Patents by Inventor Rolf Brinkmann

Rolf Brinkmann 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: 11936273
    Abstract: A stator assembly for a planar electrical motor includes coil conductors arranged in a stator layer, elongated in a first direction and arranged side by side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The coil conductors are connected to form a three-phase system, with a first forward conductor and first return conductor of the first phase connected in series to the first forward conductor, a second forward conductor and second return conductor of the second phase connected in series with the second forward conductor, and a third forward conductor and third return conductor of the third phase connected in series with the third forward conductor. The three-phase system has first and second opposite sides. The first forward conductor and the first return conductor are electroconductively connected in series by first and second horizontal connecting conductors arranged in the stator layer on the second and first side, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Uwe Prüssmeier, Lukas Bentfeld
  • Publication number: 20230072018
    Abstract: A planar drive system comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator comprises a plurality of energizable stator conductors. The rotor comprises a magnet device having at least one rotor magnet. A magnetic interaction can be produced between energized stator conductors of the stator and the magnet device in order to drive the rotor. The stator is configured to carry out energization of the stator conductors so that an alternating magnetic field can be generated via the energized stator conductors. The rotor comprises at least one rotor coil in which an alternating voltage can be induced due to the alternating magnetic field. The planar drive system is configured to transmit data from the rotor to the stator, and the rotor is configured to temporarily load the at least one rotor coil to temporarily cause increased current consumption of the energized stator conductors of the stator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Lukas Bentfeld, Rolf Brinkmann, Patrick Jebramcik, Tim Kaulmann
  • Publication number: 20230071070
    Abstract: A planar drive system comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator comprises a plurality of energizable stator conductors. The rotor comprises a magnet device having at least one rotor magnet. A magnetic interaction can be produced between energized stator conductors of the stator and the magnet device to drive the rotor. The stator is configured to carry out energization of the stator conductors so that an alternating magnetic field can be generated via the energized stator conductors. The rotor comprises at least one rotor coil in which an alternating voltage can be induced due to the alternating magnetic field. The planar drive system is configured to transmit data from the stator to the rotor, and the stator is configured to temporarily influence the energization of the stator conductors in order to temporarily cause a change with respect to the alternating voltage induced in the at least one rotor coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Lukas Bentfeld, Rolf Brinkmann, Patrick Jebramcik, Tim Kaulmann
  • Patent number: 11552524
    Abstract: A stator module for driving a rotor of an electrical planar-drive system comprises a power module, a stator assembly arranged on a top surface of the power module, and a connector. The power module is embodied to provide drive currents for driving the rotor. The stator assembly comprises coil conductors electrically connected to the power module via the connector for charging with the drive currents. The power module and the stator assembly each have a plate-shaped embodiment. The power module is mechanically fastened to the stator assembly by the connector. The stator assembly comprises a contact structure with contact holes arranged side by side, and the power module comprises a connecting arrangement with further contact holes arranged side by side. The connector comprises contact pins arranged side by side to engage in the further contact holes of the connecting arrangement, and in the contact holes of the contact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Publication number: 20220393555
    Abstract: A planar drive system comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator comprises a plurality of stator conductors. The rotor comprises a magnet device comprising at least one rotor magnet. The stator is configured to energize the stator conductors. A magnetic interaction can be produced between energized stator conductors of the stator and the magnet device of the rotor in order to drive the rotor. The stator is configured to carry out the energizing of the stator conductors by a current control based on a pulse-width modulation. Due to the current control, a ripple current in energized stator conductors of the stator and thereby an alternating magnetic field can be generated. The rotor comprises at least one rotor coil in which an alternating voltage can be induced due to the alternating magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Lukas Bentfeld, Rolf Brinkmann, Patrick Jebramcik, Tim Kaulmann
  • Patent number: 11522433
    Abstract: A stator module for two-dimensionally driving a rotor having first and second magnet units includes a stator assembly with first and second stator segments configured for interacting with drive magnets of the first and second magnet units. The individual stator segments can each be energized independently from the remaining stator segments. The stator assembly includes first, second, third and fourth stator sectors. The first stator segments of the individual stator sectors each extend in a second direction over all second stator segments of the relevant stator sector, arranged side by side, and the second stator segments of the individual stator sectors each extend in a first direction over all first stator segments of the relevant stator sector arranged side by side. Extensions of the stator sectors in the first and second directions are respectively smaller than extensions of a magnet arrangement including the first and second magnet units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Patent number: 11489428
    Abstract: A stator module for electromagnetically driving a rotor of a planar drive system comprises a connection module to provide drive energy. A power module has a current-generating unit to generate a drive current, which drives the rotor, from the drive energy. A stator unit has a coil conductor, to which the drive current can be applied, for generating a magnetic field which drives the rotor. A sensor module comprises a position-detecting unit to detect a position of the rotor over the sensor unit. The sensor module is arranged in a module housing. The stator unit and power module are arranged on a top side of the module housing and the connection module is arranged on a bottom side. The current-generating unit and the connection module are connected via a drive energy line. The drive energy line passes through the module housing in a manner electrically insulated from the sensor module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier, Joerg Neufeld
  • Patent number: 11437893
    Abstract: A planar-drive system includes a rotor and stator module with a housing, a stator assembly for driving the rotor, and a sensor module for detecting the rotor position. The sensor module has a 2D arrangement of magnetic-field sensors arranged on a carrier in first and second periodic grids, extending in first and second directions. Adjacent magnetic-field sensors are arranged at first and second distances in the first and second directions. The grids are shifted by a vector having first and second components smaller than the respective first and a second distances. The rotor has first and second magnet units, each with an arrangement of magnets with first and second periodic lengths aligned in the first and second directions. The first and second components of the vector, and a difference between the first and second distances and the respective components, are each smaller than the respective first and second periodic lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Patent number: 11437902
    Abstract: A stator module for two-dimensionally driving a rotor having first and second magnet units comprises a stator assembly including first and second stator segments for interacting with drive magnets of the first and second magnet units. The individual stator segments may each be energized independently from the remaining stator segments. The stator assembly comprises first, second, third and fourth stator sectors. The first stator segments of the individual stator sectors each extend in a second direction over all second stator segments of the relevant stator sector arranged side by side, and the second stator segments of the individual stator sectors each extend in a first direction over all first stator segments of the relevant stator sector arranged side by side. Extensions of the stator sectors in the first and second directions are respectively smaller than extensions of a magnet arrangement comprising the magnet units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Patent number: 11309763
    Abstract: A stator assembly for driving a rotor of an electrical planar motor includes a first arrangement of longitudinal stator layers and a second arrangement of oblique stator layers. The longitudinal stator layers comprise first coil conductors and the oblique stator layers comprise second coil conductors. The second coil conductors interact with second drive magnets to drive the rotor in a first direction, and the first coil conductors interact with first drive magnets to drive the rotor in a second direction, different from the first direction. The longitudinal and oblique stator layers are arranged on top of one another in a third direction, perpendicular to the first and second directions, where the first arrangement of longitudinal stator layers and the second arrangement of oblique stator layers have a shared central plane, each being symmetrically arranged with regard to the shared central plane, in the third direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Prüssmeier
  • Patent number: 11296571
    Abstract: A stator assembly for driving a rotor of a planar electrical motor includes longitudinal stator layers with first coil conductors and inclined stator layers with second coil conductors. The first coil conductors extend in an elongated manner in a first direction, and the second coil conductors extend in an elongated manner in a second direction, different from the first direction. The longitudinal and inclined stator layers are arranged on top of one another in a third direction, oriented perpendicularly to the first and second direction. An uppermost and lowermost stator layer of the stator assembly are each formed as a longitudinal stator layer with first coil conductors. The longitudinal stator layers are arranged in the third direction at most on one side next to an inclined stator layer, and the inclined stator layers are arranged in the third direction at most on one side next to a longitudinal stator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Prüssmeier
  • Patent number: 11038410
    Abstract: A stator module is disclosed, and a planar drive system with a stator module. The stator module has a lower face opposite an upper face, a stator unit situated on the upper face, and a cooling unit. The stator unit has a coil to which current can be supplied to generate a magnetic field to drive a mover, positionable on the upper face of the stator module. The cooling unit has a cover thermally connected to a lower face of the stator unit and to the bottom of the housing. The bottom of the housing has a first fastening section on the lower face of the stator module, thermally connectable to a heat sink. The cover is designed to conduct heat out of the stator unit to the bottom of the housing, which is designed to conduct the heat at least partially to the first fastening section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation Gmbh
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Jörg Neufeld
  • Publication number: 20210099068
    Abstract: A stator assembly for a planar electrical motor includes coil conductors arranged in a stator layer, elongated in a first direction and arranged side by side in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The coil conductors are connected to form a three-phase system, with a first forward conductor a nnd first return conductor of the first phase connected in series to the first forward conductor, a second forward conductor and second return conductor of the second phase connected in series with the second forward conductor, and a third forward conductor and third return conductor of the third phase connected in series with the third forward conductor. The three-phase system has first and second opposite sides. The first forward conductor and the first return conductor are electroconductively connected in series by first and second horizontal connecting conductors arranged in the stator layer on the second and first side, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Uwe Prüssmeier, Lukas Bentfeld
  • Publication number: 20210091621
    Abstract: A stator assembly for driving a rotor of a planar electrical motor includes longitudinal stator layers with first coil conductors and inclined stator layers with second coil conductors. The first coil conductors extend in an elongated manner in a first direction, and the second coil conductors extend in an elongated manner in a second direction, different from the first direction. The longitudinal and inclined stator layers are arranged on top of one another in a third direction, oriented perpendicularly to the first and second direction. An uppermost and lowermost stator layer of the stator assembly are each formed as a longitudinal stator layer with first coil conductors. The longitudinal stator layers are arranged in the third direction at most on one side next to an inclined stator layer, and the inclined stator layers are arranged in the third direction at most on one side next to a longitudinal stator layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Prüssmeier
  • Publication number: 20210091622
    Abstract: A stator assembly for driving a rotor of an electrical planar motor includes a first arrangement of longitudinal stator layers and a second arrangement of oblique stator layers. The longitudinal stator layers comprise first coil conductors and the oblique stator layers comprise second coil conductors. The second coil conductors interact with second drive magnets to drive the rotor in a first direction, and the first coil conductors interact with first drive magnets to drive the rotor in a second direction, different from the first direction. The longitudinal and oblique stator layers are arranged on top of one another in a third direction, perpendicular to the first and second directions, where the first arrangement of longitudinal stator layers and the second arrangement of oblique stator layers have a shared central plane, each being symmetrically arranged with regard to the shared central plane, in the third direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Prüssmeier
  • Publication number: 20200321846
    Abstract: A stator module is disclosed, and a planar drive system with a stator module. The stator module has a lower face opposite an upper face, a stator unit situated on the upper face, and a cooling unit. The stator unit has a coil to which current can be supplied to generate a magnetic field to drive a mover, positionable on the upper face of the stator module. The cooling unit has a cover thermally connected to a lower face of the stator unit and to the bottom of the housing. The bottom of the housing has a first fastening section on the lower face of the stator module, thermally connectable to a heat sink. The cover is designed to conduct heat out of the stator unit to the bottom of the housing, which is designed to conduct the heat at least partially to the first fastening section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Jörg Neufeld
  • Publication number: 20200304009
    Abstract: A stator unit for driving a rotor of an electrical planar drive system comprises first and second stator sectors. The first stator sector comprises conductor strips extended in an elongate manner along a first direction, and arranged next to one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second stator sector comprises conductor strips extended in an elongate manner along the first direction, and arranged next to one another along the second direction. The first stator sector is arranged adjacent the second stator sector in the first direction. A contact structure comprises a first and a second contact unit groups conductively connected to the conductor strips of the first and second stator sectors. The contact structure is arranged on inner edges of the first stator and second stator sectors, with the inner edges are arranged to bear against one another between the first and second stator sector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Publication number: 20200304010
    Abstract: A stator module for two-dimensionally driving a rotor having first and second magnet units comprises a stator assembly including first and second stator segments for interacting with drive magnets of the first and second magnet units. The individual stator segments may each be energized independently from the remaining stator segments. The stator assembly comprises first, second, third and fourth stator sectors. The first stator segments of the individual stator sectors each extend in a second direction over all second stator segments of the relevant stator sector arranged side by side, and the second stator segments of the individual stator sectors each extend in a first direction over all first stator segments of the relevant stator sector arranged side by side. Extensions of the stator sectors in the first and second directions are respectively smaller than extensions of a magnet arrangement comprising the magnet units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Publication number: 20200304007
    Abstract: A stator module for driving a rotor of an electrical planar-drive system comprises a power module, a stator assembly arranged on a top surface of the power module, and a connector. The power module is embodied to provide drive currents for driving the rotor. The stator assembly comprises coil conductors electrically connected to the power module via the connector for charging with the drive currents. The power module and the stator assembly each have a plate-shaped embodiment. The power module is mechanically fastened to the stator assembly by the connector. The stator assembly comprises a contact structure with contact holes arranged side by side, and the power module comprises a connecting arrangement with further contact holes arranged side by side. The connector comprises contact pins arranged side by side to engage in the further contact holes of the connecting arrangement, and in the contact holes of the contact structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Publication number: 20200303997
    Abstract: A planar-drive system includes a rotor and stator module with a housing, a stator assembly for driving the rotor, and a sensor module for detecting the rotor position. The sensor module has a 2D arrangement of magnetic-field sensors arranged on a carrier in first and second periodic grids, extending in first and second directions. Adjacent magnetic-field sensors are arranged at first and second distances in the first and second directions. The grids are shifted by a vector having first and second components smaller than the respective first and a second distances. The rotor has first and second magnet units, each with an arrangement of magnets with first and second periodic lengths aligned in the first and second directions. The first and second components of the vector, and a difference between the first and second distances and the respective components, are each smaller than the respective first and second periodic lengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier