Patents by Inventor Detlef Helm

Detlef Helm 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: 11667205
    Abstract: An inductive charging unit for a vehicle includes a trough-shaped base support having a base surface and the base surface has laterally enclosing side walls where the base surface and the side walls form a trough. The charging unit further includes a top surface opposite the base surface and a primary coil for inductive coupling to a secondary coil associated with the vehicle, where the primary coil is disposed in the trough. A filling material is disposed in the trough and surrounds the primary coil so as to fix the primary coil mechanically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Detlef Helm, Josef Krammer, Florian Niedermeier
  • Patent number: 11396239
    Abstract: A coil device for a motor vehicle has a housing which has a receiving area, at least one secondary coil which is arranged in the receiving area for inductively transmitting electric energy in order to charge an energy storage unit of the motor vehicle, and at least one ferrite element which is arranged in the housing for conducting at least one magnetic field in order to inductively transmit the electric energy. The ferrite element has at least two ferrite regions that are at least partly mutually spaced by at least one through-opening which is arranged between the ferrite regions and in which a support structure is at least partly arranged that is made of a fiber composite material and has ferrite elements received in the fiber composite material, wherein opposing housing elements of the housing are supported against each other via said support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Detlef Helm, Josef Krammer, Tobias Mueller
  • Publication number: 20200135392
    Abstract: A coil device for a motor vehicle has a housing, at least one secondary coil which is arranged in the housing for inductively transmitting electric energy in order to charge an energy storage unit of the motor vehicle, and a plurality of ferrites, which are arranged in the housing and which are mutually spaced, for conducting at least one magnetic field in order to inductively transmit the electric energy. The ferrites form a flat element and are connected together via at least one elastically deformable connection element such that the ferrites can be moved relative to one another while elastically deforming the connection element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Detlef HELM, Josef KRAMMER, Tobias MUELLER-KABEITZ
  • Publication number: 20200062137
    Abstract: A coil device for a motor vehicle has a housing which has a receiving area, at least one secondary coil which is arranged in the receiving area for inductively transmitting electric energy in order to charge an energy storage unit of the motor vehicle, and at least one ferrite element which is arranged in the housing for conducting at least one magnetic field in order to inductively transmit the electric energy. The ferrite element has at least two ferrite regions that are at least partly mutually spaced by at least one through-opening which is arranged between the ferrite regions and in which a support structure is at least partly arranged that is made of a fiber composite material and has ferrite elements received in the fiber composite material, wherein opposing housing elements of the housing are supported against each other via said support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Detlef HELM, Josef KRAMMER, Tobias MUELLER
  • Publication number: 20190225098
    Abstract: An inductive charging unit for a vehicle includes a trough-shaped base support having a base surface and the base surface has laterally enclosing side walls where the base surface and the side walls form a trough. The charging unit further includes a top surface opposite the base surface and a primary coil for inductive coupling to a secondary coil associated with the vehicle, where the primary coil is disposed in the trough. A filling material is disposed in the trough and surrounds the primary coil so as to fix the primary coil mechanically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Detlef HELM, Josef KRAMMER, Florian NIEDERMEIER
  • Patent number: 7150494
    Abstract: An at least partially moveable motor-vehicle outer skin is already known per se. An actuator formed of a polymer and/or ion-exchanging and/or other material exhibiting various conformations is provided so that the outer skin can be moved. This material is moveable as a result of physical or chemical effects. The novel outer skin of a motor vehicle requires no expensive tools for the production thereof. The flat section of the outer skin of the bodywork of a motor vehicle is made of a flexible material. A flexible material such as material for convertible top covers is easily moveable yet the surface thereof cannot be increased. This material is tensed at least over one part of the rib of the motor vehicle, e.g. over a space frame. At least one mechanically moveable adjusting element is provided beneath or on top of the edge of the section enabling the outer skin to be deformed. The adjusting element is normally connected to the rib of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christopher Bangle, Klaudia Kruse, Fernando Pardo, Christine Schwarz, Verena Weiss, Reinhard Mehn, Christian Bischoff, Sven Lancier, Anders Warming, Juergen Ringer, Werner Haumayr, Helmut Pulz, Alfred Neureiter, Silke Schroeder, Martin Meusel, Mario Greco, Edwin Pistorius, Raphael Von Schuttenbach, Andreas Von Schuttenbach, Peter Ratz, Bjoern Koop, Detlef Helm, Bernd Nurtsch, Daniel Schaefer, John Krieger, Michael Scully
  • Publication number: 20040130182
    Abstract: An at least partially moveable motor-vehicle outer skin is already known per se. An actuator formed of a polymer and/or ion-exchanging and/or other material exhibiting various conformations is provided so that the outer skin can be moved. This material is moveable as a result of physical or chemical effects. The novel outer skin of a motor vehicle requires no expensive tools for the production thereof. The flat section of the outer skin of the bodywork of a motor vehicle is made of a flexible material. A flexible material such as material for convertible top covers is easily moveable yet the surface thereof cannot be increased. This material is tensed at least over one part of the rib of the motor vehicle, e.g. over a space frame. At least one mechanically moveable adjusting element is provided beneath or on top of the edge of the section enabling the outer skin to be deformed. The adjusting element is normally connected to the rib of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christopher Bangle, Klaudia Kruse, Fernando Pardo, Christine Schwarz, Verena Weiss, Reinhard Mehn, Christian Bischoff, Sven Lancier, Anders Warming, Juergen Ringer, Werner Haumayr, Helmut Pulz, Alfred Neureiter, Silke Schroeder, Martin Meusel, Mario Greco, Edwin Pistorius, Raphael Von Schuttenbach, Andreas Von Schuttenbach, Peter Ratz, Bjoern Koop, Detlef Helm, Bernd Nurtsch, Daniel Schaefer, John Krieger, Michael Scully