Patents by Inventor Kai Schicker
Kai Schicker 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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Publication number: 20250033168Abstract: A quick clamping device for securing at least one rail-monitoring element on a rail includes two clamping units that each have two clamping brackets and one clamp. In each case the two clamping brackets are connectable at a first end by the clamp along a clamping axis, such that the clamp, when secured on the rail, engages under the rail foot of the rail. The clamping brackets each have, at a second end, a clamping region which is designed for force-locking arrangement on a rail web of the rail and/or on the rail-monitoring element. The clamping units, as separate elements, can be arranged on the rail to be mutually spaced along a longitudinal extent of the rail. The clamping brackets each have at least one curvature portion that is curved in a plane orthogonal with respect to the clamping axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2024Publication date: January 30, 2025Applicant: GTS Deutschland GmbHInventors: Marco Brunner, Robert Schulze, Kai Schicker
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Patent number: 11524711Abstract: A method of mounting a rail monitoring member/element at a mounting location of a rail for rail traffic, in particular on a railway track, is disclosed. The rail monitoring member includes a strain sensor member with a carrier on which a strain gauge, being an optical fiber with a fiber Bragg grating, is fixed. The method steps include: determination of the temperature of the rail and/or rail monitoring member at the mounting location; checking whether the determined temperature is within a predefined temperature interval; providing heating or cooling application to the rail and/or rail monitoring member at the mounting location, if the determined temperature is not within the predefined temperature interval; positioning and adhesively fixing of the carrier of the rail monitoring member at the mounting location. The method can be carried out easily and allows reliable and accurate monitoring of the rail using a strain sensor member.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2020Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbHInventors: Kai Schicker, Lars Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20220170215Abstract: A device for fixing and positioning a rail monitoring element on a rail web of a rail having a rail foot, the rail web, and a rail head, includes a clamping device which can be fastened to the rail. A pressing ram is for pressing the rail monitoring element against the rail web. The pressing ram can be pressed against the rail web when the device is in the mounted state by means of force generated by a force element. A holder is for receiving the force element.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2022Publication date: June 2, 2022Applicant: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbHInventors: Kassen Oldewurtel, Kai Schicker
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Patent number: 11345376Abstract: A method for assembling a strain gauge arrangement for an axle counter, includes: a strain sensor element; a carrier, to which the strain sensor element is fastened; and a railroad track structure to be monitored. When the carrier is fastened to the structure at least a part of it is kept in an elastically deformed state. The carrier is embodied with a first carrier piece opposing a second carrier piece. The strain sensor element is fastened to the first carrier piece with a first fixing point, to the second carrier piece with a second fixing point, and to neither the first nor the second carrier piece with a central section between the fixing points. At least the part of the carrier is elastically braced by means of a bracing element for when adhesively bonding to the structure to be monitored. Thereafter the bracing element is removed.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2021Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbHInventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20220097741Abstract: A rail-monitoring element includes a carrier on which a strain sensor is attached. The strain sensor may be an optical fiber having a fiber Bragg grating. The carrier has an adhesive layer for adhesive attachment to a rail having a thermally activatable or thermally curable adhesive. The adhesive layer has a heating element having contacts for receiving electrical energy. The rail-monitoring element can be installed more easily and in a manner which saves more energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbHInventors: Kai Schicker, Stefan Solleder
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Publication number: 20210146971Abstract: A method for assembling a strain gauge arrangement for an axle counter, includes: a strain sensor element; a carrier, to which the strain sensor element is fastened; and a railroad track structure to be monitored. When the carrier is fastened to the structure at least a part of it is kept in an elastically deformed state. The carrier is embodied with a first carrier piece opposing a second carrier piece. The strain sensor element is fastened to the first carrier piece with a first fixing point, to the second carrier piece with a second fixing point, and to neither the first nor the second carrier piece with a central section between the fixing points. At least the part of the carrier is elastically braced by means of a bracing element for when adhesively bonding to the structure to be monitored. Thereafter the bracing element is removed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2021Publication date: May 20, 2021Applicant: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbHInventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffmann
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Patent number: 10926782Abstract: A strain gauge arrangement for an axle counter has a strain sensor element, a carrier and a railway line structure that is to be monitored. At least one part of the carrier is maintained in an elastically deformed state by the structure when the carrier is secured to the structure. The carrier is formed from a first carrier piece and a second carrier piece, which lie opposite one another at a distance from one another. The strain sensor element has one first fixing point fixed to the first carrier piece, and one second fixing point fixed to the second carrier piece, and a middle section mounted between the fixing points which are not fixed to the first or second carrier piece. The strain gauge arrangement is simple to handle and a drop can be reliably detected and a strain state of the strain sensor element can be predetermined more easily.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2020Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: THALES MANAGEMENT & SERVICES DEUTSCHLAND GMBHInventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20200231194Abstract: A method of mounting a rail monitoring member/element at a mounting location of a rail for rail traffic, in particular on a railway track, is disclosed. The rail monitoring member includes a strain sensor member with a carrier on which a strain gauge, being an optical fiber with a fiber Bragg grating, is fixed. The method steps include: determination of the temperature of the rail and/or rail monitoring member at the mounting location; checking whether the determined temperature is within a predefined temperature interval; providing heating or cooling application to the rail and/or rail monitoring member at the mounting location, if the determined temperature is not within the predefined temperature interval; positioning and adhesively fixing of the carrier of the rail monitoring member at the mounting location. The method can be carried out easily and allows reliable and accurate monitoring of the rail using a strain sensor member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventors: Kai Schicker, Lars Hoffmann
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Publication number: 20200216103Abstract: A strain gauge arrangement for an axle counter has a strain sensor element, a carrier and a railway line structure that is to be monitored. At least one part of the carrier is maintained in an elastically deformed state by the structure when the carrier is secured to the structure. The carrier is formed from a first carrier piece and a second carrier piece, which lie opposite one another at a distance from one another. The strain sensor element has one first fixing point fixed to the first carrier piece, and one second fixing point fixed to the second carrier piece, and a middle section mounted between the fixing points which are not fixed to the first or second carrier piece. The strain gauge arrangement is simple to handle and a drop can be reliably detected and a strain state of the strain sensor element can be predetermined more easily.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2020Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffman