Patents by Inventor Raphael Kuhnen

Raphael Kuhnen 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: 11920972
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for state monitoring of a coil that is part of a device for determining at least one process variable of a medium in a containment. The method includes supplying the coil with an electrical excitation signal and receiving an electrical, received signal from the coil, ascertaining a first frequency for the excitation signal, in the case of which a first phase shift between the excitation signal and received signal is less than a predeterminable limit value, and ascertaining a state indicator for the coil based on the first frequency. Further disclosed is a device embodied for performing a method of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
    Inventors: Romuald Girardey, Raphael Kuhnen, Izabella Sandor
  • Publication number: 20240060812
    Abstract: A sensor device for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium in a container includes: a crystal body having at least one defect; and a magnetic field device for generating a magnetic field, the magnetic field device arranged such that a magnetic field can be generated in the region of the crystal body and in the region of the medium located within the container, so that a change of the magnetic field in the region of the crystal body is amplified, wherein the crystal body and the magnetic field device are arranged from the outside on a wall of the container. A method for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium in a container using the sensor device is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Mohammad Sadegh Ebrahimi, Johannes Kölbl
  • Patent number: 11906452
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a pH-sensor for determining and/or monitoring a pH value of a medium, having a sensor unit with a wall in contact with the medium, and at least one pH-sensitive material, which has at least one spin state that changes as a function of a pH value. The at least one pH-sensitive material is arranged in or on a region of the wall in such a way that the at least one spin state is subjected to a change in the pH value of the medium. The pH-sensor also includes a spin-sensitive unit, which is configured to detect a variable associated with the at least one spin state, wherein the spin-sensitive unit is arranged in an environment of the at least one pH-sensitive material such that the spin-sensitive unit is subjected to a change in the spin state of the at least one pH-sensitive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Conducta GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Wilhelm, Mohammad Sadegh Ebrahimi, Raphael Kuhnen, Matthäus Speck
  • Publication number: 20230341327
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium in a containment includes: a crystal body including at least one defect; a magnetic field system for producing a magnetic field in the region of the crystal body and in the region of the medium within the containment, wherein the crystal body and the magnetic field system are arrangeable from the outside at a wall of the containment; a detection unit for detecting a magnetic field-dependent, fluorescent signal from the crystal body, wherein the detection unit has an excitation unit for optical exciting of the defect and a detector for detecting the fluorescent signal; and an evaluation unit for ascertaining at least one piece of information concerning the process variable based on the fluorescent signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Mohammad Sadegh Ebrahimi, Gerd Bechtel, Raphael Kuhnen, Tobias Brengartner, Dietmar Frühauf, Anh Tuan Tham
  • Patent number: 11740116
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibronic sensor for determining a process variable of a medium in a containment, comprising a mechanically oscillatable unit, a driving/receiving unit and an electronics unit having an adaptive filter. The present invention relates also to a method for operating the sensor. The electronics unit is embodied alternately to execute a first operating mode and a second operating mode. The driving/receiving unit is embodied during the first operating mode to excite the oscillatable unit using an electrical excitation signal. During the second operating mode, the exciting of the oscillatable unit is interrupted and the oscillations of the oscillatable unit are received and transduced into an electrical, received signal. At least one filter characteristic of the adaptive filter is set such that a predeterminable phase shift is present between the excitation signal and the received signal, and the process variable is determined from the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
    Inventors: Sascha D'Angelico, Raphael Kuhnen, Tobias Brengartner, Izabella Sandor
  • Patent number: 11680842
    Abstract: A method for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium using a vibronic sensor includes: exciting a mechanically vibratable unit to vibrate in a first vibration mode via a drive/receiving unit using a first excitation signal; receiving and converting the vibrations of the first vibration mode into a first reception signal; generating the first excitation signal based on the first reception signal; determining the process variable from the first reception signal; exciting the vibratable unit to vibrate in a second vibration mode via the drive/receiving unit via a second excitation signal; receiving and converting the vibrations the second vibration mode into a second reception signal, where the second excitation signal is generated based on the second reception signal; and compensating for an influence of a temperature of the medium on the first reception signal using the second reception signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Izabella Sandor
  • Publication number: 20220413067
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the condition of a coil, wherein the coil is part of a device for determining at least one process variable of a medium in a container, includes applying an electrical excitation signal to the coil and receiving an electrical reception signal from the coil, determining a first value for the reception signal at a first predefinable measurement time, comparing the first value for the reception signal at the first measurement time with a reference value, and determining a condition indicator for the coil on the basis of the comparison. Disclosed also is a device that is designed for carrying out the disclosed method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Mohammad Sadegh Ebrahimi, Franco Ferraro, Romuald Girardey, Raphael Kuhnen, Izabella Sandor, Ralf Wacker
  • Publication number: 20220373487
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a pH-sensor for determining and/or monitoring a pH value of a medium, having a sensor unit with a wall in contact with the medium, and at least one pH-sensitive material, which has at least one spin state that changes as a function of a pH value. The at least one pH-sensitive material is arranged in or on a region of the wall in such a way that the at least one spin state is subjected to a change in the pH value of the medium. The pH-sensor also includes a spin-sensitive unit, which is configured to detect a variable associated with the at least one spin state, wherein the spin-sensitive unit is arranged in an environment of the at least one pH-sensitive material such that the spin-sensitive unit is subjected to a change in the spin state of the at least one pH-sensitive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Wilhelm, Mohammad Sadegh Ebrahimi, Raphael Kuhnen, Matthäus Speck
  • Publication number: 20220365041
    Abstract: A device and a method for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium include a sensor unit having a mechanically oscillatable unit, at least a first piezoelectric element, a temperature detection unit for determining and/or monitoring a temperature of the medium and an electronics unit. The device is embodied to excite the mechanically oscillatable unit by means of an excitation signal such that mechanical oscillations are executed, to receive mechanical oscillations of the oscillatable unit and convert them into a first received signal, to transmit a transmitted signal and to receive a second received signal. The electronics unit is embodied, based on the first and/or second received signal, to determine the at least one process variable and, based on a third received signal received from the temperature detection unit, to determine the temperature of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Jan Schleiferböck, Tobias Brengartner, Sergey Lopatin, Thorsten Springmann, Raphael Kuhnen
  • Publication number: 20220359811
    Abstract: A device and a method for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium include a sensor unit having a mechanically oscillatable unit, at least a first piezoelectric element, a conductivity/capacitance detecting unit for determining and/or monitoring a conductivity and/or capacitance of the medium and an electronics unit. The device is embodied to excite the mechanically oscillatable unit by means of an excitation signal such that mechanical oscillations are executed, to receive the mechanical oscillations of the oscillatable unit, to convert them into a first received signal, to transmit a transmitted signal, and to receive a second received signal. The electronics unit is embodied, based on the first and/or second received signal, to determine the at least one process variable of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Tobias Brengartner, Sergey Lopatin, Jan Schleiferböck, Thorsten Springmann
  • Publication number: 20220260400
    Abstract: A device and a method for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium include a sensor unit having a mechanically oscillatable unit, at least a first piezoelectric element, a pressure detection unit for determining and/or monitoring a pressure, and an electronics unit. The device is embodied to excite the mechanically oscillatable unit by means of an excitation signal such that mechanical oscillations are executed, to receive mechanical oscillations of the oscillatable unit, to convert them into a first received signal, to transmit a transmitted signal and to receive a second received signal. The electronics unit is embodied, based on the first and/or second received signal, to determine the at least one process variable of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Sergey Lopatin, Tobias Brengartner, Jan Schleiferböck, Thorsten Springmann, Raphael Kuhnen
  • Publication number: 20220196456
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for state monitoring of a coil that is part of a device for determining at least one process variable of a medium in a containment. The method includes supplying the coil with an electrical excitation signal and receiving an electrical, received signal from the coil, ascertaining a first frequency for the excitation signal, in the case of which a first phase shift between the excitation signal and received signal is less than a predeterminable limit value, and ascertaining a state indicator for the coil based on the first frequency. Further disclosed is a device embodied for performing a method of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Romuald Girardey, Raphael Kuhnen, Izabella Sandor
  • Patent number: 11275010
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring state of a coil having at least two connection wires, which coil is part of an apparatus for determining at least one process variable of a medium in a containment, as well as relating to an apparatus for executing the method. The method, in such case, includes method steps as follows: ascertaining a desired-value of an ohmic total resistance for the coil and the connection wires, supplying the coil with an electrical excitation signal and receiving an electrical, received signal from the coil by means of the two connection wires, ascertaining an actual-value of the ohmic total resistance based at least on the received signal, and comparing the actual-value with the desired-value and ascertaining a state indicator based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Ralf Wacker, Izabella Sandor
  • Publication number: 20220003591
    Abstract: A method for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium using a vibronic sensor includes: exciting a mechanically vibratable unit to vibrate in a first vibration mode via a drive/receiving unit using a first excitation signal; receiving and converting the vibrations of the first vibration mode into a first reception signal; generating the first excitation signal based on the first reception signal; determining the process variable from the first reception signal; exciting the vibratable unit to vibrate in a second vibration mode via the drive/receiving unit via a second excitation signal; receiving and converting the vibrations the second vibration mode into a second reception signal, where the second excitation signal is generated based on the second reception signal; and compensating for an influence of a temperature of the medium on the first reception signal using the second reception signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Izabella Sandor
  • Patent number: 11125602
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes an electromechanical transducer unit for a field device of automation technology including a membrane having a base area and displaceable to execute mechanical oscillations, three rods secured to the membrane perpendicular to the base area, a housing, wherein the rods extend into the housing, three magnets, each secured to one of the rods opposite the membrane, and a coil having a core and secured within the housing adjacent the magnets, the coil embodied to produce a magnetic field that causes the rods to execute mechanical oscillations. The rods are secured to the membrane such that oscillations of the membrane result from the oscillations of the rods. At least one of the rods is secured to the base area where the second derivative of the deflection of the membrane from a rest position as a function of the site on the base area is essentially zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Ira Henkel, Dietmar Frühauf
  • Publication number: 20200191693
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for monitoring state of a coil having at least two connection wires, which coil is part of an apparatus for determining at least one process variable of a medium in a containment, as well as relating to an apparatus for executing the method. The method, in such case, includes method steps as follows: ascertaining a desired-value of an ohmic total resistance for the coil and the connection wires, supplying the coil with an electrical excitation signal and receiving an electrical, received signal from the coil by means of the two connection wires, ascertaining an actual-value of the ohmic total resistance based at least on the received signal, and comparing the actual-value with the desired-value and ascertaining a state indicator based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Ralf Wacker, Izabella Sandor
  • Publication number: 20200141789
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for capacitive determining and/or monitoring of at least one process variable of a medium as well as to a corresponding apparatus. According to the invention, at least method steps as follows are executed: supplying a probe electrode with at least a first electrical, excitation signal having at least a first predeterminable frequency, receiving a first electrical, received signal from the probe electrode, ascertaining a measured capacitance of the probe electrode or the measured capacitance and a media/accretion resistance of the probe electrode from at least the first received signal, and determining the at least one process variable based on the value of the measured capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Anna Klara Schneider, Raphael Kuhnen, Armin Wernet
  • Patent number: 10591443
    Abstract: A vibration sensor comprising an oscillatable unit, which is composed of a membrane with an inner surface and an outer surface and, in given cases, at least one oscillatory element secured on the outer surface of the membrane. A transmitting/receiving unit is provided, which with a predetermined exciter frequency excites the oscillatable unit to execute oscillations and which receives oscillations of the oscillatable unit. A control/evaluation unit is provided, which signals reaching of the predetermined fill level or ascertains the density, respectively the viscosity, of the medium. In order to be able to apply the vibration sensor in high temperature applications, a disc shaped element of a magnetostrictive material is provided, which has a force transmitting connection with the inner surface of the membrane. The transmitting/receiving unit is an electromagnetic drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO. KG
    Inventors: Sergej Lopatin, Raphael Kuhnen, Dietmar Fruhauf
  • Patent number: 10557826
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium in a container, comprising at least an oscillatable unit having at least one membrane, and at least one oscillatory element, a driving/receiving unit embodied to excite the mechanically oscillatable unit by means of an electrical, exciter signal of adjustable excitation frequency to execute oscillations in an oscillation mode corresponding to the excitation frequency and to receive mechanical oscillations from the oscillatable unit and to convert such into an electrical received signal, and an electronics unit embodied, to produce the exciter signal, and to ascertain from the received signal the at least one process variable. The membrane is connected with the driving/receiving unit. The oscillatory element has the shape of an oscillatory rod, on which a paddle is terminally formed, and the oscillatory element is secured on the membrane in an end region remote from the paddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO.KG
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Ira Henkel, Peter Wimberger
  • Patent number: 10557744
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium in a containment, including an oscillatable unit with a membrane, three rods secured to the membrane and extending perpendicularly to a base area of the membrane, a housing, wherein the rods extend into the housing a driving/receiving unit disposed at an end region of the rods and configured to excite the oscillatable unit and transduce mechanical oscillations into a received signal, and an electronics unit configured to produce an exciter signal from the received signal and to ascertain the process variable at least from the received signal. At least one of the rods is secured to the membrane at a site on the base area where the second derivative of the deflection of the membrane from a rest position as a function of the site on the base area is essentially zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
    Inventors: Raphael Kuhnen, Ira Henkel, Dietmar Frühauf