Patents Examined by David G Cormier
  • Patent number: 11772220
    Abstract: The present invention provides a machine tool system including a machine tool body and a control device. The machine tool body includes: a cover that covers a machining region; chip expelling mechanisms that are disposed at a plurality of different positions inside the cover, that expel chips generated during processing, and a discharging ability of which is changeable; and a chip information obtaining unit that obtains information related to scattering directions of the chips during the processing. In accordance with the information related to the scattering directions of the chips and obtained by the chip information obtaining unit, the control device controls the discharging ability of one of the chip expelling mechanisms corresponding to a direction in which a largest amount of the chips have scattered so as to be larger than the discharging ability of another of the chip expelling mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gaku Isobe
  • Patent number: 11773525
    Abstract: A laundry appliance includes a drum that is rotationally operable about a rotational axis within a tub. The rotational axis is oriented in a generally horizontal configuration. An impeller is rotationally operable within the drum about the rotational axis. A dual-rotor motor is coupled to the drum and the impeller for providing separate and independent rotation of the drum and impeller about the rotational axis. An inner rotor of the dual-rotor motor is coupled with the impeller and an outer rotor of the dual-rotor motor is coupled with the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Krati Bhargava, Fang Deng, James B. Hull, Wang Jun, Dennis Kehl, Weitao Yang
  • Patent number: 11759814
    Abstract: A non-contact cleaner for a paint spray equivalent having a housing with an open top with a venturi opening. A ring is contained the housing in a space downwardly from the entry opening thus forming a chamber between the ring and the venturi opening adapted to receive the paint spray tip to be cleaned. A plurality of circumferently spaced air nozzles created downward airflow through the housing while a solvent nozzle contained in the housing sprays solvent onto the paint tip to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: HAPPY DYNAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Philip Jessup, Eleanor Jessup
  • Patent number: 11752475
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a food preparation appliance comprising a rotatable tool for chopping and/or blending a food in a food preparation pot. The tool can be mounted for rotating and can be detachably connected to a shaft. The shaft can be at least partially outside the food preparation pot. A locking mechanism is provided for connecting the tool to the shaft in a locked manner. The locking of the tool to the shaft can take place automatically. The food preparation appliance can thus be cleaned with particularly little effort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Charopoulos, Niklas van Teeffelen, Felix Thies
  • Patent number: 11746454
    Abstract: A laundry treating system includes a laundry treating appliance having a first basket for receiving a first laundry load and a first clothes mover disposed in the first basket. The laundry treating system is user configurable between first, second, and third configurations. A kit for customizing a laundry treating appliance can include a second clothes mover and a second basket configured to removably couple with the laundry treating appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Philip J. Czarnecki, Pamela R. Klyn, Eric W. Merrow, Jon Strait, Mary E. Zeitler
  • Patent number: 11746457
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an intelligent washing machine includes: an inner tub in which laundry is placed; a motor transferring a rotational force to the inner tub; an image obtaining unit obtaining an image of the laundry placed in the inner tub after a washing process; and a controller obtaining a laundry classification information reflecting water content percentage information of the laundry from the image of the laundry, learning the laundry classification information to predict a degree of vibration of the inner tub that occurs in a spin-drying process, and varying a revolutions per minute (RPM) of the motor in the spin-drying process according to the predicted degree of vibration of the inner tub. The washing machine may be associated with an artificial intelligence (AI) module, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (or drone), a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, and a device related to a 5G service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Yunsik Park
  • Patent number: 11744227
    Abstract: An animal water dispenser apparatus has a container with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and a water hose connected to the inlet opening. The inlet opening is positioned below the outlet opening. The water hose is adapted to pass fresh water into an interior of the container. The outlet opening is adapted to allow water from the interior of the container to be released outwardly of the container. A fresh water source can be connected to the water hose so as to pass fresh water under pressure through the water hose and into the interior of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Tim McDonald
  • Patent number: 11739468
    Abstract: A drawer of a clothes treating machine includes a drawer frame that extends in a lengthwise direction and is configured to be inserted into and drawn out form a housing of the clothes treating machine, and a storage container that is configured to be inserted into the drawer frame and to accommodate a clothes treatment agent therein. The storage container includes a check valve that protrudes from a first side of the storage container and is configured to selectively allow the clothes treatment agent to be discharged from the storage container. The drawer frame includes a rear end portion configured to accommodate at least a portion of the check valve therein, and a partition member disposed at the rear end portion and configured to restrict movement of the check valve in an up and down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sungwoon Jung, Hunjun Jang
  • Patent number: 11742232
    Abstract: A substrate processing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a step of holding a substrate by a substrate holding unit (31) which is rotatable, a step of arranging a top plate portion (41) above the substrate, a step of supplying a processing liquid to the substrate, and a step of supplying a rinsing liquid (Lr) between the substrate and the top plate portion (41) to wash the substrate and the top plate portion (41) with the rinsing liquid (Lr).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ikeda, Shota Umezaki, Shigeru Moriyama, Ryo Yamamoto, Takashi Uno
  • Patent number: 11739454
    Abstract: A method for wet processing of hemp fibers for commercial use is provided. The method includes steps of loading raw hemp fibers with water into a vessel and heating the contents of the vessel. The method also includes the addition of a sequence of certain chemical compounds, which include a scouring agent, a wetting agent, a caustic compound, an acidic compound, a lubricant, and a softening agent. The water may be heated to boiling during the process to aid in opening up the fibers during processing. Peroxide is not utilized in the process. The process produces commercially viable quantities of hemp fibers that are soft, clean, and easily spinnable while maintaining fiber burst strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Bastcore, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Miller, III
  • Patent number: 11731176
    Abstract: An automated refurbishment system for cleaning and testing recycled child-safe containers. The system takes in durable, child-safe container bodies and caps after usage, washes the container parts reduce an amount of contaminants, and then dries the washed parts. The system then assembles the child-safe container bodies to caps, and tests the assembled child-safe containers, to assess the functionality of the child-safe features. The clean and tested refurbished child-safe containers can then be reused to dispense controlled substances (e.g., pharmaceuticals). Specific modules of the system can be interchanged to allow compatibility with different styles and designs of child-safe containers. The refurbishment system facilitates the recycling and reuse of durable, child-safe containers as an alternative to the current practice of using single-use, disposable plastic child-safe containers to dispense prescription pills and other controlled substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: MEDILOQ LLC
    Inventor: Daniel Anthony Estoque
  • Patent number: 11732396
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a laundry treating appliance dispense treating chemistry into a rotating basket. A dispenser can be a centrifugal dispenser adapted to move or dispense treating chemistry based upon rotational movement of a basket. The dispenser can include a holding pocket to hold a volume of treating chemistry, a transferring pocket to centrifugally receive the treating chemistry, and a dilution pocket to dilute the treating chemistry and dispenser the treating chemistry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Emmanuel F. Gonzaga, Fernando Raiss Martins
  • Patent number: 11725329
    Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial intelligence laundry treatment apparatus including a washing tub configured to receive laundry, the washing tub being configured to be rotatable, a motor configured to rotate the washing tub, a controller configured to control the motor such that the washing tub is rotated while being accelerated, and a current sensing unit configured to sense current of the motor, wherein the controller is configured to obtain laundry weight and laundry quality from output of an output layer of an artificial neural network pre-trained based on machine learning using a current value sensed by the current sensing unit during accelerated rotation of the washing tub as input of an input layer of the artificial neural network within a range within which the laundry moves in the washing tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myunghun Im, Hwanjin Jung, Seonhwa Yu, Sunggyun Kim, Kyungchul Woo, Jaehyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11718947
    Abstract: A laundry treatment machine includes a water tank, a first laundry tub to accommodate first laundry, a second laundry tub that accommodates second laundry, and a locker provided in the second laundry tub to fix the second laundry tub. The locker includes a locking member that is configured to move from a first position to a second position by a centrifugal force when the second laundry tub is rotated, and engages with the first laundry tub at the second position to fix the second laundry tub to the first laundry tube, and an elastic member which is elastically deformed when the locking member is located at the second position and is restored to an original shape to return the locking member to the first position when the rotation of the second laundry tub is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Junghyun Park
  • Patent number: 11708656
    Abstract: A method of operating a laundry treating appliance, such as a washing machine, having a cabinet defining an interior and defining an access opening. A lid can be movably mounted relative to the cabinet to selectively open or close the access opening. A tub can be located within the interior and the tub can contain a rotatably mounted drum, such as a horizontally rotatable drum, including a flexible fabric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Erickson, Steven Fricke, Christian Gianni, Thomas Kessler, Praveen Poojary, Erica Roberts, Jaime Rodriguez, Peter Wagoner
  • Patent number: 11702786
    Abstract: A washing appliance having an article movement mechanism including an impeller and agitator post. An impeller is positioned in the wash drum and is rotational about a vertical axis and is configured for imparting motion to the articles during washing. An agitator post is positioned adjacent to the impeller and is also rotational about the vertical axis. The agitator post includes a plurality of vane sets spaced apart along the vertical axis with each vane set including at least one helical vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: John Joseph Roetker
  • Patent number: 11700987
    Abstract: A robot cleaner includes a main body, a water tank including a turbidity sensor and a water level sensor, and a pair of rotary mops configured to move the main body while rotating in contact with a floor. A drive motor rotates the pair of rotary mops and a nozzle supplies water from the water tank to the rotary mop. A rotary mop controller varies an output current of the drive motor based on signals from the water tank sensors. A controller determines whether the water tank is contaminated based on the output current of the drive motor received from the rotary mop controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jungwook Kang
  • Patent number: 11702789
    Abstract: A filtration system for a laundry treating machine is provided. A filtration agitator extends upwards from an impeller base and defines a generally hollow cylindrical interior, the filtration agitator having one or more water inlets along its perimeter to permit passage of water from a treating chamber into the interior and one or more water outlets along its perimeter to permit passage of the water out of the interior. A removable cylindrical brush assembly is provided, that, when installed to the filtration agitator, extends along the vertical length of the agitator and defines a sequence of filtration elements through which a water flow passes from the water inlets to the water outlets. The water flow is configured to pass over the sequence of filtration elements in a predefined order to remove particulates from the water flow during a wash cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Ketan S. Parashar, Eric J. Vasko, Mahendra S. Wankhede
  • Patent number: 11690492
    Abstract: A floor cleaner includes an electrically powered component and a switch. The switch includes a button including an actuator surface. A fluid channel is formed by a fluid collection surface disposed below the button and an outer channel wall extending upwardly from the fluid collection surface, the fluid channel having a fluid outlet. A projection of the button is received in an inner button aperture formed by an inner wall extending from the fluid collection surface forming a bushing around the projection. The inner wall inhibits flow of fluid from the fluid channel through the inner button aperture. The outer channel wall surrounds the aperture wall such that fluid entering the body between the perimeter of the button actuator surface and the aperture wall is collected by the fluid channel and directed to the fluid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Douglas M. Rukavina, Donovan Bode, Juan Aviles Quintero
  • Patent number: 11684450
    Abstract: A method of pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument that is to undergo decontamination involves inserting a distal tip of the instrument into a distal tip protector. The distal tip of the instrument is inserted through a rupturable resilient seal into an internal cavity of the protector that contains a fluid. The distal tip protector thereby maintains a fluid around the distal tip of the instrument until the distal tip protector is removed to allow reprocessing of the instrument to take place, facilitating decontamination of the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Medisafe UK Limited
    Inventor: Lawrence Ralph Dawson