Patents by Inventor Mathias Ernst Messmer
Mathias Ernst Messmer 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).
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Patent number: 10781056Abstract: Various adaptive apparatus and systems for automated handling of components such as composite plies are provided. In one embodiment, a ply manipulation system is provided that comprises an automated machine having an arm, and a ply manipulation tool attached to the arm of the automated machine. The ply manipulation tool includes a first shuttle including a first gripper, a second shuttle including a second gripper, and an actuator. The ply manipulation system further comprises a processor that automatically controls the actuator to move the first and second shuttles linearly with respect to one another to adapt the first and second grippers to a ply shape. In another embodiment, the first and second shuttles include one or more clamping elements moveable to a position to be deployed outside a perimeter of the ply. Methods for removing a ply from a sheet of material using a ply manipulation tool also are provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2016Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Dragan Filipovic, Sultan Shair, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove
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Patent number: 10773902Abstract: Various adaptive apparatus and systems for automated handling of components such as composite plies are provided. In one embodiment, a ply manipulation tool module is provided that comprises a first shuttle including a first gripper and a first clamping element, and a second shuttle including a second gripper and a second clamping element. The first and second shuttles move with respect to one another along a path to position the first and second grippers to grip a ply and to position the first and second clamping elements outside the ply. In a particular embodiment, the ply manipulation tool module includes a lead screw and nut assemblies, the nut assemblies moving along the lead screw to position one or more grippers for gripping components. Ply manipulation tool assemblies comprising at least two modules also are provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2016Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Dragan Filipovic, Sultan Shair, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove
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Patent number: 10583617Abstract: A method and an automatic layup system for making a stack of a plurality of composite plies are presented. The automatic layup system includes a stacking assembly located in a first plane and a layup tool located in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The stacking assembly and the layup tool are movable towards each other. The method includes the steps of (a) providing one or more composite sheets between the layup tool and the stacking assembly, (b) generating a first composite ply from the one or more composite sheets, (c) placing the first composite ply on the layup tool by the stacking assembly by bringing the stacking assembly and the layup tool close to each other, and (d) repeating the steps (b) and (c) for generating and placing a second composite ply on the first composite ply, which is placed on the layup tool.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Sultan Shair, Andreas Lutz, Martin Petersen, Matthew Hall Beaumont, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Thomas Kluge, Christopher James Madsen
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Patent number: 10557455Abstract: A wind turbine is presented. The wind turbine includes a tower, a rotor coupled to the tower, and a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor, wherein each of the plurality of blades comprises a root and a plurality of root inserts positioned circumferentially along the root. Each of the root inserts includes a metal bushing including an outer surface and a plurality of grooves formed at least on the outer surface, a core coupled to the metal bushing, and a plurality of layers wrapped around the metal bushing and the core, wherein a layer of the plurality of layers comprises a different fiber orientation from a fiber orientation of another layer of the plurality of layers.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2017Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Thomas Merzhaeuser, Martin Petersen, Andreas Lutz
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Patent number: 10399276Abstract: An automated in-line feed-through system and method, integrates the ability to control one or more variables during part fabrication with the layup of one or more fiber tows to form a composite part. The system includes an automated layup system configured to receive a feed-through of one or more fiber tows as an input material. The automated in-line feed-through system further includes a controller configured to respond to measurement data obtained by one or more samplings of the input material and/or a plurality of laid up plies that form a laminate. The controller in response to the obtained measurement data provides adjustment of the feed-through of the one or more fiber tows to compensate for a variation in one or more of the weights from a reference weight.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2015Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christopher James Madsen, Ram Kumar Upadhyay, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Thomas Kluge, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Martin Petersen
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Patent number: 10300544Abstract: An electromachining system includes at least one steerable electrode. The steerable electrode includes an electrode positioning mechanism configured to facilitate six degrees of freedom referenced to a pitch axis, a yaw axis, and a roll axis. The three axes are substantially perpendicular to each other. The electrode positioning mechanism includes a first end and a rotatable electrode tip coupled to the first end.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2016Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Dragan Filipovic, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Simon Josef Würzinger
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Publication number: 20180372062Abstract: A wind turbine is presented. The wind turbine includes a tower, a rotor coupled to the tower, and a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor, wherein each of the plurality of blades comprises a root and a plurality of root inserts positioned circumferentially along the root. Each of the root inserts includes a metal bushing including an outer surface and a plurality of grooves formed at least on the outer surface, a core coupled to the metal bushing, and a plurality of layers wrapped around the metal bushing and the core, wherein a layer of the plurality of layers comprises a different fiber orientation from a fiber orientation of another layer of the plurality of layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2017Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Thomas Merzhaeuser, Martin Petersen, Andreas Lutz
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Publication number: 20180178991Abstract: Various adaptive apparatus and systems for automated handling of components such as composite plies are provided. In one embodiment, a ply manipulation system is provided that comprises an automated machine having an arm, and a ply manipulation tool attached to the arm of the automated machine. The ply manipulation tool includes a first shuttle including a first gripper, a second shuttle including a second gripper, and an actuator. The ply manipulation system further comprises a processor that automatically controls the actuator to move the first and second shuttles linearly with respect to one another to adapt the first and second grippers to a ply shape. In another embodiment, the first and second shuttles include one or more clamping elements moveable to a position to be deployed outside a perimeter of the ply. Methods for removing a ply from a sheet of material using a ply manipulation tool also are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2016Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: Dragan Filipovic, Sultan Shair, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove
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Publication number: 20180178990Abstract: Various adaptive apparatus and systems for automated handling of components such as composite plies are provided. In one embodiment, a ply manipulation tool module is provided that comprises a first shuttle including a first gripper and a first clamping element, and a second shuttle including a second gripper and a second clamping element. The first and second shuttles move with respect to one another along a path to position the first and second grippers to grip a ply and to position the first and second clamping elements outside the ply. In a particular embodiment, the ply manipulation tool module includes a lead screw and nut assemblies, the nut assemblies moving along the lead screw to position one or more grippers for gripping components. Ply manipulation tool assemblies comprising at least two modules also are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2016Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: Dragan Filipovic, Sultan Shair, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove
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Publication number: 20180147795Abstract: A method and an automatic layup system for making a stack of a plurality of composite plies are presented. The automatic layup system includes a stacking assembly located in a first plane and a layup tool located in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The stacking assembly and the layup tool are movable towards each other. The method includes the steps of (a) providing one or more composite sheets between the layup tool and the stacking assembly, (b) generating a first composite ply from the one or more composite sheets, (c) placing the first composite ply on the layup tool by the stacking assembly by bringing the stacking assembly and the layup tool close to each other, and (d) repeating the steps (b) and (c) for generating and placing a second composite ply on the first composite ply, which is placed on the layup tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2016Publication date: May 31, 2018Inventors: Sultan Shair, Andreas Lutz, Martin Petersen, Matthew Hall Beaumont, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Thomas Kluge, Christopher James Madsen
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Publication number: 20170334008Abstract: An electromachining system includes at least one steerable electrode. The steerable electrode includes an electrode positioning mechanism configured to facilitate six degrees of freedom referenced to a pitch axis, a yaw axis, and a roll axis. The three axes are substantially perpendicular to each other. The electrode positioning mechanism includes a first end and a rotatable electrode tip coupled to the first end.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2016Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: Dragan Filipovic, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Simon Josef Würzinger
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Publication number: 20170043539Abstract: An automated in-line feed-through system and method, integrates the ability to control one or more variables during part fabrication with the layup of one or more fiber tows to form a composite part. The system includes an automated layup system configured to receive a feed-through of one or more fiber tows as an input material. The automated in-line feed-through system further includes a controller configured to respond to measurement data obtained by one or more samplings of the input material and/or a plurality of laid up plies that form a laminate. The controller in response to the obtained measurement data provides adjustment of the feed-through of the one or more fiber tows to compensate for a variation in one or more of the weights from a reference weight.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2015Publication date: February 16, 2017Inventors: Christopher James Madsen, Ram Kumar Upadhyay, Stefaan Guido Van Nieuwenhove, Thomas Kluge, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Martin Petersen
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Patent number: 9421744Abstract: A method for applying at least one ply onto a tool or an uncured composite layup disposed on the tool includes automatically controlling slidably removing at least one nonstick separator relative to the at least one ply positioned on the at least one nonstick separator to inhibit at least a portion of the at least one ply from adhering to the tool or uncured composite layup while applying a moving compressive force to an outer surface of the at least one ply relative to a moving trailing edge of the at least one nonstick separator to adhere at least a portion of the at least one ply to the tool or to the uncured composite layup.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2014Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Sultan Shair, Julian Thomas O'Flynn, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Frank Worthoff, Mile Ostojic, Mark Ernest Vermilyea
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Publication number: 20140374003Abstract: A method for applying at least one ply onto a tool or an uncured composite layup disposed on the tool includes automatically controlling slidably removing at least one nonstick separator relative to the at least one ply positioned on the at least one nonstick separator to inhibit at least a portion of the at least one ply from adhering to the tool or uncured composite layup while applying a moving compressive force to an outer surface of the at least one ply relative to a moving trailing edge of the at least one nonstick separator to adhere at least a portion of the at least one ply to the tool or to the uncured composite layup.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventors: Sultan Shair, Julian Thomas O'Flynn, Mathias Ernst Messmer, Frank Worthoff, Mile Ostojic, Mark Ernest Vermilyea