Patents by Inventor Axel Vonhoff
Axel Vonhoff 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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Patent number: 8691009Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2009Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Siltronic AGInventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Patent number: 7828897Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2007Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignees: Crystal Growing Systems GmbH, Siltronic AGInventors: Burkhard Altekrüger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Publication number: 20090188425Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2009Publication date: July 30, 2009Inventors: Burkhard ALTEKRUGER, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Publication number: 20080022922Abstract: A pulling apparatus and a method with which especially heavy crystals (5) can be pulled using the Czochralski method utilizing the pulling apparatus. For this purpose the neck (4) of the crystal (5) has an enlargement (10) beneath which extends the support device. This device includes latches (7), which are moved from a resting position into an operating position in which the latches (7) extend beneath the enlargement (10). Each latch (7) is supported on the base body such that it is swivellable about a pivot axis (8) and can assume two stable positions, namely the resting position and the operating position. Each of these positions is defined by a stop on the base body. When the latch rests on the one stop, its center of gravity, viewed from the neck (4), is located on the other side of the pivot axis (8). When the latch rests on the other stop, the center of gravity is located on this side of the pivot axis (8).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2007Publication date: January 31, 2008Inventors: Burkhard Altekruger, Stefan Henkel, Axel Vonhoff, Erich Tomzig, Dieter Knerer
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Patent number: 7261773Abstract: The invention relates to producing a melt that is as homogeneous as possible, to which fresh material in the form of granulate is continuously supplied. Since the granulate is cooler than the melt, heat sinks form that are especially pronounced when the granulate forms clumps in the melt. Therefore, the invention relates to a means for distributing the granulate. In one aspect, the means are inductors arranged outside the melting crucible that generate an alternating magnetic field in the melt. In this way, electrical currents are induced there that, in turn, cause the material flows. In one aspect, the inductors are arranged and controlled in such a way that a rapid distribution of the granulate is effected and thus its rapid melting. In this way, good homogeneity is achieved, especially in the center of the melt where the removal of the melted material also occurs.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2004Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Crystal Growing Systems GmbHInventors: Andreas Mühe, Burkhard Altekrüger, Axel Vonhoff
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Patent number: 7179331Abstract: The invention presented here relates to a crystal growing equipment. It is equipped in general with a resistance heater for heating a melt (13) as well as with field coils, which generate alternating magnetic field in a crucible, with which flows can be induced in the melt (13). The invention is so designed that the resistance heaters are also devised to function as the field coils, that is, they are built of a hollow cylindrical body (1), in which, by means of a surrounding slit (2) which winds around it, a spiral-shaped single layer current path is formed. This has the advantage that the current needed for the electrical heating in the equipment is also used for the generation of the magnetic field. Thus, neither separate field coils nor a separate current supply is necessary. Further, the resistance heater, which serves as the field coil arranged as a coil array, is high temperature resistant and surrounds the immediate hot core zone of the equipment and thus the region of the melt.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2004Date of Patent: February 20, 2007Assignee: Crystal Growing Systems GmbHInventors: Andreas Mühe, Burkhard Altekrüger, Axel Vonhoff
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Publication number: 20050275144Abstract: The invention is based on the problem of producing a melt that is as homogeneous as possible, to which fresh material in the form of granulate is continuously supplied. Since the granulate is cooler than the melt, heat sinks form that are especially pronounced when the granulate forms clumps in the melt. Therefore the invention suggests the provision of means for distributing the granulate. Especially suitable means are inductors (6) arranged outside the melting crucible (3) that generate an alternating magnetic field in the melt. In this way, electrical currents are induced there that in turn cause the material flows. The inductors are arranged and controlled in such a way that a rapid distribution of the granulate is effected and thus its rapid melting. In this way, good homogeneity is achieved, especially in the center of the melt where the removal of the melted material also occurs.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2004Publication date: December 15, 2005Inventors: Andreas Muhe, Burkhard Altekruger, Axel Vonhoff
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Publication number: 20050087125Abstract: The invention presented here relates to a crystal growing equipment. It is equipped in general with a resistance heater for heating a melt (13) as well as with field coils, which generate alternating magnetic field in a crucible, with which flows can be induced in the melt (13). The invention is so designed that the resistance heaters are also devised to function as the field coils, that is, they are built of a hollow cylindrical body (1), in which, by means of a surrounding slit (2) which winds around it, a spiral-shaped single layer current path is formed. This has the advantage that the current needed for the electrical heating in the equipment is also used for the generation of the magnetic field. Thus, neither separate field coils nor a separate current supply is necessary. Further, the resistance heater, which serves as the field coil arranged as a coil array, is high temperature resistant and surrounds the immediate hot core zone of the equipment and thus the region of the melt.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2004Publication date: April 28, 2005Inventors: Andreas Muhe, Burkhard Altekruger, Axel Vonhoff