Patents Examined by Erin E McGrath
  • Patent number: 11058248
    Abstract: A beverage brewing apparatus having a liquid container with a fragile inner wall, a rugged outer wall and a cushioning structure placed between the fragile inner wall and the rugged outer wall, a lid that seals the liquid container, the lid including a magnet portion that faces an interior of the liquid container when the lid seals the liquid container and an infuser that moves freely within the liquid container and releasably attaches to the magnet portion of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Alfay Designs
    Inventors: Al Smaldone, Timothy J. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 11050212
    Abstract: To prevent an output decrease of laser light due to impurities formed in a Q switch. A laser machining device includes a Q-switch housing section configured by housing a Q switch and a first mirror and a wavelength converting section including a housing in which a transmission window section capable of transmitting a fundamental wave is formed, the wavelength converting section being configured by airtightly housing, with an internal space surrounded by the housing, at least a first wavelength conversion element, a second wavelength conversion element, and a second mirror. A resonator forming a resonant optical path passing through the transmission window section is configured by the first mirror in the Q-switch housing section and the second mirror in the wavelength converting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Sato, Yu Takabatake, Hideki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11045909
    Abstract: A method for limiting fitting distortion when welding a fitting to an in-service pipeline—where the fitting includes a thick, longitudinally extending, seam located between fitting halves—involves welding, on each side of the fitting, a middle third section of the seam in a pyramid-like fashion using an inward progression starting from an end of the middle third section along a profile of a seam bevel, and welding outer third sections of the seam using an outward progression from an end adjacent to the middle third section along a profile of the seam bevel. The welding of each of the three sections per side includes a temper bead welding technique of at least two layers to provide stress relief in lieu of traditional post weld heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TDW Delaware, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Wood, Chris Vrolyk, Tran Mah-Paulson, Mike Armstrong
  • Patent number: 11051365
    Abstract: A heating rod having a plurality of ceramic heating elements, a first strip-shaped contact sheet, a second strip-shaped contact sheet, and a housing in which the plurality of heating elements and the contact sheets are arranged. The first contact sheet electrically contacts only a part of the plurality of the heating elements, and the second contact sheet electronically contacts a second part of the plurality of the heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH
    Inventors: Anthony Maher, Thomas O'Carroll, Kevin Dukes, Orla O'Connor
  • Patent number: 11043401
    Abstract: A ceramic heater includes an RF plate having a placement surface on which a wafer is to be placed, and made of a ceramic sintered body in which an RF electrode is embedded; and a heater plate made of a ceramic sintered body in which a heater is embedded, the RF plate and the heater plate being joined with a space interposed therebetween on a side opposite to the placement surface. The relationship among a minimum height H (mm) of the space in a direction perpendicular to the placement surface, a proportion A of a total area of portions where the RF plate and the heater plate are joined, with respect to an area of a plane along the placement surface that is defined by an outer edge of the placement surface, and a distance D (mm) between the RF electrode and the heater, satisfies H/A?1000 and H/A+(D?H)/(1?A)?14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiya Umeki, Tetsuo Kitabayashi
  • Patent number: 11033139
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices and methods for providing a beverage brewing and analyte tracking portable platform. In some embodiments of the disclosed portable beverage brewing and analyte tracking technology, an intelligent beverage management system includes a portable brewing device in communication with a user's mobile device (e.g., smartphone, smartwatch, etc.) for monitoring and controlling consumption and metabolism of caffeine and other compounds from beverages consumed using the portable brewing device and/or other beverages logged by the user. The intelligent beverage management system includes a cloud-based data processing system in communication with the mobile device and/or portable brewing device to receive, process and/or store data associated with brewing of the beverage and data associated with the monitoring of consumption of the beverage and/or certain beverage constituents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: TEANGO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Boone, Stanfell Boone, Raphael Lozano
  • Patent number: 11019958
    Abstract: An improved flameless, non-electric chafing dish and an improved flameless non-electric heat source for use in connection therewith is provided. The chafing dish assembly includes a support frame for supporting the chafing dish on a serving surface, a lower (water) pan positioned on the support frame and having a bottom and one or more side walls, a food pan configured to nest inside the lower pan and having a bottom and one or more side walls, and an air-activated exothermic warming device positioned between the lower pan and the food pan. The warming device comprises a mixture of materials including iron which produce heat from the exothermic oxidation of iron when exposed to air. A support device configured for positioning between the air-activated exothermic warming device and the lower (water) pan is also provided. The support device is configured to permit airflow to the warming device and to elevate the warming device into direct contact with the food pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: H&H Heating Sources, LLC
    Inventors: Austin J. Hale, Logan Hayford, David Treptow, Jeff Imray
  • Patent number: 11013252
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of machines used for peeling nuts, such as almonds and the like which have been previously blanched, the machines having an accessible frame inside which there is a series of rollers arranged in pairs with nuts passing between them and each of them being associated with a rotating shaft, respectively, with movements at different speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Inventor: Jose Vicente Roig Borrell
  • Patent number: 11014193
    Abstract: A method and a control device for deflection of a laser beam for laser-based additive manufacturing processes includes first and second orthogonally rotatable mirrors designed to reflect the laser beam and guide the laser beam to an irradiation field. The first mirror and the second mirror are secured on respective first and second shafts, with the first mirror performing a continuous first vibration with a first frequency, and the second mirror performing a continuous second vibration with a second frequency different from the first frequency and/or with a phase difference with respect to the first vibration. Each of the two shafts has a known position such that the first vibration is synchronous with the second vibration. The laser is activated/deactivated upon reaching/leaving an irradiation point. The generated vibrations of the mirrors describe a continuous Lissajous curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Matthias Dürr
  • Patent number: 11006668
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating system includes a liquid storage portion configured to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, a first electrode and a second electrode spaced from the first electrode, an aerosol-generator including one or more aerosol-generating elements and a control system. At least one of the aerosol-generating elements includes one of the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged such that at least a portion of the liquid storage portion is between the first electrode and the second electrode. The control system is configured to measure an electrical quantity between the first electrode and the second electrode and determine the amount of liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion based on the measured electrical quantity information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Oleg Mironov, Ihar Nikolaevich Zinovik, Jerome Christian Courbat
  • Patent number: 11006670
    Abstract: An atomizer for an electronic cigarette is disclosed, including: a housing unit defining therein a tobacco liquid chamber configured for storing a tobacco liquid; a first casing body defining thereon a first liquid guide hole configured for allowing the tobacco liquid to pass through; an atomization device; a control valve configured for closing or opening the first liquid guide hole to control the tobacco liquid to enter the atomization device; and a base assembly detachably connected to the housing unit and supporting the atomization device and configured to be in linkage with the control valve. The base assembly can drive the control valve to close the first liquid guide hole while the base assembly is detached from the housing unit. The base assembly can drive the control valve to open the first liquid guide hole while the base assembly is assembled on the housing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Shenzhen First Union Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhiquan Chen, Yonghai Li, Zhongli Xu, Xiaoqiang Zhao
  • Patent number: 11007595
    Abstract: An electric arc welder and a method for performing a pulse welding process producing reduced spatter. The welder produces a current between an advancing electrode and a workpiece. The welder includes a short-detecting capability for detecting a short condition upon occurrence of a short circuit between the advancing electrode and the workpiece. The welder may also include a switching module in the welding circuit path of the welder having an electrical switch and a resistive path. Times of occurrence of short intervals can be tracked and a blanking signal can be generated based on the tracked short intervals to anticipate a next short interval in a next pulse period of the pulsed welding process. The blanking signal can be used to reduce a welding current in the welding circuit path by introducing additional resistance into the welding circuit path via the switching module, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Daniel, Stephen Cole, Steven R. Peters
  • Patent number: 11008759
    Abstract: A roofing product can include a heater. In an embodiment, the heater can have different areas that have different heat flux capacities, different portions having heater elements of different lengths or a combination thereof. The roofing product can be installed so that an area of the roof that has a higher heat load, such as near an eave and a valley of the roof, can receive more heat. In another embodiment, the roofing product includes an overhang section that includes at least a portion of the heater. The roofing product can be installed, and the overhang section can be coupled to an object that extends beyond an edge of the roof or over a plane defined by a roof. Many different manufacturing techniques can be used to form the heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: CERTAINTEED CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert L. Jenkins, Stephen A. Koch, Gregory F. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 11000913
    Abstract: The invention relates to a welding device (1) having a welding torch (2), a feeder (3) for feeding a melting filler material (4) at a feed rate (v) to a weld (S), where the filler material (4) is melted with the aid of an electric arc (L), and a pre-heater (9) for heating the filler material (4) upstream of the weld (S) by means of a laser beam (7) having a laser power (P) and generated in a laser device (6). For space-saving and safe heating of the filler material (4) upstream of the weld (S), the pre-heater (9) includes a feed channel (5) for the filler material (4), and at least one deflector (8) is attached to the pre-heater (9) for deflecting the laser beam (7) to the filler material (4) in such a way that the laser beam (7) strikes the filler material (4) inside the feed channel (5) of the pre-heater (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Lattner, Herbert Staufer, Christian Krell
  • Patent number: 11005228
    Abstract: To appropriately change an output of laser light without deteriorating laser characteristics. A control section of a laser machining device controls, when a target output is larger than a predetermined threshold, an output of laser light by changing a driving current supplied to an excitation light source and, on the other hand, controls, when the target output is equal to or smaller than the threshold, the output of the laser light by changing a duty ratio of a Q switch while keeping the driving current supplied to the excitation light source substantially fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masao Sato, Tatsuaki Nagai
  • Patent number: 11000918
    Abstract: To prevent an output decrease of laser light due to impurities that could be formed in a guide-light emitting device or an imaging device. A laser-light guiding section includes a transmission window section, an optical component disposed to cause an optical path of the UV laser light emitted from the laser-light output section and an optical path of transmitted light transmitted through the transmission window section to cross, and a sealing member in which the transmission window section is provided, the sealing member configuring a sealed space for airtightly housing the optical component. At least one of a guide-light emitting device configured to emit guide light for visualizing a scanning position of the UV laser light toward the transmission window section and an imaging device configured to receive light for imaging a workpiece via the transmission window section is disposed on the outer side of the sealed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Masaki Saito, Hideki Yamakawa, Kazuyoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11000146
    Abstract: A pad, for use in a coffee-maker for preparing 1 or 2 cups of beverage, includes an envelope with an inner space which is filled with a beverage preparation product for preparing the beverage. The beverage preparation product comprises a product to be extracted with a fluid (and/or a product soluble in a fluid). The envelope is formed by a first disc-shaped sheet and a second disc-shaped sheet which are interconnected adjacent their longitudinal edges. The interconnected parts of the first sheet and the second sheet form a sealing seam wherein the first sheet and the second sheet each form a filter which can pass a fluid and which forms a barrier to the product to be extracted. The second sheet is of form-retaining design. In use with the coffee-maker, a fluid such as water is supplied under pressure to the pad so that the fluid is pressed through the pad for obtaining a beverage which thereupon leaves the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Cornelis Sanders
  • Patent number: 10993478
    Abstract: A heater and a vaporization device using the same are provided. The heater comprises an end for insertion into a cartridge, a body having a sidewall and at least one opening on the sidewall, and a chamber inside the body. The end has an outlet. The chamber and the opening provide an airflow path for an aerosol to be vented outside the heater through the outlet. The aerosol is generated from the vaporizable material when the body is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GEEKVAPE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xianghui Wang, Wenlong Lu
  • Patent number: 10999898
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heated pipe for the transportation of a fluid comprising: a fluid transportation casing, one or several electric heating cables each arranged along the transportation casing, each cable comprising an electrically conductive core arranged in an electrically insulating and thermally conductive sheath, a thermally insulating material applied onto said heating cable or cables and onto the transportation casing, an external casing arranged around the thermally insulating material and made integral with the transportation casing in a sealed manner so as to define at least one annular space enabling its pressure to be reduced, the pipe additionally comprises means to reduce partial electrical discharges between said heating cable or cables and the transportation casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ITP SA
    Inventors: Christian Geertsen, Philippe Marchal
  • Patent number: 10981172
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal control system for controlling the temperature of a fluid. In particular, the invention relates to a control system having at least two heating elements, at least one of which is used for directly or indirectly heating a fluid, and at least one of which is used for heating a thermal probe used to determine the temperature of the fluid. The heating systems are controlled by at least one feedback controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Abbott Point of Care Inc.
    Inventors: Gary J. Vandersleen, Sergey Gershtein, Mitchell Tilson, Jaymin Patel, Craig H. Schneider, Seth Hunter, Paul Wasserman, Pierre Emeric