Patents by Inventor Stefan Kirchhoff

Stefan Kirchhoff 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: 9053561
    Abstract: The amount of elongation of a workpiece during forging can be determined by image processing to calculate the total amount of horizontal movement of marked patterns such as forging scale on the ends of the workpiece which move away from a forging bite during the forging blow. Images of marked patterns before and after a forging blow on both sides of the bite of a forging die are compared to determine the movement of the marked patterns and thus the movement of the ends of the workpiece. A method and system of determining the elongation and vertical displacement of a workpiece during forging is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Kirchhoff
  • Publication number: 20130251239
    Abstract: The amount of elongation of a workpiece during forging can be determined by image processing to calculate the total amount of horizontal movement of marked patterns such as forging scale on the ends of the workpiece which move away from a forging bite during the forging blow. Images of marked patterns before and after a forging blow on both sides of the bite of a forging die are compared to determine the movement of the marked patterns and thus the movement of the ends of the workpiece. A method and system of determining the elongation and vertical displacement of a workpiece during forging is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 8083982
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for repairing a protective lining of an industrial reaction or transport vessel, such as a converter vessel, electric arc furnace, or ladle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Kirchhoff, Dieter Blissenbach, Rolf Lamm
  • Patent number: 7924438
    Abstract: A method of a method for measuring wear in the lining of a metallurgical melting vessel such as a steel converter (1), by a laser scanner (2) A laser having a contouring system on a cart can be moved between measurements The laser contouring system references three permanent marks behind the cart (PM1, PM2, PM3) and two temporary marks positioned near the vessel (TM1, TM2) The distances from the movable cart to each of the five marks is determined during an initial measurement by the contouring system Every time the cart is moved and a new measurement is taken, the contouring system scans the vessel and the two temporary marks but not the permanent marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Specialty Minterals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventors: Juergen Kleinloh, Dieter Blissenbach, Stefan Kirchhoff, Christoph Carlhoff
  • Patent number: 7281402
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing the forging of a workpiece that is moved along a longitudinal axis of a forging press. The method includes detecting the relative positions of the first and second ends of the workpiece along the longitudinal axis and calculating a length of the workpiece therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Speciality Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventor: Stefan Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 7259838
    Abstract: An optical beam separation element for a measuring apparatus includes a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element. The reflecting surface of the reflecting component is positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel. The aperture extends from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element allowing the optical beam to pass through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction. The reflecting component separates the optical beams of the reception and the transmission directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventors: Christoph Carlhoff, Stefan Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 7230724
    Abstract: An improved three-dimensional (3D) measuring apparatus for scanning an object and a measurement head of a measuring apparatus and a method for using the measuring apparatus for scanning an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventors: Hannu Ensio Jokinen, Stefan Kirchhoff, Christoph Carlhoff
  • Publication number: 20060285103
    Abstract: An optical beam separation element for a measuring apparatus includes a reflecting component with a reflecting surface and an aperture for forming an optical channel common to the transmission and the reception directions in the optical beam separation element. The reflecting surface of the reflecting component is positioned at an angle with respect to the optical channel. The aperture extends from the reflecting surface through the optical beam separation element allowing the optical beam to pass through the optical beam separation element to the optical channel in the transmission direction. The reflecting component separates the optical beams of the reception and the transmission directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventors: Christoph Carlhoff, Stefan Kirchhoff
  • Publication number: 20060232786
    Abstract: An improved three-dimensional (3D) measuring apparatus for scanning an object and a measurement head of a measuring apparatus and a method for using the measuring apparatus for scanning an object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2005
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Hannu Jokinen, Stefan Kirchhoff, Christoph Carlhoff
  • Publication number: 20050263945
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for repairing a protective lining of an industrial reaction or transport vessel, such as a converter vessel, electric arc furnace, or ladle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Applicant: Speciality Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventors: Stefan Kirchhoff, Dieter Blissenbach, Rolf Lamm
  • Publication number: 20050247092
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing the forging of a workpiece that is moved along a longitudinal axis of a forging press. The method includes detecting the relative positions of the first and second ends of the workpiece along the longitudinal axis and calculating a length of the workpiece therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventor: Stefan Kirchhoff
  • Patent number: 6922251
    Abstract: According to the invention, a method for identifying and determining die position of a metallurgical vessel for measuring its fireproof lining using electromagnetic radiation, an operator is defined in relation to a two or three dimensional structure with a known shape and size. Distance values and corresponding measuring angles are determined in the area of the structure and measured distance value and corresponding measuring angles are used to scale the operator. The dimension and resolution of the operator in the pixel coordinates system and the anticipated values of the operator are adapted to the measured polar coordinates. A result value is then formed from the differences between the anticipated values of the operator and the measured values and the location of the structure that is sought is determined from the position of the minimum result value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Inventors: Stefan Kirchhoff, Christoff Carlhoff, Rolf Lamm
  • Patent number: D685391
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventors: Dieter Blissenbach, Stefan Kirchhoff, Juergen Kleinloh, Lukas Wegener
  • Patent number: D707256
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Specialty Minerals (Michigan) Inc.
    Inventors: Dieter Blissenbach, Stefan Kirchhoff, Juergen Kleinloh, Lukas Wegener