Patents by Inventor Wolfram Knappe

Wolfram Knappe 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: 8410433
    Abstract: A cathode configuration for emission of electrons has a reaction zone connected to an entrance opening for the supply of neutral particles. The opening communicates with the cathode configuration for the ionization of the neutral particles and an ion extraction system communicates with the reaction zone. Ions from the extraction system are sent to a detection system and a mechanism for the evacuation of the mass spectrometer arrangement. The cathode configuration includes a field emission cathode with an emitter surface, wherein at a short distance from this emitter surface, an extraction grid is disposed for the extraction of electrons, which grid substantially covers the emitter surface. The emitter surface encompasses herein at least partially a hollow volume such that a tubular structure is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: INFICON GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Wuest, Wolfram Knapp
  • Patent number: 8071941
    Abstract: A cathode configuration for emission of electrons has a reaction zone connected to an entrance opening for the supply of neutral particles. The opening communicates with the cathode configuration for the ionization of the neutral particles and an ion extraction system communicates with the reaction zone. Ions from the extraction system are sent to a detection system and a mechanism for the evacuation of the mass spectrometer arrangement. The cathode configuration includes a field emission cathode with an emitter surface, wherein at a short distance from this emitter surface, an extraction grid is disposed for the extraction of electrons, which grid substantially covers the emitter surface. The emitter surface encompasses herein at least partially a hollow volume such that a tubular structure is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Wüest, Wolfram Knapp
  • Publication number: 20110291005
    Abstract: A cathode configuration for emission of electrons has a reaction zone connected to an entrance opening for the supply of neutral particles. The opening communicates with the cathode configuration for the ionization of the neutral particles and an ion extraction system communicates with the reaction zone. Ions from the extraction system are sent to a detection system and a mechanism for the evacuation of the mass spectrometer arrangement. The cathode configuration includes a field emission cathode with an emitter surface, wherein at a short distance from this emitter surface, an extraction grid is disposed for the extraction of electrons, which grid substantially covers the emitter surface. The emitter surface encompasses herein at least partially a hollow volume such that a tubular structure is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: INFICON GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Wüest, Wolfram Knapp
  • Patent number: 8018234
    Abstract: A vacuum pressure measuring device with an electron source has a reaction zone for forming ions by impact ionization, wherein the electron source communicates with the reaction zone via a passage for the electrons. The electron source is surrounded by an insulating housing with a vacuum chamber, and a partition part is designed as a membrane carrier, carrying a nanomembrane at least in one section, the membrane separating the vacuum chamber from the outer region in a gastight manner and being at least partially designed to be electron-permeable. The vacuum chamber has a cathode for the emission of electrons. In the region of and/or on the nanomembrane, an anode arrangement is provided such that electrons are conducted against the nanomembrane and at least partially through it. The nanomembrane abuts the vacuum chamber of the vacuum pressure measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Knapp, Martin Wüest
  • Publication number: 20100176293
    Abstract: A cathode configuration for emission of electrons has a reaction zone connected to an entrance opening for the supply of neutral particles. The opening communicates with the cathode configuration for the ionization of the neutral particles and an ion extraction system communicates with the reaction zone. Ions from the extraction system are sent to a detection system and a mechanism for the evacuation of the mass spectrometer arrangement. The cathode configuration includes a field emission cathode with an emitter surface, wherein at a short distance from this emitter surface, an extraction grid is disposed for the extraction of electrons, which grid substantially covers the emitter surface. The emitter surface encompasses herein at least partially a hollow volume such that a tubular structure is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Martin Wüest, Wolfram Knapp
  • Publication number: 20100066380
    Abstract: A vacuum pressure measuring device with an electron source has a reaction zone for forming ions by impact ionization, wherein the electron source communicates with the reaction zone via a passage for the electrons. The electron source is surrounded by an insulating housing with a vacuum chamber, and a partition part is designed as a membrane carrier, carrying a nanomembrane at least in one section, the membrane separating the vacuum chamber from the outer region in a gastight manner and being at least partially designed to be electron-permeable. The vacuum chamber has a cathode for the emission of electrons. In the region of and/or on the nanomembrane, an anode arrangement is provided such that electrons are conducted against the nanomembrane and at least partially through it. The nanomembrane abuts the vacuum chamber of the vacuum pressure measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Wolfram Knapp, Martin Wüest
  • Patent number: 7352187
    Abstract: An electron-emitting cathode consists of an electrically conducting emitter layer attached to a side wall which consists of stainless steel and a gate which is fixed at a mall distance inside a concave emitter surface of the emitter layer. The cathode surrounds a reaction area containing a cylindrical grid-like anode and a central ion collector which consists of a straight axial filament. An ion collector current reflecting the density of the gas in the reaction region is measured by a current meter while a gate voltage is kept between the ground voltage of the emitter layer and a higher anode voltage and is regulated in such a way that an anode current is kept constant. The emitter layer may consists of carbon nanotubes, diamond-like carbon, a metal or a mixture of metals or a semiconductor material, e.g., silicon which may be coated, e.g., with carbide or molybdenum. The emitter surface can, however, also be a portion of the inside surface of the side wall roughened by, e.g., chemical etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Inficon GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Knapp, Martin Wuest
  • Publication number: 20060202701
    Abstract: An electron-emitting cathode consists of an electrically conducting emitter layer attached to a side wall which consists of stainless steel and a gate which is fixed at a mall distance inside a concave emitter surface of the emitter layer. The cathode surrounds a reaction area containing a cylindrical grid-like anode and a central ion collector which consists of a straight axial filament. An ion collector current reflecting the density of the gas in the reaction region is measured by a current meter while a gate voltage is kept between the ground voltage of the emitter layer and a higher anode voltage and is regulated in such a way that an anode current is kept constant. The emitter layer may consists of carbon nanotubes, diamond-like carbon, a metal or a mixture of metals or a semiconductor material, e.g., silicon which may be coated, e.g., with carbide or molybdenum. The emitter surface can, however, also be a portion of the inside surface of the side wall roughened by, e.g., chemical etching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Applicant: INFICON GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfram Knapp, Martin Wuest
  • Patent number: 5565721
    Abstract: A holder for mounting a magnet wheel which consists of a brittle magnet body, in a simple manner, firmly onto the rotor shaft of an electromotive drive. The magnet body is placed, with a sliding seat, and in a merely self-centering manner, onto the rotor shaft and is then axially and tangentially fixed in position on the rotor shaft with a holding part. The holding part is arranged in front of the magnet body and is pushed, with a force fit, onto the motor shaft. The holding part is connected, in form-locked manner, with the magnet body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Wolfram Knappe
  • Patent number: 5410921
    Abstract: A universal window-actuator drive unit capable of use with either a cable pulley window-actuator or an arm-scissors type window-actuator. A worm shaft extends from a driving motor and is rotatably coupled to a worm gear. The worm gear is coupled in a rotational-slave relationship to a driving disk, and both the worm gear and the driving disk are rotatably supported on a gear housing shaft. At its end opposite the driving disk, the gear housing shaft includes an actuator shaft collar concentrically surrounding the gear housing shaft and having a grooved toothing about its inner circumference. This inner grooved toothing enables the window-actuator drive unit to be coupled to either a drive pinion of an arm-scissor type window actuator or a cable pulley of a cable pulley window actuator, each of which include couplings having an outer grooved toothing corresponding to the inner grooved toothing of the actuator shaft collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rolf Deynet, Wolfram Knappe, Peter Michel
  • Patent number: 5215312
    Abstract: A pressure equalizing membrane made of gas permeable, water impermeable polytetrafluoroethlyene is preassembled to a retaining ring and the ring retained within a housing wall with a watertight seal. Either a one or two part retaining ring is used as a holder for the PTFE membrane. The retaining ring is provided with at least one circumferential elastic sealing lip about its periphery for providing a press fit of the membrane and retaining ring assembly into the housing wall opening, and for providing a watertight seal about the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfram Knappe, Peter Michel
  • Patent number: 5095766
    Abstract: A window-actuator drive unit includes a driving disk, which is rotatably supported on an axle of the gear housing. The driving disk is placed in a rotational-slave relationship with the worm gear of a reduction gearing which is connected on the load side to an electric drive motor. The driving disk is connected to the worm gear by way of a damping separator and on its unattached end is a shaft collar which has outer teeth used for an interlocking, rotational-slave relationship either with a cable pulley of a cable window actuator or the driving pinion of an arm or scissors-type window-actuator. The inner teeth of both the cable pulley and the driving pinion correspond to the outer teeth of the shaft collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfram Knappe, Peter Adam, Peter Michel
  • Patent number: 5040430
    Abstract: In order to produce a window-actuator drive having assembly and service friendliness, particularly by providing a design which enables the gearbox unit to be easily exchanged, the drive is designed as two functionally separate units. A gear housing, a worm gear, and a housing cover which is sealed off from them both makes up a first unit. A cable housing with a cable pulley makes up a second unit. The subassemblies of the first and second unit can be assembled by means of notched, snap-fit connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Adam, Wolfram Knappe, Peter Michel
  • Patent number: 4899608
    Abstract: In a gear arrangement whose output shaft (5) is rotatably mounted in a gear box (6) and which corotates by means of a dog plate (3) via an axially interposed cushioning disk (2) with a gear (4) driven by a worm shaft (7) and, further, which output shaft is axially supported directly and/or indirectly, via the cushioning disk (2) and the gear (4), by the gear box (6), it is intended to provide, despite design related axial length tolerances, a tolerance play compensation in a manner which is considerably simplified from a production and assembly engineering viewpoint. Towards this end, the elastic cushioning disk (2) is provided with axially projecting spring lips (21 to 23), distributed over its circumference, for the development of a defined preloading pressure upon the components supported by the gear box (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfram Knappe, Alfred Kummel
  • Patent number: 4643040
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to develop an easily fabricated and assembled gear train arrangement, specifically a worm gear arrangement, which requires only a low overall height and at the same time assures operating reliability under extreme temperature ranges for application is motorized vehicle accessory drives such as power window lifts, wherein an output shaft mounted in a gear housing is linked in an elastic, slightly rotating connection to a worm wheel by way of a catch plate fastened to the output shaft, with the worm wheel being driven by a worm gear drive shaft which penetrates into the gear housing. In accordance with this invention the catch plate is designed as a single-piece plastic injection molding mounted onto the output shaft, with a first bearing bushing to mount the output shaft in the gear housing and a second bearing bushing mounted concentrically to the first bearing bushing to mount the worm wheel on the catch plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Adam, Wolfram Knappe