Patents by Inventor Ferdinand Schneider

Ferdinand Schneider 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: 9523604
    Abstract: The invention concerns a calibration device (40) for a force-measuring device (1), specifically a balance, with an electrically controllable force-generating means (41) designed to be coupled to a force-measuring cell (10) of a force-measuring device (1) in such a way that a predefined force (FC) can be applied to the force-measuring cell (10), so that the latter generates a measuring signal (SF) which correlates to the applied force (FC) and which can be transmitted to a processing unit (60, PU), where it can be processed in reference to the predefined force (FC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: METTLER-TOLEDO GMBH
    Inventors: George Fankhauser, Markus Uster, Martin Heusser, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 9146149
    Abstract: A force-transmitting mechanism of a gravimetric measuring instrument, with a stationary portion, and a load-receiving portion that is joined through a force-transmitting connection to a measurement transducer that is arranged on the stationary portion. A calibration weight may be coupled to the force-transmitting mechanism in such a way as to minimize the degree to which changes of the geometry can affect the force that the calibration weight exerts on the measurement transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 9027380
    Abstract: A force-transmitting mechanism (110) has stationary and load-receiving portions (111, 112). The load-receiving portion is joined to a measurement transducer on the stationary portion through a force-transmitting connection, directly or through at least one coupling element (119) and at least one lever (116). The force-transmitting mechanism has a parallel-guided coupling means (124), a calibration lever (120) with a fulcrum on the stationary portion, and calibration lever arms (121, 122), one of which is rigidly connected to a calibration weight (123). The parallel-guided coupling means (124) is arranged between the second calibration lever arm and the at least one coupling element or an arm (117, 118) of the lever. The parallel-guided coupling means is divided into fixed and parallel-guided coupling parts (126, 125), which allows a force to be transmitted between the coupling parts. Parallel elements of the parallel-guided coupling part absorb relative traverse displacements from transmitted forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 8581121
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments describe force-transmitting devices for use in gravimetric measuring instruments. The force-transmitting devices scale the force from a calibration weight to facilitate calibration and weighing. The devices comprise unidirectional coupling elements. The unidirectional coupling element comprises coupling element parts. The elements may be adapted to transmit only a tensile force or only a compressive force to a measurement transducer. Adapting the unidirectional coupling element to transmit one type of force or the other may be done by selecting an appropriate arrangement of coupling element parts. The coupling element parts are adapted to transmit force along a midline axis by either a projection and v-shaped groove coupling or projections on the first part mated with surfaces on the second part adapted to receive and guide the first part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider, Dominique Genoud
  • Publication number: 20130233045
    Abstract: A force-transmitting mechanism (110) has stationary and load-receiving portions (111, 112). The load-receiving portion is joined to a measurement transducer on the stationary portion through a force-transmitting connection, directly or through at least one coupling element (119) and at least one lever (116). The force-transmitting mechanism has a parallel-guided coupling means (124), a calibration lever (120) with a fulcrum on the stationary portion, and calibration lever arms (121, 122), one of which is rigidly connected to a calibration weight (123). The parallel-guided coupling means (124) is arranged between the second calibration lever arm and the at least one coupling element or an arm (117, 118) of the lever. The parallel-guided coupling means is divided into fixed and parallel-guided coupling parts (126, 125), which allows a force to be transmitted between the coupling parts. Parallel elements of the parallel-guided coupling part absorb relative traverse displacements from transmitted forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: METTLER-TOLEDO AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Publication number: 20120312069
    Abstract: A force-transmitting mechanism of a gravimetric measuring instrument, with a stationary portion, and a load-receiving portion that is joined through a force-transmitting connection to a measurement transducer that is arranged on the stationary portion. A calibration weight may be coupled to the force-transmitting mechanism in such a way as to minimize the degree to which changes of the geometry can affect the force that the calibration weight exerts on the measurement transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: METTLER-TOLEDO AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Publication number: 20120010840
    Abstract: The invention concerns a calibration device (40) for a force-measuring device (1), specifically a balance, with an electrically controllable force-generating means (41) designed to be coupled to a force-measuring cell (10) of a force-measuring device (1) in such a way that a predefined force (FC) can be applied to the force-measuring cell (10), so that the latter generates a measuring signal (SF) which correlates to the applied force (FC) and which can be transmitted to a processing unit (60, PU), where it can be processed in reference to the predefined force (FC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: METTLER-TOLEDO AG
    Inventors: George Fankhauser, Markus Uster, Martin Heusser, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Publication number: 20110147099
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments describe force-transmitting devices for use in gravimetric measuring instruments. The force-transmitting devices scale the force from a calibration weight to facilitate calibration and weighing. The devices comprise unidirectional coupling elements. The unidirectional coupling element comprises coupling element parts. The elements may be adapted to transmit only a tensile force or only a compressive force to a measurement transducer. Adapting the unidirectional coupling element to transmit one type of force or the other may be done by selecting an appropriate arrangement of coupling element parts. The coupling element parts are adapted to transmit force along a midline axis by either a projection and v-shaped groove coupling or projections on the first part mated with surfaces on the second part adapted to receive and guide the first part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: METTLER-TOLEDO AG
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider, Dominique Genoud
  • Patent number: 7132610
    Abstract: A weighing cell module with a force-transfer mechanism that includes a parallel-guiding linkage with a vertically movable parallelogram leg and a spatially fixed parallelogram leg, is equipped with a mounting area for a first weighing-pan support device with a single-point connection of a weighing pan, as well as with a mounting area for a second weighing-pan support device with a multiple-point connection, particularly a four-point connection, of a weighing pan, wherein the first and the second mounting area are each connected to the force-transfer mechanism. As a result, the weighing cell module can be used to manufacture different types of balances in a design family of balances, where each different type within the family is designed for a different maximum load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG
    Inventors: Thomas Köppel, Peter Schilling, Ferdinand Schneider, Hans-Rudolph Burkhard
  • Publication number: 20050178591
    Abstract: A weighing cell module with a force-transfer mechanism that includes a parallel-guiding linkage with a vertically movable parallelogram leg and a spatially fixed parallelogram leg, is equipped with a mounting area for a first weighing-pan support device with a single-point connection of a weighing pan, as well as with a mounting area for a second weighing-pan support device with a multiple-point connection, particularly a four-point connection, of a weighing pan, wherein the first and the second mounting area are each connected to the force-transfer mechanism. As a result, the weighing cell module can be used to manufacture different types of balances in a design family of balances, where each different type within the family is designed for a different maximum load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Applicant: Mettler-Toledo GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Koppel, Peter Schilling, Ferdinand Schneider, Hans-Rudolph Burkhard
  • Patent number: 6354159
    Abstract: To protect a force-measuring device from being damaged by an overload, the load receiver (27) has a first part (56) that receives the force to be measured and a second part (57) that transfers the force to a measuring transducer. The two parts, together with two parallel guide members (58, 59) by which they are connected, are portions of a monolithic material block that are separated from each other by a material-free space (55) in the form of a thin linear cut. A pre-tensioned elastic element (78) urging the two parts (56, 57) into spring-loaded engagement is arranged inside a cavity of the second part (57).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Publication number: 20010049966
    Abstract: To protect a force-measuring device from being damaged by an overload, the load receiver (27) has a first part (56) that receives the force to be measured and a second part (57) that transfers the force to a measuring transducer. The two parts, together with two parallel guide members (58, 59) by which they are connected, are portions of a monolithic material block that are separated from each other by a material-free space (55) in the form of a thin linear cut. A pre-tensioned elastic element (78) urging the two parts (56, 57) into spring-loaded engagement is arranged inside a cavity of the second part (57).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Inventors: HANS-RUDOLF BURKHARD, FERDINAND SCHNEIDER
  • Patent number: 6232567
    Abstract: To counteract the adverse effects associated with mounting a parallel-guiding device on a supporting part of a balance, the attachment area (30) is located on a portion (14) of the stationary leg (12) of the parallel-guiding device. Portion 14 projects into the space between the two guide links 3 and 6 by which the load-receiving movable leg (11) of the parallelogram is guided in parallel motion relative to the stationary leg (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo GmbH
    Inventors: Bruno Bonino, Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 6194672
    Abstract: In a balance with a parallel-guided load receiver (5) and a force-reduction mechanism using a series of two levers (18, 30), the input arm (17) of the first lever (18) to which the weight force of the load to be weighed is applied is extended into the space outside of the load receiver (5) and past a force transducer (43) arranged in that space, the end of the extension being equipped with a coupling area (58) for a calibration weight (59). This accomplishes a large lever-reduction of the calibration force in combination with a compact configuration, thus allowing a full-load calibration of the balance to be performed with a relatively small calibration weight (59).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 5923000
    Abstract: A shock protection device for a force measuring apparatus, particularly a balance, which includes a material block with a stationary parallelogram side member, a deflectable parallelogram side member serving for receiving the force to be measured, two guide members which are bending-elastic in the plane of the parallelogram and which connect the two parallelogram side members, and at least one lever which is connected through a coupling member to the deflectable parallelogram side member. The shock protection device includes a safety bolt inserted into a bore extending at least partially through the force measuring apparatus, wherein the safety bolt is connected without play to one of the components forming the force measuring apparatus, while the safety bolt has radial play relative to the remaining components through which the bolt extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Tschopp, Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 5721398
    Abstract: An overload protection device for a precision balance includes a measuring cell having a short travel distance, a parallel guide unit connected to a load receiving unit, and an auxiliary parallel guide unit whose guide members are connected to the load receiving unit, on the one hand, and to a weighing dish carrier member, on the other hand, wherein the guide members of the auxiliary parallel guide unit are pretensioned by at least one spring and form a rigid unit with the load receiving unit within the loading range of the balance. The auxiliary parallel guide unit includes an upper guide member and a lower guide member, wherein the two ends of the guide members of the auxiliary parallel guide unit on the side of the weighing dish are connected to each other by at least one guide bolt fastened to the upper guide member and the lower guide member. The guide bolt extends with play through a support plate which is fixedly connected to the load receiving unit of the measuring cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG
    Inventors: Franz Balsen, Hans-Rudolf Burkhard, Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 5373116
    Abstract: A balance with a weighing system protected against overloading includes a load receiving member and a weighing dish placed on the load receiving member. The weighing dish rests on dampening elements which are mounted at ends of two U-shaped levers which are supported in a central yoke. The yoke includes abutments which hold the two levers in a horizontal position in an articulated manner. When a load which is within the weighing range is applied to the weighing dish, the two levers and the yoke form a rigid unit. If an excess load is placed on the weighing dish, either dynamically or statically, the two levers are pivoted and tension a stack of springs mounted in the abutments. In addition to dampening by the pivoting of the two levers and tensioning of the stack of springs, additional dampening is effected by dampening elements between the lever ends and the weighing dish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo AG
    Inventor: Ferdinand Schneider
  • Patent number: 4470783
    Abstract: An apparatus for screeding and leveling coverings and coatings compounded with a binding agent, more specially a synthetic resin binding agent, is made up of a front straight edge for leveling and a back straight edge for screeding, the two straight edges being joined together as a parallelogram having a driving system for moving them backwards and forwards lengthways. As part of the apparatus there is a track-laying vehicle and a system for vertical adjustment of the straight edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Inventors: Albert Friebel, Ferdinand Schneider