Patents by Inventor Klaus Topfer

Klaus Topfer 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: 10278403
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for producing sausage-shaped products, like sausages, containing a flowable filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and a suspension element, like a suspension loop. The system includes a clipping machine for producing the sausage-shaped products, a discharge device for discharging the sausage-shaped products out of the clipping machine and a feeding device for feeding a rod-like element into a loading position in which the sausage-shaped products are stored on the rod-like element by the discharge device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Poly-clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Töpfer, Olaf Bienert
  • Publication number: 20170318826
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for producing sausage-shaped products, like sausages, containing a flowable filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and a suspension element, like a suspension loop. The system includes a clipping machine for producing the sausage-shaped products, a discharge device for discharging the sausage-shaped products out of the clipping machine and a feeding device for feeding a rod-like element into a loading position in which the sausage-shaped products are stored on the rod-like element by the discharge device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Klaus Töpfer, Olaf Bienert
  • Patent number: 9687944
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a tag feeder for feeding tags in a feeding direction to a dispensing position within a clipping machine. The tag feeder is provided with a feeding mechanism with at least one pusher means for transporting a chain of tags. The pusher means is reversible movable parallel to the feeding direction between a first and second position wherein, in the first position, the pusher means is in a minimum displacement to the dispensing position, and wherein, in the second position, the pusher means are in a maximum displacement to the dispensing position. The feeding mechanism comprises at least one cutting tool for cutting-off the foremost tag of the chain of tags, viewed in the feeding direction, in the first position and at least one clamping device for clamping the chain of tags when the foremost tag is arranged in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Poly-clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 9314036
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a clipping tool assembly for closing a closure clip in a clipping machine for forming sausages. The clipping tool assembly comprises a first and a second closing tool movable between a closed and an opened position; a drive means for moving the closing tools in a closing direction, the drive means including a crank shaft having a first and a second crank pin. The clipping tool assembly further comprises a first and a second tool arm having first and second ends, with the first and second closing tools being attached to the respective first end, the tool arms being coupled to the crank pins in the region of their second ends. A first and a second linear guide slot is provided in the region of the second end of the tool arms, in which the crank pins are slidable guided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Poly-clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Peter Wiemer, Klaus Töpfer
  • Publication number: 20150093980
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a clipping tool assembly for closing a closure clip in a clipping machine for forming sausages. The clipping tool assembly comprises a first and a second closing tool movable between a closed and an opened position; a drive means for moving the closing tools in a closing direction, the drive means including a crank shaft having a first and a second crank pin. The clipping tool assembly further comprises a first and a second tool arm having first and second ends, with the first and second closing tools being attached to the respective first end, the tool arms being coupled to the crank pins in the region of their second ends. A first and a second linear guide slot is provided in the region of the second end of the tool arms, in which the crank pins are slidable guided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Wiemer, Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 8870635
    Abstract: A filling tube assembly for being mounted to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products. The filling tube assembly comprises a mounting unit for mounting the filling tube assembly to the clipping machine and a filling tube for feeding flowable filling material into the packaging casing. The packaging casing is being consumably arranged on the filling tube. The filling tube is pivotable relative to the mounting unit at least between a production position and an interchanging position. The filling tube assembly further comprises a casing brake unit, a casing brake holder and a casing brake for being reversibly coupled to the casing brake holder. The casing brake is moveable between a braking position and a releasing position by a pivoting and translational action. In the releasing position, the casing brake is pivoted away from the filling tube, so that unfilled packaging casing can be loaded onto the filling tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Publication number: 20140235151
    Abstract: A filling tube assembly for being mounted to a clipping machine for producing sausage-shaped products. The filling tube assembly comprises a mounting unit for mounting the filling tube assembly to the clipping machine and a filling tube for feeding flowable filling material into the packaging casing. The packaging casing is being consumably arranged on the filling tube. The filling tube is pivotable relative to the mounting unit at least between a production position and an interchanging position. The filling tube assembly further comprises a casing brake unit, a casing brake holder and a casing brake for being reversibly coupled to the casing brake holder. The casing brake is moveable between a braking position and a releasing position by a pivoting and translational action. In the releasing position, the casing brake is pivoted away from the filling tube, so that unfilled packaging casing can be loaded onto the filling tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: POLY-CLIP SYSTEM GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 8696415
    Abstract: The invention relates to a clip machine for a production line for the manufacturing of sausage-shaped products receives a flowable filling material in a tubular wrapper material. The clip machine includes at least two sealing tools, movable relative to one another between a opening position and a closing position for the placing and closing of clips on a sausage-shaped product, at least one clip storage device from which clips can be fed to a sealing tool, a storage device for storing a supply of wrapper material, a separation device for separating an individual sausage product from the supply of wrapper material, a filling pipe for the feeding of filling material, a delivery device for delivering sausage-shaped products from the clip machine along a transport path for the sausage-shaped products and a feeding device for flexible suspension elements from which suspension elements can be fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 8480138
    Abstract: A lock unit (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least a catch (2), a first pawl (3) having a pawl rotation axis (4), and a blocking lever (5), in which the catch (2) in a locked state of the lock unit (1) transfers a pivoting moment onto the first pawl (3) and in which the first pawl (3) is fixed by a blocking lever (5) and in which a second pawl (6) is provided that is mounted on the pawl rotation axis (4) and is engageable with the blocking lever (5) and the catch (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Bendel, Serkan Gülkan, Dirk Hanisch, Ulrich Weichsel, Karsten Barth, Klaus Töpfer, Hans Deischl, Stefan Ebersohn, Martin Lindmayer, Wolfgang Much
  • Patent number: 8430726
    Abstract: A method for controlling a production line for manufacturing sausage-shaped products, a production line provided for this as well as a clip machine and a feeding machine for the manufacture of sausage-shaped products, with a flowable filling material such as sausage meat, a sealing material, granulate and the like being received in a tubular wrapper material and with the production line having at least: a clip machine, in which the wrapper material filled with filling material is divided into portions into individual sausage-shaped products by placing closing clips and is separated from the supply of the remaining wrapper material; with at least one flexible suspension element being applied to the sausage-shaped product during the placing of the closing clips, which is fed in a timed manner into the clip machine; and a feeding machine, which supplies the storage rods individually for further processing of the sausage-shaped products and which has conveyor elements, circulating continuously along a transport p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 8366523
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feeding machine for manufacturing sausage-shaped products including storage rods for suspending sausage-shaped products, a device for mounting one end of a storage rod, and a device for feeding the sausage-shaped products, the device for feeding comprising an endless conveyor with a strand running parallel to the storage rod and having conveyor elements spaced at intervals to receive the sausage-shaped products, at least one control element arranged along the strand of the endless conveyor, the conveyor elements being movable and having hooks comprised of two identical partial hooks and being pivotable around horizontal axes from their position holding the suspension elements into their position depositing the suspension elements, the at least one control element forming a moving trigger element along the strand against its forward direction, which triggers the movement of the hooks from their holding into their depositing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Poly-clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 8015779
    Abstract: A portioning and packaging apparatus and a portioning and packaging method. The portioning and packaging apparatus has a conveyor device for filling material which has a pump for producing a continuous volume flow, a filling tube which is connected to the conveyor device and which provides a supply of a tubular packaging case such that it can be pulled off the filling tube with the filling material which is expelled through the filling tube, a closure device which is arranged downstream of the filling tube and which locally constricts the filled packaging case to provide a tube end plait portion during the filling operation and closes a closure element around the tube end plait portion. The closure device also has a control device which produces a control signal for the constriction and closure operations on the basis of a selected portion size and the continuous volume flow and outputs it to a drive of the closure device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Publication number: 20110045755
    Abstract: The invention described herein relates to a feeding machine for a production line for the manufacturing of sausage-shaped products receives a flowable filling material in a tubular wrapper material. The feeding machine includes storage rods for suspending the sausage-shaped products which have a flexible suspension element on one of their ends, which can be guided via a storage rod and which can assume a closed and an open embodiment, a device for mounting one end of a storage rod that is free at the other end and a device for feeding the sausage-shaped products, suspended from their suspension elements, one after the other to the storage rod and, under guidance of the suspension elements, depositing the suspension elements over the free end of the storage rod at spaced positions along the storage rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: POLY-CLIP SYSTEM GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Publication number: 20110045754
    Abstract: The invention relates to a clip machine for a production line for the manufacturing of sausage-shaped products receives a flowable filling material in a tubular wrapper material. The clip machine includes at least two sealing tools, movable relative to one another between a opening position and a closing position for the placing and closing of clips on a sausage-shaped product, at least one clip storage device from which clips can be fed to a sealing tool, a storage device for storing a supply of wrapper material, a separation device for separating an individual sausage product from the supply of wrapper material, a filling pipe for the feeding of filling material, a delivery device for delivering sausage-shaped products from the clip machine along a transport path for the sausage-shaped products and a feeding device for flexible suspension elements from which suspension elements can be fed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: POLY-CLIP SYSTEM GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 7824250
    Abstract: A magazine for storage rods for receiving sausage-shaped products, comprising one or a plurality of vertically extending shafts 2 in which the storage rods 3 are to be arranged one above the other, wherein a separation means is provided at the bottom end of the respective shafts 2, said separation means having retention devices 4, 5 which can be moved into the interior of the shaft for successive operating positions for releasing the bottommost storage rods 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Klaus Topfer
  • Publication number: 20100052336
    Abstract: A lock unit (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least a catch (2), a first pawl (3) having a pawl rotation axis (4), and a blocking lever (5), in which the catch (2) in a locked state of the lock unit (1) transfers a pivoting moment onto the first pawl (3) and in which the first pawl (3) is fixed by a blocking lever (5) and in which a second pawl (6) is provided that is mounted on the pawl rotation axis (4) and is engageable with the blocking lever (5) and the catch (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: KIEKERT AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Bendel, Serkan Gülkan, Dirk Hanisch, Ulrich Weichsel, Karsten Barth, Klaus Töpfer, Hans Deischl, Stefan Ebersohn, Martin Lindmayer, Wolfgang Much
  • Patent number: 7520040
    Abstract: The invention concerns a clip feed arrangement comprising a magazine bar having an entry and an exit for guiding a line of clips from a clip supply to a separating device of a closure apparatus, and a clip drive arranged in the region of the magazine bar. The clip drive has two drive elements which can be successively brought alternately into engagement with the line of clips and which are so designed that a first drive element in a condition of engagement travels in the advance direction on a first advance path in the form of a segment of a circle while a second drive element in a condition of being out of engagement travels in opposite relationship to the advance direction on a second advance path in the form of a segment of a circle and that the engagement and the travel direction of the drive elements are reversible, wherein the first and the second advance paths have the same axis of rotation about which the drive elements are reciprocatingly pivotable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Patent number: 7520106
    Abstract: A magazine bar having an entry and an exit for guiding a line of clips from a clip supply arranged above a separating window of a closure apparatus to the substantially vertically arranged separating window. The magazine bar has a first deflection configuration such that the line of clips can be introduced into the entry from below. A further embodiment is a clip feed arrangement having such a magazine bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer
  • Publication number: 20090053985
    Abstract: A magazine for storage rods for receiving sausage-shaped products, comprising one or a plurality of vertically extending shafts 2 in which the storage rods 3 are to be arranged one above the other, wherein a separation means is provided at the bottom end of the respective shafts 2, said separation means having retention devices 4, 5 which can be moved into the interior of the shaft for successive operating positions for releasing the bottommost storage rods 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: POLY-CLIP SYSTEM GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Topfer
  • Patent number: 7475521
    Abstract: A reel for a winding comprising a clip line having openings, with a reel body and a connecting element which is arranged rotatably about the reel body and captively on the reel body and which has a guide for guiding the clip line in the unwinding operation. It further concerns a system for unwinding such a clip line from the reel with a mounting element which defines an operative position for the reel in which it is rotatably supported, and an advance device which is associated with the mounting element and which is adapted to engage the clip line in the region of the connecting element when the reel is in its operative position. It further concerns a clip machine having such a mounting element and advance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Poly-Clip System GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Töpfer