Patents by Inventor Johannes Classen

Johannes Classen 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: 8956544
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micromechanical structure, and a micromechanical structure. The micromechanical structure encompasses a first micromechanical functional layer, made of a first material, that comprises a buried conduit having a first end and a second end; a micromechanical sensor structure having a cap in a second micromechanical functional layer that is disposed above the first micromechanical functional layer; an edge region in the second micromechanical functional layer, such that the edge region surrounds the sensor structure and defines an inner side containing the sensor structure and an outer side facing away from the sensor structure; such that the first end is located on the outer side and the second end on the inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Jochen Reinmuth, Sebastian Guenther, Pia Bustian-Todorov
  • Patent number: 8952466
    Abstract: A micromechanical acceleration sensor includes a seismic mass and a substrate that has a reference electrode. The seismic mass is deflectable in a direction perpendicular to the reference electrode, and the seismic mass has a flexible stop in the deflection direction. The flexible stop of the seismic mass includes an elastic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Jochen Reinmuth, Guenther-Nino-Carlo Ullrich
  • Publication number: 20150008542
    Abstract: A micromechanical component includes a substrate having a cavern structured into the same, an at least partially conductive diaphragm, which at least partially spans the cavern, and a counter electrode, which is situated on an outer side of the diaphragm oriented away from the substrate so that a clearance is present between the counter electrode and the at least partially conductive diaphragm, the at least partially conductive diaphragm being spanned onto or over at least one electrically insulating material which at least partially covers the functional top side of the substrate, and at least one pressure access being formed on the cavern so that the at least partially conductive diaphragm is bendable into the clearance when a gaseous medium flows from an outer surroundings of the micromechanical component into the cavern. Also described is a manufacturing method for a micromechanical component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Arnd KAELBERER, Jochen Reinmuth, Johannes Classen
  • Patent number: 8928099
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a micromechanical component is described in which a trench etching process and a sacrificial layer etching process are carried out to form a mass situated movably on a substrate. The movable mass has electrically isolated and mechanically coupled subsections of a functional layer. A micromechanical component having a mass situated movably on a substrate is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Jochen Reinmuth, Andreas Scheurle
  • Publication number: 20140373628
    Abstract: A yaw rate sensor includes: a first sensor structure having a first oscillating mass and configured to detect a first yaw rate around a first axis of rotation; a second sensor structure having a second oscillating mass and configured to detect second and third yaw rates around second and third axes of rotation, respectively; and a drive structure coupled to the first and second oscillating masses. The first oscillating mass is drivable into a first drive oscillation along a first oscillation direction, and the second oscillating mass is drivable into a second drive oscillation along a second oscillation direction different from the first oscillation direction. The first axis of rotation is perpendicular to the first oscillation direction, and the second and third axes of rotation are perpendicular to the second oscillation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten BALSLINK, Hendrik SPECHT, Johannes CLASSEN
  • Patent number: 8915137
    Abstract: A yaw rate sensor having a substrate which has a main plane of extension, and a Coriolis element is proposed. The Coriolis element is excitable to a vibration along a third direction which is perpendicular to the main plane of extension. A Coriolis deflection of the Coriolis element along a first direction which is parallel to the main plane of extension may be detected using a detection arrangement. The detection arrangement includes a Coriolis electrode which is connected to the Coriolis element, and a corresponding counterelectrode. Both the Coriolis electrode and the counterelectrode may be excited to a vibration along the third direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer
  • Patent number: 8910518
    Abstract: A yaw rate sensor (10) includes a movable mass structure (12) and a drive component (13) which is suitable for setting the movable mass structure (12) in motion (14), and an analysis component (15) which is suitable for detecting a response (40) of the movable mass structure (12) to a yaw rate (?). A method for functional testing of a yaw rate sensor (10) includes the following steps: driving a movable mass structure (12), feeding a test signal (42) into a quadrature control loop (44) at a feed point (48) of the quadrature control loop (44), feeding back a deflection (40) of the movable mass structure (12), detecting a measure of the feedback of the movable mass structure (12), and reading out the response signal (47) from the quadrature control loop (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Bauer, Johannes Classen, Rainer Willig, Matthias Meier, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Mathias Reimann, Ermin Esch, Hans-Dieter Schwarz, Michael Veith, Christoph Lang, Udo-Martin Gomez
  • Patent number: 8901679
    Abstract: A micromechanical structure, in particular a sensor arrangement, includes at least one micromechanical functional layer, a CMOS substrate region arranged below the at least one micromechanical functional layer, and an arrangement of one or more contact elements. The CMOS substrate region has at least one configurable circuit arrangement. The arrangement of one or more contact elements is arranged between the at least one micromechanical functional layer and the CMOS substrate region and is electrically connected to the micromechanical functional layer and the circuit arrangement. The configurable circuit arrangement is designed in such a way that the one or more contact elements are configured to be selectively connected to electrical connection lines in the CMOS substrate region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Mirko Hattass, Lars Tebje, Daniel Christoph Meisel
  • Publication number: 20140338450
    Abstract: An acceleration sensor having a substrate and a seismic mass; the acceleration sensor has a main extension plane and includes a spring device, via which the substrate and the seismic mass are connected, such that in an acceleration in a detection direction that runs perpendicular to the main extension plane, the seismic mass is deflectable in the sense of a tilting motion about an axis of rotation running parallel to the main extension plane, the seismic mass furthermore being connected to the substrate via at least one first spring, the stiffness of the first spring in a deflection of the seismic mass in the sense of the tilting motion being lower in the detection direction than the stiffness of the first spring in a deflection in a primary direction extending parallel to the main extension plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Publication number: 20140339654
    Abstract: A micropatterned component, for measuring accelerations and/or yaw rates, including a substrate having a principal plane of extension of the substrate, an electrode, and a further electrode; the electrode having a principal plane of extension of the electrode, and the further electrode having a principal plane of extension of the further electrode; the principal plane of extension of the electrode being set parallelly to a normal direction perpendicular to the principal plane of extension of the substrate; the principal plane of extension of the further electrode being set parallelly to the normal direction; the electrode having an electrode height extending in the normal direction; the electrode having a flow channel extending completely through the electrode in a direction parallel to the principal plane of extension of the substrate; the flow channel having a channel depth extending parallelly to the normal direction; the channel depth being less than the electrode height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Publication number: 20140326070
    Abstract: A yaw-rate sensor having a substrate and a plurality of movable substructures that are mounted over a surface of the substrate, the movable substructures being coupled to a shared, in particular, central spring element, means being provided for exciting the movable substructures into a coupled oscillation in a plane that extends parallel to the surface of the substrate, the movable substructures having Coriolis elements, means being provided for detecting deflections of the Coriolis elements induced by a Coriolis force, a first Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a first axis, a second Coriolis element being provided for detecting a yaw rate about a second axis, the second axis being oriented perpendicularly to the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Reinhard Neul, Johannes Classen, Torsten Ohms, Burkhard Kuhlmann, Axel Franke, Oliver Kohn, Daniel Christoph Meisel, Joerg Hauer, Udo-Martin Gomez, Kersten Kehr
  • Patent number: 8866238
    Abstract: Hybrid integrated components including an MEMS element and an ASIC element are described, whose capacitor system allows both signal detection with comparatively high sensitivity and sensitive activation of the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element. The hybrid integrated component includes an MEMS element having a micromechanical structure which extends over the entire thickness of the MEMS substrate. At least one structural element of this micromechanical structure is deflectable and is operationally linked to at least one capacitor system, which includes at least one movable electrode and at least one stationary electrode. Furthermore, the component includes an ASIC element having at least one electrode of the capacitor system. The MEMS element is mounted on the ASIC element, so that there is a gap between the micromechanical structure and the surface of the ASIC element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Patent number: 8850890
    Abstract: An inertial sensor includes a substrate, a mass element, and a detecting device for detecting a movement of the mass element relative to the substrate, the mass element being coupled to the substrate with the aid of a spring device, wherein the spring device has a T-shaped cross-sectional profile. A method for manufacturing an inertial sensor is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Patent number: 8806940
    Abstract: A micromechanical component for detecting an acceleration. The component includes a conductive layer having a first and a second electrode and a rotatable flywheel mass in the form of a rocker having a first and a second lever arm. The first lever arm is situated opposite the first electrode, and the second lever arm is situated opposite the second electrode. The first lever arm has a first hole structure having a number of first cut-outs, and the second lever arm has a second hole structure having a number of second cut-outs. The first and the second lever arm have different masses. The component is characterized by the fact that the outer dimensions of the first and second lever arms correspond, and the first hole structure of the first lever arm differs from the second hole structure of the second lever arm. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing such a micromechanical component is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Patent number: 8783108
    Abstract: A micromechanical system for detecting an acceleration includes a substrate, a rocker-like mass structure having a first lever arm and a diametrically opposed second lever arm, the lever arms being situated tiltably at a distance to the substrate and about an axis of rotation to the substrate, and first and second electrodes being provided on the substrate. Each electrode is diametrically opposed to a lever arm and each lever arm includes a section extending from the axis of rotation which is located between the electrodes above an intermediate space. The two sections have different masses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Classen
  • Patent number: 8759927
    Abstract: A hybrid integrated component including an MEMS element and an ASIC element is refined to improve the capacitive signal detection or activation. The MEMS element is implemented in a layered structure on a semiconductor substrate. The layered structure of the MEMS element includes at least one printed conductor level and at least one functional layer, in which the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element having at least one deflectable structural element is implemented. The ASIC element is mounted face down on the layered structure and functions as a cap for the micromechanical structure. The deflectable structural element of the MEMS element is equipped with at least one electrode of a capacitor system. At least one stationary counter electrode of the capacitor system is implemented in the printed conductor level of the MEMS element, and the ASIC element includes at least one further counter electrode of the capacitor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Jens Frey
  • Patent number: 8746066
    Abstract: A micromechanical acceleration sensor is described which includes a substrate and a seismic mass which is movably situated with respect to the substrate in a detection direction. The micromechanical sensor includes at least one damping device for damping motions of the seismic mass perpendicular to the detection direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Sebastian Guenther, Harald Steffes
  • Patent number: 8726731
    Abstract: A micromechanical structure including a substrate having a main plane of extension, and including a first seismic mass, the first seismic mass including a grid structure made of intersecting first mass lines and the first seismic mass being flexibly secured with the aid of first bending-spring elements, and moreover, a first line width of the first mass lines parallel to the main plane of extension being between 20 and 50 percent of a further first line width of the first bending-spring elements parallel to the main plane of extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Christoph Gauger
  • Publication number: 20140117475
    Abstract: A component has at least one MEMS element and at least one cap made of a semiconductor material. The cap, in addition to its mechanical function as a terminus of a cavity and protection of the micromechanical structure, is provided with an electrical functionality. The micromechanical structure of the MEMS element of the component is situated in a cavity between a carrier and the cap, and includes at least one structural element which is deflectable out of the component plane within the cavity. The cap includes at least one section extending over the entire thickness of the cap, which is electrically insulated from the adjoining semiconductor material in such a way that it may be electrically contacted independently from the remaining sections of the cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes CLASSEN, Axel FRANKE, Jens FREY, Heribert WEBER, Frank FISCHER, Patrick WELLNER, Mirko HATTASS, Daniel Christoph MEISEL
  • Publication number: 20140116134
    Abstract: Micromechanical structure, in particular a yaw rate sensor having a substrate including a main plane of extent for detecting a first yaw rate about a first direction perpendicular to the main plane, a second yaw rate about a second direction parallel to the main plane, and a third yaw rate about a third direction parallel to the main plane and perpendicular to the second direction, includes a rotational oscillating element driven to rotational oscillation about a rotational axis parallel to the first direction. The micromechanical structure includes a yaw rate sensor configuration for detecting the first yaw rate that is completely surrounded by the rotational oscillating element in a plane parallel to the main plane. The micromechanical structure includes at least one first connection of the yaw rate sensor configuration on the rotational oscillating element, and at least one second connection of the yaw rate sensor configuration on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Rolf Scheben