Patents by Inventor Christian KNOPF

Christian KNOPF 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).

  • Circuit breaker device, especially for a vehicle electrical system
    Patent number: 10439607
    Abstract: A circuit breaker device includes at least one circuit breaker component with an input terminal (18), an output terminal (22) and with a driving terminal (26). The circuit breaker component (14) is in a conductor state when driving voltage is applied to the driving terminal (26) and is in a diode state when driving voltage is not applied thereto, resulting in a component blocked state when the input terminal (18) is at a higher potential than the output terminal (22). A driving unit (30) provides a driving voltage to the driving terminal. An auxiliary driving unit (38) provides an auxiliary driving voltage to the driving terminal (26). The auxiliary driving unit (38) generates the auxiliary driving voltage based on a voltage drop between the input terminal and the output terminal in the diode state and the circuit breaker component output terminal is at a higher potential than the input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Eberspächer Controls Landau GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Steffen Wandres, Christian Knopf
  • CIRCUIT BREAKER DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR A VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20180034461
    Abstract: A circuit breaker device includes at least one circuit breaker component with an input terminal (18), an output terminal (22) and with a driving terminal (26). The circuit breaker component (14) is in a conductor state when driving voltage is applied to the driving terminal (26) and is in a diode state when driving voltage is not applied thereto, resulting in a component blocked state when the input terminal (18) is at a higher potential than the output terminal (22). A driving unit (30) provides a driving voltage to the driving terminal. An auxiliary driving unit (38) provides an auxiliary driving voltage to the driving terminal (26). The auxiliary driving unit (38) generates the auxiliary driving voltage based on a voltage drop between the input terminal and the output terminal in the diode state and the circuit breaker component output terminal is at a higher potential than the input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Steffen WANDRES, Christian KNOPF