Patents Examined by Stephen F. Gerrity
  • Patent number: 11827407
    Abstract: A system for assembling a container and closure comprising an expanding collet which has a plurality of pivoting collet segments, each configured to simultaneously pivot radially outward about a pivot point and comprising. The collet comprises a lip that is engagable with the rim of the open end of the container and an angled tip positioned radially inward from the lip and shaped to press a countersink portion of the closure against an interior wall of the container as the collet segments pivot radially outward. As the container and the chuck are brought together, the rim engages with the lips of the collet segments and causes the angled tips of the collet segments to pivot outward toward the interior wall of the container, thereby pushing the countersink portion of the closure against the interior wall of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: SONOCO DEVELOPMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Trevor Price, James J. Peoples
  • Patent number: 11819200
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes an articulation assembly having a threaded rod, a first nut, a second nut, a first articulation rod, and a second articulation rod. The threaded rod includes a body, a first thread encircling a proximal portion of the body in a first direction, and a second thread spaced from the first thread and encircling a distal portion of the body in a second, opposite direction. Rotation of the threaded rod in a first direction relative to the elongated portion causes the first nut to move distally relative to the threaded rod. Rotation of the threaded rod in the first direction relative to the elongated portion causes the second nut to move proximally relative to the threaded rod. The first articulation rod is coupled to the first nut and the end effector, and the second articulation rod is coupled to the second nut and the end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Jacob C. Baril
  • Patent number: 11820556
    Abstract: A transport pouch includes a flap portion and a body portion separated from each other by a folding portion. The transport pouch also includes a front panel and a rear panel, an adhesive closure, at least one removable cover, and a form closure. When the flap portion of the transport pouch is folded onto the body portion of the transport pouch, the flap area of the adhesive closure is adhered to the body area of the adhesive closure, and the form closure is closed, the folding portion of the transport pouch acts as a barrier that prevents billowing of the body portion of the transport pouch, caused by a relative pressure increase in the transport space due to a pressure drop in the surroundings of the transport pouch, from tearing open the form closure and thus from tearing open the adhesive closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: DAKLAPACK EUROPE B.V.
    Inventors: Dave Willem Klaassen, Jelle Bart Jeths
  • Patent number: 11820538
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to methods, systems and packages for packaging the coreless paper products and accessory products. Embodiments include receiving paper products, receiving a container used for packaging the paper products, and packaging the paper products into the container. Embodiments also include inserting accessory products into a cavity formed by the paper products packaged in the container, and applying a label on the container to cover the cavity where the accessory products are inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Scott B. Farkas, Austin T. Ketterhagen, Guy W. Wolff, Abby C. Case
  • Patent number: 11814218
    Abstract: A lid designed to allow a user to see and adjust the humidity levels of a container using a hygrometer and pocket for humidity packs. The lid also allows this to be accomplished without removing the lid because a hatch gives the user access to the inside of the container and underside of the lid, where the pocket is located. Also, the hatch on the lid provides a more efficient and easier method of accessing the contents of a container because a user can simply open and close a hatch, instead of needing to unlock a lever locking latch to remove a lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventors: Nadiah Reiley, Adrian Reiley
  • Patent number: 11814207
    Abstract: An automated packaging station is capable of being used to package objects. The automated packaging station includes a supply of web material, a surface (202), an aperture (206) therein, and a closing system. The automated packaging station is configured to form the web material into a pouch. The aperture (206) is configured such that an object can be inserted therethrough. The automated packaging station is configured to bias open the pouch beneath the surface such that the object inserted through the aperture falls into the pouch. The closing system is configured to close the pouch to form a package around the object in response to the object being inserted through the aperture. The object is capable of being shipped to a recipient in the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation (US)
    Inventors: Brian Vilag, Bradley Powell, Morgan R. Stewart, Todd Rodgers, Joshua Woodie, Garrett P. Dyer, James Bravado, Yunji Gu, Michael Andrew Clarke, Jonathan D. Skolrood, Preston Chad Stephens
  • Patent number: 11814276
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for closing containers with closures is disclosed. The apparatus includes a transport wheel, a feed device, and a closing device. The transport wheel continuously transports the containers and includes a plurality of transport wheel receptacles. Each transport wheel receptacle is able to receive a container. The transport wheel is designed to be rotatable about a transport wheel axis. The feed device is capable of clocked feeding of the containers to the transport wheel in a feed region of the apparatus. The closing device is arranged to close containers while they are accommodated in the transport wheel receptacles of the transport wheel. A method for closing the containers includes feeding containers to the transport wheel and closing the containers with a closing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Syntegon Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Tobias Grimme
  • Patent number: 11807409
    Abstract: A packaging machine 20 includes a feeding system 22 for delivering and positioning work products, in registry with a chute system 28 as well as in registry with a pushing system 26 for pushing the work products through a stuffing tube 24 of the chute system 28. The chute system 28 also includes a plurality of individual chute assemblies 30, each constructed with an elongate chute 32 positionable in registry with the stuffing tube 24 for receiving the food products from the stuffing tube and guiding the work product into packaging material 34 which has been shined over the elongate chute. The plurality of chute assemblies 30 are mounted on a transverse mounting structure 44 to slide along the mounting structure to sequentially position chute assemblies, loaded with packaging material, in alignment with the stuffing tube 24 to receive the work products. Additional chute assemblies 30 are positionable on either side of the chute assembly in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Tipper Tie, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis May, Adam Keever, Samuel Griggs
  • Patent number: 11801961
    Abstract: A twin-tube tubular bag machine having two longitudinal sealing elements for forming two parallel film tubes, two parallel transverse sealing jaws for forming sealed tubular bags, and two filling devices for filling the tubular bags. A dosing device is disposed upstream of each of the filling devices for dosing a prespecified filling quantity of the filling material to be filled into the tubular bags. A transfer element having several transfer containers is provided between the filling devices and the dosing device. The filling material is transferred from the dosing device to the transfer containers in an input station. The transfer containers are transported to a pairing of two dispensing stations along a transfer line, the filling material is transferred from the transport containers to the two filling devices, and the transfer containers are transported back to the input station along a return transfer line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: ROVEMA GMBH
    Inventor: Volker Dersch
  • Patent number: 11793517
    Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly having an actuation sled assembly that includes an actuation sled and a knife movably supported on the actuation sled. The tool assembly includes structure for moving the knife in relation to the actuation sled between extended and retracted positions in response to movement of the actuation sled through a staple cartridge of the tool assembly. Movement of the knife moves a cutting edge of the knife in relation to the actuation sled within a tissue gap defined by the tool assembly to impart a degree of vertical motion to the cutting edge of the knife. This enables the tool assembly to leverage micro-serrations on the cutting edge of the knife to enhance cutting efficiency of the knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Drew Seils
  • Patent number: 11787586
    Abstract: A line for processing and packaging food. The line has at least one processing station for processing the food and at least one packaging station for packaging the processed food. The processing station and the packaging station are housed in an interior of a common housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: GEA Food Solutions Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Brunnquell, Schaafhausen Wilfried
  • Patent number: 11786239
    Abstract: Articulation joint arrangements for facilitating multi-axis articulation of a surgical end effector relative to a shaft assembly of a surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Aaron J. Chow, Adam D. Hensel, Luke C. Ice, Sudhir B. Patel
  • Patent number: 11787587
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for receiving and processing containers by conducting a plurality of processing steps, the apparatus comprising a plurality of processing stations, wherein the apparatus is configured such that a processing step is conducted at each processing station, wherein the plurality of processing stations comprises an infeed station for receiving the containers; a filling station for filling the containers with a product; and an output station for dispensing the filled containers; wherein the apparatus is configured to move the containers through the plurality of processing stations in a rotary manner about a substantially horizontal central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Mars, Incorporated
    Inventors: Gebhard Kregel, Andrey Glukhov, Marco Heuver
  • Patent number: 11780618
    Abstract: A tubular bag machine having a longitudinal sealing element having two transverse sealing jaws which are moveable against each other to transversely seal a film tube, having a mechanism which moves the transverse sealing jaws, a filling device for filling the unsealed tubular bags with a filling material, a separating element for separating individual filled tubular bags, a dosing device disposed upstream of the filling device, and a transfer element having several transfer containers between the filling device of the tubular bag machine and the dosing device. The filling material is transferred from the dosing device to the transfer containers, and the transfer containers are transported to a dispensing station along a transfer line, and the filling material is transferred to the filling device, and the transfer containers are transported back along a return transfer line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Rovema GmbH
    Inventor: Roland Kuhn
  • Patent number: 11780614
    Abstract: Apparatus for engaging a cap releasably secured in a container includes a carrier that is selectively movable up and down relative to the container and carries a cap engagement tool and a centering collar. At least one among the cap engagement tool and centering collar is biased downwardly by at least two spaced-part biasing members during operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Specialty Equipment Fabrication Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Seiver, Thomas P. Reichelt, Michael I Alshan, Jaime Iramategui
  • Patent number: 11771422
    Abstract: A surgical stapler is described herein which includes a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes: a rotatable drive member defining a transverse axis; a linkage operably coupled to the rotatable drive member defining a longitudinal axis; and an I-beam operably coupled to the linkage, configured to be advanced along the longitudinal axis in response to a rotational motion of the rotatable drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Roanit A. Fernandes, Varad V. Chavan
  • Patent number: 11771423
    Abstract: A powered handle assembly includes a motor assembly, a rack, a spur gear, and a manual retract mechanism. The spur gear is movable from a position engaged with the motor assembly and the rack to a positioned disengaged from the motor assembly and engaged with the rack to facilitate manual retraction of the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Xingrui Chen, David Chowaniec
  • Patent number: 11766256
    Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly having an anvil, a cartridge assembly movable in relation to the anvil between open and clamped positions, a drive member, and a biasing mechanism or member. The biasing mechanism or member is configured to urge the cartridge assembly in relation to the anvil assembly to its fully open position to provide access to tissue during a surgical procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Rajanikanth Mandula, Roanit Fernandes
  • Patent number: 11767139
    Abstract: A method for producing a package which has a formed part with a product cavity, and a lidding film covering the product cavity. According to the method, a seam is defined, the seam is divided into sections, a pull-off force for pulling the lidding film from the formed part at least for a first section is determined, and the lidding film is sealed to the formed part. The sealing temperature for the first section is selected based on the pull-off force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: KOCH PAC-SYSTEME GMBH
    Inventors: Jürgen Bitzer, Jens Maier, Markus Eppler, Frank Helber
  • Patent number: 11760616
    Abstract: The invention relates to a capping machine comprising a protected area from impurities, an unprotected area divided from the protected area by a parting wall, and an operating unit. The operating unit includes a container support element arranged in the protected area, an operating head arranged in the protected area and configured to apply one capsule on the relative container, a motor assembly arranged in the unprotected area and configured to drive motion of the operating head, a torque control head between the motor assembly and the operating head, and an annular bellows element coaxial with the vertical axis and within the protected area and one opposite axial end crossed in a sealed manner by an output shaft of the torque control head. The torque control head is arranged above the parting wall in the unprotected area and the output shaft crosses said opening and the entire bellows element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS
    Inventors: Luigi Rusconi, Michele Soncini, Alessandro Fusaro