Patents by Inventor Manfred Schlenk

Manfred Schlenk 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: 9161399
    Abstract: An adjustable power supply (1) for light emitting diode arrangements (11), with the power supply (1) being dimensioned for a power class. The power supply (1) has an adjustable current source (3) and an adjustable power limitation (4), and the power limitation (4) is adjustable within the limits of the power class. The power supply (1) further has a control component (5) that is suitable for running an operating program (8). This operating program (8) uses, as its input parameters (7), the number of light emitting diodes (13) to be controlled and their method of connection and, from these parameters, it calculates the required current and the required power, according to which the current source (3) and the power limitation (4) are adjusted and regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Masaya Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9136753
    Abstract: An electrical device, particularly having at least one lighting system having light emitting diodes, such as a television having LED backlighting (57), which has a stand-by mode (ZPM) with very low power consumption in which only one control unit (3) is supplied with power via a capacitive voltage divider. For this purpose, alongside parts of the power supply unit (2), the interference suppression capacitor (6) is also switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignees: Minebea Co., Ltd., EM Microelectric-Marin S.A.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Luthi, Fabien Maupas, Yves Theoduloz, Manfred Schlenk, Hans Hoffmann, Mykhaylo Raykhman, Josef Fisch
  • Patent number: 9048746
    Abstract: An electrical device having at least one interference suppression capacitor (6, 60) that is actively discharged when there is an interruption to the mains voltage (7) by connecting an electrical load (69) in parallel. For this purpose, the device has a monitor for the mains voltage (7) and means for connecting (68) the electrical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignees: MINEBEA CO., LTD., EM MICROELECTRIC-MARIN S.A.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Luthi, Fabien Maupas, Yves Theoduloz, Manfred Schlenk, Hans Hoffmann, Mykhaylo Raykhman, Josef Fisch
  • Patent number: 8624520
    Abstract: An electrical appliance, particularly a television or a monitor, having a lighting device (8) having light emitting diodes (12). The light emitting diodes (LED) (12) are collected in LED strings (11) and controlled by a balancing network (17). The balancing network (17) has a circuit branch (19) for each string (11), the circuit branches (19) being connected in parallel to each other. Disposed in each circuit branch (19), is a bridge rectifier (20) to which the LED string (11) is connected. Moreover, each circuit branch has a balancing transformer (23), wherein all the secondary windings (26) of the balancing transformer (23) are connected in series in a closed conductor loop (27), by which the currents in all circuit branches are balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Robert Weger
  • Patent number: 8624510
    Abstract: A control circuit (1) for light emitting diode arrangements (11), used particularly for backlighting LC flat screens. The circuit has a plurality of control channels (5, 5?) in each of which one or more light emitting diode arrangements (11) are disposed. The circuit has a balancing device (23) which allows currents in the individual control channels (5, 5?) to be balanced. Each control channel (5, 5?) has a separate dimming device (13) through which a brightness of the light emitting diode arrangements (11) in this control channel (5, 5?) can be changed separately from the other control channels (5, 5?). For this purpose, the control circuit has a compensation device (16) which allows a flow of current in the individual control channels (5, 5?) to be balanced when the light emitting diodes have different brightnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mykhaylo Raykhman, Manfred Schlenk, Hans Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 8525429
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling gas discharge lamps using a direct current/alternating current inverter (DC/AC inverter) that is operated at a predetermined frequency and that generates an AC output voltage U for operating the gas discharge lamps from a DC input voltage which has a residual ripple. The DC/AC inverter is operated in zero voltage switching (ZVS) mode, wherein the DC input voltage is used as the control variable for the lamp current IL, wherein fluctuations in the lamp current IL caused by the residual ripple of the DC input voltage are compensated by a variation in the switch-on times and/or switch-off times of the switching elements QH, QL of the DC/AC inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Robert Weger, Hans Hoffmann, Mykhaylo Raykhman, Michael Herfurth, Martin Feldtkeller
  • Publication number: 20130159751
    Abstract: The Installation is equipped with a power supply unit and a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), this installation being able to be connected to a second HDMI device with which it can communicate by using a protocol defined in the HDMI Standard, this installation or device being able to be set in Standby or Power-down mode and to be removed from this Standby or Power-down mode by said second HDMI device via a Consumer Electronic Control (CEC) line. The installation has a Power Management Unit (PMU) arranged on the primary side of said power supply unit, this PMU having its own power supply circuit directly connected to the power supply source of this installation or device and being arranged for switching OFF the electrical energy on the secondary side of said power supply unit when this installation or device enters said Standby or Power-down mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicants: MINEBA CO., LTD., EM MICROELECTRONIC-MARIN SA
    Inventors: Yves Théoduloz, Josef Fisch, Manfred Schlenk, Fabien Maupas
  • Publication number: 20130057231
    Abstract: The invention describes an electrical device having at least one interference suppression capacitor (6, 60) that is actively discharged when there is an interruption to the mains voltage (7) by connecting an electrical load (69) in parallel. For this purpose, the device has means for monitoring the mains voltage (7) and means for connecting (68) the electrical load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicants: EM MICROELECTRIC-MARIN S.A., MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Luthi, Fabien Maupas, Yves Theoduloz, Manfred Schlenk, Hans Hoffmann, Mykhaylo Raykhman, Josef Fisch
  • Publication number: 20120319501
    Abstract: An electrical device, particularly having at least one lighting system having light emitting diodes, such as a television having LED backlighting (57), which has a stand-by mode (ZPM) with very low power consumption in which only one control unit (3) is supplied with power via a capacitive voltage divider. For this purpose, alongside parts of the power supply unit (2), the interference suppression capacitor (6) is also switched off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicants: EM MICROELECTRIC-MARIN S.A., MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Luthi, Fabien Maupas, Yves Theoduloz, Manfred Schlenk, Hans Hoffmann, Mykhaylo Raykhman, Josef Fisch
  • Publication number: 20120281435
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter (1) is provided having a resonant half-bridge circuit (2) and a transformer (TX1) that has a primary winding (P1) and a secondary winding (S1, S2) on a transformer core (4). The voltage converter (1) has a secondary circuit (3) with which the secondary winding (S1, S2) is associated and a switch (Q3, Q4) that is connected in series to the secondary winding (S1, S2), and a smoothing capacitor (C0, C01). The switch (Q3, Q4) is operated as a synchronous rectifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Jörg Oehmen, Robert Weger, Mykhaylo Raykhman
  • Publication number: 20120217884
    Abstract: A control circuit (1) for light emitting diode arrangements (11), used particularly for backlighting LC flat screens. The circuit has a plurality of control channels (5, 5?) in each of which one or more light emitting diode arrangements (11) are disposed. The circuit has a balancing device (23) which allows currents in the individual control channels (5, 5?) to be balanced. Each control channel (5, 5?) has a separate dimming device (13) through which a brightness of the light emitting diode arrangements (11) in this control channel (5, 5?) can be changed separately from the other control channels (5, 5?). For this purpose, the control circuit has a compensation device (16) which allows a flow of current in the individual control channels (5, 5?) to be balanced when the light emitting diodes have different brightnesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mykhaylo Raykhman, Manfred Schlenk, Hans Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20120181949
    Abstract: An adjustable power supply (1) for light emitting diode arrangements (11), with the power supply (1) being dimensioned for a power class. The power supply (1) has an adjustable current source (3) and an adjustable power limitation (4), and the power limitation (4) is adjustable within the limits of the power class. The power supply (1) further has a control component (5) that is suitable for running an operating program (8). This operating program (8) uses, as its input parameters (7), the number of light emitting diodes (13) to be controlled and their method of connection and, from these parameters, it calculates the required current and the required power, according to which the current source (3) and the power limitation (4) are adjusted and regulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Masaya Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20120098633
    Abstract: A transformer (1) for balancing the current in several channels, having a primary winding (Wp) and at least two secondary windings (Ws). The transformer (1) has a plurality of closed transformer cores (2) on each of which a secondary winding (Ws) is disposed. The primary winding (Wp) encloses all transformer cores (2). The primary and the secondary windings are preferably disposed opposite each other on the transformer core (2). Current balancing is effected through changes in flux in the secondary windings (Ws) and a primary flux response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Hans Hoffmann, Mykhaylo Raykhman, Jorg Oehmen
  • Publication number: 20110266964
    Abstract: An electrical appliance, particularly a television or a monitor, having a lighting device (8) having light emitting diodes (12). The light emitting diodes (LED) (12) are collected in LED strings (11) and controlled by a balancing network (17). The balancing network (17) has a circuit branch (19) for each string (11), the circuit branches (19) being connected in parallel to each other. Disposed in each circuit branch (19), is a bridge rectifier (20) to which the LED string (11) is connected. Moreover, each circuit branch has a balancing transformer (23), wherein all the secondary windings (26) of the balancing transformer (23) are connected in series in a closed conductor loop (27), by which the currents in all circuit branches are balanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Robert Weger
  • Publication number: 20100327771
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling gas discharge lamps using a direct current/alternating current inverter (DC/AC inverter) that is operated at a predetermined frequency and that generates an AC output voltage U for operating the gas discharge lamps from a DC input voltage which has a residual ripple. According to the invention, the DC/AC inverter is operated in zero voltage switching (ZVS) mode, wherein the DC input voltage is used as the control variable for the lamp current IL, wherein fluctuations in the lamp current IL caused by the residual ripple of the DC input voltage are compensated by a variation in the switch-on times and/or switch-off times of the switching elements QH, QL of the DC/AC inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Manfred SCHLENK, Robert Weger, Hans Hoffmann, Mykhaylo Raykhman, Michael Herfurth, Martin Feldtkeller
  • Patent number: 4896255
    Abstract: A resonant circuit successively assumes charging and discharging conditions which form the primary circuit of a transformer in a power pack constructed according to the principle of a resonant converter, and a switch-over pulse is generated after each initiation of the charging condition and depending on the existancee of current and/or voltage values for resonance in the resonant circuit, and the switch-over pulse ends the charging condition by using a switching means and initiates the discharging condition so as to produce an improved resonant converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Edwin Hielscher, Werner Loges
  • Patent number: 4694193
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fault recognition circuit for at least two power supplies feeding in parallel a user at an output side. The power supplies each have an electronic switch, a power transformer and a rectifier portion with a following filter element. In order to achieve short repair times, the respective down power supply is immediately identified after the outage of one of the parallel power supplies. For this purpose, a current transformer is provided which lies between the electronic switch and the power transformer. The load voltage of the current transformer is supplied to first a rectifier unit and the ac voltage component of the unfiltered dc voltage at the rectifier portion of the power pack units is supplied via a high pass filter to a second rectifier unit. The outputs of the rectifier units are connected to inputs of first and second comparators, and the other inputs of the comparators are connected with comparison voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, P. N. R. Chadwick
  • Patent number: 4563733
    Abstract: A startup circuit has an undervoltage monitoring unit and a pulse width modulator PBM with at least one soft start input and one enable input. When switching on the power pack, the undervoltage monitoring unit is disabled until the voltage level at the output has reached a rated value. Outputs of two comparators are connected to the enable input of the pulse width modulator over a NAND gate. A capacitor chargeable via a resistor is applied to the first input of the first comparator with a controllable electronic switch connected in parallel to the capacitor. A first reference voltage is applied to the second input of the first comparator and a second reference voltage equal to or lower than the first reference voltage is connected to the first input of the second comparator. The output voltage of the power pack is connected to the second input thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1986
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Manfred Schlenk
  • Patent number: 4533865
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement detects and stores power line faults. The occurrence of sporadic faults as represented, for example, by inadmissibly long network collapses, which could lead to shut-down of a current supply and, therefore, to downtime of a computer are generally difficult to detect because the faults disappear given a return of the network, as does, therefore, the prerequisite for detecting the cause of such faults. For the purpose of detecting the cause of the fault, the rectified power line voltage is supplied to a comparison circuit followed by a signal circuit. The signal circuit is connected to a memory which influences a display. As a result, power line faults remain stored despite the return of the power line input voltage. The circuit arrangement is particularly suitable for use in power supply systems for data processing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1985
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Manfred Schlenk
  • Patent number: 4383183
    Abstract: A control arrangement for the uniform load distribution of at least two power supply devices connected in parallel at their outputs and designed as switch controllers having pulse width modulators provides a common voltage regulator for the power supply devices and a respective non-steady and a steady current regulator per power supply device. The control outputs of three respective regulators are connectred to maximum value selection circuits which precede the pulse width modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1983
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Schlenk, Erich Schmidtner