Patents by Inventor Markus SAUMER

Markus SAUMER 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: 10804058
    Abstract: To enable a safe monitoring with a small cabling effort of a modular safety relay circuit, a modular safety relay circuit for the safe control of at least one machine is provided comprising a safety relay unit that has at least one forcibly guided relay for the safe switching on and off of the machine and that generates output signals in dependence on input signals, wherein the input signals are provided by at least one connected signal transmitter and the output signals are communicated to the at least one machine; and at least one expansion relay unit for providing additional output connectors so that additional machines can be connected; wherein the expansion relay unit has at least one respective forcibly guided relay for the safe switching on and off of the machine and is monitored by means of a monitoring signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Markus Saumer, Jonas Weidenmüller
  • Patent number: 10622773
    Abstract: In order to enable a simple and secure handling on a wiring of a safety switching apparatus, a safety switching apparatus for the secure switching on and/or off of at least one electrical machine is made available that comprises at least one conductor plate having at least one control unit for controlling the electrical machine and having electrical contacts and a plug connector that can be plugged onto the conductor plate for electrically connecting to the contacts, wherein the plug connector is provided with first connector sockets for the connection of at least one signal encoder and with second connector sockets for the connection of the electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Markus Saumer
  • Patent number: 10509384
    Abstract: The invention relates to a programmable logic controller having an energy supply that provides electric energy to operate the unit and having at least one measurement input, with the measurement input being configured to measure and/or detect an electrical input signal. The programmable logic controller is characterized in that at least some of the electric energy of the input signal is supplied to the energy supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Hörner, Sebastian Brunsch, Markus Saumer
  • Patent number: 10461509
    Abstract: To enable an intuitive and inexpensive releasable fastening of a housing to a fastening rail, a fastening apparatus is provided for the releasable fastening of the housing to the fastening. A single-part lever mechanism is used for latching and unlatching the housing to and from the fastening rail. The lever mechanism has an actuation means that moves the lever mechanism into a latching position or into an unlatching position, a first lever arm that actuates a first hook provided in the housing in a first direction, and a second lever arm that actuates a second hook provided in the housing in a second direction. The first and second directions are opposite one another and the first and second lever arms are connected to one another via the actuation means such that a support section is formed that has a parabolic form having two parallel limbs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Markus Saumer, Alexandra Disch
  • Patent number: 10394576
    Abstract: To enable a fast configuration of a control or of a total plant, a control for the safe control of at least one machine is provided having at least one input unit for receiving input signals from at least one signal generator; having at least one output unit for outputting output signals to the at least one machine; having a control unit for generating the output signals in dependence on the input signals; and having a connection unit having at least one connection socket for connecting an external input device that can be used or configuring the control, wherein the connection unit has at least one connection terminal for connecting the signal generators and/or the machine and is separable from the control and wherein the connection socket can be removed from the connection unit or from the control and comprises a memory with configuration data of the control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Markus Saumer
  • Publication number: 20190052037
    Abstract: In order to enable a simple and secure handling on a wiring of a safety switching apparatus, a safety switching apparatus for the secure switching on and/or off of at least one electrical machine is made available that comprises at least one conductor plate having at least one control unit for controlling the electrical machine and having electrical contacts and a plug connector that can be plugged onto the conductor plate for electrically connecting to the contacts, wherein the plug connector is provided with first connector sockets for the connection of at least one signal encoder and with second connector sockets for the connection of the electrical machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventor: Markus SAUMER
  • Patent number: 10114345
    Abstract: In order to reduce the power-loss in digital inputs of a safety control, a safety control for the secure operation of a technical plant is provided that comprises at least one input unit for the reception of a signal of at least one signal generator connected to the technical plant, a control unit for the reading in of the received signal and for generating a control command, and at least one output unit for the transmission of the generated control command to at least one connected actuator of the technical plant, wherein the input unit has a switching element at the input side that can be controlled by means of the control unit and is configured in such a way that the switching element can be actuated by means of the control unit directly prior to the reading in of the received signal, in particular can be closed, and can be actuated again by means of the control unit, in particular opened, following the reading in of the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Markus Saumer
  • Publication number: 20180286610
    Abstract: To enable a safe monitoring with a small cabling effort of a modular safety relay circuit, a modular safety relay circuit for the safe control of at least one machine is provided comprising a safety relay unit that has at least one forcibly guided relay for the safe switching on and off of the machine and that generates output signals in dependence on input signals, wherein the input signals are provided by at least one connected signal transmitter and the output signals are communicated to the at least one machine; and at least one expansion relay unit for providing additional output connectors so that additional machines can be connected; wherein the expansion relay unit has at least one respective forcibly guided relay for the safe switching on and off of the machine and is monitored by means of a monitoring relay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Markus SAUMER, Jonas WEIDENMÜLLER
  • Publication number: 20180269661
    Abstract: To enable an intuitive and inexpensive releasable fastening of a housing to a fastening rail, a fastening apparatus is provided for the releasable fastening of the housing to the fastening rail, comprising a single-part lever mechanism for latching and unlatching the housing to and from the fastening rail, wherein the lever mechanism comprises an actuation means that moves the lever mechanism into a latching position or into an unlatching position; a first lever arm that actuates a first hook provided in the housing in a first direction; and a second lever arm that actuates a second hook provided in the housing in a second direction, and wherein the first and second directions are opposite one another and the first and second lever arms are connected to one another via the actuation means such that a support section is formed that has a parabola-like form having two parallel limbs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Markus SAUMER, Alexandra DISCH
  • Publication number: 20180164899
    Abstract: To enable an intuitive configuration of a control (S) or of a total plant, a control (S) for the safe controlling of at least one machine (R, St) is provided comprising a control module (SM) for generating output signals in dependence on input signals, wherein the input signals are provided by at least one connected signal generator and the output signals are communicated to the at least one machine (R, St), and wherein the control module (SM) has a display (D, D1) for displaying information of the control (S), said display being movably supported in the control module (SM) such that a moving of the display (D), D1) with respect to the control module (SM) corresponds to an input to the control (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventor: Markus SAUMER
  • Publication number: 20180157234
    Abstract: The invention relates to a programmable logic controller having an energy supply that provides electric energy to operate the unit and having at least one measurement input, with the measurement input being configured to measure and/or detect an electrical input signal. The programmable logic controller is characterized in that at least some of the electric energy of the input signal is supplied to the energy supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Sebastian HÖRNER, Sebastian BRUNSCH, Markus SAUMER
  • Publication number: 20180113724
    Abstract: To enable a fast configuration of a control or of a total plant, a control for the safe control of at least one machine is provided having at least one input unit for receiving input signals from at least one signal generator; having at least one output unit for outputting output signals to the at least one machine; having a control unit for generating the output signals in dependence on the input signals; and having a connection unit having at least one connection socket for connecting an external input device that can be used or configuring the control, wherein the connection unit has at least one connection terminal for connecting the signal generators and/or the machine and is separable from the control and wherein the connection socket can be removed from the connection unit or from the control and comprises a memory with configuration data of the control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventor: Markus SAUMER
  • Patent number: 9949307
    Abstract: To enable an addition or a removal of a control into or from a communication line without an interruption of the ongoing communication of the communication line, a method is provided of adding a control into a network of at least one first and one second control, which are provided for operating actuators, during an operation of the network, wherein the first and second controls are connected to one another in a communication line and communicate with one another via a first transmission connection of the first control and a second transmission connection of the second control; and wherein each control has an unambiguous identifier, comprising the steps of providing a third transmission connection and a fourth transmission connection between the control to be added and the first control to be connected upstream of the control to be added; providing a fifth transmission connection and a sixth transmission connection between the control to be added and the second control to be connected downstream of the contro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Markus Saumer, Klaus Weddingfeld
  • Publication number: 20170094705
    Abstract: To enable an addition or a removal of a control into or from a communication line without an interruption of the ongoing communication of the communication line, a method is provided of adding a control into a network of at least one first and one second control, which are provided for operating actuators, during an operation of the network, wherein the first and second controls are connected to one another in a communication line and communicate with one another via a first transmission connection of the first control and a second transmission connection of the second control; and wherein each control has an unambiguous identifier, comprising the steps of providing a third transmission connection and a fourth transmission connection between the control to be added and the first control to be connected upstream of the control to be added; providing a fifth transmission connection and a sixth transmission connection between the control to be added and the second control to be connected downstream of the contro
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Markus SAUMER, Klaus WEDDINGFELD
  • Patent number: 9444262
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bus system comprising a bus line, a plurality of consumers of electric power which are connected to one another via the bus line, having a plurality of separate electric current supply units which each make available an electric voltage for the current supply with at least one consumer. The bus system is divided into segments each having one or more consumers respectively associated with a current supply unit and which each have a first current supply line and a second current supply line. The first current supply line and the second current supply line are respectively not directly electrically conductively connected to the first current supply line and to the second current supply line of a different segment and are preferably separated from the first current supply line and the second current supply line of the other segment in a galvanic manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Markus Saumer
  • Publication number: 20150338832
    Abstract: For the safe check of a state of an automation system using a simple, safe data transfer, a method is provided for a secure checking of a state of a first device and of a second device which are connected to one another via a first line and via a second line, wherein the first device transmits a signal characterizing the first device to the second device and receives the signal characterizing the first device back via the second line and the second device transmits a signal characterizing the second device via a second line to the first device and receives the signal characterizing the second device back via the first line, and wherein a defect case is determined on a change of one of the two signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Franz DOLD, Markus SAUMER, Martin KUNZ
  • Publication number: 20150309481
    Abstract: In order to reduce the power-loss in digital inputs of a safety control, a safety control for the secure operation of a technical plant is provided that comprises at least one input unit for the reception of a signal of at least one signal generator connected to the technical plant, a control unit for the reading in of the received signal and for generating a control command, and at least one output unit for the transmission of the generated control command to at least one connected actuator of the technical plant, wherein the input unit has a switching element at the input side that can be controlled by means of the control unit and is configured in such a way that the switching element can be actuated by means of the control unit directly prior to the reading in of the received signal, in particular can be closed, and can be actuated again by means of the control unit, in particular opened, following the reading in of the received signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventor: Markus SAUMER
  • Publication number: 20150045914
    Abstract: In order to guard against a possible erroneous configuration and/or programming of a safety control an apparatus for configuring and/or programming a safety control having a display for displaying a program part of the safety control in the form of a block diagram is provided in accordance with the invention, wherein individual blocks represent program elements, a memory unity having at least one processing element, in particular a logic link and/or a function and having both safety related as well as non-safety related communication elements which in particular form input signals and output signals and having a calculation unit for selecting the processing and communication elements in the memory unit and for the generation of a link of the selected processing and communication elements in the block diagram indicated in the display, wherein the calculation unit is configured in such a way that a communication element characterized as a non-safety related communication element results at an output side of the
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Markus SAUMER, Klaus WEDDINGFELD
  • Publication number: 20140097679
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bus system comprising a bus line, a plurality of consumers of electric power which are connected to one another via the bus line, having a plurality of separate electric current supply units which each make available an electric voltage for the current supply with at least one consumer. The bus system is divided into segments each having one or more consumers respectively associated with a current supply unit and which each have a first current supply line and a second current supply line. The first current supply line and the second current supply line are respectively not directly electrically conductively connected to the first current supply line and to the second current supply line of a different segment and are preferably separated from the first current supply line and the second current supply line of the other segment in a galvanic manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: SICK AG
    Inventor: Markus SAUMER