Patent Applications published on May 15, 2008

Explore the 5,318 U.S. Patent Applications published on the 20th week of 2008, including 3,241 applications that subsequently received a Patent Grant.

Featured patent applications from May 15, 2008

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: Thicon Endo-Surgery, Inc..
US20080110958A1
Human necessities
Application 20080110958, fig. 01

Disposable cartridge with adhesive for use with a stapling device

A surgical stapling device is provided for clamping and stapling tissue, and for dispensing a fluid such as an adhesive onto the tissue. The adhesive can be stored within one or more rigid chambers within removable cartridge and dispensed from a plurality of passageways within the cartridge. A plurality of staples and staple drivers are located in the cartridge and may be isolated from the fluid. Both linear and rotary members can be provided to dispense the fluid from the cartridge. Alternately, the fluid can be dispensed from the cartridge at any time with an operator actuatable control. A removable staple cartridge cover can be provided to seal the fluid in the cartridge and prevent fluid loss. Alternately, a fluid cartridge can be provided that can mount within a surgical stapling device and dispense one or more firings of a fluid therefrom.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP.
US20080110959A1
Human necessities
Application 20080110959, fig. 01

Annular support structures

Reinforcing lumen rings are configured and adapted for use in conjunction with a circular endoscopic stapling instrument having a staple cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. The reinforcing lumen rings maintain anastomotic lumen, e.g. as formed by the circular endoscopic stapling apparatus, in an open condition. The reinforcing lumen rings can include an annular ring having an outer terminal edge and an inner terminal edge, the outer terminal edge having a diameter which is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the staple cartridge assembly and the inner terminal edge having a diameter which is substantially equal to an inner diameter of the staple cartridge assembly.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: Covidien LP.
US20080110960A1
Human necessities
Application 20080110960, fig. 01

Surgical stapling apparatus including an anvil and cartridge each having cooperating mating surfaces

Surgical stapling apparatus are disclosed including an anvil having a working surface with a shaped topography, and a staple cartridge, in juxtaposition with the anvil. The staple cartridge includes a working surface with shaped topography which is complementary to the shaped topography of the working surface of the shaped anvil. When the anvil and the staple cartridge are approximated with or toward one another, at least a portion of the working surface of the anvil cooperates with at least a portion of the working surface of the staple cartridge to enhance alignment of the staple cartridge and the anvil in at least one of a transverse and longitudinal direction.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC..
US20080114383A1
Human necessities
Application 20080114383, fig. 01

Adhesive and mechanical fastener

Provided is a two-piece anastomosis fastener that can be used to join two tissue sections together in accordance with Natural Orifice Transendoscopic Surgery (NOTES). The fastener may be releasably attached to a fastener applying instrument for delivery in accordance with such procedures. The fastener includes a first member and a second member, where the clamp members are operably configured to fasten together to clamp and hold tissue, such as gastric tissue, in juxtaposition to establish an anastomosis. The first clamp member and the second clamp member are coupled with an adhesive.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC..
US20080114385A1
Human necessities
Application 20080114385, fig. 01

Method and device for effecting anastomosis of hollow organ structures using adhesive and fasteners

A method and devices for accomplishing the successful anastomosis of two hollow organ structures are disclosed. The method includes bringing the structures together, applying at least one fastener to hold the structures together and form a connection site, and applying, as alternatives or in conjunction, an adhesive, a wrap and/or a buttress about the connection site. Various examples of fasteners, fastener appliers, adhesives, adhesive initiators and buttress rings also are disclosed.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC..
US20080114315A1
Human necessities
Application 20080114315, fig. 01

Surgical band fluid media dispenser

A multiple use fluid dispenser dispenses a flowable material in a precise pattern and quantity with leaking and clogging between dispensing avoided by employing a trigger fired syringe plunger to expel a fixed volume through a band. Between strokes, an advancement knob rotates the band over a distal dispensing tip to a nondispensing location that wipes excess flowable material and seals a dispensing orifice in a fluid conduit. The advancement knob further may rotate the band to a dispensing position wherein a combination of one or more dispensing holes produce a desired pattern and rate of flow with material over the dispensing hole(s) serving to initiate the flowable material, to control placement, serve as a detachable bandage or buttress material, etc.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: PENRITH CORPORATION.
US20080114250A1
Physics
Application 20080114250, fig. 01

Transducer array imaging system

The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data. The novel method may further transmit the digital data. In some embodiments, the transmitting may be wireless. The novel device may include transducer elements, an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the transducer elements, and a transmitter in communication with the analog-to-digital converter. The transducers may operate to convert a first electrical energy into an ultrasound wave. The first electrical energy may or may not be beamformed. The transducers also may convert an echoed ultrasound wave into a second electrical energy. The analog-to-digital converter may convert the electrical energy into digital data, and the transmitter may transmit the digital data.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc..
US20080113097A1
Chemistry; metallurgy
Application 20080113097, fig. 01

Low temperature ALD SiO

The present invention generally comprises a silicon dioxide atomic layer deposition method. By providing pyridine as a catalyst, water may be utilized as the oxidization source while depositing at a low temperature. Prior to exposing the substrate to the water, the substrate may be exposed to a pyridine soak process. Additionally, the water may be co-flowed to the chamber with the pyridine through separate conduits to reduce interaction prior to entering the chamber. Alternatively, the pyridine may be co-flowed with a silicon precursor that does not react with pyridine.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION.
US20080111714A1
Physics
Application 20080111714, fig. 01

Capacitance to code converter with sigma-delta modulator

An apparatus and method for converting a capacitance measured on a sensor element to a digital code. The apparatus may include a switching capacitor as a sensor element of a sensing device, and a sigma-delta modulator coupled to the sensor element to convert a capacitance measured on the sensor element to a digital code. The switching capacitor is in a feedback loop of the sigma-delta modulator. The method may include measuring a capacitance on a sensor element of a sensing device using a sigma-delta modulator, and converting the capacitance measured on the sensor element to a digital code.

Published: 2008-05-15 Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc..
US20080113096A1
Chemistry; metallurgy
Application 20080113096, fig. 01

Method of depositing catalyst assisted silicates of high-k materials

A high-k silicate atomic layer deposition method is disclosed. To produce a hafnium silicate layer, a substrate may be exposed to a pulse of a hafnium precursor, a pulse of an oxidizer, a pulse of a silicon precursor, and a pulse of another oxidizer. A catalyst may additionally be co-flowed with one or more reactants into the chamber through a separate inlet. Alternatively, the catalyst may be flowed to the chamber before the reactant is introduced in a soaking procedure. By either co-flowing the catalyst through separate inlets or by performing a catalyst soak, hafnium silicate formation may proceed at a fast rate and/or at a low temperature.