Patents by Inventor Johannes Locher

Johannes Locher 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: 7122764
    Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug for self-igniting internal combustion engines has an electrical heating element which projects into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a current feed-through for providing a heating current for the heating element through an opening in the combustion chamber. A switch is positioned in the region of the current feed-through, and the heating current may be controlled by the opening and closing of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Bauer, Albrecht Geissinger, Johannes Locher, Werner Teschner, Jochen Neumeister
  • Patent number: 6668630
    Abstract: A device is proposed for monitoring the combustion process in internal combustion engines, a direct monitoring and a monitoring of individual combustion processes, in particular individual combustion chambers, being possible. This is achieved using a waveguide, which is integrated in a component, which protrudes into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eckart Kuglin, Albrecht Geissinger, Gert Lindemann, Johannes Locher, Wolfgang Dressler, Friederike Lindner, Volker Rothacker, Christoph Kern
  • Patent number: 6054680
    Abstract: A sheathed type glow plug preheats the combustion chamber mixture of an auto-ignition internal combustion engine. The sheathed type glow plug comprises a ceramic heating apparatus; the resistance of the ceramic heating apparatus is increased by a reduction in cross section at the point which is most accessible to the combustion chamber mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Albrecht Geissinger, Juergen Oberle, Werner Teschner, Horst Boeder, Karl-Heinz Heussner
  • Patent number: 6046434
    Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug for placement in the combustion chamber of an air-compressing internal combustion engine includes a sheath, a connector element for the glow current, and a tube secured in the sheath sealed at its end facing away from the sheath. A wire filament arrangement is embedded in insulating material within the part of the tube which protrudes from the sheath. The tube functions as a glow pencil. The sheath is manufactured using a first part, a second part, and an intermediate piece. The length of the intermediate piece is adjusted depending on the desired length of the sheathed-element glow plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Werner Teschner, Jorg-Chr. Nissen
  • Patent number: 5816220
    Abstract: In a process and in a device for monitoring a fuel delivery system, in particular a common rail system for a diesel engine, a defect in the delivery system is found when a signal from a temperature sensor and/or a pressure sensor deviates from a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Stumpp, Johannes Locher, Claus Maier, Jurgen Biester, Werner Teschner, Wilhelm Eyberg, Jochen Neumeister
  • Patent number: 5653210
    Abstract: A method and a device for the open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a final controlling element, in particular for influencing the fuel injected into an internal combustion engine, are described. A system deviation is defined starting from a setpoint and an actual value. On the basis of the system deviation, a loop controller specifies a manipulated variable to be received by the final controlling element. If the system deviation lies outside of a range defined by at least two values, a maximum value is specified for the manipulated variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Fischer, Johannes Locher, Peter Schmitz, Dietbert Schoenfelder, Peter Lutz
  • Patent number: 5444381
    Abstract: A measuring circuit (MS) for measuring the value of an impedance in an impedance network includes an oscillator device (OSZ1), a second oscillator device (OSZ2), a phase-controlled rectifier (PG), a reference/actual value comparison point (AG) and an integrator.The first oscillator device feeds a first alternating voltage of constant amplitude and constant frequency to a first output connection (A1). The second oscillator device feeds a second alternating voltage of the same frequency, but with adjustable amplitude and with phase shifted by 180.degree., to a second output connection (A2). The amplitude of the second alternating voltage depends on the phase of the signal which is transmitted to the phase-controlled rectifier via an input connection (E). If the input signal is in phase with the second output signal, the amplitude of the second output signal is reduced. However, if the input signal oscillates in opposite phase to the second output signal, the amplitude of the second output signal is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Werner Fischer, Joerg Barth
  • Patent number: 5335136
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic circuit arrangement for triggering excitation windings of electromagnetic components, provided with supplementary circuit elements, in particular free-running circuit elements, preferably solenoid valves (MV.sub.1 to MV.sub.n), whereby in order to provide a flexible open-loop control, the components are each connected in series to a controllable contact element (3). To reduce the degree of complexity of the circuit, the manufacturing price and the space requirement, it is proposed that the connecting terminals (1, 4) of this series connection lead directly, and the connections (2) between the components (MV.sub.1 to MV.sub.n) and the contact elements (3) lead via diodes (D.sub.1 to D.sub.n), respectively, to a collecting point (A, B, C), to which collecting points (A, B, C) is linked one and the same supplementary circuit-element configuration (T.sub.F,C.sub.L,10,11) shared by all components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Herbert Graf, Nestor Rodriguez-Amaya, Alfred Schmitt, Joachim Tauscher, Werner Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 5319180
    Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug for disposition in the combustion chamber of air-compressing internal combustion engines is proposed which in a known manner contains a resistor element (17) in its sheathed-element (13), where this resistor element (17) is composed of two serially connected resistor spirals (20, 21). While the resistor spiral (20) on the combustion chamber side is a heater spiral with a resistance behavior which is essentially the same at all operating temperatures, the wirespiral shaped resistance spiral (21) on the side remote from the combustion chamber which acts as a regulating element, has a high temperature resistance coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Friedrich Muhleder, Bernhard Kaczynski, Werner Teschner
  • Patent number: 5313153
    Abstract: A synchronizing current regulator whose clock frequency is able to be readjusted is provided in the case of a circuit configuration for the synchronized supply of an electromagnetic user with regulation which is acted upon by a control signal representing the difference between the instantaneous signal at the user and a predeterminable reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Werner Fischer, Joachim Tauscher
  • Patent number: 5245501
    Abstract: A process for controlling and measuring the movement of an armature of an electromagnetic switching member with an excitation coil is proposed, which has the following steps: a current (i) or a voltage (u1) is applied to the excitation winding (3) in order to move the armature into a first actuatable position; before the start of the movement of the armature, the current or the voltage is raised above a value at which the armature remains in the actuated position, and before termination of the movement of the armature the current or the voltage is reduced to a defined value, which suffices to hold the armature in the actuated position; finally, the temporal variations in the current or the voltage are measured after setting of the defined value, for the purpose of recognizing the termination of the armature movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Hans-Joachim Siebert, Herbert Graf, Nestor Rodriguez-Amaya, Anton Karle, Alfred Schmitt, Joachim Tauscher, Werner Zimmermann, Dominique Buisson, Lucien Hehn, Pierre Lauvin, Henri Paganon
  • Patent number: 5235949
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and arrangement for preparing a fuel-metering signal M for a diesel engine starting with measured variables such as accelerator pedal position, rotational speed, lambda, exhaust gas temperature or torque. A fuel quantity request MW is pregiven in dependence upon the position of the accelerator pedal. This quantity request MW is supplied to a minimum selector together with a second signal. The output signal M of the minimum selector, in turn, determines the metered fuel. The second signal derives from a precontrol characteristic field 50 in dependence upon the speed. The output signal of the precontrol characteristic field MV is influenced by the controller output signal MR in specific operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Wahl, Alf Loffler, Hermann Grieshaber, Wilhelm Polach, Ewald Eblen, Joachim Tauscher, Helmut Laufer, Ulrich Flaig, Johannes Locher, Manfred Birk, Gerhard Engel, Alfred Schmitt, Pierre Lauvin, Fridolin Piwonka, Anton Karle, Hermann Kull
  • Patent number: 5202628
    Abstract: An evaluating circuit for linearizing the output signal of a differential-choke displacement transmitter has two inductive coils each supplied with an alternating voltage with constant frequency produced by an oscillator, wherein the amplitude is adjustable and the second alternating voltage is phase-displaced relative to the first alternating voltage by 180.degree.. The signal which is picked up between the inductive coils at the input is compared, after a phase-controlled rectification, with a reference value and the deviation is integrated. With the aid of the integrated signal the regulation of the amplitude adjustment of the alternating voltages is performed. As a result a measuring signal without residual ripple is obtained, which changes proportionally to an adjustment path for example of an adjustment rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Locher, Werner Fischer, Joerg Barth
  • Patent number: 5131371
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and arrangement for controlling a self-igniting internal combustion engine. The arrangement includes at least one measured-value sensor, electronic control unit for forming a quantity signal for metering fuel, and a control unit for driving individual actuators for each cylinder. The actuators determine the quantity of fuel injected by the pump elements into the cylinders. Under specific conditions, a corrective unit is activated which determines corrective values specific to the cylinders for making the cylinders equal. The open-loop control unit applies the metering signal to the actuators in dependence upon the quantity signal and the corrective values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Wahl, Alf Loffler, Hermann Grieshaber, Wilhelm Polach, Ewald Eblen, Joachim Tauscher, Helmut Laufer, Ulrich Flaig, Johannes Locher, Manfred Birk, Gerhard Engel, Alfred Schmitt, Pierre Lauvin, Fridolin Piwonka, Anton Karle, Hermann Kull, Werner Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 5116342
    Abstract: The invention relates to a trigger circuit which compares amplitudes of the signal waveform of a periodic signal to reference values dependent upon the previous signal waveform of this signal. A trigger signal is emitted when the particular reference value is reached. The trigger circuit includes a memory for the particular reference value. The reference value is determined from a portion of the period of the signal to determine a precise triggering point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmidt, Werner Fischer, Johannes Locher
  • Patent number: 5070836
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling the fuel injection in a high-pressure fuel pump. Magnetic valves determine the fuel quantity to be injected into the engine. The magnetic valve is controlled during the pumping phase of the pumping element in such a manner that first a preinjection and then a main injection is carried out. In specific operating conditions, the control apparatus determines the duration of the drive pulses for the magnetic valve at which a preinjection just takes place. With the duration of the drive pulses as a basis, the control apparatus forms compensating signals for the drive pulses which effect preinjection and stores the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Wahl, Alf Loffler, Hermann Grieshaber, Wilhelm Polach, Ewald Eblen, Joachim Tauscher, Helmut Laufer, Ulrich Flaig, Johannes Locher, Manfred Birk, Gerhard Engel, Alfred Schmitt, Pierre Lauvin, Fridolin Piwonka, Anton Karle, Hermann Kull
  • Patent number: 5063903
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and arrangement for controlling the fuel metered to an engine and especially to a diesel engine. The engine includes a fuel pump drive by a shaft for which injection start and injection end is fixed by a corresponding control of the electromagnetically actuated valve. The drive pulses for pump-delivery start and pump-delivery end are generated in dependence upon the analog signal of an angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Wahl, Alf Loffler, Hermann Grieshaber, Wilhelm Polach, Ewald Eblen, Joachim Tauscher, Helmut Laufer, Ulrich Flaig, Johannes Locher, Manfred Birk, Gerhard Engel, Alfred Schmitt, Pierre Lauvin, Fridolin Piwonka, Anton Karle, Hermann Kull
  • Patent number: 5042434
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a control apparatus cooling system which includes a control apparatus arrangement for an internal combustion engine. The control apparatus arrangement is set into operation by an ignition contact signal. The control apparatus arrangement is cooled with the aid of a coolant loop which has a pump motor. A self-holding circuit is provided in the control apparatus arrangement and supplies the pump motor and a voltage stabilization with voltage to drive a microcomputer as soon as the ignition contact signal appears. The cooling of the control apparatus arrangement is not terminated immediately when the ignition contact signal ceases; instead, the pump motor continues to run until it is assured that components having conventional temperature resistance cannot become damaged in the control apparatus arrangement by overheating because of stored heat. The microcomputer determines when the switch-off condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1991
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Graf, Jurgen Schwenger, Werner Zimmermann, Johannes Locher
  • Patent number: 4839812
    Abstract: A control unit installed in a vehicle, particularly a control unit to control an internal combustion engine (ICE) thereof, has within its already present computation stage, a program store or program memory (PS, 2b') which stores a test program (TP) therein. The program store (PS) also includes an operating program memory (OP) used to control operation of the vehicle and/or the ICE thereof. The test apparatus includes a test computer and comparator (1) and a simulation and measuring unit which applies simulated input signals to the vehicular control unit, for example sequentially and only to single inputs thereof. The test program within the vehicular control unit is then run under control of the test computer and forwards the data referring to the applied signals via the serial interface 5 to the test computer 1 for evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Claus-Dieter Nusser, Johannes Locher
  • Patent number: 4658772
    Abstract: A glow plug electrically heated during start-up to help bring the air-fuel mixture of an internal combustion engine to ignition temperature when the engine is cold, instead of being turned off as soon as the engine is running, has its heating current controlled so as to maintain the glow plug temperature within a desired range, as the result of which the engine can be made to run more quietly and more smoothly under many conditions. The current control unit which varies the glow plug current responds to the output signal of a computing unit responsive to various engine operation parameters, including especially a signal representative of the rate of feeding fuel to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Auth, Martin Lenfers, Johannes Locher, Hans-J. Peter, Hannes Pflug, Michel Friedbert, Josef Steiner