Patents Examined by Kelvin L Randall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10683160
    Abstract: The disclosure provides at least an apparatus, method and system for a pill dispenser. The pill dispenser may be capable of dispensing a predetermined number of pills, and may include a push button; a container capable of containing a plurality of pills and including, at substantially an end portion thereof, a pill exit, and, on an inner circumference thereof, a threaded track; a cap that removably connects the push button and the container; and a dispenser fittedly positioned within the container. The dispenser may include a spring; threads capable of being rotatably received by the threaded track upon actuation of the push button; at least one pill stop at a portion thereof substantially adjacent to the pill exit; and a ramp therewithin capable of guiding ones of the plurality of pills to the pill stop upon compression of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: NYPRO INC.
    Inventor: Robert G. Petit
  • Patent number: 10675776
    Abstract: A fastener delivery system for transporting and dispensing fasteners comprises a source of pressurized air, a dispenser configured for dispensing each of the fasteners into a workpiece, a first pathway providing a first passageway for the fasteners to pass through, and a second pathway providing a second passageway for the fasteners to pass through. Each of the first pathway and the second pathway is placed in selective fluid communication with the source of pressurized air to blow one of the fasteners disposed in the first pathway or the second pathway towards the dispenser. The dispenser includes a toggle feature for alternatingly receiving the fasteners from each of the first pathway and the second pathway. Each of the pathways includes an air brake mechanism for decelerating each of the fasteners as each of the fasteners approaches the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: ALLIANCE AUTOMATION, LLC
    Inventors: Chet Wenninger, Karl Klopfenstein, Josh Foltz, Jason Daniels, Mark Seiler
  • Patent number: 10675216
    Abstract: A medicine container closure device for recording and broadcasting information about the contents of a container includes a housing that defines an interior space. The housing is configured to couple to a bottle to selectively close the bottle. A power module and a recording-playback assembly are coupled to the housing and are positioned in the interior space. The recording-playback assembly is operationally coupled to the power module. The recording-playback assembly is configured to record and broadcast information regarding the contents of the bottle, such as a name, a usage, a purpose, and a date to refill the contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Inventor: Gilberto Mejia
  • Patent number: 10674876
    Abstract: An inventive dispenser for storing and dispensing hygiene products is disclosed. The dispenser includes, in a closed state, a rear wall, two opposite side walls, a front wall, and an upper wall. The dispenser further includes a dispensing opening and an openable cover that may be opened for refill of the dispenser. At least one wall of the dispenser includes a support structure made at least mainly of plastic material. An outer thin metal sheet is laminated to an exterior surface of the support structure, and the surface of the metal sheet includes a curved surface in at least one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: ESSITY HYGIENE AND HEALTH AKTIEBOLAG
    Inventors: Björn Larsson, Peter Orgna
  • Patent number: 10653584
    Abstract: A dispensing assembly which includes a case having a superior component and inferior component, the superior component and inferior component operatively arranged to form a first cavity therebetween. A tablet disc is arranged within the first cavity having a plurality of tablets disposed about a circumference of the tablet disc, where the tablet disc is arranged to rotate about a central axis and within the case. The assembly further includes a lock to prevent rotation of the tablet disc in a first rotational direction during a first predetermined time interval. The lock includes a first component and a second component. The first component includes a display and a first circuit connected to the display. The second component includes an actuator, a catch, a plurality of teeth on an outer circumferential surface of the second component, and a ratchet operatively arranged to engage with the plurality of teeth and the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Pill Development Group, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Owen Brady, Joseph B. Bujalski, Jeffery S. Heitzenrater, Matthew William Vergin, Jon Colin Leonard, Joel Raymond Chartier
  • Patent number: 10657508
    Abstract: A product storage device includes: a main gate that is swingably provided to advance and move away from a product storage column, that advances to an advanced position, and that allows a downstream-most product to be taken out; a sub-gate that is swingably provided in association with the main gate; a sliding member that regulates the main gate from moving away and retracting from the product storage column; and a lever that allows the sliding member to be present at a regulation position, that switches to a regulation posture which regulates the sliding member from returning to the regulation position, and that then, when the main gate moves away from the product storage column in response to a take-out operation, switches to a standby posture when the main gate advances to the product storage column to allow the sliding member to return to the regulation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norio Nakajima, Hajime Erikawa, Katsuhiko Fukuda, Michihiko Makino, Takuya Sakatoku, Takuma Kakiuchi
  • Patent number: 10657756
    Abstract: An article dispensing apparatus includes: one article discharging apparatus; and another article discharging apparatus, the one article discharging apparatus and the other article discharging apparatus being capable of being combined in a back-to-back manner. The one article discharging apparatus includes: a driving source; an output gear configured to rotate by a driving force from the driving source when a discharging instruction has been given to the one article discharging apparatus; link levers where each link lever is provided rotatably about an axis of the link lever; and a controller configured to perform return processing including rotating the output gear in another direction or one direction to return the output gear to a standby position when the output gear that has been rotated in the one direction or the other direction from the standby position by the discharge instruction does not return to the standby position within a preset time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shirou Takeuchi, Takanori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10650642
    Abstract: A lottery ticket dispenser bin is configured for dispensing interconnected sealed ticket packs, and includes a housing having a front panel with a dispensing slot defined therein and a back panel. The housing has a bottom contour that includes a middle section on which the stack of ticket packs rest in an upright orientation, and a front wall that extends upwards towards the dispensing slot. A hump defines a transition surface between the middle section and the front wall, and an initial contact surface that retains a trailing ticket pack in the middle section as a leading ticket pack is pulled through the dispensing slot. The front wall defines a second contact surface against which the trailing ticket pack is pulled and bent as the leading ticket pack is pulled from the dispensing slot. An insert that defines the bottom contour is also provided for insertion into a ticket bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Scientific Games International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Martineck, Sr., Timothy Masocol
  • Patent number: 10643410
    Abstract: A bulk rivet container can include a cover and an adjacent RFID tag, and the cover can be moveable between a closed position and an open position. A cover exterior can have an opening recess. A peripheral side of the container can include an orienting protrusion and a container locking recess. The container can be designed to cooperate with a transfer cabinet having a rivet entry passage closable by a cabinet cover to which an RFID reader is coupled. The cabinet can have a locking protrusion and an opening protrusion oriented about the cabinet entry passage. The orienting protrusion, the container locking recess, and the container opening recess can be designed to be simultaneously couplable with the orienting recess, the container locking protrusion, and the container opening protrusion, respectively, while the RFID tag is simultaneously readable by the RFID reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Newfrey LLC
    Inventor: Chuan Meng Kho
  • Patent number: 10639217
    Abstract: A description is given of a sterilising automatic dispenser apt to dispense flattened disposable devices as an aid to female urination in standing position provided with a curved portion, wherein the forward movement unit is apt to make the FUD move forwards in the outlet slot by direct pushing on the indentation of the FUD or by way of contact with friction of the FUD with the forward movement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: SANIPLAST S.R.L.
    Inventor: Domingo Merry Del Val
  • Patent number: 10625891
    Abstract: A bag supply device used in a rotary bag-filling packaging machine and including: an empty-bag holding member for holding a bag, a reciprocating mechanism for moving the empty-bag holding member back and forth between a bag receiving position and a bag delivery position, a first turning mechanism for turning the empty-bag holding member around a first axis parallel to a bag width direction thereof upon operation of the reciprocating mechanism and orienting the holding face of the empty-bag holding member vertically in the delivery position, and a second turning mechanism for turning the empty-bag holding member around a second axis parallel to a bag length direction thereof and causing the bag held by the empty-bag holding member in the delivery position to be directly across from the pair of grippers stopped in the empty bag supply position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Toyo Jidoki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Fukeda, Tetsuaki Yomoda
  • Patent number: 10618148
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a screw cutting mechanism that can stably feed screws to a driver bit by stabilizing the position of the screws, and that has an accurate and smooth cutting action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: OHTAKE ROOT KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitake Ota, Hirofumi Oikawa
  • Patent number: 10611553
    Abstract: A bag container dispenser includes a bag container. The container is formed of resilient material and has a bottom, a top, first and second sides, a front, a back and a removable access panel. The access panel has a top segment that includes a portion of the top and a connected front segment. The front segment has a height that extends from the bottom to the top. Stacked bags are sized and shaped to fit within the bag container. Each of the bags has a front wall, a back wall, an open top and a closure mechanism. The bags are dispensable from the container through an opening provided by removal of the access panel which may have a removable cover. A dispenser rack has a horizontal platform sized and shaped to support the bag container. Peripheral guards extend upward from the platform and constrain movement of the container during dispensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Inventor: Jessica Tan
  • Patent number: 10600273
    Abstract: The present application provides a product vending module for vending a number of products. The product vending module includes a product row configured to contain a number of products therein. The product vending module also includes a product gate positioned about the product row and rotatable from a closed position preventing access to the number of products to an open position allowing access to one of the number of products while preventing access to a remainder of the number of products, the product gate including a biased base. The product vending module further includes a product locking system in communication with the product gate, the product locking system including a locking pin releasably engaging the biased base and movable from a first allowing rotation of the product gate toward the closed position to a second position restricting rotation of the product gate toward the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: Bart Carpentier, Jurgen Roekens, Antonio Feltrin, Willy Van Esch, Jacobus P. M. Dessing
  • Patent number: 10595647
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing cutlery may include a housing configured to contain a plurality of utensils for dispensing, a dispensing mechanism that includes at least one belt configured to be driven and separate a utensil from a stack of utensils, and at least one drive mechanism configured to drive the at least one belt. The dispenser may further include a receptacle configured to receive the utensil separated from the stack of utensils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Nathan J. Erickson, Richard S. Walters
  • Patent number: 10588470
    Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for optically determining the amount of product used and/or remaining in a product dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
    Inventors: Babak R. Ghazi, Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Stephen Becker
  • Patent number: 10582814
    Abstract: A dispenser for interfolded napkins includes a container having a supporting surface for supporting a stack of interfolded napkins. The supporting surface extends in a horizontal plane, and is surrounded by side walls extending in a vertical direction perpendicular to the supporting surface. The side walls define a dispensing opening opposite the supporting surface. At least one tab is arranged in the container for retaining the stack of napkins during withdrawal of a napkin from the stack. The tab is pivotably arranged in relation to the container between a holding position, in which the tab extends horizontally over at least a portion of the dispensing opening, and a refill position, in which the tab is directed away from the dispensing opening. The tab pivots about a living hinge. One or more stop surfaces limit an extent to which the tab is able to turn about the living hinge toward the dispensing mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: ESSITY HYGIENE AND HEALTH AKTIEBOLAG
    Inventors: Björn Larsson, Jan Lundgren
  • Patent number: 10583979
    Abstract: A storage container for a storage and dispensing station for drugs is provided. The storage container includes a housing enclosing a receiving space, a circular-cylindrical section and a bottom area having a discharge opening. A singling device situated in the circular-cylindrical portion of the housing includes at least one duct and a restrainer completely situated within the housing enclosing the receiving space. The restrainer includes a fastening portion and a restraining portion. The restraining portion is kept above the discharge opening and the fastening portion works together with at least one fastening socket within the housing to fix the restrainer in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: CAREFUSION GERMANY 326 GMBH
    Inventor: Hardy Schmidt-Ellinger
  • Patent number: 10568813
    Abstract: A pill feeder accepts a quantity of pills and organizes the pills into a single file where each pill is output in a controlled orientation at a controlled rate. The apparatus includes a moving surface, such as a rotating disk, to receive and move pills past one or more gates that separate and orient groups of pills into a single file. The gates can start at a closed position and open until a pill has passed the gate. In one embodiment, a mixer counter-rotates relative to the rotating disk to prevent jams of the pills. The single file of pills is then guided out to an exit chute via an exit path. An alternative exit path provides an alternative route via which the pills exit the pill feeder. Multiple sensors can control the movement of the gates and the rate at which the pills exit the pill feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: PerceptiMed, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Jacobs, Brandon Loeb, Robert Peikin
  • Patent number: 10562696
    Abstract: A container for storing capsules and discharging them individually, including an upwardly open capsule-holding receptacle, a cap rotatably mounted on the receptacle, an upright screw shaft with an external spiral groove fixedly mounted in the receptacle, and a hollow cylinder concentrically surrounding the screw shaft within the receptacle and coupled to the cap for rotation therewith. A thread on the inner surface of the cylinder faces and cooperates with the spiral groove to receive capsules admitted from the receptacle through an entry port in the cylinder and, as the cap is rotated, to raise the admitted capsules one by one to a central discharge port in the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: TOLY KOREA INC.
    Inventor: Soo Bin Yeo