Patents Assigned to Kistler Holding AG
  • Patent number: 11933687
    Abstract: A device for detecting a rail load fits into a bore of a rail and includes a sensor that generates a load signal under an action of the rail load caused when rail vehicles with wheels travel on the rail and the wheels exert a load onto the rail. The load signal is a measure for the rail load. The sensor includes at least one piezoelectric sensor element that generates electric polarization charges as the load signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: KISTLER HOLDING AG
    Inventor: Kim Pfluger
  • Patent number: 11926085
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an injection molding system, which includes a mold having an inner surface defining at least two groups of cavities, each group of cavities defining precisely one cavity with one pressure sensor at the inner surface. Each group of cavities is at least partially surrounded by a tempering unit that provides an energy flow to the surrounded cavities. According to the method, a pressure is determined in each group of cavities of the at least two groups of cavities. A reference pressure is determined for each group of cavities. A difference between the reference pressure and the pressure in at least one group of cavities is determined and controlled to become minimum by manipulating the energy flow of the tempering unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Robert Vaculik, Curtis Krick
  • Patent number: 11874190
    Abstract: A simulation device for the screw joint simulation of a nutrunner includes a test connecting element rigidly connected to a brake unit. The nutrunner can be coupled to the test connecting element and activated to exert a torque that rotates the test connecting element about an axis of rotation. Activation of the brake unit brakes the test connecting element. A torque transducer includes a rotational angle transducer for measuring a rotational angle by which the test connecting element rotates about the rotation axis. The simulation device includes a zero mark, and the brake unit can be adjusted to a zero angle with respect to the zero mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: KISTLER HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Gerald Neumann, Siegfried Fischer
  • Patent number: 11783971
    Abstract: A joint joins an alloy member to a ceramic member via a glass joining agent, which is joined to the alloy member by a material bonded joint and to the ceramic member by a further material bonded joint. The glass joining agent is made of a glass having a melting point below 800° C.; a coefficient of thermal expansion of at least 9-10?6 K?1 and a bismuth content of at least 10%. The alloy member has a coefficient of thermal expansion of at least 9-10?6 K?1. The ceramic member has a maximum coefficient of thermal expansion of 8-10?6 K?1. The material bonded joint defines a mixing region that is a partial region of the ceramic member, and the bismuth content in the mixing region is higher than that of the ceramic member outside the mixing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: KISTLER HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Giovanni Mastrogiacomo, Hans Beat Maerki, Thomas Cadonau
  • Patent number: 11754589
    Abstract: An acceleration transducer defines a rectangular coordinate system with two orthogonal horizontal axes that are both normal to a vertical axis and includes a main body disposed within a housing and defining tangential side faces arranged tangentially to the vertical axis, and a normal side face arranged normally to the vertical axis. A piezoelectric element is secured to one of the tangential side faces, and a seismic mass secured to the piezoelectric element. A signal output is attached to the housing and includes a signal conductor spaced apart by an assembly gap from a tangential side face that is not attached to the piezoelectric element. The assembly gap extends perpendicularly to the vertical axis. The normal side face includes main body output conductors spanning the assembly gap in a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis and directly contacting the signal conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: KISTLER HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Marco Laffranchi, Tobias Frommenwiler, David Weber
  • Patent number: 11747361
    Abstract: An acceleration transducer defines a rectangular coordinate system with two orthogonal horizontal axes that are both normal to a vertical axis and includes a main body defining tangential side faces arranged tangentially to the vertical axis, and normal side faces arranged normally to the vertical axis. The transducer includes a converter unit, exactly three piezoelectric elements and three seismic masses. Each piezoelectric element generates piezoelectric charges transmitted to the converter unit, which is only and directly arranged on a normal side face of the main body or only on a support that is attached to a normal side face of the main body. Exactly one piezoelectric element is secured to each of the three tangential side faces, and exactly one seismic mass is secured to each of the three piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Marco Laffranchi, Tobias Frommenwiler, David Weber
  • Patent number: 11686639
    Abstract: A protective device for a membrane of a sensor that detects a physical parameter acting upon the membrane includes a hollow main body that elongates in a direction along a longitudinal axis. The main body is open at one opposite end of the main body along the longitudinal axis, and at the end of the main body opposite the open end the protective device includes a bottom in which is defined a passage through which the medium is able reach the membrane when the protective device is attached to the sensor. The passage is defined in part by a wall that is configured so that the electromagnetic radiation propagating in the passage cannot reach the membrane without being reflected at least once on the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventor: Christian Heer
  • Patent number: 11668592
    Abstract: A method of using a measuring system for detecting a measured physical variable pertains to measuring systems that include a plurality of transmission members forming a measuring chain for detecting the measured physical variable and in which transmission members that are immediately successive in the measuring chain are in a cause-and-effect relationship to each other. The method includes the steps of: a) specifying the measured physical variable to be detected; b) using a computer to compile several measuring chains that include transmission members necessary for the detection of the specified measured physical variable; c) determination of performance criteria of the compiled measuring chains; d) using the determined performance criteria to assess each of the compiled measuring chains; and e) identification of a measuring chain that best satisfies one of the performance criteria determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Marco Angliker, Viola Ehrensperger, Frederic De Simoni, Michael Lauffer
  • Patent number: 11668728
    Abstract: An acceleration transducer defines a rectangular coordinate system with two orthogonal horizontal axes that are both normal to a vertical axis and includes a main body defining tangential side faces arranged tangentially to the vertical axis, and normal side faces arranged normally to the vertical axis. The transducer includes exactly three piezoelectric elements and three seismic masses. Exactly one piezoelectric element is secured to each of the three tangential side faces, and exactly one seismic mass is secured to each of the three piezoelectric elements. Each piezoelectric element has a high sensitivity for a shear force exerted by the attached seismic mass along a principal tangential axis that is another one of the three axes for each of the three piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: KISTLER HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Marco Laffranchi, Tobias Frommenwiler, David Weber
  • Patent number: 11624669
    Abstract: A pressure sensor for capturing pressures of up to 1000 bar includes a sensor assembly and a housing sleeve for accommodating the sensor assembly. Furthermore, the pressure sensor includes a membrane in mechanical connection with the housing sleeve and operative connection with the sensor assembly for transmitting a pressure. Pressure acts in an axial direction on the membrane and in a radial direction on the housing sleeve. The housing sleeve includes a constriction which locally increases an elasticity of the housing sleeve. The housing sleeve includes a reinforcement which locally reduces an elasticity of the housing sleeve. At high pressure, locally induced changes in the elasticity of the housing sleeve result in a reversible change in length of the housing sleeve, both in the radial direction and in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: KISTLER HOLDING AG
    Inventor: Kim Pfluger
  • Patent number: 11609129
    Abstract: A Weigh-In-Motion force transducer includes a housing profile and a piezoelectric measuring arrangement that generates electric polarization charges from a reaction force acting along a force introduction axis via the housing profile, which includes a tubular part internally defining a cavity containing the piezoelectric measuring arrangement under mechanical prestress along the force introduction axis. The tubular par is configured to be expanded along the force introduction axis by a mounting force acting along a mounting force axis and applied to the tubular part. The configuration of the tubular part in a cross-sectional plane defined by the force introduction axis and the mounting force axis is elliptical in shape with a major semiaxis extending along the mounting force axis and a minor semiaxis extending along the force introduction axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventor: Kim Pfluger
  • Patent number: 11473963
    Abstract: The invention relates to a WIM sensor for detecting loads of vehicles on a roadway segment when a wheel of a vehicle crosses the WIM sensor arranged flush with the roadway surface in the roadway segment. The WIM sensor is formed as an elongated profile along a longitudinal axis and defines a space therein. A force sensor configured to generate a force sensor signal corresponding to a dynamic ground reaction force when the wheel crosses the force sensor is arranged in the space. An electro-acoustic transducer is arranged in the space and configured to measure sound waves and accordingly generate a transducer signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventor: Damian Schneider
  • Patent number: 11454948
    Abstract: An electromechanical joining system that uses an output force or output torque for performing a joining method and includes an electrical drive connected for driving a screw drive and is configured for generating actual values of force or torque that are provided as input variables to a monitoring device. The system includes a sensor configured for measuring the course of the forces or torques over time during the joining method and for detecting additional measurement values that are supplied to the monitoring device as input variables. Wherein the monitoring device links the supplied actual values with the supplied additional measurement values to detect upcoming wear of a wear-prone component of the electromechanical joining system. A method for analyzing the status of the electromechanical joining system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventor: Alexander Müller
  • Patent number: 11441936
    Abstract: A hollow profile for a WIM sensor elongates along a longitudinal direction and includes a plate-shaped force introduction element, an anchoring element and a tubular element disposed between the force introduction element and the anchoring element. The tubular element is integrally connected to the force introduction element and to the anchoring element and encloses a first cavity. The anchoring element encloses at least one second cavity. The anchoring element, tubular element and force introduction element are formed integrally with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventor: Adrian Ribi
  • Patent number: 11397118
    Abstract: A contact force measuring device for measuring a contact force of a spring contact includes a measuring probe having a height in a contact region identical to the height of the contact pin that fits into an opening defined between a pair of opposing spring contact arms of the spring contact. The probe includes an upper insulator element attached to an upper side of a piezoelectric element, and a lower insulator element is attached to a lower side of the piezoelectric element opposite the upper side. The contact force measuring device includes a holding device connected to one end of the probe, an evaluation unit, a supporting device and a positioning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Staub, Andri Lehmann, Claudio Cavalloni
  • Patent number: 11209325
    Abstract: A measurement transducer for simultaneously measuring a force that can be both dynamic and static includes at least one piezoelectric transducer element having element surfaces on which the force generates electrical polarization charges proportional to a magnitude of the force. The measurement transducer includes a resonator element which can be excited to at least one resonance frequency and undergoes a transverse expansion from the action of the force in a transverse direction to the force. The magnitude of the transverse expansion is proportional to the magnitude of the force and causes in the resonance frequency a change that is a function of the force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Claudio Cavalloni, Kim Pfluger
  • Patent number: 11178044
    Abstract: A communication system includes data generation units that generate data and a plurality of data evaluation units physically separated from the data generation units and connected to the data generation units via a non-proprietary network. The data evaluation units evaluate data transmitted by the communication system, which includes a hardware abstraction layer that represents a data evaluation unit as a resource that includes a property “data transmission type.” The property “data transmission type” is “Streaming” or “Bulk Upload” or “Streaming, Bulk Upload”. The communication system reads the property “data transmission type” and accordingly transmits the generated data to the data evaluation unit in accordance with the read property “data transmission type”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Marc Schaad, Marco Angliker, David Mueller, Martin Roesch
  • Patent number: 11022509
    Abstract: A measurement transducer for measuring a force includes a resonator element, which can be excited to at least one resonance frequency, and at least one force application element on which the force is applied and which transmits the force to the resonator element. The force application element is a hollow body defining a top surface, a lateral surface and a cavity. The top and lateral surfaces are mechanically connected and enclose the cavity, which contains the resonator element that is mechanically connected to the lateral surface. The lateral surface defines at least one recessed area that extends into the cavity and prevents transmission of the force from the top surface. The lateral surface defines at least one non-recessed area that transmits the force from the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Claudio Cavalloni, Kim Pfluger
  • Patent number: D996249
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Martin Giger, Philip Graf, Reinhold Buck, Kevin Hauenstein
  • Patent number: D1008059
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Marco Laffranchi, Tobias Frommenwiler, David Weber, Andreas Wyss