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:
May. 04, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 08, 2003
Charles E. Shank, Schaunburg, IL (US);
John Mueller, Roselle, IL (US);
Kevin Helle, Barelett, IL (US);
Medi-Physics, Inc., Arlington Heights, IL (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides apparatus and methods for loading delivery systems, such as seed magazines and suture material, with seeds which greatly increases productivity, reduces process variation and reduces the risk of handling damage to the seeds. Importantly, the apparatus and methods of the present invention reduce potential risks to workers. In a first aspect of the invention there is provided an automated method of loading a delivery system for brachytherapy seeds which comprises the steps of a) securing the delivery system to be loaded; b) conmnunicating seeds from a supply of seeds into the delivery system; and c) repeating step b) to load a plurality of seeds. In a second aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for loading a delivery system for brachytherapy seeds comprising: a) means for retaining a delivery system to be loaded with seeds; and b) means for communicating individual seeds from a supply of seeds to said delivery system.