Patents Represented by Attorney Peter K. Kontler
  • Patent number: 6607507
    Abstract: A single-use syringe has a barrel which can constitute a one-piece extrusion, and a shank which is reciprocably guided in the barrel and the distal end of which carries a plunger movable in the barrel toward and away from the needle-carrying front end portion of the barrel. The coupling between the plunger and the shank includes a set of circumferentially spaced-apart breakable spokes which can be of one piece with the distal end of the shank as well as with the plunger. The spokes break not later than when the shank completes a forward stroke during which the plunger expels a flowable substance, such as a medicine, from a chamber located in the barrel between the needle-carrying front end portion and the plunger. The plunger, the spokes and the shank can constitute a one-piece extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Inventor: Theodor Schöttli
  • Patent number: 6572306
    Abstract: One or more electric and/or data transmitting cables are confined in an elongated strip-shaped body containing a hardenable resin or the like, and the body is placed against a portion of the internal surface of an underground sewage, water or other pipe. An expandible tubular liner is thereupon introduced into the pipe and is expanded to press the body against the pipe. The body is caused to set, by conveying a hot fluid through the liner and/or by electrically heating the cable or cables, and to adhere to the internal surface of the pipe. The liner can remain in the pipe and can be bonded to the strip-shaped body and/or to the remaining portion of the internal surface of the pipe. Alternatively, the liner is caused to collapse and is withdrawn from the pipe once the strip-shaped body is bonded to the internal surface of the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventor: Martin Prusak
  • Patent number: 6430827
    Abstract: A spirit level employs an elongated housing having a rectangular cross-sectional outline and provided with registering elongated slots in its front and rear walls. At least one follower of the level has a main portion slidably installed in the housing and one or two pointers outwardly adjacent the slot in the front wall. The two end pieces of the housing are provided with bubble tubes, and each follower has a passage for introduction of a stylus or another suitable marking tool which can be inserted at the front wall to extend outwardly through the slot in the rear wall of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Oskar Ruther
  • Patent number: 6321510
    Abstract: Sipping straws are confined in discrete envelopes while advancing in a single file of spaced-apart straws through a wrapping station. The envelopes are obtained from a continuous strip of wrapping paper which is conveyed to the wrapping station in the direction of advancement of the file of spaced-apart straws and is draped around the straws in such a way that one of its longitudinally extending marginal portions overlies and adheres to the other marginal portion with simultaneous formation of a seam rather than an outwardly extending fin. The thus obtained tubular wrapper is thereupon severed in the gaps between successive spaced-apart straws, and the end portions of the thus obtained discrete envelopes are sealed by knurling, e.g., simultaneously with severing of the tubular wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Hauni Richmond, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter M. Preisner, Hans-Joachim Oppe
  • Patent number: 6212860
    Abstract: Sipping straws are confined in discrete envelopes while advancing in a single file of spaced-apart straws through a wrapping station. The envelopes are obtained from a continuous strip of wrapping paper which is conveyed to the wrapping station in the direction of advancement of the file of spaced-apart straws and is draped around the straws in such a way that one of its longitudinally extending marginal portions overlies and adheres to the other marginal portion with simultaneous formation of a seam rather than an outwardly extending fin. The thus obtained tubular wrapper is thereupon severed in the gaps between successive spaced-apart straws, and the end portions of the thus obtained discrete envelopes are sealed by knurling, e.g., simultaneously with severing of the tubular wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Hauni Richmond, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter M. Preisner, Hans-Joachim Oppe
  • Patent number: 6183768
    Abstract: Corpuscles for implantation into or at body tissue have carriers of biologically inert material, and such carriers contain medicine which is distributed therein for release into body tissue upon completion of the implanting operation. The configuration of the carriers departs from a spherical or an exact spheroidal shape. The end sections of the carriers can have conical, frustoconical, semiellipsoidal, or semispherical shapes and can consist of pairs of identical or different segments. The central sections of the carriers can resemble barrels, or their central longitudinal cross sections can have conical, elliptical, straight or other outlines. The carriers have central or substantially central longitudinal passages for a filament which supports a surgically implantable composition constituting a row or file or string of two or more identical and/or different carriers. The transverse cross sections of the carriers can have circular, elliptical, polygonal and/or other outlines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Inventor: Anton Härle
  • Patent number: 5954742
    Abstract: A balloon-free dilatation catheter has an elongated flexible sheath which is insertable into an animal body so that its distal end is located at or within a selected portion of an internal passage, such as in a blood vessel. The distal end normally confines an elongated cage-like expander having elongated at least partially resilient expanding elements which store energy when confined within the distal end but expand and bear against the tissue surrounding the selected portion of the internal passage when expelled from the distal end by one or more sleeve-like displacing elements confined in and movable circumferentially and/or longitudinally of the sheath. The expanding elements can carry one or more thermometers and/or the discharge end(s) of one or more conduits for a medication or another flowable substance and/or they can be connected to an energy source, e.g., to cool or heat and/or otherwise treat the tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Inventor: Peter Osypka
  • Patent number: 5769897
    Abstract: An artificial (namely synthetic) bone material is made up of a strength sustaining first component and of a biointegration promoting second component. The first component is made, for example of a bioceramic material providing a material strength, especially a compression strength, of at least 1000 N/cm.sup.2. The second component is made also of bioceramic material or even of bone tissue or it may contain bone tissue in combination with other biointegration enhancing components. Biointegration is greatly improved if the material of the second component comprises a specific surface of at least 1.5 m.sup.2 /gram. The second component is incorporated in accessible voids such as open cells, pores, bores, holes and/or other cavities of the first component, whereby the first component forms a frame or matrix for the second component and imparts to the artificial bone the required strength prior to, during, and after implantation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Inventor: Anton Harle
  • Patent number: 5735658
    Abstract: A tool having a profile for the forming or shaping of a complementary thread in and/or on a fastener which can be utilized with advantage as a bone screw or another osteosynthetic force transmitting member, instrument or accessory. The thread which is formed by the profile of the tool has two flanks each having a first section adjacent the crest and a second section adjacent the root of the thread. The second sections jointly include or consist of at least four concave portions having different radii of curvature and gradually merging into each other. The first sections make angles of less than 40.degree. with a plane which is normal to the longitudinal axis of the thread. The first and second sections of each flank are separated from each other by an imaginary cylinder having a diameter which matches the pitch diameter of the thread and a longitudinal axis which coincides with or is at least close to the longitudinal axis of the thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Inventor: Anton Harle
  • Patent number: 5693099
    Abstract: A prosthesis which can be implanted into the cavity of a bone or between spaced apart bones defines a passage with ports for evacuation of air and/or other matter from the cavity or cavities which are to receive bone cement or other cement. The prosthesis is inserted and centered prior to introduction of cement, and its passage or passages are connected to a suction generating device during admission of cement. If necessary, the prosthesis can be confined in a jacket to prevent overheating of adjacent tissue during polymerization of the introduced mass of cement. The passage or passages in the prosthesis can be filled with cement and/or with medications which penetrate into the adjacent tissue subsequent to implantation of the prosthesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Inventor: Anton Harle
  • Patent number: 5593405
    Abstract: An endoscope has an elongated flexible guide the distal end of which can be introduced into a selected chamber of a human or other animal heart or into the internal space of another body organ. The tube confines a major portion of an elongated flexible sheath the distal end of which carries an inflatable balloon for the distal end portions of elongated flexible optical conductors some of which serve to illuminate selected portions of a surface bounding an internal space. The remaining conductors serve to transmit images of the illuminated portions of the surface toward the proximal end of the tube. When inflated, the ballon shields the distal ends of the conductors from contact with the body fluid in the internal space. A three-dimensional frame is provided to maintain the inflated balloon in any one of a number of different positions in a body cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Inventor: Peter Osypka
  • Patent number: 5544993
    Abstract: A fastener which can be utilized with advantage as a bone screw or another osteosynthetic force transmitting member, instrument or accessory has a thread with two flanks each having a first section adjacent the crest and a second section adjacent the root of the thread. The second sections jointly include or consist of at least four concave portions having different radii of curvature and gradually merging into each other. The first sections make angles of at least 40.degree. with a plane which is normal to the longitudinal axis of the thread. The first and second sections of each tooth flank are separated from each other by an imaginary cylinder having a diameter which matches the pitch diameter of the thread and a longitudinal axis which coincides with or is at least close to the longitudinal axis of the thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Inventor: Anton Harle
  • Patent number: 5279696
    Abstract: Uniting bands in the form of heat-sealable labels which bear encoded information are applied to exposed photographic films to join the films end-to-end. The encoded information is decoded by a reader before the labels are applied to the films to thus ensure that the hot sealing member which is used to apply labels cannot destroy or distort encoded information prior to decoding. Decoded information is used for the application of corresponding information to envelopes for exposed and developed films and for the prints of images of the respective film frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: AGFA-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Zangenfeind, Gunther Scholch, Reinhart Wurfel, Rainer Turcke
  • Patent number: 5271452
    Abstract: A continuous casting apparatus has a continuous casting mold which defines a casting passage. The walls of the mold are provided with conduits which are connected with a source of pressurized gas and open into the casting passage at locations downstream of that where the meniscus is normally established. During withdrawal of a continuously cast strand from the mold, gas is injected into the casting passage at a pressure sufficient to force the meniscus away from the walls of the mold. This eliminates the friction which normally exists between the mold and the meniscus so that the mold need not be oscillated during strand withdrawal. The continuous casting apparatus accordingly does not require an oscillating mechanism for the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: SMS Concast Inc.
    Inventor: Donald P. Lorento
  • Patent number: 5267576
    Abstract: A cigarette rod making machine wherein the flow of loosely intermingled tobacco shreds, tobacco ribs and foreign objects (such as nuts, bolts, pieces of wire and/or particles of plastic material) is classified to segregate the ribs and foreign objects from the shreds. The ribs are thereupon separated from foreign objects in a sifter and are comminuted in a rotary cutter prior to being readmitted into the flow downstream of the classifying location(s). Successive increments of the flow are converted into successive increments of a stream which carries a surplus of shreds and is trimmed for conversion into a filler which is ready to be wrapped into cigarette paper. The comminuted ribs are admitted into the flow at a location such that they are confined in the central portion of the filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Korber AG
    Inventor: Uwe Heitmann
  • Patent number: 5263348
    Abstract: A cylinder lock for use in motor vehicles and elsewhere has a case for a rotatable and axially movable sleeve-like guide which receives a rotatable cylinder having a keyhole and being locked to the guide by tumblers when the key is withdrawn. A detent is installed between the case and the guide to normally prevent rotation of the guide except when the guide is acted upon by a large force which causes it to deactivate the detent as a result of certain axial movement of the guide and cylinder in the case. A clutch between the cylinder and a motion transmitting element for a bolt of the lock is engaged as long as the detent is operative but is disengaged not later than when the detent permits the guide to turn in the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Wittwer
  • Patent number: 5261417
    Abstract: A cardiac pacemaker lead wherein the helical fixation element and its pointed tip extend beyond the distal end of the insulating sheath for the conductor during implantation into the heart of a patient. In order to prevent damage to tissue during advancement of the fixation element and its tip through blood vessels and into the heart, the tip and preferably a portion of the adjacent convolution of the fixation element are confined in a deformable jacket in the course of the implanting step. The jacket is thereupon extracted by a length of wire or cord, either along the external surface of the sheath or through the axial passageway of the conductor, when the implanting step is completed. The jacket can be made of flexible sheet material or it can consist of closely adjacent convolutions one of which is of one piece with the wire or cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Inventor: Peter Osypka
  • Patent number: 5261516
    Abstract: Apparatus for transmitting torque from the engine to the variable-speed transmission of a motor vehicle has a primary flywheel which is connectable to the crankshaft of an engine, a secondary flywheel which is coaxial with and is rotatable relative to the primary flywheel against the opposition of one or more dampers and is connectable to the input shaft of a transmission by the clutch plate of a friction clutch having a cover which is permanently separably affixed to the secondary flywheel. An antifriction bearing between the two flywheels is located at least in part radially inwardly of fasteners which extend through holes in the first flywheel to separably connect the first flywheel to the crankshaft. At least one race of the at least one bearing is or can be integral with one of the flywheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventor: Oswald Friedmann
  • Patent number: 5261419
    Abstract: A cardiac pacemaker lead wherein a tubular catheter has a proximal end connected to a pacemaker and a distal end provided with an electrode which can be anchored in or otherwise connected with a wall in the heart of a patient. The lead can be extracted from the body of the patient by resorting to an elongated flexible wire-like stylet having a front end receivable in an internal chamber of the distal end of the catheter. The front end of the stylet constitutes or includes a first coupling element and the chamber confines or is defined by a second coupling element which can be engaged by the first coupling element, e.g., in response to rotation of the fully inserted stylet relative to the catheter or in response to heating of the first coupling element. The coupling prevents tearing of the flexible portion of the catheter and/or separation of the flexible portion from the distal end during extraction of the stylet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Inventor: Peter Osypka
  • Patent number: D341495
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Girsberger Holding AG
    Inventor: Dieter Stierli