This invention is directed to a single use closure assembly for a medical device having tamper evident capabilities and including a housing and a tip cap disposed in a captured orientation or retained position therein. Exertion of a predetermined force on the tip cap, concurrent to attachment to the medical device, will dispose a portion of the tip cap out of the captured orientation and into the retained position, wherein the tip cap remains in flow restricting engagement with the medical device in the retained position, until the medical device is disconnected from the housing.
In the medical field, it is a relatively common procedure for authorized medical personnel to order a drug or medication which is to be administered by injection or other procedures, including by intravenous (IV) infusion. It is also relatively common procedure for a number of medical administering or dispensing devices to be pre-loaded or filled, whether within the hospital or at another facility and location, which may be generally referred to as a filling station. However, such filling stations may be located in a remote part of the facility, relative to the patient care area where the medication to be administered.
Because of the remote location of many nurse's stations, relative to filling stations, a fluid or drug loaded medical device is often given to other personnel for delivery to a nurse's station. Also, in situations where an expensive or addictive drug that has been loaded in the medical device, there is an increased danger that attempts will be made to access the contents of the pre-loaded device by unauthorized personnel. This possibility can present a danger of substituting the preloaded medication with a saline or other fluid. By way of example, if a saline solution was substituted for a dose of morphine, the result could be extremely serious.
Thus, there is a problem of knowing if a sealed, preloaded syringe or other administering device has, or has not, been compromised by contamination, unauthorized substitution or other types of tampering. This and related types of problems have been described in one or more previously granted U.S. patents to one of the inventors herein, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,474.
In addition to the administration of drugs, medicine, etc., meaningful protection is required in the use of enteral feeding sets, like medical devices and accessories. As commonly recognized in the medical and related professions, the term “enteral” relates to the administration or removal of fluid in the form of liquid or gas to or from the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, enteral connectors and/or fixtures of the type referred to herein relate to medical devices or accessories which are intended for use in enteral applications.
Also, with regard to administering fluids to a patient by intravenous (IV) infusion, a variety of IV assemblies are known and are useful in the treatment of a number of medical conditions, as a variety of fluids and/or medicines can be administered to a patient utilizing such assemblies over a prescribed period of time and in controlled amounts. In use, a conventional IV administration assembly typically includes a reservoir or container, in the form of a bottle or flexible material bag, disposed in an elevated, suspended location substantially adjacent to the patient being treated. In addition, the IV fluid flows from the supported and elevated IV bag to the patient by means of elongated, flexible tubing connected at a proximal end to the IV bag and at the other distal end, connected intravenously to the patient by way of a catheter or like structure.
In periods of non-use, it is important to maintain closures of the type set forth herein in a closed and fluid sealed and/or flow restricting attachment to preloaded medical devices in order to maintain the sterility and integrity of the contents of a preloaded medical device, prior to use.
Therefore, regardless of the known or conventional attempts to provide a flow restricting closure having tamper evident capabilities structured to protect the contents of preloaded administering devices, certain problems still remain in this field of art. Accordingly, there is a need in this area for an improved, closure assembly which provides a secure and reliable flow restricting or sealing connection to the discharge port or fixture of a medical device such as, but not limited to, a female connector. If any such improved closure assembly were developed, it should also have tamper evident capabilities operative to provide a clear and reliable indication that use and/or attempted tampering with the medical dispensing device has occurred.
Further, if any such improved closure assembly were developed, it should also be capable of use, with little or no structural modification, with a variety of different medical administering or dispensing devices. Also, it may be beneficial and advantageous that any such improved closure assembly be structured for a single use application, thereby further providing an indication of prior use or tampering. Finally, any such improved closure assembly should also be structurally and operatively reliable, while still remaining cost effective to manufacture and assemble, in order to facilitate widespread use and acceptance throughout the medical profession.
The present invention is directed to a closure assembly for a medical device such as a medical dispensing or administering device including, but not limited to, a prefilled syringe. The structural and operative features of the one or more embodiments of the closure assembly include tamper evident capabilities and its intended application as a single use device.
More specifically, the closure assembly includes a housing having an access opening preferably formed at one end thereof and disposed in accessible, communicating relation with an at least partially hollow interior of the housing. A stop member is integrally or otherwise fixedly connected to interior portions of the housing and an end cap is connected in at least partially closing or covering relation to an end of the housing, which may be oppositely disposed to the access opening.
A tip cap is disposed within the hollow interior of the housing and includes a base and a flow restrictor. The flow restrictor is at least initially connected to the base but is detachable therefrom under certain operative conditions. In turn, the base is disposed within the housing in a “captured orientation”, between the stop member and a correspondingly disposed portion of the end cap. Moreover, in at least one embodiment, the “captured orientation” of the base may be further defined by the base not being directly attached or connected to interior portions of the housing and being loosely disposed between the stop member and the end cap.
In addition, the captured orientation may be further defined by a portion of the end cap being at least partially disposed in a supporting, retaining engagement with the base of the p cap. Such cooperative structuring between the base and a retaining portion of the end cap facilitates the aforementioned captured orientation as well as a disconnection of the flow restrictor from the base, as described in greater detail hereinafter. Moreover, the fact that the base is not directly attached or connected to the interior of the housing, when in the captured orientation, significantly facilitates the manufacture and assembling of the closure assembly in a time-saving, cost effective manner. As such, the need to weld, mold or otherwise connect the base directly to interior portions of the housing is eliminated. Therefore, when assembling the closure assembly, the tip cap, and in particular the base, may be manually or mechanically placed within the housing in the intended position, relative to the stop member and end cap.
In contrast to the base, and as indicated above, the flow restrictor of the tip cap is removably connected to the base and as such is not fixed within the housing. Therefore, in at least one preferred embodiment, the tip cap includes a frangible or other type of removable connection disposed in removable interconnecting relation between the base and a corresponding and/or contiguous portion of the flow restrictor. The frangible or other type of removable connection between the base and the flow restrictor is specifically structured to break or fail upon a predetermined force being applied to the flow restrictor. As set forth in detail hereinafter, such a predetermined force will be applied to the flow restrictor concurrent to the attachment of the housing to the medical device, with which it is used.
In more specific terms, the housing includes a connecting structure preferably, but not necessarily, a threaded connecting structure formed on the interior surface of the housing and preferably extending along at least a majority of the length thereof from the access opening to the stop member. The connecting structure and/or threaded connecting structure is cooperatively structured and dimensioned with the connecting structure on the medical device to establish the aforementioned rotational attachment of the housing to the medical device. Similarly, the aforementioned connecting structure and/or threaded connecting structure will facilitate the intended administering use of the medical device by a rotational detachment of the housing from the medical device.
As a result, a rotational attachment, including a rotational threaded attachment, of the housing on the medical device results in a flow restricting engagement of the flow restrictor with a discharge port or other discharge structure on the medical device. In turn, such a flow restricting engagement will result and be at least partially defined by an interacting engagement, such as an interacting frictional and/or resistance engagement, between the outer surface of the flow restrictor and corresponding surface, such as an inner surface of the cooperatively configured connecting structure associated with the discharge port or discharge structure of the medical device. Further, such interacting engagement between the above-noted corresponding surfaces will result in a force being exerted on the flow restrictor, as the housing is being rotationally attached and/or threaded onto the medical device. Upon a predetermined degree of force being exerted on the flow restrictor, while the housing is being rotationally attached to the medical device, the flow restrictor will be detached from the base. As indicated, such a detachment of the flow restrictor from the base will be the result of an intended failure or breakage of the frangible or other type removable interconnection between the base and a correspondingly disposed portion of the flow restrictor.
However, the aforementioned interacting frictional or resistance engagement between the flow restrictor and the discharge port or discharge structure of the medical device will be sufficient to maintain the flow restrictor in flow restricting engagement with the medical device, even when the flow restrictor is detached from the base. In addition, the flow restrictor will be disposed in a “retained position” within the housing when disconnected from the base and, whether or not the flow restrictor is disposed in flow restricting relation to the medical device. For purposes of clarity, the term “retained position” is used herein to describe the flow restrictor being disconnected or detached from the base and being disposed into or out of flow restricting relation to the medical device. Also, the “retained position” of the flow restrictor may also be defined by at least a portion of the flow restrictor disposed within the interior of the housing between the end cap in the stop member.
Further, the stop member will be structured and disposed within the housing in removal restricting relation to the flow restrictor. In more specific terms, the stop member will be disposed in interruptive relation to passage of at least a portion of the flow restrictor out of the housing, through the access opening. Therefore, such an interruptive, removal restricting disposition of the stop member, relative to the flow restrictor, will prevent removal of the flow restrictor from the interior of the housing, through the access opening.
As described in greater detail hereinafter, the aforementioned interacting frictional and/or resistance engagement is facilitated by structuring of the flow restrictor to include an outwardly converging tapered configuration. Such a tapered configuration may also be defined by the flow restrictor comprising a plug in the form of a male Lure connector. In cooperation therewith, the connector associated with the discharge structure of the medical device may be the form of a female Luer connector. As a result, disposition of the male lure connector in flow restricting relation within the female Luer connector of the discharge port will result in the interacting engagement between the correspondingly disposed outer tapered surfaces thereof.
As indicated, such interacting engagement, which at least partially defines the flow restricting engagement between the housing in the medical device, is established as the housing is attached to the medical device and is maintained, after detachment of the flow restrictor from the base. Moreover, the provision of a threaded or like connecting structure within the housing being disposed in mating engagement with a cooperatively dimensioned and disposed connecting structurer on the medical device, will force the aforementioned tapered surfaces into the interacting engagement with one another. As the housing continues to be rotationally attached or “threaded” onto the medical device, a force will be exerted on the flow restrictor. Therefore, the maintaining of the flow restrictor in flow restricting relation to the discharge structure of the medical device, even upon disconnection of the flow restrictor with the base, is accomplished and at least partially dependent on the dimension, structure and configuration of a male configured flow restrictor and a cooperatively dimensioned female configured connector (discharge port) on the medical device.
As generally indicated above, once the flow restrictor is detached from the base, the maintenance of the flow restrictor in a retained position within the housing is accomplished by a cooperative positioning, dimensioning and structuring of the stop member and at least a portion of the flow restrictor. More specifically, the stop member is integrally or otherwise fixedly connected to the interior surface or other interior portions of the housing. Further, in at least one embodiment, the stop member extends outwardly from the interior surface to which it is connected, inwardly towards a center area of the housing. As a result, a passage or opening will be provided in the stop member and/or between the stop member and an interior portion of the housing. Such opening or passage is dimensioned to allow disposition of the flow restrictor at least partially there through, so as to be readily accessible by the medical device entering the housing through the access opening.
However, at least a portion of the flow restrictor, such as that portion removably connected to the base, is dimensioned and/or configured to not pass through or beyond the stop member. As a result, the entirety of the flow restrictor will not be able to pass beyond the stop member, such as through the open area of the stop member, towards the access opening. Therefore, the stop member can be accurately described as being disposed in a removal restricting relation and/or interruptive relation to passage of the flow restrictor from the interior of the housing through to the access opening. Accordingly, the flow restrictor will be maintained in the “retained position” within the interior of the housing when detached from the base and also when the housing is disconnected from the medical device.
Additional structural d operative features of at least one embodiment of the closure assembly include the end cap having a retaining member or structure and an at least partially open interior. As such, the retaining structure will extend into the interior of the housing and be disposed in supporting, at least partially capturing engagement with the base of the tip cap. Such supporting engagement will at least partially define the captured orientation of the base, between the retaining portion of the end cap and stop member. Upon disconnection of the flow restrictor from the base, and detachment of the housing from the medical device, the flow restrictor may “fall”, such as by gravity, or otherwise be disposed into the retained position, within the open interior of the end cap.
As indicated herein, the closure assembly of the present invention may be structured to be a single use device. This is accomplished by disposition of the flow restrictor into the retained position within the interior of the housing or within the open interior of the end cap, after detachment of the housing from the medical device. Accordingly, when the flow restrictor is in the retained position, it will not be able to be sufficiently accessed or engaged by the medical device to accomplish a fluid restricting connection therebetween. More specifically, an attempt to reuse the closure assembly, after once having been detached from the medical device, may result in the discharge port thereof being reinserted through the access opening concurrent to the corresponding connecting structures of the medical device and the closure assembly being reattached, such as by the aforementioned rotational threaded attachment therebetween.
However, as the connecting structure of the medical device advances into the interior of the housing it will eventually engage the aforementioned stop member. The location of the stop member within the housing will prevent the discharge port or discharge structure thereof from engaging the flow restrictor and prevent establishment of the aforementioned interacting engagement between the corresponding surfaces of the discharge port and flow restrictor. The flow restrictor is freely movable, once having been detached from the medical device and being in the retained position. Therefore, there will not be a sufficiently stable positioning of the flow restrictor to accomplish the interacting engagement with the connecting structures of the medical device and the flow restrictor. Accordingly, while the housing may be reconnected to the medical device by the aforementioned rotational attachment, the flow restrictor will remain freely movable in the retained position out of a sufficiently accessible location to be connected in flow restricting engagement with the medical device. This inability to “reuse” the closure assembly in the intended flow restricting manner will be at least one indicator of tampering or actual authorized use.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
As represented in the accompanying Figures, the present invention is directed to a closure assembly, generally indicated as 10, for a medical device such as a medical dispensing or administering device including, but not limited to, a prefilled syringe 100. The structural and operative features of the one or more embodiments of the closure assembly 10 include tamper evident capabilities and its intended application as a single use device. It is further emphasized that while the closure assembly 10 is represented herein for use with a prefilled syringe 100, it can also be used in the intended manner to establish a flow restricting connection with a variety of other medical administering or dispensing devices.
For purposes of clarity, and to facilitate the understanding of the structural and operative features of the closure assembly 10, the included Figures provide a substantially sequential representation of at least one exemplified use of the closure assembly 10. As such,
With initial reference to
The housing 12 also includes an end cap 20 which may be connected in at least partially closing or covering relation to an end 22 of the housing 12. As further represented, the end cap may be substantially oppositely disposed to the access opening 14 and be located on the opposite side of the stop member 16 relative to the access opening 14. The end cap 20 may be fixedly attached by welding or other appropriate techniques in its intended closing or covering position relative to the end 22 of the housing 12. Further, the end cap 20 may include an end cap base 24 and a retaining structure 26 cooperatively disposed and structured relative to the stop member 16, as described in greater detail hereinafter.
Still referring to
In order to facilitate the intended operative features of the closure assembly 10 including, but not limited to, an intended disconnection of the flow restrictor 34 from the base 32, the “captured orientation” may be further defined by inner end portion 26′ of the retaining structure 26, being disposed in at least partially capturing engagement with a corresponding side or surface of the base 32, as clearly represented throughout the Figures. Moreover, the fact that the base 32 is not directly attached or connected to the interior of the housing 12 and may be loosely disposed, when in the “captured orientation”, significantly facilitates the manufacture and assembling of the closure assembly 10 in a time-saving, cost effective manner. Such positioning and structuring of the base 32 eliminates the need to weld, mold or otherwise directly connect the base 32 to interior portions of the housing 12. As such, when assembling the closure assembly 10, the tip cap 30 may be manually or mechanically placed within the housing 12 in the intended position represented in at least
In contrast to the base 32, and as indicated above, the flow restrictor 34 of the tip cap 30 is removably connected to the base 32 and as such, is not fixed within the housing 12. Therefore, in at least one preferred embodiment of the closure assembly 10, the tip cap 30 includes a frangible or other type of removable connection 40, disposed in removable interconnecting relation between the base 32 and a corresponding and/or contiguous portion 35 of the flow restrictor 34. Further, the frangible or other type of removable connection 40 is intentionally structured to break or fail upon a predetermined force being applied to the flow restrictor 34. As set forth in detail hereinafter, such a predetermined force will be exerted on the flow restrictor 34 concurrent to the flow restrictor 34 being attached in flow restricting relation with the medical device 100, as the housing 12 is being connected to the medical device 100.
In more specific terms, the housing 12 includes a connecting structure 50 preferably, but not necessarily, in the form of a threaded connecting structure formed on the interior surface of the housing 12, and preferably extending continuously along at least a majority of the length thereof, between the access opening 14 and the stop member 16. The connecting structure and/or threaded connecting structure 50 is cooperatively structured, dimensioned and configured with the connecting structure 104 of the medical device 100, which may also be a threaded connecting structure. As represented, the connecting structure 104 of the medical device is formed on an outer portion of the discharge port 106, which is part of the discharge structure 102 of the medical device 100. This cooperative structuring between the connecting structure 50 of the housing 12 and the connecting structure 104 of the medical device 100 facilitates a rotational attachment of the housing 12 to the medical device 100. Similarly, the cooperatively structured connecting structures 50 and 100 will also facilitate a quick and easy use of the medical device 100 by facilitating a rotational detachment of the housing 12 from the discharge structure 102 and discharge port 106 of the medical device 100, as represented in
As represented in
The interacting engagement, which may be frictional, is facilitated by structuring of the flow restrictor 34 to include an outwardly converging tapered configuration. Such a tapered configuration may also be defined by the flow restrictor 34 comprising a plug in the form of a male Lure connector. In cooperation therewith, the discharge port 106 may serve as a connector of the medical device 100 and may be the form of a female Luer connector. As a result, disposition of the male lure connector (flow restrictor 34) in flow restricting relation within the female Luer connector (discharge port 106) will result in and be at least partially defined by the aforementioned interacting engagement between the correspondingly disposed outer and inner tapered surfaces of the flow restrictor 34 and discharge port 106, respectively. In turn, the interacting engagement will result in the exertion of a force on the flow restrictor during the attachment of the housing 12 to the medical device 100.
In more specific terms, a force will be exerted on the flow restrictor 34, due at least in part to the aforementioned interacting engagement between the outer surface 34′ and the inner surface of the discharge port 106. Such force will be exerted on the flow restrictor 34 while the housing 12 is being rotationally attached to the medical device 100, as also represented in
With primary reference to at least the sequentially representative
With further regard to
Once the flow restrictor 34 is disconnected from the base 32, it will be disposed in a “retained position” within the housing 12 as clearly represented in
By way of example, the flow restrictor 34 is represented as being disposed in the flow restricting engagement with the discharge port 106 in at least
In more specific terms, as the housing 12 is rotationally detached or unthreaded from the medical device 100, the flow restrictor 34 will at least initially move with the discharge port 106 due to the interacting engagement between corresponding surfaces thereof, as set forth above. However, eventually the portion 35 of the flow restrictor 34 will come into interruptive engagement with the stop member 16. Thereafter, a continued rotational detachment of the housing 12 will result in a further separation of the flow restrictor 34 from the discharge port 106, while the stop member 16 is in interruptive engagement with the portion 35. This continued separation of the housing 12 from the medical device 100 will result in a disconnection of the previously established flow restricting engagement between the flow restrictor 34 and the discharge port 106. Due to the fact that the flow restrictor 34 is then the freely movable within the interior of the housing 12, it will fall, drop or otherwise be disposed back into the interior of the housing 12 or open interior 28 of the end cap 20 and thereby remain in its “retained position” as clearly represented in
As should be apparent, once the flow restrictor 34 is detached from the base 32, the maintaining of the flow restrictor 34 in a retained position within the housing 12 is accomplished by a cooperative positioning, dimensioning and structuring of the aforementioned stop member 16 and at least the portion 35 of the flow restrictor 34. As indicated herein, the stop member 16 is integrally or otherwise fixedly connected to the interior portions of the housing 12 and extends outwardly from the interior surface to which it is connected and inwardly towards a center area of the housing 12. As a result, the passage or opening 18 is defined. The opening or passage 18 is dimensioned to allow disposition of the flow restrictor 34 at least partially there through, so as to be readily accessible by the medical device 100 entering the housing 12 through the access opening 14.
However, at least the portion 35 of the flow restrictor 34, previously connected to the base 32, is dimensioned and/or configured to prevent its passage through or beyond the stop member 16. Accordingly, the entirety of the flow restrictor 34 will not be able to pass beyond the stop member the 16, such as through the open area 18, towards the access opening 14. Therefore, the stop member 16 can be accurately described as being disposed in a “removal restricting” relation to the flow restrictor 34, relative to the access opening 14. The flow restrictor 34 will thereby be maintained in the aforementioned and described “retained position” within the interior of the housing 12, below the stop member 16, when detached from the base 32 and also when the housing 12 is rotationally detached from the medical device 100, as represented in
Additional structural and operative features of at least one embodiment of the closure assembly 10 includes the retaining structure 26 being in the form of a skirt having an at least partially curvilinear configuration and being disposed at least partially in surrounding relation to the open interior area 28. As such, the retaining structure or skirt 26 extends from the base 24 of the end cap 20 inwardly into the interior of the housing 12, wherein the end portion 26′ of the retaining skirt 26 is disposed in supporting, at least partially capturing engagement with the base 32.
As indicated herein, the closure assembly 10 of the present invention may be structured to be a single use device. As represented in
However, as the connecting structure 104 and discharge port 106 are advanced into the interior of the housing 12, an end or other correspondingly disposed portion 108 of the connecting structure 104 will eventually engage the stop member 16, as represented in
In addition, because the flow restrictor 34 is in the retained position of
Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
The present application is based on and a claim of priority is made under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) to a provisional patent application that is currently in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, namely, that having Ser. No. 62/482,490 and a filing date of Apr. 6, 2017, and which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
732662 | Smith | Jun 1903 | A |
1678991 | Marschalek | Jul 1928 | A |
1970631 | Sherman | Aug 1934 | A |
2477598 | Hain | Feb 1948 | A |
2739590 | Yochem | Mar 1956 | A |
2823674 | Yochem | Feb 1958 | A |
2834346 | Adams | May 1958 | A |
2875761 | Helmer et al. | Mar 1959 | A |
2888015 | Hunt | May 1959 | A |
2952255 | Hein, Jr. | Sep 1960 | A |
3122280 | Goda | Feb 1964 | A |
3245567 | Knight | Apr 1966 | A |
3323798 | Miller | Jun 1967 | A |
3364890 | Andersen | Jan 1968 | A |
3368673 | Johnson | Feb 1968 | A |
3598120 | Mass | Aug 1971 | A |
3610241 | LeMarie | Oct 1971 | A |
3700215 | Hardman et al. | Oct 1972 | A |
3706307 | Hasson | Dec 1972 | A |
3712749 | Roberts | Jan 1973 | A |
3747751 | Miller et al. | Apr 1973 | A |
3872867 | Killinger | Mar 1975 | A |
3904033 | Haerr | Sep 1975 | A |
3905375 | Toyama | Sep 1975 | A |
3937211 | Merten | Feb 1976 | A |
4005739 | Winchell | Feb 1977 | A |
4043334 | Brown et al. | Aug 1977 | A |
4046145 | Choksi et al. | Sep 1977 | A |
4068696 | Winchell | Jan 1978 | A |
4216585 | Hatter | Aug 1980 | A |
4216872 | Bean | Aug 1980 | A |
4244366 | Raines | Jan 1981 | A |
4252122 | Halvorsen | Feb 1981 | A |
4271972 | Thor | Jun 1981 | A |
4286591 | Raines | Sep 1981 | A |
4286640 | Knox et al. | Sep 1981 | A |
4313539 | Raines | Feb 1982 | A |
4369781 | Gilson et al. | Jan 1983 | A |
4420085 | Wilson et al. | Dec 1983 | A |
4430077 | Mittleman et al. | Feb 1984 | A |
4457445 | Hanks et al. | Jul 1984 | A |
D277783 | Beck | Feb 1985 | S |
4521237 | Logothetis | Jun 1985 | A |
4530697 | Kuhlemann et al. | Jul 1985 | A |
4571242 | Klein et al. | Feb 1986 | A |
4589171 | McGill | May 1986 | A |
4664259 | Landis | May 1987 | A |
4667837 | Vitello et al. | May 1987 | A |
4676530 | Nordgren et al. | Jun 1987 | A |
4693707 | Dye | Sep 1987 | A |
4726483 | Drozd | Feb 1988 | A |
4743229 | Chu | May 1988 | A |
4743231 | Kay et al. | May 1988 | A |
4760847 | Vaillancourt | Aug 1988 | A |
4813564 | Cooper et al. | Mar 1989 | A |
4832695 | Rosenberg et al. | May 1989 | A |
4834706 | Beck et al. | May 1989 | A |
4842592 | Caggiani et al. | Jun 1989 | A |
4844906 | Hermelin et al. | Jul 1989 | A |
4906231 | Young | Mar 1990 | A |
4919285 | Roof et al. | Apr 1990 | A |
4936445 | Grabenkort | Jun 1990 | A |
5009323 | Montgomery et al. | Apr 1991 | A |
5049129 | Zdeb et al. | Sep 1991 | A |
5051093 | Clegg et al. | Oct 1991 | A |
D323392 | Byrne | Jan 1992 | S |
5135496 | Vetter et al. | Aug 1992 | A |
5165560 | Enniss, III et al. | Nov 1992 | A |
5230429 | Etheredge, III | Jul 1993 | A |
5267983 | Oilschlager et al. | Dec 1993 | A |
5292308 | Ryan | Mar 1994 | A |
5293993 | Yates, Jr. et al. | Mar 1994 | A |
5295599 | Smith | Mar 1994 | A |
5312367 | Nathan | May 1994 | A |
5312368 | Haynes | May 1994 | A |
5328466 | Denmark | Jul 1994 | A |
5328474 | Raines | Jul 1994 | A |
5356380 | Hoekwater et al. | Oct 1994 | A |
5380295 | Vacca | Jan 1995 | A |
5405339 | Kohnen et al. | Apr 1995 | A |
5456668 | Ogle, II | Oct 1995 | A |
5458580 | Hajishoreh | Oct 1995 | A |
5468224 | Souryal | Nov 1995 | A |
5531695 | Swisher | Jul 1996 | A |
5540666 | Barta et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
5549571 | Sak | Aug 1996 | A |
5558648 | Shields | Sep 1996 | A |
5584817 | van den Haak | Dec 1996 | A |
5588239 | Anderson | Dec 1996 | A |
5624402 | Imbert | Apr 1997 | A |
5674209 | Yarger | Oct 1997 | A |
5695470 | Roussigne et al. | Dec 1997 | A |
5700247 | Grimard et al. | Dec 1997 | A |
5702374 | Johnson | Dec 1997 | A |
5713485 | Liff et al. | Feb 1998 | A |
5776124 | Wald | Jul 1998 | A |
5785691 | Vetter et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
5797885 | Rubin | Aug 1998 | A |
5807343 | Tucker et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5829589 | Nguyen et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
D402766 | Smith et al. | Dec 1998 | S |
5883806 | Meador et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
5884457 | Ortiz et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
5902269 | Jentzen | May 1999 | A |
5951522 | Rosato et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
5951525 | Thorne et al. | Sep 1999 | A |
5954657 | Rados | Sep 1999 | A |
5957166 | Safabash | Sep 1999 | A |
5963136 | O'Brien | Oct 1999 | A |
5989227 | Vetter et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
5993437 | Raoz | Nov 1999 | A |
6000548 | Tsals | Dec 1999 | A |
D419671 | Jansen | Jan 2000 | S |
6021824 | Larsen et al. | Feb 2000 | A |
6027482 | Imbert | Feb 2000 | A |
6068614 | Kimber et al. | May 2000 | A |
D430293 | Jansen | Aug 2000 | S |
D431864 | Jansen | Oct 2000 | S |
6126640 | Tucker et al. | Oct 2000 | A |
6190364 | Imbert | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6193688 | Balestracci et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6196593 | Petrick et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6196998 | Jansen et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6235376 | Miyazaki et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
6280418 | Reinhard et al. | Aug 2001 | B1 |
6287671 | Bright et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6322543 | Singh et al. | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6338200 | Baxa et al. | Jan 2002 | B1 |
6375640 | Teraoka | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6394983 | Mayoral et al. | May 2002 | B1 |
6485460 | Eakins et al. | Nov 2002 | B2 |
6500155 | Sasso | Dec 2002 | B2 |
6520935 | Jansen et al. | Feb 2003 | B1 |
6540697 | Chen | Apr 2003 | B2 |
6565529 | Kimber et al. | May 2003 | B1 |
6581792 | Limanjaya | Jun 2003 | B1 |
6585691 | Vitello | Jul 2003 | B1 |
6592251 | Edwards et al. | Jul 2003 | B2 |
6666852 | Niedospial, Jr. | Dec 2003 | B2 |
6682798 | Kiraly | Jan 2004 | B1 |
6726652 | Eakins et al. | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6726672 | Hanley et al. | Apr 2004 | B1 |
6775220 | Castellano et al. | Jun 2004 | B2 |
6764469 | Broselow | Jul 2004 | B2 |
6796586 | Werth | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6821268 | Balestracci | Nov 2004 | B2 |
D501549 | McAllister et al. | Feb 2005 | S |
6921383 | Vitello | Jul 2005 | B2 |
6935560 | Andreasson et al. | Aug 2005 | B2 |
6942643 | Eakins et al. | Sep 2005 | B2 |
7055273 | Roshkoff | Jun 2006 | B2 |
7125397 | Woehr et al. | Oct 2006 | B2 |
7141286 | Kessler et al. | Nov 2006 | B1 |
7175081 | Andreasson et al. | Feb 2007 | B2 |
7182256 | Andreasson et al. | Feb 2007 | B2 |
7232066 | Andreasson et al. | Jun 2007 | B2 |
7240926 | Dalle et al. | Jul 2007 | B2 |
7299981 | Hickle et al. | Nov 2007 | B2 |
7374555 | Heinz et al. | May 2008 | B2 |
7404500 | Marteau et al. | Jul 2008 | B2 |
7410803 | Nollert et al. | Aug 2008 | B2 |
7425208 | Vitello | Sep 2008 | B1 |
7437972 | Yeager | Oct 2008 | B2 |
7482166 | Nollert et al. | Jan 2009 | B2 |
7588563 | Guala | Sep 2009 | B2 |
7594681 | DeCarlo | Sep 2009 | B2 |
7608057 | Woehr et al. | Oct 2009 | B2 |
7611487 | Woehr et al. | Nov 2009 | B2 |
7632244 | Buehler et al. | Dec 2009 | B2 |
D608900 | Giraud et al. | Jan 2010 | S |
7641636 | Moesli et al. | Jan 2010 | B2 |
D612939 | Boone, III et al. | Mar 2010 | S |
7681606 | Khan et al. | Mar 2010 | B2 |
7698180 | Fago et al. | Apr 2010 | B2 |
7735664 | Peters et al. | Jun 2010 | B1 |
7748892 | McCoy | Jul 2010 | B2 |
7762988 | Vitello | Jul 2010 | B1 |
7766919 | Delmotte | Aug 2010 | B2 |
7802313 | Czajka | Sep 2010 | B2 |
7918830 | Langan et al. | Apr 2011 | B2 |
7922213 | Werth | Apr 2011 | B2 |
8034041 | Domkowski | Oct 2011 | B2 |
8079518 | Turner et al. | Dec 2011 | B2 |
8091727 | Domkowski | Jan 2012 | B2 |
8118788 | Frezza | Feb 2012 | B2 |
8137324 | Bobst | Mar 2012 | B2 |
8140349 | Hanson et al. | Mar 2012 | B2 |
8252247 | Ferlic | Aug 2012 | B2 |
8257286 | Meyer et al. | Sep 2012 | B2 |
8328082 | Bochenko et al. | Dec 2012 | B1 |
8348895 | Vitello | Jan 2013 | B1 |
8353869 | Ranalletta et al. | Jan 2013 | B2 |
8443999 | Reinders | May 2013 | B1 |
D684057 | Kwon | Jun 2013 | S |
8512277 | Del Vecchio | Aug 2013 | B2 |
8556074 | Turner et al. | Oct 2013 | B2 |
8579116 | Pether et al. | Nov 2013 | B2 |
8591462 | Vitello | Nov 2013 | B1 |
8597255 | Emmott et al. | Dec 2013 | B2 |
8597271 | Langan et al. | Dec 2013 | B2 |
8616413 | Koyama | Dec 2013 | B2 |
D701304 | Lair et al. | Mar 2014 | S |
8672902 | Ruan et al. | Mar 2014 | B2 |
8702674 | Bochenko | Apr 2014 | B2 |
8777910 | Bauss et al. | Jul 2014 | B2 |
8777930 | Swisher et al. | Jul 2014 | B2 |
8852561 | Wagner et al. | Oct 2014 | B2 |
8864021 | Vitello | Oct 2014 | B1 |
8864707 | Vitello | Oct 2014 | B1 |
8864708 | Vitello | Oct 2014 | B1 |
8911424 | Weadock et al. | Dec 2014 | B2 |
8945082 | Geiger et al. | Feb 2015 | B2 |
9082157 | Gibson | Jul 2015 | B2 |
9101534 | Bochenko | Aug 2015 | B2 |
D738495 | Strong et al. | Sep 2015 | S |
D743019 | Schultz | Nov 2015 | S |
9199042 | Farrar et al. | Dec 2015 | B2 |
9199749 | Vitello | Dec 2015 | B1 |
9220486 | Schweiss et al. | Dec 2015 | B2 |
9220577 | Jessop et al. | Dec 2015 | B2 |
9227019 | Swift et al. | Jan 2016 | B2 |
D750228 | Strong et al. | Feb 2016 | S |
9272099 | Limaye et al. | Mar 2016 | B2 |
9311592 | Vitello | Apr 2016 | B1 |
D756777 | Berge et al. | May 2016 | S |
9336669 | Bowden et al. | May 2016 | B2 |
D759486 | Ingram et al. | Jun 2016 | S |
D760384 | Niunoya et al. | Jun 2016 | S |
D760902 | Persson | Jul 2016 | S |
9402967 | Vitello | Aug 2016 | B1 |
9427715 | Palazzolo et al. | Aug 2016 | B2 |
9433768 | Tekeste et al. | Sep 2016 | B2 |
9463310 | Vitello | Oct 2016 | B1 |
D773043 | Insgram et al. | Nov 2016 | S |
D777903 | Schultz | Mar 2017 | S |
9662456 | Woehr | May 2017 | B2 |
D789529 | Davis et al. | Jun 2017 | S |
9687249 | Hanlon et al. | Jun 2017 | B2 |
9744304 | Swift et al. | Aug 2017 | B2 |
D797928 | Davis et al. | Sep 2017 | S |
D797929 | Davis et al. | Sep 2017 | S |
9764098 | Hund et al. | Sep 2017 | B2 |
9821152 | Vitello et al. | Nov 2017 | B1 |
D806241 | Swinney et al. | Dec 2017 | S |
D807503 | Davis et al. | Jan 2018 | S |
9855191 | Vitello | Jan 2018 | B1 |
D815945 | Fischer et al. | Apr 2018 | S |
9987438 | Stillson | Jun 2018 | B2 |
D825746 | Davis et al. | Aug 2018 | S |
10039913 | Yeh et al. | Aug 2018 | B2 |
D831201 | Holtz et al. | Oct 2018 | S |
D820187 | Ryan | Nov 2018 | S |
10124122 | Zenker | Nov 2018 | B2 |
10166343 | Hunt et al. | Jan 2019 | B1 |
10166347 | Vitello | Jan 2019 | B1 |
10183129 | Vitello | Jan 2019 | B1 |
10207099 | Vitello | Feb 2019 | B1 |
D842464 | Davis et al. | Mar 2019 | S |
D847373 | Hurwit et al. | Apr 2019 | S |
10300263 | Hunt | May 2019 | B1 |
10307548 | Hunt et al. | Jun 2019 | B1 |
10315024 | Vitello et al. | Jun 2019 | B1 |
10376655 | Pupke et al. | Aug 2019 | B2 |
D859125 | Weagle et al. | Sep 2019 | S |
10758684 | Vitello et al. | Sep 2020 | B1 |
20010034506 | Hirschman | Oct 2001 | A1 |
20010056258 | Evans | Dec 2001 | A1 |
20020007147 | Capes et al. | Jan 2002 | A1 |
20020023409 | Py | Feb 2002 | A1 |
20020097396 | Schafer | Jul 2002 | A1 |
20020099334 | Hanson | Jul 2002 | A1 |
20020101656 | Blumenthal | Aug 2002 | A1 |
20020133119 | Eakins et al. | Sep 2002 | A1 |
20030055685 | Cobb et al. | Mar 2003 | A1 |
20030146617 | Franko, Sr. | Aug 2003 | A1 |
20030183547 | Heyman | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20040008123 | Carrender et al. | Jan 2004 | A1 |
20040064095 | Vitello | Apr 2004 | A1 |
20040116858 | Heinz et al. | Jun 2004 | A1 |
20040186437 | Frenette et al. | Sep 2004 | A1 |
20040225258 | Balestracci | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20050146081 | MacLean et al. | Jul 2005 | A1 |
20050148941 | Farrar et al. | Jul 2005 | A1 |
20050209555 | Middleton et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20060084925 | Ramsahoye | Apr 2006 | A1 |
20060089601 | Dionigi | Apr 2006 | A1 |
20060173415 | Cummins | Aug 2006 | A1 |
20060189933 | Alheidt | Aug 2006 | A1 |
20070060898 | Shaughnessy et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
20070106234 | Klein | May 2007 | A1 |
20070142786 | Lampropoulos et al. | Jun 2007 | A1 |
20070191690 | Hasse | Aug 2007 | A1 |
20070219503 | Loop | Sep 2007 | A1 |
20070257111 | Ortenzi | Nov 2007 | A1 |
20080068178 | Meyer | Mar 2008 | A1 |
20080097310 | Buehler | Apr 2008 | A1 |
20080106388 | Knight | May 2008 | A1 |
20080140020 | Shirley | Jun 2008 | A1 |
20080243088 | Evans | Oct 2008 | A1 |
20080306443 | Neer | Dec 2008 | A1 |
20090084804 | Caspary | Apr 2009 | A1 |
20090099552 | Levy et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
20090149815 | Kiel et al. | Jun 2009 | A1 |
20090326481 | Swisher et al. | Dec 2009 | A1 |
20100084403 | Popish et al. | Apr 2010 | A1 |
20100126894 | Koukol et al. | May 2010 | A1 |
20100179822 | Reppas | Jul 2010 | A1 |
20100228226 | Nielsen | Sep 2010 | A1 |
20100252564 | Martinez et al. | Oct 2010 | A1 |
20100283238 | Deighan et al. | Nov 2010 | A1 |
20110044850 | Solomon et al. | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20110046550 | Schiller et al. | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20110046603 | Felsovalyi et al. | Feb 2011 | A1 |
20120064515 | Knapp et al. | Mar 2012 | A2 |
20120096957 | Ochman | Apr 2012 | A1 |
20120110950 | Schraudolph | May 2012 | A1 |
20130018356 | Prince et al. | Jan 2013 | A1 |
20130056130 | Alpert et al. | Mar 2013 | A1 |
20130088354 | Thomas | Apr 2013 | A1 |
20130237949 | Miller | Sep 2013 | A1 |
20130269592 | Heacock et al. | Oct 2013 | A1 |
20140000781 | Franko, Jr. | Jan 2014 | A1 |
20140034536 | Reinhardt et al. | Feb 2014 | A1 |
20140069202 | Fisk | Mar 2014 | A1 |
20140069829 | Evans | Mar 2014 | A1 |
20140135738 | Panian | May 2014 | A1 |
20140155868 | Nelson et al. | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20140163465 | Bartlett, II et al. | Jun 2014 | A1 |
20140257843 | Adler et al. | Sep 2014 | A1 |
20140326727 | Jouin | Nov 2014 | A1 |
20140353196 | Key | Dec 2014 | A1 |
20150182686 | Okihara | Jul 2015 | A1 |
20150191633 | De Boel et al. | Jul 2015 | A1 |
20150305982 | Bochenko | Oct 2015 | A1 |
20150310771 | Atkinson et al. | Oct 2015 | A1 |
20160067422 | Davis et al. | Mar 2016 | A1 |
20160090456 | Ishimaru | Mar 2016 | A1 |
20160144119 | Limaye et al. | May 2016 | A1 |
20160158110 | Swisher et al. | Jun 2016 | A1 |
20160158449 | Limaye et al. | Jun 2016 | A1 |
20160176550 | Vitello et al. | Jun 2016 | A1 |
20160328586 | Bowden et al. | Nov 2016 | A1 |
20160361235 | Swisher | Dec 2016 | A1 |
20160367439 | Davis et al. | Dec 2016 | A1 |
20170007771 | Duinat et al. | Jan 2017 | A1 |
20170014310 | Hyun et al. | Jan 2017 | A1 |
20170124289 | Hasan | May 2017 | A1 |
20170173321 | Davis et al. | Jun 2017 | A1 |
20170203086 | Davis | Jul 2017 | A1 |
20170319438 | Davis et al. | Nov 2017 | A1 |
20170354792 | Ward | Dec 2017 | A1 |
20180001540 | Byun | Jan 2018 | A1 |
20180078684 | Peng et al. | Mar 2018 | A1 |
20180089593 | Patel et al. | Mar 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
0148116 | Jul 1985 | EP |
WO 2008000279 | Jan 2008 | WO |
WO 2017086607 | May 2015 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62482490 | Apr 2017 | US |