Patents by Inventor Reiner Frank

Reiner Frank 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: 7238055
    Abstract: The present invention is an individual controller for shield support frames in underground mining, having a shallow box-shaped housing for holding microelectronics comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, a front wall and a back wall, with receptacles for connecting cable plugs from sensors and actuators and with at least one socket for connecting a plug of a cable for communicating with an adjacent individual controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: DBH GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian M. Mundry, Jens Titschert, Jürgen Tschöpe, Reiner Frank
  • Patent number: 7175460
    Abstract: A sheathed cable for underground mining, comprising a flexible sheath (2) containing armouring (3) and receiving the electric conductors (4), a cable connector (30) being mounted on one end of the sheathed cable and comprising a one-part hollow coupling sleeve (31) which engages over the sheath (2) and receives the end of the sheathed cable in tension-resistant manner in a compression joint and also comprises a plug insert (32) connected to the sleeve (31) by a snap-in connection and receiving contact elements preferably in the form of pins (36) and sockets (37) electrically connected to the conductors (4), wherein a cable feed-through opening (39) in the hollow coupling sleeve (31) is partly filled with sealing compound (38), wherein the coupling sleeve (31) has a continuation (34) which is deformable in order to make the compression joint and exclusively receives the sheathed cable (1), sheath (2), conductors (4) and armouring (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: DBT GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Tschope, Sebastian M Mundry, Reiner Frank
  • Publication number: 20060121777
    Abstract: A sheathed cable for underground mining, comprising a flexible sheath (2) containing armouring (3) and receiving the electric conductors (4), a cable connector (30) being mounted on one end of the sheathed cable and comprising a one-part hollow coupling sleeve (31) which engages over the sheath (2) and receives the end of the sheathed cable in tension-resistant manner in a compression joint and also comprises a plug insert (32) connected to the sleeve (31) by a snap-in connection and receiving contact elements preferably in the form of pins (36) and sockets (37) electrically connected to the conductors (4), wherein a cable feed-through opening (39) in the hollow coupling sleeve (31) is partly filled with sealing compound (38), wherein the coupling sleeve (31) has a continuation (34) which is deformable in order to make the compression joint and exclusively receives the sheathed cable (1), sheath (2), conductors (4) and armouring (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Jurgen Tschope, Sebastian Mundry, Reiner Frank
  • Patent number: 7040174
    Abstract: The pressure cell device according to the invention serves for measuring hydraulic pressures in hydraulic mining devices in an inherently secure service region. It is provided with a connection element which can be connected to a pressure reception connection and with a sensor housing, on the inside of which is arranged a hydroelectric pressure transducer which is pressurised by the hydraulic pressure present at the pressure reception connection and converts this into an electrical signal. So as to ensure high measurement accuracy over a long operating period, without it being necessary to have exchanges of the pressure transducer or its new calibration, it is provided according to the invention that the pressure transducer comprises a ceramic pressure measuring cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: DBT Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian M. Mundry, Jens Titschert, Reiner Frank, Jürgen Tschöpe
  • Publication number: 20060014439
    Abstract: The present invention is an individual controller for shield support frames in underground mining, having a shallow box-shaped housing for holding microelectronics comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, a front wall and a back wall, with receptacles for connecting cable plugs from sensors and actuators and with at least one socket for connecting a plug of a cable for communicating with an adjacent individual controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Sebastian Mundry, Jens Titschert, Jürgen Tschöpe, Reiner Frank
  • Patent number: 6957970
    Abstract: The invention relates to a connector for a cable for underground mining, comprising a socket part 1 and a plug part axially insertable into the socket part and having a hole in the back for inserting a cable, the plug part being secured to the socket part 1 by a screw cap 20 mounted for rotation on the plug part 10 and screwable on to an external thread 6 on the socket part 1 and being sealed against penetration of moisture and/or dirt by at least one sealing element. In order to obtain standard parts for a family of plugs by a simple assembly process and with maximum sealing-tightness against moisture and dirt and at low production costs, the plugs being suitable for inserting the cable either coaxially or radially, the external thread 6 on the socket part 1 and the associated internal thread 21 on the screw cap 20 are triple threads and/or a crown part 40 with at least one radial recess 41 for receiving the cable 30 is provided on the cable entry hole 18 on the back of the plug part. (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: DBT Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Weigel, Reiner Frank
  • Publication number: 20040129085
    Abstract: The pressure cell device according to the invention serves for measuring hydraulic pressures in hydraulic mining devices in an inherently secure service region. It is provided with a connection element which can be connected to a pressure reception connection and with a sensor housing, on the inside of which is arranged a hydroelectric pressure transducer which is pressurised by the hydraulic pressure present at the pressure reception connection and converts this into an electrical signal. So as to ensure high measurement accuracy over a long operating period, without it being necessary to have exchanges of the pressure transducer or its new calibration, it is provided according to the invention that the pressure transducer comprises a ceramic pressure measuring cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Sebastian M. Mundry, Jens Titschert, Reiner Frank, Jurgen Tschope
  • Publication number: 20040038578
    Abstract: The invention relates to a connector for a cable for underground mining, comprising a socket part 1 and a plug part axially insertable into the socket part and having a hole in the back for inserting a cable, the plug part being secured to the socket part 1 by a screw cap 20 mounted for rotation on the plug part 10 and screwable on to an external thread 6 on the socket part 1 and being sealed against penetration of moisture and/or dirt by at least one sealing element. In order to obtain standard parts for a family of plugs by a simple assembly process and with maximum sealing-tightness against moisture and dirt and at low production costs, the plugs being suitable for inserting the cable either coaxially or radially, the external thread 6 on the socket part 1 and the associated internal thread 21 on the screw cap 20 are triple threads and/or a crown part 40 with at least one radial recess 41 for receiving the cable 30 is provided on the cable entry hole 18 on the back of the plug part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Wilfried Weigel, Reiner Frank
  • Publication number: 20040033710
    Abstract: For an explosion-proof connection of two electric line ends (25, 26), the contact elements (27, 28) are accommodated in two tubes (1, 2), which can be joined in an explosion-proof manner. Each of the plug-in contact parts is axially secured in its tube by a radial projection (41) in the direction toward the end facing the other tube. At its line end, each of the tubes is closed by an end cap (42), which sealingly surrounds with a narrow outlet (44) the electric lines, including an insulation (43). The tube, in which the plug-in contact part with the contact pins is axially secured, extends beyond the tip of the contact pins, and has there an enlarged diameter, with which it surrounds the other tube (inner tube 1,3) with a narrow cylindrical gap (sealing gap 20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Willi Kussel, Reiner Frank
  • Patent number: 6607403
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plug-in cable connector 3 for electrical cable or plug connections 10. The cable connector 3, which forms the termination of the cable 1, has a hollow connector shell 4 of brass, whose boring forms a cable entry opening on its cable side section and an abutment collar 5 on which a plug connector 6 with a collar 6′ is supported axially in one direction. The cable entry opening is provided with an internal thread 22, in which a four cornered part 30 of metal, having a through boring 35 for the cable, is screwed in. The screening or armouring of the cable 1 can be accepted between the through boring 25 and the cable covering 1′, so that a good earthing of the cable 1 and the cable connector 3 can be achieved. The interior space of the connector shell 4 is sealed by means of a formed part 27, which is formed onto the cable covering 1′, the connector shell 4 and the multi-cornered part 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: DBT Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Tschope, Reiner Frank
  • Publication number: 20020076982
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plug-in cable connector 3 for electrical cable or plug connections 10. The cable connector 3, which forms the termination of the cable 1, has a hollow connector shell 4 of brass, whose boring forms a cable entry opening on its cable side section and an abutment collar 5 on which a plug connector 6 with a collar 6′ is supported axially in one direction. The cable entry opening is provided with an internal thread 22, in which a four cornered part 30 of metal, having a through boring 35 for the cable, is screwed in. The screening or armouring of the cable 1 can be accepted between the through boring 25 and the cable covering 1′, so that a good earthing of the cable 1 and the cable connector 3 can be achieved. The interior space of the connector shell 4 is sealed by means of a formed part 27, which is formed onto the cable covering 1′, the connector shell 4 and the multi-cornered part 30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Jurgen Tschope, Reiner Frank
  • Patent number: 6113429
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plug-type coupling for sheathed electrical cables, particularly for use in mining, with a flexible protective sheath which accommodates electrical conductors of the cable. The end of the sheath is gripped in a pullproof and sealed fashion between a pressed sleeve which surrounds it and an inner backing sleeve, these parts forming part of the coupling which also includes a coupling sleeve which adjoins the pressed sleeve and receives an insert which holds contact elements electrically connected to the electrical conductors. According to the invention, the pressed sleeve is joined to the coupling sleeve to form a one-piece connector to which the insert carrying the contact elements can be coupled in a pullproof fashion by means of a snap connection. The distinctive features of the sheathed cable coupling according to the invention are simplicity of construction, ease of assembly and low production cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: DBT Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Weigel, Jurgen Tschope, Reiner Frank
  • Patent number: 4874335
    Abstract: A cable assembly for use in electro-hydraulic control systems of mineral mining installations is composed of a cable with a plurality of electrical wires encased in a multi-layered armoured sheath and connectors at the ends of the cable. The cable is bonded to sealing bodies which fit in the connectors. The connectors are one-piece components each with a sleeve for coupling to the cable and a plug which fits into a socket of a complementary connector. The sealing bodies locate in the sleeves of the connectors and the wires pass through the sealing bodies to join with contacts supported by carriers in the plugs of the connectors. A screw-threaded ring clamps the cable to the sleeve of each connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
    Inventors: Willy Kussel, Reiner Frank