Patents by Inventor Gerd Bräuchle

Gerd Bräuchle 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: 20110297116
    Abstract: Described is an igniter comprising an arrangement composed of an ignition electrode, an outer conductor coaxially enclosing the ignition electrode, and an electric insulator disposed between the ignition electrode and the outer conductor, via which insulator the ignition electrode and the outer conductor are interconnected, for igniting a fuel/air mixture in a combustion chamber, in particular in an internal combustion engine comprising one or more combustion chambers which are delimited by walls that are at ground potential, by creating a corona discharge in an area surrounding the tip of the ignition electrode. According to the invention, the ratio of the outer diameter d of the ignition electrode and the inner diameter D of the outer conductor is in the range of 0.3 to 0.44.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Ganghua RUAN, Gerd Braeuchle
  • Publication number: 20110297132
    Abstract: Method for igniting a fuel/air mixture in a cyclically operating internal combustion engine comprising combustion chambers which are delimited by walls that are at ground potential, using an ignition device comprising an ignition electrode provided in each combustion chamber, in which method, via an electrical DC/AC converter, an electric oscillating circuit is excited, which is connected to the secondary side of the DC/AC converter, and in which the ignition electrode, which is guided through one of the walls delimiting the combustion chamber in a manner in which it is electrically insulated from said walls by an insulator and extends into the combustion chamber, constitutes a capacitance in cooperation with the walls of the combustion chamber that are at ground potential, and in which the excitation of the oscillating circuit is controlled so a corona discharge igniting the fuel/air mixture is created in each combustion chamber at the ignition electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: BorgWarner BERU Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten SCHREMMER, Gerd BRÄUCHLE, Martin TRUMP, Steffen BOHNE
  • Publication number: 20110253089
    Abstract: The invention relates to an HF ignition device for igniting a fuel in an internal combustion engine with a corona discharge, comprising an ignition electrode, an insulating body on which the ignition electrode is mounted, the insulating body having a continuous channel in which an inner conductor leading to the ignition electrode is disposed, and an outer conductor which encloses the insulating body and, in combination with a section of the inner conductor, forms a capacitor, wherein the channel is filled with an electrically conductive filling material which encloses at least one conductor piece that forms at least one section of the inner conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Gerd BRAEUCHLE, Felizitas Heilmann, Tom Achtstaetter, Thomas Giffels, Christian Mayer
  • Patent number: 8017888
    Abstract: The description discloses a glow plug system for a Diesel engine of a motor vehicle having a glow plug (RG1, RG2) which comprises a positive terminal for connecting a supply voltage (U1) and a ground terminal for connecting to a ground potential (GND), a controlling device (1) for controlling the electric power supplied to the glow plug (RG1, RG2) in operation, whereby the controlling device (1) comprises a measurement input (ADC1) and a ground input (ADC2) in order to determine, in operation, a measured value of the supply voltage (U1) in relation to a reference potential (GND?) applied to the ground input (ADC2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Bern Autiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Martin Blanc, Peter Schäfer, Gerd Bräuchle
  • Publication number: 20110146640
    Abstract: The invention relates to an HF ignition device for igniting a combustible gas mixture in an internal combustion engine, comprising a center electrode (2), an insulating body (3) through which center electrode (2) extends, a housing (4) that carries, on one end thereof, a metallic housing body (5) that encloses at least one section of insulating body (3), and comprising an external thread (5a) to be screwed into an internal combustion engine, and a circuit for the HF excitation of the center electrode (2). According to the invention, the section of the insulating body (3) that encloses the housing body (5) comprises an electrically conductive coating (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Tom Achstaetter, Gerd Braeuchle, Hans Delesky, Thomas Giffels, Felizitas Heilmann