This invention relates substantially to devices and other apparatuses facilitating sealed access with surgical instruments, such as a surgeon's hand, across a body wall and into a body cavity.
In several areas of surgery there exists a need to have mechanisms or devices that can seal a body cavity or space, and yet permit the introduction of surgical instruments such as guidewires, endoscopes, and even the hand of a surgeon. Typical of these areas of surgery is laparoscopic surgery that relies on surgical instruments inserted through the abdominal wall to reach an operative site within the abdominal cavity. In order to increase space around the operative site within the cavity, insufflation gases are typically introduced to inflate the cavity and elevate the abdominal wall. The pressurizing of the abdominal cavity is referred to as pneumoperitoneum. In this context, the need to seal the body cavity or space arises from the need to maintain the pneumoperitoneum even when instruments are present.
Trocars have been commonly used to provide instrument access in laparoscopic surgeries. These trocars have included elaborate seal structures having zero seals that prevent the escape of the gases in the absence of instruments, and instrument seals that prevent the escape of the gases in the presence of instruments. Unfortunately, the instrument seals have been able to accommodate only a narrow range of instrument diameters. Multiple seal pairs had to be provided where wider ranges were desired.
Some instruments, such as the hand of the surgeon, have been too large for trocar access. Under these circumstances, hand-assisted laparoscopic seals have been provided. Such devices have been large, cumbersome, and largely ineffective in providing the required sealing mechanism. Other access devices, such as Touhy-Borst seals, have been used, but only for very small diameter access such as that required by a guidewire.
Each of the prior devices suffers from drawbacks that make the device difficult or cumbersome to use. For example, a Touhy-Borst seal requires two hands to use and does not form a seal when a guidewire or other device is about to be introduced. Present trocar seals and hand-assisted seals require two valves, one forming an instrument seal in the presence of the instrument, and the other forming a zero seal in the absence of the instrument. For example, in hand-assisted devices, elaborate mechanisms have been required to seal around the surgeon's arm. When the arm is removed, a separate zero seal has been required to prevent the escape of blood or insufflation gases.
The invention is directed to a gel cap that is adapted for being coupled to a wound retractor. The wound retractor has a substantially noncompliant outer ring that is adapted for juxtaposition with an outer surface of a biological body wall and for disposition relative to an incision in the body wall. The wound retractor also includes an inner ring that is adapted for juxtaposition with an inner surface of the biological body wall and for disposition relative to the incision in the body wall. The wound retractor further includes a sleeve that is adapted to traverse the incision in the body wall. The sleeve of the wound retractor couples the outer ring to the inner ring. The wound retractor is adapted to retract and seal the incision. The gel cap includes a cap ring, a lever, means for hinging the lever to the cap ring, and a gel pad. The cap ring includes a substantially cylindrical ring having a first, proximal portion, a second, distal portion, and a longitudinal axis extending through the proximal and distal portions. The cap ring also includes a lip at a distal end of the distal portion of the cap ring. The lip curves radially inward from the wall of the distal portion of the cap ring and extends around a portion of the circumference of the cap ring. The gel cap also includes a lever that is positioned at the distal portion of the cap ring and substantially opposite the lip at the distal portion of the cap ring. The lever swings on a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cap ring. The lever includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a first, distal substantially flat lip positioned at the distal end of the lever. The distal lip of the lever lies in a plane that is positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cap ring. The gel pad is made of a gel material. The gel pad is coupled to the cap ring and is positioned at the proximal portion of the cap ring. The gel pad includes an access portion for providing a passage from external the body to a body cavity. The passage of the gel pad forms an instrument seal in the presence of an instrument inserted therethrough and a zero seal in the absence of an instrument inserted therethrough. In a first, open state the lever is swung outwardly, away from the body of the cap ring to provide clearance for inserting the outer ring of the wound retractor into the gel cap. In a second, closed state the lever is swung toward the cap ring such that the distal lip of the lever protrudes radially inwardly from the body of the lever and radially inwardly through the wall of the cap ring. In the second state, with the outer ring of the wound retractor positioned in the distal portion of the cap ring, the distal lip of the lever is configured to abut the distal surface of the outer ring of the wound retractor and secure the gel cap to the wound retractor. The lip of the cap ring and the distal lip of the lever are configured to receive the outer ring of the wound retractor such that the outer ring of the wound retractor is positioned between the lip of the cap ring and the distal lip of the lever at the distal end of the outer ring of the wound retractor and the gel pad at the proximal end of the outer ring of the wound retractor. The gel pad is adapted to be placed in juxtaposition with the incision.
In one aspect of the invention, the proximal portion of the cap ring includes a plurality of apertures that are distributed about the circumference of the cap ring. The apertures extend through the wall of the proximal potion of the cap ring. In one aspect, the gel of the gel pad covers and fills the apertures. In another aspect, the gel in the apertures connects the gel at an outer portion of the cap ring to the gel at an inner portion of the cap ring. In another aspect, the gel of the gel cap extends into the distal portion of the cap ring. In one aspect, the distal portion of the cap ring is adapted to receive the outer ring of the wound retractor such that the outer ring of the wound retractor embeds into the gel pad at the distal portion of the cap ring and displaces the gel, thereby forming a seal between the gel pad and the outer ring and sleeve of the wound retractor. In another aspect, the access portion of the gel pad includes a plurality of intersecting dead-end slits. In another aspect, the lip at the distal end of the distal portion of the cap ring extends about 30° around the circumference of the cap ring. In another aspect, the cap ring is made of a polymer. In one aspect, the cap ring is made of polyethylene, while in another aspect the cap ring is made of polycarbonate. In another aspect, the gel pad covers and seals the entire opening in the cap ring. In another aspect, the gel pad is adapted to cover substantially the entire wound opening. In another aspect, the outer surface of the cap ring includes a lug, and the lever is coupled to the lug. In one aspect, the lug includes an aperture that extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cap ring. The lever includes a hinge pin that extends substantially perpendicular to the distal lip of the lever. The aperture of the lug is adapted to receive the hinge pin of the lever. In a similar aspect, the lug includes the hinge pin and the lever includes the aperture. In another aspect, the lever includes locking means for facilitating prevention of unintended opening of the lever from the second state to the first state. In one aspect, the locking means includes a first aperture or groove in the wall of the distal portion of the cap ring. The aperture or groove receives and supports the distal lip of the lever. The distal lip of the lever includes a latch that is adapted for engaging the first aperture or groove in the distal portion of the cap ring through which the distal lip of the lever protrudes when the lever is in the second state. In one aspect, the distal lip of the lever includes a catch that protrudes proximally therefrom. The catch is adapted to engage the outer ring of the wound retractor at a position on the inner circumference of the outer ring. In another aspect, the distal lip on the lever extends around about 60° of the circumference of the cap ring when the lever is in the second state. In another aspect, the lever includes a second, proximal substantially flat lip that is positioned at the proximal end of the lever and lies in a plane that is substantially parallel to the distal lip of the lever, and the wall of the distal portion of the cap ring includes a second aperture for receiving the proximal lip of the lever. In one aspect, the distal and proximal lips of the lever extend from the same side of the lever. In one aspect, the lever includes locking means for facilitating the prevention of unintended opening of the lever from the second state to the first state. In one aspect, the proximal lip of the lever includes a latch that is adapted for engaging the second aperture in the distal portion of the cap ring through which the proximal lip of the lever protrudes when the lever is in the second state. In one aspect, the proximal lip on the lever extends around about 45° of the circumference of the cap ring when the lever is in the second state. In another aspect, the gel cap includes more than one lever with the levers being substantially equally spaced between each other and the lip on the cap ring.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent with a discussion of embodiments in reference to the associated drawings.
a illustrates an elevation view of an incrementally adjustable wound retractor in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
b illustrates a perspective view of the wound retractor of
a-3c illustrate the retraction of the outer ring of the wound retractor of
a-7b illustrate different processes of forming the outer ring of the invention;
Referring to
The substantially noncompliant hoops 118 may be made of metals, such as stainless steel, piano wire heat treated to a spring temper, or other metals that produce a substantially noncompliant hoop. The substantially noncompliant hoops 118 may also be formed of rigid polymeric materials through molding, machining, and other processes that are well known in the art. The substantially noncompliant hoops 118 may also be formed of other suitable rigid materials that are well known in the art.
As shown in
It is appreciated that the outer ring 102 can be designed in various configurations and sizes to achieve various retraction rates and/or to conform to different body surfaces. The lumens of the first and second circular tubes 108, 110 may have cross-sections of different geometries, such as circular, oval, triangular, rectangular, any geometric shape with multiple sides, etc. The split hoops 118 may also have cross-sections of different geometries, such as circular, rectangular, oval, triangular, any geometric shape with multiple sides, etc. Advantages of the above embodiments of the invention include improved retraction adjustability and stability.
With continued reference to
a-3c and
FIGS. 8 and 13-15 illustrate a process of installing the wound retractor 100 in a wound opening 400. An incision 400 in the shape of a slit is first made in a body wall of a patient, such as the abdominal wall 402. The inner ring 104 is compressed and the inner ring and sleeve 106 are then manually inserted into the body cavity 404 through the incision 400 with the outer ring 102 remaining external the body cavity 404. Once the inner ring 104 is within the body cavity 404, it expands around the inner surface of the incision 400 so as to be generally parallel to the outer surface of the abdominal wall 402. The sleeve 106 provides a working channel from outside the body cavity 404 to inside the body cavity.
The outer ring 102 initially rests above the abdominal wall 402 around the wound opening 400. Since the upper end of the sleeve 106 is coupled to the outer ring 102, the sleeve 106 can be drawn upwards and radially outward or inward, thereby drawing the inner ring 104 tightly against the inner surface of the abdominal wall 402. Moreover, the intermediate portion of the sleeve 106 is drawn tightly against the sides and edges of the wound opening 400, thereby retracting the adjacent tissue and producing a tightly sealed opening to the body cavity 404. The sleeve 106 contacts the entire surface of the wound 400 and protectively covers and seals it from contamination and infection. Depending on the size and depth of the incision 400, the user can roll up the sleeve 106 by gripping the double-tube outer ring 102 and turning it in a direction 130, as also illustrated in
An advantage of the wound retractor 100 of the present invention is it provides for an easier, faster and higher retraction rate than that known in the prior art, thereby resulting in less traumatic effects to the patient. Another advantage of the wound retractor 100 of the present invention is it provides tactile gripping and incremental rolling of the sleeve 106 about the outer ring 102. In comparison to retractors of the prior art, the substantially noncompliant hoops 118 in the lumens of the outer ring 102 provide greater strength, which in turn provides better retraction. The substantially noncompliant hoops 118 control the shape of the wound opening 400, rather than the wound opening controlling the shape of the wound retractor 100. In this manner, the wound retractor 100 of the present invention provides better isolation, protection, and sealing of the wound 400.
After surgery, the wound retractor 100 may be retrieved by grabbing the inner ring 104 and the sleeve 106 and pulling them through the wound opening 400. The use of the sleeve 106 and the ease of retracting the outer ring 102 provide higher compression between the inner and outer rings. As a result, the wound retractor 100 of the invention provides incremental adjustability to fit a wide range of incision sizes and isolates and protects the wound from bacterial infection as diseased body parts and contaminated instruments are passed through the wound.
Referring to
To combine the gel pad 206 with the cap ring 204, the cap ring may be placed into a mold that includes the shape of the desired gel pad and the uncured gel is added to the mold. Referring to
The distal portion 214 of the cap ring 204 is substantially cylindrical and is configured to receive the outer ring 102 of the wound retractor 100. In one aspect, the distal portion 214 of the cap ring 204 includes a lip 224 at the distal end 226 thereof (see
In one aspect, the distal portion 214 of the cap ring 204 also includes a swinging lever 230 (
In a first, open state (
In use, the wound retractor 100 is first used to retract the incision in the body wall of a patient, as described above. With the lever 230 in the first state, the gel cap 202 is brought to the outer ring 102 of the wound retractor 100 at an angle with the lip portion 224 of the cap ring 204 toward the patient. The lip portion 224 of the cap ring is slid under the distal-most circular tube 108, 110 of the outer ring 102, between the outer ring and the patient, and then the remainder of the gel cap 202 is swung onto the outer ring. The lever 230 is then swung closed into the second state (
The lever 230 includes locking means 254 (
With the gel cap 202 mounted onto the outer ring 102 of the wound retractor 100 and the lever 230 positioned in the second state, the proximal lip 248 on the lever positioned in the aperture 252 in the cap ring 204 provides support for the lever to counteract cantilever forces induced by the displaced gel of the gel pad 206. Support of the proximal lip 248 also helps the distal lip 244 maintain the position of the outer ring 102 of the wound retractor 100 against the gel pad 206.
In another aspect, the gel cap 202 may include more than one lever 230 with the levers substantially equally spaced between each other and the lip 224 on the cap ring 204. In a further aspect, the lip 224 on the cap ring 204 may be omitted and at least two levers 230 used to secure the gel cap 202 to the wound retractor 100. The two levers 230 may be substantially diametrically opposed about the circumference of the distal portion of the cap ring.
The gel cap 202 with the lip 224 and lever 230 on the cap ring is best suited for use with wound retractors 100 having an outer ring 102 that is substantially rigid and noncompliant. If the outer ring 102 of the wound retractor 100 were not rigid, the outer ring would tend to pull out of the gel cap 202, thereby compromising the seal between the gel pad 206 and the wound retractor and potentially resulting in deflation of the insufflated body cavity.
The cap ring 204 in one aspect includes a polymer, e.g., polyethylene (PE). In one aspect, the polyethylene is a low density polyethylene (LDPE) or high density polyethylene (HDPE), or ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). In one aspect, the cap ring 204 may be made of a polymer, such as polycarbonate and may be fabricated by methods including injection molding.
The gel pad 206 may be coupled to, attached to, formed or integrated with the cap ring 204 so that a gas-tight conduit is formed between the cap ring and the sleeve 106. The gel pad 206 covers and seals the entire opening in the cap ring 204. Additionally, the gel pad 206 is adapted to cover substantially the entire wound 400 opening. As stated above, in one aspect the gel pad includes a plurality of intersecting dead-end slits 260, 262 that form an access portion or passage through the gel pad 206. Unlike foam rubber or other similar types of elastic materials, the gel pad 206 provides a gas tight seal around a variety of shapes and sizes of hands or instruments inserted therethrough.
In one aspect, the gel material from which the gel pad 206 is made is an elastomeric gel. Some such gels have been described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/381,220, filed Mar. 20, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in full herein. The gel can be prepared by mixing a triblock copolymer with a solvent for the midblocks. The endblocks are typically thermoplastic materials, such as styrene, and the midblocks are thermoset elastomers such as, isoprene or butadiene, e.g., Styrene-Ethylene-Butylene-Styrene (SEBS). In one aspect, the solvent used is mineral oil. Upon heating this mixture or slurry, the midblocks are dissolved into the mineral oil and a network of the insoluble endblocks forms. The resulting network has enhanced elastomeric properties over the parent copolymer. In one aspect, the triblock copolymer used is KRATON G1651, which has a styrene to rubber ratio of 33/67. Once formed, the gel is substantially permanent and, by the nature of the endblocks, processable as thermoplastic elastomers henceforward. The mixture or slurry has a minimum temperature at which it becomes a gel, i.e., the minimum gelling temperature (MGT). This temperature, in one aspect, corresponds to the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic endblock plus a few degrees. For example, the MGT for the mixture of KRATON G1651 and mineral oil is about 120° C. When the slurry reaches the MGT and the transformation to a gel state takes place, the gel becomes more transparent, thereby providing means for visually confirming when the transformation of the slurry to the gel state is substantially complete and that the gel may be cooled. In addition to triblocks, there are also diblock versions of the materials that may be used where Styrene is present at only one end of the formula, for example, Styrene-Ethylene/Butylene (SEB).
For a given mass of slurry to form into a complete gel, the entire mass of the slurry is heated to the MGT and remains heated at the MGT for sufficient time for the end blocks to form a matrix of interconnections. The slurry will continue to form into gel at temperatures above the MGT until the slurry/gel reaches temperatures at which the components within the slurry/gel begin to decompose or oxidize. For example, when the slurry/gel is heated at temperatures above 250° C., the mineral oil in the slurry/gel will begin to be volatile and oxidize. Oxidizing may cause the gel to turn brown and become oily.
The speed at which a given volume of slurry forms a gel is dependant on the speed with which the entire mass of slurry reaches the MGT. Also, with the application of temperatures higher than the MGT, this speed is further enhanced as the end block networks distribute and form more rapidly.
The various base formulas may also be alloyed with one another to achieve a variety of intermediate properties. For example, KRATON G1701X is a seventy percent (70%) SEB thirty percent (30%) SEBS mixture with an overall Styrene to rubber ratio of 28/72. It can be appreciated that an almost infinite number of combinations, alloys, and Styrene to rubber ratios can be formulated, each capable of providing advantages to a particular embodiment of the invention. These advantages will typically include low durometer, high elongation, and good tear strength.
It is contemplated that the gel material may also include silicone, soft urethanes and even harder plastics that might provide the desired sealing qualities with the addition of a foaming agent. The silicone material may be of the types currently used for electronic encapsulation. The harder plastics may include PVC, Isoprene, KRATON neat, and other KRATON/oil mixtures. In the KRATON/oil mixture, oils such as vegetable oils, petroleum oils and silicone oils may be substituted for the mineral oil.
Any of the gel materials contemplated could be modified to achieve different properties such as enhanced lubricity, appearance, and wound protection. Additives may be incorporated directly into the gel or applied as a surface treatment. Other compounds may be added to the gel to modify its physical properties or to assist in subsequent modification of the surface by providing bonding sites or a surface charge. Additionally, oil based colorants may be added to the slurry to create gels of different colors.
In one aspect, the mixture/slurry used with the various embodiments of the cap rings that are described herein are composed of about ninety percent (90%) by weight of mineral oil and about ten percent (10%) by weight of KRATON G1651. From a thermodynamic standpoint, this mixture behaves similar to mineral oil. Mineral oil has a considerable heat capacity and, therefore, at about 130° C. it can take three (3) or four (4) hours to heat a pound of the slurry sufficiently to form a homogeneous gel. Once formed, the gel can be cooled as quickly as practical with no apparent deleterious effects on the gel. This cooling, in one aspect, is accomplished with cold-water immersion. In another aspect, the gel may be air-cooled. Those familiar with the art will recognize that other cooling techniques that are well known in the art may be employed and are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention.
Many of the properties of the KRATON/oil mixture will vary with adjustments in the weight ratio of the components. In general, the greater the percentage of mineral oil the less film the mixture; the greater the percentage of KRATON, the more firm the mixture. If the resultant gel is too soft it can lead to excessive tenting or doming of the gel cap during surgery when a patient's abdominal cavity is insufflated. Excessive tenting or doming may cause the slits 260, 262 to open, providing a leak path. Additionally, if the gel is too soft it might not provide an adequate seal. However, the gel should be sufficiently soft to be comfortable for the surgeon while simultaneously providing good sealing both in the presence of an instrument and in the absence of an instrument.
If the slurry is permitted to sit for a prolonged period of time, the copolymer, such as KRATON, and the solvent, such as mineral oil, may separate. The slurry may be mixed, such as with high shear blades, to make the slurry more homogeneous. However, mixing the slurry may introduce or add air to the slurry. To remove air from the slurry, the slurry may be degassed. In one aspect, the slurry may be degassed in a vacuum, such as within a vacuum chamber. In one aspect, the applied vacuum may be 0.79 meters (29.9 inches) of mercury, or about one (1.0) atmosphere. The slurry may be stirred while the slurry is under vacuum to facilitate removal of the air. During degassing within a vacuum, the slurry typically expands, then bubbles, and then reduces in volume. The vacuum may be discontinued when the bubbling substantially ceases. Degassing the slurry in a vacuum chamber reduces the volume of the slurry by about ten percent (10%). Degassing the slurry helps reduce the potential of the finished gel to oxidize.
Degassing the slurry tends to make the resultant gel firmer. A degassed slurry composed of about 91.6% by weight of mineral oil and about 8.4% by weight of KRATON G1651, an eleven-to-one ratio, results in a gel having about the same firmness as a gel made from a slurry that is not degassed and that is composed of about ninety percent (90%) by weight of mineral oil and about ten percent (10%) by weight of KRATON G1651, a nine-to-one ratio.
Mineral oil is of a lighter density than KRATON and the two components will separate after mixing, with the lighter mineral oil rising to the top of the container. This separation may occur when attempting to form static slurry into gel over a period of several hours. The separation can cause the resulting gel to have a higher concentration of mineral oil at the top and a lower concentration at the bottom, e.g., a non-homogeneous gel. The speed of separation is a function of the depth or head height of the slurry being heated. The mass of slurry combined with the head height, the temperature at which the gel sets and the speed with which the energy can be transferred to the gel, factor into the determination or result of homogeneous gel versus a non-homogeneous gel.
The gel pad or gel cap in various aspects of the present invention may be gamma sterilized. The relative or comparative simplicity of qualifying the sterilization process, for example of gamma versus ethylene oxide, of the gel pad and the device with the gel pad is desirable. However, under gamma sterilization large bubbles can form in the gel pad causing potential cosmetic or aesthetic issues in the sterilized devices. The bubbles are more than ninety-nine percent (99%) room air, so removal of the dissolved air in the slurry is performed prior to forming the slurry into gel. For example, the slurry may be degassed via vacuum, as described above, and turned into gel by heat. Bubbles may still form in the gel during gamma sterilization but disappear in a period of about twenty-four (24) to seventy-two (72) hours. In one aspect, the percentage of dissolved gas in the mineral oil at room temperature is about ten percent (10%). The removal of the air in the gel has an additional effect of making the gel firmer. This however is counterbalanced by the softening effect on the gel caused by gamma radiation during gamma sterilization.
If the gel pad is to be gamma sterilized, the gel may include about ninety percent (90%) mineral oil by weight and about ten percent (10%) KRATON by weight. As stated above, degassing the slurry has the effect of making the gel firmer. However, the gamma radiation softens the gel to substantially the same firmness as a gel having about ninety percent (90%) mineral oil by weight and about ten percent (10%) KRATON by weight that is not degassed and gamma sterilized.
In one aspect, cyanoacrylate, e.g., SUPERGLUE or KRAZY GLUE, may be used to bond or otherwise couple or attach the gel pad 206 to the cap ring 204. The glue may attach to either the rubber or styrene component of the tri-block and the bond is frequently stronger than the gel material itself. In another aspect, a solvent may be used to dissolve the plastics in the cap ring and the polystyrene in the gel pad. The solution of solvent is applied to the gel pad and cap ring in either a spray or dip form. In effect, the solution melts both the plastic of the cap ring as well as the polystyrene in the gel pad to allow a chemical bond to form between the two, which remains when the solvent evaporates.
Polyethylene can be dissolved in mineral oil and then applied to the gel pad. The mineral oil will not evaporate but will over time absorb into the gel pad and impart a polyethylene layer on the gel pad that may have some beneficial properties.
In one aspect, the gel pad 206 is cast into a DYNAFLEX or KRATON polymer support structure, e.g., the cap ring 204. By using KRATON polymer or a similar material in the cap ring, ring adhesion between the gel pad 206 and the cap ring 204 can be achieved. The polystyrene in the gel pad 206 is identified as achieving adhesion with polyphenylene oxide (PPO), polystyrene and other polymers.
In the casting process the gel pad 206 and the cap ring 204 are heated to a temperature above about 130° C. and held at that temperature for several hours, e.g., about three (3) to four (4) hours. The temperature used is not sufficient to deform the cap ring 204.
As stated above, in one aspect the cap ring 204 includes a polymer, e.g., polyethylene (PE). The gel includes mineral oil. PE has a higher molecular weight than mineral oil. PE is dissolved by mineral oil at high temperatures. As such, as the PE and the mineral oil in the gel pad 206 intermix as both are heated to and held at temperatures above about 130° C., a bond between the PE and gel pad is formed.
In one aspect, the cap ring 204 includes polycarbonate. The polycarbonate of the cap ring 204 does not form bonds with the gel pad 206 at 130° C. However, by raising the temperature to about 150° C. for a few minutes during casting, bonding occurs between the gel pad 206 and the cap ring 204. As such, heating the gel pad 206 and cap ring 204 to temperatures at which both the polystyrene of the gel and the polycarbonate are simultaneously beyond their melt points allow bonds to form between the gel pad and the cap ring. Alternatively, the gel pad 206 and cap ring 204 may be heated to near or at the glass transition temperature of the polycarbonate cap ring to form the bond between the gel pad and the cap ring.
In one aspect, casting the gel pad 206 into the cap ring 204 to form a gel cap 202 includes placing the cap ring into a mold cavity of a casting mold. The mold cavity may include support for the annular walls of the cap ring 204. The mold may be made of aluminum, copper, brass, or other mold material having good heat dissipation properties. However, those familiar with the art will recognize that other mold materials having lower heat dissipation properties will produce acceptable parts and these are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention as well.
The mold cavity having the cap ring 204 is filled with the slurry such that the slurry is in contact with the cap ring. To facilitate filling voids in the mold cavity with the slurry, the slurry may be preheated, for example, to about 52° C. (125° F.). Preheating the slurry to a temperature below the MGT reduces the viscosity of the slurry and allows the slurry to flow more easily. As stated above, the slurry may have been degassed in a vacuum. The slurry may be degassed again within the mold after the mold cavity is filled to remove air that may have been introduced during the filling of the mold cavity and to facilitate flow of the slurry into voids in the mold. Heat is applied to the mold having the cap ring 204 and the slurry, such as in an oven, until the slurry attains a temperature of about 150° C. As stated above, the slurry turns into gel at about 120° C., however, at about 150° C., the gel can bond to a polycarbonate cap ring 204. Depending on the material used to fabricate the cap ring 204, bonding may take place at temperatures other than about 150° C. If the cap ring 204 is fabricated of a material having a lower melting point than 120° C., then the gel pad 206, such as a gel slug 206, may be molded separately and then bonded to the cap ring. The slits 260, 262 may be molded into the gel pad 206 through the use of an insert in the form of the slit in the mold.
Once the temperature of the gel pad 206 reaches about 150° C., the gel cap 202 may be cooled, such as by air-cooling, cold-water immersion, or other cooling means that are well known in the art. At 150° C. the gel pad is soft and if it were distorted during cooling it would set with the distortion included. To reduce the likelihood of distorting the gel pad 206, the gel cap 202 may be cooled within the mold. Cooling times may vary based on parameters including size and configuration of the mold, quantity of gel, temperature and quantity of cooling medium, cooling medium properties and the mold material. As an example, the cooling time may be about two (2) hours if cooling in air and about fifteen (15) minutes if cooling in water. Whether cooling with air or water, the final properties of the gel are substantially the same. The gel cap 202 is typically cooled to about ambient room temperature, but may be cooled to lower temperatures. If the gel cap 202 is cooled to the freezing point of the gel, about 0° C., then the gel will freeze and become hard. This may be beneficial for other means of coupling the gel pad 206 to the cap ring 204, such as with a secondary operation. The gel cap 202 may be removed from the mold at any time after the gel has set.
When removed from the mold, the gel pad 206 typically has a tacky surface. The gel cap 202 may be coated with a powder, such as cornstarch, to substantially reduce or eliminate the tackiness of the cured gel pad 206.
As stated above, in another aspect, the gel pad 206 may be molded separately from the cap ring 204 and coupled to the cap ring by a secondary operation, such as by bonding. In one aspect, the gel pad 206 may be molded into a gel slug 206 having an outer perimeter smaller than the inner cylindrical wall of the cap ring 204 and to a height higher that the height of the cap ring. Since the gel pad 206 is being molded separate from the cap ring 204, the slurry only needs to be heated until it reaches about 120° C. and completes the transformation from slurry into gel and the gel becomes substantially transparent. The gel slug 206 may then be placed within the inner cylindrical wall of the cap ring 204. The gel slug 206 may be cooled and/or frozen prior to placing it within the inner cylindrical wall of the cap ring 204. The gel slug 206 may be coupled to the cap ring 204 through compression molding with the gel slug being compressed longitudinally so that the outer perimeter of the gel slug expands and compresses against the inner cylindrical wall of the cap ring. The gel slug 206 and cap ring 204 are heated to a sufficient temperature for the polystyrene of the gel and the polymer of the cap ring to form bonds between the gel and the cap ring. Molding the gel slug 206 separately from the cap ring 204 and heat bonding the gel slug to the cap ring at a later time is especially useful when the cap ring is made of a material that has a lower melting temperature than the MGT. In such situations, the gel slug 206 can be molded first and heat bonded to the cap ring 204 without melting the cap ring.
An advantage associated with the modified surgical access device is it enables a surgeon to quickly retract and protectively line an abdominal wall incision while being able to easily accommodate variations in abdominal wall thickness between patients. In addition, the device effectively seals around the interior and exterior of the incision, and allows a sealing cap to be coupled to the device to seal the abdominal cavity and to enable a laparoscopic procedure to be performed.
Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For these reasons, the above description should not be construed as limiting the invention, but should be interpreted as merely exemplary of the embodiments.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/548,758, filed Oct. 12, 2006, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/726,826, filed on Oct. 14, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/745,730, filed on Apr. 26, 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/803,346, filed on May 26, 2006; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/803,965, filed on Jun. 5, 2006; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/828,089, filed Oct. 4, 2006, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
558364 | Doolittle | Apr 1896 | A |
1157202 | Bates et al. | Oct 1915 | A |
1598284 | Kinney | Aug 1926 | A |
1690995 | Pratt | Nov 1928 | A |
1180466 | Deutsch | Jun 1931 | A |
1810466 | Deutsch | Jun 1931 | A |
2219564 | Reyniers | Oct 1940 | A |
2305289 | Coburg | Dec 1942 | A |
2478586 | Krapp | Aug 1949 | A |
2669991 | Curutchet | Feb 1954 | A |
2695608 | Gibbon | Nov 1954 | A |
2812758 | Blumenschein | Nov 1957 | A |
2835253 | Borgeson | May 1958 | A |
2853075 | Hoffman et al. | Sep 1958 | A |
3039468 | Price | Jun 1962 | A |
3057350 | Cowley | Oct 1962 | A |
3111943 | Orndorff | Nov 1963 | A |
3195934 | Parrish | Jul 1965 | A |
3244169 | Baxter | Apr 1966 | A |
3253594 | Matthews et al. | May 1966 | A |
3313299 | Spademan | Apr 1967 | A |
3329390 | Hulsey | Jul 1967 | A |
3332417 | Blanford et al. | Jul 1967 | A |
3347226 | Harrower | Oct 1967 | A |
3347227 | Harrower | Oct 1967 | A |
3397692 | Creager, Jr. et al. | Aug 1968 | A |
3402710 | Paleschuck | Sep 1968 | A |
3416520 | P. Creager, Jr. | Dec 1968 | A |
3447533 | Spicer | Jun 1969 | A |
3522800 | Lesser | Aug 1970 | A |
3523534 | Nolan | Aug 1970 | A |
3570475 | Weinstein | Mar 1971 | A |
3656485 | Robertson | Apr 1972 | A |
3685786 | Woodson | Aug 1972 | A |
3717151 | Collett | Feb 1973 | A |
3717883 | Mosher | Feb 1973 | A |
3729006 | Wilder et al. | Apr 1973 | A |
3782370 | McDonald | Jan 1974 | A |
3797478 | Walsh et al. | Mar 1974 | A |
3799166 | Marsan | Mar 1974 | A |
3807393 | McDonald | Apr 1974 | A |
3828764 | Jones | Aug 1974 | A |
3831583 | Edmunds et al. | Aug 1974 | A |
3841332 | Treacle | Oct 1974 | A |
3850172 | Cazalis | Nov 1974 | A |
3853126 | Schulte | Dec 1974 | A |
3853127 | Spademan | Dec 1974 | A |
3856021 | McIntosh | Dec 1974 | A |
3860274 | Ledstrom et al. | Jan 1975 | A |
3861416 | Wichterle | Jan 1975 | A |
3907389 | Cox et al. | Sep 1975 | A |
3915171 | Shermeta | Oct 1975 | A |
3965890 | Gauthier | Jun 1976 | A |
3970089 | Saice | Jul 1976 | A |
3996623 | Kaster | Dec 1976 | A |
4000739 | Stevens | Jan 1977 | A |
4016884 | Kwan-Gett | Apr 1977 | A |
4024872 | Muldoon | May 1977 | A |
4030500 | Ronnquist | Jun 1977 | A |
4043328 | Cawood, Jr. et al. | Aug 1977 | A |
4069913 | Harrigan | Jan 1978 | A |
4082005 | Erdley | Apr 1978 | A |
4083370 | Taylor | Apr 1978 | A |
4096853 | Weigand | Jun 1978 | A |
4112932 | Chiulli | Sep 1978 | A |
4130113 | Graham | Dec 1978 | A |
4177814 | Knepshield et al. | Dec 1979 | A |
4183357 | Bentley et al. | Jan 1980 | A |
4187849 | Stim | Feb 1980 | A |
4188945 | Wenander | Feb 1980 | A |
4217664 | Faso | Aug 1980 | A |
4222126 | Boretos et al. | Sep 1980 | A |
4228792 | Rhys-Davies | Oct 1980 | A |
4239036 | Krieger | Dec 1980 | A |
4240411 | Hosono | Dec 1980 | A |
4253201 | Ross et al. | Mar 1981 | A |
4254973 | Benjamin | Mar 1981 | A |
4306562 | Osborne | Dec 1981 | A |
4321915 | Leighton | Mar 1982 | A |
4331138 | Jessen | May 1982 | A |
4338934 | Spademan | Jul 1982 | A |
4338937 | Lerman | Jul 1982 | A |
4367728 | Mutke | Jan 1983 | A |
4369284 | Chen | Jan 1983 | A |
4399816 | Spangler | Aug 1983 | A |
4402683 | Kopman | Sep 1983 | A |
4411659 | Jensen et al. | Oct 1983 | A |
4421296 | Stephens | Dec 1983 | A |
4424833 | Spector et al. | Jan 1984 | A |
4428364 | Bartolo | Jan 1984 | A |
4430081 | Timmermans | Feb 1984 | A |
4434791 | Darnell | Mar 1984 | A |
4436519 | O'Neill | Mar 1984 | A |
4454873 | Laufenberg et al. | Jun 1984 | A |
4473067 | Schiff | Sep 1984 | A |
4475548 | Muto | Oct 1984 | A |
4485490 | Akers et al. | Dec 1984 | A |
4488877 | Klein | Dec 1984 | A |
4543088 | Bootman et al. | Sep 1985 | A |
4550713 | Hyman | Nov 1985 | A |
4553537 | Rosenberg | Nov 1985 | A |
4555242 | Saudagar | Nov 1985 | A |
4556996 | Wallace | Dec 1985 | A |
4601710 | Moll | Jul 1986 | A |
4610665 | Matsumoto et al. | Sep 1986 | A |
4626245 | Weinstein | Dec 1986 | A |
4634424 | O'Boyle | Jan 1987 | A |
4634432 | Kocak | Jan 1987 | A |
4644951 | Bays | Feb 1987 | A |
4649904 | Krauter | Mar 1987 | A |
4653476 | Bonnet | Mar 1987 | A |
4654030 | Moll et al. | Mar 1987 | A |
4655752 | Honkanen et al. | Apr 1987 | A |
4673393 | Suzuki et al. | Jun 1987 | A |
4673394 | Fenton | Jun 1987 | A |
4691942 | Ford | Sep 1987 | A |
4714749 | Hughes et al. | Dec 1987 | A |
4738666 | Fuqua | Apr 1988 | A |
4755170 | Golden | Jul 1988 | A |
4760933 | Christner et al. | Aug 1988 | A |
4776843 | Martinez et al. | Oct 1988 | A |
4777943 | Chvapil | Oct 1988 | A |
4784646 | Feingold | Nov 1988 | A |
4796629 | Grayzel | Jan 1989 | A |
4798594 | Hillstead | Jan 1989 | A |
4802694 | Vargo | Feb 1989 | A |
4808168 | Warring | Feb 1989 | A |
4809679 | Shimonaka et al. | Mar 1989 | A |
4828554 | Griffin | May 1989 | A |
4842931 | Zook | Jun 1989 | A |
4848575 | Nakamura et al. | Jul 1989 | A |
4856502 | Ersfeld et al. | Aug 1989 | A |
4863430 | Klyce et al. | Sep 1989 | A |
4863438 | Gauderer et al. | Sep 1989 | A |
4889107 | Kaufman | Dec 1989 | A |
4895565 | Hillstead | Jan 1990 | A |
4897081 | Poirier | Jan 1990 | A |
4903710 | Jessamine et al. | Feb 1990 | A |
4911974 | Shimizu et al. | Mar 1990 | A |
4915132 | Hodge et al. | Apr 1990 | A |
4926882 | Lawrence | May 1990 | A |
4929235 | Merry et al. | May 1990 | A |
4944732 | Russo | Jul 1990 | A |
4950222 | Scott et al. | Aug 1990 | A |
4950223 | Silvanov | Aug 1990 | A |
4984564 | Yuen | Jan 1991 | A |
4991593 | LeVahn | Feb 1991 | A |
4998538 | Charowsky et al. | Mar 1991 | A |
5000745 | Guest et al. | Mar 1991 | A |
5009224 | Cole | Apr 1991 | A |
5015228 | Columbus et al. | May 1991 | A |
5019101 | Purkait et al. | May 1991 | A |
5026366 | Leckrone | Jun 1991 | A |
5037379 | Clayman et al. | Aug 1991 | A |
5041095 | Littrell | Aug 1991 | A |
5045070 | Grodecki et al. | Sep 1991 | A |
D320658 | Quigley et al. | Oct 1991 | S |
5071411 | Hillstead | Dec 1991 | A |
5073169 | Raiken | Dec 1991 | A |
5074878 | Bark et al. | Dec 1991 | A |
5082005 | Kaldany | Jan 1992 | A |
5086763 | Hathman | Feb 1992 | A |
5092846 | Nishijima et al. | Mar 1992 | A |
5104389 | Deem | Apr 1992 | A |
5125396 | Ray | Jun 1992 | A |
5125897 | Quinn et al. | Jun 1992 | A |
5127626 | Hilal et al. | Jul 1992 | A |
5129885 | Green et al. | Jul 1992 | A |
5141498 | Christian | Aug 1992 | A |
5149327 | Oshiyama | Sep 1992 | A |
5156617 | Reid | Oct 1992 | A |
5158553 | Berry et al. | Oct 1992 | A |
5159921 | Hoover | Nov 1992 | A |
5161773 | Tower | Nov 1992 | A |
5167636 | Clement | Dec 1992 | A |
5167637 | Okada et al. | Dec 1992 | A |
5176648 | Holmes et al. | Jan 1993 | A |
5176662 | Bartholomew et al. | Jan 1993 | A |
5176697 | Hasson et al. | Jan 1993 | A |
5178162 | Bose | Jan 1993 | A |
5180365 | Ensminger et al. | Jan 1993 | A |
5183471 | Wilk | Feb 1993 | A |
5188595 | Jacobi | Feb 1993 | A |
5188607 | Wu | Feb 1993 | A |
5192301 | Kamiya et al. | Mar 1993 | A |
5197955 | Stephens et al. | Mar 1993 | A |
5207656 | Kranys | May 1993 | A |
5209737 | Richart et al. | May 1993 | A |
5211370 | Powers | May 1993 | A |
5211633 | Stouder, Jr. | May 1993 | A |
5213114 | Bailey, Jr. | May 1993 | A |
5226890 | Ianniruberto et al. | Jul 1993 | A |
5234455 | Mulhollan | Aug 1993 | A |
5241968 | Slater | Sep 1993 | A |
5242400 | Blake, III et al. | Sep 1993 | A |
5242409 | Buelna | Sep 1993 | A |
5242412 | Blake, III | Sep 1993 | A |
5242415 | Kantrowitz et al. | Sep 1993 | A |
5248304 | Vigdorchik et al. | Sep 1993 | A |
5256150 | Quiachon et al. | Oct 1993 | A |
5257973 | Villasuso | Nov 1993 | A |
5257975 | Foshee | Nov 1993 | A |
5259366 | Reydel et al. | Nov 1993 | A |
5261883 | Hood et al. | Nov 1993 | A |
5262468 | Chen | Nov 1993 | A |
5263922 | Sova et al. | Nov 1993 | A |
5269763 | Boehmer et al. | Dec 1993 | A |
5269772 | Wilk | Dec 1993 | A |
5273449 | Mattis et al. | Dec 1993 | A |
5273545 | Hunt et al. | Dec 1993 | A |
D343236 | Quigley et al. | Jan 1994 | S |
5279575 | Sugarbaker | Jan 1994 | A |
5290310 | Makower et al. | Mar 1994 | A |
D346022 | Quigley et al. | Apr 1994 | S |
5299582 | Potts | Apr 1994 | A |
5300034 | Behnke | Apr 1994 | A |
5300035 | Clement | Apr 1994 | A |
5300036 | Mueller et al. | Apr 1994 | A |
5308336 | Hart et al. | May 1994 | A |
5309896 | Moll et al. | May 1994 | A |
5312391 | Wilk | May 1994 | A |
5314417 | Stephens et al. | May 1994 | A |
5316541 | Fischer | May 1994 | A |
5320611 | Bonutti et al. | Jun 1994 | A |
5330437 | Durman | Jul 1994 | A |
5330486 | Wilk | Jul 1994 | A |
5330497 | Freitas et al. | Jul 1994 | A |
5331975 | Bonutti | Jul 1994 | A |
5334143 | Carroll | Aug 1994 | A |
5334646 | Chen | Aug 1994 | A |
5336192 | Palestrant | Aug 1994 | A |
5336708 | Chen | Aug 1994 | A |
5338313 | Mollenauer et al. | Aug 1994 | A |
5342315 | Rowe et al. | Aug 1994 | A |
5342385 | Norelli et al. | Aug 1994 | A |
5350364 | Stephens et al. | Sep 1994 | A |
5353786 | Wilk | Oct 1994 | A |
5354280 | Haber et al. | Oct 1994 | A |
5360417 | Gravener et al. | Nov 1994 | A |
5364345 | Lowery et al. | Nov 1994 | A |
5364372 | Danks et al. | Nov 1994 | A |
5366446 | Tal et al. | Nov 1994 | A |
5366478 | Brinkerhoff et al. | Nov 1994 | A |
5368545 | Schaller et al. | Nov 1994 | A |
5375588 | Yoon | Dec 1994 | A |
5380288 | Hart et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5383861 | Hempel et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5385552 | Haber et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5385553 | Hart et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
5385560 | Wulf | Jan 1995 | A |
5389080 | Yoon | Feb 1995 | A |
5389081 | Castro | Feb 1995 | A |
5391153 | Haber et al. | Feb 1995 | A |
5391156 | Hildwein et al. | Feb 1995 | A |
5395367 | Wilk | Mar 1995 | A |
5403264 | Wohlers et al. | Apr 1995 | A |
5403336 | Kieturakis et al. | Apr 1995 | A |
5407433 | Loomas | Apr 1995 | A |
5411483 | Loomas | May 1995 | A |
5413571 | Katsaros et al. | May 1995 | A |
5423848 | Washizuka et al. | Jun 1995 | A |
5429609 | Yoon | Jul 1995 | A |
5431676 | Durdal et al. | Jul 1995 | A |
5437683 | Neumann et al. | Aug 1995 | A |
5439455 | Kieturakis et al. | Aug 1995 | A |
5441486 | Yoon | Aug 1995 | A |
5443452 | Hart et al. | Aug 1995 | A |
5456284 | Ryan et al. | Oct 1995 | A |
5460170 | Hammerslag | Oct 1995 | A |
5460616 | Weinstein et al. | Oct 1995 | A |
5468248 | Chin et al. | Nov 1995 | A |
5476475 | Gadberry | Dec 1995 | A |
5480410 | Cuschieri et al. | Jan 1996 | A |
5486426 | McGee et al. | Jan 1996 | A |
5490843 | Hildwein et al. | Feb 1996 | A |
5492304 | Smith et al. | Feb 1996 | A |
5496280 | Vandenbroek et al. | Mar 1996 | A |
5503112 | Luhman et al. | Apr 1996 | A |
5507758 | Thomason et al. | Apr 1996 | A |
5508334 | Chen | Apr 1996 | A |
5511564 | Wilk | Apr 1996 | A |
5514109 | Mollenauer et al. | May 1996 | A |
5514133 | Golub et al. | May 1996 | A |
5514153 | Bonutti | May 1996 | A |
5518278 | Sampson | May 1996 | A |
5520632 | Leveen | May 1996 | A |
5522791 | Leyva | Jun 1996 | A |
5522824 | Ashby | Jun 1996 | A |
5524644 | Crook | Jun 1996 | A |
5526536 | Cartmill | Jun 1996 | A |
5531758 | Uschold et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
5538509 | Dunlap et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
5540648 | Yoon | Jul 1996 | A |
5540711 | Kieturakis et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
5545150 | Danks et al. | Aug 1996 | A |
5545179 | Williamson, IV | Aug 1996 | A |
5549563 | Kronner | Aug 1996 | A |
5549637 | Crainich | Aug 1996 | A |
5554124 | Alvarado | Sep 1996 | A |
5562632 | Davila et al. | Oct 1996 | A |
5562677 | Hildwein et al. | Oct 1996 | A |
5562688 | Riza | Oct 1996 | A |
5571115 | Nicholas | Nov 1996 | A |
5571137 | Marlow et al. | Nov 1996 | A |
5575799 | Bolanos et al. | Nov 1996 | A |
5577993 | Zhu et al. | Nov 1996 | A |
5578048 | Pasqualucci et al. | Nov 1996 | A |
5580344 | Hasson | Dec 1996 | A |
5584850 | Hart et al. | Dec 1996 | A |
5601579 | Semertzides | Feb 1997 | A |
5601581 | Fogarty et al. | Feb 1997 | A |
5603702 | Smith et al. | Feb 1997 | A |
5607443 | Kieturakis et al. | Mar 1997 | A |
5620415 | Lucey et al. | Apr 1997 | A |
5620420 | Kriesel | Apr 1997 | A |
5628732 | Antoon, Jr. et al. | May 1997 | A |
5632284 | Graether | May 1997 | A |
5632979 | Goldberg et al. | May 1997 | A |
5634911 | Hermann et al. | Jun 1997 | A |
5634936 | Linden et al. | Jun 1997 | A |
5634937 | Mollenauer et al. | Jun 1997 | A |
5636645 | Ou | Jun 1997 | A |
5640977 | Leahy et al. | Jun 1997 | A |
5643301 | Mollenauer | Jul 1997 | A |
5649550 | Crook | Jul 1997 | A |
5651771 | Tangherlini et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
5653705 | de la Torre et al. | Aug 1997 | A |
5657963 | Hinchliffe et al. | Aug 1997 | A |
5658272 | Hasson | Aug 1997 | A |
5658306 | Kieturakis et al. | Aug 1997 | A |
5662615 | Blake, III | Sep 1997 | A |
5672168 | de la Torre et al. | Sep 1997 | A |
5681341 | Lunsford et al. | Oct 1997 | A |
5683378 | Christy | Nov 1997 | A |
5685854 | Green et al. | Nov 1997 | A |
5685857 | Negus et al. | Nov 1997 | A |
5697914 | Brimhall | Dec 1997 | A |
5707703 | Rothrum et al. | Jan 1998 | A |
5709664 | Vandenbroek et al. | Jan 1998 | A |
5713858 | Heruth et al. | Feb 1998 | A |
5713869 | Morejon | Feb 1998 | A |
5720730 | Blake, III | Feb 1998 | A |
5725536 | Oberlin et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5728103 | Picha et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5730748 | Fogarty et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
5735791 | Alexander et al. | Apr 1998 | A |
5738628 | Sierocuk et al. | Apr 1998 | A |
5741234 | Aboul-Hosn | Apr 1998 | A |
5741298 | MacLeod | Apr 1998 | A |
5743884 | Hasson et al. | Apr 1998 | A |
5749882 | Hart et al. | May 1998 | A |
5755660 | Tyagi | May 1998 | A |
5760117 | Chen | Jun 1998 | A |
5769783 | Fowler | Jun 1998 | A |
5782812 | Hart et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
5782817 | Franzel et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
5782859 | Nicholas et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
5788676 | Yoon | Aug 1998 | A |
5792119 | Marx | Aug 1998 | A |
5795290 | Bridges | Aug 1998 | A |
5803919 | Hart et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5803921 | Bonadio | Sep 1998 | A |
5803923 | Singh-Derewa et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5807350 | Diaz | Sep 1998 | A |
5810712 | Dunn | Sep 1998 | A |
5810721 | Mueller et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5813409 | Leahy et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5814026 | Yoon | Sep 1998 | A |
5817062 | Flom et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
5819375 | Kastner | Oct 1998 | A |
5820555 | Watkins, III et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
5820600 | Carlson et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
5830191 | Hildwein et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
5832925 | Rothrum | Nov 1998 | A |
5836871 | Wallace et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
5841298 | Huang | Nov 1998 | A |
5842971 | Yoon | Dec 1998 | A |
5848992 | Hart et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
5853395 | Crook et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
5853417 | Fogarty et al. | Dec 1998 | A |
5857461 | Levitsky et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
5860995 | Berkelaar | Jan 1999 | A |
5865728 | Moll et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5865729 | Meehan et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5865807 | Blake, III | Feb 1999 | A |
5865817 | Moenning et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5871474 | Hermann et al. | Feb 1999 | A |
5876413 | Fogarty et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
5879368 | Hoskin et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
5882344 | Stouder, Jr. | Mar 1999 | A |
5884639 | Chen | Mar 1999 | A |
5894843 | Benetti et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
5895377 | Smith et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
5899208 | Bonadio | May 1999 | A |
5899913 | Fogarty et al. | May 1999 | A |
5904703 | Gilson | May 1999 | A |
5906577 | Beane et al. | May 1999 | A |
5913847 | Yoon | Jun 1999 | A |
5916198 | Dillow | Jun 1999 | A |
5916232 | Hart | Jun 1999 | A |
5919476 | Fischer et al. | Jul 1999 | A |
5931832 | Jensen | Aug 1999 | A |
5947922 | MacLeod | Sep 1999 | A |
5951467 | Picha et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
5951588 | Moenning | Sep 1999 | A |
5957888 | Hinchiffe et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
5957913 | de la Torre et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
5962572 | Chen | Oct 1999 | A |
5964781 | Mollenauer et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
5976174 | Ruiz | Nov 1999 | A |
5989232 | Yoon | Nov 1999 | A |
5989233 | Yoon | Nov 1999 | A |
5989266 | Foster | Nov 1999 | A |
5993471 | Riza et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
5993485 | Beckers | Nov 1999 | A |
5994450 | Pearce | Nov 1999 | A |
5997515 | de la Torre et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
6004303 | Peterson | Dec 1999 | A |
6010494 | Schafer et al. | Jan 2000 | A |
6017355 | Hessel et al. | Jan 2000 | A |
6018094 | Fox | Jan 2000 | A |
6024736 | de la Torre et al. | Feb 2000 | A |
6025067 | Fay | Feb 2000 | A |
6033426 | Kaji | Mar 2000 | A |
6033428 | Sardella | Mar 2000 | A |
6035559 | Freed et al. | Mar 2000 | A |
6042573 | Lucey | Mar 2000 | A |
6045535 | Ben Nun | Apr 2000 | A |
6048309 | Flom et al. | Apr 2000 | A |
6050871 | Chen | Apr 2000 | A |
6053934 | Andrews et al. | Apr 2000 | A |
6059816 | Moenning | May 2000 | A |
6066117 | Fox et al. | May 2000 | A |
6068639 | Fogarty et al. | May 2000 | A |
6077288 | Shimomura | Jun 2000 | A |
6086603 | Termin et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
6090043 | Austin et al. | Jul 2000 | A |
6099506 | Macoviak et al. | Aug 2000 | A |
6110154 | Shimomura et al. | Aug 2000 | A |
6123689 | To | Sep 2000 | A |
6142935 | Flom et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6142936 | Beane et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6149642 | Gerhart et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6150608 | Wambeke et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6159182 | Davis | Dec 2000 | A |
6162172 | Cosgrove et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6162196 | Hart et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6162206 | Bindokas | Dec 2000 | A |
6163949 | Neuenschwander | Dec 2000 | A |
6164279 | Tweedle | Dec 2000 | A |
6171282 | Ragsdale | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6183486 | Snow et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6197002 | Peterson | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6217555 | Hart et al. | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6217590 | Levinson | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6224612 | Bates et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6228063 | Aboul-Hosn | May 2001 | B1 |
6238373 | de la Torre et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6241768 | Agarwal et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6254533 | Fadem et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6254534 | Butler et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6258065 | Dennis et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6264604 | Kieturakis et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6267751 | Mangosong | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6276661 | Laird | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6287280 | Lampropoulos et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6315770 | de la Torre et al. | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6319246 | de la Torre et al. | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6322541 | West | Nov 2001 | B2 |
6325384 | Berry, Sr. et al. | Dec 2001 | B1 |
6346074 | Roth | Feb 2002 | B1 |
6371968 | Kogasaka et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6382211 | Crook | May 2002 | B1 |
6383162 | Sugarbaker | May 2002 | B1 |
6391043 | Moll et al. | May 2002 | B1 |
6413244 | Bestetti et al. | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6413458 | Pearce | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6420475 | Chen | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6423036 | Van Huizen | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6440061 | Wenner et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6440063 | Beane et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6443957 | Addis | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6447489 | Peterson | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6450983 | Rambo | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6454783 | Piskun | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6464686 | O'Hara et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6468292 | Mollenauer et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6482181 | Racenet et al. | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6485435 | Bakal | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6485467 | Crook et al. | Nov 2002 | B1 |
6488620 | Segermark et al. | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6488692 | Spence et al. | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6494893 | Dubrul et al. | Dec 2002 | B2 |
6527787 | Fogarty et al. | Mar 2003 | B1 |
6533734 | Corley, III et al. | Mar 2003 | B1 |
6551270 | Bimbo et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
6551276 | Mann et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
6551344 | Thill | Apr 2003 | B2 |
6552109 | Chen | Apr 2003 | B1 |
6554793 | Pauker et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
6558371 | Dorn | May 2003 | B2 |
6569120 | Green | May 2003 | B1 |
6578577 | Bonadio et al. | Jun 2003 | B2 |
6579281 | Palmer et al. | Jun 2003 | B2 |
6582364 | Butler et al. | Jun 2003 | B2 |
6589167 | Shimomura et al. | Jul 2003 | B1 |
6589211 | MacLeod | Jul 2003 | B1 |
6607504 | Haarala et al. | Aug 2003 | B2 |
6613952 | Rambo | Sep 2003 | B2 |
6623426 | Bonadio et al. | Sep 2003 | B2 |
6627275 | Chen | Sep 2003 | B1 |
6663598 | Carrillo et al. | Dec 2003 | B1 |
6669674 | Macoviak et al. | Dec 2003 | B1 |
6676639 | Ternström | Jan 2004 | B1 |
6702787 | Racenet et al. | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6705989 | Cuschieri et al. | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6706050 | Giannadakis | Mar 2004 | B1 |
6714298 | Ryer | Mar 2004 | B2 |
6716201 | Blanco | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6723044 | Pulford et al. | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6723088 | Gaskill, III et al. | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6725080 | Melkent et al. | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6793621 | Butler et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6794440 | Chen | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6796940 | Bonadio et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6797765 | Pearce | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6800084 | Davison et al. | Oct 2004 | B2 |
6811546 | Callas et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
6814078 | Crook | Nov 2004 | B2 |
6814700 | Mueller et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
6817974 | Cooper et al. | Nov 2004 | B2 |
6830578 | O'Heeron et al. | Dec 2004 | B2 |
6837893 | Miller | Jan 2005 | B2 |
6840946 | Fogarty et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |
6840951 | de la Torre et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |
6846287 | Bonadio et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |
6860463 | Hartley | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6863674 | Kasahara et al. | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6866861 | Luhman | Mar 2005 | B1 |
6867253 | Chen | Mar 2005 | B1 |
6869393 | Butler | Mar 2005 | B2 |
6878110 | Yang et al. | Apr 2005 | B2 |
6884253 | McFarlane | Apr 2005 | B1 |
6890295 | Michels et al. | May 2005 | B2 |
6895965 | Scarberry et al. | May 2005 | B2 |
6902541 | McNally et al. | Jun 2005 | B2 |
6902569 | Parmer et al. | Jun 2005 | B2 |
6908430 | Caldwell et al. | Jun 2005 | B2 |
6909220 | Chen | Jun 2005 | B2 |
6913609 | Yencho et al. | Jul 2005 | B2 |
6916310 | Sommerich | Jul 2005 | B2 |
6916331 | Mollenauer et al. | Jul 2005 | B2 |
6929637 | Gonzalez et al. | Aug 2005 | B2 |
6936037 | Bubb et al. | Aug 2005 | B2 |
6939296 | Ewers et al. | Sep 2005 | B2 |
6945932 | Caldwell et al. | Sep 2005 | B1 |
6958037 | Ewers et al. | Oct 2005 | B2 |
6972026 | Caldwell et al. | Dec 2005 | B1 |
6979324 | Bybordi et al. | Dec 2005 | B2 |
6991602 | Nakazawa et al. | Jan 2006 | B2 |
6997909 | Goldberg | Feb 2006 | B2 |
7001397 | Davison et al. | Feb 2006 | B2 |
7008377 | Beane et al. | Mar 2006 | B2 |
7014628 | Bousquet | Mar 2006 | B2 |
7033319 | Pulford et al. | Apr 2006 | B2 |
7052454 | Taylor | May 2006 | B2 |
7056304 | Bacher et al. | Jun 2006 | B2 |
7056321 | Pagliuca et al. | Jun 2006 | B2 |
7067583 | Chen | Jun 2006 | B2 |
7077852 | Fogarty et al. | Jul 2006 | B2 |
7081089 | Bonadio et al. | Jul 2006 | B2 |
7083626 | Hart et al. | Aug 2006 | B2 |
7093599 | Chen | Aug 2006 | B2 |
7100614 | Stevens et al. | Sep 2006 | B2 |
7101353 | Lui et al. | Sep 2006 | B2 |
7105009 | Johnson | Sep 2006 | B2 |
7105607 | Chen | Sep 2006 | B2 |
7112185 | Hart et al. | Sep 2006 | B2 |
7118528 | Piskun | Oct 2006 | B1 |
7134929 | Chen | Nov 2006 | B2 |
7153261 | Wenchell | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7163510 | Kahle et al. | Jan 2007 | B2 |
7192436 | Sing et al. | Mar 2007 | B2 |
7193002 | Chen | Mar 2007 | B2 |
7195590 | Butler et al. | Mar 2007 | B2 |
7214185 | Rosney et al. | May 2007 | B1 |
7217277 | Parihar et al. | May 2007 | B2 |
7222380 | Chen | May 2007 | B2 |
7223257 | Shubayev et al. | May 2007 | B2 |
7223278 | Davison et al. | May 2007 | B2 |
7226484 | Chen | Jun 2007 | B2 |
7235062 | Brustad | Jun 2007 | B2 |
7235084 | Skakoon et al. | Jun 2007 | B2 |
7238154 | Ewers et al. | Jul 2007 | B2 |
7244244 | Racenet et al. | Jul 2007 | B2 |
7276075 | Callas et al. | Oct 2007 | B1 |
7290367 | Chen | Nov 2007 | B2 |
7294103 | Bertolero et al. | Nov 2007 | B2 |
7297106 | Yamada et al. | Nov 2007 | B2 |
7300399 | Bonadio et al. | Nov 2007 | B2 |
7316699 | McFarlane | Jan 2008 | B2 |
7331940 | Sommerich | Feb 2008 | B2 |
7338473 | Campbell et al. | Mar 2008 | B2 |
7344546 | Wulfman et al. | Mar 2008 | B2 |
7344547 | Piskun | Mar 2008 | B2 |
7344568 | Chen | Mar 2008 | B2 |
7377898 | Ewers et al. | May 2008 | B2 |
7390317 | Taylor et al. | Jun 2008 | B2 |
7393322 | Wenchell | Jul 2008 | B2 |
7412977 | Fields et al. | Aug 2008 | B2 |
7445597 | Butler et al. | Nov 2008 | B2 |
7473221 | Ewers et al. | Jan 2009 | B2 |
7481765 | Ewers et al. | Jan 2009 | B2 |
7537564 | Bonadio et al. | May 2009 | B2 |
7540839 | Butler et al. | Jun 2009 | B2 |
7559893 | Bonadio et al. | Jul 2009 | B2 |
7578832 | Johnson | Aug 2009 | B2 |
7645232 | Shluzas | Jan 2010 | B2 |
7650887 | Nguyen et al. | Jan 2010 | B2 |
7661164 | Chen | Feb 2010 | B2 |
7704207 | Albrecht et al. | Apr 2010 | B2 |
7717847 | Smith | May 2010 | B2 |
7727146 | Albrecht et al. | Jun 2010 | B2 |
7727255 | Taylor et al. | Jun 2010 | B2 |
7736306 | Brustad et al. | Jun 2010 | B2 |
7749415 | Brustad et al. | Jul 2010 | B2 |
7753901 | Piskun et al. | Jul 2010 | B2 |
7758500 | Boyd et al. | Jul 2010 | B2 |
7766824 | Jensen et al. | Aug 2010 | B2 |
7811251 | Wenchell et al. | Oct 2010 | B2 |
7815567 | Albrecht et al. | Oct 2010 | B2 |
7837612 | Gill et al. | Nov 2010 | B2 |
7850667 | Gresham | Dec 2010 | B2 |
7867164 | Butler et al. | Jan 2011 | B2 |
7878974 | Brustad et al. | Feb 2011 | B2 |
7896889 | Mazzocchi et al. | Mar 2011 | B2 |
7909760 | Albrecht et al. | Mar 2011 | B2 |
7930782 | Chen | Apr 2011 | B2 |
20010037053 | Bonadio et al. | Nov 2001 | A1 |
20010047188 | Bonadio et al. | Nov 2001 | A1 |
20020002324 | McManus | Jan 2002 | A1 |
20020010389 | Butler et al. | Jan 2002 | A1 |
20020013542 | Bonadio et al. | Jan 2002 | A1 |
20020016607 | Bonadio et al. | Feb 2002 | A1 |
20020026230 | Moll et al. | Feb 2002 | A1 |
20020038077 | de la Torre et al. | Mar 2002 | A1 |
20020072762 | Bonadio et al. | Jun 2002 | A1 |
20020111536 | Cuschieri et al. | Aug 2002 | A1 |
20030004253 | Chen | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20030014076 | Mollenauer et al. | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20030028179 | Piskun | Feb 2003 | A1 |
20030040711 | Racenet et al. | Feb 2003 | A1 |
20030078478 | Bonadio et al. | Apr 2003 | A1 |
20030139756 | Brustad | Jul 2003 | A1 |
20030167040 | Bacher et al. | Sep 2003 | A1 |
20030187376 | Rambo | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20030192553 | Rambo | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20030225392 | McMichael et al. | Dec 2003 | A1 |
20030236505 | Bonadio et al. | Dec 2003 | A1 |
20030236549 | Bonadio et al. | Dec 2003 | A1 |
20040015185 | Ewers et al. | Jan 2004 | A1 |
20040024363 | Goldberg | Feb 2004 | A1 |
20040049099 | Ewers et al. | Mar 2004 | A1 |
20040049100 | Butler | Mar 2004 | A1 |
20040054353 | Taylor | Mar 2004 | A1 |
20040063833 | Chen | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20040068232 | Hart et al. | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20040070187 | Chen | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20040072942 | Chen | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20040073090 | Butler | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20040092795 | Bonadio et al. | May 2004 | A1 |
20040092796 | Butler et al. | May 2004 | A1 |
20040093018 | Johnson | May 2004 | A1 |
20040097793 | Butler et al. | May 2004 | A1 |
20040106942 | Taylor | Jun 2004 | A1 |
20040111061 | Curran | Jun 2004 | A1 |
20040127772 | Ewers et al. | Jul 2004 | A1 |
20040138529 | Wiltshire et al. | Jul 2004 | A1 |
20040143158 | Hart et al. | Jul 2004 | A1 |
20040154624 | Bonadio et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
20040167559 | Taylor et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
20040173218 | Yamada et al. | Sep 2004 | A1 |
20040215063 | Bonadio et al. | Oct 2004 | A1 |
20040230161 | Zeiner | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20040243144 | Bonadio et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20040249248 | Bonadio et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20040254426 | Wenchell | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20040260244 | Piechowicz et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20040267096 | Caldwell et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20050020884 | Hart et al. | Jan 2005 | A1 |
20050033246 | Ahlbert et al. | Feb 2005 | A1 |
20050059865 | Kahle et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20050065475 | Hart et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20050065543 | Kahle et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20050090713 | Gonzales et al. | Apr 2005 | A1 |
20050090716 | Bonadio et al. | Apr 2005 | A1 |
20050090717 | Bonadio et al. | Apr 2005 | A1 |
20050096695 | Olich | May 2005 | A1 |
20050131349 | Albrecht et al. | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20050148823 | Vaugh et al. | Jul 2005 | A1 |
20050155611 | Vaugh et al. | Jul 2005 | A1 |
20050159647 | Hart et al. | Jul 2005 | A1 |
20050192483 | Bonadio et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20050192598 | Johnson et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20050197537 | Bonadio et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20050203346 | Bonadio et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20050209510 | Bonadio et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20050222582 | Wenchell | Oct 2005 | A1 |
20050240082 | Bonadio et al. | Oct 2005 | A1 |
20050241647 | Nguyen | Nov 2005 | A1 |
20050251124 | Zvuloni et al. | Nov 2005 | A1 |
20050261720 | Caldwell et al. | Nov 2005 | A1 |
20050267419 | Smith | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20050277946 | Greenhalgh | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20050283050 | Gundlapalli et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20050288558 | Ewers et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20050288634 | O'Heeron et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20060020164 | Butler et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20060020241 | Piskun et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20060030755 | Ewers et al. | Feb 2006 | A1 |
20060041270 | Lenker | Feb 2006 | A1 |
20060047284 | Gresham | Mar 2006 | A1 |
20060047293 | Haberland et al. | Mar 2006 | A1 |
20060052669 | Hart | Mar 2006 | A1 |
20060084842 | Hart et al. | Apr 2006 | A1 |
20060106402 | McLucas | May 2006 | A1 |
20060129165 | Edoga et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20060149137 | Pingleton et al. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
20060149306 | Hart et al. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
20060161049 | Beane et al. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
20060161050 | Butler et al. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
20060241651 | Wilk | Oct 2006 | A1 |
20060247498 | Bonadio et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060247499 | Butler et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060247500 | Voegele et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060247516 | Hess et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060247586 | Voegele et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060247673 | Voegele et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060247678 | Weisenburgh, II et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060258899 | Gill et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060264706 | Piskun | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20060270911 | Voegele et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20070004968 | Bonadio et al. | Jan 2007 | A1 |
20070049966 | Bonadio et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
20070093695 | Bonadio et al. | Apr 2007 | A1 |
20070118175 | Butler et al. | May 2007 | A1 |
20070151566 | Kahle et al. | Jul 2007 | A1 |
20070156023 | Frasier et al. | Jul 2007 | A1 |
20070203398 | Bonadio et al. | Aug 2007 | A1 |
20070208312 | Norton et al. | Sep 2007 | A1 |
20070255219 | Vaugh et al. | Nov 2007 | A1 |
20070299387 | Williams et al. | Dec 2007 | A1 |
20080027476 | Piskun | Jan 2008 | A1 |
20080048011 | Weller | Feb 2008 | A1 |
20080097162 | Bonadio et al. | Apr 2008 | A1 |
20080097163 | Butler et al. | Apr 2008 | A1 |
20080200767 | Ewers et al. | Aug 2008 | A1 |
20080255519 | Piskun et al. | Oct 2008 | A1 |
20080281161 | Albrecht et al. | Nov 2008 | A1 |
20080281162 | Albrecht et al. | Nov 2008 | A1 |
20090012477 | Norton et al. | Jan 2009 | A1 |
20090036745 | Bonadio et al. | Feb 2009 | A1 |
20090069837 | Bonadio et al. | Mar 2009 | A1 |
20090093683 | Richard et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
20090093752 | Richard et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
20090131754 | Ewers et al. | May 2009 | A1 |
20090137879 | Ewers et al. | May 2009 | A1 |
20090149714 | Bonadio | Jun 2009 | A1 |
20090182279 | Wenchell et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
20090187079 | Albrecht et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
20090227843 | Smith et al. | Sep 2009 | A1 |
20090292176 | Bonadio et al. | Nov 2009 | A1 |
20090326330 | Bonadio et al. | Dec 2009 | A1 |
20100063362 | Bonadio et al. | Mar 2010 | A1 |
20100063364 | Bonadio et al. | Mar 2010 | A1 |
20100081880 | Widenhouse et al. | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100081881 | Murray et al. | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100081995 | Widenhouse et al. | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100100043 | Racenet | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100113882 | Widenhouse et al. | May 2010 | A1 |
20100217087 | Bonadio et al. | Aug 2010 | A1 |
20100228091 | Widenhouse et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100228092 | Ortiz et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100228094 | Ortiz et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100240960 | Richard | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100249523 | Spiegel et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100249524 | Ransden et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100249525 | Shelton, IV et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100249694 | Choi et al. | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100261972 | Widenhouse et al. | Oct 2010 | A1 |
20100261975 | Huey et al. | Oct 2010 | A1 |
20100286484 | Stellon et al. | Nov 2010 | A1 |
20100298646 | Stellon et al. | Nov 2010 | A1 |
20110021877 | Fortier et al. | Jan 2011 | A1 |
20110028891 | Okoniewski | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20110034935 | Kleyman | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20110034946 | Kleyman | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20110034947 | Kleyman | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20110071462 | Ewers et al. | Mar 2011 | A1 |
20110071463 | Ewers et al. | Mar 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
26 05 148 | Aug 1977 | DE |
33 36 279 | Jan 1986 | DE |
37 39 532 | Dec 1988 | DE |
37 37 121 | May 1989 | DE |
296 00 939 | Jun 1996 | DE |
19828009 | Dec 1999 | DE |
0113520 | Jul 1984 | EP |
0142262 | May 1985 | EP |
0 517 248 | Dec 1992 | EP |
0537768 | Apr 1993 | EP |
0 807 416 | Nov 1997 | EP |
0 849 517 | Jun 1998 | EP |
0950376 | Oct 1999 | EP |
1118657 | Jul 2001 | EP |
1 125 552 | Aug 2001 | EP |
1312318 | May 2003 | EP |
1 407 715 | Apr 2004 | EP |
2044889 | Apr 2009 | EP |
1456623 | Sep 1966 | FR |
1151993 | May 1969 | GB |
1355611 | Jun 1974 | GB |
1372491 | Oct 1974 | GB |
1379772 | Jan 1975 | GB |
1400808 | Jul 1975 | GB |
1407023 | Sep 1975 | GB |
1482857 | Aug 1977 | GB |
1496696 | Dec 1977 | GB |
2071502 | Sep 1981 | GB |
2255019 | Oct 1992 | GB |
2275420 | Aug 1994 | GB |
2298906 | Sep 1996 | GB |
930649 | Sep 1993 | IE |
930650 | Sep 1993 | IE |
S940150 | Feb 1994 | IE |
S940613 | Aug 1994 | IE |
S940960 | Dec 1994 | IE |
S950055 | Jan 1995 | IE |
S950266 | Apr 1995 | IE |
S75368 | Aug 1997 | IE |
S960196 | Aug 1997 | IE |
S970810 | Nov 1997 | IE |
991010 | Jul 2000 | IE |
990218 | Nov 2000 | IE |
990219 | Nov 2000 | IE |
990220 | Nov 2000 | IE |
990660 | Feb 2001 | IE |
990795 | Mar 2001 | IE |
10-108868 | Apr 1998 | JP |
11-290327 | Oct 1999 | JP |
2001-61850 | Mar 2001 | JP |
2002-28163 | Jan 2002 | JP |
02003 235879 | Aug 2003 | JP |
2004-195037 | Jul 2004 | JP |
1342485 | Jan 1997 | SU |
WO 8606272 | Nov 1986 | WO |
WO 8606316 | Nov 1986 | WO |
WO 9211880 | Jul 1992 | WO |
WO 9221292 | Dec 1992 | WO |
WO 9305740 | Apr 1993 | WO |
WO 9314801 | Aug 1993 | WO |
WO 9404067 | Mar 1994 | WO |
WO 9422357 | Oct 1994 | WO |
WO 9505207 | Feb 1995 | WO |
WO9507056 | Mar 1995 | WO |
WO 9507056 | Mar 1995 | WO |
WO 9522289 | Aug 1995 | WO |
WO9522289 | Aug 1995 | WO |
WO9524864 | Sep 1995 | WO |
WO 9524864 | Sep 1995 | WO |
WO 9527445 | Oct 1995 | WO |
WO9527468 | Oct 1995 | WO |
WO 9527468 | Oct 1995 | WO |
WO 9636283 | Nov 1996 | WO |
WO9711642 | Apr 1997 | WO |
WO 9711642 | Apr 1997 | WO |
WO 9732514 | Sep 1997 | WO |
WO 9732515 | Sep 1997 | WO |
WO 9742889 | Nov 1997 | WO |
WO 9819853 | May 1998 | WO |
WO9819853 | May 1998 | WO |
WO 9835614 | Aug 1998 | WO |
WO9835614 | Aug 1998 | WO |
WO9848724 | Nov 1998 | WO |
WO 9848724 | Nov 1998 | WO |
WO 9903416 | Jan 1999 | WO |
WO9915068 | Apr 1999 | WO |
WO 9915068 | Apr 1999 | WO |
WO 9916368 | Apr 1999 | WO |
WO 9922804 | May 1999 | WO |
WO 9925268 | May 1999 | WO |
WO9925268 | May 1999 | WO |
WO 9929250 | Jun 1999 | WO |
WO 0032116 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO0032116 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO 0032117 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO 0032119 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO0032120 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO 0032120 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO0035356 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO 0035356 | Jun 2000 | WO |
WO0054675 | Sep 2000 | WO |
WO 0054675 | Sep 2000 | WO |
WO 0054676 | Sep 2000 | WO |
WO0054676 | Sep 2000 | WO |
WO0054677 | Sep 2000 | WO |
WO 0054677 | Sep 2000 | WO |
WO 0108563 | Feb 2001 | WO |
WO 0108581 | Feb 2001 | WO |
WO0108581 | Feb 2001 | WO |
WO 0126558 | Apr 2001 | WO |
WO0126559 | Apr 2001 | WO |
WO 0126559 | Apr 2001 | WO |
WO 0145568 | Jun 2001 | WO |
WO 0149363 | Jul 2001 | WO |
WO 0191652 | Dec 2001 | WO |
WO 0207611 | Jan 2002 | WO |
WO 0217800 | Mar 2002 | WO |
WO 0234108 | May 2002 | WO |
WO0234108 | May 2002 | WO |
WO 03011153 | Feb 2003 | WO |
WO 03011551 | Feb 2003 | WO |
WO 03026512 | Apr 2003 | WO |
WO03032819 | Apr 2003 | WO |
WO 03032819 | Apr 2003 | WO |
WO 03034908 | May 2003 | WO |
WO03034908 | May 2003 | WO |
WO03061480 | Jul 2003 | WO |
WO 03061480 | Jul 2003 | WO |
WO03077726 | Sep 2003 | WO |
WO 03077726 | Sep 2003 | WO |
WO 03103548 | Dec 2003 | WO |
WO03103548 | Dec 2003 | WO |
WO 2004026153 | Apr 2004 | WO |
WO 2004030547 | Apr 2004 | WO |
WO2004075730 | Sep 2004 | WO |
WO 2004075730 | Sep 2004 | WO |
WO2004075741 | Sep 2004 | WO |
WO 2004075741 | Sep 2004 | WO |
WO 2004075930 | Sep 2004 | WO |
WO2004075930 | Sep 2004 | WO |
WO 2005009257 | Feb 2005 | WO |
WO 2005034766 | Apr 2005 | WO |
WO2005034766 | Apr 2005 | WO |
WO 2005089661 | Sep 2005 | WO |
WO 2006040748 | Apr 2006 | WO |
WO 2006059318 | Jun 2006 | WO |
WO 2006100658 | Sep 2006 | WO |
WO 2008015566 | Feb 2008 | WO |
WO 2008093313 | Aug 2008 | WO |
WO 2008121294 | Oct 2008 | WO |
WO 2010082722 | Jul 2010 | WO |
WO 2010104259 | Sep 2010 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20110166424 A1 | Jul 2011 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60726826 | Oct 2005 | US | |
60803965 | Jun 2006 | US | |
60745730 | Apr 2006 | US | |
60828089 | Oct 2006 | US | |
60803346 | May 2006 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 11548758 | Oct 2006 | US |
Child | 13050042 | US |