Patents by Inventor Ralph Diehl
Ralph Diehl 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).
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Patent number: 7659693Abstract: The invention relates to a rechargeable battery with a battery housing having a rear wall with a recess which extends as far as an end wall of the battery housing and has a base side and narrow sides facing each other, the base side continuing via a step into the outer side of the rear wall, and a contact assembly which is covered by a cover extending from the step being positioned at the step. In order to further develop the battery so that when the battery is connected to an electrical appliance the contact assembly is protected against splash water, it is proposed, in accordance with the invention, that the cover form a contact housing which completely surrounds the contact assembly in circumferential direction and has on its side facing away from the step an insertion opening surrounded by a circumferential rim of the contact housing, which forms a sealing surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2008Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Maic Hensel, Juergen Weiss, Ralph Diehl, Martin Schmidgall, Holger Lepold
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Publication number: 20080224657Abstract: The invention relates to a rechargeable battery with a battery housing having a rear wall with a recess which extends as far as an end wall of the battery housing and has a base side and narrow sides facing each other, the base side continuing via a step into the outer side of the rear wall, and a contact assembly which is covered by a cover extending from the step being positioned at the step. In order to further develop the battery so that when the battery is connected to an electrical appliance the contact assembly is protected against splash water, it is proposed, in accordance with the invention, that the cover form a contact housing which completely surrounds the contact assembly in circumferential direction and has on its side facing away from the step an insertion opening surrounded by a circumferential rim of the contact housing, which forms a sealing surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2008Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Maic Hensel, Juergen Weiss, Ralph Diehl, Martin Schmidgall, Holger Lepold
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Patent number: 7225500Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor apparatus for a self-propelled floor cleaning appliance for detecting a down step, having a transmission unit and a reception unit for infrared radiation and having evaluation electronics for evaluating the intensity of the radiation received. To develop the sensor apparatus in such a manner that a down step or a steep downslope of the floor surface can be determined more reliably, while the sensor apparatus can be produced at low cost, according to the invention it is proposed that the sensor apparatus has the reception unit and a first and a second transmission unit, the second transmission unit being disposed at a distance from a connecting straight line running through the reception unit and the first transmission unit. The invention also proposes a floor cleaning appliance having a sensor apparatus of this type.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2005Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Ralph Diehl, Gottfried Benzler, Joachim Keppler, Jakob Janzen
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Patent number: 7053578Abstract: The invention relates to a floor treatment system with a self-propelled and self-steering floor treatment unit, which comprises an electrically driven floor treatment assembly and also a rechargeable power supply unit and an electrical control system, and with a central charging station for recharging the power supply unit, the charging station having a transmitting device for emitting an infrared target radiation, and it being possible for the target radiation to be sensed in a directionally dependent manner by a receiving device of the floor treatment unit for the automatic alignment and positioning of the floor treatment unit at the charging station.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2005Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Ralph Diehl, Joachim Keppler, Roger Skoumal, Gottfried Benzler
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Publication number: 20050172445Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor apparatus for a self-propelled floor cleaning appliance for detecting a down step, having a transmission unit and a reception unit for infrared radiation and having evaluation electronics for evaluating the intensity of the radiation received. To develop the sensor apparatus in such a manner that a down step or a steep downslope of the floor surface can be determined more reliably, while the sensor apparatus can be produced at low cost, according to the invention it is proposed that the sensor apparatus has the reception unit and a first and a second transmission unit, the second transmission unit being disposed at a distance from a connecting straight line running through the reception unit and the first transmission unit. The invention also proposes a floor cleaning appliance having a sensor apparatus of this type.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2005Publication date: August 11, 2005Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Ralph Diehl, Gottfried Benzler, Joachim Keppler, Jakob Janzen
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Publication number: 20050150074Abstract: The invention relates to a floor treatment system with a self-propelled and self-steering floor treatment unit, which comprises an electrically driven floor treatment assembly and also a rechargeable power supply unit and an electrical control system, and with a central charging station for recharging the power supply unit, the charging station having a transmitting device for emitting an infrared target radiation, and it being possible for the target radiation to be sensed in a directionally dependent manner by a receiving device of the floor treatment unit for the automatic alignment and positioning of the floor treatment unit at the charging station.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2005Publication date: July 14, 2005Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Ralph Diehl, Joachim Keppler, Roger Skoumal, Gottfried Benzler
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Publication number: 20040074044Abstract: The invention relates to a floor cleaning appliance comprising a suction turbine with a turbine wheel rotatingly drivable about a turbine axis, and a substantially horizontally aligned suction channel via which the suction turbine is in flow communication with a suction opening facing the floor surface to be cleaned, with the suction channel forming a container for collecting dirt and accommodating a dirt filter. In order to design the floor cleaning appliance with as low an overall height as possible, while achieving as strong a suction flow as possible in the area of the suction opening, it is proposed, in accordance with the invention, that the suction turbine be mounted on the suction channel with its turbine axis aligned at an incline to the vertical.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2003Publication date: April 22, 2004Applicant: Alfred Kaercher GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Ralph Diehl, Jacob Janzen, Joachim Keppler