Patents by Inventor Klaus Brunnhofer

Klaus Brunnhofer 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: 20120317995
    Abstract: A pump for conveying a cryogenic fluid from a tank into a container which is under a higher pressure. The pump includes a cylinder having a piston which defines a low-temperature chamber and a high-temperature chamber in the cylinder such that during a first stroke movement of the piston, the volume of the low-temperature chamber decreases and the volume of the high-temperature chamber increases correspondingly, and during a second stroke movement of the piston which runs in the opposite direction of the first stroke movement, the volume of the high-temperature chamber decreases and the volume of the low-temperature chamber increases correspondingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Klaus BRUNNHOFER, Walter PESCHKA
  • Patent number: 7743940
    Abstract: A container for cryogenic liquids comprises an inner container and an outer container which are positioned with respect to each other and are thermally decoupled from each other by a vacuum insulation layer. In order, with the lowest possible weight and lowest possible costs in series production, to achieve the best possible heat insulation, the inner container and the outer container are in each case composed of prepared fiber-reinforced elements which are in each case wrapped up together with a filament and are thereby connected to one another, and supports which are also composed of a fiber-reinforced plastic are provided on the inner container for the relative positioning of the inner container with respect to the outer container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrezeugtechnik AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Brunnhofer
  • Publication number: 20090301104
    Abstract: A container for cryogenic liquids, comprising an evacuable outer container, wherein the outer container has a substantially flat base wall, a substantially flat ceiling wall and side walls. A support is arranged between inner containers, wherein the support is larger in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the inner container than in the direction between the inner containers and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the inner container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: MAGNA STEYR FAHRZEUGTECHNIK AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Brunnhofer
  • Publication number: 20060169704
    Abstract: A container for cryogenic liquids comprises an inner container and an outer container which are positioned with respect to each other and are thermally decoupled from each other by a vacuum insulation layer. In order, with the lowest possible weight and lowest possible costs in series production, to achieve the best possible heat insulation, the inner container and the outer container are in each case composed of prepared fiber-reinforced elements which are in each case wrapped up together with a filament and are thereby connected to one another, and supports which are also composed of a fiber-reinforced plastic are provided on the inner container for the relative positioning of the inner container with respect to the outer container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventor: Klaus Brunnhofer
  • Publication number: 20040035120
    Abstract: The invention relates to a storage container for a cryogenic propellant, especially hydrogen, having a double-walled construction comprising an interior and an exterior container (2, 3) and having a vacuum insulation and a multilayer insulation (4a) in the space between said interior and exterior containers (2, 3). Furthermore, a refrigeration line (9), through which a refrigerant can flow and which is in contact with the multilayer insulation (4a) and with a thermal shield (4b) set at a distance from the multilayer insulation (4a) and forms part of a refrigerant circuit is also present in the space between interior and exterior containers (2, 3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventor: Klaus Brunnhofer
  • Publication number: 20040020932
    Abstract: A pipe-like line configured according to the invention is provided for transporting or keeping cryogenic media, in particular liquefied gases, for example liquid hydrogen, and has a multi-layered construction. The connecting pieces (2, 12) required at the ends are integrated into the line by means of at least one layer (4′, 14′) of fiber-reinforced plastic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventor: Klaus Brunnhofer
  • Patent number: 6405541
    Abstract: A method for producing slush from liquefied gas wherein solid crystals are formed and mixed with the liquefied gas to produce slush. The solid crystals are produced from liquid particles which are released into or enter a gas atmosphere under pressure, wherein the temperature of the gas atmosphere is below the freezing point of the liquid particles. A device is also provided for producing the slush from liquefied gas in a cryostat container which is partly filled with the liquefied gas which mixes with the solid crystals to produce slush. The device has an atomizing device for producing the liquid particles from the liquefied gas supplied to it. The liquid particles enter a gas atmosphere which exists above the liquefied gas in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: MI Developments Austria AG & CO KG
    Inventor: Klaus Brunnhofer