating a blood v... | 11/08/2011 |
| 8048106 | Surgical instrument The invention relates to a surgical instrument comprising a shank and a slide which is mounted so as to be slideable along the shank. At least one guide element guided in at least one longitudinal groove is provided on the shank or the slide. The shank and the slide... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8043328 | Medical instrument A hydraulically actuated medical instrument includes an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends, a hydraulically actuated end effector at the distal end of the shaft and a fluid flow path extending through the shaft to the end effector. The shaft may be capa... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8029531 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument that includes an instrument shaft having proximal and distal ends, a tool disposed from the distal end of the instrument shaft, a control handle disposed from the proximal end of the instrument shaft, a distal motion member for coupling the dis... | 10/04/2011 |
| 8016856 | Removable handle for medical device A removable and replaceable handle for a medical device includes a main body with a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis between the distal and proximal ends and a slider disposed within the main body that is translatable along the longitudinal axis b... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8016855 | Surgical device A surgical device includes a first jaw and a second jaw in opposed correspondence with the first jaw. A first driver is configured to cause relative movement of the first jaw and the second jaw in a plane. The first driver is configured to engage a drive shaft rotat... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8012166 | Laparoscopic instrument tip and method of specimen collection A unique laparoscopy instrument tip and method which allows simultaneous gasping, cauterization, dissection, containment, enclosure and removal of body tissue. Mechanisms for grasping, holding, manipulating, cauterizing, dissecting, encasement in an enclosed cavity ... | 09/06/2011 |
| 8007511 | Surgical instrument design A surgical instrument system having an instrument member or shaft with a distal portion positionable through an incision of a patient to an internal site and for operation by a surgeon from outside the patient. A tool is carried at the distal end of the instrument s... | 08/30/2011 |
| 7951165 | Endoscopic medical instrument and related methods of use A medical instrument has a tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end, a handle attached to the proximal end of the tubular member, a distal assembly including a pivot and an end effector assembly supported on the pivot. The end effector assembly has a pa... | 05/31/2011 |
| 7942895 | Working mechanical device and manipulator A working unit comprises a gear body rotatable in a direction perpendicular to a reference axis, a gear ring including a proximal end surface held in contact with the gear body and rotatable about the reference axis to change the direction of rotation of the gear bo... | 05/17/2011 |
| 7931668 | Medical tool with retractible heads A tool, such as a medical instrument that can provide a variety of different functions. Specifically, the present invention includes a variety of heads that each can allow the medical instrument to perform a different function. Each of the heads are operatively coup... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7931667 | Medical instrument A medical instrument has an instrument insert (4) and an instrument handle (2) which are detachably connected to one another via a locking connection. A grip (24; 57) and a closure (26; 50) are provided for securing the locking connection... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7922742 | Medical instrument A hydraulically actuated medical instrument includes an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends, a hydraulically actuated end effector at the distal end of the shaft and a fluid flow path extending through the shaft to the end effector. The end effector may ... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7914551 | Electroactive polymer-based articulation mechanism for multi-fire surgical fastening instrument Methods and devices are provided for effecting movement of one or more components of a multifire device, such as a clip applier, hernia tacker, or skin stapler. In one exemplary embodiment, a surgical fastening instrument is provided having an elongate shaft with an... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7909850 | Forceps for medical use Forceps having two-half shells are disclosed. Each half-shell includes a front rim and a base wall and is mounted on a support element in a manner such that the half-shells can adopt a first opened-out configuration and a second closed configuration. The forceps inc... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7879070 | Electroactive polymer-based actuation mechanism for grasper Methods and devices are provided for actuating and/or articulating a grasping device. In one exemplary embodiment, a grasping device is provided having a shaft with an end effector having opposed jaws coupled to the shaft. An electrically expandable and contractible... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7871422 | Forceps unit for endoscope A forceps unit for an endoscope is provided. The forceps unit includes a flexible sheath, an operating wire placed inside the flexible sheath to be reciprocable in a direction of an axis of the flexible sheath, a pair of forceps end pieces, and two support shafts ro... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7871423 | Forceps for performing endoscopic or arthroscopic surgery Forceps for performing endoscopic or arthroscopic surgery include a body assembly, a tube assembly, and a pair of handles that pivot with respect to the body. The tube assembly is removably attached to the body assembly. The tube assembly includes a hollow tube and ... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7867248 | Support frame for an embolic protection device An embolic protection device comprises a collapsible filter element for delivery through a vascular system of a patient. The filter element comprising a collapsible filter body and a filter support frame contacting the filter body. The collapsible filter body has an... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7862580 | Flexible wrist for surgical tool The present invention is directed to a tool having a wrist mechanism that provides pitch and yaw rotation in such a way that the tool has no singularity in roll, pitch, and yaw. In one embodiment, a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprises an elongate shaft ... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7862579 | Electroactive polymer-based articulation mechanism for grasper Methods and devices are provided for actuating and/or articulating a grasping device. In one exemplary embodiment, a grasping device is provided having a shaft with an end effector having opposed jaws coupled to the shaft. An electrically expandable and contractible... | 01/04/2011 |
| 7857827 | Endoscopic device A surgical instrument including an elongate member having opposite ends, and a clevis attached to one end of the opposite ends. The clevis has a pair of spaced arms. The instrument includes a pin extending between the spaced arms of the clevis, and a pair of end eff... | 12/28/2010 |
| 7854749 | Surgical gripper A surgical gripper includes a gripping section opened/closed to grip an object to be gripped and an operation section which opens/closes the gripping section, wherein the gripping section is configured to be opened/closed by the operation section to take a gripping ... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7846178 | Medical cutting and/or holding instrument The invention relates to a medical cutting and/or holding instrument having a shaft, a tool mounted on the distal end of the shaft and consisting of two jaw members, and also having a handle that is mounted on the proximal end of the shaft, consists of two gripping ... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7846177 | Surgical device A laparoscopic surgical device is provided, including a ratchet mechanism. The ratchet mechanism includes a single button or lever that may be used to release or defeat a ratchet engagement. ... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7824424 | System and method for releasably holding a surgical instrument The invention is directed to a system and method for releasably holding a surgical instrument (14), such as an endoscopic instrument configured for delivery through a small percutaneous penetration in a patient. The instrument comprises an elongate shaft (... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7758608 | Enhanced dexterity surgical hand piece Manual actuating apparatus for operating a medical device includes a handle, a finger loop mounted on the handle for receiving the thumb of an operator, first and second lever members mounted on the handle for grasping engagement by fingers of the operator, at least... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7753932 | Medical device and related methods of packaging Embodiments of the invention relate to a medical device having a proximal portion that can selectively receive other portions of the device. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to an endoscopic instrument with a handle portion configured to accomm... | 07/13/2010 |
| 7744622 | Surgical instrument A surgical instrument system for use in surgical procedures is disclosed. The surgical instrument system includes a guide assembly, a surgical tip assembly, and a drive unit. The guide assembly includes an elongated portion having a central axis of rotation, and a d... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7727255 | Access sealing apparatus and method A surgical access device includes a seal housing and a roller disposed in the housing and defining a working channel. The roller may be stationary or moveable within the seal housing to form both a zero seal in the absence of an instrument, and an instrument seal in... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7722639 | Surgical retraction device for removal of small organs A surgical device and tool for use in stabilizing tissue, such as an organ relative to a clamp, the surgical device having an elongate rigid member with a proximal end of the device having a stabilizing structure that rests against the skin of the subject and includ... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7708758 | Surgical instrument The surgical instrument includes a distal tool, an elongated shaft that supports the distal tool, and a proximal handle or control member, where the tool and the handle are coupled to the respective distal and proximal ends of the elongated shaft via distal and prox... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7708756 | Actuation mechanism for flexible endoscopic device An endoscopic accessory medical device is provided. The device can include a handle, a flexible shaft, and an end effector. The handle can include an actuator for operating the end effector through a wire or cable pulling member that extends through the flexible sha... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7708757 | Medical forceps A medical forceps has a shaft, a handle at the proximal end of the shaft, which handle has at least one movable grip part which is pivotable about a pivot axis, at least one movable tool at the distal end of the shaft, and a force transmission element, which runs in... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7699868 | Medical gripping and/or cutting instrument The invention relates to a medical gripping and/or cutting instrument with an instrument shaft (1), with a handle (3) that can be fixed movably on the instrument shaft (1), and with a tool (2) mounted on the distal end of the instrument s... | 04/20/2010 |
| 7691126 | Medical instrument The invention relates to a medical instrument with a shaft, a handle mounted on the proximal end of the shaft, and a tool mounted on the distal end of the shaft and capable of being activated by means of the handle, where the handle and the tool are in active connec... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7686826 | Surgical instrument The surgical instrument includes a distal tool, a rigid or flexible elongated shaft that supports the distal tool, and a proximal handle or control member, where the tool and the handle are coupled to the respective distal and proximal ends of the elongated shaft vi... | 03/30/2010 |
