Patents by Inventor Thomas Hess

Thomas Hess 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: 9726038
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing an insulation element (12), which can be arranged radially above at least one guide vane (14) in a housing (10) of a thermal gas turbine. The insulation element (12) is produced from a solid body (24) provided with a metallic shell (26), the solid body (24) consisting at least partially of a ceramic material. The invention also relates to an insulation element (12), which can be arranged radially above at least one guide vane (14) in a housing (10) of a thermal gas turbine, and to an aero engine having a housing (10), in which at least one insulation element (12) is arranged radially above at least one guide vane (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Erwin Bayer, Thomas Hess, Sven-Juergen Hiller, Peter Geiger
  • Publication number: 20170177531
    Abstract: A serial bus is provided with a device (sometimes herein referred to as an I2C serializer device) including circuitry and machine logic that operates as follows: when one of the master devices is using the bus for data communication, then the other master(s) will receive a wait signal until the bus becomes available again. This wait signal allows the master devices to wait as a “hardware response,” rather than requiring the master devices to be equipped with software and/or firmware to control the operation of waiting until the serial bus is available. In some embodiments, the use of the I2C serializer device allows a bus operating under a bus serialization protocol (for example, I2C) to be simultaneously connected to multiple master devices even in the case that one, or more, master device(s) do not include any currently conventional form of multi-master support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Harald Freudenberger, Thomas Hess, Martin Raitza, Philip S. Schulz, Markus Strasser
  • Patent number: 9678821
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a trace procedure, which traces execution of a computer program, where the program uses different callable modules. A program stack is used to store trace buffer information and an error state, and the modules include calls of the trace procedure. The method includes: (i) when entering execution of a module, storing the current write position of the trace buffer and a cleared error flag in the current frame of the stack; (ii) in case of an error condition during execution of the program, setting the error flag in the current frame; and (iii) when leaving execution of a module, determining if the error flag is set, and if not, then rewinding the trace buffer to the write position stored in the current frame, and deleting the current write position of the trace buffer and the error flag from the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Hess, Martin Raitza, Ralf Richter, Philip Sebastian Schulz, Markus K. Strasser
  • Patent number: 9664059
    Abstract: A sealing device (1) is disclosed for sealing a radially inner gas channel (2) between a guide vane ring (4) and a rotor (6) of a turbomachine, wherein the sealing device (1) has a sealing ring (8) for forming a sealed space (10) with a rear segment with an inner wall structure (30) oriented in the opposite direction, which are joined to each other via an annular arch (32), wherein the radial flange (18) transitions into the outer wall structure (28) and the cylinder (26) forms the sealing ring (8), wherein the inner wall structure (30) transitions, via an annular web (36), into at least one inner body segment (38, 50), wherein the sealing device (1) has a uniform, preferably relatively reduced wall thickness over its individual segments integrally formed with one another, so that the sealing device (1) is resilient within certain limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Manfred Feldmann, Thomas Hess
  • Patent number: 9665528
    Abstract: A serial bus is provided with a device (sometimes herein referred to as an I2C serializer device) including circuitry and machine logic that operates as follows: when one of the master devices is using the bus for data communication, then the other master(s) will receive a wait signal until the bus becomes available again. This wait signal allows the master devices to wait as a “hardware response,” rather than requiring the master devices to be equipped with software and/or firmware to control the operation of waiting until the serial bus is available. In some embodiments, the use of the I2C serializer device allows a bus operating under a bus serialization protocol (for example, I2C) to be simultaneously connected to multiple master devices even in the case that one, or more, master device(s) do not include any currently conventional form of multi-master support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Harald Freudenberger, Thomas Hess, Martin Raitza, Philip S. Schulz, Markus Strasser
  • Patent number: 9661974
    Abstract: A dispersible, nonwoven multistrata wipe material is provided that is stable in a wetting liquid and flushable in use. More particularly, multilayered structures including, but not limited to, two, three, or four layers are provided to form the dispersible nonwoven wipe material. The layers contain combinations of cellulosic and noncellulosic fibers, and optionally a binder or additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Nonwovens LLC
    Inventors: John P. Baker, Maria Curran, Jeffrey S. Hurley, Ronald T. Moose, Jacek K. Dutkiewicz, Manuel V. Murcia, Thomas Hess
  • Publication number: 20170136574
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the quality assurance of at least one component (14) during the production thereof, wherein the production takes place by means of at least one additive manufacturing process, which comprises the following steps: building up the component (14) layer by layer, and themographically recording at least one image of each individual layer applied. In order to facilitate nondestructive crack detection in a metal component (14) during the production process (inspection by means of an online process), at least some of the layers applied are subjected to a controlled heat treatment below the melting point of the material of the component before the thermographic recording of the associated image, wherein the heat treatment causes the last layer applied to radiate heat which, if at least one crack develops in the layer, exhibits a characteristic heat profile at the crack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Gunter Zenzinger, Thomas Hess, Joachim Bamberg, Alexander Ladewig
  • Publication number: 20170136696
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for the additive manufacture of components through the layered bonding of powder particles to one another and/or to a semi-finished product or substrate already produced, using selective interaction of the powder particles with a high-energy beam, wherein, during the bonding of the powder particles into a layer made of powder particles with the aid of the high-energy beam, a gas flow, which has a flow direction having a directional component directed at least partially parallel to the layer of powder particles, is provided across the layer of powder particles and/or the bonding region in the layer of powder particles, wherein the directional component of the gas flow directed at least partially parallel to the layer of powder particles during the bonding of the powder particles in a layer is generated in at least two directions, which have oppositely directed directional components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Andreas Jakimov, Thomas Hess, Georg Schlick, Alexander Ladewig
  • Patent number: 9636769
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the generative production of components, particularly of single-crystalline or directionally-solidified components, particularly for the production of components for turbomachines, in which the component is constructed in layers on a substrate or a previously produced part of the component (3), wherein a construction in layers takes place by melting of powder material in layers with a high-energy beam (14) and solidification of the powder melt (16) takes place, wherein the high-energy beam has a beam cross section (19) in the area of its impingement on the powder material that is altered in comparison to a circular or other symmetrical cross section and/or the beam energy is distributed non-uniformly, in particular asymmetrically or eccentrically, over the beam section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Thomas Goehler, Thomas Hess, Tobias Maiwald-Immer
  • Patent number: 9605554
    Abstract: Disclosed are a turbomachine having at least one radial gap seal which has at least two opposite ceramic coatings which are constructed in each case from a ceramic powder, the particle size of which is smaller than 1.0 ?m, and a turbomachine having at least one radial gap seal, wherein the coatings are built up from powder-based individual layers, the outer layer of which has a higher ceramic fraction than a base layer close to the rotor or stator section respectively, wherein the particle size of the powder material is smaller than 1.0 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Sven-Juergen Hiller, Erwin Bayer, Thomas Hess, Peter Geiger
  • Publication number: 20170066084
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the quality assurance of at least one component (14) during its production, wherein production is achieved by means of an additive manufacturing method with at least one processing laser (22), said method comprising the following steps: —layered assembly of the component (14), —thermographic recording of a plurality of images, over a defined period, of at least one component region (17) in the laser beam by means of at least one recording sensor (18), —detecting a temporal change in the heat distribution in a molten-pool-free component region, wherein the occurrence of a defect, (e.g. a crack, foreign material, a pore, a bonding fault or similar) in the uppermost component layer or beneath same is detected on the basis of a characteristic temporal change in the heat distribution at the defect (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander Ladewig, Georg Schlick, Gunter Zenzinger, Joachim Bamberg, Thomas Hess
  • Patent number: 9535012
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the non-destructive testing of workpiece surfaces of a workpiece by means of fluorescent penetrant testing or dye penetrant testing. The method comprises applying a penetrant to the region of the workpiece surface to be examined, thereby allowing the penetrant to penetrate into possible recesses in the workpiece surface, applying a developer to the region of the workpiece surface to be tested; bleaching the penetrant by a gaseous or liquid oxidant; and visually assessing the penetrant that has remained in the recesses present in the workpiece surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Wilhelm Satzger, Joachim Bamberg, Roland Hessert, Robert Schuster, Thomas Hess
  • Patent number: 9500230
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing cage of a bearing means, in particular a ball or roller bearing, which is produced by means of a generative manufacturing method and has an outer flange and a bearing seat, which are joined together via a plurality of spring beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: MTU AERO ENGINES AG
    Inventors: Sven-Juergen Hiller, Erwin Bayer, Thomas Hess, Peter Geiger
  • Publication number: 20160328283
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a trace procedure, which traces execution of a computer program, where the program uses different callable modules. A program stack is used to store trace buffer information and an error state, and the modules include calls of the trace procedure. The method includes: (i) when entering execution of a module, storing the current write position of the trace buffer and a cleared error flag in the current frame of the stack; (ii) in case of an error condition during execution of the program, setting the error flag in the current frame; and (iii) when leaving execution of a module, determining if the error flag is set, and if not, then rewinding the trace buffer to the write position stored in the current frame, and deleting the current write position of the trace buffer and the error flag from the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas HESS, Martin RAITZA, Ralf RICHTER, Philip Sebastian SCHULZ, Markus K. STRASSER
  • Publication number: 20160328311
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a trace procedure, which traces execution of a computer program, where the program uses different callable modules. A program stack is used to store trace buffer information and an error state, and the modules include calls of the trace procedure. The method includes: (i) when entering execution of a module, storing the current write position of the trace buffer and a cleared error flag in the current frame of the stack; (ii) in case of an error condition during execution of the program, setting the error flag in the current frame; and (iii) when leaving execution of a module, determining if the error flag is set, and if not, then rewinding the trace buffer to the write position stored in the current frame, and deleting the current write position of the trace buffer and the error flag from the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Thomas HESS, Martin RAITZA, Ralf RICHTER, Philip Sebastian SCHULZ, Markus K. STRASSER
  • Publication number: 20160302170
    Abstract: A beacon device is provided in proximity to a computing system within a computing center. A request to locate the computing system in the computing center is triggered on a central control unit. In response to the request to locate the computing system, the control unit generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier, sends an activation request and the specification data to the beacon device, and provides the specification data to a portable device and stores the specification data on the portable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael ANDRES, Dirk BOLTE, Thomas HESS, Markus STRASSER
  • Publication number: 20160290164
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a turbine casing part having a bearing chamber system including a shell (1) and at least one bearing receptacle (2) and further having a protective heat shield (30) that at least partially encompasses the shell (1) radially outwardly, the protective heat shield (30) being additively manufactured integrally with the bearing chamber system by selectively solidifying layer-by-layer a feedstock material (5) is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Christian Liebl, Richard Scharl, Alexander Buck, Daniel Kirchner, Thomas Hess
  • Publication number: 20160279706
    Abstract: A method for producing a three-dimensional object (2) by applying layers of a pulverulent construction material (11) and by selectively solidifying said material by the action of energy comprises the steps: a layer of the pulverulent construction material (11) is applied to a support (6) or to a layer of the construction material that has been previously applied and at least selectively solidified; an energy beam (14) from an energy source (13) sweeps over points on the applied layer corresponding to a cross-section of the object (2) to be produced in order to selectively solidify the pulverulent construction material (11); and a gas flow (18) is guided in a main flow direction (RG) over the applied layer during the sweep of the energy beam (14). The main flow direction (RG) of the gas flow (G) and the sweep direction (RL) of the energy beam (14) are adapted to one another at least in one region of the cross-section to be solidified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems
    Inventors: Robert Achim Domrose, Michael Frey, Alexander Schilling, Andre Danzig, Jorg Hamann, Thomas Hess, Marc Dimter
  • Publication number: 20160230582
    Abstract: A gas turbine component for a gas turbine is provided. The gas turbine component has a shell portion having an abradable portion (2) to allow rotor blade ends (1) of a rotor blade array of the gas turbine to rub into the same. The abradable portion adjoins a neighboring portion (3) of the shell portion axially at both sides and is additively manufactured together therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Steffen Schlothauer, Thomas Hess, Christian Liebl, Richard Scharl, Daniel Kirchner, Alexander Buck
  • Patent number: 9414351
    Abstract: A beacon device is provided in proximity to a computing system within a computing center. A request to locate the computing system in the computing center is triggered on a central control unit. In response to the request to locate the computing system, the control unit generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier, sends an activation request and the specification data to the beacon device, and provides the specification data to a portable device and stores the specification data on the portable device. In response to receiving the activation request, the beacon device sends a radio signal identifier generated from the specification data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Andres, Dirk Bolte, Thomas Hess, Markus Strasser