Patents by Inventor Nathan J. Herbst

Nathan J. Herbst 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: 20240075578
    Abstract: A disc changing system for a robotic defect repair system is presented. The system has a first abrasive disc and a second abrasive disc. The first and second abrasive discs are coupled to a liner. The system includes an abrasive disc placement device configured to automatically: remove the first abrasive disc from the liner, transport the first abrasive disc to a robotic tool of the robotic defect repair system, and place the first abrasive disc on a backup pad coupled to the robotic tool. The system also includes an abrasive disc remover configured to automatically remove the first abrasive disc after receiving a removal signal. The system also includes a controller configured to send an instruction to the disc placement device to remove, transport and place the first abrasive disc, instruct the robotic tool to conduct an abrasive operation. The controller is also configured to send the removal signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Mark W. Orlando, Nathan J. Herbst, Christie L. Vitale, Marc Eberwein, Brett R. Hemes, Jonathan B. Arthur, Thomas J. Strey
  • Publication number: 20240051082
    Abstract: A sanding system is presented that includes a tool with a motor which, when actuated, drives movement of a drive shaft. The system also includes a backup pad coupled to the drive shaft. The backup pad is configured to receive an abrasive article. Movement of the drive shaft causes movement of the abrasive article. The system also includes a compliant damping unit configured to provide variable compliance for the tool when the abrasive article contacting a worksurface. The system also includes an electronic controller that receives a system operating condition and sends a signal to the compliant damping unit based on the system operating condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Joseph B. Eckel, Orlin B. Knudson, Erin D. Spring, Nathan J. Herbst, Rufus C. Sanders
  • Patent number: 11850695
    Abstract: A disc changing system for a robotic defect repair system is presented. The system has a first abrasive disc and a second abrasive disc. The first and second abrasive discs are coupled to a liner. The system includes an abrasive disc placement device configured to automatically: remove the first abrasive disc from the liner, transport the first abrasive disc to a robotic tool of the robotic defect repair system, and place the first abrasive disc on a backup pad coupled to the robotic tool. The system also includes an abrasive disc remover configured to automatically remove the first abrasive disc after receiving a removal signal. The system also includes a controller configured to send an instruction to the disc placement device to remove, transport and place the first abrasive disc, instruct the robotic tool to conduct an abrasive operation. The controller is also configured to send the removal signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Mark W. Orlando, Nathan J. Herbst, Christie L. Vitale, Marc Eberwein, Brett R. Hemes, Jonathan B. Arthur, Thomas J. Strey
  • Publication number: 20230109976
    Abstract: A robotic repair unit (400) is presented that includes a removal tool (330, 425) coupled tot he robotic repair unit (400). The removal tool (330, 425) is configured to remove fluid or debris from a worksurface (130). The repair unit (400) also includes a controller (150) configured to control the robotic repair unit (400).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Christie L. Vitale, Nathan J. Herbst, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, Jonathan B. Arthur, Mark W. Orlando
  • Publication number: 20230108314
    Abstract: A fluid dispensing system for a robotic repair unit that includes a fluid container. The system also includes a fluid dispenser associated with a robotic repair unit. The system also contains a fluid coupler that connects the polish container to the polish dispenser. The system also contains a mounting mechanism configured to couple the polish container to a robotic repair unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Christie L. Vitale, Paul Larking, Jonathan B. Arthur, Nathan J. Herbst, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, Scott D. Gullicks
  • Publication number: 20230013731
    Abstract: A dual mounted end-effector system mounted on a motive robot arm for preparing an object surface is described. The system includes a first tool configured to contact and prepare the object surface and a second tool configured to contact and prepare the object surface. The system also includes a force control. The force control is configured to align, in a first state, with the first tool in position to contact and prepare the object surface and, in a second state, with the second tool in a position to contact and prepare the object surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, Christie L. Vitale, Nathan J. Herbst, Jonathan B. Arthur
  • Publication number: 20230001535
    Abstract: A disc changing system for a robotic defect repair system is presented. The system has a first abrasive disc and a second abrasive disc. The first and second abrasive discs are coupled to a liner. The system includes an abrasive disc placement device configured to automatically: remove the first abrasive disc from the liner, transport the first abrasive disc to a robotic tool of the robotic defect repair system, and place the first abrasive disc on a backup pad coupled to the robotic tool. The system also includes an abrasive disc remover configured to automatically remove the first abrasive disc after receiving a removal signal. The system also includes a controller configured to send an instruction to the disc placement device to remove, transport and place the first abrasive disc, instruct the robotic tool to conduct an abrasive operation. The controller is also configured to send the removal signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Mark W. Orlando, Nathan J. Herbst, Christie L. Vitale, Marc Eberwein, Brett R. Hemes, Jonathan B. Arthur, Thomas J. Strey
  • Publication number: 20230001448
    Abstract: A repaired area on a work surface is presented. The repaired area includes a repairboundary. Within the repairboundary, the work surface has a repair texture and, outside of the repair boundary, the work surface has a work surface texture. The repaired area also includes a repair depth distribution within the repair boundary and a concealing feature. The repaired area is a result of a robotic repair executed on the work surface to remove a defect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventors: Brett R. Hemes, Mark W. Orlando, Daniel M. Bodily, Jonathan B. Arthur, Nathan J. Herbst, Thomas J. Strey, Aaron K. Nienaber
  • Publication number: 20220163951
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for optimizing a process of manufacturing a product. In one aspect, the method comprises repeatedly performing the following: i) selecting a configuration of input settings for manufacturing a product, based on a causal model that measures causal relationships between input settings and a measure of a quality of the product; ii) determining the measure of the quality of the product manufactured using the configuration of input settings; and iii) adjusting, based on the measure of the quality of the product manufactured using the configuration of input settings, the causal model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Brian E. Brooks, Gilles J. Benoit, Peter O. Olson, Tyler W. Olson, Himanshu Nayar, Frederick J. Arsenault, Nicholas A. Johnson, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, Jonathan B. Arthur, Nathan J. Herbst, Aaron K. Nienaber, Sarah M. Mullins, Mark W. Orlando, Cory D. Sauer, Timothy J. Clemens, Scott L. Barnett, Zachary M. Schaeffer, Patrick G. Zimmerman, Gregory P. Moriarty, Jeffrey P. Adolf, Steven P. Floeder, Andreas Backes, Peter J. Schneider, Maureen A. Kavanagh, Glenn E. Casner, Miaoding Dai, Christopher M. Brown, Lori A. Sjolund, Jon A. Kirschhoffer, Carter C. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20210323167
    Abstract: A method and associated system for providing robotic paint repair includes receiving coordinates of identified defects in a substrate along with characteristics of the defects, and communicating the coordinates to a robot controller module along with additional data needed to control a robot manipulator to bring an end effector of the robot manipulator into close proximity to the identified defect on the substrate. The characteristics of the defect and current state of at least the end effector is provided to a policy server that provides repair actions based on a previously learned control policy that is updated by a machine learning unit. The repair action is executed by communicating instructions for the repair action to the robot controller module and end effector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Brett R. Hemes, John W. Henderson, Nathan J. Herbst, Steven P. Floeder, Jeffrey P. Adolf
  • Patent number: D963012
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, Christie L. Vitale, Nathan J. Herbst, Jonathan B. Arthur
  • Patent number: D1003959
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Aaron K. Nienaber, Brett R. Hemes, Thomas J. Strey, Christie L. Vitale, Nathan J. Herbst, Jonathan B. Arthur