Patents Examined by Joseph E. Valenza
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Patent number: 6701216Abstract: A method for matching a manifest or statement of a mailing with the mail pieces contained in a tray. The method is accomplished by: printing a pattern on the edge of mail pieces; placing the mail pieces in a tray; and printing the pattern on the manifest or statement of mailing and on the edges of the mail pieces contained in the tray.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2002Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: Pitney Bowas Inc.Inventors: Kenneth G. Miller, Thomas J. Foth, Richard W. Heiden, Brian M. Romansky, Ronald Reichman
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Patent number: 6695121Abstract: A dustproof linear actuator has: a housing with a slit extending axially; a linear guide device disposed in the housing; a carriage mounted in the housing and axially movable along the slit by the linear guide device, the carriage including a workpiece mounting table protruding from the housing through the slit; a linear drive device disposed in the housing for moving the carriage axially; a pair of pulleys disposed in an axial end of the housing; and a sealing band mounted around the pulleys within the housing movably for closing the slit, the sealing band including first and second ends which are fastened to first and second ends of the carriage, respectively, to form a circulative loop. Further, the dustproof linear actuator has an air venting device for venting air existing in the housing close to the axial end toward an outside of the housing so that the dustproof linear actuator can remarkably prevents the dust particles from leaking out of the housing by reducing the pressure inside the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2003Date of Patent: February 24, 2004Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Sosuke Kawashima, Nobuhito Saji
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Patent number: 6695133Abstract: A preformed strip (20) of unvulcanized rubber having a plurality of strand receiving grooves (22) for splicing the ends (11, 12) of steel cord or strand reinforced rubber conveyor belts (10) is disclosed along with a method of forming the spliced joint.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2003Date of Patent: February 24, 2004Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: Robin Bovaird Steven, David Joseph Maguire, Steven Andrew Lederer, William James Head, Larry James Gehrett, James Alfred Benzing, II
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Patent number: 6695122Abstract: A chip conveyer including an endless conveying member (18) that circulates in a predetermined direction for receiving chips discharged from a machine tool in a receiving zone, conveying the chips to a discharge position (E2) spaced from the receiving zone at a predetermined interval, and discharging the chips at the discharge position. A conveying member (18) travels along a forward route (R2) from an end (E1) of the receiving zone to a turning point (E2) of the conveying member (18), discharges the chips at the turning point (E2), and travels along a return route (R3) from the turning point (E2) to a return point (E3) where the conveying member (18) is returned to the receiving zone. The conveying member (18) enters the liquid reservoir (31) while moving along the return route (R3) such that the chips adhered to the conveying member due to an oil component are separated in liquid in the liquid reservoir (31). A liquid supply device supplies the liquid to the liquid reservoir (31).Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2002Date of Patent: February 24, 2004Assignee: Enomoto Industry Company, Ltd.Inventor: Yukio Enomoto
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Patent number: 6691855Abstract: There is disclosed a part-aligning apparatus that is simple in structure, less damages chip parts, and operates well even if its chip discharge passage is clogged or overflows. The apparatus has a part-holding chamber for accommodating a number of chip parts. An arc-shaped chute groove is formed in the inner surface of the bottom of the part-holding chamber to orient the chip parts in a given direction and to guide the sliding chips. A gate port is formed at the lower end of the chute groove to pass the sliding chip parts one by one. The discharge passage is formed tangent to the chute groove to align the passed chip parts in a row and to deliver them. Claw portions for removing clogging are formed on the inner surface of a rotary drum that forms the part-holding chamber. The claw portions urge any chip part halted in the gate port in an abnormal posture toward an opposite direction different from the direction in which the chips are delivered.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 1998Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeki Takahashi, Nihei Kaishita
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Patent number: 6691857Abstract: Supply lines, formed by two V-shaped belts (1)-(1′) that go in the same direction at different speeds; Photoelectric cells (2) on the first transversal alignment of cells and others (3) on the fruit outlet of the feeder; Pneumatic cylinders that separate or group the outlet ends of the supply lines, turning on their inlet ends: Detection means (6) of the arrangement of the cells to suitably position the supply lines; Means (7) to check loading on the inlet ends of the feed lines, that operate as a transporter (8) to regulate and give continuity to the general supply.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Food Machinery Espanola, S.A.Inventor: Juan Antonio Sánchez de León Rodríguez Roda
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Patent number: 6691853Abstract: A bottom discharge slide gate apparatus for a conveyor. The slide gate apparatus may be selectively opened or closed, and may be pivoted downward away from the conveyor trough for cleaning thereof. The apparatus may be part of a vibratory conveyor system or retrofitted on an existing conveyor trough.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Meyer Industries, Inc.Inventor: John Basketfield
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Patent number: 6688508Abstract: A conveyor device capable of conveying a belt-like material from a lower site to an upper site without elongating the belt-like material and without applying unrequired stress thereto. The conveyor device comprises a lower conveyor unit for conveying the belt-like material supplied from material supply means, a central conveyor unit having an induction conveyor which is located adjacent to the front end of the lower conveyor unit and has at least one end movable in a vertical direction, a central conveyor having an inversion conveyor and an expansion conveyor disposed above the lower conveyor unit along a horizontal path, and a unit for expanding or contracting the above expansion conveyor, for inverting the belt-like material received from the above lower conveyor unit and conveying it in an upward direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha BridgestoneInventor: Takashi Ishiwatari
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Patent number: 6688455Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers. A diverter may be used to direct incoming product bags between parallel conveyors.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Dallas A. C. Horn & Co.Inventors: John Mark Singleton, Mark A. Ritter
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Patent number: 6688460Abstract: A cup transfer device of a vending machine can prevent the cup transfer device, peripheral objects or the device motor from being damaged, even when an abnormal case is encountered, thereby preventing the cup holder from rotating actively. The cup transfer device comprises a cup holder; means for driving the cup holder; and means for selectively controlling power transmitted from the driving means to the cup holder. The driving means comprises a motor and a rotary shaft driven by the motor. The driving control means includes a first clutch disk connected with the rotary shaft for moving in an axial direction; a second clutch disk secured to the cup holder; and a resilient member for urging the first clutch disk toward the second clutch disk.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jung-gi Kim
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Patent number: 6688461Abstract: Apparatus for processing both whole and portioned food products along a processing line for part cut-up and deboning in a mass production system. The apparatus consists of numerous food carriers, evenly spaced over a subscribed distance, connected by means of a mounting block, which is connected to a thermal plastic chain or a stainless steel chain by means of locking pins. The apparatus also includes food product take-away conveyors for the meat portions and scraps removed from the carcass. The carrier conveyance and the take-away conveyance have been incorporated into a common support frame. The apparatus will allow interchangeable food carriers for the type of process desired. Each food carrier is unique to the type of process being performed along the processing line. The chain is designed in such a manner as to allow vertical movement within a specified elevation change. Each food carrier is attached to a mounting block, which becomes an attachment to the chain.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2001Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Fabco Equipment Company, Inc.Inventors: Rocky S. Frazier, Jeffrey A. Pyatt
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Patent number: 6685010Abstract: A device for inward and outward transfer of material comprises a conveyor section with a continuous belt for receiving the material at an angle, and an airlock section and a guide section for guiding the continuous belt. The airlock section has a rectangular end area and an acute-angle end area. There is a drive having a driving drum and a back-up roller. The drive is arranged in proximity to the rectangular end area of the airlock section and the back-up roller is displaceable in a direction of the driving drum.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Transnorm System GmbHInventor: Karl Warnecke
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Patent number: 6685005Abstract: A belt guide for a drive belt of a roller conveyor that cants the belt in the skewed roller section of the conveyor so that an edge portion of the belt, and not the entire width, engages the skewed rollers to impart driving motion. This is accomplished by providing a series of free-wheeling cam followers that support the raised edge portion of the drive belt that contacts the skewed rollers. A second series of freely rotatable grooved wheels or sheaves is provided whose grooved portion captures the lower edge portion of the drive belt.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2002Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Assignee: Ermanco IncorporatedInventor: Steven Theodore Youn
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Patent number: 6681917Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a device and to a device for conveying loose objects from a supply station to a delivery station, wherein a conveyor is used by means of which trays containing objects can be moved. The conveyor includes at least one carrier for receiving said trays, which carrier can be moved in an intended direction of movement with the aid of driving means and which can be selectively pivoted about a pivot axis at at least one desired location. The object is either removed from the tray by pivoting the carrier about the respective pivot axis, whereby the object slides off the tray in a first direction, or the tray and the object are jointly removed from the carrier by moving the tray and the object in a second direction transversely to said first direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2001Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Vanderlande Industries Nederland B.V.Inventor: Jacobus Marie Van Den Goor
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Patent number: 6681919Abstract: A torsion unit (14) for use with a conveyor belt scraper (12) which includes a tubular component (36), an extension member (38) which is located at least partly inside the tubular component (36), at least one resiliently deformable torsion element inside the tubular component which acts between opposed surfaces of the tubular component and the extension member, and a flange on the tubular component.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2001Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: SLIC Trading Company LimitedInventor: Jan Louis Brink
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Patent number: 6681916Abstract: A system for conveying LCD glass substrates 100 traveling between processing devices 210, 220 and 230 and conveying LCD glass substrates. The conveyor system 100 includes an upper conveyor 110 for conveying LCD glass substrates in the feeding direction between processing devices, a lower conveyor 120 arranged so as to form a multi-storied structure together with the upper conveyor for conveying LCD glass substrates in the return direction between processing devices, and a vertical conveyor for vertically conveying LCD glass substrates from the upper conveyor to the lower conveyor or vice versa. The vertical conveyor is provided with a plurality of conveyor tables, of which each is able to support the a LCD glass substrate from the underside thereof and moving it up and down linking to each other. One conveyor table forms a part of the upper conveyor while the another conveyor table forms a part of the lower conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2001Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Tsutomu Hiroki
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Patent number: 6679369Abstract: A machine tool has a pallet changer at a front of a machine body for automatically changing a preceding-process pallet loaded with a machined workpiece thereon for a next-process pallet loaded with an unmachined workpiece thereon. A working space is provided between the machine body and the pallet changer. Thus, a machine tool, as well as a pallet changer used in the machine tool can be provided that allows a working space to be ensured without causing any complications for the structure and that has a wide range of applications.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2001Date of Patent: January 20, 2004Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yoshinobu Okuyama
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Patent number: 6675953Abstract: Conveyor system accessories are disclosed, which provide an inexpensive way to stage, stockpile and/or sort work pieces and provides easy entry to and exit from a main conveyor. In particular, a trolley or trolleys that carry work pieces ride on the conveyor rail above the chain or intermesh with the chain on the inside of the track. These accessories are used with single track continuous conveyor systems, which greatly enhances the productivity of the single track system by permitting work pieces to be taken off-line without taking the work piece off a load pendant.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2003Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Inventor: Jerry Taeger
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Patent number: 6675956Abstract: A slat conveyor includes both lifting slats (10) and conveying slats (12). Longitudinal movement of drive members (34) move lifting blocks (32) up lifting ramps (30). The tops of the lifting slats (10) rest on the lifting blocks (32) and the lifting slats (10) move upwardly with the lifting blocks (32). When the lifting slats (10) are in a “down” position, their upper surfaces are below the upper surfaces of the conveying slats (12). Advancing movement of the conveying slats (12) advance a load (L) that is on the conveying slats (12). At the end of a forward movement of the conveying slats (12), the lifting slats (10) are raised into an “up” position, lifting the load (L) above the upper surfaces of the conveying slats (12). Then, the conveying slats (12) are retracted while the load (L) is held by the lifting slats (10).Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2000Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Inventors: Raymond Keith Foster, Scott Delamarter
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Patent number: 6675954Abstract: Conveyor system accessories are disclosed, which provide an inexpensive way to stage, stockpile and/or sort work pieces and provides easy entry to and exit from a main conveyor. In particular, a trolley or trolleys that carry work pieces ride on the conveyor rail above the chain or intermesh with the chain on the inside of the track. These accessories are used with single track continuous conveyor systems, which greatly enhances the productivity of the single track system by permitting work pieces to be taken off-line without taking the work piece off a load pendant.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2003Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Inventor: Jerry Taeger