Patents by Inventor Bernhard Uihlein

Bernhard Uihlein 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: 9247948
    Abstract: A change-out handle system is provided for releasably coupling two elongated, axially relatively displaceable functional parts to a medical instrument unit. The change-out handle system includes a first and a second handle part disposed axially relatively displaceably, a first coupler for releasably axially rigidly immovably coupling a first of the two functional parts to the first handle part and a second coupler for releasably, axially rigidly immovably coupling the second of the two functional parts to the second handle part. The second handle part has a pass-through opening for passing at least the first of the two functional parts. The change-out handle system can be used, for example, for medical solids trapping instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Urotech Medizinische Technologie GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfhard Pinkowski, Bernhard Uihlein, Dieudonne Mbarga, Werner Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20160022263
    Abstract: A member of a rigid flexible elastic material, the member including a body portion and an aperture portion with the member adapted for delivery through an axial longitudinal channel of a percutaneous delivery subsystem, the aperture portion including an expanded mode having a lateral dimension greater than an inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion extends outside the channel and a collapsed mode wherein the lateral dimension is not greater than the inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion is within the channel, the channel including a first axial opening and a second axial opening with the aperture portion transitioning from the expanded mode to the collapsed mode when inserted into the openings and the aperture transitioning from the collapsed mode to the expanded mode when exiting from the openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas P. Knapp, Bernhard Uihlein, Stanley O. Thompson, Timothy J. Coonahan, Jon Taylor
  • Patent number: 9174022
    Abstract: A medical catheter instrument has a shaft portion, a distal portion bendable in a controlled manner in at least one direction relative to the shaft portion, and a control element extending in an axially movable manner through the shaft portion to the distal portion. The axial movement of the control element controls a corresponding bending movement of the distal portion. The catheter instrument includes a bending assembly having at least one elongated, elastically bendable stiffening element and at least one elongated, bendable and axially length-adjustable bending element, the elements being provided in an axial sub-region of the distal portion and extending therein with an axial main component, wherein the stiffening element forms an element restoring bending movement and has a higher flexural stiffness than the bending element, and the bending element is coupled to the control element or forms part of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: EPflex Feinwerktechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Publication number: 20150190614
    Abstract: A medical guide wire is provided having a wire core made, for example, of MR-invisible material and a sheath that surrounds the wire core at least sectionally and so as to be in touching contact therewith. The sheath can have a multilayer structure which has at least two solid material layers and/or fiber layers which are formed by different, MR-invisible plastics materials. The MR marker has at least one MR marker element which is integrated at least partially into the multilayer structure of the sheath or is surrounded thereby.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Patent number: 9072514
    Abstract: A member of a rigid flexible elastic material, the member including a body portion and an aperture portion with the member adapted for delivery through an axial longitudinal channel of a percutaneous delivery subsystem, the aperture portion including an expanded mode having a lateral dimension greater than an inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion extends outside the channel and a collapsed mode wherein the lateral dimension is not greater than the inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion is within the channel, the channel including a first axial opening and a second axial opening with the aperture portion transitioning from the expanded mode to the collapsed mode when inserted into the openings and the aperture transitioning from the collapsed mode to the expanded mode when exiting from the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas P. Knapp, Bernhard Uihlein, Stanley O. Thompson, Timothy J. Coonahan, Jon Taylor
  • Patent number: 8852203
    Abstract: A multi-wire instrument has a distal functional section, in which a plurality of individual wires form a wire basket, wherein they are combined at a distal end and connected to one another by being joined directly to one another or to a distal terminating body while forming a respective predetermined breaking connection. A shaft section extends between the distal functional section and a proximal end region of the multi-wire instrument. The individual wires extend in one piece from their distal end to the proximal end region of the multi-wire instrument and the shaft section is formed by the individual wires, which are combined there and held together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: EPflex Feinwerktechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Publication number: 20140074112
    Abstract: A medical device configured to retrieve calcified stones from the human body includes wire segments and a fixing disc element coupled with the wire segments. The wire segments form a wire basket. The fixing disc element is coupled with the wire segments at a front end of the wire basket. Multiple adjacent wire strands are formed from a first of the wire segments that is directed along a path extending from the rear end of the wire basket forward through a first through-opening of the fixing disc element, and looped through a second through-opening of the fixing disc element, and directed along a path extending from the fixing disc element rearward to the rear end of the wire basket to thus form a first U-shaped deflection disposed on a distal side of the fixing disc element at the front end of the wire basket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Coloplast A/S
    Inventors: Bernhard Uihlein, GerĂ¡rd Louis Florent Torchio
  • Patent number: 8617177
    Abstract: A wire basket includes a fixing disc element coupled with several wire strands. The wire strands extend between a front end of the wire basket and a rear end of the wire basket to define an orbital shape. The fixing disc element forms a front closure of the wire basket and has at least first and second through-openings. A first of the wire strands is formed from a first wire segment that is looped through the first of the through-openings of the fixing disc element along a path extending from the rear end of the wire basket forward through the fixing disc element to form a U-shaped deflection that is looped through a separate second of the through-openings of the fixing disc element along a path extending from the fixing disc element to the rear end of the wire basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Coloplast A/S
    Inventors: Bernhard Uihlein, Gerard Louis Florent Torchio
  • Patent number: 8562624
    Abstract: A stone catching instrument for use, for example, as a stone catching basket and a wire filter unit for medical instruments, and method for producing the same, are provided. The stone catching basket instrument has a multiwire basket unit with several wire sections connected with one another as a cohesive wire complex, the wire complex cut in one piece out of a planar material in a rosette-shape and bent to form the wire basket unit. The wire sections extend essentially radially and are cohesive with one another at their inner radial ends at a wire linkage area. The wire basket unit when in a widened condition is arranged to catch particles caught through spaces between the wire sections, and when moved to a drawn-together condition, holds particles in the wire basket unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: EPflex Feinwerktechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Patent number: 8540648
    Abstract: A guide wire for a medical instrument, such as an endoscope, has a marking pattern, which extends at least across part of the axial length of the guide wire and includes markings of different marking types that can be sensed. On the guide wire, markings of first and second marking types are formed by marking surfaces, of which the marking surfaces of at least the first marking type each extend across only part of the circumferential surface of the guide wire and across only part of the axial length of the marking pattern, and in the axial direction of the guide wire follow each other at a distance by at least one interposed marking surface of the second marking type. At least one longitudinal marking strip is formed as a marking of a third marking type, which extends continuously across the axial length of the marking pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: EPflex Feinwerktechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Publication number: 20130035695
    Abstract: A manually actuated function hose instrument has a hose-shaped function part and a wire-shaped function part extending in the latter, wherein the two function parts are axially movable relative to each other in order to exert a useful function at a distal section remote from a proximal end section. An associated operating device, which has two operating parts, is arranged at the proximal end section of the function parts. A fixing part is provided which serves for the external fixing of the operating device and with which the second operating part is coupled in an axially relatively movable manner, and/or the second operating part is connected non-releasably to the proximal end section of the hose-shaped function part and contains an operating ring with a circumferential finger recess as operating area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: TRANSCOT S.A.
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Patent number: 8292828
    Abstract: The invention relates to a guide wire for a medical instrument, which has a guide wire core (2) and a sheathing (3) that surrounds the guide wire core at least in sections. According to the invention, the sheathing (3), at least in a shaft section (5) joined to an end section (4), is provided with a rigidity greater than that of the guide wire core. The invention is for use, e.g. in medical instruments for magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) suitable applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: EPflex Feinwerktechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Patent number: 8282658
    Abstract: A member of a rigid flexible elastic material, the member including a body portion and an aperture portion with the member adapted for delivery through an axial longitudinal channel of a percutaneous delivery subsystem, the aperture portion including an expanded mode having a lateral dimension greater than an inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion extends outside the channel and a collapsed mode wherein the lateral dimension is not greater than the inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion is within the channel, the channel including a first axial opening and a second axial opening with the aperture portion transitioning from the expanded mode to the collapsed mode when inserted into the openings and the aperture transitioning from the collapsed mode to the expanded mode when exiting from the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas P. Knapp, Bernhard Uihlein, Stanley O. Thompson, Timothy J. Coonahan, Jon Taylor
  • Publication number: 20120190927
    Abstract: A medical catheter instrument has a shaft portion, a distal portion bendable in a controlled manner in at least one direction relative to the shaft portion, and a control element extending in an axially movable manner through the shaft portion to the distal portion. The axial movement of the control element controls a corresponding bending movement of the distal portion. The catheter instrument includes a bending assembly having at least one elongated, elastically bendable stiffening element and at least one elongated, bendable and axially length-adjustable bending element, the elements being provided in an axial sub-region of the distal portion and extending therein with an axial main component, wherein the stiffening element forms an element restoring bending movement and has a higher flexural stiffness than the bending element, and the bending element is coupled to the control element or forms part of the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: EPFlex Feinwektechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Publication number: 20120088972
    Abstract: A change-out handle system is provided for releasably coupling two elongated, axially relatively displaceable functional parts to a medical instrument unit. The change-out handle system includes a first and a second handle part disposed axially relatively displaceably, a first coupler for releasably axially rigidly immovably coupling a first of the two functional parts to the first handle part and a second coupler for releasably, axially rigidly immovably coupling the second of the two functional parts to the second handle part. The second handle part has a pass-through opening for passing at least the first of the two functional parts. The change-out handle system can be used, for example, for medical solids trapping instruments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Urotech Medizinische Technologie GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfhard PINKOWSKI, Bernhard Uihlein, Dieudonne Mbarga, Werner Schwarz
  • Patent number: 8128598
    Abstract: A pressure connection device for a guidewire unit that is operated with a pressure medium is provided. A return valve is mounted in the interior of a tube end section of a pressure medium tube of the guidewire unit, the return valve opening for introducing the pressure medium into the pressure medium tube and closing in order to prevent the pressure medium from escaping from the pressure medium tube, and/or a connecting body accommodates the tube end section of the pressure medium tube and has a pressure medium-controlled tube holding element which secures the tube end section to the connecting body in a fluid-tight manner when impinged upon with pressure and, in a pressure-relieved state, releases it so it can be detached from the connecting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: EPflex Feinwerktechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein
  • Patent number: 7993303
    Abstract: A support catheter that can puncture a heart septum with a guidewire without buckling and that can access difficult to reach arteries such as carotid or renal arteries from the aorta under difficult circumstances is provided. The support catheter comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior wall surface defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end. A second lumen is disposed between the interior wall surface and an outer surface of the catheter body. A plurality of stiffening members is disposed around the second lumen, the plurality of stiffening members being engageable to selectively stiffen the catheter body. In another configuration, the catheter further comprises a second plurality of stiffening members disposed between the first lumen and the second lumen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Randolf Von Oepen, Ian J. Clark, Lorcan Coffey, Thomas Rieth, Richard Newhauser, Travis Yribarren, Marc Gianotti, Bernhard Uihlein
  • Publication number: 20110112547
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wire basket unit with a balloon-shaped wire basket composed of several wire strands (2a, 2b, 2d, 2e) which extend between a front end of the wire basket and a rear end of the wire basket and are formed from one or more wire segments, and with a fixing disc element (13a) on which the wire strands are fixed at the front end of the wire basket so as to form a front closure of the wire basket, wherein the fixing disc element has at least a first through-opening (14a) and a second through-opening (14b). According to the invention, at least a first (2a) of the wire strands is formed from a first wire segment which is looped through a first (14a) of the through-openings of the fixing disc element from the rear forwards and, forming a U-shaped deflection (2c), is looped through a second (14b) of the through-openings of the fixing disc element from the front to the rear again and is thus fixed on the fixing disc element. Use, for example, for medical basket instruments for retrieving stones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: COLOPLAST A/S
    Inventors: Bernhard Uihlein, Gerard Louis, Florent Torchio
  • Publication number: 20110098742
    Abstract: A member of a rigid flexible elastic material, the member including a body portion and an aperture portion with the member adapted for delivery through an axial longitudinal channel of a percutaneous delivery subsystem, the aperture portion including an expanded mode having a lateral dimension greater than an inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion extends outside the channel and a collapsed mode wherein the lateral dimension is not greater than the inner diameter of the channel when the aperture portion is within the channel, the channel including a first axial opening and a second axial opening with the aperture portion transitioning from the expanded mode to the collapsed mode when inserted into the openings and the aperture transitioning from the collapsed mode to the expanded mode when exiting from the openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2011
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas P. Knapp, Bernhard Uihlein, Stanley O. Thompson, Timothy J. Coonahan, Jon Taylor
  • Publication number: 20110040282
    Abstract: A tube that can be stiffened in a controlled manner has a pressure channel for controllable production of a stiffening overpressure by introduction of a pressure medium. The tube has several flexible stiffening elements, of which at least one is stable with respect to tensile force and which are pressed onto one another when acted upon by the stiffening overpressure with the result that the tube is changed from a more flexible state to a more flexurally stiff state. A channel is separate from the pressure channel and, in the stiffened state of the tube, forms a working channel whose course corresponds to the tube shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: EPFLEX FEINWERKTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventor: Bernhard Uihlein