Nestec S.a.

Cornell University

Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC

Recot Inc.

Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.

Frito-Lay North America, Inc.

Edward Dickinson

Andrew Cecil Harvey

Edward M Kolvek

Patsy Coppola

Peter W Carhuff

Jeffrey Milsom

Howard Riina

Takeshi Masu

Clair Strohl

Robert R Andrews

Ponnattu Kurian Joseph

Gene Frank Clyde

Michael H Lago

David Smith

Malcolm E Taylor

Daniel Robert Feldmeier

Stephen Guerrera

Richard Terrazzano

J Frederick Cornhill

Stephen N Forti

Lawrence Alan Graham

Todd Charles McNeel

Edward Joseph Goldman

Pat Coppola

Metty Poei

Mary Amanda Lamp

Brian Patrick Lawless

Kenneth R Brocker

Paul Edward Doll

James J Mahoney, Jr

J Fredrick Cornhill

Gregorio Ramon Maramba Abesames

G Shantanu Reddy

Mohan Krishnan

Adam J Rivard

Joseph H Gold

James D Mahoney

Kathryn Melissa Dove

Kevin E Verzal

John Fredrick Cornhill

Bruce LeDoyt

The present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel endoscopic device which is capable of stabilizing, straightening, expanding and/or flattening the side wall of a body lumen and/or body cavity so as to better present the side wall tissue for examination and/or treatment during an endoscopic procedure. The present invention also comprises the provision and use of a novel endoscopic device capable of steadying and/or stabilizing the distal tips and/or working ends of instruments inserted into a body lumen and/or body cavity, whereby to facilitate the use of those instruments.

Method and apparatus for stabilizing, straightening, expanding and/or flattening the side wall of a body lumen and/or body cavity so as to provide increased visualization of the same and/or increased access to the same, and/or for stabilizing instruments relative to the same

Apparatus for straightening and flattening a side wall of a body lumen or body cavity so as to provide three dimensional exposure of an abnormality within the body lumen, and simultaneously providing for the stabilization of the working end of an endoscope or surgical tool, the apparatus comprising a deployable hoop expander comprising a structure defining a volume and being configured so as to be transitionable between a reduced cross-sectional configuration for easy insertion into a body lumen and an expanded cross-sectional configuration for engaging, straightening and flattening the side wall of the body lumen, whereby to provide three dimensional exposure of the abnormality within the body lumen, the deployable hoop expander being configured for simultaneously providing for the docking of the end of the endoscope or other instrument so as to stabilize the same for endoscopic viewing and/or therapy.

Method and apparatus for straightening and flattening the side wall of a body lumen or body cavity so as to provide three dimensional exposure of a lesion or abnormality within the body lumen or body cavity, and/or for stabilizing an instrument relative to the same

Apparatus and method for accessing the wall of a body lumen while simultaneously providing zone isolation and fluid bypass capability, the apparatus comprising:

Method and apparatus for accessing the wall of a vascular structure or other body lumen while simultaneously providing zone isolation and fluid bypass capability

Apparatus and method for repairing an abnormality in the wall of a body lumen, the method comprising isolating the abnormality in the wall of the body lumen from flow in the body lumen; positioning flowable forming material adjacent to the abnormality in the wall of the body lumen; and transforming the flowable forming material into a substantially stationary state so as to repair the abnormality in the wall of the body lumen, and the apparatus comprising a supply of flowable forming material; zone isolation apparatus for isolating the abnormality in the wall of the body lumen from flow in the body lumen; and positioning apparatus for positioning the flowable forming material adjacent to the abnormality in the wall of the body lumen so as to repair the abnormality in the wall of the body lumen.

Method and apparatus for repairing vascular abnormalities and/or other body lumen abnormalities using an endoluminal approach and a flowable forming material

A food package for segregating ingredients of a multi-component food product, such as the multiple components of a sandwich, the package comprising an outer container to house a first food component and at least one flexible envelope or barrier film layer that encloses at least one intermediate food component allowing for separation of the intermediate food component during extended periods of storage and prior to opening the product. A method for opening the package comprises applying a pulling force to an externally located protruding end portion of the envelope, such that the envelope peels apart and separates into ruptured layers that are pulled out of the food product and out of the outer container by the continual pulling force from the protruding end portion. Another method for opening comprises heating the container such that the barrier film layer ruptures upon heating, thus providing for components of the food product to combine.

Food package for segregating ingredients of a multi-component food product

A food package for segregating ingredients of a multi-component food product, such as the multiple components of a sandwich, the package comprising an outer container to house a first food component and at least one flexible envelope or barrier film layer that encloses at least one intermediate food component allowing for separation of the intermediate food component during extended periods of storage and prior to opening the product. A method for opening the package comprises applying a pulling force to an externally located protruding end portion of the envelope, such that the envelope peels apart and separates into ruptured layers that are pulled out of the food product and out of the outer container by the continual pulling force from the protruding end portion.

An implantable medical system includes a medical lead including an insulating sheath and a conductor and an anchoring device. The anchoring device defines an inner lumen adapted to coaxially receive the medical lead, where the inner lumen has an effective diameter. The anchoring device includes a sleeve including a substantially elongate body defining an outer surface and an inner bore. The anchoring device also has a compression member including a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion between the first and second ends. The compression member is at least partially embedded in the sleeve such that compression of the first and second ends of the compression member toward one another causes the effective diameter of at least a portion of the inner lumen of the anchoring device to reversibly increase.

Compression member suture sleeve

The invention relates to a food product dispenser that includes a food delivery mechanism and a cleansing mechanism. The food delivery mechanism includes a food source, a food conduit associated with the food source for receiving a food component therefrom, and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense servings of the food component from the conduit. The cleansing mechanism includes a cleansing conduit associated with the food delivery mechanism to direct a cleansing fluid along a fluid path in cleansing association with the food delivery mechanism under conditions for performing a cleansing operation on the food delivery mechanism. A controller can be provided for automatically conducting cleansing operations based on predetermined conditions. The controller, delivery mechanism and cleansing mechanism can be configured to switch between the dispensing of the servings and the cleansing operation at a plurality of intervals during a day without substantial intervention from an operator.

Food product dispenser with cleansing mechanism

The present invention relates to a method for dispensing of a microbiologically sensitive fluid, in particular low acid food fluid, in a hygienic manner so as to avoid micro-organism growth in the line dispensing the fluid as well as in any mechanical components of a dispensing unit that may enter into contact with the fluid. The invention hygienically supplies microbiologically sensitive fluid from a removable container that has a terminal connecting portion to a dispensing unit. The unit includes a coupling mechanism adapted to connect the terminal connecting portion and a component for delivering a cleaning or rinsing fluid within the terminal connecting portion. Thus, during cleaning or rinsing, the cleaning or rinsing fluid can be discharged within the terminal connecting portion up to a closing point of the container assembly, thus demarcating a closing point, downstream of which is a part that is maintained clean, and upstream of which is a part of the container that is maintained sterile.

Sanitary manifold system and method for hygienically dispensing fluids

The invention relates to a method of in place cleaning of an automated food product dispenser comprising an interface connection configured to establish a supply of a milk-based fluid from a reservoir (for example, a container or a bag), a mixing device configured to receive the milk-based fluid and prepare a milk based product, a nozzle in fluid association with the mixing device for dispensing the milk based product, a product flowpath configured for directing the milk based product to flow from the interface connection through the mixing device to the nozzle, and a clean-in-place flowpath assembly located in the dispenser and comprising a supply of cleaning or sanitizing fluid and a flowpath which is configured to deliver the cleaning or sanitizing fluid to or through the product flowpath. The invention also relates to a machine readable program for controlling the automated food product dispenser of the invention and for cleaning the same in place.

Clean-in-place automated food or beverage dispenser

The invention relates to an automated food product dispenser comprising an interface connection configured to establish a supply of a milk-based fluid from a reservoir (for example, a container or a bag), a mixing device configured to receive the milk-based fluid and prepare a milk based product, a nozzle in fluid association with the mixing device for dispensing the milk based product, a product flowpath configured for directing the milk based product to flow from the interface connection through the mixing device to the nozzle, and a clean-in-place flowpath assembly located in the dispenser and comprising a supply of cleaning or sanitizing fluid and a flowpath which is configured to deliver the cleaning or sanitizing fluid to or through the product flowpath. The invention also relates to a method of using and machine readable program for controlling the automated food product dispenser of the invention.

The present invention relates to the dispensing of a microbiologically sensitive fluid, in particular low acid food fluid, in a hygienic manner so as to avoid micro-organism growth in the line dispensing the fluid as well as in any mechanical components of a dispensing unit that may enter into contact with the fluid. The invention relates to a device for hygienically supplying microbiologically sensitive fluid from a removable container that has a terminal connecting portion to a dispensing unit. The device includes a coupling mechanism adapted to connect the terminal connecting portion and a component for delivering a cleaning or rinsing fluid within the terminal connecting portion.

Growing community of inventors

Littleton, MA, United States of America

Edward Dickinson