Patents by Inventor Karlheinz Geradts

Karlheinz Geradts 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).

  • Publication number: 20180149061
    Abstract: A thermoelectric generator for converting heat of a hot gas flow into electric energy can include at least one thermoelectric module with a plurality of thermoelectric elements. A gas channel on a high-temperature side of the thermoelectric module can conduct the hot gas flow in a flow direction of the gas channel. A heat sink can cool the thermoelectric module and be in contact with the thermoelectric module on a low-temperature side thereof. At least one heat conducting body can extend into the gas channel in a direction running transversely to the flow direction on the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric module and can have a free end within the gas channel. The heat conducting body can be part of the thermoelectric module or connected thereto on the high-temperature side. The thermoelectric generator can have a seal which separates an area between the heat sink and the gas channel from the gas channel and seals the area from the hot gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Georg Barthelmes, Karlheinz Geradts, Samuel Bucher
  • Patent number: 9637007
    Abstract: The invention relates to supplying electric traction motors of a rail vehicle with electrical energy. Internal combustion engine/machine combination are operated such that alternating current is generated and used for operating at least one electric traction motor, in a first operating state of the machine in a generator mode. In a second operating state of the machine, an associated machine converter supplies alternating current and drives the associated internal combustion engine, wherein at least the machine converter associated with the second electrical machine is supplied, while the associated electrical machine is in the second operating state, via an electrical DC voltage line with direct current by a rectifier associated with the first machine, wherein the rectifier produces the direct current from alternating current generated by the first electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Karlheinz Geradts, Martin Kutschker
  • Patent number: 9579979
    Abstract: An arrangement for supplying electric energy to traction motors and auxiliaries of a railway vehicle includes, at least two internal-combustion engines, each in combination with an assigned electric machine. At least one internal-combustion engine/machine combination is operated, whereupon the electric machine generates alternating current during a generator mode of operation, which alternating current, in a first operating mode, is rectified by at least one generator rectifier and supplied to a direct-current link in the form of direct current. The direct-current link supplies electric energy to at least one traction motor of the railway vehicle. In the first operating mode, electric energy from the direct-current link is supplied to the auxiliaries via an auxiliaries inverter and via an auxiliaries connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventor: Karlheinz Geradts
  • Patent number: 9556789
    Abstract: An assembly for supplying electrical energy to electrical traction motors in a rail vehicle, wherein the assembly includes at least one internal combustion engine, a generator allocated to the at least one internal combustion engine for generating the electrical energy, wherein the generator is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine such that it is driven by the internal combustion engine upon generator operation of the generator, a rectifier for rectifying an electrical alternating current generated by the generator, a direct voltage intermediate circuit that is electrically connected to the generator via the rectifier, a generator inverter that is present in addition to the rectifier or that is the rectifier operated in the inverter mode, wherein the generator inverter connects the direct voltage intermediate circuit to the generator in order to operate the generator in a motor mode as a motor, and a control for controlling the motor mode of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Karlheinz Geradts, Andreas Degenhardt
  • Publication number: 20150343910
    Abstract: The invention relates to supplying electric traction motors of a rail vehicle with electrical energy. Internal combustion engine/machine combination are operated such that alternating current is generated and used for operating at least one electric traction motor, in a first operating state of the machine in a generator mode. In a second operating state of the machine, an associated machine converter supplies alternating current and drives the associated internal combustion engine, wherein at least the machine converter associated with the second electrical machine is supplied, while the associated electrical machine is in the second operating state, via an electrical DC voltage line with direct current by a rectifier associated with the first machine, wherein the rectifier produces the direct current from alternating current generated by the first electrical machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Karlheinz Geradts, Martin Kutschker
  • Publication number: 20150314687
    Abstract: An arrangement for supplying electric energy to traction motors and auxiliaries of a railway vehicle includes, at least two internal-combustion engines, each in combination with an assigned electric machine. At least one internal-combustion engine/machine combination is operated, whereupon the electric machine generates alternating current during a generator mode of operation, which alternating current, in a first operating mode, is rectified by at least one generator rectifier and supplied to a direct-current link in the form of direct current. The direct-current link supplies electric energy to at least one traction motor of the railway vehicle. In the first operating mode, electric energy from the direct-current link is supplied to the auxiliaries via an auxiliaries inverter and via an auxiliaries connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventor: Karlheinz Geradts
  • Patent number: 9091203
    Abstract: An apparatus to use waste heat from an internal combustion engine in a vehicle, wherein the apparatus has an exhaust gas line to remove exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine, the exhaust gas line is thermally connected to a high-temperature side of a thermoelectric generator, and a latent heat accumulator is thermally connected to the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Karlheinz Geradts, Werner Sonnleitner
  • Patent number: 8863703
    Abstract: An assembly comprising a coolant circuit for an internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine can be thermally coupled to at least one coolant circuit through which is flowing a coolant with a maximum permissible coolant temperature. The coolant circuit is or is capable of being temporarily thermally coupled via at least one heat exchanger to a latent heat accumulator. The latent heat accumulator has a latent heat accumulator medium with a phase transition temperature that is higher than the maximum permissible coolant temperature. The latent heat accumulator medium is disposed in a vessel of the latent heat accumulator. The vessel is displaceable relative to the at least one heat exchanger. The vessel and the heat exchanger can be brought into at least two different relative positions in which the transfer of heat from the latent heat accumulator medium to the coolant in the coolant circuit varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventor: Karlheinz Geradts
  • Publication number: 20130333636
    Abstract: An apparatus to use waste heat from an internal combustion engine in a vehicle, wherein the apparatus has an exhaust gas line to remove exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine, the exhaust gas line is thermally connected to a high-temperature side of a thermoelectric generator, and a latent heat accumulator is thermally connected to the high-temperature side of the thermoelectric generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
    Inventors: Karlheinz Geradts, Werner Sonnleitner
  • Publication number: 20130333635
    Abstract: An assembly for supplying electrical energy to electrical traction motors in a rail vehicle, wherein the assembly includes at least one internal combustion engine, a generator allocated to the at least one internal combustion engine for generating the electrical energy, wherein the generator is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine such that it is driven by the internal combustion engine upon generator operation of the generator, a rectifier for rectifying an electrical alternating current generated by the generator, a direct voltage intermediate circuit that is electrically connected to the generator via the rectifier, a generator inverter that is present in addition to the rectifier or that is the rectifier operated in the inverter mode, wherein the generator inverter connects the direct voltage intermediate circuit to the generator in order to operate the generator in a motor mode as a motor, and a control for controlling the motor mode of the generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
    Inventors: Karlheinz Geradts, Andreas Degenhardt
  • Publication number: 20120247722
    Abstract: An assembly comprising a coolant circuit for an internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine can be thermally coupled to at least one coolant circuit through which is flowing a coolant with a maximum permissible coolant temperature. The coolant circuit is or is capable of being temporarily thermally coupled via at least one heat exchanger to a latent heat accumulator. The latent heat accumulator has a latent heat accumulator medium with a phase transition temperature that is higher than the maximum permissible coolant temperature. The latent heat accumulator medium is disposed in a vessel of the latent heat accumulator. The vessel is displaceable relative to the at least one heat exchanger. The vessel and the heat exchanger can be brought into at least two different relative positions in which the transfer of heat from the latent heat accumulator medium to the coolant in the coolant circuit varies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
    Inventor: Karlheinz Geradts