Patents Assigned to Dr. Johanne Heidenhain GmbH
  • Patent number: 9140580
    Abstract: An apparatus for angle measurement that includes a graduation carrier with a code track disposed concentrically to a center point of the graduation carrier. The apparatus includes a first scanning unit having a first interface and a second scanning unit having a second interface, wherein the first and second scanning units ascertain angle values of the graduation carrier by scanning the code track. The apparatus further includes a control unit having: 1) a device interface that is in communication with a follower electronics unit, 2) a control unit interface that is in communication with the first and second interfaces and 3) a processing unit. By which the processing unit, angle values of the first and second scanning units can be requested and processed into a corrected angle value, and the corrected angle value can be transmitted to the follower electronics unit via the device interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Steffen Bielski, Erich Strasser, Stephan Kreuzer, Alexander Kobler, Darko Perusin, Elmar Mayer
  • Patent number: 9127923
    Abstract: A probe system includes a probe head and a transceiver element. The probe head and the transceiver element are configured to allow a signal communication to be established between them, optionally in two modes, such that in the first mode, the transceiver element is able to transmit a signal, which is able to be received by the probe head, and in response to the received signal, the probe head is able to transmit an acknowledge signal. In the second mode, when a stylus is touched, a sensor element is able to generate a sensor signal, which is transmittable by the probe head and receivable by the transceiver element, and in response to the received sensor signal, the transceiver element is able to transmit an acknowledge signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Klaus Groell
  • Patent number: 9127922
    Abstract: A probe is configured such that an output current pulse is able to be delivered by the charge storage at defined intervals to a load. A mean power to be fed to the charge storage is ascertainable for a subsequent time interval, and the level of the mean input power, which is to be drawn by the voltage transformer from the power source, is specifiable as a function of the ascertained mean power. The voltage transformer is controllable accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Klaus Groell
  • Patent number: 9127924
    Abstract: An interferometer includes a light source, beam splitter, measuring reflector, reference retroreflector, detector system, and two transparent plane plates. The beam splitter splits a first beam of rays, emitted by the light source, into at least one measuring beam and at least one reference beam, defining a first splitting plane. The measuring beam propagates in a measuring arm and the reference beam propagates in a reference arm until being recombined at a recombining location, which is oriented parallel to the first splitting plane. The measuring reflector is disposed in the measuring arm, and the reference retroreflector is disposed in the reference arm. The first and second transparent plane plates are disposed parallel to each other in the beam path between the light source and the detector system. The reference retroreflector is formed in the first plane plate and the beam splitter is disposed on the second plane plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Meissner, Ralph Joerger, Jörg Drescher, Wolfgang Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 9106169
    Abstract: A controller structure for more than two drive units coupled mechanically to a movable element includes a position measuring device for determining an actual position of the movable element and a position controller for calculating a setpoint speed from a setpoint position and the actual position, the position measuring device and the position controller jointly serving all drive units. Each drive unit, however, has a speed controller of its own. The drive units are configured either as master or as slave, individual drive units also being able to assume both functions. A torque-master-slave controller ensures a compensation of the torques between the drive units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Josef Schoenhuber, Frieder Kohler, Stefan Maier
  • Patent number: 9081377
    Abstract: A closed-loop control structure for positioning a load with the aid of an electric motor includes a device for the active damping of unwanted, low-frequency vibrations. The closed-loop control structure has a position controller, a speed controller, and a current controller, which together, form a cascaded control loop. Damping signals which counteract unwanted, low-frequency vibrations are applied to the control loop, at least one first and one second damping signal of different phase angle being derived from a single sensor signal, and the first damping signal being injected between the position controller and the speed controller, and the second damping signal being injected between the speed controller and the current controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Norbert Kerner
  • Patent number: 9080857
    Abstract: A device for interferential distance measurement that includes a light source that emits a light beam along a propagation direction and a scanning plate including a splitter that splits the light beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam. The device further including a reflector disposed spaced-apart in a direction of the propagation direction and a detector element. The measurement beam and the reference beam are propagated from the splitter along different optical paths toward the reflector, where a back reflection of the measurement beam and the reference beam occurs at the reflector toward the scanning plate. In addition, at a combining location the measurement beam and the reference beam attain interfering superposition, and wherein the measurement beam and the reference beam interfering at the combining location are detected by the detector element so that the detector element generates a distance signal regarding a distance between the scanning plate and the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Huber, Birgit Lange, Michael Hermann
  • Patent number: 9068811
    Abstract: A device for interferometrically determining the distance between two plates disposed substantially in parallel, includes a light source, beam-splitter element(s), reflector element(s), deflection elements, retroreflectors, and a detection unit. A beam of rays emitted by the light source falls on the first plate and splits into a reflected reference beam of rays and a transmitted measuring beam of rays. The measuring beam strikes a reflector on the second plate and undergoes a first reflection back toward the first plate. The reference beam traverses a first deflection element, and the measuring beam traverses a second deflection element. Both beams pass through a retroreflector. The reference beam is reflected at the first plate, and the measuring beam undergoes a second reflection at a reflector of the second plate, so that both beams propagate collinearly interferingly toward the detection unit, where a plurality of phase-shifted distance signals are generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 9065492
    Abstract: A probe system includes a probe and a transmission/reception element. The probe and the transmission/reception element are configured such that information is transmittable between them in wireless fashion via a radio signal. The transmission/reception element or the probe has two antennas, set apart from each other, for receiving the radio signal, so that the information received by the two antennas via the radio signal is able to be processed concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus Groell, Christian Eisenberger
  • Patent number: 9062956
    Abstract: A probe head includes a housing having a first housing unit to be affixed on a machine, and a second housing unit on which a stylus is supported so as to be deflectable. The second housing unit is movably supported on the first housing unit so as to allow a deflection. The probe head furthermore has a switching unit, which includes a first contact element and a second contact element, the contact elements being arranged such that when the second housing unit is deflected relative to the first housing unit, the contact elements are able to be brought into mutual contact at different points as a function of the direction of deflection, whereby an electrical switching signal is able to be triggered by this contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Reinhold Schopf
  • Patent number: 9046386
    Abstract: A structural unit for a rotary encoder. The structural unit including a graduation carrier fastened to a mount that includes a recess and a positioning element fastened to the graduation carrier by a first material connection. The positioning element is disposed in the recess, and the recess is dimensioned such that the recess positions the positioning element in a radial direction without play. The structural unit further including a second material connection is provided between the graduation carrier and the mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Dirk Ahrendt
  • Patent number: 9014842
    Abstract: A method for checking position values using a monitoring unit to which position values of a position measuring device are supplied at time intervals of a query interval, includes: calculating a movement value from at least two position values and the time interval of their arrival; calculating an expected value for a position value to be checked that follows the at least two position values, by adding the most recent of the at least two position values and a change in position that results from the movement value and the time until the position value to be checked arrives; determining a position expectation interval from the expected value and a maximum position interval; comparing the position value to be checked to the position expectation interval; and outputting a signal that indicates the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Martin von Berg, Thilo Schlicksbier
  • Patent number: 9013710
    Abstract: An optical position-measuring device for detecting the relative position of two objects includes a measuring standard connected to one object, and a scanning unit connected to the other object and including a light source, one or more grating(s), and a detector system. The detector system includes a plurality of detector element groups arranged in a detection plane, via which a plurality of position-dependent, phase-shifted scanning signals is able to be generated by scanning a periodic fringe pattern that results in the detection plane, the detector elements that have in-phase scanning signals forming a group in each case. The sum of the areas and the centroid of the detector elements of a group is identical to the sum of the areas and the centroid, respectively, of the detector elements of each other group. Periodic diaphragm structures are arranged in front of the light-sensitive areas of the detector elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Hermann
  • Patent number: 9012831
    Abstract: A rotary encoder includes a housing and a shaft, which has an axis. A graduated disk is fixed in place on the shaft in torsionally fixed manner. The shaft is adapted for the positionally accurate attachment to a first machine part. Furthermore, a scanning device for scanning the graduated disk is fixed in place on the housing, the housing being arranged such that an outer surface forms a positionally accurate rigid stop on a second machine part in the radial direction. The housing includes a housing body and a cover, the housing body and the cover being connected to each other by press-fitting. The housing has a mechanically flexible element which is deformed as a result of the press-fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Sebastian Riepertinger
  • Patent number: 8997367
    Abstract: A length measuring instrument that includes a hollow profile section extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the hollow profile section includes a slot extending in the longitudinal direction and covered by sealing elements. A scale is disposed inside the hollow profile section, wherein the scale includes a measurement graduation which can be scanned by a scanning unit. An end piece is connected to the hollow profile section, wherein the end piece closes the hollow profile section on an end of the hollow profile section, the end piece including an insertion region with which the hollow profile section plunges into the hollow profile section. The length measuring instrument includes a clamping piece that connects the end piece to the hollow profile section, wherein the clamping piece spans the slot and which on two sides of the slot fixes the hollow profile section to the insertion region of the end piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Schmöller, Michael Steber, Yusuke Kitano
  • Patent number: 8997368
    Abstract: A length measuring device for measuring a position in a measuring direction of a first object and a second object displaceable relative to one another. The device includes a hollow profile, a scale and a fastening element. The fastening element includes a first portion designed to fix the scale in stationary fashion in a measuring direction and to fix the first portion in stationary fashion in the measuring direction on the first object to be measured. The fastening element also includes a second portion with which the fastening element is fastened on the hollow profile. The length measuring device further includes a length compensation element provided between the first portion and the second portion of the fastening element, wherein the length compensation element is embodied for enabling motion of the first portion relative to the second portion in the measuring direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Kummetz, Dirk Geyermann, Martin Seichter
  • Patent number: 8994958
    Abstract: An optical position measuring instrument including a scanning plate and a scale, wherein the scale and the scanning plate are movable relative to one another. The optical position measuring instrument including a grating and a light source that emits a beam toward the grating, wherein the grating receives the beam and splits the beam into two partial beams with orthogonal polarization states. The optical position measuring instrument including a polarizer being arranged in beam paths of the two partial beams, wherein the polarizer has a structure to generate polarization effects on the two partial beam striking the polarizer that are periodically variable, wherein a polarization period of the periodically variable polarization effects is greater than a graduation period of the grating. The two partial beams being reunified into a resultant beam. A detection unit that receives the resultant beam and generates a plurality of displacement-dependent scanning signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 8990044
    Abstract: A revolution counter including sensors, which generate position values that define an angular position of a shaft, and a determination unit that receives the position values and generates decision signals therefrom, wherein the decision signals determine counting sectors. The revolution counter includes a counting control unit that receives the counting sectors, and operates the revolution counter in a first mode or a second mode of operation. The counting control unit switches over to the second mode, if after a length of time no change in one of the counting sectors takes place, and switches over to the first mode if a change in one of the counting sectors does take place. The determination unit determines an uncertainty range between each pairing of the counting sectors. The counting control unit does not take the uncertainty ranges into account for the switchover from the second mode to the first mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Johann Oberhauser
  • Patent number: 8988691
    Abstract: A position-measuring device is used to detect the relative position of two machine components that are disposed in a manner allowing movement relative to each other at least along a first and a second main direction of motion in a displacement plane. The device includes at least one measuring standard, which is mounted on a first machine component. At least six scanning units are mounted on a second machine component, and are used for the optical scanning of the measuring standard in at least two measuring directions in the displacement plane. At least two scanning units are assigned to each measuring direction. The scanning units of each respective measuring direction in the displacement plane are disposed non-centrosymmetrically in relation to a center of the second machine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Bihr, Joerg Drescher, Wolfgang Holzapfel, Markus Meissner, Bernhard Musch, Bernhard Pletschacher
  • Patent number: 8978441
    Abstract: A method for mounting a substrate of a measurement graduation and a scanning head of a position measuring system on a first machine part and a second machine part. The method including fastening a substrate of a measurement graduation and a scanning head on first and second portions, respectively, of a mounting aid. The method including adjusting a location of the first portion relative to the second portion in a first degree of freedom that differs from a measurement direction in which a relative position of the first machine part relative to the second machine part is to be measured. The method including fastening the substrate and the scanning head on the first and second machine parts, respectively, at the mounting position. The method further including removing the mounting aid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Pucher, Markus Kühler