Patents by Inventor Thomas Herwig

Thomas Herwig 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: 4884289
    Abstract: An x-ray scanner for detecting plastic articles has an x-ray source which generates a fan-shaped x-ray beam through which an article to be examined is moved. A primary radiation detector array is disposed at a side of the article opposite to the x-ray source and functions to provide a normal x-ray image identifying metal articles. Additional detectors, which detect scatter radiation are disposed around the examination space at a distance from the primary radiation detector. The scatter radiation detectors detect scattered radiation characteristic of that produced by plastic articles. Signals from the scatter radiation detectors are processed, by which the presence of a plastic article can be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Glockmann, Thomas Herwig
  • Patent number: 4736401
    Abstract: An X-ray scanner for examining objects moved through an X-ray beam on a conveyor has a detector array disposed at the opposite side of the conveyor from the X-ray source and a pulse generator connected to the motor which drives the conveyor for generating a pulse trail dependent on the speed of the motor, and hence on the speed of the conveyor. The pulse generator is connected to a scanner for the detector array and controls the scan rate dependent upon the conveyor speed. The conveyor speed is controlled such that the quotient of the scan rate and the conveying speed is maintained constant in order to hold the imaging scale constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1988
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Donges, Thomas Herwig, Cornelius Koch, Georg Geus
  • Patent number: 4722096
    Abstract: An apparatus for transradiating an object moving on a conveyor path has a radiation generator for generating at least one fan-shaped radiation beam directed at the object and disposed substantially perpendicularly to the conveyor path, a number of line-shaped radiation detectors disposed for receiving radiation after passing through respective portions of the object with radiation passing through one portion of the object being received by one of the detectors, and all of the detectors in combination receiving all of the radiation passing through the object, and an evaluation unit connected to the detectors for evaluating signals therefrom to form an image of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Dietrich, Gerhard Doenges, Thomas Herwig
  • Patent number: 4641330
    Abstract: A high voltage supply circuit for an x-ray tube includes a high voltage transformer having a primary side driven by voltage pulses generated by a drive circuit. The drive circuit includes sub-circuits for controlling the pulse repetition frequency, which is selected as equal to a parallel resonant frequency of a high voltage generator connected to the secondary side of the transformer, for the purpose of saving energy. The drive circuit also includes a sub-circuit for controlling the pulse duration, with the filament voltage in the x-ray tube being regulated by this pulse duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1987
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Herwig, Georg Geus
  • Patent number: 4566113
    Abstract: Method for examining the content of containers, which includes weighing the container, comparing the weight of the container with a total weight derived from the net weight of a given load and the product of the volume and the packing weight of the given load, transilluminating the container with a spatially limited high energy X-ray beam, moving the container relative to the X-ray, and determining and evaluating the distribution of the mass attenuation coefficient over at least one surface of the container, and an apparatus for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1986
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Donges, Thomas Herwig, Claus Kunze, Karl-Ulrich Stein
  • Patent number: 4397557
    Abstract: An optical arrangement for a light scattering type smoke detector has a radiation transmitter and receiver which are each preceded by a lens for obtaining a generally parallel field of view for each of the transmitter and receiver. The radiation is directed at a detection zone which is surrounded by diaphragms and the fields of view for the transmitter and receiver terminate in a light trap for preventing unwanted scattering and reflection. The transmitter and receiver are disposed at an acute angle with respect to each other and the receiver detects only back-scattered radiation from smoke particles in the detection area. This structure allows a relatively short structural length to be utilized along a common optical axis of the transmitter and receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Herwig, Ortwin Struss
  • Patent number: 4307388
    Abstract: In an infrared motion alarm an optical filter arranged in front of an input of an infrared detector is attached to a heat sink in the form of a solid metal crucible in order to reduce the sensitivity to glass-penetrating electromagnetic radiation. Changes in radiation absorbed in the optical filter are either captured in the thermal sink or decelerated at least as to the characteristic thermal radiation of the optical filter and no longer fall within the characteristic range of change of the motion alarm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Doenges, Thomas Herwig
  • Patent number: 4271359
    Abstract: An optical arrangement for use with an infrared detector characterized by a concave mirror surrounding the infrared detector, a body having a plane reflecting surface extending perpendicular to the axis of the detector, which surface faces the detector and the conical concave mirror, and having a conical reflecting surface extending from the plane surface, and at least one planar directional mirror pivotably mounted for reflecting infrared radiation at the conical reflecting surface. The arrangement can be used to monitor a space and if used with a second arrangement, whose directional mirrors are arranged to provide new sensing curtains adjacent the curtains of the first detector, the arrangement can determine the direction of movement of the object passing through the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1981
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Herwig, Gerhard Doenges
  • Patent number: 4268752
    Abstract: An optical arrangement for a passive infrared motion detector which has an infrared detector unit and a system for directing infrared radiation from at least two separate directions to be monitored onto the detector unit characterized by the system including a single focusing device and separate, flat reflecting surfaces or directing mirrors, which are arranged with at least one flat reflecting surface associated with each direction to be monitored to reflect a beam or solid angle of radiation from the direction onto the single focusing device which device will focus the radiation along a folded beam path to the detector unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1981
    Assignee: Heimann GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Herwig, Gerhard Doenges