Patents by Inventor Helmut Aichele

Helmut Aichele 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: 8997544
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies having a machine frame, a drive device, a workpiece rotary table for accommodating hollow bodies and a tool holder for accommodating processing tools, wherein the workpiece rotary table and the tool holder face one another and can be turned about a rotational axis in relation to one another and can be linearly moved in relation to one another along the rotational axis, and wherein the drive device comprises first drive means for providing a rotary step movement and second drive means for providing a cyclical linear movement between workpiece rotary table and tool holder to enable the hollow bodies to be formed by means of the processing tools in a plurality of consecutive processing steps. The second drive means has a stroke adjustment arrangement which is designed for adjusting a working stroke of the cyclical linear movement as a function of a control signal of a control device and/or for continuously variably adjusting the working stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Abt, Helmut Aichele, Carsten Brechling
  • Patent number: 8826715
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies (56) with a machine frame (2), a drive mechanism (6), a workpiece turntable (3) to support hollow bodies (56) and a tool carrier (4) to support machining tools (58), wherein the workpiece turntable (3) and tool carrier (4) oppose one another and can be rotated in relation to one another around an axis of rotation (5) and can be linearly displaced in relation to one another along the axis of rotation (5) and wherein the drive mechanism (6) is designed to provide a rotational stepping motion and a cyclical linear motion between the workpiece turntable (3) and the tool carrier (4), in order to allow the forming of the hollowing bodies (56) by means of the machining tools (58) in a plurality of sequential machining steps, as well as a stationary supporting tube (33) assigned to the machine frame (2), the central axis of which extends along the axis of rotation (5) and supports the tool carrier (4) and/or the workpiece turntable (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Abt, Helmut Aichele, Carsten Brechling
  • Patent number: 8584502
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies (7) having a machine frame (2), a drive device (15), a workpiece rotary table (3) and having a tool holder (4) for accommodating processing tools (10), wherein the workpiece rotary table (3) and the tool holder (4) face one another and can be turned about a rotational axis (5) in relation to one another and can be linearly moved in relation to one another along the rotational axis (5), wherein the drive device (15) is designed for providing a rotary step movement and a cyclical linear movement between workpiece rotary table (3) and tool holder (4), in order to enable the hollow bodies (7) to be formed by means of the processing tools (10) in a plurality of consecutive processing steps, and wherein the workpiece holder (6) has a recess (16) for accommodating a hollow body (7) and a wall section (42), which limits the recess (16) in certain areas, has an adjustable geometry, which is designed to narrow the cross-section of the recess (16), in order to enable the hol
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Aichele, Josef Schulz, Alexander Traxler
  • Patent number: 8438897
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies, including a machine frame, a drive device, a workpiece turntable and a tool holder, wherein the drive device (15) is designed to provide a rotational step movement and a cyclic linear movement between the workpiece turntable and the tool holder, and wherein the workpiece turntable is assigned at a locking position a first actuating means for triggering a locking movement on the respective workpiece holder and at an unlocking position a second actuating means for triggering an unlocking movement on the respective workpiece holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Aichele, Thomas Pfluger
  • Publication number: 20110219838
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies, including a machine frame, a drive device, a workpiece turntable and a tool holder, wherein the drive device (15) is designed to provide a rotational step movement and a cyclic linear movement between the workpiece turntable and the tool holder, and wherein the workpiece turntable is assigned at a locking position a first actuating means for triggering a locking movement on the respective workpiece holder and at an unlocking position a second actuating means for triggering an unlocking movement on the respective workpiece holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: HINTERKOPF GMBH
    Inventors: Helmut Aichele, Thomas Pfluger
  • Publication number: 20110219842
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies (7) having a machine frame (2), a drive device (15), a workpiece rotary table (3) and having a tool holder (4) for accommodating processing tools (10), wherein the workpiece rotary table (3) and the tool holder (4) face one another and can be turned about a rotational axis (5) in relation to one another and can be linearly moved in relation to one another along the rotational axis (5), wherein the drive device (15) is designed for providing a rotary step movement and a cyclical linear movement between workpiece rotary table (3) and tool holder (4), in order to enable the hollow bodies (7) to be formed by means of the processing tools (10) in a plurality of consecutive processing steps, and wherein the workpiece holder (6) has a recess (16) for accommodating a hollow body (7) and a wall section (42), which limits the recess (16) in certain areas, has an adjustable geometry, which is designed to narrow the cross-section of the recess (16), in order to enable the hol
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: HINTERKOPF GMBH
    Inventors: Helmut Aichele, Josef Schulz, Alexander Traxler
  • Publication number: 20110214468
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies (56) with a machine frame (2), a drive mechanism (6), a workpiece turntable (3) to support hollow bodies (56) and a tool carrier (4) to support machining tools (58), wherein the workpiece turntable (3) and tool carrier (4) oppose one another and can be rotated in relation to one another around an axis of rotation (5) and can be linearly displaced in relation to one another along the axis of rotation (5) and wherein the drive mechanism (6) is designed to provide a rotational stepping motion and a cyclical linear motion between the workpiece turntable (3) and the tool carrier (4), in order to allow the forming of the hollowing bodies (56) by means of the machining tools (58) in a plurality of sequential machining steps, as well as a stationary supporting tube (33) assigned to the machine frame (2), the central axis of which extends along the axis of rotation (5) and supports the tool carrier (4) and/or the workpiece turntable (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: HINTERKOPF GMBH
    Inventors: Wilfried Abt, Helmut Aichele, Carsten Brechling
  • Publication number: 20110214473
    Abstract: A forming device for cup-shaped hollow bodies (56) having a machine frame (2), a drive device (6), a workpiece rotary table (3) for accommodating hollow bodies (56) and a tool holder (4) for accommodating processing tools (58), wherein workpiece rotary table (3) and tool holder (4) face one another and can be turned about a rotational axis (5) in relation to one another and can be linearly moved in relation to one another along the rotational axis (5), and wherein the drive device (6) comprises first drive means (20) for providing a rotary step movement and second drive means (7, 8) for providing a cyclical linear movement between workpiece rotary table (3) and tool holder (4), in order to enable the hollow bodies (56) to be formed by means of the processing tools (58) in a plurality of consecutive processing steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: HINTERKOPF GMBH
    Inventors: Wilfried Abt, Helmut Aichele, Carsten Brechling
  • Patent number: 7540236
    Abstract: An apparatus for printing on and/or otherwise decorating hollow bodies comprises a plurality of processing stations of different types, in which supplied hollow bodies may be processed in different ways. For conveying the hollow bodies a conveyor chain arrangement is provided serving the individual processing stations and consisting of conveyor chain sections able to be linked together by coupling means to constitute a conveyor chain in a closed loop with alternatively possible different paths. These different paths are characterized in that the processing stations may be served by the conveyor chain in different orders and/or partially obviated by it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Aichele
  • Publication number: 20070039490
    Abstract: A machine for printing on hollow bodies such as sleeves, collapsible tubes, cans or the like, comprises receiving spindles having a horizontal axis of rotation on which receiving spindles are arranged which precede along a spindle track curve during stepped rotational movement of the spindle plate. Along this spindle track curve a plurality of combined printing and drying stations are distributed, which each possess a rotary screen printing mechanism for printing on hollow bodies mounted on the receiving spindles and a radiation dryer for drying ink applied to the hollow bodies. Within the printing and drying stations the rotary screen printing mechanism and the radiation dryer are respectively opposite one another, the latter being so designed that same may simultaneously act on the receiving spindle located at the time in the associated printing and drying station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut Aichele, Martin Frank
  • Publication number: 20060112840
    Abstract: An apparatus for printing on and/or otherwise decorating hollow bodies comprises a plurality of processing stations of different types, in which supplied hollow bodies may be processed in different ways. For conveying the hollow bodies a conveyor chain arrangement is provided serving the individual processing stations and consisting of conveyor chain sections able to be linked together by coupling means to constitute a conveyor chain in a closed loop with alternatively possible different paths. These different paths are characterized in that the processing stations may be served by the conveyor chain in different orders and/or partially obviated by it.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Applicant: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Aichele
  • Patent number: 6631673
    Abstract: A transfer device with which the hollow bodies to be printed in a printing machine may be transferred from a supply conveyor means to a capstan plate associated with the printing device. Since the hollow bodies are supplied by the supply conveyor means with a distance between them, which is smaller than the pitch of the receiving capstans of the capstan plate serving to accept the hollow bodies, a transfer rotor is placed in between, which possesses holding units, which perform the hollow body transfer as part of a pitch matching operation. A similar arrangement may also be employed to transfer already printed hollow bodies from the capstan plate to a removal conveyor means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Aichele
  • Patent number: 6490969
    Abstract: A machine for printing on or otherwise decorating hollow bodies. It comprises a rotationally driven decoration application drum, which peripherally is provided with decoration faces, which are able to be moved along a first orbit. On an adjacent capstan plate receiving capstans are arranged for capstan units for carrying hollow bodies. On rotation of the capstan plate the radially inwardly facing sections of the hollow bodies proceed along a second orbit. Pitman units serve to so correct the second orbit on passage through a decoration zone that it coincides with the first orbit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Hinterkopf GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Aichele
  • Publication number: 20010025572
    Abstract: A transfer device with which the hollow bodies to be printed in a printing machine may be transferred from a supply conveyor means to a capstan plate associated with the printing device. Since the hollow bodies are supplied by the supply conveyor means with a distance between them, which is smaller than the pitch of the receiving capstans of the capstan plate serving to accept the hollow bodies, a transfer rotor is placed in between, which possesses holding units, which perform the hollow body transfer as part of a pitch matching operation. A similar arrangement may also be employed to transfer already printed hollow bodies from the capstan plate to a removal conveyor means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventor: Helmut Aichele
  • Publication number: 20010025573
    Abstract: A machine for printing on or otherwise decorating hollow bodies. It comprises a rotationally driven decoration application drum, which peripherally is provided with decoration faces, which are able to be moved along a first orbit. On an adjacent capstan plate receiving capstans are arranged for capstan units for carrying hollow bodies. On rotation of the capstan plate the radially inwardly facing sections of the hollow bodies proceed along a second orbit. Pitman units serve to so correct the second orbit on passage through a decoration zone that it coincides with the first orbit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventor: Helmut Aichele