Patents by Inventor Thomas Gerhardt
Thomas Gerhardt 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).
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Publication number: 20150173814Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to a flexible drive assembly (12) which includes drive elements (14) connected to one another in series. Each drive element has a body (16) with a central axis (18) and male and female ends (20, 22). The male end includes a projecting rib (26) of non-circular cross-section and the female end defines a socket (36) with a groove (44) therein which is of non-circular cross-section. The drive elements are connected to one another in series by location of the male end of one element in the series in the socket at the female end of a neighbouring element in the series with the rib of the male end received as a snap fit in the groove of the socket. The male ends and sockets are configured to allow limited pivotal movement to take place between adjacent elements, in each case about an axis transverse to the central axes of the elements, while also allowing the connected elements to transmit rotational torque in either direction from one to the other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2013Publication date: June 25, 2015Applicant: SOUTHERN IMPLANTS (PTY) LTDInventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Richard Kleynhans Pieterse
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Publication number: 20140076042Abstract: A sealing liquid for sealing mail pieces contains water and a penetration agent. The sealing liquid is applied by letter-closing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid. Once sealed, the opening of the letter produces a pronounced pattern so that it is clear that the letter has been opened. Therefore any attempts to reseal the once opened enveloped are easily detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: Francotyp-Postalia GmbhInventors: THOMAS GERHARDT, WOLFGANG MUHL
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Publication number: 20140034556Abstract: An particle separation microstructure comprising a body and a flow channel extending through the body, having an inlet and an outlet for receiving a flow of particles therethrough. The flow channel comprises opposing first and second walls disposed in a spaced-apart relationship and at least one protrusion extending from the first wall into the flow channel and extending along a length of the flow channel. At least a portion of one of the first and second walls is reversibly actuatable between a first and a second position and the first and second walls are substantially parallel in the second position. In the first position the flow channel is open for receiving the flow of particles and in the second position the at least one protrusion abuts the second wall and the flow channel is constricted for restricting the flow of particles and separating particles from the flow of particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIAInventors: Hongshen Ma, Thomas Gerhardt, William James Beattie
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Patent number: 8526085Abstract: The present invention relates to a grating image (30) for depicting a motif (24) that moves upon tilting the grating image (30) about a tilt axis (20), having two or more grating fields (32, 34, 36) having a viewing-angle-dependent visual appearance, that each include an electromagnetic-radiation-influencing grating pattern composed of a plurality of grating lines, and exhibit a preferred direction that establishes a viewing angle from which the appropriate grating field (32, 34, 36) is visually distinguishable, wherein, according to the present invention, the grating fields (32, 34, 36) are formed from a plurality of sub-regions nested within each other (32-i, 34-i, 36-i), and each grating field (32, 34, 36) displays a motif (24) view (24-A, 24-B, 24-C) that is shifted substantially along the tilt axis (20), wherein the viewing angles for the visual distinguishability and the shifts of the motif views (24-A, 24-B, 24-C) of the grating fields (32, 34, 36) are coordinated with each other such that, upon tilType: GrantFiled: August 7, 2008Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbHInventors: Marius Dichtl, Thomas Gerhardt
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Patent number: 8524039Abstract: A screen for producing two-level watermarks is produced by completely closing part of the screen with a viscous sealing compound, which is subsequently cured actively or passively. At the thus closed partial areas of the screen, paper deposit is hindered during papermaking so that the finished paper appears light in transmission in the areas. A mask is used for exactly positioning the sealing compound in the partial areas of the screen and/or for curing the sealing compound only in the given partial areas, whereby in the latter case the uncured areas of the sealing compound are washed out.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2002Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbHInventors: Wittich Kaule, Karlheinz Mayer, Bernd Stumbeck, Wolfgang Wensauer, Guenther Wild, Thomas Gerhardt, Andreas Aigner
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Patent number: 8245662Abstract: A method and a configuration provide dynamic control of a liquid supply for a moisturizing storage device for sealing glued edges of a envelope flap of letter envelopes. Once a measured value has been measured for a sealing liquid which is stored in the tank of a moisturizing apparatus, the type of sealing liquid that is used is qualitatively analyzed on the basis of the measured value and of at least one material parameter as a comparison value. The amount of liquid stored in the moisturizing storage device is then measured by at least one further measurement to allow dynamic control of the liquid supply to the moisturizing storage device as a function of the material parameter and of at least one measured value, which is related to the liquid consumption, in the result of the at least one measurement of the amount of liquid stored in the moisturizing storage device.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2007Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbHInventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
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Patent number: 8236130Abstract: The invention concerns a sealing liquid comprising water and a penetration agent for sealing of mail pieces, the use of said sealing liquid as well as sealing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbHInventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
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Publication number: 20110139337Abstract: The invention concerns a sealing liquid comprising water and a penetration agent for sealing of mail pieces, the use of said sealing liquid as well as sealing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2010Publication date: June 16, 2011Inventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
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Publication number: 20110069360Abstract: The present invention relates to a grating image (30) for depicting a motif (24) that moves upon tilting the grating image (30) about a tilt axis (20), having two or more grating fields (32, 34, 36) having a viewing-angle-dependent visual appearance, that each include an electromagnetic-radiation-influencing grating pattern composed of a plurality of grating lines, and exhibit a preferred direction that establishes a viewing angle from which the appropriate grating field (32, 34, 36) is visually distinguishable, wherein, according to the present invention, the grating fields (32, 34, 36) are formed from a plurality of sub-regions nested within each other (32-i, 34-i, 36-i), and each grating field (32, 34, 36) displays a motif (24) view (24-A, 24-B, 24-C) that is shifted substantially along the tilt axis (20), wherein the viewing angles for the visual distinguishability and the shifts of the motif views (24-A, 24-B, 24-C) of the grating fields (32, 34, 36) are coordinated with each other such that, upon tilType: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2008Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBHInventors: Marius Dichtl, Thomas Gerhardt
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Patent number: 7892393Abstract: The invention concerns a sealing liquid comprising water and a penetration agent for sealing of mail pieces, the use of said sealing liquid as well as sealing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbHInventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
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Patent number: 7591530Abstract: A printing device has a printer head that contains a first device for applying the ink onto a substrate. The first device includes ink nozzles for applying the ink. A second device is provided for moving the printer head from its home position into a working area and back. A waste ink container is placed in the home position of the printer head and opposite of the ink nozzles in the home position of the printer head and the waste ink container contains an open-pore absorber material. The absorber material bears a hygroscopic material on its interior and/or exterior surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2006Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbHInventor: Thomas Gerhardt
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Publication number: 20080246271Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing liquid for sealing mailpieces containing water and a penetration agent, to the uses thereof and to letter-closing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2007Publication date: October 9, 2008Inventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
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Publication number: 20080029220Abstract: A method and a configuration provide dynamic control of a liquid supply for a moisturizing storage device for sealing glued edges of a envelope flap of letter envelopes. Once a measured value has been measured for a sealing liquid which is stored in the tank of a moisturizing apparatus, the type of sealing liquid that is used is qualitatively analyzed on the basis of the measured value and of at least one material parameter as a comparison value. The amount of liquid stored in the moisturizing storage device is then measured by at least one further measurement to allow dynamic control of the liquid supply to the moisturizing storage device as a function of the material parameter and of at least one measured value, which is related to the liquid consumption, in the result of the at least one measurement of the amount of liquid stored in the moisturizing storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2007Publication date: February 7, 2008Applicant: FRANCOTYP-POSTALIA GMBHInventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
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Publication number: 20080011414Abstract: The invention concerns a sealing liquid comprising water and a penetration agent for sealing of mail pieces, the use of said sealing liquid as well as sealing devices and franking machines containing such a sealing liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Inventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Muhl
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Publication number: 20060197800Abstract: A printing device has a printer head that contains a first device for applying the ink onto a substrate. The first device includes ink nozzles for applying the ink. A second device is provided for moving the printer head from its home position into a working area and back. A waste ink container is placed in the home position of the printer head and opposite of the ink nozzles in the home position of the printer head and the waste ink container contains an open-pore absorber material. The absorber material bears a hygroscopic material on its interior and/or exterior surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2006Publication date: September 7, 2006Inventor: Thomas Gerhardt
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Publication number: 20060084852Abstract: A flex circuit optical sensor has an integrated Faraday shield. A conductive trace layer disposed on a substrate is used to form a conductive grid which shields the face of a photodetector. A conductive ink layer is formed on a substrate side opposite the trace layer. The back and sides of the detector are shielded by flex circuit flaps that have the conductive ink layer but substantially exclude the trace layer so as to fold over and closely adhere to the detector body. The shielded substrate flaps advantageously eliminate a separate detector shield, which is typically fabricated with an etched copper part that must be attached to a flex circuit before mounting the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2005Publication date: April 20, 2006Inventors: Gene Mason, Ammar Al-Ali, Thomas Gerhardt
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Publication number: 20050043600Abstract: An optical probe, which is particularly suited to reduce noise in measurements taken on an easily compressible material, such as a finger, a toe, a forehead, an earlobe, or a lip, measures characteristics of the material. A neonatal and adult disposable embodiment of the probe include adhesive coated surfaces to securely affix the probe onto the patient. In addition, the surface of the probe is specially constructed to reduce the effect of ambient noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2004Publication date: February 24, 2005Inventors: Mohamed Diab, Esmaiel Kiani-Azarbayjany, David Tobler, Thomas Gerhardt, Eugene Mason, Mike Mills
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Publication number: 20040249754Abstract: A screen for producing two-level watermarks is produced by completely closing part of the screen with a viscous sealing compound, which is subsequently cured actively or passively. At the thus closed partial areas of the screen, paper deposit is hindered during papermaking so that the finished paper appears light in transmission in the areas. A mask is used for exactly positioning the sealing compound in the partial areas of the screen and/or for curing the sealing compound only in the given partial areas, whereby in the latter case the uncured areas of the sealing compound are washed out.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Inventors: Wittich Kaule, Karlheinz Mayer, Bernd Stumbeck, Wolfgang Wensauer, Guenther Wild, Thomas Gerhardt, Andreas Aigner
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Patent number: 6551391Abstract: The present invention includes an aqueous ink that has a composition which contains one or more dyestuffs, at least one alkanol with a straight or branched C3-C8-alkyl chain and between two and four hydroxyl groups, at least one C1-C6-alkyl ester of an ∝-hydroxycarboxylic acid of the formula R—C(OH)—COOH, wherein R is H or a straight or branched C1-C6-alkyl residue of a penetration agent, a surfactant, other adjuvants, and wherein the balance of the composition is water.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co.Inventors: Thomas Gerhardt, Wolfgang Pekruhn, Georges Roussos
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Patent number: D741485Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: SOUTHERN IMPLANTS (PTY) LTDInventor: Thomas Gerhardt