Patents by Inventor Helmut Thoma

Helmut Thoma 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: 8205520
    Abstract: To render a gear arrangement for a transmission as quiet as possible but nevertheless able to handle heavy loads, a first gear made of a first material and a second gear made of a second material sit loosely next to one another on a common shaft. The elasticity of the first gear, preferably made of plastic, is chosen to be greater than that of the second gear, preferably made of metal, while the strength of the second gear is chosen to be greater than that of the first gear. Because the second gear preferably exhibits a slightly smaller toothing than the first gear, only the first gear comes into engagement with another gear in normal operation. As the load increases, the first gear made of plastic yields in the elastic range so that now the second gear made of metal also comes into engagement in order to accept the forces occurring and thereby protect the first gear against overloading and fracture. The gear arrangement is generally suitable for transmissions, for example for planetary transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: IMS Gear GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Thoma
  • Patent number: 7692934
    Abstract: For assembling/disassembling a printed circuit board, a specially shaped spring is to be integrated inside the device. The assembly/disassembly of the printed circuit board in the device is simplified by virtue of the fact that the printed circuit board has to be pressed only against the spring and a fixed supporting part of the device to which the spring is attached. In order to be able to press the printed circuit board, among other things, perpendicularly against the fixed supporting part, the specially designed leg spring is fastened underneath the fixed supporting part. The legs of this spring protrude outward on both sides beyond the top-side of the supporting part. During assembly, the printed circuit board is guided between the top-side and the protruding spring legs. The printed circuit board is fixed by additional supporting parts of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Smiths Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Bartscher, Helmut Thoma
  • Patent number: 7686154
    Abstract: In order to check hand luggage and other objects carried by persons, control stations are needed, which have a control unit, in particular an X-ray checking unit, a conveyor which extends through the control unit, a depositing point which is arranged ahead of the conveyor, and a removal point which is arranged behind the conveyor, for the objects and having transport tubs which can be placed onto the conveyor. Small objects and items of clothing are placed in the transport tubs and conveyed through the control unit for checking. A return conveyor for the transport tubs is arranged next to or below the conveyor which passes through the control unit, which return conveyor reaches from the removal point behind the conveyor at least as far as into the region of the depositing point ahead of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Smiths Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Henkel, Harald Jentsch, Helmut Thoma
  • Publication number: 20090038998
    Abstract: In order to check hand luggage and other objects carried by persons, control stations are needed, which have a control unit, in particular an X-ray checking unit, a conveyor which extends through the control unit, a depositing point which is arranged ahead of the conveyor, and a removal point which is arranged behind the conveyor, for the objects and having transport tubs which can be placed onto the conveyor. Small objects and items of clothing are placed in the transport tubs and conveyed through the control unit for checking. A return conveyor for the transport tubs is arranged next to or below the conveyor which passes through the control unit, which return conveyor reaches from the removal point behind the conveyor at least as far as into the region of the depositing point ahead of the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Rainer Henkel, Harald Jentsch, Helmut Thoma
  • Publication number: 20070293365
    Abstract: A revolving gear arrangement has at least two toothed wheels, which are lubricated with oil or grease and which mesh together in a rolling gap, wherein at least one of them is a revolving gear which is rotatably mounted by means a slip fit joint on a bolt. The bolt-mounted rotating gear is equipped with at least one radial bore, which connects the meshing space of the gear tooth systems with the slip fit joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: IMS GEAR GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Thoma
  • Publication number: 20050159020
    Abstract: For assembling/disassembling a printed circuit board, a specially shaped spring is to be integrated inside the device. The assembly/disassembly of the printed circuit board in the device is simplified by virtue of the fact that the printed circuit board has to be pressed only against the spring and a fixed supporting part of the device to which the spring is attached. In order to be able to press the printed circuit board, among other things, perpendicularly against the fixed supporting part, the specially designed leg spring is fastened underneath the fixed supporting part. The legs of this spring protrude outward on both sides beyond the top-side of the supporting part. During assembly, the printed circuit board is guided between the top-side and the protruding spring legs. The printed circuit board is fixed by additional supporting parts of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Applicant: Smiths Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Bartscher, Helmut Thoma
  • Publication number: 20040069086
    Abstract: To render a gear arrangement for a transmission as quiet as possible but nevertheless able to handle heavy loads, a first gear (1) made of a first material and a second gear (2) made of a second material sit loosely next to one another on a common shaft (4). The elasticity of the first gear (1), preferably made of plastic, is chosen to be greater than that of the second gear (2), preferably made of metal, while the strength of the second gear (2) is chosen to be greater than that of the first gear (1). Because the second gear (2) preferably exhibits a slightly smaller toothing than the first gear (1), only the first gear (1), while having the same modulus, comes into engagement with another gear in normal operation. As the load increases, the first gear (1) made of plastic yields in the elastic range so that now the second gear (2) made of metal also comes into engagement in order to accept the forces occurring and thereby protect the first gear (1) against overloading and fracture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventor: Helmut Thoma
  • Patent number: 6597760
    Abstract: In an inspection device for inspecting objects for explosives and other items prohibited for travel, particularly in carry-on baggage, a transport shaft (101) where there is little space, has incorporated thereabout radiation sources (10, 20, 30), which generate at least three beams (FX1, FX2, FX3) at which are directed at corresponding linear detectors (11, 21, 31). This transport shaft (101) is extended by incorporation of equipment or system components (3, 4, 40) that are not part of the inspection system (100), or by additional system components (4, 40) being integrated into a housing (103) of the inspection device (100), with a necessary radiation protection for the inspection device in compliance with radiation protection regulations being provided by a shielding (102) placed on or around a piece of equipment or its system components (3) already existing in the transport system (1), ideally in front of the transport shaft (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Heimann Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Knut Beneke, Uwe Siedenburg, Dirk Naumann, Helmut Thoma
  • Publication number: 20020176533
    Abstract: In an inspection device for inspecting objects for explosives and other items prohibited for travel, particularly in carry-on baggage, a transport shaft (101) where there is little space, has incorporated thereabout radiation sources (10, 20, 30), which generate at least three beams (FX1, FX2, FX3) at which are directed at corresponding linear detectors (11, 21, 31). This transport shaft (101) is extended by incorporation of equipment or system components (3, 4, 40) that are not part of the inspection system (100), or by additional system components (4, 40) being integrated into a housing (103) of the inspection device (100), with a necessary radiation protection for the inspection device in compliance with radiation protection regulations being provided by a shielding (102) placed on or around a piece of equipment or its system components (3) already existing in the transport system (1), ideally in front of the transport shaft (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Inventors: Knut Beneke, Uwe Siedenburg, Dirk Naumann, Helmut Thoma
  • Patent number: 6155179
    Abstract: A work station for an X-ray examining apparatus includes a seat-and-standing unit; a monitor disposed in a range of vision of an operator positioned in the seat-and-standing unit; a keyboard; a first device for securing the keyboard to the monitor for pivotal motion of the keyboard relative to the monitor; a second device for adjusting a height position of the seat-and-standing unit; a third device for adjusting a height position of the monitor; and a fourth device for providing for a turning motion of the monitor about a vertical axis, whereby the first, second, third and fourth devices provide the work station with ergonomic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Heimann Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Aust, Helmut Thoma
  • Patent number: 4841554
    Abstract: An x-ray scanner for inspecting articles moving therethrough, such as on a conveyor, has a frame on which an x-ray source, a collimator for the x-ray beam, and a radiation detector are mounted. The frame resists flexural and torsional stresses so as to maintain the relative positions of the x-ray source, the collimator, and the radiation receiver in the presence of such stresses. The scanner is mounted in a rack in which the frame is seated by a resilient support. The conveyor which is used to move articles through the x-ray beam between the x-ray source and the radiation receiver is supported by the rack, so that mechanical stresses to the conveyor, such as the placement of heavy articles thereon, are not conveyed to the frame, and therefore do not disturb the alignment of the components mounted on the frame, due to the intervention of the resilient support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1989
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Doenges, Rolf Dietrich, Helmut Thoma, Eckart-Alfred Von Unger