Patents by Inventor André Ehrhardt

André Ehrhardt 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: 10151915
    Abstract: An illumination arrangement according to the invention, in particular for an endoscope, comprises at least three light sources for generating a respective input light beam, and a beam combination device (5, 21), wherein the beam combination device (5, 21) comprises at least two beam splitters for combining the at least three input light beams to form an output light beam, at least three collimator lenses (7, 8, 9) embodied as GRIN lenses and serving for collimating and coupling a respective one of the input light beams into one of the beam splitters, and at least one further GRIN lens for coupling the output light beam into an optical waveguide. The invention also relates to a beam combination device and a method for coupling at least three input light beams into an optical waveguide, in particular into an optical waveguide of an endoscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignees: KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG, GRINTECH GmbH
    Inventors: André Ehrhardt, Werner Goebel, Bernhard Messerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20170090180
    Abstract: An illumination arrangement according to the invention, in particular for an endoscope, comprises at least three light sources for generating a respective input light beam, and a beam combination device (5, 21), wherein the beam combination device (5, 21) comprises at least two beam splitters for combining the at least three input light beams to form an output light beam, at least three collimator lenses (7, 8, 9) embodied as GRIN lenses and serving for collimating and coupling a respective one of the input light beams into one of the beam splitters, and at least one further GRIN lens for coupling the output light beam into an optical waveguide. The invention also relates to a beam combination device and a method for coupling at least three input light beams into an optical waveguide, in particular into an optical waveguide of an endoscope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: André EHRHARDT, Werner GOEBEL, Bernhard MESSERSCHMIDT
  • Patent number: 9585612
    Abstract: A fluorescence diagnosis system has a viewing system at least one light source and a camera system. The at least one light source can be operated in three modes, a first generating white light, a second with a first fluorescence excitation light of a first excitation wavelength and a third in which a second fluorescence excitation light of a second excitation wavelength is generated producing a fluorescence image in the NIR range. The camera system is sensitive at least in the visible and the NIR range. The system further comprises an image processing system for converting the fluorescence image in the NIR range into a visible image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus M. Irion, André Ehrhardt, Reinhold Baumgartner, Herbert Stepp, Thomas Pongratz
  • Patent number: 8657862
    Abstract: A light system for medical photodynamic applications comprises an incoherent light source emitting a light with a power and a light guide which has a distal end and an entrance interface. The entrance interface and the light source have a position relative to one another and are able to be positioned relative to one another. The light system further comprises a luminous power meter for measuring a luminous power emitted at the distal end of the light guide, a motorized positioning unit for positioning the entrance interface and the light source relative to one another, and a control unit which controls the positioning unit as a function of the luminous power measured by the luminous power meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus M. Irion, André Ehrhardt, Andreas Schmal
  • Patent number: 8616894
    Abstract: The invention relates to a virtual OP simulator (10) for training for minimal-invasive operations, in particular for endourological interventions, having a simulation calculator unit (12), at least one instrument (40), at least one instrument input unit (30) for picking up the instrument (40), with the instrument input unit (30) allowing and recording movement of the instrument (40) in a predetermined number of degrees of freedom, and a force feedback unit (60) which is associated with the instrument input unit (30) and applies variable forces to the instrument (40) directly or indirectly via the instrument input unit (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: André Ehrhardt, Klaus M. Irion, Björn Speiser
  • Patent number: 6494826
    Abstract: A coupling provides mechanical, light-guiding, and image-guiding connection of an endoscope to a camera module. It is proposed that a first cylindrical stem, in whose interior a proximal end segment of the light guiding system is received, project in the coupling direction from a coupling end of the endoscope. Also projecting from the coupling end in the coupling direction is a second approximately cylindrical stem whose length and diameter are greater than the length and diameter of the first stem, a proximal end segment of the image guiding system being received in the interior of the second stem. The second stem coacts with an interlock arranged on the camera module, for mechanical interlocking of the coupling. The first and second stems extend at a distance next to one another, and the coupling end of the camera module has receptacles, complementary to the two stems, into which the two stems penetrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: David Chatenever, Klaus M. Irion, André Ehrhardt, Jürgen Rudischhauser, Daniel Mattsson-Boze
  • Patent number: 6212425
    Abstract: A device for “in vivo” diagnosis by means of a photosensibilisator light-induced reaction or a reaction caused by intrinsic fluorescence in biological tissue, having an illumination system, which is provided with at least one light source having a lamp system which generates incoherent light in a wavelength range of at least 380 to 680 nm, a light delivering unit which directs the light of said illumination system at the therapy and/or to-be-diagnosed tissue area, and an imaging, image-recording and image-transmitting unit which images the light coming from said tissue area in a proximal image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Klaus Irion, Reinhold Baumgartner, Herbert Stepp, André Ehrhardt, Karlheinz Strobl