Patents Assigned to Igus GmbH
  • Patent number: 11955784
    Abstract: An energy guiding chain (1) includes at least one detection unit (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 120) for detecting wear on at least one chain link. The detection unit (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 120) according to one embodiment includes a first electric component (11, 41, 51, 121) on a first chain link and a second electric component (12, 42, 52, 122), which is provided on an adjacent second chain link connected to the first chain link in an articulated manner. The first and second electric components interact in a contactless manner, for example in an inductive, magnetic, or capacitive manner, in order to change the coupling in the event of radial and/or axial play in the joint connection between the chain links due to wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: igus GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Habering, Sebastian Krista, Konstantin Schmer
  • Patent number: 11927245
    Abstract: An energy chain comprising rollers on a number of chain links of the upper strand and/or of the lower strand. The rollers project, at least to a slight extent, beyond narrow sides of the lateral plates in the direction of the respectively opposite strand, in order to allow for rolling action when the energy chain is displaced. The invention provides for the rollers to comprise a wheel body made of plastic and having a hub, a rim and a radial region, which connects the hub and rim. The material thickness of the radial region is reduced in comparison with the rim such that radial impacts during the course of the rolling action can be damped by elastic deformability of the radial region of the roller itself. This significantly reduces the development of noise and vibration caused by rollers located opposite one another coming into contact with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Strack, Andreas Hermey
  • Patent number: 11865712
    Abstract: An arm joint for a manipulator having a motor with a transmission, comprising a gear wheel that can rotate about a transmission axis of rotation, wherein the gear wheel is rotatably mounted in a housing of the arm joint and has an adapter on at least one of its end sides, and wherein the adapter has an opening that is central relative to the transmission axis of rotation on the side facing away from the end side of the gear wheel The central opening has an internal thread for the purpose of a simple construction, easy assembly and a great number of variation possibilities in terms of construction and application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Raak, Felix Berger
  • Patent number: 11838071
    Abstract: A monitoring system is proposed for monitoring the state of a cable which is routed through a cable routing device or an energy chain. A monitoring apparatus (10; 20; 30) is provided for this purpose and has an evaluation unit which determines information relating to the state of the cable to be monitored. The invention provides for the monitoring apparatus to comprise a first data communication device (11) with a data communication interface and a second data communication device (12; 12?) with a data communication interface. These devices (11,12) are configured for data communication according to a digital data transmission protocol and are connected by means of the interfaces thereof via the cable (13; I3A; I3B) to be monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: igus GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Habering, Sebastian Krista
  • Patent number: 11824333
    Abstract: Monitoring systems for energy chains which guide lines, and which are displaceable along a displacement path and thereby form a movable strand, a stationary strand, and a deflection arc therebetween. According to a first aspect, one or multiple sensors are arranged stationary and form a detection path along the displacement path of the energy chain, in order to react to an approaching and/or contact of the energy chain. According to a second aspect, a plurality of sensor modules are distributed along the energy chain. In this case, each sensor module has a measurand detector and a communication unit for transmitting outputs to an evaluation unit. The first and the second aspect allow function monitoring, for example for the purpose of a safety shutdown. According to a third aspect, a sensor module is arranged on the driver-side end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Thilo-Alexander Jaeker, Dominik Barten, Richard Habering, Konstantin Schmer
  • Patent number: 11811154
    Abstract: A protective cable conduit for lines in a clean room application, with a flexible encasement which is movable back and forth for routing a line. Each receptacle extends in channel-like fashion from a first end to a second end. The encasement comprises at least one encasing unit, which forms the at least one receptacle for a line. The encasing unit has a first fastening strip on one longitudinal side and a second fastening strip on the other longitudinal side. The first and the second fastening strip are designed for releasable connection by interlocking engagement and/or frictional engagement, for example with a cooperating hook profile and claw profile, and are connectable to one another in a connection direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. A plurality of encasing units can thus be fastened to one another releasably using mating fastening strips by connecting the fastening strips in a connection direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Dominik Barten
  • Patent number: 11799277
    Abstract: A fastening part for fastening a cable carrier to a component, said fastening part comprising: a foot web which can be arranged on a component so as to extend in the peripheral direction thereof and has holding means in its end regions for a first fastening element for fastening the fastening part to the component; and a fastening web which extends in the direction of the foot web and which has multiple fastening means for fastening a differently designed second fastening element for fastening a cable carrier to the fastening part; wherein the foot web and the fastening web are connected to one another in their central region via a connecting element, and side regions of the fastening web extending beyond the connecting element have at least some of the fastening means as first fastening means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf Steeger, Joerg Ottersbach
  • Patent number: 11774006
    Abstract: A line routing device for guiding a plurality of lines, such as cables, hoses, or the like, particularly for hanging applications, such as supplying a vertically traveling power head of a drill. The line routing device has a flexible carrying strand and a plurality of guide bodies arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the carrying strand. According to the invention, adjacent guide bodies can be deflected spatially toward each other and each guide body has a central part having a center axis, which extends coaxially to the carrying strand, and an outer part having at least one circumferential element. The outer part delimits a receiving region, which is open in the axial direction, for the lines, radially to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Dominik Barten, Harald Nehrign
  • Patent number: 11761514
    Abstract: A line guide device for lines in a clean room application, comprising an elongate, flexible envelope which is displaceable to-and-fro between a first connection point and a second connection point movable relative thereto, forming a deflection arc between two runs. The envelope has at least one undoable and reclosable connection region, for insertion or removal of a line when the connection region is open. The envelope, when closed, surrounds in dust-tight manner an inner space for accommodating one or more lines. A functional material is provided within the envelope to reduce the number of free particles in the inner space. The functional material may retain operationally released particles in the inner space and/or counteract the operational release of particles in the inner space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Dominik Barten
  • Patent number: 11698313
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the state of a cable, which is guided in an energy chain between a base and a movable driver element. The movable energy chain forms a movable run at a driver element, a resting run at a base and, between the two runs, a deflecting bend. A monitoring device having at least one indicating element at the energy chain evaluates an indicating-element signal and monitors whether an error state occurs. The indicating element has two electrical indicating conductors guided by the energy chain, which indicating conductors extend along the movable run, and the monitoring device comprises a measuring circuit for resistance measurement or conductance measurement. One end point of each indicating conductor is connected to the measuring circuit and the other end points of the indicating conductors are short circuited such that the indicating conductors form a measurement loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventor: Sebastian Krista
  • Patent number: 11692611
    Abstract: A chain link for an energy guide chain. The chain link has two link plates, and at least one pivotal transverse web, which connects the link plates together in an articulated manner and which can be converted into a closed position that connects the link plates together and into an open position that at least partly releases the link plate intermediate space. At least one pivotally designed end region of the transverse web can be secured to the link plate in a latching manner. The articulated connection between the transverse web and the link plate has a substantially cylindrical joint pin with a radius (R1) over at least one part of the circumference of the pin on one of the corresponding components consisting of the transverse web and the chain link and a substantially cylindrical pin receiving area on the other of the two corresponding components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg Dommnik, Stefan Strack, Thilo-Alexander Jaeker, Andreas Hermey
  • Patent number: 11635127
    Abstract: In a spindle gear mechanism (1) having a spindle component (2) with a spindle thread (21) which has a pitch which alters over a longitudinal axis of the spindle component (2), and having a threaded component (3) which engages in the spindle thread (21), wherein the two components (2; 3) can be displaced relative to one another in relation to the longitudinal axis (1) of the spindle component (2), provision is made, for the purpose of straightforward production capability and suitability for a large number of applications, for the threaded component (3) to have at least one freely movable threaded element (4) which engages in the spindle thread (21) and, during operation, adapts automatically to the pitch of the spindle thread (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: igus GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Niermann, Sebastian Polle
  • Patent number: 11608875
    Abstract: A high-speed stroke-type moving device for an elongate flexible body having at least one supply line. The device has a guideway for guided displacement of the body, having a spiral portion, in which at least part of the body is compactly accommodatable in a plurality of spaced tracks which are not in mutual contact and extend substantially spirally inwards. The invention provides that the body has a line guideway for the at least one supply line. According to the invention, the line guideway here has a first sub-portion which is guided in the spiral portion and an unguided second sub-portion having a first end which is connected at the end to the first sub-portion and a second end which is connected at the end to a rotary feedthrough for the at least one supply line. A corresponding device having an energy chain is furthermore disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventor: Georg Theiss
  • Patent number: 11600981
    Abstract: A tension relief for a cable carrier. A multi-part holding frame comprising bars which are connected by side parts holds block-like spacers, between which a plurality of lines, such as cables, hoses or the like, are laid. In order to exert a clamping force by the holding frame on the spacers for the purpose of strain relief, a quickly closable device is provided. A quick release clamp can be provided, which in the closed position clamps the side parts and/or the bars to one another. According to the invention, the two side parts are mounted pivotably on the lower strip and are fastened releasably to the first bar, for example by screws or the quick release clamp. Each side part can thus be pivoted from the closed position into an open position and vice versa in order to release and clamp the lines respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Ralf Steeger, Thilo-Alexander Jaeker, Bilal Yilmaz
  • Patent number: 11566685
    Abstract: A dynamic line guiding system for high speeds and/or long displacement paths, with an energy chain arranged as lying on the side, which chain, in the configuration of a first strand, a second strand, as well as a deflection curve, is displaceable back and forth. The energy chain is guided in a guide trough with two laterally-opposite side walls and a trough floor therebetween, wherein each strand is respectively displaceable with a lateral surface on a respective bearing surface on the trough floor, and is held, relative to the outside, by means of one of the two side walls. It is provided that the trough floor comprises at least one bearing surface with a step or a ramp, which counteracts a deviation of the first strand out of its intended target location on the respective bearing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Thilo-Alexander Jaeker
  • Patent number: 11530734
    Abstract: A cable carrier for accommodating and guiding cables, comprising parallel first link strands of opposing first links which are connected to each other by means of first cross stays, wherein outside at least one first link strand and parallel to this a second link strand of second links is arranged, which are opposite the first links of the adjacent first link strand and of which at least some are connected by way of second cross stays to the opposite first links, and wherein, between at least some of the opposing first and second links, rollers are arranged which project beyond the first and second links on at least one side of the cable carrier perpendicular to the first and second cross stays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Philip Howold, Sean McCaskill
  • Patent number: 11530719
    Abstract: A plastic sliding component for mounting without lubricant in a sliding bearing is proposed, having a moulded part which is manufactured from plastic and has a sliding face for movably guiding two bearing parts relative to one another. An electric function circuit with a sensor function for acquiring an operating parameter is arranged on the moulded part. The invention proposes that the function circuit comprises at least one conductor track structure which is formed on the moulded part as a carrier of the conductor track structure. The function circuit can preferably be applied to the prefabricated moulded part, which is made of plastic, by means of an additive fabrication method (AM method).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Niermann, Stefan Loockmann-Rittich
  • Patent number: 11472303
    Abstract: An electrical multi-conductor cable comprising a plug-in connector, in particular a line with a charging plug for electric vehicles. The cable has a central cable core, a number of conductors which are arranged concentrically in relation to one another in a ring around the cable core and are composed of individual wires, and in each case one insulation between the conductors. According to the invention, the contact apparatus has two clamping shell parts which, on the inner side thereof, have a plurality of receptacles which are radially stepped from one another. In each case one contact body is received in the receptacles of a clamping shell part and makes contact with one of the concentric conductors. Each contact body has a channel shape with a longitudinal extent and a curved cross-sectional profile around an associated conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventor: Richard Habering
  • Patent number: 11462893
    Abstract: A cable-routing device, the members of which have central joint bodies for articulation to one another, which comprise a joint head and a joint socket. The joint head has an axial region in which the cross-section thereof has a peripheral geometry with at least two corner points and lateral lines which connect the latter to one another, the lateral lines which meet at a corner point forming an internal angle of less than 180°, and the joint socket has a receiving region which geometrically corresponds to the axial region of the joint head and into which the joint head can lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Thilo-Alexander Jaeker, Andreas Hermey
  • Patent number: 11460091
    Abstract: An energy guiding chain and side part therefore are proposed. In energy guiding chains, the pivotability of connected chain links against each other is typically limited by cooperating abutments with abutment surfaces arranged on the side parts. The invention concerns elastically deformable damping elements which dampen the abutting motion of the areas between the abutments and the abutment surfaces. In accordance with the invention, at least some abutments have a damping bow which is convexly curved in the direction of the respective other abutment surface and behind which a free space is provided, both ends of the damping bow being firmly connected to the respective abutment in the manner of an arched bridge. Furthermore, the damping bow is connected in one piece to the inner wall of the respective side part facing the inner guide channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Thilo-Alexander Jaeker, Joerg Dommnik