Patently Speaking highlights the technological achievements of Fort Wayne area residents.
Apparatus and method for manipulating a flexible strand and soft tissue replacement during surgery
•U.S. Patent No. 7,931,657
•Invented by: Jason Meridew, Columbia City, and Troy Walters, Plymouth
•Assigned to: Biomet Sports Medicine, Warsaw
The anterior cruciate ligament attaches the tibia (lower leg bone) to the femur (upper leg bone) at the knee. The ACL is very important because it keeps the leg bones in place and prevents the knee from hyperextending.
Injury to this ligament may require arthroscopic surgery. Replacement of the ACL is common but has its limitations; lack of strength in the replacement tissue can be a problem.
This patent describes a new procedure for attaching the replacement ACL. The procedure includes drilling an angled hole through the tibia and into the femur. A rod, preloaded with the replacement tissue, is inserted into the hole.
A second hole drilled through the femur crosses the first. Special guides position the rod and replacement tissue so the tissue attaches to the bones and securely holds the knee in place.
Wiring system and connector therefor
•U.S. Patent No. 7,931,506
•Invented by Robert H. Owen Sr., Columbia City; John A. Forish, Huntington; Mark Molinaro, Leo-Cedarville; and Antonio Nuevo, Brussels, Belgium
•Assigned to: Federal-Mogul World Wide Inc., Southfield, Mich.
We have seen several patents recently that focus on electrical wiring or wiring harnesses for vehicles. This patent focuses on assembling a wiring harness more simply.
In the past, because lamps or other electrical devices were often in difficult-to-reach locations, each electrical terminal on those devices needed to be spliced into the wire. Those connections were then taped or epoxied together.
This made running wire more difficult and thus more expensive. Moreover, it had to be manually installed rather than through an automated process. This, too, meant more cost.
This patent describes a new wiring system that is easier to install. The system includes a harness assembly with special connectors. These connectors were developed to reduce the number of splices required in the wire, thereby reducing the need for tape or epoxy.
Furthermore, the harness and connectors were made so they could also be installed using automated methods.
The preceding are lay descriptions of patents obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s public records and are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing contained herein is a legal description of any claimed invention, identification of novelty, or offer of legal advice. Because issued patents are based on applications often filed years earlier, the subject matter of some patents may have been available on the market for some time prior to the issuance of the patent. Additional information on these patents is available at www.uspto.gov.
