Patents by Inventor Dieter Brunken

Dieter Brunken 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: 5683415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical needle with a suture material or thread fixed to the end opposite to the perforation tip, characterized in that the puncturing tip and the area of the needle following onto the latter is made up to approximately 50% of its length from bare or surface-untreated metal, whereas the surface of the remaining part of the needle and up to the thread shoulder is chemically or electrolytically of a coating dulled or coloured in a continuous manner or with minor interruptions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventor: Dieter Brunken
  • Patent number: 5549594
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing cap for guide tubes or reducing sleeves for inserting surgical instruments containing an all-round skirt extending down from the end wall of the sealing cap. The internal diameter corresponds to the external diameter of the tubular headpiece of the guide tube or reducing sleeve or is somewhat smaller. Below the end wall is provided a circular groove for receiving an all-round circular flange on the headpiece of the guide tube or reducing sleeve. In the center of the end wall is provided a circular insertion opening for the surgical instrument to be inserted in the guide tube or reducing sleeve. The sealing cap is made from a flexible, natural or synthetic rubber-like material, characterized in that on the lower edge of the skirt is shaped a gripping tongue whose outer boundary edges pass tangentially from two virtually diametrically facing areas of the skirt and pass into one another in a rounded portion on the outer gripping tongue end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventor: Dieter Brunken
  • Patent number: 5529175
    Abstract: A package with surgical suture material consists of a base plate (1), a cover plate (30) and a closure plate (50). The thread (20) of a needle/thread combination is placed on the base plate (1) in several coils (24), whereby it travels through a thread guide (10, 12) and whereby in the lower region of the base plate (1) the individual coils are laid spaced apart, so that the innermost coil (25) is the one nearest to the front end (21) of the thread. The needle (22) is held by a needle holder (26). Arranged in the lower region of the cover plate (30) are brake strips (32, 33) which press against the lower regions at least of the outer coils (24) of the thread (20) when the cover plate (30) is folded onto the base plate (1). In the finished folded-together state the closure plate (50) covers the cover plate (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventor: Dieter Brunken
  • Patent number: 5344005
    Abstract: The invention relates to a package with suture material for surgical purposes, especially as an inner package for sterile packaging. A bottom plate (2) displays in its rear zone a rear carrier strip (10) and in the front zone several transverse carrier strips (16, 16') running perpendicular thereto. Needles (32, 32') of needle/thread combinations (30, 30') or the front ends of single threads are held by guide cuts (18) of the transverse carrier strips (16, 16'). The threads (34) are divided into groups, preferably the threads (34) of the needle/thread combinations (30) allocated to a specific transverse carrier strip (16) being separated from the threads of others by intermediate sections (20). The rear zone of the bottom plate (2) is covered by a cover plate (40) and the front zone by a closure plate (48) which is opened during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Kettner, Dieter Brunken
  • Patent number: 5279411
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pack with elementary threads and needle-thread combinations for surgical purposes, particularly as an inner pack for double sterile packs and is characterized by (a) a base plate (2) with a front carrier ledge (12) fixed to the base plate (2) in the front region thereof between the longitudinal edges and having upwardly open guide slits (20) and a rear carrier ledge (12') fixed to the base plate (2) between the longitudinal edges at the opposite end and having upwardly open guide slits (20'), (b) one or more support ledges (16, 18) fixed between the front and rear carrier ledges (12, 12') and parallel thereto to the base plate (2), (c) several identical or different needle-thread combinations (22), as well as elementary threads (24), whose removal part is held in the guide slits (20) of the front carrier ledge (12) and whose end regions are held in the rear carrier ledge, (d) a cover plate (6), which is connected in material-integral manner with one longitudinal edge of the base pla
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventor: Dieter Brunken