Patents by Inventor Ralf Buerkle

Ralf Buerkle 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).

  • Publication number: 20240158171
    Abstract: A material handling system has a vertical lift two vertically aligned carriages that are independently positionable on a vertical support structure by respective drive systems. A processor subsystem selects one of the two carriages to move an article from at least one in-feed conveyor to a selected level of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The processor subsystem concurrently positions the other carriage to avoid a collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Inventors: Douglas K. SCHACK, Ralf BUERKLE, Jonathon CLEARY, Charles Christopher LINGAMFELTER
  • Patent number: 11873163
    Abstract: A material handling system has a vertical lift two vertically aligned carriages that are independently positionable on a vertical support structure by respective drive systems. A processor subsystem selects one of the two carriages to move an article from at least one in-feed conveyor to a selected level of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The processor subsystem concurrently positions the other carriage to avoid a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas K Schack, Ralf Buerkle, Jonathon Cleary, Charles Christopher Lingamfelter
  • Publication number: 20220073278
    Abstract: A material handling system has a vertical lift two vertically aligned carriages that are independently positionable on a vertical support structure by respective drive systems. A processor subsystem selects one of the two carriages to move an article from at least one in-feed conveyor to a selected level of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The processor subsystem concurrently positions the other carriage to avoid a collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Douglas K. SCHACK, Ralf BUERKLE, Jonathon CLEARY, Charles Christopher LINGAMFELTER
  • Patent number: 11198560
    Abstract: A material handling system has a vertical lift two vertically aligned carriages that are independently positionable on a vertical support structure by respective drive systems. A processor subsystem selects one of the two carriages to move an article from at least one in-feed conveyor to a selected level of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The processor subsystem concurrently positions the other carriage to avoid a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas K. Schack, Ralf Buerkle, Jonathon Cleary, Charles Christopher Lingamfelter
  • Publication number: 20200198891
    Abstract: A material handling system has a vertical lift two vertically aligned carriages that are independently positionable on a vertical support structure by respective drive systems. A processor subsystem selects one of the two carriages to move an article from at least one in-feed conveyor to a selected level of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The processor subsystem concurrently positions the other carriage to avoid a collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Douglas K. SCHACK, Ralf BUERKLE, Jonathon CLEARY, Charles Christopher LINGAMFELTER
  • Patent number: 10611568
    Abstract: A material handling system has a vertical lift two vertically aligned carriages that are independently positionable on a vertical support structure by respective drive systems. A processor subsystem selects one of the two carriages to move an article from at least one in-feed conveyor to a selected level of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The processor subsystem concurrently positions the other carriage to avoid a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas K. Schack, Ralf Buerkle, Jonathon Cleary, Charles Christopher Lingamfelter
  • Patent number: 10322438
    Abstract: A material handling system reduces or eliminates human interaction with articles sorted and deposited into an order container to maintain validation and integrity of the order. Validated articles are inducted onto a sortation conveyor that selectively dispenses or deposits each article at a destination into a container. A shuttle vehicle moves along a first side of row of such containers to replace an empty container in place of any container that holds a completed order and moves the latter onto a transport conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher M. Engel, David Huff, Christopher Clinton Arnold, Justin Leib, Ralf Buerkle
  • Publication number: 20180208397
    Abstract: A material handling system has a vertical lift two vertically aligned carriages that are independently positionable on a vertical support structure by respective drive systems. A processor subsystem selects one of the two carriages to move an article from at least one in-feed conveyor to a selected level of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS). The processor subsystem concurrently positions the other carriage to avoid a collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Douglas K. Schack, Ralf Buerkle, Jonathon Cleary, Charles Christopher Lingamfelter
  • Patent number: 10017330
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: Raymond R. Neiser, Brian J. Resnick, Ralf Buerkle
  • Publication number: 20180085788
    Abstract: A material handling system reduces or eliminates human interaction with articles sorted and deposited into an order container to maintain validation and integrity of the order. Validated articles are inducted onto a sortation conveyor that selectively dispenses or deposits each article at a destination into a container. A shuttle vehicle moves along a first side of row of such containers to replace an empty container in place of any container that holds a completed order and moves the latter onto a transport conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Inventors: Christopher Engel, David Huff, Christopher Clinton Arnold, Justin Leib, Ralf Buerkle
  • Publication number: 20170369253
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Raymond R. Neiser, Brian J. Resnick, Ralf Buerkle
  • Patent number: 9790035
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Inventors: Raymond R. Neiser, Brian J. Resnick, Ralf Buerkle
  • Publication number: 20170073168
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Raymond R. Neiser, Brian J. Resnick, Ralf Buerkle
  • Patent number: 9527679
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Inventors: Raymond R. Neiser, Brian J. Resnick, Ralf Buerkle
  • Publication number: 20150336748
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide systems and methods for providing a desired gap between articles within a continuously flowing train of articles. Various embodiment methods may include operating a material handling system including a plurality of conveying units, by generating motion profiles for a plurality of articles to provide a pre-determined gap between the articles, and controlling the plurality of conveying units to move each article in accordance with its motion profile as the plurality of articles move through the material handling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Raymond R. Neiser, Brian J. Resnick, Ralf Buerkle