Patents by Inventor Bernhard Pfaff

Bernhard Pfaff 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: 11499888
    Abstract: A lens inspection module comprises: a lens insertion station, at least one lens inspection station, and a lens removal station as well as a closed-loop transportation rail, a cuvette transportation shuttle with a plurality of inspection cuvettes, and a self-driving cleaning shuttle for cleaning the rail. Cleaning shuttle comprises a driving unit a cleaning head, a suction unit, and a tube connecting cleaning head and suction unit. Cleaning head is spaced apart from suction unit and driving unit in the transportation direction and is pivotally arranged about a pivot axis. Cleaning head may comprise a distance sensor for detecting the distance between cleaning shuttle and transportation shuttle. Driving unit is configured to change the speed of the self-driving cleaning shuttle when the distance between the cleaning shuttle and the transportation shuttle is shorter than a predetermined threshold distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Bernhard Pfaff, Roger Biel, Susanne Fechner, Daniel Kessler
  • Publication number: 20210080347
    Abstract: A lens inspection module comprises: a lens insertion station, at least one lens inspection station, and a lens removal station as well as a closed-loop transportation rail, a cuvette transportation shuttle with a plurality of inspection cuvettes, and a self-driving cleaning shuttle for cleaning the rail. Cleaning shuttle comprises a driving unit a cleaning head, a suction unit, and a tube connecting cleaning head and suction unit. Cleaning head is spaced apart from suction unit and driving unit in the transportation direction and is pivotally arranged about a pivot axis. Cleaning head may comprise a distance sensor for detecting the distance between cleaning shuttle and transportation shuttle. Driving unit is configured to change the speed of the self-driving cleaning shuttle when the distance between the cleaning shuttle and the transportation shuttle is shorter than a predetermined threshold distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Bernhard Pfaff, Roger Biel, Susanne Fechner, Daniel Kessler
  • Patent number: D834949
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: REBER HOLDING GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Bernhard Pfaff