Patents by Inventor Gerhard Thorwart

Gerhard Thorwart 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: 10256696
    Abstract: An electrically actuated rotary drive device which has a gear casing with an electrical drive motor mounted at its rear side and on which is rotatably mounted an output member in driving connection with the drive motor. The driving connection is realized by gearing means provided in the gear casing and containing a driven gear fitted to the output member, in the form of a ring gear with internal tooth system, and a drive pinion belonging to the drive motor and with an external gear teeth system. The drive pinion extends into the ring gear, inside the gear casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Gerhard Thorwart
  • Patent number: 9399916
    Abstract: A fluid-actuated rotary drive device is provided, with a housing (2) in which is formed a working chamber (3), in which is a swivel piston (18) able to swivel around a central axis (5). Also fitted or able to be fitted in the working chamber (3) is a space divider and stop unit (38), comprised of a space divider element (24) and at least one stop element (42) fixed to the former. The components of the space divider and stop unit (38) are fitted to one another by snap-in connection, so that the space divider and stop unit (38) is easy to handle during its installation in the working chamber (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Thorwart, Ulrich Hohl, Frank Menikheim
  • Publication number: 20160053856
    Abstract: An electrically actuated rotary drive device which has a gear casing with an electrical drive motor mounted at its rear side and on which is rotatably mounted an output member in driving connection with the drive motor. The driving connection is realised by gearing means provided in the gear casing and containing a driven gear fitted to the output member, in the form of a ring gear with internal tooth system, and a drive pinion belonging to the drive motor and with an external gear teeth system. The drive pinion extends into the ring gear, inside the gear casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: Festo AG & KG
    Inventor: Gerhard Thorwart
  • Publication number: 20130309115
    Abstract: A fluid-actuated rotary drive device is provided, with a housing (2) in which is formed a working chamber (3), in which is a swivel piston (18) able to swivel around a central axis (5). Also fitted or able to be fitted in the working chamber (3) is a space divider and stop unit (38), comprised of a space divider element (24) and at least one stop element (42) fixed to the former. The components of the space divider and stop unit (38) are fitted to one another by snap-in connection, so that the space divider and stop unit (38) is easy to handle during its installation in the working chamber (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Thorwart, Ulrich Hohl, Frank Menikheim
  • Patent number: 8443684
    Abstract: The subject is a rotary drive device (1), which has a device housing (7) in which drive means (2) are disposed that are in driving communication with a rotatably supported power takeoff part (4). The power takeoff part (4) has a power takeoff disc (5) that is received at least partly in a bearing receptacle (25) of the device housing (7), the power takeoff disc being surrounded by an annular roller bearing unit (33). The roller bearing unit has a bearing assembly (34) with rolling elements (35) and with one inner and one outer running surface arrangement (37, 38), and the entire bearing assembly (34) is disposed inside the bearing receptacle (25) and is surrounded radially outward by a boundary wall portion (27) of the device housing (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Thorwart, Rainer Armbruster
  • Publication number: 20110265585
    Abstract: The subject is a rotary drive device (1), which has a device housing (7) in which drive means (2) are disposed that are in driving communication with a rotatably supported power takeoff part (4). The power takeoff part (4) has a power takeoff disc (5) that is received at least partly in a bearing receptacle (25) of the device housing (7), the power takeoff disc being surrounded by an annular roller bearing unit (33). The roller bearing unit has a bearing assembly (34) with rolling elements (35) and with one inner and one outer running surface arrangement (37, 38), and the entire bearing assembly (34) is disposed inside the bearing receptacle (25) and is surrounded radially outward by a boundary wall portion (27) of the device housing (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Thorwart, Rainer Armbruster
  • Patent number: 7739944
    Abstract: A fluid operated rotary drive comprises a drive housing (2) and an output shaft (4) able to be caused to oscillate in relation to it and having a pivotal abutment arranged on it which cooperates with a counter abutment (34 and 35). The pivotal abutment is able to be positioned about the longitudinal axis (8) of the output shaft (4) in different abutment settings and is able to be clamped in a releasable manner respectively against a clamping face (56) on the housing by means of a clamping means (53).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Ante, Gerhard Thorwart
  • Publication number: 20090205486
    Abstract: A fluid operated rotary drive comprises a drive housing (2) and an output shaft (4) able to be caused to oscillate in relation to it and having a pivotal abutment arranged on it which cooperates with a counter abutment (34 and 35). The pivotal abutment is able to be positioned about the longitudinal axis (8) of the output shaft (4) in different abutment settings and is able to be clamped in a releasable manner respectively against a clamping face (56) on the housing by means of a clamping means (53).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Christian Ante, Gerhard Thorwart
  • Patent number: 7018160
    Abstract: A handling device for repositioning parts having a pivot arm able to be pivoted about a first pivot axis and a handling part adapted to bear a gripper and able to be pivoted with respect to a second pivot axis. The handling part is furthermore carried so that it may be radially moved in relation to the second pivot axis and cooperate by way of a cam follower with a path setting cam having two linear terminal sections. During operation of the device the handling part may move along a handling path, which has two linear terminal sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Feyrer, Gerhard Thorwart, Rainer Armbruster
  • Patent number: 6851917
    Abstract: A manipulator device for the repositioning of parts having at least one pivot arm able to be driven to perform an oscillating pivotal movement about a pivot axis, such pivot arm so acting during the pivotal movement on a gripper carrier serving for carrying a gripper that the gripper carrier is shifted in position without changing its alignment in space along a predetermined manipulation path. The gripper carrier is connected with a cam follower, engaging a path cam defining the desired course of the manipulation path and extending some distance about the pivot axis. Furthermore, in order to move along a manipulation path at least partially departing from a circular path, the gripper carrier is movably arranged in relation to the pivot axis in a direction which is radial with respect to such radial direction so that it may perform a radial movement combined with the orbital movement about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co.
    Inventors: Thomas Feyrer, Gerhard Thorwart, Heini Wilhelm Eisele
  • Publication number: 20040197182
    Abstract: A handling device for repositioning parts having a pivot arm able to be pivoted about a first pivot axis and a handling part adapted to bear a gripper and able to be pivoted with respect to a second pivot axis. The handling part is furthermore carried so that it may be radially moved in relation to the second pivot axis and cooperate by way of a cam follower with a path setting cam having two linear terminal sections. During operation of the device the handling part may move along a handling path, which has two linear terminal sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: FESTO AG & CO.
    Inventors: Thomas Feyrer, Gerhard Thorwart, Rainer Armbruster
  • Publication number: 20030049103
    Abstract: A manipulator device for the repositioning of parts having at least one pivot arm (15) able to be driven to perform an oscillating pivotal movement about a pivot axis (16), such pivot arm (15) so acting during the pivotal movement on a gripper carrier (6) serving for carrying a gripper (7) that the gripper carrier (6) is shifted in position without changing its alignment in space along a predetermined manipulation path (5). The gripper carrier (6) is connected with a cam follower (35), engaging a path cam (36) defining the desired course of the manipulation path (5) and extending some distance about the pivot axis (16). Furthermore, in order to move along a manipulation path (5) at least partially departing from a circular path, the gripper carrier (6) is movably arranged in relation to the pivot axis (16) in a direction which is radial with respect to such radial direction so that it may perform a radial movement combined with the orbital movement about the pivot axis (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas Feyrer, Gerhard Thorwart, Heini Wilhelm Eisele
  • Patent number: 6098517
    Abstract: A rotary linear unit possesses a rotary drive and a linear drive. A bearing rod is connected with the drive shaft of the rotary drive, such bearing rod extending coaxially into the output drive unit of the linear drive. On the bearing rod a bearing sleeve is mounted so that it may not rotate while being axially displaceable, such sleeve being fixedly connected with the piston of the linear drive. The piston is divided into two axially sequential piston parts, between which the bearing sleeve is located, which extends into facing receiving recesses in the piston parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co
    Inventors: Gerhard Thorwart, Albrecht Wagner
  • Patent number: 5732613
    Abstract: A fluid operated rotary drive, which possesses a drive means having an output drive shaft able to be driven for oscillating motion. On one axial side of the drive means a position detection means is arranged, which possesses an actuating member connected with the output drive shaft and which on rotary motion of the output drive shaft performs an oscillating movement about a pivot axis. The actuating member cooperates with sensors, which may be set on holders. Each holder is arranged on its own setting ring, such setting rings being arranged coaxially in relation to each other with the holders extending away from the drive means. The setting rings are able to be turned in relation to one another and furthermore in relation to the housing for setting the positions to be detected and may be fixed in the settings made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Festo KG
    Inventors: Kurt Stoll, Gerhard Thorwart, Albrecht Wagner