Patents Assigned to Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
  • Patent number: 10120359
    Abstract: In a device and a method for the automated detection of an interface between a position-measuring device and sequential electronics that are interconnected via a data-transmission channel, the position-measuring device includes an interface unit and a position-measuring unit. The interface unit is connected first of all to the data-transmission channel, and secondly to the position-measuring unit for the purpose of an internal data exchange. The interface to the sequential electronics is selectable in the interface unit from at least two interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Elmar Mayer, Alexander Kobler
  • Patent number: 10119802
    Abstract: An optical position-measuring device includes a scale and a scanning reticle, whose relative position is determinable in three linearly independent spatial directions using interfering light beams. A splitter grating is disposed on the scanning reticle and adapted to split light into sub-beams of different diffraction orders. An optical grating is disposed on the scale and adapted to further split the sub-beams and to recombine them after they have been reflected back from the scanning reticle. Grating fields configured as phase gratings are disposed on a side of the scanning reticle that faces the scale. The grating fields act as diffractive optics that influence the further split sub-beams. The grating fields have different step heights. An output grating is disposed on the scanning reticle and adapted to output, as interfering sub-beams, light that has been multiply reflected between the scale and the scanning reticle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Speckbacher, Tobias Gruendl, Christian Baeuml, Josef Weidmann
  • Patent number: 10094961
    Abstract: An optical layer system for a position-measuring device includes at least first, second and third functional surfaces disposed on a surface of a transparent substrate. Each of the functional surfaces have a different optical function. The functional surfaces are composed of a first layer stack and a second layer stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Speckbacher, Stefan Funk, Christian Baeuml
  • Patent number: 10082410
    Abstract: An optical position-measuring device includes a scanning unit and a material measure that is movable relative thereto in a measuring direction. The scanning unit includes a splitting device and an optoelectronic detector arrangement. The splitting device is configured to separate sub-beams incident thereon as a function of wavelength. The splitting device is configured as an asymmetrical interferometer that includes two interferometer arms having different optical path lengths, within which the sub-beams propagate between splitting and recombination until the recombined sub-beams arrive at the detector arrangement. The optical position-measuring device is configured to generate a plurality of phase-shifted scanning signals indicative of a relative position of the scanning unit and of the material measure, wherein phase relations of the generated phase-shifted scanning signals are wavelength-dependent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Karsten Saendig
  • Patent number: 10060765
    Abstract: An optical position-measuring device for determining the position of a first object relative to a second object movable relative to the first object along a measurement direction includes a scale with a measuring graduation connected to the first object and extending along the measurement direction. A scanner is connected to the second object and includes a fiber-optic array including optical fibers. The fiber-optic array is configured as a fiber-optic plate having an image-input face facing the scale and an image-output face facing the detector array. The fiber-optic array transmits a light pattern into a detection plane of the detector array. An interstitial medium is disposed between the image-output face of the fiber-optic plate and the detector array to ensure that an amount of deflection that the beams exiting the image-output face undergo on a path to the detector array is smaller than in a case without the interstitial medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Holzapfel, Christoph Lingk, Ulrich Benner, Johannes Trautner
  • Patent number: 10060772
    Abstract: A method corrects errors in position-measuring devices having material measures which are scanned by at least one scanning unit. Correction values are obtained in a calibration performed prior to a measurement operation. The correction values from the calibration are compressed for the measurement operation. The correction values are kept available for a defined number of correction points on the material measure and used during the measurement operation to correct acquired position values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Drescher, Ulrich Bichlmeier
  • Patent number: 10048114
    Abstract: In a device for measuring the vibrational amplitude of a capillary tube of a wire bonder, the capillary tube is placed between a light source and a detector system, so that the vibrational amplitude is able to be ascertained from the shading of a beam of light by the capillary tube. The beam of light emitted by the light source is split into a measuring beam of light and a reference beam of light, an edge of the capillary tube at least partially shading the measuring beam of light in the vibrating state, while the reference beam of light is not shaded. The detector system includes a measuring detector assigned to the measuring beam of light as well as at least one reference detector assigned to the reference beam of light, and the vibrational amplitude of the capillary tube is ascertainable from the interconnected output signals of the measuring detector and the reference detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Walter Huber, Wolfgang Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 10018485
    Abstract: A scale for an optically scanning position-measuring device includes a carrier and a reflective layer disposed on the carrier. A transparent spacer layer is disposed on the reflective layer. The spacer layer has a patterned, partially transparent layer thereon which defines a bright/dark pattern in which regions having the partially transparent layer appear dark and regions without the partially transparent layer appear bright. A sealing layer is disposed on the patterned, partially transparent layer. Products of refractive index and layer thickness are the same for the spacer layer and the sealing layer, or differ by an odd multiple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Funk, Peter Speckbacher
  • Patent number: 9958296
    Abstract: An inductive position-measuring device for absolute position determination includes a scale having a first measuring graduation extending in a measurement direction and a second measuring graduation disposed opposite to the first measuring graduation and extending parallel thereto. A scanner is disposed in a gap between the first measuring graduation and the second measuring graduation. The scanner is displaceable relative to the scale in the measurement direction for purposes of position measurement. The scanner includes a first coil arrangement for scanning the first measuring graduation and generating a first position-dependent scanning signal, and a second coil arrangement, disposed opposite to the first coil arrangement, for scanning the second measuring graduation and generating a second position-dependent scanning signal. At least one intermediate layer of soft magnetic material disposed between the first coil arrangement and the second coil arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Heumann, Marc Oliver Tiemann, Alexander Frank
  • Patent number: 9942524
    Abstract: A device for detecting the position of an object in a machine tool includes a camera configured to provide an image of the object and an object carrier to which the object is connected and whose position within the machine tool is known. A first processing unit is configured to identify a position of the object relative to the camera based on geometric features of the object which are obtained from the image. A second processing unit is configured to identify a position of the object carrier relative to the camera based on geometric features of the object carrier which are obtained from the image. A third processing unit is configured to determine a position of the object relative to the object carrier from the identified positions of the object and the object carrier relative to the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Kranitzky, Martin Schilcher, Gerhard Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 9927234
    Abstract: A position-measuring device includes a module configured to vary a signal period of a position-dependent sinusoidal analog scanning signal. A conversion unit is configured to receive the sinusoidal analog scanning signal and to generate therefrom a sinusoidal digital output signal having a varied signal period compared to the sinusoidal analog scanning signal. A digital-to-analog converter is configured to generate, from the sinusoidal digital output signal, a sinusoidal analog output signal having a varied signal period. The conversion unit is configured to change an operating mode in dependence upon a frequency of the sinusoidal analog scanning signal in such a way that in a case of higher frequencies of the sinusoidal analog scanning signal, the sinusoidal digital output signal is fed to the digital-to-analog converter at a higher output rate and with a smaller word width than in a case of lower frequencies of the sinusoidal analog scanning signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Costica Caba, Andreas Pommer, Paul Andrei Tutzu, Victor Vasiloiu
  • Patent number: 9923452
    Abstract: A switched-mode power supply for supplying an operating voltage to a frequency converter includes a supply capacitor configured to supply the operating voltage to a control device for generating control signals for semiconductor switches of the switched-mode power supply. The supply capacitor is chargeable through a start-up circuit from a DC link of the frequency converter. The start-up circuit includes a current regulator that is configured to control a total current from the DC link to the start-up circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Simon Heinrich, Christian von Le Suire
  • Patent number: 9923445
    Abstract: A drive for an XY-table includes a stationary, ferromagnetic and U-shaped yoke including a first limb and a second limb which are located together in one plane, and having a movable ferromagnetic bar, the yoke and the bar carrying a magnetic circuit with a flux that takes a path across air gaps between the limbs and the bar, and causes vertical reluctance forces there which counteract the gravitational force of the bar. Bar is parallel to and below the plane defined by the limbs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: René Klaver, John Compter
  • Patent number: 9923573
    Abstract: A method for reading a serial data stream in a piece of automation technology equipment includes encoding the data stream to include at least two symbols which are distinguishable by a time interval between two successive signal edges. The data stream is delivered to a read unit including a symbol recognition unit which associates a time sequence of the signal edges with a respective one of the symbols taking into account a period of time including a current symbol duration of one of the symbols to be currently associated and at least one old symbol duration of a preceding one of the symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Schenzinger, Stephan Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 9921468
    Abstract: An X-Y table with a position-measuring device includes a table which is disposed on a support and is movable on the support so that altogether the table is positionable in a plane parallel to an underlying stationary base. Two groups of scanning heads are disposed on the support. For position measurement in two directions, a respective one of the scanning heads directs light through a respective transmissive scale attached along an edge of the table such that a respective reflective scale, which is stationary relative to a processing tool disposed above the table, reflects the light through the respective transmissive scale back to the respective scanning head. In a central position of the table, the two groups are in positional correspondence with the transmissive scales, and, in either of two edge positions of the table, only one of the two groups is in positional correspondence with the transmissive scales.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Holzapfel, Joerg Drescher, Markus Meissner, Ralph Joerger, Bernhard Musch, Thomas Kaelberer
  • Patent number: 9880547
    Abstract: A numerical control for operating a machine tool having a plurality of axes, includes a drive controller for each axis to be actuated, the drive controllers being able to be parameterized via machine parameters and thus adaptable to the most varied applications. Variable control values and machine parameters are selectable via tapping points in the drive controllers in order to be used as arguments or parameters of a user-defined function for calculating an output value, which is used for function-dependent influencing of one of the drive controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Frieder Kohler
  • Patent number: 9874434
    Abstract: A position-measuring system includes a plurality of scanning units for the optical scanning of at least one measuring standard, the scanning units being coupled optically to a plurality of light sources and a plurality of detectors. Disposed between the scanning units and the detectors are a plurality of demultiplexers, via which in each case at least two scanning units are coupled to one detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Holzapfel
  • Patent number: 9869547
    Abstract: A position-measuring device includes a position-sensing unit, a processing unit, an interface unit, a clock generator and a time measurement unit position-sensing unit configured to generate digital position values. The processing unit processes instructions from subsequent electronics. The interface unit communicates with the subsequent electronics, according to rules of an interface protocol, via at least one interface line that transmits interface signals having a temporal behavior that is determined by the interface protocol so as to transmit the instructions from the subsequent electronics to the processing unit. The clock generator generates a clock signal that serves as a time base for functions of the position-sensing unit and the processing unit. The time measurement unit uses the clock signal as a time base, receives at least one interface signal and measures a time interval between a start event and a stop event of the at least one interface signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventors: Bernhard Beaury, Alexander Kobler, Stephan Kreuzer, Markus Mooshammer, Peter Spindler, Michael Walter
  • Patent number: 9863791
    Abstract: An optical position-measuring device for absolute position determination includes a material measure extending along a measurement direction and including an incremental graduation and an absolute code. A scanning unit movable relative to the material measure has a light source, a scanning grating for optically scanning the incremental graduation and a detector device. The detector device includes an incremental detector for generating incremental signals from the optical scanning of the incremental graduation and an absolute detector for generating absolute signals from optical scanning of the absolute code. A common detection plane is located at a defined perpendicular distance from the scanning grating and/or a periodicity of a fringe pattern on the incremental detector is selected such that, in the event of scattering contamination in a region of the material measure and/or the scanning grating, amplitudes of the incremental signals and the absolute signals drop off equally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Holzapfel, Christoph Lingk, Johannes Trautner
  • Patent number: 9849555
    Abstract: A machine tool includes a stationary machine frame, a tool head, which is able to be positioned relative to the machine frame along three mutually orthogonal translation axes, and a motor-driven tool. The machine tool includes a swivel unit, which can be pivoted about a horizontal swivel axis relative to the machine frame and includes a workpiece positioning device, via which a workpiece can be rotated about an axis of rotation oriented perpendicularly to the swivel axis. The swivel unit is assigned a measuring frame, which is able to be rotated with the swivel unit and is arranged to be thermally and/or mechanically decoupled from the swivel unit and includes components of a first and second position measuring system. Additional components of the first position measuring system are disposed on the tool head, and further components of the second position measuring system are situated on the workpiece positioning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Meissner