IP Library Granted Patent US 1,105,427
Granted Patent S1
US 1,105,427 · App. 29/889,635 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Handheld laparoscopic surgical instrument

Inventors: Christopher Paul Huang Shu (Ann Arbor, MI); Zachary R. Zimmerman (Brighton, MI); Matthew P. Weber (Brighton, MI); James Duncan Geiger (Ottawa Hills, OH)
Assignee: FlexDex, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 1,105,427
App. No.
29/889,635
Filed
Apr 14, 2023
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
S1
Art Unit
2922
USPC
D24/146
Claims (1)

The ornamental design for a handheld laparoscopic surgical instrument, as shown and described.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 23, 2025
From: FLEXDEX INC.
To: LIVSMED, INC.
Reel/Frame 073302/0202 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 21, 2023
From: ZIMMERMAN, ZACHARY R.; WEBER, MATTHEW P.; GEIGER, JAMES DUNCAN
To: FLEXDEX, INC.
Reel/Frame 063403/0831 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2023
From: HUANG SHU, CHRISTOPHER PAUL
To: FLEXDEX, INC.
Reel/Frame 063338/0666 →
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