Patents Examined by Christopher M Afful
  • Patent number: 11014798
    Abstract: A filling system includes a center wheel that conveys vessels, a first filler provided with a plurality of filling heads, a second filler provided with a plurality of filling heads and arranged downstream from the first filler, a first inlet wheel that receives the vessels from the center wheel and supplies the vessels to the first filler, and a second inlet wheel that receives the vessel from the center wheel and supplies the vessels to the second filler. Operation modes are switchable between a first operation mode that conveys the vessels to the first filler and a second operation mode that conveys the vessels to the second filler instead of conveying to the first filler by controlling the reception of the vessels at the first and second inlet wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SHIBUYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukinobu Nishino, Katsunori Tanikawa, Koji Kaya, Kengo Ikeda, Shigeki Koishi, Masaaki Eda
  • Patent number: 11008209
    Abstract: An antifreeze cartridge includes a container containing an antifreeze agent, and a sealing film on the container. A connecting structure is configured and intended to be connected by force fit or form fit to a complementary receiver of an antifreeze inlet of a motor vehicle. The container has a handling portion which is configured and intended to allow the manual connection of the connecting structure to the complementary receiver of the antifreeze inlet. The sealing film is configured and intended to be perforated by a hollow perforation element of the antifreeze inlet so that the antifreeze agent contained in the container can be supplied to a frost-protection system of the motor vehicle through the hollow perforation element. A motor vehicle has an antifreeze inlet wherein the antifreeze inlet is accessible from the outside of an engine bay of the motor vehicle without opening a hood of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Marcel Mathissen, Julius Maximilian Engelke, Thomas Baranowski
  • Patent number: 10993878
    Abstract: Various aspects of the subject disclosure relate to a compounder system having a cartridge that includes fluid pathways controllable by valves of the cartridge. A pump component within the cartridge is actuable to move fluid through the controllable fluid pathways. Dual-lumen tubing coupled to the cartridge at a first end includes a fluid line and a vent line attached, at a second end, to a connector for a receiving container for a compounded drug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: CareFusion 303, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Oda, Dereck S. Ferdaws, Tomas Frausto
  • Patent number: 10988363
    Abstract: A system for preventing dripping from filler nozzles providing matter to containers includes a manifold defining a bore extending therethrough and a channel in communication with the bore. The system further includes a nozzle ring supported within the bore of the manifold and defining a bore configured to receive a filler nozzle. The nozzle ring defines an air gap between an inner surface of the nozzle ring and an outer surface of the filler nozzle and a channel extending between the inner surface of the nozzle ring and an outer surface of the nozzle ring and in communication with the channel in the manifold. Negative pressure introduced into the channel in the manifold draws matter from the filler nozzle through the channels in the nozzle ring and manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: Brian J Chisholm
  • Patent number: 10988369
    Abstract: A refuelling method having instructing a refuelling operator to dispense a quantity of fuel to, and maintaining, during dispensing of the fuel, at least intermittent, substantially real time communication with an officer responsible for the aircraft to advise the officer of the status of the refuelling process. A system having a refuelling module and an officer module, the refuelling module configured to receive instructions to dispense a quantity of fuel to an aircraft, an at least intermittent, substantially real time communications link being maintained between the refuelling module and the officer module during dispensing of fuel to the aircraft, the refuelling module being adapted to transmit to the officer module information relating to the status of the refuelling process, and the officer module being adapted to display to an output indicative of the status of the refuelling process. The method and system permits modification of the instruction during refuelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: I6 GROUP LIMITED
    Inventors: Alexander Mattos, Steven Uhrmacher, Robert Holmes
  • Patent number: 10961109
    Abstract: A fluid bypass method for controlling the temperature of a non-petroleum fuel, the fluid bypass method includes: providing a fuel at a pressure sufficient to effect a desired flow rate to a vehicle, the fuel being at a liquid or substantially supercritical thermodynamic state requiring further heat addition in a vaporizer; and diverting a bypass stream with partial or no vaporization to a heat exchanger as a cold fluid on a cold side of the heat exchanger. The method further includes providing a remainder stream of the fuel to the vaporizer; mixing the remainder stream outflowed from the vaporizer with the cold fluid outflowed from the cold side of the heat exchanger to form a combined fuel stream; and providing the combined fuel stream to the heat exchanger as a warm fluid on a warm side of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignees: China Energy Investment Corporation Limited, National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy
    Inventors: Xianming Jimmy Li, Edward Youn, Jeff Pickles, Surinder Singh
  • Patent number: 10961102
    Abstract: A method of filling at least one fluid housing with fluid is disclosed. The method includes: (a) arranging at least one fluid housing within a sealable vessel containing a fluid and attached to a vacuum; and (b) activating the vacuum such that air is withdrawn from the sealable vessel and the fluid is drawn into the at least one fluid housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Kevin Stubbings
  • Patent number: 10961003
    Abstract: In a blow/fill/seal packaging machine, aseptic environment is provided by a telescoping fill station shroud through which a sterile curtain gas flows. The telescoping fill station shroud includes an open-ended lower sleeve, an open-ended upper sleeve slidably coacting with the open-ended lower sleeve, and a manifold plate mounted over a proximal end portion of the upper sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Weiler Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Juan J. Banuelos, Paul Novorolsky, Mark Stevenson, Joseph Immordino
  • Patent number: 10954015
    Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and methods for loading grain into a grain bag using a grain bagging apparatus that can expand and contract to accommodate different grain bag sizes. The apparatus is comprised of an expandable grain discharge tunnel. This expandable tunnel comprises a stationary section and a flanking side. The flanking side can expand in an outwardly direction away from the stationary section to increase the overall width of the grain discharge tunnel such that differently sized grain bags can be utilized with a single grain bagging apparatus. The flanking side can be slid in an inwardly direction towards the stationary section into a first position for use with smaller grain bags. In the first position, the apparatus is easier to transport or store. The grain bag can be loaded onto the grain bagging apparatus in a first position and then the expandable grain discharge tunnel can be expanded into the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Neeralta Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: John Marvin Wierenga, Bryan Richard Vander Leest, Lambert Klass Wierenga
  • Patent number: 10946738
    Abstract: A vehicle fuel tank assembly includes a fuel tank and an electrically conductive top plate that closes and seals a fuel-fill opening in the fuel tank. The top plate includes electrical dissipation structures and features that allow for electrical charge dissipation of the fuel tank to an external structure such as the vehicle chassis. The dissipation structures include an electrically insulative carrier that is partially embedded in the top plate using an overmolding process, and an electrical conductor that is supported by the carrier. The electrical conductor provides an electrical connection between the top plate and the chassis that is independent of the fuel tank and the fuel tank mounting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignees: Robert Bosch LLC, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Paul Mason, David P. Toutant
  • Patent number: 10934151
    Abstract: A point-of-sale custom color system for tinting base paints and stains includes an array of water-only fluid colorants, including at least white, green, blue and red water-only colorants, which can be used to tint water-borne paints and stains. When tinting solvent-borne base paints or stains, a synergist containing one or more surfactants and optional dispersing agents or optional cosolvents is added to or is a part of the solvent-borne base paint or stains, and enables effective tinting using the water-only colorants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Mark W. Ellsworth, Benita L. Bush, Alison M. Collignon, Jacob S. Donlon, Mark R. Coward
  • Patent number: 10933389
    Abstract: A point-of-sale custom color system for tinting base paints and stains includes an array of powdered colorants, including at least white, green, blue and red colorants, which can be used to tint water-borne paints and stains. When tinting solvent-borne base paints or stains, a synergist containing one or more cosolvents, dispersing agents or surfactants is added to or is a part of the solvent-borne base paint or stains, and enables effective tinting using the powdered colorants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SWIMC LLC
    Inventors: Mark W. Ellsworth, Benita L. Bush, Alison M. Collignon, Jacob S. Donlon, Mark R. Coward
  • Patent number: 10913349
    Abstract: A fuel filler port device includes a fuel filler port, a main flap which is disposed in the fuel filler port and is configured to be rotated to an open position by introducing a fuel filler nozzle to open the fuel filler port, a drain opening disposed in the fuel filler port at an outer side of the main flap, and a closure mechanism which closes the drain opening in a fuel filling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Kensuke Ogose
  • Patent number: 10913556
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for filling containers with filling material in powder form, comprising: at least one metering wheel (29); a metering chamber (28a, 28b); at least one container (27) for discharging into the metering chamber (28a, 28b) a filling material (21) to be metered; at least one filter (36) which is mounted on the metering chamber (28a, 28b), the filter (36) being non-permeable to the filling material (21) and permeable to a gaseous medium; at least one feed (46) for the gaseous medium, to influence the filling material (21) to be metered in the metering chamber (28a, 28b) by means of the gaseous medium via the filter (36), at least one transport means (43) being provided to displace the filter (36) such that a new region of the filter (36) reaches the underside of the metering chamber (28a, 28b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Runft, Jens Schlipf, Walter Boehringer, Wolfgang Wick
  • Patent number: 10906798
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for increase a rate at which a saddle fuel tank is depressurized responsive to a request for refueling. In one example, a method may include, responsive to the request for refueling, depressurizing a primary side of the saddle fuel tank to a secondary side of the saddle fuel tank, and commanding open a refueling lock coupled to the primary side to allow fuel to be delivered to the primary side when pressure in the primary side drops below a threshold pressure. In this way, the secondary fuel tank may be maintained at atmospheric pressure prior to the request for refueling, which may increase the rate of depressurization of the saddle fuel tank responsive to the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 10906796
    Abstract: A refrigerator utilizes a dispenser control with a multi-function control paddle to perform multiple dispenser functions in response to different types of actuation of the control paddle. The control paddle may be positioned below one or more dispenser openings and pivotable in multiple directions about one or more axes such that placement of a container below the one or more dispenser openings and against different actuation regions of the control paddle will initiate different dispenser functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Vinayak Naik, Eric Scalf
  • Patent number: 10888904
    Abstract: An apparatus for filling a drink including a drink supply pipe line for supplying a drink to a filling machine, the drink supply pipe line and the filling machine including a CIP and SIP treatments apparatus, and an aseptic chamber surrounding at least the apparatus for filling the drink, the aseptic chamber of the filling machine comprising a COP and SOP treatment apparatus. The CIP and SIP treatments apparatus and the COP and SOP treatment apparatus are driven in parallel with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 10888498
    Abstract: An adapter (14) for transferring a substance from a first container (10) into a second container, having a circumferential wall (47) suitable for housing the first container, along which a cannula body (64) extends and by which said cannula body is coaxially surrounded at least in part, said adapter also comprising a hollow cylindrical section (26) connected to the cannula body and connectable to the second container. The cannula body extends with the longitudinal axis thereof perpendicular to one side of a wall (24) running transversely with respect to the circumferential wall and the hollow cylindrical section extends with the longitudinal axis perpendicular to the other side of the wall. The adapter (14) has a cup-shaped outer body (18) having an outer circumferential wall (32) and the wall (24), running transversely to the longitudinal axis of the outer body, which has an insert (46) having the circumferential wall (47).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: SFM MEDICAL DEVICES GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Henninger, Markus Kehr
  • Patent number: 10856558
    Abstract: An extrusion device for an ice cream or yogurt machine includes an air delivery channel and a material delivery channel individually extended along a tube body, wherein the air delivery channel and the material delivery channel are arranged for concurrently delivering a flow of air and a flow of raw material. A diameter size of the air delivery channel is smaller than that of the material delivery to match with viscosities of air and raw material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Lingyu Dong
  • Patent number: 10850426
    Abstract: A mix dispenser (14) comprises a hopper (24) with a top opening (26) for filling the hopper with a predetermined amount of mix and a bottom opening (28). The dispenser comprises a conveyor (30) which forms the bottom of said hopper (24) and is designed to extract the mix from the hopper (24) and convey it towards an end from where it falls into a mould. The dispenser is characterized in that said conveyor (30) comprises a supporting meshwork (32) made of a material resistant to the vapours of solvents such as styrene and operated by an electric motor (34). Furthermore a plant comprising such as dispenser is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: BRETON SPA
    Inventors: Luca Toncelli, Angelo Luison, Giuliano Luison