Patents by Inventor Stefan Kaierle

Stefan Kaierle 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: 8791386
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for cutting materials using a laser beam, which emerges from a cutting head comprising a cutting nozzle with an inner edge, and is absorbed by the cutting front. The axis of the laser beam is displaced in relation to a workpiece along a cutting line with a fixed orientation in the cutting direction of said workpiece. In this method the position (p) of the cutting head is modulated with regard to its time averaged value, or the laser power and gas pressure in the cutting head are modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur-Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schulz, Reinhart Poprawe, Stefan Kaierle, Dirk Petring
  • Patent number: 8509941
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for the machining of an object using a tool, in which the tool (2) or the object (18) is guided using a handling apparatus, which has multiple movement axes for the coarse positioning of the tool (2) or object (18), which form a kinematic chain. In the method, an additional actuator (3), which has a higher positioning precision in at least one dimension or axis than the other movement axes, is inserted between a terminal link (1) of the kinematic chain and the tool (2) or object (18). A relative movement of the tool (2) or terminal link (1) of the kinematic chain to the object (18) is detected using at least one sensor (5) and a deviation from a target movement path is compensated for using the additional actuator (3). The method and the associated device allow the use of robots or other handling apparatuses having lower path precision for applications which require a high precision during the guiding of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen
    Inventors: Boris Regaard, Stefan Kaierle
  • Patent number: 8207471
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring phase boundaries of a material during the machining of a workpiece (12) with a machining beam, more preferably with a laser beam, and a device that is embodied in such a way as to carry out the method. According to said method, during the machining, a machining region (13) containing the impact point of the machining beam (1) on the workpiece (12) is illuminated at least approximately coaxially to the machining beam (1) by means of additional optical radiation (2). Radiation (3) reflected by the machining region (13) is detected, parallel to an incidence direction of the optical radiation (2) or at small angle thereto, by means of an optical detector with local resolution, in order to obtain an optical reflection pattern of the machining region (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Boris Regaard, Anas Moalem, Jan Michel, Peter Abels, Stefan Kaierle, Wolfgang Schulz
  • Publication number: 20100324735
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for the machining of an object using a tool, in which the tool (2) or the object (18) is guided using a handling apparatus, which has multiple movement axes for the coarse positioning of the tool (2) or object (18), which form a kinematic chain. In the method, an additional actuator (3), which has a higher positioning precision in at least one dimension or axis than the other movement axes, is inserted between a terminal link (1) of the kinematic chain and the tool (2) or object (18). A relative movement of the tool (2) or terminal link (1) of the kinematic chain to the object (18) is detected using at least one sensor (5) and a deviation from a target movement path is compensated for using the additional actuator (3). The method and the associated device allow the use of robots or other handling apparatuses having lower path precision for applications which require a high precision during the guiding of the tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicants: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DERANGEWAND, RHEINISCH-WESTFAELISCHE TECHNISCHE
    Inventors: Boris Regaard, Stefan Kaierle
  • Publication number: 20090032512
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring phase boundaries of a material during the machining of a workpiece (12) with a machining beam, more preferably with a laser beam, and a device that is embodied in such a way as to carry out the method. According to said method, during the machining, a machining region (13) containing the impact point of the machining beam (1) on the workpiece (12) is illuminated at least approximately coaxially to the machining beam (1) by means of additional optical radiation (2). Radiation (3) reflected by the machining region (13) is detected, parallel to an incidence direction of the optical radiation (2) or at small angle thereto, by means of an optical detector with local resolution, in order to obtain an optical reflection pattern of the machining region (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Boris Regaard, Anas Moalem, Jan Michel, Peter Abels, Stefan Kaierle, Wolfgang Schulz
  • Publication number: 20080000888
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for cutting materials using a laser beam, which emerges from a cutting head comprising a cutting nozzle with an inner edge, and is absorbed by the cutting front. The axis of the laser beam is displaced in relation to a workpiece along a cutting line with a fixed orientation in the cutting direction of said workpiece. In this method the position (p) of the cutting head is modulated with regard to its time averaged value, or the laser power and gas pressure in the cutting head are modulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schulz, Reinhart Poprawe, Stefan Kaierle, Dirk Petring
  • Patent number: 7176408
    Abstract: In a method for cutting structural components to be joined by laser radiation that is guided by a computer-controlled manipulation system provided with a nominal path for each structural component corresponding to a joining line that is curved as a result of at least one of the structural components being three-dimensionally shaped, the structural component surfaces of the structural components including the joining line are determined measuring technologically. Based on measuring results, the nominal path corresponding to a penetration line of the structural components to be joined is calculated. A marking is formed on a first one of the structural component surfaces. When performing the cut on the structural component surface provided with the marking, the resulting cutting gap and the marking are determining measuring technologically. When a deviation of the cutting gap from the nominal path is detected, the manipulation system is controlled to correct the deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignees: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Thyssen Laser-Technik GmbH, ThyssenKrupp Drauz Nothelfer GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schulz, Jan Michel, Peter Abels, Gerhard Alber, Jörg Neubert, Friedrich Behr, Stefan Kaierle
  • Patent number: 6791057
    Abstract: A method for processing workpieces by means of high-energy radiation, wherein the radiation is focused by a processing optic onto a processing site. The light radiation emanating form the workpiece is received by the same processing optic and is analyzed by a detector. An optical measurement with respect to the surface of the workpiece is performed in a processing area of the workpiece by means of an external source of measuring light, utilizing measuring light reflected from the processing area. The same processing optic is used to focus radiation onto the processing site and to receive radiation emanating from the workpiece at the processing site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Forderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Christian Kratzsch, Stefan Kaierle, Peter Abels