Patents by Inventor Stefan K. Welker
Stefan K. Welker 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).
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Patent number: 11998957Abstract: A device (1) for spinning a 3D printed workpiece (100). The device has a rotor (2) for spinning about a spinning axis (A) and a receptacle (8) for holding the workpiece (100). The receptacle (8) is pivotally attached to the rotor (2) for swiveling about a swivel axis (B) that is transverse to the spinning axis (A). The pivotal attachment enables swiveling of the receptacle (8) between a first angular orientation relative to the spinning axis (A) and a different second angular orientation relative to the spinning axis (A). The device (1) further has a balancing weight (9) that is movably arranged relative to the receptacle (8). The balancing weight (9) is lockable at different distances relative to the receptacle (8).Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2020Date of Patent: June 4, 2024Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties CompanyInventors: Korbinian Gerlach, Stefan K. Welker, Christian A. Richter, Thomas K. Müller, Bastian P. Kirchner, Rudolf Schmid, Malte Korten
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Publication number: 20240156581Abstract: A warming device for a dental material includes a housing comprising a top wall, a warming cavity defined by an inclined wall, a backwall and one or more sidewalls formed within the top wall; and a heat generating component arranged such that it is in thermal communication with the warming cavity. The warming device further includes a shield movable between a first position in which a dental material can be deposited into the warming cavity and a second position in which the shield at least partially covers the warming cavity. The shield is formed of a material that at least substantially blocks transmission of visible blue light through the shield.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2022Publication date: May 16, 2024Inventors: Korbinian Gerlach, Günther H. Schlosser, Stefan K. Welker
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Publication number: 20230301750Abstract: The invention relates to a heating device 10 for heating a dental material and a method for controlling the temperature of a dental material.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2021Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Christian A. Richter, Korbinian Gerlach, Ralf M. Kelz, Rudolf Schmid, Stefan K. Welker
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Publication number: 20220287800Abstract: A heating device for heating a dental material. The heating device has a body and a socket. The socket is removably received within the body and has a socket wall that forms a receptacle for positioning a container for the dental material therein. The body has a light source for emitting light toward the socket wall in a direction toward the receptacle. The socket wall is at least partially transmissive for infrared light. The heating device allows for heating the dental material within the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2020Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Christian A. Richter, Korbinian Gerlach, Rudolf Schmid, Stefan K. Welker, Ralf Kelz
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Publication number: 20220111424Abstract: A device (1) for spinning a 3D printed workpiece (100). The device has a rotor (2) for spinning about a spinning axis (A) and a receptacle (8) for holding the workpiece (100). The receptacle (8) is pivotally attached to the rotor (2) for swiveling about a swivel axis (B) that is transverse to the spinning axis (A). The pivotal attachment enables swiveling of the receptacle (8) between a first angular orientation relative to the spinning axis (A) and a different second angular orientation relative to the spinning axis (A). The device (1) further has a balancing weight (9) that is movably arranged relative to the receptacle (8). The balancing weight (9) is lockable at different distances relative to the receptacle (8).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2020Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Korbinian Gerlach, Stefan K. Welker, Christian A. Richter, Thomas K. Müller, Bastian P. Kirchner, Rudolf Schmid, Malte Korten
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Publication number: 20210282911Abstract: A dental light polymerization device has an intra-oral tip portion and a handle portion. The dental light polymerization device has a polymerization light source and a light mixing element. The polymerization light source has a first LED exhibiting a first light emission peak wavelength and a second LED exhibiting a second light emission peak wavelength. The first and second LED each are configured for emitting visible light within a wavelength range of 380 nm to 495 nm. The first and second light emission peak wavelength differ from each other by at least 10 nm. The light mixing element is formed of a solid transparent body that has a rear portion and an adjacent front portion. The rear portion has the shape of a square-based truncated pyramid. Further, the front portion has a convex shape. The rear portion forms a rear end of the light mixing element and the front portion forms a front end of the light mixing element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2019Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventors: Rudolf Schmid, Korbinian Gerlach, Stefan K. Welker, Angelika Hofmann
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Publication number: 20210113316Abstract: A dental light polymerization device (1) that has an intra-oral tip portion (5) forming a polymerization light output (4) and an image input (2). The dental light polymerization device has a polymerization light source (3) for emitting polymerization light toward the polymerization light output and a camera for receiving images from the image input. The tip portion has a circumferential rim that forms a circumferential inner side face or a pair of projections that form opposite inner side faces. The polymerization light output is at least partially formed by the inner side face(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2018Publication date: April 22, 2021Inventors: Heiko Duwensee, Stefan K. Welker, Rudolf Schmid, Kathleen M. Stenersen
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Patent number: 10898306Abstract: A dental treatment system has a light irradiation device (2) and an image display (3). The light irradiation device has a polymerization light source (5a) for emitting blue light and a camera (6) for capturing a series of images. The system is set up for generating a first marker (11) and a second marker (20) superimposed with the images and to display the first marker (11) in a fixed positional relationship to an image pattern recognized in a first and in a second image of the series of images and to display the second marker (20) in a fixed positional relationship to an image area underlying the images.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Rudolf Schmid, Stefan K. Welker, Korbinian Gerlach
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Publication number: 20200345471Abstract: A dental light polymerization device has a polymerization light source and a camera. The dental light polymerization device comprises an actively movable light reflector. The invention provides for emitting light for polymerization of a dental material and capturing an image in the same dental light polymerization device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2017Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Rudolf SCHMID, Korbinian GERLACH, Stefan K. WELKER, Ralf KELZ, Thomas K. MÜLLER
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Patent number: 10758126Abstract: A dental light irradiation device has sensing means for sensing a change of a position of the device, and an indicator for physically indicating the position change. The invention helps controlling the positioning of the device during use.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2016Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Andreas M. Geldmacher, Korbinian Gerlach, Johannes Fink, Stefan K. Welker
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Patent number: 10746660Abstract: Cure monitoring systems for and methods of monitoring polymerizable material to determine the degree of curing of the polymerizable material. A monitoring light source delivers visible monitoring light at one or more different visible wavelengths and a visible light detector detects the monitoring light diffusely reflected by the polymerizable material. The monitoring light has a wavelength of maximum emission (?max-mon) that does not effectively induce polymerization of the polymerizable material. Change in intensity of the monitoring light reflected from the polymerizable material is used to determine when a selected degree of curing is reached in the polymerizable material.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2017Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Douglas L. Elmore, Korbinian Gerlach, Gregory A. Kobussen, Jack Wing Lai, Joel D. Oxman, Rudolf Schmid, Stefan K. Welker
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Publication number: 20200008914Abstract: A dental light polymerization device has an intra-oral tip portion and a handle portion. A polymerization light source and a camera are accommodated in the dental light polymerization device. The camera has an image input arranged within the tip portion and the polymerization light source is formed by a plurality of polymerization light outputs that are arranged around the image input. The dental light polymerization device further has a light refraction panel in which a plurality of lenses are interspersed. The light refraction panel is arranged with the lenses being each positioned in front of a corresponding polymerization light output of the plurality of polymerization light outputs.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2018Publication date: January 9, 2020Inventors: Rudolf Schmid, Korbinian Gerlach, Stefan K. Welker
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Publication number: 20190374320Abstract: A dental treatment system has a light irradiation device (2) and an image display (3). The light irradiation device has a polymerization light source (5a) for emitting blue light and a camera (6) for capturing a series of images. The system is set up for generating a first marker (11) and a second marker (20) superimposed with the images and to display the first marker (11) in a fixed positional relationship to an image pattern recognized in a first and in a second image of the series of images and to display the second marker (20) in a fixed positional relationship to an image area underlying the images.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2017Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Rudolf Schmid, Stefan K. Welker, Korbinian Gerlach
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Publication number: 20190336259Abstract: Dental curing light systems capable of monitoring the degree of curing of polymerizable dental material. A monitoring light source delivers visible monitoring light at one or more different visible wavelengths and a visible light detector detects the monitoring light diffusely reflected by the polymerizable dental material. The monitoring light has a wavelength of maximum emission (?max-mon) that does not effectively induce polymerization of the polymerizable dental material. Change in intensity of the monitoring light reflected from the polymerizable dental material is used to determine when a selected degree of curing is reached in the polymerizable dental material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2017Publication date: November 7, 2019Inventors: Douglas L. Elmore, Korbinian Gerlach, Gregory A. Kobussen, Jack Wing Lai, Joel D. Oxman, Rudolf Schmid, Stefan K. Welker
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Publication number: 20190265167Abstract: Cure monitoring systems for and methods of monitoring polymerizable material to determine the degree of curing of the polymerizable material. A monitoring light source delivers visible monitoring light at one or more different visible wavelengths and a visible light detector detects the monitoring light diffusely reflected by the polymerizable material. The monitoring light has a wavelength of maximum emission (?max-mon) that does not effectively induce polymerization of the polymerizable material. Change in intensity of the monitoring light reflected from the polymerizable material is used to determine when a selected degree of curing is reached in the polymerizable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2017Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Douglas L. Elmore, Korbinian Gerlach, Gregory A. Kobussen, Jack Wing Lai, Joel D. Oxman, Rudolf Schmid, Stefan K. Welker
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Publication number: 20180092543Abstract: A dental light irradiation device has sensing means for sensing a change of a position of the device, and an indicator for physically indicating the position change. The invention helps controlling the positioning of the device during use.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2016Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Andreas M. Geldmacher, Korbinian Gerlach, Johannes Fink, Stefan K. Welker
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Publication number: 20120251973Abstract: A light guide adapted for use with a dental light device has a reflector tube for receiving light from a light source of a light device and for guiding the light toward an end of the reflector tube. The light guide comprises further a reflector plate adjacent the end of the reflector tube. The reflector plate has a reflective face which is arranged inclined relative to the longitudinal axis. The light guide may facilitate handling of a light device in use, and may help minimizing costs.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2010Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jens Gramann, Rainer Guggenberger, Manfred Harre, Stefan K. Welker