Patents by Inventor Franz Winter

Franz Winter 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: 20240084184
    Abstract: Process for the reversible thermochemical storage of energy and release of energy, wherein, for the storage of energy, orthoboric acid is converted into boric oxide, metaboric acid or boric oxide and metaboric acid by loss of water, wherein, for the release of energy, boric oxide or metaboric acid or boric oxide and metaboric acid are converted into orthoboric acid by reaction with water, wherein the reactions take place in a suspension medium, wherein for the reversible storage of energy, orthoboric acid is present suspended in the suspension medium, and wherein the suspension medium containing orthoboric acid is brought to a temperature at which water loss occurs via an energy source, wherein for the reversible thermochemical release of energy boric oxide and/or metaboric acid are present suspended in a suspension medium, wherein water is added to the suspension medium containing boric oxide or metaboric acid or boric oxide and metaboric acid so that the reaction proceeds to orthoboric acid, wherein the hea
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Franz WINTER, Julia TOMASICH, Harald BURGMAYR, Clemens HUBER-STEINKELLNER
  • Publication number: 20240084609
    Abstract: An element receptacle for providing a receptacle for a scaffolding element on a scaffolding element already positioned, the element receptacle comprising a receptacle which has a receptacle interface for receiving a scaffolding element which also has at least one joint region disposed adjacent to receiving interface, and which also has a clamping region disposed adjacent to the joint region on the side of the receptacle opposite the receptacle interface. The element receptacle also comprises a retainer which has an attaching element for attaching to a scaffolding element already positioned, and which also has at least one mating joint region. In the element receptacle, the joint region of the receptacle is inserted into the mating joint region of the retainer, or the mating joint region of the retainer is inserted into the joint region of the receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: PERI SE
    Inventor: Franz Winter
  • Publication number: 20220325539
    Abstract: A connecting component for connecting different scaffolding systems, comprising at least a first connection region, which is provided for connection to a first scaffolding system and which has a shaft that extends along a longitudinal axis, and an attachment region which is provided for connection to a second scaffolding system, wherein the first connection region and the attachment region are arranged adjacent to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis and the first connection region has a receptacle in its interior in the shaft, at least on its side pointing away from the attachment region, which extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The attachment region has an abutment adjacent to the first connection region extending in a direction essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and the abutment has the longest dimension of the attachment region in the direction essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Detlef Neuwirth, Franz Winter
  • Patent number: 11344968
    Abstract: A roll-bonded clad metal sheet and a method for producing a roll-bonded clad metal sheet is provided. The roll-bonded clad sheet includes a metallic base material layer and a metallic cladding material layer which are joined to one another by a metallurgical bond. The metallic cladding material layer includes a nickel-based material whose chemical composition includes, in % by mass, a proportion of more than 50% of Ni and a proportion of 3.1% of Nb. The metallurgical bond is obtained by a thermomechanical rolling process including a first rolling phase for prerolling, a second rolling phase for final forming and a cooling time between the first rolling phase and the second rolling phase, wherein a final rolling temperature of the second rolling phase is set to a value equal to or less than 880° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: voestalpine Grobblech GmbH, VDM Metals International GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Claudius Schindler, Franz-Josef Wahlers, Jutta Kloewer, Bodo Gehrmann, Heike Hattendorf
  • Publication number: 20210078098
    Abstract: A roll-bonded clad metal sheet and a method for producing a roll-bonded clad metal sheet is provided. The roll-bonded clad sheet includes a metallic base material layer and a metallic cladding material layer which are joined to one another by a metallurgical bond. The metallic cladding material layer includes a nickel-based material whose chemical composition includes, in % by mass, a proportion of more than 50% of Ni and a proportion of 3.1% of Nb. The metallurgical bond is obtained by a thermomechanical rolling process including a first rolling phase for prerolling, a second rolling phase for final forming and a cooling time between the first rolling phase and the second rolling phase, wherein a final rolling temperature of the second rolling phase is set to a value equal to or less than 880° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Franz WINTER, Claudius SCHINDLER, Franz-Josef WAHLERS, Jutta KLOEWER, Bodo GEHRMANN, Heike HATTENDORF
  • Patent number: 9333845
    Abstract: A power distribution unit for a vehicle includes a fuel cell stack, a bracket connected to the fuel cell stack and including at least one mount adapted to be connected directly to a vehicle to directly interconnect the fuel cell stack to the vehicle, a connection feature, and a traction system communicated with the fuel cell stack and carried by at least one of the fuel cell stack and the bracket with the connection feature disposed between the traction system and said at least one of the fuel cell stack and the bracket so that the traction system is indirectly connected to the vehicle. In one implementation, the connection feature includes an elastomeric pad disposed between a housing of the traction system and a mount or the vehicle frame. The pad provides a so-called “soft mount” of the traction system to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Reiner Essinger, Thomas Vogel, Michael J. Gorman
  • Patent number: 8708857
    Abstract: A drive unit, such as a rear drive unit, for a motor vehicle, such as an all-wheel drive motor vehicle, includes, but is not limited to two drive shafts, of which one drive shaft serves for driving the one wheel and the other drive shaft serves for driving the other wheel of a motor vehicle. Also provided is a transmission operationally connected to the drive shafts, through which a drive torque acting on the input of the transmission can be divided or is divided into at least two output torques and through which the output torque of the transmission acting on the one drive shaft is reversible or is reversed in its operation direction relative to the output torque of the transmission acting on the other drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Veit Held, Richard Starck, Uwe Rued
  • Patent number: 8665437
    Abstract: A method for controlling a transformation process in which the conversion of charge materials to a product takes place along a transformation interface from the crystal and/or grain and/or phase and/or pore surface into the charge material, wherein one or more chemical elements in the charge materials is released and/or incorporated and/or rearranged and wherein the conversion of the charge materials takes place along advancing transformation interfaces. The charge materials are identified on the basis of at least one optical, in particular microscopic, analysis with respect to their phases and/or phase components and/or their phase morphology, structure, texture and/or their chemical composition. On the basis of these variables, reference functions for the charge materials, which describe the conversion of the charge materials in the process, are assigned and used for establishing the process parameters of the transformation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Vai Metals Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Fischer, Heinrich Rochus Mali, Johannes Leopold Schenk, Stefan Schuster, Bernhard Hailu Spuida, Kurt Wieder, Franz Winter
  • Publication number: 20120142487
    Abstract: A drive unit, such as a rear drive unit, for a motor vehicle, such as an all-wheel drive motor vehicle, includes, but is not limited to two drive shafts, of which one drive shaft serves for driving the one wheel and the other drive shaft serves for driving the other wheel of a motor vehicle. Also provided is a transmission operationally connected to the drive shafts, through which a drive torque acting on the input of the transmission can be divided or is divided into at least two output torques and through which the output torque of the transmission acting on the one drive shaft is reversible or is reversed in its operation direction relative to the output torque of the transmission acting on the other drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Franz WINTER, Veit HELD, Richard STARCK, Uwe RUED
  • Publication number: 20110170114
    Abstract: A method for controlling a transformation process in which the conversion of charge materials to a product takes place along a transformation interface from the crystal and/or grain and/or phase and/or pore surface into the charge material, wherein one or more chemical elements in the charge materials is released and/or incorporated and/or rearranged and wherein the conversion of the charge materials takes place along advancing transformation interfaces. The charge materials are identified on the basis of at least one optical, in particular microscopic, analysis with respect to their phases and/or phase components and/or their phase morphology, structure, texture and/or their chemical composition. On the basis of these variables, reference functions for the charge materials, which describe the conversion of the charge materials in the process, are assigned and used for establishing the process parameters of the transformation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Harald Fischer, Heinrich Rochus Mali, Johannes Leopold Schenk, Stefan Schuster, Bernhard Hailu Spuida, Kurt Wieder, Franz Winter
  • Patent number: 7955740
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that employs one or more PTC ceramic heaters that do not need to be self-regulated, and thus will not require various control components, such as temperature sensors. The PTC ceramic heaters include a ceramic material that is designed for a particular temperature depending on the particular application. An electrical current is applied to the ceramic heater that generates heat as long as the temperature of the ceramic heater is below the designed temperature. If the ceramic heater reaches the designed temperature, then the resistance of the ceramic material goes up, and the current through the ceramic material goes down, so that the heater does not provide significant heating. Therefore, it does not need to be regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Stefan Nettesheim
  • Patent number: 7878298
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a product including a fuel-cell exhaust diffuser; an air funnel; and at least two exhaust tubes attached to the diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Wolfgang Heil, Steffen Doenitz, Michael J. Gorman
  • Patent number: 7718287
    Abstract: An anode inlet unit for a split fuel cell stack or two fuel cell stacks having two anode inlets. The anode inlet unit has particular application for a small vehicle that requires less power. In one embodiment, the anode inlet unit only includes three injectors. Two of the injectors provide flow control for the hydrogen gas to the two anode inlets to provide the desired turn-down ratio. For a split stack design, the two injectors may provide flow-shifting where the injection of hydrogen gas into the sub-stacks is alternated. The other injector injects a small amount of hydrogen into the cathode side of the fuel cell stack at system start-up to quickly increase the operating temperature of the system. Additionally, two valves can be provided in the unit that receive a flow of air to purge the anode side of the stack for system shut-down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jens-Uwe Sparschuh, Franz Winter, Reiner Essinger
  • Publication number: 20080242211
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for a vehicle, the apparatus having a pulling ventilator, wherein the ventilator minimizes a temperature in a housing while minimizing a noise level in a passenger compartment of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Andreas Koenekamp, Michael J. Gorman
  • Publication number: 20080141667
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a product including a fuel-cell exhaust diffuser; an air funnel; and at least two exhaust tubes attached to the diffuser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Wolfgang Heil, Steffen Doenitz, Michael J. Gorman
  • Publication number: 20080073133
    Abstract: A power distribution unit for a vehicle includes a fuel cell stack, a bracket connected to the fuel cell stack and including at least one mount adapted to be connected directly to a vehicle to directly interconnect the fuel cell stack to the vehicle, a connection feature, and a traction system communicated with the fuel cell stack and carried by at least one of the fuel cell stack and the bracket with the connection feature disposed between the traction system and said at least one of the fuel cell stack and the bracket so that the traction system is indirectly connected to the vehicle. In one implementation, the connection feature includes an elastomeric pad disposed between a housing of the traction system and a mount or the vehicle frame. The pad provides a so-called “soft mount” of the traction system to the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Reiner Essinger, Thomas Vogel, Michael J. Gorman
  • Publication number: 20080066805
    Abstract: A pressure tank system including a pressure release valve that releases pressure in the tank if the valve exceeds a predetermined temperature. In order for the pressure release valve to be effective, it must detect heat at all areas of the tank system. The tank system includes a heat conducting device for transferring heat from anywhere on the tank system to the pressure release valve. In one embodiment, the heat conducting device is a heat conducting mesh that is wrapped around and outside of the pressure tank. In another embodiment, the heat conducting device is an aluminum sheet wrapped around the tank. In another embodiment, the heat conducting device includes heat conducting strips that extend along the tank and are connected to the pressure release valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Sandra Schaaf, Andre Mack-Gardner, Josef Kallo
  • Publication number: 20080050627
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that employs one or more PTC ceramic heaters that do not need to be self-regulated, and thus will not require various control components, such as temperature sensors. The PTC ceramic heaters include a ceramic material that is designed for a particular temperature depending on the particular application. An electrical current is applied to the ceramic heater that generates heat as long as the temperature of the ceramic heater is below the designed temperature. If the ceramic heater reaches the designed temperature, then the resistance of the ceramic material goes up, and the current through the ceramic material goes down, so that the heater does not provide significant heating. Therefore, it does not need to be regulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Franz Winter, Stefan Nettesheim
  • Publication number: 20070212037
    Abstract: A heating system for a pipe or hose in a fuel cell system that include heaters and conductors to prevent water in the pipe or hose from freezing. A heater wire is provided in contact with the pipe, and a conductor is wrapped around the heater wire and the pipe, and a protective layer is wrapped around the conductor, where the conductor provides thermal isolation. For a plastic or rubber hose, an inner conductor is wrapped around the house and an outer conductor is wrapped around the inner conductor. Heater wire is positioned between the inner conductor and the outer conductor. A protective layer is then wrapped around the outer conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Andreas Koenekamp, Dirk Wexel, Reiner Wilpsbaeumer, Jurgen Thyroff, Franz Winter
  • Publication number: 20070207362
    Abstract: A freeze capable compact fuel cell system to facilitate improved humidification in dry operating conditions and improved freeze capability as well as to facilitate improved removal of excess water and trapped nitrogen gas from the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system is particularly adapted for integration into a small vehicle body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Inventors: Andreas Koenekamp, Reiner Essinger, Franz Winter