Patents by Inventor Thomas Holenstein
Thomas Holenstein 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).
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Publication number: 20260146617Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a stator and a rotor rotatable about an axial direction, the rotor including a magnetically effective core and a permanent magnet, the stator being a bearing and drive stator with which the rotor is capable of being magnetically driven without contact and capable of being magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the stator, and the rotor being actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the stator including coils, the coils generating a rotary field oriented in such a way as to weaken or strengthen the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnets, such that there is a phase displacement between a current pointer and a magnetic flux pointer, which is different from 90°.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2026Publication date: May 28, 2026Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Florian WASSMER
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Publication number: 20260146618Abstract: A fan having a rotor for generating a fluid flow includes a stator and a rotor, which form an electromagnetic rotary drive for rotating the rotor about an axial direction. The rotary drive is an external rotor, and the rotor includes a magnetically effective core configured in an annular manner. The impeller includes a hub on which a plurality of blades configured to generate the fluid flow is arranged, and the stator is a bearing and drive stator configured to magnetically drive the rotor without contact and magnetically levitate the rotor without contact with respect to the stator. The rotor is capable of being actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the hub of the impeller completely enclosing the magnetically effective core of the rotor, and the stator is encapsulated in a stator housing and formed of a low-permeable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2026Publication date: May 28, 2026Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Florian WASSMER
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Publication number: 20260146620Abstract: A fan having a rotor for generating a fluid flow includes a stator and a rotor, which form an electromagnetic rotary drive for rotating the rotor about an axial direction. The rotary drive is an external rotor, and the rotor includes a magnetically effective core configured in an annular manner. The impeller includes a hub on which a plurality of blades configured to generate the fluid flow is arranged, and the stator is a bearing and drive stator configured to magnetically drive the rotor without contact and magnetically levitate the rotor without contact with respect to the stator. The rotor is capable of being actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the hub of the impeller completely enclosing the magnetically effective core of the rotor, and the stator is encapsulated in a stator housing and formed of a low-permeable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2026Publication date: May 28, 2026Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Florian WASSMER
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Publication number: 20260146619Abstract: A fan having a rotor for generating a fluid flow includes a stator and a rotor, which form an electromagnetic rotary drive for rotating the rotor about an axial direction. The rotary drive is an external rotor, and the rotor includes a magnetically effective core configured in an annular manner. The impeller includes a hub on which a plurality of blades configured to generate the fluid flow is arranged, and the stator is a bearing and drive stator configured to magnetically drive the rotor without contact and magnetically levitate the rotor without contact with respect to the stator. The rotor is capable of being actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the hub of the impeller completely enclosing the magnetically effective core of the rotor, and the stator is encapsulated in a stator housing and formed of a low-permeable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2026Publication date: May 28, 2026Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Florian WASSMER
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Patent number: 12172140Abstract: A mixing device having a stirring element can include: a container for receiving fluids and/or solids; and at least one rotatable stirring element for mixing the fluids and/or solids; wherein the stirring element comprises a first bearing element and a second bearing element which are arranged at or near opposite ends of the stirring element; wherein the first bearing element is mounted on a first face of the container and the second bearing element is mounted on an opposite second face of the container; wherein the first bearing element comprises at least one non-permanently magnetized element such that it can be moved in rotation by externally induced reluctance forces, and wherein the second bearing element is mounted in a contactless manner by externally induced magnetic forces.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: December 24, 2024Assignees: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, Levitronix GmbHInventors: Lars Böttcher, Marco Leupold, Simon Topp-Manske, Thomas Holenstein, Thomas Nussbaumer, Robin Heese
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Publication number: 20240369065Abstract: A fan having a rotor for generating a fluid flow includes a stator and a rotor, which form an electromagnetic rotary drive for rotating the rotor about an axial direction. The rotary drive is an external rotor, and the rotor includes a magnetically effective core configured in an annular manner. The impeller includes a hub on which a plurality of blades configured to generate the fluid flow is arranged, and the stator is a bearing and drive stator configured to magnetically drive the rotor without contact and magnetically levitate the rotor without contact with respect to the stator. The rotor is capable of being actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the hub of the impeller completely enclosing the magnetically effective core of the rotor, and the stator is encapsulated in a stator housing and formed of a low-permeable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2024Publication date: November 7, 2024Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Florian WASSMER
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Patent number: 12104602Abstract: A cross-flow fan includes a cylindrical impeller having an annularly designed first magnetically effective core disposed at a first end, an annularly designed second magnetically effective core disposed at a second end, a plurality of vanes arranged between the first magnetically effective core and the second magnetically effective core, a first stator, which is a bearing and drive stator, and which interacts with the first magnetically effective core as a first electromagnetic rotary drive, and a second stator, which is at least a bearing stator, and with which the second magnetically effective core is capable of being magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the second stator. The impeller is magnetically driven without contact by the first and the second stators and magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the first stator and the second stator.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2022Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: LEVITRONIX GMBHInventors: Daniel Steinert, Thomas Holenstein, Ivana Bagaric
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Patent number: 12078181Abstract: A fan having a rotor for generating a fluid flow includes a stator and a rotor, which form an electromagnetic rotary drive for rotating the rotor about an axial direction. The rotary drive is an external rotor, and the rotor includes a magnetically effective core configured in an annular manner. The impeller includes a hub on which a plurality of blades configured to generate the fluid flow is arranged, and the stator is a bearing and drive stator configured to magnetically drive the rotor without contact and magnetically levitate the rotor without contact with respect to the stator. The rotor is capable of being actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the hub of the impeller completely enclosing the magnetically effective core of the rotor, and the stator is encapsulated in a stator housing and formed of a low-permeable material.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: LEVITRONIX GMBHInventors: Thomas Holenstein, Florian Wassmer
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Publication number: 20240253000Abstract: A mixing device for mixing at least two substances includes a single-use device and a reusable device. The single-use device includes an impeller, vanes, and a cup for receiving the rotor housing. A magnetically effective core is in the rotor housing. The reusable device includes a stator to contactlessly magnetically drive the impeller about the axis of rotation and magnetically levitate the impeller with respect to the stator. A plurality of stabilizing elements is on the impeller for stabilizing the impeller against tilting. Each stabilizing element is arranged between two vanes and extends from a radial inner edge to a radial outer edge with respect to the radial direction, and each radial outer edge has a distance from the axis of rotation which is smaller than half the outer diameter of the impeller.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2024Publication date: August 1, 2024Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Nils SCHLEGEL, Florian WASSMER
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Publication number: 20220260078Abstract: A cross-flow fan includes a cylindrical impeller having an annularly designed first magnetically effective core disposed at a first end, an annularly designed second magnetically effective core disposed at a second end, a plurality of vanes arranged between the first magnetically effective core and the second magnetically effective core, a first stator, which is a bearing and drive stator, and which interacts with the first magnetically effective core as a first electromagnetic rotary drive, and a second stator, which is at least a bearing stator, and with which the second magnetically effective core is capable of being magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the second stator. The impeller is magnetically driven without contact by the first and the second stators and magnetically levitated without contact with respect to the first stator and the second stator.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2022Publication date: August 18, 2022Inventors: Daniel STEINERT, Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Ivana BAGARIC
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Publication number: 20220040651Abstract: The present invention relates to a mixing device having a stirring element that comprises: a container for receiving fluids and/or solids; and at least one rotatable stirring element for mixing the fluids and/or solids; wherein the stirring element comprises a first bearing element and a second bearing element which are arranged at or near opposite ends of the stirring element; wherein the first bearing element is mounted on a first face of the container and the second bearing element is mounted on an opposite second face of the container; wherein the first bearing element comprises at least one non-permanently magnetized element such that it can be moved in rotation by externally induced reluctance forces, and wherein the second bearing element is mounted in a contactless manner by externally induced magnetic forces. The invention also relates to a mixing device system.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2019Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicants: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, Levitronix GmbHInventors: Lars Böttcher, Marco Leupold, Simon Topp-Manske, Thomas Holenstein, Thomas Nussbaumer
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Patent number: 11177719Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a rotor, a stator and windings. The rotor includes a magnetically effective core. The rotor is contactlessly magnetically drivable about an axis of rotation and the rotor is contactlessly magnetically levitatable. The stator has coil cores, each with a longitudinal limb parallel with the axis and a transverse limb extending radially, the transverse limb being perpendicular to the axis. The windings generate an electromagnetic rotational field, each winding surrounding one longitudinal limb, such that the stator is free of permanent magnets. The rotor is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic with one preferential magnetic direction extending radially, and the core of the rotor has a magnetic resistance in the preferential magnetic direction, the magnetic resistance at most half as large as the magnetic resistance in a direction, which is perpendicular to the preferential magnetic direction and perpendicular to the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: LEVITRONIX GMBHInventor: Thomas Holenstein
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Patent number: 11070108Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a ring-shaped magnetically effective core arranged around a stator and has a magnetic central plane. The stator is a bearing and a drive stator, with which, the rotor is contactlessly magnetically drivable about an axis of rotation, and with which the rotor is contactlessly magnetically levitatable with respect to the stator. The rotor actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to an axial direction, and passively magnetically stabilized in the axial direction and against tilting. The rotor includes a magnetically effective bearing ring arranged radially externally disposed and spaced from the magnetically effective core, and a bearing stator having a magnetically effective stator ring interacts with the bearing ring. The bearing stator is configured such that the stator ring passively magnetically stabilizes the rotor against tilting, and the bearing ring is connected to the magnetically effective core of the rotor via a connecting element.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: LEVITRONIX GMBHInventors: Thomas Nussbaumer, Thomas Holenstein
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Patent number: 10873241Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a magnetically contactlessly drivable rotor free of coils, and a stator configured as a bearing and drive stator configured to drive the rotor magnetically and contactlessly about an axis of rotation. The rotor is capable of being supported magnetically contactlessly with respect to the stator in an operating state. The stator includes an upper stator part having a plurality of pronounced upper poles configured to carry upper windings and a lower stator part having a plurality of pronounced lower poles configured to carry lower windings. The upper stator part and the lower stator part are arranged spaced apart from one another with respect to an axial direction. A permanent magnet is disposed between the upper stator part and the lower stator part.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2016Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: LEVITRONIX GMBHInventors: Reto Schöb, Jörg Hugel, Thomas Holenstein
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Publication number: 20200392961Abstract: A fan having a rotor for generating a fluid flow includes a stator and a rotor, which form an electromagnetic rotary drive for rotating the rotor about an axial direction. The rotary drive is an external rotor, and the rotor includes a magnetically effective core configured in an annular manner. The impeller includes a hub on which a plurality of blades configured to generate the fluid flow is arranged, and the stator is a bearing and drive stator configured to magnetically drive the rotor without contact and magnetically levitate the rotor without contact with respect to the stator. The rotor is capable of being actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to the axial direction, the hub of the impeller completely enclosing the magnetically effective core of the rotor, and the stator is encapsulated in a stator housing and formed of a low-permeable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: December 17, 2020Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Florian WASSMER
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Patent number: 10780408Abstract: A mixing apparatus for mixing substances includes a single-use apparatus and a reusable apparatus. The single-use apparatus includes a flexible mixing tank configured to receive the at least two substances to be mixed, is plastic, and has a rotor arranged in the mixing tank. The rotor includes an impeller configured to mix the at least two substances, the impeller being magnetically contactlessly drivable and free of coils and permanent magnets. The reusable apparatus includes a support tank configured to receive the mixing tank and a stator configured to magnetically contactlessly drive the rotor about an axis of rotation in an operating state. The stator includes at least one permanent magnet configured to generate a permanent magnet flux and at least one winding configured to generate an electromagnetic flux, the permanent magnet flux and the electromagnetic flux together being capable of driving the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2016Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: LEVITRONIX GMBHInventors: Reto Schöb, Jörg Hugel, Thomas Holenstein
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Patent number: 10707734Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a contactlessly magnetically drivable rotor that is coil-free and free of permanent magnets and that includes a magnetically effective core, and a stator by which the rotor is contactlessly magnetically drivable about a desired axis of rotation in the operating state. The stator has a plurality of coil cores of which each includes a bar-shaped longitudinal limb extending from a first end in a direction in parallel with the desired axis of rotation up to a second end, all the first ends being connected by a reflux of windings generate an electromagnetic rotational field of which each surrounds one of the longitudinal limbs. The coil cores include a plurality of permanent magnets by which a permanent magnetic pre-magnetization flux can be generated.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: LEVITRONIX GMBHInventors: Thomas Holenstein, Reto Schöb
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Publication number: 20200021166Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a ring-shaped magnetically effective core arranged around a stator and has a magnetic central plane. The stator is a bearing and a drive stator, with which, the rotor is contactlessly magnetically drivable about an axis of rotation, and with which the rotor is contactlessly magnetically levitatable with respect to the stator. The rotor actively magnetically levitated in a radial plane perpendicular to an axial direction, and passively magnetically stabilized in the axial direction and against tilting. The rotor includes a magnetically effective bearing ring arranged radially externally disposed and spaced from the magnetically effective core, and a bearing stator having a magnetically effective stator ring interacts with the bearing ring. The bearing stator is configured such that the stator ring passively magnetically stabilizes the rotor against tilting, and the bearing ring is connected to the magnetically effective core of the rotor via a connecting element.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2019Publication date: January 16, 2020Inventors: Thomas NUSSBAUMER, Thomas HOLENSTEIN
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Publication number: 20190356195Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a rotor, a stator and windings. The rotor includes a magnetically effective core. The rotor is contactlessly magnetically drivable about an axis of rotation and the rotor is contactlessly magnetically levitatable. The stator has coil cores, each with a longitudinal limb parallel with the axis and a transverse limb extending radially, the transverse limb being perpendicular to the axis. The windings generate an electromagnetic rotational field, each winding surrounding one longitudinal limb, such that the stator is free of permanent magnets. The rotor is ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic with one preferential magnetic direction extending radially, and the core of the rotor has a magnetic resistance in the preferential magnetic direction, the magnetic resistance at most half as large as the magnetic resistance in a direction, which is perpendicular to the preferential magnetic direction and perpendicular to the axial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2019Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventor: Thomas HOLENSTEIN
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Publication number: 20170302145Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary drive includes a contactlessly magnetically drivable rotor that is coil-free and free of permanent magnets and that includes a magnetically effective core, and a stator by which the rotor is contactlessly magnetically drivable about a desired axis of rotation in the operating state. The stator has a plurality of coil cores of which each includes a bar-shaped longitudinal limb extending from a first end in a direction in parallel with the desired axis of rotation up to a second end, all the first ends being connected by a reflux of windings generate an electromagnetic rotational field of which each surrounds one of the longitudinal limbs. The coil cores include a plurality of permanent magnets by which a permanent magnetic pre-magnetization flux can be generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Thomas HOLENSTEIN, Reto SCHÖB