Patents by Inventor Ralph Trapp

Ralph Trapp 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: 11604532
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating device for a vehicle, comprising a display with a touch-sensor system for inputting a command and additionally a retaining device which retains the display. The retaining device has a base face and a free area which is defined by support elements protruding from the base face. The operating device is additionally provided with at least one actuation sensor for detecting a bend of the display upon being manually actuated and an analysis unit which is connected to the touch sensor system and the at least one actuation sensor for analyzing the signals of the touch sensor system and the at least one actuation sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Ralph Trapp, Michael Steinkamp
  • Publication number: 20210237571
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating device for a vehicle, comprising a display with a touch-sensor system for inputting a command and additionally a retaining device which retains the display. The retaining device has a base face and a free area which is defined by support elements protruding from the base face. The operating device is additionally provided with at least one actuation sensor for detecting a bend of the display upon being manually actuated and an analysis unit which is connected to the touch sensor system and the at least one actuation sensor for analyzing the signals of the touch sensor system and the at least one actuation sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Ralph TRAPP, Michael STEINKAMP
  • Patent number: 11016571
    Abstract: The operator control unit (10) for a device is provided with an operator control element (14) which has a touch-sensitive operator control surface (16). The operator control element (14) is, for the purpose of being automatically returned to its inoperative position after being deflected out of said inoperative position, elastically mounted in said inoperative position. The mechanical excitation of the operator control element (14) out of its inoperative position for the purpose of tactile feedback in response to operation of the operator control element (14) is performed by means of an actuator (24). A sensor (26) identifies the movement of the operator control element (14) and/or an acceleration and/or force acting on the operator control element (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventor: Ralph Trapp
  • Publication number: 20200282796
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for operating an air conditioning system (12) of a vehicle. The air conditioning system has a fan, a plurality of actuating motors for controlling flaps on and/or in air-conducting channels, a heating and/or a cooling unit, and a plurality of sensors (28, 30) for sensing measurement variables required for the operation of the heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning system. The sensors (28, 30) include an interior temperature sensor (26). The device has an operating and control unit (32) for inputting a desired temperature and for outputting air conditioning control signals for the control of components of the air conditioning system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Ralph TRAPP, Dirk NAGEL, Rudiger SCHMIDT, Bernd KUHLHOFF, Eduard PANKRATZ
  • Publication number: 20200139817
    Abstract: The operator control unit (10) for a device is provided with an operator control element (14) which has a touch-sensitive operator control surface (16). The operator control element (14) is, for the purpose of being automatically returned to its inoperative position after being deflected out of said inoperative position, elastically mounted in said inoperative position. The mechanical excitation of the operator control element (14) out of its inoperative position for the purpose of tactile feedback in response to operation of the operator control element (14) is performed by means of an actuator (24). A sensor (26) identifies the movement of the operator control element (14) and/or an acceleration and/or force acting on the operator control element (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventor: Ralph Trapp
  • Patent number: 9924565
    Abstract: A device for electrically heating a fluid, in particular for use in an electrically operated motor vehicle, comprising an induction coil, which is integrated in an oscillating circuit and produces an alternating magnetic field, and at least one first inductor, which is positioned within the alternating magnetic field. The inductor can be arranged inside a module, through which a fluid to be heated can flow, and the induction coil is arranged outside the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: MAHLE International GmbH, Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Kohl, Harri Pankratz, Ralph Trapp
  • Patent number: 9089009
    Abstract: The electric heating system, in particular for a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle, is provided with a heating module. The heating module is provided with an electrically insulating, heat conducting ceramic substrate which has a heating zone and a control zone which are spaced apart from one another. The heating module comprises an electrical resistance heating element which is arranged on the ceramic substrate, in the heating zone thereof, and which is embodied as a resistance heating conductor which is mounted on the ceramic substrate. Further, the heating module comprises a transistor for controlling the current through the resistance heating conductor, wherein the transistor and other optionally present electrical components and conductor tracks are arranged in the control zone on the ceramic substrate. The heating module is provided with a first cooling element which is thermally coupled to the heating zone of the ceramic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Ralph Trapp, Hans-Dieter Röhling
  • Publication number: 20150183295
    Abstract: The electrical vehicle heater, in particular for vehicles having a hybrid drive or having an electric drive, has a heating module (10), which is provided with a carrier body (14), which has two opposite main outside surfaces (20, 21), wherein the carrier body (14)—when observed in the direction of one of the two main outside surfaces (20, 21)—is divided into two adjacent heating zones (16, 18) and wherein the carrier body (14) is provided with at least one heating element (22) in each heating zone (16, 18). Furthermore, the heating module (10) has a control unit (31) for controlling the heating elements (22) independently of each other and at least one heat sink (42, 48), which is thermally coupled to the carrier body (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Ralph Trapp, Dirk Nagel
  • Publication number: 20150034631
    Abstract: A device for electrically heating a fluid, in particular for use in an electrically operated motor vehicle, comprising an induction coil, which is integrated in an oscillating circuit and produces an alternating magnetic field, and at least one first inductor, which is positioned within the alternating magnetic field. The inductor can be arranged inside a module, through which a fluid to be heated can flow, and the induction coil is arranged outside the module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Michael KOHL, Harri PANKRATZ, Ralph TRAPP
  • Patent number: 8785858
    Abstract: A solar sensor for the detection of the direction of incidence and the intensity of solar radiation comprises a housing (12) made of a plastic material that is permeable to at least some of the solar radiation, the housing (12) having a curved side (14) facing the incident solar radiation and the housing (12) optically acting as a lens and having an internal focal plane (26) defined by the lens characteristics thereof. At least two photosensors (16) are embedded in the plastic material of the housing (12), each photosensor (16) having a sensor area (18) sensitive to at least the part of the radiation to which the plastic material is permeable, and the sensor areas (18) of the photosensors (16) being arranged in a substantially common plane (19) located in front of or behind the focal plane (26), seen from side (14) facing the incident solar radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Otto Knittel, Bernd Stich, Ralph Trapp, Dirk Nagel
  • Publication number: 20120267355
    Abstract: The electric heating system, in particular for a hybrid vehicle or electric vehicle, is provided with a heating module. The heating module is provided with an electrically insulating, heat conducting ceramic substrate which has a heating zone and a control zone which are spaced apart from one another. The heating module comprises an electrical resistance heating element which is arranged on the ceramic substrate, in the heating zone thereof, and which is embodied as a resistance heating conductor which is mounted on the ceramic substrate. Further, the heating module comprises a transistor for controlling the current through the resistance heating conductor, wherein the transistor and other optionally present electrical components and conductor tracks are arranged in the control zone on the ceramic substrate. The heating module is provided with a first cooling element which is thermally coupled to the heating zone of the ceramic substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
    Inventors: Ralph Trapp, Hans-Dieter Röhling
  • Publication number: 20110240862
    Abstract: A solar sensor for the detection of the direction of incidence and the intensity of solar radiation comprises a housing (12) made of a plastic material that is permeable to at least some of the solar radiation, the housing (12) having a curved side (14) facing the incident solar radiation and the housing (12) optically acting as a lens and having an internal focal plane (26) defined by the lens characteristics thereof. At least two photosensors (16) are embedded in the plastic material of the housing (12), each photosensor (16) having a sensor area (18) sensitive to at least the part of the radiation to which the plastic material is permeable, and the sensor areas (18) of the photosensors (16) being arranged in a substantially common plane (19) located in front of or behind the focal plane (26), seen from side (14) facing the incident solar radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Otto Knittel, Bernd Stich, Ralph Trapp, Dirk Nagel
  • Patent number: 6997605
    Abstract: The device for detection of the temperature in the interior of a vehicle, particularly for an air-conditioning system of a vehicle, is provided with an interior temperature sensor (28) arranged in a housing (18) arranged in or at a wall (12) adjacent to the interior (14) of the vehicle and being at least partially adjacent to the interior (14) of the vehicle, and a radiation sensor (30) detecting solar radiation leading to the heating of the housing (18) of the interior temperature sensor (28). Further, the device is provided with a compensation temperature sensor (36) arranged behind the wall (12) and such that it is thermally decoupled from the interior temperature sensor (28) and detecting the heat of air and/or assemblies behind the wall (12), which leads to a falsification of the measured value of the interior temperature sensor (28). The two temperature sensors (28,36) and the radiation sensor (30) are combined in a common assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Ralph Trapp, Bernd Stich, Otto Knittel, Marwin Hamann
  • Publication number: 20040223534
    Abstract: The device for detection of the temperature in the interior of a vehicle, particularly for an air-conditioning system of a vehicle, is provided with an interior temperature sensor (28) arranged in a housing (18) arranged in or at a wall (12) adjacent to the interior (14) of the vehicle and being at least partially adjacent to the interior (14) of the vehicle, and a radiation sensor (30) detecting solar radiation leading to the heating of the housing (18) of the interior temperature sensor (28). Further, the device is provided with a compensation temperature sensor (36) arranged behind the wall (12) and such that it is thermally decoupled from the interior temperature sensor (28) and detecting the heat of air and/or assemblies behind the wall (12), which leads to a falsification of the measured value of the interior temperature sensor (28). The two temperature sensors (28,36) and the radiation sensor (30) are combined in a common assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Ralph Trapp, Bernd Stich, Otto Knittel, Marwin Hamann