Patents by Inventor Timo Stifel

Timo Stifel 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: 20140216382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in a combustion chamber of an engine by means of a corona discharge, said corona ignition device comprising an insulator, a center electrode, which is held in the insulator, a housing, in which the insulator is held, and coil turns, which are disposed in a cylindrical main part of the housing and are connected to the center electrode. According to an aspect of this disclosure, the housing widens on the side of the main part remote from the insulator and further coil turns are disposed there, in a wider housing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventors: Timo Stifel, Andreas Ehrhardt
  • Publication number: 20140211365
    Abstract: The invention relates to corona ignition device comprising a housing, an insulator surrounded by the housing, an inner conductor leading through the insulator to an ignition tip, and a coil connected to the inner conductor, the coil comprising an elongate coil former and a winding formed from wire wound onto the coil former, wherein the coil former comprises at least one indentation filled with adhesive, and the wire crosses the indention such that wire portions which are arranged above the indentation are adhesively bonded to the coil former by means of the adhesive arranged in the indentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventor: Timo Stifel
  • Patent number: 8767372
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by generating a corona discharge, comprising an insulator which carries a center electrode, a coil attached to the center electrode, the coil being wound onto a bobbin and enclosed by a tube housing. According to the invention, the coil tapers toward the insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: BorgWarner BERU Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Timo Stifel, Thomas Giffels, Axel Mueller
  • Publication number: 20140137845
    Abstract: The invention relates to a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by means of a corona discharge, comprising a central electrode, an insulator, into which the central electrode plugs, a housing, into which the insulator plugs, a bobbin, onto which a coil which is attached to the central electrode is wound, and a shield cap, which is plugged onto an end portion of the bobbin facing the insulator. According to the invention, a portion of the central electrode protrudes through a bottom of the shield cap, or a circumferential wall of the shield cap has one or more slots, or the shield cap has a circumferential wall, which protrudes only on one side beyond the bottom of the shield cap only on one side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Tom Achtstätter, Timo Stifel
  • Publication number: 20140123925
    Abstract: The invention relates to a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in a combustion chamber of an engine by means of a corona discharge, comprising an insulator, which has a continuous channel, a central electrode, which plugs into the channel of the insulator and leads to at least one ignition tip, a glass seal, which seals in the channel a gap between the central electrode and the insulator, and a housing, into which the insulator plugs. In accordance with the invention, the central electrode has a sealing face, which, together with a sealing face of the insulator, forms a seat, and an annular air gap that is open towards the ignition tip is provided in an end portion of the channel, facing the ignition tip, between the central electrode and the insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventor: Timo Stifel
  • Publication number: 20140116370
    Abstract: The invention relates to corona ignition device for igniting fuel in a combustion chamber of an engine by means of a corona discharge, comprising an insulator, a center electrode, which plugs into the insulator and carries an ignition head having a plurality of ignition needles, and a housing, into which the insulator plugs. In accordance with the invention, the ignition needles and the center electrode plug into the ignition head. The invention also relates to a method for producing an ignition head for a corona ignition device, wherein a green compact of the ignition head is produced by injection molding of metal powder, and the green compact is sintered whilst ignition needles and/or a center electrode plug thereinto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Timo Stifel, Helmut Müller
  • Publication number: 20140116369
    Abstract: The invention relates to a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in a combustion chamber of an engine by means of a corona discharge, comprising an insulator, a center electrode, which plugs into the insulator and carries an ignition head having a plurality of ignition tips, a coil, which is connected to the center electrode, and a housing, which surrounds the coil and into which the insulator plugs, wherein the ignition head has main body formed from sheet metal. In accordance with the invention, the ignition tips consist of a different material compared to the main body and are fastened to a side face of the main body. The invention also relates to an ignition head for such a corona ignition device and to a method for production thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Timo Stifel, Werner Niessner, Helmut Müller
  • Patent number: 8550048
    Abstract: What is described is a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by generating a corona discharge, said corona ignition device comprising a housing, an insulator, which is held in the housing, a center electrode, which is held in the insulator, and at least one ignition tip at an and of the center electrode. The housing surrounds an interior, which has a cylindrical portion in which a cylindrical portion of the insulator sits. A widened interior portion adjoins at the end of the cylindrical interior portion remote from the ignition peak. The insulator has a thinner portion in the widened interior portion. The cylindrical portion of the insulator carries an electrically conductive coating, which ends before the thinner portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: BorgWarner BERU Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Timo Stifel, Thomas Giffels
  • Publication number: 20130199484
    Abstract: What is described is a corona ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by generating a corona discharge, said corona ignition device comprising a housing, an insulator, which is held in the housing, a centre electrode, which is held in the insulator, and at least one ignition tip at an and of the centre electrode. The housing surrounds an interior, which has a cylindrical portion in which a cylindrical portion of the insulator sits. A widened interior portion adjoins at the end of the cylindrical interior portion remote from the ignition peak. The insulator has a thinner portion in the widened interior portion. The cylindrical portion of the insulator carries an electrically conductive coating, which ends before the thinner portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Timo Stifel, Thomas Giffels
  • Publication number: 20130155570
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by generating a corona discharge, comprising an insulator which carries a center electrode, a coil attached to the center electrode, the coil being wound onto a bobbin and enclosed by a tube housing. According to the invention, the coil tapers toward the insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Timo STIFEL, Thomas GIFFELS, Axel MUELLER
  • Patent number: 8217560
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by means of a corona discharge, comprising an ignition electrode, an outer conductor which surrounds the ignition electrode and has a forward end and a rear end, and an electrical insulator which is arranged between the ignition electrode and the outer conductor, wherein the insulator and the ignition electrode project beyond the forward end of the outer conductor in longitudinal direction and the ignition electrode comprises a plurality of electrode branches which each start from a base point, wherein the insulator extends beyond the base points in longitudinal direction. According to the invention an end surface of the electrode branches is uncovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: BorgWarner BERU Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Giffels, Timo Stifel, Steffen Bohne, Ganghuan Ruan, Helmut Mueller
  • Publication number: 20120056522
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ignition device for igniting fuel in an internal combustion engine by means of a corona discharge, comprising an ignition electrode, an outer conductor which surrounds the ignition electrode and has a forward end and a rear end, and an electrical insulator which is arranged between the ignition electrode and the outer conductor, wherein the insulator and the ignition electrode project beyond the forward end of the outer conductor in longitudinal direction and the ignition electrode comprises a plurality of electrode branches which each start from a base point, wherein the insulator extends beyond the base points in longitudinal direction. According to the invention an end surface of the electrode branches is uncovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Thomas GIFFELS, Timo STIFEL, Steffen BOHNE, Ganghuan RUAN, Helmut MUELLER
  • Publication number: 20120055434
    Abstract: An igniter for igniting a fuel-air-mixture in a combustion chamber, in particular in a combustion engine with one or several combustion chambers, by generating a high frequency corona discharge, said ignitiger comprising an assembly comprising an ignition electrode, an outer conductor surrounding the ignition electrode, which has a front end and a rear end, and an electrical insulator arranged between the ignition electrode and the outer conductor, wherein the ignition electrode is part of an electrical high-frequency resonant circuit, protrudes over the front end of the outer conductor, and is connected to an alternate current source or alternate voltage source which feeds the HF-resonant circuit, and delivers a high frequency alternate current or a high frequency alternate voltage, respectively. The ignition electrode is branched into more than four electrode branches extending away from the outer conductor, in different directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: BorgWarner BERU Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas GIFFELS, Timo Stifel, Steffen Bohne, Helmut Müller