Patents by Inventor Thomas Brauner

Thomas Brauner 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: 12633469
    Abstract: A contact for a vacuum interrupter of a low, medium or high-voltage switchgear includes a contact rod composed of a first electrically conductive material and extending along a longitudinal axis of the contact, and a contact piece composed of a second electrically conductive material and fastened to an end face of the contact rod. The contact rod and the contact piece are materially bonded to one another at a connecting face. At least one of the contact rod or the contact piece has a wall which delimits the connecting face, rises perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis and is disposed such that the contact piece and the contact rod are also force-lockingly connected to one another by a force acting transversely to the longitudinal axis between the contact piece and the contact rod. A production method for such a contact is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2026
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Frank Graskowski, Uwe Jahnke, Denis Donner, Thomas Brauner, Klaus Oberndörfer
  • Publication number: 20250046550
    Abstract: A vacuum switch device has a housing, at one end of which a fixed contact is arranged; a bellows, which is fastened on one side to a flange at the other end of the housing and on the other side to a moving contact; and a guide bearing for the moving contact. The bearing is fastened to the flange and guides the moving contact in a sliding manner. The guide bearing is secured on the flange by an adhesive layer. There is also described a method for producing a vacuum switch device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Alexander Ziefle, Frank Graskowski
  • Publication number: 20240387124
    Abstract: A contact disc of a contact element for a vacuum switch is provided, which includes predominantly of a first conductive material or composite material and has a plurality of inlets distributed over the circumference and made of a second material with a lower level of conductivity relative to the first material or composite material, which, during a switching process of the vacuum switch, bring about the formation of a magnetic field and thereby a movement of an arising arc on a predefined path and/or an extensive propagation of the arc. A production method for a contact disc of this type is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Frank Graskowski, Hermann Bödinger, Carsten Schuh, Thomas Brauner, Kira Berdien Wüstenberg
  • Publication number: 20240379309
    Abstract: A contact carrier of a contact element for a vacuum switch is provided, which includes predominantly of a first conductive material or composite material and has a plurality of inlets of a second material distributed over the circumference, which bring about the formation of a magnetic field and thereby a movement of an arising arc on a predefined path during a switching process of the vacuum switch, wherein the second material has a lower level of conductivity relative to the first material or composite material and is introduced into the first material during the shaping of the contact carrier basic form. A production method for a contact carrier of this type is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2022
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Inventors: Frank Graskowski, Hermann Bödinger, Carsten Schuh, Thomas Brauner, Kira Berdien Wüstenberg
  • Patent number: 11942290
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter has a cover base formed with an insertion opening for an axially movable moving contact rod carrying a moving contact. The moving contact rod is routed out of the vacuum interrupter in a vacuum-tight manner by way of a bellows. The bellows has a centering appendage which is formed by a tubular end piece of the bellows that runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bellows and is inserted into the insertion opening. The bellows moreover has a bellows base which is disposed on the centering appendage, runs substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bellows, and is formed with a through-opening for the moving contact rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Frank Graskowski, Klaus Schachtschneider
  • Publication number: 20240038467
    Abstract: A vacuum interrupter has a cover base formed with an insertion opening for an axially movable moving contact rod carrying a moving contact. The moving contact rod is routed out of the vacuum interrupter in a vacuum-tight manner by way of a bellows. The bellows has a centering appendage which is formed by a tubular end piece of the bellows that runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bellows and is inserted into the insertion opening. The bellows moreover has a bellows base which is disposed on the centering appendage, runs substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bellows, and is formed with a through-opening for the moving contact rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Frank Graskowski, Klaus Schachtschneider
  • Publication number: 20230368986
    Abstract: A contact for a vacuum interrupter of a low, medium or high-voltage switchgear includes a contact rod composed of a first electrically conductive material and extending along a longitudinal axis of the contact, and a contact piece composed of a second electrically conductive material and fastened to an end face of the contact rod. The contact rod and the contact piece are materially bonded to one another at a connecting face. At least one of the contact rod or the contact piece has a wall which delimits the connecting face, rises perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis and is disposed such that the contact piece and the contact rod are also force-lockingly connected to one another by a force acting transversely to the longitudinal axis between the contact piece and the contact rod. A production method for such a contact is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Frank Graskowski, Uwe Jahnke, Denis Donner, Thomas Brauner, Klaus Oberndörfer
  • Patent number: 11536852
    Abstract: A GNSS receiver having test signal based failure detection, comprises: a signal generator configured to generate a test signal, the test signal having characteristics of a GNSS signal; one of more amplifiers configured to amplify the test signal; a signal chain configured to receive the amplified test signal at an input node of the signal chain and process the received test signal; and a signal processor configured to: monitor the test signal by: obtaining one or more output signals of the device at one or more output node; recovering the test signal from the one or more output signals, and determining whether one or more errors occurred based on parameters of the recovered test signal based on parameters of the recovered test signal; identify a device failure based on the determined one or more errors; and generate notifications relating to the device failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: U-BLOX AG
    Inventors: Zhenlan Cheng, Toni Huovinen, Eero Aho, Thomas Brauner, Barbara Baggini
  • Publication number: 20220196846
    Abstract: A GNSS receiver having test signal based failure detection, comprises: a signal generator configured to generate a test signal, the test signal having characteristics of a GNSS signal; one of more amplifiers configured to amplify the test signal; a signal chain configured to receive the amplified test signal at an input node of the signal chain and process the received test signal; and a signal processor configured to: monitor the test signal by: obtaining one or more output signals of the device at one or more output node; recovering the test signal from the one or more output signals, and determining whether one or more errors occurred based on parameters of the recovered test signal based on parameters of the recovered test signal; identify a device failure based on the determined one or more errors; and generate notifications relating to the device failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Zhenlan CHENG, Toni HUOVINEN, Eero AHO, Thomas BRAUNER, Barbara BAGGINI
  • Patent number: 9356719
    Abstract: A radio frequency signal is frequency-translated to form a complex first intermediate signal where a frequency corresponding to a GPS center frequency is at an intermediate frequency. In a multiplexing conversion unit a complex multiplexed conversion signal which assumes different conversion frequencies is derived from a clock signal where the frequency of the latter is divided alternately by one of two divisors in a divider circuit and further by two in a phase shifter. The conversion signal is mixed with the first intermediate signal in a conversion mixer to provide a multiplexed second intermediate signal where, depending in each case on the conversion frequency, a frequency corresponding to a GLONASS center frequency and a frequency corresponding to a BeiDou center frequency are alternately shifted close to the intermediate frequency. The first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal are then processed in a baseband unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: u-blox AG
    Inventor: Thomas Brauner
  • Patent number: 9111744
    Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp having an ignition aid, mounted in an outer bulb, wherein the discharge vessel comprises two ends having seals in which electrodes are mounted and wherein a frame having a clip wire retains the discharge vessel in the outer bulb. The clip wire is bent toward the seal of the opposite pole electrode until the bent part formed thereby acts as an ignition aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Johannes Buttstaedt, Sascha Piltz
  • Patent number: 8860308
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a high-pressure discharge lamp including a starting aid and a longitudinal axis having a ceramic discharge vessel that is housed in an outer bulb, the discharge vessel having two ends having including capillaries with electrodes fastened therein, wherein a frame having a hanger wire holds the discharge vessel in the outer bulb and the hanger wire is configured so that it includes a plate-like starting aid toward the capillary of the opposite-pole electrode, with the plate-like starting aid being configured as a foil or metal sheet and the plate-like starting aid further including a means for purely mechanical fastening to at least the capillary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM AG
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Martin Fornalski, Juergen Kellerer
  • Publication number: 20140176364
    Abstract: A radio frequency signal is frequency-translated to form a complex first intermediate signal where a frequency corresponding to a GPS center frequency is at an intermediate frequency. In a multiplexing conversion unit a complex multiplexed conversion signal which assumes different conversion frequencies is derived from a clock signal where the frequency of the latter is divided alternately by one of two divisors in a divider circuit and further by two in a phase shifter. The conversion signal is mixed with the first intermediate signal in a conversion mixer to provide a multiplexed second intermediate signal where, depending in each case on the conversion frequency, a frequency corresponding to a GLONASS center frequency and a frequency corresponding to a BeiDou center frequency are alternately shifted close to the intermediate frequency. The first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal are then processed in a baseband unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: U-BLOX AG
    Inventor: Thomas Brauner
  • Patent number: 8659226
    Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp with an ignition aid has a discharge vessel which is mounted in an outer bulb, the discharge vessel comprising two ends having seals in which electrodes are secured, and a frame having a clip wire retaining the discharge vessel in the outer bulb. The clip wire comprises a plate-like part acting as an ignition aid and facing the seal of the opposite pole electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM AG
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Johannes Buttstaedt, Sascha Piltz
  • Patent number: 8644783
    Abstract: A fractional-N PLL synthesizer has an up-down counter counting up for positive edges of a frequency-divided signal produced by a frequency divider with a fractional divide ratio in a feedback path of the synthesizer and down for positive edges of a reference signal. A phase offset between portions of the synthesizer signal before and after a loss-of-lock interval is then assessed as a numerical value proportional to the product of the divide ratio and the cycle difference registered by the up-down counter (36) after the loss-of-lock interval. A correction term derived from the phase offset can be used in a signal processing device as employed, e.g., in a GNSS receiver, for producing, from an analog input signal, a phase-corrected baseband signal where portions of the signal before and after loss of lock are phase coherent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: u-blox AG
    Inventor: Thomas Brauner
  • Publication number: 20130176059
    Abstract: A fractional-N PLL synthesizer has an up-down counter counting up for positive edges of a frequency-divided signal produced by a frequency divider with a fractional divide ratio in a feedback path of the synthesizer and down for positive edges of a reference signal. A phase offset between portions of the synthesizer signal before and after a loss-of-lock interval is then assessed as a numerical value proportional to the product of the divide ratio and the cycle difference registered by the up-down counter (36) after the loss-of-lock interval. A correction term derived from the phase offset can be used in a signal processing device as employed, e.g., in a GNSS receiver, for producing, from an analog input signal, a phase-corrected baseband signal where portions of the signal before and after loss of lock are phase coherent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: u-blox AG
    Inventor: Thomas Brauner
  • Patent number: 8400306
    Abstract: Devices and methods for the identification of test tubes in a test tube rack having a RFID chip, and including an antenna structure elements for wireless coupling with the RFID chip, such that the location of the RFID chip determines the orientation of the test tube rack and the position of the test tube, and coupling of the RFID chips attached to the test tube racks is independent of the direction of insertion of the test tube rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Heinz Trueeb, Armin Birrer, Thomas Brauner
  • Publication number: 20120223638
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a high-pressure discharge lamp including a starting aid and a longitudinal axis having a ceramic discharge vessel that is housed in an outer bulb, the discharge vessel having two ends having including capillaries with electrodes fastened therein, wherein a frame having a hanger wire holds the discharge vessel in the outer bulb and the hanger wire is configured so that it includes a plate-like starting aid toward the capillary of the opposite-pole electrode, with the plate-like starting aid being configured as a foil or metal sheet and the plate-like starting aid further including a means for purely mechanical fastening to at least the capillary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: OSRAM AG
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Martin Fornalski, Juergen Kellerer
  • Patent number: 8197750
    Abstract: The invention relates to devices and methods for the identification of test tubes in a test tube rack using RFID technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Heinz Trueeb, Armin Birrer, Thomas Brauner
  • Publication number: 20120139413
    Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp having an ignition aid, mounted in an outer bulb, wherein the discharge vessel comprises two ends having seals in which electrodes are mounted and wherein a frame having a clip wire retains the discharge vessel in the outer bulb. The clip wire is bent toward the seal of the opposite pole electrode until the bent part formed thereby acts as an ignition aid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: OSRAM AG
    Inventors: Thomas Brauner, Johannes Buttstaedt, Sascha Piltz