Patents Examined by Frederick F Calvetti
  • Patent number: 10945466
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating article is provided, including an aerosol-forming substrate and a susceptor configured to heat the aerosol-forming substrate. The susceptor includes a first susceptor material and a second susceptor material having a Curie temperature, the first susceptor material being disposed in intimate physical contact with the second susceptor material. The first susceptor material may also have a Curie temperature, the second Curie temperature being lower than 500° C., and lower than the Curie temperature of the first susceptor material, if the first susceptor material has a Curie temperature. The use of such a multi-material susceptor allows heating to be optimised and the temperature of the susceptor to be controlled to approximate the second Curie temperature without need for direct temperature monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventors: Oleg Mironov, Ihar Nikolaevich Zinovik, Oleg Fursa
  • Patent number: 10945312
    Abstract: A heating device includes a holding member and having thereinside a plurality of resistive heating elements connected to different pairs of electrode terminals, and a columnar support member joined to the holding member. A first resistive heating element is disposed throughout a first region including a region that overlaps the columnar support member as viewed from the first direction and a second region that is located around an outer periphery of the first region and that does not overlap the columnar support member as viewed from the first direction. A second resistive heating element is disposed throughout the first region and the second region, and an amount of heat generated by the second resistive heating element per unit area of the first region is larger than an amount of heat generated by the second resistive heating element per unit area of the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jun Kurano
  • Patent number: 10932328
    Abstract: The hand-held induction air-cooled induction heater used for heating of metallic mechanical or decorative objects to facilitate their removal or installation contains a high frequency inverter operating in voltage or current resonant mode, including power semiconductor switching device(s) having turn-on or turn-off delay time, circuitry to control the timing of on and off periods of said switching device(s), the circuitry having delay time, wherein the threshold voltage or current reference to initiate commutation or timing is not zero, and is dynamically varied in response to the instantaneous input inverter supply voltage and/or inverter frequency to achieve switching device(s) heating or dissipation reduction resulting from improved commutation timing of said power switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Inventor: David R. Pacholok
  • Patent number: 10923382
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic dielectric substrate, a base plate, and a heater plate. The heater plate is provided between the ceramic dielectric substrate and the base plate. The heater plate includes first and second support plates, first and second resin layers, and a heater element. Each of the first and second resin layers is provided between the first support plate and the second support plate. The heater element includes first and second electrically conductive portions. The first electrically conductive portion is provided between the first resin layer and the second resin layer. The second electrically conductive portion is separated from the first electrically conductive portion in an in-plane direction. The first resin layer contacts the second resin layer between the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Jumpei Uefuji, Hitoshi Sasaki, Kosuke Yamaguchi, Kengo Maehata, Yuichi Yoshii
  • Patent number: 10907483
    Abstract: A rotor blade includes: a blade main body having a tip as an upstream end in a rotation direction, and a blade surface in contact with the tip and which is an upstream surface in a flow direction of a work fluid; and an erosion shield formed as a cladding portion using laser welding on the tip and the blade surface. A boundary between the blade main body and the erosion shield is shaped to approach a surface opposite the blade surface from an end facing the blade surface towards the tip. The boundary includes a first arc that includes the end facing the blade surface and a second arc closer towards the tip than the first arc. The first arc is convex towards an inside of the blade main body and the second arc is convex towards an outside of the blade main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Takehisa Okuda, Motonari Machida, Yasuo Matsunami
  • Patent number: 10906073
    Abstract: Adjustable-focus laser cleaning galvanometers, cleaning systems, and cleaning methods in the field of laser cleaning are disclosed. According to aspects herein, an adjustable-focus laser cleaning galvanometer includes a body, a laser, an adjustable lens set and a galvanometer. The adjustable lens set and the laser may be mounted on the body. In some implementations, the adjustable lens set may be configured to convert or transform a laser beam emitted from the laser into a focused beam and adjust the focal length of the beam. Further, the galvanometer may be mounted on the body and can rotate or swing on the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventor: Gaofeng Li
  • Patent number: 10900655
    Abstract: A heating unit includes a housing defining a thermal cavity, a reflector assembly disposed within the thermal cavity, and a heating element disposed within the thermal cavity. The reflector assembly includes a first reflector coupled to an interior surface of the housing and a second reflector coupled to the first reflector. The first reflector is spaced from the interior surface forming a first air gap therebetween and the second reflector is spaced from the first reflector forming a second air gap therebetween. The heating element is at least partially surrounded by the reflector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Hatco Corporation
    Inventors: John Scanlon, Kevin Veeser
  • Patent number: 10898970
    Abstract: A profile selector includes at least one beam-forming lens refracting a laser beam to be incident so as to convert a beam profile and emits a laser beam having a beam profile selected from a plurality of beam profiles. A collimating lens converts a laser beam of a divergent beam to be incident into collimated light. A focusing lens focuses the collimated light emitted from the collimating lens and irradiates the focused beam to a sheet metal of a processing target. A moving mechanism moves the collimating lens along an optical axis such that a deviation of a focal point is reduced caused when the beam profile of the focused beam emitted from the focusing lens is selected by the profile selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: AMADA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ishiguro, Ryouhei Ito, Tetsuya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10870165
    Abstract: The invention discloses a mobile flash butt welding method for 136RE+SS heat-treated rail, and particularly a mobile flash butt welding method for 136RE+SS heat-treated rail in the technical field of rail welding. The mobile flash butt welding method for 136RE+SS heat-treated rail in the invention includes a pre-flash stage, a flash stage, a boost stage, an upset stage and a forge stage, with a total heat input of 7.1 MJ-10.0 MJ, a total duration of 110 s-135 s and an upsetting distance of 12.8 mm-16.7 mm during the welding process. By adopting the method of the invention, mobile flash butt welding can be conducted for 136RE+SS heat-treated rail successfully, and the rail joint has less internal defects but stable welding quality, and can pass fatigue test, tensile test and slow bend test to meet the requirements. Besides, the rail joint can pass the drop weight test for 15 welds continuously, demonstrating better stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Pangang Group Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin Lu, Dadong Li, Ruoyu Wang, Wei Bai, Jian Deng, Feixiang Xu
  • Patent number: 10857595
    Abstract: There is provided an additive manufactured (AM) article formed of a Co based alloy having a composition comprising: in mass %, 0.08-0.25% C; 0.1% or less B; 10-30% Cr; 30% or less in total of Fe and Ni, the Fe being 5% or less; 5-12% in total of W and/or Mo; 0.5-2% in total of Ti, Zr, Nb and Ta; 0.5% or less Si; 0.5% or less Mn; 0.003-0.04% N; and the balance being Co and impurities. The AM article comprises crystal grains with an average size of 10-100 ?m. In the crystal grains, segregation cells with an average size of 0.15-1.5 ?m are formed, in which components constituting an MC type carbide phase comprising the Ti, Zr, Nb and/or Ta are segregated in boundary regions of the cells, and/or grains of the MC type carbide phase are precipitated at an average intergrain distance of 0.15-1.5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Imano, Yuting Wang, Shigenobu Eguchi, Yoshitaka Uemura, Norihiko Motoyama, Takanao Komaki
  • Patent number: 10851918
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an unbonded flexible pipe having a length and a longitudinal axis and comprising, from the inside and out, a carcass made from an electrically conductive material, an internal pressure sheath made from an extruded polymer, at least one external armor layer and an outer sheath, in which the carcass is adapted for connection to an electric power source for conducting an electric current. Moreover, at least a part of the external armor layer is electrically conductive, the carcass and the external armor layer allowing a difference in electric potential to be established partly or fully over the internal pressure sheath, wherein the internal pressure sheath is partly or fully covered by a conforming cover layer made from a material which is electrically conductive and has a bulk resistance larger than the specific resistance of the electrically conductive material of the carcass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO DENMARK I/S
    Inventor: Anders Straarup
  • Patent number: 10821546
    Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
  • Patent number: 10827600
    Abstract: In some aspects, electrodes can include a front portion shaped to matingly engage a nozzle of the plasma cutting system, the front portion having a first end comprising a plasma arc emitter disposed therein; and a rear portion thermally connected to a second end of the front portion, the rear portion shaped to slidingly engage with a complementary swirl ring of the plasma cutting system and including: an annular mating feature extending radially from a proximal end of the rear portion of the electrode to define a first annular width to interface with the swirl ring, the annular mating feature comprising a sealing member configured to form a dynamic seal with the swirl ring to inhibit a flow of a gas from a forward side of the annular mating feature to a rearward side of the annular mating feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Hypertherm, Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Je Kim, Jesse A. Roberts, Shreyansh Patel
  • Patent number: 10792751
    Abstract: A teaching system rewinds a welding wire in accordance with a detection that a tip of a welding wire contacts a teach subject, and feeds the welding wire in accordance of a non-detection that the tip of the welding wire contacts the teach subject. Furthermore, the teaching system, if a current protruding length of the welding wire is less than a predetermined length, moves a robot in a direction away from the teach subject, and, if the current protruding length is greater than the predetermined length, moves the robot in a direction closer to the teach subject. The teaching system, if a determination that the current protruding length is equal to the predetermined length, stops feeding and rewinding of the welding wire and stops the robot, and stores a stop position of the robot as a teaching position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventor: Shun Kotera
  • Patent number: 10780192
    Abstract: A method of connecting a cartridge comprising a fluid composition with a microfluidic delivery system is provided. The method includes the steps of: providing a housing comprising electrical contacts, wherein the electrical contacts of the housing are disposed on a first plane; providing a cartridge comprising a reservoir for containing a fluid composition, a die comprising a nozzle, and electrical contacts that are in electrical communication with the die, wherein the electrical contacts of the cartridge are disposed along a second plane that is parallel with the first plane; and connecting the cartridge with the housing by moving the cartridge in a direction parallel with the second plane toward the housing until the electrical contacts of the cartridge are in electrical communication with the electrical contacts of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Dana Paul Gruenbacher, Simon Dodd, David S. Hunt, Joseph Edward Scheffelin, Faiz Feisal Sherman
  • Patent number: 10780525
    Abstract: The present application relates to a device for the mask projection of femtosecond or picosecond laser beams (2) onto a substrate surface, in which the laser beam (2) consisting of laser beam pulses is, at a location of the optical axis, formed to make laser beam pulses with an expanded laser beam cross section or laser beam pulses with a reduced laser beam cross section and said laser beam (2) has a homogeneous intensity distribution over the laser beam cross section. A stop (6) with a predetermined stop aperture geometry and a mask (7) with a predetermined mask aperture geometry are positioned in succession in the beam (2) path at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Boegli-Gravures SA
    Inventors: Günter Reisse, Steffen Weissmantel, Andy Engel, Manuel Pfeiffer, Alexander Kratsch, Charles Boegli, Matthias Kahl
  • Patent number: 10772454
    Abstract: A cooking system includes a cooking chamber, a supportive base, a cooling module, a heating module, a temperature sensor, a cooking control module and a flexible vessel. The cooling module is thermally coupled with the cooking chamber to reduce temperature in one or more regions thereof, while the heating module is thermally coupled with the cooking chamber to increase temperature in one or more regions thereof. Moreover, the temperature sensor is thermally coupled with the cooking chamber to measure temperature in one or more regions thereof. The cooking control module is arranged to adjust temperature of the cooking chamber through the cooling module and the heating module. Moreover, the flexible vessel includes an opening, and is sized and dimensioned to fit within the cooking chamber. The flexible vessel is constructed from a material impervious to liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: New Mellow Co
    Inventors: José Guilherme Mendonça Vilela Pinto Ferreira, Ana Catarina Violante Vieira
  • Patent number: 10773327
    Abstract: A system and method for limiting welding output and ancillary features is provided. In one embodiment, a portable generator system includes a power generator configured to generate electrical power appropriate for welding or plasma cutting. The generator system also includes power conversion circuitry coupled to the power generator and configured to receive power from the power generator and to provide output power. The generator system includes at least operator accessible input for receiving an operator input parameter. The generator system also includes an output power limiting device not adjustable by the operator and configured to selectively limit output power from the power conversion circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: George Harold Baus
  • Patent number: 10758079
    Abstract: Coffee bean package provided with an inner space for holding a collection of coffee beans for multiple portions of coffee beverage, which inner space is surrounded by at least one wall, a coffee bean outlet for dispensing coffee beans from the inner space, and a dosing device which is arranged for dispensing coffee beans from the inner space in a predetermined dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventors: Ivo Van Os, Gerbrand Kristiaan de Graaff, Philippe Jacques van Camp
  • Patent number: 10764963
    Abstract: A volatile material dispenser includes a housing configured to receive a refill containing a volatile material and a wick, the housing including a first cavity supporting a heater arrangement and a second, separate cavity supporting a fan arrangement for dispersing a vapor plume of the volatile material. The first cavity is substantially unobstructed between an upper, interior surface of the housing and an upper surface of the heater arrangement. The housing also includes an aperture through which the vapor plume exits the housing and a plurality of openings through which air from the fan arrangement directs the vapor plume away from the aperture. When a refill is received within the hosing, the upper surface of the heater arrangement is disposed nearer the aperture than a distal end of the wick, and a radial gap is formed between the heater arrangement and the wick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. Davis, Kamran Faterioun, Kenneth W. Michaels, Stefano Baldessari, Alessio Dalser, Andrea Pedrotti