Patents by Inventor Holger Gruhler

Holger Gruhler 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).

  • Publication number: 20240060818
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vibration sensor with a housing and a mechanical oscillator, with a first tine and a second tine arranged thereon, and a drive for exciting the mechanical oscillator, wherein the drive is fixed relative to the mechanical oscillator by means of a yoke, wherein the yoke defines at least one yoke cavity, wherein a shoulder of at least one tine defines a tine cavity, wherein the yoke cavity and the tine cavity are aligned with one another, and wherein a balancing element is moveably arranged in the yoke cavity, so that it can be arranged at least partially in the tine cavity. The invention further relates to a method for comparing the vibration properties of two tines of a vibration sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler
  • Patent number: 10677643
    Abstract: The a vibration sensor comprising a membrane that can be stimulated so as to oscillate by means of a piezoelectric drive, and a mechanical oscillator arranged on the membrane, at least one piezoelectric element of the drive comprising at least one first electrical contact structure on an upper side of the piezoelectric element and at least one second electrical contact structure on a lower side of the piezoelectric element, such that the at least one piezoelectric element is designed so that an active area of the piezoelectric element corresponds to an area of a mechanical deformation of the unidirectional curvature of the membrane, during a pre-defined eigenmode of the mechanical oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Vega Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Volker Allgaier, Holger Gruhler, Dominik Fehrenbach
  • Publication number: 20190376839
    Abstract: The a vibration sensor comprising a membrane that can be stimulated so as to oscillate by means of a piezoelectric drive, and a mechanical oscillator arranged on the membrane, at least one piezoelectric element of the drive comprising at least one first electrical contact structure on an upper side of the piezoelectric element and at least one second electrical contact structure on a lower side of the piezoelectric element, such that the at least one piezoelectric element is designed so that an active area of the piezoelectric element corresponds to an area of a mechanical deformation of the unidirectional curvature of the membrane, during a pre-defined eigenmode of the mechanical oscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: Vega Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Volker Allgaier, Holger Gruhler, Dominik Fehrenbach
  • Publication number: 20190280184
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric transmission and/or reception device consisting of at least one piezo element, at least two electrodes for making contact with the piezo elements and at least two insulating elements for providing top and bottom insulation, wherein at least the piezo element and the electrodes are sintered so as to form a single block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Volker Allgaier, Dominik Fehrenbach, Holger Gruhler
  • Publication number: 20190137329
    Abstract: A vibration sensor with a diaphragm that can be excited to a vibration and a drive for setting the diaphragm into vibration and/or for detecting a vibration of the diaphragm, with the drive representing an electromagnetically acting drive and comprising at least one bolt coupled to the diaphragm, a permanent magnet, and a coil, with the drive showing a damper element which is embodied and arranged such that it damps interfering modes to a greater extent than effective modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Dominik Fehrenbach, Volker Allgaier, Holger Gruhler, Gerd Ohmayer
  • Patent number: 9851244
    Abstract: Vibration sensor comprising a membrane, which can be excited to vibrate by means of a drive, wherein the drive has at least one piezo actuator, which is designed so as to be bonded with the membrane, wherein the membrane has at least one centering device that is designed to be suitable for orienting and keeping the drive centered relative to the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Vega Grieshaber KG
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler
  • Patent number: 9719834
    Abstract: The invention is a fill-level measuring device having the following features: a housing, a membrane, a first drive unit have a first bolt, the bolt being coupled to the membrane, a second drive unit having a second bolt, the second bolt being operatively connected to the membrane and being connected to the housing at an end of the second bolt facing the membrane by means of an intermediate bottom, and the first drive unit and the second drive unit are mechanically connected to each other in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler
  • Patent number: 9689733
    Abstract: A vibration limit switch with a membrane, which can be set into oscillation, and a drive unit for setting the membrane into oscillation and/or for detecting an oscillation of the membrane, with the drive unit comprising at least one electromagnetic drive and one Piezo-electric drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler
  • Publication number: 20160069730
    Abstract: The invention is a fill-level measuring device having the following features: a housing, a membrane, a first drive unit have a first bolt, the bolt being coupled to the membrane, a second drive unit having a second bolt, the second bolt being operatively connected to the membrane and being connected to the housing at an end of the second bolt facing the membrane by means of an intermediate bottom, and the first drive unit and the second drive unit are mechanically connected to each other in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventor: Holger GRUHLER
  • Publication number: 20150308888
    Abstract: Vibration sensor comprising a membrane, which can be excited to vibrate by means of a drive, wherein the drive has at least one piezo actuator, which is designed so as to be bonded with the membrane, wherein the membrane has at least one centering device that is designed to be suitable for orienting and keeping the drive centered relative to the membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler
  • Patent number: 9136462
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a conductive adhesive bond assembly consisting of a piezoactuator and a printed circuit board that are connected by at least one adhesive connection, with at least one electrical connection created by an electrically conductive adhesive between a first connection contact on the printed circuit board and between a second connection contact on the piezoactuator, whereby the connection contacts face in the same direction and the adhesive connection takes place through an opening in one of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Joern Jacob, Holger Gruhler
  • Patent number: 9093644
    Abstract: A layout arrangement and system consisting of a piezoactuator and a flexible circuit board, with at least one electrical and mechanical connection, produced by an electrically conducting adhesive, between a first connection contact on the circuit board and a second connection contact on the piezoactuator, wherein the connection is led through an opening in the flexible circuit board and wherein the surfaces of the connection contacts that are glued together have an essentially parallel and equally oriented normal vector, and a method for assembling and arranging the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Holger Gruhler, Gerd Ohmayer
  • Patent number: 9087651
    Abstract: A vibration limit switch system and related method is provided with a piezoelectric transmitting- and/or receiving unit, in operable connection with a membrane that can be put in oscillation, and a mechanical oscillation arrangement that is coupled to the membrane, whereby the piezoelectric transmitting- and/or receiving unit is adhered directly, or via an adaptation layer by an adhesive layer, to the membrane 4. In this improvement, the adhesive layer between the membrane and the transmitting-and/or receiving unit or the adaptation layer has a thickness in an edge area R which thickness is elevated in comparison to a central area Z. This thickness is arranged in differing geometries and amounts to further improve performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Martin Mellert, Joern Jacob, Holger Gruhler
  • Publication number: 20140333176
    Abstract: A vibration limit switch with a membrane, which can be set into oscillation, and a drive unit for setting the membrane into oscillation and/or for detecting an oscillation of the membrane, with the drive unit comprising at least one electromagnetic drive and one Piezo-electric drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: VEGA Grishaber KG
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler
  • Publication number: 20140055007
    Abstract: A layout arrangement and system consisting of a piezoactuator and a flexible circuit board, with at least one electrical and mechanical connection, produced by an electrically conducting adhesive, between a first connection contact on the circuit board and a second connection contact on the piezoactuator, wherein the connection is led through an opening in the flexible circuit board and wherein the surfaces of the connection contacts that are glued together have an essentially parallel and equally oriented normal vector, and a method for assembling and arranging the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: VEGA GRIESHABER KG
    Inventors: Holger Gruhler, Gerd Ohmayer
  • Publication number: 20130313084
    Abstract: A vibration limit switch system and related method is provided with a piezoelectric transmitting- and/or receiving unit, in operable connection with a membrane that can be put in oscillation, and a mechanical oscillation arrangement that is coupled to the membrane, whereby the piezoelectric transmitting- and/or receiving unit is adhered directly, or via an adaptation layer by an adhesive layer, to the membrane 4. In this improvement, the adhesive layer between the membrane and the transmitting-and/or receiving unit or the adaptation layer has a thickness in an edge area R which thickness is elevated in comparison to a central area Z. This thickness is arranged in differing geometries and amounts to further improve performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Martin Mellert, Joern Jacob, Holger Gruhler
  • Patent number: 8468894
    Abstract: The present invention is a measuring cell with a base body, a measurement membrane which is arranged on the base body, and a measurement device, where a clearance between the measurement membrane and the base body is filled with a fluid which presents an increased heat conductivity (?) compared to air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Vega Grieshaber KG
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler
  • Patent number: 8316715
    Abstract: The invention is a vibration sensor with a carrying element capable of being set into vibration; a conversion device having a field coil to set and/or tap the carrying element into vibration; an anchor mounted in the field coil; and, a vibration element to transmit the vibrations from the carrying element into/from a surrounding space. The anchor is designed as two parts, having a permanent magnet and a coil core connected to the field coil, with an air gap arranged therebetween and lying in the area of the axial extension of the field coil. The permanent magnet is connected to the carrying element to transmit vibrations; and, the field coil and the permanent magnet are arranged to interact in such a way that any vibration of the permanent magnet induces current flow in the field coil and/or induces vibration of the permanent magnet in the field coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Vega Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Joern Jacob, Holger Gruhler, Josef Fehrenbach, Martin Mellert, Frank Becherer
  • Publication number: 20120194035
    Abstract: An arrangement consisting of a piezoactuator and a printed circuit board that are connected by at least one adhesive connection, with at least one electrical connection created by an electrically conductive adhesive between a first connection contact on the printed circuit board and between a second connection contact on the piezoactuator, whereby the connection contacts face in the same direction and the adhesive connection takes place through an opening in one of the components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: VEGA Grieshaber KG
    Inventors: Joern JACOB, Holger GRUHLER
  • Patent number: 8201456
    Abstract: The present invention is a measuring cell comprising a base body. Layered upon the base body is a measurement membrane having a first measuring element, a measurement device, and an intermediate membrane. The intermediate membrane is arranged between the measurement membrane and the base body, and a second measuring element is arranged thereon. When a pressure force is applied to the cell, the measurement membrane is directed outward and undergoes deformation with respect to the intermediate membrane as well as the base body. The deformation causes the measuring capacitance formed by the measuring electrodes to change according to the pressure applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Vega Grieshaber KG
    Inventor: Holger Gruhler