Patents by Inventor Philip HOWOLD

Philip HOWOLD 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: 11530734
    Abstract: A cable carrier for accommodating and guiding cables, comprising parallel first link strands of opposing first links which are connected to each other by means of first cross stays, wherein outside at least one first link strand and parallel to this a second link strand of second links is arranged, which are opposite the first links of the adjacent first link strand and of which at least some are connected by way of second cross stays to the opposite first links, and wherein, between at least some of the opposing first and second links, rollers are arranged which project beyond the first and second links on at least one side of the cable carrier perpendicular to the first and second cross stays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Philip Howold, Sean McCaskill
  • Publication number: 20210021115
    Abstract: A line guiding apparatus (1) includes a line guiding unit (2) having a direction-changing region (7) and a support unit (8) which has a slide (9) with a support element (10) arranged thereon for the direction-changing region (7), that at the inside bears against the direction-changing region (7) and permits a movement of the line guiding unit (2) about the centre point axis (17) of the direction-changing region (7). To displace a line guiding unit of high flexibility in a stable linear orientation the support unit (8) has a drive device engaging the slide (9) and driving it in the direction of displacement of the line guiding unit (2) and a control device which is operatively connected to the drive device and is not formed by the line guiding unit (2) itself and with which the drive device is controllable in dependence on the state of movement of a movable connecting region (5). (FIG. 1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Dominik BARTEN, Philip HOWOLD
  • Patent number: 10862290
    Abstract: The invention concerns line guide devices, for example energy guide chains (31, 51), having a movement sensor. An aspect concerns a movement sensor (10; 20) including a bearing having a first component, for example a guide (11; 21) of a linear bearing, and a second component moveable relative thereto, for example a longitudinally displaceable slider (12; 22), and at least one pick-up (13, 14; 23, 24) whose output signal depends on the relative position of both components. The movement sensor (10; 20) can be arranged with the first component at the connecting location to be supplied and with the second component at the moveable end of the line guide device, or vice-versa. A further aspect concerns an apparatus (30; 40) for winding up and unwinding a line guide device. A rotatable drum (32; 42) for winding up and unwinding the line guide device has a drum drive (38; 48). A sensor unit (35; 45) is arranged at the load-side end region (52B) of the line guide device, for detecting a movement parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: igus GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Georg Theiss, Thilo-Alexander Jaeker, Philip Howold
  • Patent number: 10723594
    Abstract: Coupling unit for coupling a freely movable device into an energy chain system which is connected to a coupling carriage that is movable parallel to the displacement path of the device, wherein the coupling unit has a first plug part which is able to be connected to the device in a flexible and tension-resistant manner and which is able to be connected to a second plug part arranged on the coupling carriage, wherein the coupling unit is able to be extended in the direction of the coupling carriage, wherein the coupling carriage has a guide unit by way of which a vertically displaceable strut arranged on the device is able to be raised with the first plug part, and wherein, when the coupling carriage stops in a predetermined position relative to the device the strut drops into a receptacle of the coupling carriage and surrounds the latter, wherein the two plug parts are positioned horizontally and vertically with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Philip Howold
  • Publication number: 20200014186
    Abstract: A cable carrier for accommodating and guiding cables, comprising parallel first link strands of opposing first links which are connected to each other by means of first cross stays, wherein outside at least one first link strand and parallel to this a second link strand of second links is arranged, which are opposite the first links of the adjacent first link strand and of which at least some are connected by way of second cross stays to the opposite first links, and wherein, between at least some of the opposing first and second links, rollers are arranged which project beyond the first and second links on at least one side of the cable carrier perpendicular to the first and second cross stays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Philip HOWOLD, Sean MCCASKILL
  • Patent number: 10294084
    Abstract: A system for automatically docking a container stacker crane, in particular a RTG, to a movable supply, having a docking device with a transverse advancer unit and an extendable extension arm of which an end portion can be advanced transversely to the movable supply and connects thereto. An energy guiding chain with an entrainment member serves as a movable supply. A mechanical coupling is proposed with a coupling piece on the end portion and a coupling counterpart on the entrainment member. The entrainment member floatingly supports the coupling counterpart with transverse play. A plug connector on said end portion cooperates with a socket on the entrainment member. The mechanical coupling has a coupling piece configured as a funnel and a cooperating coupling counterpart configured as coupling head. The coupling head includes at least one extension, which cooperates with the funnel and/or a locking bolt for securing perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: IGUS GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Dominik Barten, Philip Howold
  • Publication number: 20180208443
    Abstract: Coupling unit for coupling a freely movable device into an energy chain system which is connected to a coupling carriage that is movable parallel to the displacement path of the device, wherein the coupling unit has a first plug part which is able to be connected to the device in a flexible and tension-resistant manner and which is able to be connected to a second plug part arranged on the coupling carriage, wherein the coupling unit is able to be extended in the direction of the coupling carriage, wherein the coupling carriage has a guide unit by way of which a vertically displaceable strut arranged on the device is able to be raised with the first plug part, and wherein, when the coupling carriage stops in a predetermined position relative to the device the strut drops into a receptacle of the coupling carriage and surrounds the latter, wherein the two plug parts are positioned horizontally and vertically with respect to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas HERMEY, Philip HOWOLD
  • Publication number: 20180026432
    Abstract: The invention concerns line guide devices, for example energy guide chains (31, 51), having a movement sensor. An aspect concerns a movement sensor (10; 20) including a bearing having a first component, for example a guide (11; 21) of a linear bearing, and a second component moveable relative thereto, for example a longitudinally displaceable slider (12; 22), and at least one pick-up (13, 14; 23, 24) whose output signal depends on the relative position of both components. The movement sensor (10; 20) can be arranged with the first component at the connecting location to be supplied and with the second component at the moveable end of the line guide device, or vice-versa. A further aspect concerns an apparatus (30; 40) for winding up and unwinding a line guide device. A rotatable drum (32; 42) for winding up and unwinding the line guide device has a drum drive (38; 48). A sensor unit (35; 45) is arranged at the load-side end region (52B) of the line guide device, for detecting a movement parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas HERMEY, Georg THEISS, Thilo-Alexander JAEKER, Philip HOWOLD
  • Publication number: 20160347586
    Abstract: A system (10) for automatically docking a container stacker crane (11), in particular a RTG, to a movable supply, having a docking device (14) with a transverse advancer unit (16) and an extendable extension arm (20) of which an end portion (22) can be advanced transversely to the movable supply and connects thereto. According to the invention, an energy guiding chain (12) with an entrainment member (24) serves as a movable supply. A mechanical coupling is proposed with a coupling piece (26) on the end portion (22) and a coupling counterpart (28) on the entrainment member (24). The entrainment member (24) floatingly supports (34) the coupling counterpart (28) with transverse play. A plug connector (30) on said end portion (22) cooperates with a socket (32) on the entrainment member (24). The mechanical coupling has a coupling piece (26) configured as a funnel (40) and a cooperating coupling counterpart (28) configured as coupling head (42).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Andreas Hermey, Dominik BARTEN, Philip HOWOLD