Patents by Inventor David G. Schaefer

David G. Schaefer 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).

  • Methods of manufacturing parts using a manufacturing cell
    Patent number: 8544159
    Abstract: A manufacturing cell has a plurality of stations arranged in two rows having a main aisle therebetween. Each of the plurality of stations has a station-aisle interface that provides an interaction area to the main aisle. The manufacturing cell also comprises a plurality of storage units that are located within the cell along the main aisle and a guided forklift truck that traverses the main aisle without requiring steering control of a stock handler operating the forklift truck within the main aisle to relocate containers from the storage units to designated station-aisle interfaces and to remove containers from the designated station-aisle interfaces when work is completed at the corresponding stations. At least one of the plurality of stations having two conveyors each having a tiltable platform such that each of the two conveyors can be used to receive and return containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Rick J. Muhlenkamp, David G. Schaefer, Todd A. Thomas, Stephen E. Wagner, Joel E. Zacharias
  • MANUFACTURING CELL AND ELEMENTS OF THE CELL
    Publication number: 20120110812
    Abstract: A manufacturing cell has a plurality of stations arranged in two rows having a main aisle therebetween. Each of the plurality of stations has a station-aisle interface that provides an interaction area to the main aisle. The manufacturing cell also comprises a plurality of storage units that are located within the cell along the main aisle and a guided forklift truck that traverses the main aisle without requiring steering control of a stock handler operating the forklift truck within the main aisle to relocate containers from the storage units to designated station-aisle interfaces and to remove containers from the designated station-aisle interfaces when work is completed at the corresponding stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rick J. Muhlenkamp, David G. Schaefer, Todd A. Thomas, Stephen E. Wagner, Joel E. Zacharias
  • Manufacturing cell and elements of the cell
    Patent number: 8108989
    Abstract: A manufacturing cell has a plurality of stations arranged in two rows having a main aisle therebetween. Each of the plurality of stations has a station-aisle interface that provides an interaction area to the main aisle. The manufacturing cell also comprises a plurality of storage units that are located within the cell along the main aisle and a guided forklift truck that traverses the main aisle without requiring steering control of a stock handler operating the forklift truck within the main aisle to relocate containers from the storage units to designated station-aisle interfaces and to remove containers from the designated station-aisle interfaces when work is completed at the corresponding stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Rick J. Muhlenkamp, David G. Schaefer, Todd A. Thomas, Stephen E. Wagner, Joel E. Zacharias
  • MANUFACTURING CELL AND ELEMENTS OF THE CELL
    Publication number: 20090000103
    Abstract: A manufacturing cell has a plurality of stations arranged in two rows having a main aisle therebetween. Each of the plurality of stations has a station-aisle interface that provides an interaction area to the main aisle. The manufacturing cell also comprises a plurality of storage units that are located within the cell along the main aisle and a guided forklift truck that traverses the main aisle without requiring steering control of a stock handler operating the forklift truck within the main aisle to relocate containers from the storage units to designated station-aisle interfaces and to remove containers from the designated station-aisle interfaces when work is completed at the corresponding stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rick J. Muhlenkamp, David G. Schaefer, Todd A. Thomas, Stephen E. Wagner, Joel E. Zacharias