Patents by Inventor Dirk Mermans

Dirk Mermans 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).

  • Product orienting apparatus
    Patent number: 7857118
    Abstract: A product orienting apparatus for orienting a product according to the present invention comprises a table comprising a rotatable device. The table has a table surface comprising at least a first surface area being provided by the rotatable device. The device is rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the table surface. The table also has an array of substantially identical spherical rollers, each spherical roller being suitable for contacting the product at a first contacting point of the spherical roller and for contacting the table surface with a second contacting point of the spherical roller. The array of spherical rollers comprises a first group of spherical rollers contacting the surface area of the device with their second contacting point thereby enabling to convert a rotation of the device into rotation of a product contacting the spherical rollers of the first group of spherical rollers. The table furthermore has a plate having an aperture encompassing the rotatable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: J&L Group International, LLC (JLGI)
    Inventors: René Jans, Dirk Mermans
  • Product orienting apparatus
    Publication number: 20090039592
    Abstract: A product orienting apparatus for orienting a product according to the present invention comprises a table comprising a rotatable device. The table has a table surface comprising at least a first surface area being provided by the rotatable device. The device is rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the table surface. The table also has an array of substantially identical spherical rollers, each spherical roller being suitable for contacting the product at a first contacting point of the spherical roller and for contacting the table surface with a second contacting point of the spherical roller. The array of spherical rollers comprises a first group of spherical rollers contacting the surface area of the device with their second contacting point thereby enabling to convert a rotation of the device into rotation of a product contacting the spherical rollers of the first group of spherical rollers. The table furthermore has a plate having an aperture encompassing the rotatable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Rene Jans, Dirk Mermans