Patents by Inventor Erwin Flühler

Erwin Flühler 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: 8262702
    Abstract: An osteosynthetic clamp is provided for use in attaching a bone anchor to a support rod. The clamp comprises a carrier with a first portion adapted for connection to the anchor and with a second portion for connection to the rod. A clamping hook defines a bight in which the rod can be located and a head that passes through an aperture defined by the second portion of the carrier. The head of the hook passes through a collar, which is attached to the second portion of the carrier by engaging, complementarily shaped parts. These parts are defined respectively by the second portion of the carrier and by the collar and together form a joint permitting sliding translational movement of the collar relative to the carrier. A fastener can be secured to the head of the clamping hook and tightened in order to clamp the rod within the bight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Synthes USA, LLC
    Inventors: Lukas Giger, Erwin Fluehler, Roman Iselin
  • Publication number: 20110098753
    Abstract: An osteosynthetic clamp is provided for use in attaching a bone anchor (1) to a support rod (2). The clamp comprises a carrier (3; 9) with a first portion (7) adapted for connection to a bone anchor (1) and with a second portion (8) for connection to a support rod (2). A clamping hook (4) defines a bight (17) in which the support rod (2) can be located and a head (15) that passes through an aperture (14) defined by the second portion (8) of the carrier (3; 9). The head (15) of the clamping hook (4) passes through a collar (5), which is attached to the second portion (8) of the carrier (3; 9) by engaging, complementarily shaped parts (21a, 21b). These parts (21a, 21b) are defined respectively by the second portion of the carrier (8) and by the collar (5) and together form a joint permitting sliding translational movement of the collar (5) relative to the carrier (3; 9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Lukas Giger, Erwin Fluehler, Roman Iselin
  • Patent number: 6500177
    Abstract: A telescopic body for an external bone fixation device includes a central core body and cylindrical outer parts having a bore extending therethrough, all disposed about a center axis. The outer surface of the core body is in the form of a keyed shaft, and the bore in the outer parts has keyways that mate with the shaft, thereby permitting the outer parts to be telescoped in a rotationally fixed, torsion-resistant fashion. Threaded drive spindles housed in the outer parts can be screwed into and out of the core body at either end, permitting the overall length of the telescopic body to be changed. Terminal elements are provided in the ends of the outer parts to limit travel of the drive spindles. At least one of the terminal elements may be a dynamic progression cap which, when progressively unscrewed, allows the axial clamping tension of the threaded spindle to be released in millimeter increments to permit relaxation of the axial clamping of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Synthes (USA)
    Inventors: Orlando Martinelli, Beat Inauen, Erwin Flühler, Lutz Claes, Heinz Gerngross, Götz Rübsaamen
  • Patent number: 6428540
    Abstract: A device for repositioning fractured bone fragments has a rod and a clamping device secured to each end of the rod and bone fasteners for anchoring in the fractured bone fragments to be fixed. The rod has three translation mechanisms and three rotation mechanisms for altering the relative position of the two clamping devices so that the device has in total 6 degrees of freedom along the axes Tx, Ty, Tz, Rx, Ry, and Rz,.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Synthes (U.S.A.)
    Inventors: Lutz Claes, Heinz Gerngross, Götz Rübsaamen, Orlando Martinelli, Erwin Flühler
  • Patent number: 6409729
    Abstract: An external bone fixation system for clamping bone pins and a connecting element is provided. The system includes a jaw and an upper element for retaining bone pins therebetween, a middle element, and a lower element, with the elements being disposed about a common axis. The upper element swivels relative to the middle element, and the lower element rotates relative to the middle element. A borehole extending through the lower element permits demountable attachment of the device to the connecting element, as well as rotation thereabout. Opposing surfaces of at least two of the elements are positively engageable. The upper, middle, and lower elements are coupled by a common fastener disposed along the common axis, while the jaw and upper element are coupled by at least one fastener that is not disposed on the common axis. A single fastener can be used to arrest two or three degrees of freedom of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Synthes (USA)
    Inventors: Orlando Martinelli, Beat Inauen, Erwin Flühler, Lutz Claes, Heinz Gerngross, Götz Rübsaamen