Patents Examined by William E. Dondero
  • Patent number: 11597623
    Abstract: A cable tension control device includes a pair of first active rollers clamping a cable therebetween, a first driver driving the first active rollers, a pair of second active rollers clamping the cable therebetween at an upstream position from the first active rollers, a second driver driving the second active rollers, a floating roller arranged between the first active rollers and the second active rollers and exerting a pushing force on the cable, and an actuator driving the floating roller to move vertically to adjust the pushing force exerted on the cable. A tension force applied on the cable is controlled to be equal to a predetermined tension force by controlling the pushing force and by controlling a speed difference between a first speed at which the first active rollers convey the cable forward and a second speed at which the second active rollers convey the cable forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH, TE Connectivity Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Zongjie Tao, Dandan Zhang, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Yingcong Deng, Zhonghua Xu
  • Patent number: 11565907
    Abstract: A system can comprise a plurality of containers that are coupled together as a movable unit. A plurality of container-feeding assemblies can be configured to simultaneously deliver respective yarns into respective containers of the plurality of containers. A header can be selectively attachable to a tufting machine, the header having a longitudinal axis. A retainer can be configured to extend across the header along the longitudinal axis to secure the respective yarns in respective positions relative to each other along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: COLUMBIA INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Conrad L. Fernandez, Chad Christopher Anderson, Fidel Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 11560287
    Abstract: A reel system that includes a drum that receives a coil of flexible pipe. A first flange that removably couples to a first side of the drum. A second flange that removably couples to a second side of the drum. The first flange and the second flange secure the coil of flexible pipe to the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Nader N. Matari, Alexander Lee Winn
  • Patent number: 11548753
    Abstract: The present invention is 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: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Reel Power Licensing Corp.
    Inventors: David Lasswell, Christopher David Rekieta, Gary Donald Thompson, Joseph Henry
  • Patent number: 11535474
    Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a tail end in a fiber web machine from one structural section to another includes nozzles for guiding the tail end on the guide plate by means of an air flow such that the blown air is brought onto a guide plate shaped into a curve in such a way that the air flow of the blown air guides the tail end onto the curved guide plate by means of a bump functioning as an aerodynamic profile formed in the curved guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Runtech Systems OY
    Inventors: Kimma Loippo, Juhani Lehto, Markku Kajander, Mertsi Lindeman
  • Patent number: 11530108
    Abstract: A bungee spool for collecting and storing bungee cords in a portable manner comprising a core and two rims where at least one has multiple slots radiating and the slots have raised inner edges outward from the point where the rim joins the top of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventor: James F. C. Swanson
  • Patent number: 11530105
    Abstract: A drive unit (4) of the belt (3) for a molding machine (1) of bored fins comprises a fixed front part (12) and a movable rear part (13) driven longitudinally with a forward and backward movement to and from the fixed front part (12). Both parts (12, 13) of the drive unit (4) include support plates (16, 31) on the upper surfaces thereof for vertical teeth (20, 35) with oblique top (22, 37) which protrude upwards under elastic thrust (24, 39) and are suitable for being inserted into corresponding bored collars (52) of the belt (3) downstream of a boring unit (2). The upper surfaces of each of the two parts (12, 13) of the drive unit (4) support at least a further support plate (17, 32) for vertical teeth (21, 36) of greater diameter, which is liftable and lowerable by a control panel (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: CEBI HI-TECH S.R.L.
    Inventor: Liviano Girotto
  • Patent number: 11529028
    Abstract: A sheet product dispenser for dispensing sheet product from a supply of sheet product reduces accumulation of the sheet product in the chute. The dispenser comprises a housing including a chute having a sheet product dispensing opening, a sheet product feed roller assembly disposed in the housing and configured to feed sheet product from the supply of sheet product into the chute, and a pusher disposed in the housing and configured to engage the sheet product fed from the sheet product feed roller assembly at a location downstream from the sheet product feed roller assembly and push the sheet product fed from the sheet product feed roller assembly toward the dispensing opening to reduce accumulation of the sheet product in the chute. A related method of reducing accumulation of the sheet product in the chute also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Brian Scott Borke
  • Patent number: 11511962
    Abstract: A winding head (10) for surgical suture material has a securing arm (22) and a guide carriage (24), which is mounted on the securing arm (22). In addition, a circumferential guide system (30) is present, which is mounted displaceably on the guide carriage (24). The circumferential guide system (30) has two first tracks (32, 34) which are spaced apart from each other and are connected to each other by two second tracks (36, 38), which are of approximately semi-circular shape. A transition curve is present in at least one of four transition regions (40, 42, 44, 46) between a first track (32, 34) and a second track (36, 38), which transition curve connects the first track (32, 34) and the second track (36, 38) to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Harro Höfliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Ingmar Neff
  • Patent number: 11498796
    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: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Weatherford, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Clifton S. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11498798
    Abstract: Disclosed is a creel including a plurality of creel bobbins, a plurality of guiding tubes located at the lower end of the creel and a plurality of guiding tubes located at the upper end of the creel, wherein each guiding tube is arranged for receiving a wire from an individual creel bobbin, wherein the lower half of the creel bobbins are arranged to feed their wires to the guiding tubes at the upper end of the creel, while the upper half of the creel bobbins are arranged to feed their wires to the guiding tubes at the lower end of the creel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Marcel Smits
  • Patent number: 11491723
    Abstract: A consumable assembly for supplying filament to a 3D printer includes a spool-less filament coil, a payout tube, and a compressive band. The coil of filament is wound in a configuration having a generally cylindrical outer perimeter and an open interior; the coil has a payout hole extending from an inner layer of the coil to an outer layer of the coil and includes a filament strand configured to be withdrawn through the payout hole in response to a pull force, to thereby withdraw filament from the interior of the coil. The payout tube is disposed in the payout hole and provides a filament port. A compressive band is disposed over the outer layer and is configured to exert a compressive radial force on the coil so that the coil maintains its cylindrical shape without deformation, and the filament strand may be drawn through the filament outlet free of kinks, twists or tangles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Caroline Jo Markman, Timothy Hjelsand, Kevin C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11485604
    Abstract: A reel apparatus includes a first plurality of spokes extending between and detachably attached to a first hub and a first ring, a second plurality of spokes extending between and detachably attached to a second hub and a second ring, and a plurality of staves extending between and detachably attached to the first and second plurality of spokes. The first and second rings each comprise at least two detachable segments collectively forming a circumference of the respective first and second rings. The at least two detachable segments each have multiple detachable ends allowing the respective first and second rings to be broken down into the at least two completely detached segments detached at their respective multiple detachable ends. The first and second hubs each comprise opposed detachable portions disposed on opposed sides of the respective first and second plurality of spokes to which they are respectively detachably attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: MMG INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Gehrke, Robert Street
  • Patent number: 11485603
    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: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin L. Weatherford, William T. Bigbee, Jr., Clifton S. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11479430
    Abstract: A contact roller according to one embodiment includes a cylindrical rubber roll main body, two spiral groove groups provided in a surface of the rubber roll main body, spiral rubber layers which is provided in the groove groups and hardness of which is lower than the rubber roll main body, and a surface rubber layer which covers a surface of the rubber roll main body and hardness of which is lower than that of the rubber roll main body. Nip pressure of the surface rubber layer corresponding to the rubber roll main body is higher than that of the surface rubber layer corresponding to the spiral rubber layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: KOBAYASHI ENGINEERING WORKS, LTD., KINYOSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhito Shimba, Satoshi Nishioka
  • Patent number: 11472457
    Abstract: An apparatus for the transportation and dispensing of spooled wire or cable, the apparatus including a handle structure wherein the handle structure has a first end and a second end, a first support structure attached to the first end of the handle structure, a second support structure attached to the second end of the handle structure, a first spool center insert attached to the first support structure, a second spool center insert attached to the second support structure, a first leg moveably attached to the first support structure, a second leg moveably attached to the second support structure, and wherein a spool of spooled wire or cable is attached to the first and second spool center inserts during transportation and dispensing of the spooled wire or cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Encore Wire Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin D. Rodgers, John L. Rhoads
  • Patent number: 11465875
    Abstract: A coil feeding device and a graphic machine thereof are provided. The coil feeding device includes a roller mechanism for carrying a coiled material, a base mechanism, and a compression rod mechanism. The roller mechanism includes a shaft penetrating through the shaft hole and a tension structure disposed on the shaft. The tension structure includes a first sleeve, a second sleeve and a tapered fixing member. When the first sleeve and the second sleeve are fixed to each other, the tapered fixing member holds the shaft to achieve mutual fixation of the coiled material and the shaft. By providing the second sleeve, the first sleeve and the tapered fixing member that cooperate with each other, the coiled material and the shaft are fastened to each other quickly, thereby improving production efficiency. Through the base mechanism, the coil feeding device is directly used on existing graphic machine for material processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Jingwei Systemtechnik Ltd.
    Inventor: Lixue Lin
  • Patent number: 11453567
    Abstract: The conceived invention provides both a film applicator and a method for placing a continuous film sleeve around a hose, or a grouping of a plurality of hoses. The sleeve thickness is approximately ½ mil to 20 mils thick, which is suitable for cleanliness protection and reducing the possibility of ripping when the hoses are dragged across a floor. The embodied invention includes a plastic sleeve payout tube, that surrounds and encompasses the hose/hoses. The hoses are routed through the sleeve payout tube when they are hauled into a building to be cleaned. The payout tube stores a compacted length of an enclosing plastic sleeve, and the sleeve pays off as the hoses are dragged into the facility to be cleaned. The initial attachment of the plastic sleeve and hoses is by use of an adhesive tape or an outer clamping strap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventor: Garrett M. Gordon
  • Patent number: 11434100
    Abstract: Embodiments of a method of collecting a tail section of a long product, such as an optical fiber cable, are provided. In the method, a lead wire from a tail spool is unwound, and the lead wire is fed through a flange of a main spool. The tail spool and the main spool have a common rotation axis. The lead wire is attached to the long product. The tail spool is rotated while holding the main spool stationary so as to wind the lead wire and the tail section onto the tail spool. The rotation of the tail spool is stopped, and the main spool and the tail spool are rotated together so as to wind the long product onto the main spool. Also provided are embodiments of a winding apparatus using the tail spool and a tail reel that includes the tail spool and a drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Andrew Bednarczyk, Korey Shad Hite, Randall Thomas Reilly, Gregory Bryan Teets, Ryan Neal Thornton
  • Patent number: 11427431
    Abstract: Method and system for feeding a twisted metal cable braided into a plurality of braids or a flat wire from a support or spool to a winder or winding machine, including unwinding the cable or wire from the spool, measuring a property of the cable or wire from among its tension, velocity and quantity, possible adjustment of the property and feeding the cable or wire to the machine with the property constant. The cable or wire is unwound in a controlled way in a direction at right angles to the axis of the spool directly from such spool or through a return member which receives the cable or wire from the spool from which it is unwound in an uncontrolled way, such controlled unwinding preventing the cable changing the structure of its braids through loosening or stretching and the wire undergoes torsion before its property is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: BTSR INTERNATIONAL S.P.A.
    Inventor: Tiziano Barea