blank Quick help
blank Maintenance news

Scheduled maintenance

Regular maintenance outages:
between 05.00 and 05.15 hrs CET (Monday to Sunday).

Other outages
Availability

2022.02.11

More...
blank News flashes

News Flashes

Latvia joins the Federated Register
Click here for more information on the Federated Register.

2025-04-16

More...
blank Related links

Release notes
European Patent Register Assistant
European Patent Register Resource Book
European Patent Register – pocket guide
FAQ - European Patent Register
Federated Register (Flyer)
Global Dossier (Flyer)
Register events
Deep link coverage
Federated Register content
The Patent Information Tour
Fair use charter

Extract from the Register of European Patents

EP About this file: EP0338400

EP0338400 - Capacitive sensor for determining the liquid level in a container [Right-click to bookmark this link]
StatusOpposition rejected
Status updated on  15.05.1998
Database last updated on 30.04.2025
Most recent event   Tooltip30.11.2007Lapse of the patent in a contracting state
Updated state(s): FR		published on 02.01.2008  [2008/01]
Applicant(s)For all designated states
DODUCO GmbH
Im Altgefäll 12
75181 Pforzheim / DE
[1998/19]
Former [1997/21]For all designated states
DODUCO GMBH + Co Dr. Eugen Dürrwächter i.K.
Im Altgefäll 12
75181 Pforzheim / DE
Former [1989/43]For all designated states
DODUCO GMBH + Co Dr. Eugen Dürrwächter
Im Altgefäll 12
D-75181 Pforzheim / DE
Inventor(s)01 / Normann, Norbert, Dr. Dipl.-Phys.
Hauptstrasse 384
D-7532 Niefern-Öschelbronn 2 / DE
02 / Uhl, Günter, Dr. Dipl.-Ing.
Landhausstrasse 45
D-7267 Unterreichenbach / DE
[1989/43]
Representative(s)Twelmeier, Ulrich, et al
Twelmeier Mommer & Partner
Patent- und Rechtsanwälte mbB
Westliche Karl-Friedrich-Straße 56-68
75172 Pforzheim / DE
[N/P]
Former [1998/19]Twelmeier, Ulrich, Dipl. Phys., et al
porta patentanwälte Dipl.-Phys. U. Twelmeier Dr. techn. W. Leitner Westliche Karl-Friedrich-Str. 29-31
75172 Pforzheim / DE
Former [1989/43]Twelmeier, Ulrich, Dipl.Phys., et al
Westliche Karl-Friedrich-Strasse 29-31
D-75172 Pforzheim / DE
Application number, filing date89106489.112.04.1989
[1989/43]
Priority number, dateDE1988381268716.04.1988         Original published format: DE 3812687
[1989/43]
Filing languageDE
Procedural languageDE
PublicationType: A2 Application without search report 
No.:EP0338400
Date:25.10.1989
Language:DE
[1989/43]
Type: A3 Search report 
No.:EP0338400
Date:06.02.1991
Language:DE
[1991/06]
Type: B1 Patent specification 
No.:EP0338400
Date:10.08.1994
Language:DE
[1994/32]
Search report(s)(Supplementary) European search report - dispatched on:EP18.12.1990
ClassificationIPC:G01F23/26, G01F23/24
[1989/43]
CPC:
B60T17/225 (EP); G01F23/24 (EP); G01F23/263 (EP);
G01F23/266 (EP); G01N27/221 (EP)
Designated contracting statesDE,   ES,   FR,   GB,   IT,   SE [1989/43]
TitleGerman:Kapazitiver Sensor zum Bestimmen des Niveaus einer Flüssigkeit in einem Behälter[1989/43]
English:Capacitive sensor for determining the liquid level in a container[1989/43]
French:Capteur capacitif pour la détermination du niveau d'un liquide dans un réservoir[1989/43]
Examination procedure27.12.1990Examination requested  [1991/09]
20.03.1992Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M06)
30.09.1992Reply to a communication from the examining division
28.01.1993Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M04)
05.02.1993Despatch of a communication from the examining division (Time limit: M06)
16.08.1993Reply to a communication from the examining division
17.01.1994Despatch of communication of intention to grant (Approval: No)
03.02.1994Despatch of communication of intention to grant (Approval: later approval)
11.02.1994Communication of intention to grant the patent
02.04.1994Fee for grant paid
02.04.1994Fee for publishing/printing paid
Opposition(s)Opponent(s)01  05.05.1995  10.01.1996  ADMISSIBLE
VDO Adolf Schindling AG
Rüsselsheimer Strasse 22
D-60326 Frankfurt / DE
Opponent's representative
Rassler, Andrea
Mannesmann VDO AG Kruppstrasse 105
60388 Frankfurt / DE
 [N/P]
Former [1995/26]
Opponent(s)01  05.05.1995  10.01.1996  ADMISSIBLE
VDO Adolf Schindling AG
Rüsselsheimer Strasse 22
D-60326 Frankfurt / DE
Opponent's representative
Rassler, Andrea, Dipl.-Phys.
VDO Adolf Schindling AG Sodener Strasse 9
D-65824 Schwalbach / DE
20.06.1995Invitation to proprietor to file observations on the notice of opposition
03.01.1996Reply of patent proprietor to notice(s) of opposition
22.01.1998Legal effect of rejection of opposition [1998/27]
22.01.1998Date of oral proceedings
02.02.1998Despatch of minutes of oral proceedings
02.02.1998Date of despatch of rejection of opposition
Fees paidRenewal fee
04.02.1991Renewal fee patent year 03
27.02.1992Renewal fee patent year 04
11.03.1993Renewal fee patent year 05
29.04.1994Renewal fee patent year 06
Opt-out from the exclusive  Tooltip
competence of the Unified
Patent Court		 See the Register of the Unified Patent Court for opt-out data
Responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or quality of the data displayed under the link provided lies entirely with the Unified Patent Court.
Stay/Interruption31.08.1996Interruption of proceedings. Reason: legal prevention of applicant
24.06.1997Resumption of proceedings
Lapses during opposition  TooltipES10.08.1994
FR10.08.1994
GB10.08.1994
IT10.08.1994
SE10.11.1994
[2006/14]
Former [2002/24]ES10.08.1994
GB10.08.1994
IT10.08.1994
SE10.11.1994
FR06.01.1995
Former [1999/42]GB10.08.1994
IT10.08.1994
SE10.11.1994
FR06.01.1995
Former [1995/37]GB10.08.1994
SE10.11.1994
FR06.01.1995
Former [1995/34]SE10.11.1994
FR06.01.1995
Former [1995/29]SE10.11.1994
Documents cited:Search[AD]WO8504718  (FRAUNHOFER GES FORSCHUNG [DE]);
 [A]DE3322657  (VEGA GRIESHABER GMBH & CO [DE]);
 [A]NL7603909  (MATTHEUS GIJSBERTUS JOZEF ARTS);
 [A]NL6714416  ;
 [AD]DE2319008  (MAHNE FRIEDRICH);
 [APD]EP0271849  (DUERRWAECHTER E DR DODUCO [DE]);
 [AP]EP0288215  (SIMMONDS PRECISION PRODUCTS [US])
 [A]  - MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL. vol. 21, no. 1, Februar 1988, LONDON GB Seiten 15 - 19; N. WATMOUGH: "CAPACITANCE FOR LEVEL MEASUREMENT"
 [A]  - JOURNAL OF PHYSICS E. SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS. vol. 16, no. 9, September 1983, ISHING, BRISTOL GB Seiten 827 - 828; P.I. ROSS: "A WATER-LEVEL SENSOR USING A CAPACITANCE TO FREQUENCY CONVERTER"
The EPO accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of data originating from other authorities; in particular, it does not guarantee that it is complete, up to date or fit for specific purposes.