Patents by Inventor Thomas Schafer

Thomas Schafer 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).

  • Publication number: 20240142708
    Abstract: A communication module for a system for transferring data by light beams includes a transmitter for emitting a light beam in which data to be transferred are encoded, and a receiver for receiving a light beam. The transmitter includes a light source, and the receiver includes a light sensor. The transmitter and receiver are disposed offset from each other in a vertical direction. The transmitter emits a light beam in a longitudinal direction. The receiver has a mirror, which can be pivoted about a pivot axis extending in the vertical direction between a folded-out position and a folded-in position. The mirror is disposed such that a light beam incident from the longitudinal direction is deflected toward the light sensor by the mirror in the folded-out position. A system for transferring data by light beams includes at least one first communication module and at least one second communication module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Zhidong HUA, Thomas SCHÄFER, Andreas WANJEK, Michael ERMERT
  • Patent number: 11968893
    Abstract: Disclosed are electroluminescent devices that comprise organic layers that contain certain organic compounds containing one ore more pyrimidine moieties. The organic compounds containing one ore more pyrimidine moieties are suitable components of blue-emitting, durable, organo-electroluminescent layers. The electroluminescent devices may be employed for full color display panels in for example mobile phones, televisions and personal computer screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: UDC Ireland Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Schafer, Patrice Bujard, Jonathan Rogers, Kristina Bardon
  • Publication number: 20240092275
    Abstract: An electronic unit for a vehicle, comprising surface elements arranged next to one another with a visible surface side and a surface underside is disclosed. The surface elements are fixed in a housing. The housing has a top side facing the surface underside and an underside, wherein a carrier plate is provided. Each housing on its underside has at least one protruding fixing element for fixing the surface elements to the carrier plate. The carrier plate connects the surface elements together, wherein each fixing element has an index element arranged on the fixing element between the carrier plate and the underside and is releasably connected to the fixing element. The index elements are connected to the carrier plate by substance bonding so each surface element is releasably fixed to the carrier plate, and wherein by the index elements, the surface elements are arranged relative to and level with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Huth, Thomas Schaper, Jörg Thomas, Doris Schäfer, Sergej Wittmeier, David Saar
  • Patent number: 11888517
    Abstract: In a method for a data transmission between first and second modules, and a system having mobile parts for performing the method: the time bases of the first and second modules are synchronized; transmitters of the first module emit a light signal pulse individually one after the other and/or in numbered order in a respective time range; the particular receiver of the second module at which the strongest receive signal occurs is determined, the particular time range and/or the number of the particular time range being determined in which the strongest receive signal occurs; the determined time range and/or the determined number is/are transmitted from the second module to the first module; and the transmitter of the first module associated with the determined time range and/or to the determined number is determined and used for the subsequent data transmission from the first module to the second module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Wanjek, Steffen Storck, Zhidong Hua, Thomas Schäfer, Josef Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11845642
    Abstract: In a method for operating a system, and a system, the system includes a mobile part drivable on a driving surface, and a load carrier. The mobile part includes a radar sensor connected to a control of the mobile part. The frequency spectrum of an intermediate frequency signal is determined, and, using pattern recognition, the frequency spectrum is compared with stored pattern samples, and the result of the comparison is conveyed to the control. The control actuates actuators such as a drive and/or steering unit of the mobile part as a function of the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO.KG
    Inventors: Serdal Ayhan, Andreas Wanjek, Zhidong Hua, Thomas Schäfer, Josef Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20230332382
    Abstract: A wear member includes an attachment portion, and a wear portion extending from the attachment portion that defines a wear surface. The wear portion has a dispersible wear indicator that is disposed in the wear portion, and that is spaced a predetermined distance away from the wear surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David Bruno Parzynski, JR., Thomas Marshall Congdon, Benjamin Thomas Schafer
  • Patent number: 11789462
    Abstract: A system includes vehicles, a central control unit, and a stationary transceiver module connected to the central control unit via a bidirectional communications channel. Each has a transceiver module for bidirectional communication with the stationary transceiver module and/or a vehicle. The transceiver module has a controllable light source and a light sensor. The central control unit transmits driving orders to the vehicles via the stationary transceiver module. A first vehicle that is located within the spatial transmission area of the stationary transceiver module forwards a driving order to a second vehicle that is located outside the spatial transmission area of the stationary transceiver module, and the second vehicle transmits data via the first vehicle and the stationary transceiver module to the central control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Josef Schmidt, Zhidong Hua, Thomas Schäfer
  • Patent number: 11774549
    Abstract: In a mobile part having at least one module, and a method for operating a mobile part, the mobile part is able to be moved on a driving surface, and the module includes a controllable illumination device. The illumination device is provided and/or situated in elongated form along a planar curve, in particular, a line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Serdal Ayhan, Thomas Schäfer
  • Patent number: 11619735
    Abstract: In a method and system for position capture of a vehicle along a driving route, situated on a concrete floor having a reinforcement: the vehicle carries out a reference drive along the driving route, the vehicle records measuring points along the driving route, and each measuring point allocates a signal from the reinforcement to a position on the driving route; a reference profile of the driving route is determined based on the measuring points ascertained during the reference drive; the vehicle drives along the driving route and records further measuring points; a profile segment is determined from the further measuring points; the profile segment is uniquely allocated to a segment of the reference profile, e.g., using a correlation method; a position on the driving route is uniquely allocated to the vehicle with the aid of the profile segment allocated to the reference profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Josef Schmidt, Jürgen Böckle, Zhidong Hua, Thomas Schäfer, Andreas Wanjek
  • Publication number: 20220377215
    Abstract: A receiver for a light transmission system includes a camera having an image sensor, and a light-sensitive area of the image sensor includes a plurality of rows of light-sensitive elements. The image sensor is configured such that the light-sensitive area of the image sensor is scanned row by row or column by column. An attachment element is arranged such that light incident on the light-sensitive area of the image sensor passes through the attachment element beforehand. The attachment element has at least one lenticular region and at least one planar region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Zhidong HUA, Patrick RECH, Thomas SCHÄFER, Josef SCHMIDT
  • Publication number: 20220247490
    Abstract: In a method for a data transmission between first and second modules, and a system having mobile parts for performing the method: the time bases of the first and second modules are synchronized; transmitters of the first module emit a light signal pulse individually one after the other and/or in numbered order in a respective time range; the particular receiver of the second module at which the strongest receive signal occurs is determined, the particular time range and/or the number of the particular time range being determined in which the strongest receive signal occurs; the determined time range and/or the determined number is/are transmitted from the second module to the first module; and the transmitter of the first module associated with the determined time range and/or to the determined number is determined and used for the subsequent data transmission from the first module to the second module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Andreas WANJEK, Steffen STORCK, Zhidong HUA, Thomas SCHÄFER, Josef SCHMIDT
  • Publication number: 20220219743
    Abstract: In a rail system with a rail and mobile parts movable along the rail, e.g., rail vehicles, a profiled part is arranged on the rail and includes a cavity, which, e.g., terminates at an opening into the environment. Regions of a mobile part, e.g., regions of each mobile part, at least partially project into the cavity, and at least one transmitter and receiver are situated in the respective region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Michael LINDENFELSER, Andreas WANJEK, Zhidong HUA, Thomas SCHÄFER
  • Publication number: 20220216422
    Abstract: Disclosed are electroluminescent devices that comprise organic layers that contain certain organic compounds containing one ore more pyrimidine moieties. The organic compounds containing one ore more pyrimidine moieties are suitable components of blue-emitting, durable, organo-electroluminescent layers. The electroluminescent devices may be employed for full color display panels in for example mobile phones, televisions and personal computer screens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Schafer, Patrice Bujard, Jonathan Rogers, Kristina Bardon
  • Patent number: 11358212
    Abstract: A riser sleeve (1) for using when pouring metals into a casting mould includes a riser body (2). The riser body (2) includes a riser cavity (3) for holding liquid metal and a riser opening (4) for joining the riser cavity (3) to a mould cavity of the casting mould during the casting process. The riser cavity (3) has a greater diameter than the diameter of the riser opening (4) in at least one portion, the riser body (2) is made of an insulating and/or exothermic riser material. The riser body (2) is formed as a single piece, the riser opening (4) defines an axis (5), and the riser cavity (3) is asymmetric to the axis (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GTP Schäfer Gießtechnische Produkte GmbH
    Inventors: Olof Hilger, Jörg Schäfer, Thomas Schäfer
  • Patent number: 11349568
    Abstract: A system includes a first communications unit, e.g., a transmitter, and a second communications unit, e.g., a receiver. The first communications unit has a controllable illumination device, which emits light modulated according to a predefined data flow, and the second communications unit has a camera, including an optical element and an image sensor. A light-sensitive surface of the image sensor has a plurality of lines of light-sensitive elements, and the image sensor is arranged such that the image of the illumination device projected onto the light-sensitive surface of the image sensor by the optical element is unsharply imaged and/or covers more than half of the light-sensitive surface and is scanned line by line, e.g., so that the image has stripes of different brightness and/or that the brightness profile induced transversely to the line direction spatially indicates the time characteristic of the data flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Zhidong Hua, Manuel Hoffmann, Viktoriya Zavalishka, Thomas Schäfer, Michael Lindenfelser, Andreas Wanjek
  • Patent number: 11289658
    Abstract: Disclosed are electroluminescent devices that comprise organic layers that contain certain organic compounds containing one ore more pyrimidine moieties. The organic compounds containing one ore more pyrimidine moieties are suitable components of blue-emitting, durable, organo-electroluminescent layers. The electroluminescent devices may be employed for full color display panels in for example mobile phones, televisions and personal computer screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: UDC IRELAND LIMITED
    Inventors: Thomas Schafer, Patrice Bujard, Jonathan Rogers, Kristina Bardon
  • Patent number: 11283519
    Abstract: A system includes a first mobile part and a second mobile part, each being able to be moved in a movement plane of an installation. The first mobile part has corner modules at its outer corner areas, and the second mobile part also has corner modules at its outer corner areas. Each corner module has an electronic circuit together with transmitters and receivers such that modulated light is able to be emitted with the aid of the transmitters, and modulated light is able to be detected and demodulated with the aid of the receivers. The receivers have different sensitivities for light from different directions in space, in particular, the receivers of the respective corner module being situated in one plane with respect to this respective corner module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Schäfer, Andreas Wanjek, Zhidong Hua
  • Publication number: 20220075389
    Abstract: A system includes vehicles, a central control unit, and a stationary transceiver module connected to the central control unit via a bidirectional communications channel. Each has a transceiver module for bidirectional communication with the stationary transceiver module and/or a vehicle. The transceiver module has a controllable light source and a light sensor. The central control unit transmits driving orders to the vehicles via the stationary transceiver module. A first vehicle that is located within the spatial transmission area of the stationary transceiver module forwards a driving order to a second vehicle that is located outside the spatial transmission area of the stationary transceiver module, and the second vehicle transmits data via the first vehicle and the stationary transceiver module to the central control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Josef SCHMIDT, Zhidong HUA, Thomas SCHÄFER
  • Patent number: 11211831
    Abstract: In a system having primary conductor sections supplied with alternating current by respective feed-in devices, and having at least one mobile part, and in a method for operating such a system, in which the mobile part has a secondary winding, in particular on its underside, which is able to be, in particular is, inductively coupled with one of the primary conductor sections, the feed-in devices inject respective alternating currents of different frequencies into the primary conductor sections, and the mobile part has a device for acquiring the frequency of the alternating current injected into the primary conductor section inductively coupled with the secondary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Josef Schmidt, Thomas Schäfer, Jens Schäfer, Jochen Mahlein, Ulrich Stockenberger
  • Publication number: 20210394806
    Abstract: In a system and method for operating a system having a rail, a stationary unit, rail-guided mobile parts, and a slotted hollow waveguide, either a first one of the mobile parts or the stationary unit functions as a transmitter, and a second one of the mobile parts functions as a receiver. The transmitter is configured for the simultaneous transmission of an electromagnetic signal and an acoustic signal, e.g., at a first instant. The receiver, which is set apart from the transmitter, is configured to detect the arrival of the electromagnetic signal at a second instant and to detect the arrival of the acoustic signal at a third instant. The second mobile part has an evaluation unit which is configured to determine the distance between the transmitter and the receiver based on the acquired second and third instants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Zhidong HUA, Jonas Felix BÜRGEL, Michael LINDENFELSER, Andreas WANJEK, Thomas SCHÄFER, Josef SCHMIDT