Patents Assigned to Optrel AG
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Patent number: 9610198Abstract: A welder protection device comprising a shell and a transparent front cover for protection of a wearer of the welder protection device, and an auto-darkening optical filter. The welder protection device further comprises a retracting mechanism arranged to move the optical filter optical filter from an active position to a retracted position and vice versa. In the active position, the optical filter lies inside the welder protection device and in the wearer's field of view, and in the retracted position the optical filter lies inside the welder protection device and outside the wearer's field of view.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2015Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: OPTREL AGInventors: Ramon Hofer-Kraner, Leo Keller
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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OPENING OF AN AUTO-DARKENING FILTER IN AN EYE PROTECTION DEVICE
Publication number: 20150135389Abstract: An eye protection device for a welding mask or the like includes a welding activity detection circuit that is configured to detect welding activity, and a filter driver that controls an optical filter to be in undarkened and darkened states. The filter driver is configured to (i) provide a slower and/or gradual opening of the filter, (ii) insert a user-selected delay and/or gradient between the end of welding activity and the opening of the filter, and/or (iii) cause variation of light transmission values of the filter between a darkened state and an undarkened state based on varying brightness detected by a brightness sensor during transition of the filter from a darkened state to an undarkened state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2013Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: OPTREL AGInventor: Sheng YANG -
Publication number: 20150033430Abstract: A face protector for protecting a welder's eyes and face includes an auto-darkening welding filter (ADF) unit that, in turn, includes a filter pane or ADF pane and an electronics unit driving the ADF pane. The electronics unit is configured to switch the ADF pane automatically from a transparent state to a darkened state when a welding operation takes place. A hard shell unit includes a shell carrying the ADF unit with the ADF and being shaped to protect a wearer's face, the shell being made from a plastic material A soft shell unit includes a cap for protecting the crown of the wearer's head and a neck protector for protecting the wearer's neck. The soft shell unit is made of flexible fabric with support elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2013Publication date: February 5, 2015Applicant: Optrel AGInventors: Ramon Hofer Kraner, Daniel Iranyi, Leo Keller, Arno Lenzi, Tom Staubli, Uwe Werner
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Publication number: 20140320771Abstract: A method for operating an auto-darkening welding filter for protecting a welder's eye in the course of a pulse mode welding process. During the pulse mode welding process at least a first time interval with strong light emission and a second time interval with reduced and/or negligible light emission are repeated with a repetition rate, and a point in time of a beginning of the first time interval is associated with a raising edge event. The method includes the step of darkening the auto-darkening welding filter to a first darkening level at a point in time of the raising edge event that is associated with a next first time interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: Optrel AGInventors: Leo Keller, Martin Schreiber, Tobias Tetzel
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Patent number: 8181270Abstract: An anti-glare protection device for a welding mask includes a transmission control circuit for determining a darkening signal from a control signal, a welding activity detection circuit (6) for detecting a welding activity, based on the output of a first sensor circuit. The welding activity detection circuit is arranged to control, via an activation switch, whether either the darkening signal or a signal corresponding to an undarkened optical filter is input to a filter drive circuit. The filter drive circuit drives a controllable optical filter to a transmission value according to the signal input to the filter drive circuit. A manual input device allows a user to manually adjust a user selected signal. A second sensor circuit determines a sensed signal. A manually operable mode selection switch for selecting either, in a manual mode, the user selected signal or, in an automatic mode, the sensed signal to be used as the control signal to the transmission control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2005Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Optrel AGInventor: Lukas Steinemann
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Publication number: 20110185480Abstract: A welder protection mask, containing a basic support element with a viewing opening for receiving a filter element as a dazzle protection device. The welder protection mask includes at least one pliable mask region which connects to the basic support element, and the pliable mask region contains a sheet-like, wall-like mask element or consists thereof, which is characterised by a characteristic that it is manually deformable and may be bent into different positions or three-dimensional shapes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2011Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: OPTREL AGInventor: Ignaz Braendle
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Patent number: 7800034Abstract: A dazzle protection unit (1) for a portable dazzle protection device that includes an optical dazzle protection filter (3) and at least one sensor (5) for the sensing of incident light and for controlling the translucency of the filter (3). In doing so, the dazzle protection unit (1) includes a light capturing element (4), which captures incident light on a light capturing surface area (12) and conducts it to the at least one sensor (5). The light capturing element (4) preferably captures the light from several areas located at a distance from one another on a front side of the dazzle protection unit (1). Means (8) for coupling light into the light capturing element (4) are situated at a distance from one another.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2007Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Optrel AGInventors: Tobias Gerfin, Kaspar Cottier
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Publication number: 20070289049Abstract: A dazzle protection unit (1) for a portable dazzle protection device that includes an optical dazzle protection filter (3) and at least one sensor (5) for the sensing of incident light and for controlling the translucency of the filter (3). In doing so, the dazzle protection unit (1) includes a light capturing element (4), which captures incident light on a light capturing surface area (12) and conducts it to the at least one sensor (5). The light capturing element (4) preferably captures the light from several areas located at a distance from one another on a front side of the dazzle protection unit (1). Means (8) for coupling light into the light capturing element (4) are situated at a distance from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2007Publication date: December 20, 2007Applicant: OPTREL AGInventors: Tobias Gerfin, Kaspar Cottier
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Publication number: 20070195227Abstract: A glare protection filter, in particular for a welding mask or welding protection device including an electro-optical light filter 10 that includes at least one electro-optical cell (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) by which an amount of light transmitted through the filter is reducible, wherein at least a first one of the electro-optical cells comprises two parallel transparent plates (12, 18) having transparent electrodes (13, 17) on the inner surfaces thereof and containing a liquid crystal material (15) and orientation layers (14, 16) defining an anchoring of the liquid crystal material (15). Upon application of a voltage of less than 30V to the electrodes (13, 17), the molecule orientation in the liquid crystal material (15) near at least one of the orientation layers (14, 16) is subject to rotation of at least 10°.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2007Publication date: August 23, 2007Applicant: OPTREL AGInventors: Christophe Dufresne, Peter Hones, Kaspar Cottier
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Publication number: 20070056072Abstract: An anti-glare protection device for a welding mask includes a transmission control circuit for determining a darkening signal from a control signal, a welding activity detection circuit (6) for detecting a welding activity, based on the output of a first sensor circuit. The welding activity detection circuit is arranged to control, via an activation switch, whether either the darkening signal or a signal corresponding to an undarkened optical filter is input to a filter drive circuit. The filter drive circuit drives a controllable optical filter to a transmission value according to the signal input to the filter drive circuit. A manual input device allows a user to manually adjust a user selected signal. A second sensor circuit determines a sensed signal. A manually operable mode selection switch for selecting either, in a manual mode, the user selected signal or, in an automatic mode, the sensed signal to be used as the control signal to the transmission control circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2005Publication date: March 15, 2007Applicant: OPTREL AGInventor: Lukas Steinemann
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Patent number: 7161116Abstract: A welding protective mask (1) includes illumination equipment (3) for illuminating a work area. The illumination equipment (3) includes an illumination device (5), a detection device (8) for detecting an ambient light intensity, an energy storage (7) for electrically supplying the illumination equipment (3) and controller (6) for controlling an intensity of light radiated by the illumination means (5) according to the ambient light intensity. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the controller (6) is set up to detect a welding process with a flicker circuit and to switch off the illumination device (5) during the welding process.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2004Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Optrel AGInventor: Lukas Steinemann
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Patent number: 6941577Abstract: A glare protection device for a welding protective mask includes an active electro-optical protective filter (2) and an electronic circuit (10). An UV-detector (UVD), which serves as an optical sensor, detects the welding light and, via an evaluation circuit (10.1), generates a signal (sin) for controlling of the protective filter (2). The signal corresponds to the detected UV intensity. The UV-detector includes a fluorescent layer (F) with an absorption in the UV range and an emission in the long-wave range corresponding to the spectral sensitivity of an assigned Si-photo detector (SD). This results in a simple and safe controlling of the protective filter, which is uninfluenced by the effects of extraneous light.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2001Date of Patent: September 13, 2005Assignee: Optrel AGInventor: Emil Ackermann
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Patent number: 6891681Abstract: An anti-glare protection device, for example a pair of welding goggles, a welding mask or a welding helmet, includes a supporting part with a sight opening (3), an optical filter element arranged in the sight opening, and a protective plate (1), which is mounted or can be mounted on the supporting part such covering the optical filter element. For the protection of the filter element against contamination with dirt and in order to protect the wearer of the anti-glare protection device against undesirable gases, smoke and dirt, a seal (4) made out of an elastically compressible material is disposed either between the supporting part and the protective plate (1) or between the filter element and the protective plate (1). The seal extends substantially around the sight opening and is advantageously affixed either to the supporting part, to the protective plate (1), or to the filter element.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: May 10, 2005Assignee: Optrel AGInventor: Ronald Schindele
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Patent number: 6887531Abstract: The glare protection device for welding applications contains an active electro-optical filter element (2) with an electronic control circuit (3). The active filter element (2) absorbs the UV-radiation up to 380 nm. An IR-plastic filter (10) is completely joined with the active electro-optical filter element by a compact adhesive layer (11) and together with it forms a single optical and mechanical unit (1) having a high transmittance in the visual region of the spectrum. The IR-plastic filter (10) contains a dye that absorbs the infrared radiation in a wavelength range of 780-1400 nm. With this, a robust, cheap and safe in operation glare protection device for various applications is created.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2002Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Optrel AGInventor: Peter Hones
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Publication number: 20050077278Abstract: A welding protective mask (1) includes illumination equipment (3) for illuminating a work area. The illumination equipment (3) includes an illumination device (5), a detection device (8) for detecting an ambient light intensity, an energy storage (7) for electrically supplying the illumination equipment (3) and controller (6) for controlling an intensity of light radiated by the illumination means (5) according to the ambient light intensity. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the controller (6) is set up to detect a welding process with a flicker circuit and to switch off the illumination device (5) during the welding process.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2004Publication date: April 14, 2005Applicant: OPTREL AGInventor: Lukas Steinemann
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Patent number: 6796652Abstract: A glare-protection device contains an active filtering element (11) with influenceable light transmission such as a liquid crystal cell. The glare-protection device also contains an electronic circuit (3) for evaluating the output signal of a light sensor (5) and for driving of the filtering element (11), which electronic circuit (3) is attached to the internal surface (22) of a printed circuit board (2). The electronic circuit (3) has an evaluation circuit (31) and a driving circuit (32). A screening element (4), which is made out of electrically conductive material, is provided to screen at least a part of the evaluation circuit (31) against electro-magnetic radiation originating from the driving circuit (32), and is affixed to the same internal surface (22). Thanks to the screening element (4), the evaluation circuit (31) can be designed to be exceedingly sensitive, without it being excessively interfered with by electromagnetic influences.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Optrel AGInventor: Rico Sonderegger
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Publication number: 20040058094Abstract: The glare protection device for welding applications contains an active electro-optical filter element (2) with an electronic control circuit (3). The active filter element (2) absorbs the UV-radiation up to 380 nm. An IR-plastic filter (10) is completely joined with the active electro-optical filter element by means of a compact adhesive layer (11) and together with it forms a single optical and mechanical unit (1), which comprises a high transmittance in the visual region of the spectrum. The IR-plastic filter (10) contains a dye and it absorbs the infrared radiation in a wave length range of 780-1400 nm. With this, a robust, cheap and safe in operation glare protection device for various applications is created.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2002Publication date: March 25, 2004Applicant: OPTREL AGInventor: Peter Hones
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Patent number: 6675800Abstract: An emergency flight safety device for flight crew members (3) of an aircraft in an emergency situation. The device includes a full-face mask (1) and a display (31) that is integrated into the full face mask (1). The display shows flight data and ensures that the crew (3) has access to essential information even in the case when smoke otherwise largely blurs the view in the aircraft cabin. The emergency flight safety device also includes an oxygen and air supply apparatus (14-18) for supplying oxygen and air to the interior of the mask (1). The oxygen and air supply apparatus (14-18) includes a purification device to purify polluted cabin air in order to prevent the crew members (3) from being intoxicated by poisonous smoke.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2001Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: Optrel AGInventor: Leo Keller
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Patent number: 6270223Abstract: An active electro-optical filtering device, such as a glare-protection device is disclosed. The device is equipped with a light-protection filter having at least one active optical filter element, an electronic device for controlling the active filter element, a light sensor working together with the electronic device, and an electrical current supply for the electronic device and the at least one active filter element. In order to improve the efficiency in production and employment, the light-protection filter is arranged in a filter component and the electronic device, the light sensor and the electric current supply are arranged in a physically separate control component, wherein the filter components can be releasably connected mechanically and electrically to form a total unit, and for this purpose, are equipped with mutually cooperating mechanical and electrical connecting elements.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1999Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Assignee: Optrel AGInventors: Franco Del Bon, Phillip Syré, Leo Keller
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Patent number: RE45677Abstract: An anti-glare protection device for a welding mask includes a transmission control circuit for determining a darkening signal from a control signal, a welding activity detection circuit (6) for detecting a welding activity, based on the output of a first sensor circuit. The welding activity detection circuit is arranged to control, via an activation switch, whether either the darkening signal or a signal corresponding to an undarkened optical filter is input to a filter drive circuit. The filter drive circuit drives a controllable optical filter to a transmission value according to the signal input to the filter drive circuit. A manual input device allows a user to manually adjust a user selected signal. A second sensor circuit determines a sensed signal. A manually operable mode selection switch for selecting either, in a manual mode, the user selected signal or, in an automatic mode, the sensed signal to be used as the control signal to the transmission control circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2013Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: OPTREL AGInventor: Lukas Steinemann