Patents Examined by Jermie E. Cozart
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Patent number: 11407633Abstract: A system and method for forming a foundation truss for a box spring or mattress foundation frame includes a first truss rail assembly station having a series of block feeders, a top rail hopper and a filler strip hopper that received stacks of truss components such as blocks, top rails and filler strips and feed such truss components into stacked registration. The stacked truss components are moved into engagement with a series of staplers that secure the filler strips, top rails and blocks together to form first truss rail portions, which are then fed to a second truss rail assembly station where a bottom rail is automatically applied thereto.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Atlanta Attachment CompanyInventor: Jeffrey S. Kane
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Patent number: 11398712Abstract: In various embodiments, laser systems feature beam emitters thermally coupled to heat sinks comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of a metal-matrix composite of a thermally conductive metal and a refractory metal. At least a portion of the surface of the heat sink is treated to form a depleted region, and a diamond coating is deposited within and/or over the depleted region. The depleted region is substantially free of the thermally conductive metal or contains the thermally conductive metal at a concentration less than that of the body of the heat sink.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2021Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO, LTD.Inventors: Parviz Tayebati, Myrna Reyes, Xiuying Wu
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Patent number: 11390004Abstract: There is disclosed a member for sealing, baffling and/or reinforcing components of an automotive vehicle. The assembly generally includes a carrier, an expandable material and at least one fastener.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Zephyros, Inc.Inventors: Douglas C. Larsen, Thomas D. Kleino, Abraham Kassa, William J. Barz, Matthew Harthcock
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Patent number: 11389916Abstract: Systems and methods can include applying, using a nut assembly including a first nut and a plurality of fasteners provided in respective threaded holes of the first nut, a first tensioning force for a stud of a hammer assembly. The systems and methods can also include applying, using the nut assembly, a second tensioning force for the stud of the hammer assembly. The first tensioning force can be applied with the first nut in a first orientation whereby a first end surface of the first nut faces a first direction and a second end surface of the first nut faces a second direction opposite the first direction. The second tensioning force can be applied with the first nut in a second orientation whereby the first end surface of the first nut faces the second direction and the second end surface of the first nut faces the first direction. The second tensioning force can be greater than the first tensioning force.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2021Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Cody Moore, Kevin Clemons
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Patent number: 11377133Abstract: A method for fixing a steering support capable of improving efficiency when the steering support is fixed to an instrument panel reinforcement body is provided. The method for fixing the steering support according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes processes of: passing an instrument panel reinforcement body through a first through-hole formed in a steering support; and increasing the pressure inside an area of the instrument panel reinforcement body covered with the steering support, plastically deforming the area of the instrument panel reinforcement body from an inside to an outside, and pressing a circumferential surface of the first through-hole of the steering support by an outer circumferential surface of the area of the instrument panel reinforcement body.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koichi Hiramatsu, Shinya Mizuno, Nobuyuki Nagai, Koji Okamura
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Patent number: 11370112Abstract: An assembly apparatus is for assembling a first member and a second member. The assembly apparatus includes a first gripping section, a second gripping section, and a driving section. The first gripping section includes a contact member and an elastic member. The second gripping section includes a contact member and an elastic member. The driving section drives the first and second gripping sections. The driving section drives the first and second gripping sections such that the contact member of the first gripping section and the contact member of the second gripping section make contact with the second member. The first and second gripping sections grip the second member through the two elastic members urging the respective contact members. The driving section drives the first and second gripping sections such that the first member and the second member are assembled.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hayato Mori, Tomohiko Yamakawa, Koji Izumi, Masaru Takagi
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Patent number: 11364634Abstract: A method for producing or assembling a product which includes at least two components, for example a motor vehicle or a motor vehicle module, by at least two fixing parts. The first fixing part is formed as a female part and the second fixing part is formed as a male part. The components disposed at a processing station and the first fixing part are measured by a measuring device, for example by a stationary camera or a camera fastened on a first or a second manipulator or photogrammetry bar having three cameras, and a deviation from a target geometry or target position is determined, and a corrected target position of the second fixing part is calculated on the basis of the determined deviation, such that the second fixing part is joined together with the first fixing part by the first manipulator and the product is thus produced.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2020Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Tobias Becker, Franz Korber, Carsten Lankenau, Christian Strauss
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Patent number: 11364620Abstract: A rail-mounted intelligent inspection robot includes a robot body and a guide rail, the robot body being hung on the guide rail and moving along the guide rail. One side of the guide rail facing the robot body is affixed with a plurality of barcodes, and the translation mechanism is provided with a barcode reader. A control module and a translation motor are disposed within the control platform. The lifting mechanism is connected to the control platform and the detection platform, and an intelligent holder is disposed below the detection platform. The rail-mounted inspection robot of the present invention may perform continuous inspection operations, and may meet the 7*24 hours of uninterrupted work through the power supply of the sliding contact wire. The recognized dial data is more accurate, and the read information may be transmitted to the background and processed in time.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: HANGZHOU SHENHAO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Rushen Chen, Yongyue Li, Shaohua Tian, Fuliang Luo, Wangfeng Chen
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Patent number: 11358294Abstract: A handle for a shaving razor in which the handle comprises a frame and a movable member assembly operably coupled to the frame such that the frame is disposed between the movable member assembly and where the movable member assembly upper and lower portions are configured to move both above and below the frame. The movement can be linear or rotational. The movable member assembly comprises one or more springs.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: The Gillette Company LLCInventors: Robert Harold Johnson, Matthew Stephen Bauer, Jack Anthony Washington, Charles James Bassett, Christopher Ramm, Steven Michael Bourque, Kelly Daniel Bridges, Ashok Bakul Patel, Christian Arnold Litterst, Christoph Zegula
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Patent number: 11359995Abstract: A gas sensor (1) has a sensor element (21) extending in an axis direction and having, at a top end side thereof, a detecting portion (22) that detects gas; a stainless steel-made tubular metal shell (11) enclosing a radial direction periphery of the sensor element (21) and holding the sensor element (21) and having (a) a brim portion (14) protruding outwards in a radial direction and (b) a crimp portion (16) formed at a rear end side of the metal shell (11); and a sealing member (41) placed between the sensor element (21) and the metal shell (11). The crimp portion (16) is bent inwards in the radial direction and pressing down a rear end of the sealing member (41) toward the top end side. A Micro Vickers hardness of a cross section along the axis direction of the crimp portion (16) is 140 to 210 Hv.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Kensuke Mizutani, Daisuke Miyata, Kengo Simizu, Naoyuki Sugihara, Yasuhiro Fujii
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Patent number: 11345021Abstract: An arm fixing device that fixes a first arm to a support member, the movable arm being pivotally supported on a base about a second axis, the movable arm being driven to pivot about the second axis by power of a servomotor, the arm fixing device including: an attachment portion that is position-adjustable in a circumferential direction and detachably attached to the base; a pair of protrusion fixing portions that, in a state in which the attachment portion is attached to the base, extend in a radial direction with respect to a second axis and are disposed at positions interposing a protruding portion therebetween in the circumferential direction, the protruding portion being provided in the first arm and protruding in the second axis direction; and a connecting portion 13b that connects the distal ends of the protrusion fixing portions to each other.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro Oikawa, Yuuki Ishikawa
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Patent number: 11346386Abstract: A joining method is a method of joining a plate set composed by a plurality of stacked plate members including a first plate member and a second plate member by using a tapping screw. When the tapping screw is advanced into the plate set while the tapping screw is rotated in a state of applying a pressure onto the plate set so as to form through-holes in the first plate member and the second plate member, a first pressure applied onto the tapping screw is reduced down to a second pressure at the time when the tapping screw penetrates the first plate member.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshihiro Iwano, Kosuke Sakurai
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Patent number: 11319932Abstract: Provided is a displaceable maintenance device, to a displaceable assembly device, to a method for servicing a fastening element, and to a method for servicing and/or assembling a fastening element of a flange of a wind power installation tower. Provided is a displaceable maintenance device for a wind power installation tower, comprising a mobile unit which is specified for moving the maintenance device along a flange of the wind power installation tower; a first maintenance unit having an impact element for impacting a fastening element, in particular a flange connection element, and a noise-receiver unit for detecting a noise generated by the impacting; a control unit for evaluating the noises detected by means of the noise-receiver unit, said control unit, based on the evaluation, being specified for assigning a maintenance status to a fastening element.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbHInventors: Hendrik Schnell, Harro Harms, Markus Longeru
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Patent number: 11318515Abstract: An apparatus and method for re-rounding a distorted end (e.g., oval-shaped) of a pipe for insertion into a mechanical joint fitting or pipe bell have a circular diameter. The apparatus involves two separate semi-circular members having jack bolt assemblies evenly distributed in each. The two ends of each of the semi-circular members have extensions that can be releasably coupled to join to the two members to form a circular re-rounding tool. A first semi-circular member is positioned on the maximum diameter side of the distorted pipe and the other semi-circular member is placed on the opposite side of the distorted pipe and extensions joined. With an equal number of jack bolt assemblies in each member, corresponding jack bolt assemblies in the two members are diametrically aligned forming pairs. To re-round the distorted end, pairs of these jack bolt assemblies are tightened in a “star sequence” to re-round the distorted end.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Sigma CorporationInventors: Stuart J. Box, Satheesh Manicka Seshaiyer Chandrasekaran
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Patent number: 11319814Abstract: A method of manufacturing a casting is provided and includes establishing desired dimensions of a nominal casting, executing a casting process to produce multiple actual castings with each of the multiple actual castings having respective dimensions that differ from each other and from the desired dimensions of the nominal casting and engaging one or more tools to adaptively machine, without rigidly-programmed toolpaths, each of the multiple actual castings to reduce the respective differences between the actual dimensions of each of the multiple actual castings and the desired dimensions.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2019Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: James Tilsley Auxier, Norman W. Cofalka, Alan C. Barron
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Patent number: 11305098Abstract: Inflatable devices are disclosed including a surface which has a network of polymer chains and is configured to be inflatable into a therapeutically or diagnostically useful shape, and at least one ultrashort laser pulse-formed modification in the surface. The network can, for example, include a network morphology that is substantially unchanged by modification with the ultrashort pulse laser. Ultrashort laser pulses can be laser pulses equal to or less than 1000 picoseconds in duration. Advantageously, the etching process uses a relatively low-heat laser to avoid significant heating of surrounding polymers while modifying the surface (and other structures) of the device. The process is configured so that the polymer chain morphology adjacent the modification is substantially unaffected by the low-heat laser. The resulting inflatable device has customized surface features while still retaining substantially homogenous polymer network morphology.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences CorporationInventors: Pu Zhou, Bin Tian, Yidong M. Zhu
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Patent number: 11285623Abstract: An electrically insulated tool is provided for a paint robot of a robotic painting system. The insulated tool includes an insulated main body having a mounting bracket disposed at a first end of the main body, configured for removably coupling the insulated tool to a paint robot. The tool has an optical sensor system including first and second optical fiber cables, and first and second spaced-apart optic ports coupled to the respective first and second optical fiber cables. The optic ports are configured to provide light communication as a light emitter and a light receiver. An interruption in the light communication between the light emitter and the light receiver indicates a presence of a workpiece component adjacent a detection region of the insulated tool.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Jared R. Bentum, Zayd Qasas, Christopher M. Sheppard, Larry G. MacLean, Bryan R. Hunter
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Patent number: 11285592Abstract: An apparatus for mounting an O-ring to a work piece, including: a plurality of picking components operable to move away from each other to contact and expand the O-ring to pick the O-ring or to move towards each other to release the O-ring; and a guiding component including a frustum portion arranged coaxially with a groove of the work piece, a large end face of the frustum portion arranged adjacent to an end surface of the work piece on which the groove is formed, wherein a diameter of the large end face is substantially same as an inner diameter of the groove, wherein the picking components are operable to release the O-ring onto a tapered surface of the frustum portion so that the O-ring is pushed into the groove along the tapered surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: ABB Schweiz AGInventors: Cheng Li, Feifei Zhao, Weijie Yan
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Patent number: 11278995Abstract: For tightening screwed connections by a multi-screwing device with first and second screwing tools, each with rotary drive for screwing an exchangeable bushing on and off, a device for longitudinally straining a threaded bolt, and a tool for retightening the nut, the screwing tools are moved at right angles relative to tool axes by an actuating drive. When the bushings of the screwing tools are both screwed onto a threaded bolt, these steps are performed: a) bushing of first screwing tool is unscrewed from threaded bolt and raised; b) first screwing tool is moved relative to the second into a position in which tool axis of first screwing tool is aligned with screw axis of a further threaded bolt; c) first screwing tool is lowered and screwed onto further threaded bolt; d) threaded bolt is longitudinally strained, and e) steps a) to d) are repeated for second tool.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2021Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Inventors: Jörg Hohmann, Frank Hohmann
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Patent number: 11273530Abstract: This machine tool system uses a plurality of mobile robots to convey workpieces to a plurality of machine tools, the machine tool system being provided with: machine tool control unit that issues work requests to the machine tools; a mobile robot control unit that determines workable times for the mobile robots on the basis of the work requests; and a determining unit that compares the workable times which are for the mobile robots and respectively planned by the mobile robots, and causes the mobile robot with the fastest workable time to execute the requested work.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2016Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Motohiko Sato, Taiichiro Washizaki