Patents by Inventor Ludger-Josef GRUENE

Ludger-Josef GRUENE 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: 12202087
    Abstract: A device is provided for the automated production of screw connections, and includes an articulated robot with an output element and an end link. The output element is arranged on the end link so as to be rotatable around an effector axis (wE). A screwdriver tool is provided, and can be rotated around the effector axis (wE) by the output element. At least one gear may also be provided, where the gear has a direct operative connection to the output element and the screwdriver tool and is set up for transmission of a rotary speed between the output element and the screwdriver tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Daniel Ammann, Ingo Engler, Ludger-Josef Gruene, Frank Jagow, Miguel Lebrato-Rastrojo, Matthias Mattenklotz, Thomas Albert Roebbecke
  • Publication number: 20240342844
    Abstract: A device for automated production of screw connections includes an industrial robot with an output member rotatable about an effector axis (W) relative to an end member. A screwing unit is at least indirectly connected to the output member and rotatable by the output member about the effector axis (W). A screwing tool, a protective sleeve, and a preload spring are also included. The screwing tool is: accommodated at least in sections inside the protective sleeve; torque-proof connected with the protective sleeve; and axially displaceable along the effector axis (W) relative to the protective sleeve between a screwing position and a safety position. The screwing tool is biased in the screwing position by the preload spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Ingo Engler, Frank Jagow, Ludger-Josef Grüne, Miguel Lebrato-Rastrojo, Thomas Albert Röbbecke
  • Publication number: 20240308152
    Abstract: A method of setting up a joining device for joining a cover lens to a housing of a vehicle lighting device. The joining device features a mounting fixture and a robot with a suction head, The method features at least the following steps: inserting a housing into the mounting fixture and a cover lens into the suction head; transferring the suction head to an initial joining pose; joining the cover lens to the housing with the suction head in the initial joining pose; measuring the pose of the cover lens relative to a reference-point system, which comprises reference points on the surface of the housing and/or the cover lens; determining a set of translations and/or rotations, which transfer the cover lens to an optimal pose with minimal deviations from a target pose; and correcting the initial joining pose of the suction head with the determined set of translations and/or rotations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Applicants: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, HELLA Saturnus Slovenija d.o.o., HELLA Autotechnik Nova s.r.o.
    Inventors: Ingo ENGLER, Miguel LEBRATO-RASTROJO, Thomas HERBERS, Andreas SCHMITZ, Primoz PETAC, Tadej VOVK, Jure HABJAN, Klemen SKAPIN, Tomas KUBAT, Jane FRANTISEK, David NEJEZCHLEBA, Rainer BRYS, Alfredo VERDIN MORENO, Thomas Albert ROEBBECKE, Ludger-Josef GRUENE
  • Patent number: 11926382
    Abstract: An assembly system is provided for automotive lamps and an operation method thereof. The assembly system includes two kinds of functional robots and many functional stations, and it uses the functional robots to transfer workpieces between the various functional stations to realize automatic gluing, fastening and whole lamp performance testing, etc., thereby reducing the amount of manual intervention and improving process integration. Further, the assembly system may provide an assembly system with a two-sided assembly line operating simultaneously, which greatly improves the working efficiency of thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Miguel Lebrato-Rastrojo, Ludger-Josef Grüne, Ingo Engler, Thomas Albert Röbbecke, Jun Yue, Tao Hu, Wei Hu
  • Publication number: 20230294224
    Abstract: A device is provided for the automated production of screw connections, and includes an articulated robot with an output element and an end link. The output element is arranged on the end link so as to be rotatable around an effector axis (wE). A screwdriver tool is provided, and can be rotated around the effector axis (wE) by the output element. At least one gear may also be provided, where the gear has a direct operative connection to the output element and the screwdriver tool and is set up for transmission of a rotary speed between the output element and the screwdriver tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel Ammann, Ingo Engler, Ludger-Josef Gruene, Frank Jagow, Miguel Lebrato-Rastrojo, Matthias Mattenklotz, Thomas Albert Roebbecke
  • Publication number: 20230271332
    Abstract: An apparatus for the automated production of screw connections, having an articulated-arm robot and an effector, which is accommodated on an output element of an end member of the articulated-arm robot so as to be rotatable about an effector axis. The effector is in the form of a screwdriving tool, wherein the apparatus has a mouthpiece for providing a screw, the mouthpiece being accommodated on the end member by means of a linear guide and being movable along the effector axis between a feeding position and at least one screwing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Ludger-Josef GRUENE, Frank JAGOW, Matthias MATTENKLOTZ, Thomas Albert ROEBBECKE
  • Patent number: 11707846
    Abstract: A first robot for handling at least one first workpiece in a first processing operation of the apparatus, a second robot cooperating with the first robot for processing the at least one first workpiece in the first processing operation, and at least one first workpiece holder for holding the at least one first workpiece during the first processing operation. In order to improve robot-assisted processing of workpieces which differ from one another, the first robot handles at least one second workpiece and the second robot processes the at least one second workpiece in a second processing operation of the apparatus. The first robot or the second robot in order, in a changeover operation of the apparatus, to replace the at least one first workpiece holder automatically by at least one second workpiece holder for holding the at least one second workpiece during the second processing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Ludger-Josef Gruene, Miguel Lebrato-Rastrojo, Thomas Albert Roebbecke, Jun Yue
  • Publication number: 20210206441
    Abstract: An assembly system is provided for automotive lamps and an operation method thereof. The assembly system includes two kinds of functional robots and many functional stations, and it uses the functional robots to transfer workpieces between the various functional stations to realize automatic gluing, fastening and whole lamp performance testing, etc., thereby reducing the amount of manual intervention and improving process integration. Further, the assembly system may provide an assembly system with a two-sided assembly line operating simultaneously, which greatly improves the working efficiency of thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Miguel Lebrato-Rastrojo, Ludger-Josef Grüne, Ingo Engler, Thomas Albert Röbbecke, Jun Yue, Tao Hu, Wei Hu
  • Publication number: 20210197385
    Abstract: A first robot for handling at least one first workpiece in a first processing operation of the apparatus, a second robot cooperating with the first robot for processing the at least one first workpiece in the first processing operation, and at least one first workpiece holder for holding the at least one first workpiece during the first processing operation. In order to improve robot-assisted processing of workpieces which differ from one another, the first robot handles at least one second workpiece and the second robot processes the at least one second workpiece in a second processing operation of the apparatus. The first robot or the second robot in order, in a changeover operation of the apparatus, to replace the at least one first workpiece holder automatically by at least one second workpiece holder for holding the at least one second workpiece during the second processing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Ludger-Josef GRUENE, Miguel LEBRATO-RASTROJO, Thomas Albert ROEBBECKE, Jun YUE