Patents by Inventor Christian Pfaffinger

Christian Pfaffinger 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: 10502591
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for determining a position and/or a change in the position of a measurement object is described, wherein the sensor arrangement has a magnet and a magnetic field sensor which can be moved relative to one another in a direction of movement. The magnet generates a magnetic field. Movements of the magnet and of the measurement object or movements of the magnetic field sensor and of the measurement object are coupled. To achieve the greatest possible measurement range with a characteristic curve which is as linear as possible at the same time, the sensor arrangement comprises a rod-shaped body which is made from a ferromagnetic material and has a considerably larger dimension in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction. A relative movement takes place between the rod-shaped body and the magnet, wherein the rod-shaped body can be connected to the magnet. The magnetic field from the magnet is at least partially directed in the direction of the magnetic field sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: MICRO-EPSILON Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Felix Mednikov, Johann Hofer, Christian Pfaffinger
  • Publication number: 20180313666
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for determining a position and/or a change in the position of a measurement object is described, wherein the sensor arrangement has a magnet and a magnetic field sensor which can be moved relative to one another in a direction of movement. The magnet generates a magnetic field. Movements of the magnet and of the measurement object or movements of the magnetic field sensor and of the measurement object are coupled. To achieve the greatest possible measurement range with a characteristic curve which is as linear as possible at the same time, the sensor arrangement comprises a rod-shaped body which is made from a ferromagnetic material and has a considerably larger dimension in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction. A relative movement takes place between the rod-shaped body and the magnet, wherein the rod-shaped body can be connected to the magnet. The magnetic field from the magnet is at least partially directed in the direction of the magnetic field sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Felix Mednikov, Johann Hofer, Christian Pfaffinger
  • Patent number: 10060762
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor element for an inductive sensor used for a displacement or distance measurement by means of a magnetic field that varies according to the distance from the measurement object but that remains temporally constant. In said sensor, thin ferromagnetic material is integrated into a substrate. The invention also relates to a sensor comprising said sensor element and to a method for producing the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: MICRO-EPSILON Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Pfaffinger, Werner Groemmer, Karl Wisspeintner, Guenter Schallmoser, Thomas Wisspeintner
  • Patent number: 9574865
    Abstract: A method for detecting magnetic fields, particularly for detecting the position of objects with a preferably oblong, soft-magnetic element, which is connected to electronics, with via the electronics the impedance of the soft-magnetic material is measured, characterized in that a magnetic field is used in which by the position of an object which is located in an arrangement with the soft-magnetic material the magnetic field develops at the location of the soft-magnetic material, with the magnetic permeability ? of the soft-magnetic material adjusting, depending on the magnetic field and thus the position of the object. A respective device serves for applying the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: MICRO-EPSILON Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Pfaffinger, Johann Hofer, Felix Mednikov, Thomas Wisspeintner, Guenter Schallmoser
  • Publication number: 20160209240
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor element for an inductive sensor used for a displacement or distance measurement by means of a magnetic field that varies according to the distance from the measurement object but that remains temporally constant. In said sensor, thin ferromagnetic material is integrated into a substrate. The invention also relates to a sensor comprising said sensor element and to a method for producing the sensor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Christian Pfaffinger, Werner Groemmer, Karl Wisspeintner, Guenter Schallmoser, Thomas Wisspeintner
  • Patent number: 9222805
    Abstract: A circuit system for evaluating a sensor, wherein the circuit system comprises two complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14), wherein the complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14) are each part of a resonant circuit in which the complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14) can be excited to perform oscillations, and wherein at least one of the two complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14) are part of the sensor, is characterized with respect to a particularly cost-effective and as simple a circuit design as possible in that a counter (9, 18) and a switch apparatus (8, 16) are provided, wherein the counter (9, 18) can be used to alternately count the oscillations of one of the two resonant circuits, the switch apparatus (8, 16) can be switched when a specifiable counter reading has been reached, and the switch signal of the switch apparatus serves as a pulse width-modulated output signal (11, 21) for the circuit system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Pfaffinger, Felix Mednikov
  • Publication number: 20130141081
    Abstract: A method for detecting magnetic fields, particularly for detecting the position of objects with a preferably oblong, soft-magnetic element, which is connected to electronics, with via the electronics the impedance of the soft-magnetic material is measured, characterized in that a magnetic field is used in which by the position of an object which is located in an arrangement with the soft-magnetic material the magnetic field develops at the location of the soft-magnetic material, with the magnetic permeability ? of the soft-magnetic material adjusting, depending on the magnetic field and thus the position of the object. A respective device serves for applying the method according to the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: Micro-Epsilon Messtechnik GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Christian Pfaffinger, Johann Hofer, Felix Mednikov, Thomas Wisspeintner, Guenter Schallmoser
  • Publication number: 20120146625
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor arrangement for detecting at least one of the movement and the position of two components of an assembly, which are located close to each other or are disposed one inside the other and can be moved relative to each other, said sensor arrangement comprising at least one first sensor for detecting at least one of the movement and the position of the one component and a second sensor for detecting at least one of the movement and the position of the other component, the sensors functioning according to different measuring principles without affecting each other mutually.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: MICRO-EPSILON MESSTECHNIK GMBH & CO.KG
    Inventors: Werner Grommer, Christian Pfaffinger, Axel Seikowsky
  • Publication number: 20110316558
    Abstract: A circuit system for evaluating a sensor, wherein the circuit system comprises two complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14), wherein the complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14) are each part of a resonant circuit in which the complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14) can be excited to perform oscillations, and wherein at least one of the two complex impedances (2, 3, 13, 14) are part of the sensor, is characterized with respect to a particularly cost-effective and as simple a circuit design as possible in that a counter (9, 18) and a switch apparatus (8, 16) are provided, wherein the counter (9, 18) can be used to alternately count the oscillations of one of the two resonant circuits, the switch apparatus (8, 16) can be switched when a specifiable counter reading has been reached, and the switch signal of the switch apparatus serves as a pulse width-modulated output signal (11, 21) for the circuit system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Christian Pfaffinger, Felix Mednikov