Patents by Inventor Dieter Weisshaupt

Dieter Weisshaupt 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: 9872676
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical retractor, in particular, for spreading a severed sternum, comprising a first retaining device and a second retaining device, which each have a spreader arm with at least one retaining element held thereon, a holding device for holding the retaining devices on each other, and a drive device with which the distance of the spreader arms from each other along a retraction direction is alterable for transfer to a spread position. In order to provide a retractor of this kind which, having a compact design, is easy to handle, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the retaining devices each have a holding arm connected to the respective spreader arm, and both holding arms couple with the drive device and be displaceable via the drive device relative to each other and relative to the holding device along a displacement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Pedro Morales, Robert Vogtherr, Andreas Elisch, Peter Kleine
  • Publication number: 20170360976
    Abstract: A closure for a medical sterile container having a trough-like first container part and a lid-type second container part includes a closure flap which can be arranged on one of the container parts so as to be able to pivot between a closed position, in which the container parts are interlocked with each other by the closure, and an open position in which the container parts are unlocked. The closure includes a latch element which in the closed position of the closure interlocks the closure flap with the other container part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Stefan Thomas, Serkan Bellikli, Matthias Schweizer, Stefan Schuster, Dieter Weisshaupt
  • Patent number: 9820804
    Abstract: A surgical instrument for bonding body tissue includes a shank and first and second tool elements which are movable relative to each other and include a respective electrode. The electrodes define a minimum distance from each other, are opposed to each other and face each other in an approximating position of the tool elements. The first tool element is arranged or formed at the distal end of the shank, so that a mechanical load of anastomoses of body tissue parts produced by current flow is minimized when removing the surgical instrument. The second tool element is adapted to be brought from an operating position, in which it can be brought into the approximating position, into a removing position, in which a peripheral withdrawing line defined by the electrode of the second tool element is shorter than a peripheral approximating line defined by the electrode in the approximating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Christoph Rothweiler
  • Patent number: 9763663
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument for making an end-to-end anastomosis between two hollow organ sections includes two tools movable relative to each other and each including an HF electrode by which the hollow organ sections can be fusion-welded to each other. The two tools are substantially sleeve-shaped or can at least be brought into sleeve shape so that a first tool can enclose a first hollow organ section and a second tool can enclose a second hollow organ section. Each of the electrodes is formed on an end face of each sleeve-shaped tool around which the respective hollow organ section can be everted inside out, and the two tools are movable relative to each other so that the electrodes are aligned and can clamp the everted hollow organ sections therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Pedro Morales, Christoph Rothweiler
  • Patent number: 9743916
    Abstract: A surgical positioning instrument for supporting and holding organs includes a preferably concave bearing portion and a supporting portion substantially rearward with respect to the bearing portion. Via the bearing portion an organ which is to be positioned can be received and via the supporting portion the surgical positioning instrument can be supported at an environment of the organ. Further, at least the bearing portion partly simulates a surface of the organ to be supported and is designed to be dimensionally stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: AESCULAP AG
    Inventors: Zoltan Galajda, Dominik Seyfried, Theodor Lutze, Dieter Weisshaupt, Thomas Beck, Sonja Verse, Robert Vogtherr, Andreas Elisch, Pedro Morales, Omer Dzemali, Lajos Patonay
  • Publication number: 20170215859
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical retractor, particularly for the retraction of a separated sternum, with a holding device and two spreader arms, wherein the spreader arms are mounted with one end on the holding device, at a distance from each other that is adjustable in a spreading plane, and at least two retaining elements for retention of bone material, for example of the separated sternum, are arranged on each of the spreader arms. To develop this retractor for sternotomy in such a way as to permit gentler opening of the separated sternum, it is proposed that at least one of the retaining elements is mounted such that its position can be modified in the retraction direction with respect to that end of the spreader arm mounted on the holding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Beck, Peter Kleine, Dieter Weisshaupt, Pedro Morales, Robert Vogtherr, Andreas Elisch
  • Patent number: 9675332
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical retractor, particularly for the retraction of a separated sternum, with a holding device and two spreader arms, wherein the spreader arms are mounted with one end on the holding device, at a distance from each other that is adjustable in a spreading plane, and at least two retaining elements for retention of bone material, for example of the separated sternum, are arranged on each of the spreader arms. To develop this retractor for sternotomy in such a way as to permit gentler opening of the separated sternum, it is proposed that at least one of the retaining elements is mounted such that its position can be modified in the retraction direction with respect to that end of the spreader arm mounted on the holding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Thomas Beck, Peter Kleine, Dieter Weisshaupt, Pedro Morales, Robert Vogtherr, Andreas Elisch
  • Publication number: 20170143449
    Abstract: A receiving sleeve receives surgical instruments. A holding device for storing and cleaning surgical instruments includes at least one receiving sleeve. A surgical instrument set includes a holding device and/or receiving sleeve. The receiving sleeve and the holding device have a light construction which allows the maximum flow of fluid to instruments held in the receiving sleeve or holding device. The receiving sleeve includes a cylindrical hollow body with a plurality of peripherally spaced inner clamping arms which have punctiform or linear engagement sections that are adjusted to come into contact with an inserted tool in a force-fit or form-fit manner for holding the tool within the receiving sleeve at a radial distance to the cylindrical body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Gerold Zieris, Dieter Weisshaupt, Serkan Bellikli
  • Patent number: 9649399
    Abstract: The invention relates to a medical seal for a medical sterilizing container having a container bottom part and a container top part for closing the container bottom part. Said seal is formed so as to be closed within itself and is adapted to be arranged on and extend around the container top part and comprises a sealing element holder body for fixation to the container top part and two sealing lips arranged on and extending around the sealing element holder body. At least one of the sealing lips is held or mounted in an articulated manner on the sealing element holder body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Stefan Schuster, Stefan Thomas, Gerhard Aicher, Gerold Zieris
  • Patent number: 9642667
    Abstract: A surgical system that connects biological tissue includes a) a surgical instrument with two tool elements movable in relation to one another and in each case including an electrode, which electrodes, in a coming-together position of the tool elements preferably define a minimum distance from one another, lie opposite one another and face one another, and b) a medically compatible material assisting connection of the tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Christoph Rothweiler, Jürgen Wegmann, Bernd Blender
  • Patent number: 9603655
    Abstract: An electrosurgical instrument includes a proximal end and a distal end having a jaw member assembly at the distal end including a first jaw member and a second jaw member movable relative thereto. The jaw members can be transferred relative to each other from an opening position into a gripping position in which they are arranged to be closer to each other than in the opening position. Each jaw member has at least one electrode connectable to an electric power source and electrodes of both jaw members being adapted to interact for sealing body tissue held between the jaw members in the gripping position, actuating means for transferring the jaw members from the opening position into the gripping position and means for limiting the closing width of the jaw members, when they are transferred from the opening position into the gripping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Theodor Lutze, Anton Keller, Dieter Weisshaupt, Stefan Eick, Christoph Rothweiler, Eugen Herner
  • Publication number: 20170071666
    Abstract: A surgical system for connecting body tissue is provided. The surgical system includes a surgical instrument having two tool elements movable relative to each other, each of which comprises a high-frequency electrode. The high-frequency electrodes, in an approach position of the tool elements, define a minimum distance from each other, lying opposite each other and facing each other. The instrument has a shaft at the distal end of which at least a first one of the tool elements is arranged or formed. A second tool element is movable from an operating position, in which it is adapted for movement into the approach position, into a removal position and/or vice versa. A surface area of a perpendicular projection of the second tool element onto a projection plane extending perpendicularly to a shaft direction in a region of the second tool element is smaller in the removal position than in the operating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Anton Keller, Christoph Rothweiler
  • Patent number: 9572905
    Abstract: A sterile display for a sterile container includes a thermally actuatable display apparatus for the display of a first and a second sterility condition of the sterile container. The display apparatus includes an adjustment mechanism having an actuator element which can be transferred, by external heating, from a first stress state in which the first sterility condition can be displayed, to a second stress state in which the second sterility condition can be displayed. The adjustment mechanism includes a thermo-bimetal element wherein, by its actuation, the actuator element of the adjustment mechanism can be transferred from the first stress state to the second stress state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Peter Schulz, Stefan Schuster, Dieter Weisshaupt
  • Patent number: 9572579
    Abstract: A surgical clip is provided, having two clip arms and a resiliently flexible element pivotally connecting the two clip arms together. The two clip arms each have a first free end, which are held in parallel to and in contact with each other with a predetermined closing force by the flexible element in a rest position. At a second end opposite the free end, the clip arms are held connected to a wall section of the flexible element that is arranged substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the clip arms, extends between the second ends of the clip arms and has a first wall portion facing towards the clip arms and a second wall portion facing away from the clip arms. The flexible element is made from a plastics material by injection molding. The first wall portion is produced with a greater shrinkage than the second wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventor: Dieter Weisshaupt
  • Patent number: 9566077
    Abstract: In a pneumatically actuatable surgical instrument comprising a handle and a pressurized gas operated tool arranged at the handle, a replaceable pressurized gas reservoir and a locking device for fixing the pressurized gas reservoir on the handle in an operative position in which the pressurized gas reservoir is connected to a pressurized gas channel by which the tool is supplied with pressurized gas, it is proposed, in order to improve the handling of the pressurized gas reservoir, that the instrument further comprises an unlocking device for releasing the fixing of the pressurized gas reservoir in the operative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Thomas Scholten, Dieter Weisshaupt, Markus Nesper, Peter Schulz
  • Publication number: 20170001770
    Abstract: A security seal for a medical container includes a seal foot having at least one latch structure movable relative thereto for engaging a mating latch structure formed on the container, and a seal head connected with the seal foot that includes at least one locking tab which is movably connected with the seal head through a hinge element, wherein the security seal includes a bolt element which can be positioned between a release position, in which the latch structure can be moved relative to the seal foot, and a locked position, in which the deformable latch structure is fixed in position relative to the seal foot and/or seal head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Gerold Zieris
  • Patent number: 9492172
    Abstract: In order to so improve a surgical system for connecting body tissue, comprising a surgical instrument having two tool elements movable relative to each other, each of which comprises a high-frequency electrode, the high-frequency electrodes, in an approach position of the tool elements, defining a minimum distance from each other, lying opposite each other and facing each other, that an overstretching of connections of parts of body tissue, in particular, made by a flow of current, is avoided when removing the surgical instrument, it is proposed that the instrument comprise a shaft at the distal end of which at least a first one of the tool elements is arranged or formed, and that a second tool element be adapted to be moved from an operating position, in which it is adapted for movement into the approach position, into a removal position and/or vice versa, a surface area of a perpendicular projection of the second tool element onto a projection plane extending perpendicularly to the shaft direction in the re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Anton Keller, Christoph Rothweiler
  • Patent number: 9468440
    Abstract: To economically manufacture a surgical clip applicator for U-shaped or V-shaped clips, which allows secure closure of the clips when applied to tissue structures, in particular, also in the case of double-shank or multiple clips, it is proposed that the applicator comprise a handle portion, a shaft adjoining the handle portion, a clip applying tool arranged at the free end of the shaft, and a clip magazine, the applying tool comprising a mouthpiece with tool jaws for holding a clip during the application and a closing device for transferring the tool jaws from an open, idle position to a closed position, and the mouthpiece being made of a plastic material and being held separately from the closing device on the clip applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Peter Schulz, Pedro Morales, Dieter Weisshaupt
  • Patent number: 9468359
    Abstract: A control apparatus for use in endoscopes or the like is provided which allows a user to work without fatigue. The control apparatus includes a proximal and distal end sections, each of which has an articulation zone, and a central section arranged therebetween, an outer hollow-cylindrical shaft, an inner cylindrical shaft, and a control element arranged between the shafts and having two or more force-transmitting longitudinal elements extending substantially from the proximal to the distal end section for coupling movement of the distal end section with movement of the proximal articulation section. The longitudinal elements are arranged in spaced-apart relation to one another at substantially regular angular distances which, as measured in a circumferential direction, are selected such that the longitudinal elements are guided without contact in a circumferential direction and optionally guided in contact with the outer and/or the inner shaft in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Aesculap AG
    Inventors: Dieter Weisshaupt, Susanne Breitling, Theodor Lutze
  • Publication number: 20160235476
    Abstract: An electrosurgical tubular shaft for use with a surgical instrument grip for formation of an electrosurgical tubular shaft instrument is provided. The tubular shaft comprises a tube, an electrosurgical tool arranged at the distal end on the tubular shaft, at least one electric connection line electrically connected to the tool and extending in the tube, and at least one coupling element arranged at the proximal end on the tubular shaft for interacting with at least one corresponding coupling element of the instrument grip for releasably coupling the instrument grip to the tubular shaft. The tube comprises an outlet opening which is arranged distally of the at least one coupling element and through which the at least one connection line issues from the tube. The tubular shaft comprises an electric connection element for an electric energy supply. A surgical instrument grip and an electrosurgical tubular shaft instrument are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Matthias Wand, Dieter Weisshaupt, Markus Nesper