Patents Examined by Justin C Dodson
  • Patent number: 11480284
    Abstract: A heat conductor and a heated media line having an inner tubular fluid line and at least one heat conductor arranged on the periphery thereof. The heat conductor is formed by a braid made of twisted individual wires and, in particular, an outer protective sheath surrounding the heat conductor and the fluid line. The braid is formed by at least six individual wires surrounding a support element, of which at least one individual wire is made of a copper-nickel (CuNi) alloy, and the remaining individual wires are produced from copper (Cu) or from a nickel-chromium (NiCr) alloy. All of the individual wires have the same diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: VOSS Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Etscheid, Marco Isenburg, Christian Zwillus
  • Patent number: 11478109
    Abstract: A barbecue with spit functionality, the barbecue including: a barbecue body having a first opening and a second opening; a first spit support member mounted in the first opening and settable at a storage position, in which the first spit support member is substantially contained within the barbecue body, or one or more use positions, in which the first spit support member at least partially protrudes from the barbecue body; a second spit support member mounted in the second opening and settable at a storage position, in which the second spit support member is substantially contained within the barbecue body, or one or more use positions, in which the second spit support member at least partially protrudes from the barbecue body; and a spit rod releasably engageable with the first and second spit support members when the first and second spit support members are in their respective use positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Shriro Australia Pty Limited
    Inventors: David Mansueto, David Jones, Anson Li, Yong Quan Zhang
  • Patent number: 11483905
    Abstract: A method of determining heating strategies for a cooking appliance (10) includes obtaining geometry dimensions, power values, and frequency values of the cooking appliance (10), selecting a food item (14) and obtaining a food geometry, permittivity value, and initial temperature of the selected food item (14). A heating pattern (28) for heating the selected food item (14) is estimated based on the food geometry, permittivity value, and initial temperature of the selected food item (14) and data indicative of the estimated heating pattern (28) is inputted to an operating control system (21) to achieve the estimated heating strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation, Panasonic Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Giovanni Dore, Francesco Giordano, Davide Guatta
  • Patent number: 11459144
    Abstract: A container for distilled spirits includes a stainless steel body, stainless steel top element and stainless steel bottom element wherein the body, top element and body element are joined together without solder such that the flavor of the distilled spirits therein is preserved. A method of making the container is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: AMERICANA JV INVESTMENTS INC.
    Inventors: Brad Beckerman, Steve Sandstrom, Zhao Shao Feng
  • Patent number: 11458573
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generative manufacturing of a three-dimensional component from a powder, wherein a layer structure model of the component to be manufactured is divided into a core region and a shell region adjacent to the core region, and wherein the shell region forms at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional component. Then, a layer-based irradiation process is performed in which a density of irradiated powder layers is lower in the shell region than in the core region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Dominik Maurer, Roland Spiegelhalder
  • Patent number: 11460251
    Abstract: A container and apparatus for preparing dental prosthetics. The container comprises a body having an interior and a top edge, a penetrable lid sealably secured to the top edge and containing a quantity of glazing liquid mixture liquid less than a volume of the body and a quantity of gas having a density greater than air. The apparatus comprises the container, a lid penetrator operable to form at least one penetration through the lid at at least one dipping location, an arm adapted to hold at least one dental prosthetic and pass each dental prosthetic through the at least one penetration into and thereafter out of the glazing liquid mixture, and wherein the arm is adapted to move the at least one dental prosthetic in a drying path after dipping in the glazing liquid mixture so as to form a consistent glazing layer thereover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Inventor: Richard Wayne Weisbeck
  • Patent number: 11458560
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a contact tip, a diffusor body, and a gooseneck. The contact tip has a convex end surface that contacts and mates with a concave end of the diffuser body. The diffuser body forms a blind bore forming central web and a series of passageways. A longitudinal passageway segment is formed in the contact tip parallel with the central longitudinal electrode bore of the contact tip. A second passageway segment joins the first longitudinal passageway segment. When the contact tip is affixed to the diffuser body, a chamber is formed at the base of the contact tip communicating with the diffuser body passageways. Shielding gas that flows into the diffuser body passes through the web passageways into the chamber and through the first and second passageways of the contact tip to provide shielding gas to the weld site and cool the contact tip during welding operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: ELCo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward L. Cooper
  • Patent number: 11446759
    Abstract: A method of machining a diamond includes using a pulsed laser. The diamond is placed in a container containing a transparent liquid. The liquid level is at least 100 microns above a surface of the diamond to be machined, and the transparent liquid can further contain a surfactant additive in an amount of at least 2% and 10% by mass. Next, a laser source is activated such that a laser beam with pulse durations of no longer than one microsecond at a repetition frequency of no more than 5 kHz is applied to the surface to be machined, and relative scanning is performed between the diamond and the laser source, cross-wise to the laser beam and axially in depth, with an amplitude and orientations that are determined by the shape to be machined in the diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Eglantine Ruaudel, Gunnar Weck, Thomas Plisson
  • Patent number: 11440119
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a robotic system and method. The system may include a robot and a three dimensional sensor device associated with the robot configured to scan a welding area and generate a scanned welding area. The system may include a processor configured to receive the scanned welding area and to generate a three dimensional point cloud based upon, at least in part the scanned welding area. The processor may be further configured to perform processing on the three dimensional point cloud in a two-dimensional domain. The processor may be further configured to generate one or more three dimensional welding paths and to simulate the one or more three dimensional welding paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Chu-Yin Chang, Brett L. Limone, Ralph F. Polimeni, Jr., James D. English
  • Patent number: 11440128
    Abstract: An electrode orientation checking apparatus includes a machine stand attached to a seam welding apparatus from which one roller electrode of a set has been removed, a positioning guide and a set of distance sensors that are provided on the machine stand, and a calculating section. A positioning surface of the positioning guide is fixed at a position corresponding to a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the one roller electrode before being removed, the portion lying on a line segment connecting rotational centers of the roller electrodes. The distance sensors are respectively fixed forward and backward of the positioning surface in a progression direction of the roller electrodes. The calculating section calculates data for acquiring a direction of the line segment relative to the stacked body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawai, Mitsutaka Igaue, Tetsuya Kodama
  • Patent number: 11426824
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to consumable electrode wires and more particularly to consumable electrode wires having a core-shell structure, where the core comprises aluminum. In one aspect, a welding wire comprises a sheath having a steel composition and a core surrounded by the sheath. The core comprises aluminum (Al) at a concentration between about 3 weight % and about 20 weight % on the basis of the total weight of the welding wire, where Al is in an elemental form or is alloyed with a different metal element. The disclosed technology also relates to welding methods and systems adapted for using the aluminum-comprising electrode wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shenjia Zhang, John Benjamin Schaeffer, Badri K. Narayanan
  • Patent number: 11426813
    Abstract: A welding or additive manufacturing wire drive system includes a first spindle for a first welding wire spool, a second spindle for a second welding wire spool, a first drive roll, and a second drive roll. One or both of the drive rolls has a circumferential groove. A first welding wire and a second welding wire are located between the first drive roll and the second drive roll in the circumferential groove. The first welding wire contacts the second welding wire between the first drive roll and the second drive roll. The first welding wire further contacts a first sidewall portion of the circumferential groove. The second welding wire further contacts a second sidewall portion of the circumferential groove. Both of the first welding wire and the second welding wire are radially offset from a central portion of the circumferential groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Bradford W. Petot, Elliott R. Ash, Kent R. Johns, Vincent D. Casella, Steven R. Peters, Alexander C. Mehlman, Matthew A. Weeks
  • Patent number: 11426024
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for sharing capsule image data and beverage preparation parameters, from one or more beverage preparation machines with a remote computer system via a network, such as the Internet, is disclosed. The remote computer system may process the capsule image data to determine characteristics of the capsule (e.g., a type of capsule, such as a brand, or beverage ingredients in the capsule), thereby relieving the beverage preparation from having to determine information about the capsule. The remote computer may track a user's consumption of capsules, may compare this value to the user's past capsule purchase history, and may determine if the user's supply of capsules is below a threshold value (e.g., below a week's worth of capsules).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Tinkler, Jianming Huang, Kevin William Hartley, Cameron McLeod, Samuel Ross Rulli, Nicholas George Ioannidis, James K. Lynch, Brian David Rheaume, Jeffrey Sol Hadden, Philip Hadley, Yvona Hlobilova
  • Patent number: 11420278
    Abstract: A system and method for more consistent joule heating of a material blank to a desired temperature. An electrical terminal delivers a current to an end portion of the blank. The terminal has a heat sink effect which would otherwise prevent the end portion from reaching the desired temperature. An active thermal buffer element is interposed between the terminal and the end portion. The buffer element includes a first surface which abuts the end portion and a second surface which abuts the terminal. The buffer element is joule heated with the blank, and a temperature gradient is created across the buffer element such that the first surface is at the desired temperature and the second surface is at a lower temperature due to the heat sink effect of the terminal. The buffer element thereby compensates for the heat sink effect and allows the end portion to reach the desired temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Wagner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11407053
    Abstract: A welding device has a central unit and a welding torch unit, which can be connected to the central unit. The central unit includes at least one welding current source for providing electric current needed to operate the welding torch unit and includes a control unit. The welding torch unit includes at least a first welding torch with a first welding wire and a second welding torch with a second welding wire. The control unit is configured to carry out a starting process in such a way that firstly a first arc ignition takes place at one of the two welding torches and after a waiting time since the first arc ignition has passed, a second arc ignition takes place at the other of the two welding torches, which until then was not ignited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: FRONIUS INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Waldhör, Dominik Söllinger, Rene Allerstorfer
  • Patent number: 11402103
    Abstract: A method for adjusting an appliance heating element power level includes adjusting a heating element to a first power level in response to actuation of a user input to a first level setting and adjusting the heating element from the first power level to a second power level in response to actuation of the user input to a second level setting. The second power level of the heating element is different than the first power level of the heating element, and the second level setting is next to the first level setting within a power level setting sequence. The method also includes adjusting the heating element from the second power level to a third power level in response to actuation of the user input back to the first level setting. The third power level of the heating element is between the first and second power levels of the heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Haler US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: John Gilman Chapman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11389890
    Abstract: Embodiments of a welding torch with an improved handle are provided. The welding torch may include an electrical conductor, an outer material layer disposed about the electrical conductor, and a sealed vacuum region disposed between the electrical conductor and the outer material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Vincent Hoeger
  • Patent number: 11388787
    Abstract: An air circulation system for an oven includes a plenum disposed proximate to the cooking chamber, an airflow generator configured to draw air from the cooking chamber through a chamber outlet port and discharge the air into the plenum, and an air heater configured to heat at least some of the air in the plenum prior to a portion of the air entering the cooking chamber from the plenum via air delivery orifices. The chamber outlet port includes outlet perforations combining to form a first geometric shape centered on an axis of the airflow generator. The air delivery orifices include a first set of inlet perforations and a second set of inlet perforations. The first and second sets of inlet perforations combine to form respective second and third geometric shapes that are disposed on opposite sides of the outlet perforations. The second and third geometric shapes are different than the first geometric shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Marco Carcano, Michele Sclocchi, Michele Gentile
  • Patent number: 11382191
    Abstract: An electric power apparatus for an electric arc furnace comprises at least one electrode and is connectable to a power network to supply to the electrode the electric energy to generate an electric arc to melt a metal mass. The apparatus comprises an electric regulation unit interposed and connected to the power network and to the electrode and configured to regulate at least one electric quantity for powering the electrode. The apparatus comprises at least one detection device to detect the electric quantity, interposed between the electrode and the electric regulation unit, a positioning device to move the at least one electrode nearer to/away from the metal mass to be melted and a control and command unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: DANIELI AUTOMATION S.P.A.
    Inventors: Antonello Mordeglia, Enzo Gigante
  • Patent number: 11351633
    Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus and a method for laser processing. There is provided at least one first laser beam from at least one first optical feed fiber connected to at least one first laser device and at least one second laser beam from at least one second optical feed fiber connected to at least one second laser device. Said first and second laser beams are combined in a multi-core optical fiber. Said first core of said multi-core optical fiber has a circular cross-section, and said second core has an annular shape concentric to said first core. A composite laser beam comprising first and second output beams is directed from said multi-core optical fiber to a workpiece with overlapping elements to be welded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: CORELASE OY
    Inventor: Jarno Kangastupa