Patents by Inventor Benjamin C. Fordham

Benjamin C. Fordham 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: 7891158
    Abstract: A case packing system concurrently accumulates a plurality of different product ensembles and sequentially packs cases thereof, generally by way of (a) concurrently accumulating a plurality of different product ensembles utilizing a plurality of product conveyer lines, each of which is adapted to separately convey distinct products to one or more transfer points; (b) sequentially transferring different accumulated product ensembles from the conveyer lines to a case-packer, the case-packer including a packing section as well as multiple magazines for receiving different case-blanks; (c) controlling transfer of the product ensembles to the case-packer and selection of the appropriate case-blank. Preferably, substantially continuous operation of the case-packer at a production rate higher than an accumulation rate of any individual product conveyer is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Thomas I. Stafford, III, Benjamin C. Fordham, Richard S. Schneider
  • Publication number: 20090293433
    Abstract: A case packing system concurrently accumulates a plurality of different product ensembles and sequentially packs cases thereof, generally by way of (a) concurrently accumulating a plurality of different product ensembles utilizing a plurality of product conveyer lines, each of which is adapted to separately convey distinct products to one or more transfer points; (b) sequentially transferring different accumulated product ensembles from the conveyer lines to a case-packer, the case-packer including a packing section as well as multiple magazines for receiving different case-blanks; (c) controlling transfer of the product ensembles to the case-packer and selection of the appropriate case-blank. Preferably, substantially continuous operation of the case-packer at a production rate higher than an accumulation rate of any individual product conveyer is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas I. Stafford, III, Benjamin C. Fordham, Richard S. Schneider
  • Patent number: 7584589
    Abstract: A case packing system concurrently accumulates a plurality of different product ensembles and sequentially packs cases thereof, generally by way of (a) concurrently accumulating a plurality of different product ensembles utilizing a plurality of product conveyer lines, each of which is adapted to separately convey distinct products to one or more transfer points; (b) sequentially transferring different accumulated product ensembles from the conveyer lines to a case-packer, the case-packer including a packing section as well as multiple magazines for receiving different case-blanks; (c) controlling transfer of the product ensembles to the case-packer and selection of the appropriate case-blank. Preferably, substantially continuous operation of the case-packer at a production rate higher than an accumulation rate of any individual product conveyer is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Thomas I. Stafford, III, Benjamin C. Fordham, Richard S. Schneider
  • Publication number: 20080216451
    Abstract: A case packing system concurrently accumulates a plurality of different product ensembles and sequentially packs cases thereof, generally by way of (a) concurrently accumulating a plurality of different product ensembles utilizing a plurality of product conveyer lines, each of which is adapted to separately convey distinct products to one or more transfer points; (b) sequentially transferring different accumulated product ensembles from the conveyer lines to a case-packer, the case-packer including a packing section as well as multiple magazines for receiving different case-blanks; (c) controlling transfer of the product ensembles to the case-packer and selection of the appropriate case-blank. Preferably, substantially continuous operation of the case-packer at a production rate higher than an accumulation rate of any individual product conveyer is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: GEORGIA-PACIFIC CONSUMER PRODUCTS LP
    Inventors: Thomas I. Stafford, Benjamin C. Fordham, Richard S. Schneider