Patents by Inventor Michael Gerst

Michael Gerst 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: 11948042
    Abstract: A system and method for communicating at least one of updated configuration information and hardware setup recommendations to a user of an ID decoding vision system is provided. An image of an object containing one or more IDs is acquired with a mobile device. The ID associated with the object is decoded to derive information. Physical dimensions of the ID associated with the object are determined. Based on the information and the dimensions, configuration data can be transmitted to a remote server that automatically determines setup information for the vision system based upon the configuration data. The remote server thereby transmits at least one of (a) updated configuration information to the vision system and (b) hardware setup recommendations to a user of the vision system based upon the configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Cognex Corporation
    Inventors: Carl W. Gerst, III, James A. Negro, Shane Michael LaChappelle, Vladimir Zivkovic
  • Patent number: 10581213
    Abstract: Crimp tooling includes an anvil and a wire crimper. The anvil includes a base and a tip with a cradle at the tip for supporting a terminal. The anvil has first and second anvil guide surfaces located relative to the cradle. The wire crimper has first and second legs on opposite sides of a crimp slot that receives the cradle and the terminal supported by the cradle. The wire crimper defines a crimp profile in the crimp slot configured to form the terminal during crimping. The first and second legs have first and second wire crimper guide surfaces, respectively. The first and second wire crimper guide surfaces are configured to engage the first and second anvil guide surfaces, respectively, to guide a position of the wire crimper relative to the anvil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignees: TE Connectivity Corporation, TE Connectivity Corporation GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Morris, Neil Deming, Michael Gerst, Matthew Steven Houser, Alois Conte
  • Publication number: 20180309254
    Abstract: Crimp tooling includes an anvil and a wire crimper. The anvil includes a base and a tip with a cradle at the tip for supporting a terminal. The anvil has first and second anvil guide surfaces located relative to the cradle. The wire crimper has first and second legs on opposite sides of a crimp slot that receives the cradle and the terminal supported by the cradle. The wire crimper defines a crimp profile in the crimp slot configured to form the terminal during crimping. The first and second legs have first and second wire crimper guide surfaces, respectively. The first and second wire crimper guide surfaces are configured to engage the first and second anvil guide surfaces, respectively, to guide a position of the wire crimper relative to the anvil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Morris, Neil Deming, Michael Gerst, Matthew Steven Houser, Alois Conte
  • Publication number: 20180183198
    Abstract: A crimp indentor for producing a crimp connection between an electrical conductor and a contact comprises a base and a machining portion connected to the base. The machining portion has a ceramic surface on at least a part of the machining portion. The machining portion is configured to transmit crimping forces to the contact while producing the crimp connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Guenter Sowa, Gerd Stegmayer, Michael Gerst, Lothar Bauer
  • Patent number: 8082664
    Abstract: A harness making device having at least two receiving sections, a pivoting gripping device, a cable preparation device, and a cable transfer. Each receiving section is utilized for receiving a connection mechanism. The connection mechanism, in each case, connects an end portion of a cable to a connector. The gripping device is located in a fixed position between the at least two receiving sections, and is constructed to guide the end portion of the cable to the connection mechanism. Additionally, a cable preparation device is positioned to prepare a cable loop with the cable. The cable transfer, which is constructed to receive the at least one cable from the cable preparation device, positions the cable to the pivoting gripping device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
    Inventors: Barbara Dohmen, Juergen Dommel, Michael Gerst, Horst Knapp, Martin Lipp, Klaus Traiser, Joerg Vesper, Matthias Goetz, Seicuk Yaman
  • Publication number: 20110155701
    Abstract: The present application discloses an apparatus for consolidation welding of an electrical conductor, in particular to an electrical terminal, preferably for resistance-monitored circuitry in a motor vehicle, having a bottom welding tool, on which a conductor section to be consolidated can be arranged, as well as three movable welding tools, whereby with a movable welding tool, which has two translational degrees of freedom, a width of the conductor section to be consolidated can be variably adjusted with reference to the bottom welding tool, and the other two movable welding tools can be moved in such a way that they seal off a compression chamber delimited by the width of the conductor section to be consolidated in a direction of its perimeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Gerst, Horst J.T. Knapp, Stefan Samstag, Gerd Stegmayer
  • Publication number: 20100186212
    Abstract: A harness making device having at least two receiving sections, a pivoting gripping device, a cable preparation device, and a cable transfer. Each receiving section is utilized for receiving a connection mechanism. The connection mechanism, in each case, connects an end portion of a cable to a connector. The gripping device is located in a fixed position between the at least two receiving sections, and is constructed to guide the end portion of the cable to the connection mechanism. Additionally, a cable preparation device is positioned to prepare a cable loop with the cable. The cable transfer, which is constructed to receive the at least one cable from the cable preparation device, positions the cable to the pivoting gripping device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Barbara Dohmen, Juergen Dommel, Michael Gerst, Horst Knapp, Martin Lipp, Klaus Traiser, Joerg Vesper, Matthias Goetz, Seicuk Yaman
  • Patent number: 6897404
    Abstract: A method and device for welding pin contacts and socket contacts to an optical waveguide, the welding device has a contact loading station, a contact transport carriage, a laser welding device, and an electrical control unit. The contact loading station has a socket contact transfer device and a pin contact transfer device. The contact transport carriage has a pin contact holder and a socket contact holder. The contact transport carriage is displaceable between the contact loading station and the laser welding station. The electrical control unit controls the combination and number of socket contacts and pin contacts transferred from the socket contact transfer device to the socket contact holder and from the pin contact transfer device to the pin contact holder without having to re-tool the welding device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Bauer, Robert Germann, Michael Gerst, Helmut Kreuzer, Gerd Stegmayer
  • Publication number: 20040031777
    Abstract: A method and device for welding pin contacts and socket contacts to an optical waveguide, the welding device has a contact loading station, a contact transport carriage, a laser welding device, and an electrical control unit. The contact loading station has a socket contact transfer device and a pin contact transfer device. The contact transport carriage has a pin contact holder and a socket contact holder. The contact transport carriage is displaceable between the contact loading station and the laser welding station. The elecrical control unit controls the combination and number of socket-contacts and pin contacts transferred from the socket contact transfer device to the socket contact holder and from the pin contact transfer device to the pin contact holder without having to re-tool the welding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Lothar Bauer, Robert Germann, Michael Gerst, Helmut Kreuzer, Gerd Stegmayer
  • Patent number: 6146058
    Abstract: A seal processing station for gathering loose and transmitting properly oriented seals to an insertion station where the seals are to be placed on a wire, the seal processing station having a seal sorting unit and a seal feeding unit that has a feed track going between the seal sorting unit and the insertion station where the seal sorting unit has a container where the loose seals are placed and a seal propulsion device with a seal feed channel extending from a lower end of the container to an upper end where the channel includes an air inlet for blowing air up the channel to feed seals from the lower end to the upper end and unto the feed track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Gerst, Jorg Herzog, Hans-Peter Hoffmann, Horst Knapp, Hans Quiring, Wolfgang Zimmer
  • Patent number: 5752405
    Abstract: An automatic crimping tool having a crimping mechanism and a carrier strip feed mechanism where the crimping mechanism includes a vertically slidable ram with crimping dies and a spring loaded terminal clamping bar mechanism that has a slidable spring loaded clamping bar that presses a terminal against an anvil during the downward stroke of the ram by way of a pivotable hook mechanism attached to the clamping mechanism that engages with a pin of the bar to lift the bar off the terminal during the upward ram stroke after crimping, thereby considerably increasing the crimping cycle speed, the crimping mechanism further includes a depressor attached to the ram that depresses the carrier strip feeding mechanism in sync with the movement thereof, such that the carrier strip is pushed below the height of the anvil just prior to crimping so that bending of the carrier strip and tilting of the terminal is avoided, ensuring a high crimp quality, the feeder mechanism having a double acting motor that effectuates advanc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Gerst, Tilo Sasse, Jaroslav Zajicek
  • Patent number: 5337589
    Abstract: The shut height of a crimping die set (9) for crimping an electrical terminal (T) on an anvil (22) to a lead (L) is adjustable stepwise by means of a disc (60) which can be driven by a servo motor (M1) to a plurality of angular positions each setting a theoretical ideal shut height for a particular combination of lead and terminal sizes. Since anvil wear, in particular, and/or minor variations in lead and terminal dimensions can falsify the ideal crimp height set, the actual crimp height achieved, is measured electronically or mechanically, and the height of the anvil (22) is automatically adjusted in accordance with such measurement, by means of a further servo motor (M2) to adjust the shut height of the die set (9) and anvil (22), so that the ideal shut height is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Gloe, Michael Gerst, Helmuth Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 5275032
    Abstract: The shut height of a crimping die set (9) for crimping an electrical terminal (T) on an anvil (22) to a lead (L) is adjustable stepwise by means of a disc (60) which can be driven by a servo motor (M1) to a plurality of angular positions each setting a theoretical ideal shut height for a particular combination of lead and terminal sizes. Since anvil wear, in particular, and/or minor variations in lead and terminal dimensions can falsify the ideal crimp height set, the actual crimp height achieved, is measured electronically or mechanically, and the height of the anvil (22) is automatically adjusted in accordance with such measurement, by means of a further servo motor (M2) to adjust the shut height of the die set (9) and anvil (22), so that the ideal shut height is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Gloe, Michael Gerst, Helmuth Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 5253399
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the high speed manufacture of a plurality of leads allows for the manufacture of various lengths of leads, as well as leads utilizing different wire gauges. The lead making apparatus has a plurality of wire gripping devices which are movable between an open position and a closed position. Each of the wire gripping devices has a channel which is dimensioned to allow the wire to be positioned and maintained therein. A wire feed is positioned proximate to the wire gripping devices and cooperates with the wire to advance the wire into the wire gripping devices. A drive belt is provided adjacent to the wire gripping devices and cooperates with the wire gripping devices to move the wire gripping devices. Whereby the drive belt moves the wire gripping devices in the same direction as the wire feed advances the wire, such that as the wire gripping devices are moved, the wire will be advanced into the channels of the wire gripping devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1993
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Gloe, Michael Gerst, Lothar Bauer
  • Patent number: 5159156
    Abstract: A plurality of housings are attached by a carrier strip which does not produce loose piece material which can damage the work station to which the housings are to be delivered. The carrier strip has carrier projections which extend from each respective housing, the carrier projections have enlarged portions provided at the free ends thereof. A recess is provided on the housing, the recess has first and second openings which cooperate with the enlarged portions of the carrier projections, such that when the enlarged portions are positioned in the first opening, the housings will be spaced from each other in a carrier strip arrangement, and when the enlarged portions are positioned in the second opening, and the carrier projections are severed from their respective housings, the carrier projections will be entirely disposed within the recesses of the housing, thereby preventing loose material from the carrier projections from interfering with the work station in which the housing is to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Ulrich B. Munk, Michael Gerst
  • Patent number: 5095599
    Abstract: An applicator ram (8) driven by a press ram (46) drives an insulation barrel crimping die (10) which is adjustable lengthwise of the rams (8) and a wire barrel crimping die (14) fixed to the applicator ram (8), to crimp electrical terminals (T) to leads (L) in cooperation with an anvil (22). A crimp height adjustment disc (60) is rotatable about a shaft (104) on the applicator ram (8) selectively to interpose first projections (76) on one side of the disc (60) between the press ram (46) and the applicator ram (8) to adjust the shut height of the wire barrel crimping die (14) and selectively to interpose second projections (82) on the other side of the disc (60) between the applicator ram (8) and the insulation barrel crimping die (10) to adjust its shut height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Gloe, Michael Gerst, Helmuth Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 5064379
    Abstract: An electrical pin receiving socket (2,102) is disclosed which includes a base portion (6,106) having side arms (8,108) extending upwardly to a top wall (10) or contact arms (112). Back-up springs are positioned proximate the contact arms and cooperate with the contact arms to ensure that the contact arms will electrically engage a mating pin. The base section (6,106) also includes printed circuit board contacts (20,30,120,130), where the contacts (20,30,120,130) are reversely bent under the base section (6,106) and then vertically downwardly to form printed circuit board contacts (26,36,126,136), thereby allowing the electrical pin receiving socket to move relative to the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Juergen Ryll, Michael Gerst, Michael Schwager
  • Patent number: 5016346
    Abstract: A leading bung seal (BS1) in a magazine (4) is picked up by a bung seal transfer clamp (8) and is positioned between a bung seal receptacle (6) and a bung seal transfer device (10), which are axially aligned. A bung seal expansion pin (18) is advanced to drive the leading bung seal (BS1) into the bung seal receptacle (6), to force it against a resilient grommet (42) therein, and to extend through the bung seal (BS1) so as to expand it. A bung seal expansion sleeve (14) surrounding the expansion pin (18) is then advanced further to expand the bung seal (BS1) and the pin (18) is withdrawn leaving the bung seal (BS1) secured to the expansion sleeve (14) by its own resilience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Gerst, Wolfgang Schroder, Lothar Bauer
  • Patent number: 4925007
    Abstract: The lead parking and sorting station is for receiving electrical leads (L), especially those which differ from one another and for presenting the leads for pick up by a block loading station. The parking and sorting station comprises a pair of ganged jaw wheels (12 and 16) each having lead gripping jaws (13). The jaw wheels (12 and 16) can be swung to move each jaw wheel ( 12 and 16) between a lead loading position (LP) and a lead sorting and discharge position (DP). When in its loading position (LP), each jaw wheel (12 and 16) is driven by a unidirectional stepping motor (14) in constantly spaced steps, to pick up a lead (L) at each step. When it has been loaded with leads (L) each jaw wheel (12 and 16) is swung to its sorting and discharge position (DP) where it is driven by a bidirectional stepping motor (18), in steps, the length and direction of which are determined by a pre-arranged harness making program, the leads being picked up by the block loading station at a pick up position (PP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael Gerst, Horst J. T. Knapp, Werner Maack
  • Patent number: 4888867
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing electrical harnesses is disclosed in which wires are fed through a loading zone and then clamped in the loading zone in side-by-side parallel relationship in an array. The wires are then cut and the clamped array of wires is moved laterally of the axes of the wires past a succession of crimping machines or the like. At each of the machines, a preselected wire is moved axially from the array so that its end is presented to the machine and a terminal is crimped onto the wire. The method of the invention is capable of producing harnesses comprising a plurality of discrete wires having different types of discrete terminals on their ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Werner Maack, Michael Gerst, Manfred Liedloff