Patents by Inventor André HEINRICHS

André HEINRICHS 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).

  • Patent number: 11619489
    Abstract: A method for visualizing an inclination of a motor vehicle in the motor vehicle, in which the inclination of the motor vehicle is measured and made visible in the interior of the motor vehicle. The inclination is made visible by interior lighting of the motor vehicle. At least one virtual plane is formed, which intersects the motor vehicle horizontally when the latter is in a horizontal position and serves as a reference plane for displaying the inclination. Changes in the inclination of the motor vehicle are modeled dynamically by the interior lighting by the sequential and/or parallel activation of illuminants of the interior lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sascha Ziebart, André Heinrichs
  • Publication number: 20220402430
    Abstract: Technologies and techniques for controlling the interior lighting of a vehicle. Multiple lighting units are distributed in the interior of the vehicle, and each of the lighting units is assigned at least two color zones. Arrangement profiles for arranging the at least two color zones in the interior of the vehicle are displayed on a display and operating device, and a user selection of one of the arrangement profiles is detected. A color selection by the user is detected for each of the at least two color zones via a respective operating element displayed on the display and operating device, and a color is set for each lighting unit by a controller according to the selected arrangement profile and the colors selected for the at least two color zones. The invention also relates to a device for controlling the interior lighting of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Knipp, André Heinrichs, Janine Bretz, Margret Siegmund
  • Publication number: 20210325181
    Abstract: A method for visualizing an inclination of a motor vehicle in the motor vehicle, in which the inclination of the motor vehicle is measured and made visible in the interior of the motor vehicle. The inclination is made visible by interior lighting of the motor vehicle. At least one virtual plane is formed, which intersects the motor vehicle horizontally when the latter is in a horizontal position and serves as a reference plane for displaying the inclination. Changes in the inclination of the motor vehicle are modeled dynamically by the interior lighting by the sequential and/or parallel activation of illuminants of the interior lighting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sascha ZIEBART, André HEINRICHS
  • Patent number: 9534617
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electropneumatic position controller having a controllable valve group (9, 10, 13) arranged in the position controller and having at least one valve (9, 10), by means of which in normal operation either compressed air supplied by means of a compressed air supply line (6) can be fed to an exhaust connection (8) or air fed by means of the exhaust connection (8) can be discharged to the outside, depending on the actuation of the valve group. In order for the valve group to be brought in a safe position, even in the event of a leak in one of the components thereof, said group is arranged in a gas-tight housing (14) within the position controller and means (15) are provided for monitoring the pressure in the housing (14) and for actuating the valve group (9, 10, 13) such that if the pressure in the housing (14) exceeds a predefined threshold value, said group is brought in the predefined safe position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof
  • Publication number: 20140060029
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electropneumatic position controller having a controllable valve group (9, 10, 13) arranged in the position controller and having at least one valve (9, 10), by means of which in normal operation either compressed air supplied by means of a compressed air supply line (6) can be fed to an exhaust connection (8) or air fed by means of the exhaust connection (8) can be discharged to the outside, depending on the actuation of the valve group. In order for the valve group to be brought in a safe position, even in the event of a leak in one of the components thereof, said group is arranged in a gas-tight housing (14) within the position controller and means (15) are provided for monitoring the pressure in the housing (14) and for actuating the valve group (9, 10, 13) such that if the pressure in the housing (14) exceeds a predefined threshold value, said group is brought in the predefined safe position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventor: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof
  • Patent number: 8590355
    Abstract: Cutting blades and counterblades are presented having long edge life for chopping devices equipped with blades mounted on rotating drums and with counterblades which fit into the gaps between the blades, the blades and/or counterblades being produced by rolling at least one of the longitudinal edges of a piece of flat strip material to form a slightly rounded, prismatic cutting edge, the rolling being continued until satisfactory sharpness is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Rasspe Systemtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Flanhardt, Karlfried Platz, Manfred Gröning, Heinz-Günter Schumacher, Gerd Bernhardt, André Heinrich, Andreas Acimas
  • Patent number: 7757714
    Abstract: A two-stage servo-valve has a first stage in which four flow resistances are arranged in a bridge circuit. At least one of the flow resistances is variable, and two opposite switching points of the bridge circuit are connected to an air inlet and to an air outlet respectively. A differential pressure of variable size and sign is provided between the two other switching points. The servo-valve also has a second stage in which a control piston which can be actuated by the differential pressure is arranged and controls a three-way valve. In order to enable the current position of a process valve driven by the servo-valve to be maintained by the most simple means in the event of a power failure, the switching points which provide the differential pressure are interconnected by a magnetic valve which is closed in the driven state and open in the unconnected state, thus pneumatically interconnecting the switching points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof
  • Publication number: 20100163767
    Abstract: A valve having at least one first valve chamber (1) which has an inlet opening (2) for the supply of a medium and a valve opening (3) which can be closed off by means of a valve body (4), which valve body (4) is acted on by a spring force (F K) which acts in the closing direction and which is generated by a force store (9) which has a spring constant and which valve body (4) can be adjusted counter to the spring force (F K) by means of an actuating element (5) to which an actuating force (F S) which acts counter to the spring force (F K) can be applied at an action point (10), is characterized in that means (7, 8) are provided, by way of which the spring constant which acts at the action point (10) of the actuating force (F S) can be set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Siemens AG
    Inventors: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof, Armin Steinke
  • Publication number: 20090260700
    Abstract: There is described a 3-port directional control valve having a first valve chamber, a second valve chamber and a third valve chamber, wherein a first fluid passage, which can be closed off by means of a first adjustable valve body, is provided between the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber, and a second fluid passage, which can be closed off by means of a second adjustable valve body, is provided between the second valve chamber and the third valve chamber. The first valve body and the second valve body are arranged on an actuating element which is mounted so as to be rotatable about at least one rotational axis, so that the adjusting movements of the valve bodies take place in opposition to one another. A diaphragm is arranged between the valve bodies, and the actuating element, herein the effective area of the diaphragm is matched to the effective cross section of the respective valve body for the purpose of force equalization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventor: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof
  • Patent number: 7548312
    Abstract: A measuring device has a sensor for registering at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of at least one ingredient, at least one property, and both, of a material being investigated by the sensor, the sensor including at least one illumination source which directs at least one light beam toward the material to be investigated, at least one reference object for calibrating the measuring device, and an illumination source configured so that a portion of a light beam from the illumination source is redirected toward the reference object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: CLAAS Selbstfahrende Erntemaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Buehlmeier, Frank Claussen, Christian Pfitzner, Andre Heinrich, Andi Guenther
  • Publication number: 20080066814
    Abstract: A two-stage servo-valve has a first stage in which four flow resistances are arranged in a bridge circuit. At least one of the flow resistances is variable, and two opposite switching points of the bridge circuit are connected to an air inlet and to an air outlet respectively. A differential pressure of variable size and sign is provided between the two other switching points. The servo-valve also has a second stage in which a control piston which can be actuated by the differential pressure is arranged and controls a three-way valve. In order to enable the current position of a process valve driven by the servo-valve to be maintained by the most simple means in the event of a power failure, the switching points which provide the differential pressure are interconnected by a magnetic valve which is closed in the driven state and open in the unconnected state, thus pneumatically interconnecting the switching points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventor: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof
  • Publication number: 20080024760
    Abstract: A measuring device has a sensor for registering at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of at least one ingredient, at least one property, and both, of a material being investigated by the sensor, the sensor including at least one illumination source which directs at least one light beam toward the material to be investigated, at least one reference object for calibrating the measuring device, and an illumination source configured so that a portion of a light beam from the illumination source is redirected toward the reference object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Robert Buehlmeier, Frank Claussen, Christian Pfitzner, Andre Heinrich, Andi Guenther
  • Patent number: 7024924
    Abstract: A method and arrangement for determination of the sharpness of chopping blades of a field chopper during chopping includes the steps of measuring, at least at two points in time, a characteristic parameter of the operating oscillation of a component of the chopping unit. Each such measurement obtains the oscillation fractions of at least two frequency bands of the measured signal or its peak, with the ratio between the two measurements being evaluated to generate a signal, when a certain deviation is determined between the initial measurement and the current measurement, which is indicative of the need to sharpen the chopping blades and the counterblade. The sharpening process can then be automatically initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: André Heinrich, Matthias Grimsel, Gerd Bernhardt
  • Publication number: 20050230510
    Abstract: Cutting blades and counterblades are presented having long edge life for chopping devices equipped with blades mounted on rotating drums and with counterblades which fit into the gaps between the blades, the blades and/or counterblades being produced by rolling at least one of the longitudinal edges of a piece of flat strip material to form a slightly rounded, prismatic cutting edge, the rolling being continued until satisfactory sharpness is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Michael Flanhardt, Karlfried Platz, Manfred Groning, Heinz-Gunter Schumacher, Gerd Bernhardt, Andre Heinrich, Andreas Acimas
  • Publication number: 20040168528
    Abstract: A method and arrangement for determination of the sharpness of chopping blades of a field chopper during chopping includes the steps of measuring, at least at two points in time, a characteristic parameter of the operating oscillation of a component of the chopping unit. Each such measurement obtains the oscillation fractions of at least two frequency bands of the measured signal or its peak, with the ratio between the two measurements being evaluated to generate a signal, when a certain deviation is determined between the initial measurement and the current measurement, which is indicative of the need to sharpen the chopping blades and the counterblade. The sharpening process can then be automatically initiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Andre Heinrich, Matthias Grimsel, Gerd Bernhardt
  • Patent number: 6695282
    Abstract: A positioner for a valve that is actuated by means of a drive. The positioner includes a locator (9) and a control unit (13). The locator (9) detects the actual position of an actuator (7). The control unit (13) compares the actual position with a predefined desired position, and generates an actuating signal. A magnet (18) having a magnetoresistive sensor, preferably a GMR sensor, is provided as the locator. The locator (9) is less susceptible to dirt and less prone to wear and tear than a conventional slide potentiometer. The positioner is thus less fault-prone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Clemens, Klaus-Dieter Fiebelkorn, Gerhard Klebert, Klaus Ludwig, Andre-Heinrich Meinhof, Holger Schmaedicke
  • Patent number: 6688971
    Abstract: A chopper arrangement for a harvesting machine comprises a body that is rotated in a predominantly vertical axis of rotation. The body is provided with a plurality of radially extending knives that are axially distributed along the body. The knives have radially outer ends that are arranged in a conical shape. In this way the knives at the first end having a smallest radial extension are rotated at a slower circumferential speed than knives having a larger radial extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Martin Büermann, Walter Hirsch, Adolf Belter, Gerd Bernhardt, Siegfried Firus, André Heinrich
  • Patent number: 6688972
    Abstract: A combine having a chopper arrangement for receiving and chopping harvested crop material that has been threshed and separated. The chopper arrangement comprises a web wheel disk having knives entrained thereon that cooperate with a stationary shear bar to chop the harvested crop material that has been threshed and separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Martin Büermann, Gerd Bernhardt, Siegfried Firus, André Heinrich
  • Patent number: 6655652
    Abstract: A position controller including a position transmitter (9) and a control unit (13). The position transmitter detects the actual position of an actuator (7). The control unit (13) is arranged in an ignition-proof enclosure that is separate from the housing of the position transmitter (9). The interface (18) between the control unit (13) and the position transmitter (9) as well as the position transmitter (9) itself—which comprises a magnet (10) and a magnetoresistive sensor (50)—have an inherent electrical safety design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof
  • Publication number: 20030183791
    Abstract: A position controller including a position transmitter (9) and a control unit (13). The position transmitter detects the actual position of an actuator (7). The control unit (13) is arranged in an ignition-proof enclosure that is separate from the housing of the position transmitter (9). The interface (18) between the control unit (13) and the position transmitter (9) as well as the position transmitter (9) itself—which comprises a magnet (10) and a magnetoresistive sensor (50)—have an inherent electrical safety design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Andre-Heinrich Meinhof