Patents by Inventor Thomas Nitsch

Thomas Nitsch 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: 11753199
    Abstract: An applicator for attaching a handle comprises three arms, each of which extends radially from the horizontal axis along an arm axis. Each of the arms comprises a cutter, a holder, and a displacer. The holder comprises a pneumatic interface for using negative pressure to hold or guide an endless band as well as the carrying handle that results therefrom. The displacer displaces the pneumatic interface along a direction defined by the arm axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Van Heukelum, Stefan Wagner
  • Patent number: 11608203
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a multipack includes forming groups on opposite sides of a transport section. The first forming group comprises a sliding carriage that moves along and transverse to a transport direction, a format part that forms a contact surface for engaging a container, and a guiding-and-holding element that detachably secures the format part to the sliding carriage. The first and second forming groups are movable along the transport direction and transverse to the transport direction such that contact surfaces of the first and second forming groups that are opposite each other are brought into contact with containers to move the containers along the transport direction and to press the containers against each other by moving transverse to the transport direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Thomas Stienen
  • Patent number: 11577873
    Abstract: The application relates to a device and method for attaching handles to packages or containers, such as bottles, cans, boxes, pouches, and similar containers, or to groups of packages or containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Stuhlmann, Volker Zahn, Thomas Nitsch, Mathias Fischer, Michael Wertz, Norman Pau
  • Publication number: 20210362899
    Abstract: An applicator for attaching a handle comprises three arms, each of which extends radially from the horizontal axis along an arm axis. Each of the arms comprises a cutter, a holder, and a displacer. The holder comprises a pneumatic interface for using negative pressure to hold or guide an endless band as well as the carrying handle that results therefrom. The displacer displaces the pneumatic interface along a direction defined by the arm axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Van Heukelum, Stefan Wagner
  • Publication number: 20210139182
    Abstract: The application relates to a device and method for attaching handles to packages or containers, such as bottles, cans, boxes, pouches, and similar containers, or to groups of packages or containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher STUHLMANN, Volker ZAHN, Thomas NITSCH, Mathias FISCHER, Michael WERTZ, Norman PAU
  • Publication number: 20210009292
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a multipack includes forming groups on opposite sides of a transport section. The first forming group comprises a sliding carriage that moves along and transverse to a transport direction, a format part that forms a contact surface for engaging a container, and a guiding-and-holding element that detachably secures the format part to the sliding carriage. The first and second forming groups are movable along the transport direction and transverse to the transport direction such that contact surfaces of the first and second forming groups that are opposite each other are brought into contact with containers to move the containers along the transport direction and to press the containers against each other by moving transverse to the transport direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Thomas Stienen
  • Patent number: 10577139
    Abstract: Rotating conveyor circuits that carry containers to be formed into packaging units to a binding-and-packing station that has parallel binding guides supported by carriers. Each binding guide has a deflection element facing the circuits. Coupling elements provide jointed connections between the binding guides and the circuits. An adjustment mechanism adjusts a channel width between the binding guides such that the binding guides remain parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Van Heukelum
  • Patent number: 10427815
    Abstract: A method for producing a container package includes forming container streams in which the containers have had adhesive applied thereto, separating the containers into container groups, with a container from each stream being in the group, and pressing the containers together from the side by using a pair of clamps so that the adhesive binds the containers together to form the container package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Kamps, Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Van Heukelum
  • Publication number: 20180237178
    Abstract: Rotating conveyor circuits that carry containers to be formed into packaging units to a binding-and-packing station that has parallel binding guides supported by carriers. Each binding guide has a deflection element facing the circuits. Coupling elements provide jointed connections between the binding guides and the circuits. An adjustment mechanism adjusts a channel width between the binding guides such that the binding guides remain parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Van Heukelum
  • Patent number: 10035620
    Abstract: A container-orienting device includes container-holder groups, each having rotatable container-holders separated from each other by at least one rotatable container-holder from another container-holder group such that no two rotatable container-holders from a particular container-holder group are next to each other. The device also has a plurality of drives, each of which rotates only container holders from a corresponding container-holder group. The container holders are organized into container-holder sequences, each of which comprises equal numbers of container holders from different container-holder groups arranged in a particular order. These sequences following one another along the conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Norman Pau, Thomas Nitsch, Thomas Lelie, Josef Düpper
  • Patent number: 9809396
    Abstract: A method for separating containers in a densely packed container flow from each other so that they are spaced by a defined distance includes using a compartment star to place the containers on a rearrangement portion and then sweeping the containers forward using catch elements that move along the rearrangement portion so that they arrive at an inlet star with a separation that enables them to be picked up by a waiting inlet-star receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Joehren, Thomas Nitsch
  • Patent number: 9783331
    Abstract: An apparatus for bundling containers includes a linear conveyor, a guide element, conveying elements, and application elements, each of which applies adhesive to a portion of a container surface, The conveying elements are driven and controllable to travel along the conveyor and to circulate along the guide element. Each conveying element has a container guide that rotates relative to the conveying element. The guide element has a feed strand with central, transition, and end sections that merge into each other. The central section is further from the central axis than the end section. The distance from end section to central axis is such that containers circulating on the end section are brought into contact with adhesive on a surface of an adjacent container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Nitsch
  • Publication number: 20170190455
    Abstract: A container-orienting device includes container-holder groups, each having rotatable container-holders separated from each other by at least one rotatable container-holder from another container-holder group such that no two rotatable container-holders from a particular container-holder group are next to each other. The device also has a plurality of drives, each of which rotates only container holders from a corresponding container-holder group. The container holders are organized into container-holder sequences, each of which comprises equal numbers of container holders from different container-holder groups arranged in a particular order. These sequences following one another along the conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Norman Pau, Thomas Nitsch, Thomas Lelie, Josef Düpper
  • Patent number: 9688484
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in a conveying system having carriages guided on a guide of a first conveying segment, each of which has a wheel catcher that includes a conveying wheel having carriage catching areas, each of which is associated with one of several entrainers disposed along a periphery of the conveying wheel. Each entrainer has a carriage-catching surface that faces the rotation direction and that cooperates with a wheel catcher on a carriage. The entrainers are all independently controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastian Kamps, Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Van Heukelum
  • Patent number: 9643745
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing container packs from containers in a container stream or a plurality of transport lines includes guide elements, entraining elements, applicator elements, and a compartmentalizing and/or compressing unit configured for compartmentalizing and compressing a predetermined number of containers that are combined to form a container pack. The applicator elements apply an adhesive agent by spraying or sprinkling such that a bottle in the pack has adhesive a contact-or-touching surface thereof. The linear transporter transports containers that are to form a subsequent pack from an inlet to an outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Stuhlmann, Ernst Van Wickeren, Volker Zahn, Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Wagner
  • Patent number: 9637256
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing bundles of containers received from a wide container stream that is converted into plural single-track container streams. The apparatus has a dividing-off and/or compactor unit that divides off and compacts a predetermined number of containers to form a partial bundle to be combined with other partial bundles to form a full bundle. The apparatus also includes application elements that apply adhesive to a container, a linear transporter having a controllable drive, a guide element, a transport element that moves linearly along the guide element, and as many head guides as there are containers in a bundle. The head guides move and/or rotate relative to the transport element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Van Wickeren, Thomas Nitsch, Stefan Wagner, Volker Zahn
  • Patent number: 9617023
    Abstract: A method for producing a cluster pack forming containers received in a container stream into lanes of single-track container streams, then for each lane, separating containers from neighboring containers by a pre-determined separation distance, for a subset of containers in the lane, applying adhesive to selected regions of the containers, rotating the containers in the subset such that adhesive regions of containers in the subset that are to be joined face each other, dividing off a pre-determined number of containers from the single-track container stream to form a container group. The method then includes pressing the container group against at least one other container group to form the cluster pack. The adhesive is selected such that a container is separable from the cluster pack by hand without damaging the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Zahn, Thomas Nitsch
  • Patent number: 9604743
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a container pack includes a linear transporter, applicator elements, and head guides. The linear transporter has first, second, and third sections. Transport surfaces run parallel to one another in said first section, are oriented at an angle to one another in said second section, and again run parallel to one another in said third section. The second section comprises applicator elements having transversely displaceable and rotatable head guides for single-container transport along said three sections. The apparatus is configured to bring containers together in said third section to form said pack and to transport said pack towards a discharge side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Christopher Stuhlmann, Ernst Van Wickeren, Stefan Wagner, Volker Zahn
  • Patent number: 9573711
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing container bundles without a shrink film or strapping has container guides, which are either base or head guides, a grouping unit, one or more application elements, a multiple track container feed providing multiple container streams, and a container transporter for each stream. The guides are disposed on the container transporter. An application element near the transporter applies adhesive to containers. The grouping unit groups and compress a predetermined number of containers to form a container bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Nitsch, Christopher Stuhlmann, Ernst Van Wickeren, Stefan Wagner, Volker Zahn
  • Patent number: 9550591
    Abstract: A method for producing multipacks of containers includes placing adhesive spots on surfaces of the containers. At least two kinds of adhesives are used, both of which plastic melt adhesives that melt as a result of exposure to heat and that develop cohesion after cooling. After placing the adhesive spots, the containers are connected to each other using the adhesive spots so as to form a multipack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Jöhren, Jörg Koppers, Thomas Nitsch, Volker Zahn, Wilko Flügge, Tobias Böddeker