Patents by Inventor Michael Langhans

Michael Langhans 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: 20230087833
    Abstract: A method for controlling a servomotor with a converter includes monitoring a circuit of a direct-voltage DC link that is connected to an input circuit for flow of an electric current; switching off a first switching device to end the supply of the direct-voltage DC link from an electrical grid if a stop signal occurs; braking the servomotor by control of power semiconductor switches of an inverter circuit in a regenerative braking operation, to reduce the rotation speed of the servomotor, if the monitoring detects that an electric current is not flowing after the first switching device has been switched off; and switching off a second switching device to prevent feeding electrical energy from the direct-voltage DC link into the servomotor if the monitoring detects a flow of electric current after the first switching device has been switched off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas Pfister, Michael Langhans, Andreas Fischer
  • Patent number: 9817057
    Abstract: An electrical device having a clocked circuitry, and a method for testing the power supply unit of the electrical device. The electrical device comprises an electrical load, a clocked power supply unit, at least one pulse transformer and an evaluation device. The power supply unit comprises a power stack having at least one power semiconductor switch and is configured for generating a clocked voltage for the electrical load from an electric voltage based on an alternating on/off switching of the power semiconductor switch. The power stack exhibits at least one current path, through which an electric current flows during operation. The pulse transformer generates a signal assigned to the change in the charge and/or the direction of the electric current flowing through the current path. The evaluation device evaluates the signal coming from the pulse transformer and draws a conclusion regarding the operational reliability of the power semiconductor switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Langhans, Sebastian Zehetbauer
  • Patent number: 9331600
    Abstract: An electronic power circuit, electrical machine and a method for verifying the functionality of an electronic power circuit. The invention relates to an electronic power circuit, an electrical machine with the electronic power circuit and a method for verifying the functionality of the electronic power circuit. The electronic power circuit comprises a power unit with at least one power semi-conductor switch, which is equipped to generate a pulsed electrical voltage for an electrical consumer from an electrical voltage on the basis of an alternating powering on and off of the at least one power semiconductor switch, and control electronics equipped to control the power semiconductor switch for the alternating powering on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Langhans, Sebastian Zehetbauer
  • Patent number: 8806963
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device (20) for ascertaining a torque acting on an axis (A2,) and to a robot (1) with a robot arm (2) having a plurality of members which are rotatably mounted in reference to axes (A1-A6). The robot (1) also has the measuring device (20), in order to determine for at least one of the axes (A2) the torque exerted on that axis (A2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Langhans
  • Publication number: 20140112037
    Abstract: An electronic power circuit, electrical machine and a method for verifying the functionality of an electronic power circuit. The invention relates to an electronic power circuit, an electrical machine with the electronic power circuit and a method for verifying the functionality of the electronic power circuit. The electronic power circuit comprises a power unit with at least one power semi-conductor switch, which is equipped to generate a pulsed electrical voltage for an electrical consumer from an electrical voltage on the basis of an alternating powering on and off of the at least one power semiconductor switch, and control electronics equipped to control the power semiconductor switch for the alternating powering on and off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Langhans, Sebastian Zehetbauer
  • Publication number: 20140111244
    Abstract: An electrical device having a clocked circuitry, and a method for testing the power supply unit of the electrical device. The electrical device comprises an electrical load, a clocked power supply unit, at least one pulse transformer and an evaluation device. The power supply unit comprises a power stack having at least one power semiconductor switch and is configured for generating a clocked voltage for the electrical load from an electric voltage based on an alternating on/off switching of the power semiconductor switch. The power stack exhibits at least one current path, through which an electric current flows during operation. The pulse transformer generates a signal assigned to the change in the charge and/or the direction of the electric current flowing through the current path. The evaluation device evaluates the signal coming from the pulse transformer and draws a conclusion regarding the operational reliability of the power semiconductor switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: KUKA Laboratories GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Langhans, Sebastian Zehetbauer
  • Publication number: 20110283815
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device (20) for ascertaining a torque acting on an axis (A2,) and to a robot (1) with a robot arm (2) having a plurality of members which are rotatably mounted in reference to axes (A1-A6). The robot (1) also has the measuring device (20), in order to determine for at least one of the axes (A2) the torque exerted on that axis (A2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: KUKA ROBOTER GMBH
    Inventor: Michael Langhans