The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 25, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2001
Mark B. Knudson, Shoreview, MN (US);
Timothy R. Conrad, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Pi Medical, Inc., St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A delivery system for delivering an implant into a soft palate of a patient for treatment of snoring includes an implant and a delivery tool. The implant is formed from a sheet of flexible, bio-compatible material sized to be inserted into the soft palate. The delivery tool includes a penetrating member with a distal end for penetration into the soft palate through a small penetration wound. The implant is carried in the distal end of the penetrating member. A flattening tool is contained within the penetration member and constrained by the penetrating member against a bias for a distal tip of the tool to expand beyond a size of the penetration wound to approximately a width of the implant. The flattening tool is retractable between an extended position and a retracted position with the distal tip of the tool in the retracted position being smaller than the penetration wound. The penetrating member is retractable relative to the flattening tool when the flattening tool is in the extended position.