Patents by Inventor Lothar ENDRESS

Lothar ENDRESS 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: 11986899
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus, in particular a reflow soldering apparatus, for continuous soldering of printed circuit boards along a transport direction, having a process channel that includes a preheating zone, a soldering zone and a cooling zone, having a base body and a cover hood movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein nozzle plates, fan units with fan motors, air channels carrying the process gas, filter elements and/or cooling elements are provided in the base body. At least one fan unit is arranged in or on the base body laterally next to the process channel in the transport direction, and air channels are arranged and provided in such a manner that process gas is blown into the process channel during operation of the at least one fan unit, with the process gas directed through a filter element provided in a filter region after passing through the process channel, and the filtered process gas drawn in by the at least one fan unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Endreß, Benedict Fleischmann, Lukas Thanhäuser
  • Publication number: 20230144913
    Abstract: A transport system for transporting material to be soldered through a soldering apparatus, and soldering apparatus with laterally movable middle support. The transport system for transporting the material to be soldered through the soldering apparatus, includes at least one transport track extending in the transport direction in which the material to be soldered is transportable in a transport plane in the transport direction, wherein the transport track includes two transport bars extending in the transport direction and at least one middle support with a middle bar extending in the transport direction. The middle bar has a revolving conveying means with folding elements, and the conveying means provides a feed in the transport direction and a return counter to the transport direction. The folding elements are displaceable between a support position and a folded position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ERSA GmbH
    Inventor: Lothar Endreß
  • Publication number: 20230141430
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus, in particular a reflow soldering apparatus, for continuous soldering of printed circuit boards along a transport direction, having a process channel that includes a preheating zone, a soldering zone and a cooling zone, having a base body and a cover hood movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein nozzle plates, fan units with fan motors, air channels carrying the process gas, filter elements and/or cooling elements are provided in the base body. At least one fan unit is arranged in or on the base body laterally next to the process channel in the transport direction, and air channels are arranged and provided in such a manner that process gas is blown into the process channel during operation of the at least one fan unit, with the process gas directed through a filter element provided in a filter region after passing through the process channel, and the filtered process gas drawn in by the at least one fan unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Endreß, Benedict Fleischmann, Lukas Thanhäuser
  • Publication number: 20230147071
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus, in particular a reflow soldering apparatus, for the continuous soldering of printed circuit boards along a transport direction, including a process channel that has a preheating zone, a soldering zone and a cooling zone, and further includes a base body and a cover hood movable between a closed position and an open position, wherein nozzle plates, fan units with fan motors, air ducts that conduct the process gas, filter elements and/or cooling elements are provided in the base body. The soldering apparatus further includes a drawer, which extends along a pull-out direction running transversely to the transport direction, is provided in the base body, with a bottom, a front wall and a rear side. Air ducts for conducting the process gas, at least one replaceable filter element in a filter region and at least one cooling device are provided in the drawer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Endreß, Benedict Fleischmann, Lukas Thanhäuser
  • Publication number: 20230147525
    Abstract: Soldering system, in particular a reflow soldering system, for continuous soldering of printed circuit boards along a transport direction, that includes a process channel having a preheating zone, at least one of a soldering zone and a cooling zone, including a main body, at least one covering hood that is pivotable about a hood axis between a closed position, in which the process channel is closed, and an open position, in which the covering hood is open and the process channel is accessible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Diehm, Lothar Endreß, Uwe Hofmann, Benedict Fleischmann
  • Publication number: 20230143773
    Abstract: Soldering apparatus, in particular a reflow soldering apparatus, for the continuous soldering of printed circuit boards along a transport direction, with an entry and an exit for feeding and removing the printed circuit boards, with a process channel including a preheating zone, a soldering zone and/or a cooling zone, and including a main body and at least one cover hood movable between a closed position and an open position, the cover hood enclosing a hood compartment above the process channel in which fan motors are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Endreß, Benedict Fleishmann, Alexander Diehm
  • Publication number: 20230021889
    Abstract: A fan module for a soldering system and a soldering system, in particular for a reflow soldering system, for circulating air in a process channel of the soldering system, the module having a housing-like support part, a first shaft bearing provided in or on the support part, a motor, which includes a stator and a rotor which cooperates with the stator, a rotor shaft provided on the rotor, a fan wheel provided on the rotor shaft and having a second shaft bearing for supporting the rotor shaft, wherein the fan module includes a flange plate, which in the assembled state covers a channel opening in the process channel and which includes an aperture in or on which the second shaft bearing is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Hofmann, Lothar Endress
  • Patent number: 10500662
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for feeding a stream of hot gas to a printed circuit board during convection soldering in a soldering installation. The feed device comprises a nozzle plate (1) having at least one drilled hole (3), which opens into a hot gas nozzle (2) arranged on the nozzle plate (1) and having a nozzle opening (4). The invention is defined in that the hot gas nozzle is formed by a flexible helical spring (2). The invention permits the nozzle plate with the hot gas nozzles to be advanced right up to the printed circuit board under all peripheral conditions which occur. In particular, the printed circuit board can, for instance, be advanced right up to the nozzle plate even when a central support for the printed circuit boards or some other disruptive contour is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: ERSA GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar Endress, Hermann Beck
  • Patent number: 9609794
    Abstract: A conveyor device for printed circuit boards includes a carrier that continuously circulates between conveyor wheels. At least one carrier element supporting placement of the printed circuit board and at least one resilient clamping element clamping the printed circuit board on the carrier element are arranged on the carrier. A switching device moves the clamping element back and forth between an open position of the clamping element, in which the printed circuit board can be loosely placed onto the carrier element, and a spring-loaded closed position of the clamping element, in which the printed circuit board can be pressed onto the carrier element by the clamping element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ERSA GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar Endress, Hermann Beck
  • Publication number: 20160207131
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for feeding a stream of hot gas to a printed circuit board during convection soldering in a soldering installation. The feed device comprises a nozzle plate (1) having at least one drilled hole (3), which opens into a hot gas nozzle (2) arranged on the nozzle plate (1) and having a nozzle opening (4). The invention is defined in that the hot gas nozzle is formed by a flexible helical spring (2). The invention permits the nozzle plate with the hot gas nozzles to be advanced right up to the printed circuit board under all peripheral conditions which occur. In particular, the printed circuit board can, for instance, be advanced right up to the nozzle plate even when a central support for the printed circuit boards or some other disruptive contour is present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Applicant: ERSA GMBH
    Inventors: Lothar ENDRESS, Hermann BECK
  • Publication number: 20160120079
    Abstract: The invention relates to a conveyor device for printed circuit boards (4). The conveyor device comprises a carrier means (1) that continuously circulates between conveyor wheels and is linearly guided in sections. At least one carrier element (2) for supporting placement of the printed circuit board (4) and at least one resilient clamping element (5) for clamping the printed circuit board (4) on said carrier element (2) are arranged on said carrier means (1). By means of a switching device (9), the clamping element (5) can be moved back and forth between an open position of the clamping element (5), in which the printed circuit board (4) can be loosely placed onto said carrier element (2), and a spring-loaded closed position of the clamping element (5), in which the printed circuit board (4) can be pressed onto the carrier element (2) by the clamping element (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Applicant: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar ENDRESS, Hermann BECK