Patents by Inventor Henning Grotevent
Henning Grotevent 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).
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Publication number: 20230076911Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a fluid sensor apparatus for capturing a filling level and/or a quality of a fluid in a fluid container. The fluid sensor apparatus may include: a printed circuit board having a recess extending at least partially into the printed circuit board along a thickness and a fastening area; an ultrasonic transducer fitted to the fastening area so the ultrasonic transducer extends at least partially over the recess; and a housing at least partially surrounding the printed circuit board and the ultrasonic transducer so a portion of the housing area is arranged in the recess.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2020Publication date: March 9, 2023Applicant: Vitesco Technologies Germany GmbHInventors: Karl-Friedrich Pfeiffer, Henning Grotevent, Manfred Roth
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Patent number: 10444057Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for determining a height of a fluid surface in a fluid container. In some embodiments, the device comprises: a first sound transducer and a second sound transducer for transmitting and receiving sound signals; a reference element disposed at a predetermined distance from the second sound transducer in a fluid space of the fluid container; a deflection element in the fluid space to deflect sound signals by a predetermined angle in the direction of the reference element; and a control unit. The two sound transducers are adjacent a base portion of the fluid container and aligned similarly. The control unit is configured to establish a speed of sound within a fluid in the fluid space based at least in part on travel of the second sound signals and thereby to establish the height of the fluid surface over the base portion of the fluid container dependent on the first sound signals and the speed of sound within the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2015Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Karl-Friedrich Pfeiffer, Claus Weber, Henning Grotevent, Wighard Jaeger
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Patent number: 10101193Abstract: A fluid level sensor may include a first sound transducer, a second sound transducer, a reference element, a first deflection element, and a control unit. The reference element may be disposed at a predetermined distance from the second sound transducer and arranged in a fluid space of the fluid container. The first deflection element may be arranged in the fluid space to deflect the second sound signals by a first predetermined angle toward the fluid surface. The control unit may establish a speed of sound within a fluid in the fluid space based at least in part on the second sound signals and establish the level of the fluid surface over a base portion of the fluid container based at least in part on the first sound signals, the second sound signals, and the speed of sound within the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Karl-Friedrich Pfeiffer, Claus Webber, Henning Grotevent, Wighard Jaeger
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Publication number: 20170160126Abstract: The present disclosure relates to sensors, and the teaching may be applied to a device for determining a speed of a sound signal in a fluid in a fluid container. A device may include: a sound transducer for transmitting and receiving sound; a first reflector element and a second reflector element integrally formed in a reference element to reflect sound generated by the sound transducer back to the sound transducer; and a control unit operating to: ascertain a first signal runtime related to a first reflection of the sound signal from the first reflector element; a second signal runtime related to of a second reflection of the sound signal from the second reflector element; and calculate the speed as a function of the two.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2015Publication date: June 8, 2017Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbHInventors: Karl-Friedrich Pfeiffer, Claus Weber, Henning Grotevent, Wighard Jaeger
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Publication number: 20170089751Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for determining a height of a fluid surface in a fluid container. In some embodiments, the device comprises: a first sound transducer and a second sound transducer for transmitting and receiving sound signals; a reference element disposed at a predetermined distance from the second sound transducer in a fluid space of the fluid container; a deflection element in the fluid space to deflect sound signals by a predetermined angle in the direction of the reference element; and a control unit. The two sound transducers are adjacent a base portion of the fluid container and aligned similarly. The control unit is configured to establish a speed of sound within a fluid in the fluid space based at least in part on travel of the second sound signals and thereby to establish the height of the fluid surface over the base portion of the fluid container dependent on the first sound signals and the speed of sound within the fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Karl-Friedrich Pfeiffer, Claus Webber, Henning Grotevent, Wighard Jaeger
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Publication number: 20170082479Abstract: The present disclosure relates to fluid level sensors in general and an apparatus and a corresponding method for determining a level of a fluid surface in a fluid container. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a first sound transducer, a second sound transducer, a reference element, a first deflection element, and a control unit. The reference element may be disposed at a predetermined distance from the second sound transducer and arranged in a fluid space of the fluid container. The first deflection element may be arranged in the fluid space to deflect the second sound signals by a first predetermined angle toward the fluid surface. The control unit may establish a speed of sound within a fluid in the fluid space based at least in part on the second sound signals and establish the level of the fluid surface over a base portion of the fluid container based at least in part on the first sound signals, the second sound signals, and the speed of sound within the fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2015Publication date: March 23, 2017Applicant: Continental Automotive GmbHInventors: Karl-Friedrich Pfeiffer, Claus Webber, Henning Grotevent, Wighard Jaeger
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Patent number: 9121745Abstract: An ultrasound sensor arrangement for determining a fluid level includes an elongated housing with a lid and a floor, and a measuring chamber in the housing, in which a fluid has the same level as the fluid outside the measuring chamber, and an ultrasound transmitter/receiver on the floor within or outside the housing in the area of the measuring chamber. Transmitted sound signals from the ultrasound transmitter/receiver reflect from the fluid surface and are received by the ultrasound transmitter/receiver to determine the fluid level from the signal transit time. At least one further chamber is arranged at least partially in front of or around the measuring chamber. The outermost chamber forms the inlet chamber. The several chambers are connected to each other for fluid flow.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2012Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbHInventors: Oliver Beyer, Henning Grotevent, Bernd Harigel, Manfred Roth, Gerd Unverzagt, Andreas Weibert
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Publication number: 20120152015Abstract: An ultrasound sensor arrangement for determining a fluid level includes an elongated housing with a lid and a floor, and a measuring chamber in the housing, in which a fluid has the same level as the fluid outside the measuring chamber, and an ultrasound transmitter/receiver on the floor within or outside the housing in the area of the measuring chamber. Transmitted sound signals from the ultrasound transmitter/receiver reflect from the fluid surface and are received by the ultrasound transmitter/receiver to determine the fluid level from the signal transit time. At least one further chamber is arranged at least partially in front of or around the measuring chamber. The outermost chamber forms the inlet chamber. The several chambers are connected to each other for fluid flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2012Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: CONTI TEMIC MICROELECTRONIC GMBHInventors: Oliver BEYER, Henning GROTEVENT, Bernd HARIGEL, Manfred ROTH, Gerd UNVERZAGT, Andreas WEIBERT
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Publication number: 20090301187Abstract: An ultrasound sensor for determining a fluid level with an elongated housing (1) which comprises a lid (2) and a floor (3), with a measuring chamber (4), arranged in the housing (1), in which a fluid has the same level as outside the measuring chamber (4), and with an ultrasound transmission receiver (5) on the floor (3) within or outside the housing (1) in the area of the measuring chamber (4), the transmitted sound signals of which are reflected on the surface of the fluid and received by the ultrasound transmission receiver (5), in order to determine the fluid level from the signal run time, wherein in the housing (1), alongside the measuring chamber (4), at least one further chamber (6, 7) is arranged at least partially in front of the measuring chamber (4) or at least partially around the measuring chamber (4), wherein the outermost chamber forms the inlet chamber (7), and that the chambers (4, 6, 7) are connected to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2007Publication date: December 10, 2009Applicant: CONTI TEMIC MICROELECTRONIC GMBHInventors: Oliver Beyer, Henning Grotevent, Bernd Harigel, Manfred Roth, Gerd Unverzagt, Andreas Weibert