Patents by Inventor Heiko Graf

Heiko Graf 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: 10874569
    Abstract: A device for controlling at least one drive device of a surgical table, comprising a control unit for making available an output control signal on the basis of at least a first input control signal. The device is configured in such a way that the drive device is controllable with the aid of the output control signal, and that the drive device is directly controllable with the aid of a second input control signal. The device is characterized in that the control unit receives the second input control signal or a signal based on the second input control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MAQUET GMBH
    Inventors: Heiko Graf, Matthias Jörger, Winfried Wild
  • Publication number: 20180296418
    Abstract: A device for controlling at least one drive device of a surgical table, comprising a control unit for making available an output control signal on the basis of at least a first input control signal. The device is configured in such a way that the drive device is controllable with the aid of the output control signal, and that the drive device is directly controllable with the aid of a second input control signal. The device is characterized in that the control unit receives the second input control signal or a signal based on the second input control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: MAQUET GMBH
    Inventors: Heiko GRAF, Matthias JÖRGER, Winfried BÖSKE
  • Publication number: 20180164872
    Abstract: A power-saving control device for a battery-operated operating table, and related tables and methods. The control device can include two microprocessors for controlling the operating table. An input device may send instructions the microprocessors via an input channel. The control device may have at least a sleep state, a check state, and an active state. Typically, in the sleep state, the first microprocessor monitors an input channel of the input device, and the second microprocessor is off. Upon receipt of an instruction, the control device switches from the sleep state to the check state in order to check whether the instruction includes a valid wake-up signal. This may include determining whether the instruction includes an address of the battery-operated operating table. When a valid wake-up signal has been received, the control device to an active state where, typically, both microprocessors are active.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: MAQUET GMBH
    Inventors: Heiko GRAF, Michael FRÜH
  • Patent number: 9537540
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter (2) for machine tools, having an inductive energy transmission section (31), which is arranged between a stator part (4) fixed to the machine and a rotor part (6) fixed to the tool, and a contactless bidirectional data transmission section (35). A special feature of the invention consists in that, in order to make maximum use of the capacity of the energy transmission section (31), precautions are taken with which the optimal operating frequency (fopt) of the energy transmission operating according to the transformer principle is determined at every system start in a test run with a connected test resister (51) and a variable frequency (fp). Furthermore, for the purpose of interference-free data transmission, buffer storage of the data to be transmitted via the data transmission section (35) is proposed, which data are synchronized in predefined time windows with interference-free periods of the energy transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: KOMET GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: Heiko Graf
  • Publication number: 20160308586
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter (2) for machine tools, having an inductive energy transmission section (31), which is arranged between a stator part (4) fixed to the machine and a rotor part (6) fixed to the tool, and a contactless bidirectional data transmission section (35). A special feature of the invention consists in that, in order to make maximum use of the capacity of the energy transmission section (31), precautions are taken with which the optimal operating frequency (fopt) of the energy transmission operating according to the transformer principle is determined at every system start in a test run with a connected test resister (51) and a variable frequency (fp). Furthermore, for the purpose of interference-free data transmission, buffer storage of the data to be transmitted via the data transmission section (35) is proposed, which data are synchronised in predefined time windows with interference-free periods of the energy transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventor: Heiko GRAF
  • Patent number: 9413433
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter (2) for machine tools, having an inductive energy transmission section (31), which is arranged between a stator part (4) fixed to the machine and a rotor part (6) fixed to the tool, and a contactless bidirectional data transmission section (35). A special feature of the invention consists in that, in order to make maximum use of the capacity of the energy transmission section (31), precautions are taken with which the optimal operating frequency (fopt) of the energy transmission operating according to the transformer principle is determined at every system start in a test run with a connected test resister (51) and a variable frequency (fp). Furthermore, for the purpose of interference-free data transmission, buffer storage of the data to be transmitted via the data transmission section (35) is proposed, which data are synchronized in predefined time windows with interference-free periods of the energy transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: KOMET GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: Heiko Graf
  • Publication number: 20160065273
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter (2) for machine tools, having an inductive energy transmission section (31), which is arranged between a stator part (4) fixed to the machine and a rotor part (6) fixed to the tool, and a contactless bidirectional data transmission section (35). A special feature of the invention consists in that, in order to make maximum use of the capacity of the energy transmission section (31), precautions are taken with which the optimal operating frequency (fopt) of the energy transmission operating according to the transformer principle is determined at every system start in a test run with a connected test resister (51) and a variable frequency (fp). Furthermore, for the purpose of interference-free data transmission, buffer storage of the data to be transmitted via the data transmission section (35) is proposed, which data are synchronised in predefined time windows with interference-free periods of the energy transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventor: Heiko GRAF
  • Patent number: 9184803
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter (2) for machine tools, having an inductive energy transmission section (31), which is arranged between a stator part (4) fixed to the machine and a rotor part (6) fixed to the tool, and a contactless bidirectional data transmission section (35). A special feature of the invention consists in that, in order to make maximum use of the capacity of the energy transmission section (31), precautions are taken with which the optimal operating frequency (fopt) of the energy transmission operating according to the transformer principle is determined at every system start in a test run with a connected test resister (51) and a variable frequency (fp). Furthermore, for the purpose of interference-free data transmission, buffer storage of the data to be transmitted via the data transmission section (35) is proposed, which data are synchronized in predefined time windows with interference-free periods of the energy transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: KOMET GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: Heiko Graf
  • Patent number: 9149899
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machining center for work piece machining. The machining center comprises a machine frame, a machine spindle driven by a motor and rotatably arranged on the machine frame, and a group of machine tools that can be exchanged on the machine spindle. The machine tools comprise a coupling shaft that is compatible with a holder of the machine spindle. Furthermore, a rotary transmitter for electric energy is provided, having a stator fixed to the machine in a stationary manner and a rotor rotating along with the machine spindle. It is claimed as novel that the rotary transmitter comprises at least two transmission paths for electric energy which can be selected according to the electric power to be transmitted and the rotational speed of the spindle to be set and which can be activated in the coupled state of the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: KOMET GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Juergen Fronius, Wolfgang Bierl, Heiko Graf, Ewald Hasselkuss, Roland Hoerl, Gerhard Stolz
  • Patent number: 9144874
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool having a machine frame, a motor-driven machine spindle rotatably mounted on the machine frame, and at least one exchangeable processing head on the machine spindle. The processing head comprises a coupling element compatible with a receiving portion of the machine spindle. Furthermore, a rotary transmitter for data transfer between a stator fixed to the frame and a rotor fixed to the spindle is provided. The invention is characterized in that the machine spindle comprises a plurality of function modules on the spindle side as well as a line system forming a component of a spindle bus to which the function modules on the spindle side are connected to form subscriber stations of the spindle bus and wherein the spindle bus communicates via the rotary transmission path with a field bus fixed to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: KOMET GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Juergen Fronius, Heiko Graf, Ewald Hasselkuss
  • Patent number: 9004831
    Abstract: A machine tool having a motor-driven machine spindle which can be rotated about a spindle axis. The machine spindle has a tool holder arranged at the face. A tool is exchangeably arranged on the machine spindle. The tool has a coupling element which is compatible with the tool holder of the machine spindle. The coupling element has a rear surface pointing toward the machine spindle. The machine tool has at least one galvanic contact point for the electric current or data transmission, the point being arranged between the machine spindle and the tool and rotating together with the machine spindle. The galvanic contact point has a contact element which is arranged at the face of the tool holder on the spindle side, and a contact element which is arranged on the rear surface of the coupling element on the tool side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Komet Group GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bierl, Juergen Fronius, Heiko Graf, Ewald Hasselkuss, Roland Hoerl
  • Publication number: 20140295755
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter (2) for machine tools, having an inductive energy transmission section (31), which is arranged between a stator part (4) fixed to the machine and a rotor part (6) fixed to the tool, and a contactless bidirectional data transmission section (35). A special feature of the invention consists in that, in order to make maximum use of the capacity of the energy transmission section (31), precautions are taken with which the optimal operating frequency (fopt) of the energy transmission operating according to the transformer principle is determined at every system start in a test run with a connected test resister (51) and a variable frequency (fp). Furthermore, for the purpose of interference-free data transmission, buffer storage of the data to be transmitted via the data transmission section (35) is proposed, which data are synchronised in predefined time windows with interference-free periods of the energy transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventor: Heiko Graf
  • Publication number: 20130322889
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmission device for machine tools, comprising a stator part that is rigidly attached to the machine, a rotor part that is rigidly attached to the tool and can be rotated about a rotational axis, and stator-side and rotor-side transmitting and receiving elements for bidirectionally transferring data without contact. According to the invention, in order to guarantee trouble-free data transfer even for inductive energy transmission at high power, the transmitting and receiving elements are designed as optoelectronic components, which are combined on the stator part and the rotor part to form stator-side and rotor-side transmitter groups and receiver groups each having associated transmitting and receiving electronics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventor: Heiko Graf
  • Publication number: 20120205880
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool having a machine frame, a motor-driven machine spindle rotatably mounted on the machine frame, and at least one exchangeable processing head on the machine spindle. The processing head comprises a coupling element compatible with a receiving portion of the machine spindle. Furthermore, a rotary transmitter for data transfer between a stator fixed to the frame and a rotor fixed to the spindle is provided. The invention is characterized in that the machine spindle comprises a plurality of function modules on the spindle side as well as a line system forming a component of a spindle bus to which the function modules on the spindle side are connected to form subscriber stations of the spindle bus and wherein the spindle bus communicates via the rotary transmission path with a field bus fixed to the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Juergen Fronius, Heiko Graf, Ewald Hasselkuss
  • Publication number: 20110299953
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool comprising a motor-driven machine spindle which can be rotated about a spindle axis. The machine spindle comprises a tool holder arranged at the face. A tool is exchangeably arranged on the machine spindle. The tool has a coupling element which is compatible with the tool holder of the machine spindle. The coupling element has a rear surface pointing toward the machine spindle. The tool holder comprises a face arranged opposite of the rear surface of the coupling element. The machine tool comprises at least one galvanic contact point for the electric current or data transmission, said point being arranged between the machine spindle and the tool and rotating together with the machine spindle. The galvanic contact point has a contact element which is arranged at the face of the tool holder on the spindle side, and a contact element which is arranged on the rear surface of the coupling element on the tool side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Wolfgang Bierl, Juergen Fronius, Heiko Graf, Ewald Hasselkuss, Roland Hoerl
  • Patent number: 8044822
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter for example for use in machine tools with adjusting tools. The rotary transmitter comprises a stator part (18) and a rotor part (26), each having a respective stator core part (72) and a rotor core part (74), which are separated from one another at mutually facing ends via an air gap, and each having at least one respective power winding (76, 78), which is wound on the stator core part and the rotor core part, in order to transmit power using the transformer principle, and having respective stator and rotor coupling turns (80?, 80?, 82?, 82?), which are associated with one another in pairs, for inductive data transmission. One aim of the invention is to transmit data without interference. A further aim is a low maintenance requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Komet Group GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Hoerl, Heiko Graf
  • Publication number: 20110103912
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machining center for work piece machining. The machining center comprises a machine frame, a machine spindle driven by a motor and rotatably arranged on the machine frame, and a group of machine tools that can be exchanged on the machine spindle. The machine tools comprise a coupling shaft that is compatible with a holder of the machine spindle. Furthermore, a rotary transmitter for electric energy is provided, having a stator fixed to the machine in a stationary manner and a rotor rotating along with the machine spindle. It is claimed as novel that the rotary transmitter comprises at least two transmission paths for electric energy which can be selected according to the electric power to be transmitted and the rotational speed of the spindle to be set and which can be activated in the coupled state of the machine tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Juergen Fronius, Wolfgang Bierl, Heiko Graf, Ewald Hasselkuss, Roland Hoerl, Gerhard Stolz
  • Publication number: 20080180279
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary transmitter for example for use in machine tools with adjusting tools. The rotary transmitter comprises a stator part (18) and a rotor part (26), each having a respective stator core part (72) and a rotor core part (74), which are separated from one another at mutually facing ends via an air gap, and each having at least one respective power winding (76, 78), which is wound on the stator core part and the rotor core part, in order to transmit power using the transformer principle, and having respective stator and rotor coupling turns (80?, 80?, 82?, 82?), which are associated with one another in pairs, for inductive data transmission. One aim of the invention is to transmit data without interference. A further aim is a low maintenance requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Roland Hoerl, Heiko Graf