Patents by Inventor Zachary J. Giffey

Zachary J. Giffey 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: 11872114
    Abstract: A system and method for folding a discrete absorbent sanitary product includes conveying a product in a machine direction along a main conveyor, folding the product at a first folding station, and later folding the absorbent sanitary product at a second folding station. The product is folded at each of the first and second folding stations by engaging the product with a first drum and rotating the absorbent sanitary product in a first rotational direction, contacting the product with one or more folding fingers traveling in the machine direction, engaging the product with a rotating member adjacent to the first drum and downstream therefrom in the machine direction, the rotating member rotating in the first rotational direction, and folding the product over the one or more folding fingers via rotation of the rotating member in the first rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: CURT G. JOA, INC.
    Inventors: Zachary J. Giffey, Scott A. Roehrborn
  • Publication number: 20230374720
    Abstract: A roller apparatus (10) for treating at least one web (34) passing through the apparatus (10), the apparatus comprising a pattern roller (12) in the form of a first cylindrical body (14) mounted for rotation around an elongate axis (A) of the first cylindrical body (14), and an anvil roller (16) in the form of a second cylindrical body (18) mounted for rotation around an elongate axis (B) of the second cylindrical body (18). The pattern and anvil rollers (12,16) are located adjacent each other to define a nip (22) between outer cylindrical surfaces (14a,18a) of the first and second cylindrical bodies (14,18). The first and second cylindrical bodies (14,18) are configured to rotate, in use, in opposite directions to each other so as to draw the at least one web (34) through the nip (12) defined between the outer cylindrical surfaces (14a,18a) of the first and second cylindrical bodies (14,18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Zachary J. Giffey, Samuel A. Schneider
  • Patent number: 11071655
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of engaging members rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item with a first engaging member away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second engaging member back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a travel path into and out of contact with the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. McCabe, Gottfried Jason Hohm, Anthony A. Nelson, Zachary J. Giffey
  • Patent number: 10792196
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of vacuum drums rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second rotational vacuum drum back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a pair of belts, into and out of contact with the diaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. McCabe, Gottfried Jason Hohm, Anthony A. Nelson, Zachary J. Giffey
  • Publication number: 20200237572
    Abstract: A system and method for folding a discrete absorbent sanitary product includes conveying a product in a machine direction along a main conveyor, folding the product at a first folding station, and later folding the absorbent sanitary product at a second folding station. The product is folded at each of the first and second folding stations by engaging the product with a first drum and rotating the absorbent sanitary product in a first rotational direction, contacting the product with one or more folding fingers traveling in the machine direction, engaging the product with a rotating member adjacent to the first drum and downstream therefrom in the machine direction, the rotating member rotating in the first rotational direction, and folding the product over the one or more folding fingers via rotation of the rotating member in the first rotational direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Zachary J. Giffey, Scott A. Roehrborn
  • Publication number: 20190216654
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of engaging members rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item with a first engaging member away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second engaging member back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a travel path into and out of contact with the diaper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: John A. McCabe, Gottfried Jason Hohm, Anthony A. Nelson, Zachary J. Giffey
  • Publication number: 20150202092
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of vacuum drums rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second rotational vacuum drum back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a pair of belts, into and out of contact with the diaper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: JOHN A. MCCABE, Gottfried Jason Hohm, Anthony A. Nelson, Zachary J. Giffey