MR. WILLIAM VERNON PIERCE, RRT
Restorative Service Providers at Lancaster Rd, Dallas, TX

6551282, Apr 22, 2003

Oct 21, 1999

09/422414

Donald D. Exline - Covington KY
William A. Pierce - Dallas TX

Tyco Healthcare Group LP - Norwalk CT

A61M 5178

60416701, 604256

A universal seal is shown with orbital movement of a center opening for use in endoscopic surgery. A two part seal housing encloses the universal seal in an annulus surrounding an insertion port. The outer periphery of the universal seal is clamped between the two parts at the outer edge of the annulus. An inner ring of the universal seal is free to move from side-to-side inside the annulus while maintaining rubbing contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the annuluses for vertical support. The seal housing and universal seal are mounted on a proximal end of a cannula which allows access therethrough for the endoscopic surgery. The center opening of the universal seal is in general alignment with the insertion port of the seal housing, but the center opening and inner ring may move from side to side when medical instruments are inserted through the insertion port, the center opening, and the cannula and moved from side to side.

6582473, Jun 24, 2003

Feb 16, 2001

09/785351

William A. Pierce - Dallas TX
John W. Stephenson - Dallas TX

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children - Dallas TX

A61F 254

623 65, 623 57, 623 661, 473131

A golf prosthesis assisting an upper extremity amputee to swing a golf club. In one embodiment, the prosthesis comprises first and second prosthetic sockets in which the amputees limbs are received. An extension pylon extends from the first prosthetic socket towards the golf club. The second prosthetic socket is attached to the extension pylon, thereby assisting the amputee in keeping shoulders, back and hips in proper alignment during back swing and return swing. There is also a more complete transfer of energy into the swing from the shoulders, back and legs. A wrist terminal device connects the extension pylon to the golf club. The wrist terminal device emulates cocking and release of the wrists during a conventional golf swing. The wrist terminal device provides a club holder firmly holding the golf club, and a rotary joint advantageously restrained from rotation in all but a preselected plane. The preselected plane is adjustably selectable with respect to the direction in which the amputee desires to hit the ball.

6485523, Nov 26, 2002

Feb 16, 2001

09/785355

William A. Pierce - Dallas TX
John W. Stephenson - Dallas TX

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children - Dallas TX

A61F 268

623 65

A golf prosthesis assisting an upper extremity amputee to swing a golf club. In one embodiment, the prosthesis comprises first and second prosthetic sockets in which the amputees limbs are received. An extension pylon extends from the first prosthetic socket towards the golf club. The second prosthetic socket is attached to the extension pylon, thereby assisting the amputee in keeping shoulders, back and hips in proper alignment during back swing and return swing. There is also a more complete transfer of energy into the swing from the shoulders, back and legs. A wrist terminal device connects the extension pylon to the golf club. The wrist terminal device emulates cocking and release of the wrists during a conventional golf swing. The wrist terminal device provides a club holder firmly holding the golf club, and a rotary joint advantageously restrained from rotation in all but a preselected plane. The preselected plane is adjustably selectable with respect to the direction in which the amputee desires to hit the ball.

4296851, Oct 27, 1981

Jun 1, 1979

6/044775

William C. Pierce - Dallas TX

Pitts Industries, Inc. - Dallas TX

F16D 300, F16D 2710

192 84C

An electromagnetic clutch for transmitting driving torque from one rotatable element to another having particular utility for driving a vane-type compressor used in an automotive air conditioning system in a manner to reduce the cost of such clutches as well as the axial length and weight. The clutch includes a rotatably driven pulley assembly connected to a hub affixed to the input drive shaft of the compressor through an armature disk and friction face on the pulley assembly by selectively energizing and deenergizing a magnetic coil with the armature disk being connected to the hub through a plurality of curved leaf springs and a plurality of drive keys received in recesses or notches with the curved springs replacing the normal flat springs which are used to support the armature disk with the curved springs including a linear flexibility and axial flexibility. The flexibility permits the compressor shaft to yield thereby avoiding binding of the compressor rotor and also provides a significantly shorter clutch assembly by eliminating a rubber "sandwich" hub assembly which is especially important in smaller automobiles and reduces the weight of the clutch by a significant amount. With the drive keys and recesses or notches, there is no restriction to radial or axial deflection, but the drive keys and recesses limits the linear deflection of the springs so that they will not deflect beyond a predetermined point which would cause them to take a permanent set during initial clutch engagement when the clutch torque is extremely high.

5989224, Nov 23, 1999

Feb 23, 1998

9/027754

Donald D. Exline - Covington KY
William A. Pierce - Dallas TX

Dexide Corporation - Fort Worth TX

A61M 5178

604167

A universal seal is shown with orbital movement of a center opening for use in endoscopic surgery. A two part seal housing encloses the universal seal in an annulus surrounding an insertion port. The outer periphery of the universal seal is clamped between the two parts at the outer edge of the annulus. An inner ring of the universal seal is free to move from side-to-side inside the annulus while maintaining rubbing contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the annuluses for vertical support. The seal housing and universal seal are mounted on a proximal end of a cannula which allows access therethrough for the endoscopic surgery. The center opening of the universal seal is in general alignment with the insertion port of the seal housing, but the center opening and inner ring may move from side to side when medical instruments are inserted through the insertion port, the center opening, and the cannula and moved from side to side.

4797291, Jan 10, 1989

Jul 1, 1985

6/750593

William W. Pierce - Dallas TX
George June - Indianapolis IN
James M. Meadows - Dallas TX
Albert G. Cheek - Richmond IN

A21D 804, A23P 108

426 63

A method for producing a comestible product is provided with a first and second layer of food material. An insert article is disposed on the first layer of food material and is positioned inwardly of at least some of the edges of the first layer of food material to define peripheral regions in the first layer of food material which project beyond the insert article. The second layer of food material is in substantial registry with the first layer of food material. In one embodiment, the food material layers are brought into contact with each other and with the insert article by moving the food material along a path to engage a portion of the food material with a cam surface that has at least an upwardly inclined portion that also extends laterally over the path of movement of another portion of the food material whereby one portion of the food material is folded over the other portion of the food material.

4004335, Jan 25, 1977

Nov 11, 1975

5/630886

William C. Pierce - Dallas TX
Samuel M. Berry - Dallas TX
Arthur D. Johnson - Carrollton TX

Pitts Industries, Inc. (Entire) - Dallas TX

B21K 142

29159R

A clutch pulley assembly primarily designed for use with electromagnetic type clutches for driving air conditioning compressors on automobiles and the like wherein the component parts of the clutch pulley assembly are fabricated from stampings with a reduction in the amount of machining required to complete the device. Another feature is the flexibility permitted by using a central hub structure with different sized pulley grooves. The method of making and assembling the structure is also part of the invention.

5925013, Jul 20, 1999

Mar 26, 1997

8/824849

Donald D. Exline - Carrollton TX
William A. Pierce - Dallas TX

A61M 100

604 32

A cannula comprises a housing secured to a generally tubular sleeve member. The housing is provided with irrigation and evacuation fluid ports for connection to irrigation and evacuation conduits. An instrument port is formed in the housing and aligned with the sleeve member, wherein a surgical instrument can be inserted through the instrument port, housing, and sleeve member and into the bodily cavity. The instrument port includes seal members to seal against fluid leakage from the cannula with or without a surgical instrument passing through the housing and sleeve member. A valve member is rotatably carried by the housing to selectively obstruct one or more of the irrigation and evacuation ports. The valve is arranged such that the surgical instrument may remain in the housing and sleeve member during manipulation of the valve.

7658754, Feb 9, 2010

Mar 3, 2006

11/368001

Hong Zhang - Plano TX, US
William A. Pierce - Dallas TX, US
Richard B. Ashman - Navarre FL, US

A61B 17/70

606264, 606246, 606279, 606282

An anterior instrumentation method of treating spinal deformities involves a combination of a spinal rod anterior system and one or two spinal plates fixed on the cephalad and caudal end vertebrae of the instrumented segment. Deformities are treated by the anterior rod system through compression, distraction and derotation. Two spinal plates are fixed to the cephalad and caudal end vertebrae respectively to prevent the end vertebrae from rotating into kyphosis. A number of cancellous screws are inserted into the cephalad and caudal end vertebrae and their adjacent vertebrae through the spinal plate to provide several points of fixation on the end vertebrae to prevent implant failure and loss of correction.

D247849, May 9, 1978

Jun 28, 1976

5/700201

William C. Pierce - Dallas TX
Raymond E. Porter - Fort Worth TX

D1004

D10 73