Patents by Inventor Walter Hofmuth

Walter Hofmuth 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: 7479647
    Abstract: An apparatus (4) for reading out X-ray information stored in a storage phosphor layer (2) includes a support (10) onto which a storage phosphor plate (1) is laid. The storage phosphor plate (1) comprises the storage phosphor layer (2) and a support layer (3) onto which the storage phosphor layer (2) is applied. Furthermore, a controller (12) is provided for processing X-ray information read out from the storage phosphor layer (2). According to the invention, a distance sensor (14, 15) serves to determine a distance of the distance sensor (14, 15) from the storage phosphor plate (1) lying on the support (10), and the controller (12) is designed such that it processes the X-ray information read out from the storage phosphor layer (2) dependently upon the distance determined by means of the distance sensor (14, 15). An unlevelness determined by means of the distance sensor (14, 15) is taken into account by the controller (12) when processing the X-ray information read out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert HealthCare GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Müller, Walter Hofmuth, Rudolf Loistl
  • Publication number: 20070145312
    Abstract: An apparatus (4) for reading out X-ray information stored in a storage phosphor layer (2) includes a support (10) onto which a storage phosphor plate (1) is laid. The storage phosphor plate (1) comprises the storage phosphor layer (2) and a support layer (3) onto which the storage phosphor layer (2) is applied. Furthermore, a controller (12) is provided for processing X-ray information read out from the storage phosphor layer (2). According to the invention, a distance sensor (14, 15) serves to determine a distance of the distance sensor (14, 15) from the storage phosphor plate (1) lying on the support (10), and the controller (12) is designed such that it processes the X-ray information read out from the storage phosphor layer (2) dependently upon the distance determined by means of the distance sensor (14, 15). An unlevelness determined by means of the distance sensor (14, 15) is taken into account by the controller (12) when processing the X-ray information read out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: AGFA-GEVAERT HEALTHCARE GMBH
    Inventors: Roland Muller, Walter Hofmuth, Rudolf Loistl
  • Publication number: 20040057337
    Abstract: A circulation device for circulating a liquid in a treatment vessel, in particular in a treatment vessel for treating light-sensitive material. The circulation device has a feed pipe arranged roughly vertically in the treatment vessel, through which liquid from a feed line can flow into the treatment vessel. The flow cross-section (A) of the feed pipe is dimensioned so that the liquid flowing in from the feed line backs up in the feed pipe and produces a hydrostatic pressure that is such that the liquid flowing from the outlet opening of the feed pipe produces a circulation movement of the liquid in the treatment vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Walter Hofmuth, Anton Pirmann
  • Patent number: 6461062
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for developing a s photographic emulsion carrier in a plurality of processing tanks through which the emulsion carrier travels in succession, with at least one rotatable roller, the photographic emulsion carrier having a front section and an end section and the roller being arranged such that an end section of the photographic emulsion carrier comes into contact with the roller while travelling from a first to a second processing tank, the direction of rotation of the roller being designed so that the roller can wipe the end section in a direction is away from the emulsion carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Walter Hofmuth, Anton Pirmann
  • Publication number: 20020018653
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for developing a photographic emulsion carrier in a plurality of processing tanks through which the emulsion carrier travels in succession, with at least one rotatable roller, the photographic emulsion carrier having a front section and an end section and the roller being arranged such that an end section of the photographic emulsion carrier comes into contact with the roller while travelling from a first to a second processing tank, the direction of rotation of the roller being designed so that the roller can wipe the end section in a direction away from the emulsion carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: Walter Hofmuth, Anton Pirmann
  • Patent number: 5414484
    Abstract: Apparatus for developing a photographic emulsion carrier. The carrier travels through a succession of tanks of photographic processing fluid. The apparatus includes mechanisms that forward the carrier through the tanks, a drive device that operates the forwarding mechanisms, guides that guide the carrier from one tank into the next, and means that connect an inlet for each processing fluid with its associated tank. The apparatus also includes at least one separate assembly associated with at least one tank, for forming a cascade which includes means for conveying the processing fluid from at least one cascade stage to the tank. The assembly, for forming the cascade is a separate module that rests as a cover on the tanks and has a separate inlet for receiving processing fluid. The cascade assembly accommodates a mechanism that forwards the carrier through it. This mechanism couples with the mechanisms that forward the carrier through the tanks while the cascade assembly is resting on them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Walter Hofmuth, Alfons Kastl, Helmut Schausberger, Anton Wimmer
  • Patent number: 5228210
    Abstract: A method of drying a developed, wet sheet carrier, especially an X-ray film after passing through a development device includes passing the sheet carrier through a dryer which has several infrared radiators arranged along the path of the sheet carrier at its both sides and reflectors provided at the side away from the sheet carrier and deflecting the infrared radiator to the facing side of the sheet carrier. The method is performed so that a main stream is supplied at both sides of the sheet carrier at the rear side of the reflectors, a partial air stream is supplied between each infrared radiator and the sheet carrier, and then each partial air stream is united with the main air stream so that the temperature and the moisture of the main air stream increases in a flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert AG
    Inventors: Walter Hofmuth, Rudolf Loistl, Helmut Schausberger, Alfons Kastl, Jurgen Mueller