DR. STEVE T CHARLES, M.D.
Medical Practice at Kimbrough Rd, Memphis, TN

4493698, Jan 15, 1985

Feb 28, 1983

6/470209

Carl C. T. Wang - Piedmont CA
Steve Charles - Memphis TN
Joseph T. Buckingham - Moraga CA

Cooper Medical Devices - San Leandro CA

A61M 3100

604 51

A method is disclosed in which the suctioning of materials from a surgical zone, such as the human eye, is automatically controlled linearly by means of a pressure transducer continuously sensing the vacuum level of a debris receptacle (for collecting suctioned materials from the surgical zone) when material is being suctioned from the zone. The vacuum level in the debris receptacle is linearly varied when the vacuum level in the receptacle is either raised or lowered depending on the suctioning requirements from the surgical zone and whether or not the vacuum level in the receptacle is greater or lower than a previously determined and desirable vacuum level. The vacuum level of the receptacle may, in part, be controlled and varied, by means of a foot pedal operated by the surgeon.

D325086, Mar 31, 1992

Oct 6, 1988

7/254256

Steve Charles - Memphis TN
Kenneth R. Erikson - Costa Mesa CA
Brian Macowski - Cardiss CA
Lonnie C. Pogue - San Diego CA

Alcon Surgical, Inc. - Fort Worth TX

D24172

6665554, Dec 16, 2003

Nov 18, 1999

09/442966

Steve T. Charles - Germantown TN 38138
J. Michael Stuart - Corrales NM 87048

A61B 500

600427, 600429, 606130

A manipulator for use in medical procedures can manipulate a medical tool with one or more degrees of freedom with respect to a patient. The manipulator is particularly useful for positioning a medical tool with respect to a patient disposed inside an imaging device such as a computer tomography machine.

6723106, Apr 20, 2004

Aug 24, 2001

09/856453

Steve T. Charles - Germantown TN
Robert Stoughton - Albuquerque NM
J. Michael Stuart - Corrales NM
Larry Bronisz - Los Alamos NM

MicroDexterity Systems, Inc. - Memphis TN

A61B 1900

606130

A surgical manipulator ( ) can manipulate a medical tool ( ) with one or more degrees of freedom. In preferred embodiments, the manipulator ( ) is a parallel mechanism including a plurality of arms ( ) pivotally supporting a medical tool ( ), with the orientation of the medical tool ( ) being adjusted by varying the position of joints ( ) mounted on the arms ( ). The motions of the joints ( ) can be controlled such that the tool ( ) is pivoted about a virtual pivot point located within the body wall of a patient ( ). The manipulator ( ) can enhance the dexterity of an operator and enable the operator to perform medical procedures more easily than by hand.

6676669, Jan 13, 2004

Jan 16, 2002

10/050241

Steve T. Charles - Germantown TN
J. Michael Stuart - Corrales NM
Larry Bronisz - Los Alamos NM

MicroDexterity Systems, Inc. - Memphis TN

A61B 1900

606130, 606 1, 901 48

The present invention provides a surgical manipulator which capable of manipulating a surgical or medical tool in up to six degrees of freedom. The manipulator has a relatively lightweight, compact design as a result of the use of high force to mass ratio actuators. The manipulator includes a mounting fixture which permits the manipulator to be fixed relative to a portion of a body of a patient.

4395258, Jul 26, 1983

Nov 3, 1980

6/203143

Carl C. T. Wang - Piedmont CA
Steve Charles - Memphis TN
Joseph T. Buckingham - Moraga CA

Cooper Medical Devices - San Leandro CA

A61M 3100

604 65

An apparatus is disclosed which automatically controls the suctioning of materials from a surgical zone, such as the human eye, which may function as a counterpart to an apparatus for automatically regulating the pressure of fluid in the same surgical zone. The apparatus incorporates a pressure transducer which continuously senses the vacuum level of a debris receptacle when the suctioning of material from the surgical zone into the receptacle is desired. The receptacle may be maintained at a certain predetermined maximum vacuum level by a vacuum source, and the vacuum may vary depending on the application. To control the vacuum of the debris bottle, the pressure transducer communicates with the control electronics which can vary the vacuum level in the receptacle by either increasing the vacuum level by opening a valve, located between the vacuum source and the debris receptacle, where the vacuum level in the receptacle is insufficient to properly suction materials from the surgical zone. On the other hand, the vacuum level in the debris receptacle may be decreased where the vacuum level in the receptacle level is above that required to properly suction materials from the surgical zone, by opening a bleed or an atmospheric valve to allow the vacuum in the receptacle to decrease to the desirable level. The vacuum level of the receptacle may be controlled by a manually operated potentiometer which may be in the form of a foot pedal to be operated by the surgeon doing surgery.

2003000, Jan 9, 2003

Jul 2, 2002

10/187932

J. Stuart - Corrales NM, US
Steve Charles - Germantown TN, US

MicroDexterity Systems, Inc. - Albuquerque NM

G05G011/00

074/479010, 074/490080

A parallel mechanism for manipulating an object in space is provided. The parallel mechanism includes an end platform for supporting an object to be manipulated and an intermediate platform arranged in spaced relation from the end platform and connected to the end platform by a connecting element. A plurality of first links are connected to the end platform and a plurality of second links are connected to the intermediate platform. A linear motor is associated with each first link and each second link for translating the ends of the first and second links to move the end and intermediate platforms.

6330837, Dec 18, 2001

May 16, 2000

9/486287

Steve T. Charles - Germantown TN
Robert S. Stoughton - Albuquerque NM

MicroDexterity Systems, Inc. - Memphis TN

B25J 1100, B25J 1702

7449006

A parallel mechanism is capable of positioning and orienting an end platform with up to six or more degrees of freedom. In preferred embodiments, the mechanism includes six links having a first and second ends. The first end is connected to an end platform for supporting a tool, while the second end is connected to an actuator capable of translating the second end. A rotational drive mechanism may be provided for rotating an object mounted on the end platform at varying orientations of the end platform independently of movement of the end platform as a whole. The links may be curved in order to avoid interference between adjoining links, thereby permitting an increased range of motion and improved dexterity of the mechanism.