Patents by Inventor Norbert Elkmann

Norbert Elkmann 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: 11310887
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for securing a safety area around at least one automatically operating machine (3), comprising an illuminating marking (4; 5) of the safety area and/or a boundary of the safety area, a sensor-based monitoring device for detecting a breach of the safety area, and a control device (1) for controlling the machine (3), for defining the safety area, for controlling a shape, structure and/or a location of the illuminating marking, and for changing the operating state of the machine (3) or the light source (6, 7) in a manner which is dependent on a detection of a breach of the safety area by way of the monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
    Inventors: Norbert Elkmann, Christian Vogel, Markus Fritzsche
  • Patent number: 10891487
    Abstract: The application relates to an appliance (1) for creating and monitoring a safety area (2) in a working space (3). The suggested appliance (1) comprises a recording device (4). The recording device (4) is configured to record images in a monitoring area (8) which encompasses the safety area (2). The appliance (1) further comprises an illumination device (5) which is configured to project lines or patterns which define the safety area (2), into the working space (3). Furthermore, the appliance (1) comprises an evaluation device (9) which is configured to evaluate the images which are recorded by the recording device (4), with respect to a violation of the safety area (2). The illumination device (5) is configured to project a temporally coded sequence (11, 11?, 11?, 11??, 11???) of the lines (6) or patterns into the working space (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Geselleschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
    Inventors: Norbert Elkmann, Christoph Walter, Christian Vogel
  • Publication number: 20200110939
    Abstract: The application relates to an appliance (1) for creating and monitoring a safety area (2) in a working space (3). The suggested appliance (1) comprises a recording device (4). The recording device (4) is configured to record images in a monitoring area (8) which encompasses the safety area (2). The appliance (1) further comprises an illumination device (5) which is configured to project lines or patterns which define the safety area (2), into the working space (3). Furthermore, the appliance (1) comprises an evaluation device (9) which is configured to evaluate the images which are recorded by the recording device (4), with respect to a violation of the safety area (2). The illumination device (5) is configured to project a temporally coded sequence (11, 11?, 11?, 11??, 11???) of the lines (6) or patterns into the working space (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Norbert Elkmann, Christoph Walter, Christian Vogel
  • Publication number: 20190018382
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for securing a safety area around at least one automatically operating machine (3), comprising an illuminating marking (4; 5) of the safety area and/or a boundary of the safety area, a sensor-based monitoring device for detecting a breach of the safety area, and a control device (1) for controlling the machine (3), for defining the safety area, for controlling a shape, structure and/or a location of the illuminating marking, and for changing the operating state of the machine (3) or the light source (6, 7) in a manner which is dependent on a detection of a breach of the safety area by way of the monitoring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Norbert Elkmann, Christian VOGEL, Markus FRITZSCHE
  • Patent number: 9596451
    Abstract: The Invention relates to a device for monitoring at least one three-dimensional safety area, in particular a region in shared work areas of people and machines, comprising at least one capturing device that is pointed at the safety area and captures images of the safety area, and an analyzing device for analyzing the images that are captured by the capturing device in order to determine whether or not persons or objects have entered the safety area. At least one projector is arranged with respect to the safety area such that said projector projects lines or patterns as modulated light, said lines or patterns defining the safety area. The analyzing device analyzes the images for interruptions and/or changes of the projected lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignees: FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V., OTTO-VON-GUERICKE-UNIVERSITÄT MAGDEBURG
    Inventors: Christoph Walter, Christian Vogel, Norbert Elkmann
  • Publication number: 20130201292
    Abstract: The Invention relates to a device for monitoring at least one three-dimensional safety area, in particular a region in shared work areas of people and machines, comprising at least one capturing device that is pointed at the safety area and captures images of the safety area, and an analyzing device for analyzing the images that are captured by the capturing device in order to determine whether or not persons or objects have entered the safety area. At least onf projector Is arranged with respect to the safety area such that said projector projects lines or patterns as modulated light, said lines or patterns defining the safety area. The analyzing device analyzes the images for interruptions and/or changes of the projected lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: OTTO-VON GUERICKE-UNIVERSITAT MAGDEBURG
    Inventors: Christoph Walter, Christian Vogel, Norbert Elkmann
  • Patent number: 8276467
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tactile sensor with a sensor cell, wherein a sensor cell comprises an electrically-conducting workpiece made from flexible material and a connection to a first and a second electrode and the flexible material layers the electrical conductivity thereof under mechanical load. According to the invention, pressure distributions can be measured, by providing at least two sensor cells separated by an intervening zone, wherein two adjacent sensor cells are connected to a common first or second electrode and in the intervening zone between a first and a second adjacent sensor cell the electrically conducting workpiece of the first and the second sensor cell are at least partly separated from each other by medium with a greater specific resistance than the specific resistance of the electrically conducting workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Markus Fritzsche, Norbert Elkmann
  • Publication number: 20110036181
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tactile sensor with a sensor cell, wherein a sensor cell comprises an electrically-conducting workpiece made from flexible material and a connection to a first and a second electrode and the flexible material layers the electrical conductivity thereof under mechanical load. According to the invention, pressure distributions can be measured, by providing at least two sensor cells separated by an intervening zone, wherein two adjacent sensor cells are connected to a common first or second electrode and in the intervening zone between a first and a second adjacent sensor cell the electrically conducting workpiece of the first and the second sensor cell are at least partly separated from each other by medium with a greater specific resistance than the specific resistance of the electrically conducting workpieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Markus Fritzsche, Norbert Elkmann
  • Patent number: 5959424
    Abstract: Proposed is a device for moving a robot or vehicle on surfaces, particula of a glass construction, which has a support frame provided with wheels, which forms a component part of the robot or vehicle, at least one wheel being in the form of a raisable drive wheel. The drive wheel is made of a material with a high coefficient of friction in the direction of travel, while the other wheels are made of a material with a low coefficient of friction. Furthermore, at least two rope drums, spaced apart, accommodating retaining ropes, and with a drum drive, are provided to hold the support frame. Attached on the support frame are a device for determining the lateral deviation and rotation of the support frame with respect to the linear forward movement and an device for correcting the rotation. A control device controls or regulates the correction device, in dependence on the magnitude of the lateral deviation and rotation. The invention further relates to a robot with the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Norbert Elkmann, Ulrich Schmucker, Holger Scharfe, Christian Schoop, Ingo Kubbe