Patents Examined by Dilnessa B Belay
  • Patent number: 11772194
    Abstract: A method for designing an additively-manufactured object includes: a slicing step of slicing a shape of the additively-manufactured object into weld bead layers each having a height corresponding to one bead layer using data of the shape of the additively-manufactured object, thereby generating a plurality of virtual bead layers; a reference direction setting step of setting, as a reference direction, a direction in which the sliced layer of the additively-manufactured object is continuously provided and extended in an intermediate layer disposed at a deposition-direction center of the plurality of virtual bead layers; and a bead adjusting step of adjusting a bead size of the weld bead to be formed in the plurality of virtual bead layers depending on a bead shape in a section perpendicular to the reference direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: KOBE STEEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Takemasa Yamasaki, Tatsuya Fujii, Shinji Sato, Takeshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 11678764
    Abstract: A sandwich maker includes a base, a first hot-pressing module, a connecting rod set, a second hot-pressing module, a driving motor, and a control module. The first hot-pressing module is assembled to the base. The connecting rod set is pivotally disposed on the base and pivots between a standby position and a heating position. The second hot-pressing module is assembled to the connecting rod set, and is moved between the standby position and the heating position driven by the connecting rod set. At the standby position, the second hot-pressing module is far away from the first hot-pressing module. At the heating position, the second hot-pressing module correspondingly covers the first hot-pressing module. The driving motor is connected to and drives the connecting rod set. The control module is electrically connected to and controls the first hot-pressing module, the second hot-pressing module, and the driving motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: PRESIDENT CHAIN STORE CORP
    Inventors: Yu-Chieh Wu, I-Ting Chang
  • Patent number: 11673738
    Abstract: A capsule containing a substance for the preparation of a potable beverage. The capsule comprises an aluminum capsule body having a side wall and an outwardly extending flange. The capsule is hermetically closed by an aluminum cover attached to the outwardly extending flange. The capsule further comprises a sealing member at the outwardly extending flange for providing a fluid sealing contact with an enclosing member of a beverage preparation device. The capsule further comprises an elastic support structure, which is attached to an outer cover surface of said cover. In a condition, in which the capsule is freely resting with said elastic support structure on a fully straight reference surface, the elastic support structure provides a spacing between the outwardly extending flange and said reference surface, said spacing being constant all around in the circumferential capsule direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Hielke Dijkstra, Erik Pieter Van Gaasbeek, Ralf Kamerbeek, Arend Hendrik Groothornte, Marc Hendrikus Joseph Ottenschot
  • Patent number: 11673211
    Abstract: The invention relates to a temperature control system for additive manufacturing and method for same. The temperature control system comprises: a cladding device configured to fuse a material and form a cladding layer, the cladding device comprising a first energy source; a micro-forging device coupled to the cladding device for forging the cladding layer; a detecting device; a control module; and an adjusting module coupled to at least one of the first energy source and the micro-forging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yong Wu, Yingna Wu, Zirong Zhai, Hai Chang, Yifeng Wang, Yimin Zhan, Dalong Zhong
  • Patent number: 11660706
    Abstract: A welding quality detection system and a welding quality detection method are provided. A detection device applies a force to at least one weld point of a first welded object or a second welded object that are welded together. A displacement detector detects a displacement signal that varies with the force or time between the first welded object and the second welded object based on the force. A detection module receives or records the displacement signal and determines whether a gap exists between the first welded object and the second welded object based on a slope of the displacement signal, so as to detect the welding quality of the weld point quickly and precisely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Tsung-Ying Tsai, Kun-Tso Chen, Chih-Wei Chien, Chung-Hsin Hsiao
  • Patent number: 11596179
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating device comprises a device housing comprising a first receiving chamber configured to receive and accommodate a first consumable and a second receiving chamber configured to receive and accommodate a second consumable. The device further comprises a power source in an internal space defined by the device housing and a controller configured to control aerosolization of an aerosol-forming substrate in a consumable in one of the first receiving chamber and in the second receiving chamber. At least the second receiving chamber includes electrical contacts configured to be detachably connected to a battery based on the separate power source being in the second receiving chamber such that the electrical contacts provide additional power from the separate power source to the aerosol-generating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Tony Reevell
  • Patent number: 11590597
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus to preheat welding wire are disclosed. An example welding assembly for a welding torch includes: a first contact tip configured to conduct welding current to a consumable electrode; a second contact tip configured to conduct preheating current to the consumable electrode; and a cooling body configured to transfer heat from at least the first contact tip to coolant and to conduct the welding current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Roland Sigl, Jake Zwayer
  • Patent number: 11565321
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the generative manufacture of a three-dimensional component in a processing chamber, in which the steps “providing a metallic starting material in the processing chamber” and “melting the starting material by means of energy input” are repeated multiple times, wherein a process gas is provided in the processing chamber are disclosed. The method is characterized by the steps: 1) the hydrogen content of the process gas or a sample of the process gas is determined; 2) the oxygen content of the process gas or a sample of the process gas is determined by means of an oxygen sensor and/or the dew point of the process gas or a sample of the process gas is determined; and 3) the values for the oxygen content and/or the dew point determined in step 2 are corrected by means of the value for the hydrogen content determined in step 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Messer Industries USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Foret, Dominik Bauer, Eric Hultstein, Jürgen Scholz, Sören Wiberg
  • Patent number: 11554438
    Abstract: A method for producing an additively manufactured object includes melting and solidifying a filler metal to form weld beads and depositing the weld beads adjoining each other, thereby forming a weld-bead layer, and repeatedly depositing a next weld-bead layer on the formed weld-bead layer to conduct additive manufacturing. The method includes a bead formation step of forming a new weld bead so as to fill a recess formed by at least three of the already formed weld beads, in a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the weld beads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: KOBE STEEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Takemasa Yamasaki, Tatsuya Fujii, Shinji Sato, Takeshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 11548088
    Abstract: A robotic electric arc welding system includes a welding torch, a welding robot configured to manipulate the welding torch during a welding operation, a robot controller operatively connected to the welding robot to control weaving movements of the welding torch along a weld seam and at a weave frequency and weave period, and a welding power supply operatively connected to the welding torch to control a welding waveform, and operatively connected to the robot controller for communication therewith. The welding power supply is configured to sample a plurality of weld parameters during a sampling period of the welding operation and form an analysis packet, and process the analysis packet to generate a weld quality score, wherein the welding power supply obtains the weave frequency or the weave period and automatically adjusts the sampling period for forming the analysis packet based on the weave frequency or the weave period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Lance F. Guymon, Adewole Adekola Ayoade
  • Patent number: 11545280
    Abstract: A cable hose suitable for welding or cutting systems includes one or more conductors and monolithic tubing that extends around and between the one or more conductors. The monolithic tubing defines one or more discrete passageways for the one or more conductors that provide a closed path from a first end of the cable hose to a second end of the cable hose for the one or more conductors. The monolithic tubing also defines an inner conduit configured to allow a gas to flow from the first end of the cable hose to the second end of the cable hose. The cable hose may be formed by arranging the one or more conductors in a specific configuration and overmolding an insulator onto the one or more conductors to secure the one or more conductors in a specific configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: THE ESAB GROUP INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Raymond, Michael Nadler, Ryan Lynaugh
  • Patent number: 11534985
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an induction sealing system for heat sealing packaging material for producing sealed packages of pourable food products, said sealing system may include a sealing jaw and a counter-jaw. In some embodiments, the sealing jaw may include at least one inductor device having at least one active surface configured to contact said packaging material; at least one flux-concentrating insert; a supporting body including heat-conducting material, said supporting body housing, said at least one inductor device and said flux-concentrating insert; and an interactive surface configured to press against said packaging material. In some embodiments, the counter-jaw may include at least one pressure pad made of elastomeric material, said at least one pressure pad configured to provide a counter pressure to the sealing jaw, wherein said at least one pressure pad has an arched convex contact area with height in the direction towards the sealing jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventor: Patrik Palmquist
  • Patent number: 11524354
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus to control weld current in a preheating system are disclosed. An example preheating power supply includes power conversion circuitry configured to output welding-type power via a first output power connector and a second output power connector, and a bypass path prevention circuit configured to prevent less than a threshold voltage applied to the first output power connector and the second output power connector from a different power supply from causing current to flow between the first output power connector and the second output power connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Quinn William Schartner, James Lee Uecker
  • Patent number: 11504787
    Abstract: A welding or additive manufacturing wire drive system includes a welding wire spool and first and second drive rolls. One or both of the drive rolls has a circumferential groove. The system includes a first welding wire, drawn from the welding wire spool, and located between the drive rolls in the circumferential groove, and a second welding wire, drawn from the welding wire spool, and located between the drive rolls in the circumferential groove. The first welding wire contacts the second welding wire between the first drive roll and the second drive roll. The first welding wire further contacts a first sidewall portion of the circumferential groove, and the second welding wire further contacts a second sidewall portion of the circumferential groove. Both of the first welding wire and the second welding wire are radially offset from a central portion of the circumferential groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Bombardier, Steven R. Peters, Alexander C. Mehlman, Matthew A. Weeks, Bradford W. Petot
  • Patent number: 11504793
    Abstract: A wire feeding device configured to feed welding wire from a wire feeding source to a welding torch is provided with: an intermediate wire feeding source that is disposed between the wire feeding source and the welding torch and is configured to temporarily store the welding wire fed from the wire feeding source and to feed the stored welding wire to the welding torch; a first feeding part that feeds the welding wire at the wire feeding source to the intermediate wire feeding source; a second feeding part that feeds the welding wire stored in the intermediate wire feeding source to the welding torch; and a feed control unit that controls speed of feeding the welding wire by each of the first feeding part and the second feeding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: DAIHEN Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Inoue, Yukiya Morita, Hisao Miyahara, Gen Tsujii
  • Patent number: 11492454
    Abstract: A material susceptible to dielectric heating has a base polymeric thermoplastic material (1) and a dielectric heating susceptor (2, 3) which increases susceptibility to heating by irradiation with electromagnetic, for example RF or microwave, radiation. The dielectric heating susceptor has a polymeric material (2) such as PVDF which is different from the base polymeric material and has a higher dielectric loss factor than the base polymeric material. The dielectric heating susceptor also comprises electrically polarisable entities such as carbon black dispersed within the base polymeric material without forming a conductive network. The two susceptor materials in combination with the base polymer are particularly effective together at improving susceptibility to electromagnetic radiation heating of the whole material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK
    Inventors: Patrick Terence McGrail, Dipa Roy, Ananda Roy, Richard Hanly, Walter Stanley
  • Patent number: 11453079
    Abstract: A multi-electrode submerged arc welding method enables, in multi-electrode submerged arc welding using five or six electrodes, a deep penetration and a large amount of deposit metal to be obtained by supplying a large current, and enables stable arc to be generated by respective electrodes by suppressing magnetic interference. Welding defects can be prevented, beads with a good shape or appearance can be obtained, and the welding speed can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Ishigami, Naoya Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 11440119
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a robotic system and method. The system may include a robot and a three dimensional sensor device associated with the robot configured to scan a welding area and generate a scanned welding area. The system may include a processor configured to receive the scanned welding area and to generate a three dimensional point cloud based upon, at least in part the scanned welding area. The processor may be further configured to perform processing on the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain. The processor may be further configured to generate one or more three dimensional welding paths and to simulate the one or more three dimensional welding paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Chu-Yin Chang, Brett L. Limone, Ralph F. Polimeni, Jr., James D. English
  • Patent number: 11426813
    Abstract: A welding or additive manufacturing wire drive system includes a first spindle for a first welding wire spool, a second spindle for a second welding wire spool, a first drive roll, and a second drive roll. One or both of the drive rolls has a circumferential groove. A first welding wire and a second welding wire are located between the first drive roll and the second drive roll in the circumferential groove. The first welding wire contacts the second welding wire between the first drive roll and the second drive roll. The first welding wire further contacts a first sidewall portion of the circumferential groove. The second welding wire further contacts a second sidewall portion of the circumferential groove. Both of the first welding wire and the second welding wire are radially offset from a central portion of the circumferential groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Bradford W. Petot, Elliott R. Ash, Kent R. Johns, Vincent D. Casella, Steven R. Peters, Alexander C. Mehlman, Matthew A. Weeks
  • Patent number: 11420278
    Abstract: A system and method for more consistent joule heating of a material blank to a desired temperature. An electrical terminal delivers a current to an end portion of the blank. The terminal has a heat sink effect which would otherwise prevent the end portion from reaching the desired temperature. An active thermal buffer element is interposed between the terminal and the end portion. The buffer element includes a first surface which abuts the end portion and a second surface which abuts the terminal. The buffer element is joule heated with the blank, and a temperature gradient is created across the buffer element such that the first surface is at the desired temperature and the second surface is at a lower temperature due to the heat sink effect of the terminal. The buffer element thereby compensates for the heat sink effect and allows the end portion to reach the desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Wagner, Jr.