Patents by Inventor Gerd Knappe

Gerd Knappe 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: 10996116
    Abstract: In a method for determining a temperature of a revolving drum of a laundry dryer, said drum has an outer wall and thereon at least one strip-shaped delimited detection region comprising thermochromic material having a transition temperature in the range of a temperature that is to be expected and to be determined. Optical detection means arranged adjacent to the revolving part are configured, in particular as a reflected light barrier, to detect the color transition of the thermochromic material in the event of the transition temperature being exceeded or undershot. At the revolving drum the thermochromic material or, if appropriate, the color transition thereof is detected by means of the detection means. A temperature of the drum is then determined as corresponding to the transition temperature in such a way that the temperature thereof is determined as corresponding to one of the two temperature ranges below the transition temperature or above the transition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Jordi Alvarez Raventos, Ewald Bayer, Gerd Knappe, Hannes Kuemmerle, Kay Schmidt, Erika Thomas, Steffen Weiss, Oliver Zabel
  • Publication number: 20200041358
    Abstract: In a method for determining a temperature of a revolving drum of a laundry dryer, said drum has an outer wall and thereon at least one strip-shaped delimited detection region comprising thermochromic material having a transition temperature in the range of a temperature that is to be expected and to be determined. Optical detection means arranged adjacent to the revolving part are configured, in particular as a reflected light barrier, to detect the color transition of the thermochromic material in the event of the transition temperature being exceeded or undershot. At the revolving drum the thermochromic material or, if appropriate, the color transition thereof is detected by means of the detection means. A temperature of the drum is then determined as corresponding to the transition temperature in such a way that the temperature thereof is determined as corresponding to one of the two temperature ranges below the transition temperature or above the transition temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Jordi Alvarez Raventos, Ewald Bayer, Gerd Knappe, Hannes Kuemmerle, Kay Schmidt, Erika Thomas, Steffen Weiss, Oliver Zabel
  • Patent number: 9860362
    Abstract: A method for controlling a cooking appliance using a mobile terminal that is separate from the cooking appliance, both of which have a controller and a BLE communication device, involves the following steps being performed: switching on the cooking appliance and the terminal, setting up a communication link between the two by means of a specified user process on the cooking appliance or on the terminal and confirming the set-up of the communication link by means of a user process by the user on the cooking appliance. A signal strength of the communication link between the two communication devices at the time of confirmation of the communication link on the cooking appliance is stored and is monitored during use. If the signal strength drops below a prescribed signal strength limit value, then user commands from the mobile terminal are blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Hannes Kuemmerle, Ewald Bayer, Jordi Alvarez Raventos, Kay Schmidt, Pierre Metzner, Steffen Weiss, Gerd Knappe, Oliver Zabel
  • Publication number: 20170310810
    Abstract: A method for controlling a cooking appliance using a mobile terminal that is separate from the cooking appliance, both of which have a controller and a BLE communication device, involves the following steps being performed: switching on the cooking appliance and the terminal, setting up a communication link between the two by means of a specified user process on the cooking appliance or on the terminal and confirming the set-up of the communication link by means of a user process by the user on the cooking appliance. A signal strength of the communication link between the two communication devices at the time of confirmation of the communication link on the cooking appliance is stored and is monitored during use. If the signal strength drops below a prescribed signal strength limit value, then user commands from the mobile terminal are blocked.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Hannes Kuemmerle, Ewald Bayer, Jordi Alvarez Raventos, Kay Schmidt, Pierre Metzner, Steffen Weiss, Gerd Knappe, Oliver Zabel
  • Patent number: 9304049
    Abstract: A temperature measuring device for an electric appliance such as a fryer includes at least one temperature sensor in the form of an electric resistor, to which at least two different measuring voltages can be applied with cyclic switching between the measuring voltages. The temperature sensor is connected to a control, which includes a microcontroller and which is configured for applying at least two different measuring voltages to the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Henry Fluhrer, Gerd Knappe, Ewald Bayer
  • Publication number: 20130308684
    Abstract: A temperature measuring device for an electric appliance such as a fryer includes at least one temperature sensor in the form of an electric resistor, to which at least two different measuring voltages can be applied with cyclic switching between the measuring voltages. The temperature sensor is connected to a control, which includes a microcontroller and which is configured for applying at least two different measuring voltages to the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Henry Fluhrer, Gerd Knappe, Ewald Bayer
  • Publication number: 20090173730
    Abstract: In order in the case of a hob (11) with operating toggles (19a-19d) placed on a front panel (17) to render visible the association between a contacted operating toggle and the hotplate (15a-15d) adjustable with said operating toggle, on the latter is provided a proximity or contact sensor. If the operating toggle (19a-19d) together with contact sensor is contacted by a hand (29), the LED (33) or other display associated with the hotplate (15) associated with said operating toggle is illuminated, which can be placed directly alongside hotplate (15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Martin Baier, Mathias Bellm, Markus Jungbauer, Gerd Knappe, Wolfgang Metzger
  • Publication number: 20040182852
    Abstract: In the case of a circuit for several inductive pot or saucepan detection coils a control and evaluation circuit is provided. Using switches in the form of MOSFETs, the control or evaluating circuit is in each case connected to one coil in multiplex operation. The MOSFETs have a low drain-source resistance in order to avoid off-resonancing of resonant circuit frequencies due to the overcoupling of several leads to the coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Gerd Knappe, Wilhelm Perrin
  • Patent number: 6498326
    Abstract: An arrangement for controlling electrically controllable appliances, such as electric cookers, has at least one manually operable control element placed on an outside of a plate, e.g. a glass ceramic plate of an electric cooker, which is secured by a magnetic holding device in non-contacting magnetic manner on the plate. A sensor device determines the position and/or position change of the control element and an associated control device, in order to set different operating modes of the appliance. The control element is constructed as a sliding key automatically returning to a rest position and which is displaceable in at least one displacement direction along the plate. Such sliding keys can be operated in a particularly easy manner and are well adapted to an at least partial digital processing of the sensor signals to controlling signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geratebau GmbH
    Inventor: Gerd Knappe