Patents by Inventor Manfred Michelfelder

Manfred Michelfelder 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: 20120097286
    Abstract: A coating system component which may be used to be wetted and/or flown through at least in some sections by a coating agent. The component may include a fastening base and at least one holding part which is arranged on the fastening base for being fastened to or in a coating system device. The holding part may be an external thread having a special configuration in order to meet the special requirements of painting facilities, according to various exemplary illustrations. Furthermore, a corresponding coating system device may be provided, to which the coating system component can be fastened in a detachable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Joachim Hering, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck, Michael Baumann, Bernhard Seiz, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Publication number: 20120037716
    Abstract: A paint delivery and application apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a source of paint, a paint applicator, a supply line interconnecting the source of paint and the applicator and at least one pig in the supply line, wherein the paint pushes the pig from adjacent the source of paint to the paint applicator and a source of purging solvent delivering a small volume of purging solvent to the supply line when the pig is adjacent the source of paint adjacent to and upstream of the pig acting as a lubricant, reducing chattering and skipping of the pig and extending the life of the pig. Where the apparatus includes two pigs, purging solvent is delivered between the pigs adjacent the applicator, the pigs are delivered to adjacent the source of paint and a small volume of solvent is then delivered from between the pigs upstream of the pigs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: DURR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert F. Heldt, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder, Robert E. Brady
  • Patent number: 8020784
    Abstract: A coating material supply device is disclosed, such as for a paint facility. An exemplary coating material supply device may include a coating material reservoir and a coating material meter. During application of coating material, the coating material reservoir may be at ground potential and may be located upstream from the coating material meter, which may be at a high-voltage potential. The reservoir may be connected via an insulating path to the coating material meter. The coating material meter may be at ground potential when the coating material reservoir supplies coating material to the coating material meter. Before the coating material meter is returned to a high-voltage potential for continued application of coating material, the insulating path may be emptied to insulate the coating material meter from the coating material reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Durr Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Baumann, Frank Herre, Herbert Martin, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder, Bernhard Seiz, Richard Ostin, Robert F. Heldt
  • Publication number: 20110045194
    Abstract: Exemplary robots and corresponding exemplary operating methods for a painting system are disclosed. In one example, the robot is a handling robot for opening and closing doors or bonnets of motor vehicle bodies. A robot element of a handling robot that is susceptible to dirt retention, e.g., a handling tool, may be arranged away from the spray jet of a paint during the painting operation and is applied to the component that is to be painted. The robot may include a cleaning device for cleaning or for keeping the robot element of the handling robot that is susceptible to dirt retention clean from paint that is applied with spray jet in the painting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder, Thomas Hezel, Juergen Haas, Bernd Leiensetter, Alexander Meissner, Marcus Frey
  • Publication number: 20110014371
    Abstract: An exemplary painting robot and corresponding operating methods for the same are disclosed. The robot may be configured to paint motor vehicle bodies on an outer surface and an inner surface with an atomizer that is guided by the painting robot. According to the exemplary illustrations, the painting robot is suitable for painting the outer surfaces and for painting the inner surfaces of the motor vehicle bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Manfred Michelfelder, Markus Erhardt, Michael Baumann, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck
  • Patent number: 7793858
    Abstract: A paint delivery and application apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a source of paint, a paint applicator, a supply line interconnecting the source of paint and the applicator and at least one pig in the supply line, wherein the paint pushes the pig from adjacent the source of paint to the paint applicator and a source of purging solvent delivering a small volume of purging solvent to the supply line when the pig is adjacent the source of paint adjacent to and upstream of the pig acting as a lubricant, reducing chattering and skipping of the pig and extending the life of the pig. Where the apparatus includes two pigs, purging solvent is delivered between the pigs adjacent the applicator, the pigs are delivered to adjacent the source of paint and a small volume of solvent is then delivered from between the pigs upstream of the pigs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert F. Heldt, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder, Robert E. Brady
  • Publication number: 20100163638
    Abstract: Various exemplary illustrations of a piston rod seal are disclosed. An exemplary piston rod seal may include a piston rod guide for guiding a piston rod that supports a scraping piston configured to scrape paint residue from an inner wall of a pipeline cylinder. The piston rod may further include a first seal for sealing the piston rod guide relative to the piston rod, and a second seal for sealing the piston rod guide relative to the piston rod, where the second seal is arranged axially offset relative to the first seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Publication number: 20100012025
    Abstract: A coating apparatus for serially coating workpieces with different shades or colors is disclosed. A metering device comprises a plunger-type dosing mechanism or a metering pump that has a separate inlet with an integrated color valve for each of the most commonly used colors is located in or near the sprayer of the coating apparatus. A separate color changer can be provided for less frequently used colors. The outlet of said color changer may be connected to another inlet of the metering mechanism or to the discharge valve of the sprayer via a separate metering mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Patent number: 7584771
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus includes a supply line (22) between a source of liquid paint (64) and an applicator (62) having at least two pigs (20A and 20B) and a source of liquid solvent (60) which delivers solvent (60) between the two pigs (20A and 20B) and the pigs (20A and 20B) are driven by paint (80) from adjacent the paint source (64) to the applicator (62). The apparatus further includes a second source of liquid solvent (60) which delivers solvent (60) between the pigs (20A and 20B) adjacent the applicator (62) and the pigs (20A and 20B) are returned through the supply line (22), thereby flushing the supply line (22). In the disclosed embodiment, the source of liquid paint (64) is a piston dosing device (70) which receives paint (80) from a color changer or the like and delivers a predetermined volume of paint (80) to the applicator (62). The delivery line (22) preferably includes a friction resistant inner layer, an intermediate dielectric layer and a protective outer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Herbert Martin, Michael Baumann, Richard M. Ostin, Robert F. Heldt, Manfred Michelfelder, Joachim Hering
  • Patent number: 7549449
    Abstract: A paint delivery and application system including a color changer, at least two paint canisters and a paint applicator, a first pair of supply lines connected between the color changer and the paint canisters and a second pair of supply lines connecting the paint canisters and the paint applicator, wherein the paint canisters operate in tandem permitting delivery of a first paint to one of the paint canisters while a second paint canister is electrically isolated from the color changer and is delivering paint to the applicator. In one disclosed embodiment, the delivery line from the paint canisters to the applicator includes two pigs and solvent is delivered between the pigs, such that this system is self purging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Herbert Martin, Michael Baumann, Manfred Michelfelder, Richard M. Ostin, Robert F. Heldt, Joachim Hering, Hans Jurgen Nolte
  • Publication number: 20080105199
    Abstract: A pig traversable through a conduit to deliver a liquid, such as a coating material, having a resilient flexible, generally frustoconical sealing lip which is resiliently biased against an internal surface of the conduit and a resilient biasing member engaging and biased against an under surface of the sealing lip, biasing the sealing lip against an internal surface of the conduit. The disclosed embodiments of the resilient biasing member include annular coil springs and serpentine annular metal springs which may be U-shaped in cross-section, including a first leg received against the under surface of the sealing lip and a second leg received against the pig body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Herbert Martin, Werner Schwager, Martin Stiegler, Andreas Collmer, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Publication number: 20080023571
    Abstract: A paint delivery and application apparatus, wherein the apparatus includes a source of paint, a paint applicator, a supply line interconnecting the source of paint and the applicator and at least one pig in the supply line, wherein the paint pushes the pig from adjacent the source of paint to the paint applicator and a source of purging solvent delivering a small volume of purging solvent to the supply line when the pig is adjacent the source of paint adjacent to and upstream of the pig acting as a lubricant, reducing chattering and skipping of the pig and extending the life of the pig. Where the apparatus includes two pigs, purging solvent is delivered between the pigs adjacent the applicator, the pigs are delivered to adjacent the source of paint and a small volume of solvent is then delivered from between the pigs upstream of the pigs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Robert Heldt, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder, Robert Brady
  • Patent number: 7213290
    Abstract: The invention concerns a pig scraper for cleaning the inside wall of a coating agent conduit. The pig scraper includes a body insertable in the conduit and at least one sealing lip that seals against the inside wall of the conduit and extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body. A space is defined between the sealing lip and the body to form a pocket for enhancing the sealing of the sealing lip with respect to the conduit. The length of the sealing lip substantially prevents the lip from folding over on itself in response to a change in the direction of movement of the pig scraper in the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert Martin, Werner Schwager, Martin Stiegler, Andreas Collmer, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Publication number: 20070082143
    Abstract: A coating means supply device, in particular for a paint facility, having a coating means meter that meters coating means to be applied to application equipment. The coating means supply device includes a coating means reservoir for holding the coating means and for supplying the coating means meter with the coating means. During application of coating material to equipment, the coating means reservoir is at ground potential and is located upstream from the coating means meter, which is at high-voltage potential. The reservoir is connected via an insulating path to the coating means meter. The coating means meter is at ground potential when the coating means reservoir supplies coating means to the coating means meter. Before the coating means meter is returned to a high-voltage potential for continued application of coating material, the insulating path is emptied to again insulate the coating means meter from the coating means reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Applicant: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Baumann, Frank Herre, Herbert Martin, Rainer Melcher, Manfred Michelfelder, Bernhard Seiz, Richard Ostin, Robert Heldt
  • Publication number: 20060254510
    Abstract: The two sealing lips of a pig, which is driven by a pushing medium for delivering a coating material for the mass-production coating of workpieces, have a self-sharpening sealing edge contacting the inner wall of the piggable line. Flat outer surface parts of the sealing lip formed ahead of and behind the sealing edge are angled against the inner wall of the line for an unloaded pig, while the inner surface part in the axial direction is pressed flat against the line under loading by the pushing medium. The production of the pig is realized through turning and subsequent shaping of the sealing lips in a transport sleeve in which the pig is kept and brought to its insertion location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Herbert Martin, Andreas Collmer, Martin Stiegler, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Publication number: 20060086407
    Abstract: The disclosed apparatus includes a supply line (22) between a source of liquid paint (64) and an applicator (62) having at least two pigs (20A and 20B) and a source of liquid solvent (60) which delivers solvent (60) between the two pigs (20A and 20B) and the pigs (20A and 20B) are driven by paint (80) from adjacent the paint source (64) to the applicator (62). The apparatus further includes a second source of liquid solvent (60) which delivers solvent (60) between the pigs (20A and 20B) adjacent the applicator (62) and the pigs (20A and 20B) are returned through the supply line (22), thereby flushing the supply line (22). In the disclosed embodiment, the source of liquid paint (64) is a piston dosing device (70) which receives paint (80) from a color changer or the like and delivers a predetermined volume of paint (80) to the applicator (62). The delivery line (22) preferably includes a friction resistant inner layer, an intermediate dielectric layer and a protective outer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Rainer Melcher, Herbert Martin, Michael Baumann, Richard Ostin, Robert Heldt, Manfred Michelfelder, Joachim Hering
  • Publication number: 20050223510
    Abstract: The invention concerns a pig scraper for cleaning the inside wall of a coating agent conduit. The pig scraper includes a body insertable in the conduit and at least one sealing lip that seals against the inside wall of the conduit and extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body. A space is defined between the sealing lip and the body to form a pocket for enhancing the sealing of the sealing lip with respect to the conduit. The length of the sealing lip substantially prevents the lip from folding over on itself in response to a change in the direction of movement of the pig scraper in the conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Herbert Martin, Werner Schwager, Martin Stiegler, Andreas Collmer, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Patent number: D636844
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Duerr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Joachim Hering, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck, Michael Baumann, Bernhard Seiz, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Patent number: D638518
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Duerr Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Joachim Hering, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck, Michael Baumann, Bernhard Seiz, Manfred Michelfelder
  • Patent number: D656538
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Durr Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Herre, Manfred Michelfelder, Markus Erhardt, Michael Baumann, Rainer Melcher, Thomas Buck