Patents by Inventor Thomas Brauning

Thomas Brauning 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: 11984572
    Abstract: A battery cooling system includes several battery cooling plates connected to a coolant manifold and coolant chiller. The coolant chiller is configured to remove heat from a flow of coolant that circulates through the battery cooling system. The coolant manifold has a first and a second chamber that both extend in a longitudinal direction and that are spaced apart and separated by an air gap. The first chamber receives a flow of chilled coolant from the coolant chiller, and the second chamber delivers to the coolant chiller a flow of coolant to be chilled. Plastic connectors in one-to-one correspondence with the battery cooling plates are mounted to the coolant manifold to fluidly couple the first and second chambers of the coolant manifold to the battery cooling plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas Brauning, Andreas Girrleit, Jorg Speckmann, Niko Neub, Manuel Schon
  • Publication number: 20200395644
    Abstract: A battery cooling system includes several battery cooling plates connected to a coolant manifold and coolant chiller. The coolant chiller is configured to remove heat from a flow of coolant that circulates through the battery cooling system. The coolant manifold has a first and a second chamber that both extend in a longitudinal direction and that are spaced apart and separated by an air gap. The first chamber receives a flow of chilled coolant from the coolant chiller, and the second chamber delivers to the coolant chiller a flow of coolant to be chilled. Plastic connectors in one-to-one correspondence with the battery cooling plates are mounted to the coolant manifold to fluidly couple the first and second chambers of the coolant manifold to the battery cooling plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas BRÄUNING, Andreas GIRRLEIT, Jörg SPECKMANN, Niko NEUB, Manuel SCHÖN
  • Patent number: 9964361
    Abstract: A brazed plate heat exchanger with at least one stack of heat exchanger plates and at least one functional component connected by piping physically and in terms of flow to the stack, for example, a collecting tank, in which case the stack executes a settling movement during brazing. Production is achieved in that the plate heat exchanger with the functional component is produced in a vacuum brazing furnace in a single brazing process, in which at least one structure is contained in the piping that compensates for the settling movement of the plate stack. A corresponding production method is also proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Klaus Kalbacher, Thomas Bräuning, Rebecca Weiss
  • Patent number: 9328966
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes, a collection tank having an inlet port and an internal chamber in fluid communication with the plurality of tubes, a header coupled to the collection tank and having a plurality of apertures each dimensioned to receive a corresponding tube, a gasket separating the header from the collection tank and sealing a gap between the header and the collection tank, and a reinforcement retaining the gasket in position between the header and the collection tank. The reinforcement includes a first web extending across the internal chamber and a second web spaced apart from the first web and extending across the internal chamber. The heat exchanger also includes a baffle coupled to and extending between the first web and the second web. The baffle extends across at least a portion of the internal chamber between the inlet port and the plurality of tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas Braüning, Jörg Soldner, Thomas Hofmann, Brian Merklein, Gregg D. Olson, Mark Kazikowski, Roy J. Ingold, Jochen Orso, Jörg-Olaf Wille, Joachim Wollmershäuser
  • Publication number: 20150300747
    Abstract: A brazed plate heat exchanger with at least one stack of heat exchanger plates and at least one functional component connected by piping physically and in terms of flow to the stack, for example, a collecting tank, in which case the stack executes a settling movement during brazing. Production is achieved in that the plate heat exchanger with the functional component is produced in a vacuum brazing furnace in a single brazing process, in which at least one structure is contained in the piping that compensates for the settling movement of the plate stack. A corresponding production method is also proposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Klaus KALBACHER, Thomas BRÄUNING, Rebecca WEISS
  • Publication number: 20110120671
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes, a collection tank having an inlet port and an internal chamber in fluid communication with the plurality of tubes, a header coupled to the collection tank and having a plurality of apertures each dimensioned to receive a corresponding tube, a gasket separating the header from the collection tank and sealing a gap between the header and the collection tank, and a reinforcement retaining the gasket in position between the header and the collection tank. The reinforcement includes a first web extending across the internal chamber and a second web spaced apart from the first web and extending across the internal chamber. The heat exchanger also includes a baffle coupled to and extending between the first web and the second web. The baffle extends across at least a portion of the internal chamber between the inlet port and the plurality of tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Thomas Bräuning, Jorg Soldner, Thomas Hofmann, Brian Merklein, Gregg D. Olson, Mark Kazikowski, Roy J. Ingold, Jochen Orso, Jorg-Olaf Wille, Joachim Wollmershäuser
  • Patent number: 7857359
    Abstract: A quick-action closure coupling for connecting a supply or discharge line to a wall of a collecting tank of a heat exchanger. The coupling can include a first coupling part and a second coupling part dimensioned to mate together. At least one sealing ring can be positioned between the first and second coupling parts. A latch can be provided in order to lock the coupling parts together. In order to simplify the quick-action closure coupling, the terminal end of the one coupling part can have a mitered cutout into which is received a portion of the other coupling part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Jürgen Zeitlinger, Klaus Kalbacher, Thomas Bräuning
  • Patent number: 7748442
    Abstract: A plate heat exchanger for cooling a first fluid by a second fluid, including a plurality of stacked heat exchanger plates forming separate flow channels therebetween with a cover plate on one side and a base plate on the other side of the stacked plates. The plates have a plurality of aligned openings defining inlet and outlet channels each communicating with selected ones of connected flow channels. In one form, the cover plate includes a conveying channel guiding one of the fluids to a desired position along the length of the heat exchanger, and the base plate includes a conveying channel guiding the other of the fluids to a desired position along the length of the heat exchanger. In another form, the conveying channels for both of the fluids are in the same one of the cover or base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Klaus Kalbacher, Thomas Bräuning
  • Publication number: 20080210410
    Abstract: The present invention provides a heat exchanger including a flow duct for a coolant and a flow duct for a medium to be cooled, a cover on one side of the heat exchanger, and a thermostat valve operable to regulate temperature-dependent throughflow in one of the flow ducts, arranged on an inflow or outflow duct, and covered by the cover. A temperature sensor of the valve is arranged in a housing, which is fastened in proximity to the inflow or outflow duct so that one of the medium to be cooled and the coolant can flow around an outer side of the housing, with the temperature sensor on an inner side of the housing reacting to a local temperature and correspondingly regulating throughput of an other of the medium to be cooled and the coolant through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Klaus Kalbacher, Thomas Brauning
  • Publication number: 20080191467
    Abstract: The invention relates to a quick-action closure coupling for connecting a supply or discharge line to a wall of a collecting tank of a heat exchanger. The coupling can include a first coupling part and a second coupling part with a radially inner peripheral wall. The first coupling part can have a radially outer peripheral wall, and at least one sealing ring can be arranged between the peripheral walls. Latching points can be provided in order to lock the coupling parts. In order to simplify the quick-action closure coupling, the radially outer peripheral wall of the one coupling part can have a mitered cutout into which the other coupling part engages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Jurgen Zeitlinger, Klaus Kalbacher, Thomas Brauning
  • Publication number: 20050205236
    Abstract: A plate heat exchanger for cooling a first fluid by a second fluid, including a plurality of stacked heat exchanger plates forming separate flow channels therebetween with a cover plate on one side and a base plate on the other side of the stacked plates. The plates have a plurality of aligned openings defining inlet and outlet channels each communicating with selected ones of connected flow channels. In one form, the cover plate includes a conveying channel guiding one of the fluids to a desired position along the length of the heat exchanger, and the base plate includes a conveying channel guiding the other of the fluids to a desired position along the length of the heat exchanger. In another form, the conveying channels for both of the fluids are in the same one of the cover or base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Klaus Kalbacher, Thomas Brauning
  • Publication number: 20050161519
    Abstract: A control valve for a heat exchanger adapted to temper the temperature of a first fluid by heat exchange with a second fluid. The control valve includes a housing adapted to fasten adjacent a wall of the heat exchanger, with the housing defining a chamber separate from a compartment. When fastened to the heat exchanger, the housing communicates the compartment with the flow channels of the second fluid, and opens the chamber to flow of the first fluid via a passage through the adjacent wall of the heat exchanger. A valve member is in the compartment for selectively controlling communication of the compartment with a source of the second fluid, and a thermostat is positioned in the chamber to contact the flow of the first fluid, with the thermostat controlling the valve member responsive to the temperature of the first fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventors: Klaus Kalbacher, Thomas Brauning