Patents Examined by Bena Miller
  • Patent number: 8025247
    Abstract: A replaceable distributor plate is adapted for protecting a lower horizontal disc of a rotor of a vertical shaft impact crusher. The replaceable distributor plate includes at least two separate pieces. The separate pieces are separated from each other along separating lines, as seen from above, each of which separating lines extend substantially from the center of the distributor plate to the periphery thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB
    Inventors: Rowan Dallimore, George Fensome, Knut Kjaerran
  • Patent number: 8020791
    Abstract: The present invention provides an impact crushing apparatus that includes a housing, a chamber defined within the housing, a rotor assembly for receiving material and throwing the material radially outward, and a drive unit for rotating the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly comprises a plurality of shoes pivotable about a pin, the plurality of shoes having an impact surface configured to transport material received through the internal opening to the outer periphery of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Eagle Crusher Co. Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Knueven, Jason Potter
  • Patent number: 8020797
    Abstract: A device for aligning the refining disc of a refining apparatus, in which refining apparatus lignocellulose-containing material is disintegrated and refined, which device is intended to be arranged in a support (701) for the axle package of the refining apparatus, the supporting (701) resting on a ground surface, which axle package comprises the rotary refining disc of the refining apparatus, a rotation axle to which the rotary refining disc is attached, and a bearing housing (702) in which the axle is journalled by means of bearings arranged in the bearing housing (704).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomas Sahlin, Mattias Eriksson, Göran Byström
  • Patent number: 8020796
    Abstract: A shredder includes a housing having a throat for receiving at least one article to be shredded, and a shredder mechanism received in the housing and including an electrically powered motor and cutter elements. The shredder also includes a detector that is configured to detect a thickness of the at least one article being received by the throat, and a controller that is configured to operate the motor to drive the cutter elements to shred the at least one article and to set a flutter threshold higher than the predetermined maximum thickness threshold, if the detected thickness is less than a predetermined maximum thickness threshold. The controller is also configured to thereafter continuously detect the thickness of the at least one article being inserted into a throat of the shredder; and to perform a predetermined operation responsive to the thickness detector detecting that the thickness of the at least one article is greater than the flutter threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Fellowes, Inc.
    Inventors: Tai Hoon K. Matlin, Michael Dale Jensen
  • Patent number: 8011609
    Abstract: A pepper mill includes a receiving unit, a grinding unit, a coupling unit and a closure unit. The receiving unit includes a container body defining a receiving space for receiving peppercorns, and a driving member disposed movably in the receiving space. The coupling unit is disposed in the receiving space and is driven rotatably by the driving member. The grinding unit is disposed in the receiving space and is coupled co-rotatably to the coupling unit for grinding the peppercorns to result in ground pepper. The closure unit includes a closure member movable relative to the grinding unit between a closed position so as to block discharge of the ground pepper through a discharge end of the container body, and an opened position so as to permit discharge of the ground pepper through the discharge end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Yienn Lih Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Hui Fang
  • Patent number: 8007337
    Abstract: A multi-use recreational product fully assembled constitutes a toy that can be towed on water and on snow and in the air, and when airborne, the rider can detach the tow rope and use the product as a glider. The toy disassembled, separates a wing section from a fuselage or tail section. The wing section is independently usable as a wakeboard; longitudinally extending fins which provide stability in movement of the assembled product in water and air and easier lift-off into the latter, also aid in control of the wakeboard in water and on snow. The fuselage or tail section is independently usable as a surfboard or water ski, wakeboard, snowboard or kneeboard. As a surfboard, it would be inverted so that thin vertical fins on the wider tail end of its upper surface when used as the fuselage, would extend into the water. Control elements exist on the appropriate surfaces of the sections to enable rider steerage of the sections and/or assembled product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Inventor: Douglas D. DeMasi, Sr.
  • Patent number: 8002212
    Abstract: The present invention provides a double-functional rolling blade wheel group having two rolling blade wheels. Each of the rolling blade wheels includes a number of rolling blades arranged in a longitudinal direction thereof. The rolling blades of one rolling blade wheel cooperate with the rolling blades on the other rolling blade wheel, so as to shred objects. Each of the rolling blade wheels forms at least two shredding areas along the longitudinal direction thereof. The number of blade rows along a circumference direction of one shredding area and the number of the rolling blades in each blade row along the longitudinal direction of the shredding area are different from those formed on the other shredding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Inventor: Fengqiang Zhong
  • Patent number: 8002209
    Abstract: A fragmentation system including a reaction vessel with processing fluid and fragmentation product and a pair of electrodes. Two respective ends of the pair of electrodes are arranged at a distance to each other inside the reaction vessel and can be admitted with pulsed high-voltage to grind the fragmentation product positioned in a reaction zone. The system also including a solid/fluid separation device, a suspension device to keep the fragmentation product continually suspended in the processing fluid, and a transfer device to transfer processing fluid and a first share of the fragmentation product out of the reaction vessel to the solid/fluid separation device. A second share of the fragmentation product returns to the reaction zone. The system includes at least one return-flow line coupled to the solid/fluid separation device and the reaction vessel to empty the processing fluid from the solid/fluid separation device into the reaction vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Frey, Ralf Strässner, Andreas Schormann, Kurt Giron, Harald Giese
  • Patent number: 8002210
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for canceling, in particular destroying, sheet material, in particular bank notes. The apparatus includes at least one canceling means to which the sheet material to be canceled is fed, in which the fed sheet material is canceled, in particular destroyed, and from which the canceled sheet material is discharged. The apparatus also includes at least one supervising means for monitoring the sheet material being discharged or having been discharged from said canceling means. For improved monitoring of the cancellation of sheet material, in particular with respect to malfunctions, there is provided at least one monitoring means for monitoring the fed sheet material. The fed sheet material is compared to the sheet material being discharged or having been discharged in an evaluation means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Schmidt, Friedman Loeffler, Wilhelm Hell, Gerhard Sporer, Frank Werner
  • Patent number: 7997246
    Abstract: A method, device, and system for controlling a flow of a fluid moving through a pipe are presented. The device includes a truncated cone having a first diameter at an inlet and a second diameter at an outlet and a bracket attached to the truncated cone. The first diameter of the truncated cone is larger than the second diameter. The bracket is a curved sheet positioned around at least a part of the truncated cone and having an adjustable bracket diameter. The bracket diameter is measured from a center axis extending through a center of the truncated cone. Attaching the device to a fluid flow pipe reduces turbulence in the flow through the pipe, allowing a more streamlined fluid exit from the pipe. When used with an air intake pipe for an internal combustion engine, the device allows more horsepower and mileage to be extracted from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Inventor: Leo Now
  • Patent number: 7992814
    Abstract: A mobile rock crushing vehicle with a detachable electronic control box which can be automatically lifted, by a pair of hydraulic pivoting arms, off the vehicle, lowered and set upon any vibration damping and isolating mass, such as the earth, all by moving a hydraulic lever. The pair of pivoting arms further automatically configure a reduced-vibration transmitting connection when the electronic control box is set upon the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Terex USA, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Young, Richard Sadler, Dan Garland
  • Patent number: 7988081
    Abstract: Condiment grinder and dispenser in which the usual shield for protecting the adjustment screw on the end of the drive shaft is replaced and the screw is secured against accidental removal and loss by providing a stop structure which is attached to or integral part of the end of the drive shaft. This structure, unlike a shield, does not interfere with the adjustment of the coarseness of the grind produced by the grinding dispenser, and yet maintains the integrity of the device without undue complexity or manufacturing expense.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Fox Run USA, LLC
    Inventor: Rodney Robbins
  • Patent number: 7988077
    Abstract: A connecting apparatus adapted in a conjunctive structure is provided. The conjunctive structure comprises a baseboard, a peripheral element and a connecting apparatus. The connecting apparatus comprises at least one first connecting element and at least one second connecting element. The first connecting element is a magnetic element and is placed on one corner of the peripheral element. The second connecting element is placed around a hole of the baseboard, and the second connecting element comprises two adjacent magnetic elements with opposite polarity arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Quanta Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-Wang Lin
  • Patent number: 7988080
    Abstract: A rotary chopper element for an integral chopper assembly of a combine harvester, which rotary chopper element includes a cylindrical rotary member having a plurality of ring portions axially aligned in an ordered side-by-side arrangement along the longitudinal axis of the rotary member, with each ring portion having disposed annularly therearound a plurality of mounting lugs, each of which mounting lugs is designed to support or to have affixed thereto at least one knife blade. The mounting lugs on each succeeding ring portion are rotated or offset radially from the lugs of the preceding ring by a predefined amount and the knife blades are attached to the mounting lugs to form mounted assemblies that have beveled leading edges that extend substantially continuously from adjacent to the outer surface of the rotary member to the tips of the knife blades. The knife blades of such mounted assemblies define a plurality of spaced helical arrays that extend along and wrap around the rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Jason M. Benes, Wayne T. Flickinger, Andrew V. Lauwers
  • Patent number: 7984865
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing animal byproduct materials is disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a grinder for grinding the byproduct materials; a mixer for mixing the ground byproduct materials with an oil absorbing material and a backmix material; and a dryer for drying the mixed materials. In some embodiments, the apparatus also includes a cyclone for separating an air stream from the dried materials. The dried materials are transported to one or more presses for pressing the dried materials, thereby reducing oil content. The one or more presses includes a first opening for delivering pressed oil to a centrifuge and a second opening for sending the pressed materials to a screener. A portion of the screened material is sent back to the mixer (and/or the grinder) and the balance of the screened material are sent to storage as a finished product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Auburn University
    Inventors: Ken Mosley, Kenneth T. Nickerson, Rick Renninger
  • Patent number: 7984866
    Abstract: A relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system is provided for preparing an aqueous oil sand slurry amenable to pipeline conveyance while producing minimum overall rejects, comprising (a) a relocatable rotary digester for slurrying oil sand and water and digesting oil sand lumps to form a pumpable slurry, the rotary digester having a feed end for receiving oil sand and water, a slurrying chamber comprising a plurality of lifters for slurrying the oil sand and water, and a trommel screen end for screening out oversize rejects from the oil sand slurry which falls through the trommel screen; and (b) a relocatable rejects recirculation unit operably associated with the rotary digester for receiving oversize rejects and delivering the rejects back to the rotary digester for further digestion. In a preferred body, relocatable oil sand slurry preparation system further comprises a rejects crusher for crushing oversize rejects prior to delivering rejects back to the rotary digester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignees: Canadian Oil Sands Limited Partnership, Canadian Oil Sands Limited, Conocophillips Oils Sands Partnership II, Imperial Oil Resources, Mocal Energy Limited, Nexen Inc., Murphy Oil Company Ltd., Petro-Canada Oil and Gas
    Inventors: George J. Cymerman, Khaled Helmy Obaia, Stewart Alexander Johnson
  • Patent number: 7980495
    Abstract: Fibrous materials, compositions that include fibrous materials, and uses of the fibrous materials and compositions are disclosed. For example, the fibrous materials can be operated on by a microorganism to produce ethanol or a by-product, such as a protein or lignin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventor: Marshall Medoff
  • Patent number: 7980499
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dressing marginal areas of externally viewable surfaces of a building block. The apparatus includes at least one chipper having rotational axis and a plurality of outwardly extending teeth randomly disposed thereabout. The chipper is positioned and oriented so that its teeth may effectively work a predetermined marginal area of interest. As the predetermined marginal area of interest and the teeth of the chipper are brought into contact with each other, portions of the marginal area are randomly impacted and fractured to form an erose or jagged surface that resembles hand dressing. The apparatus may also include additional chippers, each having a rotational axis and a plurality of teeth randomly disposed thereabout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventor: Raymond R. Price
  • Patent number: 7980500
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting up biological sample material, including a sample container, a rotary drive device separate from the sample container, and a shaft rotatably arranged in the sample container, wherein the shaft has a laterally projecting cutting device in the region of a working end and has a coupling piece in the region of a coupling end, said coupling piece being accessible from outside and being designed for coupling engagement with a coupling counterpart of the rotary drive device, wherein the shaft (14) is arranged with lateral guidance and in an axially displaceable manner in the sample container (10), the coupling piece (19) and the coupling counterpart (21) are designed for producing coupling engagement which is positive-locking in the direction of rotation (23) and permits an axial displacement, and the cutting device (16) is designed in a propeller shape in such a way that, during rotation of the shaft (14) in the working direction, it exerts a propulsive force on the latter in the direction
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Prionics AG
    Inventors: Stefan Jenni, Daniel Krieg, Karsten Meissner
  • Patent number: 7975944
    Abstract: A modular system for connecting attachments to the extension arm of a construction machine, wherein each module has a standardized coupling arrangement. As a result, each module is compatible with another module to provide great versatility in configuring the machine. Additionally, the system includes a variety of different modules and a mechanism for remotely activating the coupling between modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventors: John R. Ramun, Marc A. Cossette