Patents by Inventor Ralf HETZEL
Ralf HETZEL 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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Publication number: 20240092021Abstract: A system (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising one or more working stations (21), which are provided for performing at least one working process in the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, at least one freely positionable mobile storage unit (2) comprising a rack-like storage device (4) comprising at least one storage room (5) provided for storing at least one powder module (6), especially for the purpose of conveying the powder module (6) between different working stations (21) of the system (1), and at least one driverless, freely movable mobile conveying unit (3) comprising a receiving device (12) provided for receiving at least one mobile storage unit (2) for the purpose of conveying the storage unit (2) between different working stations (21) of the system (1).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Inventors: Florian Bechmann, Ralf Hetzel, Jens Stammberger, Fabian Zeulner, Alexander Hofmann
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Patent number: 11833754Abstract: A system (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising one or more working stations (21), which are provided for performing at least one working process in the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, at least one freely positionable mobile storage unit (2) comprising a rack-like storage device (4) comprising at least one storage room (5) provided for storing at least one powder module (6), especially for the purpose of conveying the powder module (6) between different working stations (21) of the system (1), and at least one driverless, freely movable mobile conveying unit (3) comprising a receiving device (12) provided for receiving at least one mobile storage unit (2) for the purpose of conveying the storage unit (2) between different working stations (21) of the system (1).Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2020Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Concept Laser GmbHInventors: Florian Bechmann, Ralf Hetzel, Jens Stammberger, Fabian Zeulner, Alexander Hofmann
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Publication number: 20230182395Abstract: An unpacking device (4) for unpacking an additively manufactured three-dimensional object (2) from the unsolidified construction material (3) surrounding it after completion of an additive construction process, wherein the unpacking device (4) is formed as a robot (7) having at least three robot axes (A1-A6), especially an industrial robot, wherein at least one unpacking tool (10) is arranged or formed on a robot axis (A6), which is provided for unpacking an additively manufactured three-dimensional object (2) from the unsolidified construction material (3) surrounding it after completion of an additive construction process, or the unpacking device (4) comprises at least one such robot (7).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2023Publication date: June 15, 2023Inventors: Florian Bechmann, Fabian Zeulner, Jens Stammberger, Ralf Hetzel
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Patent number: 11577404Abstract: An unpacking device (4) for unpacking an additively manufactured three-dimensional object (2) from the unsolidified construction material (3) surrounding it after completion of an additive construction process, wherein the unpacking device (4) is formed as a robot (7) having at least three robot axes (A1-A6), especially an industrial robot, wherein at least one unpacking tool (10) is arranged or formed on a robot axis (A6), which is provided for unpacking an additively manufactured three-dimensional object (2) from the unsolidified construction material (3) surrounding it after completion of an additive construction process, or the unpacking device (4) comprises at least one such robot (7).Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Florian Bechmann, Fabian Zeulner, Jens Stammberger, Ralf Hetzel
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Patent number: 11472114Abstract: Method for controlling operating of at least one additive manufacturing apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects is provided by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a powdered build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy beam, embodiments including exemplary steps of: supplying authorization data (AD) which contains at least one authorization parameter that authorizes the operation of at least one additive manufacturing apparatus (1) or at least one functional unit (2-7) of the at least one additive manufacturing apparatus (1) from an external data supply source (10), transmitting the authorization data (AD) from the external data supply source (10) to a control unit (8) of the at least one additive manufacturing apparatus (1), and controlling operation of the additive manufacturing apparatus (1) or the at least one functional unit (2-7).Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Frank Herzog, Florian Bechmann, Markus Lippert, Ralf Hetzel
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Patent number: 11446874Abstract: Apparatus (17, 24) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, with a filter unit (4) adapted to filter residues from at least one stream of process gas (18), characterized by at least one positioning device (1, 25, 28) adapted to at least partly automatically transfer the filter unit (4) or at least a part of the filter unit between a disconnected state in which the filter unit (4) is disconnected from the stream of process gas (18) to a connected state in which the filter unit (4) is connected to the stream of process gas (18).Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2018Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Fabian Zeulner, Ralf Hetzel, Jens Stammberger, Alexander Hofmann, Pascal Krause, Dagmar Wohlfarth
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Patent number: 11420261Abstract: A system (1) for producing three-dimensional objects (2) by way of the solidification above one another of layers of a building material which can be solidified by means of radiation at the points which correspond to the respective cross section of the object, wherein the system (1) comprises at least one process station (4) which is arranged in a first housing (3) for carrying out the layer-by-layer generative building process in a building container (5), and a handling station (7) in at least one second housing (6) for unpacking produced objects (2) from the building container (5) which can be moved between the at least one process station (4) and the at least one handling station (7), wherein the at least one process station (4) and the at least one handling station (7) are arranged in separate housing units (3, 6).Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2016Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Frank Herzog, Florian Bechmann, Fabian Zeulner, Jens Stammberger, Christian Diller, Ralf Hetzel
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Patent number: 11148203Abstract: Plant for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object, comprising at least one process station being configured to perform an additive manufacturing process and/or at least one preprocessing process for an additive manufacturing process and/or at least one postprocessing process for an additive manufacturing process; at least one conveying device configured to convey an item between at least two positions (P1, P2) of the plant, the conveying device comprising at least one conveying element, the at least one conveying element being at least partially bound to ground, and at least one conveying carriage being connectable or connected with the conveying element so as to be moveable between at least two positions (P1, P2) of the plant, the at least one conveying carriage comprising at least one supporting interface for supporting at least one item.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2019Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: Concept Laser GmbHInventors: Viktor Kremer, Christoph Schmidbauer, Ralf Hetzel, Pascal Krause, Benjamin Krausser
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Patent number: 11141917Abstract: Powder module (5), in particular for an apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2), which powder module (5) comprises a powder chamber (10) with at least one wall portion (11) defining a powder room, in which powder room a carrying element (9) is provided that is moveably supported relative to the powder chamber (10), at least one support unit (13) is adapted to provide a non-locating bearing of the carrying element (9) relative to the at least one wall portion (11).Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2018Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Concept Laser GmbHInventors: Ralf Hetzel, Christoph Schmidbauer
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Patent number: 10953604Abstract: Apparatus for the additive production of three-dimensional objects by successive layerwise selective exposure and consequent successive layerwise selective solidification of construction material layers of a construction material that can be solidified by means of an energy beam, comprising: —an exposure device, which is configured in order to generate an energy beam for the successive layerwise selective exposure and consequent successive layerwise selective solidification of construction material layers of a construction material that can be solidified by means of the energy beam, and—a measuring device for measuring a temperature, wherein the measuring device is configured in order to measure a temperature at at least one measurement point, the measurement point being assigned to at least one three-dimensional object formed at least partially from solidified construction material or to at least one object section formed in the scope of the additive production of an object to be produced additively.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Philipp Schumann, Ralf Hetzel, Tanja Traut
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Patent number: 10942062Abstract: An apparatus (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus successive, selective layer-by-layer solidification of construction material layers of a construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of laser radiation in a process chamber (10) of the apparatus, comprising an exposure device (5) provided for generating laser radiation for selective exposure and thus selective solidification of respective construction material layers, and a detection device (11) provided for detecting the entering of laser radiation into a process chamber limiting element at least partially limiting the process chamber (10) and/or for detecting the penetration of laser radiation through a process chamber limiting element at least partially limiting the process chamber (10).Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: CL SCHUTZRECHTSVERWALTUNGS GMBHInventors: Jens Stammberger, Daniel Winiarski, Christian Diller, Ralf Hetzel
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Publication number: 20210053288Abstract: A system (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising one or more working stations (21), which are provided for performing at least one working process in the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, at least one freely positionable mobile storage unit (2) comprising a rack-like storage device (4) comprising at least one storage room (5) provided for storing at least one powder module (6), especially for the purpose of conveying the powder module (6) between different working stations (21) of the system (1), and at least one driverless, freely movable mobile conveying unit (3) comprising a receiving device (12) provided for receiving at least one mobile storage unit (2) for the purpose of conveying the storage unit (2) between different working stations (21) of the system (1).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Florian Bechmann, Ralf Hetzel, Jens Stammberger, Fabian Zeulner, Alexander Hofmann
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Patent number: 10828834Abstract: A system (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising one or more working stations (21), which are provided for performing at least one working process in the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, at least one freely positionable mobile storage unit (2) comprising a rack-like storage device (4) comprising at least one storage room (5) provided for storing at least one powder module (6), especially for the purpose of conveying the powder module (6) between different working stations (21) of the system (1), and at least one driverless, freely movable mobile conveying unit (3) comprising a receiving device (12) provided for receiving at least one mobile storage unit (2) for the purpose of conveying the storage unit (2) between different working stations (21) of the system (1).Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Florian Bechmann, Ralf Hetzel, Jens Stammberger, Fabian Zeulner, Alexander Hofmann
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Patent number: 10821387Abstract: An apparatus (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus successive, selective layer-by-layer solidification of construction material layers of construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of an energy beam, comprising a pipe structure (12), and a filter device (7) that is connected to the pipe structure (12), provided for filtering the process gas (9), wherein the filter device (7) comprises several filter modules (14) that can be or are arranged exchangeably connected to the pipe structure (12).Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Jens Stammberger, Christian Diller, Ralf Hetzel
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Patent number: 10821386Abstract: An apparatus for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus successive, selective layer-by-layer solidification of construction material layers of construction material that can be solidified by means of an energy beam, comprising a filter device provided for filtering process gas arising in the course of performing additive construction processes in a process chamber of the apparatus, wherein the filter device comprises several filter modules with a filter module housing each, wherein every filter module housing comprises a filter body receiving room configured with a defined geometry provided for receiving a defined number of filter bodies configured with a defined geometry, wherein every filter module comprises connection interfaces on the filter module via which it is or can be connected, if required, to defined connection areas of a pipe structure of the apparatus that is or can be flown through by the process gas.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Alexander Hofmann, Jens Stammberger, Ralf Hetzel
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Patent number: 10760958Abstract: Apparatus (1) for additively producing three-dimensional objects (2) by successive layer-by-layer selective exposure and, accompanying this, successive layer-by-layer selective solidification of construction material layers made of a construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of an energy beam (4), including an exposure device (6) which is configured to produce an energy beam (4) for successive layer-by-layer selective exposure and, accompanying this, successive layer-by-layer selective solidification of construction material layers made of a construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of the energy beam (4), a measuring device (13) that is assignable or assigned to the exposure device (6) and configured to measure the power of the energy beam (4) that is produced by the exposure device (6), wherein the measuring device (13) comprises a measuring element (15) that comprises an energy beam input face (16), and at least an energy beam widening device (17).Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Concept Laser GmbHInventors: Ralf Hetzel, Johanna Hoch, Benjamin Batyi
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Publication number: 20200230883Abstract: Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise consolidation of layers of a build material (3) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, comprising a dose module (5) and a build module (6) and an application unit (8), wherein the application unit (8) is adapted to convey build material (3) from a dose plane (10) provided by the dose module (5) to a build plane (11) of the build module (6), wherein at least one buffer module (15) is provided, wherein the application unit (8) is adapted to convey build material (3) from a buffer plane (17) to the build plane (11), which buffer plane (17) is provided by the buffer module (15) in an operational state of the apparatus (1) in which the dose module (5) is not available, in particular during an exchange of the dose module (5), wherein the buffer plane (17) is smaller than the dose plane (10).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicant: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Alexander HOFMANN, Denise HIEMANN, Ralf HETZEL
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Publication number: 20200147686Abstract: Plant (1) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object, comprising a at least one item transfer device (6) being configured to transfer an item (9) from a first item position and/or a first item orientation to a second item position and/or a second item orientation, wherein the at least one item transfer device (6) comprises at least one item transfer element (7) comprising a plurality of item transfer element members (8) being interconnected with each other via hinged connections.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2019Publication date: May 14, 2020Applicant: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Viktor KREMER, Christoph SCHMIDBAUER, Ralf HETZEL, Dagmar WOHLFARTH, Benjamin KRAUSSER
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Publication number: 20200147685Abstract: Plant (1) for additively manufacturing at least one three-dimensional object (2), comprising at least one process station (3a-3c) being configured to perform an additive manufacturing process and/or at least one preprocessing process for an additive manufacturing process and/or at least one postprocessing process for an additive manufacturing process; at least one conveying device (19) configured to convey an item (20) between at least two positions (P1, P2) of the plant (1), the conveying device (19) comprising at least one conveying element (22), the at least one conveying element (22) being at least partially bound to ground (23), and at least one conveying carriage (24) being connectable or connected with the conveying element (22) so as to be moveable between at least two positions (P1, P2) of the plant (1), the at least one conveying carriage (24) comprising at least one supporting interface (25) for supporting at least one item (20).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2019Publication date: May 14, 2020Applicant: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Viktor KREMER, Christoph SCHMIDBAUER, Ralf HETZEL, Pascal KRAUSE, Benjamin KRAUSSER
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Publication number: 20190184642Abstract: Apparatus (1) for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by means of successive layerwise selective irradiation and consolidation of layers of a build material which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, which apparatus (1) comprises a process chamber (3) with at least one build plane (4) in which build material is directly irradiatable, characterized by at least one safety device (14) adapted to determine at least one chemical and/or at least one physical parameter, wherein the safety device (14) is adapted to control an access state of the process chamber (3) dependent on the determined chemical and/or physical parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2018Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: CONCEPT LASER GMBHInventors: Christoph SCHMIDBAUER, Ralf HETZEL