Patents by Inventor Karel Nápravník

Karel Nápravník 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: 10690409
    Abstract: A method for drying bulk goods, in particular wood fibers and/or wood chips, wherein the bulk goods is continuously dried in a dryer (1), in particular a drum dryer. The vapor-gas mixture flows through the drum dryer (1) in a dryer circuit and is indirectly heated via at least one heat exchanger (4) by a burner waste gas that is heated in at least one burner (5). The drying vapors are supplied to the at least one heat exchanger (4). Upstream, downstream and/or within the at least one heat exchanger (4), at least a partial flow of the drying vapors are branched off to be conducted into the burner (5). The remaining partial flow is conducted to the dryer (1) again. The partial flow of drying vapors to the burner (5) is driven by at least one regulable partial vapor fan (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Douglas Technical Limited
    Inventors: Zdenek Brancuzsky, Gunter Hensel, Karel Napravnik, Wolfgang Seifert
  • Patent number: 10551121
    Abstract: A method for drying bulk goods, in particular wood fibers and/or wood chips, wherein the bulk goods is continuously dried in a dryer (1), in particular a drum dryer. The vapor-gas mixture flows through the drum dryer (1) in a dryer circuit and is indirectly heated via at least one heat exchanger (4) by a burner waste gas that is heated in at least one burner (5). The drying vapors are supplied to the at least one heat exchanger (4). Upstream, downstream and/or within the at least one heat exchanger (4), at least a partial flow of the drying vapors are branched off to be conducted into the burner (5). The remaining partial flow is conducted to the dryer (1) again. The partial flow of drying vapors to the burner (5) is driven by at least one regulable partial vapor fan (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Douglas Technical Limited
    Inventors: Zdenek Brancuzsky, Günter Hensel, Karel Napravnik, Wolfgang Seifert
  • Publication number: 20170051972
    Abstract: A method for drying bulk goods, in particular wood fibers and/or wood chips, wherein the bulk goods is continuously dried in a dryer (1), in particular a drum dryer. The vapor-gas mixture flows through the drum dryer (1) in a dryer circuit and is indirectly heated via at least one heat exchanger (4) by a burner waste gas that is heated in at least one burner (5). The drying vapors are supplied to the at least one heat exchanger (4). Upstream, downstream and/or within the at least one heat exchanger (4), at least a partial flow of the drying vapors are branched off to be conducted into the burner (5). The remaining partial flow is conducted to the dryer (1) again. The partial flow of drying vapors to the burner (5) is driven by at least one regulable partial vapor fan (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Zdenek BRANCUZSKY, Gunter HENSEL, Karel NAPRAVNIK, Wolfgang SEIFERT
  • Patent number: 9317054
    Abstract: A circuit may include a differential amplifier and a feedback network. The feedback network may have a chain of resistance sets coupled in series, with a first end terminal coupled to an output terminal of the differential amplifier and a second end terminal coupled to a power reference terminal of the differential amplifier. Respective nodes may be coupled between successive ones of the resistance sets. A feedback terminal may be coupled to an inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier. A controller may control a set of switches to electrically couple a given node to the feedback terminal. A first resistance set of the chain adjacent the first end terminal may be two resistance subsets coupled in series, with an intermediate node coupled therebetween. A programmable current generator may have a current output coupled to the intermediate node and may produce a controlled current flowing at the current output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventors: Alexandre Pons, Karel Napravnik
  • Publication number: 20150084609
    Abstract: A circuit may include a differential amplifier and a feedback network. The feedback network may have a chain of resistance sets coupled in series, with a first end terminal coupled to an output terminal of the differential amplifier and a second end terminal coupled to a power reference terminal of the differential amplifier. Respective nodes may be coupled between successive ones of the resistance sets. A feedback terminal may be coupled to an inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier. A controller may control a set of switches to electrically couple a given node to the feedback terminal. A first resistance set of the chain adjacent the first end terminal may be two resistance subsets coupled in series, with an intermediate node coupled therebetween. A programmable current generator may have a current output coupled to the intermediate node and may produce a controlled current flowing at the current output terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventors: Alexandre Pons, Karel Napravnik
  • Patent number: 8981746
    Abstract: A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier which includes a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage. The gain stage includes a transistor driven by the differential amplifier to produce at a drive signal for an output stage of the regulator. The transistor is interposed over its source-drain line between a first resistive load included in a RC network creating a zero in the open loop gain of the regulator, and a second resistive load to produce a drive signal for the output stage of the regulator. The second resistive load is a non-linear compensation element to render current consumption linearly proportional to the load current to the regulator. The first resistive load is a non-linear element causing the frequency of said zero created by the RC network to decrease as the load current of the regulator decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Design and Application S.R.O.
    Inventor: Karel Napravnik
  • Patent number: 8836303
    Abstract: An active leakage consuming module (1001) is to be added to an LDO regulator without modification of the structure of this latter. The module provides a low-power operating mode with reduced current consumption, without impairing an operation of the LDO regulator for higher currents output by said LDO regulator. The module comprises a leakage current path (54) and control means (40, 50) for conducting consumed current below a threshold out of a pull-down path of the LDO regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Karel Nápravnik, Alexandre Pons
  • Publication number: 20130314063
    Abstract: An active leakage consuming module (1001) is to be added to an LDO regulator without modification of the structure of this latter. The module provides a low-power operating mode with reduced current consumption, without impairing an operation of the LDO regulator for higher currents output by said LDO regulator. The module comprises a leakage current path (54) and control means (40, 50) for conducting consumed current below a threshold out of a pull-down path of the LDO regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: ST-ERICSSON SA
    Inventors: Karel Nápravník, Alexandre Pons
  • Patent number: 8242761
    Abstract: A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier comprising a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage having interposed therebetween a frequency compensation network for a loading current to flow therethrough. The regulator includes a current limiter inserted the flow-path of the loading current for the compensation network to increase the slew rate of the output of the differential amplifier by dispensing with the capacitive load in the frequency compensation network during load transients in the regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Design and Application s.r.o.
    Inventor: Karel Napravnik
  • Publication number: 20120181998
    Abstract: A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier which includes a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage. The gain stage includes a transistor driven by the differential amplifier to produce at a drive signal for an output stage of the regulator. The transistor is interposed over its source-drain line between a first resistive load included in a RC network creating a zero in the open loop gain of the regulator, and a second resistive load to produce a drive signal for the output stage of the regulator. The second resistive load is a non-linear compensation element to render current consumption linearly proportional to the load current to the regulator. The first resistive load is a non-linear element causing the frequency of said zero created by the RC network to decrease as the load current of the regulator decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics Design and Application s.r.o.
    Inventor: Karel NAPRAVNIK
  • Patent number: 8154265
    Abstract: A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier which includes a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage. The gain stage includes a transistor driven by the differential amplifier to produce at a drive signal for an output stage of the regulator. The transistor is interposed over its source-drain line between a first resistive load included in a RC network creating a zero in the open loop gain of the regulator, and a second resistive load to produce a drive signal for the output stage of the regulator. The second resistive load is a non-linear compensation element to render current consumption linearly proportional to the load current to the regulator. The first resistive load is a non-linear element causing the frequency of said zero created by the RC network to decrease as the load current of the regulator decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Design and Application S.R.O.
    Inventor: Karel Napravnik
  • Patent number: 8040172
    Abstract: A logic level converter includes two first electronic switches coupled in a bi-stable flip-flop arrangement having at least one output line, and a forcing circuitry including two second electronic switches to force switching of the first electronic switches in the flip-flop arrangement. The forcing circuitry has an input terminal to receive a logic input signal having a given level to produce switching of the flip-flop arrangement and generate at the output line(s) of the flip-flop arrangement, a logic output signal(s) whose voltage level is converted with respect to the level of the logic input signal. The converter includes, interposed between each of the two first electronic switches in the flip-flop arrangement and a respective one of the second electronic switches in the forcing circuitry, at least one respective cascode electronic switch to limit the voltage across the two first electronic switches in the flip-flop arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics Design and Application s.r.o.
    Inventors: Tomas Jerabek, Karel Napravnik
  • Publication number: 20110030235
    Abstract: The invention proposes a method for drying bulk goods, in particular wood fibers and/or wood chips, wherein the bulk goods is continuously dried in a dryer (1), in particular a drum dryer. The vapor-gas mixture flows through the drum dryer (1) in a dryer circuit and is indirectly heated via at least one heat exchanger (4) by a burner waste gas that is heated in at least one burner (5). The drying vapors are supplied to the at least one heat exchanger (4). Upstream, downstream and/or within the at least one heat exchanger (4), at least a partial flow of the drying vapors are branched off to be conducted into the burner (5). The remaining partial flow is conducted to the dryer (1) again. The partial flow of drying vapors to the burner (5) is driven by means of at least one regulable partial vapor fan (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Zdenek Brancuzsky, Günter Hensel, Karel Napravnik, Wolfgang Seifert
  • Publication number: 20100156499
    Abstract: A logic level converter includes two first electronic switches coupled in a bi-stable flip-flop arrangement having at least one output line, and a forcing circuitry including two second electronic switches to force switching of the first electronic switches in the flip-flop arrangement. The forcing circuitry has an input terminal to receive a logic input signal having a given level to produce switching of the flip-flop arrangement and generate at the output line(s) of the flip-flop arrangement, a logic output signal(s) whose voltage level is converted with respect to the level of the logic input signal. The converter includes, interposed between each of the two first electronic switches in the flip-flop arrangement and a respective one of the second electronic switches in the forcing circuitry, at least one respective cascode electronic switch to limit the voltage across the two first electronic switches in the flip-flop arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics Design and Application s.r.o.
    Inventors: Tomas JERABEK, Karel Napravnik
  • Publication number: 20100148735
    Abstract: A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier which includes a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage. The gain stage includes a transistor driven by the differential amplifier to produce at a drive signal for an output stage of the regulator. The transistor is interposed over its source-drain line between a first resistive load included in a RC network creating a zero in the open loop gain of the regulator, and a second resistive load to produce a drive signal for the output stage of the regulator. The second resistive load is a non-linear compensation element to render current consumption linearly proportional to the load current to the regulator. The first resistive load is a non-linear element causing the frequency of said zero created by the RC network to decrease as the load current of the regulator decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics Design and Apparatus s.r.o.
    Inventor: Karel NAPRAVNIK
  • Publication number: 20100148736
    Abstract: A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier comprising a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage having interposed therebetween a frequency compensation network for a loading current to flow therethrough. The regulator includes a current limiter inserted the flow-path of the loading current for the compensation network to increase the slew rate of the output of the differential amplifier by dispensing with the capacitive load in the frequency compensation network during load transients in the regulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics Design and Application s.r.o.
    Inventor: Karel Napravnik