Patents by Inventor Nils Ponath

Nils Ponath 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: 20180364125
    Abstract: A pressure measurement cell comprises: a ceramic counter body; a ceramic measuring diaphragm which is joined in a pressure-tight manner with the counter body , creating a measurement chamber between the counter body and the measuring diaphragm , by means of a circumferential joint. The measuring diaphragm can be deformed by a pressure to be measured; an electrical converter for converting a pressure-dependent deformation of the measuring diaphragm into an electrical signal; and a temperature transducer for providing at least one electrical signal dependent on a temperature or on a temperature gradient of the pressure measurement cell. The temperature transducer comprises at least one first thermocouple having a galvanic contact between a first conductor with an electrically conductive material and a second conductor with at least one second electrically conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Rossberg, Nils Ponath, Jan Schleiferbock, Thomas Uehlin
  • Publication number: 20180292282
    Abstract: A pressure sensor comprising two parts connected with one another via an active braze joint manufactured by active hard soldering, or brazing, with an active hard solder, or braze, especially a pressure contactable, pressure-dependently elastically deformable, measuring membrane, especially a ceramic measuring membrane, and a platform, especially a ceramic platform, which are connected by an active braze joint connecting an outer edge of the measuring membrane (which covers a pressure chamber with an outer edge of an end of the platform facing the measuring membrane, whose measuring characteristics are improved in that the active braze joint has a coefficient of thermal expansion dependent on the dimensions of the active braze joint and on the materials of the parts and matched to a coefficient of thermal expansion of at least one of the parts, especially the measuring membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt, Markus Rettenmayr, Peter Siegmund, Uta Kuhn, Simon Pauly, Nils Ponath
  • Patent number: 9976923
    Abstract: A pressure sensor comprises an operating circuit and a pressure-measuring cell comprising a counter body, a measurement membrane, which is arranged on the counter body and can be deformed by a pressure to be measured, and a capacitive transducer, which has at least one membrane electrode arranged on the measurement membrane and at least one counter-body electrode arranged on the counter body. The capacitance between the membrane electrode and the counter-body electrode depends on a pressure-dependent deformation of the measurement membrane, wherein at least the membrane electrode has a temperature-dependent impedance. The operating circuit is designed to sense at least one capacitance between the at least one counter-body electrode and the at least one membrane electrode and to provide a pressure measurement value on the basis of at least one capacitance and to determine the impedance of the membrane electrode—particularly, the ohmic portion of the impedance of the membrane electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Burgard, Drewes Ulfert, Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Thomas Uehlin
  • Patent number: 9958350
    Abstract: A pressure-measuring cell having a ceramic measuring membrane and a ceramic counter body, wherein the measuring membrane is joined to the counter body in such a way that a pressure chamber is formed between the measuring membrane and the counter body. The pressure-measuring cell also has a capacitive transducer for detecting a pressure-dependent deformation of the measuring membrane, which capacitive transducer has at least one membrane electrode arranged on the measuring membrane and at least one electrode on the counter body side, wherein according to the invention at least one membrane electrode comprises a titanium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg
  • Publication number: 20170348783
    Abstract: An active brazing material for the energy-efficient production of active-brazed connections that consists of layer sequences arranged on top of one another, the layer sequences of which consist of layers arranged on top of on another, the layer sequences of which each comprise at least one layer of brazing material, wherein the layers of brazing material of each layer sequence each contain at least one component of a base active braze and, in conjunction with each other, contain all components of the base active braze, the layer sequences of which each comprise at least one first reaction layer consisting of a first reactant to which at least one second reaction layer is directly adjacent in the active brazing material and consists of a second reactant that exothermally reacts with the first reactant, wherein an enthalpy of formation of the exothermic reaction of the reactants is greater than or equal to 45 kJ/mol—in particular, greater than or equal to 50 kJ/mol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20170343440
    Abstract: A pressure measurement cell is disclosed including a base body, substantially cylindrical at least in sections, a measuring membrane joined to the base body in a pressure-tight manner along a perimeter joint to form a measurement chamber between the base body and the measuring membrane, and a joining material that joins the perimeter joint between the base body and the measuring membrane. The base body and/or the measuring membrane have/has a stepped recess into which the joining material is at least partially disposed, the stepped recess structured to yield a minimum distance between the base body and the measuring membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Ulfert Drewes, Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt, Anh Tuan Tham
  • Publication number: 20170305799
    Abstract: A method according to the invention for producing a connection between two surfaces or surface sections of two ceramic parts comprises: provision of a first ceramic part and of a second ceramic part; provision of an active brazing solder material on at least one surface section of at least one of the ceramic parts; and heating the active brazing solder in a vacuum brazing process. The whole active brazing solder material is provided for connecting the first and the second ceramic part by a sputtering method, wherein at least one surface section of at least one of the ceramic parts, preferably of the two ceramic parts, is layered with a layer sequence of individual components of the active brazing solder material, wherein the average strength of the layers of an individual component of the active brazing solder is no more than 0.5%, in particular not more than 0.2%, preferably not more than 0.1% and especially preferably not more than 0.05% of the strength of the joining region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Ulfert Drewes, Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Anh Tuan Tham
  • Patent number: 9759623
    Abstract: A pressure measuring cell includes an elastic measuring membrane which is contactable with a first pressure on a first side and with a second pressure on a second side facing away from the first side. The measuring membrane is deflectable as a function of a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure, wherein the measuring membrane pressure-tightly isolates a first volume, which is facing the first side of the measuring membrane, from a second volume, which is facing the second side of the measuring membrane. The pressure measuring cell further includes a transducer for transducing the pressure dependent deflection of the measuring membrane into an electrical or optical signal. The measuring membrane has in the equilibrium state of the measuring membrane compressive stresses at least at the surface of the measuring membrane at least in a radial edge region, in which in the deflected state of the measuring membrane under pressure loading tensile stress maxima occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Inventors: Ulfert Drewes, Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20170146418
    Abstract: A differential pressure measuring cell comprises a measuring membrane; two opposing bodies; and one converter. The measuring membrane is arranged between the opposing bodies and is connected in a pressure-tight manner to the two opposing bodies, forming in each case one measuring chamber. The opposing bodies each have a pressure duct through which a pressure can be made to act upon the respective measuring chamber. The converter is provided in order to convert a deformation of the measuring membrane, which deformation is dependent upon a difference between the pressures, into an electrical signal; wherein the opposing bodies each have a chamber section oriented toward the measuring membrane and a rear wall section oriented away from the measuring membrane with, between these, a decoupling chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Ulfert Drewes, Michael Hugel, Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt, Thomas Uehlin
  • Patent number: 9631994
    Abstract: An assembly, comprising: a first ceramic body and a second ceramic body connected by means of a joint of an active hard solder, or braze, wherein the active hard solder, or braze, averaged over a continuous main volume, which includes at least 50% of the volume of the joint, has an average composition CM with a liquidus temperature Tl(CM). An edge region of the joint, which contacts at least one of the ceramic bodies, has an average composition CE with a liquidus temperature Tl(CE), which lies not less than 20 K, preferably not less than 50 K, and especially preferably not less than 100 K above the liquidus temperature Tl(CM) of the average composition CM of the main volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20160320256
    Abstract: A pressure sensor comprises an operating circuit and a pressure-measuring cell comprising a counter body (1), a measurement membrane (2), which is arranged on the counter body (1) and can be deformed by a pressure to be measured, and a capacitive transducer, which has at least one membrane electrode (7) arranged on the measurement membrane and at least one counter-body electrode (8, 9) arranged on the counter body (2), wherein the capacitance between the membrane electrode (7) and the counter-body electrode (8, 9) depends on a pressure-dependent deformation of the measurement membrane, wherein at least the membrane electrode (7) has a temperature-dependent impedance, wherein the operating circuit is designed to sense at least one capacitance between the at least one counter-body electrode and the at least one membrane electrode and to provide a pressure measurement value on the basis of at least one capacitance and to determine the impedance of the membrane electrode—particularly, the ohmic portion of the imp
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Martin Burgard, Drewes Ulfert, Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Thomas Uehlin
  • Publication number: 20160131546
    Abstract: A pressure-measuring cell having a ceramic measuring membrane and a ceramic counter body, wherein the measuring membrane is joined to the counter body in such a way that a pressure chamber is formed between the measuring membrane and the counter body. The pressure-measuring cell also has a capacitive transducer for detecting a pressure-dependent deformation of the measuring membrane, which capacitive transducer has at least one membrane electrode arranged on the measuring membrane and at least one electrode on the counter body side, wherein according to the invention at least one membrane electrode comprises a titanium oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg
  • Publication number: 20160097691
    Abstract: A pressure measurement cell, comprising: a ceramic measurement membrane and a ceramic counterpart. The measurement membrane is joined to the counterpart in a pressure-tight manner forming a pressure chamber between the measurement membrane and the counterpart by means of an active brazing solder. The pressure measurement cell furthermore has a solder stop layer on a surface of the measurement membrane and/or the counterpart, wherein the solder stop layer has a metal oxide or a reduced form of the metal oxide. The metal oxide has at least one oxidation stage, which, assuming an activity coefficient of Rakt=1 at an inverse temperature of 8·10?4/K, has an oxygen coexistence decomposition pressure of not less than 1?23 MPa (10?23· bar) and not more than 1?12 MPa (10?12· bar) and which, assuming an activity coefficient of Rakt=1, at an inverse temperature of 9.10?4/K has an oxygen coexistence decomposition pressure of not less than 1?27 MPa (10?27 bar) and not more than 1?15 MPa (10?15 bar).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg
  • Publication number: 20150300903
    Abstract: A pressure measuring cell includes an elastic measuring membrane which is contactable with a first pressure on a first side and with a second pressure on a second side facing away from the first side. The measuring membrane is deflectable as a function of a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure, wherein the measuring membrane pressure-tightly isolates a first volume, which is facing the first side of the measuring membrane, from a second volume, which is facing the second side of the measuring membrane. The pressure measuring cell further includes a transducer for transducing the pressure dependent deflection of the measuring membrane into an electrical or optical signal. The measuring membrane has in the equilibrium state of the measuring membrane compressive stresses at least at the surface of the measuring membrane at least in a radial edge region, in which in the deflected state of the measuring membrane under pressure loading tensile stress maxima occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Ulfert Drewes, Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20150160086
    Abstract: An assembly, comprising: a first ceramic body and a second ceramic body connected by means of a joint of an active hard solder, or braze, wherein the active hard solder, or braze, averaged over a continuous main volume, which includes at least 50% of the volume of the joint, has an average composition CM with a liquidus temperature Tl(CM). An edge region of the joint, which contacts at least one of the ceramic bodies, has an average composition CE with a liquidus temperature Tl(CE), which lies not less than 20 K, preferably not less than 50 K, and especially preferably not less than 100 K above the liquidus temperature Tl(CM) of the average composition CM of the main volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20150135844
    Abstract: An assembly, comprising two ceramic bodies, which are connected by means of a joint, which contains an active hard solder, or braze, wherein the active hard solder, or braze, has a continuous core volume, which is spaced from the ceramic bodies, in each case, by at least 1 ?m, especially at least 2 ?m, and wherein the joint has bounding layers, which border on the ceramic body. The the core volume, which includes at least 50% of the volume of the joint, is free of crystalline phases of size greater than 6 ?m, especially greater than 4 ?m, preferably greater than 2 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Nils Ponath, Andreas Rossberg, Elke Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20150122040
    Abstract: A pressure measuring device, comprising: a pressure measuring cell having a measuring membrane, at least one platform and a pressure chamber formed therebetween. An electrical transducer for transducing a deflection of the measuring membrane into a pressure dependent, primary signal; a cylindrical housing having a measuring cell chamber, in which the pressure measuring cell is arranged, and an end face pressure receipt opening in communication with the pressure duct; and an electronic circuit in the housing for operating the electrical transducer, and for processing the primary signal, and for outputting a measurement signal. The cylinder axis of the pressure measuring cell forms with the cylinder axis of the housing an angle, which amounts to not less than 80°, and which is especially preferably a right angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Ulfert Drewes, Nils Ponath, Michael Hugel, Thomas Uehlin