Patents by Inventor Alexander Muller

Alexander Muller 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: 20140245834
    Abstract: A vibronic measuring device for determining at least one process variable of a medium. Included are: an oscillatable unit; a transmitting/receiving unit, which, by means of a transmission signal, excites the oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations and receives the mechanical oscillations and converts such into an analog, electrical, received signal; and a control/evaluation unit (MC), which receives the analog, received signal, digitizes such and determines the process variable therefrom and which produces the transmission signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Endress +Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Urban, Tobias Brengartner, Alexander Muller
  • Publication number: 20140188316
    Abstract: Method for controlling a vehicle that includes a support, at least one wheel, a platform coupled to the at least one wheel, a coupling structure having a support portion coupled to the support and a platform portion coupled to the platform that allows the support portion to move or slide fore and aft with respect to the platform portion, an actuator coupled to the coupling structure to control the position of the support portion relative to the platform portion, a drive coupled to the at least one wheel to deliver power to the at least one wheel to propel the vehicle and maintain the platform level, and a controller coupled to the drive to control the drive and coupled to the actuator to control the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventors: John David Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens, Raymond Debruin, Anthony Foale, Joseph Hoell, JR., Patrick A. Hussey, Alexander Muller
  • Patent number: 8752426
    Abstract: A fill-level measuring device with a membrane, which is placed in such a manner on one of the two end region of a tubular housing that it seals the housing on such end region. An oscillatable unit is placed on the side of the membrane facing away from the housing, with a driver/receiver unit, which is composed of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in a stack. The driver/receiver unit is placed via a pressure screw unit in such a manner in the housing that it oscillates in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the housing between the membrane and the pressure screw unit. The driver/receiver unit excites the oscillatable unit via the membrane to execute oscillations, with a control/evaluation unit, which evaluates amplitude, frequency and/or phase of the oscillations of the oscillatable unit and with a temperature sensor for determining temperature of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Wimberger, Alexander Muller, Sergej Lopatin
  • Publication number: 20140093007
    Abstract: A method for communication by means of a transformer, which has at least a primary coil and a secondary coil, which are parts of an oscillatory circuit, wherein the oscillatory circuit is supplied on the primary side with an exciter frequency. For transmission of a signal from the secondary side to the primary side, the inductance of the secondary coil is modulated. A corresponding apparatus for performing the method is likewise provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexander Muller, Maartin Urban
  • Patent number: 8678028
    Abstract: The invention relates to a locking device for a lock opening which is arranged in a wall between a first and a second recipient, said lock opening comprising a blocking element, which is arranged in the inner chamber of the first recipient, and a counter-plate which is associated with the blocking element. A first magnet device is provided in an area of the counter-plate and a second magnet device, which is associated with the first magnet device, is provided in the region of the blocking element. In order to close and/or open the locking device by means of the first and second magnet device, a positive and/or negative contact pressure can be produced between the blocking element and the counter-plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Leybold Optics GmbH
    Inventors: Mario Roder, Alexander Muller, Andreas Caspari, Thomas Vogt, Christof Klesen
  • Publication number: 20130259082
    Abstract: A metallurgical melting vessel has a vertical shaft, surrounded by a housing wall, which receives steel scrap. At least one closure element, having laterally spaced-apart fingers extending parallel to one another, is mounted such that it can move between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the fingers protrude at least partially into the shaft for the purpose of holding back steel scrap. In the open position, the fingers free the shaft at least to such an extent that the steel scrap can fall from the shaft into the melting vessel. The at least one closure element is mounted so as to be movable from the side of the shaft into the shaft and laterally thereoutof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Hannes Beile, Markus Dorndorf, Hansjörg Huber, Christiane Kiessner, Petra Kreuder, Matthias Krieg, Alexander Müller, Robert Schalast, Michael Schmid
  • Publication number: 20130260133
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for generating a porous material having homogeneous, gas-containing inclusions in the micrometer and sub-micrometer range, and also to the material produced by such process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: UNIVERSITAT ZU KOLN
    Inventors: Reinhard Strey, Alexander Müller
  • Patent number: 8500439
    Abstract: An extrusion blow-molding device (1) for producing plastic containers, particularly plastic bottles, is proposed, comprising an extruder head (3), which is connected to at least one extruder (2) for plastic material and has at least one extrusion die (4), a blow-molding tool arrangement (5) having at least one blow-molding cavity (6) and at least one injection device (7), which is disposed on the side of the blow-molding tool arrangement (5) facing away from the extruder head (3) and can be inserted into the blow-molding cavity (6) through an opening provided there. During a production cycle, the extruder head (3) can be axially adjusted in terms of the height thereof relative to the blow-molding tool arrangement (5). To do so, the extruder (2) is articulated along the longitudinal extension thereof on a rotational axis (9) and can be tilted in the manner of a rocker, and the extruder (2) is configured such that the height thereof about the rotational axis (9) thereof can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Soplar S.A.
    Inventor: Alexander Muller
  • Patent number: 8490723
    Abstract: Method for controlling a vehicle that includes a support, at least one wheel, a platform coupled to the at least one wheel, a coupling structure having a support portion coupled to the support and a platform portion coupled to the platform that allows the support portion to move or slide fore and aft with respect to the platform portion, an actuator coupled to the coupling structure to control the position of the support portion relative to the platform portion, a drive coupled to the at least one wheel to deliver power to the at least one wheel to propel the vehicle and maintain the platform level, and a controller coupled to the drive to control the drive and coupled to the actuator to control the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Segway, Inc.
    Inventors: John David Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens, Raymond Debruin, Anthony Foale, Joseph Hoell, Jr., Patrick A. Hussey, Alexander Muller
  • Patent number: 8442782
    Abstract: A method for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium, wherein a mechanically oscillatable unit is supplied with an exciter signal wherein a received signal coming from the mechanically oscillatable unit is received, and wherein the exciter signal is produced in such a manner, that a phase difference between the exciter signal and the received signal equals a predeterminable phase value. A criterion for judging the determining of the phase difference between the exciter signal and the received signal, or a signal dependent on the exciter signal or on the received signal, is established; in the case, in which the criterion for judging the determining of the phase difference is fulfilled, tuning of the phase difference is closed-loop controlled; and, in the alternative case, tuning of the phase difference is open-loop controlled. An apparatus associated with the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Meier, Alexander Müller, Sascha D'Angelico, Franco Ferraro, Walter Rombach
  • Patent number: 8322194
    Abstract: An apparatus for ascertaining and/or monitoring of a process variable of a medium. The apparatus includes: A mechanically oscillatable unit; an exciting/receiving unit, which excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations and which receives the mechanical oscillations; and an electronics unit, which supplies the exciting/receiving unit with an electrical, output signal, and which receives from the exciting/receiving unit an electrical, input signal. In the electronics unit there is provided an amplifier unit, which amplifies the electrical, input signal to an amplified signal (SA). An adjustable phase shifter is provided, which changes the phase of the amplified signal, and a control unit is also provided, which controls the phase shifter, wherein the control unit measures the frequency of the amplified signal and controls the phase shifter starting from stored data concerning the frequency-phase dependence of the amplifier unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexander Müller, Sascha D'Angelico, Franco Ferraro
  • Patent number: 8316711
    Abstract: An apparatus including: a mechanically oscillatable unit; an exciting/receiving unit; and an electronics unit having an input amplifier and an output amplifier. The amplification factors of the output amplifier and the input amplifier are tunable. The control unit tunes the amplification factor of the output amplifier as a function of damping of the mechanically oscillatable unit in such a manner that the amplitude of the electrical, input signal lies within an amplitude band and that the amplification factor of the output amplifier decreases in the case of lessened damping by the medium and increases in the case of greater damping by the medium, and the control unit tunes the amplification factor of the output amplifier and the amplification factor of the input amplifier in such a manner that the total amplification factor of the electronics unit equals a predeterminable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Alexander Müller, Sascha D'Angelico, Walter Rombach
  • Patent number: 8302273
    Abstract: A joining unit contains a spindle drive in the form of a hollow shaft motor that encloses a spindle. The hollow shaft motor serves to achieve a linear movement of a joining tool for the execution of a joining process. The joining unit contains instruments for the presetting and/or determination of the forces exerted and/or the movement of the joining tool during the joining process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventor: Alexander Müller
  • Patent number: 8297112
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium. The apparatus includes: at least one mechanically oscillatable unit; a driving/receiving unit, which, starting with an electric, excitation signal, excites the mechanically oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations, and which receives the mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit and converts them into an electric, received signal; and an electronics unit, which, starting with the electric, received signal, generates the electric, excitation signal and sends it to the driving/receiving unit. The electronics unit is embodied in such a way that it generates the excitation signal, such that a predeterminable phase difference exists between the excitation signal and the received signal. Present in the electronics unit is at least one all-pass filter for tuning the phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventor: Alexander Müller
  • Patent number: 8220313
    Abstract: An apparatus for ascertaining and/or monitoring a process variable, especially density of a medium. The apparatus includes: an exciting/receiving unit, which excites a mechanically oscillatable unit to execute mechanical oscillations and which receives the mechanical oscillations; an electronics unit, which applies to the exciting/receiving unit an electrical, exciter signal, and which obtains from the exciting/receiving unit an electrical, received signal. The electronics unit produces the exciter signal in such a manner, that, between the received signal and the exciter signal, a phase difference equal to a desired value of phase difference results, at which effects of changes of viscosity on mechanical oscillations of the mechanically oscillatable unit are negligible, and that the desired value of phase difference is predetermined as a function of the ratio of impedance of the exciting/receiving unit to the input impedance of the electronics unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Sergej Lopatin, Alexander Müller, Sascha D'Angelico, Martin Urban, Stanislaw Herwik
  • Publication number: 20120174665
    Abstract: A fill-level measuring device with a membrane, which is placed in such a manner on one of the two end region of a tubular housing that it seals the housing on such end region. An oscillatable unit is placed on the side of the membrane facing away from the housing, with a driver/receiver unit, which is composed of a plurality of piezoelectric elements arranged in a stack. The driver/receiver unit is placed via a pressure screw unit in such a manner in the housing that it oscillates in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the housing between the membrane and the pressure screw unit. The driver/receiver unit excites the oscillatable unit via the membrane to execute oscillations, with a control/evaluation unit, which evaluates amplitude, frequency and/or phase of the oscillations of the oscillatable unit and with a temperature sensor for determining temperature of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Peter Wimberger, Alexander Muller, Sergej Lopatin
  • Publication number: 20120144901
    Abstract: A multivariable sensor for determining and/or monitoring a predetermined fill level and density and/or viscosity of a liquid in a container. The sensor comprises a measuring tube provided in the container. The measuring tube has at least a first oscillatable segment and a second oscillatable segment, wherein the oscillatable segments have a cross sectional area deviating from a circularly round shape and at least one straight side, wherein on an inner wall of the oscillatable segments, driver/receiving units are placed, which cause the oscillatable segments to execute resonant oscillations. At least one control/evaluation unit is provided, which evaluates frequency and/or phase and/or amplitude of the oscillations and determines therefrom reaching of the predetermined fill level and density and/or viscosity of the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Helmut Pfeiffer, Alexander Muller, Volker Dryer, Sergej Lopatin
  • Publication number: 20120140787
    Abstract: A temperature T of a metal melt in a furnace is precisely determined without contact using at least one burner gun unit fed through a furnace wall of the furnace above the metal melt into a furnace chamber and at least one temperature measuring unit downstream of the burner gun unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Markus Abel, Alexander Müller, Domenico Nardacchione
  • Patent number: D693515
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Inventor: Sven Alexander Muller
  • Patent number: D697204
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Antisense Pharma GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Maier, Alexander Müller