Patents by Inventor Bernhard Heuft

Bernhard Heuft 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: 6302259
    Abstract: Rotationally symmetrical containers (10) are transported under backup pressure on a conveying surface (12) limited laterally by railings (14). For rotating the containers (10) at a predetermined site along the conveying surface (12), one of two consecutive containers (10) is arranged stable against one railing (14) and the other stable against the other railing (14) in the direction of conveyance after the site at which the containers are to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Heuft, Hans-Ulrich Goller
  • Patent number: 6298974
    Abstract: Rotationally symmetrical containers (10) are transported under backup pressure on a conveying surface (12) limited laterally by railings (14). For rotating the containers (10) at a predetermined site along the conveying surface (12), one of two consecutive containers (10) is arranged stable against one railing (14) and the other stable against the other railing (14) in the direction of conveyance after the site at which the containers at which the containers are to rotate. An inspection station for inspecting the sidewalls of the containers (10) is provided that has a radiation source (18) arranged adjacent to the conveying surface (12) and a detection device (20) arranged on the opposite side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Heuft, Hans-Ulrich Goller
  • Patent number: 6240769
    Abstract: To test the features of containers (10) which are sealed by means of a closure (12), such as central fit of the closure (12) on the container opening, tightness of the fitting of the closure (12) or the residual air volume in containers (10) in which the liquid is foamed up before closure, in order to expel the residual air volume, mechanical vibrations are excited in the closure (10) and the mechanical vibrations are analysed. The mechanical vibrations are analysed directly after the closure (12) has been fitted, before major change in the pressure takes place in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 6239869
    Abstract: The device for the detection of diffusely scattering impurities (18) in containers (10) that have a transparent wall (16) has a light source (12), which produces one or more light beams (14) for illuminating the wall (16), and an optical detecting device (22) for production of an image of the illuminated wall (16), with the light source (12) and the optical detecting device (22) arranged according to dark-field detection. The light source (12) is designed so that the light beam or beams (14) that it emits have an intensity distribution over their cross-section with an intensity contrast at one point at least within their cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Heuft, Christoph Roesel, Bernd Schoening
  • Patent number: 6239870
    Abstract: Diffusely scattering defects are to be detected in items made from transparent material, e.g. drinks bottles. To this end, the items (10) are inspected using a light source (12) and a camera (16), a contrast pattern (14) being arranged between the light source (12) and the item to be inspected. Diffusely scattering defects are detected by a decrease in the contrast of the contrast pattern (14) reproduced through the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 6199679
    Abstract: In order to inspect objects (10), particularly drinks bottles, these are transported on two conveyors (12, 14), which exhibit a mutual lateral separation and run at different speeds, so that the objects (10) rotate about their vertical axis. Within the distance separating the conveyors (12, 14) a bottom checking installation (30, 32) is provided. A rail (16) for guiding the objects (10) can be arranged, stretching in the direction of transport above the first, slower-running conveyor (12), in such a way that the objects (10) on the first conveyor (12) stand on the edge strip between the rail (16) and the edge of the first conveyor (12), and the width of this edge strip amounts to up to about ⅓ of the diameter of the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 6155408
    Abstract: Rotationally symmetrical containers (10) are transported under backup pressure on a conveying surface (12) limited laterally by railings (14). For rotating the containers (10) at a predetermined site along the conveying surface (12), one of two consecutive containers (10) is arranged stable against one railing (14) and the other stable against the other railing (14) in the direction of conveyance after the site at which the containers are to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Heuft, Hans-Ulrich Goller
  • Patent number: 6131720
    Abstract: The device for separating individual or a plurality of rotationally symmetric containers (11) from a stream of rotationally symmetric containers (10) conveyed under backup pressure comprises a first conveyor path (12) for the stream of containers (10) and a second conveyor path (18) for removal of the separated containers (11), the second conveyor path (18) branching off at a separation point (16) from the first conveyor path (12). The first conveyor path (12) bends at the separation point (16) at an acute angle. A dividing wedge (20) is disposed between the first and the second conveyor (12, 18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Heuft, Hans-Ulrich Goller
  • Patent number: 6116404
    Abstract: Containers are conveyed past an apparatus for inspecting the bottom of the containers for contamination, flaws and foreign bodies. To that end, the containers are fed into the inspection apparatus by a first conveyor, and guided out of the inspection apparatus on a second conveyor, in which a gap is left between the first and second conveyors, within which the containers are not supported, at least not over the whole of their under surface. The containers on the first conveyor, within the gap and on the second conveyor are guided by side guidance apparatus and are conveyed under dynamic pressure, at least within the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Heuft, Hans-Ulrich Goller
  • Patent number: 5918270
    Abstract: For the purpose of testing deformable containers (2) for tightness, a negative pressure is generated in the container (2) and the internal pressure is then measured. The negative pressure is generated by deformation of the container (2). A sealing strip (6) is set on the container opening (8) in order to maintain the negative pressure in the container (2). In non-tight containers, the pressure increases relatively rapidly again to the ambient pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 4986407
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the path of transportation of articles comprises a first conveyor belt which delivers the articles to a plurality of second conveyor belt which delivers the articles to a plurality of second conveyor belts arranged in parallel side-by-side relationship which continue the conveyance of the articles. A plurality of deflectors selectively deflect the articles from the first conveyor belt to one of the second conveyor belts. In order to attain an especially compact construction the first conveyor belt extends obliquely over and rests on the second conveyor belts and is a belt of such small thickness that the articles can slide form the first conveyor belt extends obliquely over and rests on the second conveyor belts and is a belt of such small thickness that the articles can slide form the first conveyor belt onto one of the second conveyor belts without the risk of toppling over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 4369873
    Abstract: Apparatus for laterally deflecting articles, such as bottles, from the normal path of a series of such articles, on the basis of a predetermined criterion, such as size or shape. The apparatus may be in the form of extensors which operate transversely to the direction of travel of the articles, in such manner that at any given moment only those extensors are extended which contact the article then being deflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1983
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 4321994
    Abstract: An apparatus for laterally deflecting selected articles from a first conveyor to one or more other conveyors comprises either extensible and retractable deflective segments, or gas nozzles whose intensity is adjustable. The deflective segments have tapered front faces which jointly form a smooth deflecting face whose taper increases in the direction of conveyance. The number of segments used depends on the speed component required, and the segments are extended by only a portion of the lateral distance the articles are to cover, the remainder of the distance being covered by the imparted inertia.Alternative embodiments include a deflecting wedge or flap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1982
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft