Patents Examined by Alberto Saenz
  • Patent number: 11559874
    Abstract: A clamping force visualization device, including a first clamping body (01) for clamping an object; the first clamping body (01) is telescopically assembled on a base (14), an elastic element (110) is provided between the first clamping body (01) and the base (14), and a clamping force scale (11) and a reading indicator (15) are respectively provided on the first clamping body (01) and the base (14); when the first clamping body (01) clamps the object, the elastic element (110) measures a clamping force and the reading indicator (15) points to the clamping force scale (11) for reading, so that the magnitude of the clamping force can be intuitively seen and read during clamping, thereby achieving accurate clamping. A clamp including the clamping force visualization device is also involved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignees: HANGZHOU UNITED ELECTRIC MANUFACTURE CO., LTD., HANGZHOU GREAT STAR INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yueming Li
  • Patent number: 11557500
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a heated support pedestal including a body comprising a ceramic material, a support arm extending radially outward from a periphery of the body that is coupled to a shaft, and a vacuum conduit disposed within the shaft and through the body to connect with a surface of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay D. Parkhe
  • Patent number: 11554456
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for sharpening a cutting edge of a cutting tool, such as a kitchen knife. In some embodiments, an abrasive assembly has a frame, a handle, and a cartridge that supports a plurality of abrasive members each having an associated abrasive surface. A rod affixes the abrasive assembly to a base assembly to facilitate movement of the abrasive assembly along the cutting edge of the tool responsive to engagement, by a user, of the user handle. Each abrasive member is configured to be moved, by the user, with respect to the handle to present each abrasive surface in turn. In some cases, the cartridge is rotatable about a cartridge axis that may be parallel or non-parallel to a central axis of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Darex, LLC
    Inventors: Steven L. Baker, Conner S. MacFarlane, Joseph T. Zachariasen, Daniel T. Dovel, Travis Campbell
  • Patent number: 11557501
    Abstract: Susceptor assemblies comprising a susceptor base and a plurality of pie-shaped skins thereon are described. A pie anchor can be positioned in the center of the susceptor base to hold the pie-shaped skins in place during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaushal Gangakhedkar, Kallol Bera, Joseph Yudovsky
  • Patent number: 11548163
    Abstract: A grinding package fitted on robotic arm includes a main body, a pneumatic motor, a bridging part and a grinding tool. The main body is formed with a first space, a second space, a communicating hole communicating the first space to the second space, a connecting wall within the first space, an intake channel, an exhaust channel, openings of the first space and the second space respectively located on each of two parallel sides of the main body, the connecting wall having a ventilation hole. The pneumatic motor includes a motor body within the first space, and a transmission shaft connected to the motor body while extended from the second space through the communicating hole. The bridging part is combined with the main body and the robotic arm, the bridging part closing off the first space, the grinding tool facing the second space and being joined to the transmission shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: X'POLE PRECISION TOOLS INC.
    Inventor: Yi-Jung Liaw
  • Patent number: 11552461
    Abstract: An electrical wire pulling device is for pulling wire through a conduit and includes a T-shaped hollow body including a side inlet transversely intersecting a path between a top inlet and a bottom outlet, and a constrictor adjacent the side inlet. A pulling line source, including a supply of pulling line, is positioned adjacent the top inlet and configured to supply the pulling line into the top inlet and out the bottom outlet. A constrictor has a tapered section tapering towards the bottom inlet. The bottom outlet is positioned adjacent the first end of the conduit. The side inlet is coupled to a fluid source to supply a fluid into the hollow body to be pushed downward towards the bottom outlet and create a pressure differential that draws the pulling line towards the bottom outlet and into the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Luke Gell Pools, LLC
    Inventor: Luke Gell
  • Patent number: 11548117
    Abstract: A positioning structure of clamp may include a fixed clamp and a guiding rod, and the fixed clamp has a clamping portion and a connecting portion respectively at an upper portion and a lower portion thereof, and a guiding hole penetrates through the connecting portion. The guiding rod coupled into the guiding hole comprises a plurality of first through holes thereon, a first engaging hole and a second engaging hole respectively penetrating through two lateral sides of the connecting portion are respectively communicated with the guiding hole. A plurality of lock holes are formed at the lateral side of the connecting portion same as the second engaging hole. A positioning unit, connected to the connecting portion through the first engaging hole, the second engaging hole, and the lock holes, comprises a clamping block, an engaging block, a positioning bolt, a positioning block, a clamping plate and a rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Inventor: Sung-Chi Liu
  • Patent number: 11541511
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method associated with the device. With respect to the device, it is a work holding and clamping device, which increases the usable span to almost twice its stored length. This device has an inner and outer assembly. The inner and outer assemblies are nested or telescopic. Each assembly is made of a square or rectangular tube that has a jaw affixed to one end. The inner assembly contains a locking mechanism to allow for length adjustment. When arranged so that the jaws are on the same side of the respective assemblies, the clamp is capable of a span that is almost equal to the length of the inner assembly. When arranged so that the jaws are on opposite sides of the respective assemblies, the clamp is capable of a span that is almost equal to the sum of the length of the inner assembly and outer assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventor: Barton Steven Wolf
  • Patent number: 11534900
    Abstract: A method for disassembling a pipe joint is provided. A radially expandable sleeve positioned on a shaft is inserted into a distal open end of a pipe of the pipe joint. A sleeve nut on a threaded portion of the shaft is tightened against the sleeve to urge the sleeve to longitudinally slide along a tapered distal end of the shaft in a distal direction. The sleeve radially expands as the sleeve slides in the distal direction along the tapered distal end of the shaft. The sleeve is radially expanded until an interference fit is formed between the sleeve and the pipe. A force is then exerted upon the shaft to urge the shaft in a proximal direction and remove the pipe from a pipe fitting of the pipe joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventor: John McNeely
  • Patent number: 11524392
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for devices and methods for retaining optical devices. The devices and methods described herein provide for retention of the substrate without contacting sensitive portions of the substrate. The devices and methods utilize retention pads or vacuum pins to contact the exclusion zones i.e., inactive areas of the substrate to retain the substrate and prevent the substrate from moving laterally. Additionally, a holding force retains the substrate in the vertical direction, without contacting the substrate. The methods provide for adjusting the devices to account for multiple geometries of the substrate. The methods further provide for adjusting the devices, such as adjusting a gap between the optical device and a suction pad, to alter the holding force of the devices on the optical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaseer Arafath Ahamed, Kangkang Wang, Benjamin B. Riordon, James D. Strassner, Ludovic Godet
  • Patent number: 11523595
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning aquaculture nets underwater. The appartus employs a propeller housing with a centrally disposed axis with a plurality of propeller blades extending therefrom. An outer perimeter ring secured to an outer tip of each propeller blade with a plurality of knuckles secured to the outer perimeter ring. Each knuckle including a curved surface constructed and arranged to strike the aquaculture net upon rotation of the blades for removal of growth by impact and shaking of the aquaculture net.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventor: Peter B. Lindgren
  • Patent number: 11504857
    Abstract: In order to respond flexibly to various processing modes, such as forming curved surface shapes, when cutting a workpiece using a wire saw, this wire saw device (1) is provided with: a single robot arm (2) that is capable of moving freely by means of multi-axis control; a wire saw unit (3) that is detachably connected to the robot arm (2) via a tool changer (7); a wire (8) that spans a plurality of pulleys supported within the wire saw unit (3); and a workpiece cutting zone (20) that is established between the pulleys. The workpiece is cut to a prescribed shape by moving the robot arm (2) in a preset direction while running the wire (8) of the wire saw unit (3) and pressing the wire (8) against the supported workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TAKATORI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Masuda, Hiroyuki Kita, Masahiro Morita, Tatsuya Komeda, Takaaki Yoshimura, Hisashi Yoshida, Atsunori Takeda, Yuichi Inoue
  • Patent number: 11508608
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum chuck and a method for securing a warped semiconductor substrate during a semiconductor manufacturing process so as to improve its flatness during a semiconductor manufacturing process. For example, a semiconductor manufacturing system includes: a vacuum chuck configured to hold a substrate, wherein the vacuum chuck comprises, a plurality of vacuum grooves located on a top surface of the vacuum chuck, wherein the top surface is configured to face the substrate; and a plurality of flexible seal rings disposed on the vacuum chuck and extending outwardly from the top surface, wherein the plurality of flexible seal rings are configured to directly contact a bottom surface of the substrate and in adjacent to the plurality of vacuum grooves so as to form a vacuum seal between the substrate and the vacuum chuck, and wherein each of the plurality of flexible seal rings has a zigzag cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Fa Lee, Chin-Lin Chou, Shang-Ying Tsai, Shou-Wen Kuo, Kuei-Sung Chang, Jiun-Rong Pai, Hsu-Shui Liu, Chun-wen Cheng
  • Patent number: 11504820
    Abstract: This gantry type conveying device is provided with: a beam which is horizontally installed; a runner traveling along the beam; an elevator supported to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the runner; and a loading part which is supported by the lower portion of the elevator and on which a workpiece is loaded. This processing line has the gantry type conveying device and a machine tool. The machine tool is provided with: a base; and a workpiece supporting device provided movable with respect to the base in a forward and backward direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the beam when viewed in a plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KOMATSU NTC LTD.
    Inventors: Minoru Sawada, Hiroki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11498193
    Abstract: Disclosed is an extraction tool including a top plate having a top plate force rod hole and a plurality of top plate push rod holes. The extraction tool includes a bottom plate having a bottom plate force rod hole, a plurality of bottom plate push rod holes, and a plurality of bottom plate bolt holes. The tool includes a force rod configured to slidably engage the top plate force rod hole and threadingly engage the bottom plate force rod hole. The tool includes a plurality of push rods, each push rod configured to threadingly engage a top plate push rod hole and slidably engage a bottom plate bolt hole. The bottom plate is attached to the hub bearing assembly and rotating the force rod will advance the bottom plate and the hub bearing assembly towards the top plate, thereby extracting the hub bearing from a knuckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventor: Jeffrey Del Rossa
  • Patent number: 11491613
    Abstract: A high-torque ratchet wrench including a wrench body having a driving aperture and a handle, and a drive member is disposed in the driving aperture and an axial position-limiting mechanism is disposed between the driving aperture and the drive member to limit the relative axial displacement. The external side wall of the drive member and the internal aperture side of the driving aperture form two cylindrical drive faces nested, wherein a first cylindrical drive face is provided with a pin recess, a pin is rotatably mounted in the pin recess, a relief is disposed on the side face of pin, the pin is connected with a resilient reset member, the pin is rotated with the resilience of a resilient reset member, and a relief is driven to stand out of the pin recess and contacts a second drive face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HUAZHONG HE
    Inventor: Huazhong He
  • Patent number: 11492240
    Abstract: In a floating unit, a floating mechanism is provided with: a rolling portion that includes a holding portion fixed to one of a first member and a second member, a sphere held by the holding portion so as to be rotatable in all directions; and an opposing portion that is fixed to the other one of the first member and the second member, and has an abutment surface that abuts against the sphere. The abutment surface includes an inclined surface that is formed, over the entire region of the abutment surface in a circumferential direction around a reference position, so as to come close to a side, in the vertical direction, on which the sphere is arranged, while extending outward in the horizontal direction from the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Yamamoto, Yukichi Tamura, Hidetoshi Takahashi, Rikki Ito
  • Patent number: 11484991
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an internal and external clamping method and device of a thin-wall tubular part during rotary processing. A plurality of support blocks of this device are spaced to form an annular structure around the flange bush; the middle portion of each support block is provided with a through hole; a support claw is provided between every two support blocks, and the side surface of the support claw is provided with the through hole; a rotary shaft penetrates through the through holes in the support claws and the support blocks; and the plurality of support claws are spaced to form a support claw ring having the annular structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: SOUTH CHINA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Qinxiang Xia, Jinchuan Long, Xiuquan Cheng, Yingchao Xiong, Gangfeng Xiao
  • Patent number: 11478910
    Abstract: A pipe coupon extraction tool includes: a rod defining a first end, a second end, and a central axis; and a spring bar defining a first end and a second end, the spring bar rotatably secured to the rod, a surface of the spring bar configured to be angled with respect to the central axis when the pipe coupon extraction tool is engaged with a pipe coupon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy J. Mitchell, David Latimore Hughes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11479452
    Abstract: A vehicle lift includes a lift platform which can be selectively moved in a range between one or more raised positions which are level from the front to the rear and a lowered position where the lift platform is tilted for loading and unloading. A vehicle may be supported on the lift platform. The vehicle lift may be arranged in a trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: The Aluminum Trailer Company
    Inventors: Seth Schwartz, Christopher Klassen, Austin Ganger