Patents by Inventor Rudolf Stocker

Rudolf Stocker 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: 9945749
    Abstract: An ionization vacuum measuring cell comprises an anode (3A) and a cathode (4K) in a measuring chamber (107). The measuring chamber (107) is arranged in a housing (101) which has a vacuum-tight feedthrough (103) for a connection rod (104) of the cathode (4K) towards the outside. The measuring chamber (107) holds the rod (104) in a feedthrough (109) which is electrically insulating only. The measuring chamber (107) in the housing (101) can be exchanged by a releasable plug connection (106).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INFICON GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard Andreaus, Rolf Enderes, Martin Wuest, Oskar Untermarzoner, Rudolf Stocker
  • Publication number: 20160025587
    Abstract: An ionization vacuum measuring cell comprises an anode (3A) and a cathode (4K) in a measuring chamber (107). The measuring chamber (107) is arranged in a housing (101) which has a vacuum-tight feedthrough (103) for a connection rod (104) of the cathode (4K) towards the outside. The measuring chamber (107) holds the rod (104) in a feedthrough (109) which is electrically insulating only. The measuring chamber (107) in the housing (101) can be exchanged by a releasable plug connection (106).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: INFICON GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard ANDREAUS, Rolf ENDERES, Martin WUEST, Oskar UNTERMARZONER, Rudolf STOCKER
  • Patent number: 6619131
    Abstract: A pressure sensor has a baseplate and a support plate with a membrane. Layers on the membrane and the support plate are connected to a circuit for capacitively measuring pressure to generate a first pressure signal. A thermal conductivity measuring element that generates a second pressure signal has a heating element connected to the baseplate adjacent the support plate at a location opposite from the membrane for protecting the membrane from thermal effects. The method uses the sensor apparatus to generate an output signal representing a measured result when the measured result is above a transition value, on the basis of the first pressure signal and, when the pressure falls below a threshold value, any offset of the first pressure signal is compensated in such a way that determination of the output signal on the basis of the first pressure signal leads to the same result as determination of the output signal on the basis of the second pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AG
    Inventors: Urs Wälchli, Per Björkman, Rudolf Stocker, Marcel Gantner
  • Patent number: 6474172
    Abstract: Two resistance elements (3, 6) are used for eliminating the influence of wall temperature on the gas pressure in a vessel, determined by a Pirani manometer. The first resistance element (3) is present in a first branch of a Wheatstone bridge (1), and the voltage is tapped by means of a voltage divider (7). The second resistance element (6) is present with a series resistance (5) in the second branch and is adjusted to a lower temperature. The changes in the voltages tapped at the branches are essentially identical for identical temperature changes at the resistance elements (3, 6), so that the Wheatstone bridge (1) remains balanced. The adjustment is improved by a constant current source (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Unakis Balzers AG
    Inventors: Norbert Rolff, Rudolf Stocker
  • Publication number: 20020129657
    Abstract: A pressure sensor has a baseplate and a support plate with a membrane. Layers on the membrane and the support plate are connected to a circuit for capacitively measuring pressure to generate a first pressure signal. A thermal conductivity measuring element that generates a second pressure signal has a heating element connected to the baseplate adjacent the support plate at a location opposite from the membrane for protecting the membrane from thermal effects. The method uses the sensor apparatus to generate an output signal representing a measured result when the measured result is above a transition value, on the basis of the first pressure signal and, when the pressure falls below a threshold value, any offset of the first pressure signal is compensated in such a way that determination of the output signal on the basis of the first pressure signal leads to the same result as determination of the output signal on the basis of the second pressure signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Publication date: September 19, 2002
    Applicant: Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Urs Walchli, Per Bjorkman, Rudolf Stocker, Marcel Gantner
  • Patent number: 5583297
    Abstract: Particularly for the combination of cold-cathode ionization sensors and Pirani sensors, for obtaining a one-to-one measuring range which is significantly expanded compared to the measuring ranges of the respective sensor types, a weighting technique is provided in a transition range .DELTA.P of the respective sensor measuring ranges by which the characteristic sensor curves can constantly be guided into one another in a one-to-one manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengegesellschaft
    Inventors: Rudolf Stocker, Armin L. Stoeckli, Martin Boesch
  • Patent number: 5475623
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for convening a measured signal which, at least in a first approximation, is related to a quantity of interest by the equation (a): ##EQU1## where y is the quantity of interest, x is the measured signal, and k, k.sub.N, k.sub.Z are constants, into a signal that is a function of the quantity of interest. The method implements the function (b):ln y=prop. ([ln (x-k.sub.N)-ln (k.sub.Z -x)])wherein prop. means proportional, and where the function is implemented in an approximated manner by at least two bipolar transistors that have base emitter voltages that are dependent on collector currents of the bipolar transistors for receiving an output signal according to the equation (c): y'=ln y, with y' being the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rudolf Stocker
  • Patent number: 4995264
    Abstract: A process for measuring pressure, preferably vacuum is described. The measuring signals from a heat conduction gauge and the measuring signals from a gas friction gauge are processed to a common measuring signal preferably by multiplication. They are linearly superimposed or added. The heat conduction gauge is preferably a Pirani gauge and the gas friction gauge is preferably a tuning fork quartz gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rudolf Stocker, Walter Schaedler
  • Patent number: 4995265
    Abstract: In the present pressure measurement process the damping signal of a tuning fork quartz manometer, which is a measure of the prevailing pressure, is so combined with the correction value proportional to the resonant frequency that a measurement result is obtained, which is independent of any contamination of the tuning fork quartz. Apart from the resonant frequency (f.sub.R) of the measuring quartz (11), preferably also the resonant frequency (f.sub.R ') of a reference quartz (21) kept at constant pressure is determined. Thus, the damping signal (R.sub.S) can be corrected by a correction value proportional to the difference between the two reference frequencies (R.sub.R '-f.sub.R), which is substantially temperature-independent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rudolf Stocker
  • Patent number: 4995263
    Abstract: The tuning fork quartz manometer has a tuning fork quartz (2) mounted in a protective casing (3) which is in turn part of a self-oscillating feedback circuit. According to the invention the protective casing (3) is inserted by means of a sealing compound (4) or directly into a hosing (5) of a measuring head (1,6) or a mounting support (15a, 20') so that the mounting support can in turn be inserted in the measuring head (1,6) and, as desired, an ideal rigid or elastic suspension is provided. A measuring circuit (20) is located directly in the measuring head close to the tuning gork quartz (2) and is thermally coupled to the latter. The measuring circuit (20) preferably has a temperature correction network (R.sub.1, R.sub.2, 22) high frequency coupled from the feedback circuit containing the tuning fork quartz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rudolf Stocker
  • Patent number: 4212361
    Abstract: Conventional electrical scales having independent weighing channels for a reference weight and the actual load with subsequent division of the resulting load signal by the reference signal to furnish the final output cannot furnish a final output signal independent of accelerating disturbances in a large critical frequency region, since changes in load change the dynamic behavior of the load channel. To substantially decrease variations in the final output signal due to such accelerating disturbances, the load signal is additionally coupled to the reference channel by means of at least one frequency-dependent network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1980
    Assignee: Mettler Instruments AG
    Inventor: Rudolf Stocker
  • Patent number: 4189017
    Abstract: An improved weighing apparatus of the electromagnetic load compensation type is disclosed, including a correction loop connected between the output terminal of the synchronizer and the input terminal of the pulse length modulator for varying the regulated load signal from the PID regulator to produce a corrected regulated load signal which compensates for digitalization errors produced by the synchronizer. In one embodiment, the correction loop includes an integrator circuit for superposing on the regulated load signal an inverted integrated error voltage the magnitude of which is a function of the operation of the synchronizer relative to the mark signals. In a second embodiment, the correction loop includes an integrator circuit that periodically applies to the regulated load signal a constant reference voltage of opposite polarity. Preferably, the reference voltage is applied simultaneously with the periods of supply of the compensation current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Assignee: Mettler Instrumente AG
    Inventors: Felix Strobel, Rudolf Stocker, Werner Zumbrunn
  • Patent number: 4136955
    Abstract: The corrected values to compensate for errors in instrumental levelling of a theodolite and similar instruments are found by determining angles of elevation and/or horizontal directions, measuring the instrumental levelling errors, and calculating the error free values of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Assignee: Kern & Co. AG
    Inventors: Heinz Aeschlimann, Rene Nunlist, Rudolf Stocker