US Patent Application No: 2002/0049,551

Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000

Method for differentiating between burdened and cracked ultrasonically tuned blades

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Abstract

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A method for differentiating between ultrasonically tuned blades which are broken or cracked, and blades which are gunked by evaluating measured impedance differences when a system is first excited with a low displacement signal and then with a high displacement signal. The method is performed irrespective of the age of the hand piece/blade, the temperature or specific type of hand piece or blade, and is not affected by self healing effects of slightly cracked blades. Moreover, the method facilitates the quantifiable determination of the amount of gunk on the blade. Absolute impedance measurements of the transducer or blade are unnecessary. Instead, only relative impedance measurements are required, which greatly simplifies the measuring criteria. This provides a way to measure the amount of gunk accumulation, and thereby a way to calculate/estimate the amount of heat generated at the sheath, as well as a way to calculate/estimate the amounts of degradation to the load curve of the ultrasonic system.

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First Claim

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddressTotal Patents
ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC.CINCINNATI, OH1248

International Classification(s)

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Donofrio, William T Cincinnati, OH 87 3683
Friedman, Allan Leslie Cincinnati, OH 3 67

Cited Art Landscape

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SOUND SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC (1)
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ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC. (1)
* 6,387,109 Methods and device for improving blood flow to heart of a patient 150 1999
 
STRYKER CORPORATION (1)
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AMERICAN CYANAMID COMPANY (1)
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OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD. (2)
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MOTOROLA, INC. (1)
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Patent Citation Ranking

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Patent Info (Count) # Cites Year
 
OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP. (2)
* 2009/0259,243 POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR OPERATION 0 2008
* 2009/0259,221 POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR OPERATION 2 2008
 
ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, INC. (2)
8,956,349 Surgical generator for ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices 17 2010
8,986,333 Flexible harmonic waveguides/blades for surgical instruments 0 2012
 
OLYMPUS CORPORATION (4)
7,546,781 Ultrasonic operation apparatus and abnormality judgment method thereof 1 2007
* 2007/0167,881 ULTRASONIC OPERATION APPARATUS AND ABNORMALITY JUDGMENT METHOD THEREOF 2 2007
8,095,327 Power supply apparatus for operation 0 2008
* 2009/0259,244 POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS FOR OPERATION 1 2008
 
ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, LLC (58)
8,808,319 Surgical instruments 22 2007
8,523,889 Ultrasonic end effectors with increased active length 25 2007
8,512,365 Surgical instruments 26 2007
9,044,261 Temperature controlled ultrasonic surgical instruments 16 2008
8,623,027 Ergonomic surgical instruments 26 2008
9,017,326 Impedance monitoring apparatus, system, and method for ultrasonic surgical instruments 10 2009
8,663,220 Ultrasonic surgical instruments 17 2009
8,461,744 Rotating transducer mount for ultrasonic surgical instruments 41 2009
8,961,547 Ultrasonic surgical instruments with moving cutting implement 12 2010
8,951,272 Seal arrangements for ultrasonically powered surgical instruments 13 2010
8,579,928 Outer sheath and blade arrangements for ultrasonic surgical instruments 26 2010
8,531,064 Ultrasonically powered surgical instruments with rotating cutting implement 28 2010
8,486,096 Dual purpose surgical instrument for cutting and coagulating tissue 29 2010
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9,089,360 Devices and techniques for cutting and coagulating tissue 7 2010
9,060,775 Surgical generator for ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices 9 2010
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9,039,695 Surgical generator for ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices 11 2010
8,986,302 Surgical generator for ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices 13 2010
8,951,248 Surgical generator for ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices 17 2010
8,591,536 Ultrasonic surgical instrument blades 32 2011
8,900,259 Surgical instruments 18 2012
9,168,054 Surgical generator for ultrasonic and electrosurgical devices 2 2012
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9,393,037 Surgical instruments with articulating shafts 0 2012
9,351,754 Ultrasonic surgical instruments with distally positioned jaw assemblies 0 2012
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9,283,045 Surgical instruments with fluid management system 0 2012
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9,050,124 Ultrasonic surgical instrument and cartilage and bone shaping blades therefor 10 2012
8,546,999 Housing arrangements for ultrasonic surgical instruments 36 2012
8,779,648 Ultrasonic device for cutting and coagulating with stepped output 31 2012
8,704,425 Ultrasonic device for cutting and coagulating with stepped output 31 2012
9,072,539 Devices and techniques for cutting and coagulating tissue 10 2012
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8,546,996 Devices and techniques for cutting and coagulating tissue 34 2012
9,095,367 Flexible harmonic waveguides/blades for surgical instruments 9 2012
8,754,570 Ultrasonic surgical instruments comprising transducer arrangements 22 2012
9,232,979 Robotically controlled surgical instrument 4 2013
9,439,668 Switch arrangements for ultrasonic surgical instruments 0 2013
9,241,731 Rotatable electrical connection for ultrasonic surgical instruments 1 2013
9,241,728 Surgical instrument with multiple clamping mechanisms 1 2013
9,237,921 Devices and techniques for cutting and coagulating tissue 1 2013
9,226,766 Serial communication protocol for medical device 1 2013
* 2013/0296,908 TECHNIQUES FOR CUTTING AND COAGULATING TISSUE FOR ULTRASONIC SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS 26 2013
9,414,853 Ultrasonic end effectors with increased active length 0 2013
9,439,669 Ultrasonic surgical instruments 0 2013
9,427,249 Rotatable cutting implements with friction reducing material for ultrasonic surgical instruments 0 2013
8,773,001 Rotating transducer mount for ultrasonic surgical instruments 31 2013
9,445,832 Surgical instruments 0 2013
9,107,689 Dual purpose surgical instrument for cutting and coagulating tissue 6 2013
9,066,747 Ultrasonic surgical instrument blades 10 2013
* 2015/0289,925 SOFTWARE ALGORITHMS FOR ELECTROSURGICAL INSTRUMENTS 1 2014
9,220,527 Surgical instruments 1 2014
9,339,289 Ultrasonic surgical instrument blades 0 2015
 
SIEMENS ENERGY, INC. (2)
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* 2008/0008,968 Coating method for non-destructive examination of articles of manufacture 2 2006
 
ANALOG DEVICES, INC. (3)
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* 2006/0276,982 Measuring circuit and a method for determining a characteristic of the impedance of a complex impedance element for facilitating characterization of the impedance thereof 2 2006
* Cited By Examiner