Patents Assigned to Illinois Tool Works
  • Patent number: 11945300
    Abstract: A charging or fueling recess for use in a body opening of a vehicle, which has a recess body and a hinge housing as a rigid part made of a first plastic, wherein the recess body is formed integrally with the hinge housing, wherein the hinge housing has a lower part and an upper part, wherein the charging or fueling recess also has a hinge housing sealing body as a flexible part made of a second plastic which is softer than the first plastic, wherein the hinge housing sealing body is arranged at least sectionally between the lower part and the upper part, wherein the recess body, the hinge housing and the hinge housing sealing body are produced using a two-component injection-molding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Werner Krauss
  • Patent number: 11945057
    Abstract: A welding-type power system than includes a power supply, a DC power bus, an energy storage device, and a bi-directional converter. The bi-directional converter configured to connect the DC power bus to the energy storage device, and further configured to convert power from the DC power bus to the energy storage device to charge the energy storage device, and to convert power from the energy storage device to the DC power bus in response to a power demand on the DC power bus. The bi-directional converter further configured to balance the DC power bus. A controller is configured to control the duty cycle of the bi-directional converter in order to balance the DC power bus, and control the flow of power between the energy storage device and the DC power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: James Frank Ulrich
  • Patent number: 11946696
    Abstract: The present application discloses an end barrier box for blocking ambient gases from entering a hearth of a reflow oven, including: a box body, wherein the box body includes a bottom and a top, the bottom has a mounting bottom plate, the top has an opening, the box body further includes a pair of side walls, and the side walls are oppositely disposed; and a plurality of deflectors, wherein each of the plurality of deflectors is mounted between the pair of side walls, each of the plurality of deflectors includes at least three fins, and the at least three fins are mounted on the mounting bottom plate and extend upward from the mounting bottom plate. According to the end barrier box of the present application, the deflector is set to include at least three fins, so that the deflector can be easily disassembled without disassembling the rails, which is convenient for cleaning and maintenance of the end barrier box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Daopeng Wei
  • Patent number: 11945208
    Abstract: A movable cart includes a housing configured to move along a horizontal surface and a plurality of shelves supported by the housing Each shelf of the plurality of shelves is configured to move between a retracted in which the shelf is positioned within the housing and an extended position in which the shelf extends from the housing. The movable cart further includes a sensing system configured to determine whether each shelf of the plurality of shelves is in the retracted position and a type of item supported by the shelf. Other aspects of the movable cart are further disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: James Lynch, Kenneth J. King, Patsy A. Mattero, William A. Losiewicz
  • Patent number: 11947094
    Abstract: A vision system is used in a stencil printer configured to print an assembly material on an electronic substrate. The vision system includes a housing, a dual camera assembly supported by the housing and a prism assembly supported by the housing and configured with the dual camera assembly to provide a first optical path that looks vertically up at a bottom of a stencil and a second optical path that looks vertically down on an electronic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas C. Prentice
  • Publication number: 20240100720
    Abstract: A vacuum head and corresponding method for moving product at the end of a robotic arm includes a housing having a product contact surface. An array of at least two rows and at least three ranks of valves are arranged with respect to the product contact surface. A solenoid is connected with respect to each of the valves to selectively activate air pressure in one or more valves thereby enabling multiple switchable zones on the product contact surface and thereby enable transfer of product between stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Brian Keith Merritt, Brett Alan Stripe
  • Patent number: 11938844
    Abstract: A fastening apparatus, for a backseat bench of a motor vehicle, includes a housing installation with a fastening space for receiving a retaining section of a component to be fastened, wherein the housing installation is insertable in an assembly direction into a passage opening of a carrier component, and wherein the housing installation has an abutment section with an abutment surface extending transversely to the assembly direction at an end counter to the assembly direction for abutment on an edge of a carrier component facing counter to the assembly direction. A catching installation is provided with catching elements for connecting the fastening apparatus to a carrier component. The fastening apparatus further has a fastening installation with a catching means for releasably fixing a retaining section of a component to be fastened, wherein the fastening installation is arranged in front of the abutment section in the assembly direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Albert Sbongk, Manuel Hübner
  • Patent number: 11938603
    Abstract: Gas-operated fixing tool including a working chamber, a piston mounted slideably in the working chamber and comprising a driving rod of which a first longitudinal end is configured to drive a fixing element and of which a second longitudinal end is connected to a head which separates the working chamber into a first portion and into a second portion which is traversed by the rod, and at least one combustion chamber in which a mixture of air and fuel is intended to be burnt in order that combustion gases generate a rise in pressure that causes a movement of the piston in the working chamber, wherein the at least one combustion chamber is in fluid communication with the second portion in such a way that the rise in pressure causes the movement and the return of the piston into a rest position ready for firing a fixing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Ricordi, Olivier Baudrand
  • Patent number: 11938574
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus are disclosed relating to improved fluid supply systems. In some examples, the improved fluid supply systems use an electrically controllable proportional valve and a surge prevention process to prevent a surge of pressurized fluid at the end of a welding-type operation. In particular, the surge prevention process may coordinate closure of the proportional valve and an on/off solenoid valve so that pressure in the fluid flow path can equalize to an ambient pressure after a welding operation (and/or a post flow operation) has ended. This coordination ensures that there is no pressure buildup and/or associated surge of fluid when the on/off solenoid valve is next opened (e.g., at the start of the next welding operation).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Michael Vincent Hoeger
  • Patent number: 11939102
    Abstract: A lifting apparatus for a case on a conveyor system. A chain vertically hangs over a conveyor belt. A hook is positioned on an end of the chain. A piston retracts and releases the chain. The hook interacts with and moves front flaps on cases traveling on the conveyor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Robert Leslie Dillard, Jon Paul Laskis, J. Mark Nunn
  • Patent number: 11939910
    Abstract: Described is a power system having an engine, a generator, a belt-driven component, a first pulley, a second pulley, a third pulley, and a fourth pulley. The engine outputs a rotational force at a first rotational speed to rotate the first pulley. The generator converts mechanical power driving the generator shaft to electric power. The second pulley is drivingly coupled to the first pulley via a first belt and configured to rotate the generator shaft at a second rotational speed based on the first rotational speed. The fourth pulley coupled to the generator shaft having a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the second pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan Joe Jochman
  • Patent number: 11938571
    Abstract: Provided is a disclosure for a ventilation conduit for a welding torch, where the ventilation conduit comprises a conduit body comprising at least a first part and a second part, and a conduit nozzle. The first part and the second part are configured to be removably coupled to each other around an outside of a welding torch. The conduit nozzle, with a first end that is beveled and a second end, is configured to be removably coupled by the second end to the conduit body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Hotz
  • Publication number: 20240093534
    Abstract: A door-locking module for a door of a household appliance includes a housing; a printed circuit board (PCB), received within the housing and further includes at least one first actuator switch adapted to open and close a predetermined first circuit of the PCB. A locking pin is configured to move between a locked position, affecting the door into a locked state, and an unlocked position, affecting the door into an unlocked state. An actuator is operably coupled to the locking pin so as to controllably move the locking pin between the unlocked position and the locked position. A locking ring is operably coupled between the actuator and the at least one first actuator switch and includes a trigger member adapted to operably engage with the signal actuator, and at least one cam guide adapted to cooperate with a corresponding cam follower of the locking pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Dino CHIRUMBOLO, Bojan BICIC, Ahsan ALI, Joze LAVRENCIC
  • Patent number: 11931836
    Abstract: An example welding system includes: a visual acquisition system comprising an imaging device and configured to acquire a visual representation of a weld part and to convert the visual representation into data representative of weld part features; and a part recognition component comprising processing circuitry configured to: receive the digital data; identify one or more features of the weld part in response to receipt of the digital signal; compare the digital signal to stored data of a plurality of weld parts stored in a weld part database to match one or more identified features to a known weld part of the plurality of weld parts stored in the weld part database; identify weld settings stored in a weld parameter database associated with the matching known weld part of the plurality of weld parts stored in the weld part database; and send the weld settings to a welding power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Edward Stein, Stephen Paul Ferkel
  • Patent number: 11933347
    Abstract: Examples of rivet-type fastener are described. The rivet-type fastener may further include a fastener pin. The fastener pin includes a planar head portion and a shaft longitudinally extending from the head portion. The fastener pin may further include a cantilevered snap element at a distal end of the shaft. A portion of the cantilevered snap element is flexibly moveable with respect to the axis of shaft. The rivet-type fastener comprises a fastener body which in turn comprises a collared portion with a central opening. A plurality of elongated portions extend orthogonally from the collared portion, wherein the elongated portions are radially positioned about the central axis and about the edges of the central opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Mahantesh S. Gokavi, Ganesh Kumar, Lokesh Chauhan, Bhupendra Pandey
  • Patent number: 11932192
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fastening strap clamp assembly configured to fasten a first component and a second component of a vehicle together before and during deployment of a safety airbag of the vehicle. The fastening strap clamp assembly comprises a fastening strap housing and a fixing pin. The fastening strap housing comprises a fixing seat, a holder, and a fastening strap that connects the tightening seat to the holder. The fixing seat is configured to be fixed to the first component. The fixing pin locks the holder in a hole of the second component at a locked position. The fixing pin comprises a torsion bar extending along an extension axis, the torsion bar being elastically deformable by twisting around the extension axis, and the torsion bar engaging with the holder at a distal end of the torsion bar. The fixing pin further comprises an actuator that comprises a cam surface and a release surface connected to the cam surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Jiahui He, Mengli Sun
  • Patent number: 11931833
    Abstract: Systems and methods for welding asset tracking are disclosed. In some examples, a welding asset tracking system may comprise an asset tracking network of tags, hubs, and/or gateways retained by welding assets within a welding area. The asset tracking network may obtain and/or communicate to an asset tracking server welding data related to one or more of the welding assets, as well as position data obtained via an internal and/or external positioning system. In this way, the welding asset tracking server may continually receive updated information regarding each welding assets identity, location, and/or use. The asset tracking server may additionally send a command to a selected welding asset that causes an interface of the selected welding asset to emit an output that enables an operator to physically identify the welding asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: James Francis Rappl, Todd Holverson
  • Patent number: D1018371
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. Millward, Scott D. Kolasa
  • Patent number: D1018818
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Bernard Heymann, Aleksey Klochkov, Juan Guerrero
  • Patent number: D1019707
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Carey Christopher Costle, Brendan Sangster