Patents by Inventor Gerhard Ehrlich

Gerhard Ehrlich 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: 7239048
    Abstract: A safety switching apparatus for safely disconnecting an electrical load, such as an electrical machine, has at least one output switch with at least two switching positions. The output switch is for interrupting an external power supply path to the load. The safety switching apparatus further has a control unit which controls the switching position of the output switch. The control unit is capable of monitoring the actual switching position of the output switch by means of an RF test signal which is transmitted from an RF generator to the output switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Gerhard Ehrlich, Richard Veil, Thomas Peter
  • Patent number: 7130171
    Abstract: An apparatus for failsafe disconnection of an electrical load has a first and at least one second safety switching device. The first safety switching device has a first evaluation and control unit, an output and an electronic switching element, for producing a potential-related switching signal at the out-put under the control of the first evaluation and control unit. The second safety switching device has a second evaluation and control unit and an input. The input and the output are connected to one another via a single-channel connecting line, and the input supplies the second evaluation and control unit with the potential-related switching signal from the output of the first safety switching device. In order to fulfill safety standards for such kind of apparatus, the second safety switching device has at least two input circuits to which the potential-related switching signal from the output of the first safety switching device is supplied in a mutually redundant manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Juergen Pullmann, Gerhard Ehrlich
  • Publication number: 20050057868
    Abstract: An apparatus for failsafe disconnection of an electrical load has a first and at least one second safety switching device. The first safety switching device has a first evaluation and control unit, an output and an electronic switching element, for producing a potential-related switching signal at the output under the control of the first evaluation and control unit. The second safety switching device has a second evaluation and control unit and an input. The input and the output are connected to one another via a single-channel connecting line, and the input supplies the second evaluation and control unit with the potential-related switching signal from the output of the first safety switching device. In order to fulfill safety standards for such kind of apparatus, the second safety switching device has at least two input circuits to which the potential-related switching signal from the output of the first safety switching device is supplied in a mutually redundant manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Jurgen Pullmann, Gerhard Ehrlich
  • Patent number: 6825579
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a safety switching apparatus having a first and a second input switch, whose respective switch settings define an input-side manipulated variable redundantly with respect to one another. The safety switching apparatus furthermore has at least one output switching element which is arranged in an output circuit. In addition, an evaluation and control unit is provided, which drives the at least one output switching element as a function of the defined manipulated variable. Switching contacts of the first and of the second input switch are coupled with one another, in terms of their switch positions, via a common actuating member. According to one aspect of the invention, the switching contacts of the first and of the second input switch are spatially arranged in one plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Gerhard Ehrlich, Boris Kaufmann
  • Publication number: 20040174074
    Abstract: A safety switching apparatus for safely disconnecting an electrical load, such as an electrical machine, has at least one output switch with at least two switching positions. The output switch is for interrupting an external power supply path to the load. The safety switching apparatus further has a control unit which controls the switching position of the output switch. The control unit is capable of monitoring the actual switching position of the output switch by means of an RF test signal which is transmitted from an RF generator to the output switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Inventors: Gerhard Ehrlich, Richard Veil, Thomas Peter
  • Publication number: 20030057069
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a safety switching apparatus having a first and a second input switch, whose respective switch settings define an input-side manipulated variable redundantly with respect to one another. The safety switching apparatus furthermore has at least one output switching element which is arranged in an output circuit. In addition, an evaluation and control unit is provided, which drives the at least one output switching element as a function of the defined manipulated variable. Switching contacts of the first and of the second input switch are coupled with one another, in terms of their switch positions, via a common actuating member. According to one aspect of the invention, the switching contacts of the first and of the second input switch are spatially arranged in one plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Gerhard Ehrlich, Boris Kaufmann