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).

  • Patent number: 11524711
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Schicker, Lars Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20220170215
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Kassen Oldewurtel, Kai Schicker
  • Patent number: 11345376
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20220097741
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Schicker, Stefan Solleder
  • Publication number: 20210146971
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: Thales Management & Services Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 10926782
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: THALES MANAGEMENT & SERVICES DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20200231194
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Kai Schicker, Lars Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20200216103
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Kai Schicker, Kassen Oldewurtel, Rainer Klemm, Florian Muschaweckh, Lars Hoffman