Item Presence Patents (Class 198/341.07)
  • Patent number: 11148844
    Abstract: A wrapping machine for wrapping trayed food products includes a wrap station at which trayed food products are wrapped, a film dispensing station for drawing out film over trayed food products at the wrap station and a conveying system for moving trayed food products along a defined path from an input station to the wrap station. A controller is operatively connected to operate the conveying system, components of the film dispensing station and components of the wrap station. The controller is configured as a state machine with sequential wrap stages, where each wrap stage must successfully complete before the controller initiates a next wrap stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Juan C. Guzman, Robert S. Davis
  • Patent number: 10309978
    Abstract: A sample rack moving mechanism is provided for removing a sample rack loaded with one or more sample containers from a temporary storing section, and returning the sample rack loaded with the sample containers holding the tested sample to the temporary storing section. The sample rack moving mechanism may include a drive element, a cam driven by the drive element to rotate and having a curve contour, a cam follower moving following the outer contour of the cam, a guide groove corresponding to the temporary storing section, having a bottom plane of the same height as a support plane of the temporary storing section for supporting the sample rack, and capable of moving the sample rack, and a support element driven by the cam follower to move upward and downward and driving the sample rack to horizontally move between the temporary storing section and the guide groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fating She, Leping Zhang
  • Patent number: 10032659
    Abstract: A system for preventing an unsafe operation of at least one machine communicatively coupled to a computing device. The system includes the computing device which includes a processor coupled to a memory. The memory contains processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to perform the steps of storing, in the memory, a first state of a first machine of the at least one machine, generating a first pending output to be issued to the first machine, determining whether an unsafe condition would result if the first pending output is issued to the first machine in the first state, and issuing the first pending output upon determining that issuing the first pending output would not result in an unsafe condition and blocking the first pending output from being issued upon determining that issuing the first pending output would result in an unsafe condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SunEdison Semiconductor Limited (UEN201334164H)
    Inventors: Benno Orschel, Mike Wolfram
  • Patent number: 9672030
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying a primary symbol table associated with a primary source code file and identifying a secondary symbol table associated with a secondary source code file. The computer-implemented further includes receiving a source code association indication. The source code association indication includes at least one association relationship between the primary source code file and the secondary source code file. The computer-implemented further includes creating a comprehensive symbol table. The comprehensive symbol table comprises contents of the primary symbol table and contents of the secondary symbol table. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan C. Gellin
  • Patent number: 9016458
    Abstract: A conveyor belt having a sensor probe extending upward from an outer conveying surface into a mat of bulk products conveyed on the belt. The probe senses a condition of the product mat at a predetermined depth. The probe height above the conveying surface may be fixed or may be adjustable to be positioned at a critical depth within the product mat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventor: David W. Bogle
  • Patent number: 8868232
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method are provided for detecting and controlling piece goods (2) having a code, preferably of piece goods commissioned in a commissioning system for a complete commissioning order. The piece goods of a quantity, preferably a commissioning order, are singulated and centered on a transport route (3) and fed through a scanning device (15), and are identified as actual data in the scanning device (15) by reading the code of the piece goods (2). This is compared or captured to target data of the piece goods quantity. The piece goods are separated out if the target data do not match the actual data. A first transport route (3) has a V-shaped cross-section, the one V-arm thereof being a driven piece goods transport element (5) preferably a drive recirculating conveyor belt, and the other V-arm thereof being a stationary piece goods sliding element (6), preferably a sheet metal slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Knapp AG
    Inventor: Karl Freudelsperger
  • Publication number: 20140158497
    Abstract: A conveyor belt having a sensor probe extending upward from an outer conveying surface into a mat of bulk products conveyed on the belt. The probe senses a condition of the product mat at a predetermined depth. The probe height above the conveying surface may be fixed or may be adjustable to be positioned at a critical depth within the product mat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: LAITRAM, L.L.C.
    Inventor: David W. Bogle
  • Publication number: 20140131166
    Abstract: A board working system includes a board working apparatus working on a board and a board conveying apparatus including a first board conveying portion, connected to the board working apparatus. The board conveying apparatus is provided with a shutter device closing such that the maximum interval of an opening gap leading from the first board conveying portion to the board working apparatus is not more than a prescribed value when setup for the first board conveying portion is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuyuki SUGAHARA, Toshihiko OHATA
  • Patent number: 8607961
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a locating device for holding a puck in a locating position in a conveyer system, comprising a base portion, a rail section, and a rotating disc rotatable supported in the base portion and having a puck recess, where the locating device comprises a locating position between the puck recess of the rotating disc and a positioning means in the rail section, and that the locating device comprises resilient means adapted to hold a puck in the locating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: FlexLink Components AB
    Inventor: Anders Ek
  • Publication number: 20120217129
    Abstract: A work system according to embodiments includes a robot and work stations. The robot performs a predetermined work on a workpiece as a work target. The work stations are places where the predetermined work is performed on the workpiece. The robot performs conveying of the workpiece between the work stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Ryosuke TSUTSUMI, Hiroaki MURAKAMI, Yoshihisa NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20110226584
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a locating device for holding a puck in a locating position in a conveyer system, comprising a base portion, a rail section, and a rotating disc rotatable supported in the base portion and having a puck recess, where the locating device comprises a locating position between the puck recess of the rotating disc and a positioning means in the rail section, and that the locating device comprises resilient means adapted to hold a puck in the locating position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: FlexLink Components AB
    Inventor: Anders Ek
  • Publication number: 20090025446
    Abstract: Profiles (50) are formed in a production line with a cross-section that varies along their length from a plane metal strip (10) that is unwound from a tape reel (9), whereby edge cutters (14) and a number of roll-forming units (17-24) are used where not only the edge cutters but also the roll-forming units can be displaced individually sideways relative to the strip. The edge cutters (14) and the roll-forming units (17-24) are individually controlled. The formed profile is curved in a curving station integrated into the line, which curving station comprises roller pairs (82, 84; 83, 85) that can be controlled to roll sides of the profile (50) such that they become thinner such that the profile is curved or twisted as it is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: ORTIC 3D AB
    Inventor: Lars Ingvarsson
  • Patent number: 7086518
    Abstract: A method of controlling an autoloader that supplies workpieces to a plurality of workstations. Each of the workstations is operable to generate and transmit a call signal, a ready signal and an error signal. In accordance with the method, the autoloader supplies workpieces to the workstations based on the chronological order of the receipt of call signals from the workstations. If an error signal is received from a workstation that is to be supplied with a workpiece, the autoloader instead supplies the workpiece to the next workstation that is to be supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jim Hranica, Yasunori Yamazaki, Scott Costello
  • Patent number: 6634092
    Abstract: A flash circuit board in a lens-fitted photo film unit includes a board part, and a battery contact part connected to the board part by solder. A part exchanging apparatus for the circuit board includes an eliminating unit, which melts the solder, and removes the battery contact part from the board part while the solder is melted. An assembling unit mounts an unused battery contact part on the board part. The unused battery contact part has an unused form of the first battery contact part. A soldering unit connects the unused battery contact part to the board part by use of solder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 6467605
    Abstract: An automated assembly line is operated and controlled by a computer system. The assembly line includes of a plurality of machines which are each segmented into its basic unit operations providing work stations. The work stations are then controlled by the computer system and operated asynchronously with respect to the other work stations of the assembly line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Claude D. Head, III
  • Publication number: 20020063036
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an arrangement for checking items (3) belonging to a commissioning order and transported on a conveyor path (1) with respect to product type and number of items (3) by aid of sensing devices (10) connected with a computer (4′). Here, each one of the items (3) is optically or opto-electronically, respectively, checked, optionally after having been individualized and aligned, while being transported.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Inventors: EDUARD WUNSCHER, KARL FREUDEL SPERGER