Patents by Inventor Thomas Weingaertner

Thomas Weingaertner 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: 8228077
    Abstract: An Anti-pinch sensor, in particular for detecting an obstacle in the path of an actuator of a motor vehicle is provided. The anti-pinch sensor includes a first measurement electrode and a second electrically isolated measurement electrode spaced a distance from the first measurement electrode, wherein the first measurement electrode is designed to generate an external electric field with respect to the second measurement electrode, and wherein the first and second measurement electrodes are elastically supported relative to an electrically isolated ground electrode. In addition, a sensor device having such an anti-pinch sensor is disclosed. The anti-pinch sensor is suitable as both a contactless and a tactile sensor. Detection of surface deposits of contaminants or water is easily possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Hallstadt
    Inventors: Holger Wuerstlein, Thomas Weingaertner
  • Patent number: 8156826
    Abstract: An anti-pinch sensor (10,13,40,45) with an associated evaluation circuit (33,48) is disclosed, which is suitable in particular for recognizing an obstacle in the way of an actuating element (e.g., 9) of a motor vehicle (1). The anti-pinch sensor (10,13,40,45) comprises a sensor body, which contains a sensing electrode (17), for generating an external electric field with respect to a counter-electrode (25), and a pressure sensor (34,34?) decoupled from the sensing electrode (17), for detecting a mechanical pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Carsten Abert, Thomas Weingaertner, Wolf-Christian Mueller, Holger Wuerstlein
  • Publication number: 20110001496
    Abstract: An apparatus and production method for a watertight capacitive sensor unit is provided. Accordingly, a carrier, approximately U-shaped in cross section, is made from a water-impermeable material. At least one electrode strip is placed in an interior space of the carrier along the longitudinal extension of the carrier. The interior space is filled with a hardening filler material in such a way that the electrode strip is sealed outwardly watertight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Martin Schlechtriemen, Holger Wuerstlein, Thomas Weingaertner, Rolf Sitzler
  • Publication number: 20100287837
    Abstract: An anti-pinching device (18) for a pivotable actuating element (6) of a motor vehicle (2) is specified. Said device comprises a capacitive sensor (8) which is intended to contactlessly detect an obstacle in the path of the actuating element (6) and has an electrode (14) for generating an external electric field opposite a counterelectrode (16), wherein the electrode (14) extends in a radial direction (R) of the pivoting movement of the actuating element (6), and a control unit (10) which is set up to interpret a change in a measurement capacitance (CM), which is formed between the electrode (14) and the counterelectrode (16), as pinching when the changed measurement capacitance (CM) exceeds a triggering threshold (A) which is predefined on the basis of an opening angle (?) of the pivotable actuating element (6) and to track the triggering threshold (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2007
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Holger Wuerstlein, Thomas Weingaertner, Wolf-Christian Mueller
  • Patent number: 7821275
    Abstract: An anti-pinch sensor, particularly for detecting an obstacle in the path of an actuating element of a motor vehicle is provided, having a sensor body, a measuring electrode, which is disposed in the sensor body and to which a measuring potential can be applied, a calibrating electrode, which is electrically disconnected and disposed in the sensor body adjacent to the measuring electrode, and a control unit. The control unit controls the measuring electrode and the calibrating electrode such that the measuring potential and the calibrating potential are equal in a measuring phase, and differ from each other in a calibrating phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Wuerstlein, Thomas Weingaertner, Wolf-Christian Mueller
  • Patent number: 7783148
    Abstract: A fiber-optic apparatus for receiving emitted radiation from a diode laser having at least one diode laser bar with a multiplicity of emitters which are arranged in at least one row alongside one another in the direction of their longitudinal axis. The fiber-optic apparatus has at least one optical fiber bundle that is associated with the diode laser bar and into which the laser beam is injected. Each emitter has a multiplicity of associated optical fibers. The optical fibers are hot-fused to one another under pressure and without regulation on the input side in order to form at least one fiber wedge with an inlet surface. The emitters of the diode laser bar are directly associated with at least one inlet surface in order to completely receive the laser light emitted from the diode laser bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Thomas Weingärtner, Matthias Ertl, Thomas Reichert
  • Patent number: 7760977
    Abstract: Step-index optical waveguides are made of multicomponent glass containing a core glass and an outer glass which entirely surrounds the core class. A fiber-optic cable for conducting electromagnetic radiation, contains at least one bundle of individual fibers which encompass the step-index optical waveguides that are made of multicomponent glass containing a core glass and an outer glass that entirely surrounds the core glass on the circumferential wall thereof. These step-index optical waveguides provide great transmission capacity for transmitting data while keeping the transfer characteristics sufficiently durable. Furthermore, the fiber-optic cable is resistant against physical and chemical environmental influences and be protected against radical ambient chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Axel Curdt, Lothar Willmes, Wolfgang Eis, Markus Kappel, Thomas Weingärtner, Thomas Henrich, Wolfram Gehenn, Uwe Kolberg
  • Publication number: 20100156440
    Abstract: The invention relates to an anti-pinch sensor (10, 13, 36), in particular for recognising an obstacle that obstructs an actuating element (7) of a motor vehicle (1). Said sensor comprises an electrode (17), which can be attached to a measuring potential via a signal line (26) and can be positioned opposite a counter-electrode (25) and comprises an evaluation circuit (34) for detecting the capacitance between the electrode (17) and the counter-electrode (25). The electrode (17) is sub-divided into several electrodes (35), each of which has a separate feed line (23) for connection to the measuring potential. An anti-pinch sensor of this type (10, 13, 36) has a high detection sensitivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: BROSE FAHRZEUGTEILE GMBH & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Weingärtner, Thorsten Kuhnen, Holger Würstlein
  • Publication number: 20100050787
    Abstract: An anti-pinch sensor (10,13,40,45) with an associated evaluation circuit (33,48) is disclosed, which is suitable in particular for recognizing an obstacle in the way of an actuating element (e.g., 9) of a motor vehicle (1). The anti-pinch sensor (10,13,40,45) comprises a sensor body, which contains a sensing electrode (17), for generating an external electric field with respect to a counter-electrode (25), and a pressure sensor (34,34?) decoupled from the sensing electrode (17), for detecting a mechanical pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Carsten Abert, Thomas Weingaertner, Wolf-Christian Mueller, Holger Wuerstlein
  • Publication number: 20100024301
    Abstract: The invention specifies an anti-trapping device (26), comprising a motor (M) for driving a pivotable actuating element (6) of a motor vehicle (2), a sensor (8) for contactlessly identifying an obstacle in the way of the actuating element (6) with an electrode (14), which has a plurality of segments (12), for producing an external electrical field with respect to a mating electrode (15) and a control unit (20). The electrode (14) extends in a radial direction (R) with respect to the pivotable actuating element (6) and is split in the radial direction (R) into the plurality of segments (12), which can each be evaluated separately for the purpose of generating an interference signal. The control unit (20) is designed to drive the motor (M) as a function of an interference signal from one of the segments (12). Such an anti-trapping device (26) has particularly high flexibility when driving the pivotable actuating element (6) if an obstacle in the way of the pivotable actuating element (6) has been detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: Brose Fahrzeugteile GMBH & Co., Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Wuerstlein, Thomas Weingaertner, Wolf-Christian Mueller
  • Publication number: 20090256578
    Abstract: An anti-pinch sensor, particularly for detecting an obstacle in the path of an actuating element of a motor vehicle is provided, having a sensor body, a measuring electrode, which is disposed in the sensor body and to which a measuring potential can be applied, a calibrating electrode, which is electrically disconnected and disposed in the sensor body adjacent to the measuring electrode, and a control unit. The control unit controls the measuring electrode and the calibrating electrode such that the measuring potential and the calibrating potential are equal in a measuring phase, and differ from each other in a calibrating phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Holger WUERSTLEIN, Thomas WEINGAERTNER, Wolf-Christian MUELLER
  • Publication number: 20090146827
    Abstract: Anti-pinch sensor (2, 2?, 2?), in particular for detecting an obstacle in the path of an actuator of a motor vehicle, having a first measurement electrode (6) and having a second electrically isolated measurement electrode (7) spaced a distance from the first measurement electrode (6), wherein the first measurement electrode (6) is designed to generate an external electric field (17) with respect to the second measurement electrode (6), and wherein the first and second measurement electrodes (5, 6) are elastically supported relative to an electrically isolated ground electrode (8). In addition, a sensor device (1) having such an anti-pinch sensor (2, 2?, 2?) is disclosed. The anti-pinch sensor (2, 2?, 2?) is suitable as both a contactless and a tactile sensor. Detection of surface deposits of contaminants or water is easily possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Holger Wuerstlein, Thomas Weingaertner
  • Patent number: 7212720
    Abstract: In a method for producing a termination of an optical fiber bundle, the optical fiber bundle is combined at one end in a crimping sleeve, and the crimping sleeve is introduced with the end of the optical fiber bundle into a compression device having a crimping tool which matches the end geometry of the optical fiber bundle. Advantageous effects are achieved by the fact that the crimping sleeve is compression molded over the end of the optical fiber bundle with a predetermined crimping force by the crimping tool, and in that the crimping force is regulated during the compression molding process depending on the material of the crimping sleeve. In this case, the compression molding process is begun, carried out and ended depending on the distance, time and/or force by a regulating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Achim Wied, Jürgen Meinl, Thomas Henrich, Thomas Weingärtner
  • Publication number: 20070007068
    Abstract: A sensor system for a crush protection device is disclosed. The system monitors an agitation of a vehicle part with a sensor. The sensor is arranged to detect an object being crushed between an active vehicle part and a body section or another vehicle part. The sensor has a layered formation. The sensor is applied on the active vehicle part and either or both of the body section of the vehicle and the additional vehicle part. Additionally, the sensor is adjusted to the shape of the active vehicle part and either or both of the body section and the additional vehicle part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Weingaertner, Carsten Abert
  • Patent number: 6615638
    Abstract: A device is described for gravimetric testing of multi-channel pipettes having two or more pipette channels. The device has one receptacle (9) per pipette for a test volume or for a container (2, 20) containing the test volume, and in addition, one weighing cell (1) per receptacle (9) for weighing of the container (2, 20) and/or of the test volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Karl Heinz Lochner, Thomas Weingärtner, Jutta Paulus-Neues, Viktor Leibel, Peter Madloch
  • Patent number: 5977522
    Abstract: In order to provide a mounting device for light guides which is pre-mountable on a heating element or on a cooking surface and which can be equipped with the light guides in a simple way, several receptacles (20) for the light guide ends are arranged beside each other on a common receptacle support (1). The receptacle support (1) can itself be formed as an attaching element or can be provided with at least one attaching element. The receptacles are sleeves (24) under tension or crimped sockets in which the light guide ends are inserted and gripped under tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Schott Glaswerke
    Inventors: Thomas Henrich, Thomas Weingaertner, Juergen Meinl, Holger Koebrich, Stefan Hubert, Bernd Schultheis