Patents Assigned to Festo AG & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 11000958
    Abstract: A deflection element (10) for robot arms has two arm braces that are pivotally mounted on a joint mechanism. In order to create a universally useable deflection element, the two arm braces (12) are each mounted on a support structure (20) of the joint mechanism by means of an arm joint (18), and the two arms braces (12) are coupled to a connecting element (22) between the two arm joints (18), said connecting element (22) being movable relative to the support structure (20); furthermore, at least one actuating element (50; 51), which moves the connecting element (22) and thus pivots the arm braces (12) between the end positions thereof, is arranged between the support structure (20) and the connecting element (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dieter Mankau
  • Patent number: 10981274
    Abstract: A method and a trajectory generator are provided which automatically generate a trajectory, which is converted into control signals (sd) for the purpose of controlling a drive system. The control signals (sd) are used to control actuators of the drive system to carry out the movement according to the calculated trajectory. The method is implemented on a microcontroller (?C) and has a very short runtime and a low memory requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Colin Leitner, Ralph Unden, Ognjen Drazic
  • Patent number: 10725461
    Abstract: A production module for a production plant has a first data interface, an electronic response device, and a second data interface. The first data interface receives a list of tasks for producing an article or substance from a production module positioned downstream in the production direction. The electronic response device responds to tasks from the list of tasks which can be carried out by the production module. The second data interface sends the list of tasks to a production module positioned upstream in the production direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Ruschival, Andreas Häckh
  • Patent number: 10605274
    Abstract: A valve arrangement for a fluidic supply of a fluid load, with several main valves designed for influencing fluid flows at the fluid ports, and with electrically controllable pilot valves designed for fluidic control of the main valves. A base body is assigned a connection plate lying opposite a connection face and having a fluid passage which leads into an operating port for the connection of a fluid load wherein, between the connection face and the connection plate there is provided a separate passage body which has at least one connection passage for a fluidically communicating link between at least one of the fluid ports and the operating port, and at least one connecting conduit for a fluidic coupling of at least two fluid ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Bodo Neef
  • Patent number: 10608369
    Abstract: A series module for a modular designed control arrangement includes a first series interface and a first bus interface and a second series interface and a second bus interface, wherein a bus communication line is formed between the two bus interfaces and multiple connecting lines are formed between the two series interfaces and wherein the connecting lines are arranged at least partially Z-linked between the two series interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Forcht, Eduard Wenske, Phillippus Hartmann
  • Patent number: 10584805
    Abstract: In a valve actuating system having an actuating drive which has a drive housing and an output unit which is movably mounted in the drive housing for generating a stroke of a spindle of a valve for opening or closing a through-flow opening of the valve, wherein the output unit has a force pickup portion to which the spindle is coupleable or coupled and a fastening portion arranged opposite the force pickup portion, wherein the actuating drive furthermore possesses a holder, which is separate from the output unit, has a holder longitudinal-axis and has a fastening device by way of which it is fastened to the fastening portion of the output unit and a support device for supporting at least one position information element on the holder, and wherein the valve actuating system has a plurality of mutually different types of position information elements supported on the holder by way of the support device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Marcel Heimroth, Markus Dreher, Michael Kanthack
  • Patent number: 10557485
    Abstract: A control element (1310) has at least one elastic internal part (1332) that can be connected, via a connection, to a pressurized fluid source and/or a vacuum source, which permits pressurization or evacuation of a cavity in the internal part (1332). In order to provide a control member for general use, it is proposed that the elasticity module of a wall (1328) bounding the internal part (1332) is formed differently in certain sections such that, instead of a homogeneous increase or decrease in volume under pressurization or evacuation, an oriented change in shape takes place, between a resting state and a pressurized or evacuated state, that describes a control path of the control element (1310).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dieter Mankau
  • Patent number: 10550957
    Abstract: A control device for a process valve unit which includes a valve drive and a valve fitting, wherein the control device has a control unit which is configured to receive a control signal from a superordinate control via a communication interface which is provided in the field level, and to control the valve drive in accordance with the control signal, wherein the control device further has a local bus interface and the control unit is constructed to communicate with one or more devices of the field level via the local bus interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ulrich Schmidt, Jan Reich, Christian Kohler, Andreas Siebel, Stefan Elmer
  • Patent number: 10549405
    Abstract: A method for operating a vacuum gripping device including a suction gripper unit, which is provided with at least one suction gripper. The suction gripper unit can be connected, via a control valve device connected to it, selectively to a vacuum source or to a positive pressure source generating an ejector pulse in the suction gripper. The ejector pulse is generated as a function of the actual pressure established in the suction gripper unit after its connection to the positive pressure source. A vacuum gripping device suitable for executing this method and including a pressure measurement device for detecting the actual pressure and an electronic control unit used for controlling the control valve device and communicating with the pressure measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Manuel Meyer, Jens Anderle, Hannes Wirtl
  • Patent number: 10503137
    Abstract: A safety module for an automation system including a communication interface, which is configured for a signal-transmitting connection to a communication system including an output interface, which is configured for a signal-transmitting connection to consumers, which can be attached downstream, and including a processing device which is connected to both interfaces and is configured for processing communication signals from the communication interface and for providing processing results as output signals at the output interface. The processing device is configured such that a safety-related output signal is provided at the output interface if a safety signal, which is contained in a communication signal, is present, and if at least two data records, which are respectively provided in a communication signal, are encoded differently and are directed at the processing device, conform with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin Gehrke, Martin Maier, Roland Kalberer, Andreas Herzog, Ralf Forcht
  • Publication number: 20190360507
    Abstract: The invention relates to a linear drive device having a housing element in which at least one drivable actuating element is arranged, a guide unit which is coupled to the actuation element and moves relative to the housing element between two stroke end positions in linear direction, a stroke limiting device, by means of which a first stroke end position and a second stroke end position of the guide unit are adjustable, wherein the stroke limiting device has a first stop and a first counterstop for setting a limit of the first stroke end position and a second stop and a second counterstop for setting a first limit of the second stroke end position, wherein the stroke limiting device has a third stop which is adapted to set a second limit of the second stroke end position adjusted with the first counterstop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Simone KOPP, Ulrich DIENER, Dominik NOWAK, Philipp RUTHARDT, Philip NAUMANN, Jörg BITZER
  • Patent number: 10466670
    Abstract: A field bus module for the operation of actuators and/or sensors with at least one device interface for the connection of a sensor and/or actuator, with at least one field bus interface for connection to a field bus system, and with a processing device for receiving and processing and sending field bus telegrams and also for making available control commands, especially safety-oriented control commands, to the device interface depending on incoming field bus telegrams wherein the processing device is configured to process in different operating modes sensor data that can be made available at the device interface and/or field bus telegrams that can be made available at the field bus interface, wherein an operating mode memory is allocated to the processing device for the optional provision of one of at least two different operating mode data sets at the processing device depending on an incoming field bus telegram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co., KG
    Inventors: Roland Kalberer, Martin Hommel, Colin Leitner, Martin Gehrke, Martin Maier
  • Patent number: 10439839
    Abstract: Field-device coupling unit for providing a supply voltage for a field device and for communication with a superordinate control unit, the field-device coupling unit including a current interface, which is configured for communication with the control unit and has a first controllable input load which is configured to provide, from an interface current of the current interface, a load voltage on which the supply voltage is based, the field-device coupling unit further including a circuit arrangement for providing a communication signal which is to be transmitted to the control unit, wherein the circuit arrangement is configured to control the first controllable input load according to the communication signal in order to superimpose the interface current with a current signal corresponding to the communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Steffen Wunderlich, Stefan Beuel
  • Patent number: 10436326
    Abstract: A sealing system which has an annular seal which is used for sealing between a first member and a second member and which has a base portion, from which there projects axially in the direction towards the second member a sealing lip which ends in an end-side sealing portion which abuts an annular sealing face of the second member in a sealing manner. The annular sealing face has a conical first sealing face portion and a second sealing face portion which adjoins it in a radially outward direction, wherein the portion is formed by the base face of an annular indentation of the second member. The sealing lip tapers in the direction towards the sealing portion thereof and in the position for use thereof is axially compressed by the action by means of the two members and at the same time curved radially inwards. The sealing system is in particular a component of a valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Ralf Rosenberger, Jakob Brenner, Martin Kilb
  • Patent number: 10428846
    Abstract: A fluid control device including a valve arrangement, the valve arrangement including an air supply valve, and an air outlet valve, and a control means, wherein the control means is electrically connected to the air supply valve and to the air outlet valve, and further includes a sensor input for processing a sensor signal and is connected to a sensor which is configured for determining a functional state of the fluid consumer, wherein the control means is configured for implementing a valve diagnostic process such that a first control signal for the air supply valve and a second control signal for the air outlet valve are each varied between a lower interval limit and an upper interval limit while maintaining a pre-definable sensor signal level of a sensor signal provided by the sensor, and the control means is configured for recording value pairs for the first and second control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Andreas Dickhoff
  • Patent number: 10372105
    Abstract: A drive device for providing a drive movement, including a drive motor designed to convert provided electric or fluidic energy into a movement of a motor element, further including a drive sensor assigned to the drive motor and designed to detect the movement of the motor element and to provide a drive sensor signal, and further including a transmission device coupled to the drive motor and designed to convert the movement of the motor element into a drive movement of a drive element, wherein the transmission device is assigned a movement sensor for the detection of the drive movement, the movement sensor being electrically connected to the drive sensor The movement sensor is assigned a detection device designed for the detection of component data and for the provision of detected component data to the movement sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Stauss, Martin Fuss, Michael Schottner
  • Patent number: 10364911
    Abstract: A valve actuation system includes a drive device, equipped with an axial extension, which includes an actuating drive with a drive output side intended for coupling with a valve and an axial rear side opposite this, wherein the actuating drive has on its axial rear side a mounting interface for the attachment of an auxiliary device which interacts with the actuating drive wherein, in order to allow attachment of the particular auxiliary device which is to be mounted, or which is mounted, the mounting interface of the actuating drive is equipped with several different attachment devices which differ in their attachment possibilities and which can be used selectively. In this way, a high degree of variability in the attachment of auxiliary devices is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Marcel Heimroth, Markus Dreher, Michael Kanthack
  • Patent number: D854124
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Simone Mangold, Matthias Wunderling
  • Patent number: D859595
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Simone Mangold, Matthias Wunderling
  • Patent number: D861131
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: FESTO AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Simone Mangold, Matthias Wunderling