Patents Examined by Lucas Palmer
  • Patent number: 9757129
    Abstract: A surgical apparatus is provided. The surgical apparatus includes a surgical actuating device including a shaft having supporting a first coupling member. The first coupling member includes one or more pairs of apertures. The reload includes a second coupling member including a locking assembly. The second coupling member includes a pair of spring pins positionable within the pair of apertures. The spring pins being movable from an inward position to a radial outward position. The locking assembly includes a lock plate that is moveable from a first position located between the spring pins to a second position spaced from the spring pins. In the radial outward position, the spring pins are received within the apertures of the first coupling member to secure the reload to the surgical actuating member and when the lock plate is in the first position, the reload cannot be separated from the surgical actuating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Justin Williams
  • Patent number: 9751648
    Abstract: An embossing device comprises a first embossing roller and a second embossing roller forming a passage for a web of wrapping material to be embossed, which has a main line of extension and a direction of feed; the first embossing roller comprises on its outer surface toothings to make an imprint on the web; a first toothing having a first impression to imprint on said web a first segment of a reference for identifying a section of the web and a second toothing to imprint a decorative pattern on the web; the second toothing comprises a zone without teeth for defining on the web a second, unembossed segment of the reference; the first toothing and the zone without teeth are offset from each other along a directrix of the first roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: G.D. S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Polloni, Marco Ghini, Stefano Negrini
  • Patent number: 9736997
    Abstract: Disclosed is a binding machine for agriculture which is used when binding, using a binding tape, a crop to a pole which is previously installed near the crop so as to keep in places the stems or branches of various crops. A steel needle standby groove is formed at an inner side of the steel 5 needle exit of the steel needle supply part loaded with binding steel needles, and when steel needles are extruded, the steel needle is separated from the steel needle group and stands by in the steel needle standby groove, and in the steel needle extrusion plate, a steel needle separation protrusion is formed at a side surface 10 in the direction of the steel needle standby groove, and then the binding steel needle is extruded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Nam Sun Cho
  • Patent number: 9730694
    Abstract: A loading unit including a shipping assembly is provided. The shipping assembly is operably received adjacent the cartridge assembly to retain staples with the cartridge assembly. The shipping assembly includes a shipping member selectively secured to loading unit and a locking member slidably disposed within the shipping member. The locking member is movable between a proximal position wherein the shipping member is secured to the housing and a distal position wherein the shipping member is removable from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Paul Scirica, Justin Williams, Patrick Mozdzierz, Christopher Penna
  • Patent number: 9724816
    Abstract: In a handheld electric tool having a tool housing in which is disposed a gearbox for transferring a torque, generated by a drive motor, to a drive spindle with which a spindle locking apparatus is associated, the drive spindle being rotatably mounted in the tool housing at at least two bearing points, the at least two bearing points are provided in the tool housing in a region downstream from the gearbox, and the spindle locking apparatus is disposed between the two bearing points in an axial direction of the drive spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Hecht, Martin Kraus
  • Patent number: 9718570
    Abstract: A robotic carton erector and method of use is provided by the present invention. The robotic apparatus has a pair of movable jaws with grippers mounted thereto. The apparatus has a rail and a pair of platforms, the platforms positioned downstream of the rail. The robotic apparatus grips and opens a carton and the carton is moved into contact with the rail to close the bottom minor flaps. The carton is moved in a first direction onto a first platform to close a first bottom major flap and in a second direction onto a second platform to close a second bottom major flap. The carton bottom is then sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: XPAK USA, LLC
    Inventors: Juan C. Ortiz, Joseph Minond
  • Patent number: 9708083
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoform packaging machine and a method of operating a thermoform packaging machine, which comprises an infeed station and a pre-sealing station, so as to feed elongate products into troughs and retain them therein until a cover film has been fixed so as to cover the troughs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MULTIPAC SEPP HAGGENMUELLER SE & CO. KG
    Inventors: Guido Eberle, Dieter Holzem, Martin Drechsler, Ewald Rimmel
  • Patent number: 9700318
    Abstract: A surgical device is disclosed. The surgical device includes: a jaw assembly including a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to the first jaw; and an articulating assembly removably coupled to the proximal end of the jaw assembly, the articulating including a distal joint member, a proximal joint member, and a pivot pin fixedly coupled to the distal joint member and rotatably coupled to the proximal joint member, wherein the jaw assembly and the distal joint member define a first longitudinal axis extending between a proximal end of the jaw assembly and a distal end of the distal joint member, and the proximal joint member defines a second longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Paul A. Scirica, Justin Williams, Kevin Robert Slisz
  • Patent number: 9682852
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a tube (54) of pocket material (22) for manufacturing a pocket spring string includes a cartridge (30) for guiding the pocket material (22). The cartridge (30) has at least one first element (61) and at least one second element (62). A relative position between the at least one first element (61) and the at least one second element (62) may be set in a direction (60) perpendicular to an axis (50) of the cartridge (30), in order to adjust a spacing between sides of the cartridge (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Spuhl AG
    Inventor: Hans Knöpfel
  • Patent number: 9629633
    Abstract: A surgical device comprising a handle housing, an adapter, an elongated portion, an end effector, a first drive element, and a second drive element is disclosed. The adapter includes a first drive assembly configured to mechanically engage a portion of a first actuation mechanism of the handle housing. The elongated portion is configured to extend distally from the adapter. The first drive element is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the first drive assembly. The second drive element is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the first drive assembly. Rotation of the first drive assembly in a first direction about the longitudinal axis causes distal translation of the first drive element. Rotation of the first drive assembly in a second direction about the longitudinal axis causes distal translation of the second drive element. The first direction is opposite from the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Justin Williams, Christopher William Kaswer
  • Patent number: 9555532
    Abstract: In at least one illustrative embodiment, a rotary impact tool may include an anvil and at least one hammer configured to impact the anvil to cause the anvil to rotate. The anvil may include an output shaft, a first lug extending outward in a radial direction from the output shaft and extending a first distance around the output shaft in a circumferential direction, and a second lug extending outward in the radial direction from the output shaft and extending a second distance, different from the first distance, around the output shaft in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventors: Ryan Scott Amend, Edward Charles Eardley, Timothy Richard Cooper
  • Patent number: 9550595
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a chamber packaging machine, wherein the position of a sealing bar is during the evacuation of a diaphragm checked using a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: MULTIVAC SEPP HAGGENMUELLER SE & CO. KG
    Inventor: Jürgen Steidele
  • Patent number: 9517854
    Abstract: A machine (10) for treating containers (12) and corresponding lids (11) in order to contain a liquid for feeding animals comprises a first line (50) for washing, treating and filling the containers (12), from which the lids (11) have been removed beforehand, disposed in a first washing direction (X), and a second line (60) for washing and treating the lids (11) removed from the containers (12) disposed in a second washing direction (Y) disposed parallel to the first direction (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: STEELCO SPA
    Inventor: Fabio Zardini
  • Patent number: 9481543
    Abstract: A variable cutoff folding device 1 comprising a folding cylinder 40 and a jaw cylinder 50, the folding cylinder 40 comprising: a paper edge holding mechanism 41 configured capable of holding a front edge portion in a conveying direction of an individual sheet FP and capable of changing a timing for releasing holding of the individual sheet FP based on a length in the conveying direction of the individual sheet FP; and a thrust blade mechanism 43 configured capable of thrusting the individual sheet FP to an outer side in a radial direction of the folding cylinder and capable of changing a position in a circumferential direction in the folding cylinder 40 based on the length in the conveying direction of the individual sheet FP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKYO KIKAI SEISAKUSHO
    Inventor: Mutsuhito Yoneta
  • Patent number: 9469424
    Abstract: A packaging device comprises a frame, a conveying mechanism mounted on the frame, and two loading mechanisms mounted on opposite sides of the frame. The conveying mechanism holds a workpiece. The loading mechanism includes a feeding assembly and a pushing assembly. The feeding assembly includes a first driver mounted on the frame, and a bearing member movably mounted on the guiding base and connected to the first driver, for holding a number of protection members. The pushing assembly includes a second driver fixed on a top surface of the frame, and a pushing member connected to the second driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignees: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hai-Bo Zhou
  • Patent number: 9392819
    Abstract: A method and machine for producing paperless filter rods for smoking articles, according to which a tow band of hardening-material-impregnated filtering material is fed along a forming beam having a first portion along which the tow band is injected with steam to cause the hardening material to react, and a second portion along which the tow band is dried with air, coming out from the forming beam, a continuous paperless rigid rod filter, which is fed to a cutting device; the steam blowing being performed at a plurality of stations arranged in series along the first portion; and the steam being fed, at each station, into an accumulation chamber surrounding the forming channel and communicating with the forming channel through an annular nozzle arranged on a transverse plane to the forming channel and having a constant width, measured along an axis of the forming channel, of 0.3 to 0.9 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: MONTRADE S.R.L.
    Inventors: Antonella Giannini, Alberto Monzoni
  • Patent number: 9364220
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to electromechanical surgical systems configured for use with removable disposable loading units and/or single use loading units for clamping, cutting and/or stapling tissue. A force transmitting assembly of surgical instrument transmits a rotation of a rotatable drive member of the surgical instrument to the rotation receiving member of the end effector. A distal neck assembly of the surgical instrument includes at least one gear system configured to convert a rotational input of the rotatable drive member into at least two output forces to the end effector; and an articulating neck assembly interconnecting the tubular body and the distal neck housing. The articulating neck assembly is configured to enable off-axis articulation of the distal neck assembly. The rotatable drive member extends through the articulating neck assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Justin Williams