Patents Examined by Hemant M. Desai
  • Patent number: 9636811
    Abstract: A fastener-driving tool including a housing, a power source including a reciprocating driver blade, a tool nose configured for receiving the driver blade for driving fasteners fed into the nose and a magazine configured to house a collation including a plurality of the fasteners. A workpiece contact element is movably connected to the nose and moves between a rest position and an actuated position when the workpiece contact element is pressed against a workpiece, the workpiece contact element moves to the actuated position. A lockout mechanism is operatively associated with the workpiece contact element and the magazine, and is in contact with the collation in a first position when fasteners are in the magazine and moves to a second position when a last fastener in the collation has been driven by the driver blade to block the workpiece contact element and prevent further actuation of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Ricardo Segura
  • Patent number: 9630729
    Abstract: A system for packaging containers within a flexible container carrier includes a generally continuous string of container carriers arranged with divisible weakened connections between adjacent individual container carriers that is fed through an applicating machine for applying the container carriers to individual containers. A cut-off device is arranged downstream of the applicating machine to selectively accelerate or decelerate the containers to separate the generally continuous string into individual container carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Samaras, Christopher J. Ludwig
  • Patent number: 9630305
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a nail gun outrigger for stabilizing the roll, pitch, and yaw of a nail gun. The outrigger is connected to the distal end of the magazine away from the driving head. For the preferred embodiment, the outrigger includes one or more outriggers that extend perpendicular to the axis of the magazine with feet contacting the nailing surface to control the pitch, roll, and yaw of the nail gun position to obtain consistent perpendicular installation of elastomer sealing pneumatic nails into preformed roofing panels installed on a wooden frame or substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: W. C. Litzinger
  • Patent number: 9629627
    Abstract: A surgical stapling apparatus is provided. The surgical stapling apparatus includes an actuating device including an elongated shaft. A tool assembly is disposed on a distal end of the shaft. The tool assembly includes a first jaw member supporting a cartridge assembly having a plurality of surgical fasteners, and a second jaw member supporting an anvil. The first jaw member is movable in relation to the second jaw member between a spaced position and an approximated position. One of the first and second jaw members includes a cantilever at a proximal end thereof. A firing cam bar assembly is slidably disposed within the tool assembly and includes a cam surface configured to engage the cantilever to move the first and second jaw member towards the approximated position and a distal end configured to deploy the plurality of surgical fasteners from the cartridge assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Coviden LP
    Inventors: Stanislaw Kostrzewski, Ernest Aranyi
  • Patent number: 9623990
    Abstract: Machine for applying threaded caps to containers, comprising: gripping means configured to hold the respective containers, at least one screwing head including a respective gripping member configured to hold a respective cap; at least one electric motor associated with said screwing head and configured to control a rotational movement of said gripping member about a longitudinal axis and a translational movement of said gripping member along said longitudinal axis, the translational movement and the rotational movement being synchronized with each other so as to move said gripping member along a screwing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Arol S.p.A.
    Inventor: Sergio Cirio
  • Patent number: 9623988
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for producing at extremely high production speeds small pouches filled with tobacco or other granular, powdered or solid content. An endless web substrate, with or without flavor film thereon, is formed into a tubular shape with a longitudinal seam. The tube is cut to individual lengths, and a procession of tubes is crimp-closed at one end, filled and crimp-closed at the other end to complete pouch production. During production, the seams formed at the crimped ends of the pouch are parallel to one another and the longitudinal seam of the pouch is midway between the sides of the pouch and orthogonal to the seams formed at the crimped ends of the pouch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Philip Morris USA Inc.
    Inventors: Martin T. Garthaffner, Dwight D. Williams, Jeremy J. Straight, David J. Webb, Carl G. Miller
  • Patent number: 9625083
    Abstract: The invention relates to a movement system that is associated with a wrapping machine for wrapping a load with a film including at least one operating unit for performing operations on the load or on the film. The system includes shuttles that are movable for supporting and moving the operating units along a path at least between an operating position in which the operating units can perform operations on the load or on the film or can interact with the wrapping machine, and a inactive position in which the operating units are outside a working zone of the wrapping machine in order not to interfere with the operation thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Aetna Group, S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Cere', Mirko Casalboni
  • Patent number: 9623989
    Abstract: A method of bundling primary packages of absorbent articles into secondary packages includes advancing first and second films in a stretched state in a machine direction. At least two primary packages of absorbent articles are advanced in the machine direction between the first and second films. The primary packages are compressed in a first direction, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the machine direction. The primary packages are advanced in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite the machine direction. The first and second films are bonded together to form a bonded region. The first and second films compress the primary packages of absorbent articles in the first direction, forming a secondary package around the primary packages of absorbent articles. The bonded region is cut to form a first bond on a first secondary package and a second bond on a second secondary package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Franz Loevenich
  • Patent number: 9623993
    Abstract: A taping apparatus includes a support arm movable in a first direction and a second direction. The first direction is opposite the second direction. The taping member is movably connected with the support arm. The taping member is movable in a third direction and a fourth direction. The third direction is opposite the fourth direction. The taping member includes a first guide member, a second guide member, and a cutting member positioned between the first guide member and the second guide member. The support arm is movably connected with a track that is rotatable from a first position to a second position. The taping apparatus is configured to tape containers of various dimensions and orientations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Franz Loevenich
  • Patent number: 9598188
    Abstract: A packaging machine comprising a transversal sealing unit (20) of bags, substantially consisting of a plate support (21) which comprises a series of additional supports and kinematic organs for the horizontal and vertical activation of grippers (22, 23), one internal and the other external, for the sealing and cutting of each bag, said machine comprising motors (25, 26), mounted on a fixed support (24), which cause the vertical movement of a main carriage (29) and of a gripper carriage (30) by means respectively of a screw shaft (27) and a screw shaft (28), said main carriage (29) supporting two pairs of horizontal and sliding parallel arms (33, 34), the internal first of which control the horizontal movement of the internal grippers (22) and the second control the horizontal movement of the external grippers (23), while the vertical movement of the grippers to follow the moving bag is achieved by the vertical movement of the main carriage (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: P.F.M. SPA
    Inventors: Andrea Fioravanti, Giovanni Boschetti
  • Patent number: 9592924
    Abstract: An aseptic filling machine of envelope-type bags provided with a filling mouth closed by a removable cap, comprising an empty bag supply device, a discharge device configured to discharge full bags, a carousel device on which at least two filling stations are located; each filling station comprising a sterile chamber; a raising device configured to raise the mouth of the empty bag internally of the sterile chamber; an overpressure device configured to place the chamber in slight overpressure; a removal device configured to remove the cap and positioning it by a side of the mouth; and a dispenser-batcher device that is vertically slidable and configured to engage with the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventor: Pierluigi Decio
  • Patent number: 9592593
    Abstract: A torsion-adjustable impact wrench, includes a housing, a powering unit including an impact mechanism configured to generate an intermittently increasing torque, an adjusting unit configured to manually set a first torsion value and generate a corresponding a first torsion signal, a detecting unit configured to detect a rotational speed of the powering unit and generate a corresponding first rotational speed signal, and a control unit configured to generate a control signal for controlling the output of the rotational speed of the powering unit. The control unit generates a second rotational speed signal according to the first torsion signal outputted by the adjusting unit, compares the first rotational speed signal with the second rotational speed signal, and generates a control signal enabling the rotational speed of the powering unit to approach the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Chervon (HK) Limited
    Inventors: Liang Chen, Wu Chen, Jianwen Yang, Qiwei Zhou
  • Patent number: 9586705
    Abstract: Disclosed is a product case packing system with a gripping head assembly and a packaging grid assembly linked by a coordination arm that synchronizes the delivery of the product to be packaged and with the positioning of the grid assembly into the packaging container. The system includes a gripper head assembly extension control module, capable of controlling multiple travel distances of the gripper head assembly in a single packing cycle, a product assembly detection module, and a packaging release control element for subtle separation of individual packed containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Commercial Machine Services, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Raudat, Les Dennison
  • Patent number: 9586377
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method and an apparatus for producing a tubular packaging casing, wherein a film web is fed in a feeding direction to forming means for forming a tubular casing having edge areas which extend in the feeding direction and which are arranged adjacent to each other, and wherein the edge areas are bonded together in a bonding station having one bonding tool. Moreover, the bonding tool can be moved in a first and a second working position for carrying out two alternative processes of firmly bonding in one of each of the working positions for bonding the edge areas of the tubular casing together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Poly-clip System GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Jürgen Hanten
  • Patent number: 9577493
    Abstract: A battery powered tool includes a housing containing a motor assembly. A fan positioned in the housing is rotated by the motor assembly. The fan has a circular ring/body and further has multiple fan blades directly connected to the circular ring body. The circular ring/body defines a concave shaped surface having the fan blades directly connected to the concave shaped surface. A housing cover includes: first and second extending walls; a slot created between the first and second extending walls; and multiple air intake vents all positioned in a lower housing zone separated from an upper housing zone by the slot. An electronics module is positioned in the housing proximate to the housing cover lower housing zone such that air entering the intake vents passes only through the lower housing zone and past the electronics module to cool the electronics module before entering the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Ekstrom, David J. Smith
  • Patent number: 9572572
    Abstract: A surgical stapling device is disclosed including a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. The anvil assembly is translatable relative to the cartridge assembly between a spaced position, where the anvil assembly is spaced from the cartridge assembly, and an approximated position, where the anvil assembly is in close cooperative alignment with the cartridge assembly for clamping tissue disposed therebetween. A lockout sleeve is slidably supported on the cartridge assembly and translatable relative to the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly between a first position and a second position. The lockout sleeve is configured to engage the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly when the lockout sleeve is in the second position to inhibit translation of the anvil assembly relative to the cartridge assembly from the spaced position to the approximated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventor: Justin Williams
  • Patent number: 9566064
    Abstract: A surgical stapling apparatus (stapler) is provided. The stapler includes a housing, elongated member, and a reload. A cartridge is configured to selectively couple to a first jaw member of the reload and includes one or more resilient members thereon. An anvil operably supported on a second jaw member of the reload is configured to compress one or more fasteners ejected from the cartridge. The anvil includes one or more locking members thereon. A knife is configured to translate through the cartridge and anvil when the first and second jaw members are in a closed configuration. Engagement between the knife and the resilient member(s) causes the resilient member(s) to move from an initial configuration that allows the knife to travel distally past the locking member(s) to a final configuration that allows the locking member(s) to engage the knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Justin Williams, Christopher Penna, Lee Ann Olson, Stanislaw Marczyk, Kenneth M. Cappola, Thomas R. Hessler, Ernest Aranyi, Stanislaw Kostrzewski
  • Patent number: 9555532
    Abstract: In at least one illustrative embodiment, a rotary impact tool may include an anvil and at least one hammer configured to impact the anvil to cause the anvil to rotate. The anvil may include an output shaft, a first lug extending outward in a radial direction from the output shaft and extending a first distance around the output shaft in a circumferential direction, and a second lug extending outward in the radial direction from the output shaft and extending a second distance, different from the first distance, around the output shaft in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventors: Ryan Scott Amend, Edward Charles Eardley, Timothy Richard Cooper
  • Patent number: 9555513
    Abstract: A packaging machine is disclosed that includes a deep-drawing station, a filling station, a sealing station, or a combination thereof. The deep-drawing station, the sealing station, or both have an upper tool including a supporting top part. The supporting top is pivotable via a pivot mechanism, and the pivot mechanism is detachable from the supporting top part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: GEA FOOD SOLUTIONS GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg Schmeiser, Gerd Martin Huebner, Klaus Meyer, Juergen Niesar, Frank Runte
  • Patent number: 9550595
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a chamber packaging machine, wherein the position of a sealing bar is during the evacuation of a diaphragm checked using a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: MULTIVAC SEPP HAGGENMUELLER SE & CO. KG
    Inventor: Jürgen Steidele