Patents by Inventor Thomas Salm

Thomas Salm 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: 20100089006
    Abstract: A method for marking a pallet loaded with stacked goods includes fastening at least one marking element having information relevant to the marking to an intermediate layer, and disposing the intermediate layer between two layers of stacked goods during loading of the pallet. The marking element is fastened to the intermediate layer by a positive connection created by deforming the intermediate layer and the marking element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: WINKLER + DUENNEBIER AG
    Inventor: Thomas Salm
  • Publication number: 20090320413
    Abstract: A packaging unit and a method for wrapping flat articles which are arranged in particular in an on-edge position is provided. The packaging unit comprises a feeding region, in particular a feeding table, and a dispensing unit for packet-type arrangements of flat articles, and furthermore comprises a stock of wrapping material present in tape form, such as, for example, bands. An articulated arm forms a processing plane in which the wrapping material is fixed, and the articulated arm guides the wrapping material around the item to be packaged, in particular flat articles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Salm, Bernfried Kutsch
  • Patent number: 7559738
    Abstract: A device is described for changing pallets in an automatic palletizer that arranges objects on the pallets. The object was to refine such a device in such a way that it not only minimizes the space occupied by the automatic palletizer, but also enables the length of interruptions in the palletizing process to be reduced. To solve this object, it is suggested to provide a transfer vehicle having a first pallet area for receiving a first pallet, and a second pallet area for receiving a second pallet, and a driving arrangement for moving the transfer vehicle between at least a first position and a second position, wherein when the transfer vehicle is in its first position the first pallet region of the transfer vehicle can be loaded with an empty pallet while the objects can be arranged on a pallet in the second pallet area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Winkler + Dünnebier Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Salm, Bernfried Kutsch
  • Publication number: 20090092476
    Abstract: A device is described for providing different auxiliary materials by a palleting robot for palleting objects at a palleting site. A palleting cell has storage sites, and the device is provided with a single supply site. A palleting cell is supplied with the auxiliary materials. The storage sites are arranged at a side of the supply site sequentially in a direction of transportation so that a gap of the auxiliary materials at one of the storage sites is closed by the auxiliary materials that are located at one of the storage sites and/or the supply site in the direction of transportation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: WINKLER + DUNNEBIER AG
    Inventor: Thomas Salm
  • Publication number: 20090025343
    Abstract: An apparatus for assembling folding boxes from flat folding box shells has a gripping unit, movable in at least one direction of motion, for grasping the folding box shells and having a suction gripping device and an assembly unit for assembling the folding box shells, and a bottom flap folding tool which is pivotable relative to the assembly unit being mounted thereon, and by which the bottom flap, trailing in the direction of motion of the gripping unit, of the folding box intermediate product resulting from assembly of the folding box shell and having open bottom flaps may be folded by swiveling the pivotable bottom flap folding tool. The assembly unit includes a support element on which the gripping unit is supported, and an assembly tool which is pivotable relative to the support element mounted thereon for assembling the folding box shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Winkler & Dunnebier Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Salm
  • Publication number: 20080075576
    Abstract: A method and a device for putting flat, stacked objects, particularly envelopes, packaging bags, and the like, in intermediate storage and making them available. The flat objects coming out of a production machine are set down onto a stacking surface with one of their edges, and subsequently transported to a transfer location by a device for forming and making available defined rows. From there, the rows are pushed to a storage location or the issuance location, using a transport device that is driven independently of the machine cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas SALM, Hans-Josef DRIESSEN
  • Publication number: 20050175436
    Abstract: A device is described for changing pallets in an automatic palletizer that arranges objects on the pallets. The object was to refine such a device in such a way that it not only minimizes the space occupied by the automatic palletizer, but also enables the length of interruptions in the palletizing process to be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Applicant: Winkler + Dunnebier Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Salm, Bernfried Kutsch
  • Patent number: 6591587
    Abstract: Flat stacked articles 2, such as envelopes or packaging bags, and packaging blanks 5 are supplied to a packaging station 6, toward one another in offset parallel directions 4 and 15. Then, the stack 3 is moved into the packaging station 6 in an intake direction 17 transverse to the original transporting direction 4 of the articles 2 and, in the packaging station 6, is set down in the packaging blank 5. The stack 3 is then packaged in the packaging blank 5 in two processing positions 7, 8 of the packaging station 6, whereupon the packaged stack is discharged from the packaging station 6 in a discharge direction 11 parallel to the intake direction 17 and transverse to the original transporting direction 4 of the articles 2. The next respective packaging blank 5 is fed to the first processing position 7 in the direction 15 over the packaged stack 10 in the second processing position 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Winkler + Duennebier AG
    Inventors: Thomas Salm, Bernfried Kutsch
  • Patent number: 6425227
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the handling of individual flat articles coming out of a production machine (3). The articles may be particularly letter envelopes, which are assembled and, if needed further processed and packaged. The core of the invention resides in that initially a plurality of flat articles or letter envelopes (2, 2a) are lifted as partial stacks (8, 8a) and then are deposited at another location, and in that the partial stacks, during lifting and/or depositing (rearranging), are moved in such a way that the flat articles or letter envelopes (2, 2a) are standing, following the deposition, on the same side or edge (b) as originally or on another side or edge (a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Winkler + Duennebier AG
    Inventors: Thomas Salm, Hans-Josef Driessen
  • Patent number: 6357212
    Abstract: A box folding and article packaging apparatus has a lower tool section positioned below a work support surface and several upper tool sections positioned above the work support surface. The lower tool section includes four modular corner units each with folding flaps and a fixed support element. The four support elements together define the work support surface. The four corner units are displaceable relative to each other for adapting the apparatus for handling blanks of different sizes. A precut and precreased blank is first placed on the work support surface. The article to be packaged is then placed on the blank whereupon folding begins. One upper tool section also includes folding elements for folding a cover portion of a box and closing the box. Another upper tool section includes either adhesive applicators or staplers or the like for fastening folded blank sections to one another to complete the carton around the article or articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Winkler & Duennebier AG
    Inventors: Thomas Salm, Bernfried Kutsch
  • Publication number: 20010005972
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for packaging flat, stacked articles 2, in particular envelopes, packaging bags and the like, it being the case that first of all the flat articles 2 coming from a production machine 1 are stacked and then at least partially packaged in a packaging station 6, using at least one packaging blank 5, and are subsequently transported further and discharged from the packaging station 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Inventors: Thomas Salm, Bernfried Kutsch
  • Patent number: 5819388
    Abstract: The invention concerns the creation of a prototype workpiece or production equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: MEC Maschinenbau Entwicklung Consulting GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Salm