Patents by Inventor Mark A. Ritter

Mark A. Ritter 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: 9243895
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a remote displacement sensor, such as an optical strain gauge, which uses an optical amplifier implemented by patterns, such as, moiré patterns, to calculate changes in position. In a strain gauge with moiré patterns, two foil layers are provided, a lower foil layer with a reference or static moiré pattern generated by the overlaying of a first pattern with parallel lines at a first fundamental frequency and a second pattern with parallel lines at a second fundamental frequency. The lower foil layer further includes a first section with a first pattern with parallel lines at the first fundamental frequency while the upper layer provides a second section with a second pattern with parallel lines at the second fundamental frequency. The overlaying of the foils causes an overlying of the first and second sections thereby causing a moiré pattern of the same wavelength as the reference pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Roy D. Allen, Mark A. Ritter
  • Publication number: 20120176629
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a remote displacement sensor, such as an optical strain gauge, which uses an optical amplifier implemented by patterns, such as, but not limited to, moiré patterns, to calculate changes in position or gauge length. In the embodiment implemented as a strain gauge with moiré patterns, two foil layers are provided, a lower foil layer with a reference or static moiré pattern generated by the overlaying of a first pattern with parallel lines at a first fundamental frequency and a second pattern with parallel lines at a second fundamental frequency. The lower foil layer further includes a first section with a first pattern with parallel lines at the first fundamental frequency while the upper layer provides a second section with a second pattern with parallel lines at the second fundamental frequency. The overlaying of the foils causes an overlying of the first and second sections thereby causing a moiré pattern of the same wavelength as the reference pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Roy D. Allen, Mark A. Ritter
  • Patent number: 6837361
    Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers. A diverter may be used to direct incoming product bags between parallel conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Dallas A.C. Horn & Co.
    Inventors: John Mark Singleton, Mark A. Ritter
  • Publication number: 20040168885
    Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers. A diverter may be used to direct incoming product bags between parallel conveyors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: John Mark Singleton, Mark A. Ritter
  • Patent number: 6688455
    Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers. A diverter may be used to direct incoming product bags between parallel conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Dallas A. C. Horn & Co.
    Inventors: John Mark Singleton, Mark A. Ritter
  • Publication number: 20020084171
    Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers. A diverter may be used to direct incoming product bags between parallel conveyors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventors: John Mark Singleton, Mark A. Ritter
  • Patent number: 6382391
    Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers. Chutes may be used to direct incoming product bags between parallel conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Dallas A.C. Horn & Co.
    Inventors: John Mark Singleton, Mark A. Ritter
  • Patent number: 6244018
    Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Dallas A. C. Horn & Co.
    Inventor: Mark A. Ritter
  • Patent number: 5941365
    Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a rotatable drum positioned at its discharge end. The rotatable drum is comprised of a plurality of disks. Two pairs of air nozzles are positioned between the rotating disks of the rotatable drum. A second receiving conveyor is positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. Bagged products move along the first conveyor and are discharged over the rotating drum of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. A sensor indicates that the product bag is properly positioned for uprighting by the air blast. A programmable logic controller ("PLC") which controls the operation of the collator in accordance with the size of the product bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Dallas A.C. Horn & Co.
    Inventor: Mark A. Ritter