Patents Examined by Katie L Gerth
  • Patent number: 11045270
    Abstract: A surgical instrument assembly configured to be operably attached to and detached from a surgical robot interface is disclosed. The surgical instrument assembly comprises a shaft assembly comprising an end effector and a closure drive member configured to move a second jaw relative to a first jaw of the end effector. The surgical instrument assembly further comprises a control assembly, wherein the shaft assembly is operably coupled with the control assembly, and wherein the control assembly comprises a housing, a closure drive system configured to actuate the closure drive member, and an exterior closure drive actuator exterior to the housing and configured to be actuated by a clinician to manually rotate a rotary input drive of the closure drive system to move the second jaw relative to the first jaw when the surgical instrument assembly is not operably attached to the surgical robot interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Mark D. Overmyer, Vincenzo Barbato, Robert L. Koch, Jr., Nathan D. Grubbs
  • Patent number: 11046469
    Abstract: Container collecting and opening apparatus includes a store holding containers in a flattened configuration; an extracting device for extracting the flattened containers from the store and arranging them in a waiting position; and a transfer device movable between, a first, upstream, position for collecting containers from the waiting position and a second, downstream, position for releasing the containers. A container-opening device includes an abutment and a gripper positionable by the transfer device in a position along a container transfer pathway between the first position and the second position, so that the abutment is abutted by the container being opened and the gripper retains the opened-out container. A collecting device collects the container opened out by the container-opening device and transfers the opened-out container by rotating it with the axis thereof vertical to a crate of a packing line, while maintaining the container in the opened-out configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: MARCHESINI GROUP S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giuseppe Monti
  • Patent number: 11039961
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to transfer and fold a partially folded absorbent article. The transfer apparatus includes a frame that is rotatable about a first axis of rotation and a transfer member that is rotatable about a second axis of rotation. The transfer member includes a receiving surface. While advancing absorbent article, the transfer member rotates the absorbent article about the second axis of rotation. The partially folded absorbent article is transferred to a folding apparatus. The folding apparatus advances the partially folded absorbent article such that the end regions of the belt of the partially folded absorbent article are directed away from the folding apparatus. The end regions are engaged by a folding assembly. The folding assembly guides and/or pushes the end regions toward the central region of the belt and/or the chassis to form a folded absorbent article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Michael Devin Long, Todd M. Fegelman, Matthew Alexander Gittings, Tanner Laurie Williams
  • Patent number: 11013183
    Abstract: A bale wrap mechanism for use with a roll of wrap material, the bale wrap mechanism including a frame including a wrap chute formed from one or more perimeter walls, where the wrap chute defines a wrap axis extending longitudinally therethrough, and where the one or more perimeter walls at least partially define a passage therebetween. The bale wrap mechanism also includes a wrap arm coupled to the frame, the wrap arm having a mounting point movable with respect to the frame, and a shaft coupled to the mounting point and configured to support the roll of wrap material thereon, where the shaft is configured to travel along a wrap path during a wrapping process, where the wrap path surrounds the passageway, and where the wrap path is substantially rectangular in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Kraus, Henry D. Anstey, Uri Blich
  • Patent number: 10981683
    Abstract: Provided is a boxing apparatus that pushes a plurality of articles into a box, whose opening may face sideways, from the side and, thereafter, change the posture of the box by rotating the box so that the opening faces upward, wherein the possibility that the articles fly out of the box when changing the posture is reduced and the posture of the box can be changed in a short period of time. The boxing apparatus may include a push-in mechanism, a holding and posture changing mechanism, and a guide/holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Iwasa, Yuji Yokota, Takeshi Noguchi, Tatsuya Arimatsu
  • Patent number: 10973939
    Abstract: A method for sterilizing a drug delivery device may comprise disposing a liquid drug container, a needle conduit and a cap in a sterilization enclosure so that a mouth portion of the liquid drug container is registered with, and spaced apart from, a circumferential lip of the cap; disposing a cover over the liquid drug container, the needle conduit, and the cap, sealing the sterilization enclosure; subjecting the interior of the sterilization enclosure to a sterilization process in which the liquid drug container, the needle conduit, and the cap are exposed to the sterilization fluid and are sterilized; and applying a downward force to the liquid drug container to move the mouth portion into engagement with the circumferential lip of the cap and to snap the cap onto the liquid drug container to seal the cap and needle conduit to the liquid drug container in an assembled configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: INSULET CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ian McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 10973375
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided for manufacturing a wipe in a three dimensional form out of an essentially flat piece of material. The apparatus produces a blank (12) of essentially flat planar form with a pleat folded on each side. The folded blanks are fed by a conveyor belt (21) to an opening station (22). The opening station comprises a pair of movable pinch rollers (34, 35) which selectively grab individual blanks from the conveyor belt and feed them via belts (32, 33) to a pair of counter-rotating drums (30, 31). The blanks are ejected from the drums, which partially opens them up in the process. The partially open blanks are fed onto a shaped former (37), where the final process of forming the wipe into its chosen three dimensional form is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: BETTER ALL ROUND LIMITED
    Inventors: Oday Abbosh, Philip Russell Fawcus, Julian Brandon-Jones, Emanuel Nannizzi, Gianluca Giometti, Dave Reed
  • Patent number: 10926908
    Abstract: A wrapping apparatus and A wrapping method are provide to wrap an object in a chamber into a web of wrapping material. The web is moved from a reservoir outside of the chamber. A tag applicator applies a tag on the web in an application position which is between a wrapping material reservoir and a wrapping material inlet. A tag reader monitors whether or not a tag is conveyed in the chamber along the tag reader. If no tag is detected, an alert is generated that the object is not properly wrapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: FORAGE COMPANY B.V.
    Inventor: Malte Cornelius Schlichting
  • Patent number: 10906682
    Abstract: A food processing system is disclosed. The food processing system includes a food scaling portion, a food bagging portion and a chute portion connecting the food scaling portion to the food bagging portion. The food processing system also includes a foreign object sensor arranged about the chute portion. The foreign object sensor and the chute portion cooperatively form a foreign object sensing zone within a passage formed by the chute portion that extends along a portion of a length of the chute portion. The food processing system also includes at least one sensor testing conduit extending through one or both of the food scaling portion and the chute portion. An exit opening of the at least one sensor testing conduit is arranged in an opposing relationship with respect to the foreign object sensing zone. A foreign object sensor apparatus for detecting non-foodstuff material is also disclosed. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: KELLOGG COMPANY
    Inventor: Nicholson James Hirzel
  • Patent number: 10899101
    Abstract: A machine including a deck, a first platform, a second platform, a first web transfer assembly, and a second web transfer assembly is provided. The deck and first and second platforms are coupled to a frame. The first web transfer assembly extends from a first end to a second end and includes a first pick-up assembly moveable between the first end, proximate the first platform, and the second end, proximate the deck. The second web transfer assembly extends from a third end to a fourth end and includes a second pick-up assembly moveable between the third end, proximate the second platform, and the fourth end, proximate the deck. The first web transfer assembly and the second web transfer assembly are operationally offset when moving between the first and second end and the third and fourth ends, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: WestRock Shared Services, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Dean Graham, Amer Aganovic, Greg Gulik
  • Patent number: 10894311
    Abstract: A tool includes a switch and a handle. The switch is configured to cause an electric component to operate. The handle is held by a hand to manipulate the switch. The switch includes a switch manipulation part to be manipulated, a load sensor, a sealing cover and a preventing member. The load sensor is configured to receive a pressing force through the switch manipulation part. The sealing cover includes an elastic material which is deformable when receiving the pressing force through the switch manipulation part, and is configured to press the load sensor. The preventing member is configured to seal an internal space between the sealing cover and the load sensor, around the load sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michio Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10889416
    Abstract: A child resistant container is for containing at least one product, such as medicine. The child resistant container includes a body, a lid, and a directing portion. The body has an end portion defining an opening leading to an interior of the body. The lid is connected to the body via a hinge, and includes a cover portion and a protrusion extending outwardly therefrom. The cover portion is configured to move between a FIRST position corresponding to the cover portion covering the opening, and a SECOND position corresponding to the cover portion not covering the opening. The directing portion extends from one of the body and the cover portion, and at least partially encloses the protrusion when the cover portion is in the FIRST position. When the cover portion moves from the FIRST position to the SECOND position, the protrusion moves away from the directing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: CSP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Franklin Lee Lucas, Jr., Brian Tifft, Ethan Ross Perdue, Kasey Myers, Jean-Pierre Giraud, Anthony Hamilton
  • Patent number: 10890003
    Abstract: A chimney liner removal apparatus including a main chassis, a first telescoping front arm, a second telescoping front arm, a rear telescoping arm, a movable mass and an extendible excavator. The first telescoping front arm is fixedly connected to the main chassis and includes a first hollow member and a first extendible member within the first hollow member. The second telescoping front arm is fixedly connected to the main chassis and includes a second hollow member and a second extendible member within the second hollow member. The rear telescoping arm is fixedly connected to the main chassis and includes a third hollow member and a third extendible member within the third hollow member. The movable balance mass is arranged on the third hollow member. The extendible excavator assembly is pivotally connected to the main chassis opposite the rear telescoping arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: International Chimney Corporation
    Inventors: George R. Gardner, Edmund P. Gasiecki
  • Patent number: 10888989
    Abstract: An electrical power tool configured such that two battery packs as a power source are attached thereto may include overhanging elements respectively laterally positioned along lateral sides of the battery packs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawakami, Shoichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10856867
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a closure drive, a firing drive, and a lockout is disclosed. The lockout prevents the firing drive from being actuated until the closure drive has been sufficiently actuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Jerome R. Morgan, Christopher C. Miller, Brian Dinardo
  • Patent number: 10856868
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a first jaw, a second jaw, and a firing member is disclosed. The firing member comprises one or more cams configured to position the first jaw relative to the second jaw. The cams are configured to reduce the strain experienced by the cams, the firing member, and the first and second jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Gregory J. Bakos
  • Patent number: 10843913
    Abstract: A method for sealingly closing a bottle (1) is described, the method comprising the steps of: providing a cage (1009, a closing stopper (200) and a capsule (300); joining the stopper to the cage and the cage to the capsule (300), obtaining a preassembled closing assembly; aligning the closing assembly on the mouth of the bottle and exerting a pressure so as to sealingly close the bottle, wherein the annular relief of the cage (100) comes into contact with the bottle before the stopper comes into contact with the bottle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: ALTERGON SA
    Inventor: Antonio Mutterle
  • Patent number: 10828762
    Abstract: A powered fastener driving tool, and particularly a powder-actuated tool including a housing assembly and a strip receiver in the housing assembly, where the strip receiver includes a first guide groove defining wall, an opposing second guide groove defining wall, the first guide groove defining wall and the opposing second guide groove defining wall partially defining a guide groove and configured to guide a load strip to move through the strip receiver and the housing, and a plurality of residue collection pocket defining walls that partially define a plurality of spaced apart residue collection pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Jablonski, Michael S. Popovich
  • Patent number: 10819192
    Abstract: A handheld work apparatus has an electric motor for driving a tool. A function module is to be connected to a battery pack via electrical contacts, there being provided an electrical operating switch, for putting the electric motor into operation, which is coupled to an actuating element of the handheld work apparatus. The electric motor is put into operation upon a command of the operating switch, via a control unit. To constitute the function module, provision is made to dispose the electrical contacts, the control unit and the operating switch on a common carrier. The carrier has a first side that faces toward the battery pack, and at least one second side that faces away from the battery pack. The electrical contacts are provided on the first side of the carrier, while the operating switch is held on the second side of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Andrea Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Kay-Steffen Gurr, Gernot Liebhard, Matthias Mueller, Joachim Kolb
  • Patent number: 10807754
    Abstract: An apparatus for sealing or tying products includes a housing with a first tape dispenser comprising adhesive tape and binding means for binding tape from the a dispenser around a product or a bundle of products, At least one supply device is provided for supplying items to be connected, to the product or bundle of products. The binding means comprises a cell and an urging device for urging part of the product or bundle of products into the cell, especially towards a closed side of the cell. The urging device comprises a holding provision for holding an item provided by the supply device, such that when the urging device is operated for urging the product or bundle of products into the cell the item is urged against the product or bundle of products, preferably prior to binding the tape around the product or bundle of products in the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: DUOSEAL AUTOMATICS B.V.
    Inventor: Guido Maurinus Adriana Maria Aarts