Patents Examined by Elizabeth M Kerr
  • Patent number: 12077432
    Abstract: A laser micro-machining process called laser-assisted material phase-change and expulsion (LAMPE) micromachining that includes cutting features in a cutting surface of a piece of material using a pulsed laser with intensity, pulse width and pulse rate set to melt and eject liquid material without vaporizing said material, or, in the case of silicon, create an ejectible silicon oxide. Burrs are removed from the cutting surface by electro-polishing the cutting surface with a dilute acid solution using an electric potential higher than a normal electro-polishing electric potential. A multi-lamina assembly of laser-micro-machined laminates (MALL) may utilize MEMS. In the MALL process, first, the individual layers of a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) are fabricated using the LAMPE micro-machining process. Next, the fabricated microstructure laminates are stack assembled and bonded to fabricate MEM systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Prashant Patil, Neil Gershenfeld
  • Patent number: 12042882
    Abstract: An object cutting method includes: a first step of preparing an object to be processed including a single crystal silicon substrate and a functional device layer provided on a first main surface side; a second step of irradiating the object with laser light to form at least one row of modified regions in the single crystal silicon substrate and to form a fracture in the object so as to extend between the at least one row of modified regions and a second main surface of the object; a third step of forming an etching protection layer having a gas passing region formed, on the second main surface; and a fourth step of performing dry etching on the object from the second main surface side, in a state in which the etching protection layer is formed on the second main surface, to form a groove opening to the second main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventor: Takeshi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 12043821
    Abstract: A fermentation and aging apparatus may include a fermentation tank defining an accommodation space in which a beverage is accommodated, a refrigerant cycle device configured to cool the fermentation tank and the beverage, a temperature sensor mounted on an outer circumferential surface of the fermentation tank, and a controller configured to control driving of the refrigerant cycle device based on a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor and a predetermined storage temperature, check a remaining amount of the beverage accommodated in the fermentation tank, and reset a storage temperature of the beverage when the checked remaining amount is lower than a predetermined reference amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Daewoong Lee, Yongbum Kim, Jinpyo Hong
  • Patent number: 12043583
    Abstract: A ceramic member is produced by performing a laser treatment on a ceramic substrate as a pretreatment for a surface treatment such that grooves that can be substantially uniformly filled with a surface treatment material are formed in the surface of the ceramic substrate. Through laser irradiation of the surface, grooves with recessed surfaces formed to extend in at least one direction are provided. Flat surfaces are formed at areas between the grooves that are adjacent to each other. Pitches between the adjacent grooves are set to a range of 0.05 mm to 0.30 mm. One of the grooves has a width that progressively decreases as the depth increases and is opened on one side in the depth direction at a maximum width. The one of the grooves has an aspect ratio in a range of 0.5 to 1.3 and an opening ratio of equal to or greater than 70%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Shinwa Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mototsugu Koyama, Masahiro Kurase, Toshio Hotta, Fusatoshi Nishida, Eisuke Yamamoto, Akihiro Shinozaki, Muneharu Kutsuna
  • Patent number: 12025431
    Abstract: A three dimensional (3D) measuring device. The 3D measuring device includes a rotational supporting shaft, a supporting frame configured to support the supporting shaft, a beam irradiator arranged at the supporting shaft for irradiating beam of light onto an object, a capturer arranged at the supporting shaft to be at a distance from the beam irradiator and configured to capture the beam projected on the object, and at least one processor configured to control rotation of the supporting shaft and obtain a 3D shape of the object based on image information obtained by the capturer as the supporting shaft is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eijiro Shibusawa, Kazuo Shimizu
  • Patent number: 12024694
    Abstract: A liquid treatment apparatus imparts a distinctive flavor and scent to beverages and other liquids. In one embodiment, a wooden wave insert body undulates and crosses a center line, while the wood grain runs substantially parallel to the center line and does not undulate materially. In another embodiment, a wooden plug passes through and is affixed to the wall of a beverage container, and imparts a distinctive flavor and scent through an aging process that includes controlled oxidation. The wooden plug includes a hollow bolt having a bolt opening exposed to ambient air, a closed bolt head distal to the bolt opening, and a bolt fluid exchange passage between the bolt opening and the closed bolt head. The bolt passes through the wooden block between the bolt head and container wall. The bolt fluid exchange passage couples ambient air to the wooden block interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Inventors: Peter S. Theisen, John A. Theisen, Adam J. Theisen, Allen P. Theisen
  • Patent number: 12022600
    Abstract: A plasma torch has a torch body provided with a plurality of stacked torch body segments disposed between a rear electrode unit and a front electrode unit. The torch body forms a circular channel through which gas flows in an axial direction. Each torch body segment has a circular disc shape in which a central circular through-hole is formed to form the channel. Each segment includes gas supply ports defining a spiral-shaped flow path along the through hole on a first side of the segment so as to introduce a reactive gas, a cooling flow path, a cooling water supply flow path, a cooling water discharge flow path, a gas supply flow path, a gas branch flow path, a cooling water supply branch flow path, and a cooling water discharge branch flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Je Cho, Cheon-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 12017295
    Abstract: A torch having first and second housing portions may contain multiple adjustment features such as an adjustable length, an adjustable pivot angle of the second housing portion, and an adjustable rotational angle of the second housing portion. The second housing portion may be both slidably and rotationally coupled to the first housing portion. The second housing portion may be configured to slide along a longitudinal axis of the torch to adjust a length of the torch. The second housing portion may be further configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the torch to adjust the rotational orientation of the second housing portion with respect to the first housing portion. At least a section of the second housing portion may be configured to pivot about a transverse axis with respect to the first housing portion, the transverse axis being transverse to the longitudinal axis of the torch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: THE ESAB GROUP INC.
    Inventors: Michael Nadler, Douglas Smith, Kevin Horner-Richardson, Auston Maynard
  • Patent number: 12016106
    Abstract: The present disclosure comprises a housing that defines a cavity therein, a door connected to the housing and configured to open and close the cavity, a microwave (MW) heating module configured to emit microwaves into the cavity, and an induction heating (IH) module configured to emit a magnetic field toward the cavity, the IH module comprises a shielding member through which the magnetic field generated by a working coil of the IH module passes and which blocks microwaves emitted from the MW heating module, and the shielding member comprises any one of carbon paper or carbon fabric woven with carbon fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignees: LG Electronics Inc., Mokpo National University Industry—Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Jaeyoung Shin, Sunghun Sim, Junghyeong Ha, Yongsoo Lee, Taeho Kim, Taehee Kim, Seokkyun Son, Dohun Kim
  • Patent number: 12010766
    Abstract: Various example embodiments described herein relate to a window heating apparatus. The window heating apparatus comprises a frame, a heater assembly disposed on the frame, and a glass window. The heater assembly comprises a base having a first side and a second side and defines a first opening. The heater assembly comprises a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) laminated on the first side of the base along an inner edge of the base. The PCB defines a second opening, wherein the first opening and the second opening are aligned coaxially. The glass window is disposed on the base and the second side of the base is in direct contact with the glass window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ondrej Jemelka, Jan Adamek, Radek Stupka, Marek Fikera
  • Patent number: 11998778
    Abstract: A method of additively manufacturing a fire and overheat detection system (FODS) clamp onto a rail tube is provided. The method includes building a base of a clamp body on the rail tube, sequentially building portions of a locking feature and holders of the clamp body on the base and sequentially building remaining portions of the holders and flanges forming grooves at each of the holders of the clamp body on the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: KIDDE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Robin Jacob, Balasundar Kuppusamy
  • Patent number: 12000978
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for manufacturing a window from a transparent member. Forming the window may include forming of a groove by irradiating first laser light and removing a portion of a transparent member by irradiating second laser light focused at a depth of the groove. The first laser light may be emitted from a first laser generator and may be irradiated along an edge of a first area defined in a second surface of the transparent member. A second laser light may be focused to the depth of the groove, and thus a portion of the transparent member may be cut. The second laser light may be emitted by a second laser generator, and a focus of the second laser light may be located within the transparent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byoungyul Shim, Seungyo Yang, Jaeseung Jeon, Hyun Chul Jung
  • Patent number: 11974577
    Abstract: A molding machine 1 is provided, which molds a gyoza wrapper by rolling a gyoza wrapper material lump. A first roller 12 rolls the gyoza wrapper material lump vertically downward to form an approximately elliptical semi-finished product. A direction changing device 30 including a pendulum 31 is positioned vertically below the first roller 12. The pendulum 31 includes a fulcrum portion 314 and an edge receiving portion 311 positioned closer to the central portion side of the first roller 12 than a position immediately below the fulcrum portion 31, which receives the front edge of the semi-finished product. When the semi-finished product is received by the edge receiving portion 311, the pendulum 31 changes the direction of the semi-finished product. A second roller 22 positioned vertically below the first roller 12 then rolls the semi-finished product vertically downward, so as to form a gyoza wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: KAKOSHOKUHIN BOUEKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shian Wang
  • Patent number: 11974691
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for preparing foodstuffs accommodated in a vessel (2), the apparatus including a steam-generating unit arranged in a housing (3) and intended for generating steam, a steam-feeding unit (4) connected to the steam-generating unit in a steam-conducting manner via a steam-supply line and having a steam probe (6) containing at least one steam-discharging opening, and a linear drive having a drive train (17) with an electric motor (18) and by means of which a carriage (10), which carries the steam-feeding unit (4) or a vessel holder (7), is adjusted in translatory fashion relative to the housing (3), wherein an overload clutch (28) is integrated in the drive train (17), between the electric motor (18) and a belt drive (13), in the form of a toothed belt drive, for adjusting the carriage (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Carogusto AG
    Inventors: Thomas Grendelmeier, Philipp Schenk, Samuel Schranz
  • Patent number: 11969824
    Abstract: A method of adjusting a laser processing apparatus includes controlling an X-axis galvanometer scanner and a Y-axis galvanometer scanner on the basis of X coordinates and Y coordinates recorded in a coordinate recording section to apply a pulsed laser beam to a workpiece, thereby processing the workpiece, actuating an X-axis moving mechanism and a Y-axis moving mechanism on the basis of the X coordinates and the Y coordinates recorded in the coordinate recording section and causing an image capturing unit to capture an image of processed marks on the workpiece, and detecting shifts between X coordinates and Y coordinates of the processed marks whose image has been captured in the processed mark image capturing step and the X coordinates and the Y coordinates recorded in the coordinate recording section, and recording corrective values in a corrective value recording section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ida, Tetsuya Mizutani, Junya Mimura
  • Patent number: 11970678
    Abstract: Provided is a system and method for rapid aging of distilled ethyl alcohol. The system includes a vessel with at least one aperture for introducing RF energy at a preselected frequency to be absorbed by opaque material in a target area; at least one liquid circulating system; and a platform to substantially contain a plurality of units of wood as the opaque material. Each unit of wood has a plurality of capillaries containing at least wood sugar and resin. The system has a wood agitation system to move the wood through the target area. An RF generator provides constant RF energy at the predetermined frequency to induce oscillation of molecules within the wood. The system has an oxygenator to provide oxygen into the liquid mixture and outgas congeners from the liquid, the vessel further providing at least one vent structured and arranged to vent the outgassed congeners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: RF Kettle Company, LLC
    Inventors: Keith A Mort, Chadwick E Slagle
  • Patent number: 11969822
    Abstract: The processing system is provided with: a liquid supply device which can supply a liquid; a liquid processing device which processes a liquid supplied from the liquid supply device such that a non-liquid-immersion state is generated locally in a partial area including a target portion on a predetermined surface; a beam irradiation section which emits beams toward the target portion; and a moving apparatus which moves the predetermined surface. The beams are irradiated on the target portion to apply a predetermined processing to the target portion, in a state in which the target portion is in the non-liquid-immersion state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 11969836
    Abstract: A consumable filler metal delivery system includes a reciprocating wire feeding gear assembly configured to move a wire forward and backward with a net forward motion and a motor configured to drive the reciprocating wire feeding gear assembly, wherein the motor is configured to rotate only in one direction during operation of the consumable filler metal delivery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Hsu, Dennis Sigl, Herbert Alexius Bankstahl
  • Patent number: 11970383
    Abstract: Methods and devices for dispensing a cooled beverage are provided. One embodiment of methods includes the steps of mixing a diluent and a concentrate to make a diluted solution. The diluted solution is carbonated to yield a carbonated solution. The carbonated solution is cooled to below 0° C. to produce the cooled beverage, and the cooled beverage is dispensed through a nozzle. A device for dispensing a cooled beverage, where the cooled beverage comprises a diluent having a freezing point at STP includes an upstream cooler that pre-cools a supply of diluent to a temperature above the freezing point. A mixer mixes the pre-cooled diluent with a concentrate to make a diluted solution. A downstream cooler further cools the diluted solution to below the freezing point. A dispenser dispenses the downstream-cooled solution to atmosphere. The temperature of the cooled beverage is below the freezing point when dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Cleland Sales Corporation
    Inventors: James M Cleland, Adam Cleland
  • Patent number: 11969826
    Abstract: A robot-based laser cladding method for membrane wall is provided, and includes: step 1: installing a laser line scanning sensor and a laser cladding head in parallel with a forward-bias in feed direction; step 2: storing extracted feature points into a feature point buffer; step 3: installing an industrial camera at a certain angle with the laser cladding head, making a collection range of the industrial camera follow closely a current cladding position; a robot-based laser cladding system for membrane wall is provided, and includes a data collection system, a data processing system, a detection and correction system, and a motion control system. A speed dynamical prospect is used for performing a speed planning. The above speed dynamical prospect dynamically adjusts a prospective read-ahead segment number N, compared to planning method with fixed read-ahead segment number, the dynamic speed prospect has a smoother cladding speed and more stable cladding quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Inventors: Chengrui Zhang, Yisheng Yin