Patents by Inventor Horst Muenzel

Horst Muenzel 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: 5959208
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor is composed of a three layer system. The acceleration sensor and conductor tracks are patterned out of the third layer. The conductor tracks are electrically isolated from other regions of the third layer by recesses and electrically insulated from a first layer by a second electrically insulating layer. In this manner, a simple electrical contacting is achieved, which is configured out of a three-layer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Muenzel, Dietrich Schubert, Alexandra Boehringer, Michael Offenberg, Klaus Heyers, Markus Lutz
  • Patent number: 5723353
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor is composed of a three-layer system. The acceleration sensor and conductor tracks are patterned out of the third layer. The conductor tracks are electrically isolated from other regions of the third layer by recesses and electrically insulated from a first layer by a second electrically insulating layer. In this manner, a simple electrical contacting is achieved, which is configured out of a three-layer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Muenzel, Dietrich Schubert, Alexandra Boehringer, Michael Offenberg, Klaus Heyers, Markus Lutz
  • Patent number: 5721377
    Abstract: In an angular velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor is arranged on a resonator formed of a multilayer substrate and attached to a resonating bar. The multilayer substrate includes a top silicon layer, an insulating sacrificial layer arranged below the top silicon layer, and a bottom silicon layer arranged below the insulating sacrificial layer. An excitor causes the resonator to vibrate while a limit stop, configured out of the multilayer substrate, limits the movement of the resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Kurle, Kurt Weiblen, Horst Muenzel, Helmut Baumann, Klaus Heyers, Markus Lutz
  • Patent number: 5705745
    Abstract: In a mass flow sensor having a frame of monocrystalline silicon and a membrane fixed therein, a heating element and, if indicated, temperature-measuring elements are provided on the membrane. A heat-conducting element, which extends from the membrane across the frame, is provided in the edge area of the membrane. The heating element, the heat-conducting element and, if indicated, temperature-measuring elements are patterned out of a single metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Treutler, Detlef Gruen, Horst Muenzel, Helmut Baumann, Steffen Schmidt, Andreas Lock
  • Patent number: 5703287
    Abstract: In a measuring element for a flow sensor and a method for manufacturing the measuring element, a heater, a temperature sensor, and a printed circuit trace are patterned out of a platinum layer. Furthermore, an interconnection region is used for contacting the measuring chip with bonding wires. An additional metal layer is provided for the interconnection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Treutler, Rolf Benz, Horst Muenzel, Steffen Schmidt, Eckart Reihlen, Andreas Lock
  • Patent number: 5629538
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip, which is preferably designed as a pressure sensor, has on its rear side one or more depressions in which the pressure is measured by correspondingly designed diaphragms which are coupled to piezosensitive circuits. The surface of the depressions and, optionally, the rear side of the semiconductor chip are coated with a protective layer which ensures that the semiconductor is protected from aggressive media. The protective layer thereby makes it possible to use the sensor universally in acids, lyes or hot gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Lipphardt, Guenther Findler, Horst Muenzel, Helmut Baumann
  • Patent number: 5616514
    Abstract: A micromechanical sensor includes a support of silicon substrate having an epitaxial layer of silicon applied on the silicon substrate. A part of the epitaxial layer is laid bare to form at least one micromechanical deflection part by an etching process. The bared deflection part is made of polycrystalline silicon which has grown in polycrystalline form during the epitaxial process over a silicon-oxide layer which has been removed by etching. In the support region and/or at the connection to the silicon substrate, the exposed deflection part passes into single crystal silicon. By large layer thicknesses, a large working capacity of the sensor is possible. The sensor structure provides enhanced mechanical stability, processability, and possibilities of shaping, and it can be integrated, in particular, in a bipolar process or mixed process (bipolar-CMOS, bipolar-CMOS-DMOS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Muchow, Horst Muenzel, Michael Offenberg, Winfried Waldvogel
  • Patent number: 5616523
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing sensors from a multilayer plate with upper and lower monocrystalline silicon layers and an etching layer between them. The upper silicon layer is structured by the introduction of troughs therein extending down to the etching layer. Sensor structures, such as a bending beam that is used in an acceleration sensor, are created by etching the etching layer beneath a part of the silicon layer structured in this manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Benz, Jiri Marek, Frank Bantien, Horst Muenzel, Franz Laermer, Michael Offenberg, Andrea Schilp
  • Patent number: 5569852
    Abstract: A contacting of a capacitive accelerometer sensor of monocrystalline material is achieved by a capacitive accelerometer sensor having a structure etched out of a monocrystalline layer arranged on a substrate, including a seismic mass that is only joined to the substrate by suspension segments and executing a movement in its longitudinal direction in response to the occurrence of an acceleration of parallel, plate-like first fingers extending out from this mass at right angles to their longitudinal direction and of plate-like second fingers running parallel to the first fingers and anchored to the substrate. The first and second fingers form a capacitor arrangement. The suspension segments, which are anchored with their end region that is distant from the seismic mass to the substrate, and second fingers are electrically isolated, by an isolation strip, from the other remaining layer of monocrystalline material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jiri Marek, Frank Bantien, Horst Muenzel, Michael Offenberg
  • Patent number: 5542558
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing micro-mechanical components in which a structure is produced on a silicon layer, which is to be undercut in a further step. The silicon is selectively anodized for this undercutting operation. Thus, the method enables the manufacturing of micro-mechanical components that can be integrated together with bipolar circuit elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Benz, Jiri Marek, Martin Willmann, Frank Bantien, Horst Muenzel, Franz Laermer, Michael Offenberg, Andrea Schilp
  • Patent number: 5507186
    Abstract: In a pressure sensor, a force is transferred via a pressure plunger end made of relatively hard material onto a measurement element including a sensor membrane on a support. The sensor membrane is part of a micromechanical arrangement made of silicon. A metal structure made of a metal of lower hardness compared with the hardness of the material of the pressure plunger end is applied onto the sensor membrane. This metal structure can be impressed and plastically deformed with increased force by the contact surface of the pressure plunger end, in such a way that conforming contact of the contact surface is achieved, and potential angular errors are compensated for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Weiblen, Werner Herden, Uwe Lipphardt, Horst Muenzel, Matthias Kuesell, Steffen Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5461917
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor and a method of making an acceleration sensor is described in which a movable sensor element is located in a hollow space formed in the middle of three silicon plates. During production, air can be removed from the hollow space through a hole in one of the two outer plates. The hole is then closed by an additional plate, which allows for a defined pressure to be set in the hollow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jiri Marek, Dietrich Schubert, Helmut Baumann, Horst Muenzel, Michael Offenberg, Martin Willmann
  • Patent number: 5421952
    Abstract: A method for fabricating silicon injection plates is both highly precise and particularly simple. The silicon injection plate is formed by an upper silicon plate having injection holes and a lower silicon plate having a through opening and channels. The lower silicon plate is fabricated by simultaneous, double-sided etching of silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Buchholz, Udo Jauernig, Alexandra Boehringer, Guenther Findler, Horst Muenzel
  • Patent number: 5071510
    Abstract: Electrochemical etching of silicon wafers or plates, on the front side of which a monocrystalline epitaxy layer is provided having a doping of a type opposite to the doping of the remainder of the silicon plate, so as to provide a pn or np junction, is performed with an organic photo film material of negative type and polyisoprene base serving as a passivating layer on the previously etched and metallized front (epitaxy) side. The film layer is held in place with the help of an adhesion promoting silane compound and covers the entire front side including the portions previously masked with silicon nitride or oxide. It is dried and hardened before exposure to the etchant which is used to etch the rear side of the plate until the etchant reaches the pn junction, where a small voltage bias applied to the junction from the front side assures an etch-stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guenther Findler, Horst Muenzel