Patents by Inventor Ingo Koch

Ingo Koch 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: 7327147
    Abstract: A method for determining characteristic variables for electrical states of an energy storage battery includes subdividing an electrolyte volume of the battery into at least two electrolyte volume components with associated electrolyte balancing areasabd defining at least two electrode plate balancing areas by subdividing the total resistance of electrode plates in the battery into resistance components for the defined electrode plate balancing areas and by subdividing the total energy storage capacity of the electrode plates into energy storage capacity components for the defined electrode plate balancing areas. The method further includes determining the electrolyte concentration of the electrolyte volume components for the defined electrolyte balancing areas and determining the amounts of charge which are held in the electrode plates in each of the electrode plate balancing areas. At least one characteristic variable for associated electrical states of the battery is determined using a mathematical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 7295014
    Abstract: A method for determining a state of charge (SOC) characteristic variable for a storage battery including determining a first SOC value and a second SOC value. The method further including determining changes in the first and second SOC values. These changes in the first and second SOC values are measured between a first operating time and a second operating time. The method also including determining a characteristic variable relating to the state of charge as a function of the change in the first and second SOC values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Eberhard Meissner
  • Publication number: 20070234995
    Abstract: A cover for a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine having a connecting element for attachment the cylinder head and a sealing element arranged between the cylinder head cover and the cylinder head. The connecting element is associated with a connecting area, and the sealing element is associated with a sealing area. The connecting area and the sealing area are constructed independently of each other and are spatially separated from each other, and the force vectors of the connecting force transmitted by the connecting element and the sealing force transmitted by the sealing element form an angle with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicants: Mann & Hummel GmbH, Federal Mogul Sealing Systems Bretten GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Jessberger, Ines Klamert, Ingo Koch, Alexander Korn, Thomas Schleiden, Andreas Weber, Michael Daiber, Klaus Gessner, Timo Walz, Ralf Salameh, Wilhelm Schneider, Daniel Westphal
  • Publication number: 20070031725
    Abstract: A method of determining a stratification of an electrolyte in an active mass of positive electrode plates in rechargeable batteries includes determining a variation of at least one of a charging current and a charging voltage of the rechargeable battery occurring during charging of the rechargeable battery; and detecting a stratification of the electrolyte from an increased charging current consumption in the rechargeable battery as compared to an identical rechargeable battery without stratification when there is a fixed charging voltage variation or a reduced charging voltage when there is a fixed charging current variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Inventors: Andreas Schulze-Beckinghausen, Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 7012434
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery and a monitoring device are provided that measure at least one of battery currents and battery voltages at at least two points in time before or during a rise phase and during or after a decay phase of a charging or discharging operation. A characteristic variable for the amount of charge is determined. The characteristic variable is derived from the relationship of at least one battery voltage value from the rise phase with respect to at least one battery voltage value from the decay phase or from the relationship of at least one battery current value from the rise phase with respect to at least one battery current value from the decay phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 6967466
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery includes determining a battery voltage and current profile over at least one time interval; smoothing the battery voltage profile and the battery current profile using at least two different smoothing measures; and determining voltage and current differences between battery current and voltage profiles smoothed using a second and third smoothing measure, with the third smoothing measure producing greater smoothing than the second smoothing measure. The method further includes calculating characteristic values from quotients of the voltage differences and the current differences; utilizing the characteristic values for a time interval to determine an interval characteristic value; and determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from the storage battery from at least one interval characteristic value for at least one time interval. A monitoring device may be provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Publication number: 20050189948
    Abstract: A method for determination of characteristic variables for electrical states of an energy storage battery has the following steps: a) the electrolyte volume (v) of the energy storage battery is subdivided into at least two electrolyte volume components (vi) with associated electrolyte balancing areas (Si); b) at least two electrode plate balancing areas (Pk) are defined by subdividing the total resistance (RM) of the electrode plates in the energy storage battery into resistance components (RkM) for the defined electrode plate balancing areas (Pk), and the total energy storage capacity (KM) of the electrode plates in the energy storage battery into energy storage capacity components (KkM) for the defined electrode plate balancing areas (Pk); c) the electrolyte concentration (ri) of the electrolyte volume components (vi) for the defined electrolyte balancing areas (Si) is determined; d) the amounts of charge (KEkM) which are in each case held in the electrode plates in the electrode plate balancing areas (
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Publication number: 20050189920
    Abstract: A method for determining at least one characteristic variable for the state of a battery includes: (a) determining the charge throughput of the battery per time step; comprising, (b) determining a first characteristic figure in order to describe the stratification of the electrolyte concentration in the battery on the basis of a defined initial state for an as-new battery, and of a second characteristic figure in order to describe the stratification of the state of charge in the battery on the basis of a defined initial value for an as-new battery during operation of the battery, in which (c) in each time step, the first characteristic figure and the second characteristic figure are adapted as a function of the charge throughput from the instantaneous state of the battery, and at least one characteristic variable is determined from the first and the second characteristic figure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock, Eberhard Meissner, Ursula Teutsch
  • Patent number: 6889648
    Abstract: An intake system for an internal combustion engine having an intake plenum and at least one intake pipe which branches off from the intake plenum and which is composed of at least two intake pipe parts that are divided longitudinally. The intake plenum together with one of the intake pipe parts forms a single integral base part. The second intake pipe part is configured as an interchangeable insert that also forms one wall shell of the intake plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Achim Rehmann
  • Publication number: 20050062458
    Abstract: A method for determining a characteristic variable which relates to the state of charge (SOC) of a storage battery includes determining a first state of charge value which relates to a first parameter for a first operating time and for a second operating time and determining a second state of charge value which relates to a second parameter for the first operating time and for the second operating time. The method also includes determining a first state of charge change of the first state of charge value from the first operating time to the second operating time and determining a second state of charge change of the second state of charge value from the first operating time to the second operating time. The method also includes determining a characteristic variable which relates to the state of charge as a function of the first state of charge change and of the second state of charge change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Eberhard Meissner
  • Patent number: 6861842
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can still be drawn from an energy storage battery includes measuring current values and voltage values at at least two times in a voltage response of the energy storage battery to at least one current pulse, with one voltage/current value pair being obtained for each of the at least two times. The method also includes calculating a resistance difference characteristic variable utilizing the measured voltage/current value pairs. The method also includes determining of the amount of charge which can still be drawn from the energy storage battery utilizing the resistance difference characteristic variable. An energy storage battery having measurement means and processor-controlled evaluation means may be provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Baeuerlein, Frank Helkmer, Eberhard Meissner, Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 6823838
    Abstract: A switching assembly (10) having closure elements such as switch valves (18), for example, for closing intake lines (24b) and an intake manifold (28) in which the switching assembly is installed. The switching assembly (10) advantageously is composed of assembly injection-molded valve modules including switch valves (18) and a frame (14b). Alternatively, the switch valves (18) may also be injection molded directly in place in the support component (17). Because it may be pre-assembled, the entire switching assembly (10) may be easily installed in the intake manifold. In addition, the switching assembly preferably has rotational axes (15) which lie at a right angle to the alignment of the valves. It is advantageous that each switch valve (18) has its own rotational axis, thereby avoiding additive tolerances. In this way a part is provided which is economical to produce and which satisfies the sealing requirements for the switching assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Herbert Pietrowski, Guenter Steiner
  • Patent number: 6807935
    Abstract: An intake pipe (10) for an internal combustion engine composed of shells (11a, 11b) in which the geometry of the joining surfaces (19) adopts an approximately stepped course in areas with a slight incline relative to to joining force (F). This produces areas with a greater or lesser inclination relative to a joint line (16) indicating the average inclination of the joining surfaces. This results in areas which can be welded with a high degree of stability because of their considerable incline towards the joining force. These areas can then support areas which are less inclined towards the joining force. This allows the shells (11a, 11b) to have strongly curved joining surfaces, which increases the geometric design freedom of the intake pipe and, in particular, makes it possible to manufacture intake pipes with strongly curved intake channels constructed from just two shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Pietrowski, Arthur Klotz, Ingo Koch, Matthias Teschner
  • Publication number: 20040189255
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery includes determining a battery voltage and current profile over at least one time interval; smoothing the battery voltage profile and the battery current profile using at least two different smoothing measures; and determining voltage and current differences between battery current and voltage profiles smoothed using a second and third smoothing measure, with the third smoothing measure producing greater smoothing than the second smoothing measure. The method further includes calculating characteristic values from quotients of the voltage differences and the current differences; utilizing the characteristic values for a time interval to determine an interval characteristic value; and determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from the storage battery from at least one interval characteristic value for at least one time interval. A monitoring device may be provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Publication number: 20040160215
    Abstract: A method for determining the charge drawn by an energy storage battery starting from an initial state of charge at the start of the drawing of the charge includes determining the charge drawn as a function of an exponential function with a time constant. The time constant is defined at least as a function of the energy storage battery type and of the temperature of at least one of the battery temperature and the electrolyte temperature. The method may be carried out utilizing a monitoring device or a computer program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: VB Autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Gerolf Richter, Ingo Koch
  • Publication number: 20040149248
    Abstract: An intake system for an internal combustion engine having an intake plenum and at least one intake pipe which branches off from the intake plenum and which is composed of at least two intake pipe parts that are divided longitudinally. The intake plenum together with one of the intake pipe parts forms a single integral base part. The second intake pipe part is configured as an interchangeable insert that also forms one wall shell of the intake plenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Ingo Koch, Achim Rehmann
  • Publication number: 20040130297
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can still be drawn from an energy storage battery includes measuring current values and voltage values at at least two times in a voltage response of the energy storage battery to at least one current pulse, with one voltage/current value pair being obtained for each of the at least two times. The method also includes calculating a resistance difference characteristic variable utilizing the measured voltage/current value pairs. The method also includes determining of the amount of charge which can still be drawn from the energy storage battery utilizing the resistance difference characteristic variable. An energy storage battery having measurement means and processor-controlled evaluation means may be provided for carrying out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: VB autobatterie GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Baeuerlein, Frank Helmker, Eberhard Meissner, Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 6752115
    Abstract: An intake device for supplying combustion air to an internal combustion engine composed of two sealingly connected half shells (10, 11) which form an intake air plenum (13), intake ducts (14), and a cylinder head flange (15) in which there is an insert (20) associated with each intake duct (14). Each insert is provided with a partition (23) for dividing the flow into two flow cross-sections (21, 22). The first flow cross section (21) is provided with a valve flap (24), which can be opened and closed to influence the filling of combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Fiesel, Ingo Koch
  • Publication number: 20040100267
    Abstract: A method for determining the amount of charge which can be drawn from a storage battery and a monitoring device are provided that measure at least one of battery currents and battery voltages at at least two points in time before or during a rise phase and during or after a decay phase of a charging or discharging operation. A characteristic variable for the amount of charge is determined. The characteristic variable is derived from the relationship of at least one battery voltage value from the rise phase with respect to at least one battery voltage value from the decay phase or from the relationship of at least one battery current value from the rise phase with respect to at least one battery current value from the decay phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: Ingo Koch
  • Patent number: 6732695
    Abstract: An intake manifold (10) for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine includes a tubular intake distributor (12) from which a plurality of long intake tubes (13) extend and lead to the individual cylinders. Short intake tubes (14) likewise extend from the intake distributor and open into the respective associated long intake tubes (13). The intake distributor (12) and the long and short intake tubes (13, 14) are formed from a one-piece housing (11) which has a cavity (21) which intersects the short intake tubes (14). In this cavity (21) a control element (15) is installed, which includes flaps (16), flap frames (17), a shaft (19) and a control element frame (18). By moving the shaft (19) either rotationally or translationally, the short intake tubes (14) can be opened or closed. In contrast to arrangements known in the prior art, the control element (15) has no sealing elements which can catch or jam during assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Pietrowski, Thomas Jessberger, Ingo Koch, Helmut Neuschwander, Eckehard Mandel