Patents by Inventor Karl-Heinz Helmstadter

Karl-Heinz Helmstadter 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: 20080313878
    Abstract: In a method for producing a pivotable bearing between a gripper and a gripper tube bearing the latter or between a gripper shaft and a gripper tube enclosing the latter coaxially, provision is made for all the components to be mounted on the gripper tube to be fixed before a sliding bearing formed as a resin-hardener system is introduced between the respectively pivotably connected parts. In this manner, deformations brought about by the fixing of the components can be compensated for.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Olaf Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20080092760
    Abstract: A reversing gripper system of a sheet-processing machine includes respective drive motors for driving cooperating fixed grippers and spring-loaded grippers to create pivoting and opening movements. The motors may be stationary or may be disposed inside the periphery of a reversing drum. A transmission between a drive motor and the gripper system preferably includes a belt drive. A reversing drum, a printing press and a method of automated electronic adjustment of a gripper position and of gripper opening and closing times, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Thomas Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20080092607
    Abstract: A method and a device for converting a mode of operation from straight printing to perfecting in a sheet-processing machine, includes a cam/follower control for operating a gripper system, in which cam followers are maintained in a position in which they are disengaged from control cams before a conversion of the mode of operation is performed. The method and the device convert a gripper system of a reversing drum between a straight or one-sided printing mode and a perfecting or recto-verso printing mode, by controlling pivoting and opening movements of grippers of the gripper system with a control cam. Initially, a cam follower is locked in a position in which it is disengaged from the control cam. Subsequently, a further cam follower is locked in a position in which it is disengaged from a further control cam. Then the gripper system is converted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schmidt, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Ernst-Christian Maschler
  • Publication number: 20080042341
    Abstract: An apparatus for opening and closing a gripper, in particular a tongs-type gripper in a sheet processing machine, includes a radial cam for controlling a pivoting movement and an axial cam for controlling opening and closing movements of the gripper independently thereof, during a turning operation. A sheet-fed printing press having the apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schmidt, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter
  • Publication number: 20070006754
    Abstract: A method for cyclically conveying sheets through a printing-technological machine adjusts a sheet position with high accuracy. The sheets following one another are in each case held at the front edge in grippers of a gripper system during the conveyance, and wherein the sheet position is adjusted in that a pneumatic apparatus is actuated by a control device which processes signals from at least one fixed-location sensor for the sheet position, as at least one sheet runs past, a large number of measured position values of the sheet are determined successively by using at least one sensor, from the measured position values a characteristic value for the sheet position being determined in the control device, the characteristic value as actual value being compared with a setpoint, and the pneumatic apparatus being set for a following sheet as a function of the comparison in each case between the actual and intended value of the preceding sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Thorsten Eckart, Michael Funer, Peter Hachmann, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Andreas Detloff
  • Publication number: 20060266237
    Abstract: A printing-material-carrying surface, having micro-elevations which make contact with a printing material provided with printing ink, is at least partly provided, preferably substantially only at peaks of the micro-elevations, with a fluid additive to improve print quality, in particular in recto and verso printing. The fluid additive, in particular a liquid additive diluting the printing ink and/or delaying and/or slowing the drying of the printing ink, is at least partly transferred to the printing material by the surface. A printing press cylinder and a printing press having the printing-material-carrying surface and a process for applying a fluid additive and a printing process using the printing-material-carrying surface, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Lars Herzbach, Hans-Peter Hiltwein
  • Publication number: 20060201353
    Abstract: A device for transporting sheets in recto or verso printing operation has tongs grippers each with upper and lower grippers. The upper gripper, or rigid gripper, that forms the gripper pad can be locked directly or indirectly in recto printing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Olaf Lorenz, Sonja Kaufmann, Wilhelm Lefken, Thomas Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20060080826
    Abstract: In a method for producing a pivotable bearing between a gripper and a gripper tube bearing the latter or between a gripper shaft and a gripper tube enclosing the latter coaxially, provision is made for all the components to be mounted on the gripper tube to be fixed before a sliding bearing formed as a resin-hardener system is introduced between the respectively pivotably connected parts. In this manner, deformations brought about by the fixing of the components can be compensated for.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Olaf Lorenz
  • Publication number: 20060070541
    Abstract: In a device for changing over a gripper control in a turning configuration of a sheet-processing machine, there is provided a slide to be guided axially displaceably by radial stops. The device changes over a gripper control from recto printing to verso printing on a transfer device such as a drum or a cylinder of a turning configuration in a sheet-processing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Ernst-Christian Maschler, Thomas Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20060048661
    Abstract: In a sheet gripper, a dimensionally stable base material and an elastic clamping surface material are connected to each other in a form-fitting manner. The elastic clamping surface material functions as a clamping surface of the sheet gripper. This forms a sheet gripper having a long service life and is easy manufacture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Inventors: Jens Forche, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Hans-Peter Hiltwein, Dieter Stephan, Volker Weyde
  • Publication number: 20050279233
    Abstract: A process provides for the safe operation of a printing machine. The printing machine has a first cylinder driven by a first motor, and a second cylinder driven by a second motor. The first cylinder accepts sheets of paper from the second cylinder or delivers them to the second cylinder by a gripper system. In the case of a deviation in the synchronized running between the cylinders, the gripper system is retracted at least in part far enough into the first cylinder that the possibility of a collision of the gripper system with the second cylinder is eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Hendrik Frank, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Jochen Bechtler, Stefan Maier, Matthias Noll
  • Publication number: 20050199150
    Abstract: In an apparatus for clamping and releasing a gearwheel rim with respect to a main gearwheel that bears the gearwheel rim, a clamping apparatus includes an axially guided, displaceable clamping plate clamping the gearwheel rim between the plate and the main gearwheel. Antifatigue bolts are used for such a purpose. The bolts are expanded by an actuator for releasing the clamped gearwheel rim to an extent that cancels the clamping action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventors: Jens Friedrichs, Christian Gorbing, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Markus Mohringer, Thomas Schmidt, Martin Seipel
  • Publication number: 20040256796
    Abstract: A machine for processing printing material sheets, in particular a sheet-fed printing press, has a sheet transport drum for transporting the printing material sheets and at least one sheet supporting element. The sheet supporting element, which is formed with a sheet supporting surface, is compatible with the sheet transport drum, for supporting the printing material sheets in a first operating mode. When the machine is operated in the first operating mode the sheet supporting element is held attached to the sheet transport drum, and when the machine is operated in a second operating mode the sheet supporting element is stored in the machine detached from the sheet transport drum. A corresponding printing material processing machine is suitable for carrying out the novel method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Hans Peter Boguhn, Jens Friedrichs, Rudolf Engelbert Haupenthal, Andrea Martha Haupenthal, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Hans-Peter Hiltwein, Olaf Lorenz, Gunter Stephan, Peter Thoma
  • Publication number: 20040255802
    Abstract: In a method of operating a machine processing printing material sheets and having a sheet transport drum in various operating modes, drum circumferential shells are kept fixed on the sheet transport drum in an outer position in a first of the operating modes and in an inner position in a second of the operating modes. During a drum conversion to be carried out before the start of a third of the operating modes, the drum circumferential shells are removed from the sheet transport drum and, in this third operating mode, the sheet transport drum is rotated without the drum circumferential shells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Daniel Conzelmann, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter
  • Publication number: 20040135312
    Abstract: A method of varying a drum profile of a vario drum for transporting printing material sheets, in which shell segments of the vario drum are pivoted inward and outward. Sheet supporting elements assigned to the shell segments are reversibly deformed by pivoting the shell segments. A vario drum suitable for implementing the method and a machine containing the vario drum for processing printing material sheets contain the shell segments and the associated sheet supporting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Willi Becker, Daniel Conzelmann, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Thorsten Eckart, Christian Gorbing, Hans-Peter Hiltwein, Olaf Lorenz, Stefan Mutschall, Peter Thoma
  • Publication number: 20040094052
    Abstract: Devices for turning sheets in a rotary printing machine are described. The devices have a storage drum for handling sheets, which are each held by a holding device, and a turning drum is disposed downstream of the storage drum and has a holding device for engaging a rear edge of the sheet to be turned. An operation of detaching the sheet to be turned from the storage drum and carrying it along by the turning drum leads to the formation of a pressure reduction in an area formed between the sheet to be turned, the storage drum and the turning drum. The pressure reduction is compensated for by supplying ambient air, blast air and/or compressed air. The turning device has a channel and/or a passage orifice connected to an inner chamber of the turning drum. Via the channel and/or passage orifice air can be sucked and/or blown into the reduced-pressure area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter
  • Publication number: 20040089178
    Abstract: A gripper device in a sheet-processing machine includes a gripper, a gripper pad associated with the gripper and a first drive for moving the gripper out of an opened position thereof into a closed position thereof. The gripper is cooperatively engageable with the gripper pad for producing a clamping force for holding sheets being processed. A second drive is separately operable from the first drive during a production printing operation of the sheet-processing machine. The first and second drives are operable for positioning the gripper and/or the gripper pad so that clamping faces of one of the gripper and/or the gripper pad are movable by the second drive perpendicularly to clamping faces of the other of the gripper and/or the gripper pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Volker Muller, Hendrik Frank, Manfred Gross, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Hans-Peter Hiltwein, Michael Kruger, Siegfried Kurtzer, Jurgen Maass, Thomas Schaeffer, Rolf Spilger, Norbert Thunker
  • Publication number: 20040084837
    Abstract: A machine processing printing-material sheets contains a first sheet transport drum and a second sheet transport drum disposed immediately after the first sheet transport drum in a sheet transport direction. The first sheet transport drum has gripper systems which describe a gripper flight circle during its rotation and a drum profile deviating substantially from a circular shape with outer contour regions running between the gripper systems and set back from the gripper flight circle. The second sheet transport drum has a sheet support surface with pneumatic grooves formed therein. The sheet support surface is composed of a first and second comb segments each with segment prongs. The pneumatic grooves are introduced into the segment prongs of at least one of the comb segments. The pneumatic grooves are preferably introduced both into the segment prongs of the first comb segment and into the segment prongs of the second comb segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Markus Gerstenberger, Christian Hieb, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter, Raimund Schroder, Thorsten Eckart
  • Publication number: 20040080102
    Abstract: A sheet-processing machine, particularly a rotary printing press, includes a blast-air supply system and a pneumatic sheet-guiding device connected thereto. The sheet-guiding device has a sheet-guiding surface formed with air passage openings and serves for having the sheets dragged thereover in a sheet travel direction. The air passage openings serve for expelling sheet-carrying air flows during operation. The sheet-guiding device further includes flow ducts for aligning sheet-carrying air flows. The air passage openings in the sheet guiding surface form opening cross-sections of the flow ducts in the form of slots having a length which is many times greater than the width thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Peter Hachimann, Christian Hieb, Sven Kerpe, Gunter Stephan, Ralf Weiser, Thorsten Eckart, Karl-Heinz Helmstadter
  • Publication number: 20040026850
    Abstract: A sheet-processing machine includes a revolving sheet holding device for aiding in transporting sheets to be processed. A device for producing suction air or air blast has a movable air delivery element accommodated on the revolving sheet holding device. An actuating element cooperatively engages with the air delivery element for driving the air delivery element. The actuating element is either fixed to a frame of the machine or is movable relative to the sheet holding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Helmstadter