Patents by Inventor Thomas Hafker
Thomas Hafker 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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Patent number: 10899535Abstract: A pack for cigarettes having an outer pack and an inner pack with a blank that surrounds a cigarette group, the inner pack having a removal opening for accessing the pack contents, and the inner pack having a closure flap fastened to it by a releasable adhesive bond and being removable for access to the removal opening or pack contents. For forming the removal opening, the blank has an opening that is closable by the closure means, the closure means having a coverage region that, with the closure means in the closed position, circumferentially surrounds the opening and is adhesively connectable to a region of the blank that surrounds the opening, and a separate blank is adhesively fastened on the closure means on the side facing the inner pack, the separate blank, with the closure means in the closed position, covering the opening and overlapping the opening on all sides.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2017Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)Inventor: Thomas Häfker
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Patent number: 10865037Abstract: A cigarette pack, having an inner pack for pack contents, in particular for a group of cigarettes, and having an outer pack, preferably in the form of a hinge/lid pack, wherein the inner pack which preferably directly encases the pack contents has lateral walls made of cardboard, which are formed by overlapping lateral tabs of a blank for the inner pack. The invention is characterized in that end corner tabs, which are arranged on both sides of a lid wall of the inner pack, have a respective substantially V-shaped design, and in that each of the end corner tabs is arranged between inner lateral tabs and outer lateral tabs of the lateral walls of the inner pack.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2017Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)Inventors: Thomas Häfker, Christoph Schneider, Henry Buse
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Publication number: 20190225410Abstract: A pack for cigarettes having an outer pack and an inner pack with a blank that surrounds a cigarette group, the inner pack having a removal opening for accessing the pack contents, and the inner pack having a closure flap fastened to it by a releasable adhesive bond and being removable for access to the removal opening or pack contents. For forming the removal opening, the blank has an opening that is closable by the closure means, the closure means having a coverage region that, with the closure means in the closed position, circumferentially surrounds the opening and is adhesively connectable to a region of the blank that surrounds the opening, and a separate blank is adhesively fastened on the closure means on the side facing the inner pack, the separate blank, with the closure means in the closed position, covering the opening and overlapping the opening on all sides.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2017Publication date: July 25, 2019Applicant: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)Inventor: Thomas HÄFKER
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Publication number: 20190185252Abstract: The invention relates to a cigarette pack, having an inner pack (12) for pack contents, in particular for a group of cigarettes (11), and having an outer pack (13), preferably in the form of a hinge/lid pack, wherein the inner pack (12) which preferably directly encases the pack contents has lateral walls made of (thin) cardboard (50), which are formed by overlapping lateral tabs (51, 52, 53) of a blank (33) for the inner pack (12). The invention is characterized in that end corner tabs (55), which are arranged on both sides of a lid wall (37) of the inner pack (12), have a respective substantially V-shaped design, and in that each of the end corner tabs (55) is arranged between inner lateral tabs (51) and outer lateral tabs (52, 53) of the lateral walls (50) of the inner pack (12).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2017Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)Inventors: Thomas Häfker, Christoph Schneider, Henry Buse
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Patent number: 8528307Abstract: A method and apparatus for filling, closing, folding and transporting away tobacco bags (10) or pouches, using a turret (24) that rotates about a horizontal axis and has preferably six mounts (28), each for one bag (10), arranged along the circumference in the region of planar wall portions (29). The bags are conveyed through a plurality of processing stations, in particular through a filling station, suction-extraction station, closing station and wrapping station, by the turret (24) with cyclic rotary movement. A plurality of sub-turrets, each with corresponding mounts (28), can be arranged one beside the other in the axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2008Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)Inventors: Jörg Thierig, Burkard Roesler, Thomas Häfker, Henry Buse, Konrad Popp, Holger Witzmann
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Publication number: 20120037020Abstract: A method of, and an apparatus for, producing packs for cigarettes, having a continuously driven conveyor, such as a transporting belt with drivers, for transporting the packs, and having an arrangement for applying printing carriers, such as labels, coupons or the like, to a side surface of the packs, the arrangement for applying the printing carriers being arranged in the region of the conveyor, for the purpose of applying the printing carriers to a side surface of the pack, this side surface being directed toward the arrangement, during transportation along the conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2010Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicant: FOCKE & CO. (GMBH & CO, KG)Inventors: Thomas Häfker, Heiko Köhler
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Publication number: 20110152050Abstract: A method and device for the production of packages for use in the production of cigarette packs (10) of the hinge-lid-box type, in which, usually in a final production step, folding flaps, namely side flaps for forming side walls of the pack, are provided with glue and then outer side flaps are folded. The gluing is done using cold glue, on the one hand, and hot glue, on the other hand. During certain operating phases, only one of the types of glue is transferred, and therefore, with different curing times of the types of glue, it is ensured that the pack is shaped precisely before the glue bonds are solid. It is also ensured that the residence time in a drying turret is sufficient in order to allow at least one of a number of types of glue to set.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Inventors: Thomas Häfker, Hermann Blome
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Publication number: 20100242972Abstract: A method and apparatus for filling, closing, folding and transporting away tobacco bags (10) or pouches, using a turret (24) that rotates about a horizontal axis and has preferably six mounts (28), each for one bag (10), arranged along the circumference in the region of planar wall portions (29). The bags are conveyed through a plurality of processing stations, in particular through a filling station, suction-extraction station, closing station and wrapping station, by the turret (24) with cyclic rotary movement. A plurality of sub-turrets, each with corresponding mounts (28), can be arranged one beside the other in the axial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2008Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: FOCKE & CO. (GMBH & CO. KG)Inventors: Joerg Thierig, Burkard Roesler, Thomas Häfker, Henry Buse, Konrad Popp, Holger Witzmann
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Patent number: 7591120Abstract: During the production of (cigarette) packs by packers (13), the pack, depending on its configuration, has printing carriers, namely coupons which may be folded a number of times, added to it. These are produced by a coupon-production device (16) in a coupon arrangement (15) and are introduced into containers, namely magazines (20), in a filling station (18). A number of these magazines, in turn, which corresponds to requirements is kept on vehicles, namely transporting carts (42, 43), in order to be fed to the packer (13). The relevant machines and subassemblies are connected to a central control unit (91) which defines the quantity of coupons which are to be produced and causes the magazines (20) and/or the transporting carts (42, 43) to be coded, with the result that the supply of the packers (13) with coupons is controlled in accordance with the batch of packs which is to be produced.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2004Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)Inventors: Thomas Hafker, Jens Schmidt
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Patent number: 7367170Abstract: (Liquid) flavoring agents and other substances are transferred to cigarettes immediately prior to or during the packaging operation of the cigarettes (12). An advantageous solution is that of the substances being transferred directly to free ends of the cigarettes (12) once cigarette groups (11) have been formed and during transportation of these groups. As an alternative, the substances can be transferred to the inside of an inner wrapper of the cigarette group in particular to a folding tab of a base wall.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2004Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co. KG)Inventors: Thomas Häfker, Axel Leifheit, Ralph Sgodzai
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Publication number: 20070102014Abstract: (Liquid) flavoring agents and other substances are transferred to cigarettes immediately prior to or during the packaging operation of the cigarettes (12). An advantageous solution is that of the substances being transferred directly to free ends of the cigarettes (12) once cigarette groups (11) have been formed and during transportation of these groups. As an alternative, the substances can be transferred to the inside of an inner wrapper of the cigarette group in particular to a folding tab of a base wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2004Publication date: May 10, 2007Inventors: Thomas Hafker, Axel Leifheit, Ralph Sgodzai
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Publication number: 20070028934Abstract: During the production of (cigarette) packs by packers (13), the pack, depending on its configuration, has printing carriers, namely coupons which may be folded a number of times, added to it. These are produced by a coupon-production means (16) in a coupon arrangement (15) and are introduced into containers, namely magazines (20), in a filling station (18). A number of these magazines, in turn, which corresponds to requirements is kept on vehicles, namely transporting carts (42, 43), in order to be fed to the packer (13). The relevant machines and subassemblies are connected to a central control unit (91) which defines the quantity of coupons which are to be produced and causes the magazines (20) and/or the transporting carts (42, 43) to be coded, with the result that the supply of the packers (13) with coupons is controlled in accordance with the batch of packs which is to be produced.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2004Publication date: February 8, 2007Inventors: Thomas Hafker, Jens Schmidt
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Patent number: 7001320Abstract: In the production of (cigarette) packs of the hinge-lid-box type with round edges, preliminary deformation of blanks (10) is desirable for producing hinge-lid boxes of satisfactory quality. The preliminary deformation of the round edges takes place in the region of a rounding turret (18) during transportation of the blanks (10). The latter are deformed back into an essentially planar starting position upon leaving the rounding turret (18) and thereafter.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Focke & Co., (GmbH & Co)Inventors: Jurgen Focke, legal representative, Doris Focke, legal representative, Thomas Häfker, Heinz Focke, deceased
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Publication number: 20040159395Abstract: For producing folded printing carriers—folding coupons (10)—use is made of an apparatus which is designed as a unit and in the case of which a continuous material web (11) is provided with regions of hot-melt glue. Blanks (25) are cut off from the material web (11) prepared in this way and are fed to a folding subassembly (26) in order to be folded transversely a number of times. Following the folding subassembly (26), the folding coupons (10) are subjected to the action of heat and pressure by a handling arrangement (34).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2003Publication date: August 19, 2004Inventors: Heinz Focke, Thomas Hafker, Jens Schmidt, Jurgen Focke, Doris Focke
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Patent number: 6688077Abstract: Apparatus for handling (cigarette) packs, in particular for transporting and sealing the same. (Cigarette) packs (10) coming from a packaging machine or a folding turret (11) are transported in the region of a sealing subassembly (22) by a pocket conveyor (26), laterally arranged sealing jaws (35, 36) sealing sideways-directed end walls during a standstill phase. The packs (10) are fed, via an intermediate conveyor (23), to an accumulating conveyor (24) and, finally, to a pushing-off station (25) for the formation of pack groups (55) which are to be pushed off transversely. By virtue of relative movement, the pack group (55) is separated off from a following line of packs (52).Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2000Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH)Inventors: Heinz Focke, Thomas Häfker, Johann Köster
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Patent number: 6550220Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for diagnosing machines (10) for manufacturing products such as cigarettes (12) or cigarette packets (11), the products being examined for faults, and a signal indicating a faulty product being generated. The invention is based on the problem of improving the diagnosis. In order to solve this problem, the method according to the invention is characterized in that the fault-indicating signal (46) is evaluated for possible periodicity of faulty products (11, 12), and a possible periodicity is determined. For this purpose, the device according to the invention has an appropriately constructed control device (27a).Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)Inventors: Heinz Focke, Thomas Häfker, Hartmut Olbrich
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Patent number: 6511405Abstract: In order to improve the outer appearance of (cigarette) packs (10) of the hinge-lid-box type, said packs, once an outer wrapper (13) has been provided and sealed, are conveyed through a shrinking station (26) and subjected to the action of heat in the region of the large-surface-area pack sides, in particular in the region of upwardly directed front sides. For this purpose, heating plates (32, 33) are positioned in the region of the shrinking station (26) and transmit heat to the upwardly directed surfaces of the packs (10).Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2000Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignee: Focke & Co (GmbH & Co)Inventors: Heinz Focke, Thomas Häfker
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Patent number: 6206815Abstract: Blanks (10) made of thin cardboard for hinge-lid packets or similar are produced in the region of a packaging machine. To this end, a material web (19) made of thin cardboard and if necessary partially pre-prepared, is led through a blanks device (20) in the region of the packaging machine. The blanks device (20) can if necessary apply printing (29) to the material web (19) as well as embossing, grooves, punched-out lines, until the blanks (10) are completely produced by a transverse severance cut (32).Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1998Date of Patent: March 27, 2001Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)Inventors: Heinz Focke, Henry Buse, Thomas Häfker
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Patent number: 6138437Abstract: Cigarette packs (10) are usually provided with an outer wrapper (13) made of thin, transparent or clear film. Furthermore, cigarette packs (10) are furnished with a (revenue) stamp (25). This is attached to the inner side of the outer wrapper (13) with glue or by other means. A tear-off strip (28) for the outer wrapper (13) is laid in place so that it severs the stamp (25) when torn off. This is connected to the pack by gluing its inner side to the facing side wall (16) of the pack.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 1998Date of Patent: October 31, 2000Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)Inventors: Heinz Focke, Thomas Hafker, Jurgen Schwecke
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Patent number: 6044616Abstract: Method of operating machines with rotating units and machine with a rotating unit, in particular a packaging machine with a (folding) turret. Rotating units, in particular folding turrets (10) of packaging machines, must be supplied with oil as a lubricant. At the same time, areas supplied with oil must be sealed with respect to those areas into which oil must not penetrate. In the case of a folding turret (10), a supporting part (11) is confined with respect to a rotating part (12) by means of a rotating supporting rim (46) and a supporting ring (48) surrounding the latter. The supporting rim (46), as a rotating element, is provided with grooves (52, 53, 54) which prevent passage of oil in the area of a sealing gap (51) formed between the supporting rim (46) and the supporting ring (48).Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1998Date of Patent: April 4, 2000Assignee: Focke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)Inventors: Heinz Focke, Thomas Hafker