Patents by Inventor Carsten Thörner

Carsten Thörner 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: 20230299522
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing signals transmitted between a controller and one field device or multiple field devices includes: a carrier having a control interface, a field interface, and one slot or multiple slots, the control interface being for connection of one electrical line channel or multiple electrical line channels of the controller, the field interface being for connection of input and/or output signal lines, I/O signal lines, of the one field device or the multiple field devices, and the one slot is, or each of the multiple slots are, for the releasable mechanical connection of a module in a plug-in direction and, in the mechanically connected state, for the electrical connection of the respective module to the line channel or one of the line channels and to the I/O signal lines of the field device or one of the field devices; and at least one module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Elmar Schaper, Carsten Thoerner, Christoph Leifer, Felix Schulte, Benjamin Klimmek
  • Patent number: 10083787
    Abstract: The subject matter herein pertains to a current transformer, comprising a secondary coil, connection contacts for establishing electrically conductive contact with the secondary coil from the outside, and a housing having a housing body and a housing head, wherein the secondary coil is accommodated in the housing body and/or is attached to the housing body, and the connection contacts of the secondary coil are provided on the housing head. According to one implementation, a connecting mechanism is provided, by means of which the housing head and the connection contacts can be mechanically or electrically conductively detachably connected to the housing body and to the secondary coil. A current transformer is therefore provided, which is cost-effective to produce and is flexible in terms of the use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GMBH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Carsten Thörner, Andreas Senger, Jürgen Hobein, Markus Becker
  • Publication number: 20180261372
    Abstract: The subject matter herein pertains to a current transformer, comprising a secondary coil, connection contacts for establishing electrically conductive contact with the secondary coil from the outside, and a housing having a housing body and a housing head, wherein the secondary coil is accommodated in the housing body and/or is attached to the housing body, and the connection contacts of the secondary coil are provided on the housing head. According to one implementation, a connecting mechanism is provided, by means of which the housing head and the connection contacts can be mechanically or electrically conductively detachably connected to the housing body and to the secondary coil. A current transformer is therefore provided, which is cost-effective to produce and is flexible in terms of the use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Carsten THÖRNER, Andreas SENGER, Jürgen HOBEIN, Markus BECKER
  • Patent number: 9978495
    Abstract: The subject matter herein pertains to a current transformer, comprising a secondary coil, connection contacts for establishing electrically conductive contact with the secondary coil from the outside, and a housing having a housing body and a housing head, wherein the secondary coil is accommodated in the housing body and/or is attached to the housing body, and the connection contacts of the secondary coil are provided on the housing head. According to one implementation, a connecting mechanism is provided, by means of which the housing head and the connection contacts can be mechanically or electrically conductively detachably connected to the housing body and to the secondary coil. A current transformer is therefore provided, which is cost-effective to produce and is flexible in terms of the use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Carsten Thörner, Andreas Senger, Jürgen Hobein, Markus Becker
  • Patent number: 9912289
    Abstract: The present disclosure proposes: a distributor measuring box designed to be installed on a photovoltaic solar module, having a housing with a support section embodied to be supported on the solar module, an encompassing side wall, and a cover, and string line feedthroughs and/or string line connectors, and having a string current measuring module that includes a measuring component and an evaluation unit for measuring the string current in the distributor measuring box; a photovoltaic solar module having a plurality of solar cells, in which a distributor measuring box is mounted to the back of the solar module oriented away from the sun; and a photovoltaic system having a plurality of photovoltaic solar modules, having a plurality of string lines, having a generator junction box, and having at least one inverter for supplying the electrical power produced by the photovoltaic generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: PHOENIX CONTACT GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Carsten Thoerner
  • Patent number: 9466961
    Abstract: A generator junction box for a photovoltaic generator is presented, which has a junction box housing with a back wall and a surrounding side wall, and input modules, each with an integrated quick connector for connecting a generator string line to the associated input module, wherein the input modules are situated directly against the surrounding side wall of the junction box housing in such a way that it is possible to connect the string lines directly to the quick connector of the associated input module from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Carsten Thoerner, Andreas Senger
  • Patent number: 9231317
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for removably fixing a conductor (10) to a current transformer housing (12), comprising a fixing element (18) which runs through a retaining element (16) lying on the current transformer housing (12) and which sits at least partly against the surface of the conductor (10) when the conductor (10) is fixed on the current transformer housing (12). The invention is characterized in that the fixing element (18) runs around the circumferential surface of the conductor (10) in a looped manner when fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: PHOENIX CONTACT GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Leifer, Carsten Thörner, Dat-Minh Trinh
  • Patent number: 8963009
    Abstract: A device for detachably fastening a current conductor to a current transformer housing includes the current transformer housing, a retaining element that is guided through the current transformer housing, a fastening element that is guided through the retaining element, and a clamping element. The fastening element and/or the retaining element are seated against at least some regions of the surface of the current conductor when the current conductor is fastened to the current transformer housing. The fastening element can be rotated about the longitudinal axis thereof so as to fasten and/or detach the current conductor. The clamping element is arranged movably on the current transformer housing so that, in a first position, it allows a translatory displacement of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis. In a second position, the clamping element prevents the transtatory displacement of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Leifer, Carsten Thoerner, Dat-Minh Trinh
  • Publication number: 20140352998
    Abstract: A generator junction box for a photovoltaic generator is presented, which has a junction box housing with a back wall and a surrounding side wall, and input modules, each with an integrated quick connector for connecting a generator string line to the associated input module, wherein the input modules are situated directly against the surrounding side wall of the junction box housing in such a way that it is possible to connect the string lines directly to the quick connector of the associated input module from the outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Carsten Thoerner, Andreas Senger
  • Patent number: 8766757
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detachably fastening a current conductor (10) to a current transformer housing (12) comprising a fastening element (16, 32), wherein the fastening element (16, 32) can be guided such that the fastening element (16, 32) at least partially contacts the surface of the current conductor (10) in a fastening state of the current conductor (10) on the current transformer housing (12). The invention is characterized in that the fastening element (16, 32) is implemented such that it performs a translatory displacement in the direction of the current conductor (10) when transitioning from an unfastened state to the fastened state of the current conductor (10) to the current transformer housing (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG.
    Inventors: Christoph Leifer, Carsten Thörner, Dat-Minh Trinh
  • Publication number: 20130240248
    Abstract: A device for detachably fastening a current conductor to a current transformer housing, comprising the current transformer housing, a retaining element that is guided through the current transformer housing, a fastening element that is guided through the retaining element, and a clamping element (5). The fastening element and/or the retaining element are seated against at least some regions of the surface of the current conductor when the current conductor is fastened to the current transformer housing. The fastening element can be rotated about the longitudinal axis thereof so as to fasten and/or detach the current conductor. The clamping element is arranged movably on the current transformer housing so that, in a first position it allows a translatory displacement of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis. In a second position, the clamping element prevents the translatory displacement of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: PHOENIX CONTACT GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Leifer, Carsten Thörner
  • Publication number: 20120326823
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for removably fixing a conductor (10) to a current transformer housing (12), comprising a fixing element (18) which runs through a retaining element (16) lying on the current transformer housing (12) and which sits at least partly against the surface of the conductor (10) when the conductor (10) is fixed on the current transformer housing (12). The invention is characterized in that the fixing element (18) runs around the circumferential surface of the conductor (10) in a looped manner when fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christoph Leifer, Carsten Thörner, Dat-Minh Trinh