Patents by Inventor Thomas Zehetmaier

Thomas Zehetmaier 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: 10602999
    Abstract: An X-ray system includes an X-ray source and/or an X-ray detector, at least two guide rails, and at least one carriage on which the X-ray source and/or the X-ray detector is mounted. The carriage includes first guide wheels and second guide wheels, and a drive unit including drive wheels and a motor drive that drives the one or more drive wheels. The first guide wheels move between at least two different positions relative to the carriage. In a first position, the drive wheels are in a lifted position such that the carriage is moveably mounted on the guide rails via the first and second guide wheels. In a second position, the first guide wheels disengage from the guide rails while the drive wheels engage with the guide rails such that the carriage is moveably mounted on the guide rails via the second guide wheels and the drive wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: AGFA NV
    Inventors: Thomas Zehetmaier, Johannes Hoelzl, Florian Von Stein
  • Publication number: 20180220982
    Abstract: An X-ray system includes an X-ray source and/or an X-ray detector, at least two guide rails, and at least one carriage on which the X-ray source and/or the X-ray detector is mounted. The carriage includes first guide wheels and second guide wheels, and a drive unit attached to the carriage. The drive unit includes one or more drive wheels and a motor drive that drives the one or more drive wheels. The first guide wheels are adjustably mounted on the carriage and move between at least two different positions relative to the carriage. In a first position, the first guide wheels rest on the guide rails while the drive wheels are in a lifted position relative to the guide rails and do not engage with the guide rails such that the carriage is moveably mounted on the guide rails via the first and second guide wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas ZEHETMAIER, Johannes HOELZL, Florian VON STEIN
  • Publication number: 20180085075
    Abstract: An X-ray system includes a first structure on which an X-ray source and/or an X-ray detector is provided, a second structure, a stepper motor that moves the first structure relative to the second structure, an incremental rotary encoder, and a control unit. The stepper motor includes a rotor shaft coupled with the first structure such that when a user exerts an external force on the first structure, an angular position of the rotor shaft is changed in accordance with the exerted external force. The incremental rotary encoder is coupled with the rotor shaft of the stepper motor and generates an encoder signal in accordance with the change of the angular position of the rotor shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Valdimir ZEMANEK, Bernd GERSTLAUER, Thomas ZEHETMAIER, Ruben VON STEIN, Florian VON STEIN
  • Patent number: 7541606
    Abstract: A method and to a corresponding apparatus for processing information carriers, in particular for reading out storage phosphor plates (2) for storing X-ray information, an information carrier (2) and/or a container (1) in which the information carrier (2) is located being processed, in particular being moved and/or fixed, by at least one mechanical processor (13), the processor (7) being driven by at least one stepper motor (10), and information from the information carrier (2) being read out and/or written in the information carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa HealthCare N.V.
    Inventors: Vladimir Zemánek, Bernd Gerstlauer, Thomas Zehetmaier, Alfred Huber
  • Publication number: 20080054198
    Abstract: A method and to a corresponding apparatus for processing information carriers, in particular for reading out storage phosphor plates (2) for storing X-ray information, an information carrier (2) and/or a container (1) in which the information carrier (2) is located being processed, in particular being moved and/or fixed, by at least one mechanical processor (13), the processor (7) being driven by at least one stepper motor (10), and information from the information carrier (2) being read out and/or written in the information carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: AGFA HEALTHCARE N.V.
    Inventors: Vladimir Zemanek, Bernd Gerstlauer, Thomas Zehetmaier, Alfred Huber
  • Patent number: 6373074
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (10,60) for reading out information stored in a phosphor carrier (15) and to an X-ray cassette (70) which contains the phosphor carrier (15) and such a device. The inventive device (10,60) has a radiation source (11;20, . . . ,29,30 . . . 39; 50,53;61) that can emit a first radiation source (16) with which the phosphor carrier (15) can be exited such that the carrier emits a second radiation (17). This second radiation (17) comprises an image of the information stored in the phosphor carrier (15). The device (10,60) additionally has a receiving means (12,62) which contains a number of point elements (PD1, . . . PDn) in order to receive the second radiation (17) emitted from the phosphor carrier (15) in a point-by-point manner. The second radiation of a point of the phosphor carrier (15) can thus be received by each one of the point elements (PD1, . . . ,PDn).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Agfa-Fevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Juergen Mueller, Herbert Gebele, Thomas Zehetmaier, Ralph Thoma
  • Patent number: 6325474
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for writing on thermographic material (5). The inventive device (1) comprises a heater (20) with which the thermographic material (5) is preheated to a temperature, which is lower than a writing temperature. The thermographic material (5) can be written on with a writing instrument (10) which is distanced from the thermographic material (5) after input of an information signal (s(t)). The writing instrument (10) has a plurality of individually controllable point sources (30-33; 51-53). The thermographic material (5) can be written on in a point-by-point manner with said point sources (30-33; 51-53).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: AGFA Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Wolfram Betzold, Leo Oelbrandt, Friedrich Stumpf, Thomas Zehetmaier, Ivan Hoogmartens, Luc Leenders, Hans Strijckers, Herbert Gebele, Franz Kappeler
  • Patent number: 5968714
    Abstract: A recording process comprising the steps of: information-wise exposing to radiation a photosensitive thermally developable photographic material, thereby producing a latent image; and heating the photosensitive thermally developable photographic material, characterized in that the photosensitive thermally developable photographic material is on one and the same holding or guiding means during both the information-wise exposure step and the heating step; and the information-wise exposure step is carried out during the heating step; and a method of increasing the photosensitivity of a photosensitive thermally developable photographic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Luc Leenders, Jacobus Bosschaerts, Robert Overmeer, Eddie Daems, Leo Oelbrandt, Hans Strijckers, Thomas Zehetmaier, Jurgen Muller, Friedrich Stumpf, Gerald Halbedl
  • Patent number: 5627354
    Abstract: A stack of individual sheets of film is enclosed by lightproof plastic packaging. An opaque sheet is disposed at the bottom of the stack, and the side of the opaque sheet confronting the packaging is provided with a bar code containing information about the film. The packaging is removed in a lighttight area of a processing unit for the film and the bar code is read. The opaque sheet prevents the radiation used to read the bar code from reaching the film. The information retrieved from the bar code is employed to control processing of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Schneider, Georg Lechner, Thomas Zehetmaier, Michael Reichart, Frans Feytens, Gilbert Hersschens
  • Patent number: 4960994
    Abstract: A cassette for an x-ray film coated with a stimulable phosphor layer is formed so that a cassette memory which carries storable, recordable, readable and erasable data is rigidly attached to the cassette at the positioned spaced a predetermined distance from a given cassette corner. This position is the same for all cassettes of the same type and different formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Muller, Manfred Schmidt, Dieter Wauer, Thomas Zehetmaier, Georges Brys, Emile Schoeters, Werner Haug, Walter Bauer