Patents by Inventor Max-Felix Mueller

Max-Felix Mueller 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: 20240120774
    Abstract: A device (100) for wirelessly transferring power toward a consumer (200) by way of inductive coupling, wherein the device (100) has: a rectifier (101) for generating a DC voltage (UG) from a line voltage (UN), an inverter (102) which is configured to generate a pulse-width-modulated drive signal (AS), and a power coil (103) driven by way of the pulse-width-modulated drive signal (AS), which power coil can generate an alternating magnetic field for power transfer and for measurement purposes, wherein, in a first operating mode, the inverter (102) is configured to generate the pulse-width-modulated drive signal (AS) for power transfer as a function of the DC voltage (UG), and wherein, in a second operating mode, the inverter is configured to generate the pulse-width-modulated drive signal (AS) for measurement purposes depending on a measurement voltage (UM), wherein the DC voltage (UG) is greater than the measurement voltage (UM) during the second operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Ulrich Waechter, Max-Felix Mueller, Mathias Bellm
  • Patent number: 11936203
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a device for wireless transfer of energy in the direction of an electrical consumer via inductive coupling. The method involves sequentially carrying out a power transfer, a data exchange, a measurement of setup parameters, and a measurement of a resonance frequency, wherein during the power transfer, an electrical actual power emitted by an inverter is regulated to a predetermined electrical setpoint value, wherein during the data exchange, data are exchanged between the device and the electrical consumer via a communication unit, wherein during the measurement of the setup parameters, objects possibly arranged over a power coil are detected, wherein during the measurement of the resonance frequency, a resonance frequency of a resonant circuit having the power coil is ascertained, and wherein the measurement of the resonance frequency is executed immediately before or immediately after the measurement of the setup parameters or the data exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Mathias Bellm, Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller, Ulrich Waechter
  • Patent number: 11903114
    Abstract: A method for operating an induction hob (100), wherein the induction hob (100) comprises: an inverter (1), which is supplied with a supply voltage (US), at least one capacitor (2, 3), and an induction heating coil (4), wherein the at least one capacitor (2, 3) and the induction heating coil (4) are interconnected such that they constitute an oscillating circuit (5), and wherein the inverter (1) is configured to generate a pulse-width modulated excitation voltage (UA) for the oscillating circuit (5) from the supply voltage (US), wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) generation of the pulse-width modulated excitation voltage (UA) having a predefined voltage characteristic, b) measurement of a resulting oscillating circuit current (iS), particularly by means of the induction heating coil (4), c) determination of electrical oscillating circuit parameters, according to the voltage characteristic of the pulse-width modulated excitation voltage (UA) and the measured oscillating circuit current (iS), d
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller
  • Publication number: 20230389139
    Abstract: An induction cooktop comprising a cooktop plate and a planar and flat support structure has a flexible woven fabric as a support on which antennas and/or sensors are mounted as lines by means of embroidering processes. The antennas and/or sensors have feed lines, which are mounted and/or secured on the support by means of embroidering processes and cross one another and other lines on the same surface of the support, wherein they are electrically insulated from one another. The support structure has a thermal stability of ?200° C. It is arranged on a planar and flat retainer and, together with antennas and/or sensors, is pressed against an underside of the cooktop plate by said retainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Ulrich Waechter, Max-Felix Mueller, Mathias Bellm, Michael Rupp
  • Patent number: 11699924
    Abstract: Method for operating an apparatus for wirelessly transferring energy in the direction of an electrical consumer by means of inductive coupling, wherein the apparatus comprises: a rectifier for generating a DC voltage from a power supply system voltage, an inverter fed from the DC voltage and configured to generate a pulse-width-modulated drive signal, and a coil driven by means of the pulse-width-modulated drive signal, by means of which coil an alternating magnetic field is generatable for the purpose of transferring the energy, wherein the method comprises the following steps: controlling an electrical actual power output by the inverter to a predefinable electrical target power, wherein a frequency and a duty cycle of the pulse-width-modulated drive signal serve as manipulated variables of the control, wherein the following steps are carried out for the purpose of adjustment to the target power: a) setting a start frequency (f_0), b) setting a start duty cycle (DC_1) in such a way that the target power
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller
  • Publication number: 20230145468
    Abstract: Method for operating a device for wireless transfer of energy in the direction of an electrical consumer by means of inductive coupling, wherein the device has: a rectifier for generating a DC voltage from a grid voltage, an inverter fed from the DC voltage, which is designed to generate a pulse-width-modulated actuation signal, a power coil actuated by means of the pulse-width-modulated actuation signal, by means of which a magnetic alternating field can be generated to transfer the energy, and a communication unit, which is designed to exchange data bidirectionally with the electrical consumer, wherein the method has the following steps: sequentially carrying out a power transfer (LTX), a data exchange (DAT), a measurement of setup parameters (MAP), and a measurement of a resonance frequency (MRF), wherein during the power transfer (LTX), an electrical actual power emitted by the inverter is regulated to a predetermined electrical setpoint value, wherein during the data exchange (DAT), data are exchanged be
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Mathias Bellm, Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller, Ulrich Waechter
  • Publication number: 20230121821
    Abstract: A method for operating a system having a device for the wireless transmission of energy to an electrical consumer by means of inductive coupling, and an electrical consumer, wherein the device has: a rectifier for generating a DC voltage from a line voltage, an inverter which is fed from the DC voltage and designed to generate a pulse-width-modulated activation signal, a power coil activated by the pulse-width-modulated activation signal, by means of which an alternating magnetic field can be generated to transmit the energy, a communication device designed to exchange data bi-directionally with the electrical consumer, and a regulator designed to regulate a power output by the inverter to a predetermined setpoint, and wherein the electrical consumer has: a switching device for changing the load impedance of the electrical consumer, and a communication device designed to exchange data bi-directionally with the device, wherein the method comprises the steps: synchronizing the operation of the device and the op
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller, Mathias Bellm, Ulrich Waechter
  • Publication number: 20230021823
    Abstract: Method for operating a kitchen appliance (100), the kitchen appliance (100) having: a rectifier (1) for producing a DC voltage (UG) from a grid voltage (UN), a first inverter (2) which is powered by the DC voltage (UG) and which is designed to generate a first control signal (AS1) having a first frequency (f1), a first coil (3) which is controlled by means of the first control signal (AS1) and by means of which an alternating magnetic field is able to be generated for heating a cooking vessel (4) and/or for transferring energy in the direction of an electrical load (5) by means of inductive coupling, a second inverter (6) which is powered by the DC voltage (UG) and which is designed to generate a second control signal (AS2) having a second frequency (f2), and a second coil (7) which is controlled by means of the second control signal (AS2) and by means of which an alternating magnetic field is able to be generated for heating a cooking vessel (8) and/or for transferring energy in the direction of an electr
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller
  • Publication number: 20220255355
    Abstract: Method for operating an apparatus for wirelessly transferring energy in the direction of an electrical consumer by means of inductive coupling, wherein the apparatus comprises: a rectifier for generating a DC voltage from a power supply system voltage, an inverter fed from the DC voltage and configured to generate a pulse-width-modulated drive signal, and a coil driven by means of the pulse-width-modulated drive signal, by means of which coil an alternating magnetic field is generatable for the purpose of transferring the energy, wherein the method comprises the following steps: controlling an electrical actual power output by the inverter to a predefinable electrical target power, wherein a frequency and a duty cycle of the pulse-width-modulated drive signal serve as manipulated variables of the control, wherein the following steps are carried out for the purpose of adjustment to the target power: a) setting a start frequency (f_0), b) setting a start duty cycle (DC_1) in such a way that the target power
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller
  • Publication number: 20220003421
    Abstract: A cooktop is designed to be operated either in a cooking operation or in a lighting operation, with the modes of operation not being able to occur together. Within cooking operation, the cooktop controller controls heating devices of the cooktop and light sources of the cooktop in a cooking lighting mode, wherein a luminosity of the light sources is limited to a cooking luminosity below the maximum luminosity in the process. Within lighting operation, the light sources are not controllable by the cooktop controller but can only be controlled by the light controller in an illumination lighting mode, wherein to this end the light controller receives the corresponding commands for the light sources from an external control apparatus by way of a communications device. In this case, a luminosity of the light sources can be maximal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Max-Felix Mueller, Marcus Frank, Frank Muenzner, Daniel Parker, Peter Luettmann
  • Publication number: 20210385912
    Abstract: A method for operating an induction hob (100), wherein the induction hob (100) comprises: an inverter (1), which is supplied with a supply voltage (US), at least one capacitor (2, 3), and an induction heating coil (4), wherein the at least one capacitor (2, 3) and the induction heating coil (4) are interconnected such that they constitute an oscillating circuit (5), and wherein the inverter (1) is configured to generate a pulse-width modulated excitation voltage (UA) for the oscillating circuit (5) from the supply voltage (US), wherein the method comprises the following steps: a) generation of the pulse-width modulated excitation voltage (UA) having a predefined voltage characteristic, b) measurement of a resulting oscillating circuit current (iS), particularly by means of the induction heating coil (4), c) determination of electrical oscillating circuit parameters, according to the voltage characteristic of the pulse-width modulated excitation voltage (UA) and the measured oscillating circuit current (iS), d
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Christian Egenter, Max-Felix Mueller