Patents by Inventor Rudi Widt

Rudi Widt 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: 9933325
    Abstract: Test leak device including a gas-filled container and a capillary extending through a container wall. The gas including at least 10% of atmospheric air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventor: Rudi Widt
  • Publication number: 20160195448
    Abstract: A test leak device (10) comprising a gas-filled container (12) and a capillary (18) extending through the container wall is characterized in that the gas consists to at least 10% of atmospheric air (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventor: Rudi Widt
  • Patent number: 8669017
    Abstract: A stack (10) of fuel cells (11) is to be tested for tightness of the fuel cell membranes. For this purpose, a tracer gas is introduced into the fuel feed channel (15) of the stack (10). The fuel discharge channel (16) is either open or it is closed. A carrier gas is fed to the feed air channel. (17) and led through the exhaust air channel (18) to a gas sensor (28) where a determination is made whether the carrier gas contains amounts of tracer gas. A defective fuel cell (11) can be located by introducing a lance comprising a sniffing probe into the corresponding channel (18) and determining the position of the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Sandra Seitz, Rudi Widt
  • Publication number: 20110262823
    Abstract: A stack (10) of fuel cells (11) is to be tested for tightness of the fuel cell membranes. For this purpose, a tracer gas is introduced into the fuel feed channel (15) of the stack (10). The fuel discharge channel (16) is either open or it is closed. A carrier gas is fed to the feed air channel. (17) and led through the exhaust air channel (18) to a gas sensor (28) where a determination is made whether the carrier gas contains amounts of tracer gas. A defective fuel cell (11) can be located by introducing a lance comprising a sniffing probe into the corresponding channel (18) and determining the position of the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: INFICON GMBH
    Inventors: Sandra Seitz, Rudi Widt
  • Patent number: 6955076
    Abstract: The invention relates to a chamber for the detection of leaks on foils (1). Said chamber comprises two frames (2, 3) which are connected together in an articulated manner, foils (4, 5) which are mounted on said frames, a test chamber (8) composed of the foils, a seal (12, 13, 18) arranged between the frames and at least one bore hole (7), preferably several bore holes, in at least one of the two frames (2, 3), which can be connected to the inlet of a vacuum pump (15, 16, 22). In order to improve the chamber's closing features, said chamber comprises an edge zone (14) wherein a vacuum can be created independently of the test chamber (8) and into which said bore holes (7) open out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Leybold Vakuum GmbH
    Inventors: Rudi Widt, Thomas Abelen
  • Patent number: 6945092
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a film leak indicator (1) comprising two films (5, 6), which are each tensioned inside a frame (3, 4) and which delimit a testing space (80) when a test piece (79) is introduced. In addition, said film leak indicator is equipped with two vacuum pumps (13, 20). According to the invention, the testing space (80) is firstly evacuated and the film leak indicator is switched over to a leak search mode after the evacuation is completed. In order to prevent the search for leaks from being impaired by fluctuating helium concentrations in the ambient air, the invention provides that, before starting the leak search process, the helium concentration of the ambient air is measured and this measurement is taken into account during subsequent leakage measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventor: Rudi Widt
  • Publication number: 20030233866
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a film leak indicator (1) comprising two films (5, 6), which are each tensioned inside a frame (3, 4) and which delimit a testing space (80) when a test piece (79) is introduced. In addition, said film leak indicator is equipped with two vacuum pumps (13, 20). According to the invention, the testing space (80) is firstly evacuated and the film leak indicator is switched over to a leak search mode after the evacuation is completed. In order to prevent the search for leaks from being impaired by fluctuating helium concentrations in the ambient air, the invention provides that, before starting the leak search process, the helium concentration of the ambient air is measured and this measurement is taken into account during subsequent leakage measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Applicant: INFICON GMBH
    Inventor: Rudi Widt
  • Patent number: 6634215
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the integral leak detection on test samples with relatively thin walls, in which the test sample (1) comprising the test gas is tested for leaks in a test chamber; in order to test whether or not test samples are properly filled with test gas, it is proposed that for checking the test gas concentration in the test samples (1), the test gas concentration in at least one of the test samples (1) is measured thereby that its wall (2) is provided with a leak (4), and that with this test sample (1) a leak detection process is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Nothhelfer, Rudi Widt
  • Patent number: 6595040
    Abstract: A test leak unit (1) includes a supply of test gas, preferably helium, and an element (14) for determining leakage rates. The aim of the invention is to create a simple, robust and easily refilled test leak unit, especially for detecting packaging leaks. To this end, the test gas supply is stored under substantially atmospheric pressure in a resealable reservoir (2) including a closing part (3), such that when the reservoir (2) is closed, a test gas-impermeable seal is developed between the closing part (3) and the reservoir (2), and the leakage rate-determining element (14) forms part of the closing part (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Rudi Widt, Rudolf Flosbach
  • Patent number: 6584829
    Abstract: A method for operating a film leak detector (1) which includes two films (5, 6) each stretched in a frame (3, 4), which, with a test sample (79) emplaced, delimit a test chamber (80). The detector is equipped with two vacuum pumps (13, 30), in which first the test chamber (80) is evacuated and, after the evacuation operation, a leak detection operation takes place. In order to avoid test gas pollution and impurities during the first phase of the evacuation of the test chamber (80), only one (13) of the two vacuum pumps is operated and during the leak detection operation only the second vacuum pump (30) is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Flosbach, Rudi Widt
  • Patent number: 6415650
    Abstract: Method for operating, a helium leak indicator (1) consisting of a helium detector (4) with evacuation devices comprising at least a high-vacuum pump (6), a backing pump (9) and a valve (16) whose level of flow conductance can be adjusted and serves to modulate the through-flow of test gas to be analyzed; in order to influence the sensitivity in a simple manner, the method provides that the modulation properties be changeable in such a manner that the effective pumping capacity at the inlet of the leak indicator is changed by the adjustment of the modulation properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Leybold Vakuum GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Böhm, Rudi Widt
  • Patent number: 5900537
    Abstract: A test gas leakage detection assembly (1) includes an inlet (2), a detector (3) in the form of a mass spectrometer, a first friction pump stage (5) which is driven in counter-flow, a second friction pump stage (7). The assembly further includes an intermediate connection (6) between the first and second friction pump stages, a pre-vacuum pump (8), a first connection line (13) which can be shut off between the leakage detector inlet (2) and the inlet side (9) of the pre-vacuum pump (8), and a second connection line (15) which can be shut off between the leakage detector inlet (2) and the intermediate connection (6). In order to detect leaks without using oil, the pre-vacuum pump (8) is a diaphragm pump. In order to shorten the response time, it is advantageous if the conductance of the second connection line (15) between the inlet (2) of the leakage detection assembly (1) and the intermediate inlet (6) is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Bohm, Rudi Widt
  • Patent number: 5663487
    Abstract: The invention relates to a capillary tube (1) determining the leakage rate for a test leak; in order to simplify its production and reduce the risk of breakage, it is proposed that the capillary tube (1) be a prior art quartz capillary tube encased in plastic. A holder joined to one end of the capillary tube by a removable connecting coupler has a nozzle for introducing a test sample into the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rudi Widt