MR. CHARLES JOSEPH BLACK, LISW
Social Work at Ferguson Dr, Cincinnati, OH

5697913, Dec 16, 1997

Aug 9, 1996

8/694980

Thomas J. Sierocuk - West Chester OH
Jorge N. Gutierrez - Cincinnati OH
Charles S. Black - Cincinnati OH
Richard C. Smith - Loveland OH

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

A61M 5178

604164

A trocar including a cannula with a tubular sleeve having a stepped region thereon is disclosed. The stepped region has a plurality of discrete steps. Each step has a step floor and a step support base tapering radially inwardly from the step floor to an adjacent step floor. When the trocar is inserted through the body wall, and the stepped region of the sleeve of the cannula contacts the body wall, the force required to inadvertently pull the cannula out of the body wall when surgical instruments are withdrawn from the cannula increases. Thus, the tubular sleeve of the cannula increases the retention force of the cannula during surgery. The retention force is increased without appreciably affecting the force required to insert the trocar through the body wall. Additionally, these benefits are achieved without using helical threads or externally mounted stability devices, which add cost, complexity and increased risk of causing unwanted tissue trauma.

2012007, Mar 29, 2012

Sep 19, 2011

13/235683

Barry C. Worrell - Centerville OH, US
Chad P. Boudreaux - Cincinnati OH, US
Sean P. Conlon - Loveland OH, US
Gary W. Knight - West Chester OH, US
Matthew C. Miller - Cincinnati OH, US
Charles J. Scheib - Loveland OH, US
Geoffrey S. Strobl - Williamsburg OH, US
Jeffrey S. Swayze - Hamilton OH, US
Gregory A. Trees - Loveland OH, US
Aaron C. Voegele - Loveland OH, US
Charles S. Black - Cincinnati OH, US
Kreena R. Modi - Akron OH, US

A61B 18/18

606 45

An electrosurgical device comprises a body, an end effector, a cutting member, and a shaft extending between the body and the end effector. The end effector includes a pair of jaws and at least one electrode operable to deliver RF energy to tissue clamped between the jaws. The cutting member is operable to cut tissue clamped between the jaws. The shaft includes an articulation section that is operable to selectively position the end effector at non-parallel positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The articulation section may include beads, segments, asymmetric features, preformedly bent features, an integral hinge, a helical cutout or spring, clevis features, an angled joint, a beaded actuation linkage, and/or an offset pivot, among other things. The device may also include a crimped cutting member, a retroacting cutting member, dual pivoting jaws, and/or a wire tensioning assembly.

2012007, Mar 29, 2012

Sep 19, 2011

13/235623

Barry C. Worrell - Centerville OH, US
Zhifan F. Huang - Mason OH, US
Jason R. Lesko - Harrison OH, US
Matthew C. Miller - Cincinnati OH, US
Geoffrey S. Strobl - Williamsburg OH, US
Gregory A. Trees - Loveland OH, US
Charles S. Black - Cincinnati OH, US
William E. Clem - Bozeman MT, US
Emron J. Henry - Cincinnati OH, US
Kevin M. Montgomery - Cincinnati OH, US

A61B 19/00, A61B 18/18

606 33, 606130

An electrosurgical device includes a body, an end effector, a cutting member, and a shaft. The end effector comprises a pair of jaws and at least one electrode that is operable to deliver RF energy to tissue clamped between the jaws. The cutting member is operable to cut tissue clamped between the jaws. The shaft includes an articulation section that is operable to selectively position the end effector at non-parallel positions relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The body includes a controller operable to selectively actuate the articulation section. The controller may include a rotary knob, a pivoting knob, or a pivoting fin, among other things. An electrical coupling may contact a conductive moving member along at least two axes. A resiliently biased lever may assist a trigger in returning from an actuated position to a home position.