Patents by Inventor Martin Winker

Martin Winker 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: 20240018808
    Abstract: A vehicle door handle assembly includes a bracket and a handle, a first extremity of the handle being connected to a first end of a first lever, a second extremity of the handle being connected to a first end of a second lever, the second end of the second lever being connected to a second end of the first lever with at least one rod, the actuator includes an electric motor designed to count its number of steps, and a position sensor is positioned on either a fix element or a mobile element, a detection object being positioned on the other fix or mobile element facing the position sensor, the position sensor and the detection object being positioned in such a way that the position sensor detects the detection object when the handle is in its deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: MINEBEA ACCESSSOLUTIONS ITALIA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Anthony GUERIN, Guillaume DESPREAUX, Martin WINKER
  • Publication number: 20230151668
    Abstract: The invention is based on a closure device for a charging or tank flap of an automotive vehicle, comprising a flap element, comprising a drive unit including an electrical actuator for traversing the flap element between a closed position and an open position and a guide unit disposed within a body of the automotive vehicle, wherein the guide unit includes two guide rails extending in parallel to one another and two carriages arranged to be traversable on the guide rails, on which the flap element is arranged. The drive unit may include at least one gear unit for the synchronous transmission, to both carriages, of a drive movement generated by the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Martin WINKER, Fabian SEKINGER, Stefan LINDHUBER
  • Publication number: 20230101330
    Abstract: A drive for a flap, wherein the drive has a housing, a motor and a spindle drive, wherein the motor and the spindle drive are drivingly connected to one another and make a motorized adjustment of the flap possible, wherein the drive moves the flap at least into an open position and a closed position, wherein the spindle drive has a threaded spindle with a nut and a thrust tube and the thrust tube is connected to the threaded spindle via the nut, wherein the thrust tube is moved via a translational movement, wherein the spindle drive is arranged inside a rotor and the motor drives the rotor, wherein the rotor is connected to the threaded spindle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Eric BITTNER, Armin DIETL, Yvan SIERP, Martin WINKER, Nicolai DEUTSCHMANN
  • Patent number: 9893658
    Abstract: A method for starting a multiphase, sensorless commutated, brushless electric motor. The method has three operating phases. A start-up phase in which the motor is operated from a standstill with specified commutation times. An acceleration phase in which the motor is accelerated up to a nominal speed, wherein the commutation times are determined on the basis of the zero crossings of the BEMF voltage of the non-energized stator phase windings. And a stationary operating phase in which the nominal speed is kept constant. The transition from the start-up phase into the acceleration phase takes place when, during the start-up phase, a predetermined number of successive zero crossings of the BEMF voltage in the expected order in the expected motor phases have been identified. The transition from the acceleration phase into the stationary phase takes place once the nominal speed has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Martin Winker, Klaus Moosmann
  • Publication number: 20180031446
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement comprising a housing, a liner positioned within the housing and providing a bearing surface; at least one sensor within the liner, positioned at a predetermined depth beneath the bearing surface, configured to detect wear of the liner to said predetermined depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Martin Winker, Martin Bauer, Andrea Carbonetti, Tobias Hülsen, Gaetano Calabrò, Mohammed Bhatti, Brandyn D. Lewis, Dick Ray, Satoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 9667182
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for controlling a sensorless, brushless DC motor that is controlled via a bridge circuit preferably using pulse width modulation (PWM) having precommutation. According to the invention, in the braking operation each commutation interval is divided into two phases. A drive phase, lasting from the start of the commutation interval up to zero crossing in which the motor is controlled with the normal PWM, and a braking phase, lasting from zero crossing up to the next commutation time in which at least two motor phases are short-circuited and/or in which the PWM is operated with recovered energy. The efficiency of the control circuit is as low as possible so as to ensure that the braking energy is consumed in the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: MINĖBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Martin Winker, Klaus Moosmann
  • Publication number: 20140300300
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for controlling a sensorless, brushless DC motor that is controlled via a bridge circuit preferably using pulse width modulation (PWM) having precommutation. According to the invention, in the braking operation each commutation interval is divided into two phases. A drive phase, lasting from the start of the commutation interval up to zero crossing in which the motor is controlled with the normal PWM, and a braking phase, lasting from zero crossing up to the next commutation time in which at least two motor phases are short-circuited and/or in which the PWM is operated with recovered energy. The efficiency of the control circuit is as low as possible so as to ensure that the braking energy is consumed in the control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Martin WINKER, Klaus MOOSMANN
  • Publication number: 20130257326
    Abstract: A method for starting a multiphase, sensorless commutated, brushless electric motor. The method has three operating phases. A start-up phase in which the motor is operated from a standstill with specified commutation times. An acceleration phase in which the motor is accelerated up to a nominal speed, wherein the commutation times are determined on the basis of the zero crossings of the BEMF voltage of the non-energized stator phase windings. And a stationary operating phase in which the nominal speed is kept constant. The transition from the start-up phase into the acceleration phase takes place when, during the start-up phase, a predetermined number of successive zero crossings of the BEMF voltage in the expected order in the expected motor phases have been identified. The transition from the acceleration phase into the stationary phase takes place once the nominal speed has been reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Martin Winker, Klaus Moosmann
  • Publication number: 20130262964
    Abstract: A method for reading data from an electronic data memory. The data lie as data words in the memory, wherein each data word is available at a unique address. In addition, the data word is available as an identical copy at a second address having a fixed address offset (N) in the same data memory or the copy is available at an address of a different data memory that is linked through a unique assignment instruction to the address of the data word in the data memory. A checksum (CRC) for each data word is additionally stored in the data memory. For reading a data word, the data word and the checksum (CRC) are initially read. Then the checksum (CRC) is calculated via the data word and compared to the read checksum (CRC). If the checksums (CRC) do not correspond to one another, the read operation is repeated with the copy of the data word. If this value is also invalid, a default value is used and/or an error message is issued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Martin Winker, Sebastian Riemer
  • Publication number: 20120318592
    Abstract: A motorized actuator (1) for operating flaps in the radiator grille of a motor vehicle for controlling the air intake into the engine compartment. The actuator has an electric motor (2) for operating the flaps. The emergency function ensures that on interruption of the operating voltage (VB), the electric motor (2) is moved to an emergency position. For this purpose, the actuator (1) has an energy storage unit (6). During normal operation, the energy storage unit (6) is charged using a constant-current source (8). In case of failure, the electric motor (2) and its control circuit (5) are supplied from the energy storage unit (6) via a step-up converter (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guido Schmid, Martin Winker