Patents by Inventor Dirk Muehlhoff

Dirk Muehlhoff 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: 9254222
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to machine a material by application of non-linear radiation. The aim is achieved by modifying the laser radiation emitted by a laser beam source with the aid of a polarization modulator in such a way that laser radiation focused into the material is polarized in a linear fashion, the direction of polarization varying across the cross section of the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Muehlhoff, Gregor Stobrawa
  • Patent number: 9237965
    Abstract: A planning device generating control data for a treatment apparatus for refraction-correcting ophthalmic surgery is provided, said apparatus using a laser device to separate a corneal volume, which is to be removed for correction, from the surrounding cornea by at least one cut surface in the cornea of an eye, said planning device comprising an interface for receiving corneal data including information on pre-operative cuts which were generated in a previous ophthalmic operation, and computing means for defining a corneal cut surface which confines the corneal volume to be removed, said computing means defining the corneal cut surface on the basis of the corneal data and generating a control dataset for the corneal cut surface for control of the laser device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Muehlhoff, Gregor Stobrawa
  • Patent number: 8944601
    Abstract: The invention relates to a contact glass for ophthalmic surgery. Said glass comprises a lens body that is held in a frame and a front lens surface that is designed to be placed against the eye. According to the invention, the front lens surface is concave and follows a surface curvature (K) and an annular gap is formed at the edge of the front lens surface between the lens body and the frame, said gap being used to apply a negative pressure in order to fix the contact glass to the eye. The frame is designed to follow the contour of an imaginary continuation of the surface curvature (K), or at least does not project beyond the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Dirk Muehlhoff, Elke Ebert, Karsten Festag, Uwe Wolf, Dirk Preuss, Mark Bischoff, Gregor Stobrawa, Dietmar Steinmetz, Steffen Dubnack
  • Publication number: 20140336627
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring an optical penetration that is triggered in a tissue underneath the tissue surface by means of therapeutic laser radiation which a laser-surgical device concentrates in a treatment focus located in said tissue. The inventive device is provided with a detection beam path comprising a lens system which couples radiation emanating from the tissue underneath the tissue surface into the detection beam path. A detector device generating a detection signal which indicates the spatial dimension and/or position of the optical penetration in the tissue is arranged downstream of the detection beam path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Michael KEMPE, Markus STREHLE, Dirk MUEHLHOFF, Mario GERLACH, Markus STICKER, Mark BISCHOFF, Manfred DICK, Michael BERGT
  • Publication number: 20140247472
    Abstract: The invention concerns a scanning device for focusing a beam of rays in defined regions of a defined volume, comprising an input optics wherein the beam of rays penetrates first, having at least one first optical element; a focusing optics for focusing the beam of rays exiting from the input optics; and a deflecting device arranged between the first optical element and the focusing optics, for deflecting the beam of rays after it has passed through the first optical element, based on a position of the focus to be adjusted in lateral direction. In order to adjust the position of the focus of the beam of rays in the direction of the beam of rays, and optical element of the input optics can be displaced relative to the deflecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Inventors: Marco Hanft, Dirk Muehlhoff, Mark Bischoff, Mario Gerlach
  • Patent number: 8808279
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring an optical penetration that is triggered in a tissue underneath the tissue surface by means of therapeutic laser radiation which a laser-surgical device concentrates in a treatment focus located in said tissue. The inventive device is provided with a detection beam path comprising a lens system which couples radiation emanating from the tissue underneath the tissue surface into the detection beam path. A detector device generating a detection signal which indicates the spatial dimension and/or position of the optical penetration in the issue is arranged downstream of the detection beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Dirk Mühlhoff, Michael Kempe, Markus Strehle, Mario Gerlach, Markus Sticker, Mark Bischoff, Dick Manfred, Michael Bergt
  • Patent number: 8702770
    Abstract: The invention concerns a scanning device for focusing a beam of rays in defined regions of a defined volume, comprising an input optics wherein the beam of rays penetrates first, having at least one first optical element; a focusing optics for focusing the beam of rays exiting from the input optics; and a deflecting device arranged between the first optical element and the focusing optics, for deflecting the beam of rays after it has passed through the first optical element, based on a position of the focus to be adjusted in lateral direction. In order to adjust the position of the focus of the beam of rays in the direction of the beam of rays, and optical element of the input optics can be displaced relative to the deflecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Marco Hanft, Dirk Muehlhoff, Mark Bischoff, Mario Gerlach
  • Publication number: 20140107633
    Abstract: A planning device generating control data for a treatment apparatus for refraction-correcting ophthalmic surgery is provided, said apparatus using a laser device to separate a corneal volume, which is to be removed for correction, from the surrounding cornea by at least one cut surface in the cornea of an eye, said planning device comprising an interface for receiving corneal data including information on pre-operative cuts which were generated in a previous ophthalmic operation, and computing means for defining a corneal cut surface which confines the corneal volume to be removed, said computing means defining the corneal cut surface on the basis of the corneal data and generating a control dataset for the corneal cut surface for control of the laser device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Mark BISCHOFF, Dirk MUEHLHOFF, Gregor STOBRAWA
  • Patent number: 8652122
    Abstract: Disclosed is a laser device for machining material, comprising a laser beam source which supplies pulsed laser radiation, and a variable deflection unit that introduces said laser radiation into the material at different, selectable points so as to create optical breakthroughs. The inventive laser device further comprises a pulse-selecting apparatus which modifies selected laser pulses of the pulsed laser radiation regarding at least one optical parameter in such a way that no more optical breakthroughs can be created using the modified laser pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Mühlhoff, Mario Gerlach
  • Patent number: 8623038
    Abstract: A planning device generating control data for a treatment apparatus for refraction-correcting ophthalmic surgery is provided, said apparatus using a laser device to separate a corneal volume, which is to be removed for correction, from the surrounding cornea by at least one cut surface in the cornea of an eye, said planning device comprising an interface for receiving corneal data including information on pre-operative cuts which were generated in a previous ophthalmic operation, and computing means for defining a corneal cut surface which confines the corneal volume to be removed, said computing means defining the corneal cut surface on the basis of the corneal data and generating a control dataset for the corneal cut surface for control of the laser device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Muehlhoff, Gregor Stobrawa
  • Patent number: 8597281
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing cuts in a transparent material, in particular in the cornea, by creating optical openings in said material by means of laser radiation that is focused in said material, whereby the focal point is displaced in order to produce the cut from a surface grid-type array of optical openings arranged in sequence. The focal point is displaced along a trajectory and optical openings along said trajectory that are adjacent are not produced immediately after one another. In addition, the surface grid-type array of optical openings is constructed from at least two sub-grids, the optical openings of which are processed sequentially grid by grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Mühlhoff, Mario Gerlach, Carsten Lang, Markus Sticker, Michael Bergt
  • Patent number: 8553735
    Abstract: In a device for material processing by means of laser radiation, said device comprising a source of laser radiation emitting pulsed laser radiation for interaction with the material; optics focusing the pulsed processing laser radiation to a center of interaction in the material; a scanning unit shifting the positions of the center of interaction within the material, wherein each processing laser pulse interacts with the material in a zone surrounding the center of interaction assigned to said laser pulse so that material is separated in the zones of interaction; and a control unit which controls the scanning unit and the source of laser radiation such that a cut surface is produced in the material by sequential arrangement of zones of interaction, it is envisaged that the control unit controls the source of laser radiation and the scanning unit such that adjacent centers of interaction are located at a spatial distance a ?10 ?m from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Muehlhoff, Gregor Stobrawa
  • Patent number: 8425494
    Abstract: An adapter for mechanically coupling a laser processing device to an object. The adapter has a central region which can be moved into the beam path of the laser processing device and a peripheral region located outside the central region. The beam path extends up to the object along an optical axis. The adapter is fixable to the laser processing device on the one hand and provided so as to contact the object with its central region on the other hand. A fixture is provided at the peripheral region that allows the adapter to be releasably fixed to a receiving part of the laser processing device such that, upon application of a determined pulling force along the optical axis, the The fixture is removable from the receiving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Dirk Mühlhoff, Elke Ebert, Karsten Festag, Uwe Wolf
  • Publication number: 20130072917
    Abstract: Improvements in respect of performing cataract surgery, and the result thereof, by application of a laser system. A device for cataract surgery, includes a surgical microscope or stereo microscope and a laser source. A module, consisting of a laser-coupling/deflecting unit, a laser-scan unit, and a focusing unit, can be attached to the surgical microscope or stereo microscope, in which at least one of these units can selectively be introduced between the surgical microscope and eye, and in which the focusing unit can scan a depth-of-focus range of greater than 1 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
    Inventors: Michael Kaschke, Ludwin Monz, Tobias Damm, Dirk Mühlhoff, Karlheinz Rein, Gregor Stobrawa, Manfred Dick, Martin Kühner, Artur Högele, Matthias Reich, Dieter Grebner
  • Publication number: 20120215208
    Abstract: A method for precise working of material, particularly organic tissue, comprises the step of providing laser pulses with a pulse length between 50 fs and 1 ps and with a pulse frequency from 50 kHz to 1 MHz and with a wavelength between 600 and 2000 nm for acting on the material to be worked. Apparatus, in accordance with the invention, for precise working of material, particularly organic tissue comprising a pulsed laser, wherein the laser has a pulse length between 50 fs and 1 ps and with a pulse frequency of from 50 kHz to 1 MHz is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Mark BENDETT, Mark BISCHOFF, Mario GERLACH, Dirk MUEHLHOFF
  • Publication number: 20120136342
    Abstract: Disclosed is a laser device for machining material, comprising a laser beam source which supplies pulsed laser radiation, and a variable deflection unit that introduces said laser radiation into the material at different, selectable points so as to create optical breakthroughs. The inventive laser device further comprises a pulse-selecting apparatus which modifies selected laser pulses of the pulsed laser radiation regarding at least one optical parameter in such a way that no more optical breakthroughs can be created using the modified laser pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
    Inventors: Mark BISCHOFF, Dirk MÜHLHOFF, Mario GERLACH
  • Patent number: 8171937
    Abstract: A method for precise working of material, particularly organic tissue, comprises the step of providing laser pulses with a pulse length between 50 fs and 1 ps and with a pulse frequency from 50 kHz to 1 MHz and with a wavelength between 600 and 2000 nm for acting on the material to be worked. Apparatus, in accordance with the invention, for precise working of material, particularly organic tissue comprising a pulsed laser, wherein the laser has a pulse length between 50 fs and 1 ps and with a pulse frequency of from 50 kHz to 1 MHz is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bendett, Mark Bischoff, Mario Gerlach, Dirk Muehlhoff
  • Patent number: 8092446
    Abstract: In a device for material processing by laser radiation, including a source of laser radiation emitting pulsed laser radiation for interaction with the material; optics focusing the pulsed processing laser radiation to a center of interaction in the material and a scanning unit shifting the positions of the center of interaction within the material. Each processing laser pulse interacts with the material in a zone surrounding the center of interaction assigned to the laser pulse so that material is separated in the zones of interaction. A control unit controls the scanning unit and the source of laser radiation such that a cut surface is produced in the material by sequential arrangement of zones of interaction. The control unit controls the source of laser radiation and the scanning unit such that adjacent centers of interaction are located at a spatial distance a?10 ?m from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Müehlhoff, Gregor Stobrawa
  • Patent number: 8025659
    Abstract: Disclosed is a laser device for machining material, comprising a laser beam source which supplies pulsed laser radiation, and a variable deflection unit that introduces said laser radiation into the material at different, selectable points so as to create optical breakthroughs. The inventive laser device further comprises a pulse-selecting apparatus which modifies selected laser pulses of the pulsed laser radiation regarding at least one optical parameter in such a way that no more optical breakthroughs can be created using the modified laser pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mark Bischoff, Dirk Mühlhoff, Mario Gerlach
  • Patent number: 7921852
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forming curved sections in a transparent material, especially in a cornea, by producing optical breaks at various points in the material by means of pulsed laser beams focused into the material. The laser beam is deviated in a two-dimensional manner from a deviation point in order to form the section by arranging the optical breaks in a sequence. The two-dimensional deviation occurs such that the areas of the optical opening along a curve, whereon the optical openings are arranged in a sequence, are arranged at a distance in relation to the deviation point according to an angle function which is not linear and which is adapted to the curvature of the section. The areas along the curve adjacent to optical openings inside a specific tolerance range are arranged at an even distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Mario Gerlach, Carsten Lang, Dirk Mühlhoff, Markus Sticker, Mark Bischoff, Michael Bergt