Patents by Inventor Michael Gruner

Michael Gruner 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: 12258154
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may utilize various approaches for adapting stretch wrapping to accommodate lower quality packaging materials such as packaging materials including recycled content, including heating a web of packaging material prior to or during pre-stretching, utilizing multiple pre-stretch zones and/or reducing surface adhesion of one or more pre-stretch rollers used by a load wrapping apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Christian Michael Gruner
  • Patent number: 12116160
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. An apparatus may be used to sense flaws in packaging material, and in some instances, to accommodate such flaws by temporarily increasing a dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: LANTECH.COM, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Patent number: 12097988
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Publication number: 20240076086
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. An apparatus may be used to sense flaws in packaging material, and in some instances, to accommodate such flaws by temporarily increasing a dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Patent number: 11814205
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. An apparatus may be used to sense flaws in packaging material, and in some instances, to accommodate such flaws by temporarily increasing a dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Publication number: 20230295443
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to effect pigments with solvochromic properties. These effect pigments have a structure comprising a substrate in platelet form and a coating applied to the substrate, wherein the coating comprises: optionally a layer (1) comprising or consisting of at least one of tin oxide, tin hydroxide and/or tin oxide hydrate, a layer (2) comprising at least one of metal oxide, metal hydroxide and/or metal oxide hydrate, and a layer (3) comprising at least one of metal oxide, metal hydroxide and/or metal oxide hydrate, wherein the layers (2) and (3) comprise in their metal oxide, metal hydroxide and/or metal oxide hydrate in a majority two different metal ions from the group consisting of Ti, Fe, Sn or Zr and a further spacer layer (4) being located in between layers (2) and (3), wherein layer (4) has a porous structure comprising cavities and connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Miriam Malz
  • Publication number: 20230066888
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may utilize various approaches for adapting stretch wrapping to accommodate lower quality packaging materials such as packaging materials including recycled content, including heating a web of packaging material prior to or during pre-stretching, utilizing multiple pre-stretch zones and/or reducing surface adhesion of one or more pre-stretch rollers used by a load wrapping apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Christian Michael Gruner
  • Patent number: 11591127
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Lantech.com, LLC
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Publication number: 20220199220
    Abstract: A device, method, medium, and system for digitally administered exercise therapy. The device, method, medium, and system may include determining information indicative of a musculoskeletal condition of a patient. The method medium and system may also include determining a likelihood that the patient will have a positive outcome to digitally-delivered exercise therapy based on the information indicative of the musculoskeletal condition of the patient. The method medium and system may also include determining the specific exercises appropriate for the patient's pain and functional ability. Further, the device, method, medium, and system may also including administering a digital exercise therapy regimen to the patient and measuring and tracking the results thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Marc GRUNER, Michael GRUNER, Nathan HOGABOOM
  • Patent number: 11202739
    Abstract: The present invention relates to red effect pigments including a nonmetallic substrate in platelet form and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating includes at least one of metal oxide, metal hydroxide or metal oxide hydrate, the metal ions of the metal oxide, metal hydroxide and/or metal oxide hydrate comprise at least two different metal ions selected from the group of metals consisting of Fe, Sn, Ti and Zr, and to a process for production thereof and to the use of the red effect pigments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Ralph Schneider
  • Patent number: 10947391
    Abstract: The present invention relates to gold-colored effect pigment including a nonmetallic substrate in platelet form and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating includes at least one spacer layer. The invention further relates to a process for production of and to the use of the gold-colored effect pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Ralph Schneider
  • Patent number: 10934436
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transparent effect pigment which includes a non-metallic platelet-shaped substrate and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating has a spacer layer. The invention further relates to a method for the production, as well as the use, of the transparent effect pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Ralph Schneider
  • Publication number: 20210017404
    Abstract: This invention deals with effect pigment comprising a colored hectorite which is produced by ion exchange process of an initial hectorite with a cationic dye, wherein the initial hectorite can be represented by the formula Kz/n[LixMg(3.0?(x+y)?ySi4O10F2]??(I); wherein n is the charge of K and z=x+2y with 0.2<z<0.8; x=0-0.8; y=0-0.4; K is a cation chosen from a first group consisting of Li+, Na+, K+, NH4+, Rb+, Cs+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+ or mixtures thereof or from a second group consisting of alkylammonium salts with 2 to 8 C-atoms, wherein the alkyl can be branched or linear, or from a mixture of cations from the first and the second group and represents not occupied octahedral lattice sites. Furthermore, these colored hectorites can have a coating thereon comprising at least one layer with a high index of refraction >1.8 or a semitransparent metal and optionally an outer protective layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Josef Breu, Josef Hausner
  • Patent number: 10799432
    Abstract: The invention relates to an absorbent effect pigment including a nonmetallic substrate in platelet form and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating includes at least one spacer layer. The invention further relates to a process for production of and to the use of the absorbent effect pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Eckart GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Ralph Schneider
  • Publication number: 20200299010
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Publication number: 20200299016
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. An apparatus may be used to sense flaws in packaging material, and in some instances, to accommodate such flaws by temporarily increasing a dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Publication number: 20200299015
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product may evaluate a packaging material to determine various metrics associated with the packaging material. A test apparatus may be used to evaluate packaging material using a take up drum capable of sensing containment force imparted upon the drum by packaging material applied thereto, and in some instances, simulated flaws may be formed in a web of packaging material to evaluate a packaging materials response to such flaws when under tension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell, Christian Michael Gruner, Jean-Louis Limousin
  • Patent number: 10759941
    Abstract: The invention relates to a metal effect pigment including a metallic substrate in platelet form and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating includes a spacer layer. The invention further relates to a process for production of and to the use of the metal effect pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Eckart GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Ralph Schneider
  • Publication number: 20200009023
    Abstract: The invention relates to an absorbent effect pigment including a nonmetallic substrate in platelet form and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating includes at least one spacer layer. The invention further relates to a process for production of and to the use of the absorbent effect pigment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Ralph Schneider
  • Patent number: 10391043
    Abstract: The invention relates to an absorbent effect pigment including a nonmetallic substrate in platelet form and a coating applied thereto, wherein the coating includes at least one spacer layer. The invention further relates to a process for production of and to the use of the absorbent effect pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: ECKART GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Grüner, Günter Kaupp, Ralph Schneider