Patents Assigned to Ultrablend Color, LLC
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Publication number: 20060062077Abstract: An improved adapter bucket for a mixing apparatus adapted for mixing paints or other fluids can selectively receive either conventional cylindrical containers or non-conventional, non-cylindrical containers therein and restrain either of such container types on the apparatus during mixing operations. The adapter bucket is configured to properly register either of such containers types so that its center of gravity axis is colinearly aligned with the rotation axis of the bucket and the mixing apparatus, regardless of whether the containers' center of gravity axes and central geometric axes are coincident and colinear with each other or laterally offset with respect to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2005Publication date: March 23, 2006Applicant: Ultrablend Color, LLCInventors: Joanne Santospago, Carlos Salas
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Patent number: 6988824Abstract: An improved adapter bucket for a mixing apparatus adapted for mixing paints or other fluids can selectively receive either conventional cylindrical containers or non-conventional, non-cylindrical containers therein and restrain either of such container types on the apparatus during mixing operations. The adapter bucket is configured to properly register either of such containers types so that its center of gravity axis is colinearly aligned with the rotation axis of the bucket and the mixing apparatus, regardless of whether the containers' center of gravity axes and central geometric axes are coincident and colinear with each other or laterally offset with respect to each other.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2004Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Assignee: Ultrablend Color, LLCInventors: Joanne Santospago, Carlos P. Salas
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Patent number: 6883955Abstract: An improved method of detecting the height of, and clamping, a paint or other liquid-containing can relies upon a subtractive comparison of a current draw of a clamping motor to a baseline reference current draw in order to detect the can height. Because the baseline reference current draw accounts for anomalous current draw readings, periodic manual adjustment of the current draw level considered to indicate a can height is unnecessary. The method further includes advanced detection and elimination of gaps developing between the can and the clamping apparatus. A system for agitating a liquid-containing can includes apparatus to carry out can-height detection, clamping, and gap detection and correction using current draw, can height, and clamping plate position data.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2002Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: Ultrablend Color, LLCInventors: Martin Miguel Salas, Peter Markus Tenz
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Publication number: 20050030834Abstract: An improved adapter bucket for a mixing apparatus adapted for mixing paints or other fluids can selectively receive either conventional cylindrical containers or non-conventional, non-cylindrical containers therein and restrain either of such container types on the apparatus during mixing operations. The adapter bucket is configured to properly register either of such containers types so that its center of gravity axis is colinearly aligned with the rotation axis of the bucket and the mixing apparatus, regardless of whether the containers' center of gravity axes and central geometric axes are coincident and colinear with each other or laterally offset with respect to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2004Publication date: February 10, 2005Applicant: Ultrablend Color, LLCInventors: Joanne Santospago, Carlos Salas
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Publication number: 20040013031Abstract: An improved method of detecting the height of, and clamping, a paint or other liquid-containing can relies upon a subtractive comparison of a current draw of a clamping motor to a baseline reference current draw in order to detect the can height. Because the baseline reference current draw accounts for anomalous current draw readings, periodic manual adjustment of the current draw level considered to indicate a can height is unnecessary. The method further includes advanced detection and elimination of gaps developing between the can and the clamping apparatus. A system for agitating a liquid-containing can includes apparatus to carry out can-height detection, clamping, and gap detection and correction using current draw, can height, and clamping plate position data.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2002Publication date: January 22, 2004Applicant: Ultrablend Color, LLCInventors: Martin Miguel Salas, Peter Markus Tenz
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Publication number: 20030142583Abstract: An improved adapter bucket for a mixing apparatus adapted for mixing paints or other fluids can selectively receive either conventional cylindrical containers or non-conventional, non-cylindrical containers therein and restrain either of such container types on the apparatus during mixing operations. The adapter bucket is configured to properly register either of such containers types so that its center of gravity axis is colinearly aligned with the rotation axis of the bucket and the mixing apparatus, regardless of whether the containers' center of gravity axes and central geometric axes are coincident and colinear with each other or laterally offset with respect to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2002Publication date: July 31, 2003Applicant: Ultrablend Color, LLCInventors: Joanne Santospago, Carlos P. Salas
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Patent number: 6585012Abstract: A device and method for retaining pigment-conducting tubes in a paint mixing machine includes a nozzle having an array of holes to accommodate the pigment-conducting tubes and a pair of lock plates, attachable to the nozzle and each having a like array of apertures, as well as offset screw holes. When the lock plates are attached to the nozzle and the screw holes are aligned, the apertures are offset, causing deformation of the pigment-conducting tubes, which deformation serves to retain the pigment tubes in the nozzle. A paint mixing machine having pigment reservoirs and valves for controlling pigment flow also has a movable mounting plate, upon which the nozzle is mounted, and the nozzle is thereby movable under microprocessor control between a dormant position and a dispensing position, which, in combination with a sight, allows more precise alignment of a paint can under the nozzle dispensing location.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2002Date of Patent: July 1, 2003Assignee: Ultrablend Color, LLCInventor: Frank Iovino