Nick Nguyen, Age 48Houston, TX

6390155, May 21, 2002

May 1, 2001

09/846400

Nick Ngoc Nguyen - Costa Mesa CA

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

B65B 104

141330, 141 2, 141329, 141363, 141364, 141366

A system and a method for delivering and metering a fixed volume of liquid, such as a liquid sterilant from a container into a vaporization system. The method for the delivering system includes the steps of sensing a requirement for additional liquid sterilant, determining whether the liquid sterilant to be added is acceptable for use, and delivering the liquid sterilant from a container into an accumulator. The method of metering the liquid sterilant into the vaporization system includes creating a vacuum in a chamber connected to the vaporizer and delivering the liquid sterilant into a vaporizer while continually sensing the flow of the delivery. The metering system maintains a slow, controlled flow in order to achieve efficient vaporization of the liquid sterilant and to provide accurate sensing of the gas/liquid interface.

6412340, Jul 2, 2002

Feb 7, 2000

09/500182

Nick Ngoc Nguyen - Costa Mesa CA
Doug Truong - Santa Ana CA
Hal Williams - San Clemente CA

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

G01B 528

73104, 206569, 141 1, 414411, 41441603, 422 28, 422292

A cassette sensing mechanism and a method for detecting the unevenness of a surface by detecting the difference between two paths on the surface. The mechanism contains two pawls connected to a connector at one end. The second end of one pawl contacts a portion of one path on the surface, and the second end of the other pawl contacts a portion of the other path on the surface. One path is smooth, and the other path contains grooves. A sensor on one pawl senses the relative position of the other pawl. The unevenness of the surface can be detected by monitoring the relative positions of the two pawls as the two pawls travel along the two paths. The sensing mechanism may be used for monitoring the position on a cassette in a sterilization system.

6530399, Mar 11, 2003

May 1, 2001

09/846401

Nick Ngoc Nguyen - Costa Mesa CA
Ross G. Krogh - Rancho Santa Margarita CA

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

B65B 304

141 2, 141 83, 141 94, 141285, 141319, 141329, 141330, 141364, 141366

A system and a method for delivering and metering a fixed volume of liquid, such as a liquid sterilant from a container into a vaporization system. The method for the delivering system includes the steps of sensing a requirement for additional liquid sterilant, determining whether the liquid sterilant to be added is acceptable for use, and delivering the liquid sterilant from a container into an accumulator. The method of metering the liquid sterilant into the vaporization system includes creating a vacuum in a chamber connected to the vaporizer and delivering the liquid sterilant into a vaporizer while continually sensing the flow of the delivery. The metering system maintains a slow, controlled flow in order to achieve efficient vaporization of the liquid sterilant and to provide accurate sensing of the gas/liquid interface.

6534003, Mar 18, 2003

Apr 2, 1999

09/285503

Nick N. Nguyen - Costa Mesa CA

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

A61L 200

422 33, 422 22, 422 28, 13759901, 13759907, 13760113, 13760114

A valve is provided which includes a valve body, a first valve member, and a second valve member. The valve body has a first flow passage formed therethrough and a second flow passage formed therein. The second flow passage has a smaller cross-sectional area than the first flow passage so that the valve can be used interchangeable between systems requiring different flow rates through the valve, and so that flow through the valve can be more accurately controlled than through the first flow passage alone.

7479257, Jan 20, 2009

Aug 26, 2005

11/212955

Nick N. Nguyen - Silverado CA, US
Richard A. Jackson - Huntington Beach CA, US
Yan Fang - Irvine CA, US

Ethicon, Inc. - Somerville NJ

A61L 2/28

422119

A method measures a property of a solution spectroscopically by placing a quantity of the solution into a cuvette and passing a light therethrough. A reservoir receives a quantity of the solution and bubbles are driven off prior to putting a sample therefrom into the cuvette for measuring.

2002009, Jul 25, 2002

Dec 4, 2000

09/728973

Nick Nguyen - Costa Mesa CA, US
James Kohler - Laguna Hills CA, US

A61L009/02

422/028000

A vaporizer provides enhanced removal of non-vaporizable components from a liquid to be vaporized. Flow of vaporizing fluid through the vaporizer follows a circuitous path to allow the non-vaporizable components to adhere to surfaces in the vaporizer rather than leave in the vaporized flow.

2004011, Jun 24, 2004

Dec 23, 2002

10/328224

Nick Nguyen - Mission Viejo CA, US

B08B009/027

134/022110, 134/022120

A method detects proper flow through one or more channels in an endoscope during a cleaning procedure. A supply line connects to one of the channels, the supply line being in fluid communication with a fluid supply vessel. Fluid is flowed from the supply vessel through the channel for a time period. The amount of fluid is calculated based upon a volume change in the supply vessel and the flow rate calculated based upon the amount of fluid and the time period. If the flow rate varies by more than a predetermined amount from a predetermined value an indication of improper flow is given.

2005013, Jun 23, 2005

Dec 28, 2004

11/024137

Nick Nguyen - Silverado CA, US
Doug Truong - Garden Grove CA, US
Todd Morrison - Dana Point CA, US

E05F003/20

016054000

A door closure system for a vacuum sterilization chamber includes a mechanism to allow movement of the door with respect to the chamber at the hinge. An elongated slot on the door captures a fixed shaft to allow rotation of the door. A spring in the door operates against the shaft biasing the door toward the chamber. Forces applied by the hinge and by an opposite latch are normalized.