Covidien LP

Transpro, Inc.

The Gillette Company

Michael J Kolb

Kevin S Sniffin

Jin Yong

Justin P Williams

John W Beardsley

Stanislaw Kostrzewski

David M Farascioni

Mark A Russo

Marco Lambert

Brian S Laird

Joseph Leveillee

Daniel W Gibbons

Kayla N Cloutier

Leo White

Ilya Nizker

Shipping wedges for installing end effectors onto an endoscopic assembly of a surgical tack applier are provided. In aspects, a shipping wedge includes an elongate body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a channel therethrough, and an arm disposed within a slot defined in a side wall of the elongate body. The arm includes a first end coupled to the side wall and a second end that is movable laterally with respect to the side wall. In aspects, a shipping wedge includes an elongate body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a channel therethrough. A proximal portion of the elongate body includes a first arm extending proximally from a distal portion of the elongate body and a locking tab extending laterally into the channel of the elongate body.

Shipping wedge for end effector installation onto surgical devices

A surgical device is provided and includes a handle housing, an endoscopic assembly, and a follower assembly. The endoscopic assembly extends distally from the handle housing and includes an inner tube defining a longitudinal axis. The inner tube includes a distal portion defining a pair of opposed tines. The endoscopic assembly is configured to support a plurality of anchors at least partially therein. The follower assembly is disposed at least partially within the inner tube at a location proximal of the plurality of anchors, and includes a head and a shaft. A portion of the head is disposed between the pair of opposed tines. Actuation of the endoscopic surgical device causes rotation of the inner tube about the longitudinal axis relative to the handle housing, and causes distal advancement of the follower assembly relative to the inner tube.

Surgical fastener applying device, kits and methods for endoscopic procedures

A spray method of applying liquid adhesive to surfaces of components of an electrochemical cell. The adhesive is applied by spraying through a nozzle, preferably activated by a piezoelectric transducer. The nozzle can be an elongated resilient tube terminating in an outlet opening. The adhesive is preferably sprayed in a pulsed stream of droplets. The liquid adhesive is desirably dispensed in fine droplets at a rate of between about 500 and 5000 droplets per second. The method is effective in applying adhesive to narrow width or difficult to reach surfaces of cell components in a precise, consistent and reproducible manner. In a specific application the adhesive can be applied to the narrow recessed step surrounding the terminal portion of the cathode casing of a zinc/air button cell. In such application the adhesive provides a tight seal between the cathode casing and cathode assembly, thereby preventing leakage of electrolyte from the cell.

Method of applying adhesive to electrochemical cell components

A heat exchanger comprises an as-cast combined header and tank having a header portion integral with a tank portion. The cast header and tank combination has a plurality of openings originally cast in the header portion of the combination and at least one opening originally cast in the tank portion of the combination for passage of coolant into or out of the cast header and tank combination. Tubes are received in and extends through the header portion openings, and resilient grommets seal the tubes to the header portion to prevent leakage around the tubes. In making the heat exchanger, there is provided an inner mold section and outer mold section corresponding respectively to the interior and exterior configurations of a desired combined header and tank having a header portion integral with a tank portion. The inner mold and outer mold sections are connected through the header and tank portion openings to support the inner mold section within the outer mold section and create a space therebetween corresponding to the configuration of the combined header and tank. The space is filled with molten metal and solidified to create the combined cast header and tank having the header portion integral with a tank portion. The outer mold section is removed and the inner mold section is removed from inside the cast header and tank through an opening in the header portion and/or through an opening in the tank portion. Following removal of the mold portions, the method may include inserting a tube from a heat exchanger core into an opening in the cast header portion and securing the tube therein.

Heat exchanger assembly utilizing grommets and integral cast tanks

Growing community of inventors

Southington, CT, United States of America

Michael J Kolb