Patents by Inventor Franz Klapper

Franz Klapper 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: 7526870
    Abstract: An inclination sensor is provided having a level which has a liquid and a gas bubble in a housing under a covering glass, wherein a light source is arranged above the covering glass. The invention is based on the object of providing an inclination sensor which can be used to determine the direction and degree of an inclination with high accuracy and which is suitable for automatic orientation of an apparatus provided with such an inclination sensor. The object is achieved according to the invention by virtue of an inclination sensor in which at least two light receivers are arranged above the covering glass such that light, which is emitted by the light source and undergoes total internal reflection at the gas bubble when the gas bubble is centered, can be detected by means of these at least two light receivers, wherein different quantities of light can be detected by means of these light receivers when the gas bubble is not centered, and the light receivers are arranged on a chip substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Sartorious AG
    Inventors: Franz Klapper, Herbert Rink, Gerd Freydank
  • Publication number: 20080235966
    Abstract: An inclination sensor is provided having a level which has a liquid and a gas bubble in a housing under a covering glass, wherein a light source is arranged above the covering glass. The invention is based on the object of providing an inclination sensor which can be used to determine the direction and degree of an inclination with high accuracy and which is suitable for automatic orientation of an apparatus provided with such an inclination sensor. The object is achieved according to the invention by virtue of an inclination sensor in which at least two light receivers are arranged above the covering glass such that light, which is emitted by the light source and undergoes total internal reflection at the gas bubble when the gas bubble is centered, can be detected by means of these at least two light receivers, wherein different quantities of light can be detected by means of these light receivers when the gas bubble is not centered, and the light receivers are arranged on a chip substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Franz Klapper, Herbert Rink, Gerd Freydank