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Patents grant property rights on new and useful inventions, allowing the patent holder to prevent others from using, making, or selling that invention without permission for a limited time. U.S. patents are permitted by the U.S. Constitution and are designed to promote scientific progress and invention. By allowing inventors to profit from licensing or selling their patent rights, inventors can recoup their research and development costs and benefit financially from their inventing efforts. There are three main types of patents utility, plant, and design. Utility and plant patents can last up to 20 years, while design patents can last up to 15 years. When a patent expires, the patented material enters the public domain, making it free to use by anyone without a license. U.S. patents are issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

U.S. Patent No. 11,535,704 entitled “Surgical Barriers Possessing Clinically Important Absorption Characteristics” issued December 27, 2022 to BVW Holding AG of Cham, China. Invented by Hinrich Wiese of Kaufbeuren, Germany; Joerg Tessmar of  Regensburg, Germany; Martina Kessler of Regensburg, Germany and Lukas Bluecher of Eurasberg, Germany. Abstract: The present disclosure provides copolymers useful in medical devices. For example, the disclosure provides copolymers comprising the polymerization product ester block, ether blocks and diisocyanates. In certain embodiments, the disclosure provides a medical copolymer for implantation comprising ester blocks and ether blocks, wherein: the ester blocks comprise a negative free energy transfer and the ether blocks comprise a positive free energy transfer, the ether and ester blocks are less than 1/10 the length of said copolymer, and, the blocks are distributed such that no domain of contiguous blocks possessing the same polarity of free energy transfer are less than ⅓ of the molecular weight of the copolymer. The disclosure further provides methods of making the aforementioned polymers, and medical devices comprising the polymers.

U.S. Patent No. 11,536,720 entitled “Optoelectronic Device for Detection of a Substance Dispersed in a Fluid” issued December 27, 2022 to FTH S.R.L. of Rovereto, Italy. Invented by Carlo Guardiani of Verona, Italy. Abstract: The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device (1) for detection of a target substance dispersed in a fluid (50). The optoelectronic device comprises:—a light source (2) adapted to emit a light radiation (L.sub.E) having an adjustable wavelength λ.sub.S;—an integrated electronic circuit (100) comprising a photonic circuit (10) operatively coupled to said light source;—a control unit (9) operatively coupled to said light source and to said photonic circuit.

U.S. Patent No. D973,409 entitled “Protective Divider” issued December 27, 2022 to William Inman and Jefferson Pennington of Nashville, Tennessee. Also invented by William Inman and Jefferson Pennington of Nashville, Tennessee. Claims: What is claimed is the ornamental design for a protective divider, as shown and described.

U.S. Patent No. 11,536,193 entitled “Wastegate Arrangement for an Exhaust Gas Turbocharger” issued December 27, 2022 to BMTS TECHNOLOGY GMBH & CO. KG of Stutgart, Germany. Invented by Timo Tries of Weissach, Germany; Fabian Haslinger of Mannheim, Germany; Volker Tietsch of Weissach, Germany; Franz Starke of Kornwestheim, Germany; Niklas Rodeck of Stuttgart, Germany and Carsten John of Ludwigsburg, Germany. Abstract: The invention relates to a wastegate arrangement for an exhaust gas turbocharger comprising a turbine housing (10) having a bearing mount (19), wherein the bearing mount (19) receives a bearing bushing (50) having a drilled hole (51), wherein the drilled hole (51) holds a shaft (31) having a first shaft end (31.1) disposed in the turbine housing (10), and having a second shaft end (31.2) retained outside the turbine housing (10), wherein the first shaft end (31.1) of the shaft (31) is coupled to a wastegate flap (37) disposed in the turbine housing (10) to close a wastegate passage (15) in a closed position and to release a wastegate passage (15) in an open position, wherein the shaft (31) bears an actuating lever (24) at its second shaft end (31.2) outside of the turbine housing (10), wherein the bearing bushing (50) has a second bearing bushing end (53), which faces the actuating lever (24) in the zone of the outer surface of the turbine housing (10), wherein a spring element (40), a second spring end (40.2) of which rests indirectly or directly on a support surface (24.2) of the actuating lever (24), is used, and wherein the support surface (24.2) is disposed at least sectionally around the shaft (31). In order to achieve improved operational reliability in such a wastegate arrangement, provision is made in accordance with the invention for the turbine housing (10) to have a pressure surface (18), that the pressure surface (18) is disposed offset in the axial direction of the shaft (31) in the direction of the first shaft end (31.1) with respect to the second bearing bushing end (53), and for a first spring end (40.1) of the spring element (40), which faces away from the second spring end (40.2), to rest on the pressure surface (18) of the turbine housing (10) to generate a spring preload between the pressure surface (18) and the support surface (24.2).