Patents by Inventor Ralph Sgodzai

Ralph Sgodzai 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).

  • Method and device for transferring, in particular, flavoring agents to cigarettes
    Patent number: 7367170
    Abstract: (Liquid) flavoring agents and other substances are transferred to cigarettes immediately prior to or during the packaging operation of the cigarettes (12). An advantageous solution is that of the substances being transferred directly to free ends of the cigarettes (12) once cigarette groups (11) have been formed and during transportation of these groups. As an alternative, the substances can be transferred to the inside of an inner wrapper of the cigarette group in particular to a folding tab of a base wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)
    Inventors: Thomas Häfker, Axel Leifheit, Ralph Sgodzai
  • Method and device for transferring, in particular, flavouring agents to cigarettes
    Publication number: 20070102014
    Abstract: (Liquid) flavoring agents and other substances are transferred to cigarettes immediately prior to or during the packaging operation of the cigarettes (12). An advantageous solution is that of the substances being transferred directly to free ends of the cigarettes (12) once cigarette groups (11) have been formed and during transportation of these groups. As an alternative, the substances can be transferred to the inside of an inner wrapper of the cigarette group in particular to a folding tab of a base wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Hafker, Axel Leifheit, Ralph Sgodzai
  • Method and apparatus for the testing of cuboid-shaped packs
    Patent number: 6813961
    Abstract: For acquiring characteristic data of a pack (10), in particular of a cigarette pack, the latter is compressed between a pressure plate (26) and a bearing plate (27). The latter is connected to a load cell (28) in order to determine the applied force as a function of the distance traveled. The characteristic deformation data or change in force at a precise, constant downward movement of the pressure plate (26) yield a reproducible, characteristic image of the pack (10) in question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Martin Stiller, Jens Schmidt, Ralph Sgodzai, Henry Buse
  • Process and apparatus for providing codings on (cigarette) packs
    Patent number: 6614023
    Abstract: For coding (cigarette) packs (10) in the region of a conveyor, in particular in the region of a (drying) turret (34). A region of an outer pack surface, in particular of a side surface (14), is exposed during the coding. For this purpose, it is possible for the conveying elements of the conveyor to be arranged or designed correspondingly and/or for the walls (42) of the conveyor pockets (33) to be dimensioned correspondingly. Alternatively, the packs (10) are removed from the conveyor, or moved out of the pockets (33), into the region of action of a laser coder (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Martin Stiller, Jens Schmidt, Ralph Sgodzai
  • Method and apparatus for the testing of cuboid-shaped packs
    Publication number: 20020069705
    Abstract: For acquiring characteristic data of a pack (10), in particular of a cigarette pack, the latter is compressed between a pressure plate (26) and a bearing plate (27). The latter is connected to a load cell (28) in order to determine the applied force as a function of the distance traveled. The characteristic deformation data or change in force at a precise, constant downward movement of the pressure plate (26) yield a reproducible, characteristic image of the pack (10) in question.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Martin Stiller, Jens Schmidt, Ralph Sgodzai, Henry Buse
  • Process and apparatus for providing codings on ( cigarette ) packs
    Publication number: 20010032932
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for providing codings on (cigarette) packs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Heinz Focke, Martin Stiller, Jens Schmidt, Ralph Sgodzai