Patents by Inventor Wayne Al Gebhardt

Wayne Al Gebhardt 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).

  • Fan-folding mechanism for a case erector
    Patent number: 8282537
    Abstract: Several implementations of a fan folding mechanism for folding flaps of a case into a fan fold arrangement are disclosed and described. In one implementation, the fan folding mechanism comprises four shoes, arranged to allow one shoe to contact a flap on each of four sides of the case. A finger, carried by each of the four shoes is configured for movement between a retracted position and an extended position, such that in the retracted position, each finger is in contact with a leading corner of a different flap of the case and the flaps are in an open position and in the extended position, each finger is in contact with the same leading corner of the same flap, and the flap is in the closed position. Four suction cups, each configured for releasable attachment to a trailing corner of a flap, may inhibit contention between flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Al Gebhardt, Derick Charles Baker, Christopher Carl Eickstadt, Douglas Alan Boozer, Troy Scott
  • FAN-FOLDING MECHANISM FOR A CASE ERECTOR
    Publication number: 20090291816
    Abstract: Several implementations of a fan folding mechanism for folding flaps of a case into a fan fold arrangement are disclosed and described. In one implementation, the fan folding mechanism comprises four shoes, arranged to allow one shoe to contact a flap on each of four sides of the case. A finger, carried by each of the four shoes is configured for movement between a retracted position and an extended position, such that in the retracted position, each finger is in contact with a leading corner of a different flap of the case and the flaps are in an open position and in the extended position, each finger is in contact with the same leading corner of the same flap, and the flap is in the closed position. Four suction cups, each configured for releasable attachment to a trailing corner of a flap, may inhibit contention between flaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Al Gebhardt, Derick Charles Baker, Christopher Carl Eickstadt, Douglas Alan Boozer, Troy Scott
  • Fan-folding mechanism for a case erector
    Patent number: 7585265
    Abstract: Several implementations of a fan folding mechanism for folding flaps of a case into a fan fold arrangement are disclosed and described. In one implementation, the fan folding mechanism comprises four shoes, arranged to allow one shoe to contact a flap on each of four sides of the case. A finger, carried by each of the four shoes is configured for movement between a retracted position and an extended position, such that in the retracted position, each finger is in contact with a leading corner of a different flap of the case and the flaps are in an open position and in the extended position, each finger is in contact with the same leading corner of the same flap, and the flap is in the closed position. Four suction cups, each configured for releasable attachment to a trailing corner of a flap, may inhibit contention between flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Frito-Lay North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Al Gebhardt, Derick Charles Baker, Christopher Carl Eickstadt, Douglas Alan Boozer, Troy Scott