Patents by Inventor James A. Trchka

James A. Trchka 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: 6370445
    Abstract: A system controls a package assembly line. The package assembly line has a piece feeder and a component feeder. The piece feeder is arranged to feed pieces to a transport of the package assembly line. The component feeder is arranged to feed components to the transport of the package assembly line so that the components and the pieces are combined into packages. The components have corresponding component identifiers thereon. The system includes a memory for storing a piece data file having piece identifiers corresponding to pieces fed by the piece feeder, a detector for detecting a component identifier from a component being fed by the component feeder toward the transport, a comparator for comparing the detected component identifier to a corresponding piece identifier, and in response to the comparison controlling the feeding of a component or rejecting a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company
    Inventors: Larry A. Olson, James A. Trchka, William T. Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20010053946
    Abstract: A system controls a package assembly line. The package assembly line has a piece feeder and a component feeder. The piece feeder is arranged to feed pieces to a transport of the package assembly line. The component feeder is arranged to feed components to the transport of the package assembly line so that the components and the pieces are combined into packages. The components have corresponding component identifiers thereon. The system includes a memory for storing a piece data file having piece identifiers corresponding to pieces fed by the piece feeder, a detector for detecting a component identifier from a component being fed by the component feeder toward the transport, a comparator for comparing the detected component identifier to a corresponding piece identifier, and a data list re-sequencer for re-sequencing the piece data file if the detected component identifier fails to match the corresponding piece identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Applicant: R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company
    Inventors: Larry A. Olson, James A. Trchka, William T. Montgomery
  • Patent number: 5838574
    Abstract: A system controls a package assembly line. The package assembly line has a piece feeder and a component feeder. The piece feeder is arranged to feed pieces to a transport of the package assembly line. The component feeder is arranged to feed components to the transport of the package assembly line so that the components and the pieces are combined into packages. The components have corresponding component identifiers thereon. The system includes a memory for storing a piece data file having piece identifiers corresponding to pieces fed by the piece feeder, a detector for detecting a component identifier from a component being fed by the component feeder toward the transport, a comparator for comparing the detected component identifier to a corresponding piece identifier, and a data list re-sequencer for re-sequencing the piece data file if the detected component identifier fails to match the corresponding piece identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company
    Inventors: Larry A. Olson, James A. Trchka, William T. Montgomery
  • Patent number: 5112179
    Abstract: A binding line including at least first and second binding line sections. The first binding line section is adapted to transport books therealong to a book exit station and the second binding line section is adapted to transport books therealong from a book entry station. The binding line includes a book transferring mechanism or subsystem for moving books from the book exit station of the first binding line section to the book entry station of the second binding line section as well as devices associated with book leaving the book exit station and books entering the book entry station for tracking books during transfer from the first binding line section to the second binding line section. The first binding line section can run at the same or a different speed than the second binding line section. In addition, the binding line can include asynchronous or synchronous multiple first and/or second binding line sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
    Inventors: Wai-Kwong Chan, Mary F. Allsopp, Kevin T. McGuire, Robert W. Nonnemann, Gordon A. Obrecht, Ronald B. Saluski, James A. Trchka, Hans J. Viebach, Peter A. Brandt, Robert R. Butler, Michael W. Shircliff, Samuel A. Walker, Thomas R. Miller