Patents by Inventor Thorsten Rohwer

Thorsten Rohwer 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: 8973363
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electric motor, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (9), a shaft (8) having an axle (30), a stator and a rotor, at least one channel (11) for conducting a coolant for cooling the electric motor (5), wherein the geometry of the alignment of at least one section (12) of the at least one channel (11) is designed such that the coolant flows in the direction of the axle (30) of the shaft (8) through the at least one channel (11), having a deviation of less than 40°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Denis Kern, Andreas Herzberger
  • Publication number: 20140069099
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electric motor, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (9), a shaft (8) having an axle (30), a stator and a rotor, at least one channel (11) for conducting a coolant for cooling the electric motor (5), wherein the geometry of the alignment of at least one section (12) of the at least one channel (11) is designed such that the coolant flows in the direction of the axle (30) of the shaft (8) through the at least one channel (11), having a deviation of less than 40°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Denis Kern, Andreas Herzberger
  • Patent number: 8455150
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of adjacently stacked fuel cell modules each of which includes a plurality of adjacently aligned fuel cells that are connected in electrical series. The current flow between adjacent fuel cells is achieved across diffusion media of said adjacent fuel cells. First and second reactant channels are formed in the reactant carrier plates for separately delivering two different reactants along each reactant carrier plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Thorsten Rohwer
  • Patent number: 8161994
    Abstract: A product comprising a phase transfer valve, and wherein said phase transfer valve comprises an actuating valve housing having a housing interior; a liquid hydrogen inlet, a gaseous hydrogen inlet and a hydrogen outlet provided in said valve housing; an actuating valve slidably mounted in said housing interior; and wherein said actuating valve is moveable between a first position for sealing said gaseous hydrogen inlet from said hydrogen outlet and a second position for sealing said liquid hydrogen inlet from said hydrogen outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Dieter Kaimann
  • Publication number: 20120091833
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electric machine (5), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (9), at least one shaft (8), a stator (6), a rotor (7), a cooling circuit for cooling the electric machine (5) using a liquid, in particular oil, wherein the liquid can be conveyed from at least one at least partially radially aligned channel (11) into at least one rotating part (12) of the electric machine (5) due to a rotational movement of the at least one channel (11), at least one outlet opening (13) for draining the liquid from the at least one channel (11), wherein the electric machine (5) is provided with at least one agent (14) for reducing the conveyed amount per unit time of liquid that can be conveyed from the at least one channel (11) due to the rotational movement of the at least one channel (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Douglas-Brent Hackett, Thorsten Rohwer, Denis Kern, Paul Esse, Christian Buehnert, Andreas Herzberger, Jens Koerkemeyer
  • Publication number: 20100285385
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of adjacently stacked fuel cell modules each of which includes a plurality of adjacently aligned fuel cells that are connected in electrical series. The current flow between adjacent fuel cells is achieved across diffusion media of said adjacent fuel cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Inventor: Thorsten Rohwer
  • Patent number: 7803475
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of adjacently stacked fuel cell modules each of which includes a plurality of adjacently aligned fuel cells that are connected in electrical series. The current flow between adjacent fuel cells is achieved across diffusion media of said adjacent fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Inventor: Thorsten Rohwer
  • Patent number: 7743785
    Abstract: A compressed gas storage system with an incorporated pressure relief device is disclosed. The compressed gas storage system comprises a tank for storing a compressed gas, a battery in the direct surroundings of the tank, and a relief valve in communication with the tank. The relief valve is configured to be responsive to electrical current generated by the battery. The battery is configured to define an electrically active state when it reaches a temperature above a maximum safe operating temperature of the compressed gas storage system. The electrically active state of the battery is characterized by the generation of sufficient electrical current to open the relief valve which permits gas to escape from the tank. In another embodiment, a thermocouple in combination with a conducting metal may be substituted for the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Christian Koenig
  • Patent number: 7731051
    Abstract: A tank for storing a compressed gas, such as hydrogen, that includes a connection assembly to increase seal integrity. The tank includes an inner gas tight liner and an outer support layer that provides the structural integrity. The connection assembly includes a boss positioned within an opening of the support layer. The inner liner includes a neck portion extending through an internal bore of the boss having an outer collar or flange at an outside surface of the boss. A tank valve is bolted to the boss at an outer perimeter of the collar where a portion of the tank valve extends through the neck portion of the liner and into the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Ingo Hermann
  • Publication number: 20100068561
    Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a product including a pressurized gas storage vessel shell including an interior surface and an exterior surface, a liner layer over the interior surface of the pressurized gas storage vessel, and a permeation protection layer over the liner layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Holger Eitel, Thorsten Michler, Angela Frohlich
  • Publication number: 20090229692
    Abstract: A product comprising a phase transfer valve, and wherein said phase transfer valve comprises an actuating valve housing having a housing interior; a liquid hydrogen inlet, a gaseous hydrogen inlet and a hydrogen outlet provided in said valve housing; an actuating valve slidably mounted in said housing interior; and wherein said actuating valve is moveable between a first position for sealing said gaseous hydrogen inlet from said hydrogen outlet and a second position for sealing said liquid hydrogen inlet from said hydrogen outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Dieter Kaimann
  • Patent number: 7553569
    Abstract: A fuel cell system utilizes at least one flow restricting device to vary the stoichiometric quantity of cathode reactant flowing to two discrete cathode sides of the fuel cell system. The varying of the stoichiometric quantity of cathode reactant can be between two predetermined values. The varying of the stoichiometric quantity can be during a steady state power demand placed on the system and/or during transients in a power demand placed on the system. The airmover that supplies the cathode reactant stream can be operated in a substantially continuous manner during a continuous power demand placed on the fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Inventors: Robert Schaefer, Rainer Pechtold, Thorsten Rohwer
  • Patent number: 7525072
    Abstract: A heated O-ring that has particular application for providing sealing in the connector region of a compressed hydrogen storage tank in a fuel cell system. In one embodiment, an electrical heating wire is wound through the O-ring so that resistive heating is provide by applying an electrical potential to the wire so that the temperature of the O-ring does not decrease below a predetermined temperature. In another embodiment, electrical heating elements are provided adjacent to and in contact with the O-ring, where an electrical potential applied to the heating elements causes the heating elements to maintain the temperature of the O-ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Rainer Pechtold, Thorsten Rohwer
  • Patent number: 7494023
    Abstract: A magnetic multi-layer insulation system for a cryogenic storage tank. The system includes multiple layers of insulation comprising a carrier support structure disposed between a first major surface of a magnetic material defining a north pole facing away from the carrier support structure, and a second and opposite major surface of a magnetic material defining a south pole facing away from the carrier support structure. A reflective surface, or metal foil, is disposed adjacent the magnetic poles to deflect radiation. The layers are repelled from one another without the use of spacers. In various embodiments, the magnetic material is a permanent magnet selected from the group consisting of Samarium-Cobalt, Alnico, Neodymium-Iron-Boron, an alloy of the Lanthanide group of elements, and mixtures and alloys thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Thorsten Rohwer
  • Publication number: 20070267062
    Abstract: A compressed gas storage system with an incorporated pressure relief device is disclosed. The compressed gas storage system comprises a tank for storing a compressed gas, a battery in the direct surroundings of the tank, and a relief valve in communication with the tank. The relief valve is configured to be responsive to electrical current generated by the battery. The battery is configured to define an electrically active state when it reaches a temperature above a maximum safe operating temperature of the compressed gas storage system The electrically active state of the battery is characterized by the generation of sufficient electrical current to open the relief valve which permits gas to escape from the tank. In another embodiment, a thermocouple in combination with a conducting metal may be substituted for the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Christian Koenig
  • Patent number: 7220513
    Abstract: A fuel cell with a gas diffusion media having a hydrophobic layer adjacent a flow field plate and a hydrophilic layer adjacent the membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell. The two layers enable balanced humidification of reactant gas along with a basis for managing capillary water addition into the gas diffusion media. The combination of balanced moisture flux (via the hydrophobic layer) and the retention of water (via the hydrophilic layer) for humidifying reactant gas sustains hydration of the proton exchange membrane while preserving the catalyst at full activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Thorsten Kels
  • Publication number: 20070015013
    Abstract: A heated O-ring that has particular application for providing sealing in the connector region of a compressed hydrogen storage tank in a fuel cell system. In one embodiment, an electrical heating wire is wound through the O-ring so that resistive heating is provide by applying an electrical potential to the wire so that the temperature of the O-ring does not decrease below a predetermined temperature. In another embodiment, electrical heating elements are provided adjacent to and in contact with the O-ring, where an electrical potential applied to the heating elements causes the heating elements to maintain the temperature of the O-ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Rainer Pechtold, Thorsten Rohwer
  • Publication number: 20070012551
    Abstract: A tank for storing a compressed gas, such as hydrogen, that includes a connection assembly to increase seal integrity. The tank includes an inner gas tight liner and an outer support layer that provides the structural integrity. The connection assembly includes a boss positioned within an opening of the support layer. The inner liner includes a neck portion extending through an internal bore of the boss having an outer collar or flange at an outside surface of the boss. A tank valve is bolted to the boss at an outer perimeter of the collar where a portion of the tank valve extends through the neck portion of the liner and into the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Thorsten Rohwer, Ingo Hermann
  • Publication number: 20060234093
    Abstract: A fuel cell system utilizes at least one flow restricting device to vary the stoichiometric quantity of cathode reactant flowing to two discrete cathode sides of the fuel cell system. The varying of the stoichiometric quantity of cathode reactant can be between two predetermined values. The varying of the stoichiometric quantity can be during a steady state power demand placed on the system and/or during transients in a power demand placed on the system. The airmover that supplies the cathode reactant stream can be operated in a substantially continuous manner during a continuous power demand placed on the fuel cell system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Robert Schaefer, Rainer Pechtold, Thorsten Rohwer
  • Publication number: 20060234103
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of adjacently stacked fuel cell modules each of which includes a plurality of adjacently aligned fuel cells that are connected in electrical series. The current flow between adjacent fuel cells is achieved across diffusion media of said adjacent fuel cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventor: Thorsten Rohwer