Patents by Inventor Frank Obrist

Frank Obrist 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: 20240131465
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a plant, especially power plant, for reduction of the carbon dioxide content in atmospheric air, especially for improvement of atmospheric air quality. The plant has at least one electrolysis unit for oxygen production, at least one carbonization unit for carbon synthesis, especially a Bosch reaction unit, and at least one unit for cleaning of ambient air from an outside atmosphere surrounding the plant. The carbonization unit synthesizes carbon from carbon dioxide which is obtained from the atmosphere by means of the carbon dioxide sorption unit and this carbon is stored, in order to effectively reduce the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The disclosure further relates to a method of operating such a plant, with which the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere can be efficiently reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Robert Schlögl, Simon Moll
  • Publication number: 20240067320
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine of a watercraft, in particular on inland waters, in which (i) in an electrolysis unit for the production of hydrogen, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen, (ii) a carbon dioxide sorption unit extracts carbon dioxide from the ambient air, (iii) the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide are fed to a methanol synthesis unit for the production of methanol, and are synthesized therein to methanol, (iv) a photovoltaic unit absorbs solar energy and converts it into electrical energy. The electrolysis unit, the carbon dioxide sorption unit and the methanol synthesis unit are powered by the electrical energy generated in the photovoltaic unit. The methanol produced is transported by means of a distributor system to at least one tank of the watercraft, and is fed from the tank as required to the internal combustion engine, and therein is combusted to generate mechanical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Publication number: 20240017846
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft comprising a drive system having a power unit, at least one drive battery, and at least one electric motor drawing electrical energy from the at least one drive battery, wherein the power unit comprises a two-cylinder reciprocating-piston engine having two cylinder-piston units in tandem arrangement and comprises at least one generator for generating electrical energy, wherein each cylinder-piston unit has a crankshaft, and wherein the crankshafts are mechanically coupled to each other, and wherein at least one crankshaft is mechanically connected to the at least one generator. The invention also relates to additional improvements of the aircraft and to an operating method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Publication number: 20240003305
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine of a truck or omnibus, in particular a truck or omnibus with a permissible total mass of at least 3.5 tonnes, wherein (i) an electrolysis unit for the production of hydrogen, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen, (ii) a carbon dioxide sorption unit extracts carbon dioxide from the ambient air, (iii) the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide are fed to a methanol synthesis unit for the production of methanol, and are synthesised therein to methanol, (iv) a photovoltaic unit absorbs solar energy and converts it into electrical energy. The electrolysis unit, the carbon dioxide sorption unit and the methanol synthesis unit are powered by the electrical energy generated in the photovoltaic unit. The methanol produced is transported by means of a distributor system to at least one tank of the truck or omnibus, and is supplied from the tank as required to the internal combustion engine, and therein is combusted to generate mechanical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Publication number: 20230406793
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a plant for the production of a globally usable energy carrier having a photovoltaic unit for converting solar energy into electricity, a water supply unit for the production of desalinated sea water, an electrolysis unit for the production of hydrogen connected by pipeline to the water supply unit for the supply of desalinated water, a carbon dioxide absorption unit for absorbing carbon dioxide from the ambient air, a methanol synthesis unit (34) for producing methanol connected by a pipeline to the electrolysis unit for supplying hydrogen and by a pipeline to the carbon dioxide absorption unit for supplying carbon dioxide, wherein the water supply unit unit, the electrolysis unit, the carbon dioxide absorption unit and the methanol synthesis unit each are connected to the photovoltaic unit for the supply of power and are arranged in a contiguous plant area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Publication number: 20230407489
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a plant, in particular power plant, for maintaining and/or balancing a predetermined carbon dioxide/oxygen ratio in atmospheric air, in particular for improving atmospheric air quality, including at least one electrolysis unit for oxygen production, connected to at least one water supply line for receiving a quantity of water and adapted to separate a received quantity of water by electrolysis into a partial quantity of oxygen and a partial quantity of hydrogen; at least one hydrogen transport unit adapted to provide the partial quantity of hydrogen for storage and/or further processing at least one carbon dioxide absorption unit for purifying ambient air of an outside atmosphere surrounding the plant, including at least one air inlet for supplying the ambient air and at least one downstream absorber unit adapted to extract a quantity of carbon dioxide from the ambient air; and at least one carbon dioxide transport unit adapted to provide the carbon dioxide quantity for storage and/o
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Patent number: 11697504
    Abstract: A battery system, in particular for an aircraft, having a housing, which is sealed gas-tight, and a cell block, which is formed from a plurality of battery cells connected electrically and mechanically by contact plates. The housing can be connected to a vacuum pump in order to generate vacuum within the housing and a vacuum prevails within the housing, wherein at least one housing side wall of the housing is flexible enough that the housing side wall is tensioned together with the cell block by the vacuum acting within the housing. A vehicle, in particular an aircraft, may be electrified, at least in part, by such a battery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: OBRIST TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Oliver Obrist, Martin Graz
  • Patent number: 11674513
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method used to control a scroll compressor having a first and a second spiral, in particular that are arranged one inside the other. The first spiral can be moved by a motor relative to the second spiral for a decompression or compression operation of the scroll compressor. The invention reduces vibration (actual acceleration forces) in the scroll compressor to allow for a longer service life by adapting a torque curve of the motor on the basis of measured acceleration forces on the scroll compressor which, in turn, is based on the position and/or positional angle of the first spiral relative to the second spiral such that the acceleration forces are reduced below a threshold or minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: GET GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Publication number: 20230141829
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heating/cooling system for a vehicle, in particular for an electric or hybrid vehicle, comprising components, in particular a compressor (10), a condenser (11), and expansion device (12), and an evaporator (13) which are fluidically connected together in order to form a fluid circuit. The invention is characterized by a holding element (14) with a wall structure (15) which has at least one through-opening (16). At least two components are arranged on opposite sides of the wall structure (15) and are mechanically connected to the wall structure (15), wherein the two components are directly fluidically connected together by the through-opening (16) in order to form a fluid passage. The invention additionally relates to a holding element for such a heating/cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Christian BUSCH, Christian SCHMÄLZLE, Frank OBRIST, Philipp STEGMÜLLER
  • Patent number: 11598257
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power unit, in particular for a hybrid vehicle, including a reciprocating-piston engine and at least one generator drivingly connected to the engine, wherein the engine has at least two pistons guided in at least two cylinders in a tandem arrangement, and two crankshafts, which are connected to the pistons by connection rods that run in opposite directions, and are mechanically coupled in the same phase. The engine includes a hub-hub connection with a first connection joining a first hub to a second hub such that an angular position between the first hub and the second hub is continuously adjustable on installation. The hub-hub connection also has a second connection in the form of a connection disk configured, dimensioned and arranged with support surfaces, on each of which the first hub and the second hub rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Obrist Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Oliver Obrist
  • Patent number: 11448218
    Abstract: The invention relates to a displacement machine according to the spiral principle, in particular a scroll compressor or scroll expander, with a high-pressure chamber, a low-pressure chamber and an orbiting displacement spiral, which engages in a counter-spiral such that chambers are formed between the displacement spiral and the counter-spiral for receiving a working medium, wherein a counter-pressure chamber is formed between the low-pressure chamber and the displacement spiral. According to the invention a pressure regulating device which is fluidically connected to the counter-pressure chamber sets a pressure difference between the counter-pressure chamber and the low-pressure chamber by means of a set value specified by the computing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: OET GmbH
    Inventors: Roman Lässer, Christian Schmälzle, Uwe Wuitz, Christian Busch, Frank Obrist
  • Publication number: 20210381512
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method used to control a scroll compressor having a first and a second spiral, in particular that are arranged one inside the other. The first spiral can be moved by a motor relative to the second spiral for a decompression or compression operation of the scroll compressor. The invention reduces vibration (actual acceleration forces) in the scroll compressor to allow for a longer service life by adapting a torque curve of the motor on the basis of measured acceleration forces on the scroll compressor which, in turn, is based on the position and/or positional angle of the first spiral relative to the second spiral such that the acceleration forces are reduced below a threshold or minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Publication number: 20210381426
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power unit, in particular for a hybrid vehicle, including a reciprocating-piston engine and at least one generator drivingly connected to the engine, wherein the engine has at least two pistons guided in at least two cylinders in a tandem arrangement, and two crankshafts, which are connected to the pistons by connection rods that run in opposite directions, and are mechanically coupled in the same phase. The engine includes a hub-hub connection with a first connection joining a first hub to a second hub such that an angular position between the first hub and the second hub is continuously adjustable on installation. The hub-hub connection also has a second connection in the form of a connection disk configured, dimensioned and arranged with support surfaces on each of which the first hub and the second hub rest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Oliver Obrist
  • Patent number: 11131306
    Abstract: The invention relates to a displacement machine according to the spiral principle, in particular a scroll compressor, with a high-pressure zone which comprises a high-pressure chamber, with a low-pressure chamber and with an orbiting displacement spiral, which engages into a counter spiral such that between the displacement spiral and the counter spiral compression chambers are formed, in order to receive a working medium, wherein between the low-pressure chamber and the displacement spiral a counter pressure chamber is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: OET GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Christian Schmälzte, Christian Busch
  • Publication number: 20210277823
    Abstract: A power unit for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a twin-cylinder reciprocating piston engine, which has two pistons which are guided in two cylinders in tandem arrangement. Two counter-directional crankshafts are connected with the pistons by connecting rods. At least one generator is rotatable co-directionally to the first crankshaft and counter-directionally to the second crankshaft. A camshaft with valve cams are operatively connected with control valves. A flywheel mass element is arranged on the second crankshaft or on a flywheel mass compensating shaft, and a compensating camshaft are provided. The compensating camshaft includes at least one compensating cam element which is operatively connected with a linearly guided compensating mass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Oliver Obrist
  • Patent number: 10989273
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power unit, in particular for a hybrid vehicle, comprising a two-cylinder reciprocating piston engine comprising two pistons guided in two cylinders in tandem arrangement, and two counter-rotating crankshafts connected to the pistons by connecting rods, a generator which is rotatable in the same direction as the first crankshaft and in the opposite direction to the second crankshaft, and a balancer shaft which is rotatable in the same direction as the second crankshaft and in the opposite direction to the first crankshaft. The generator is operatively connected directly to the first crankshaft by a first traction mechanism and the balancer shaft is operatively connected directly to the second crankshaft by a second traction mechanism. The balancer shaft and/or the second crankshaft support(s) a flywheel mass element. The invention further relates to a vehicle, in particular a hybrid vehicle, having such a power unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: OBRIST TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Tsuneo Konno, Oliver Obrist
  • Patent number: 10935027
    Abstract: The invention relates to a separator device of a compressor for the deposition of a fluid, in particular a lubricant from a coolant fluid of the compressor, including a separator cylinder having an inlet region for the coolant fluid and an outlet region for the deposited fluid spaced apart from inlet in an axial direction of the cylinder, and a separation tube configured and arranged coaxially in the separator cylinder. The separation tube extends at least over the inlet region of the separator cylinder such that the separation tube is spaced apart from the separator cylinder in a radial direction in the inlet region. A spring-loaded closure is configured and arranged in the inlet region to automatically regulate a flow velocity of a volume flow of the coolant fluid flowing through the inlet as a function of a pressure at the inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: OET GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Obrist, Frank Obrist, Peter Giese
  • Patent number: 10844783
    Abstract: The invention relates to a generator set, in particular a generator set of a hybrid vehicle, with a two-cylinder piston engine (1), which has a crankshaft housing (10), in which two counter-rotating crankshafts (11, 12) are arranged, which are connected by means of piston rods (13) to pistons (18, 19), which are guided inside two cylinders (21, 22) in a tandem arrangement, wherein at least one crankshaft (11, 12) is drivingly connected to a generator (41, 42), and wherein the piston engine (1) comprises a cylinder head (20), which is connected to the crankshaft housing (10), wherein the piston engine (1) has a lower-mounted camshaft (30), and the cylinder head (20) can be connected to the crankshaft housing (10) in at least two positions, in particular positions rotated through 180° relative to each other. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with such a generator set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: OBRIST TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventor: Frank Obrist
  • Patent number: 10801496
    Abstract: The invention relates to a positive-displacement machine according to the spiral principle, particularly a scroll compressor, having a high-pressure region, which comprises a high-pressure chamber, furthermore having a low-pressure chamber and an orbiting positive-displacement spiral, which engages into a counterpart spiral in such a manner that compression chambers are formed between the positive-displacement spiral and the counterpart spiral, in order to accommodate a working medium, wherein a counterpart-pressure chamber is constructed between the low-pressure chamber and the positive-displacement spiral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: OET GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Obrist, Christian Schmälzle, Christian Busch
  • Patent number: 10605163
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power unit, in particular for a hybrid vehicle, comprising a reciprocating piston engine and comprising a generator which can be in driving engagement therewith, wherein the reciprocating piston engine has at least two pistons, which are guided in at least two cylinders in tandem arrangement, and two counter-rotating crankshafts, which are connected to the pistons by connecting rods and which are mechanically coupled so as to be in phase, wherein a first generator can be driven by the first crankshaft and a second generator can be driven by the second crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: OBRIST TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Franz Laimboeck, Frank Obrist, Tsuneo Konno