Patents by Inventor Franz Merz

Franz Merz 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).

  • Publication number: 20230418036
    Abstract: A surgical microscope includes an optical assembly to image an object plane with a microscope main objective system, through which a first stereoscopic partial beam path with a first optical axis and a second stereoscopic partial beam path with a second optical axis pass. An illumination device includes a light source assembly to provide illumination light in a luminous plane, with a radiant field stop, and an illumination optical unit which at least partially images a luminous object arranged in the luminous plane in the illumination beam path into a luminous image plane located in the microscope main objective system or for the vertical distance z of which from the microscope main objective system on the side facing the object region or the side facing away from the object region, in relation to a focal length f of the microscope main objective system, the following applies: z/f<10%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel Kolster, Manuel Steidle, Peter Reimer, André Mueller, Franz Merz
  • Patent number: 10473905
    Abstract: A microscope having an observation beam path including a main objective, an OCT device including a first detection beam path, a wavefront measuring device including a second detection beam path, a first, a second and a third optics group is provided, wherein the first detection beam path contains the main objective and the first to third optics group, and the first to third optics group forms an afocal imaging optical unit of the first detection beam path and the second detection beam path contains the main objective, the first optics group and the second optics group, and the main objective and the first and second optics group form an afocal imaging optical unit of the second detection beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Artur Hoegele, Franz Merz, Christian Beder, Andre Mueller, Daniel Kolster, Peter Reimer
  • Publication number: 20190155010
    Abstract: A microscope having an observation beam path including a main objective, an OCT device inlcuding a first detection beam path, a wavefront measuring device including a second detection beam path, a first, a second and a third optics group is provided, wherein the first detection beam path contains the main objective and the first to third optics group, and the first to third optics group forms an afocal imaging optical unit of the first detection beam path and the second detection beam path contains the main objective, the first optics group and the second optics group, and the main objective and the first and second optics group form an afocal imaging optical unit of the second detection beam path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Artur Hoegele, Franz Merz, Christian Beder, Andre Mueller, Daniel Kolster, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 9568722
    Abstract: An illumination device for an optical viewing apparatus has a light source including a first individual light source and a second individual light source arranged in a plane. The first individual light source has a first midpoint and the second individual light source has a second midpoint. An axial direction is defined by a vector from the second midpoint to the first midpoint. An illumination optical unit defines an optical axis which is arranged perpendicularly to the plane and intersects the plane at an intersection point. The light source is imaged toward infinity by the illumination optical unit. The first individual light source has an extent along the axial direction. The midpoint is offset by an amount (?) in a positive direction along the axial direction relative to the intersection. The relationship 0.1*L1???1*L1 is satisfied for the offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Peter Reimer, Daniel Kolster, Franz Merz, Stefan Meinkuss
  • Patent number: 9480399
    Abstract: An illumination device for an optical viewing apparatus defines an illumination beam path and includes an illumination light source having mutually independently controllable individual light sources arranged in a first plane in a two-dimensional array. The illumination device defines an illumination beam path and includes illumination optics defining an optical axis. The illumination optics form a second plane conjugated with respect to the first plane. A diaphragm unit is arranged in the second plane. The diaphragm unit has a plurality of apertures and the apertures are assigned to corresponding ones of the individual light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Peter Reimer, Daniel Kolster, Franz Merz, Stefan Meinkuss
  • Patent number: 9304306
    Abstract: An optical imaging system generates an image of an object plane and includes a lens system which, in turn, includes a main objective and a reduction optical unit between the main objective and the object plane. The reduction optical unit includes a first composite element with a positive refractive power and a second composite element with a negative refractive power. The first composite element includes a first and second lens. The second composite element includes a third and fourth lens. An object-side first main plane and an image-side second main plane are defined by the lens system. The optical imaging system defines an observation beam path which is guided through the lens system so that, in each of the first main plane and the second main plane, the observation beam path is at a distance from the optical axis of the lens system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Artur Hoegele
  • Patent number: 9285576
    Abstract: A stereoscopic microscopic providing at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths comprises an objective system, a first focusing lens having a first optical refractive power and a second focusing lens having a second optical refractive power and at least one actuator. The first optical refractive power and the second optical refractive have different signs. The objective system and the first and second focusing lenses are commonly traversed by the at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths, respectively. The actuator shifts at least one of these first and second focusing lenses along the at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths to change the working distance and/or to vary an optical refractive power of at least one of these first and second focusing lenses. The first focusing lens is immediately neighboring the objective system along the at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Artur Hoegele
  • Patent number: 9279970
    Abstract: An optical imaging system generates an image of an object plane and includes a lens system which, in turn, includes a main objective and a reduction optical unit ahead of the main objective. The lens system is aligned along an optical axis and the reduction optical unit includes a first lens with a positive refractive power and a second lens with a negative refractive power. An object-side first main plane and an image-side second main plane are defined by the lens system. The optical imaging system defines an observation beam path which is guided through the lens system so that, in the first main plane and in the second main plane, the observation beam path is at a distance (B) from the optical axis. The first lens is of a first material having a first Abbe number and the second lens is of a second material having a second Abbe number, wherein the first Abbe number is greater than the second Abbe number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Artur Hoegele
  • Publication number: 20150374235
    Abstract: An illumination device for an optical viewing apparatus defines an illumination beam path and includes an illumination light source having mutually independently controllable individual light sources arranged in a first plane in a two-dimensional array. The illumination device defines an illumination beam path and includes illumination optics defining an optical axis. The illumination optics form a second plane conjugated with respect to the first plane. A diaphragm unit is arranged in the second plane. The diaphragm unit has a plurality of apertures and the apertures are assigned to corresponding ones of the individual light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Reimer, Daniel Kolster, Franz Merz, Stefan Meinkuss
  • Publication number: 20150378142
    Abstract: An illumination device for an optical viewing apparatus has a light source including a first individual light source and a second individual light source arranged in a plane. The first individual light source has a first midpoint and the second individual light source has a second midpoint. An axial direction is defined by a vector from the second midpoint to the first midpoint. An illumination optical unit defines an optical axis which is arranged perpendicularly to the plane and intersects the plane at an intersection point. The light source is imaged toward infinity by the illumination optical unit. The first individual light source has an extent along the axial direction. The midpoint is offset by an amount (?) in a positive direction along the axial direction relative to the intersection. The relationship 0.1*L1???1*L1 is satisfied for the offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Reimer, Daniel Kolster, Franz Merz, Stefan Meinkuss
  • Publication number: 20150085358
    Abstract: An optical imaging system generates an image of an object plane and includes a lens system which, in turn, includes a main objective and a reduction optical unit between the main objective and the object plane. The reduction optical unit includes a first composite element with a positive refractive power and a second composite element with a negative refractive power. The first composite element includes a first and second lens. The second composite element includes a third and fourth lens. An object-side first main plane and an image-side second main plane are defined by the lens system. The optical imaging system defines an observation beam path which is guided through the lens system so that, in each of the first main plane and the second main plane, the observation beam path is at a distance from the optical axis of the lens system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Artur Hoegele
  • Publication number: 20150085357
    Abstract: An optical imaging system generates an image of an object plane and includes a lens system which, in turn, includes a main objective and a reduction optical unit ahead of the main objective. The lens system is aligned along an optical axis and the reduction optical unit includes a first lens with a positive refractive power and a second lens with a negative refractive power. An object-side first main plane and an image-side second main plane are defined by the lens system. The optical imaging system defines an observation beam path which is guided through the lens system so that, in the first main plane and in the second main plane, the observation beam path is at a distance (B) from the optical axis. The first lens is of a first material having a first Abbe number and the second lens is of a second material having a second Abbe number, wherein the first Abbe number is greater than the second Abbe number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Artur Hoegele
  • Patent number: 8864311
    Abstract: Among other things, an illumination device (10) is described for one, two or more observation beam paths, each with an observation device having an observation beam bundle, in particular for an operating microscope, having at least one light source (12) for producing at least one illumination beam bundle for illuminating an object to be observed (13), in particular, an eye to be observed, wherein the at least one illumination beam bundle runs coaxially to an observation beam bundle. It is provided according to the invention, in order to be able to suppress disruptive reflections, that illumination device (10) has an illumination optics (11) that is constructed according to the Köhler principle of illumination, and in which at least one reflection diaphragm (18) is provided in order to avoid light reflected from the surface of an objective element (19). In addition, a correspondingly improved observation device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Peter Reimer, Fritz Straehle
  • Publication number: 20130265637
    Abstract: A stereoscopic microscopic providing at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths comprises an objective system, a first focusing lens having a first optical refractive power and a second focusing lens having a second optical refractive power and at least one actuator. The first optical refractive power and the second optical refractive have different signs. The objective system and the first and second focusing lenses are commonly traversed by the at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths, respectively. The actuator shifts at least one of these first and second focusing lenses along the at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths to change the working distance and/or to vary an optical refractive power of at least one of these first and second focusing lenses. The first focusing lens is immediately neighboring the objective system along the at least one pair of stereoscopic optical paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS MEDITEC AG
    Inventors: Franz MERZ, Artur HOEGELE
  • Patent number: 8523359
    Abstract: An illumination device (10) is described for an observation device (100) having one, two or more observation beam paths (16, 17), each with at least one observation beam bundle, particularly for an operating microscope, the illumination device having at least one light source (11, 12) for producing at least one illumination beam path (14, 15) with at least one illumination beam bundle for illuminating an object to be observed, in particular, an eye to be observed, the illumination device (10) having at least one illumination optics unit, which has a collector (18, 22), and the at least one illumination beam path (14, 15) or the at least one illumination beam bundle running coaxially to an observation beam path (16, 17) or observation beam bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Artur Hoegele, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 8159743
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical microscope having a microscope main objective for the visualization of an object plane in an object region. The objective is passed through by a first stereoscopic component beam path and by a second stereoscopic component beam path. The ophthalmologic surgical microscope includes an adjustable illuminating arrangement which makes illuminating light available. The illuminating arrangement has an illuminating optic having a beam deflecting unit which is mounted on the side of the objective facing away from the object region in order to direct the illuminating light through the objective to the object region. In a first position of the illuminating arrangement, the illuminating light passes through the cross sectional area of the objective in an area section, which at least partially surrounds the optical axis of the first stereoscopic component beam path and/or the optical axis of the second stereoscopic component beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventors: Alfons Abele, Peter Reimer, Andreas Negele, Franz Merz, Jürgen Liegel
  • Patent number: 7907336
    Abstract: A surgical microscope (100) has an illuminating arrangement (110) which can guide illuminating light to the object region (105) with a first illuminating beam path (111) and with a second illuminating beam path (112). A light exit unit is provided in the first illuminating beam path (111). An illuminating field diaphragm is mounted in the second illuminating beam path. The first illuminating beam path (111) has an illuminating optic which images the light exit plane of the light exit unit or a plane conjugated to the light exit plane into a first image plane (350). An illuminating optic is provided in the second illuminating beam path (112) and this illuminating optic images the illuminating field diaphragm into a second image plane (250) different from the first image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Surgical GmbH
    Inventors: Alfons Abele, Peter Reimer, Anja Seiwert, Fritz Strähle, Franz Merz
  • Publication number: 20110038040
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical microscope (1) having a microscope main objective (12) for the visualization of an object plane (45) in an object region (9). The microscope main objective (12) is passed through by a first stereoscopic component beam path (5) and by a second stereoscopic component beam path (7). The ophthalmologic surgical microscope (1) includes an adjustable illuminating arrangement (15) which makes illuminating light available. The illuminating arrangement (15) has an illuminating optic having a beam deflecting unit (19) which is mounted on the side of the microscope main objective (12) facing away from the object region (9) in order to direct the illuminating light through the microscope main objective (12) to the object region (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Alfons Abele, Peter Reimer, Andreas Negele, Franz Merz, Jürgen Liegel
  • Publication number: 20100309433
    Abstract: An illumination device (10) is described for an observation device (100) having one, two or more observation beam paths (16, 17), each with at least one observation beam bundle, particularly for an operating microscope, the illumination device having at least one light source (11, 12) for producing at least one illumination beam path (14, 15) with at least one illumination beam bundle for illuminating an object to be observed, in particular, an eye to be observed, the illumination device (10) having at least one illumination optics unit, which has a collector (18, 22), and the at least one illumination beam path (14, 15) or the at least one illumination beam bundle running coaxially to an observation beam path (16, 17) or observation beam bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Artur Hoegele, Peter Reimer
  • Publication number: 20090273757
    Abstract: Among other things, an illumination device (10) is described for one, two or more observation beam paths, each with an observation device having an observation beam bundle, in particular for an operating microscope, having at least one light source (12) for producing at least one illumination beam bundle for illuminating an object to be observed (13), in particular, an eye to be observed, wherein the at least one illumination beam bundle runs coaxially to an observation beam bundle. It is provided according to the invention, in order to be able to suppress disruptive reflections, that illumination device (10) has an illumination optics (11) that is constructed according to the Köhler principle of illumination, and in which at least one reflection diaphragm (18) is provided in order to avoid light reflected from the surface of an objective element (19). In addition, a correspondingly improved observation device is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Franz Merz, Peter Reimer, Fritz Straehle