Patents Assigned to Engineering
  • Publication number: 20210371829
    Abstract: Provided are amino acid sequences of ketoreductase polypeptides that are useful for asymmetrically synthesizing chiral alcohol compounds, its preparation process as well as reaction process under industrial-relevant conditions. Also provided are polynucleotide sequences encoding engineered ketoreductase polypeptides, engineered host cells capable of expressing engineered ketoreductase polypeptides, and methods of producing chiral alcohol compounds using engineered ketoreductase polypeptides. Compared to other enzymes, the engineered ketoreductase polypeptides provided by the invention have better catalytic activity and thermal stability, allowing purification of the enzyme solution by heat treatment, which is advantageous for the production of enzymes and the industrial application of enzymatic reactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Enzymaster (Ningbo) Bio-Engineering Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Haibin CHEN, Chuanyang SHANG, Baoqin CAI, Marco BOCOLA, Shumin SHI, Ruimei HONG, Lei SUN, Yong Koy BONG
  • Publication number: 20210369547
    Abstract: An appendage massaging device that includes an appendage wrap having an inner band and an outer layer and one or more artificial muscles disposed between the inner band and the outer layer of the appendage wrap. Each of the one or more artificial muscles include a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region, a dielectric fluid housed within the housing, and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region of the housing. The electrode pair includes a first electrode fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing. The electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated state to the actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region, expanding the expandable fluid region thereby applying pressure to the inner band of the appendage wrap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick Mau, Michael P. Rowe
  • Publication number: 20210370499
    Abstract: An artificial muscle that includes a housing having an electrode region and an expandable fluid region and an electrode pair positioned in the electrode region, the electrode pair having a first electrode fixed to a first surface of the housing and a second electrode fixed to a second surface of the housing. The first and second electrodes each have two or more tab portions and two or more bridge portions. Each of the two or more bridge portions interconnects adjacent tab portions and at least one of the first and second electrodes includes a central opening positioned between the two or more tab portions and encircling the expandable fluid region. A dielectric fluid is housed within the housing and the electrode pair is actuatable between a non-actuated and an actuated state such that actuation from the non-actuated to actuated state directs the dielectric fluid into the expandable fluid region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Rowe, Shardul S. Panwar, Madison B. Emmett
  • Patent number: 11189101
    Abstract: A method for forming augmented image data, the method comprising: forming a primary image feed showing a subject illuminated by a lighting unit; estimating the location of the lighting unit; receiving overlay data defining an overlay of three-dimensional appearance; rendering the overlay data in dependence on the estimated location to form an augmentation image feed; and overlaying the augmentation image feed on the primary image feed to form a secondary image feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Mo-Sys Engineering Limited
    Inventors: Michael Paul Alexander Geissler, Martin Peter Parsley
  • Patent number: 11186333
    Abstract: A drive shaft support device that supports a drive shaft in a horizontal orientation during an assembly operation to a vehicle comprises an elongated support body and one or more drive shaft support arms that extend outward from the elongated support body. The one or more support arms include a mount portion that is mounted to the elongated support body and a support portion having a support surface that is configured to support the drive shaft thereon. A frame clamp is located at an end of the elongated support body and includes an upper support and a lower support that is spaced from the upper support to receive a frame portion of the vehicle therebetween and support the elongated body from the frame portion in the horizontal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Watson, Shad McCord, James C. Greenlee, II
  • Patent number: 11185862
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to digital microfluidic systems having an electrode bus controlled by a single actuation input, and methods for droplet manipulation using the electrode bus. Particularly, aspects are directed to a digital microfluidic system including a first group of droplet actuation electrodes formed in a substrate, a first wiring bus formed in the substrate and connected to each electrode in the first group of droplet actuation electrodes, and a first single point of actuation connected to the first wiring bus; and a second group of droplet actuation electrodes formed in the substrate, a second wiring bus formed in the substrate and connected to each electrode in the second group of droplet actuation electrodes, and a second single point of actuation connected to the second wiring bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Gach, Anup Singh
  • Patent number: 11186788
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for separating a wax product from a hydrocarbon feedstream by a) conducting a hydrocarbon feedstream to a membrane separation zone; b) retrieving at least one retentate product stream from the first side of the membrane element; c) retrieving at least one permeate product stream having a wax phase and an oil phase from a second side of the membrane element, wherein a pour point of the wax phase of the permeate product stream is higher than a pour point of the oil phase of permeate product stream; and d) separating a wax product from the wax phase of the permeate product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Benjamin A. McCool, Yogesh V. Joshi, Dhaval A. Bhandari, Roberto Garcia, Randall D. Partridge
  • Patent number: 11188750
    Abstract: A plurality of remote sensing images of a scene are received. A potential target object can be identified in one of the images, wherein the target object has a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A candidate motion path of the target object can be generated based upon the images. A predicted position of the target object along the candidate motion path is determined for each of the remote sensing images. An image chip is extracted from each of the images, where each image chip is centered about the predicted position of the target object in its corresponding image. A sum image chip is generated based upon the image chips. An indication that the potential target object is an actual object in the images is output based upon a value of a center pixel of the sum image chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Tian J. Ma, Robert J. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11187727
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for monitoring a capacitance-coupled voltage transformer (CCVT) in electrical communication with the electric power delivery system, the CCVT comprising a stack of capacitors and an electrical contact to a first ground connection. A first current transformer is disposed between the stack of capacitors and the first ground connection. The current transformer provides an electrical signal corresponding to a current associated with the CCVT. A second current transformer is disposed between a primary winding of a step-down transformer associated with the CCVT and a second ground connection. An intelligent electronic device (IED) in electrical communication with the current measurement devices monitors a ratio of magnitudes from the current transformers at a single frequency. The ratio is compared against an acceptable range. When the ratio exceeds the acceptable range, an alarm is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis C Mallett, Robert Lopez, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11189851
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes an anodic catalyst layer, a cathodic catalyst layer, and a polymer electrolyte membrane mediating protic communication between the anodic and cathodic catalyst layers. The cathodic catalyst layer includes an ionic liquid, 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate, in admixture with carbon-supported particles of platinum or a platinum alloy. The ionic liquid improves performance in both high moisture and low moisture operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kan Huang, Hongfei Jia, Hisao Kato
  • Patent number: 11188683
    Abstract: An apparatus for intrusion detection includes processing circuitry, a switch, signal detection circuitry, and an analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”). The processing circuitry is coupled to send a challenge signal to a device when the device is coupled to the processing circuitry. The switch is coupled to be enabled and disabled by the processing circuitry. The switch is for coupling to the device to receive a response signal in response to the challenge signal sent by the processing circuitry. The signal detection circuitry is coupled to receive the response signal in via the switch, when the processing circuitry enables the switch. The ADC is coupled to take measurements of the signal detection circuitry at a first output. The processing circuitry is coupled to the ADC and configured to analyze whether an intruder is present in the device based on the measurements of the signal detection circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventor: Nathan J. Edwards
  • Patent number: 11185848
    Abstract: A catalyst system includes an oxygen storage and release material that has at least one compound of the structure YMO3+?, where M is selected from Mn, Co, Cu, Ce, Ti, Ni, Zn, Fe and any combination thereof, and where ? is ?0. The oxygen storage and release material is configured to allow absorption and release oxygen depending on the conditions of a reagent stream such that sufficient oxygen is maintained for the catalytic removal of at least one of incompletely combusted hydrocarbons, CO, and NO. The catalyst system is useful in a catalytic converter such that oxygen is supplied under rich combustion conditions in an engine upstream of the catalytic converter inlet and oxygen is adsorbed and absorbed under lean rich combustion conditions in the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Kimber L. Stamm Masias
  • Patent number: 11186945
    Abstract: The methods and compounds disclosed herein relate to the surface modification of UHMWPs by means of a catalytic C—H bond insertion catalyst using a rhodium catalysts in conjunction with carbene-generating diazo compounds. The catalytic treatment imparts covalently added functionality to the UHMWPE surface. This functionality acts as an excellent grafting mechanism for grafting, bonding, or adhering further materials to the UHMWPs surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Greg O'Bryan, Mitchell Anstey, Bryan Loyola
  • Patent number: 11185731
    Abstract: A kettlebell includes a base seat, a plurality of weight plates stacked on the base seat, and a lift seat separably disposed on the base seat. The base seat includes a base main body, an adjusting module mounted to the base main body for adjusting configuration of the lift seat and the weight plates, and a locking module mounted in the base main body. The locking module is operable to switch between a locking state in which the locking module engages the adjusting module such that the adjusting module is not operable, and an unlocking state in which the locking module disengages from the adjusting module such that the adjusting module is operable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Beto Engineering and Marketing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lopin Wang
  • Patent number: 11186507
    Abstract: Systems for algae-based water filtration and algae harvesting are described herein. A flow-way comprises a channel and a divider positioned within the channel that separates the channel into sub-channels. The flow-way further includes an algal growth that grows on a sidewall of the channel and/or the divider. The algal growth can be established in the flow-way by positioning a pre-seeded mesh element within the channel, the pre-seeded mesh element having an algae culture growing thereon prior to positioning the pre-seeded mesh within the channel. A harvesting system comprises a hinged container that includes a straining screen. The hinged container is positioned downstream from a flow-way and receives water from the flow-way. Biomass in the water is strained by and accumulates on the screen. Weight of the accumulated biomass causes the hinged container to tip and deposit the accumulated biomass in a second container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Wesley Davis, Eric Monroe, Sungwhan Kim
  • Patent number: 11188047
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting events in industrial processes. An acquisition system may include one of a camera and an audio recorder to acquire monitoring data in the form of one of imaging data and acoustic data, respectively. A computer system, may include a machine learning engine and may be programmed to classify the monitoring data under a classifier, quantify, based on the classifier, the monitoring data with at least one quantifier, and detect an event when the at least one quantifier satisfies a predetermined rule corresponding to the at least one quantifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventor: Christopher S. Gurciullo
  • Patent number: 11189870
    Abstract: A lithium-air flow battery has minimal cathodic product precipitation, thus extending capacity. The lithium-air flow battery includes a flow electrolyte, flowing proximal to the air cathode, the flow electrolyte having little to no intrinsic lithium ion content. Operation of the lithium-air flow battery generates a lithium-ion concentration gradient across the flow electrolyte, with the lowest lithium-ion concentration adjacent to the air cathode. The extremely low lithium-ion concentration at the cathode, combined with the flow condition at the cathode, results in a minimum of solid product accumulation at the cathode, enabling the cathode to catalyze oxygen reduction for an extended duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Kensuke Takechi, Byoungsu Kim, Paul J. A. Kenis
  • Patent number: 11189610
    Abstract: A substrate structure includes at least one detachable first substrate unit and a substrate body. The detachable first substrate unit includes a plurality of corners and a plurality of first engagement portions. Each of the first engagement portions is disposed at each of the corners of the detachable first substrate unit. The substrate body includes a plurality of second substrate units, at least one opening and a plurality of second engagement portions. The opening is substantially defined by a plurality of sidewalls of the second substrate units, and includes a plurality of corners. Each of the second engagement portions is disposed at each of the corners of the opening. The detachable first substrate unit is disposed in the opening, and the second engagement portions are engaged with the first engagement portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Li-Chuan Tsai, Wu Chang Wang
  • Patent number: D937178
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Search and Recovery Engineering LLC
    Inventor: Nicholas Duane Gebhardt
  • Patent number: D937525
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Nord Engineering S.r.1.
    Inventor: Massimo Armando