Patents by Inventor Thomas Buck

Thomas Buck 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: 20160029126
    Abstract: A micro electrical mechanical system (MEMS) device in one embodiment includes a substrate defining a back cavity, a membrane above the back cavity, a back plate above the membrane, and a first overtravel stop (OTS) positioned at least partially directly beneath the membrane and supported by the back plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas Buck, John Zinn, Andy Doller, Brett Diamond, Bernhard Gehl
  • Publication number: 20150314315
    Abstract: A color changer system for a painting robot comprises a color changer. A plurality of color feed lines are included on an inlet side of the color changer. A common color line is included on an outlet side of the color changer, and is configured to forward paint selected by the color changer to an atomizer. A color bar comprises a plurality of docking points supplied by the color feed lines. A color extractor is configured to selectively dock onto one of the docking points of the color bar and, while docked to the color bar, extract paint from an associated color feed line and supply the extracted paint to the common color line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Manfred Michelfelder, Markus Erhardt, Michael Baumann, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: 9089864
    Abstract: An exemplary painting robot and corresponding operating methods for the same are disclosed. The robot may be configured to paint motor vehicle bodies on an outer surface and an inner surface with an atomizer that is guided by the painting robot. According to the exemplary illustrations, the painting robot is suitable for painting the outer surfaces and for painting the inner surfaces of the motor vehicle bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Durr Systems, GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Manfred Michelfelder, Markus Erhardt, Michael Baumann, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck
  • Publication number: 20150158145
    Abstract: A painting-installation cleaning system is provided for cleaning at least one component of a painting installation, in particular at least one component of a painting robot or of a handling robot, characterised by at least one dry-ice nozzle for producing a dry-ice jet which cleans the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Marcus Frey, Michael Baumann, George M. Sommer, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: 9035307
    Abstract: A 2-chip MEMS microphone component includes: at least one first MEMS microphone structural component having at least one first microphone structure formed in the front side of the structural component; an ASIC structural component having evaluation electronics for the microphone signal of the MEMS microphone structural component; and a housing having a sound opening. The MEMS microphone structural component is mounted within the housing and above the sound opening in such a way that the rear side of the microphone structure is acted on by the sound pressure. The ASIC structural component also includes a second MEMS microphone structure whose microphone signal is fed to the evaluation electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard Gehl, Thomas Buck, Florian Schoen
  • Publication number: 20150090347
    Abstract: Exemplary illustrations of a fluid valve, e.g., a return valve for returning residual paint, rinsing agent, and compressed air from a paint line when changing color in a painting system, are disclosed. An exemplary fluid valve may be adjusted between an open position, in which the fluid valve is at least partially open, e.g., for rinsing a paint line with a rinsing agent and for pressurizing the paint line with a new color for the color change, and a closed position, in which the fluid valve is closed, e.g., for applying the new color after the color change. An exemplary fluid valve may switch to the closed position, upon actuation by the medium thereof, e.g., medium flowing through or present in the valve. In another example, a fluid valve may close depending on the fluid present at the input side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Rainer Melcher, Frank Herre, Michael Baumann, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: 8921957
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone. The MEMS microphone includes a back plate, a membrane, a support structure, a substrate, and an overtravel stop. The membrane is coupled to the back plate. The support structure includes a support structure opening and a first side of the support structure is coupled to a second side of the back plate. The substrate includes a substrate opening and a first side of the substrate is coupled to a second side of the support structure. The overtravel stop limits a movement of the membrane away from the back plate and includes at least one of an overtravel stop structure coupled to the substrate, an overtravel stop structure formed as part of a carrier chip, and an overtravel stop structure formed as part of the support structure in the support structure opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Yujie Zhang, Andrew J. Doller, Thomas Buck
  • Publication number: 20140367922
    Abstract: A sealing element, e.g., a sealing ring, is adapted to seal between two component sections and to be compressed by the two component sections in a groove that is provided in one of the two component sections and having a groove opening and a groove bottom. The sealing element comprises a profile which, in the non-compressed state, comprises different profile heights and at least two outer surfaces. The profile is deformable in the compressed state such that it extends with at least one of its side sections into the groove opening (NÖ) and thereby possibly partially closes the groove opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Durr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Martin, Michael Baumann, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: 8885849
    Abstract: A concept is proposed for a MEMS microphone which may be operated at a relatively low voltage level and still have comparatively high sensitivity. The component according to the present invention includes a micromechanical microphone structure having an acoustically active diaphragm which functions as a deflectable electrode of a microphone capacitor (1), and a stationary acoustically permeable counterelement which functions as a counter electrode of the microphone capacitor (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alberto Arias-Drake, Thomas Buck, Jochen Zoellin, Juan Ramos-Martos, Franz Laermer, Antonio Ragel-Morales, Joaquin Ceballos-Caceres, Jose M. Mora-Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 8881757
    Abstract: Exemplary illustrations of a fluid valve, e.g., a return valve for returning residual paint, rinsing agent, and compressed air from a paint line when changing color in a painting system, are disclosed. An exemplary fluid valve may be adjusted between an open position, in which the fluid valve is at least partially open, e.g., for rinsing a paint line with a rinsing agent and for pressurizing the paint line with a new color for the color change, and a closed position, in which the fluid valve is closed, e.g., for applying the new color after the color change. An exemplary fluid valve may switch to the closed position, upon actuation by the medium thereof, e.g., medium flowing through or present in the valve. In another example, a fluid valve may close depending on the fluid present at the input side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Duerr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Melcher, Frank Herre, Michael Baumann, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: 8861765
    Abstract: A system and method are described for reducing the current consumption of a microphone component without adversely affecting performance. The system includes a micromechanical microphone capacitor, an acoustically inactive compensation capacitor, an arrangement for applying a high-frequency sampling signal to the microphone capacitor and for applying the inverted sampling signal to the compensation capacitor, an integrating operational amplifier which integrates the sum of the current flow through the microphone capacitor and the current flow through the compensation capacitor as a charge amplifier, a demodulator, which is synchronized with the sampling signal, for the output signal of the integrating operational amplifier, and a low-pass filter which uses the output signal of the demodulator to obtain a microphone signal that corresponds to the changes in capacitance of the microphone capacitor. The sampling signal is composed of a periodic sequence of sampling pulses and pause times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Buck, Franz Laermer
  • Publication number: 20140191233
    Abstract: A 2-chip MEMS microphone component includes: at least one first MEMS microphone structural component having at least one first microphone structure formed in the front side of the structural component; an ASIC structural component having evaluation electronics for the microphone signal of the MEMS microphone structural component; and a housing having a sound opening. The MEMS microphone structural component is mounted within the housing and above the sound opening in such a way that the rear side of the microphone structure is acted on by the sound pressure. The ASIC structural component also includes a second MEMS microphone structure whose microphone signal is fed to the evaluation electronics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard GEHL, Thomas Buck, Florian Schoen
  • Patent number: 8698255
    Abstract: A simple and cost-effective form of implementing a semiconductor component having a micromechanical microphone structure, including an acoustically active diaphragm as a deflectable electrode of a microphone capacitor, a stationary, acoustically permeable counterelement as a counter electrode of the microphone capacitor, and means for applying a charging voltage between the deflectable electrode and the counter electrode of the microphone capacitor. In order to not impair the functionality of this semiconductor component, even during overload situations in which contact occurs between the diaphragm and the counter electrode, the deflectable electrode and the counter electrode of the microphone capacitor are counter-doped, at least in places, so that they form a diode in the event of contact. In addition, the polarity of the charging voltage between the deflectable electrode and the counter electrode is such that the diode is switched in the blocking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Reichenbach, Arnim Hoechst, Thomas Buck
  • Publication number: 20140075695
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cleaning device (1) for an atomizer (2) having a specified outer contour, in particular for cleaning a rotary atomizer (2), comprising at least one cleaning brush (5) for cleaning the atomizer (2), wherein the cleaning brush (5) has a specified brush contour. According to the invention, the brush contour of the cleaning brush (5) is adapted to the outer contour of the atomizer (2) so that the cleaning brush (5) nestles up against the atomizer (2). The invention further relates to a corresponding cleaning brush (5) and to a suitable cleaning method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: DURR SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Marcus Kleiner, Michael Baumann, Thomas Buck, Ralf Schäfer, Georg M. Sommer, Martin Wurst, Frank Herre
  • Patent number: 8672538
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tempering apparatus for tempering a sample comprising: at least one tempering block configured for receiving at least one sample, at least one tempering device arranged for tempering the tempering block, at least one temperature measurement device assigned to the tempering device, at least one control loop to which the tempering device and temperature measurement device are assigned to, at least one control device configured for control of the tempering of the tempering block, wherein the tempering apparatus comprises at least two temperature measurement devices assigned to the control loop, and that to the tempering apparatus a testing device for performing a test method is assigned to, wherein the testing device comprises a signal-connection to at least one of the at least two temperature measurement devices, such that at least one testing quantity of the tempering apparatus is detectable, which characterizes the operational status of the tempering apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Eppendorf AG
    Inventors: Lutz Timmann, Vinh Duong, Stefan Roth, Thomas Uschkureit, Jurgen Koeppel, Thomas Buck, Michael Wild
  • Patent number: 8637945
    Abstract: A component having a robust, but acoustically sensitive microphone structure is provided and a simple and cost-effective method for its production. This microphone structure includes an acoustically active diaphragm, which functions as deflectable electrode of a microphone capacitor, a stationary, acoustically permeable counter element, which functions as counter electrode of the microphone capacitor, and an arrangement for detecting and analyzing the capacitance changes of the microphone capacitor. The diaphragm is realized in a diaphragm layer above the semiconductor substrate of the component and covers a sound opening in the substrate rear. The counter element is developed in a further layer above the diaphragm. This further layer generally extends across the entire component surface and compensates level differences, so that the entire component surface is largely planar according to this additional layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Reichenbach, Thomas Buck, Jochen Zoellin, Franz Laermer, Ulrike Scholz, Kathrin van Teeffelen, Christina Leinenbach
  • Patent number: 8625823
    Abstract: A MEMS microphone. The MEMS microphone includes a membrane, a spring, and a first layer having a backplate, and a first OTS structure. The spring has a first end coupled to the membrane, and a second end mounted to a support. The first OTS structure is released from the backplate and coupled to a structure other than the backplate, and is configured to stop movement of the membrane in a first direction after the membrane has moved a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: D688743
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Dürr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Manfred Michelfelder, Markus Erhardt, Michael Baumann, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: D699283
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Durr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Manfred Michelfelder, Markus Erhardt, Michael Baumann, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: D750678
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Durr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Baumann, Sonja Brauchle, Thomas Buck, Frank Herre, Georg M. Sommer, Sandra Streckert, Andreas Fischer, Peter Marquardt