Patents by Inventor Benjamin SOEHNLE

Benjamin SOEHNLE 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: 11990697
    Abstract: Power electronics arrangement including a printed circuit board and at least one power module fastened on the printed circuit board, which has one or more electronic components potted by a potting compound. At least one module connecting point of the power module is electrically contacted with at least one board connecting point of the printed circuit board by an electrically conductive pin. A base section of the pin is fastened on the module connecting point or on the board connecting point, and the end of the pin opposite to the base section is pressed in the installation position into a contacting opening assigned or assignable to the respective other connecting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Andreas Apelsmeier, Benjamin Söhnle, Daniel Ruppert
  • Patent number: 11949221
    Abstract: Current busbars may be made of copper and have at least one nominal bending point which has been locally heated and thereby softened prior to being installed. Such components may be used in power electronic circuits, especially an inverter, in fully electrical and partially electrical (hybrid) vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Paul Böckenhoff, Philipp Eberhart, Benjamin Söhnle
  • Publication number: 20240055781
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to power electronic devices with busbars and a method for their fabrication. In particular, the disclosure relates to the connection of semiconductor power modules and intermediate circuit capacitor in a commutation cell of an inverter of an electrically powered motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventor: Benjamin SÖHNLE
  • Patent number: 11791742
    Abstract: A protection device for a pulse inverter is provided and is configured to be detachably arranged on an opening of an open housing part of the pulse inverter, wherein the protection device is configured to protect from dirt, mechanical impact and/or electrostatic charging, at least one inner element of the pulse inverter, in particular an electrical system and/or an electronic system, which is arranged in the open housing part. Furthermore, a pulse inverter is provided comprising a housing, as well as an e-machine with a pulse inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Tobias Enzinger, Benjamin Söhnle
  • Publication number: 20230253278
    Abstract: Systems include a semiconductor power module embedded in plastic and having an integrated current metering unit, for example, for a pulse inverter of an electric vehicle, an arrangement including the module, and a method for its manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Christoph MEIER, Benjamin SÖHNLE
  • Publication number: 20230243873
    Abstract: A method for producing a pulse inverter comprising a module with electronic components, a contact bar sticking out from the side of the module for contacting the pulse inverter with a contact external to the pulse inverter, a current measuring device arranged on the contact bar for detecting a measurement signal regarding the current strength in the contact bar and a control board arranged on the top or bottom of the module with a driver circuit for control of the electronic components with the aid of the measurement signal, wherein the driver circuit makes contact with the module across control contacting pins of the module and with the current measuring device across measurement contacting pins of the current measuring device, wherein the current measuring device is attached to the contact bar such that it is movably mounted with respect to it, after which the control board is positioned such that the control contacting pins are led through control contact openings of the control board and the current measu
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Christoph MEIER, Benjamin SÖHNLE
  • Publication number: 20230070572
    Abstract: Current busbars may be made of copper and have at least one nominal bending point which has been locally heated and thereby softened prior to being installed. Such components may be used in power electronic circuits, especially an inverter, in fully electrical and partially electrical (hybrid) vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Paul BÖCKENHOFF, Philipp EBERHART, Benjamin SÖHNLE
  • Patent number: 11509196
    Abstract: Motor vehicle comprising an electric motor for driving the motor vehicle and a power converter device for supplying an alternating current to the electric motor, the power converter device having a cooling device, and the cooling device comprising at least one coolant connection, which is fluidically connected to a coolant port of the electric motor to form a common cooling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Benjamin Söhnle
  • Publication number: 20220368044
    Abstract: Power electronics arrangement including a printed circuit board and at least one power module fastened on the printed circuit board, which has one or more electronic components potted by a potting compound. At least one module connecting point of the power module is electrically contacted with at least one board connecting point of the printed circuit board by an electrically conductive pin. A base section of the pin is fastened on the module connecting point or on the board connecting point, and the end of the pin opposite to the base section is pressed in the installation position into a contacting opening assigned or assignable to the respective other connecting point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Andreas APELSMEIER, Benjamin SÖHNLE, Daniel RUPPERT
  • Patent number: 11489414
    Abstract: A drive device, in particular for a motor vehicle, including an electric motor and an inverter, wherein the electric motor includes at least one electrically conductive motor contact element for electrically contacting a respective electrically conductive inverter contact element of the inverter, wherein the motor contact element is mounted directly or via a motor sealing means on a motor housing component of a motor housing of the electric motor and the inverter contact element is mounted directly or via an inverter sealing means on an inverter housing component of an inverter housing of the inverter, wherein the motor contact element and the inverter contact element are mechanically fastened to one another by a fastening means, wherein the fastening means and a respective housing-external section of the motor contact element and the inverter contact element are accommodated in a liquid-tight receptacle chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Benjamin Söhnle, Sebastian Witt
  • Publication number: 20220165656
    Abstract: A connection system for an optimized joining process of busbars, including at least one busbar of a first electronic circuit and at least one busbar of a second electronic circuit. The at least two electronic circuits represent individual components, and the individual components are connectable to one another via the at least one busbar. The at least one of the at least one busbar of the first electronic circuit is mechanically processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Paul BÖCKENHOFF, Philipp EBERHART, Benjamin SÖHNLE
  • Publication number: 20220141977
    Abstract: A protection device for a pulse inverter is provided and is configured to be detachably arranged on an opening of an open housing part of the pulse inverter, wherein the protection device is configured to protect from dirt, mechanical impact and/or electrostatic charging, at least one inner element of the pulse inverter, in particular an electrical system and/or an electronic system, which is arranged in the open housing part. Furthermore, a pulse inverter is provided comprising a housing, as well as an e-machine with a pulse inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Tobias ENZINGER, Benjamin SÖHNLE
  • Publication number: 20220142016
    Abstract: A power converter including a semiconductor module having a base plate and a cooling housing. The cooling housing includes a receptacle plate and a cover. The receptacle plate has an opening. The receptacle plate is connected to the base plate of the semiconductor module around the opening. The cover is connected to the receptacle plate along a closure path around the opening, and either the receptacle plate or the cover is formed as a stamped or deep-drawn plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicants: AUDI AG, ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Thomas GRADINGER, Andreas APELSMEIER, Benjamin SÖHNLE, Daniele TORRESIN
  • Patent number: 10923779
    Abstract: A method for coordinating a charging operation for charging an energy storage mechanism of a piloted motor vehicle. A control mechanism that is external to the vehicle carries out: provision of a state-of-charge signal, which describes a current state of charge; provision of a schedule calendar signal, which describes schedule information of a user, on the basis of the provided schedule calendar signal; establishing a point in time of the time schedule; establishment of a state of charge as a threshold value required for adhering to the time schedule; if the current state of charge corresponds to the threshold value or drops below the threshold value, setting of geographic coordinates of a charging station as a drive destination that makes available at least one charging facility for charging the energy storage mechanism, and generation of a control signal for steering the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Tobias Enzinger, Benjamin Soehnle, Florian Schuller, Sebastian Falk
  • Publication number: 20200343793
    Abstract: A drive device, in particular for a motor vehicle, including an electric motor and an inverter, wherein the electric motor includes at least one electrically conductive motor contact element for electrically contacting a respective electrically conductive inverter contact element of the inverter, wherein the motor contact element is mounted directly or via a motor sealing means on a motor housing component of a motor housing of the electric motor and the inverter contact element is mounted directly or via an inverter sealing means on an inverter housing component of an inverter housing of the inverter, wherein the motor contact element and the inverter contact element are mechanically fastened to one another by a fastening means, wherein the fastening means and a respective housing-external section of the motor contact element and the inverter contact element are accommodated in a liquid-tight receptacle chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Benjamin SÖHNLE, Sebastian WITT
  • Patent number: 10784180
    Abstract: An electronics device with at least one component to be cooled, a cooling element for cooling the component to be cooled, at least one power supply line, and a respective current sensor for recording a current strength of a current flowing through the respective power supply line, wherein the cooling element has a recess, in which the current sensor engages or in which the current sensor is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Andreas Apelsmeier, Benjamin Söhnle, Stephan Brüske
  • Publication number: 20200169147
    Abstract: Motor vehicle comprising an electric motor for driving the motor vehicle and a power converter device for supplying an alternating current to the electric motor, the power converter device having a cooling device, and the cooling device comprising at least one coolant connection, which is fluidically connected to a coolant port of the electric motor to form a common cooling circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Benjamin SÖHNLE
  • Publication number: 20190089024
    Abstract: A method for coordinating a charging operation for charging an energy storage mechanism of a piloted motor vehicle. A control mechanism that is external to the vehicle carries out: provision of a state-of-charge signal, which describes a current state of charge; provision of a schedule calendar signal, which describes schedule information of a user, on the basis of the provided schedule calendar signal; establishing a point in time of the time schedule; establishment of a state of charge as a threshold value required for adhering to the time schedule; if the current state of charge corresponds to the threshold value or drops below the threshold value, setting of geographic coordinates of a charging station as a drive destination that makes available at least one charging facility for charging the energy storage mechanism, and generation of a control signal for steering the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Tobias ENZINGER, Benjamin SOEHNLE, Florian SCHULLER, Sebastian FALK
  • Publication number: 20190027420
    Abstract: An electronics device with at least one component to be cooled, a cooling element for cooling the component to be cooled, at least one power supply line, and a respective current sensor for recording a current strength of a current flowing through the respective power supply line, wherein the cooling element has a recess, in which the current sensor engages or in which the current sensor is arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Andreas APELSMEIER, Benjamin SÖHNLE, Stephan BRÜSKE