Patents by Inventor Frank Herre

Frank Herre 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).

  • Publication number: 20110045194
    Abstract: Exemplary robots and corresponding exemplary operating methods for a painting system are disclosed. In one example, the robot is a handling robot for opening and closing doors or bonnets of motor vehicle bodies. A robot element of a handling robot that is susceptible to dirt retention, e.g., a handling tool, may be arranged away from the spray jet of a paint during the painting operation and is applied to the component that is to be painted. The robot may include a cleaning device for cleaning or for keeping the robot element of the handling robot that is susceptible to dirt retention clean from paint that is applied with spray jet in the painting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder, Thomas Hezel, Juergen Haas, Bernd Leiensetter, Alexander Meissner, Marcus Frey
  • Publication number: 20110014371
    Abstract: An exemplary painting robot and corresponding operating methods for the same are disclosed. The robot may be configured to paint motor vehicle bodies on an outer surface and an inner surface with an atomizer that is guided by the painting robot. According to the exemplary illustrations, the painting robot is suitable for painting the outer surfaces and for painting the inner surfaces of the motor vehicle bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Manfred Michelfelder, Markus Erhardt, Michael Baumann, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: 7870807
    Abstract: A robot wrist for a painting robot has several wrist sections that can be rotated relative to one another, an internal conduit that passes through the wrist sections, a flexible hose carried in the internal conduit and having a hose drive operating on the hose to achieve positive rotation of the hose in the internal conduit corresponding to the rotation of the wrist sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Durr Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Hezel, Bernd Leiensetter, Frank Herre, Bekim Maxharraj, Nedime Maxaharraj, legal representative
  • Publication number: 20100330292
    Abstract: An application robot, specifically a painting robot, for coating workpieces with a coating medium and an appropriate operating method. The painting robot has multiple movable axes and a spatially positionable end effector. Multiple application devices are attached to the end effector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Einar Endregaard, Frank Herre
  • Publication number: 20100278676
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gear wheel pump with two meshing gear wheels which are rotatably mounted within a pump housing by means of a driven driveshaft and a crankshaft journal and which form a pumping channel system between a pump inlet and a pump outlet. Several gaps are formed between the pump housing, the gear wheels, the driveshaft, and the crankshaft journal. One of the gaps between the driveshaft and one of the gear wheels contains means for the rotationally fixed connection of the driveshaft to the gear wheel. In order to prevent leakages penetrating to the connecting means, according to the invention the gap between the driveshaft and the gear wheel is sealed, with respect to the front faces of the gear wheel, by means of a sealant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Arkadiusz Tomzik, Ulrich Helbing, Dietrich Witzler, Michael Baumann, Frank Herre, Martin Stiegler, Herbert Martin, Thomas Appel
  • Publication number: 20100274378
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a test method for functional testing of a painting device, comprising: connecting a test device to the painting device, capturing at least one process parameter of the painting device, and checking of a functionality of the painting device by the test device using the captured process variables of the painting device. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding test device for performing the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventor: Frank Herre
  • Publication number: 20100251963
    Abstract: In a painting booth (1) for the series coating of application objects, such as vehicle bodies (2) or the add-on parts thereof, painting and/or handling robots (11) are moveable on guide rails (10) arranged above the conveyor (3) of the objects (2) and in particular arranged approximately level with their upper side or thereabove. According to a first aspect of the invention, the guide rail (10) and the basic body (51) of the robot (11), which basic body is guided by the guide rail, are arranged in such a manner that the first axis (A1) of the robot is inclined in relation to the vertical plane which is parallel to the conveying direction. According to a second aspect of the invention, the guide rail (10) is arranged at an inclination or tiltably with respect to a vertical plane which is parallel to the conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Juergen Haas, Michael Baumann, Marcus Frey, Hans Vetters, Jan Grigoleit
  • Publication number: 20100206962
    Abstract: A rotary sprayer for a coating apparatus is disclosed. An exemplary rotary sprayer may include a spraying body configured to be mounted on a drive shaft of a drive motor for rotation with the drive shaft. The spraying body may further include a detachable mounting device for coaxial connection of the spraying body to the drive shaft. The detachable mounting device may include a spraying body thread that mates with a driveshaft thread defined by the drive shaft, and a plurality of elastic tabs configured to abut a corresponding cavity defined by the driveshaft, such that rotation of the spraying body increases an abutment force between the elastic tabs and the corresponding cavity of the driveshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Hans-Jurgen Nolte, Harry Krumma, Frank Herre, Michael Baumann, Marcus Frey, Rainer Melcher, Eberhard Streisel, Bernhard Seiz, Peter Marquardt
  • Publication number: 20100211205
    Abstract: A rotary atomizer arrangement and methods for operating the same are disclosed. An exemplary atomizer may be used for the coating of work pieces, and may include a bell plate driven by an electric motor. The exemplary atomizer may further be configured for the detection of errors in the spraying process and/or the drive system of the bell plate, such as by analyzing corresponding parameters of typical values of the drive motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Baumann, Torsten Block, Juergen Haas, Frank Herre, Marcus Frey, Alexander Meissner, Hans-Jurgen Nolte, Bernhard Seiz
  • Patent number: 7762207
    Abstract: An application robot, specifically a painting robot, for coating workpieces with a coating medium and an appropriate operating method. The painting robot has multiple movable axes and a spatially positionable end effector. Multiple application devices are attached to the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc
    Inventors: Einar Endregaard, Frank Herre
  • Publication number: 20100163638
    Abstract: Various exemplary illustrations of a piston rod seal are disclosed. An exemplary piston rod seal may include a piston rod guide for guiding a piston rod that supports a scraping piston configured to scrape paint residue from an inner wall of a pipeline cylinder. The piston rod may further include a first seal for sealing the piston rod guide relative to the piston rod, and a second seal for sealing the piston rod guide relative to the piston rod, where the second seal is arranged axially offset relative to the first seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Publication number: 20100161141
    Abstract: An error logging method for a coating plant is disclosed. The error logging method generally includes capturing an error during running of process data records for the coating plant, wherein the individual process data records are ordered according to the given time of operation of the coating plant and each of which contain various process data of the coating plant. The method may further include storage of the captured process data records, detection of a possible error condition of the coating plant, and/or production of an error code when detection of an error condition of the coating plant occurs. The various examples may also relate to storage of the error code in chronological order with the stored process data records.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Duerr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Dietmar Wildermuth, Roland Wolf
  • Publication number: 20100147215
    Abstract: A transformer arrangement is disclosed for an electrostatic sprayer or in an adjacent moving element of a coating machine. A transformer provides a galvanic isolation between the line arrangement provided for supplying power to the sprayer arrangement, and consumers at high voltage in the sprayer or possibly in the robot arm. This isolation may be provided with an isolating transformer which has a sufficient isolation distance or other isolation device between the primary and secondary circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Baumann, Frank Herre, Juergen Haas, Harry Krumma, Hans-Jurgen Nolte, Marcus Frey, Bernhard Seiz, Herbert Martin, Erwin Bieber, Torsten Block
  • Publication number: 20100143599
    Abstract: A rotary atomizer component, such as for a steering air ring or bell cup for a rotary atomizer with at least one steering air jet for delivering steering air (or controlled air) and a rotary bearing shaft where, in axial direction between the bell cup and the steering air jet, a circumferential annular gap is located. A shaft cover in form of a bushing covers the bearing shaft, when mounted, at least partially in the annular gap area between the bell cup and the steering air jet. In addition, the annular gap space between the front surface of the bearing unit and the internal surface facing it axially or any other front element of the atomizer is sealed in a radial way internally against the externally accessible area of the shaft. The sealing element provided for this purpose is located along the internal circumference of the air-steering rings or front element and able to be attached to the front surface of the bearing unit in a way that it is elastically deformable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Peter Marquardt, Hans-Jurgen Nolte, Michael Baumann, Bernhard Seiz
  • Publication number: 20100133353
    Abstract: An atomiser, painting machine, paint cabin, and method of operating an atomizer are disclosed. The atomizer includes a first paint inlet for a first paint system, and at least one additional second paint inlet for a second paint system. Each of the paint inlets are separated from each other, so that the atomiser may optionally apply one of the two different paint systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventor: Frank Herre
  • Patent number: 7721976
    Abstract: An atomizer assembly (10) drives an atomizing bell (108) to apply paint onto a part (14). The atomizer assembly (10) includes a core (24) having at least one paint line (26) extending therethrough, a turbine device (40) circumscribing an axis (A) and disposed in the core (24), and a turbine unit (62) surrounding the pain line (26) and having a shaft (104) rotatable relative the turbine device (40) with several turbine blades (130) connected to the shaft (104). A plurality of nozzles (64, 66, 68) are defined in the turbine device (40) and are positioned relative a turbine wheel (106) connected to the shaft (104) to drive fluid, i.e. gas onto the turbine blades (130). An annular wall (94) extends outwardly from one of the terminal ends of the turbine device (40) to define a seat (96) for engaging the core (24) to maintain a fixed gap between the paint line (26) and the shaft (104) and to eliminate contact therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans J. Nolte, Harry Krumma, Frank Herre, Michael Baumann, Stefano Giuliano, Bjorn Lind
  • Patent number: 7677196
    Abstract: A coating plant having a multi-axis application robot to apply a coating means to an application object, where the application robot is installed hanging at least partially into a paint booth. A method for coating an object in a coating plant is also taught.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Herre
  • Patent number: 7654472
    Abstract: The bell shaped plate of a rotary sprayer is attached to its drive shaft by means of a detachable device. An accidental self-release of the mounting device that would cause the rotating bell shaped plate to be flung off is avoided by measures that prevent at least accidental movements of the bell shaped plate radial to the axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hans-Jürgen Nolte, Harry Krumma, Frank Herre, Michael Baumann, Marcus Frey, Rainer Melcher, Eberhardt Streisel, Bernhard Seiz, Peter Marquardt
  • Publication number: 20100012025
    Abstract: A coating apparatus for serially coating workpieces with different shades or colors is disclosed. A metering device comprises a plunger-type dosing mechanism or a metering pump that has a separate inlet with an integrated color valve for each of the most commonly used colors is located in or near the sprayer of the coating apparatus. A separate color changer can be provided for less frequently used colors. The outlet of said color changer may be connected to another inlet of the metering mechanism or to the discharge valve of the sprayer via a separate metering mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Patent number: 7584771
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus includes a supply line (22) between a source of liquid paint (64) and an applicator (62) having at least two pigs (20A and 20B) and a source of liquid solvent (60) which delivers solvent (60) between the two pigs (20A and 20B) and the pigs (20A and 20B) are driven by paint (80) from adjacent the paint source (64) to the applicator (62). The apparatus further includes a second source of liquid solvent (60) which delivers solvent (60) between the pigs (20A and 20B) adjacent the applicator (62) and the pigs (20A and 20B) are returned through the supply line (22), thereby flushing the supply line (22). In the disclosed embodiment, the source of liquid paint (64) is a piston dosing device (70) which receives paint (80) from a color changer or the like and delivers a predetermined volume of paint (80) to the applicator (62). The delivery line (22) preferably includes a friction resistant inner layer, an intermediate dielectric layer and a protective outer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Herbert Martin, Michael Baumann, Richard M. Ostin, Robert F. Heldt, Manfred Michelfelder, Joachim Hering