Patents by Inventor Willi Leu

Willi Leu 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: 7055816
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a stream of sheet-like products, such as printed magazines and newspapers, whereby the orientation of the products in the stream is changed to facilitate subsequent processing. The products are conveyed in an imbricated stream, or in a non-imbricated stream, and sections of adjacent products are combined into stacks which are conveyed away from the trailing products once the stacks are formed. The stacks are then further processed so that the products in each stack are disposed in a reverse order in relation to their original order, i.e. last in/first out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Willi Leu
  • Patent number: 6889975
    Abstract: Method of depositing sheet-like products (2), in particular printed products, which are taking part in a conveying process and follow sequentially one after the other, it being the case that, for at least a period of time of the depositing operation, assisted by gravitational force, the products (2) are pivoted about an axis (B) which extends essentially parallel to the direction in which the conveying process is oriented immediately prior to the depositing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu
  • Patent number: 6877732
    Abstract: The apparatus has a feed conveyor (12) which is assigned an opening apparatus (18). Located at the downstream end of the feed conveyor (12) is the transfer region (16), through which the movement path (26) of clamps (24) runs. The clamp (24) has two clamp elements (30), which can be moved from an open position into a closed position (60?) for gripping and retaining an article (10). The clamp (24) is assigned a holding-open element (28) which, when the article (10) is gripped by means of the clamp (24), ends up between the two parts (22, 22?) of the article (10) lifted off from one another by means of the opening apparatus (18), and which is intended for holding the article (10) open when the clamp (24) is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu
  • Patent number: 6832757
    Abstract: The clamp has two interacting clamp elements (14) which can be moved relative to one another. These are intended for retaining a sheet-like article (70). The clamp (12) also has a holding-open element (20) which is intended for engaging between two parts (78, 78′) of the article and, when the clamp elements (14) are located in the closed position (18′), for keeping these parts (78, 78′) separate from one another and thus holding the article (70) open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu
  • Publication number: 20040188931
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a stream of sheet-like products, such as printed magazines and newspapers, whereby the orientation of the products in the stream is changed to facilitate subsequent processing. The products are conveyed in an imbricated stream, or in a non-imbricated stream, and sections of adjacent products are combined into stacks which are conveyed away from the trailing products once the stacks are formed. The stacks are then further processed so that the products in each stack are disposed in a reverse order in relation to their original order, i.e. last in/first out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Ferag AG
    Inventor: Willi Leu
  • Patent number: 6726000
    Abstract: Method of raising sheet-like products (2), in particular printed products, which are taking part in a conveying process and follow sequentially one after the other, the products (2) resting, at least in certain regions, on a conveying means (1) during the conveying process, it being the case that, for at least a period of time of the raising operation, gravitational force being overcome in the process, the products (2) are pivoted actively about an axis (B) which extends essentially parallel to the direction (A) in which the conveying process is oriented immediately prior to the raising operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Ferag AG
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu
  • Publication number: 20030146558
    Abstract: The apparatus has a feed conveyor (12) which is assigned an opening apparatus (18). Located at the downstream end of the feed conveyor (12) is the transfer region (16), through which the movement path (26) of clamps (24) runs. The clamp (24) has two clamp elements (30), which can be moved from an open position into a closed position (60′) for gripping and retaining an article (10). The clamp (24) is assigned a holding-open element (28) which, when the article (10) is gripped by means of the clamp (24), ends up between the two parts (22, 22′) of the article (10) lifted off from one another by means of the opening apparatus (18), and which is intended for holding the article (10) open when the clamp (24) is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu
  • Publication number: 20030146564
    Abstract: Method of raising sheet-like products (2), in particular printed products, which are taking part in a conveying process and follow sequentially one after the other, the products (2) resting, at least in certain regions, on a conveying means (1) during the conveying process, it being the case that, for at least a period of time of the raising operation, gravitational force being overcome in the process, the products (2) are pivoted actively about an axis (B) which extends essentially parallel to the direction (A) in which the conveying process is oriented immediately prior to the raising operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu
  • Publication number: 20030146563
    Abstract: Method of depositing sheet-like products (2), in particular printed products, which are taking part in a conveying process and follow sequentially one after the other, it being the case that, for at least a period of time of the depositing operation, assisted by gravitational force, the products (2) are pivoted about an axis (B) which extends essentially parallel to the direction in which the conveying process is oriented immediately prior to the depositing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu
  • Publication number: 20030146634
    Abstract: The clamp has two interacting clamp elements (14) which can be moved relative to one another. These are intended for retaining a sheet-like article (70). The clamp (12) also has a holding-open element (20) which is intended for engaging between two parts (78, 78′) of the article and, when the clamp elements (14) are located in the closed position (18′), for keeping these parts (78, 78′) separate from one another and thus holding the article (70) open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Inventors: Walter Reist, Willi Leu