Patents Examined by Chris Q Liu
  • Patent number: 11172783
    Abstract: Systems and methods for shaping food items are provided. The systems and methods can shape the food items into taco shapes. A system can include a basket, a tool, and an insert. The basket includes troughs and a handle. The tool includes guides that receive patties made of, for example, potatoes, meat, and/or other food items. The insert includes wedges sized and shaped to fit through the guides and into the troughs of the basket. The tool is assembled with the basket in use, and frozen patties are placed in the guides. The insert is assembled with the tool such that the wedges contact the patties. The assembly is placed in hot oil to cook the patties. As the patties cook and soften, the insert moves downward relative to the tool and basket, and the wedges urge the patties into the troughs and into a taco shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Taco Bell IP Holder, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew McClellan, Nancy Kanis, Edgar Guzman, Jose Mercado, Javier Mercado, Greg Iorio
  • Patent number: 11154952
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a laser beam applying unit having a focusing unit applying a laser beam to a workpiece held on a chuck table, a feeding mechanism relatively moving the chuck table and the laser beam applying unit, and a chamber having a top wall connected to the focusing unit and a side wall connected to the top wall to define an enclosed space, the top wall having a transparent plate located directly below the focusing unit and allowing the pass of the laser beam applied from the focusing unit. The laser processing apparatus further includes a liquid supplying unit supplying a liquid into the enclosed space to make a condition that the enclosed space is filled with the liquid under a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuji Hadano, Keiji Nomaru
  • Patent number: 11142964
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for joining a longitudinal seam in a tube, to an apparatus and method of joining a longitudinal seam in a tube in a borehole, to an apparatus and method of repairing a tube and to a pig. In an aspect an apparatus is provided for joining a longitudinal seam in a tube. The apparatus (200) includes a spool (202) for progressively unwinding a coiled member (10) into an extended form (12). The member (10) transitions from a flat form when coiled (11) to a slit tube form when extended (12), in which form the member is resiliently biased. A joining device (214) is positioned downstream of the spool arranged to provide energy to a portion of the member in its extended form to cause heating so as to progressively join together the longitudinal edges of the slit tube as the member passes the joining device. A longitudinal seam (20) is thereby formed in the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: RTL Materials Limited
    Inventor: Andrew Daton-Lovett
  • Patent number: 11131641
    Abstract: A method for measuring the oil content of a lithium battery separator by using DSC includes the following steps: taking 5-10 mg of an oil-containing separator sample from the lithium battery separator, and taking 5-10 mg of an oil-free separator sample from an oil-free separator; performing an enthalpy test on the oil-free separator sample at room temperature by using a differential scanning calorimeter to obtain a first enthalpy value, and performing an enthalpy test on the oil-containing separator sample by using the differential scanning calorimeter to obtain a second enthalpy value; subtracting the second enthalpy value from the first enthalpy value to obtain a difference, and then dividing the difference by the first enthalpy value to obtain the oil content of the oil-containing separator sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: JIANGSU HORIZON NEW ENERGY TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yeqing Zhang, Xingxing Weng, Cheng Jin, Zhaohui Chen
  • Patent number: 11129413
    Abstract: An electronic vaping device includes a power supply section, a heater assembly section, and a cartridge. The power supply section includes a power supply. The cartridge section includes a reservoir configured to store a pre-vapor formulation, and a wick in fluid communication with the pre-vapor formulation. The heater assembly section is connected to the power supply section and the cartridge. The heater assembly section includes at least one plate heater in physical contact with a portion of the wick. The at least one plate heater is selectively electrically connectable to the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Peter J. Lipowicz, Srinivasan Janardhan, Travis Garthaffner
  • Patent number: 11117223
    Abstract: A wire for gas-shielded arc welding includes, based on a total mass of the wire: C: 0.01 mass % or more and 0.10 mass % or less, Si: 0.05 mass % or more and 0.55 mass % or less, Mn: 1.60 mass % or more and 2.40 mass % or less, Ti: 0.05 mass % or more and 0.25 mass % or less, Cu: 0.01 mass % or more and 0.30 mass % or less, S: 0.001 mass % or more and 0.020 mass % or less, N: 0.0045 mass % or more and 0.0150 mass % or less, Al: 0.10 mass % or less, and P: 0.025 mass % or less, with the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities. In the wire, the following relationship is satisfied: 0.1?[Ti]/[Si]?3.0, where [Si] is the content of Si (mass %) and [Ti] is the content of Ti (mass %).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KOBE STEEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Ikai, Hikaru Kinashi, Yasuyuki Yokota
  • Patent number: 11110544
    Abstract: A flexible self-adaptive composite carbon brush-type electromagnetic composite field synchronous laser cladding device, comprising an electromagnetic field synchronous coupling module that processes a part to be processed, a mechanical arm that drives the electromagnetic field synchronous coupling module to move, and a laser that generates laser; the electromagnetic field synchronous coupling module comprises a laser head, an electric field portion and a magnetic field portion; the magnetic field portion comprises two magnetic field generating modules, and the electric field portion comprises two electric field generating modules, the magnetic field portion and the electric field portion both being fixedly erected at the periphery of the laser head by means of a supporting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jianhua Yao, Liang Wang, Qunli Zhang, Guolong Wu
  • Patent number: 11097372
    Abstract: An elongate tape (10) acts as a vaporizing actuator for impulse metalworking. It has an electrically-insulative base layer (20), an electrically-conductive layer (30), and an electrically-insulative top layer (40). In it, the base layer is characterized by the length of the tape and a first width W1, as measured between a pair of side edges. The conductive layer is characterized by the length of the tape and a second width W2, as measured between a pair of side edges; and the top layer is characterized by the length of the tape and a third width W3, as measured between a pair of side edges. The layers are joined to each other to form the elongate tape with the electrically-conductive layer interposed between the electrically-insulative base and top layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Ohio State Innovation Foundation
    Inventors: Anupam Vivek, Glenn Daehn
  • Patent number: 11095004
    Abstract: A method for laser welding a plurality of battery foils to a battery tab that does not include ultrasonic welding and includes clamping the plurality of battery foils and the battery tab together. Each of the plurality of battery foils has a thickness that is between 0.004 millimeters and 0.03 millimeters. The battery tab has a thickness that is between 0.1 millimeters and 0.5 millimeters. The method further includes laser welding the plurality of battery foils to the battery tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Wu Tao, Li Sun, Xiaochao Que, Haijing Liu, Teresa J. Rinker, Jeffrey A. Abell
  • Patent number: 11096248
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward a heater that includes a resistive heating element, a first power pin, and a second power pin. The first power pin forms a first junction with a first end of the resistive heating element, and the second power pin forms a second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element. The second power pin includes a first lead wire and a second lead wire. The first lead wire forms the second junction with the second end of the resistive heating element and defines a first conductive material. The second lead wire forms a primary sensing junction with the first lead wire at a first reference area, and defines a second conductive material different from the first conductive material to measure a temperature at the first reference area based on a voltage change created by the primary sensing junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Terry Colhour, Douglas Schaefer, Jeremy Ohse, Jacob Burnia, Eric Ellis, Louis P. Steinhauser
  • Patent number: 11084128
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion member manufacturing method includes providing a wavelength conversion member having an upper surface, and forming, in the wavelength conversion member, at least one depressed portion having an inclined surface inclined with respect to the upper surface by irradiating the wavelength conversion member with a pulsed laser beam from above. The forming of the at least one depressed portion includes performing a set of scanning more than once at different processing depths in regions overlapping each other in a top view, the set of scanning includes performing scanning with the pulsed laser beam along a first direction more than once at irradiation positions shifted in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in the top view, and the performing of the scanning includes applying the pulsed laser beam at a fixed processing depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Eboshi, Hiroaki Yuto
  • Patent number: 11079571
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a laser source which generates a laser beam; a scanner unit disposed in an optical path of the laser beam from the laser source and which adjusts the optical path of the laser beam from the laser source in a first direction or in a second direction different from the first direction; and a reflector unit disposed in an optical path of the laser beam adjusted by the scanner unit and which reflects the laser beam adjusted by the scanner unit, where the reflector unit includes a first sub-reflector unit which shifts an optical path of the laser adjusted by the scanner unit in the first direction, and a second sub-reflector unit which shifts an optical path of the laser beam adjusted by the scanner unit in a third direction opposite to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Emil Aslanov, Je Kil Ryu, Hae Sook Lee, Kyung Hoon Chung, Gyoo Wan Han
  • Patent number: 11076717
    Abstract: A countertop electric appliance optimally performs a variety of cooking modes with both radiant and convective heat sources as well as control means for controlling the timing and intensity of the heat sources. A driver turns food about either a horizontal or a vertical axis of rotation suitable for the specific food and recipe. A hinged door supports the food to be cooked so that in one location the food is caused to be turned by the drive means and in another location the food is loaded into or removed from the appliance, external of the cooking compartment, to be easily handled by the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventor: Dov Z. Glucksman
  • Patent number: 11064573
    Abstract: Systems and methods of quasi-resonant induction heating are provided. In particular, a method for evaluating the resonant frequency of a quasi-resonant induction cooking device can be provided. The method can include generating a startup pulse, receiving multiple feedback pulses from a resonant frequency feedback circuit, measuring a pulse width of each of the feedback pulses, calculating an average pulse width based upon the feedback pulses and determining the resonant frequency based at least in part on the average pulse width and a transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Victoria Steele, Meher P. Kollipara, Isaac Nam
  • Patent number: 11033033
    Abstract: A chamber drum for a dough kneading device comprises a hollow drum body, a plurality of radially penetrating breakthroughs in the outer peripheral wall thereof to form a chamber for in each case one dough piece to be treated, and a surface structuring of the side walls of the breakthroughs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Werner & Pfleiderer Lebensmitteltechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Alexander Meier
  • Patent number: 11024459
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coil component including a step of welding a wire to a metal terminal by laser welding capable of making positional displacement of the wire only minimally occur. As a metal terminal, a metal terminal having a connecting portion on which a positioning groove for receiving and positioning a portion of the wire is formed is prepared. The wire is temporarily fixed to the connecting portion in a state where the wire is positioned by being fitted in the positioning groove, and the wire and the metal terminal are welded to each other by irradiating a laser beam. The positioning groove is preferably formed into a V shape in cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Murakami, Akio Igarashi, Koji Onishi
  • Patent number: 11014197
    Abstract: The invention disclose a picosecond-nanosecond laser composite asynchronous ceramics polishing method. First, a picosecond laser is used to scan and irradiate the ceramic surface along the scanning path. At the same time, ceramic surface is initially flattened and the electronic state of materials is removed by picosecond laser to produce micro-nanoparticles. Micro-nanoparticles exist as ionized state in the adjacent space region of irradiated ceramics surface. Then, low energy density nanosecond laser is used according to a preset time to irradiate and melt these micro-nanoparticles which can easily form a dense and smooth fine crystal melting layer to achieve the polishing effect. The present disclosure fixes the generation of micro-cracks and pores in traditional laser polishing process. It overcomes the shortcomings of traditional laser polishing such as large thermal influence zone, easy to generate micro-cracks and pores on the surface, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Lingfei Ji, Ximin Zhang, Wenhao Wang, Tianyang Yan, Rui Ma
  • Patent number: 10973363
    Abstract: A beverage brewing press has an open topped container for receiving a liquid and particulate matter to be brewed into a beverage, a hollow plunger shaft, a sealing filter piston disposed on the plunger shaft, the sealing filter piston having a peripheral seal slidably sealing to an interior of the container and for separating the interior of the container into a first compartment and a second compartment, the piston having a filter thereon for allowing brewed beverage to be filtered from the first compartment into the second compartment upon displacement of the piston, an agitator disposed below the piston, the agitator being fastened to an agitator shaft disposed concentrically rotatably and slidably in the hollow plunger shaft, a displaceable distance being provided between the agitator and the piston, the agitator shaft being slidable in the plunger shaft to take-up the displaceable distance between the agitator and the piston when the piston moves toward the agitator due to an axial force exerted on the p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Daniel L. Dujmich
  • Patent number: 10968411
    Abstract: A water content sensor is positioned within a flowline downstream of a well-choke. The water content sensor is configured to determine a water content percentage of a production fluid flowing through the flowline. A temperature sensor is positioned downstream of the well-choke. The temperature sensor is configured to determine a temperature of the production fluid flowing through the flowline. A heating jacket surroundings at least a portion of the flowline. The heating-jacket is configured to transfer heat into the flowline. A controller is configured to receive a signal from each of the water content sensor and the temperature sensor, and control the heating jacket in response to a signal from each of the water content sensor and the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Jana Mohammed Aljindan
  • Patent number: 10967460
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a part includes: a) supplying powder particles; b) melting a first quantity of power with a beam and forming, on a support, a first pool including the melted powder and a portion of the support; c) forming a second pool by melting a second quantity of powder on the support; d) repeating c) to form a first layer; e) heating an [n]th quantity of the powder, and forming an [n]th pool above the first layer; f) heating an [n+1]th quantity of the powder, and forming an [n+1]th pool downstream from the [n]th pool above the first layer; g) repeating f) to form a second layer above the first layer; and h) repeating e) to g) until the part is constructed. The powder particles reaching each pool are at a temperature well below the pool temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignees: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, MBDA FRANCE
    Inventors: Christophe Colin, Julie Maisonneuve, GĂ©rard Saussereau