Patents by Inventor THOMAS KNUPFER

THOMAS KNUPFER 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: 11965660
    Abstract: A water circulation system having a feed line, a return line, a string that connects the feed line to the return line is disclosed. A temperature control unit connects the feed line to the return line, a consumer, a valve, at least one temperature sensor and a system control. A method is disclosed which includes the steps of determining a first temperature, a second temperature and a lowering time; detecting the water temperature; controlling the first temperature by controlling the valve; and controlling the second temperature by controlling the valve during the lowering time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: VIEGA TECHNOLOGY GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Roland Obrist, Thomas Knupfer, Daniel Knupfer
  • Patent number: 11802538
    Abstract: An energy transmission system for a fluid line having a generator unit with a power supply unit that can be arranged at a first location of the fluid line and at least one consumer unit having at least one consumer that can be arranged at a second location of the fluid line spaced apart from the first location is disclosed. The generator unit has a pressure surge generator connected to the power supply unit and the pressure surges can be generated and introduced into the fluid located in the fluid line, and the consumer unit has a pressure surge transducer that is connected to the at least one consumer by the pressure surges introduced into the fluid and can be converted into electrical energy that can be supplied to the at least one consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Oblamatik AG
    Inventors: Roland Obrist, Daniel Knupfer, Patric Cathomas, Thomas Knupfer, Philipp Triet
  • Patent number: 11703144
    Abstract: A motor-driven axial-flow control valve is disclosed that has a valve body with an inlet and an opposite outlet and a passage located between having a substantially axial alignment relative to the inlet and outlet, and a flow control path arranged in the passage with an operative connection to a motor drive in a switch housing resting on the valve body. The flow control valve is formed by two radially arranged discs lying on one another and each having at least one passage opening where one disc is a stator disc permanently arranged in the valve body, and the other disc lies axially rotatably on the stator disk, and the rotatable disc is in engagement with an axially rotatable sleeve that is arranged axially in the passage and through which flow can pass in the cavity of the rotatable disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: Daniel Knupfer, Thomas Knupfer, Roland Obrist
  • Patent number: 11705705
    Abstract: A mounting sleeve for mounting in a recess in a wall having a first sleeve with a longitudinal axis, wherein a flange is arranged in the region of a first free end of the first sleeve, the flange projects radially outwards beyond the circumference of the sleeve-shaped body as a result that can abut against an outside of the wall, wherein the mounting sleeve has a second sleeve that is arranged displaceably along the longitudinal axis in the first sleeve and the mounting sleeve has a tensioning element which the two sleeves can be brought from a non-tensioned position into a tensioned position, wherein the first sleeve and/or the second sleeve has at least one clamping element which, in the tensioned position, projects radially outwards beyond the circumference of the body of the first sleeve, as a result of tensioning of the mounting sleeve with the wall can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: Roland Obrist, Daniel Knupfer, Thomas Knupfer
  • Publication number: 20220368254
    Abstract: An adjusting device having a DC motor and an adjusting member driven by an output shaft of the DC motor is disclosed. The adjusting device has a power driver coupled to the DC motor for controlling a motor current of the DC motor, a current measurement circuit that is adapted to detect a current consumption of the DC motor and to output a current measurement signal dependent on the number of revolutions of the DC motor, and a computing unit, to which the current measurement signal is input adapted to determine the number of revolutions of the DC motor based on the current measurement signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Oblamatik AG
    Inventors: Thomas KNUPFER, Roland OBRIST
  • Publication number: 20220325690
    Abstract: An energy transmission system for a fluid line having a generator unit with a power supply unit that can be arranged at a first location of the fluid line and at least one consumer unit having at least one consumer that can be arranged at a second location of the fluid line spaced apart from the first location is disclosed. The generator unit has a pressure surge generator connected to the power supply unit and the pressure surges can be generated and introduced into the fluid located in the fluid line, and the consumer unit has a pressure surge transducer that is connected to the at least one consumer by the pressure surges introduced into the fluid and can be converted into electrical energy that can be supplied to the at least one consumer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: Oblamatik AG
    Inventors: Roland OBRIST, Daniel KNUPFER, Patric CATHOMAS, Thomas KNUPFER, Philipp TRIET
  • Publication number: 20210270472
    Abstract: A method for operating a water circulation system having at least one valve and at least one temperature sensor; determining a first temperature and a second temperature; determining a period of time; detecting the water temperature using at least one temperature sensor; detecting the opening time during which the at least one valve is at least partially open at least partially opening the at least one valve if the detected water temperature exceeds the value of the first temperature or if the opening time reaches the period of time; and completely closing the at least one valve if the detected water temperature reaches the value of the second temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: ROLAND OBRIST, Thomas KNUPFER, Daniel KNUPFER
  • Publication number: 20210199213
    Abstract: A motor-driven axial-flow control valve is disclosed that has a valve body with an inlet and an opposite outlet and a passage located between having a substantially axial alignment relative to the inlet and outlet, and a flow control path arranged in the passage with an operative connection to a motor drive in a switch housing resting on the valve body. The flow control valve is formed by two radially arranged discs lying on one another and each having at least one passage opening where one disc is a stator disc permanently arranged in the valve body, and the other disc lies axially rotatably on the stator disk, and the rotatable disc is in engagement with an axially rotatable sleeve that is arranged axially in the passage and through which flow can pass in the cavity of the rotatable disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: DANIEL KNUPFER, Thomas KNUPFER, Roland OBRIST
  • Publication number: 20210124379
    Abstract: A water circulation system having a feed line, a return line, a string that connects the feed line to the return line is disclosed. A temperature control unit connects the feed line to the return line, a consumer, a valve, at least one temperature sensor and a system control. A method is disclosed which includes the steps of determining a first temperature, a second temperature and a lowering time; detecting the water temperature; controlling the first temperature by controlling the valve; and controlling the second temperature by controlling the valve during the lowering time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: ROLAND OBRIST, Thomas KNUPFER, Daniel KNUPFER
  • Publication number: 20200347583
    Abstract: A device with a controllable valve for sanitary systems, heating systems or air conditioning systems, a control unit that controls the valve, and a sensor that is connected to the control unit. The sensor is a light sensor that can detect a light signal from visible light, convert the light signal into a sensor signal specific to the light signal, and transmit the light signal to the control unit. The control unit is adapted to control the valve based on the specific sensor signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2017
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: Roland OBRIST, Thomas KNUPFER
  • Publication number: 20200251891
    Abstract: A mounting sleeve for mounting in a recess in a wall having a first sleeve with a longitudinal axis, wherein a flange is arranged in the region of a first free end of the first sleeve, the flange projects radially outwards beyond the circumference of the sleeve-shaped body as a result that can abut against an outside of the wall, wherein the mounting sleeve has a second sleeve that is arranged displaceably along the longitudinal axis in the first sleeve and the mounting sleeve has a tensioning element which the two sleeves can be brought from a non-tensioned position into a tensioned position, wherein the first sleeve and/or the second sleeve has at least one clamping element which, in the tensioned position, projects radially outwards beyond the circumference of the body of the first sleeve, as a result of tensioning of the mounting sleeve with the wall can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: Roland OBRIST, Daniel KNUPFER, Thomas KNUPFER
  • Publication number: 20180106023
    Abstract: The operating element (16) of a sanitary fitting has a temperature slide (20) and a flow rate slide (22). These two slides (20, 22) are movable back and forth along a first movement path (40) and a second movement path (42) respectively, in order to set, on the one hand, the temperature of the water and, on the other hand, the flow rate of the water. Sensors (54, 60) detect the location and the position of the temperature slide (20) and of the flow rate slide (22) and deliver corresponding temperature signals and flow rate signals to the electronic controller (56). This controller controls the valve bank (68) in such a way that water with the desired temperature and the set flow rate flows out of the sanitary fitting through the water outlet (28). Square or rectangular designs and a fitting (312) having virtual slide controls (340, 342) are also possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: Franke Water Systems AG
    Inventors: Stefan Brunner, Roland Gloor, Daniel Knupfer, Thomas Knupfer
  • Publication number: 20170370492
    Abstract: A valve for controlling the water flow in a sanitary line has a housing with a housing lower part in which a water supply channel portion, a control channel, and a water discharge channel portion are arranged in the flow direction. The control valve has a valve upper part with a head piece, which is arranged in a housing bore coaxially to the bore axis and to which a stator disc with a first ceramic surface is secured, and with a spindle, with which a rotor disc with a second ceramic surface is in engagement. The control valve also has an electric drive which is arranged in the housing upper part and which is in engagement with the spindle. Two seals which rest against the head piece and the spindle seal the control channel of the control valve from a housing upper part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Applicant: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: ROLAND OBRIST, THOMAS KNUPFER
  • Patent number: D916670
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: OBLAMATIK AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knupfer, Daniel Knupfer, Roland Obrist