Patents by Inventor Rupert Pfaller

Rupert Pfaller 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).

  • Publication number: 20130330794
    Abstract: The invention relates to a production strain for producing 2,3-butanediol. Said production strain has an acetolactate synthase activity 2—68 times higher than the original strain. The invention also relates to a method for producing 2,3-butanediol by fermentation by means of said production strain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventor: Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20130316418
    Abstract: The invention relates to a production strain for producing 2,3-butanediol. Said production strain can be produced from an original strain selected from the genes Klebsiella, Raoultella, Paenibacillus and Bacillus and has an acetoin reductase activity at least 3.6-34.8 times higher than the original strain. The invention also relates to the production of 2,3-butanediol by means of said production strain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventor: Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20130316419
    Abstract: The invention relates to a microorganism strain which has an acetolactate decarboxylase activity 2-12.8 times higher than the non-improved original strain. The invention also relates to a method for producing 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDL) by fermentation by means of said strain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventor: Rupert Pfaller
  • Patent number: 8586344
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tubular photobioreactor that has a core structure in the shape of a truncated cone and one or more transparent or translucent tubes which are helically wound around the outer surface and/or inner surface of the core structure. The tubular photobioreactor is characterized in that the transparent or translucent tube has at least two chambers, through at least one of which the cultivation medium flows and through at least one of which a heat transfer medium flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Wacker Chemie AG
    Inventors: Christoph Mueller-Rees, Rupert Pfaller, Christian Walter, Fritz Cotta
  • Publication number: 20130034442
    Abstract: A lead lag damper (10, 11) for a helicopter rotor unit has a rotor and a hub (8), said rotor having N rotor modes, with N being the number of blades. This centered single lead lag damper (10, 11) for the entire rotor unit has an essentially cylindrical shape, with an elastomer material shear element between a first side (7) and a second side (9) having a homogenous resistance to shear deformation and being axially preloaded, so that the lead lag damper (10, 11) acts in a homogenous manner in the rotor inplane eigenmodes. Thus, the lead lag damper (10, 11) acts as a single unit on the critical inplane mode of the rotor, which is having N identical blades (1-4). The elastomeric material is loaded by a uniform shear deformation in contrary to the commonly used oscillatory deformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Bernard Enenkl, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20130034443
    Abstract: A planar flexbeam unit (1, 40) as interface between a rotor shaft (2) and a multi-blade rotor, especially for a multi-blade main rotor of a helicopter. The planar flexbeam unit (1, 40) comprises a plurality of essentially planar torque arms (3-7, 41-46), each torque arm (3-7, 41-46) having essentially a concave profile (8) along its radial extension and being integral with its adjacent torque arms (3-7, 41-46). Each of said torque arms (3-7, 41-46) comprises two bundles (10-14) of straight, essentially uni-directional fibers agglomerated by a hardened synthetic resin and arranged along the essentially concave profile (8) along its radial extension. Each of said bundles passing into two essentially opposed torque arms (3-7, 41-46) without remarkable change of direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Rupert Pfaller, Bernhard Enenkl
  • Publication number: 20120202290
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tubular photobioreactor that has a core structure in the shape of a truncated cone and one or more transparent or translucent tubes which are helically wound around the outer surface and/or inner surface of the core structure. Said tubular photobioreactor is characterized in that the transparent or translucent tube has at least two chambers, through at least one of which the cultivation medium flows and through at least one of which a heat transfer medium flows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventors: Christoph Mueller-Rees, Rupert Pfaller, Christian Walter, Fritz Cotta
  • Patent number: 8215908
    Abstract: An aerodynamic profile includes a main profile body defining a profile depth direction and being shear-flexible in the profile depth direction, a tension-stiff and compression-stiff upper covering skin, a tension-stiff and compression-stiff lower covering skin, wherein the upper and lower covering skins envelope the main profile body, a bearingless and hingeless rear profile deformation region disposed at a rear edge region, and at least one actuator disposed in the main profile body. The at least one actuator is configured to initiate a flexural motion of the main profile body resulting in a curvature of the upper and lower covering skins and to deform the rear profile deformation region and so as to yield a flap deflection directed opposite to a direction of the flexural motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andree Altmikus, Rupert Pfaller, Bernhard Enenkl
  • Publication number: 20120134835
    Abstract: A connection means (1) for mounting a rotor blade (2) to a rotor hub, particularly for mounting a rotor blade (2) to a rotor hub of a helicopter, with at least two bolts (4, 5) inserted vertically relative to a main plane of said rotor blade (2) into an end (7) of said rotor blade (2) that is generally directed towards the rotor hub. At least two bolts (4, 5) are arranged distant from each other along a longitudinal axis (6) of said rotor blade (2) to said rotor hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Elif Ahci-Ezgi, Rupert Pfaller, Lukas Schimke, Wolfgang Wagner
  • Publication number: 20120135514
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bioreactor for cultivating phototrophic organisms in an aqueous culture medium. The reactor parts and/or fittings that come into contact with the culture medium are entirely or partially coated with a silicone layer, and the surface of the silicone layer has a contact angle to the water of at least 100°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Wacker Chemie AG
    Inventors: Christoph Muller-Rees, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20120135513
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bioreactor for cultivating phototrophic organisms in an aqueous culture medium, the reactor parts that come into contact with the culture medium being entirely or partially produced from silicone materials. The invention is characterized in that the silicone materials are produced from addition-crosslinked silicones, and the surface of the silicone materials has a contact angle to the water of at least 100°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Inventors: Christoph Müller-Rees, Rupert Pfaller
  • Patent number: 8128367
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a bearingless rotor of a rotorcraft includes a flapwise-flexible and lead-lag-flexible rotor blade attachment region, an inner rotor blade segment, and an outer rotor blade segment. The inner rotor blade segment includes a blade root region and an aerodynamically effective rotor blade profile having a front profile region and a rear profile region relative to a blade depth direction. The front profile region includes a spar disposed in the blade root region and extending in the blade radius direction, the front profile region and spar embodied as a torsionally flexible hollow body in a region of the inner rotor blade segment, and the rear profile region being torsionally stiff. The front profile region and the rear profile are separated by a separation distance in the inner rotor blade segment. The torsional flexibility of the front profile region and the separation distance decreases with increasing blade radius in the inner rotor blade segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Enenkl, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20100181415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotor blade (20), especially for a rotary wing aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicants: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, EADS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Andree Altmikus, Markus Bauer, Boris Grohmann, Stephan Mangelsdorf, Christoph Maucher, Rupert Pfaller, Elif Ahci
  • Publication number: 20100090067
    Abstract: An aerodynamic profile (10) for aircraft, in particular for rotary wing aircraft, which profile (10) includes a cover skin (14, 15) on the pressure side and on the suction side, with a profile contour that is controllably formable in the rear profile region (13) by actuators (30), wherein each cover skin (14, 15) is designed as a non-shear-resistant sandwich that includes a film or foil (21, 22) which is connected to a non-shear-resistant core (20), wherein the cover skins (14, 15) are held in their profile shape by flexible webs (17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: Rupert PFALLER
  • Publication number: 20080226459
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a bearingless rotor of a rotorcraft includes a flapwise-flexible and lead-lag-flexible rotor blade attachment region, an inner rotor blade segment, and an outer rotor blade segment. The inner rotor blade segment includes a blade root region and an aerodynamically effective rotor blade profile having a front profile region and a rear profile region relative to a blade depth direction. The front profile region includes a spar disposed in the blade root region and extending in the blade radius direction, the front profile region and spar embodied as a torsionally flexible hollow body in a region of the inner rotor blade segment, and the rear profile region being torsionally stiff. The front profile region and the rear profile are separated by a separation distance in the inner rotor blade segment. The torsional flexibility of the front profile region and the separation distance decreases with increasing blade radius in the inner rotor blade segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Bernhard Enenkl, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20080226448
    Abstract: An aerodynamic profile includes a main profile body defining a profile depth direction and being shear-flexible in the profile depth direction, a tension-stiff and compression-stiff upper covering skin, a tension-stiff and compression-stiff lower covering skin, wherein the upper and lower covering skins envelope the main profile body, a bearingless and hingeless rear profile deformation region disposed at a rear edge region, and at least one actuator disposed in the main profile body. The at least one actuator is configured to initiate a flexural motion of the main profile body resulting in a curvature of the upper and lower covering skins and to deform the rear profile deformation region and so as to yield a flap deflection directed opposite to a direction of the flexural motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Andree Altmikus, Rupert Pfaller, Bernhard Enenkl
  • Patent number: 7384238
    Abstract: A rotor, in particular for a rotorcraft, encompassing: a rotor head, at least one rotor blade, and a rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector having an integral, bearingless, centrifugal-force-controlled blade angle adjustment device. A rotorcraft, in particular a helicopter, in particular a tiltrotor helicopter, encompassing at least one such rotor. A method for adjusting the blade angle of a rotor blade of a rotor, in particular of a bearingless rotor that possesses a rotor head and a rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector, encompassing the following steps: rotating the rotor blade; and automatically adjusting the blade angle by twisting the rotor-head-end rotor-blade connector, and thus the rotor blade, about its longitudinal axis by means of centrifugal forces acting on the rotor blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Patent number: 7275913
    Abstract: A rotor, comprising at least one rotor blade connectable to a rotor head, which rotor blade possesses a blade neck having a virtual flapping hinge in the form of a flexurally soft, flexurally elastic blade-neck portion, there being provided, in a blade-connector region of the blade neck, two auxiliary flapping hinges, spaced apart from one another in the radial longitudinal direction of the rotor blade with reference to a rotor radius, between which the virtual flapping hinge is substantially disposed and between which the blade neck is deformable in flexurally elastic and curved fashion in the context of a flapwise motion. A rotorcraft, in particular a helicopter, in particular a tiltrotor helicopter, having at least one such rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Patent number: 7270516
    Abstract: A hingeless rotor, in particular for a rotorcraft, comprising: a rotor head, a rotor mast having a rotor axis, a torque-transmission element nonrotatably joined to the rotor mast, at least one rotor blade, and a rotor-head-side rotor-blade connector having a centrifugal-force-discharging blade connector loop, which loop encircles the rotor axis or the rotor mast and is nonrotatably joined to the torque-transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Gerold Becker, Rupert Pfaller
  • Publication number: 20070212766
    Abstract: A method of producing a chiral secondary alcohol in which a biotransformation composition containing a ketone of the formula (I), R1 and R2 being different and each being an organic radical, an oxidoreductase and a co-substrate is reacted to form a chiral secondary alcohol with the adsorbent being associated with the oxidoreductase. The adsorbent associated with the oxidorecutase is separated off from the biotransformation composition after completion of the reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Rupert Pfaller, Jurgen Stohrer