Patents by Inventor Alfons Ernst

Alfons Ernst 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: 4581826
    Abstract: A multicoordinate sensing head is disclosed in which a sensing pin is secured in the interior of a sensing head housing by means of a flange which is rigidly secured to the pin. The flange rests on precisely formed bearing balls which are distributed uniformly around the circumference of an opening in the bottom of the housing through which the pin passes. A rim on the flange extends around the bearing balls to grip the balls and prevent radial shifting of the sensing pin. In the rest position, into which the sensing pin is pressed by the action of the spring operating via a sensor probe, the free end of the sensing pin is precisely positioned in a predetermined orientation with respect to the housing in a repeatable and accurate manner. When the sensing pin is deflected, the flange tilts around one or two of the balls and thereby moves the sensor probe axially to allow a measurement system to sense deflection of the sensing pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1986
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4567665
    Abstract: In a sensing or measuring arrangement for determining the position or dimensions of a test object, the sensing arrangement housing is fastened to a receiving element for the installation of the sensing housing onto a tool receptacle of a spindle of a machine tool. A voltage source is included in the sensing housing to power a measuring signal transmitting system. In addition, a switching arrangement is included for switching the voltage source from a standby mode of operation characterized by low current consumption to a measurement mode of operation in order to increase the life of the voltage source. This switching arrangement is responsive to an expansion measuring strip which detects an axial elongation of the receiving element in the tool receptacle. In the disclosed embodiment the expansion measuring strip is fastened to an inner surface of the receiving element which is subject to axial elongation when the receiving element is installed in place in the spindle of the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4564294
    Abstract: An encapsulated photoelectric measuring system for measuring the relative position of two objects includes a housing which encloses a scanning unit positioned to scan the graduation of a measuring scale. The housing defines a longitudinal slit closed by sealing elements, and a coupling member passes between the sealing elements and connects the scanning unit with one of the objects to be measured. In order to avoid optical disturbances of the beam path of the photoelectric scanning by liquid drops on the measuring scale, the scanning unit is hermetically sealed. The spacing between the surfaces of the scale acted upon by the light beams and the associated surfaces of the scanning unit is made so small that any liquid drops present on the surfaces of the scale in the region of the scanning unit are spread or formed into a continuously homogeneous wetted liquid layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1986
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4549808
    Abstract: A photoelectric measuring instrument for determining position deviations of an object is provided with an illuminated aperture and an objective which cooperate to generate an image of the illuminated aperture on the object to be measured. The image of the illuminated aperture on the object is reflected by the object and in turn imaged onto the illuminated aperture. This aperture is firmly connected with a measuring graduation which is scanned by a scanning unit to measure the position of the aperture. In the preferred embodiments, both the aperture and the graduation are formed by photolithographic techniques on a photoimpermeable layer which is carried by a transparent plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4549354
    Abstract: A measuring system for measuring the relative position of tool machine parts compensates for thermally-induced length changes of a spindle stock by means of a scale carrier which acts as an expansion element for a scale. This scale carrier is fastened at one end directly via a fastening element to the spindle stock and at the other end is connected with an adjacent end of the scale, which is mounted on the scale carrier so as to be shiftable in the measuring direction. If the plane of the tool connected to the spindle stock shifts by an amount .DELTA.c in the measuring direction X as a result of temperature rises of the spindle stock, the scale carrier, operating as an expansion element, acts to pivot a rotatable element having an adjustable lever ratio in order to shift the scale in the same direction. In this way, the entire thermally-conditioned displacement of the scale is also made to equal the amount .DELTA.c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Affa, Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4549356
    Abstract: A multicoordinate sensing head includes a housing which defines a sensing pin opening which is covered by a rigid plate. The plate defines at its center a cup bearing which pivotably mounts a ball. The ball defines a diametrically oriented bore sized to slide over a sensing pin. The plate is mounted to slide radially with respect to the housing in a circular recess defined by the housing. The outside diameter of the plate and the dimensions of the recess are matched in such a way that the sensing pin is free to move laterally when tilted. During such tilting the ball surrounding the sensing pin pivots in its bearing and the sensing pin opening remains covered in all cases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1985
    Assignee: Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4547772
    Abstract: A sensing pin is mounted to a housing by means of a linkage which makes it possible for the sensing pin to move entirely within the housing in the event of extreme deflection. In this way, extensive protection from damage is provided to the sensing pin in the event of excessive deflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1985
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4530155
    Abstract: A calibration process and apparatus are disclosed for allowing a reference position to be determined at any time, independent of the momentary position of the two objects movable relative to one another to be measured. One of the two objects to be measured is decoupled from the measuring device and then either the scanning plate or the measuring graduation of the measuring device is moved until it comes into alignment with a reference mark. This scanning of a reference mark causes a counter included in the measuring system to be set at a predetermined value such as zero. From this point up to the point the scanning plate or measuring graduation is returned to the momentary starting position, the grid lines of the graduation on the graduated plate are counted. In this way, the absolute position of the momentary starting position is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Burkhardt, Alfons Ernst, Holmer Dangschat
  • Patent number: 4530159
    Abstract: A multicoordinate sensing head is disclosed in which guides are provided for guiding movement of the sensing pin in any direction in an X-Y-Z coordinate system. An axial ball guide is provided for guiding the sensing pin movement in the axial or Z direction, and guidance in the X-Y plane is accomplished by a planar surface guide having two translatory degrees of freedom. A precision stop and slide block guides operate to prevent rotation of the sensing pin. Three photoelectric measuring systems are provided for measuring deflection of the sensing pin in the X, Y and Z coordinates. The measuring scales in the X-Y plane are configured as flat grids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4517742
    Abstract: A measuring scale carrier for a longitudinal or angle measuring system is stretched and contracted in a localized manner in order to bring about a desired error correction course through the generation of localized longitudinally extending forces in the carrier. A number of approaches for generating these localized longitudinally extending forces are described, including the use of spring elements mounted on the carrier and the localized variation of a predetermined longitudinal tension in the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4512184
    Abstract: An angle measuring device which includes a graduated disc and a stator is mounted to an external drive unit which includes a drive shaft and an attachment surface. The graduated disc is fixedly mounted to the drive shaft such that it is the drive shaft which guides the movement of the disc. The stator is mounted directly to the attachment surface such that the stator does not guide the movement of the graduated disc. In order to align the stator properly with respect to the drive shaft and the graduated disc, a centering collar is provided on the attachment surface, concentric with the drive shaft. The centering collar interacts with at least two alignment surfaces defined by the stator. These alignment surfaces are positioned to define the desired orientation of the stator with respect to the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Alfons Ernst, Arthur Brunner
  • Patent number: 4495700
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the angular displacement of two objects relative to each other. The apparatus includes a graduated plate which is attached to a rotatable shaft which is rigidly secured to a first object to be measured. The annular displacement of the graduated plate is measured by a scanning unit. The scanning unit and graduated plate are enclosed within a housing which is rigidly secured to a second object. The scanning unit is supported upon the rotatable shaft and secured by a coupling system to the housing so that it will not rotate with the shaft. The coupling system allows translational movements of the scanning unit with respect to the housing in planes perpendicular to the axis of the shaft without impairing the measurement accuracy of the scanning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4477189
    Abstract: An incremental measuring device is described which includes a measuring scale and a scanning unit. The measuring scale includes a division grid, a reference track which includes a plurality of reference marks, and a control track which includes a plurality of control regions. Each of the control regions is associated with a respective one of the reference marks, but the precise alignment between each reference mark and its respective control region is unique. The scanning unit includes a scanning plate which defines two separate scanning regions for scanning separate portions of the scale. Each scanning region defines reading fields for reading the division grid as well as a reference track reading field and a control track reading field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Assignee: Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4461083
    Abstract: In a measuring apparatus of the type having a measuring graduation which is scanned by a scanning unit that includes a scanning plate, the scanning plate is provided with at least two phase shifted scanning fields which are phase shifted with respect to one another in order to generate two analog scanning signals which are likewise phase shifted with respect to one another. In order to allow setting of the desired phase difference between the scanning signals, at least one of the scanning fields is made up of two partial scanning fields which are offset with respect to one another and are partially coverable by means of screws or diaphragms. The corresponding analog signal is made up of two partial analog signals obtained by use of the two partial scanning fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1984
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4413416
    Abstract: A fastening apparatus for a measuring device including a bending resistant scale comprises a plurality of resilient fastening elements for mounting the scale to a support surface. Each of these fastening elements is securely mounted to a support surface and acts resiliently to apply a mounting force to the scale, which mounting force is sufficient to hold the scale in place, substantially without distorting the scale. In the illustrated embodiment the mounting force is independent of the force with which the fastening elements are mounted to the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4403859
    Abstract: An improved photoelectric incremental measuring apparatus for measuring the relative displacement of two objects is disclosed, the apparatus including a measuring scale and a scanning unit for scanning the scale having a reticle, the scale and reticle each carrying a measuring grid. The scale has at least two nonidentical reference marks, each of which comprises a line group with an irregular line spacing pattern. The reticle has at least two reading fields, each of which comprises a line group with an irregular line spacing pattern that is identical to the line spacing pattern of a selected one of the reference marks. The reading fields occupy such positions on the reticle that each reading field aligns with its corresponding reference mark simultaneously as the scanning unit moves along the scale. Each reading position on the scanning unit is illuminated by a light source, such as a lamp, and the light sources are connected across a common resistor, mounted in series, to a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1983
    Assignee: Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4388758
    Abstract: An inductive measuring device comprises a rotor and a stator, each of which has an electrical conductor mounted thereon. Opposed grooves are formed in the conductor side of the stator and the rotor, the slip rings and contact brushes are mounted in respective grooves such that both the slip rings and the contact brushes are mounted internally between the rotor and the stator, thereby protecting the slip ring and brushes from damage and fouling and reducing the size of the measurement device and the need for external adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Assignee: Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventors: Alfons Ernst, Hans-Rudolf Kober
  • Patent number: 4369578
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the angular position of a first element, rotatable with respect to a second element, includes an arcuate scale mounted to the first element. An arcuate housing substantially encloses the scale, and defines an arcuate slit which extends along the housing. A pair of sealing elements, one disposed on each side of the slit, are provided to seal the slit, and a scanning unit is disposed within the housing, adjacent the scale. This scanning unit is coupled to the second element by a coupling member, which extends through the slit between the sealing elements, such that the scanning unit moves along the scale when the first element rotates with respect to the second element. This apparatus is particularly suited for rotary or swinging tables having a range of angular movement less than 360.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: 4320578
    Abstract: A mounting apparatus for a length measuring instrument for having a housing, a scale, and a scanning unit that scans the scale includes a first mounting element for rigidly attaching one end section to the housing to a mounting surface, a flex element connected to the second end section of the housing, and a second mounting element for attaching the flex element, and thus the second end section of the housing to a mounting surface. The flex element is inelastic but flexible in the direction longitudinal with respect to the scale and serves to rigidly mount the instrument in directions transverse to the scale while allowing the housing to thermally expand or contract longitudinally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst
  • Patent number: D282460
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: Dr. Johannes Heidenhain GmbH
    Inventor: Alfons Ernst