Patents by Inventor Alfred Hofrichter
Alfred Hofrichter 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).
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Publication number: 20240105366Abstract: The present disclosure specifies a varistor comprising a ceramic body, which comprises a functional ceramic, and electrodes arranged inside the ceramic body. The electrodes include non-floating electrodes, which are electrically connected to external contacts of the varistor, respectively. The electrodes include at least three floating electrodes, which are electrically isolated with respect to the external contacts. At least two floating electrodes are arranged in the same layer, and each of the floating electrodes overlaps with at least two further electrodes. At least two floating electrodes overlap with one of the non-floating electrodes, respectively. A distance (D1) is defined along a longitudinal axis of the ceramic body between two of the electrodes overlapping with a first floating electrodes, and a distance (D2) is defined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis between the first floating electrode and one of the overlapping electrodes. The distance (D1) is at least twice the distance (D2).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2020Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Prahlad Malpe Mohandas, S. Soran Nabavi, Alfred Hofrichter
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Patent number: 11894190Abstract: In an embodiment, a component includes a first electrode and a second electrode arranged one above the other in a stacking direction, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode overlap in a first overlap region, wherein the first electrode has, in a first region containing the first overlap region, an extent in a first direction perpendicular to the stacking direction that is greater than an extent of the second electrode in the first direction in the first region, and wherein the first electrode has, in the first region containing the first overlap region, an extent in a second direction perpendicular to the stacking direction and to the first direction that is greater than an extent of the second electrode in the second direction in the first region, and a third electrode arranged in the same plane as the second electrode, wherein the first electrode is a floating electrode, wherein the first electrode and the third electrode overlap in a second overlap region, wherein the first electrode has, inType: GrantFiled: February 14, 2020Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: TDK Electronics AGInventors: Alfred Hofrichter, S. Soran Nabavi
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Patent number: 11875925Abstract: An electrical component comprises a main body and at least one external electrode that is fastened by a connecting material to the main body. The main body and the external electrode have different coefficients of thermal expansion that determine a critical temperature which, when exceeded, results in a connection between the main body and the external electrode experiencing mechanical stresses that lead to damage to the component. The connecting material has a melting point which is lower than a critical temperature.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: TDK Electronics AGInventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Franz Rinner
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Patent number: 11756712Abstract: In an embodiment a sensor device includes a sensor chip having a plurality of printed ceramic layers and unprinted ceramic layers, at least one termination layer configured to make electrical contact with an electrically conductive material, wherein the termination layer is formed at least on a top side and/or on a bottom side of the sensor chip, wherein the printed ceramic layers are at least partially printed with an electrically conductive material, and wherein an electrical resistance of the sensor chip is determined by an overlap area of the electrically conductive material or by a distance of the electrically conductive material from the termination layer and at least one damping layer directly located at at least a partial area of an outer surface of the sensor chip, wherein the damping layer includes a material which has a greater elasticity than a material of the termination layer.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2020Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: TDK Electronics AGInventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Thomas Feichtinger
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Patent number: 11740280Abstract: An electric component with a fail safe element is disclosed. In an embodiment a component includes a functional element and a fail safe element electrically interconnected therewith, wherein the fail safe element is configured to ensure a minimum resistance or a minimum conductivity of the component in the event of a failure of the functional element.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2018Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: TDK Electronics AGInventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Volker Wischnat, Johann Pichler
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Publication number: 20220310290Abstract: A component having an active volume, the active volume not being centrally positioned along a height of the component, and/or not being centrally positioned along a width of the component. Use of the component is also disclosed. Further aspects relate to a use of the component and to a component. The component can be an NTC thermistor or a PTC thermistor or a temperature measurement element. Use of the component for monitoring a temperature of a battery or in a vehicle is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: September 29, 2022Inventor: Alfred Hofrichter
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Publication number: 20220246335Abstract: In an embodiment a sensor device includes a sensor chip having a plurality of printed ceramic layers and unprinted ceramic layers, at least one termination layer configured to make electrical contact with an electrically conductive material, wherein the termination layer is formed at least on a top side and/or on a bottom side of the sensor chip, wherein the printed ceramic layers are at least partially printed with an electrically conductive material, and wherein an electrical resistance of the sensor chip is determined by an overlap area of the electrically conductive material or by a distance of the electrically conductive material from the termination layer and at least one damping layer directly located at at least a partial area of an outer surface of the sensor chip, wherein the damping layer includes a material which has a greater elasticity than a material of the termination layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2020Publication date: August 4, 2022Inventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Thomas Feichtinger
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Publication number: 20220148767Abstract: The present invention relates to a component which comprises a main body (9) and at least one external electrode (1) which is fastened by a connecting material (4) to the main body (9), wherein the main body (9) and the external electrode (1) have different coefficients of thermal expansion which determine a critical temperature which when exceeded results in a connection between the main body (9) and the external electrode (1) experiencing mechanical stresses which lead to damage to the component, wherein the connecting material (4) has a melting point which is lower than a critical temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2020Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Franz Rinner
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Publication number: 20220148805Abstract: In an embodiment, a component includes a first electrode and a second electrode arranged one above the other in a stacking direction, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode overlap in a first overlap region, wherein the first electrode has, in a first region containing the first overlap region, an extent in a first direction perpendicular to the stacking direction that is greater than an extent of the second electrode in the first direction in the first region, and wherein the first electrode has, in the first region containing the first overlap region, an extent in a second direction perpendicular to the stacking direction and to the first direction that is greater than an extent of the second electrode in the second direction in the first region, and a third electrode arranged in the same plane as the second electrode, wherein the first electrode is a floating electrode, wherein the first electrode and the third electrode overlap in a second overlap region, wherein the first electrode has, inType: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2020Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Alfred Hofrichter, S. Soran Nabavi
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Patent number: 11289244Abstract: An electronic component is disclosed. In an embodiment, an electronic component includes at least one NTC element and at least two electrically conductive contact elements, wherein the NTC element is electrically conductively connected to a respective contact element via a connection material, and wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the contact elements is adapted to a coefficient thermal expansion of the NTC element.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: EPCOS AGInventors: Volker Wischnat, Alfred Hofrichter, Franz Rinner
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Patent number: 11152141Abstract: A ceramic multi-layer component and a method for producing a ceramic multi-layer component are disclosed. In an embodiment a ceramic multi-layer component includes a stack with ceramic layers and electrode layers arranged between them, wherein the ceramic layers and the electrode layers are arranged above one another along a stacking direction, wherein at least one first electrode layer extends along a first main extension direction from a first end region to a second end region of the first electrode layer, and wherein the at least one first electrode layer has a current-carrying capacity that decreases along the first main extension direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2019Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: TDK ELECTRONICS AGInventors: Michael Hofstätter, Alfred Hofrichter, Thomas Feichtinger
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Publication number: 20210210257Abstract: A ceramic multi-layer component and a method for producing a ceramic multi-layer component are disclosed. In an embodiment a ceramic multi-layer component includes a stack with ceramic layers and electrode layers arranged between them, wherein the ceramic layers and the electrode layers are arranged above one another along a stacking direction, wherein at least one first electrode layer extends along a first main extension direction from a first end region to a second end region of the first electrode layer, and wherein the at least one first electrode layer has a current-carrying capacity that decreases along the first main extension direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2019Publication date: July 8, 2021Inventors: Michael Hofstätter, Alfred Hofrichter, Thomas Feichtinger
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Publication number: 20200209305Abstract: An electric component with a fail safe element is disclosed. In an embodiment a component includes a functional element and a fail safe element electrically interconnected therewith, wherein the fail safe element is configured to ensure a minimum resistance or a minimum conductivity of the component in the event of a failure of the functional element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2018Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Volker Wischnat, Johann Pichler
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Publication number: 20200118718Abstract: An electronic component is disclosed. In an embodiment, an electronic component includes at least one NTC element and at least two electrically conductive contact elements, wherein the NTC element is electrically conductively connected to a respective contact element via a connection material, and wherein a coefficient of thermal expansion of the contact elements is adapted to a coefficient thermal expansion of the NTC element.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2017Publication date: April 16, 2020Applicants: EPCOS AG, EPCOS AGInventors: Volker Wischnat, Alfred Hofrichter, Franz Rinner
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Patent number: 8282997Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a coating on a support, in particular a glass support, wherein a thin-film metal oxide is deposited on the support, said thin film being subjected to an etching process to roughen its surface, a second coating capable of adhering to the first metal oxide film is then applied on the roughened surface. The invention is characterized in that it consists in depositing a first doped metal oxide or metal oxynitride doped with at least a second metal oxide or metal oxynitride, the second metal oxide or metal oxynitride being distributed in the deposited film. During the etching process, a plasma-activated gas is used which removes at least a second metal oxide or metal oxynitride less than the first metal oxide or metal oxynitride so as to form, after the etching process, on the surface raised irregularities consisting of at least a second metal oxide or metal oxynitride.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2005Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: Saint Gobain Glass FranceInventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Herve Montigaud, Jean-Christophe Giron
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Patent number: 7976907Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the functionalization of a transparent or translucent substrate by formation of a layer, characterized in that it comprises the stages consisting in evaporating over the substrate at least one type of organic or organometallic functionalization molecule, simultaneously with the formation, by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, of an inorganic glass matrix forming part of the layer; a substrate made according to this process; a device for the implementation of this process; and the applications of this substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2005Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass FranceInventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Alfred Hans
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Patent number: 7922925Abstract: Substrates with a coating, in particular a metal-containing coating, are freed of coating in some regions, in particular in the edge region, with the aid of plasma directed onto the coated side of the substrate. The width of the region in which the coating is removed may be set such that plasma from a number of plasma heads arranged next to one another in a row or from one plasma head with variable cross section is directed onto the substrate in the desired width from which the coating is to be removed, wherein the plasma head or heads is/are suitably aligned with respect to the substrate and/or the required number of plasma heads in each case are set in operation. It is also possible to remove coatings only partially in terms of the layer thickness.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2004Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass FranceInventors: Helmut Forstner, Alfred Hofrichter
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Publication number: 20110056825Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate (1), especially a glass substrate, coated with at least one dielectric thin-film layer deposited by sputtering, especially magnetically enhanced sputtering and preferably reactive sputtering in the presence of oxygen and/or nitrogen, with exposure to at least one ion beam (3) coming from an ion source (4), characterized in that said dielectric layer exposed to the ion beam is crystallized.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCEInventors: Carole BAUBET, Klaus Fischer, Marcus Loergen, Jean-Christophe Giron, Nicolas Nadaud, Eric Mattman, Jean-Paul Rousseau, Alfred Hofrichter, Manfred Jansen
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Patent number: 7820017Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate (1), especially a glass substrate, coated with at least one dielectric thin-film layer deposited by sputtering, especially magnetically enhanced sputtering and preferably reactive sputtering in the presence of oxygen and/or nitrogen, with exposure to at least one ion beam (3) coming from an ion source (4), characterized in that said dielectric layer exposed to the ion beam has a refractive index that can be adjusted according to the parameters of the ion source, said ion source being a linear source.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2004Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass FranceInventors: Carole Baubet, Klaus Fischer, Marcus Loergen, Jean Christophe Giron, Nicolas Nadaud, Eric Mattman, Jean Paul Rousseau, Alfred Hofrichter, Manfred Jansen
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Publication number: 20080187681Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the functionalization of a transparent or translucent substrate by formation of a layer, characterized in that it comprises the stages consisting in evaporating over the substrate at least one type of organic or organometallic functionalization molecule, simultaneously with the formation, by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, of an inorganic glass matrix forming part of the layer a substrate made according to this process; a device for the implementation of this process and the applications of this substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2005Publication date: August 7, 2008Applicant: Saint- Gobain Glass FranceInventors: Alfred Hofrichter, Alfred Hans