Patents Examined by Joe E Mills, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11896062
    Abstract: An electrically operated aerosol-generating system is provided, including: an aerosol-generating article including at least one component incorporating a taggant within a material of the component, the taggant including an identifiable spectroscopic signature; a cavity configured to at least partially receive the aerosol-generating article; at least one heating element; a power supply configured to supply power to the at least one heating element; electrical hardware connected to the power supply and the at least one heating element; and a detector configured to detect a presence of the aerosol-generating article in the cavity and to distinguish the aerosol-generating article from other articles configured for use with the aerosol-generating system, based on the taggant incorporated within the material of the aerosol-generating article, in which the electrical hardware is configured to establish a heating protocol for the heating element based on the particular aerosol-generating article distinguished by the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Felix Fernando, Dominique Bernauer
  • Patent number: 11883911
    Abstract: Welding power supplies, wire feeders, and systems to measure a weld circuit resistance via communications over the weld circuit are disclosed. An example welding-type power supply includes: a power conversion circuitry configured to: convert input power to output a signal via a weld circuit; and convert the input power to output welding-type power via the weld circuit; a voltage monitor configured to measure a power supply output voltage of the signal; communications circuitry configured to receive, via the weld circuit, a communication of a second voltage measurement; and control circuitry configured to: determine a resistance and/or and inductance of a portion of the weld circuit based on the power supply output voltage measurement, the second voltage measurement, and a weld circuit current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Adam E. Anders
  • Patent number: 11883762
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for vaporizing liquid from a liquid source into the surrounding environment, are disclosed, where the apparatus comprises at least one manifold comprising at least one liquid port formed by a through-hole and at least one ridge structure, wherein the liquid port is in fluid communication with the liquid source and the one ridge structure At least one vaporization port is included in a planar structure connecting a first side of the structure to a second side, in fluid communication with the at least one ridge structure and the surrounding environment, wherein fluid flow through the liquid and vaporization ports is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the structure, and the ridge structures are substantially parallel to the plane of the structure. At least one heating element is present that is in thermal communication to the at least one vaporization port and at least one ridge structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Numerical Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl D. Meinhart, Brian Piorek, Nicholas B. Judy
  • Patent number: 11878375
    Abstract: A clamping apparatus for clamping shaped parts which are welded along a welding contour by irradiation with a laser beam, includes a first clamping plate used as a holder for a first shaped part, a second clamping plate which is designed to apply a clamping force to the first shaped part and a second shaped part arranged thereon, an outer clamping jaw including a recess and an inner clamping jaw arranged in the recess, which together form the second clamping plate, a passage gap for the laser beam formed in sections between the outer clamping jaw and the inner clamping jaw, and one or more fastening elements which connect the outer clamping jaw with the inner clamping jaw in sections and which bridge the passage gap; and further includes a mirror element arranged such that the laser beam is reflected onto a section of the welding contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: EVOSYS LASER GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Wetter, Andreas Kraus, Kreshnik Ahmeti
  • Patent number: 11878365
    Abstract: Methods of determining at least one parameter of an irradiation device of an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects may include generating an energy beam and guiding the energy beam across a structured test surface, generating a signal by detecting radiation that is emitted from the test surface, and determining the at least one parameter based on a frequency spectrum of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Concept Laser GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Dicken, Ann-Kathrin Kleinschmidt, Tim Klaussner, Bertram Gaerber
  • Patent number: 11871499
    Abstract: An induction cooking apparatus including a coil beam assembly, an inverter assembly, and a heatsink. The coil beam assembly includes one or more induction coils. The inverter assembly includes a first circuit board that is electrically connected to the induction coil(s) such that the inverter assembly is configured to supply electricity to the induction coil(s). The heatsink has a beam-like structure and is attached to both the coil beam assembly and the inverter assembly. The heatsink is positioned above the inverter assembly and below the coil beam assembly such that the heatsink is the sole support structure for the inverter assembly. A method for assembling the induction cooking apparatus is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Salvatore Baldo, Andrea Gallivanoni, Ajit Manohar, Cristiano Vito Pastore
  • Patent number: 11858059
    Abstract: A weld wheel cleaning system is provided to clean or remove a layer of embedded material and other debris produced from welding from the working surface of a weld wheel. Such a weld wheel cleaning system includes a cleaner with an abrasive material positioned on an outer surface of the cleaner. The cleaner is positionable adjacent to the weld wheel such that the abrasive material is aligned with the working surface of the weld wheel. An actuator can be used to selectively actuate the cleaner with a force sufficient to remove the layer of embedded material from the working surface of the weld wheel with the abrasive material. The debris from the cleaner can be removed by a vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Cleveland-Cliffs Steel Properties
    Inventors: Daniel J. Cadotte, David E. Brandau
  • Patent number: 11850689
    Abstract: An apparatus for welding a welding stud to a specified location of a base material, comprising a stud holder, comprising an inert gas cover, which surrounds the stud holder while forming a gap between the stud holder and the inert gas cover, and comprising a projection device, which is intended to project a visual pattern onto the base material through the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: HILTI AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stefan Wolfsgruber, Philip Dörner, Andreas Starzengruber, Uwe Popp, Klaus Bertsch
  • Patent number: 11852351
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber that defines an oven cavity and a reservoir for holding water that is accessible from within the oven cavity. The cooking appliance further includes a convection heating system, a reservoir heating system, and a control system. The convection heating system includes a convection heating element and a fan for guiding air across the convection heating element. The reservoir heating system includes at least one reservoir heating element. The control system is configured to control the convection heating system and the reservoir heating system to perform a steam cooking operation in response to a user steam-cooking input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Swayne, Brendan McGinnis, Timothy Turner, Ashish Ainapure, Cathy L. May, Andrew Worley
  • Patent number: 11833294
    Abstract: An aerosol provision system comprises a heating element for generating an aerosol from a source liquid and control circuitry for controlling a supply of electrical power from a power supply to the heating element. The control circuitry is configured to measure an indication of a derivative of an electrical characteristic of the heating element with respect to time. Based on the measured time derivative, the control circuitry is configured to determine whether or not a fault condition has arisen for the electronic aerosol provision system. The overall change in the electrical characteristic for the heating element caused by the localized heating may be small and so difficult to reliably identify, but the rate at which the change occurs can be expected to be relatively high, such that the time derivative of the local characteristic is a more reliable indicator of occurrence of the fault condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
    Inventors: Helmut Buchberger, Colin Dickens, Rory Fraser
  • Patent number: 11825870
    Abstract: Disclosed is an article for use with apparatus for heating smokable material to volatilize at least one component of the smokable material. The article comprises smokable material, such as tobacco, and a heater for heating the smokable material. The heater comprises heating material that is heatable by penetration with a varying magnetic field. The heating material has a Curie point temperature that is less than the combustion temperature of the smokable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Nicoventures Trading Limited
    Inventors: Thomas P. Blandino, Andrew Wilke, James J. Frater, Benjamin J. Paprocki
  • Patent number: 11823890
    Abstract: A multi-zone heater with a plurality of thermocouples such that different heater zones can be monitored for temperature independently. The independent thermocouples may have their leads routed out from the shaft of the heater in a channel that is closed with a joining process that results in hermetic seal adapted to withstand both the interior atmosphere of the shaft and the process chemicals in the process chamber. The thermocouple and its leads may be enclosed with a joining process in which a channel cover is brazed to the heater plate with aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Alfred Grant Elliot, Brent Donald Alfred Elliot, Frank Balma, Richard Erich Schuster, Dennis George Rex, Alexander Veytser
  • Patent number: 11819030
    Abstract: A rolled food dough having a good shape is stably produced. The rolled food dough is arranged on a conveyor in an orderly manner. A roll-forming device and method having high production capacity are provided. The downstream end portion PL of the food dough piece P is deflected by a middle-speed conveyor 1 and a high-speed conveyor 3 facing each other in an up-down direction, folded and adhesively pressed between a following low-speed conveyor 2 and the high-speed conveyor 3 to form a rolling core PA, and rolled due to a speed difference between the facing conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rheon Automatic Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumichi Higuchi, Taro Fukugami, Akihiro Orui
  • Patent number: 11814312
    Abstract: In various embodiments, refractory-metal glass melt electrodes are single-crystalline, at least within an outer layer thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: H.C. Starck Solutions Coldwater, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Aimone, WenDi Liu, Maria Bozena Winnicka, Francois-Charles Dary
  • Patent number: 11818825
    Abstract: An induction heated roll apparatus includes a roller main body, an induction heating mechanism, and a cooling mechanism. The induction heating mechanism heats the roller main body, while the cooling mechanism cools the roller main body and/or the induction heating mechanism using a cavity portion between the roller main body and the induction heating mechanism. The cooling mechanism has intake apertures and discharge apertures that are formed in a journal flange portion and communicate with the cavity portion, a suction mechanism that suctions a gas in the cavity portion through the discharge apertures, and a mist supply mechanism that supplies mist to the intake apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOKUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takatsugu Kitano, Kozo Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11812536
    Abstract: A magnetic induction heating system is described. The heating system includes a receptacle and a substrate positioned within the receptacle. The substrate includes ferrous material and forms a cavity that can be filled with fluid, such as water or other liquid. An induction coil at least partially encompasses the substrate. A controller provides alternating current to the induction coil. The alternating current in the induction coil induces an electromagnetic field that creates heat in the substrate. The heat in the substrate heats the fluid. The heating system can further include valves on either end of the substrate that enable fluid to move between the cavity and a chamber that is formed by the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Inductive Engineering Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Stamatios Hadoulias, Jerome Guzman, John C. May, Christopher F. Vonderheide
  • Patent number: 11801635
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for additively manufacturing a product in a layer-by-layer sequence, wherein the product is formed using powder particles deposited on an interface layer of a substrate. A laser generates first and second beam components. The second beam component has a higher power level and a shorter duration than the first beam component. A mask creates a 2D optical pattern in which only select portions of the second beam components can irradiate the powder particles. The first beam component heats the powder particles close to a melting point, where the particles experience surface tension forces relative to the interface layer. While the particles are heated, the second beam component further heats the particles and also melts the interface layer before the surface tension forces can act on and distort the particles, enabling the particles and the interface layer are able to bond together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: James A. Demuth, Andrew J. Bayramian, Eric B. Duoss, Joshua D. Kuntz, Christopher Spadaccini
  • Patent number: 11793353
    Abstract: A portable thermal device includes a housing having a thermally conductive container accessible through an opening. Batteries are contained in the housing. A power supply circuit is in electrical communication between an electrical heater and batteries contained in the to power the electrical heater. In one aspect, an electrical heater uses metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) in thermal contact with the thermally conductive container that are driven in a heat generating range by the power supply circuit. In another aspect, a controller: (i) identifies a thermal profile associated for preparing and maintaining a particular food in the thermal conductive container; (ii) associates the thermal profile with stored power in the one or more batteries; and (iii) communicates via a user interface a limitation on performing the thermal profile based on the stored power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventors: Margarita Moksin, Traila Florin, Druta Paul Florin
  • Patent number: 11786967
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an additively manufactured part with high temperature strength and high ductility that can be suitably used for hot forging even in the temperature range of 800° C. or more, and a manufacturing method therefor. The manufacturing method for the additively manufactured part in accordance with the present invention includes an additive manufacturing step of using composite powder containing ceramic and metal and having voids therein to form a composite material containing the ceramic and the metal by repeating steps of melting and solidifying the composite powder; and a remelting step of remelting the surface of the composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: PROTERIAL, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Ogata, Shuho Koseki, Tadashi Furuya
  • Patent number: 11785680
    Abstract: An induction heating device and a method for sensing a cooking vessel on an induction heating device are provided. The induction heating device may include a controller that converts a resonance waveform generated as current is applied to a sensing coil into a square waveform. The controller may determine whether a cooking vessel placed on the induction heating device has an inductive heating property based on a number of pulses of the converted square waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kyungsoo Hwangbo, Bong Jin Cho