Patents by Inventor Frank Lederer

Frank Lederer 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: 8702602
    Abstract: An exoscope serves for observing and illuminating an object field on a patient from a position set apart from the patient's body. A lens system serves to observe the object field and an illumination serves to illuminate the object field. A distance between the lens system and the object field can be modified by a bracket. A shaft comprises on its distal end a head member that is widened in comparison to it, so that the illumination reaches into the distal-side head member. Positioned in the head member is at least one radiating illumination unit whose radiant characteristic can be adjusted in such a way that the object field can be illuminated homogeneously at all possible distances from the lens system. Supply lines for the at least one illuminating unit are positioned in the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: George Berci, Benedikt Koehler, Christoph Leidolt, Frank Lederer, Ulrich Weiger, Jan Dahmen, Fang Lei
  • Patent number: 8394014
    Abstract: An endoscope comprises a shaft with an outer tube and with an inner tube extending inside the latter, the outer and inner tubes being radially spaced apart from one another such that they form between them an axially extending channel, which provides space for receiving a light guide. An intermediate tube having flexural strength is arranged between the outer tube and the inner tube, which intermediate tube at least partially surrounds the inner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Fuerst, Joerg Halbig, Markus Kupferschmid, Fang Lei, Sven Mersmann, Jan Dahmen, Ewald Stihl, Frank Lederer
  • Publication number: 20120265023
    Abstract: An exoscope serves for observing and illuminating an object field on a patient from a position set apart from the patient's body. A lens system serves to observe the object field and an illumination serves to illuminate the object field. A distance between the lens system and the object field can be modified by a bracket. A shaft comprises on its distal end a head member that is widened in comparison to it, so that the illumination reaches into the distal-side head member. Positioned in the head member is at least one radiating illumination unit whose radiant characteristic can be adjusted in such a way that the object field can be illuminated homogeneously at all possible distances from the lens system. Supply lines for the at least one illuminating unit are positioned in the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: George Berci, Benedikt Koehler, Christoph Leidolt, Frank Lederer, Ulrich Weiger, Jan Dahmen, Fang Lei
  • Patent number: 7880977
    Abstract: A rod lens is used for fitting in an endoscopes. The rod lens has a rod-shaped body which is made at least in a section of a flexible, transparent solid piece of plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Lederer, Frank Fuerst, Matthias Huber, Juergen Rudischhauser
  • Publication number: 20080183042
    Abstract: A rod lens is used for fitting in an endoscopes. The rod lens has a rod-shaped body which is made at least in a section of a flexible, transparent solid piece of plastic material. (FIG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Frank Lederer, Frank Fuerst, Matthias Huber, Juergen Rudischhauser
  • Publication number: 20070118014
    Abstract: An endoscope comprises a shaft with an outer tube and with an inner tube extending inside the latter, the outer and inner tubes being radially spaced apart from one another such that they form between them an axially extending channel, which provides space for receiving a light guide. An intermediate tube having flexural strength is arranged between the outer tube and the inner tube, which intermediate tube at least partially surrounds the inner tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Frank Fuerst, Joerg Halbig, Markus Kupferschmid, Fang Lei, Sven Mersmann, Jan Dahmen, Ewald Stihl, Frank Lederer
  • Patent number: 6659942
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an endoscope comprising a deflection system for a visual angle of up to 30 degrees which comprises reflective deflection elements. The inventive endoscope is characterized in that the beams which form the image are reflected more than twice. This enables visual angles of less than 30 degrees to be used, without any reduction in the image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Frank Lederer
  • Patent number: 6635010
    Abstract: Endoscope objective having a viewing direction including an angle< >0° relative to the longitudinal axis of the endoscope, comprising a lens system imaging the object field into a single image plane disposed orthogonally on the longitudinal axis, and a prism unit disposed downstream of the distal window of the endoscope along the imaging path, in which the beam is reflected on two boundary surfaces such that the beam will be deflected in the prism unit from the desired viewing direction into the longitudinal axis of the endoscope, wherein a coating is applied on at least one surface on the prism unit, which comprises a thin layer having a refractive index smaller than the refractive index of the material which said prism unit is made of, so that total reflection against the layer occurs. The invention is characterized by the provision that the coating is applied to that surface of the prism unit which faces the glass cover of the endoscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Frank Lederer
  • Publication number: 20020091305
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an endoscope comprising a deflection system for a visual angle of up to 30 degrees which comprises reflective deflection elements. The inventive endoscope is characterized in that the beams which form the image are reflected more than twice. This enables visual angles of less than 30 degrees to be used, without any reduction in the image quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Inventor: Frank Lederer
  • Patent number: 6059721
    Abstract: An endoscope includes a shaft receiving at least a pair of the lens groups movable jointly to provide focusing of an image upon actuation of an adjusting wheel and adapted to be disengaged to have displacement of one of the pair of lens groups relative to the other lens group for adjusting a magnification of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jurgen Rudischhauser, Frank Lederer, Jan Dahmen