Patents by Inventor Hubert Nolte

Hubert Nolte 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: 11808485
    Abstract: A water heater including an inflow terminal for connecting a tankless water heater to a cold water supply and an outflow terminal for connecting the tankless water heater to a tap. A fluid channel proves a fluid connection from the inflow terminal to the outflow terminal. A heat element arrangement is arranged at or within at least a section of the fluid channel for transferring heat to fluid present within the fluid channel. An electronic controller is configured to control a heating power provided to the heat element arrangement. A flow sensor is arranged at or within the fluid channel downstream the heat element arrangement. The electronic controller is further configured to detect the presence of air bubbles within the fluid channel based on a change of a flow signal provided by the flow sensor and to adapt the heating power provided to the heat element arrangement in reaction to the determination of air bubbles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Stiebel Eltron GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Patent number: 11662122
    Abstract: A tankless water heater system (100), with a heat exchanger device (20) comprising at least one hollow chamber (21, 22, 23, 24) and at least one electrical heating element (52, 53, 54), and a controller device (30) with a temperature control unit (35), a tap event counter unit (32), a down-time counter unit (33) and a time delay unit (34); an electrical switching element (41, 42, 43) for connecting or is connecting one or several heating elements (52, 53, 54) to/from a power supply; an outlet temperature sensor (27) linked with the temperature control unit (35); a flow rate sensor (29); wherein: the tap counter unit (32) is connected to the flow rate sensor (29) and is triggered when water flow rate exceeds a tap indication threshold the down-time counter unit (33) is triggered and retriggered by the tap counter unit (32) and both provide a down-time event signal after any inactivity period with no water flow and records the duration of inactivity; the time delay unit (34) is connected to and triggered by the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Michael Dion, Frank Stiebel
  • Publication number: 20230142979
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air blower apparatus, in particular a jet air hand dryer, comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet, at least one air duct extending inside the housing between the inlet and the outlet, for guiding an air stream, a fan unit for producing a directed stream of air in the air duct, and a UV treatment unit arranged inside a section of the air duct, said UV treatment unit having a treatment chamber for at least parts of the stream passing through the air duct, characterised in that the treatment chamber is at least part of a receiving chamber for a fan impeller in the fan unit, wherein a plurality of lighting adapted to emit UV light are arranged inside the receiving chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: STIEBEL ELTRON GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Hubert NOLTE, Frank STIEBEL
  • Patent number: 11573031
    Abstract: A tankless water heater comprising a bare wire heating element is disclosed which is connected to an electronic temperature control system. At least one sensor is furthermore connected to the electronic temperature control system. A fluid heating chamber is made of insulating non conductive material wherein the heating element is located. At least one switch is connected to at least one bare wire heating element and to a phase of an AC line. An electrode system and an electronic detecting circuit are interconnected. The electrode system is arranged in a fluid channel, in a short distance from the bare wire heating element which acts like electrode 1. The electrode 2 of the electrode system is made from a conductive tube material hydraulically connected to a throttle valve made from non conductive material to insulate the electrode 2 from the grounded collector. The electrode 2 is electrically connected to a electronic control system via a conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Martin Herrs
  • Publication number: 20230003435
    Abstract: A method of defrosting a heat pump device including a water tank, a heat exchanger, an electrical heating element, an evaporator, a fan for the evaporator, and a control unit. In a first operating mode, the heat pump device is controlled to heat water inside the water tank. In a second operating mode, the electrical heating element is manually activated to additionally heat the water inside the water tank. In a third operating mode, the electrical heating element is automatically activating to heat the water in the storage tank if: the power supplied by the heat pump device to heat the water inside the water tank is not sufficient; if a time limit after activation of a deicing operation has lapsed; and/or if the number of times the deicing operation has been activated during a predetermined time interval exceeds a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co.KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Patent number: 11536464
    Abstract: A tank water heater assembly is provided including a tank water heater and a drain pan provided with a sensor holder for mounting a sensor. The sensor holder accommodates a leak detection sensor at predefined distance above an inner surface of a bottom wall of the drain pan. In this way the presence of harmless small amounts of water in the drain pan do not trigger an alarm. A transport assembly is presented for facilitating transportation of the tank water heater assembly to an installation site and subsequent installation. Finally, a method for installation of a tank water heater assembly is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Frank Stiebel, Michael Dion
  • Publication number: 20220316760
    Abstract: A water heater including a cold water intake, a hot water output, a fluid pathway arranged between the cold water intake and the hot water output and adapted to convey water flowing from the cold water intake to the hot water output. A heating element is adapted to heat water that is in the fluid pathway. A power electronics unit is coupled to the heating element. A controller is configured to regulate a temperature of the water in the fluid pathway to an adjustable hot water temperature by controlling the power electronics unit. A water draw-off detector is adapted to detect a water draw-off event and a water sensor is adapted to determine a reference parameter corresponding to a temperature of the water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: STIEBEL ELTRON GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin HERRS, Hubert NOLTE
  • Publication number: 20220196288
    Abstract: A tankless water heater, comprising: a flow channel with a cold-water inlet pipe, a heating unit with an heating element configured to heat water flowing through the heating unit and a hot-water outlet pipe, and a control unit configured to control the tankless water heater, wherein the control unit is configured to receive a power limitation signal of an external facility management system and to control a heating output of the heating element depending on the power limitation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Frank Stiebel
  • Patent number: 11350783
    Abstract: A hot water dispenser and a method for determining a boiling point of water in the same. The hot water dispenser contains a reservoir, a heating element, and a sensor. The method includes heating water in the reservoir with a first power value of the heating element during a first period of time until a value indicative of a threshold temperature of water is determined; upon reaching the threshold temperature, heating the reservoir water with a second power value of the heating element, which is lower than the first power value, during a second period of time until a water-temperature-rise-per-time value is lower than a first predetermined value; subsequently, increasing the power value of the heating element to a third power value during a third period of time; determining the boiling-point temperature of water by determining the highest temperature of water between the first and third periods of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: STIEBEL ELTRON GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Publication number: 20210063053
    Abstract: A method of controlling a heat up of a hot water tank, comprising a tank, which contains water and receives incoming cold-water at a cold-water inlet and outputs heated water through a heated water outlet, the method comprising: heating the water in the tank depending on a thermal energy content calculated as a function of an actual incoming cold-water temperature measured by a cold-water temperature sensor, when a tapping event is identified. A water tank heating device and a controller system for controlling a heat up of a hot water tank depending on a thermal energy content calculated as a function of an actual incoming cold-water temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Frank Stiebel
  • Publication number: 20210018221
    Abstract: A tankless water heater system (100), with a heat exchanger device (20) comprising at least one hollow chamber (21, 22, 23, 24 ) and at least one electrical heating element (52, 53, 54), and: a controller device (30) with a temperature control unit (35), a tap event counter unit (32), a down-time counter unit (33) and a time delay unit (34); an electrical switching element (41, 42, 43) for connecting or disconnecting one or several heating elements (52, 53, 54) to/from a power supply; an outlet temperature sensor (27) linked with the temperature control unit (35); a flow rate sensor (29); wherein: the tap counter unit (32) is connected to the flow rate sensor (29) and is triggered when water flow rate exceeds a tap indication threshold {dot over (V)}0 the down-time counter unit (33) is triggered and retriggered by the tap counter unit (32) and both provide a down-time event signal after any inactivity period with no water flow and records the duration of inactivity; the time delay unit (34) is connecte
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Michael Dion, Frank Stiebel
  • Publication number: 20200386440
    Abstract: A water heater including an inflow terminal for connecting a tankless water heater to a cold water supply and an outflow terminal for connecting the tankless water heater to a tap. A fluid channel proves a fluid connection from the inflow terminal to the outflow terminal. A heat element arrangement is arranged at or within at least a section of the fluid channel for transferring heat to fluid present within the fluid channel. An electronic controller is configured to control a heating power provided to the heat element arrangement. A flow sensor is arranged at or within the fluid channel downstream the heat element arrangement. The electronic controller is further configured to detect the presence of air bubbles within the fluid channel based on a change of a flow signal provided by the flow sensor and to adapt the heating power provided to the heat element arrangement in reaction to the determination of air bubbles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: STIEBEL ELTRON GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Hubert NOLTE
  • Patent number: 10852009
    Abstract: A water heater comprising a heat pump device and a water tank is provided. A temperature controller operates the heat pump device based on a comparison of a measured water temperature and a set temperature. The water heater further comprises a source temperature sensor measuring the temperature of a heat source serving to provide heat energy to the heat pump device process. The source temperature sensor measures a source temperature and provides a source temperature value to the temperature controller. The temperature controller adapts an activation temperature in response to the measured source temperature. The water heater provides an improved accuracy of the temperature controller without unnecessarily reducing the life expectancy of the heat pump device. Furthermore, a corresponding method for controlling a heat pump device in a water heater is suggested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Publication number: 20200187701
    Abstract: A hot water dispenser and a method for determining a boiling point of water in the same. The hot water dispenser contains a reservoir, a heating element, and a sensor. The method includes heating water in the reservoir with a first power value of the heating element during a first period of time until a value indicative of a threshold temperature of water is determined; upon reaching the threshold temperature, heating the reservoir water with a second power value of the heating element, which is lower than the first power value, during a second period of time until a water-temperature-rise-per-time value is lower than a first predetermined value; subsequently, increasing the power value of the heating element to a third power value during a third period of time; determining the boiling-point temperature of water by determining the highest temperature of water between the first and third periods of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Publication number: 20200025417
    Abstract: A method of controlling a heat up of a domestic hot water tank, whereby tank temperatures are measured. The tank temperatures are fed into a control unit and a heating device is activated to heat up water in the tank when the control unit calls for heat. The method comprises a step of feeding an incoming cold-water temperature value into the control unit and generating a parameter effected by this incoming cold-water temperature. The tank temperature is measured and is related to the thermal energy content of the tank, whereby the tank temperature is measured with an integral water temperature sensor mounted to the tank, further effecting the parameter. It processes then a call for heat depending on a comparison of a set point value with the parameter generated from the tank temperature and the measured cold-water temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Frank Stiebel
  • Publication number: 20200025418
    Abstract: The invention describes the procedure for displaying performance data on the front of a tankless electric water heater. At least one of the performance conditions is stored in the electronic control unit and is available to the display. A savings E is determined from a reference value R and a time value Z and is made available to be shown on the display. The reference value R contains at least one loss value V of another water heater and the time value Z is an input from the tankless electric water heater. The savings E represents a measure of the energy savings of the tankless water heater as contrasted with the other water heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Publication number: 20200003432
    Abstract: A tank water heater assembly is provided including a tank water heater and a drain pan provided with a sensor holder for mounting a sensor. The sensor holder accommodates a leak detection sensor at predefined distance above an inner surface of a bottom wall of the drain pan. In this way the presence of harmless small amounts of water in the drain pan do not trigger an alarm. A transport assembly is presented for facilitating transportation of the tank water heater assembly to an installation site and subsequent installation. Finally, a method for installation of a tank water heater assembly is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Frank Stiebel, Michael Dion
  • Publication number: 20190338963
    Abstract: A water heater comprising a heat pump device and a water tank is provided. A temperature controller operates the heat pump device based on a comparison of a measured water temperature and the set temperature. The water heater further comprises a source temperature sensor measuring the temperature of a heat source serving to provide heat energy to the heat pump device process. The source temperature sensor measures a source temperature and provides a source temperature value to the temperature controller. The temperature controller adapts a activation temperature in response to the measured source temperature. The water heater provides an improved accuracy of the temperature controller without unnecessarily reducing the life expectancy of the heat pump device. Furthermore, a corresponding method for controlling a heat pump device in a water heater is suggested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Publication number: 20180195788
    Abstract: A method of defrosting a heat pump device including a water tank, a heat exchanger, an electrical heating element, an evaporator, a fan for the evaporator, and a control unit. In a first operating mode, the heat pump device is controlled to heat water inside the water tank. In a second operating mode, the electrical heating element is manually activated to additionally heat the water inside the water tank. In a third operating mode, the electrical heating element is automatically activating to heat the water in the storage tank if: a) the power supplied by the heat pump device to heat the water inside the water tank is not sufficient; b) if a time limit after activation of a deicing operation has lapsed; and/or c) if the number of times the deicing operation has been activated during a predetermined time interval exceeds a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co.KG
    Inventor: Hubert Nolte
  • Publication number: 20180119988
    Abstract: A tankless water heater comprising a bare wire heating element is disclosed which is connected to an electronic temperature control system. At least one sensor is furthermore connected to the electronic temperature control system. A fluid heating chamber is made of insulating non conductive material wherein the heating element is located. At least one switch is connected to at least one bare wire heating element and to a phase of an AC line. An electrode system and an electronic detecting circuit are interconnected. The electrode system is arranged in a fluid channel, in a short distance from the bare wire heating element which acts like electrode 1. The electrode 2 of the electrode system is made from a conductive tube material hydraulically connected to a throttle valve made from non conductive material to insulate the electrode 2 from the grounded collector. The electrode 2 is electrically connected to a electronic control system via a conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Applicant: Stiebel Eltron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hubert Nolte, Martin Herrs