Patents by Inventor Franz Josef Melcher

Franz Josef Melcher 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: 5902965
    Abstract: In an electronic balance for loading having a balance scale (3) weighing system, display (19), control keyboard (21 to 26) and a digital processing electronic circuitry in which circuitry at least one memory is present for the weighed value shown in the display (19). A first additional key (25) is present in the control keyboard (21 to 26) upon the actuation of the key the weighed value shown in the display (19) and stored in the digital signal processing electronics is decreased and upon the first actuation of the key the weighed value displayed immediately previously is taken in addition into a first additional memory. Furthermore, a second additional key (24) is present in the control keyboard (21 to 26) upon whose actuation the weighed value displayed in the display (19) is taken into a second additional memory. By means of the decreasing key the balance operator can decreased the display from the too large actual value step-by-step to the correct theortical value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Franz-Josef Melcher, deceased, Christoph Berg
  • Patent number: 5847328
    Abstract: In an electronic balance for loading having a balance scale (3), weighing system, display (19), control keyboard (21 to 26) and a digital processing electronic circuitry in which circuitry at least one memory is present for the weighed value shown in the display (19). A first additional key (25) is present in the control keyboard (21 to 26) upon the actuation of the key the weighed value shown in the display (19) and stored in the digital signal processing electronics is decreased and upon the first actuation of the key the weighed value displayed immediately previously is taken in addition into a first additional memory. Furthermore, a second additional key (24) is present in the control keyboard (21 to 26) upon whose actuation the weighed value displayed in the display (19) is taken into a second additional memory. By means of the decreasing key the balance operator can decreased the display from the too large actual value step-by-step to the correct theortical value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Franz-Josef Melcher, deceased, Christoph Berg
  • Patent number: 5191543
    Abstract: An electronic balance with a measured value receiver, a digital signal processing unit, a display unit and a calibrating device controlled by the digital signal processing unit (18) for placing on and lifting off a calibrating weight by use of a motor that the digital signal processing unit allows the calibrating weight to be continuously placed on and lifted off again and calculates the average value and the standard deviation from the individual measured values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Dieter Berthel, Franz-Josef Melcher
  • Patent number: 5064009
    Abstract: A device for the determination of dry substance of specimens consists of a microwave heater (10) and of a balance (5) whose balance scale (4) is located within the microwave heating area (7). This device includes a rotary disk (1) located within the microwave heating area (7) which disk can receive several specimen containers (2) and by elevating means which can raise and lower one of the specimen containers (2) from the rotary disk (1) and place it on the balance scale (4). The elevating means consists e.g. of a lifting device (11) for the rotary disk (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Melcher, Thomas Pertsch, Wilfried Spannagel, Christian Oldendorf
  • Patent number: 5058692
    Abstract: A balance with a wind guard moved by a motor whereby the position of movable walls of the guard are monitored by a sensor. An electronic memory is provided for the desired end position of the movable wall elements. The desired end position of the removable walls can be stored in this memory in a learning phase and when the walls are opened by the motor, they are opened only up to a preselected position. This minimizes the time for opening and closing the weighing area and diminishes exposure to air turbulence within the weighing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Melcher, Christian Oldendorf, Dieter Berthel
  • Patent number: 5056040
    Abstract: There is disclosed an electric balance with a sensor (2), a digital signal processing unit (4), a digital display (5) and switching means (6) which suppress the leading zeros in the digital display by a control means (7) which activates and deactivates the switching means (6) for suppressing leading zeros as a function of the sign of the result of measuring. In this manner, a change of sign can be signaled more clearly. It is also possible to display more leading zeros as the magnitude of the deviation of the result of measuring from the value zero increases so that the leading zeros appear in several stages, starting from zero up to a set measuring value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Melcher, Christoph Berg, Christian Oldendorf
  • Patent number: 4964478
    Abstract: An electronic balance with scale on top and with parallel guide rods whereby corner-load errors can be corrected by means of the inclusion of at least one leaf spring which is fastened to a load receiver and is supported on the other end on a fixed point of the housing. The magnitude of the correction can be adapted to the corner-load error of the unadjusted parallel guide by means of the selection of the spring stiffness of the leaf spring and/or by means of its effective length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Eberhard Stadler, Matthias Eger, Franz-Josef Melcher, Veronika Martens
  • Patent number: 4932487
    Abstract: An electronic balance with a calibrating weight circuit and with a digital processing unit for the automatic drive of the calibrating weight circuit that includes a proximity sensor is built into the balance and that the automatic drive of the calibrating weight circuit by the digital signal processing unit be blocked as soon as the proximity sensor emits an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Melcher, Dieter Berthel, Gunther Maaz, Christian Oldendorf
  • Patent number: 4907179
    Abstract: An electronic balance with a digital display for the exact display of the weighing result, with an quasi analog display for the estimated display of the balance (gross) load, whereby the a quasi analog display consists of at least one horizontal band of activatable points (7), and with a taring operation, that suitable activatable segments (8, 10) be located within, directly above or directly below the first horizontal band of activatable points (7) with which such suitable segments a "T" symbol (9) can be activated at a plurality of positions along the first horizontal band and that the "T: symbol be activated during taring at the horizontal position which corresponds to said tare weight on the horizontal band (7) of the quasi analog display while a horizontal bar formed by suitable activation of activatable points indicates gross weight. This makes it possible to display in a simple manner the relative position at which taring was performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Franz-Josef Melcher, Christoph Berg
  • Patent number: 4898253
    Abstract: An electronic balance for dosing, with a measured value receiver, a digital signal processing unit, a digital entry keyboard for entering the theoretical value of a dosing, with a theoretical-weight memory and with a digital display unit with several positions after the decimal point, that switching means are present which determine the highest-value decade in which a number in the display is not equal to zero and that these switching means regulate the decoding of the display in such a manner that all zeros to the left of this decade up to the units decade are represented as a small zero "o" whereas prezeros in the 10 decade, 100 decade, etc. are entirely suppressed in a known manner. This makes possible a quasi-analog representation of the measured value which is attained in the units decade, the 10 decade, the 100 decade, etc. by means of the known suppression of prezeros even in the case of balance displays with positions after the decimal point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Franz-Josef Melcher, Christoph Berg
  • Patent number: 4890246
    Abstract: In high-resolution electric balances a certain residual temperature coefficient remains even with a good correction of the temperature-dependent errors of the measured value sensor. The invention therefore is with respect to a balance with a built-in calibrating weight (standard) which responds with a new calibration switching in said calibrating weight if a given temperature changes has been exceeded since the last calibration. To this end, the balance comprises in microprocessor digital signal processing unit a separate memory area in which the output signal representing temperature value of a temperature sensor is stored during the calibrating process and also comprises a comparator which upon instruction compares the instantaneous output signal of the temperature sensor which the value stored in this separate memory area. If this difference exceeds a given amount, a signal element indicative of need to recalibrate using the calibrating weight is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Christoph Berg, Franz-Josef Melcher
  • Patent number: 4884645
    Abstract: In an electric precision balance with scale on top, protected against the penetration of foreign bodies and with a low-displacement measuring system (1), a parallel-guided balance scale carrier (3) for a balance scale (11) which is guided without contact through a housing opening (4) of a surrounding system housing (2) or protective cap, the balance scale carrier (3) is designed for its part with its part running upward outside of the system housing (2) as a protective hood (8) which covers the system housing (2) at least at the top and the sides and which comprises receiving bearings (9) at the low edge (8') for intermediary members (10) which support the balance scale (11), said intermediary members are surrounded without contact by casings (12) which form foreign-body baffles open at the top and the bottom which are a component of a general housing (7) surrounding the system housing (2) and said general housing comprises drainage openings (17,17') located in its low bottom parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Knothe, Franz-Josef Melcher
  • Patent number: 4848477
    Abstract: The invention suggests for an electronic balance with a balance scale (1), with a parallel guide for the balance scale (1), with at least one sensor which measures the torques transferred from the balance scale (1) to the parallel guide, with storage means in the electronic circuitry of the balance in which means the magnitude of the corner-load inaccuracies of the parallel guide is stored in the form of corner-load correction factors and with switching means or program parts in the electronic circuitry of the balance which correct the weight value outputted from the measuring system on the basis of the output signals of the sensor or sensors and of the stored corner-load correction factors that controllable signals (10-13) are provided which designate the corners and sides of the balance scale (1). The signals can be formed by light sources adjacent to the balance scale (1) or in the corners or on the sides of the display field (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Franz-Josef Melcher, Christoph Berg
  • Patent number: 4811293
    Abstract: Method and apparatus of storing data in an electrically erasable memory connected to a microprocessor to effectively protect data stored in the memory from being unintentionally overwritten in cases of defective operation of the microprocessor, an overwrite protection system consisting of a write protect flip-flop (1) whose two logical states signify "with write protection" and "without write protction" and also a gate (3) in the write line which is controlled by the write protect flip-flop and in whose logical "with write protection" state, write errors are prevented from being conducted to the individual memory locations, and, finally a mechanical switch element (5) whereby these components are connected in such a manner that the write protect flip-flop (1) can only be brought into the one logical "with write protection" state by the microprocessor, while it can only be brought into the other logical "without write protection" state, if and when the mechanical switch element (5) is actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Knothe, Franz-Josef Melcher
  • Patent number: 4798250
    Abstract: A wind guard for a balance is suggested which consists of at least two cylindrically curved wall elements, in which each wall element is connected to a corresponding segment of the circular covering surface. In this manner, the balance scale is readily accessible both from the side and also from above when the wind guard is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Knothe, Franz-Josef Melcher, Gunther Maaz, Klaus Dardat, Walter Sodler
  • Patent number: 4758069
    Abstract: The invention is relative to a method of statically (non-multiplexed) actuating a liquid crystal display which comprises several segments and a common back electrode, using a microprocessor which serially outputs the data to be displayed, and using a serial/parallel converter which statically makes the data to be displayed available for each segment of the liquid crystal display. The invention has the task of achieving recognition of functional error as follows: The data to be displayed is outputted approximately every 0.1 second by the microprocessor and the data for the individual segments and for the back electrode is inverted at every second data output. The failure of components then results in a blinking of the particular segment and is conspicuously indicated in this manner. In the case of alternating voltage actuation of the liquid crystal display, it is advantageous if the clock pulse of the alternating voltage actuation is also inverted at every second data output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1988
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Knothe, Franz-Josef Melcher, Christian Oldendorf
  • Patent number: 4719980
    Abstract: In an analytical balance with scale on top with a scale carrier which is directly operatively connected to the measured value receiver, with a balance scale disk (6) which rests in a removable manner on the scale carrier, with a weighing chamber which surrounds the balance scale disk (6), the scale carrier and the measured value receiver, with a weighing chamber lock which constitutes the communication between the weighing chamber and the environment and which consists of two sets of closing doors or elements located in a vertically displaced manner in the form of a lock and with a transport device which can move the balance scale between a weighing position on the scale carrier and a loading position outside of the weighing position on the scale carrier and a loading position outside of the weighing chamber, the two closing elements of the weighing chamber lock are located above one another. The lower closing element consists of at least one level, horizontal plate which can be shifted in the plate plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Knothe, Franz-Josef Melcher, Klaus Dardat, Gunther Maaz
  • Patent number: 4688898
    Abstract: LCD display boards for electronic balances frequently also comprise, alongside the digits for the digital display of the weighing result, additional fields in which additional information is displayed by means of alphanumeric signs. The invention suggests that the segments of the digits for displaying the weighing result be individually provided with a line and controlled in parallel in order to achieve a very good display quality and that the segments for the display of the alphanumeric signs of the additional field, e.g. a 5.times.7 matrix, be connected in such a manner that they can be serially controlled in order to prevent the number of lines required from becoming too great.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Franz-Josef Melcher, Erich Knothe
  • Patent number: 4685525
    Abstract: The invention indicates a balance with counting scale in which the resolution of the balance with counting scale can be increased in the determination of the reference weight of light pieces without an additional switching key operated from the outside. To this end, a comparator (14) is present in the built-in electronic circuitry which is actuated when the transfer key (8) is pressed and which frees the transfer of the weight into the memory (16) and the determination of the average individual weight when a set threshold is exceeded, while, when this threshold is dropped below, it does not free the transfer of the weight into the memory and increases the resolution of the balance by a given factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Knothe, Franz-Josef Melcher, Christian Oldendorf
  • Patent number: RE38744
    Abstract: In an electronic balance for loading having a balance scale (3) weighing system, display (19), control keyboard (21 to 26) and a digital processing electronic circuitry in which circuitry at least one memory is present for the weighed value shown in the display (19). A first additional key (25) is present in the control keyboard (21 to 26) upon the actuation of the key the weighed value shown in the display (19) and stored in the digital signal processing electronics is decreased and upon the first actuation of the key the weighed value displayed immediately previously is taken in addition into a first additional memory. Furthermore, a second additional key (24) is present in the control keyboard (21 to 26) upon whose actuation the weighed value displayed in the display (19) is taken into a second additional memory. By means of the decreasing key the balance operator can decreased the display from the too large actual value step-by-step to the correct theoretical value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Sartorius AG
    Inventors: Christian Oldendorf, Rudolf Koehler, Christoph Berg, Franz-Josef Melcher