Patents by Inventor Benjamin Hofmann

Benjamin Hofmann 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: 11885433
    Abstract: An actuator (1) having two detent devices (2) which include in each case at least one terminal detent element (3) for a part (27) of a drive train, and at least one adjustment element (4, 19) which is operatively connected to the terminal detent element (3) and is specified for setting a position of the terminal detent element (3). The at least one gear unit (5, 18) is disposed between the at least one terminal detent element (3) and the at least one adjustment element (4, 19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Benjamin Hofmann
  • Patent number: 11852557
    Abstract: A method and a device (1) are provided for determining a torque of a transmission, in particular of an actuating drive (14), in which an elastically deformable bending element (4) that deforms as a function of the torque is arranged in a transmission path of the torque, and a sensor unit (8) with which deformation of the bending element can be detected forms a structural unit which can be mounted as a whole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Benjamin Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20230204125
    Abstract: An actuating drive (2) including a ball screw drive (3) for activating a self-closing, linearly activated fitting (4) and a method of use are provided. While the opening of the fitting (4) with the actuating drive (2) takes place by an electric motor by the ball screw drive (3), a restoring movement is transmitted to the spindle (6) when closing the automatically closing fitting (4). The restoring movement, and thus also a closing movement of the fitting (4), can be at least indirectly decelerated by way of the ball screw drive (3), this being able to protect the fitting (4) and ultimately also the ball screw drive (3) and optionally further components connected to the fitting (4) and/or the ball screw drive (3) from damage, and facilitating a fail-safe function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin HOFMANN, Holger GRAF
  • Patent number: 11056947
    Abstract: In order to increase the operational safety of an actuator (1) including an electric motor (2) and a transmission, preferably a non-self-locking transmission (3), a braking device is provided which allows the controlled, self-actuating displacement, by a retarding brake (5), of an actuating element connected to the actuator (1) via the transmission (3). The actuating element can be held in a fixed position by an additional holding device (6), even if the electric motor (2) fails. The actuator can be used to drive heavy sluice gates, in the event of a power failure, in a controlled free-fall operation at a constant rate of fall, or to hold them in a defined position. The holding device and the retarding brake can be combined in a common housing (11) to form a braking module (12) which can be designed to be used modularly with existing motor actuators and transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Hofmann, Robert Hofmann, Rudolf Bachert
  • Publication number: 20210180718
    Abstract: An actuator (1) having two detent devices (2) which include in each case at least one terminal detent element (3) for a part (27) of a drive train, and at least one adjustment element (4, 19) which is operatively connected to the terminal detent element (3) and is specified for setting a position of the terminal detent element (3). The at least one gear unit (5, 18) is disposed between the at least one terminal detent element (3) and the at least one adjustment element (4, 19).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Benjamin HOFMANN
  • Publication number: 20210184537
    Abstract: An actuator (1) is provided in which the actuator housing (2) has at least one actuator housing part (3) or (4). At least one component support (5) or (6) which serves as a support structure for at least one functional element of the actuator is disposed within the actuator housing (2). Furthermore, the at least one actuator housing part (3) or (4) is fastened to the component support (5) or (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Benjamin HOFMANN
  • Publication number: 20210181046
    Abstract: A method and a device (1) are provided for determining a torque of a transmission, in particular of an actuating drive (14), in which an elastically deformable bending element (4) that deforms as a function of the torque is arranged in a transmission path of the torque, and a sensor unit (8) with which deformation of the bending element can be detected forms a structural unit which can be mounted as a whole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Benjamin HOFMANN
  • Publication number: 20210091632
    Abstract: In order to increase the operational safety of an actuator (1) including an electric motor (2) and a transmission, preferably a non-self-locking transmission (3), a braking device is provided which allows the controlled, self-actuating displacement, by a retarding brake (5), of an actuating element connected to the actuator (1) via the transmission (3). The actuating element can be held in a fixed position by an additional holding device (6), even if the electric motor (2) fails. The actuator can be used to drive heavy sluice gates, in the event of a power failure, in a controlled free-fall operation at a constant rate of fall, or to hold them in a defined position. The holding device and the retarding brake can be combined in a common housing (11) to form a braking module (12) which can be designed to be used modularly with existing motor actuators and transmissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Hofmann, Robert Hofmann, Rudolf Bachert
  • Patent number: 10364870
    Abstract: A switching device (8) for control devices is provided, in which a recess (14) in an element (13) driven by an emergency drive (11) is designed with at least one inclined surface (17, 18) such that a blocking element (15) engaging in the recess (14) can be disengaged from the latter when the emergency drive (11) is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10215267
    Abstract: For a valve closing device (8), including an output shaft (9) for connecting a valve (3) and an input shaft (10) for connecting an actuating drive (2), it is provided that an emergency drive (11) for driving the output shaft (9) in the event of a mains power failure is designed as a constant force spring motor (28) and/or a force flow from the emergency drive (11) to the output shaft (9) is merged with a force flow from the input shaft (10) to the output shaft (9) by an overriding gear arrangement (16) and/or the emergency drive (11) is locked and released by a locking device (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Hofmann, Wilfried Platzer
  • Patent number: 10121620
    Abstract: An electronic control unit (1) or an electric actuator (2), respectively, have a switch-off device (4) which includes at least one reed switch (6, 18, 26) and at least one permanent magnet arranged outside the housing (3) and removable from the housing (3). If the permanent magnet (7) is removed from its position of usage at the housing (3), for example in order to perform maintenance of the electronic control unit (1) or of the actuator (2), respectively, the at least one reed switch (6, 18, 26) is opened, as result of which the supply link (8, 10) between the activating terminal (5) and the supply terminals (9, 11) of the control unit are interrupted in order to switch voltage-carrying functional elements of the control unit (1) and/or of the electric actuator (2) to be currentless and thus to effectively prevent an unwanted spark discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10060545
    Abstract: In a valve closing device (4) including an emergency actuator (7, 8), the emergency actuator (7, 8) is energized by at least two independently, redundantly operable energy storage units (10, 11, 18), each of which includes charging electronics (22) that allow rechargeable batteries (19, 20) of the energy storage units (10, 11, 18) to be operated at least in a maintenance charging cycle and in a trickle charging cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Hofmann, Wilfried Platzer
  • Patent number: 9906101
    Abstract: An apparatus for automation technology, comprising an actuator and an assembly for manual actuation of the actuator, wherein an electrical drive or an electro hydraulic drive is provided as the driving element for the actuator. The assembly includes a generator and a manual actuating element for the generator and wherein the assembly can be electrically coupled with the driving element of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann, Henrik Newerla
  • Publication number: 20170146146
    Abstract: In a valve closing device (4) including an emergency actuator (7, 8), the emergency actuator (7, 8) is energized by at least two independently, redundantly operable energy storage units (10, 11, 18), each of which includes charging electronics (22) that allow rechargeable batteries (19, 20) of the energy storage units (10, 11, 18) to be operated at least in a maintenance charging cycle and in a trickle charging cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Hofmann, Wilfried Platzer
  • Patent number: 9575474
    Abstract: In an actuating drive (1) having an electric motor (2) which is driven by a drive unit (4), it is provided to determine a state of charge of an intermediate circuit capacitor (5) of an intermediate circuit (3) which supplies the drive unit (4) and, depending on the determined state of charge, to adjust electrical power consumption by the electric motor (2) such that a critical state of charge of the intermediate circuit capacitor (5) can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Henrik Newerla, Thomas Weber, Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20170030443
    Abstract: A switching device (8) for control devices is provided, in which a recess (14) in an element (13) driven by an emergency drive (11) is designed with at least one inclined surface (17, 18) such that a blocking element (15) engaging in the recess (14) can be disengaged from the latter when the emergency drive (11) is actuated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20160377227
    Abstract: An electronic control unit (1) or an electric actuator (2), respectively, have a switch-off device (4) which includes at least one reed switch (6, 18, 26) and at least one permanent magnet arranged outside the housing (3) and removable from the housing (3). If the permanent magnet (7) is removed from its position of usage at the housing (3), for example in order to perform maintenance of the electronic control unit (1) or of the actuator (2), respectively, the at least one reed switch (6, 18, 26) is opened, as result of which the supply link (8, 10) between the activating terminal (5) and the supply terminals (9, 11) of the control unit are interrupted in order to switch voltage-carrying functional elements of the control unit (1) and/or of the electric actuator (2) to be currentless and thus to effectively prevent an unwanted spark discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann
  • Patent number: 9482556
    Abstract: A measuring system for registering the absolute rotation angle of a rotating, measured object, wherein a first gear is associated with a shaft of the measured object, wherein the first gear directly or indirectly engages at least a second gear and a third gear and wherein tooth counts the individual gears differ from one another. There is associated with each gear a rotation angle sensor, which registers the rotation angle of the associated gear. A calculating unit is provided, which ascertains at least the difference between the rotation angle of the second gear and that of the first gear and the difference between the rotation angle of the third gear and that of the first gear and, based on a summing of the differences of the ascertained rotation angle of the gears, determines the number of whole numbered revolutions and the remainder rotation angle of the shaft of the measured object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Auma Riester GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20160017974
    Abstract: For a valve closing device (8), including an output shaft (9) for connecting a valve (3) and an input shaft (10) for connecting an actuating drive (2), it is provided that an emergency drive (11) for driving the output shaft (9) in the event of a mains power failure is designed as a constant force spring motor (28) and/or a force flow from the emergency drive (11) to the output shaft (9) is merged with a force flow from the input shaft (10) to the output shaft (9) by an overriding gear arrangement (16) and/or the emergency drive (11) is locked and released by a locking device (19).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Hofmann, Wilfried Platzer
  • Publication number: 20150192908
    Abstract: In an actuating drive (1) having an electric motor (2) which is driven by a drive unit (4), it is provided to determine a state of charge of an intermediate circuit capacitor (5) of an intermediate circuit (3) which supplies the drive unit (4) and, depending on the determined state of charge, to adjust electrical power consumption by the electric motor (2) such that a critical state of charge of the intermediate circuit capacitor (5) can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Henrik Newerla, Thomas Weber, Wilfried Platzer, Benjamin Hofmann