David J Blaeser

6373662, Apr 16, 2002

Mar 27, 1997

08/826277

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Ryan A. Jurgenson - Hutchinson MN

Hutchinson Technology Incorporated - Hutchinson MN

G11B 558

3602455, 3602456

A head suspension including a one-piece load beam and flexure structure wherein the flexure structure includes partially etched connecting bars. The load beam and flexure structure is fabricated from a single piece of spring steel, and the structure comprises a rigid region, a mounting region on a proximal end of the rigid region, and a flexure region. The flexure region has a planar support region and an integral flexure, and the integral flexure includes a slider-receiving region and connecting bars that connect the slider-receiving region to the support region of the integral flexure. A head slider is mounted to the slider-receiving region. The connecting bars of the integral flexure are thinned by partial etching in order to reduce the stiffness of the connecting bars, and thereby allow the head slider to gimbal in response to aerodynamic forces.

6391032, May 21, 2002

Aug 31, 1999

09/387179

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Linda R. Lorentzen Cornelius - Wayzata MN
Martin R. Willard - Maple Grove MN

Scimed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 1100

606108, 606194

A stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which there is included on the catheter shaft at least one body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon and further including axially slidable sleeves over the stent in the unexpanded condition.

6478814, Nov 12, 2002

Sep 28, 1999

09/407836

Lixiao Wang - Maple Grove MN
John Jianhua Chen - Plymouth MN
The Thomas Trinh Tran - Coon Rapids MN
Jon St. Germain - Elk River MN
David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN

Scimed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 206

623 112

A stent delivery system which has a catheter including an inflatable portion. A stent being disposed about the inflatable portion of the catheter, the stent having a contracted state and an expanded state. A pair of stent retaining sleeves which are partially composed of PTFE, each sleeve having a first end portion overlying a respective end of the stent, each sleeve having a second end portion respectively attached to the catheter, the sleeves retaining the stent to the catheter when the stent is in the contracted state, the stent being freed from the sleeves when the stent is placed in the expanded state. The sleeves being placed on the stent by heat shrinking. The inflatable portion of the balloon optionally having stepped compliant characteristics.

6514281, Feb 4, 2003

Sep 4, 1998

09/148179

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Richard C. Mattison - Zimmerman MN

Scimed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 206

623 112, 623 135

A stent deployment system includes a tubular member having a first end and a second end and a generally longitudinal opening between the first and second ends. The tubular member has an inner periphery sized to receive a stent therein. A plurality of apertures are disposed on opposite sides of the generally longitudinal opening. An elongate retainer is removably receivable within the apertures to retain the stent in the tubular member and to release the stent from the tubular member when removed from the apertures.

6602226, Aug 5, 2003

Oct 12, 2000

09/689143

Scott R. Smith - Chaska MN
Brian J. Brown - Hanover MN
David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61M 3100

60410305, 606108, 623 111, 60410102

A medical device delivery apparatus has an inner tube with a medical device receiving region at the distal end, a balloon assembly movably disposed about the inner tube and a medical balloon displaceable from the medical device receiving region. A retractable outer sheath is diposed about the inner tube and is movable relative to the inner tube to expose the medical device receiving region. An inflation lumen capable of fluid communication with the medical balloon extends proximally from the balloon. Disposed about the distal portion of the inner tube is an expandable medical device that is distal to the medical balloon. The balloon may be moved within the medical device to expand the medical device.

6610069, Aug 26, 2003

Dec 4, 2001

10/004729

Charles L. Euteneuer - St. Michael MN
Christoper R. Larson - St. Paul MN
Steven P. Mertens - New Hope MN
Richard C. Mattison - Zimmerman MN
David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Louis G. Ellis - St. Anthony MN
Andrew J. Dusbabek - Dayton MN
Terry V. Brown - Fridley MN

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 1100

606108, 606195

An angioplasty and stent delivery system to facilitate introduction and placement of a stent, including a catheter having an expandable distal portion constructed and arranged for expanding the outer diameter of the catheter from a contracted state to an expanded state: a stent positioned around the distal portion of the catheter having a contracted condition and being expandable to an expanded condition, and being sized in the contracted condition to closely surround the catheter in the contracted state, the expandable distal portion of the catheter including a balloon within which or over which there is included on a catheter shaft at least one axially movable or enlargeable body of a diameter larger than the catheter shaft to which the stent and balloon are fitted, as by crimping, for holding the stent in place until it is released therefrom by expansion of the balloon.

6626934, Sep 30, 2003

Jan 2, 2001

09/753533

David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Richard C. Mattison - Zimmerman MN

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61F 206

623 111

The present invention provides an apparatus for delivery and deployment of an expandable stent within a vessel. The apparatus comprises a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end and a catheter shaft, an expandable stent coaxially mounted on the catheter near the distal end of the catheter and a securement apparatus coaxially mounted on the catheter near its distal end and over the stent. The securement apparatus comprises a securement sleeve having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface. The securement sleeve is constructed and arranged for proximal advancement along the catheter shaft. The present invention also includes a distal cuff having a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and an interior surface. The distal cuff is mounted near the distal end of the catheter and is constructed and arranged to closely surround the exterior surface of the securement sleeve at the distal end of the securement sleeve until proximal advancement thereof and subsequent deployment of the stent.

6663660, Dec 16, 2003

Feb 27, 2001

09/794648

Andrew J. Dusbabek - Dayton MN
Louis G. Ellis - St. Anthony MN
Christopher R. Larson - St. Paul MN
Terry V. Brown - Fridley MN
Charles L. Euteneuer - St. Michael MN
Steven P. Mertens - Plymouth MN
Richard C. Mattison - Zimmerman MN
David J. Blaeser - Champlin MN
Linda R. Lorentzen Cornelius - Wayzata MN
Martin R. Willard - Maple Grove MN
Fernando Di Caprio - Mendota Heights MN
Stanley A. Nordin - Monticello MN

SciMed Life Systems, Inc. - Maple Grove MN

A61M 2902

623 111

A system/assembly for delivery and deployment of an inflation expandable stent within a vessel, comprising a catheter having proximal and distal ends; a stent, inflation expandable from a delivery diameter to a deployment diameter, such that the delivery diameter is reduced from the deployment diameter for conforming the stent to the catheter, such that the stent, in its delivery diameter, is coaxially mounted on the catheter near the catheter distal end; an expandable inflation means coaxially mounted on the catheter axially within the stent, for expansion of the stent from the delivery diameter to the deployment diameter upon application of fluid deployment pressure to the inflation means; and a securement component coaxially mounted on the catheter, axially within the expandable inflation means, the securement component designed and adapted to provide a securement pressure to the stent in the delivery diameter to maintain the stent in position on the catheter during delivery to the deployment site.