Patents by Inventor Manfred Muether

Manfred Muether 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: 4878234
    Abstract: A dental x-ray diagnostics installation for producing panorama tomograms of the jaw of a patient has a radiation source and a detector, which converts x-radiation into corresponding light radiation, disposed on opposite sides of the patient. The detector is preceded by a secondary diaphragm. The radiation source, the detector and the secondary diaphragm are rotated around the patient so that radiation attenuated by the jaw, and passing through the secondary diaphragm is incident on the detector. At least one CCD sensor is provided on which light radiation generated by the detector is incident. The CCD sensor converts the light radiation into electrical signals. The sensor has an image zone with a number of lines parallel to a longitudinal extent of the opening of the secondary diaphragm, and has a storage zone. The lines in combination receive all of the light radiation so as to generate a complete charge image corresponding to the x-radiation incident on the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Pfeiffer, Werner Guenther, Manfred Muether, Erich Heubeck
  • Patent number: 4870673
    Abstract: A dental x-ray diagnostics installation having a holder for film cassette and a holder for diaphragms of different sizes, which holder for diaphragms is positioned in an x-ray source so that the beam passes through the diaphragm aperture before reaching the subject. The diaphragms are interchangeable with one another and have different diaphragm apertures for the purpose of matching the x-ray beam cross-section to different film cassette formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rolf Adler, Erich Heubeck, Manfred Muether
  • Patent number: 4856038
    Abstract: A dental x-ray diagnostic installation for the production of panoramic exposures of slices of the skull of the patient particularly in the region of the jaw, characterized by an exposure unit with an x-ray unit pivotable around an axis and displaceable in a plane perpendicular to the axis, a film holder unit lying opposite and moveable relative to the x-ray unit, a head holder arranged between the two units, a control arrangement for controlling the pivoting and displacement movement of the exposure unit relative to the head holder and also controlling the movement of the film holder relative to the x-ray tube of the exposure means and an input arrangement for inputting information of the selected curvature of the slice being exposed. The improvements are that the input means is constructed so that the curvature of the slice to be exposed can be directly graphically inputted into the control arrangement such as by means of a monitor with a light pen or by means of a "computer graphic tablet".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Guenther, Erich Heubeck, Manfred Muether
  • Patent number: 4831645
    Abstract: An apparatus for positioning the head of a patient for producing dental panorama tomograms, which apparatus has an arrangement for positioning the head in a desired position relative to a fixed point with respect to at least one projection plane and this point, in turn, assumes a definite position relative to a central ray extending from the x-ray tube towards the x-ray picture, characterized by an arrangement for producing silhouettes and for projecting the silhouettes of the head in an actual position and in a desired position, simultaneously with the fixed point of each of the two silhouettes coinciding. By moving the head forming the silhouette of the actual position, the silhouette of the actual position can be moved to be congruent with the silhouette of the desired position to bring the head into the desired position for x-ray exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Guenther, Erich Heubeck, Manfred Muether
  • Patent number: 4823369
    Abstract: A dental x-ray diagnostics installation has a rotary unit carrying an x-ray source and a radiation detector disposed behind a secondary diaphragm, the rotary unit rotating around the jaw of a patient to produce panorama tomograph exposures of the patient's jaw. The radiation detector generates electrical signals proportional to the incident radiation intensity. To simplify signal processing, the detector is formed of one or more semiconductor detectors having a scintillation layer which corresponds to the size of the opening in the secondary diaphragm. The voltages acquired by the detector are converted to digital form, and stored in an image memory. A computer calculates a total image from the signals supplied by the detector, and stored in the memory, during a complete exposure. The signals from the image memory are combined to generate a tomogram of a desired slice of the patient's jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Guenther, Manfred Muether, Erich Heubeck, Michael Doebert, Leonhard Werner
  • Patent number: 4811372
    Abstract: In order to provide a dental X-ray diagnostic installation for producing panoramic tomograms of the jaw of the patient and to achieve a simple structure with improved image quality, the apparatus includes an adjustment mechanism for the carrier of the radiation source and the film cassette holder to be adjusted in an orbital curve corresponding to the dental arch of the patient. The adjustment arrangement includes first adjustment parts with which the carrier can be rotated around a first vertical axis, and second adjustment elements for moving or swivelling the first axis in an arch transverse relative to the symmetry axis of the subject during the rotary motion. The swivel radius and the amount of excursion of this swivel motion are selected so that the perpendicular transillumination direction through the subject gives a constant distance between the subject and the film during the motion of the rotary unit. To accomplish this, the invention includes two separate embodiments with various modifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Doebert, Werner Guenther, Erich Heubeck, Manfred Muether, Dieter Molitor
  • Patent number: 4426716
    Abstract: A dental x-ray diagnostic installation comprises x-ray apparatus containing x-ray generator and x-ray tube having a hollow anode in the form of applicator for insertion in the interior of a patient's mouth. In order to facilitate the construction and handling of the apparatus in particular the insertion of the applicator in the mouth, the x-ray apparatus is designed as a unit capable of being positioned on a table or on a wall and contains a stationary member or part, which supports a horizontal axle which pivotably connects a housing containing the x-ray tube and the applicator on the stationary member for pivotable movement therewith. In addition, the installation includes a bite-on part which has a bite piece and a sleeve, which telescopically receives the applicator and enables the patient to locate the applicator in the desired position within the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1984
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Muether, Ernest-August Behne
  • Patent number: 4357539
    Abstract: A flexible film cassette for holding a dental x-ray film on the outside of a patient's mouth for exposure from a radiation source from an x-ray diagnostic installation or device in which an applicator is capable of being inserted intraorally in the patient's mouth characterized by a first support extending between an applicator and the cassette and a second support spaced an interval from the axis of the first support for forming a coupling between the film and the housing of the x-ray device to prevent rotation of the cassette relative to the applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1982
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ernst O. Fleer, Werner Gunther, Manfred Muether
  • Patent number: 4193002
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dental x-ray diagnostic installation comprising an applicator capable of introduction into the mouth of a patient on which is arranged an exit window from which x-radiation emitted by an anode can issue and expose a panoramic x-ray film applied externally of the patient's mouth. Associated with the installation is a holding system with which the x-ray film is supported in a defined position relative to the applicator and to the patient's mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Muether, Tilman Phleps, Ernst Schmitt
  • Patent number: 4136450
    Abstract: A hydraulic-pneumatic control device characterized by a narrow elongated supply strip having a plurality of channels extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the strip, a plurality of separate groups of openings spaced along the strip with each group having an opening in communication with each channel, a connecting block having a plurality of separate passages mounted on the strip with the passages in communication with the channels and a control block for each of the dental apparatuses whose agents are being regulated. Each of the control blocks is mounted on the separate group of openings of the supply strip for receiving agents from the channels therein and each block has pneumatically actuated valves for regulating the flow of the agent therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Guenther, Franz Stueber, Manfred Muether, Hans-Michael Kratochwilla