Patents by Inventor Frank Grothaus

Frank Grothaus 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: 7168430
    Abstract: Machine for making tobacco-processing industry products includes a plurality of lamps arranged on components of the machine. Each lamp includes at least one visible light-emitting power semiconductor light source. An electronic mode control unit is electrically connected to and controlling the lamps. The electronic mode control unit is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide uniform continuous light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products, and is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide periodically interrupted light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventor: Frank Grothaus
  • Patent number: 7127315
    Abstract: A method is provided for acting on a product in a machine operating in a machine cycle in the tobacco-processing industry in dependence on information about the product. Information about the product is detected synchronously with the machine cycle. The information is associated with the product asynchronously with respect to the machine cycle. An action is effected on the product synchronously with respect to the machine cycle in dependence on the information associated with the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventors: Christian Junge, Karsten Eckert, Frank Grothaus, Bernhard Brinkmann, Michael Straube, Helge Frauen, Torsten Lietzke
  • Publication number: 20050161552
    Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus and a method for winding strips of material not intended for processing, in particular within an apparatus for joining a web of material running off a first reel to a web of material running to a second reel. Known apparatuses have a winding element with a receptacle for the web of material or strip of material, the strip of material being taken up by rotating the winding element. However, it is problematic that the web of material or strip of material slips out of the receptacle during winding, so that reliable take-up is not ensured. By means of the invention, namely, the arrangement of an element for holding the web of material or strip of material in the region of the receptacle, the web of material or strip of material is reliably caught and held, in particular even after the strip of material is separated from the web of material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventors: Frank Grothaus, Dietmar Janz, Matthias Horn, Erich Vogel
  • Publication number: 20050022830
    Abstract: Apparatus for making rod-shaped tobacco products with a filter that includes a tobacco stick delivery device, a filter delivery device, a covering paper delivery device, a cigarette making device, a cigarette testing device, and a cigarette dispensing device. All the devices, in which each device includes at least one drum, are arranged to form a drum course. A drive element is structured and arranged to drive at least some of the drums of the drum course in positional synchronization with the transport of the rod-shaped tobacco products, and a drum unit is composed of at least one drum, which is not one of the at least some drums, and a bearing and control flange. At least one separate additional drive element is structured and arranged to drive the at least one drum, and a drive unit is composed of the separate drive element and the drum unit. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Applicant: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventors: Manfred Dombek, Frank Grothaus, Karl-Heinz Pawelko, Manfred Folger, Bernhard Brinkmann, Franz Rottmann, Dieter Plahn, Lothar Krause
  • Publication number: 20050007762
    Abstract: Machine for making tobacco-processing industry products includes a plurality of lamps arranged on components of the machine. Each lamp includes at least one visible light-emitting power semiconductor light source. An electronic mode control unit is electrically connected to and controlling the lamps. The electronic mode control unit is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide uniform continuous light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products, and is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide periodically interrupted light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventor: Frank Grothaus
  • Patent number: 6841020
    Abstract: The leading end of a running fresh web of cigarette paper or the like is spliced to the trailing end of a running expiring web while the ends travel at the same speed, in the same direction and next to each other. The splicing unit includes a rotatable roll at one side of the path for the advancing ends, and a rotary carrier at the other side of such path opposite the roll. The carrier is provided with a segment having a convex knurling surface which cooperates with the peripheral surface of the roll to provide the webs with a splice while the segment engages the adjacent web. Prior to splicing, the carrier is rotated in a first direction to move the segment away from the path for the webs, and such movement is followed by rotation of the carrier in a second direction to accelerate the knurling surface at least close (a) to the common speed of the webs and (b) at least close to the speed of the peripheral surface of the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Hauni Maschienbau Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Albert-Berend Hebels, Frank Grothaus, Franz Hartmann, Jens Collin
  • Patent number: 6811636
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to a machine for splicing the trailing end of a running expiring web (e.g., a web of cigarette paper) to the leading end of a fresh web while the ends of the webs travel next to each other, in the same direction and at an at least substantially identical speed between a rotary knurling surface and a complementary second rotary surface which may but need not be a knurling surface. The rolls which constitute or mount the carriers for the two surfaces are driven in such a way that each n-th (e.g., each tenth) revolution results in the making of a splice between the leading and trailing ends of the webs. The forwardly and/or rearwardly extending remnants of the fresh and expiring webs are torn off the spliced-together webs at the respective ends of the splice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: HAUNI Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Albert-Berend Hebels, Frank Grothaus, Franz Hartmann
  • Publication number: 20040129374
    Abstract: The leading end of a running fresh web of cigarette paper or the like is spliced to the trailing end of a running expiring web while the ends travel at the same speed, in the same direction and next to each other. The splicing unit includes a rotatable roll at one side of the path for the advancing ends, and a rotary carrier at the other side of such path opposite the roll. The carrier is provided with a segment having a convex knurling surface which cooperates with the peripheral surface of the roll to provide the webs with a splice while the segment engages the adjacent web. Prior to splicing, the carrier is rotated in a first direction to move the segment away from the path for the webs, and such movement is followed by rotation of the carrier in a second direction to accelerate the knurling surface at least close (a) to the common speed of the webs and (b) at least close to the speed of the peripheral surface of the roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: HAUNI Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Albert-Berend Hebels, Frank Grothaus, Franz Hartmann, Jens Collin
  • Publication number: 20040060653
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to a machine for splicing the trailing end of a running expiring web (e.g., a web of cigarette paper) to the leading end of a fresh web while the ends of the webs travel next to each other, in the same direction and at an at least substantially identical speed between a rotary knurling surface and a complementary second rotary surface which may but need not be a knurling surface. The rolls which constitute or mount the carriers for the two surfaces are driven in such a way that each n-th (e.g., each tenth) revolution results in the making of a splice between the leading and trailing ends of the webs. The forwardly and/or rearwardly extending remnants of the fresh and expiring webs are torn off the spliced-together webs at the respective ends of the splice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: HAUNI Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Albert-Berend Hebels, Frank Grothaus, Franz Hartmann
  • Publication number: 20040045563
    Abstract: A method is provided for acting on a product in a machine operating in a machine cycle in the tobacco-processing industry in dependence on information about the product. Information about the product is detected synchronously with the machine cycle. The information is associated with the product asynchronously with respect to the machine cycle. An action is effected on the product synchronously with respect to the machine cycle in dependence on the information associated with the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Christian Junge, Karsten Eckert, Frank Grothaus, Bernhard Brinkmann, Michael Straube, Helge Frauen, Torsten Lietzke
  • Publication number: 20040015383
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for collecting, visualising and/or modifying operating data of at least one machine (10) pertaining to the tobacco processing industry. The method involves calling up the operating data by at least one computer (14, 17-20), and a bus system (15, 16) is provided for the system and the device, by which means the operating data can be transferred between at least one control system (13) and at least one computer (14, 17). The inventive method is characterised in that at least some of the operating data is placed on a web server (18) and can be called up via the Internet (21, 31) and/or at least one intranet (16, 32) by at least one other computer (19, 20) which can be connected to the Internet (21, 31) and/or intranet (16, 32). The inventive device is characterised by a data connection (21) enabling at least some of the operating data to be collected, visualised and/or modified via the Internet (21, 31) and/or at least one intranet (16, 32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Andreas Rathjen, Dirk Richter, Uwe Marsau, Gunar Baatz, Marian-Georg Dancau, Helge Frauen, Michael Straube, Christian Junge, Karsten Eckert, Frank Grothaus, Ralf Heikens, Dierk Wedekind
  • Publication number: 20030094181
    Abstract: A facility for temporary storage of a running web of cigarette paper, tipping paper or the like between a bobbin or another source of web and a web processing or consuming machine employs two polygonal arrays of rollers which can be rotated about their respective axes. Each roller of a first array can be coaxial to and can rotate with a roller of the second array; alternatively, the rollers of the second array can rotate as a unit relative to the rollers of the first array. One or more deflecting rolls are provided to direct the web into and out of the storage facility; alternatively, the deflecting rolls can serve to direct the web from one of the two arrays of rollers to the other array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Martin Paech, Karsten Eckert, Dietmar Janz, Frank Grothaus
  • Publication number: 20030087740
    Abstract: A web of tipping paper for the making of filter cigarettes or a similar web of flexible wrapping material is advanced by two spaced-apart pairs of driven rolls through a processing station between the two pairs of rolls. The treatment includes flexing successive increments of the running web by a roller which is borne by a lever or an analogous carrier extending radially from the rotary output shaft of a torque motor capable of causing the roller to subject the web to an at least substantially constant stretching force regardless of the selected position of the carrier. To this end, the motor receives signals from a regulator which, in turn, receives signals from a sensor monitoring the web for the presence of splices and/or other weakened portions and/or from a device which monitors the position of the carrier. The apparatus can further comprise a stationary or a mobile curling tool which engages the web adjacent to the locus of contact between the roller and the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventors: Bernhard Brinkmann, Frank Grothaus, Martin Paech