Patents by Inventor Werner Wallrafen

Werner Wallrafen 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: 20220187118
    Abstract: An angle detection device, in particular for a fuel filling level detection device includes: a carrier; a cover, which has been connected to the carrier by at least one solder or adhesive connection layer; and a sensor for the contactless detection of an orientation of a magnetic field of a magnet. The sensor has been arranged in an interior space, which has been defined by the carrier and the cover, in particular on the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventor: Werner WALLRAFEN
  • Publication number: 20220163368
    Abstract: An angle detection device for a fuel fill level detection device, including: a support, a potting composition, which is arranged on the support in coherently bonded manner; a sensor for the contactless detection of an orientation of a magnetic field of a magnet, which is at least partly arranged in the potting composition, in particular on the support, and at least one conductor track which is arranged flat on the support, in particular in coherently bonded manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventor: Werner WALLRAFEN
  • Patent number: 10816361
    Abstract: An arrangement for detecting the angular position of a rotatable component includes: a magnet, configured to generate a magnetic field, and a sensor assembly, configured to detect the magnetic field, and to supply therefrom an angle signal corresponding to the angular position of the component. The sensor assembly has a first sensor group, including a first magnetically sensitive element, a second magnetically sensitive element, and a third magnetically sensitive element, a second sensor group, having a fourth magnetically sensitive element, a fifth magnetically sensitive element, and a sixth magnetically sensitive element, and an evaluation unit, which is connected to each of the magnetically sensitive elements of the first sensor group and the magnetically sensitive elements of the second sensor group and supplies the angle signal corresponding to the angular position of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 10630148
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to actuators in general. In some embodiments, an actuator system may include an electric motor having motor terminals and driving the actuator; a control unit operating the electric motor; and an active electronic position sensor for detecting a position of an actuator. Electrical energy for the operation of the position sensor is tapped from the control unit via the motor terminals. The terminals of the control voltage UM1 and UM2 for operation of the motor are switched such that at least one motor terminal, at periodic intervals, delivers a positive voltage and, during idling of the motor or during the braking of the motor, at least one of the two motor terminals of the control voltage UM1, UM2 carries a positive voltage UB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 10612941
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sensors in general, and more specifically a sensor for detecting the position of an actuator. In some embodiments, a position sensor for detecting a position of an actuator with an electric motor may include: an evaluation circuit; a rectifier circuit; and additional filter components. The evaluation circuit, the rectifier circuit, and the additional filter components may be combined into an integrated circuit disposed in an IC housing. Electrical energy for operation of the position sensor may be drawn via control lines for the electric motor, rectified by the rectifier circuit, and filtered by the additional filter components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 10555451
    Abstract: A method for mounting SMD components on contact springs in electric motors. In a first method variation, the SMD component is mounted on the base of a carrier of the electric motor, which has already been provided with a contact spring protruding into a cavity. As the SMD component is installed, the contact spring is pressed back such that no frictional or sliding contact arises during installation. In a second variation, the SMD component is mounted first and then a contact spring is inserted using a press tool. As the contact spring is inserted, the spring is held back such that likewise no frictional or sliding contact arises with the SMD component that has already been installed. This avoids damage to the SMD component caused by the contact spring during installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Wallrafen, Daniel Muresan
  • Patent number: 10483828
    Abstract: An electric motor includes a plurality of SMD components arranged on a carrier of the motor, and a connection part for the SMD components together with an electrically conductive housing part of the motor. A contact spring electrically connects a plurality of SMD components to the housing part. The contact spring has a main section, a spring-type connection section that extends outwards from one side of the main section, and at least one spring-type contact section that extends outwards from the other side of the main section. The spring-type connection section of the contact spring includes a plurality of contact fingers for the SMD components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Wallrafen, Daniel Muresan
  • Publication number: 20190186955
    Abstract: An arrangement for detecting the angular position of a rotatable component includes: a magnet, configured to generate a magnetic field, and a sensor assembly, configured to detect the magnetic field, and to supply therefrom an angle signal corresponding to the angular position of the component. The sensor assembly has a first sensor group, including a first magnetically sensitive element, a second magnetically sensitive element, and a third magnetically sensitive element, a second sensor group, having a fourth magnetically sensitive element, a fifth magnetically sensitive element, and a sixth magnetically sensitive element, and an evaluation unit, which is connected to each of the magnetically sensitive elements of the first sensor group and the magnetically sensitive elements of the second sensor group and supplies the angle signal corresponding to the angular position of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventor: Werner WALLRAFEN
  • Publication number: 20170280599
    Abstract: A method for mounting SMD components on contact springs in electric motors. In a first method variation, the SMD component is mounted on the base of a carrier of the electric motor, which has already been provided with a contact spring protruding into a cavity. As the SMD component is installed, the contact spring is pressed back such that no frictional or sliding contact arises during installation. In a second variation, the SMD component is mounted first and then a contact spring is inserted using a press tool. As the contact spring is inserted, the spring is held back such that likewise no frictional or sliding contact arises with the SMD component that has already been installed. This avoids damage to the SMD component caused by the contact spring during installation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GMBH
    Inventors: Werner WALLRAFEN, Daniel MURESAN
  • Publication number: 20170271959
    Abstract: An electric motor includes a plurality of SMD components arranged on a carrier of the motor, and a connection part for the SMD components together with an electrically conductive housing part of the motor. A contact spring electrically connects a plurality of SMD components to the housing part. The contact spring has a main section, a spring-type connection section that extends outwards from one side of the main section, and at least one spring-type contact section that extends outwards from the other side of the main section. The spring-type connection section of the contact spring includes a plurality of contact fingers for the SMD components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Werner WALLRAFEN, Daniel MURESAN
  • Publication number: 20170163128
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to actuators in general. In some embodiments, an actuator system may include an electric motor having motor terminals and driving the actuator; a control unit operating the electric motor; and an active electronic position sensor for detecting a position of an actuator. Electrical energy for the operation of the position sensor is tapped from the control unit via the motor terminals. The terminals of the control voltage UM1 and UM2 for operation of the motor are switched such that at least one motor terminal, at periodic intervals, delivers a positive voltage and, during idling of the motor or during the braking of the motor, at least one of the two motor terminals of the control voltage UM1, UM2 carries a positive voltage UB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Publication number: 20170108352
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sensors in general, and more specifically a sensor for detecting the position of an actuator. In some embodiments, a position sensor for detecting a position of an actuator with an electric motor may include: an evaluation circuit; a rectifier circuit; and additional filter components. The evaluation circuit, the rectifier circuit, and the additional filter components may be combined into an integrated circuit disposed in an IC housing. Electrical energy for operation of the position sensor may be drawn via control lines for the electric motor, rectified by the rectifier circuit, and filtered by the additional filter components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 9564789
    Abstract: An assembly, having a substrate made of an electrically insulating material, an SMD component, which has lateral contact surfaces, and a lead frame part made of metal, which is fastened to the substrate and is used to establish electrical connections between the lateral contact surfaces of the SMD component and further functional elements of the assembly, wherein the lead frame part has contact tongues, which resiliently lie against the lateral contact surfaces and are connected to the lateral contact surfaces in a bonded manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 9410788
    Abstract: A length measuring system includes a magnetic component having two helical magnetically conductive or magnetic elements which have first and second axial ends. The elements are arranged in an axially symmetrically manner relative each other along a common longitudinal axis such that a magnetic field can be formed between the elements, the angle of the field relative to the common longitudinal axis continuously rotating along a predetermined length. The length measuring system further includes a magnetic sensor which can be arranged between the two elements at a right angle to the common longitudinal axis of the elements and which is connected to an evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 9322673
    Abstract: A position sensor, preferably an angle sensor for detecting the rotational angle of a shaft. The position sensor has a lead frame on which the electronic components of the position sensor are arranged and to which they are electrically connected A plastic encapsulation enclosing at least the electronic components, thereby forming a sensor module with the lead frame, and a plurality of electrical connections of the sensor module which are formed by the lead frame and a carrier module accommodating the sensor module. The carrier module has electrical connections connected to the electrical connections of the sensor module in an electrically conducting manner. The carrier module has at least two domes between which the sensor module is arranged. The respective free ends of the domes are deformed in such manner that the sensor module is clamped fixed in its position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Günther Bender, Werner Wallrafen, Stefan Kohler
  • Patent number: 9080896
    Abstract: A method for analyzing signals from an angle sensor including at least two sensing elements which span a plane and including a rotatable element for varying the plane, the element being spaced from same. The angle sensor also includes a brushless electromotor which is controlled according to the method. The method for analyzing signals from an angle sensor comprises at least two sensing elements, said method producing high-definition measured results using sensing elements that map a full circle. This is achieved in that the sensing elements capture at least one first and one second vector of the field lying on the plane, the vectors being linearly independent of each other. A further variable, which is dependent on the distance between the plane and the rotatable element, is additionally detected, and the amplitudes of the signals of the first and the second sensing elements are controlled with the value of the further variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Publication number: 20140001897
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly, comprising a substrate made of an electrically insulating material, an SMD component, which has lateral contact surfaces, and a lead frame part made of metal, which is fastened to the substrate and is used to establish electrical connections between the lateral contact surfaces of the SMD component and further functional elements of the assembly, wherein the lead frame part has contact tongues, which resiliently lie against the lateral contact surfaces and are connected to the lateral contact surfaces in a bonded manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Publication number: 20130113469
    Abstract: A length measuring system comprises includes a magnetic component having two helical magnetically conductive or magnetic elements which have first and second axial ends. The elements are arranged in an axially symmetrically manner relative each other along a common longitudinal axis such that a magnetic field can be formed between the elements, the angle of said the field relative to the common longitudinal axis continuously rotating along a predetermined length. The length measuring system further comprises includes a magnetic sensor which can be arranged between the two elements at a right angle to the common longitudinal axis of the elements and which is connected to an evaluation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 8339124
    Abstract: The method is used for manufacturing a mounting element with an angle sensor for an actuator in an internal combustion engine. The mounting element has electrical connections (20) and contains an angle sensor (24, 26, 30). To simplify manufacture, electronic components (24, 26, 30) are electrically connected directly to a leadframe (12). Next, the leadframe (12) with the electronic components (24, 26, 30) is overmoulded with thermoset (132), and the resultant angle sensor module (10) is assembled with a preproduced mounting element. The mounting element itself may be made of thermoplastic or thermoset and comprises a plug connection (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Schneider, Werner Wallrafen
  • Publication number: 20120176070
    Abstract: A method for analyzing signals from an angle sensor including at least two sensing elements which span a plane and including a rotatable element for varying the plane, the element being spaced from same. The angle sensor also includes a brushless electromotor which is controlled according to the method. The method for analyzing signals from an angle sensor comprises at least two sensing elements, said method producing high-definition measured results using sensing elements that map a full circle. This is achieved in that the sensing elements capture at least one first and one second vector of the field lying on the plane, the vectors being linearly independent of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen