Patents by Inventor Felix Franck
Felix Franck 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).
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Publication number: 20050237771Abstract: Circuit for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage in which a full-bridge rectifier is replaced by two controlled switches. An inductor is connected upstream such that power factor correction is also made possible for the rectifying function. The circuit has a mid-voltage at the output. As a result, a square-wave load current can be generated with the aid of two further switches.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2005Publication date: October 27, 2005Applicant: PATENT-TREUHAND-GESELLSCHAFT FUR ELEKTRISCH GLUHLAMPEN MBHInventors: Felix Franck, Peter Niedermeier
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Patent number: 6847174Abstract: The selection of the dead time in the case of a half-bridge inverter influences the efficiency thereof. The optimal dead time, and thus the optimal switching-on time of a lower half-bridge transistor (T2) is accomplished according to the invention by virtue of the fact that switching on is delayed until the current in a level shift transistor (T3) has dropped below a given threshold. A further aspect of the invention consists in that the delay in switching on the lower half-bridge transistor (T2) is immediately suppressed whenever a charging current flows in a trapezoidal capacitor, and this is accompanied by the rise of the half-bridge output voltage (UHB) after the traversal of a minimum.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2003Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen mbHInventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6777860Abstract: A luminous element (10) for a lamp is double helix-shaped, with two connection parts (18, 20) situated at one end of said double helix. The diameter (D1, D2) of the double helix increases consistently in the direction of the two connection parts (18, 20) of the luminous element (10). The invention also relates to a lamp with a luminous element of this type, to a method for producing a luminous element of this type and to a device for carrying out the production method.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2002Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Patent Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur Elektrische Gluhlampen mbhInventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6778373Abstract: A rectifier circuit matched for power factor correction. A first diode (D1), a second diode (D2), a third diode (D3) and a fourth diode (D4) are in a bridge arrangement. A first pole (10) and a second pole (12) of the bridge arrangement are connected to a source (U) which has at least one AC voltage component. An inductance (L1) is arranged in series with the third pole (14) or the fourth pole (16) of the bridge arrangement. A capacitance (C1) is connected between the first pole (10) and the second pole (12), and two of the four diodes (D1, D2, D3, D4) are in the form of fast diodes.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2002Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für Elektrische Glühlampen mbHInventors: Ugo Francescutti, Felix Franck
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Publication number: 20040080969Abstract: The selection of the dead time in the case of a half-bridge inverter influences the efficiency thereof. The optimal dead time, and thus the optimal switching-on time of a lower half-bridge transistor (T2) is accomplished according to the invention by virtue of the fact that switching on is delayed until the current in a level shift transistor (T3) has dropped below a given threshold. A further aspect of the invention consists in that the delay in switching on the lower half-bridge transistor (T2) is immediately suppressed whenever a charging current flows in a trapezoidal capacitor, and this is accompanied by the rise of the half-bridge output voltage (UHB) after the traversal of a minimum.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2003Publication date: April 29, 2004Applicant: PATENT-TREUHAND-GESELLSCHAFT FUR ELEKTRISCH GLUHLAMPEN MBHInventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6710474Abstract: A circuit for switching on a partial circuit includes a first switching element (T1), a second switching element (T2 to T6), an activation circuit for the first switching element, a first diode (D1), a second diode (D2), and a third diode (D3). During operation, when the partial circuit is being switched on, first switching element (T1) is activated and second switching element (T2 to T6) is assigned no activity. The activation circuit for the first switching element (T1) includes a storage capacitor (C1) and a DIAC coupled to a control electrode of the first switching element (T1). First diode (D1), second diode (D2), and third diode (D3) are arranged such that stored energy in storage capacitor (C1) is more effectively utilized for activating the first switching element (T1), thus allowing use of a smaller capacitance for the storage capacitor (C1).Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 2002Date of Patent: March 23, 2004Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen mbHInventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6603674Abstract: Electronic transformers with a self-excited half bridge can be destroyed by high-voltage pulses from the mains supply lead. This can happen by the high-voltage pulse initiating a starting operation which leads to cross currents. This destruction mechanism is suppressed by specifically discharging a starting capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2001Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen mbHInventors: Felix Franck, Helmut Haeusser-Boehm, Joachim Muehlschlegel
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Patent number: 6600667Abstract: An electronic converter having an input circuit and an output circuit which, in addition to the converter function, carries out power-factor correction. A control circuit opens and closes an electronic switch as a function of the output voltage from the converter circuit and the voltage which is dropped across a current measurement sensor. The circuit has a logic ground LM and a power ground PM at different electrical potentials.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2002Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für Elektrische Glühlampen mbHInventors: Ugo Francescutti, Felix Franck
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Publication number: 20030001480Abstract: The invention relates to a luminous element for a lamp. Said luminous element (10) is double helix-shaped with two connection parts (18, 20) situated at one end of said double helix. The diameter (D1, D2) of the double helix increases consistently in the direction of the two connection parts (18, 20) of the luminous element (10). The invention also relates to a lamp with a luminous element of this type, to a method for producing a luminous clement of this type and to a device for carrying out the production method.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2002Publication date: January 2, 2003Inventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6486613Abstract: An electronic operating device for discharge lamps is disclosed in which an output terminal is connected via a coupling capacitor (CB) to a reference potential (E). An electric component (VC) which acts as a voltage source is inserted in series with the coupling capacitor (CB) in order to reduce the potential of an output terminal. The electric component (VC) consists in one embodiment of an inductor which is coupled to the lamp inductor.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2001Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer Elecktrische Gluehlampen mbHInventors: Felix Franck, Markus Heckmann
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Patent number: 6475038Abstract: The invention relates to a connecting terminal having a housing (14) in which a lift cage (22) is arranged, with the housing (14) and the lift cage (22) each having a first opening (20,21) which can be aligned such that it is flush, for inserting a cable end (24) into the lift cage (22), in which the housing (14) and the lift cage (22) each have a second opening (36,37), which can be aligned such that it is flush, for inserting at least one part (30a,30b) of a circuit board (10) into the lift cage (22). It also relates to a system for producing a conductive connection between at least one part (30a,30b) of a circuit board and a connecting terminal according to the invention, in which case the system furthermore comprises a U-shaped crushing protection device (38) which can be pushed over that part (30a,30b) of the circuit board (10) which can be inserted into the connecting terminal in order to produce a conductive connection to the cable end (24).Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2000Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen mbHInventor: Felix Franck
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Publication number: 20020154521Abstract: The present invention relates to electronic converters having an input circuit and an output circuit which, in addition to their converter function, carry out power-factor correction. They comprise a control circuit which opens and closes an electronic switch, to be precise as a function of the output voltage from the converter circuit and the voltage which is dropped across a current measurement sensor. The invention is distinguished in that the circuit has a logic ground LM and a power ground PM at different electrical potentials.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2002Publication date: October 24, 2002Inventors: Ugo Francescutti, Felix Franck
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Publication number: 20020122325Abstract: The invention relates to a rectifier circuit matched for power factor correction, comprising a first diode (D1), a second diode (D2), a third diode (D3) and a fourth diode (D4) in bridge arrangement, an inductance (L1) and a capacitance (C1), with a first pole (10) and a second pole (12) of the bridge arrangement being connected to a source (U) which has at least one AC voltage component, and the inductance (L1) being arranged in series with the third pole (14) or the fourth pole (16), where the capacitance (C1) is connected between the first pole (10) and the second pole (12), and two of the four diodes (D1, D2, D3, D4) are in the form of fast diodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2002Publication date: September 5, 2002Inventors: Ugo Francescutti, Felix Franck
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Publication number: 20020114121Abstract: A circuit for switching on a partial circuit includes a first switching element (T1), a second switching element (T2 to T6), an activation circuit for the first switching element, a first diode (D1), a second diode (D2), and a third diode (D3). During operation, when the partial circuit is being switched on, first switching element (T1) is activated and second switching element (T2 to T6) is assigned no activity. The activation circuit for the first switching element (T1) includes a storage capacitor (C1) and a DIAC coupled to a control electrode of the first switching element (T1). First diode (D1), second diode (D2), and third diode (D3) are arranged such that stored energy in storage capacitor (C1) is more effectively utilized for activating the first switching element (T1), thus allowing use of a smaller capacitance for the storage capacitor (C1).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2002Publication date: August 22, 2002Applicant: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluehlampen mbHInventor: Felix Franck
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Publication number: 20020071299Abstract: Electronic transformers with a self-excited half bridge can be destroyed by high-voltage pulses from the mains supply lead. This can happen by the high-voltage pulse initiating a starting operation which leads to cross currents. This destruction mechanism is suppressed by specifically discharging a starting capacitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2001Publication date: June 13, 2002Applicant: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluehlampen mbHInventors: Felix Franck, Helmut Haeusser-Boehm, Joachim Muehlschlegel
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Publication number: 20020047602Abstract: An electronic operating device for discharge lamps is disclosed in which an output terminal is connected via a coupling capacitor (CB) to a reference potential (E). An electric component (VC) which acts as a voltage source is inserted in series with the coupling capacitor (CB) in order to reduce the potential of an output terminal. The electric component (VC) consists in one embodiment of an inductor which is coupled to the lamp inductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2001Publication date: April 25, 2002Inventors: Felix Franck, Markus Heckmann
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Patent number: 6377107Abstract: A circuit arrangement having at least one electric main switch (T1) with a reference electrode (E), a control electrode (B), and a work electrode (C). A recovery diode (D1; D2) is connected antiparallel to the main flow direction of each main switch (T1). In order to speed up the switch-off process and in particular to reduce the attendant power loss, each main switch (T1) is assigned an electric auxiliary switch (T11; T22), whose work electrode is connected to the control electrode (B) of the associated main switch (T1) and whose reference electrode is connected to the reference electrode (E) of the associated main switch (T1). The capacitor (C11) is disposed between the control electrode of the auxiliary switch (T11; T22) and the work electrode (C) of the associated main switch (T1).Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2000Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur Elektrische Gluhlampen mpHInventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6272032Abstract: The invention relates to a rectifier with midpoint feed, comprising a first and a second input terminal (A,B), which form an input of the rectifier, a first and a second output terminal (P,M), which form a first output of the rectifier, the first output terminal (P) forming the positive pole and the second output terminal (M) forming the negative pole of the first output of the rectifier, where a series circuit comprising a first and a second coupling capacitor (C1, C2) is arranged in parallel with the first output, the midpoint of the series circuit being connected to the second input terminal (B), a storage capacitor (C3) is arranged in parallel with a series circuit comprising a first and a second diode (D1, D2), the midpoint of the series circuit made up of the first and the second diode (D1, D2) being connected to the first input terminal (A), and the first diode (D1) being connected to the first coupling capacitor (C1) via a first inductor, and the second diode (D2) being connected to the second couplinType: GrantFiled: August 9, 2000Date of Patent: August 7, 2001Assignee: Patent -Treuh nd-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluehlampen mbHInventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6266259Abstract: The invention relates to a half-bridge inverter including a first and a second input terminal (E, N), which form an input of the inverter, a first and a second output terminal (B, A), which form an output of the inverter, a series circuit having a first and a second coupling capacitor (C1, C2), which series circuit is connected in parallel with the input and forms the passive bridge path, the midpoint of the series circuit made up of the first and the second coupling capacitor (C1, C2) being connected to the first output terminal (B), a series circuit having a first and a second switch (S1, S2), which series circuit forms the active bridge path and has its midpoint connected to the second output terminal (A), where a storage capacitor (C3) is arranged in parallel with the active bridge path, and the first coupling capacitor (C1) is connected to the storage capacitor (C3) via a first inductor (L1), and the second coupling capacitor (C2) is connected to the storage capacitor (C3) via a second inductor (L2).Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2000Date of Patent: July 24, 2001Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluehlampen mbHInventor: Felix Franck
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Patent number: 6172890Abstract: By adding a base bridging capacitor (C6, C6′) between the base connections of a bipolar transistor bridge oscillator, in particular of an electronic ballast for a low-pressure gas discharge lamp, the collector initial current peak is avoided, while ensuring that the switching transistors (T1, T2) are switched on, without any voltage, at the right time.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1999Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluehlampen mbHInventor: Felix Franck