Patents by Inventor Heinz-Willi Vassen

Heinz-Willi Vassen 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: 11289741
    Abstract: A method for discharging a battery module, having at least two battery cells, of a battery having at least two battery modules, wherein the battery cells of each of the battery modules are arranged next to one another and are mechanically and electrically connected to one another, wherein, in each of the battery modules, the respective battery cells are individually activated and deactivated in terms of an energy storage function by a cell switch unit, wherein the battery cells of the battery module to be discharged are selectively electrically coupled successively to a discharge device by the cell switch unit and starting from one predefined battery cell, in order to individually successively electrically discharge the battery cells in order to discharge the battery module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Peter Pilgram
  • Publication number: 20190299799
    Abstract: A method for discharging a battery module, having at least two battery cells, of a battery having at least two battery modules, wherein the battery cells of each of the battery modules are arranged next to one another and are mechanically and electrically connected to one another, wherein, in each of the battery modules, the respective battery cells are individually activated and deactivated in terms of an energy storage function by a cell switch unit, wherein the battery cells of the battery module to be discharged are selectively electrically coupled successively to a discharge device by the cell switch unit and starting from one predefined battery cell, in order to individually successively electrically discharge the battery cells in order to discharge the battery module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael HINTERBERGER, Berthold HELLENTHAL, Heinz-Willi VASSEN, Peter PILGRAM
  • Patent number: 9425445
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery (10) having a plurality of battery cells (12) which form a cell stack (14) which stands on a bottom plate (18) of the battery (10). At least one wedge (20, 22) is provided to brace the battery cells (12) against one another. The at least one wedge (20, 22) and the cell stack (14) are secured in their position relative to the bottom plate (18) by at least one bracket (24) which is mounted to the bottom plate (18). Manufacturing tolerances of the battery cells (12) can be compensated by the at least one wedge (20, 22), and the bracket (24) secures both the wedge (20, 22) and the cell stack (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Christoph Kreutzer, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Robert Schwarzbauer, Heiner Fees
  • Patent number: 8975774
    Abstract: The invention relates to a HV-battery, in particular a traction battery for a vehicle, having a plurality of cell modules which each comprise a plurality of cells, wherein each cell module is assigned a controller for cell monitoring and/or for cell balancing, wherein the controllers are connected to a battery management control device for communication or open-loop control and/or closed loop control purposes, wherein the HV-battery is of modular construction by configuring the cell modules as plug-in modules that are detachably mountable or can be mounted to a printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Christoph Kreutzer, Heiner Fees, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Robert Schwarzbauer, Bardo Lang, Armin Pöppel, Karsten Büttner
  • Publication number: 20140117754
    Abstract: The invention relates to a HV-battery, in particular a traction battery for a vehicle, having a plurality of cell modules which each comprise a plurality of cells, wherein each cell module is assigned a controller for cell monitoring and/or for cell balancing, wherein the controllers are connected to a battery management control device for communication or open-loop control and/or closed loop control purposes, wherein the HV-battery is of modular construction by configuring the cell modules as plug-in modules that are detachably mountable or can be mounted to a printed circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Christoph Kreutzer, Heiner Fees, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Robert Schwarzbauer, Bardo Lang, Armin Pöppel, Karsten Büttner
  • Patent number: 8634968
    Abstract: The invention relates to a communication system for a motor vehicle for transmitting an information relating to the operation of the motor vehicle from a transmitting control device to a receiving control device. The communication system comprises an interface for the input or output of the information relating to the operation of the motor vehicle. Communication can be established via the interface by means of a protocol which comprises an operation field for identifying a task to be carried out using the information relating to the operation of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignees: Audi AG, Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Frank-Martin Wille, Holger Esser, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Tobias Ammler, Norbert Ammler, Helmut Lebmeier, Yvonne Gross, Hans-Christian Jung, Rudolf Leinfelder, Jens Kötz, Carsten Krömke, Stefan Anderlik, Christian Penshorn, Matthias Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20130295437
    Abstract: The invention relates to a battery (10) having a plurality of battery cells (12) which form a cell stack (14) which stands on a bottom plate (18) of the battery (10). At least one wedge (20, 22) is provided to brace the battery cells (12) against one another. The at least one wedge (20, 22) and the cell stack (14) are secured in their position relative to the bottom plate (18) by at least one bracket (24) which is mounted to the bottom plate (18). Manufacturing tolerances of the battery cells (12) can be compensated by the at least one wedge (20, 22), and the bracket (24) secures both the wedge (20, 22) and the cell stack (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Audi AG
    Inventors: Christoph Kreutzer, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Robert Schwarzbauer, Heiner Fees
  • Patent number: 8515617
    Abstract: A control system for a motor vehicle comprises an output control unit for outputting data related to the operation of the motor vehicle and an operation control unit spatially separated from the output control unit for generating or providing data related to the operation of the motor vehicle. The output control unit comprises a data storage for storing data related to the operation of the motor vehicle and the data related to the operation of the motor vehicle can be read out of the data storage and outputted by the output control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: Audi AG, Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Frank-Martin Wille, Holger Esser, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Tobias Ammler, Norbert Ammler, Helmut Lebmeier, Yvonne Grob, Hans-Christian Jung, Rudolf Leinfelder, Jens Kötz, Carsten Krömke, Stefan Anderlik, Christian Penshorn, Matthias Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20070208469
    Abstract: The invention relates to a communication system for a motor vehicle for transmitting an information relating to the operation of the motor vehicle from a transmitting control device to a receiving control device. The communication system comprises an interface for the input or output of the information relating to the operation of the motor vehicle. Communication can be established via the interface by means of a protocol which comprises an operation field for identifying a task to be carried out using the information relating to the operation of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicants: AUDU AG, VOLKSWAGENWEK AG
    Inventors: Frank-Martin Wille, Holger Esser, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Tobias Ammler, Norbert Ammler, Helmut Lebmeier, Yvonne Gross, Hans-Christian Jung, Rudolf Leinfelder, Jens Kotz, Carsten Kromke, Stefan Anderlik, Christian Penshorn, Matthias Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20070198137
    Abstract: A control system for a motor vehicle comprises an output control unit for outputting data related to the operation of the motor vehicle and an operation control unit spatially separated from the output control unit for generating or providing data related to the operation of the motor vehicle. The output control unit comprises a data storage for storing data related to the operation of the motor vehicle and the data related to the operation of the motor vehicle can be read out of the data storage and outputted by the output control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicants: AUDU AG, VOLKSWAGENWERK AG
    Inventors: Frank-Martin Wille, Holger Esser, Heinz-Willi Vassen, Tobias Ammler, Norbert Ammler, Helmut Lebmeier, Yvonne Gross, Hans-Christian Jung, Rudoff Leinfelder, Jens Kotz, Carsten Kromke, Stefan Anderlik, Christian Penshorn, Matthias Wenzel