Patents by Inventor Fred Sommerhalter

Fred Sommerhalter 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: 20230079695
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a brake system for a track section of a linear motor system. The brake system includes a housing receiving a brake flag of a mover and a first brake pad disposed within the housing and having a first tapered surface. The brake system also includes a second brake pad disposed within the housing and having a second tapered surface and a wedge disposed within the housing and comprising a third tapered surface. The brake system also includes an actuator that moves the wedge, wherein movement of the activation wedge causes the first brake pad to move and causes the second brake pad to move.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: Fred A. Sommerhalter, JR.
  • Patent number: 9716416
    Abstract: A linear motor system includes a coil assembly, a movable magnet assembly, and a bearing assembly coupled to facilitate movement of one of the magnet assembly and the coil assembly with respect to the other. The bearing assembly includes a single bearing rail, wherein the single bearing rail is a separate component from the coil assembly and the magnet assembly and is mounted to the magnet assembly on a major face thereof opposite the major face thereof adjacent to which the coil assembly is disposed. The single bearing rail is narrower than the coil assembly and the magnet assembly. The single bearing rail includes a profiled rail configured to hold the magnet assembly on the coil assembly while allowing the magnet assembly to move along the coil assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Anorad Corporation
    Inventors: Darius Bobelis, Fred Sommerhalter, Peter Smit, Claude Chirignan
  • Patent number: 9614410
    Abstract: A linear motor system includes a coil assembly and a magnet assembly disposed adjacent to the coil assembly. The coil assembly includes a plurality of coil windings and a sealing material to seal and to prevent moisture and/or chemical ingress into the coil windings. The magnet assembly includes a plurality of magnets, a magnet housing disposed to house, cover and seal the plurality of magnets within the magnet housing, a plate to cover the plurality of magnets, a sealing element disposed between the plate and the magnet housing to seal the magnet assembly, and a groove formed to receive the sealing element between the plate and the magnet housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Anorad Corporation
    Inventors: Darius Bobelis, Fred Sommerhalter, Peter Smit, Claude Chirignan
  • Publication number: 20140346900
    Abstract: A linear motor system includes a coil assembly and a magnet assembly disposed adjacent to the coil assembly. The coil assembly includes a plurality of coil windings and a sealing material to seal and to prevent moisture and/or chemical ingress into the coil windings. The magnet assembly includes a plurality of magnets, a magnet housing disposed to house, cover and seal the plurality of magnets within the magnet housing, a plate to cover the plurality of magnets, a sealing element disposed between the plate and the magnet housing to seal the magnet assembly, and a groove formed to receive the sealing element between the plate and the magnet housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Darius Bobelis, Fred Sommerhalter, Peter Smit, Claude Chirignan
  • Publication number: 20140339925
    Abstract: A linear motor system includes a coil assembly, a movable magnet assembly, and a bearing assembly coupled to facilitate movement of one of the magnet assembly and the coil assembly with respect to the other. The bearing assembly includes a single bearing rail, wherein the single bearing rail is a separate component from the coil assembly and the magnet assembly and is mounted to the magnet assembly on a major face thereof opposite the major face thereof adjacent to which the coil assembly is disposed. The single bearing rail is narrower than the coil assembly and the magnet assembly. The single bearing rail includes a profiled rail configured to hold the magnet assembly on the coil assembly while allowing the magnet assembly to move along the coil assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Darius Bobelis, Fred Sommerhalter, Peter Smit, Claude Chirignan
  • Patent number: 8829740
    Abstract: A sealed linear motor system is provided. The sealed linear motor system includes a sealed coil assembly having a plurality of coil windings within a base plate and comprising covers disposed about the base plate and coil windings to prevent moisture and/or chemical ingress into the base plate and the coil windings. The sealed linear motor system also includes a sealed magnet assembly disposed adjacent to the coil assembly and comprising a plurality of magnets mounted on a magnet mounting plate and a magnet housing disposed on a surface of the magnet mounting plate to cover and seal the plurality of magnets within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darius Bobelis, Fred Sommerhalter, Peter Smit, Claude Chirignan
  • Patent number: 8674563
    Abstract: A linear motor system is provided includes a coil assembly, a magnet assembly, and a bearing assembly disposed between the coil and magnet assemblies to allow movement of one or both of them. The bearing assembly includes a single bearing rail that can be mounted on either side of the magnet assembly. The rail has elongated recesses that receive bearing elements. A stage structure may be attached to the assembly, such at to the magnet assembly, to move a machine component along the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Lamouree, Fred Sommerhalter, Darius Bobelis
  • Publication number: 20130193777
    Abstract: An automation system is provided. The automation system includes a rail assembly comprising a first stop block at a first end and a second stop block at a second end. The automation system further includes a magnet assembly mounted on the rail assembly between the first and second stop blocks and a slide assembly configured to move back and forth over the rail assembly between the first block and the second block. The automation system further includes a linear motor coupled to the slide assembly and magnetically coupled to the rail assembly, the linear motor configured to generate a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic assembly to provide a linear force that moves the slide assembly on the rail assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred Sommerhalter, JR.
  • Publication number: 20120194006
    Abstract: A linear motor system is provided includes a coil assembly, a magnet assembly, and a bearing assembly disposed between the coil and magnet assemblies to allow movement of one or both of them. The bearing assembly includes a single bearing rail that can be mounted on either side of the magnet assembly. The rail has elongated recesses that receive bearing elements. A stage structure may be attached to the assembly, such at to the magnet assembly, to move a machine component along the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: Anorad Corporation
    Inventors: John Lamouree, Fred Sommerhalter, Darius Bobelis
  • Patent number: 8134435
    Abstract: Aspects relate to mitigation of a magnetic field produced by one or more units to be shipped such that a magnitude of magnetic field measured is maintained at or below a threshold level. A counter-flux is applied through the use of one or more magnets, magnet arrays, or a geometrical arrangement of magnet arrays. The strength of the counter-flux is varied by altering size, shape, number, polarity and/or location of the one or more magnets or magnet arrays. The one or more magnets or magnet arrays can be constructed as standard assemblies and/or customized magnet assemblies. Additionally, magnet tiles or configurations can provide a return path for stray field leakage and mitigation. Additionally or alternatively, the placement and orientation of the magnets or magnet arrays allows the flux of one or more units to be mitigated, thus, allowing more than one unit to be shipped at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Floresta, Nandakumar Thirunarayan, Fred Sommerhalter
  • Publication number: 20110291496
    Abstract: A sealed linear motor system is provided. The sealed linear motor system includes a sealed coil assembly having a plurality of coil windings within a base plate and comprising covers disposed about the base plate and coil windings to prevent moisture and/or chemical ingress into the base plate and the coil windings. The sealed linear motor system also includes a sealed magnet assembly disposed adjacent to the coil assembly and comprising a plurality of magnets mounted on a magnet mounting plate and a magnet housing disposed on a surface of the magnet mounting plate to cover and seal the plurality of magnets within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: Anorad Corporation
    Inventors: Darius Bobelis, Fred Sommerhalter, Peter Smit, Claude Chirignan
  • Publication number: 20100079227
    Abstract: Aspects relate to mitigation of a magnetic field produced by one or more units to be shipped such that a magnitude of magnetic field measured is maintained at or below a threshold level. A counter-flux is applied through the use of one or more magnets, magnet arrays, or a geometrical arrangement of magnet arrays. The strength of the counter-flux is varied by altering size, shape, number, polarity and/or location of the one or more magnets or magnet arrays. The one or more magnets or magnet arrays can be constructed as standard assemblies and/or customized magnet assemblies. Additionally, magnet tiles or configurations can provide a return path for stray field leakage and mitigation. Additionally or alternatively, the placement and orientation of the magnets or magnet arrays allows the flux of one or more units to be mitigated, thus, allowing more than one unit to be shipped at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: John Floresta, Nandakumar Thirunarayan, Fred Sommerhalter