Patents Assigned to Illinois Tool Works
  • Patent number: 11867774
    Abstract: Systems and methods to use customized quality control tasks for non-destructive testing (NDT) are disclosed. An example NDT system includes at least one of a magnetic particle inspection device or a penetrant testing device, a user interface device, a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor and storing machine readable instructions. When executed, the instructions cause the processor to: access a quality verification procedure comprising a plurality of tasks and corresponding task definitions; display one or more of the plurality of tasks based on statuses of the plurality of tasks; receive one or more results associated with the one or more of the plurality of tasks; store the one or more results in association with the magnetic particle inspection device or the penetrant testing device; and control at least one aspect of the magnetic particle inspection device or the penetrant testing device based on the one or more results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Sakif B. Ferdous, Wyatt M. Burns, Justin J. Stewart, Michael F. Fryauf
  • Patent number: 11865648
    Abstract: Welding headwear comprises one or more image sensors, processing circuitry, and a display. The image sensor(s) are operable to capture an image of an unpowered weld torch as the torch passes along a joint of a workpiece to be welded. The processing circuitry is operable to: determine, through processing of pixel data of the image, one or more welding parameters as the torch passes along the joint to be welded; generate, based on the one or more welding parameters, a simulated weld bead; and superimpose on the image, in real time as the torch passes along the joint, the simulated weld bead on the joint. The display is operable to present, in real time as the torch passes along the joint, the image with the simulated bead overlaid on it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Beeson, William J. Becker
  • Patent number: 11871537
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods to provide electrode cooling for material surface treatment systems. A cooling fluid is employed to cool electrodes with a high voltage applied. For example, a conduit conveys a cooling fluid through the electrode, as the conduit also provides electrification for the electrode by being connected to an electrical power source. Further, cooling is implemented by use of a voltage isolator disposed between the conduit and a reservoir, with the voltage isolator providing a pathway to a reference voltage for residual electric charge from the cooling fluid passing through the voltage isolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Kleinschmidt
  • Patent number: 11865955
    Abstract: A method for making a seat includes the step of overmolding a carrier onto a fabric seat surface. The fabric surface is formed from a woven fabric material having heating element fibers. The heating element fibers are placed in contact with a conductor. The carrier and the conductor are then positioned into a frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Martin Oomen, Randy James Sayers, Samuel Smith, Manfred Mueller
  • Patent number: 11866217
    Abstract: The invention relates to a packaging machine (100) for arranging elements, preferably cartons (K), on pallets (Z), wherein the packaging machine (100) has the following: a palletizing station (180) that has a platform (181) and a Scara robot (182), which is positioned on the platform (181) and which is embodied to move elements, preferably cartons (K), to be stowed on pallets (Z); a pallet feed (190), which is embodied to feed empty pallets (Z) along a path, wherein the platform (181) is embodied in a bridge-like manner and the path extends through under the platform (181) of the palletizing station (180) to a pallet loading station (191).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Linus Wöhle
  • Patent number: 11866964
    Abstract: A door handle arrangement for a vehicle includes a housing which is fastenable to a body part of a vehicle body, and a handle lever which is mounted in a handle cutout of the housing so as to be movable between an inoperative position and an actuating position in order to unlock and/or open a vehicle door. The handle lever is mounted with play in the housing. At least one compensating element is provided which is designed to be fastened to at least one fastening portion of the body part. The compensating element forms at least one contact portion for the handle lever. The handle lever is pretensioned into its inoperative position against the at least one contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Zsolt Wilke, Matthias Seubert, Roland Och, Brian Svec
  • Patent number: 11866228
    Abstract: A child-resistant reclosable bag includes a container configured to retain one or more items within a product portion. A zipper is coupled to the container. The zipper is above the product portion. The zipper includes one or more primary seals, and one or more secondary seals at one or more defined locations. The one or more secondary seals at the one or more defined locations identify opening areas on the product portion. The opening areas are configured to be grasped and pulled apart to open the zipper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Plourde
  • Publication number: 20240002087
    Abstract: A system and method of identifying and maintaining synchronization of components within a container carrier applicating machine includes connecting a plurality of point of use feedback devices to operative components of the applicating machine and providing visual feedback from the plurality of feedback devices of a location of synchronized and/or unsynchronized components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: William T. ROE, Brian K. WILLIAMS, Christopher J. SAMARAS
  • Publication number: 20240002694
    Abstract: A film forming formulation is provided that includes reaction products of phosphoric acid with a strained ring alkoxy silane. The phosphoric acid and the strained ring alkoxy silane are present in a molecular ratio of from 0.9-3.3:1. The film formulation also includes an aqueous solvent. A mold release coating composition is also provided that includes the film forming formulation, a reactive release agent, a base, and an aqueous solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas E. Moon
  • Patent number: 11859749
    Abstract: A grommet assembly is configured to be installed within an opening and includes a grommet, a primary seal, and a lock ring. The grommet includes a platform, a panel portion extending from a first surface, and a ring portion extending from a second surface. The ring portion defines a passageway extending through the grommet and includes a plurality of grommet clamping features arranged around the ring portion. The primary seal extends around a periphery of the grommet. The lock ring includes a central hub having a plurality of ring clamping features arranged around the central hub. The displacement of the lock ring relative to the grommet engages each one of the plurality of ring clamping features with a corresponding one of the plurality of grommet clamping features to fasten the lock ring to the grommet to form a secondary seal between the grommet and the lock ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Owen Lepper, Eric David Kendall
  • Patent number: 11859419
    Abstract: A handle system for a vehicle and a control method for the handle system includes a handle body, a touch sensing device and a controller. The touch sensing device includes one or more sensing circuits. The handle body is arranged on a vehicle door, and the touch sensing device is arranged in or on the handle body and is capable of generating a corresponding sensing signal in response to a touch on the handle body. The controller is capable of generating a corresponding control signal according to the sensing signal, and controlling, according to the control signal, a handle driving device. The handle driving device drives the deploying or retracting of the handle body, and performs activation, locking and other control operations on a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Chen, Wenquan Sha
  • Patent number: 11858070
    Abstract: A dispensing system includes an optional pre-heat station configured to receive an electronic substrate, a dispense station configured to dispense material on the electronic substrate received from the optional pre-heat station, an optional post-heat station configured to receive the electronic substrate from the dispense station, and a non-contact sensor positioned above the electronic substrate on at least one of the optional pre-heat station, the dispense station, and the optional post-heat station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Prentice, Scott A. Reid, Patsy A. Mattero, Fernando J. Aguiar
  • Patent number: 11858064
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods to plan a path to form a part using an additive manufacturing system. The additive manufacturing system may include one or more additive manufacturing tools. The additive manufacturing tools may include arc welding tools and non-arc welding tools. The system may also manufacture the part based on the planned path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Steven B. Massey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11860603
    Abstract: A system for optimizing manufacturing utilization is disclosed. The system includes a manufacturing apparatus configured to transmit a first electronic message type indicating a time period when the manufacturing apparatus is in use, as well as a sensor disposed in a work cell associated with the manufacturing apparatus, the sensor configured to transmit a second electronic message type indicating a time period of operator activity within the work cell. The system further includes a computing device configured to receive the first and second electronic message types and accumulate one or more of each of the respective time periods of the first and second electronic message types. The computing device determines utilization of the manufacturing apparatus based on accumulated time periods corresponding to the first electronic message type as a percentage of accumulated time periods corresponding to the second electronic message type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Nathan John Lamers
  • Patent number: 11858073
    Abstract: Methods and systems for creating and controlling an AC output for welding, plasma cutting or heating are provided. One embodiment of the present disclosure achieves a desired square wave AC output and reduces the number of circuit components needed by combining components of a buck converter and a full bridge inverter. Current flow paths through a power control circuit that are generated via switching of transistors in the circuit on and off are provided. In one embodiment, a pulse width modulation leg, which controls the level of current flow through an inductor, is provided. Certain embodiments include a bidirectional buck converter that converts an unregulated DC flow to a regulated DC flow through an inductor. In one embodiment, a steering leg is provided, which controls a direction of current flow through the inductor. Additionally, an output clamp circuit, which suppresses the parasitic load inductance during polarity reversal is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Michael David Madsen, Quinn William Schartner
  • Patent number: 11859337
    Abstract: An appliance latch receives a strike when the appliance lid is closed and provides an electrically activated lock holding the lid closed during portions of the wash cycle that might present a hazard. The strike presents two different surfaces to the latch, the first to activate a lock mechanism and the second to activate an anti-tamper switch before the appliance may be actuated thereby reducing the risk of tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Randy S. McDonald, Joel C. Bragg, Jeffrey J. Krieger
  • Patent number: 11862035
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide visual information associated with welding operations are disclosed. An weld training system includes a display, a camera, a communications device, and a welding helmet. The communications device communicates with welding equipment. The welding helmet has a view port. The communications device is configured to hold the camera, the communications device, and the display such that, when the welding helmet is worn by a wearer, the display is viewable by the wearer, the camera has a view through the view port such that the display displays to the wearer images taken by the camera through the view port and displays a simulated object generated based on information received from the welding equipment via the communications device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Hsu, Scott Nicholas Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11857081
    Abstract: A load bearing surface includes a woven fabric surface and a carrier (18) overmolded onto the fabric surface. Portions of the woven fabric are bonded to the carriers (18) o as to remain fixed relative to the carrier during normal loading conditions and during abnormally high loading conditions. Other portions (14) of the woven fabric are bonded to the carrier so as to remain fixed relative to the carrier during normal loading conditions and to move or slip within the carrier, or to rupture, during abnormally high loading conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Martin Oomen, Randy James Sayers, Manfred Mueller
  • Patent number: 11862357
    Abstract: An example adjustable collimator includes a housing having an aperture through which radiation is to be directed from an inlet to an outlet of the housing, a first shutter and a second shutter within the housing, a first link coupled to the first shutter, and a first yoke coupled to the housing at a pivot point and configured to pivot with respect to the housing. The first yoke may be configured to reduce an effective width of the aperture by moving the first shutter toward the second shutter via the first link when the first yoke is rotated in a first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Svetlana Zigelman, Brett Muehlhauser
  • Patent number: D1010160
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Ross Ferrier, Jeffrey Pellerin