Patents by Inventor Rudolf Steinmeier

Rudolf Steinmeier 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: 7311543
    Abstract: A bridge connector arrangement includes a bridge member moveable between engaged and disengaged positions relative to a pair of adjacent electrical modules, thereby to connect and disconnect rows of female terminals on the modules, The bridge member carries a plurality of male bridging contacts that extend within the female terminals when the bridge member is in the engaged position, whereupon the male bridging contacts are biased by clamping springs into electrical engagement with stationary wall contacts mounted in the female terminals. Release members carried by the bridge member are operable both to release the clamping springs from the male contacts, and to displace the bridge member toward the disengaged position relative to the modules. The bridge member and the modules include a tongue and groove guide arrangement, thereby to fasten both modules together mechanically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Weidmiller Interface GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Walter Hanning, Jens Schulze, Rudolf Steinmeier, Herbert Fricke
  • Publication number: 20060266196
    Abstract: A bridge connector arrangement includes a bridge member moveable between engaged and disengaged positions relative to a pair of adjacent electrical modules, thereby to connect and disconnect rows of female terminals on the modules, The bridge member carries a plurality of male bridging contacts that extend within the female terminals when the bridge member is in the engaged position, whereupon the male bridging contacts are biased by clamping springs into electrical engagement with stationary wall contacts mounted in the female terminals. Release members carried by the bridge member are operable both to release the clamping springs from the male contacts, and to displace the bridge member toward the disengaged position relative to the modules. The bridge member and the modules include a tongue and groove guide arrangement, thereby to fasten both modules together mechanically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Walter Hanning, Jens Schulze, Rudolf Steinmeier, Herbert Fricke
  • Patent number: 7063557
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a connector body that contains an open-topped chamber in which is mounted a stationary, upwardly-directed insulation-severing electrical contact, together with an operating member for displacing an insulated conductor laterally downwardly in the chamber. The operating member includes a flexible intermediate portion that permits the leading end of the operating member to be introduced initially downwardly into the chamber, and subsequently to be diverted upwardly relative to the connector body by a guide surface arranged at the bottom of the chamber. As the leading and trailing ends of the operating member approach their final positions relative to the connector body, the insulation layer of the conductor is severed by knife edges on the stationary contact, and the conductor is brought into electrical engagement contact with the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jürgen Ziemke, Klaus Wohlgemuth, Michaela Mücke, Rudolf Steinmeier, Volker Schröder, Walter Hanning
  • Publication number: 20050245140
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes a connector body that contains an open-topped chamber in which is mounted a stationary, upwardly-directed insulation-severing electrical contact, together with an operating member for displacing an insulated conductor laterally downwardly in the chamber. The operating member includes a flexible intermediate portion that permits the leading end of the operating member to be introduced initially downwardly into the chamber, and subsequently to be diverted upwardly relative to the connector body by a guide surface arranged at the bottom of the chamber. As the leading and trailing ends of the operating member approach their final positions relative to the connector body, the insulation layer of the conductor is severed by knife edges on the stationary contact, and the conductor is brought into electrical engagement contact with the contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Jurgen Ziemke, Klaus Wohlgemuth, Michaela Mucke, Rudolf Steinmeier, Volker Schroder, Walter Hanning
  • Patent number: 6485336
    Abstract: A coding arrangement is connected between a pair of components that are to be laterally displaced into engagement with each other, thereby to assure that only authorized components may be connected with each other. The coding assembly includes a pair of matching coding elements one of which has at least one projection that carries a pair of angularly arranged coding surfaces which engage a corresponding pair of coding surfaces on the other coding element. According to the method of assembly provided by the invention, the coding elements are mounted on the ends of a synthetic plastic strap by tear strip means, and the strap is deformed to bring the coding elements together into coded engagement with each other, thereby to form a preassembled coding assembly. One coding element of this preassembled coding assembly is initially mounted on one of a pair of components, such as a terminal board to which an authorized printed circuit board or the like, which are to be physically mounted and electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Weidmuller Interface GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Christoph Zebermann, Dietmar Dux, Manfred Wilmes, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Walter Hanning
  • Patent number: 6392319
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus having a modular structure is characterized by a connection module that can be mounted on a carrier rail that is provided with connection levels including double or multiple connections and a serial alignment of disk-shaped base terminal carriers. Several power supply elements are provided on the terminal carriers, the elements being connected to the connection levels via bus bars of the disk-shaped base terminal carriers. The bus bars extend only on one of the sides of the base terminal carrier to the pertinent multiple connections. With the use of base terminal carriers, both a block structure and a disk structure as well as a combination of the two can be constructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Weidmüller Interface GmbH Co.
    Inventors: Christoph Zebermann, Jens Pilgrim, Manfred Wilmes, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Walter Hanning
  • Patent number: 6224429
    Abstract: A synthetic plastic terminal block assembly includes a housing containing a longitudinal through passage in which is mounted a unitary fastening member having a center portion that is connected with the housing, and a pair of end portions resiliently connected for independent displacement relative to the center portion and to the housing, the end portions having opposed inwardly-directed hook-shaped foot portions adapted to extend under the outwardly extending flanges at the upper ends of the legs of a U-shaped mounting rail, thereby to fasten the terminal block to the rail. With this extremely simple design, the terminal block can be mounted downwardly upon the rail from above. The terminal block can be easily disconnected from the rail at either side, and if necessary, the terminal block can be pivoted laterally away from the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Inventors: Peter Bernhards, Wolfgang Schild, Rudolf Steinmeier, Manfred Wilmes
  • Patent number: 5741142
    Abstract: A field bus connection module for coupling a local bus conductor to an associated field bus system includes a housing formed from functionally different, alignable terminal blocks, and spacing elements. The terminal blocks comprise a feed block and a grounded conductor block. Removably connected with the housing is at least one functional printed circuit board. Removal of the functional printed circuit board necessarily interrupts a separable connection between the local bus conductor and the field bus, although the field bus continues to be connected to the functional printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Weidmuller Interface GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Dietmar Dux, Walter Hanning, Uwe Fiene, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Manfred Wilmes, Christian Hamann, Eckhard Beins, Christoph Zebermann, Hans-Georg Glathe, Martin Herms, Matthiass Liesenjohann, Stefan Steinkamper, Bernhard Schuster, Gerhard Eggert
  • Patent number: 5655922
    Abstract: In this modular control assembly, individual bus conductor segments are integrated in modular, alignable housing blocks. The bus conductor segments have strip conductors on the upper and lower surfaces thereof. The bus conductor segments of mutually adjoining housing blocks are electrically connected by separating slide contact members. The contact members comprise a closed housing containing upper and lower contact springs for engaging the strip conductors of the bus conductor segment. The slide contact members can be pushed between an extended position in which they grasp the mutually facing ends of bus conductor segments (8) of neighboring housing blocks and a retracted position in which only one bus conductor segment is covered by the slide contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Weidmuller Interface GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Dux, Walter Hanning, Uwe Fiene, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Manfred Wilmes, Christian Hamann, Thomas Hettwer, Christoph Zebermann, Hans-Georg Glathe
  • Patent number: 5629831
    Abstract: A modular control system for connecting the electrical components of an automated system, such as switches, sensors, reactors and field units, with a master field bus system via an assembly of terminal blocks mounted on a grounded support rail, characterized in that the assembly includes a power supply terminal block, a ground terminal block, and at least one control signal terminal block for supplying control signals to control circuits carried by printed circuit boards contained within a removable electronics module. The various terminal block assemblies mounted on a given support rail are connected via internal bus bar means that is connected by a module with the master field bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Weidmueller Interface GmbH & Co
    Inventors: Gerhard Eggert, Walter Hanning, Uwe Fiene, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Manfred Wilmes, Eckhard Beins, Matthiass Liesenjohann, Bernhard Schuster, Andreas Wedler
  • Patent number: 5615079
    Abstract: A modular control system for automated buildings includes an assembly of terminal blocks mounted as a unit on a mounting block for supplying electrical power and control signals to and from circuits contained in an electronics module mounted on a support rail, thereby to operate associated components of the building. The terminal block assembly includes symmetrical ground, power-supply, control-signal and end-support terminal blocks connected together as a unit. Signal feed-in occurs on both sides of an electronic module arranged on the terminal block assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Weidmueller Interface GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Gerhard Eggert, Walter Hanning, Uwe Fiene, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Manfred Wilmes
  • Patent number: 5588881
    Abstract: A terminal block and removable electronic module assembly is provided having a movable disconnect member that is displaceable relative to the module between engaged and disengaged positions in which an electronic component carried by the module is electrically connected and disconnected, respectively, relative to terminals carried by the terminal block member. When the disconnect member is in the disconnect position, the electronic module may be tested by a test plug external of the module housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: Weidmueller Interface GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Gerhard Eggert, Walter Hanning, Uwe Fiene, Michael Schnatwinkel, Rudolf Steinmeier, Manfred Wilmes
  • Patent number: 5318461
    Abstract: A terminal block assembly includes a slip-on module removably connected at one end with a terminal block housing, characterized by the provision of a separating device mounted at an accessible point of separation location at the other end of the module for electrically connecting and disconnecting a circuit interrupting device between a pair of terminals on the module respectively. The separating device includes a lever pivotally connected for movement between connect and disconnect positions relative to the slip-on module, the module including projecting portions for partially concealing the lever when in the connect position, thereby to prevent inadvertent displacement of the lever to the disconnect position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Weidmuller Interface GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Arian Frikkee, Rudolf Steinmeier, Bernd Berkow, Walter Foerster