Patents by Inventor Gerhard Schafer
Gerhard Schafer 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).
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Patent number: 9592960Abstract: A storage rack (30) for use in an order-picking system (100) includes a plurality of rack planes (44) being arranged on top of each other, which respectively comprise a plurality of rack compartments (46, 48) being arranged side-by-side, a filling side (34) and a removal side (32), being different to the filling side (34), wherein the removal side preferably is arranged oppositely, wherein the rack compartments (46, 48) are filled with articles (66-70) at the filling side (34), wherein the articles in term are removed at the removal side (32) for the purpose of order-picking, and a plurality of serving units (52), each of which comprises at least a display element (54), a transmitter (62) and a receiver (64) and is at least arranged such at the filling side (34) that each of the rack compartments (46, 48) is assigned to one serving unit (52).Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2009Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: SSI Schäfer Noell GmbH Lager- und SystemtechnikInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 9561615Abstract: A polymer opal material comprises a three dimensionally periodic arrangement of core particles in a matrix material and exhibits structural color via Bragg reflection. IN a process for manufacturing such a material, a sandwich structure is provided, of a precursor composite material held between first and second sandwiching layers. A relative shear strain of at least 10% is imposed on the precursor composite material by curling the sandwich structure around a roller. The shear strain is cycled, in order to promote the formation of the three dimensional periodic arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2012Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignees: CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE LIMITED, FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERGUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.Inventors: Jeremy John Baumberg, David Snoswell, Christopher Finlayson, Qibin Zhao, Gotz Peter Hellmann, Peter Wolfgang Andreas Spahn, Christian Gerhard Schafer
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Patent number: 9199792Abstract: A sorting and distributing system (50) for sorting article units in accordance with customers' orders, the system having a high sorting performance and comprising: a rotary sorting conveyor (14), which may be closed, having a conveyor means, wherein the conveyor means is connected to a plurality of receiving devices (16), to which the article units are to be delivered. A plurality of target positions (54) is coupled to the sorting conveyor (14) and can supply articles units to the receiving devices (16) in accordance with a customer's order, wherein the target positions (54) are assigned to customers' orders. At least one filling station (10; 10?) manually fills the receiving devices (16) by article units, wherein the filling station (10; 10?) includes a plurality of filling buckets (12) each having an opening mechanism (18) at its lower end thereof, in order to allow supply of article units, which are order picked into the filling bucket (12), to the receiving devices (16) in an automated manner.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2009Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: SSI SCHAFER NOEL GMBH LAGER—UND SYSTEMTECHNIKInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 8827619Abstract: It is disclosed a order-picking method and a rack warehouse (10; 100; 200; 308) for order-picking goods stored in load supports (52), particularly on trays, comprising: at least one rack (20; 30) having first and second longitudinal sides (24, 25) and two front faces (22, 23), wherein the rack has at least one rack plane (40-44), wherein each rack plane (40-44) comprises a plurality of rack rows (46), wherein the rack rows (46) are arranged on top of each other and respectively comprise a plurality of rack positions (48) arranged side-by-side; at least one rack feeder (33) for each rack plane (40-44) comprising at least one load suspension device for the purpose of storing and retrieving load supports (52) into or from the rack positions (48) of a rack plane (40-44), wherein the rack feeder can travel in horizontal and vertical directions (37, 35) along the first longitudinal side (25) of the rack (20, 30), in order to store and retrieve load supports (52) in or from its rack plane (40-44); and several verticType: GrantFiled: November 21, 2008Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: SSI Schafer Noell GmbH Lager—und SystemtechnikInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 8707658Abstract: A method and a work station for order-picking and simultaneously packing articles onto a shipping support includes at least one rack which is divided into at least one rack plane respectively comprising a plurality of rack positions for storing load supports, wherein the articles to be picked are stored preferably in or on the load supports in rack positions; at least one vertical lift unit arranged adjacent to a longitudinal side of the rack and being adapted to retrieve load supports from such rack positions being adjacent to the lift unit; and at least a packing station, which is arranged within an immediate area of the lift unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2008Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: SSI Schafer Noell GmbH Lager- und SystemtechnikInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 8671649Abstract: A work station for packing articles to be picked onto a shipping support includes a platform, a packing station, a platform on the platform, a shipping support station beneath the platform, a lifting device for lifting an empty or partially packed shipping support and for lowering completely packed shipping supports, and a track for transporting loose articles to be picked to the packing station dedicated to load supports which conveys the articles to be picked on load supports to the packing station or from the conveyor technique can be order-picked.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2008Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: SSI Schafer Noell GmbH Lager- und SystemtechnikInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 8634954Abstract: A system and method for storing returned goods (56) of different type of goods in an order-picking system (10), wherein the order-picking system (10) comprises a container warehouse (12) for providing a plurality of storage containers (52, 54), and at least one workstation (14) at which the returned goods (56) in the storage containers (52) from the container warehouse (12) are, in a return mode, delivered, the method comprising the following steps: providing (70) at least one returned good (56) of a first type of goods at a delivering station (16), detecting (72) of each of the returned goods (56) and, preferably separately, delivering the returned goods (56) to a returned-goods conveyor (32) conveying the returned goods (56) to the workstation (14), identifying (74) the type of goods of each of the detected returned goods (56), identifying (76) a storage container (52) with which the respectively identified type of goods is associated, retrieving (78) the respectively associated storage container (52) fromType: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: SSI Schaefer Peem GmbHInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Publication number: 20130288035Abstract: A polymer opal material comprises a three dimensionally periodic arrangement of core particles in a matrix material and exhibits structural colour via Bragg reflection. IN a process for manufacturing such a material, a sandwich structure is provided, of a precursor composite material held between first and second sandwiching layers. A relative shear strain of at least 10% is imposed on the precursor composite material by curling the sandwich structure around a roller. The shear strain is cycled, in order to promote the formation of the three dimensional periodic arrangement.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2012Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicant: Cambridge Enterprise LimitedInventors: Jeremy John Baumberg, David Snoswell, Christopher Finlayson, Qibin Zhao, Gotz Peter Hellmann, Peter Wolfgang Andreas Spahn, Christian Gerhard Schafer
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Patent number: 8556567Abstract: An order-picking system and method that includes a high-bay warehouse, at least one tray warehouse, at least one packing station, at least one shipping station and a conveyor technique to bring the tray loaded with the pallet layer into the tray warehouse. The conveyor technique may be a conveyor, a storage machine and/or a lift.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2011Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: SSI Schaefer Noell GmbH Lager- und SystemtechnikInventor: Gerhard Schafer
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Patent number: 8517470Abstract: A fitting system (5) for a vehicle seat (1) includes a first fitting (10), a second fitting (50), a first transmission element (7) acting between the two fittings (10, 50), a free-pivoting device (54) assigned to the second fitting (50), a first operating element for adjusting the inclination, with the actuation thereof the two fittings (10, 50) being unlocked by using the first transmission element (7), and a second operating element for free pivoting. With the actuation of the second operating element, the first fitting (10) and the free-pivoting device (54) are unlocked. A second transmission element (80) is arranged between the two fittings (10, 50) and mounted on the fittings (10, 50), and which—independently of the first transmission element (7)—acts between the free-pivoting device (54) and the first fitting (10).Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Michael Roth, Gerhard Schäfer, Peter Thiel
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Patent number: 8480347Abstract: An order-picking system and method includes a pallet warehouse (12), preferably in terms of a high-bay warehouse, being used as a supply warehouse dedicated to a plurality of, preferably different, packing units (40) which are stored, preferably by one sort only, on pallets (14) in the pallet warehouse (12); a tray warehouse (24) which is used as a picking buffer for supplying connected order-picking stations with packing units (40), wherein trays (38) are stored in the tray warehouse which have been loaded with a pallet layer of packing units (40) before; a conveyor (22) which transports from the pallet warehouse to the tray warehouse trays (38) which are respectively loaded with a pallet layer of packing units, particularly across longer distances; and at least a rack-transport unit (36) for trays (38), the rack-transport unit allowing receipt of a plurality of trays being respectively loaded with a pallet layer.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2009Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Inventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 8286828Abstract: A storage/transport container has a plurality of walls defining an upwardly open vessel having an upper rim and a generally flat cover panel hinged on one of the walls and having an inner edge. The rim has opposite to one of the walls structure forming another inner edge. The cover panel is pivotal into a closed position with the inner edges juxtaposed, retaining formations projecting generally perpendicularly from the inner edge of the cover panel and oppositely from the other inner edge that fit together in the closed position. Hooks are formed on the edges and positioned so as to be opened directly at each other in the closed position. The hooks normally are spaced apart but, on deformation of the cover panel, hook together and preventing separation of the edges.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Fritz Schaefer GmbHInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 8245348Abstract: A manual toothbrush with a handle and a toothbrush head mounted on the handle. A pivot bearing for pivoting the toothbrush head relative to the handle is arranged between the toothbrush head and the handle.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2010Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: BRAUN GmbHInventors: Florina Winter, Jens Alinski, Heidrun Schmelcher, Gerhard Schafer, Holger Port, Manfred Klawuhn, Frank Gliemroth
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Patent number: 8172071Abstract: A system (10) and method for packing an article (20) onto a shipping carrier (26), the article (20) having an arbitrary orientation relative to the conveyor (28) and being transported within an order-picking system on a conveyor (28; 28a, 28b) downstream towards a packing station (22), which includes a packing robot (12) for automatically loading the shipping carrier (26), wherein the article (20) is to be put down with one of its faces (38) onto the shipping carrier (26).Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: SSI Schafer Noell GmbH Lager-und SystemtechnikInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Publication number: 20120020767Abstract: An order-picking system and method that includes a high-bay warehouse, at least one tray warehouse, at least one packing station, at least one shipping station and a conveyor technique to bring the tray loaded with the pallet layer into the tray warehouse. The conveyor technique may be a conveyor, a storage machine and/or a lift.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2011Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: SSI SCHÄFER PEEM GMBH LAGER -UND SYSTEMTECHNIKInventor: Gerhard Schafer
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Patent number: 8061506Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveyor system and a method for merging or crossing of at least two conveyor lines (22, 24, 58) on which transport units (48, 50), particularly containers, are conveyed in an upstream direction (28), wherein the conveyor lines (22, 24) meet each other in an intersection point (26), wherein each of the conveyor lines (22, 24, 58) respectively comprises, upstream relative to the intersection point (26), one group (30, 34) of conveyor-line segments (32, 34), wherein the conveyor-line segments are respectively operable with a variable conveying velocity, the method comprising the following steps: conveying transport units (48, 50) towards the intersection point (26); detecting and determining a traffic density of the transport units (48, 50) on the conveyor lines (22, 24, 58), particularly at the conveyor-line segments (32-1, 34-1) which are located upstream; determining conveying velocities for the conveyor-line segments (32, 34) so that transport units (48, 50) which are convType: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: SSI Schäfer Peem GmbHInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: 7988406Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an order-picking systems (100; 100?), wherein the order-picking system comprises a high-bay warehouse (10), at least one tray warehouse (16), at least one packing station (20; 32), and at least one shipping station (22), comprising the following steps: a) depalletizing (S20) in a layerwise manner packing units (42), which form a, particularly complete, pallet layer (40), from a pallet (44), particularly a EuroPallet, which respectively carries a plurality of packing units (42), which are to be picked, of a type of article, onto a correspondingly dimensioned tray (46); b) bringing (S30) the tray (46) loaded with the pallet layer (40) into the tray warehouse (16), preferably by means of a conveyor technique (14), a storage machine and/or a lift; c) recalling (S40) the tray (46) loaded with the pallet layer (40) in accordance with an order-picking order or several order-picking orders to the packing station (20; 32); removing in accordance with the order-picking orType: GrantFiled: November 21, 2008Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: SSI Schaefer Noell GmbH Lager-und SystemtechnikInventor: Gerhard Schäfer
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Patent number: D646063Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2011Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: The Procter & Gamble CompanyInventors: Kathi Ballmaier, Gerhard Schäfer, Sören Wasow, Tilmann Winkler
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Patent number: D673776Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2010Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Braun GmbHInventors: Kathi Ballmaier, Gerhard Schäfer, Sören Wasow, Tilmann Winkler
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Patent number: D693581Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: The Gillette CompanyInventors: Kathi Ballmaier, Benedikt Heil, Gerhard Schafer, Carolin Schluter, Alexander Thalheim-Martin