Patents Examined by William E. Dondero
  • Patent number: 11936169
    Abstract: An apparatus for the movement of a barrel pack containing spooled wire or cable. The apparatus comprising a frame, a handle attached to the frame, a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the frame, securing structures attached to the frame, the securing structures securing the barrel pack to the frame and a footage counting assembly attached to the handle. The footage counting assembly counts the amount of footage of wire or cable passing through the footage counting assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Encore Wireless Corporation
    Inventors: Justin Abraham Hrbacek, John Lamar Rhoads, David Wayne Maxey
  • Patent number: 11919739
    Abstract: An automatic cut and transfer coiler and spooler apparatus, system and method for use generally comprising a rotatable turret with two independently driven spindles thereon wherein the drives for the independent spindles are attached to the turret for selectively rotating the spindles about their own axis independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Reel Power Licensing Corp.
    Inventors: David Lasswell, Christopher David Rekieta, Gary Donald Thompson, Joseph Henry
  • Patent number: 11912527
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing wire or cable from a reel assembly. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly for dispensing wire from any surface. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and an external bay. The inner flange assembly is capable of freely rotating relative to the outer flange assembly and the external bay. The external bay is capable of freely rotation relative to the outer flange assembly and the inner flange assembly. In another embodiment, wire is dispensed from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly and an outer flange assembly. In yet another embodiment, wire is dispensed from a reel assembly comprising an inner flange assembly, an outer flange assembly, and an external bay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Bigbee, Jr., John L. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 11905135
    Abstract: A heat setting apparatus feeding assembly can comprise a yarn package rack having a first side and an opposing second side. A plurality of yarn package engagement elements can be positioned on each of the first side and the second side of the yarn package rack. The yarn package rack can be configured to rotate about a pivotal axis to orient one of the first side or the second side toward a yarn package loading area and to orient the other of the first side and the second side toward a feed direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company
    Inventor: Larry B. Sims
  • Patent number: 11873185
    Abstract: A textile machine producing cross-wound packages with a plurality of identical workstations which are arranged in the area of the longitudinal sides of the textile machine and each of which has a winding device, and equipped with a tube supply device which includes a central tube magazine and at least one tube conveyor belt installed in the area of the longitudinal sides of the machine, in which case a cross-wound package can be removed, if necessary, from the winding device of the relevant workstation on the textile machine producing cross-wound packages and can be transferred to a cross-wound package transport device running the length of the machine, and an empty tube provided on the tube conveyor belt of the tube supply device can be inserted by means of a tube gripper into the winding device of the relevant workstation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Saurer Spinning Solutions GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Philipp Schiffers, Eduard Prediger, Harald Wassen, Michael Spitzer, Dirk Brakensiek, Jonathan Sprecher
  • Patent number: 11844402
    Abstract: A tensioning system for articles of footwear and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a spool system that can be engaged or disengaged from a driveshaft through the use of a cam device. The motorized tensioning device includes a torque transmitting system that allows for incremental tightening, incremental loosening and full loosening of the tensile element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiffany A. Beers, Ryan Frederick, Clayton Lindsay, Austin J. Orand, Andrew A. Owings
  • Patent number: 11840420
    Abstract: Techniques are directed to a method and a device for monitoring a yarn tension of a running yarn in a yarn treatment process. To this end, the yarn tension of the yarn is continuously measured and the measurement signals for the yarn tension are compared with a threshold value of an admissible yarn tension. In the event of an inadmissible tolerance deviation of the measurement signals, a short-term signal path of the yarn tension is detected as a fault graph. In order to enable a fault diagnosis, the fault graph of the yarn tension is analyzed using a machine learning program. The fault graph is then allocated to one of the existing fault categories or to a new fault category. A device for this purpose may include a diagnosis unit, which cooperates accordingly with the yarn tension evaluation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jörg Huthmacher
  • Patent number: 11834294
    Abstract: Provided is a wound body of a commingled yarn, the wound body being capable of effectively suppressing fraying and sagging, disorder of a lower layer, or breakage of the commingled yarn during winding or use. Also provided is a method for manufacturing the wound body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Asami Nakai, Masataka Kaji, Mitsuro Takagi, Toshihiro Motochika, Nobuhiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11834293
    Abstract: A bobbin loader apparatus and method includes a bobbin connected with a first motor. A thread holder is connected with a second motor where the thread holder is configured to hold thread. A thread guide is connected with a third motor where the thread guide directs thread from the thread holder to the bobbin. A motor controller is connected with the first motor, the second motor and the third motor where the motor controller operates the first motor to turn the bobbin in a first direction and the second motor to turn the thread holder in a second direction such that tension is applied to the thread as thread is added to the bobbin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventors: John D. Martelli, Chris Beaty
  • Patent number: 11820622
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing wire or cable, the apparatus including an enclosure with a top and a bottom portion and at least three side portions of a first height, a plurality of holes located in both the top and bottom portions of the enclosure, and a core of a second height located within the enclosure, wherein the core forms an area, wherein at least one of the plurality of holes has a first hole diameter and is located in the top and bottom of the enclosure and is located within the area formed by the core, and wherein the wire or cable is placed around the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Weatherford, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Clifton S. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11814262
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a reusable yarn carrier tube around which yarn may be wound at high speeds (e.g., within winding machines). The yarn carrier tube may include a pick-up groove having structural features configured to better snag yarn to initiate winding of the yarn around the cylindrical body of the yarn carrier tube. The structural features may include an adaptable snagging feature that is adaptable to many different yarn types (e.g., diameter, denier, texture, material). The structural features may include projections (e.g., teeth) with incremental narrowing therebetween in the direction opposite to the rotational winding direction. The teeth may increase in sharpness (e.g., decreasing radii of curvature) as the yarn moves further into the pick-up groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: SONOCO DEVELOPMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Brian P. Couchey, Edmond Fratianni
  • Patent number: 11807479
    Abstract: Provided is a device for correcting meandering of a strip material capable of correcting meandering caused in the strip material and conducting stable conveyance even when the meandering amount is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kobayashi, Yuichi Ohashi, Yuhei Iwami
  • Patent number: 11795030
    Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for a low tension application spooler and or coiler system that positively drives the material into the coil and or reel so that the tension is minimum during the winding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: REEL POWER LICENSING CORP.
    Inventors: Joe Henry, Lance Collier, Carl Parker
  • Patent number: 11780702
    Abstract: A device (100) for braking a conductor. The device (100) comprises a braking element (10), which is able to be put into an operative connection with a conductor guided in a conveying direction of the device (100), and a contact pressure element (20) which is able to put into an operative connection with the conductor guided in the device (100). The contact pressure element (20) is arranged opposite the braking element (10) and the elements are movable relative to one another. The contact pressure element (20) is arranged on a brake lever (30) mounted in a pivotable manner on a pivot pin (31). Furthermore, a method for braking the conductor and to a cable processing machine having the device (100) are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Schleuniger AG
    Inventors: Roland Kampmann, Uwe Keil, Andreas Zahle
  • Patent number: 11772928
    Abstract: A device and a method wind a thread on a winding machine. The winding machine has a spool sleeve and a spool holder, which has two oppositely disposed centering plates, having an adjustable axial distance relative to each other, for tensioning the spool sleeve. The centering plates each have a centering cone which engages in an open spool sleeve end, and an arrester hook for arresting the thread being provided in one of the centering plates. The arrester hook is oriented in the circumferential direction of the centering plate, and the centering plate having the arrester hook contains an outer cone which overlaps the outer diameter of the spool sleeve end. An inside of the arrester hook is formed by a nose-like recess provided in the outer cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: STC Spinnzwirn GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Heymann, Michael Hannusch
  • Patent number: 11772924
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device, comprising: a spreader roll (2), the spreader roll having a roll tube (3), over which a material web is guided, the bending of the spreader roll (2) about its longitudinal axis allowing the material web to be spread out; and two bearing journals (4), which are operatively connected to the roll tube (3) and are pivotably articulated in a machine frame (1), the bearing journals (4) being mounted on the machine frame (1) by means of pivotable bearings (6) and the bearing journals having longitudinal pins (5) protruding beyond the bearings (6), at the ends of which longitudinal pins radially acting adjustment means (7) are positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: KAMPF SCHNEID-UND WICKELTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Andreas Rossenbach
  • Patent number: RE49730
    Abstract: A method for generating power from a heat source includes mixing a refrigerant in a liquid phase with a lubricating oil, heating the mixture to evaporate the refrigerant, mixing the heated mixture with additional refrigerant in a superheated phase, and atomizing the lubricating oil to disperse the lubricating oil within the refrigerant. The atomized lubricating oil and the refrigerant are passed through a decompressor to generate an electrical current. The refrigerant may be an organic material having a boiling point below about ?35 C. Related systems and heat engines are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Heat Source Energy Corp.
    Inventor: Keith Sterling Johnson
  • Patent number: RE49842
    Abstract: Embodiments provide improved flaring and swaging bits, and methods for flaring and swaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DiversiTech Corporation
    Inventor: Bruno Anjos
  • Patent number: RE49883
    Abstract: A water heater includes a heat exchanger. A controllable three-way proportional valve provides a proportionally controllable flow to the hot water inlet of the heat exchanger and a boiler return water outlet. A mixing tank mixes a cold water and a hot water. The mixing tank provides a time delayed mixed water. A temperature sensor is disposed in or on the mixing tank to measure a temperature of the time delayed mixed water to provide a time delayed mixed water temperature. A feedforward control process running on a processor adjusts a proportional operating position of the controllable three-way proportional valve to regulate a temperature of hot water at the hx domestic hot water outlet based on the temperature of the time delayed mixed water temperature. A method for controlling a hot water temperature of a water heater a water heater using a flowmeter based feedforward control are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Watts Regulator Co.
    Inventors: Mark Daniels, Adrian Voicu
  • Patent number: RE49947
    Abstract: A system for supplying hydrogen gas to a lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle includes a manifold having multiple vessels. Each vessel has a first chamber that is separated from a second chamber by a barrier. A trigger assembly integrated with the barrier allows a liquid to be combined with a reactant and a catalyst in the second chamber to form a chemical reaction to generate hydrogen gas. A pressure relief valve located on each vessel opens to allow the hydrogen gas to exit when a predetermined pressure is reached, and the hydrogen gas is supplied to the LTA vehicle connected to the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Pamela A. Boss, Gregory W. Anderson, Brandon J. Wiedemeier, Carol A. Becker, Brooke Bachmann, Mark Gillcrist, Jeffrey M. Lloyd, Charles Ringer