Patents by Inventor Frank Münchow

Frank Münchow 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: 20230244070
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a measuring system for measuring a light source in a polarization-independent manner, having a camera comprising a plurality of image sensors arranged in the form of a matrix, and a microscope optics, and to a method for measuring the light sources in a polarization-independent manner. The aim is to make it possible to measure the light output of the light source in an improved, simple and largely polarization-independent manner while maintaining the spatial resolution in the microscopic range. To that end, the present disclosure proposes that a linear polarizer is associated with each of the image sensors, wherein the linear polarizers are arranged in the form of a matrix in front of the image sensors and two or more, preferably four, polarizers form a matrix block, wherein the transmission directions of adjacent linear polarizers within a matrix block are rotated relative to one another, preferably by 45° or by 90°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: Instrument Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank MÜNCHOW, Stephanie GRABHER, Martin FINGER
  • Patent number: 10841507
    Abstract: An imaging system and method are provided in which a well of a microplate 050 is imaged by a camera 110 comprising magnification optics 112. The camera is controlled to acquire a series of images of the well with different exposures. The series of images comprise a base image with a base exposure and at least one further image with a larger exposure than the base exposure. The series of images are then merged into an output image which comprises in a center region of the well image content from the base image and at a peripheral region of the well image content from the at least one further image. Advantageously, the output image may allow for better assaying or analysis of the samples in the well than any of the individual images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Markus Schürf, Frank Münchow, Christian Oberdanner, Alexander Kaser
  • Publication number: 20180376048
    Abstract: An imaging system and method are provided in which a well of a microplate 050 is imaged by a camera 110 comprising magnification optics 112. The camera is controlled to acquire a series of images of the well with different exposures. The series of images comprise a base image with a base exposure and at least one further image with a larger exposure than the base exposure. The series of images are then merged into an output image which comprises in a center region of the well image content from the base image and at a peripheral region of the well image content from the at least one further image. Advantageously, the output image may allow for better assaying or analysis of the samples in the well than any of the individual images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Markus SCHÜRF, Frank MÜNCHOW, Christian OBERDANNER, Alexander KASER
  • Patent number: 9778106
    Abstract: A spectrometer (1) comprises a light source (2), a monochromator (3) with at least one diffraction grating (4), a monochromator housing (5), an order sorting filter (7), a microplate receptacle (12) and a controller (6). The order sorting filter (7) of the spectrometer (1) comprises a substrate (23), a first optical thin film (24) and a second optical thin film (25), wherein, in a spatially partly overlapping and interference-free manner, the first optical thin film (24) is arranged on a first surface (26) and the second optical thin film (25) is arranged on a second surface (27) of the substrate (23). A spectrometer (1) equipped with a respective order sorting filter is used in a scanning method for detecting the absorption spectrum of samples examined in wells (14) of microplates (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Lutz Niggl, Andreas Erlbacher, Frank Münchow
  • Publication number: 20160011048
    Abstract: A spectrometer (1) comprises a light source (2), a monochromator (3) with at least one diffraction grating (4), a monochromator housing (5), an order sorting filter (7), a microplate receptacle (12) and a controller (6). The order sorting filter (7) of the spectrometer (1) comprises a substrate (23), a first optical thin film (24) and a second optical thin film (25), wherein, in a spatially partly overlapping and interference-free manner, the first optical thin film (24) is arranged on a first surface (26) and the second optical thin film (25) is arranged on a second surface (27) of the substrate (23). A spectrometer (1) equipped with a respective order sorting filter is used in a scanning method for detecting the absorption spectrum of samples examined in wells (14) of microplates (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Applicant: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Lutz NIGGL, Andreas ERLBACHER, Frank MÜNCHOW
  • Patent number: 8430410
    Abstract: A piston ring, with a main body, which exhibits a contact surface, an upper and a lower side surface, and an inner circumferential surface, in which at least one of the side surfaces is provided at least with one PVD coating layer, to the effect that the layer thickness of the PVD coating layer tapers radially from the outside inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Esser, Frank Münchow
  • Patent number: 8356820
    Abstract: The invention relates to a piston ring, having a base body, which comprises a running surface provided with a chamber, an upper and a lower flank surface, and an inner circumferential surface, wherein at least the chamber is provided with at least one wear protection layer, and a PVD cover layer is applied to the running surface at least in some regions such that the base body has the PVD cover layer only in the edge regions, which is to say outside of the chamber, in the finished state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Esser, Frank Münchow
  • Publication number: 20100117304
    Abstract: A piston ring, having a base body, which comprises a substantially circumferential running surface, which has an upper and a lower flank surface, an inner circumferential surface, and a butt opening provided with defined butt clearance, wherein the transition of the running surface butt edge into the respective butt surface is configured as a sharp edge, and the running surface is provide with at least one PVD cover layer ?10 ?m at least up to the respective running surface butt edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes Esser, Frank Münchow
  • Publication number: 20100066031
    Abstract: A piston ring, with a main body, which exhibits a contact surface, an upper and a lower side surface, and an inner circumferential surface, in which at least one of the side surfaces is provided at least with one PVD coating layer, to the effect that the layer thickness of the PVD coating layer tapers radially from the outside inward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes Esser, Frank Münchow
  • Publication number: 20100044967
    Abstract: The invention relates to a piston ring, having a base body, which comprises a running surface provided with a chamber, an upper and a lower flank surface, and an inner circumferential surface, wherein at least the chamber is provided with at least one wear protection layer, and a PVD cover layer is applied to the running surface at least in some regions such that the base body has the PVD cover layer only in the edge regions, which is to say outside of the chamber, in the finished state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Johannes Esser, Frank Münchow
  • Publication number: 20100019458
    Abstract: A piston ring, having a base body, which comprises a substantially circumferential running surface, an upper and a lower flank surface, and an inner circumferential surface, wherein the transitional region of the running surface is provided with an edge ?0.1 mm in the lower flank surface, and the running surface is provided with at least one PVD cover layer ?10 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: FEDERAL-MOGUL BURSCHEID GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Esser, Frank Münchow