Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Maier

Thomas A. Maier 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: 11007816
    Abstract: A wheel of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, has a rim, a hub portion, and at least two spokes connecting the hub portion to the rim. At least one free space between the spokes is covered at least in part by a substantially planar covering element. The covering element is produced from two different material layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kristian Groth, Andreas Krause, Christopher Bourne, Peter Jaegermeyr, Thomas Maier, Julia Mieslinger, Mike Seidel
  • Publication number: 20210143806
    Abstract: A signal generator includes a processing unit. The signal generator is configured to generate at least one periodic output signal. The output signal comprises a triangular-waveform signal. A frequency and an amplitude of the output signal are adjustable. The signal generator is configured to receive an input parameter. The input parameter comprises at least one piece of information about a setpoint amplitude and a setpoint frequency of the output signal. The processing unit is configured to determine a signal direction of the output signal. The processing unit is configured to determine a step size. The processing unit is configured to apply the step size to an actual amplitude based on the signal direction for a number of clock cycles. The number of clock cycles is dependent on the setpoint frequency of the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Udo GRUBER, Thomas MAIER
  • Publication number: 20210078123
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a handheld work apparatus having a work tool. The work apparatus defines a longitudinal plane and includes a handle having a longitudinal axis. The blocking lever is mounted so as to be pivotable about a rotational axis. The blocking lever blocks the actuating lever in a blocking or disable position and enables the actuating lever for actuation in at least one operating enable position. In the direction of view perpendicular to the longitudinal plane, the longitudinal axis of the handle and the rotational axis of the blocking lever conjointly define an angle (?). The angle (?) lies in a range of from 10° to 60°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Felix Oberhofer, Marcus Jenke, Franziska Kern, Thomas Maier, Verena Mann, Lars Bathke, Roland Mandel, Benedikt Posner
  • Patent number: 10942118
    Abstract: The invention relates to a microbial test standard for use in infrared spectrometry which has at least two resealable vessels which are liquid-tight when closed, each of which contains a predefined amount of dried biomass of a microorganism. The microorganisms in the different vessels differ in at least one characteristic, which is selected in particular from the group comprising species, subspecies, strain, serovar, pathovar, toxivar and variety, and the difference manifests itself in a predefined intermicrobial spectral distance. The disclosure furthermore comprises a method of using the microbial test standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Norman Mauder
  • Publication number: 20200399234
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a new path to synthesize crystalline Tafamidis polymorphs starting from a Tafamidis acetic acid adduct. In addition, this invention relates to a process to synthesize Tafamidis (2-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-1,3-benzoxazole-6-carboxylic acid*(2R,3R,4R,5S)-6-(methyl-amino)-hexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol), new Tafamidis crystalline polymorphs, a pharmaceutical compositions comprising the new crystalline polymorphs and to the therapeutic use of such new polymorphs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Karine BARSEGHYAN, Davit HAMBARDZUMYAN, Grigor GEVORGYAN, Vahuni KARAPETYAN, Kristine NERKARARYAN, Thomas MAIER
  • Publication number: 20200365482
    Abstract: An electronic module for power control includes a carrier element, at least one power switching element having a cooling surface, and a cooling body. The at least one power switching element may be electrically connected to the carrier element. In an assembled state of the electronic module, the cooling body may be thermally conductively connected directly to the cooling surface of the power switching element. When a busbar is present, the busbar may be arranged between the carrier element and the at least one power switching element thereby producing an electrical connection between the carrier element and the at least one power switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Hermann Josef Robin
  • Patent number: 10837570
    Abstract: A valve for closing a fluid line, comprising: an inlet element with an inlet line; an outlet element with an outlet line; a closing element which, in a first state, allows a fluid passage between the inlet line and the outlet line and which, in a second state, closes the fluid passage, wherein the closing element, in the first state, is fixedly connected to the inlet element or the outlet element and, in the second state, is detached from the inlet element or the outlet element; an actuator which, when actuated, is configured to move the closing element from the first state towards the second state; and a pretension element which is pretensioned and is configured to move the closing element into the second state after actuation of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ARIANEGROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Stephan Kraus, Thomas Maier, Markus Wolf, Georg Schulte
  • Publication number: 20200353814
    Abstract: A transmission may include a housing and also a power electronics module, the power electronics module including a carrier element with at least one power switching element with a cooling surface and also a cooling body, which may be connected in a thermally conductive manner to the cooling surface of the at least one power switching element. The housing may have an oil space for at least partially accommodating transmission components. The power electronics module may be at least partially arranged inside the oil space of the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Hermann Josef Robin
  • Publication number: 20200357717
    Abstract: A power module has a plurality of packaged power semiconductors, a printed circuit board, a heat sink, and possibly a sealing compound. The power semiconductors have electrically conductive connection elements and heat removal areas on respective outer sides. The power semiconductors are arranged on a cooling surface of the heat sink and has its heat removal area connected to the cooling surface of the heat sink to conduct heat, and the printed circuit board is arranged on a side of the power semiconductors that is opposite the heat sink in an orthogonal direction, wherein the connection elements of the power semiconductors make electrical contact with pads on the printed circuit board regions, for example, laterally beside an edge of the heat sink, in which a projection of the heat sink onto the printed circuit board in the orthogonal direction does not cover the connection elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Thomas Maier
  • Patent number: 10819107
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an electronic unit with a circuit board having at least one component arranged on a main surface of the circuit board and a casing element, which incorporates the at least one component, as well as with an ESD protection arrangement for the circuit board. According to the disclosure, open areas on the circuit board, which are not covered by the casing element, are covered with a gold layer directly mounted on a copper surface of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ZF Freidrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Mike Vogel, Josef Loibl
  • Patent number: 10811178
    Abstract: A method for determining a current that flows through a load, wherein the current comprises a DC component and a dithering component, and the dithering component is modified in predetermined time intervals, comprises steps for recording a momentary current; determining a dithering parameter; and determining the current based on the momentary current and the dithering parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Paul Bange, Thomas Maier, Gerald Kolar, Mohammad Kabany, Andreas Hof
  • Patent number: 10730565
    Abstract: A fender assembly for an agricultural tractor including a carrier bracket which supports a wheel fender adjacent to a vehicle wheel. A steering mechanism is provided as part of the fender assembly, such that the wheel fender can be rotated relative to the carrier bracket. Accordingly, the rotation of the wheel fender can be controlled based on a steering signal generated by the vehicle steering system, to ensure that the wheel fender accurately follows the movement of the adjacent tractor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Erich Freytag
  • Publication number: 20200166553
    Abstract: A measurement system for matching and/or transmission measurements with respect to a device under test comprising an interface is provided. Said measurement system comprises at least one signal generator comprising at least one signal generator signal path, and at least one receiver comprising at least two receiver signal paths. In this context, a signal of a first signal generator signal path of the at least one signal generator signal path and/or a signal of a first receiver signal path of the at least two receiver signal paths is adaptively phase-shifted and/or amplitude-modified with respect to a signal of a second receiver signal path of the at least two receiver signal paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Martin BLOSS, Thomas MAIER
  • Patent number: 10652995
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic module (100) mounted on a transmission component (112). The electronic module (100) comprises a printed circuit board element (102) that has component side (104) with at least one electronic component (108) and a contact side (106) lying opposite the component side (104), and a heat conducting film (110) that is placed between a surface section of the contact side (106) lying opposite the component (108) and a surface section of the transmission component (112). The printed circuit board element (102) can be or is tightened to the transmission component (112) such that the heat conducting film (110) is pressed against the surface section of the contact side (106) and the surface section of the transmission component (112).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Hermann Josef Robin, Martin Hempen, Thomas Maier
  • Patent number: 10604897
    Abstract: This invention relates to the use of Lyocell fibers with a tendency to fibrillate for the manufacture of a nonwoven fibrous web material, in particular for the use in a wipe, by using a foam technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gisela Goldhalm, Thomas Maier, Gert Kroner
  • Patent number: 10597692
    Abstract: The invention relates to methods and instruments for the rapid detection and rapid mass spectrometric identification of microbial infective agents in blood or other body fluids. The invention recognizes that blood is not a good environment for the cultivation of microbes and provides a method which (a) largely destroys or dissolves the human particles in body fluids, such as erythrocytes and leukocytes in blood, without impairing the ability of the microbes to reproduce, (b) separates the microbial pathogens from the fluid, (c) cultivates them in a nutrient broth which contains none of the antimicrobial components of the body fluids, (d) separates them from the nutrient broth, and (e) identifies the microbes by a mass spectrum of the microbial proteins. The dissolution of the human particles also releases the microbes nesting in macrophages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Bruker Daltonik GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Franzen, Markus Kostrzewa, Thomas Maier, Karsten Michelmann, Wolfgang Pusch
  • Publication number: 20200062317
    Abstract: A fender assembly for an agricultural tractor including a carrier bracket which supports a wheel fender adjacent to a vehicle wheel. A steering mechanism is provided as part of the fender assembly, such that the wheel fender can be rotated relative to the carrier bracket. Accordingly, the rotation of the wheel fender can be controlled based on a steering signal generated by the vehicle steering system, to ensure that the wheel fender accurately follows the movement of the adjacent tractor wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Erich Freytag
  • Patent number: 10507872
    Abstract: A fender assembly for an agricultural tractor including a carrier bracket which supports a wheel fender adjacent to a vehicle wheel. A steering mechanism is provided as part of the fender assembly, such that the wheel fender can be rotated relative to the carrier bracket. Accordingly, the rotation of the wheel fender can be controlled based on a steering signal generated by the vehicle steering system, to ensure that the wheel fender accurately follows the movement of the adjacent tractor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: AGCO International GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Maier, Erich Freytag
  • Publication number: 20190364656
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic module (100) mounted on a transmission component (112). The electronic module (100) comprises a printed circuit board element (102) that has component side (104) with at least one electronic component (108) and a contact side (106) lying opposite the component side (104), and a heat conducting film (110) that is placed between a surface section of the contact side (106) lying opposite the component (108) and a surface section of the transmission component (112). The printed circuit board element (102) can be or is tightened to the transmission component (112) such that the heat conducting film (110) is pressed against the surface section of the contact side (106) and the surface section of the transmission component (112).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Hermann Josef Robin, Martin Hempen, Thomas Maier
  • Publication number: 20190311968
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronics module (100) for power control. The electronics module (100) comprises a carrier element (102), which has at least a first power switch element (104) with a first cooling surface (106) and a second power switch element (108) with a second cooling surface (110), a heat sink (126), and a cooling plate (122), which connects the first cooling surface (105) and the second cooling surface (110) to one another as well as to the heat sink (126) in a thermally conductive manner, when the electronics module (100) is installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Thomas Maier