Patents by Inventor Dieter Waldmann

Dieter Waldmann 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: 7860610
    Abstract: A handling device for handling parts and in particular sheet metal bodywork parts, comprises a carrier unit which has a coupling means for coupling to a robot arm of a robot and a plurality of operating modules each having an attachment interface for the attachment of an operating device such as a vacuum gripper or the like, each operating module being provided with adjustment means for setting position of the attachment interface wherein the adjustment means comprise several positioning setting drives controlled by electrical control signals from a control device, such setting drives rendering possible shifting the attachment interface in the x, y and z directions of a Cartesian coordinate system spanning the x, y and z coordinates, the positioning setting drives being so designed that the attachment interface is able to be positioned in the desired target position by motion in the x, y and/or z direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dieter Waldmann, Thomas Feyrer, Michael Freund, Jürgen Heinzl
  • Publication number: 20090078110
    Abstract: It is a question of a pneumatic drive system comprising at least one pneumatic drive (2) possessing a drive housing (4) and an output drive unit (6) able to be shifted in relation to it by the action of compressed air, the output drive unit (6) including an output drive piston (8), which in the drive housing (4) separates two working chambers (12 and 13) from one another, one or both of such chambers being connected with a pneumatic control line (17 and 18), such line having control valve means (22 and 23) able to be switched over between an air economy position and an open position (24) making available a flow cross section which is larger than that of the air economy position, such control valve means being provided with actuating means (32) able to be activated in a manner dependent on the position of the output drive unit (6), such actuating means being able to cause a switching over of the control valve means (22 and 23) into the air economy position, when the output drive unit (6), owing to the compress
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Dieter Waldmann, Jan-Peter Bender, Jose Arana
  • Publication number: 20070233320
    Abstract: A handling device for handling parts and in particular sheet metal bodywork parts, comprises a carrier unit which has a coupling means for coupling to a robot arm of a robot and a plurality of operating modules each having an attachment interface for the attachment of an operating device such as a vacuum gripper or the like, each operating module being provided with adjustment means for setting position of the attachment interface wherein the adjustment means comprise several positioning setting drives controlled by electrical control signals from a control device, such setting drives rendering possible shifting the attachment interface in the x, y and z directions of a Cartesian coordinate system spanning the x, y and z coordinates, the positioning setting drives being so designed that the attachment interface is able to be positioned in the desired target position by motion in the x, y and/or z direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Dieter Waldmann, Thomas Feyrer, Michael Freund, Jurgen Heinzl
  • Patent number: 6840154
    Abstract: A drive cylinder comprising a cylinder barrel (3) extending between two cylinder heads (2a and 2b) and a plurality of ties (13) distributed about the outer periphery of the cylinder barrel (3) and bracing the cylinder heads (2a and 2b). Of these of ties at least one is constituted by a profile part (26) which extends in the peripheral direction (14) of the cylinder barrel (13) some distance along its outer periphery and whose profile provides means for the implementation of at least one additional function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co.
    Inventors: Uwe Mödinger, Dieter Waldmann
  • Publication number: 20030172806
    Abstract: A drive cylinder comprising a cylinder barrel (3) extending between two cylinder heads (2a and 2b) and a plurality of ties (13) distributed about the outer periphery of the cylinder barrel (3) and bracing the cylinder heads (2a and 2b). Of these of ties at least one is constituted by a profile part (26) which extends in the peripheral direction (14) of the cylinder barrel (13) some distance along its outer periphery and whose profile provides means for the implementation of at least one additional function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Uwe Modinger, Dieter Waldmann
  • Patent number: 6014924
    Abstract: A slide drive device has a principal housing, in which at least one actuating element able to be driven linearly is arranged. Externally on the principal housing there is a slide kinetically coupled with the actuating element. Two stroke limiting means render possible a variable preset of the two end positions of the slide and each comprise an adjustable arranged on the one part and a counter-abutment arranged opposite to same on the other part. The one adjustable abutment is arranged on the slide and the other adjustable abutment is located on the principal housing. Both abutments are provided in end regions facing in the same axial direction, on the slide and, respectively, on the principal housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2000
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co.
    Inventors: Kurt Stoll, Uwe Modinger, Dieter Waldmann
  • Patent number: 5813313
    Abstract: A piston for a fluid power cylinder, which possesses two separate piston parts, which are detachably set together in a joint region axially with a sealing action. Each piston part has a rigid carrying element, which is molded on a holding portion, which in its radially outer region has a lip seal comprising sealing material with rubber-elastic properties and serving for sealing on a piston running face. The respective lip seal and the holding portion associated with same are constituted by components of an integral elastic body comprising a sealing material with rubber-elastic properties. Such elastic body is molded on the respectively associated carrying element. The two elastic bodies are in sealing contact with one another in the joint zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Festo KG
    Inventors: Kurt Stoll, Dieter Waldmann
  • Patent number: 5469775
    Abstract: A linear-drive device with a housing (1) in which a drive element (3) is fitted in such a way that longitudinal motion is permitted. On the outside of the housing (1) is a longitudinal guide element (16) on which a guide rail (18) is mounted, also in such a way that longitudinal motion is permitted. A lug (14) projecting through a longitudinal slot (13) in the housing (1) connects the drive element (3) with the guide rail (18). In order to prevent the lug (14) being damaged if the drive element (3) strikes one of the end stops, a buffer device (30) acting in the direction of motion is located in the connection between the guide rail (18) and the drive element (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Festo KG
    Inventors: Kurt Stoll, Dieter Waldmann, Thomas Feyrer
  • Patent number: 4350950
    Abstract: The frequency of a pulse signal is measured with the aid of a reference signal generated in an oscillator (11). Both the pulses of the frequency to be measured and the pulses of the reference frequency are counted by separate counters (12, 13) and the counts or counted results are stored in separate memories (14, 15). A flip-flop (21) is set and reset to determine each measuring duration. The difference between two successive counts of the measured frequency counter (14) corresponds to the pulses or rather periods counted during the measuring time duration. The difference between two successive counts of the reference frequency counter (15) corresponds to the length of the measuring time duration whereby the resolution is determined by the reference frequency. A microprocessor (16) divides the number of periods counted by the measuring time duration to ascertain the frequency to be measured which may then be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1982
    Assignee: Nord-Micro Elektronik Feinmechanik AG
    Inventors: Dieter Waldmann, Bernd Ohnesorge