Patents Assigned to i f m electronics GmbH
  • Publication number: 20030066366
    Abstract: A mounting device for contactlessly-operating proximity switches includes a continuous cylindrical or cuboidal recess for holding the proximity switch which is formed by at least two legs. The mounting device can also include at least one through pocket, connected to the recess, into which an actuating tool can fit. The recess of the mounting device, when in a relieved state, has a smaller diameter than the proximity switch which is to be mounted. Additionally, the recess can be spread into an enlarged state by the actuating tool being positioned into the pocket and turned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Applicant: i f m electronic gmbh
    Inventors: Bernd Buck, Franz Sauter, Berthold Schocker
  • Publication number: 20030034785
    Abstract: An inductive path sensor for determining the position of the influencing element (2) is described, with several coils (4) arranged in succession, with one capacitor (5), with an amplifier element (6), with at least one changeover switch (7) and with an evaluation unit (8), one coil (4) at a time and a capacitor (5) forming an oscillating circuit, and one oscillating circuit and the amplifier element (6) forming an oscillator (9), the individual coils (4) being chosen in succession by the changeover switch or switches (7) and the evaluation unit (8) measuring the change of impedance of the coil (4) chosen by the changeover switch (7) or of the oscillating circuit chosen by the changeover switch (7) depending on the position of the influencing element (2) relative to the respective coil (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: i f m electronic gmbh
    Inventor: Jaromir Palata
  • Publication number: 20020149455
    Abstract: A electrical unit consisting of a proximity switch and a cable terminal part is described, where the proximity switch has an outside housing and an insulation part, positioned on one end face of the outside housing and having a terminal element with terminals which lead to the outside. The terminals of the terminal element include terminal sockets. The cable terminal part includes a cable and a connecting part, and the cable is mounted in the connecting part and the ends of the leads of the cable are electrically connected to the terminal sockets of the terminal element. The electrical unitcable terminal part also has a cap which surrounds at least the connecting part and is attached to the proximity switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Applicant: i f m electronic gmbh
    Inventors: Wolfgang Mehnert, Dirk Buche, Andreas Hornstein, Franz Sauter, Andrea Mollnau
  • Patent number: 6356202
    Abstract: A circuit is described for monitoring the faultless state and/or for detecting the faulty state of a cable railway or chairlift system, with a plurality of monitoring and detection devices (1) and with at least one control and evaluation unit (2), the monitoring and detection devices (1) being series-connected to one another and to the control and evaluation unit (2) and having the potential to be interrogated with respect to their state, especially with respect to their operating state. To be able to meet safety requirements which are as high as possible and at the same time to require only a small installation space, each monitoring and detection device (1) has several different influence areas (3) and several signal outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignees: i f m electronic GmbH, Doppelmayr Seilbahn-Produktionsgesellschaft m.b.H
    Inventors: Reinhard Albrich, Karl Herrmann, Jean-Luc Lamarche, Manfred Strobel
  • Patent number: 6225710
    Abstract: A capacitive switch is presented including an oscillator, with a gauge length and an evaluation circuit. The oscillator delivers a measurement signal and the gauge length has at least one sensor with a sending electrode and a measurement electrode. The switch has a low noise emission and is especially invulnerable to incident noise due to the fact that there is a noise source and two correlators. In the first correlator, frequency-spreading of the measurement signal takes place. The frequency-spreading measurement signal is connected to the second input of the second correlator and to the sending electrode. The measurement electrode is connected to the first input of the second correlator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Jaromir Palata, Jörg Schulz
  • Patent number: 6194903
    Abstract: A circuit for acquisition of the capacitance or capacitance change of a capacitive circuit component with a clock generator (1), changeover contact (2) controlled by the clock generator (1), a storage capacitor (3), a voltage source (4), and an evaluation stage (5). An electrode of the capacitive circuit component is connected to the input (7) of the changeover contact (2), a first output (8) of the changeover contact (2) is connected to a first electrode of the storage capacitor (3), a first electrode of the storage capacitor (3) is connected, on the one hand, via a resistance network (9) to the voltage source (4), and on the other hand, to the evaluation stage (5). The second electrode of the storage capacitor (3) is connected to a reference potential (10). In a first aspect of the invention, the circuit can compensate for disruptive influences especially well by the evaluation stage (5) being suitable for current evaluation with essentially no voltage excursions occurring on the changeover contact (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventor: Jörg Schulz
  • Patent number: 6188213
    Abstract: An electronic, proximity-type switching device with a first switching device terminal (1), a second switching device terminal (2), a sensor and evaluation circuit (3) which contains an externally influenceable proximity indicator and an operating voltage supply circuit for making available the internally required operating voltage (= internal operating voltage) and with an electronic switch (4) which is controllable by the sensor and evaluation circuit (3), for example, a switching transistor, the sensor and evaluation circuit (3), on the one hand, and the electronic switch (4), on the other, being connected essentially in parallel and to the first switching device terminal (1) and the second switching device terminal (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Buck, Reinhard Teichmann
  • Patent number: 6145392
    Abstract: A measurement device for process measurement engineering with a measurement unit (2) and an evaluation device (3), the measurement unit (2) having a sensor, especially a temperature sensor, and the evaluation device (3) containing at least most of the electrical and electronic components and having a display and/or an adjustment capability. The number of types of measurement devices required to be maintained can be reduced and their possible applications increased by the measurement device (1) being modular and the measurement unit (2) and the evaluation device (3) being detachably interconnected both electrically and mechanically via standardized interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Benno Kathan, Stefan Kreis, Hans-Peter Muller
  • Patent number: 6112592
    Abstract: A two-part housing (1) for pressure sensors, with a bottom part (2) as the process connection and a top part (3) as the component receiver which contains at one-half of the electrical and electron components. Joining of the bottom part (2) and the top part (3) of the described housing (1) is especially simple and reliable in that the bottom part (2) and the top part (3) are connected to one another by an elastic press fit and in the area of the press fit there are straight surfaces (6) and curved surfaces (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventor: Benno Kathan
  • Patent number: 5977662
    Abstract: An electronic proximity switching device with a proximity indicator and with an electronic switch which can be controlled by the proximity indicator. A plurality of these switching devices can be series connected without an unacceptable voltage drop occurring on the series connection when the switching devices are conductive, by the electronic switch of each switching device being connected to one input (2) of an AND element (3), another input (4) of the AND element (3) representing a control input (5) of the switching device, the output (6) of the AND element (3) representing the output (7) of the switching device, and load current flowing via the AND element (3) in the conductive state of the switching device. In other words there is AND element (3) in addition to an inductive proximity switch (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Lamarche, Karl Herrmann, Manfred Strobel
  • Patent number: 5892149
    Abstract: A heat transfer indicating device for monitoring and/or measuring a flowing medium, especially a flow indicator and/or a flowmeter, with a preferably flexible component carrier (1), with electrical and/or electronic components (2) on the component carrier (1) and connected to one another to form a circuit, with a heating element (3), with temperature measuring element (4), with electrical connection (5) and with a housing. The flow indicator can be produced with relatively low cost, is relatively simple to mount, and can be easily re-opened again so that it can be repaired in case of a defect and the parts not affected by the defect can be re-used, by the fact that component carrier (1) is formed of two component carrier halves (1a, 1b) located on top of one another and between which the heating element (3) and temperature measuring element (4) are located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Theuer
  • Patent number: 5880538
    Abstract: A capacitive proximity switch which may be used as an actuating device for a variety of control applications, such as windshield wipers and door locks. According to the invention, the actuating element a contact or proximity switch to be actuated in a nonmechanical manner, and a sensor provided on an object being made as part of a capacitive proximity switch, specifically as an operating electrode of the capacitive proximity switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventor: Jorg Schulz
  • Patent number: 5848094
    Abstract: Disclosed in a heat transmission monitoring and/or measuring apparatus, namely a flow measurement apparatus, for flowing mediums. It comprises a housing (1), a heating element (2) and a temperature measurement element (3). According to the invention, relatively high sensititivity and relatively high reaction speed is obtained by designing the heating element (2) and temperature measurement element (3) as pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Buhl, Clemens Geiger, Walter Reichart
  • Patent number: 5825233
    Abstract: An electronic switching device which can be connected via an outside conductor to one pole of a voltage source and only via one other outside conductor to a terminal of a consumer, in which the other terminal of the consumer can be connected to the other pole of the voltage source, therefore a two-wire switching device, with a proximity indicator (1) which can be influenced from the outside, with an electronic switch (3), which can be controlled by the proximity indicator (1) via a switching amplifier (2), and with operating voltage supply circuit (4) for making available the operating voltage required by proximity indicator (1), and optionally by the switching amplifier (2) (=internal operating voltage), the operating voltage supply circuit (4) an having in-phase regulator (5) and proximity indicator (1) and the switching amplifier (2) being connected to the output of the in-phase regulator (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: i f m electronic gmbh
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Lamarche, Guntram Rundel
  • Patent number: 5808194
    Abstract: A process for monitoring the flow of flowing media, especially for acquiring the heat transport capacity of the flowing medium, in which a measurement signal of a temperature measurement element influenced by at least one heating element and the medium flowing past it is monitored and in which an output signal is generated when the measurement signal of the temperature measurement element exceeds or falls below a switching point. A reduction of the reaction time of the process for monitoring the flow of flowing media is guaranteed by the heat output of the heating element and/or the location of the switching point changing as a function of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Buhl, Jorg Schutze
  • Patent number: 5668300
    Abstract: A calibration process for setting the switching point of a sensor which produces an output signal depending on whether a switching point has been exceeded or has not been reached by a sensor signal produced by a condition being sensed exceeds the switching point, and in which the value of the switching point is determined using the values of the sensor signal in the uninfluenced and in the influenced state. Operating reliability of the sensor is improved by determining the location of the switching point during the calibration process under the condition of essentially identical operating reserves of the sensor in the uninfluenced and in the influenced state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Krokel, Rolf Fensterle
  • Patent number: 5574587
    Abstract: A process and a device for increasing interference suppression, especially in optical proximity switches, with an optical transmitter emitting an optical pulse train (1), an optical receiver emitting a measuring signal (2) and a control and evaluation unit controlling the optical transmitter and evaluating measuring signal (2), in which the measuring signal (2) of the optical receiver includes a superposition of a constantly emitted interference background (4) and a measuring pulse (6) emitted when receiving an optical pulse (5), and in which the measuring signal (2) of the optical receiver is evaluated by the control and evaluation unit in a signal interval (8) during a measuring pulse (6) and in at least one background interval (9) outside measuring pulse (6). The increase of the interference suppression is assured in that the evaluation is interrupted by gaps (11, 12) before and after the signal intervals (8) or background intervals (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Kr okel, Andreas Schiff
  • Patent number: 5573411
    Abstract: A built-in plug with a grounding wire contact pin (3) is located on and projects from a plug side of a plug housing (2), and is designed for connection to an electrically conductive housing (5) of a part (6) into which the plug is to be incorporated. To make available a built-in plug which essentially corresponds to the current safety standard, and which therefore has the required creepage distances and clearances, it is provided that grounding wire contact pin (3) is electrically connected to a grounding wire element (9) which is routed to an outer surface (8) of the plug housing (2) and which is used for contacting the conductive housing (5) of part (6) into which the plug is to be incorporated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: i f m electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Bartosz, Wolfgang Mehnert
  • Patent number: 5367198
    Abstract: An electronic switching device such as an inductive proximity switch includes an externally influenced oscillator detector with its output connected to a switching amplifier. An electronic switch connected to the output of the switching amplifier responds to the amplifier signal and controls a state indicator. Upon the influence state of the detector crossing a predetermined threshold, the switching state of the electronic switch is reversed, and the detection state of the oscillator is reflected in switching states of the electronic switch and indicated by the state indicator. A second state indicator indicates whether or not the reading from the oscillator is in a "safe range" in which variations in ambient conditions cannot cause a false reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: i f m electronic gmbh
    Inventors: Johannes Buergel, Jean-Luc Lamarche, Andreas Schiff, Klaus-Peter Westrup
  • Patent number: 5066954
    Abstract: The circuit arrangement has a plurality of comparators (3, 4, 5) and the measuring voltage on the one hand and different reference voltages on the other hand are present at the inputs (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) of the comparators, and the outputs (14, 15, 16) of the comparators (3, 4, 5) contain the measurement signal. Less effort than that in accordance with the state of the art is required in that the reference voltage for the second comparator (4) is controllable with the aid of the output signal of the first comparator (3) and that the reference voltage for the third comparator (5) is controllable with the aid of the output signal of the second comparator (4), and that the measurement signal can be represented with the aid of the total of all output signals of all comparators (3, 4, 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1991
    Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Burgel, Jean L. Lamarche