Patents Examined by Michael McCullough
  • Patent number: 11975361
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sorting device for separating buds or other product into groups by size. The device may be generally defined by two, spaced apart conveyor belts that operate in transverse directions such that items placed in the space between the two conveyor belts move in transverse directions depending on their size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Inventor: Cullen Raichart
  • Patent number: 11977017
    Abstract: Computer based methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for intelligently sorting cells using machine learning. A biological cell analysis sorting machine, wherein the biological cell analysis sorting machine comprises a flow cytometry system and a cell analytics sorting system, may be configured to detect configuration issues by analyzing results of a sorting experiment performed by the biological cell analysis sorting machine. An analysis of a history of prior sorting experiments and associated configuration settings may be performed and a corpus of documents pertaining to the sorting experiment based on the detected configuration issues may be analyzed. Updated configuration settings for the biological cell analysis sorting machine based on the performed analysis may be determined, and the biological cell analysis sorting machine may be configured with the updated configuration settings to conduct a desired sorting experiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marta Sanchez-Martin, Claudia S. Huettner, Jia Xu, Cheryl L Eifert, Elinor Dehan, Shang Xue, Vanessa Michelini
  • Patent number: 11975926
    Abstract: An automated belt-based diverter system is described in some implementations. In an example implementation, the system may include a belt, which includes a closed loop of material, coupled with a pulley and a motor that provides motive force to the belt, for example, using the pulley. In some implementations, one or more diverter arms may be coupled with the belt. A diverter arm may include a body with a first arm end, a second arm end, and a pushing surface. A diverter arm may be coupled at the first end with the belt so that the second end extends away from the belt and the pushing surface may contact an object to push the item. The system may also include a controller coupled with the motor to rotate the belt in defined directions or distances based on instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Staples, Inc.
    Inventors: Calem Harris, Sebastian Mora, Grant Tucker, Arun Kumar Ranganathan Jagannathan, Carl Skantze, Arnold Tsoka, Mario Faulkner
  • Patent number: 11975364
    Abstract: A component transfer device includes an integration path through which both of a regular component and a defective component are to be transported, and a sorting gauge that is provided at the downstream end of the integration path and sorts the regular component and the defective component. A discharge path through which the defective component passes extends to incline in the width direction of the integration path. The sorting gauge includes a gauge body, a sorting path extending through the gauge body and into which the regular component is allowed to advance while the defective component is not allowed to advance, and a guide surface that is disposed at the gauge body so as to spread toward the discharge path and that guides the defective component to the discharge path when the defective component comes into contact with the guide surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignees: KEYLEX CORPORATION, SEKI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryotaro Shinagawa, Yuki Funaki, Kouji Sakota, Seiji Miura, Naoki Oda
  • Patent number: 11964284
    Abstract: Provided is a method that enables sufficient separation of an egg shell and an egg shell membrane from each other even in a small scale, using a simpler configuration than conventional methods. The method for separating an egg shell and an egg shell membrane from each other includes a step of adding an egg shell with an egg shell membrane attached thereto to a swirling flow of an alkaline solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BIOAPATITE, INC.
    Inventors: Keinosuke Kaneshima, Koichi Nakamura, Masahiro Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 11965814
    Abstract: Systems having an unfiltered light scatter detector configured to detect scattered light from a sample in a flow stream are provided. Systems according to certain embodiments include a light source having two or more lasers, a light detection system having an unfiltered light scatter detector and a processor having memory operably coupled to the processor where the memory includes instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate one or more data signals in response to scattered light from each of the two or more lasers detected by the unfiltered light scatter detector; and determine one or more parameters of data acquisition based on the generated data signals from the unfiltered light scatter detector. Methods for determining one or more parameters for data acquisition with the subject systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
    Inventor: Pierce O. Norton
  • Patent number: 11967687
    Abstract: A safe discharge method for waste lithium ion batteries includes steps of mixing the waste lithium ion batteries and conductive particles in a discharge chamber to make the waste lithium ion batteries to discharge, calculating an internal resistance of the discharge chamber according to pressurization pressure; calculating a discharge rate of the waste lithium ion batteries; dynamically adjusting the pressurization pressure to keep the discharge rate of the waste lithium ion batteries to be 0.1-3 C; monitoring an internal temperature of the discharge chamber in real time; when the internal temperature is greater than an early warning temperature, reducing the pressurization pressure by 20%-60%; when the internal temperature is greater than a warning temperature, relieving the pressurization pressure to 0 N, reducing the pressurization pressure by 60%-90% after the internal temperature drops below the early warning temperature, and re-compacting to discharge the waste lithium ion batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: SHENZHEN JIECHENG NICKEL COBALT NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Meimei Chen
  • Patent number: 11964304
    Abstract: A material sorting system sorts materials utilizing an x-ray fluorescence and/or a vision system that implements a machine learning system in order to identify or classify each of the materials, which are then sorted into separate groups based on such an identification or classification determining that the materials are composed of either wrought aluminum, extruded aluminum, or cast aluminum. The system is capable of sorting between cast aluminum alloys and also between wrought aluminum alloys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Sortera Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Nalin Kumar, Manuel Gerardo Garcia, Jr., Isha Kamleshbhai Maun
  • Patent number: 11958079
    Abstract: A hazelnut processing plant provides separation of unshelled hazelnut as shell and as decorticated hazelnut by means of breaking the shells thereof. The hazelnut processing plant includes at least one calibration sieve where the unshelled hazelnut is transferred in order to be categorized in accordance with the dimensions thereof, at least one calibration line which has at least one each calibration silos for each category of the unshelled hazelnut separated according to dimensions in said calibration sieve, at least one stone, where the unshelled hazelnut is transferred in order to be separated from the shell thereof, at the continuation of said calibration line, at least one charger sieve which can separate the hazelnut broken at said stone by sieving the dust of said hazelnut, at least one breaking line, which has at least one ventilator in order to provide separation of decorticated hazelnuts, shells and creased hazelnuts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: BALSU GIDA SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventor: Nusret Ozbag
  • Patent number: 11944983
    Abstract: An electrostatic separation method includes: applying voltage between a lower electrode at a bottom portion of or in the raw material layer and an upper electrode above the raw material layer, generating an electric field between electrodes; fluidizing the raw material layer and bringing conductive particles and the lower electrode into contact in the raw material layer charging only the conductive particles wherein their polarity becomes the same as the lower electrode; generating polarity, the same as the upper electrode, by dielectric polarization on a conveyor belt downward-facing conveyance surface passing through a capture region above the raw material layer and under the upper electrode, the conveyance surface including a nonconductor; separates charged conductive particles from the raw material layer surface by electrostatic force and adhering conductive particles to the conveyor belt conveyance surface; and separating and collecting the particles from the conveyance surface that moved outside the ele
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayuki Ihara, Koki Ikeda, Naoya Ogiyama, Yusuke Iida, Manabu Masamoto, Koji Fukumoto, Gen Kiyotaki, Keiichi Mashio, Tomoyuki Suzuki, Ryoma Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11944980
    Abstract: A magnetic separating conveyor output roll including a first plurality of magnetic rings, each of such magnetic rings having radially inner and radially outer ends, each such magnetic ring having annular north and south poles respectively positioned at its radially inner and radially outer ends; and including a second plurality of magnetic rings having radially inner and radially outer ends, each such magnetic ring having annular north and south poles respectively positioned at its radially outer and radially inner ends; wherein the first and second pluralities of magnetic rings are stacked in an alternating series along a rotation axis; wherein each magnetic ring's radial cross section is rectangular; wherein each magnetic ring includes a circumferential array of radially extending seams, the roll incorporating a plurality of adhesive bonds residing within such seams; the roll further incorporating magnetic armature effect resisting gaps between adjacent pairs of the magnetic rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Bunting Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald A. Suderman
  • Patent number: 11938490
    Abstract: A system for separating particles or cells by magnetic ratcheting has a vector of spaced apart magnetic bars on a substrate. The system can be used to separate and concentrate magnetic objects based on iron oxide content. For cells, different phenotypes may be separated based on surface expression of proteins or molecules that are bound to magnetic beads. A magnetic field generator generates a cycling magnetic field that acts to separate magnetic particles or cells from non-magnetic particles or cells in a solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: FERROLOGIX, INC.
    Inventors: Coleman Murray, Tim Tiemann
  • Patent number: 11938518
    Abstract: Techniques for planning object sorting are disclosed, including: receiving a set of current information associated with target objects on a conveyor device; determining a current state of the sorting system, wherein the sorting system comprises an actuator device that is configured to actuate a picker assembly to capture target objects from the conveyor device; determining a sequence of actions to be performed by the actuator device and the picker assembly with respect to one or more target objects based on the set of current information associated with the target objects and the current state of the sorting system; determining a selected subset of actions with respect to an identified target object from the sequence of actions; and sending an instruction to the actuator device to cause the actuator device to perform the selected subset of actions with respect to the identified target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: AMP Robotics Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin Taylor
  • Patent number: 11938489
    Abstract: A centrifuge (1) for separating intermixed particulate material of different specific gravity. The centrifuge (1) comprising a centrifuge bowl (10) having a plurality of annular recesses (19), a housing (30), an inlet (17), and means for rotating the centrifuge bowl (10) about the central axis (15). An annular cavity (31) is defined between the housing (30) and the centrifuge bowl (10). The annular cavity (31) is fluidly connected to the plurality of annular recesses (19) on the inner surface of the centrifuge bowl by a number of perforations in the centrifuge bowl wall (12). The annular cavity (19) has a fluid inlet to provide fluid into the annular cavity. The annular cavity (19) has an accumulated cross-sectional flow area (Aflow) at two different heights in the annular cavity that differs by at least a factor 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: FLSmidth A/S
    Inventors: Johnny Johansen, Jesper Gerdes Kyhnauv, Tod Nikischer
  • Patent number: 11927524
    Abstract: To provide a technology of optimizing a suction condition of a microparticle. The present technology provides an optimizing method of a suction condition of a microparticle including: a particle number counting step of detecting a time point when a microparticle passes through a predetermined position on a main flow path through which liquid containing the microparticle flows, sucking the microparticle from the main flow path to a microparticle suction flow path by the microparticle suction flow path with a predetermined suction force, and counting the number of microparticles sucked into the microparticle suction flow path; and a step of determining an elapsed time from passage through the predetermined position with which the suction by the microparticle suction flow path should be performed on the basis of a time from the time point when the microparticle passes through the predetermined position on the main flow path until the suction is performed and the number of counted microparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Sony Group Corporation
    Inventors: Gakuji Hashimoto, Tatsumi Ito, Kazuya Takahashi, Junji Kajihara
  • Patent number: 11925887
    Abstract: A separation tank device may include a holding tank having a tank wall coupled to and extending above a tank base. A base wall may be coupled to and may extend above the tank base. The base wall may form a base upper aperture that is opposingly positioned to the tank base, and a base lower aperture may be formed in the base wall. The device may further include a movable wall having a movable upper aperture and a movable lower aperture, and the movable wall may be movable between a first position and a second position. When the movable wall is in the first position, the movable lower aperture may be positioned above and aligned with the base upper aperture, and when the movable wall is in the second position the movable lower aperture may be unaligned with the base upper aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventors: Ashley Gaertig, Eric Gaertig
  • Patent number: 11920214
    Abstract: Plants and methods recover spent refractory material and comprise at least one receiving area for said refractory material, at least one material sieving area, at least one magnetic separation area, and at least one sorting area. Said receiving area communicates with a first sieving area divides said refractory material in at least two fractions based on sizes of said refractory material. A second sieving area divides a fine fraction into at least two sub-fractions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: DEREF S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giorgio Fasolini, Marc Faverjon
  • Patent number: 11919010
    Abstract: A process. The process includes forming a slurry comprising electrode active material particles of one or more lithium-ion electrochemical cells, magnetizing the electrode active material particles and separating the magnetized electrode active material particles from the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RSR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Ellis, Joshua A. Montenegro
  • Patent number: 11919046
    Abstract: A method of sorting an electronic device includes receiving first data generated by a test tool that is performing a test operation on the electronic device according to a test program, and a provisional binning assignment for the electronic device determined from the first data. The method also includes defining a permanent binning assignment for the electronic device based at least in part on applying a first algorithm and a second algorithm to the first data, the first algorithm and the second algorithm being different. The method further includes outputting the permanent binning assignment so that after the test operation is completed, the electronic device is removed from the test tool and placed in one of a plurality of bins according to the permanent binning assignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Optimal Plus Ltd.
    Inventors: Reed Linde, Gill Balog
  • Patent number: 11919725
    Abstract: A parcel handling and tracking system allows an all-around scanning of identifying features thanks to a scanning window, where the parcels are configured to sit at the scanning window on a resting surface of the parcel itself. The scanning window is light permeable to allow reading of the identifying features at the resting surface, possibly together with other identifying features at surfaces of the parcel other than the resting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Fameccanica.Data S.p.A.
    Inventor: Anselmo Cicchitti