Patents Examined by Brian W Jennison
  • Patent number: 11974578
    Abstract: A method of making a soft pretzel bite includes cutting a series of transverse slots on one lateral side of a dough strip, curling the transverse slotted dough strip into a respective rolled dough strip, exposing each transverse slot, and transversely cutting each rolled dough strip into dough bites. The method includes washing each dough bite in a caustic solution with the length of each transverse slot being sufficient for excess caustic solution to drain way from the dough bite. The dough bite is baked into a pretzel bite. Each transverse slot allows a volume of the pretzel bite to increase without being constrained by a pretzel skin formed around each transverse slot to aerate an interior of each pretzel bite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Ditsch USA, LLC
    Inventors: Gary Gottenbusch, Donald K. Kross
  • Patent number: 11968984
    Abstract: A baking drawer includes an oven cavity and a drawer assembly movable relative to the oven cavity between an extended position, where the drawer assembly is accessible by a user, and a retracted position, where the drawer assembly is located within the oven cavity. The drawer assembly has a bottom wall, two opposing sidewalls and a rear wall. A first vent is formed in the bottom wall, and a second vent is formed in the rear wall. The vents allow air to flow into and out of a ventilated region delineated by the bottom wall, the two sidewalls and the rear wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Chatot, Lauren E. Bull, Pallavi Saha
  • Patent number: 11969823
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus sets a processing section passing through a target position on a processing surface, sets a measurement section centered on the target position in the processing section, sets a plurality of data acquisition positions that are trajectories perpendicular to a processing direction in the measurement section. The laser processing apparatus acquires pieces of measurement data indicating shapes of keyholes at the respective data acquisition positions during processing of the processing section, and projects the pieces of measurement data in the processing direction to be superimposed on each other to create projection data. The laser processing apparatus obtains the second instruction value in a direction perpendicular to the processing direction at the target position on the basis of the projection data. Therefore, it is possible to provide a laser processing apparatus and a laser processing method capable of accurately measuring a depth of a keyhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Yokoyama, Yohei Takechi
  • Patent number: 11958123
    Abstract: A resistance spot welding method includes: performing test welding; and performing actual welding after the test welding, wherein in subsequent current passage in the test welding, current passage is performed by constant current control under a condition: 0.5 ? Vtp/Vtm ? 2.0 when tc<800 ms; 0.5?0.3·(tc?800)/800 ? Vtp/Vtm ? 2.0?0.5·(tc?800)/800 when 800 ms ? tc<1600 ms; and 0.2 ? Vtp/Vtm ? 1.5 when tc ? 1600 ms, and wherein in main current passage in the actual welding, adaptive control welding is performed, and in subsequent current passage in the actual welding, current passage is performed by constant current control under a condition: 0.8·Itp ? Imp ? 1.2·Itp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikaumi Sawanishi, Hiroshi Matsuda, Rinsei Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11963283
    Abstract: An electric range is provided that may include an elastic holder to fix a fuse and a sensor in a central portion of an induction heating unit disposed over/on/in an upper portion of a base plate, thereby stably fixing the fuse and sensor against external impact. In the electric range, an upper end of the sensor may come into close contact with a lower surface of a cover plate disposed over/on/in an upper portion of the induction heating unit, thereby stably measuring a temperature of the cover plate and absorbing an external impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungmin Cha, Il Young Park, Seunghak Kim, Myoeng Soo Park
  • Patent number: 11951575
    Abstract: Disclosed are an automatic welding system and method for large structural parts based on hybrid robots and 3D vision. The system comprises a hybrid robot system composed of a mobile robot and an MDOF robot, a 3D vision system, and a welding system used for welding. The rough positioning technique based on a mobile platform and the accurate recognition and positioning technique based on high-accuracy 3D vision are combined, so the working range of the MDOF robot in the XYZ directions is expanded, and flexible welding of large structural parts is realized. The invention adopts 3D vision, thus having better error tolerance and lower requirements for the machining accuracy of workpieces, positioning accuracy of mobile robots and placement accuracy of the workpieces; and the cost is reduced, the flexibility is improved, the working range is expanded, labor is saved, production efficiency is improved, and welding quality is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Inventors: Tao Yang, HuanHuan Li, Lei Peng, JunWei Jiang, Li Ma, QingFeng Liu, NiNi Zhang, Fang Wang
  • Patent number: 11945041
    Abstract: A cap extractor for a welding gun includes a housing, a pair of springs, and first and second arms that are arranged between the springs. Each of the first and second arms have teeth that are configured to engage a welding cap. The first and second arms are configured to move relative to the housing in first and second directions that are transverse to one another by deflecting the springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: DOBEN LIMITED
    Inventors: David M. Simone, Daniel P. Vanderzwet, Philip W. Brown
  • 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: 11931817
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a multi-segment device, such as an intravascular guide wire. The multi-segment device includes an elongate first portion comprising a first metallic material, an elongate second portion comprising a different metallic material, the first and second elongate portions being directly joined together end to end by a solid-state weld, and a heat affected zone surrounding an interface of the weld where the first and second portions are joined together, wherein the heat affected zone has an average thickness of less than about 0.20 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Simpson, Jeffrey F. Dooley, Matthew J. Gillick
  • Patent number: 11931834
    Abstract: In a method for regulating or controlling the conveyance speed of a wire composed of consumable material during a laser soldering or welding method, the wire is melted by a laser beam from a laser unit and is conveyed at a mean conveyance speed toward a workpiece to be processed, wherein a voltage between the wire and the workpiece is measured. A laser soldering or laser welding device carries out this method. In order to avoid at least relatively lengthy short-circuit breaking between the end of the wire and the workpiece, the conveyance speed of the wire, as a function of the measured voltage, is temporarily increased to a predetermined boost speed by increasing the conveyance speed to the predetermined boost speed when a defined voltage limit value is exceeded, and the conveyance speed is reduced again at the latest when the voltage limit value falls below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: FRONIUS INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Manuel Binder, Andreas Waldhör
  • Patent number: 11926003
    Abstract: A system and method provide gasless, mechanized, field welding of an exterior of a tubular structure such as a pipeline, without the need for an enclosure. An embodiment consolidates some of the welding equipment on a skid for ease of transport to and from a remote worksite. The gasless weld may be achieved despite the presence of wind, by precisely controlling an arc voltage as disclosed. The footprint and weight of the system may be minimized, along with the associated labor, expense, and environmental impact otherwise incurred by conventional welding techniques using enclosures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Pipeline Supply & Service, LLC
    Inventors: Marcus Cook, Peter Nicholson
  • Patent number: 11926000
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a vacuum adiabatic body including a conductive resistance sheet providing a vacuum space that has a temperature between a temperature of an internal space and a temperature of an external space and is in a vacuum state, the conductive resistance sheet capable of resisting heat conduction between a first plate and a second plate, wherein at least one of the conductive resistance sheet and each of the first and second plates are welded to each other to create a welding part, wherein a plurality of regular beads are provided to a surface of the welding part, and wherein the plurality of regular beads includes: a parabolic inflection region provided at a center portion; linear regions respectively provided at both outsides of the inflection region; and edge regions respectively provided at outsides of the linear regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: LG ELECTRONICS INC., UNIST ACADEMY-INDUSTRY RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wonyeong Jung, Deokhyun Youn, Jangseok Lee, Hyungson Ki
  • Patent number: 11926002
    Abstract: The invention belongs to the field of welding technology and discloses a CMT automatic overlaying method for opening in side wall of bimetallic composite pipes. The method includes: establishing a mathematical model of the opening in a side wall to be welded; Based on the mathematical model, determining the trajectory of the saddle line during overlaying; dividing the trajectory of the saddle line into several welding runs, all of which adopt the downslope welding process; establishing a three-dimensional model of the opening in the side wall to be welded and a CMT overlaying system simulation model; Based on the simulation model, planning the overlaying path of the CMT overlaying, and generating an overlaying offline instruction; Based on the offline instruction, performing CMT overlaying on the opening in the side wall to be welded according to the overlaying sequence, so as to obtain a weld overlay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Tianjin University
    Inventors: Yongdian Han, Zhaowei Xue, Lianyong Xu, Lei Zhao, Kangda Hao
  • Patent number: 11929241
    Abstract: Temperature measurement is described for a substrate carrier using a heater element array. In one example a method includes measuring a first combined current load of each of a plurality of heating elements in the electrostatic chuck, changing a power status of a first heating element of the plurality of heating elements, measuring a second combined current load of each of the plurality of heating elements after changing the power status of the first heating element, determining the difference between the first and second combined current loads, determining a temperature of the first heating element using the difference, and reverting the power status of the first heating element to that before the change and repeating changing power, measuring a current load, determining a difference, and determining a temperature for each of the other heating elements of the plurality to determine a temperature at each of the heating elements of the plurality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip Criminale, Zhiqiang Guo
  • Patent number: 11925293
    Abstract: A stove includes a heating unit, an adjustment unit and a grill grate. The adjustment unit includes two lifting units, a synchronizer, and a drive unit. Each lifting unit has a screw rod, a sliding block movable along the screw rod, and a lift frame mounted to the sliding block. The synchronizer connects the lifting units. The drive unit is connected to the screw rod of one of the lifting units and is operable to drive synchronized rotation of the screw rods through the synchronizer. The grill grate is supported by the lift frames for moving between a first position, where the grill grate is proximate to the heating unit, and a second position, where the grill grate is distal from the heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventor: Chia-Ming Liu
  • Patent number: 11919703
    Abstract: A single-serve capsule for making a beverage, having a base element with a cavity that is free of a filter, and in which a raw beverage material is provided, the cavity including radially spaced and vertically oriented convexities, where a width defined between each of the plurality of convexities is wider than a width of each of plurality of convexities, the base element has a wall region extending between the flange and a bottom region of the base element with radially spaced and vertically oriented grooves, a width of the side wall defined between each of the plurality of grooves is wider than a width of each of plurality of grooves, the capsule has an identifier, which makes it possible to individualize the single-serve capsule, the identifier is a barcode on the wall region and on a bottom side of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: K-FEE SYSTEM GMBH
    Inventor: Marc Krüger
  • Patent number: 11924931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to glass for vehicles including a glass plate; an information transmitting/receiving area, defined in the glass, via which a device mounted in a vehicle transmits or receives information; and a film that heats the information transmitting/receiving area, the film being attached to an area overlapping the information transmitting/receiving area in an interior side of the glass plate in a vehicle in a planar view; wherein the film includes a substrate, a heating element formed on the substrate, and a busbar connected to the heating element; the film has a heating zone divided into two or more heating areas; and the two or more of the heating areas share at least one busbar and are connected in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: AGC INC.
    Inventors: Yuhei Gima, Shunsuke Sadakane
  • Patent number: 11923788
    Abstract: Disclosed example welding or cutting circuits include: an input leg including a capacitor coupled between a high bus and a low bus; a buck converter coupled in parallel with the input leg, the buck converter having a first transistor, a second transistor, and an output electrically coupled to a node between the first transistor and the second transistor, and wherein the buck converter is configured to convert input voltage to current in an inductor coupled to the output of the buck converter; and a steering leg coupled in parallel with the input leg, wherein the steering leg is configured to control a rate at which the current in the inductor decreases, and wherein a current detector provides current level indications to a hysteretic controller, the hysteretic controller providing signals to the first and second transistors that control the first and second transistors to control the voltage applied to the inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Van Bergen Salsich
  • Patent number: 11911837
    Abstract: A resistance spot welding method comprises: performing test welding; and performing actual welding after the test welding, wherein the test welding is performed under each of two or more welding conditions. In the test welding, for each of the welding conditions, an electrode force parameter from when electrode force application to parts to be welded starts to when a set electrode force is reached before start of current passage and a time variation curve of an instantaneous amount of heat generated and a cumulative amount of heat generated are stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikaumi Sawanishi, Hiroshi Matsuda, Rinsei Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11911557
    Abstract: A heating element for a vaporizer cartridge is provided. The vaporizer cartridge may include a reservoir containing vaporizable material and a wicking element in fluid communication with the reservoir. The heating element may include a heating portion, a cartridge contact, and a leg. The heating portion includes at least two tines spaced apart from one another. The cartridge contact may be in in electrical communication with a power source. The leg extends between the heating portion and the cartridge contact. The heating portion may be crimped around the wicking element such that the heating portion secures the wicking element to the heating element and contacts at least two surfaces of the wicking element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: JUUL Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Ariel Atkins, Christopher L. Belisle, Steven Christensen, Alexander M. Hoopai, Eric Joseph Johnson, Jason King, Esteban Leon Duque, Christopher James Rosser