Patents by Inventor Joachim Hoffmann
Joachim Hoffmann 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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Patent number: 10840529Abstract: A method for generating energy in mobile applications, such as water vehicles, wherein hydrogen is produced by at least partially dehydrogenating a hydrogenated liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) in a chemical reactor, where electricity and water are generated in at least one fuel cell and heat for the chemical reactor is generated in a heating device from the produced hydrogen, and where the hydrogen produced by the chemical reactor is first conducted through the at least one fuel cell and then supplied to the heating device, such that the at least one fuel cell can therefore be operated under partial load and thus with better efficiency than if the hydrogen for the heating device is branched off before the fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2016Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Joachim Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20190379081Abstract: A fuel cell module includes a fuel cell and an operating medium supplier for supplying operating media to the fuel cell, wherein the fuel cell has at least one stack of fuel cells, and the operating medium supplier has current terminals and has operating medium terminals, where availability of the fuel cell is further improved because the fuel cell and the operating medium supplier are separable from each other, and the fuel cell includes a module controller/regulator arranged on or in the fuel cell and is configured to bring the fuel cell to a secure state via a deactivation procedure before the fuel cell is separated from the operating medium supplier and/or to start up the fuel cell via an activation procedure after connection of the fuel cell to the operating medium supplier.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2017Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Hans-Jürgen BEIE, Torsten BRANDT, Frank BÄRNREUTHER, Joachim HOFFMANN, Arno MATTEJAT, Ottmar VOITLEIN
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Publication number: 20190260202Abstract: A superconducting current limiter with a bifilar coil winding made of a Tc superconductor (HTS) conductor in a cryostat that includes a solid filler material, where the solid filling material is particularly formed from a granulate, hollow bodies or an open-pored structure and is surrounded by cryogen.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2017Publication date: August 22, 2019Inventors: Joachim HOFFMANN, Jörn GRUNDMANN, Christian SCHACHERER
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Publication number: 20190252094Abstract: An electrical connection unit comprising a first electrical terminal, a first fluidic terminal for attaching a coolant source, and a second electrical terminal connected to an electrically conductive cable and electrically connected to the first electrical terminal. The second electrical terminal is formed as a second fluidic terminal fluidly connecting a cooling channel of the cable through which a coolant can flow to the first fluidic terminal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2019Publication date: August 15, 2019Applicant: TE Connectivity Germany GmbHInventors: Ronald Wienziers, Patrick Wrobel, Holger Hinrichs, Gregor Gassmann, Joachim Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20180375137Abstract: A method for generating energy in mobile applications, such as water vehicles, wherein hydrogen is produced by at least partially dehydrogenating a hydrogenated liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) in a chemical reactor, where electricity and water are generated in at least one fuel cell and heat for the chemical reactor is generated in a heating device from the produced hydrogen, and where the hydrogen produced by the chemical reactor is first conducted through the at least one fuel cell and then supplied to the heating device, such that the at least one fuel cell can therefore be operated under partial load and thus with better efficiency than if the hydrogen for the heating device is branched off before the fuel cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2016Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventor: Joachim HOFFMANN
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Patent number: 9868496Abstract: A drive system for a water vehicle, in particular for a submarine underwater vehicle or an unmanned underwater vehicle, includes a fuel cell system, at least one operating-gas container for supplying the fuel cell system with an operating gas, and a compressor arranged on a gas discharge line for compressing a residual gas from the fuel cell system, wherein a turbine arranged between the operating-gas container and the fuel cell system is provided for expanding the operating gas before the operating gas enters the fuel cell system, where the compressor is driven by the turbine such that the energy balance of the drive system is thereby improved.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Joachim Hoffmann
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Patent number: 9853302Abstract: An electrochemical cell has at least one plate element which can be cooled by a liquid coolant, such as water. The plate element has a surface that can be wetted for the purpose of cooling with the coolant. The surface of the plate element in the electrochemical cell is configured such that a contact angle between the surface and the liquid coolant is less than 90°. In the method for producing the electrochemical cell an additional method step is carried out which influences the wettable surfaces of plate elements for cooling with coolant and by which a contact angle between the surface and the coolant is decreased.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2012Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Torsten Brandt, Frank Baernreuther, Armin Datz, Anett Eder, Florian Eder, Herbert Hartnack, Joachim Hoffmann
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Patent number: 9638372Abstract: An operating gas system for an underwater vehicle, particularly for a submarine or an unmanned underwater vehicle, includes a fuel cell system and an operating gas vessel connected in terms of flow to the fuel cell system. In order to achieve simple and efficient storage of boil-off gasses, a gas-receiving device is also provided and is connected to the operating gas vessel. The gas-receiving device contains a sorbent for receiving boil-off gas from the operating gas vessel. The boil-off gas, which is produced in the operating vessel with an operating gas for the fuel cell system and which cannot be consumed directly in the fuel cell reaction, is therefore collected and stored with the aid of the sorbent in the gas-receiving device. A method for operating an operating gas system and an underwater vehicle are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventor: Joachim Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20160207599Abstract: A drive system for a water vehicle, in particular for a submarine underwater vehicle or an unmanned underwater vehicle, includes a fuel cell system, at least one operating-gas container for supplying the fuel cell system with an operating gas, and a compressor arranged on a gas discharge line for compressing a residual gas from the fuel cell system, wherein a turbine arranged between the operating-gas container and the fuel cell system is provided for expanding the operating gas before the operating gas enters the fuel cell system, where the compressor is driven by the turbine such that the energy balance of the drive system is thereby improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2014Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventor: Joachim HOFFMANN
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Patent number: 9166236Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a flow chamber disposed between two plate elements and having a flow inlet and a flow outlet for a flow medium permeating the flow chamber and defining a main flow direction of the flow medium between the flow inlet and the flow outlet. One of the plate elements has protrusions for supporting the plate element on the other plate element in a regular grid structure, between which a network of flow channels passing through the flow chamber runs in at least one flow channel direction. The regular grid structure is configured in such a way that the grid of the flow channels has two or more flow channel directions each enclosing an angle differing from zero degrees relative to the main flow direction of the flow medium.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Torsten Brandt, Joachim Hoffmann, Arno Mattejat
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Publication number: 20150204486Abstract: An operating gas system for an underwater vehicle, particularly for a submarine or an unmanned underwater vehicle, includes a fuel cell system and an operating gas vessel connected in terms of flow to the fuel cell system. In order to achieve simple and efficient storage of boil-off gasses, a gas-receiving device is also provided and is connected to the operating gas vessel. The gas-receiving device contains a sorbent for receiving boil-off gas from the operating gas vessel. The boil-off gas, which is produced in the operating vessel with an operating gas for the fuel cell system and which cannot be consumed directly in the fuel cell reaction, is therefore collected and stored with the aid of the sorbent in the gas-receiving device. A method for operating an operating gas system and an underwater vehicle are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2013Publication date: July 23, 2015Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventor: Joachim Hoffmann
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Patent number: 9011066Abstract: The invention relates to a coverslipping module for mounting coverslips onto specimen slides (12) for microscopic investigations, having a transport apparatus (9) for transporting a specimen slide (12) out of a rack (3) or a specimen slide holder to a coverslipping position (13) in which the specimen slide (12) is equipped with a coverslip, and having an alignment device for aligning the specimen slide (12) in the coverslipping position (13) for mounting the coverslip. In order to allow the specimen slide (12) to be reliably and quickly aligned for mounting of the coverslips, thereby ensuring a high level of process dependability with a short processing time, the alignment device are constituted by multiple movable orientation jaws (18) which are arranged so that by closure of the orientation jaws (18), the specimen slide (12) becomes aligned in the coverslipping position (13).Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2012Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbHInventors: Joachim Hoffmann, Bernhard Neef, Simon Keimer, Karl-Heinz Westerhoff
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Publication number: 20140349207Abstract: An electrochemical cell has at least one plate element which can be cooled by a liquid coolant, such as water. The plate element has a surface that can be wetted for the purpose of cooling with the coolant. The surface of the plate element in the electrochemical cell is configured such that a contact angle between the surface and the liquid coolant is less than 90°. In the method for producing the electrochemical cell an additional method step is carried out which influences the wettable surfaces of plate elements for cooling with coolant and by which a contact angle between the surface and the coolant is decreased.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2012Publication date: November 27, 2014Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Torsten Brandt, Frank Baernreuther, Armin Datz, Anett Eder, Florian Eder, Herbert Hartnack, Joachim Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20140077402Abstract: A humidification cell of a fuel cell apparatus includes a first outer plate and a second outer plate. A gas chamber, a humidification water chamber, and a water-permeable membrane that separates the two chambers are disposed between the first outer plate and the second outer plate starting from the first outer plate. A first water-permeable support element is disposed between the first outer plate and the membrane. The first support element is made of a woven fabric formed of a plastic. A discharge and an entrainment of liquid water can be prevented during load changes or other non-stationary fuel cell operating states accompanied by a sudden change of gas volume flow in that the plastic is a fluoropolymer or a fluoroplastic. Advantageously, the fluoropolymer or fluoroplastic is formed at least partly, preferably entirely, of an alternating copolymer of ethylene and chlorotrifluorethylene (E-CTFE).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Torsten Brandt, Armin Datz, Albert Hammerschmidt, Joachim Hoffmann, Silke Latzel, Arno Mattejat
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Patent number: 8668027Abstract: A power tool with a drive motor and a drive belt guided about a drive pulley and an output pulley has a tool driven by the drive motor through the drive belt. A tensioning device is provided that changes a spacing between the drive pulley and the output pulley and has at least one tensioning position and at least one release position. In the at least one tensioning position, the drive pulley and the output pulley have a first spacing relative to one another and in the at least one release position have a second spacing to one another that is smaller than the first spacing. The drive belt is an elast belt and the tensioning device, as a result of inherent tension of the elast belt, is secured in the at least one tensioning position.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2009Date of Patent: March 11, 2014Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KGInventors: Joachim Hoffmann, Stefan von Siegroth
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Publication number: 20140017600Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a flow chamber disposed between two plate elements and having a flow inlet and a flow outlet for a flow medium permeating the flow chamber and defining a main flow direction of the flow medium between the flow inlet and the flow outlet. One of the plate elements has protrusions for supporting the plate element on the other plate element in a regular grid structure, between which a network of flow channels passing through the flow chamber runs in at least one flow channel direction. The regular grid structure is configured in such a way that the grid of the flow channels has two or more flow channel directions each enclosing an angle differing from zero degrees relative to the main flow direction of the flow medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2012Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventors: Torsten Brandt, Joachim Hoffmann, Arno Mattejat
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Patent number: 8309037Abstract: An apparatus and a method for processing tissue samples are described. The apparatus comprises: at least one retort for accommodating tissue samples; at least one container for storing alcohol or xylene; a valve adapted to connect the at least one retort with the at least one container depending on an operating position of the valve; and at least a first sensor that is arranged in flow direction between the container and the retort for measuring a value of a parameter that represents a purity level of the alcohol or xylene; wherein the first sensor and the valve are configured to replace the alcohol or xylene depending on the value of the parameter that represents the purity level. The method comprises for the alcohol or xylene conducting between the container and the retort; automatically measuring the purity level and replacing depending on the purity level.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2009Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbHInventors: Michael Erben, Nils Jakob, Claus Haberkorn, Frank Meder, Michael Rapp, Joachim Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20120195731Abstract: The invention relates to a coverslip handling device (100) comprising a pick-up component (200) for picking up a coverslip (800) and a sensor device (203, 204) for checking the state of the coverslip (800) picked up, the coverslip handling device (100) being arranged to pick up a coverslip (800) automatically by means of the pick-up component (200), to check the state of the coverslip (800) picked up by means of the sensor device (203, 204) so that unusable coverslips are detected, and to set down a coverslip (800) that has been detected as being usable, automatically by means of the pick-up component (200) on a slide (500) provided for this purpose, wherein the coverslip handling device (100) is configured to automatically discard a coverslip found to be unusable by means of the pick-up component (200).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2012Publication date: August 2, 2012Applicant: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbHInventor: Joachim HOFFMANN
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Publication number: 20120189412Abstract: The invention relates to a coverslipping module for mounting coverslips onto specimen slides (12) for microscopic investigations, having a transport apparatus (9) for transporting a specimen slide (12) out of a rack (3) or a specimen slide holder to a coverslipping position (13) in which the specimen slide (12) is equipped with a coverslip, and having alignment means for aligning the specimen slide (12) in the coverslipping position (13) for mounting the coverslip. In order to allow the specimen slide (12) to be reliably and quickly aligned for mounting of the coverslips, thereby ensuring a high level of process dependability with a short processing time, the alignment means are constituted by multiple movable orientation jaws (18) which are arranged so that by closure of the orientation jaws (18), the specimen slide (12) becomes aligned in the coverslipping position (13).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: LEICA BIOSYSTEMS NUSSLOCH GMBHInventors: Joachim HOFFMANN, Bernhard NEEF, Simon KEIMER, Karl-Heinz WESTERHOFF
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Torque converter with cooling fluid flow arrangement and arrangement for torque transfer to a damper
Patent number: 8225916Abstract: A torque converter including: a membrane forming a portion of a release chamber for the clutch; a friction plate for a torque converter clutch, the plate rotationally connected to a turbine hub and disposed within the release chamber; and a damper element rotationally connected to the turbine hub and to the torque converter clutch. In lock-up mode for the converter, the plate is arranged to transmit torque to the turbine hub. The torque converter includes cooling fluid and a torus and the clutch further comprises friction material and in some aspects, during the lock-up mode, the release chamber is sealed except for a flow of the cooling fluid from the release chamber through the friction material to the torus. The plate includes oppositely disposed first and second radial surfaces and during a torque converter mode for the torque converter, respective pressures on the first and second surfaces are substantially equal.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2008Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventors: Yang Liang, Michael G. Swank, Jonathan G. Jameson, Kevin Parks, Steven Olsen, Joachim Hoffmann