Patents Examined by Brian W Jennison
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11903420
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes a reservoir containing an aerosol-forming substrate. The system also includes first and second heating elements and first and second liquid transfer elements. The first and second heating elements are spaced apart from the reservoir. The first and second liquid transfer elements are configured to deliver aerosol-forming substrate from the reservoir to the heating elements. The first liquid transfer element has first and second end portions and a portion between the first and second end portions at the first heating element. The second liquid transfer element has first and second end portions and a portion between the first and second end portions at the second heating element. The portion of the first liquid transfer element at the first heating element may extend in a first direction. The portion of the second liquid transfer element at the second heating element may extend in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Eric Force, Yonglu Guo, Yonghai Li
  • Patent number: 11904408
    Abstract: A laser welding mask and a method for facilitating laser welding are provided. The laser welding mask includes a guide plate, a number of clamp plungers, and a number of clamp springs. The guide plate is attached to a load plate. The guide plate defines a number of openings that extend from an upper surface to a lower surface. Each clamp plunger is disposed within one of the openings in the guide plate, and each clamp plunger defines at least one passage configured to pass a laser welding beam. At least one clamp spring is disposed between each clamp plunger and the load plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventor: Leo Caballero Banuelos
  • Patent number: 11898214
    Abstract: A method of heat treating a workpiece, the method including projecting a laser beam from a laser source onto said workpiece, so as to produce a laser spot on said workpiece; projecting the laser spot onto different portions of said workpiece; and while projecting the laser spot, repetitively scanning the laser beam in two dimensions so as to produce a two-dimensional equivalent effective laser spot on said workpiece and thereby temper, reduce hardness of, enhance ductility of, and/or reduce brittleness of at least one of the different portions of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: ETXE-TAR, S.A.
    Inventors: Amaia Gabilondo, Jesús Domínguez, Carlos Soriano, JoséLuis Ocaña
  • Patent number: 11898654
    Abstract: A heating cartridge with a thermally conductive tube which can be immersed in a thermodilatable material of a thermostatic member. Having a cylindrical body extending axially via a flare; internal electric heating; a base of a plastic material, secured to the tube by overmolding the flare, supporting an electrical connection between the heater and an external current source, and is suitable to be received in a casing of the valve housing. A seal is attached to the base and has a first portion pressed radially against the housing in the casing so as to seal the interior of the casing. In order to improve the sealing of said cartridge, the seal also includes a second portion, which is separate from the first portion and which is pressed radially against the cylindrical body of the tube to seal the overmolding interface between the flare of the tube and the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: VERNET
    Inventor: Guillaume Gautier Graindorge
  • Patent number: 11890694
    Abstract: There is provided a resistance spot welding apparatus including a first rod-shaped electrode body, second rod-shaped electrode body, first ring-shaped member, second ring-shaped member, first elastic body, and second elastic body. The first rod-shaped electrode body and second rod-shaped electrode body are arranged facing each other, the first rod-shaped electrode body is inserted into a through hole of the first ring-shaped member, the first elastic body is connected to an opposite side of first ring-shaped member to second rod-shaped electrode body side, the first rod-shaped electrode body and first ring-shaped member are not electrically connected to each other, the second rod-shaped electrode body is inserted into a through hole of the second ring-shaped member, the second elastic body is connected to an opposite side of second ring-shaped member to first rod-shaped electrode body side, and the second rod-shaped electrode body and second ring-shaped member are not electrically connected each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazawa, Tohru Okada, Yasuhiro Ito, Masanori Yasuyama, Yasunori Sawa
  • Patent number: 11883897
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods and apparatuses for welding together steel billets for forming endless bar for continuously rolling into a rolled product. In particular, the apparatuses and methods disclosed herein are for use in welding together steel billets having down cut ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventor: David Teng Pong
  • Patent number: 11883910
    Abstract: A retrofit module includes at least one of a current sensing component that has a first circuit or a voltage sensing component that has a second circuit. The current sensing component and the voltage sensing component may be disposed in a torch head of a welding or plasma cutting torch. The current sensing component is configured to measure a welding or plasma cutting current of the torch head, and the voltage sensing component is configured to measure a welding or plasma cutting voltage of the torch head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Walker
  • Patent number: 11889611
    Abstract: A plasma arc torch includes a nozzle body, a nozzle extending from the nozzle body, and a shield cap. An outer retaining cap is attached to the plasma arc torch and secures the shield cap to the plasma arc torch. A sleeve is located radially outward from the outer retaining cap and is configured to receive a flow of pressurized gas. An insulator is located between the outer retaining cap and the sleeve. At least one of the sleeve and the insulator forms a gas flow channel configured to direct a gas flow from the sleeve to a distal portion of the outer retaining cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Williams
  • Patent number: 11877692
    Abstract: Cooking is performed to serve tasty food by appropriately managing moisture of an object to be cooked without burning the surface thereof. A box-shaped housing, a cooking cavity for accommodating an object to be cooked, the cooking cavity being arranged within the housing, an upper-face heater and a lower-face heater arranged in the cooking cavity, a boiler arranged within the cooking cavity, a water tray formed outside the cooking cavity and into which a given amount of water that is entirely evaporated in a given steaming time is poured, a water guide passage within the housing, the water guide passage into which water is supplied from the water tray to the boiler; and a control unit for causing an operation to generate steam from the boiler to be performed for at least a steaming time from when cooking starts are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: BALMUDA INC.
    Inventor: Daisuke Niizumi
  • Patent number: 11878377
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for welding Fe—Al intermetallic compound microporous material and a welded part made thereby, and the present invention relates to the field of welding technology. For the problem in the prior art that there is great difficulty in welding between Fe—Al microporous material and dense stainless steel, the method for welding Fe—Al intermetallic compound microporous material, in accordance with the present invention, comprises the following steps: turning on “welding torch fuel-gas” of a fusion-welding machine, and turning on welding shielding gas in a shield; adjusting welding parameters of the welding machine and parameter of the welding shielding gas in the shield for a fusion welding process; switching on the welding machine, and using welding wire as welding filler for welding Fe—Al intermetallic compound microporous material to dense stainless steel; and, cooling after completion of the welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: AT&M ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hu Gu, Junjun Yang, Fan Wang, Guanying Liu, Yu Zhang, Ying Dai, Xuan Yang, Kun Wang, Shiyu Lin
  • Patent number: 11878858
    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: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: K-FEE SYSTEM GMBH
    Inventor: Marc Krüger
  • Patent number: 11878371
    Abstract: In various examples, a component is for use in an implantable medical device. The component includes a pin including a first material attached to a lead including a second material different from the first material of the pin. At least a portion of the lead includes a channel in which at least a portion of the pin sits, the channel including a channel opening defined at least partially by opposing first and second channel sides extending a channel length. At least a first joint is formed along at least a portion of the first channel side. The first joint includes the second material of the lead deformed to at least partially close the channel opening to retain the pin within the channel to attach the lead to the pin. In some examples, the first material includes molybdenum and the second material includes aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Greatbatch Ltd.
    Inventors: Jordan A Hartwig, Kenneth B. Talamine
  • Patent number: 11865649
    Abstract: Welding systems and methods utilizing cloud computing and data storage are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, via communication circuitry of a cloud-based resource, welding data relating to a welding operation from a first customer; storing the welding data in computer-readable storage media associated with the cloud-based resource; offering the welding data for sale, via the cloud based resource; receiving, via the communication circuitry, an offer for the welding data from a second customer, different from the first customer, wherein the first and second customers are individual welders, factories, distributed manufacturing operations, or a combination thereof; performing a financial transaction with the second customer; and transmitting, via the communication circuitry, the welding data to the second customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce P. Albrecht, Quinn William Schartner, Edward J. Panelli
  • Patent number: 11857111
    Abstract: The invention provides a cooking device comprising a heating chamber (10), a heating element (12) for heating a cooking medium in the heating chamber, a temperature sensor (14) for monitoring a temperature of the cooking medium over time, and a mass sensor (16) for monitoring a mass of a food item to be cooked in the heating chamber over time. The cooking device also comprises a controller (18) for processing information from the mass sensor and temperature sensor to provide a prediction of the food item core temperature and to control a cooking process in dependence on the predicted food item core temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Qing Li, Bin Yin
  • Patent number: 11858057
    Abstract: A battery-powered electronic resistance welding machine for sheet metal repair, comprising a machine unit (10), which includes a handle (12) and an activation and deactivation button (13), at least one first rod (14), which is constrained in a sliding fashion (F) to a terminal (15) of the machine unit (10), which has, at one free end, a ground electrode or tip (16) that comes into contact with at least one metal portion to create an electrical resistance circuit, at least one second rod (17), constrained in a sliding fashion (F) to the terminal (15), which has, at one free end, a welding or terminal electrode or tip (18) for the fixing of repair accessories of the metal portion. There is a rechargeable battery (11) in the machine unit (10), for example a lithium-polymer accumulator, which allows the electronic resistance welding machine to be powered without using the mains power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Telwin S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianmaria Bertacche
  • Patent number: 11860649
    Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring cooling units in a store includes: at a robotic system, during a first scan routine, autonomously navigating toward a cooling unit in the store, recording a color image of the cooling unit, and scanning a set of temperatures within the cooling unit; identifying a set of products stocked in the cooling unit based on features detected in the color image; mapping the set of temperatures to the set of products at a first time during the first scan routine based on positions of products in the set of products identified in the color image; and generating a record of temperatures of the set of products stocked in the cooling unit at the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Simbe Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Durgesh Tiwari, Bradley Bogolea
  • Patent number: 11856654
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, a housing defining a cavity for receiving an aerosol-generating article, at least one electrical heater within the cavity, and/or a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply to the at least one electrical heater. The controller is configured to activate the at least one electrical heater for a total time period when an aerosol-generating article is received within the cavity. The aerosol-generating device may also comprise a segmented visual feedback device, wherein a plurality of segments of the segmented visual feedback device each correspond to a portion of the total time period. Each of the plurality of segments is configured to provide visual feedback when an aerosol-generating article is received within the cavity and when the corresponding portion of the total time period has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Rui Nuno Batista, Stephane Antony Hedarchet
  • Patent number: 11849758
    Abstract: A cartridge includes an air flow passageway defining a first airflow direction, a heating element having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the first airflow direction, and a jacket at least partially surrounding the heating element along the longitudinal axis of the heating element and defining a second airflow direction perpendicular to the first airflow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: San Li, Barry S. Smith, Christopher S. Tucker