Patents by Inventor Tobias Erford

Tobias Erford 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: 20250104946
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a fast earthing switch including two contacts of which at least one contact is movable in relation to the other contact between a closed position, in which the contacts are connected, and an open position, in which the contacts are unconnected, a cylinder-like guiding tube in which the at least one movable contact forming a piston is slidably arranged for linearly moving between the closed position and the open position, whereby the guiding tube is closed at an upper end and/or at a thereto opposite lower end so that that the piston defines a first compression chamber with the upper end and/or a second compression chamber with the lower end for thereby decelerating movement of the piston when moving into the open position and/or into the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: David SAXL, Andrin HINDER, Jakub KORBEL, Tobias ERFORD
  • Patent number: 11004641
    Abstract: An electrical switch assembly includes a contact element to be moved towards a further contact element for generating an electrical connection; and a drive for moving the contact element; wherein the drive includes a plunger with a connection member interconnected with the contact element; wherein the plunger includes a mechanical structure with a top side to which the connection member is connection, and a bottom side opposite to the top side; wherein the drive includes a Thomas coil for moving the plunger via an electrically conducting top face, which is provided on the top side and an electrically conducting bottom face, which is provided on the bottom side. The mechanical structure includes at least one channel between the top side and the bottom side, the at least one channel extending transverse to a movement direction of the plunger. Furthermore, the mechanical structure fills less than 50% of a volume between the top side and the bottom side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Francisco Garcia-Ferre, Thomas Schmoelzer, Jacim Jacimovic, Lorenz Herrmann, Jakub Korbel, Tobias Erford, David Saxl
  • Publication number: 20190348242
    Abstract: An electrical switch assembly includes a contact element to be moved towards a further contact element for generating an electrical connection; and a drive for moving the contact element; wherein the drive includes a plunger with a connection member interconnected with the contact element; wherein the plunger includes a mechanical structure with a top side to which the connection member is connection, and a bottom side opposite to the top side; wherein the drive includes a Thomas coil for moving the plunger via an electrically conducting top face, which is provided on the top side and an electrically conducting bottom face, which is provided on the bottom side. The mechanical structure includes at least one channel between the top side and the bottom side, the at least one channel extending transverse to a movement direction of the plunger. Furthermore, the mechanical structure fills less than 50% of a volume between the top side and the bottom side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Francisco Garcia-Ferre, Thomas Schmoelzer, Jacim Jacimovic, Lorenz Herrmann, Jakub Korbel, Tobias Erford, David Saxl
  • Patent number: 10416198
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly of a gas-tight compartment and an optical voltage sensor that further comprises a module. The module comprises an electro-optic crystal and electrodes, wherein the electro-optic crystal is the only element of the module to mechanically connect the two electrodes and to bridge the potentials of the two electrodes. The assembly is particuarly suited to measure direct current voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Sergio Vincenzo Marchese, Xun Gu, Burak Büyükkavir, Klaus Bohnert, Tobias Erford
  • Publication number: 20180080958
    Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly of a gas-tight compartment and an optical voltage sensor that further comprises a module. The module comprises an electro-optic crystal and electrodes, wherein the electro-optic crystal is the only element of the module to mechanically connect the two electrodes and to bridge the potentials of the two electrodes. The assembly is particuarly suited to measure direct current voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Sergio Vincenzo Marchese, Xun Gu, Burak Büyükkavir, Klaus Bohnert, Tobias Erford
  • Patent number: 8779310
    Abstract: A switching device includes a switching element movable from a first position into a second position, a drive unit producing a rotary movement, and a flexible shaft transmitting the rotary movement to the switching element. The shaft has rotatable input and output sections on input- and output-drive sides, respectively. During movement of the shaft, a first rotary angle is producible at the output section, which first rotary angle is less than a second rotary angle at the input section at the same time, such that a first rotary angle shift is produced. The input section is connected to a switching position detection element having a control means with a first region which corresponds to the first position of the switching element and is coupled to the detection element. An identical indication of the detection element can be achieved in case of different rotary angle shifts in the same electrical switching state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Klaus Keim, Michael Mann, Tobias Erford, Daniel Kuhl, David Saxl, Peter Klonecki
  • Publication number: 20130186736
    Abstract: A switching device includes a switching element movable from a first position into a second position, a drive unit producing a rotary movement, and a flexible shaft transmitting the rotary movement to the switching element. The shaft has rotatable input and output sections on input- and output-drive sides, respectively. During movement of the shaft, a first rotary angle is producible at the output section, which first rotary angle is less than a second rotary angle at the input section at the same time, such that a first rotary angle shift is produced. The input section is connected to a switching position detection element having a control means with a first region which corresponds to the first position of the switching element and is coupled to the detection element. An identical indication of the detection element can be achieved in case of different rotary angle shifts in the same electrical switching state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Klaus Keim, Michael Mann, Tobias Erford, Daniel Kuhl, David Saxl, Peter Klonecki