Patent Applications published on Feb 5, 2009

Explore the 6,581 U.S. Patent Applications published on the 06th week of 2009, including 4,155 applications that subsequently received a Patent Grant.

Featured patent applications from Feb 5, 2009

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP.
US20090032568A1
Human necessities
Application 20090032568, fig. 01

Battery powered surgical instrument

A surgical stapler has a handle assembly including a stationary handle and a trigger. The stapler also has a drive assembly with a body having a working end and a cam member supported on the working end. The cam member is positioned to translate relative to the anvil to maintain the anvil in the closed position during firing of the stapler. The trigger is operatively connected to a power cell. The power cell is operably connected to a motor of the drive assembly. The manipulation of the trigger actuates the power cell such that the power cell powers the drive assembly to effect translation of the cam member relative to the anvil. The stapler also has a channel for supporting the staple cartridge and the motor of the drive assembly controls the actuation sled supported within the cartridge. The actuation sled urges the plurality of staples from the cartridge when the anvil is in the closed position and in cooperative alignment with the staple cartridge.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC..
US20090036912A1
Human necessities
Application 20090036912, fig. 01

Ultrasonic surgical instruments

A surgical instrument. The surgical instrument may comprise a transducer and an end effector. The transducer may be configured to provide vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency and may comprise a piezoelectric stack positioned along the longitudinal axis. The transducer also may comprise a first metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a first end of the piezoelectric stack and a second metallic end mass positioned along the longitudinal axis adjacent a second end of the piezoelectric stack. The length of the transducer may be greater than or equal to of one wavelength and less than ½ of one wavelength. The end effector may be coupled to the transducer and may extend along the longitudinal axis. The length of the transducer and the end effector may be a multiple of ½ of one wavelength.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC..
US20090036914A1
Human necessities
Application 20090036914, fig. 01

Temperature controlled ultrasonic surgical instruments

A surgical instrument includes a transducer configured to produce vibrations at a predetermined frequency. An ultrasonic blade extends along a longitudinal axis and is coupled to the transducer. A controller receives a feedback signal from the ultrasonic blade. A lumen is adapted to couple to a pump. The lumen conducts a fluid therethrough based on the feedback signal.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: BLACK & DECKER, Black& Decker Inc..
US20090033159A1
Electricity
Application 20090033159, fig. 01

DC motor with dual commutator bar set and selectable series and parallel connected coils

A permanent magnet, DC motor especially well adapted for use in power tools, and particularly hand-held, battery powered power tools. The motor includes two sets of armature coils, with each set of coils being coupled to separate sets of commutator bars on an armature. Separate pairs of brushes are used to interface with the two sets of commutator bars. A switching subsystem is controlled either manually by a user engageable switch or automatically by a controller, to connect the two sets of coils in either series or parallel configurations. The series configuration provides a greater efficiency, but with a lower power output than the parallel connection. The parallel connection provides a greater maximum power output from the motor. Thus, the operating characteristics of the tool can be tailored to better meet the needs of a work task, and in a manner than makes most efficient use of available battery power.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA.
US20090036901A1
Human necessities
Application 20090036901, fig. 01

Medical manipulator system

A medical manipulator system includes a medical manipulator, an operating unit for inputting operation commands, motors for driving a working unit, a controller for driving the motors based on operation commands supplied from the operating unit, and an LED that displays an operational state. The controller carries out controls for distinguishing between an operational mode in which the operation command is validated and the motors are driven, and a stopped mode in which the motors are halted regardless of whether the operation command is present or not. An illumination state of the LED is switched dependent on whether the system is in the operational mode or the stopped mode. The LED is disposed in the center of an upper surface of a bridge, which interconnects a grip handle and an actuator block.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG.
US20090031842A1
Performing operations; transporting
Application 20090031842, fig. 01

Working mechanism for medical manipulator and cleaning method therefor

A working mechanism for a medical manipulator and a cleaning method therefor are provided. A working unit of a medical manipulator is equipped with a hollow connecting shaft, wires of a motive force transmitting member disposed in the connecting shaft, and a distal end working unit disposed on one end of the connecting shaft and which is moved by the wires. A cover covers at least a portion of the distal end working unit. A gap is provided between the cover and the connecting shaft, with oblong holes being disposed laterally on right and left sides of the cover. A cleaning agent is made to flow through the holes and the gap and/or a brush may be inserted through the holes and the gap for cleaning the distal end working unit.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION.
US20090031865A1
Electricity
Application 20090031865, fig. 01

Power tool, battery, charger and method of operating the same

A power tool includes a housing assembly having a first housing portion and a second housing portion supported for pivoting movement relative to the first housing portion about a pivot axis. The first housing portion supports a motor. The second housing portion includes a chuck for supporting a tool element. The power tool also includes a gear supported within the housing assembly for rotation relative to at least one of the first and second housing portions about the pivot axis. The gear is operable to transfer drive force from the motor to the tool element.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: DexCom, Inc..
US20090036758A1
Human necessities
Application 20090036758, fig. 01

Signal processing for continuous analyte sensor

Systems and methods for dynamically and intelligently estimating analyte data from a continuous analyte sensor, including receiving a data stream, selecting one of a plurality of algorithms, and employing the selected algorithm to estimate analyte values. Additional data processing includes evaluating the selected estimative algorithms, analyzing a variation of the estimated analyte values based on statistical, clinical, or physiological parameters, comparing the estimated analyte values with corresponding measure analyte values, and providing output to a user. Estimation can be used to compensate for time lag, match sensor data with corresponding reference data, warn of upcoming clinical risk, replace erroneous sensor data signals, and provide more timely analyte information encourage proactive behavior and preempt clinical risk.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: Mobile Iron, Inc., Mobile Iron, Inc..
US20090036111A1
Electricity
Application 20090036111, fig. 01

Virtual instance architecture for mobile device management systems

System and method for remotely managing mobile devices. A virtual instance mobile device is maintained for each physical mobile device to be managed. Each virtual instance mobile device is executable in a computer runtime environment and includes a hardware emulation component configured to emulate the hardware components of the corresponding physical mobile device and a software emulation component corresponding to the software components of the physical mobile device, which is executable within the context of the hardware emulation component. Synchronization between the virtual instance mobile devices and their corresponding physical mobile devices is maintained, and data obtained from the physical mobile devices is stored. The physical mobile devices are remotely managed by utilizing their corresponding virtual instance mobile devices respectively.

Published: 2009-02-05 Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Intuitive Surgical, Inc., JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, The Johns Hopkins University c/o Johns Hopkins Technology Transfer.
US20090036902A1
Human necessities
Application 20090036902, fig. 01

Interactive user interfaces for robotic minimally invasive surgical systems

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for a minimally invasive surgical system is disclosed. The method includes capturing and displaying camera images of a surgical site on at least one display device at a surgeon console; switching out of a following mode and into a masters-as-mice (MaM) mode; overlaying a graphical user interface (GUI) including an interactive graphical object onto the camera images; and rendering a pointer within the camera images for user interactive control. In the following mode, the input devices of the surgeon console may couple motion into surgical instruments. In the MaM mode, the input devices interact with the GUI and interactive graphical objects. The pointer is manipulated in three dimensions by input devices having at least three degrees of freedom. Interactive graphical objects are related to physical objects in the surgical site or a function thereof and are manipulatable by the input devices.