Thoratec Corporation

Other

Donald Curtis

Carine Hoarau

Fabian Franco

John Mark Di Paola

Nathan Harold

Alicia Baumberger

John Nguyen

A finish removal tool for removal of a variety of finishes is provided having a rigid two-handled body, a scraper blade and ducted forced convection heating and cooling elements configured for continuous operation. Embodiments may include adjustable power levels, temperature sensor, indicator lighting, exhaust ducting and heat shields. A variety of scraper blade accommodations are described.

Electrically powered stripping tool

A needle guard is used when suturing the cuff of an attachment ring to the heart. The needle guard is disposed in the attachment ring to prevent other parts of the attachment ring from being punctured by a suturing needle. The needle guard can include one or more grooves to inhibit relative movement between the needle guard and the attachment ring during suturing. The needle guard is removed upon completion of suturing and to allow insertion into attachment ring of an inflow conduit of a heart assist device. An articulated clamp is used to compress the attachment ring into engagement with the inflow conduit. The attachment include an annular rib that grabs the inflow conduit.

Needle guard, assembly and method of implanting a heart assist system

A coring knife can be used to make a circular incision. The coring knife includes an abutment that is inserted into an initial slit through the heart wall. The abutment can be inserted into the slit while oriented in a direction that minimizes its insertion profile. After insertion, the abutment is reoriented by turning a key so that its abutment surface faces toward a circular cutting edge of the coring knife on the other side of the heart wall. The circular incision through the heart wall is made by pressing the circular cutting edge of the coring knife against the abutment.

Coring knife

Assembly and method of implanting a heart assist system

A concealed cabinet structure having a door hinge that is concealed. The cabinet may be mounted into a wall in the area between studs. The hinge structure relies on an extended frame that provides a structure extending forward from the wall that the cabinet is mounted into. The side edges of the cabinet are of rounded construction and tapering to an edge. The hinge is mounted by plates to both the extended frame and the frame of the door. The door mounts with the tapered edge flush against the wall, thus preventing the viewing of the hinge from any angle that one could take. The door may have a slotted portion in order to place a mirror, picture or other decorative object on the face of the cabinet to deceive an intruder about the purpose of the cabinet.

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Donald Curtis