Patents by Inventor Bernhard Kraus

Bernhard Kraus 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).

  • Publication number: 20090165305
    Abstract: An electric shaving apparatus including a housing and a shaving head. The shaving head is coupled to the housing by at least one first elastic element and includes at least one first shaving element. The electric shaving apparatus includes in addition an electric motor for generating an oscillatory motion of the shaving head and an oscillatory motion differing therefrom of at least one second shaving element. The electric motor includes two drive components of which a first drive component is adapted to be driven to oscillate relative to a second drive component. One of the drive components is connected to the second shaving element. The second shaving element or a drive part connected thereto is equipped with an elastic connection to the shaving head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Uwe Schober, Detlef Gleich, Thomas Verstege, Tobias Schwarz
  • Patent number: 7554225
    Abstract: An electric motor for a small-scale electrical appliance, such as a toothbrush or shaver. The electric motor includes at least one oscillatory motor component, a magnet arrangement having at least one permanent magnet, and a coil for generating a magnetic field which, in interaction with the magnet arrangement, generates a force for excitation of an oscillatory linear motion. During the interaction between the magnet arrangement and the magnetic field produced by the coil, a torque for excitation of an oscillatory rotational motion is additionally generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Hansjörg Reick, Uwe Schober, Alexander Schröter
  • Patent number: 7504751
    Abstract: A small electric appliance with a drive mechanism for generating an oscillatory motion of at least one working unit of the small electric appliance. The drive mechanism has a first drive component, a second drive component, and a coil for producing a magnetic field that extends from the first drive component and acts on the second drive component that is movably arranged in the small electric appliance, in such a way that the second drive component is set in an oscillatory motion. The first drive component is movably arranged in the small electric appliance in order to execute an oscillatory motion in phase opposition to the second drive component, and the drive mechanism is fastened to the small electric appliance by means of at least one first spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Alexander Klos
  • Publication number: 20090025229
    Abstract: A dry shaver with a housing features a drive motor and a shaving head connected to the housing for pivotal movement about a pivot axis. The shaving head mounts at least two shaving systems, each comprised of an outer cutter and associated under cutters. The under cutters are adapted to be driven in an oscillatory linear motion relative to the outer cutter. The at least two under cutters are mounted respectively on separate oscillatory elements in the shaving head. The oscillatory elements are each connected to the drive motor via drive elements and are driven in mutually opposite directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Diana Kappes, Joerge Kaiser, Alexander Kloes, Bernhard Kraus, Andreas Larscheid, Stefan Rehbein
  • Patent number: 7474065
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor includes providing an electric motor having a plurality of magnetically driven oscillatory elements having differing oscillatory characteristics, and an electromagnet having a coil arranged to drive all of the oscillatory elements. The method includes supplying an electric signal to the electromagnet, which creates a magnetic field that drives the oscillatory elements. The method also includes varying a frequency of the electric signal for individual control of oscillatory movements of the oscillatory elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Kraus
  • Publication number: 20090000126
    Abstract: An electrically operated shaver includes a shaver housing and a cutter head. The cutter head is arranged on the shaver housing and includes at least one cutting device comprised of an outer cutter equipped with apertures and an under cutter. The cutters are driven into sliding relationship to one another by an electric drive, so that hairs entering the apertures are cut off by the cutting device. Provided on the cutter head adjacent to the cutting device is a supporting element which, like the cutting device, is engaged by an operator's skin surface during a shaving operation. Both the cutting device and the supporting element are mounted in the cutter head for displacement against the force of a spring. Means are provided for enabling a different distribution of the contact forces (F1, F2) to the cutting device and the supporting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventor: Bernhard Kraus
  • Publication number: 20080313909
    Abstract: A hair removal apparatus with a housing and an actuator head movable in the housing. The actuator head accommodates an actuator system that removes the hairs and is adapted to be driven by an electric drive mechanism arranged in the hair removal apparatus. The actuator system is movable into at least one active position for hair treatment. According to the invention, the actuator head is freely rotatable in the housing about an axis of rotation for adjustment of an active position. Using a single hair removal apparatus it is thus possible to employ various hair treatment systems such as long-hair cutter, short-hair cutter, or epilator, requiring only the actuator head to be turned about its bearing axis until the cutting unit provided for the respective hair treatment operation is turned into the actuator plane. Since several hair treatment operations can be performed with just one apparatus, manufacturing costs can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2006
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Werner Haczek, Bernhard Kraus, Thorsten Piesker, Markus Sabisch
  • Publication number: 20080196258
    Abstract: An electric hair removal apparatus for removing hair from the human skin. The hair removal apparatus includes a housing adapted to be held in the hand, a mechanically working hair removal device and a motor for driving the hair removal device. Provision is made for a sensor device for generating a signal that depends on the speed at which the hair removal device is moved over the skin during the hair removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Bernhard Kraus
  • Publication number: 20080185922
    Abstract: An electric drive unit for generating an oscillating movement, having a stator, a rotor, a torsion element and a tuning element. The tuning element acts upon the torsion element and serves to mechanically tune the resonant frequency of the drive unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2004
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: BRAUN GMBH
    Inventors: Gerhard Kressner, Alexander Schroter, Christian Junk, Peter Hilfinger, Hansjorg Reick, Bernhard Kraus, Uwe Schober
  • Publication number: 20080019415
    Abstract: A conventional radiation thermometer encompasses an infrared radiation sensor and a heatable and/or coolable radiation incidence window. The method and radiation thermometer according to the invention use the established dependence of the sensor signal U of the infrared radiation sensor on the temperature Tw of the radiation incidence window W (or any other heatable or coolable optical element in the beam path) for verifying its proper functional operation. Applying the method according to the invention, the radiation incidence window (or perhaps another optical element in the beam path) is heated up or cooled by activating an associated electric heating or cooling device. The resulting change ?Uw in the sensor signal U is detected, preferably in continuous fashion, as a function of the window temperature Tw and analyzed or verified for any deviation from an acceptable value or permissible range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: KAZ, INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Bernhard Kraus
  • Patent number: 7288863
    Abstract: an electric appliance includes an electric motor having a first oscillatory element, a second oscillatory element and an electric coil configured to generate a magnetic field to drive the first and second oscillatory elements. The electric appliance also includes a movable component and a first spring element connecting the movable component to the first oscillatory element. Notably, the first oscillatory element and the second oscillatory element are arranged to drive each other in oscillatory motions of opposite phase in response to the magnetic field of the electric coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Bruan GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Kraus
  • Publication number: 20070137043
    Abstract: An electric shaving apparatus has a hand-holdable housing and a shaving head. The shaving head is coupled to the housing via at least one first elastic element and has at least one first shaving cutter. The shaving apparatus includes an electric motor for generating an oscillatory motion of the shaving head and an oscillatory motion differing therefrom of at least one second shaving cutter. The electric motor has a first drive component with at least one electric coil for generating a magnetic field, and a second drive component. The first drive component of the electric motor is rigidly connected to the shaving head or to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Stefan Rehbein, Uwe Schober
  • Patent number: 7180254
    Abstract: A method of controlling an oscillating electric motor of a small electric appliance, the method including supplying an electric current to a coil to produce a magnetic field emanating from a first motor component and setting a second motor component in an oscillatory motion relative to the first motor component; determining at least one electrical characteristic of the coil for an instant of time at which current is supplied to the coil, the at least one electrical characteristic being related to a motion quantity of the first motor component relative to the second motor component; and then supplying further current to the coil as a function of the at least one electrical characteristic determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Klemm, Bernhard Kraus, Uwe Schaaf
  • Publication number: 20070023414
    Abstract: An infrared sensor with an electrically heatable sensor housing. The housing including a heating device in the form of a strip conductor-like electric heating track, which is controlled by a control device, and applied onto a ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate comprises an electrically insulated ceramic material providing adequate thermal conductivity and preferably forming the bottom of the sensor housing, and carrying at least one infrared sensor element, e.g., a thermopile sensor. The ceramic substrate having electric strip conductors serving as a contact surface for a corresponding (not-shown) housing cover and through-hole contacts serving as electrical connections between the top side and the bottom side of the ceramic substrate. The electric heating tracks and strip conductors in a preferred embodiment comprise thick-film tracks. The infrared sensor being suitable for a measuring tip of an intra-auricular infrared thermometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: Stefan Scharf, Stefan Neth, Bernhard Kraus
  • Publication number: 20060255665
    Abstract: An electric motor for a small-scale electrical appliance, such as a toothbrush or shaver. The electric motor includes at least one oscillatory motor component, a magnet arrangement having at least one permanent magnet, and a coil for generating a magnetic field which, in interaction with the magnet arrangement, generates a force for excitation of an oscillatory linear motion. During the interaction between the magnet arrangement and the magnetic field produced by the coil, a torque for excitation of an oscillatory rotational motion is additionally generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Hansjorg Reick, Uwe Schober, Alexander Schroter
  • Publication number: 20060255664
    Abstract: A drive unit for generating an oscillatory motion for small electric appliance, for example a toothbrush or razor. The drive unit includes a stator having at least one coil and a first and a second magnet arrangement each having at least one permanent magnet. The drive unit further includes a rotor which is not symmetrical about the axis and has a first and a second radial projection, each extending only over a partial area of the circumference of the rotor and made of a magnetizable material. By positioning the magnet arrangements relative to the radial projections of the rotor, relative assignments between the magnet arrangements and the radial projections are formed in pairs, such that the magnetic interaction between the magnet arrangement and the radial projection of one pair is invariably greater than the magnetic interaction between the magnet arrangement and the radial projection of two different pairs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Hansjorg Reick, Uwe Schober
  • Patent number: 7121720
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a protective cap (2) for a temperature measurement probe (30) of an infrared radiation thermometer (1) that can be introduced into a body cavity (31). The protective cap (2) is comprised of a base body (12) shaped to fit the body cavity (31) and having a window (15) transparent to infrared radiation. The base body (12) is provided with additional structures (13; 18, 20) at least in parts to improve heat insulation between the temperature measurement probe (30) and the body cavity (31). This heat insulation of the temperature measurement probe (30) prevents measurement errors by the infrared radiation thermometer (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Beerwerth, Bernhard Kraus, Katja Honnefeller
  • Publication number: 20060175909
    Abstract: an electric appliance includes an electric motor having a first oscillatory element, a second oscillatory element and an electric coil configured to generate a magnetic field to drive the first and second oscillatory elements. The electric appliance also includes a movable component and a first spring element connecting the movable component to the first oscillatory element. Notably, the first oscillatory element and the second oscillatory element are arranged to drive each other in oscillatory motions of opposite phase in response to the magnetic field of the electric coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventor: Bernhard Kraus
  • Publication number: 20060145547
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor includes providing an electric motor having a plurality of magnetically driven oscillatory elements having differing oscillatory characteristics, and an electromagnet having a coil arranged to drive all of the oscillatory elements. The method includes supplying an electric signal to the electromagnet, which creates a magnetic field that drives the oscillatory elements. The method also includes varying a frequency of the electric signal for individual control of oscillatory movements of the oscillatory elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventor: Bernhard Kraus
  • Patent number: 7015602
    Abstract: A small electric appliance with a drive mechanism for generating an oscillatory motion of at least one working unit of the small electric appliance. The drive mechanism has a first drive component, a second drive component and a coil for producing a magnetic field that extends from the first drive component and acts on the second drive component that is movably arranged in the small electric appliance, in such a way that the second drive component is set in an oscillatory motion. The first drive component is movably arranged in the small electric appliance in order to execute an oscillatory motion in phase opposition to the second drive component. The mass centers of gravity of the first drive component and the second drive component, including parts co-moving with the first drive component or the second drive component, move on a common straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Kraus, Alexander Klos