Patents by Inventor Thomas E. Heinemeier

Thomas E. Heinemeier 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).

  • Accumulating conveyor system
    Patent number: 8978880
    Abstract: A conveyor system includes pulleys spaced mutually along a length of the conveyor system; and roller assemblies, each roller assembly aligned with one of the pulleys, including a first ring driveably connected to one of the pulleys, a second ring surrounding the first ring, and a third ring located radially between and contacting the first and second rings, and alternately transmitting rotary motion from the first ring to the second ring and discontinuing said transmission of rotary motion depending on presence and absence of frictional engagement between the third ring and at least one of the first ring and the second ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Thomas E. Heinemeier
  • ACCUMULATING CONVEYOR SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20130175141
    Abstract: A conveyor system includes pulleys spaced mutually along a length of the conveyor system; and roller assemblies, each roller assembly aligned with one of the pulleys, including a first ring driveably connected to one of the pulleys, a second ring surrounding the first ring, and a third ring located radially between and contacting the first and second rings, and alternately transmitting rotary motion from the first ring to the second ring and discontinuing said transmission of rotary motion depending on presence and absence of frictional engagement between the third ring and at least one of the first ring and the second ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Heinemeier
  • Mechanical workstation skillet lift
    Patent number: 7731013
    Abstract: A mechanical skillet lift and conveyor system including a workstation having a lift element securely positioned at a first location and a skillet including a lift device and a vertically translatable table drivenly coupled to the device, wherein the skillet device is configured to automatically cause a predetermined change in table elevation, when the skillet is translated through the workstation such that the device engages the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Milner, Thomas E. Heinemeier
  • Mechanical Workstation Skillet Lift
    Publication number: 20090211879
    Abstract: A mechanical skillet lift and conveyor system including a workstation having a lift element securely positioned at a first location and a skillet including a lift device and a vertically translatable table drivenly coupled to the device, wherein the skillet device is configured to automatically cause a predetermined change in table elevation, when the skillet is translated through the workstation such that the device engages the element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: John D. Milner, Thomas E. Heinemeier