Patents by Inventor Rudolf Zepf

Rudolf Zepf has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9661769
    Abstract: A housing for an electric or electronic apparatus includes an access hood, or access lid which can be fixed on the housing for closing the housing or a housing opening by a locking mechanism operable from outside the housing. The locking mechanism includes at least one lock/slide held on the housing or on the access hood/access lid so as to be longitudinally displaceable and is provided with a ramp and an undercut or detent lug spaced therefrom. The access hood/access lid or the housing is provided with at least one protrusion which is formed and/or arranged for defining two engagement means in such a manner that depending on the current sliding position of the lock/slide, it alternately comes into operative engagement with the associated detent lug for pulling the access hood/access lid toward the housing, or with the ramp for pushing it away from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Zepf, Rolf Schnekenburger, Ralf Krause, Joachim Guba
  • Publication number: 20160295723
    Abstract: A housing for an electric or electronic apparatus includes an access hood, or access lid which can be fixed on the housing for closing the housing or a housing opening by a locking mechanism operable from outside the housing. The locking mechanism includes at least one lock/slide held on the housing or on the access hood/access lid so as to be longitudinally displaceable and is provided with a ramp and an undercut or detent lug spaced therefrom. The access hood/access lid or the housing is provided with at least one protrusion which is formed and/or arranged for defining two engagement means in such a manner that depending on the current sliding position of the lock/slide, it alternately comes into operative engagement with the associated detent lug for pulling the access hood/access lid toward the housing, or with the ramp for pushing it away from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Rudolf Zepf, Rolf Schnekenburger, Ralf Krause, Joachim Guba
  • Patent number: 7172600
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for securing a bone screw 20 to a clamping element 30 of an osteosynthesis holding system 5 is provided. The bone screw 20 has a circumferential groove 25 located on a top portion of the screw 20 below a screw head 22. Snap catches 35 protrude from a bone-contacting surface 38 of the clamping element 30 and interlock with the groove 25 in the screw 20 when the screw 20 is inserted into the clamping element 30 (e.g., when the screw is screwed into a bone segment through a hole in the clamping element). A removal device 90 is provided for removing the screw 20, as a greater axial force is required to overcome the locking mechanism than is needed to engage the locking mechanism. A method for revision (removal) of the screw 20 from the locking mechanism is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Aesculap AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Beger, Rudolf Zepf, Rudolf Beisse, Michael Potulski
  • Publication number: 20040153092
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for securing a bone screw 20 to a clamping element 30 of an osteosynthesis holding system 5 is provided. The bone screw 20 has a circumferential groove 25 located on a top portion of the screw 20 below a screw head 22. Snap catches 35 protrude from a bone-contacting surface 38 of the clamping element 30 and interlock with the groove 25 in the screw 20 when the screw 20 is inserted into the clamping element 30 (e.g., when the screw is screwed into a bone segment through a hole in the clamping element). A removal device 90 is provided for removing the screw 20, as a greater axial force is required to overcome the locking mechanism than is needed to engage the locking mechanism. A method for revision (removal) of the screw 20 from the locking mechanism is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: AESCULAP AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Beger, Rudolf Zepf, Rudolf Beisse, Michael Potulski
  • Patent number: 6719758
    Abstract: A Kirschner wire 10 for use in endoscopic surgery is provided, as well as methods and apparatus for installing and removing Kirschner wire 10. Kirschner wire 10 has a holding device 20 for ease of insertion and removal. Kirschner wire 10 is sufficiently short so as not to protrude from the working channel of the endoscope. Insertion instrument 30 has a receptacle 40 which for engagement with holding device 20 of Kirschner wire 10. A targeting ring 46 on insertion instrument 30 enables placement of Kirschner wire 10 under x-ray supervision. Removal device 60 has a wire body 62 with a receptacle 64 located at a distal end thereof for engagement with holding device 20 of Kirschner wire 10. Kirschner wire 10 may be adapted for use in marking a point of entry for a cannulated bone screw or as a point of orientation for an endoscopic procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Aesculap AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Beger, Rudolf Zepf, Rudolf Beisse, Michael Potulski
  • Patent number: 6702817
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for securing a bone screw 20 to a clamping element 30 of an osteosynthesis holding system 5 is provided. The bone screw 20 has a circumferential groove 25 located on a top portion of the screw 20 below a screw head 22. Snap catches 35 protrude from a bone-contacting surface 38 of the clamping element 30 and interlock with the groove 25 in the screw 20 when the screw 20 is inserted into the clamping element 30 (e.g., when the screw is screwed into a bone segment through a hole in the clamping element). A removal device 90 is provided for removing the screw 20, as a greater axial force is required to overcome the locking mechanism than is needed to engage the locking mechanism. A method for revision (removal) of the screw 20 from the locking mechanism is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Aesculap AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Beger, Rudolf Zepf, Rudolf Beisse, Michael Potulski
  • Publication number: 20020099386
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for securing a bone screw 20 to a clamping element 30 of an osteosynthesis holding system 5 is provided. The bone screw 20 has a circumferential groove 25 located on a top portion of the screw 20 below a screw head 22. Snap catches 35 protrude from a bone-contacting surface 38 of the clamping element 30 and interlock with the groove 25 in the screw 20 when the screw 20 is inserted into the clamping element 30 (e.g., when the screw is screwed into a bone segment through a hole in the clamping element). A removal device 90 is provided for removing the screw 20, as a greater axial force is required to overcome the locking mechanism than is needed to engage the locking mechanism. A method for revision (removal) of the screw 20 from the locking mechanism is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: AESCULAP AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Beger, Rudolf Zepf, Rudolf Beisse, Michael Potulski
  • Publication number: 20020099309
    Abstract: A Kirschner wire 10 for use in endoscopic surgery is provided, as well as methods and apparatus for installing and removing Kirschner wire 10. Kirschner wire 10 has a holding device 20 for ease of insertion and removal. Kirschner wire 10is sufficiently short so as not to protrude from the working channel of the endoscope. Insertion instrument 30 has a receptacle 40 which for engagement with holding device 20 of Kirschner wire 10. A targeting ring 46 on insertion instrument 30 enables placement of Kirschner wire 10 under x-ray supervision. Removal device 60 has a wire body 62 with a receptacle 64 located at a distal end thereof for engagement with holding device 20 of Kirschner wire 10. Kirschner wire 10 may be adapted for use in marking a point of entry for a cannulated bone screw or as a point of orientation for an endoscopic procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: AESCULAP AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jens Beger, Rudolf Zepf, Rudolf Beisse, Michael Potulski
  • Patent number: 6117173
    Abstract: In an orthopaedic fixing system comprising at least one implant part which has at least one through-opening, and comprising fixing elements which are inserted into the through-openings, the through-openings having widened portions which receive a head-shaped thickening of the fixing elements, in order to fix the fixing elements in the implant part in an axial direction without however impairing their ability to rotate, it is proposed that the head-shaped thickenings of the fixing elements are compressible, that the widened portions have an outside diameter which is slightly smaller than the non-resiliently-compressed head-shaped thickening, and that the widened portions have undercuts, into which the head-shaped thickening after insertion into the widened portion engages resiliently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Aesculap AG & Co., KG
    Inventors: Lino Taddia, Rudolf Zepf
  • Patent number: 5902303
    Abstract: In order to connect the core undetachably to the holding element in the case of a pin-type holding element for an orthopaedic holding system with an elastically compressible, head-shaped widened portion and with a central opening, into which a core may be inserted, which prevents an elastic compression of the head-shaped widened portion by filling out the central opening in the region of the widened portion without expanding this, it is proposed that the core is displaceable in the opening between a locking position, in which it fills out the central opening in the region of the widened portion, and a release position plunging deeper into the central opening, in which it releases the central opening in the region of the widened portion and thus allows its elastic compression
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Aesculap AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stephan Eckhof, Karl-Ernst Kienzle, Lino Taddia, Rudolf Zepf
  • Patent number: 5056306
    Abstract: In a process for producing a metal plate in such a way that it can be joined up to form a chain, use is made of a casting or forging tool, which forms a base part and a sole part of the plate, a specific sole part from several sole parts being associated with the base plate. The tool comprises at least one part forming the base part of the plate and another part forming the sole part of the plate. The resulting plate has reception rings on one plate side and an equal number of ring notches on the other plate side and side guides on the plate underside and at least one engagement gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Inventor: Hans-Rudolf Zepf
  • Patent number: 4934616
    Abstract: The breaking tongs with a tong body (7) for receiving two tong parts (1, 1'), each pivotable about its own rotation center (2, 2'), and spaced from the rotation center the tongs are subdivided into a tong lever (3, 3') for the force action and a cutting lever (4, 4') for exerting the breaking force. The tong protuberances (12, 61, 63) are detachably mounted on the cutting levers. In the vicinity of the tong cutting edge (4, 4') separating blades (6, 6') can be provided for cutting reinforcements. The detachable tong protuberances (61, 63) can be detachably fixed in a protuberance bed (60), which is detachably arranged or shaped on to the cutting lever (4, 4'). A plurality of tong protuberances can form a working profile, which differs as regards the breaking action from another working profile formed from the same or a different number of tong protuberances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Inventor: Hans-Rudolf Zepf
  • Patent number: 4606581
    Abstract: An intermediate ring includes an annular body with side walls from which cavities extend into the material of the body. The cavities from a web with radially extending web walls, which are inclined with respect to the ring axis. The web is radially relatively rigid, but axially resilient. As a result the intermediate ring retains its shape but can easily adapt to the different shapes of the gaps between the two tires of the wheel set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1986
    Inventor: Hans-Rudolf Zepf
  • Patent number: 4136469
    Abstract: A shovel tooth for an earth-moving shovel includes a tooth holder having a hollow shell-like portion fixedly attached to the inner surface of a shovel blade, the shell having an end web extending along the edge of the blade and a projecting portion attached to the end web and extending beyond the blade edge. A tooth cap has a hollow interior dimensioned to receive and frictionally engage the projecting portion, the projecting portion and the tooth cap having aligned opening to receive a fastener such as a bolt. The projecting portion and the interior cavity of the tooth cap are symmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the projecting portion so that the cap can be removed and replaced in either of two positions separated by 180.degree. of cap rotation. The shell and the tooth cap are provided with reinforcing webs which are substantially aligned with each other in the assembled condition. The projecting portion and the cap cavity taper from the end web to the tip of the projecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Inventor: Hans-Rudolf Zepf
  • Patent number: 4103442
    Abstract: A shovel tooth includes a tooth holder having a front portion to receive a tooth cap, a rear portion having edges weldable to the inner surface of a shovel blade and a transverse web between the front and rear portions. A second rear portion, formed separately, is a hollow shell having edges weldable to the outer surface of the shovel and a front edge weldable to the web to permit the holder to be attached to blades of various thicknesses. The web can be concave and the front edges of the second rear portion convex to mate with the web. The blade can be notched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1978
    Inventor: Hans-Rudolf Zepf