Patents Examined by Joseph C Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 12290838
    Abstract: A piler conveyor system for screening debris such as tare dirt from materials such as beets as the materials are conveyed across a piler. The piler conveyor system generally includes a frame supporting an upper conveyor and a pair of lower conveyors. The upper conveyor is adapted to receive materials such as beets. As the materials are conveyed by the upper conveyor, debris such as tare dirt or the like will fall through screening openings in the upper conveyor and onto the lower conveyor. The lower conveyor may then dispense the debris through a debris opening. The materials will drop off the end of the upper conveyor and fall onto the second lower conveyor, which will convey the screened materials to be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Kringstad Ironworks, Inc.
    Inventor: Burnell R. Kringstad
  • Patent number: 12290843
    Abstract: Method and sorting system for sorting out waste glass cullet with a higher content of iron oxide from a single-layer material stream of waste glass cullet. The material stream contains waste glass cullet with a higher and a lower content of iron oxide. The material stream is irradiated with visible light and the visible transmission light passing through the waste glass cullet is detected, the material stream is irradiated with infrared light in a frequency range of at least 1100-1200 nm and the infrared transmission light passing through the waste glass cullet is detected, a waste glass cullet is classified as having a higher content of iron oxide if the ratio of the intensity of the infrared transmission light to the intensity of the visible transmission light exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold value, and the cullet classified in this way is separated from other waste glass cullet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: BINDER + CO AG
    Inventor: Karl Leitner
  • Patent number: 12290844
    Abstract: A method for sorting of items (1) based on material type, comprising: —depositing an array of nanostructures (3) onto a surface portion of an item (1) to form a material identification tag (2), the nanostructures having an optical response dependent on the material type of the item onto which they are deposited, —illuminating the material identification tag using a light source (30), —determining at least one optical extinction and/or reflectance peak of the illuminated material identification tag, which peak is dependent on a material type of the item, —categorizing the item based on the detected optical extinction and/or reflectance spectrum, and —sorting the item in accordance with the categorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: IDENTINANO AB
    Inventors: Alexander Friemann Dmitriev, Rafael Cichelero
  • Patent number: 12293623
    Abstract: A division card can be taken in from an insertion port of a paper sheet processing device for processing paper sheets, being arranged overlapping at least one processing target paper sheet to constitute a paper sheet group together with the processing target paper sheet, and enabling identification information to be read by an intake sensor of the paper sheet processing device, in which the division card comprises a card main body portion having an identification portion including the identification information, and which is formed from a synthetic resin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignees: LAUREL BANK MACHINES CO., LTD., LAUREL MACHINERY CO., LTD., LAUREL PRECISION MACHINES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoya Uenomachi
  • Patent number: 12280400
    Abstract: A sifter includes a screen including a cylindrical portion. A helix is positioned within the cylindrical portion and extends between a first end of the helix and a second end of the helix. The helix defines a volume, such as an annular gap extending between the first end of the helix and a second end of the helix and extending inwardly from an inner surface of the helix by at least 25 percent of an inner diameter of the inner surface of the helix, the volume being available to receive particles sifted by the sifter. The helix may be a metal coil secured at ends thereof to a shaft driven by a motor. The screen and/or endcaps secured to the screen includes an opening through which particles that do not pass through the screen are urged by the helix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Stainless Equipment and Parts LLC
    Inventor: Edward Schultz
  • Patent number: 12274931
    Abstract: A device for production of sets of playing cards is provided, and includes: a printing means for printing randomly ordered playing cards; an identification means to identify one or more defective playing cards, having a feedback unit to instruct the printing means to reprint the defective playing cards; and an evacuation means to evacuate the one or more defective playing cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: CARTAMUNDI SERVICES NV
    Inventor: Marco Dehouwer
  • Patent number: 12272467
    Abstract: A separation apparatus for separating a supply of high-level nuclear waste (HLW), where the HL nuclear waste is separated into high-mass and low-mass portions. The high-and-low mass portions of the HLW have respective atomic masses that are above and below an atomic mass cut-off point of the separation apparatus. The separation apparatus includes first and second ICP torches that are respectively mounted to and within an apparatus housing. The apparatus housing defines a cylindrical separation chamber and includes first and second magnetic elements which generate a magnetic field along the length of the separation chamber, and a plurality concentric ring electrodes which generate an electric field that is perpendicular to, and which crosses the magnetic field. The supply of HLW is subject to a mass separation process within the separation chamber using the set of crossed electric and magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Inventors: Janak H Handa, Hossam Gaber
  • Patent number: 12257603
    Abstract: An agitating shaft for use with an agitating screen of a mechanical screening bucket is provided. The agitating shaft may include a shaft member and a spacer rail. The spacer rail may include a base having a mounting surface that engages the shaft member, protrusions extending in a direction opposite the mounting surface, and recesses formed between the plurality of protrusions. The agitating shaft may also include first agitating discs, second agitating discs, and circular spacer discs. The first agitating discs and the second agitating discs may be coupled to the shaft member and the spacer rail such that the first agitating discs and the second agitating discs engage the recesses of the spacer rail. The circular spacer discs may be coupled to the shaft member and the spacer rail such that the circular spacer discs engage the protrusions of the spacer rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Inventor: Albert Ben Currey
  • Patent number: 12251733
    Abstract: A three-dimensional sorting robot-based data processing method and a three-dimensional sorting robot and system are provided. According to the method, a three-dimensional sorting robot is provided with a processor and a sorting assembly. The data processing method comprises: an obtaining step: obtaining the identity information of a target sorting tack in real time, the identity information comprising structure data of the sorting tack and/or position information of basket units in the rack; a binding step: binding the identity information of the target sorting rack with the information of a three-dimensional sorting robot, the binding relationship being associated with a target order executed by the three-dimensional sorting robot; and a sorting step: under a sorting task of the target order, sorting, by the sorting assembly according to the identity information of the rack by means of the processor, goods to be sorted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Zhejiang Libiao Robotics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Huiling Xia, Jianqiang Zhu, Juejing Xu, Ming Ma
  • Patent number: 12246353
    Abstract: There are provided hoppers for separating slack from a mixture of product and slack, and systems and method using such hoppers. Each hopper comprises: an internal gate configured to prevent the passage of product therethrough, but to allow the passage of slack therethrough; and, an external gate configured to prevent the passage of product and the passage of slack therethrough; the internal gate and the external gate being moveable between respective open and closed positions; the hopper configured such that: when the internal gate and external gate are in their respective closed positions and the mixture is introduced into the hopper, product is retained by the internal gate whilst slack passes through the internal gate and is retained by the external gate; and, when the external gate and internal gate are each in their respective open positions, product may exit the hopper along a first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: ISHIDA EUROPE LIMITED
    Inventor: Lee Vine
  • Patent number: 12226804
    Abstract: A support for transporting containers in a microwave inspection device, including a supporting body which can be moved along a feed path and at least two receiving seats connected to the top of the supporting body to be moved along said feed path, wherein said supporting body has two or more supporting portions (S1, S2) which are at least partly separated from each other by one or more openings and each carrying at least one respective receiving seat, said supporting portions (S1, S2) being connected or integral with each other in a lower region of the supporting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: G.D S.P.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Biondi, Luca Cavazza, Luca Cerati, Claudia De Maria, Giacomo Noferini, Stefano Sinigardi, Noemi Zordan
  • Patent number: 12228557
    Abstract: Embodiments of a water detection apparatus are disclosed that can detect characteristics of food products. The apparatus may include a conveying mechanism configured to move a food product through an aperture in the apparatus, a transmitter coil configured to transmit a signal within the aperture, and a receiver coil configured to receive the signal altered by the food product, and a signal processing unit configured to determine an output value associated with the food product moving through the aperture. The output value can be based, at least in part, on the signal and the altered signal. The output value can corresponds to a characteristic of the food product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Desert Valley Date, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Paul Kirkjan
  • Patent number: 12226782
    Abstract: A continuous discharge ceramic powered steel shot magnetic sweeper apparatus is disclosed. The magnetic sweeper apparatus consists of at least one handle, a frame, support wheel(s), a frontal debris bin, drive wheels, a finned tube housing a ceramic magnetic assembly. The ceramic magnetic assembly comprises a sealed magnetic drum and rotating non-ferrous finned tubes. The magnet is continuously cleaned off as the magnetic sweeper apparatus is pushed forward. Magnetic debris accumulates on the magnet assembly and is deposited in the frontal debris bin. The magnetic sweeper apparatus design utilizes field differences created by the magnet position and angle to achieve the automatic pick-up and drop-off of debris at different locations of the drum. Furthermore, the apparatus aims to solve this high-cost rare earth magnet problem by using lower cost ceramic magnets as an alternative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Inventors: Brian Weber, Shuyue Zhang
  • Patent number: 12226803
    Abstract: A device for separating and recovering flat-plate catalyst powder and a method for determining a wear ratio are provided. The device includes a powder separation unit and a powder recovery unit, a powder accumulation bin is respectively connected with a shell and a catalyst powder outlet, a cyclone outlet is configured on an inner side of a recovery shell, and a primary filter and a secondary filter are configured on an inner side wall of the recovery shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignees: HUANENG CHONGQING LUOHUANG POWER GENERATION CO., LTD, SUZHOU XIRE ENERGY SAVING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yingjie Bao, Jieyong Hao, Changkai Yu, Xun Wu, Xianchun Zhou, Yanxuan Liang, Rongfu Tang, Feiyun Chen, Bin Luo, Kaiyou Liao, Danping Zhang, Chao Li, Fanhai Kong, Lele Wang, Qiang Bao, Chuan He
  • Patent number: 12230077
    Abstract: An operating time key performance indicator is generated so as to display an operating time of a motor vehicle for a user of a management system by the management system. At least one operating parameter of the motor vehicle is transmitted to an electronic computing device of the management system. The electronic computing device id remote from the motor vehicle. The operating time key performance indicator is determined by the electronic computing device in accordance with the at least one transmitted operating parameter. Additionally, at least one load parameter of the motor vehicle is recorded and transmitted to the electronic computing device and the operating time key performance indicator is additionally generated by the electronic computing device in accordance with the at least one load parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventor: Christian Maihöfer
  • Patent number: 12214383
    Abstract: A robotic inspection platform comprises a robotic arm, an imager, and a controller. The controller causes the robotic arm to retrieve, using its end effector, a container, and to manipulate the container such that the container is sequentially placed in a plurality of orientations while in view of the imager. The controller also causes the imager to capture images, with each of the images being captured while the container is in a respective one of the orientations. The controller also determines one or more attributes of the container, and/or a sample within the container, by analyzing the images using a pattern recognition model and, based on the attribute(s), determines whether the container and/or sample satisfies one or more criteria. If the container and/or sample fails to satisfy the criteria, the controller causes the robotic arm to place the container in an area (e.g., bin) reserved for rejected containers and/or samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: AMGEN INC.
    Inventors: Dmitry Fradkin, Thomas Clark Pearson, Neelima Chavali, Erwin Freund
  • Patent number: 12208422
    Abstract: Particles are sorted into paths based on a measurable parameter by forming them into a stream in at least one duct carried on a body rotating around an axis where the duct is shaped so that the particles are accelerated to cause the particles separated into the duct to be aligned one after another in a row in the duct. The parameter of the particles are measured in the aligned stream one after the other and the particles are directed into one of a plurality of paths as determined by the measurement. In one arrangement the body comprises a disk member having a front face facing a supply conduit and the duct lies in a radial plane of the disk member. In one arrangement the measurement of the parameter is carried out by one or more measurement devices either carried on the disk or outside the edge of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: 9754741 Canada Ltd.
    Inventors: David Prystupa, John Pacak, Robert Kozakewich
  • Patent number: 12204337
    Abstract: An approach for moving materials from one location to another is disclosed. The approach includes a mobility platform comprising of a lower construct comprising of mechanism for locomotion, a platform dispose on top of and adjacent to the lower construct and an upper construct dispose and adjacent to the platform, wherein the upper construct comprising of a mechanism for securing materials. Furthermore, the approach includes loading one or more materials onto the mobility platform from a first location, moving the mobility platform from the first location to a second location and unloading the one or more materials from the mobility platform at the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Atul Mene, Tushar Agrawal, Jeremy R. Fox, Sarbajit K. Rakshit
  • Patent number: 12194468
    Abstract: A method for performing a magnetic separation procedure that includes transporting a receptacle containing a fluid medium to a first location of a system, where the fluid medium contains both a sample material and a suspension of magnetically-responsive solid supports. At the first location, the fluid medium is exposed to a first magnetic field for a first dwell period, thereby isolating the solid supports within the receptacle, where no portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle at the first location. The receptacle is then transported from the first location to a second location of the system, where the fluid medium is exposed to a second magnetic field for a second dwell period. Following the second dwell period, at least a portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle. A suspension fluid is then dispensed into the receptacle, and the contents of the receptacle are agitated to suspend the solid supports within the suspension fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher B. Davis, Norbert D. Hagen, James T. Tuggle
  • Patent number: 12195041
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer program products for biasing a trajectory of a vehicle. The methods comprise: identifying a lane biasing interval of a lane in which the vehicle is to travel based on a lane width; obtaining a first reference path of travel for the vehicle that passes through the lane biasing interval; generating a second reference path of travel for the vehicle using a plurality of lateral offsets and the first reference path of travel for the vehicle; and adjusting the trajectory of the vehicle using the second reference path of travel. The lateral offsets are based on a lateral offset from each index point of the first reference path that resides in the lane biasing interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alice Kassar, Ramadev Burigsay Hukkeri