Patents by Inventor Gerhard Schaefer

Gerhard 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).

  • Publication number: 20080201013
    Abstract: An apparatus for contactless detection of filling levels of automatic machine shafts, each including removal units of an order-picking system, wherein the removal units dispense piece goods on one or more conveyor units. A distance measuring device is provided which can travel along a guidance track to measurement positions associated with different automatic machine shafts. The guidance track is provided on the automatic machine shafts, and the distance measuring device has a reading unit which can be pivoted into a plane of each automatic machine shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20080200295
    Abstract: A connecting unit for loose ends of a traction device includes a body having a traction device passage to receive the ends of the traction device and a clamping device positioned in the traction device passage. The traction device passage has a first opening into which the ends of the traction device can be inserted. The clamping device is adapted to receive the ends of the traction device and has an adjustment mechanism which biases the clamping device in a direction of a wall of the traction device passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20080178401
    Abstract: Toothbrushes are provided which have various features that may include one or more tooth cleaning elements having a variety of shapes and sizes, one or more gum treating elements having a variety of shapes and sizes, and/or one or more soft tissue/tongue treating elements having a variety of shapes and sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Karen Lynn Claire-Zimmet, William Ralph Brown, Alexander Timothy Chenvainu, Chris Blain, Jens Uwe Stoerkel, Ulrich Pfeifer, Gerhard Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20080177418
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for order picking different types of goods and respectively different product batches, according to which the goods are respectively stacked in an unmixed manner in output devices, removed from the output devices according to a order-picking order, and transported to a output point. The goods are removed from the output device from one end of the stack, and supplied to the output device at the other end of the stack. According to the invention, in the event of a change in the production batch of the goods along the stack, the first product of the new production batch is provided with a signal emitter that co-operates with a reading device arranged along the transport path, between the output device and the output point. If the signal emitter is detected by means of the reading device, the corresponding order-picking order preferably is supplied to a checkpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20080014060
    Abstract: A picking station for picking articles out of storage containers by a picking person, the picking station being connected to a conveying system which has a conveying track leading through a working area of the picking person, at least for the inward transport of storage containers, wherein the conveying track is tilted about its longitudinal axis in the direction of the picking person, at least in the working area of the picking person.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Patent number: 7207433
    Abstract: A motor-driven conveying roll for conveying systems includes a roll which is rotatably mounted with respect to a frame. A drive unit is fixed to the frame and the output shaft of the drive unit is frictionally connected to the inner surface of the hollow conveying roll by a pressure-exerting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: SSI Schaefer Peem GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20070043468
    Abstract: An order-picker order picks in an order-picking zone, with the result that the first number of order-picking zones is equal to the second number of order-pickers, and in that the order-picking computer sets the boundaries between adjacent order-picking zones in a variable manner by means of a zone-allocation strategy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventors: Gerhard Schaefer, Timm Gudehus
  • Publication number: 20060229762
    Abstract: Herein, a picking system and method for picking articles into order containers is disclosed, the system having a picking station which includes in at least one picking bucket, wherein first conveying means are arranged such that articles to be picked, which are picked via the picking buckets directly onto the first conveying means, can be conveyed into an order container associated with a picking order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20060216138
    Abstract: The invention relates to a commissioning area (10) comprising a buffer (12) for order containers (14) in which items can be commissioned, said buffer (12) comprising a plurality of adjacent buffer regions for respectively receiving an order container (14). According to the invention, a beam field (16) is provided above the buffer (12) in order to monitor the commissioning of items (28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Publication number: 20060182543
    Abstract: An order picking station (30) to which storage containers (34) can be transported via a storage container conveyor line (36) and from which order containers (40), into which articles (38a, 38b) from the storage containers (34) are picked by an order picking person (32), can be transported away via an order container conveyor line (52), the order picking station (30) having a buffer (44) for a plurality of order containers (40) which are to be picked, and wherein the order containers (40) can be stored into the buffer (44) and/or removed from the buffer (44) by means of a shuttle (46).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Patent number: 7090095
    Abstract: A reusable transport/storage box has a side wall having a horizontal upper flange formed with a longitudinally extending and vertically throughgoing slot having a predetermined longitudinal effective length and formed with a transversely inwardly open short cutout. A cover panel is pivoted on an upper part of an insert hinge having a flat insert tongue projecting downward from the upper part, fittable through the slot, and of an effective length shorter than the slot longitudinal effective length. A short bump projects transversely and outwardly from the tongue and can fit vertically through the cutout. The tongue is insertable through the slot with the bump passing through the cutout and then is longitudinally shiftable to displace the bump at least partially past the cutout underneath the upper flange and thereby lock the hinge to the upper flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Fritz Schafer GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Publication number: 20060151299
    Abstract: A motor-driven conveying roll is proposed for conveying systems in order to convey containers or pallets etc., the roll having a hollow body, which is rotatably mounted with respect to a frame and in which a drive unit, which is fixed to the frame is arranged, and the output shaft of the drive unit is frictionally connected to the inner circumference of the body of roll by means of a pressure-exerting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventor: Gerhard Schaefer
  • Patent number: 7053669
    Abstract: A method for detecting the beginning of the dips of the amplitudes in the output signal of a time signal receiver identifying the beginning of a second in the time signal. The output signal of the receiver for the time signals is sampled N-times per second. The sampled values are stored to respective cells of a memory field with N cells. In the memory field a mean signal curve for the time interval of one second is generated over a period of several seconds. A minimum valve and hence the beginning of the seconds in the time signal is determined from the mean signal curve valves in the memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: ATMEL Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Memmler, Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 6913161
    Abstract: A collapsible shipping/storage box has a rectangular floor, a pair of parallel side walls having lower edges pivoted on the floor and movable between erect positions projecting upward from the floor and collapsed positions close to and generally parallel with the floor, and a pair of parallel end walls having lower edges pivoted on the floor between the side walls and movable between erect positions projecting upward from the floor and collapsed positions close to and generally parallel with the floor. A rigid annular top frame has side members at upper edges of the side walls and end members at upper edges of the end walls. Respective pivots or hinges are provided between the upper edges of the side walls and the side members. Latches secure the upper edges of the end walls to the end members only in the erect positions of the end walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Fritz Schafer GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 6705484
    Abstract: A container has a polygonal and generally planar floor panel having a plurality of edges, an upper face, and a lower face. Respective side walls extend upward from the edges of the floor panel and a plurality of ribs extend downward from the lower face of the floor panel adjacent the edge. An annular floor strip fixed to the ribs forms therewith an annular array of pockets having horizontally outwardly open mouths. In accordance with the invention closure strips engaged over the mouths horizontally close the pockets and are fixed permanently to the mouths of the pockets. The floor panel, side walls, ribs, and floor strip are unitarily formed of plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Fritz Schafer GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 6467646
    Abstract: A box shaped container having reinforcing ribs on its bottom has strips or a bottom plate formed unitarily with the container during the injection molding thereof and swingable about a film hinge on other ligature over the ribbed structure where it can be secured in place, thereby providing a riding rim and reinforcing the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Fritz Schafer GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 6283313
    Abstract: A pair of back-to-back shelf systems each have a plurality of horizontal and polygonal shelf panels and respective front and back vertical standards at corners of the panels and each formed with a vertical row of holes. Each of the back standards of one of the systems is closely juxtaposed with a respective one of the back standards of the other system. A stiffener has a vertical and rigid center panel lying between the systems and having a pair of opposite and upright end edges each at two of the back standards. Respective pairs of oppositely directed hook flanges project from each of the end edges with each hook flange projecting toward a respective one of the back standards. A respective downwardly directed hook is provided on one of each of the pairs of hook flanges projecting through one of the holes of the respective standard and a respective upwardly directed hook is provided on each of the other of the pairs of hook flanges projecting through one of the holes of the respective standard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Fritz Schafer GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: 5835523
    Abstract: A bottom electrode for a metallurgical vessel operated with direct current, consisting of an outer part made of a first material arrangeable substantially outside a bottom of the vessel so as to face the vessel, and an inner part made of a second material and connected to the outer part so as to face an interior of the vessel. The inner part is configured to wear when in contact with molten metal in the vessel, and includes a metallic first structural part that consists substantially of a material comparable to the molten metal. The first structural part has an end adjacent the outer part with a cross-section adapted to that of the outer part. The first structural part is configured to prevent a flow of melted electrode material as well as the molten metal. The inner part further includes a high temperature resistant second structural part configured to compliment the first structural part, the first and second structural parts being coaxial to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lutz Becker, Gerhard Schaefers, Ewald Feuerstacke, Werner Hofmann
  • Patent number: D543030
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Fritz Schafer GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
  • Patent number: D572902
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Fritz Schafer GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer