Patents by Inventor Uwe Steinhardt

Uwe Steinhardt 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: 20100286693
    Abstract: A medical device that is composed of a sterilizable material, is used to create thin cartilage discs, and includes a device body and a cover with a plurality of holding devices, each of which includes a section that with a recess located in the top side of the device body, the recess being entirely or partially enclosed by a delimiting ridge, and being closable via a projection located on the top side of the cover, and in which the lateral delimiting ridge has a guide slot, into which a cutting blade is inserted and guided via an end face of the section and extends, at a distance that differs for each section, parallel to the bottom surface of the particular recess. It is therefore possible to create thin cartilage discs having certain, different thicknesses and a consistent level of quality, even without using the known shims.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Publication number: 20100262236
    Abstract: An ossicular prosthesis has a first fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane or a component of the ossicular chain, a second fastening element for connection to a further component of the ossicular chain, or directly to the inner ear, an elongated connecting element that connects the two fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner and includes an adjusting device for adjusting the axial length of the prosthesis and including at least two partial strands that extend symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element, are extendable and/or compressible in the axial direction, are permanently plastically deformable, and are folded into a plurality of loops transversely to the longitudinal axis before being deformed. As a result, a relatively simple design of the adjusting device considerably reduces the number of different prostheses that must be kept on hand, while ensuring that the prosthesis may be optimally adapted for a specific case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz, Walter Gamer
  • Patent number: 7806931
    Abstract: An ossicle prosthesis includes, at one end, a first fastening element designed as a top plate for mechanical connection with the tympanic membrane, and, at the other end, a second fastening element for mechanical connection with a component or parts of a component of the ossicular chain or with the inner ear, and a connecting element that connects the two fastening elements with each other in a sound-conducting manner; the top plate includes a radially outward annular region, a radially inward attachment region for mechanically attaching the top plate to the connecting element, and several segment elements for radially connecting the annular region with the attachment region, characterized by the fact that the segment elements are geometrically designed such that they locally emulate any localized medial motions made by the tympanic membrane, but they do not transmit the motion to distant regions of the top plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Karl-Bernd Huettenbrink, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Publication number: 20100191331
    Abstract: An ossicle prosthesis has, at on one end, a first fastening element for connection to the tympanic membrane or a component of the ossicular chain, on the other end, a second fastening element for connection to a further component of the ossicular chain, or directly to the inner ear, and a connecting element that connects the two fastening elements in a sound-conducting manner, and it also includes an elongated applicator for transferring the ossicle prosthesis from a sterile packaging to the surgical site and for insertion into the middle ear or the auditory meatus, with a free end extending away from the prosthesis and used for handling purposes, and with an engagement part which is initially fastened to the prosthesis in a non-positive or form-fit manner, or via a material bridge which may be broken off or sheared off, and which may be detached and removed together with the applicator once the prosthesis has been inserted into the ear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz, Daniel Felix Awengen
  • Patent number: 7628812
    Abstract: An ossicle prosthesis (10), which replaces or spans at least one member of the human ossicle chain; the ossicle prosthesis (10) has a securing element embodied as a first elastic clip (11), for mechanical connection with a member of the ossicle chain, the securing element is open towards the outside on one side, with an outer opening (14) for receiving the ossicle member. The securing element form-lockingly embraces the ossicle member with two regions which are joined together on their ends located diametrically opposite the outer opening (14) via a portion extending at a spacing from the ossicle member. The portion connecting the two regions has at least two circular recesses (19a, 19b), which are curved outward in a circular arc from the member of the ossicle chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Daniel Felix aWengen, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Patent number: 7603788
    Abstract: A device for determining the required length of a middle ear prosthesis, having a disk-shaped base part to which prosthesis mockups or prostheses of different lengths are fastened, which, after being detached from the base part, can be inserted by an applicator into the middle ear of a patient during an operation for length determination purposes, in which the base part is provided with accessories for measuring and/or shaping the middle ear prosthesis to be inserted, so that this provides the operator with an even more simplified handling of prosthesis mockups or prostheses during the operation; no additional separate parts have to be used and instead, the handling means are compactly provided on or integrated into the device itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Heinz Kurz, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Publication number: 20090240330
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at its other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15, 15?, 15?) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16, 16?) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the coupling area and/or the web elements and/or the radially outer portions are of such a geometric configuration that they together form pieces of a jigsaw from which the first securing element can be assembled in its entirety, wherein the individual jigsaw pieces can be joined to one an
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Publication number: 20090240331
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at its other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first- securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15, 15?, 15?) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16, 16?, 16?) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the web elements are of such a geometric configuration, and their material so chosen, that the web elements can be easily broken off and the radially outer portions appended to them detached from the first securing element, such that the external diameter of the first securing elemen
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Publication number: 20090240332
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which comprises, at one end, a plate-shaped first securing element (11) for bearing on the tympanic membrane or on the footplate of the stirrup, and, at the other end, a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to the ossicular chain or to the inner ear, and also a connection element (13) that connects the two securing elements so as to conduct sound, wherein the first securing element has a radially inner coupling area (14) for coupling the first securing element to the connection element, and also a plurality of web elements (15) for radial connection of the coupling area to radially outer portions (16) of the first securing element, is characterized in that the coupling area, the web elements and the radially outer portions are of such a geometric configuration, and their material so chosen, that a plastic deformation is effected by stretching or pushing together in the plane of the plate of the first securing element, by means of which plastic deformation
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Patent number: 7553328
    Abstract: An ossicle prosthesis (10) includes a first securing element (11) and a second securing element (12), the second securing element connected to a member of the ossicle chain. The ossicle chain ends at the first securing element in a ball joint, which includes two struts (13, 13?) solidly connected to the first securing element (11). The two struts enclose a gaplike space, in which a ball (14) is pivotably supported in two recesses (15), the ball (14) being part of an elongated shaft (16) that connects the first and second securing elements and includes many balls (14, 14?, 14?) adjacent to one another. The elongated shaft is displaceable through the gaplike space between the two struts and through a perforation (17) in the first securing element, where one of the balls snaps between the respective recesses. The gaplike space can be made narrower between the two struts (13, 13?) of the ball joint for fixation of the shaft (16) after the desired length has been adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Publication number: 20090164010
    Abstract: A total prosthesis for the middle ear, with a prosthesis body, with a first coupling element for connection of the prosthesis to the tympanic membrane or for coupling to the manubrium, and with a second coupling element for connection to the footplate of the stirrup, which second coupling element has a receiving part, connected rigidly to the prosthesis body, and has an insert part with a plug element that can be inserted coaxially, and with a shoe that is connected rigidly to the plug element and that bears on the footplate of the stirrup, is characterized in that the receiving part has an elongate cavity as a receiving opening with a cylindrical bore which extends axially and encloses the full circumference of the plug element and whose inside diameter is greater than the maximum transverse extent of the plug element, which elongate cavity is closed at the end away from the insert part and acts as an end abutment for the plug element, and in that the second coupling element extends axially by at most a thir
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz, Georg Schmid, Walter Heckmann
  • Publication number: 20090149697
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis with a first and a second securing element for mechanical securement in the middle ear as well as a connecting element, which is rigidly connected to the securing elements and connects them to each other and has a receiving part and a push-in part that can be pushed into a receiving opening of the same, the connecting element being designed so as to be variable in length in the axial direction between the receiving part and the push-in part, and it being possible for the receiving part and the push-in part to be clamped in a desired relative coaxial pushed-in position, characterized in that the clamping force FK between the receiving part and the push-in part in the clamped state is at least 10 times, preferably approximately 100 times, greater than the maximum external forces naturally occurring in the middle ear in the region of the ossicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Publication number: 20080234817
    Abstract: An ossicle prosthesis includes, at one end, a first fastening element designed as a top plate for mechanical connection with the tympanic membrane, and, at the other end, a second fastening element for mechanical connection with a component or parts of a component of the ossicular chain or with the inner ear, and a connecting element that connects the two fastening elements with each other in a sound-conducting manner; the top plate includes a radially outward annular region, a radially inward attachment region for mechanically attaching the top plate to the connecting element, and several segment elements for radially connecting the annular region with the attachment region, characterized by the fact that the segment elements are geometrically designed such that they locally emulate any localized medial motions made by the tympanic membrane, but they do not transmit the motion to distant regions of the top plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Karl-Bernd Huettenbrink, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Publication number: 20080208338
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis, which at one end has a first securing element for mechanical connection to a member of the ossicular chain, which securing element is designed in the form of a loop that encloses the member, is partially open to the outside via a slit-like aperture and engages with a force fit around the member, the slit-like aperture being considerably smaller than the diameter of the member engaged by the loop, wherein, after attachment, the loop bears with a force fit on the engaged member via at least three areas, and that, in the circumferential direction around the engaged member, at least three areas of the loop do not touch the engaged member but instead each extend at a distance from the surface of the latter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Alex Huber, Albrecht Eiber
  • Publication number: 20080208337
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (40) which replaces or bridges at least one element in the human auditory ossicle chain, whereby the auditory ossicle prosthesis (40) is made of an elastic material or a material having at least one articulated connection, is characterised in that means for frequency adjustment (=tuning) are arranged for sound transmission in the middle ear, in particular to change the lever conditions in the auditory ossicle chain. In this way sound transmission between the middle ear area and the inner ear of the human auditory canal is considerably improved, whereby, in particular, optimum adaptation to the individually differing conditions and a tailor-made solution to the problems and deficiencies in the patient in question are made possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: HEINZ KURZ GMBH MEDIZINTECHNIK
    Inventors: Daniel Felix Awengen, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Publication number: 20080195201
    Abstract: An ossicle prosthesis (10), which on both of its ends has a first securing element (11) and a second securing element (12) for mechanical connection to a member of the ossicle chain and between the two securing elements has a ball joint, which includes two struts (13, 13?) which are solidly connected to the first securing element (11) and between them enclose a gaplike space, in which a ball (14) is pivotably supported in two recesses (15), in which the ball (14) is part of an elongated shaft (16) that connects the two securing elements to one another, characterized in that the elongated shaft (16) includes many balls (14, 14?, 14?) adjacent to one another, is displaceable through the gaplike space between the two struts and through a perforation (17) in the first securing element, and one of the balls, in a snapped-in position, snaps between the respective recesses, and that the gaplike space can be made narrower between the two struts (13, 13?) of the ball joint for fixation of the shaft (16) after the desi
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Heinz Kurz
  • Publication number: 20070270899
    Abstract: A roof-shaped implant for spreading the nasal wings, which implant is attachable to the triangular cartilage of the human nose and is made from an initially flat strip that has been bent to a roof shape, has a dorsal section of the implant above the dorsum of the nose is flat or curved so as to be only slightly angled towards the plateau region of the triangular cartilage at an angle of spread of ?>160 °, or curved around the plateau region of the triangular cartilage in a barrel shape at a radius of curvature of r>4 cm, preferably r>10 cm, and two lateral sections extend so as to be parallel in relation to the respective nasal wing at an angle ? of more than 50° towards the flat dorsal section so as to be canted downwards. In this way without incurring major production expenditure it is possible to achieve a particularly good geometric match of the implant to the shape of the human triangular cartilage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel aWengen, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Patent number: 7238202
    Abstract: An auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) which is fastened to the limb of incus (20) of the human ossicular chain and to the stapes, or is inserted directly into the inner ear, whereby the auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) is made of an elastic material or a material having at least one hinged connection, and whereby the auditory ossicle prosthesis (10), starting at its articulation on the limb of incus (20), largely traces the course of the natural limb of incus (20) to its end or past it, and, angled downward in the region of the level of the natural end of the limb of incus (20), extends to the other endpoint of the auditory ossicle prosthesis (10) on the stapes or at/in the inner ear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Daniel F. aWengen
  • Publication number: 20070150057
    Abstract: A device for determining the required length of a middle ear prosthesis, having a disk-shaped base part to which prosthesis mockups or prostheses of different lengths are fastened, which, after being detached from the base part, can be inserted by an applicator into the middle ear of a patient during an operation for length determination purposes, in which the base part is provided with accessories for measuring and/or shaping the middle ear prosthesis to be inserted, so that this provides the operator with an even more simplified handling of prosthesis mockups or prostheses during the operation; no additional separate parts have to be used and instead, the handling means are compactly provided on or integrated into the device itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Heinz Kurz, Uwe Steinhardt
  • Patent number: 7204850
    Abstract: An auditory ossicles prosthesis mountable with its one end on a hammer grip of a human auditory ossicies chain and with its another end on a raising bracket of the human auditory ossicles chain or insertable directly into an inner ear, wherein the auditory ossicles prosthesis has a prosthesis element, and an at least one joint integrated in the prosthesis element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Heinz Kurz GmbH Medizintechnik
    Inventors: Uwe Steinhardt, Daniel F. àWengen