Integrated Implant Systems, Ll.c.

Cap Toys, Inc.

Immersion Medical, Inc.

Chesebrough-pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.

Ht Medical Systems, Inc.

Diego Fontayne

Paul Mulhauser

Karl D Kirk

Edward J Kaplan

Robert Joachim

Mario Turchi

Scott D Salmon

Eric F Cabahug

Ben Feldman

Robert F Cohen

Steven Bellofatto

Richard L Cunningham

Gregory L Merril

David McAuley Alexander

J Michael Brown

Ernest A Elgin, Iii

Philip J Churchill

Donald R Lamond

Bert D Heinzelman

Christopher J Claypool

Steven S Ravins

Daniel E Ueda

Richard Cunningham

David Alexander

An interface device and method for interfacing instruments to a medical procedure simulation system serve to interface peripherals in the form of mock medical instruments to the medical procedure simulation system computer to enable simulation of medical procedures. The interface device includes a housing having a mock bodily region of interest to facilitate insertion of a mock instrument, such as an endoscope tube, into the interface device. The mock bodily region of interest may be pivotable to simulate various patient orientations. The instrument is engaged by a capture mechanism in order to measure rotational and translational motion of the instrument. An actuator is disposed within the interface device to provide force feedback to the instrument. The measured motion is provided to the computer system to reflect instrument motion on the display during the simulation. Alternatively, the interface device may be configured to accommodate instrument assemblies having a plurality of nested instruments (e.g., sheath, catheter and wire), whereby the interface device individually grasps, measures manipulation of and provides force feedback to the nested instruments. In addition, the interface device may be configured to simultaneously accommodate a plurality of independently inserted instruments.

Interface device and method for interfacing instruments to medical procedure simulation systems

A medical instrument includes a needle nozzle that accepts a needle cam. A needle hub assembly includes a needle hub and a needle cannula, and when registration ribs of the needle hub are fitted between respective registration ribs of the needle cam, the needle is thereby fitted onto the medical instrument.

Needle hub for medical instrument

A cartridge is configured to be inserted into a medical instrument for treating patients with radioactive seeds. The cartridge includes a rotating internal barrel that is loaded with a plurality of seeds, where the internal barrel has a plurality of conduits for accepting the seeds. As the internal barrel rotates, a seed from one of the conduits is deposited into a shuttle, and then the shuttle is fully extended so as to provide the seed to the medical instrument. The shuttle is then retracted, and the barrel is rotated to the next conduit, so as to receive a seed from that next conduit. The cartridge includes a first shield and a second shield, each having slots where the slots of the first and second shields are aligned in a first verification or calibration mode, and where the slots are not aligned in a normal, seed depositing mode. The second shield also includes a plurality of numeric indicators that indicate a current number of seeds remaining in the cartridge.

Cartridge-moveable shield

A medical instrument includes a distal frame portion that accepts a needle cam. The needle cam has helical slots for accepting a collar, whereby the collar rides up and down the needle cam, to thereby cause the needle cam to rotate. Spin movement of the needle is caused by movement of the collar, to thereby achieve a proper seed implantation during a medical procedure by having the needle spin between seed implant locations.

Needle spin for medical instrument

A medical instrument includes a drive train assembly that causes precise index movement of the medical instrument, based on an operator-selected indexing amount resulting from actuation of a pitch adjustment knob on the medical instrument. The drive train assembly also causes a stylet to move distally within the outer housing of the medical instrument, to thereby push a seed from an extended shuttle of a seed cartridge located within the medical instrument, to a distal end of a needle cannula that is coupled to a distal end of the medical instrument.

Drive mechanism for medical instrument

A medical instrument provides for precise indexing in order to implant seeds into seed implant locations within a patient. The medical instrument is affixed to a targeting fixture, and upon operator actuation of a trigger, is automatically indexed from one seed implant location to a next seed implant location.

Medical instrument

A targeting fixture allows for x-y-z movement of a targeting fixture with respect to a grid template. The targeting fixture includes a sheath unit, which accepts a seed implanting device. The sheath unit is maintained at a fixed relation with respect to the grid template.

Targeting fixture

A grid sheath that holds a medical instrument in place in order to insert treatment seeds into a patient. The grid sheath includes a sheath unit in which the medical instrument is fitted therein, whereby the medical instrument is capable of sliding movement within the sheath unit. The grid sheath also includes at least one plate support rod, which is preferably adjustable and that is integral with a distal end of the sheath unit. The grid sheath further includes a push plate, that is integral with a distal end of the plate support rod. When the medical instrument is placed in position with respect to a grid template, the medical instrument is engaged with a needle in a hole of the grid template, and the push plate rests against a distal surface of the grid template. As the medical instrument is actuated to deposit seeds and thereby to move away from the grid template to deposit more seeds in another position within the patient, the push plate provides for registration of the medical instrument with respect to the grid template while this is occurring.

Grid sheath for medical instrument

A targeting fixture allows for x-y movement of a targeting fixture with respect to a grid template. The targeting fixture includes a cradle unit, which accepts a seed implanting device. The cradle unit is hingedly connected to a housing surrounding the grid template. The housing is capable of x-y movement by actuation of x-y knobs provided on the housing.

Targeting fixture for a grid template

Surgical simulation system

A dispenser having a housing for dispensing candies therefrom and having a rotatable raceway therein with a plurality of turntables disposed within the housing and on the raceway, with each of the turntables including a compartment sized to accommodate a candy to be dispensed, and a drive motor for driving the raceway and coupled to the turntables for rotating the turntables and for revolving the turntables within the housing to transport the candies to a dispensing station.

Motorized candy dispenser

A toothbrush is provided having a brushhead, neck and handle. The handle includes a flex zone flanked on one side by the neck on the other by a tail zone of the handle. The neck and tail zone are rigid in contrast to the bendable flex zone. Spring Rate for the neck and tail zone is each greater than that for the flex zone. A relatively hard, unitarily formed backbone traverses neck and handle. An elastomer forms portions of both the flex and tail zones. Elastomer is anchored through at least one channel traversing a beam of the backbone. Ends of the channel are radiused to eliminate structural weakness.

Growing community of inventors

Montebello, NY, United States of America

Diego Fontayne