Patents by Inventor Gerolf Richter

Gerolf Richter 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: 9440384
    Abstract: An acid status indicator for a battery, in particular for a lead-acid rechargeable battery, having a sight glass and a holder for holding the sight glass and for attaching the acid status indicator to a housing of the battery, wherein the sight glass and the holder are produced by two-component injection molding, with the holder being produced by insert molding of the sight glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGAA
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer
  • Patent number: 8168323
    Abstract: A plastic battery cover for closing a battery housing includes a top surface, a bottom surface, at least one terminal extending through the battery cover, and a connecting flank extending from the at least one terminal, the connecting flank in contact with the battery cover. The connecting flank is configured such that a region between the at least one terminal and the top surface of the battery cover is adapted to prevent the formation of a gap between the terminal and the adjacent portion of the battery cover after the volume reduction of the plastic in this region during the manufacture of the battery cover by injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer, Olaf Sielemann, Hans-Heinrich Schirmer
  • Publication number: 20110311849
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a housing, a plurality of cells within the housing, and a cover which closes the housing. The battery also includes a plurality of filling openings arranged in the cover separated from one another by a distance and a plurality of plugs. Each of the plurality of plugs is configured to close one of the plurality of filling openings. A flexible connecting element connects at least two of the plugs. The flexible connecting element is configured such that the distance between the plugs which are connected to one another can be variably matched to the distance between their associated filling openings by rotating at least one of the plugs connected by the flexible connecting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer
  • Patent number: 7981534
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a housing, a plurality of cells within the housing, and a cover which closes the housing. The battery also includes a plurality of filling openings arranged in the cover separated from one another by a distance and a plurality of plugs. Each of the plurality of plugs is configured to close one of the plurality of filling openings. A flexible connecting element connects at least two of the plugs. The flexible connecting element is configured such that the distance between the plugs which are connected to one another can be variably matched to the distance between their associated filling openings by rotating at least one of the plugs connected by the flexible connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer
  • Patent number: 7897275
    Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery having positive and negative electrodes arranged in a housing with separators between them, and having an electrolyte, at least one end pole is surrounded by a contact protection device in the form of a wall which surrounds the end pole, can rotate freely and is composed of insulating material. Electrical contact can be made only from above through a slot in the contact protection device, which surrounds the end pole. The end pole is protected against direct contact from above by means of an electrically insulating pole cap, which is screwed to the end pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Peter Streuer, Christian Rosenkranz, Gerolf Richter
  • Publication number: 20100047675
    Abstract: An acid status indicator for a battery, in particular for a lead-acid rechargeable battery, having a sight glass and a holder for holding the sight glass and for attaching the acid status indicator to a housing of the battery, wherein the sight glass and the holder are produced by two-component injection molding, with the holder being produced by insert molding of the sight glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: VB AUTOBATTERIE GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer
  • Patent number: 7375495
    Abstract: A method for determining the charge drawn by an energy storage battery starting from an initial state of charge at the start of the drawing of the charge includes determining the charge drawn as a function of an exponential function with a time constant. The time constant is defined at least as a function of the energy storage battery type and of the temperature of at least one of the battery temperature and the electrolyte temperature. The method may be carried out utilizing a monitoring device or a computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Ingo Koch
  • Publication number: 20070122696
    Abstract: A plastic battery cover for closing a battery housing includes a top surface, a bottom surface, at least one terminal extending through the battery cover, and a connecting flank extending from the at least one terminal, the connecting flank in contact with the battery cover. The connecting flank is configured such that a region between the at least one terminal and the top surface of the battery cover is adapted to prevent the formation of a gap between the terminal and the adjacent portion of the battery cover after the volume reduction of the plastic in this region during the manufacture of the battery cover by injection molding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer, Olaf Sielemann, Hans-Heinrich Schirmer
  • Patent number: 7144657
    Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery including a housing, positive and negative electrodes arranged in the housing, separators positioned between the electrodes, electrolyte in the housing, at least one end pole connected to at least one of the electrodes and adapted to connect to a cable, and a cover connected to the housing and adapted to receive a battery isolating switch connected to the cable such that the switch is integrated with the cover when the cable is connected to the end pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Streuer, Christian Rosenkranz, Gerolf Richter
  • Publication number: 20060234114
    Abstract: A rechargeable battery includes a housing, a plurality of cells within the housing, and a cover which closes the housing. The battery also includes a plurality of filling openings arranged in the cover separated from one another by a distance and a plurality of plugs. Each of the plurality of plugs is configured to close one of the plurality of filling openings. A flexible connecting element connects at least two of the plugs. The flexible connecting element is configured such that the distance between the plugs which are connected to one another can be variably matched to the distance between their associated filling openings by rotating at least one of the plugs connected by the flexible connecting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer
  • Patent number: 7061138
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical power supply system for feeding electrical loads, having at least two electrical energy stores, a circuit for connecting the electrical energy stores to an electrical d.c. network with loads and at least one power generator, wherein each energy store can be connected to the d.c. network by activating switching elements by means of d.c. transformers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGAA
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Martin Schreiber
  • Patent number: 6982540
    Abstract: An energy management system for an electrical system of a motor vehicle subjected to a large number of loads including at least one generator, at least one storage battery, a controller of energy distribution in the system which bases such control at least on efficiency of individual components of the motor vehicle involved in power generation, energy storage and power consumption. In order to determine the overall efficiency of the energy storage unit, which comprises at least one energy store, the state of charge, the temperature of the store and the absolute magnitude of the charging and discharging currents are taken into account. In addition to mechanically driven generators, the system can possess a fuel cell and, in addition to an electrochemical energy store, further physical stores such as double-layer capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Christian Rosenkranz
  • Patent number: 6885951
    Abstract: In a method for determining the state of function SOF of an energy storage battery, in particular a starter battery for a motor vehicle, as the capability to supply at least one load with an amount of energy, by determining a characteristic value for the state of charge SOC of the energy storage battery and a characteristic value for the state of health SOH when an electrical load is applied to the energy storage battery, with state of health (SOH) being the suitability of the energy storage battery to emit a specific amount of energy to the at least one load while maintaining a minimum voltage, a characteristic value for the state of function (SOF) is determined by linking the characteristic values for the state of charge (SOC) and for the state of health (SOH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Gerolf Richter
  • Publication number: 20040160215
    Abstract: A method for determining the charge drawn by an energy storage battery starting from an initial state of charge at the start of the drawing of the charge includes determining the charge drawn as a function of an exponential function with a time constant. The time constant is defined at least as a function of the energy storage battery type and of the temperature of at least one of the battery temperature and the electrolyte temperature. The method may be carried out utilizing a monitoring device or a computer program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 6733921
    Abstract: A rechargeable electric battery including a plate block arranged in a plastic block box, positive and negative electrodes located in the box and electrically isolated by separators and conductively connected by sulfuric acid electrolyte, a cover for the box which has closure plugs and/or acid state indicators fitted in a gas-tight manner to openings therein, wherein at least a portion of an inner surface of the battery is electrically conductive or is provided with an electrically conductive layer, beginning in an area of a sealing seat of the closure plug or of the acid state indicator, and is electrically conductively connected to the electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Peter Streuer, Oliver Bosch
  • Publication number: 20040024546
    Abstract: In a method for determining the state of function SOF of an energy storage battery, in particular a starter battery for a motor vehicle, as the capability to supply at least one load with an amount of energy, by determining a characteristic value for the state of charge SOC of the energy storage battery and a characteristic value for the state of health SOH when an electrical load is applied to the energy storage battery, with state of health (SOH) being the suitability of the energy storage battery to emit a specific amount of energy to the at least one load while maintaining a minimum voltage, a characteristic value for the state of function (SOF) is determined by linking the characteristic values for the state of charge (SOC) and for the state of health (SOH).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Applicant: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Gerolf Richter
  • Publication number: 20030077485
    Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery including a housing, positive and negative electrodes arranged in the housing, separators positioned between the electrodes, electrolyte in the housing, at least one end pole connected to at least one of the electrodes and adapted to connect to a cable, and a cover connected to the housing and adapted to receive a battery isolating switch connected to the cable such that the switch is integrated with the cover when the cable is connected to the end pole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Streuer, Christian Rosenkranz, Gerolf Richter
  • Publication number: 20030077483
    Abstract: An electrical rechargeable battery having positive and negative electrodes arranged in a housing with separators between them, and having an electrolyte, at least one end pole is surrounded by a contact protection device in the form of a wall which surrounds the end pole, can rotate freely and is composed of insulating material. Electrical contact can be made only from above through a slot in the contact protection device, which surrounds the end pole. The end pole is protected against direct contact from above by means of an electrically insulating pole cap, which is screwed to the end pole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Streuer, Christian Rosenkranz, Gerolf Richter
  • Publication number: 20030062773
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical power supply system for feeding electrical loads, having at least two electrical energy stores, a circuit for connecting the electrical energy stores to an electrical d.c. network with loads and at least one power generator, wherein each energy store can be connected to the d.c. network by activating switching elements by means of d.c. transformers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Martin Schreiber
  • Publication number: 20030016023
    Abstract: A method for determining the state of charge of rechargeable batteries by measuring the rechargeable battery voltage and comparing it with predetermined families of characteristic curves, the rechargeable battery voltage UBi, the charging time tLi and, from comparison with characteristic curves &Dgr;Qi=f(SOC,tL,UB) the charge increase are determined in each charging phase. In a subsequent discharge phase, the rechargeable battery voltage UBi is measured in time intervals, a rechargeable battery voltage value UBij+1 at the end of a time interval is determined from the rechargeable battery voltage UBij at the beginning of the time interval by means of an assumed current value IBij by comparison with families of characteristic curves UB=f(IB,Ri,SOC), and a corrected current value IBij+1 is determined by iteration from the deviation of the value thus determined of UBij+1 and the rechargeable battery voltage actually measured at the end of the time interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Ingo Koch