Patents Examined by Kavel Singh
  • Patent number: 11753247
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to automated warehouse facilities that are configured to assemble mixed pallets. The warehouse facilities can include one or more layer handling devices that are configured to remove layers from pallets in a delayering operational mode, and to add layers to pallets in a palletizing operation mode. The warehouse facilities also may include one or more item retrieval devices that are configured to retrieve individual items from storage racks. The warehouse facilities can include other automated devices as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NEWTEQ HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Hans Eil
  • Patent number: 11753249
    Abstract: A conveying unit (10) for the suspended transport of transport elements (40) in a conveyor system, in particular a rail-guided (86) conveyor system or a conveyor-chain system, includes a support hook (21) attached to a conveying element (20), in particular a carriage or a conveyor-chain link, a transport element (40), and a suspension hook (41) attached to the transport element, wherein the suspension hook is mounted in a suspended manner in the support hook. The support hook is configured such that the suspension hook can take up two stable positions (61, 62) in the support hook. The suspension hook (41) in a first stable position (61) has been turned through an angle with respect to the suspension hook in a second stable position (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: FERAG AG
    Inventor: Erwin Stauber
  • Patent number: 11753252
    Abstract: A mobile machine for conveying and/or processing mineral aggregate material, includes a machine frame and a conveyor module supported on the machine frame so as to be displaceable relative to the latter. A conveyor line runs along a virtual conveyor path (FB), the conveyor module being designed at least for conveying the aggregate material along the conveyor path on the conveyor line. A component carrier in a working state of the machine runs in an elevation direction (H) at a distance from the conveyor line crosswise with respect to the conveyor path above the conveyor line. The component carrier supports at least one functional module which interacts with the aggregate material conveyed on the conveyor line. The conveyor module is displaceable relative to the machine frame with a displacement component in the elevation direction. The component carrier is movable both relative to the conveyor module and the machine frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Kleemann GmbH
    Inventors: Lars Rudolph, Emil Scheurer
  • Patent number: 11745949
    Abstract: Conveyor belt modules having rodless hook hinges and modular conveyor belts constructed of those modules. Hooks on opposite ends of belt modules hook into complementary hooks on adjacent modules to interconnect the modules at hinge joints into an endless belt. The geometry of the modules enables them to be manufactured by extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Laitram, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Bryant G. Ragan, John de St. Germain, Adam E. Bannerman
  • Patent number: 11745957
    Abstract: A transport device has a position detection portion, a holding portion attached to an arm, a driving portion to drive the holding portion and the arm, and a control portion. A control portion controls the position detection portion and the driving portion to perform, as one cycle, a procedure to detect a position of a parcel, select parcels based on a predetermined condition, and set priority for the selected parcels, and a procedure to refer to a result of the detection, and cause the holding portion to take out one or more parcels from the accumulation portion in accordance with the priority to transport the parcels to a predetermined location, and excludes, from parcels to be taken out, a second parcel that is present within a predetermined distance from a first parcel and has priority lower than the priority of the first parcel, during the one cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihide Otsuru
  • Patent number: 11738953
    Abstract: A monitoring device can include one or more sensors, and a processor, operably connected to the one or more sensors, configured to execute computer-readable instructions that cause the processor to perform operations including detecting sensor data from the one or more sensors. The sensor data can be collected as the monitoring device is in transit in a transport system for delivery items. The operations can also include detecting a malfunctioning component in the transport system based on the sensor data, and transmitting a maintenance indicator to a control system of the transport system, wherein the maintenance indicator identifies the malfunctioning component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
    Inventor: Manfred Foxx-Gruensteidl
  • Patent number: 11731465
    Abstract: A drive wheel for a power drive unit of a cargo handling system is disclosed. One aspect of the drive wheel is that it includes one or more wear indicators for a tire of the drive wheel. Another aspect of the drive wheel is that it includes one or more features (e.g., at least one protrusion, alone or in combination with one or more slots) that resists relative rotational movement between the tire of the drive wheel and the hub of the drive wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan L. Widmer, Ryan J. Hanson, Steve T. McQueen, Steven E. Aesoph, William F. Steinmetz
  • Patent number: 11718481
    Abstract: A conveyor assembly includes an extendable conveyor, a cradle configured to at least partially receive the extendable conveyor, a first conveyor that is movable between a first position and a second position, the first conveyor configured to receive a material from a first source, and second conveyor configured to receive a material from a second source. The extendable conveyor may be configured to pivot with respect to the cradle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: FMH Conveyors LLC
    Inventors: William Mark Hogan, Barry Wayne Freeman, John David Robert King
  • Patent number: 11721568
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a substrate transfer apparatus. The substrate transfer apparatus includes a first transfer apparatus, a second transfer apparatus, a substrate carrier driver, a sensor, a swing apparatus, and a controller. The first transfer apparatus is configured to transfer a substrate in a first direction. The second transfer apparatus is configured to receive the substrate from the first transfer apparatus and transfer the substrate and comprising a substrate carrier on which the substrate transferred from the first transfer apparatus is seated. The substrate carrier driver is configured to move the substrate carrier. The sensor is configured to detect an abnormal transfer of the substrate from the first transfer apparatus to the second transfer apparatus and generate a detection signal corresponding to the abnormal transfer of the substrate. The swing apparatus is configured to swing the substrate carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sangho Jang, Dongsoo Lee, Anhi Pyun, Jinyi Lee, Sukbyung Chae
  • Patent number: 11713145
    Abstract: An applicating machine for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided from an infeed includes an orienter for placing containers into a correct rotational position and a transfer device for transferring the oriented containers in a fixed rotational position to a jaw drum for applying a flexible carrier to a plurality of containers provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Brian K. Johansen, Robert C. Beesley, Christopher J. Samaras
  • Patent number: 11708223
    Abstract: A device for aligning packages, in particular in a sorter, with a first connecting element for connection to a package conveyor, and a routing element connected to the first connecting element, wherein the routing element forms a contact face which comes into contact with the packages for alignment, in particular for realignment, of the packages. Here, the contact face is formed at least partially curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
    Inventor: Usama Gharz
  • Patent number: 11708220
    Abstract: A low-profile, high-capacity elevator conveying system that is operably able to reduce spatial requirements for the elevating system to not less than about one third (?) of the overall lift height, and preferably having a height to base ratio in a range of between 4:1 to 8:1. The present invention also relates to a high capacity elevator conveying system which can elevate both fine and coarse materials through a range of between 300 ?m and 300 mm, while limiting belt side travel to 150 mm maximum, or +/?75 mm as required to prevent edge damage to the conveyor belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: EMS-Tech Inc.
    Inventor: John Elder
  • Patent number: 11697560
    Abstract: Roller conveyors can only safely convey articles up to a certain width to downstream conveyors without jamming. The present invention utilizes at least one and preferably a plurality of jam prevention diverter wheels disposed at a selected angle between adjacent rollers of a conveyor with a portion of the diverter wheels extending above the surface of the conveyor rollers to contact items and limit the width of items that can pass through without jamming the conveyor. The diverter wheels are rotated with power mechanically derived from the main powered conveyor rollers. A portion of diverter wheels extend above the skewed roller conveyor surface a selected distance and at a selected angle to contact conveyed articles and only allow items up to a certain size to pass diverting wide items or misaligned items having a width wider than desired for passing through to a downstream conveyor. Jam prevention is the point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Fives Intralogistics Corp.
    Inventor: Steven Vann Schroader
  • Patent number: 11691820
    Abstract: A conveyor belt system includes a conveyor belt, a first roller, a second roller, wherein the conveyor belt extends between the first roller and the second roller so that the conveyor belt has a transport side and a return side; and a frame for positioning the conveyor belt, wherein the frame has at least two upright walls at the position of opposite transverse ends, which two upright walls are formed such that, at the position of the return side, the return side falls within the two upright walls and that, at the position of the transport side, the transport side protrudes to a position outside the upright walls on either sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: CLEAN CONVEYOR BELT BVBA
    Inventor: Alex Jean Geysen
  • Patent number: 11691815
    Abstract: A roller track includes a base, parallel guides, roller support bars placed into their respective guides, and a plurality of rollers removably disposed between the roller support bars. The roller support bars preferably are removably secured to the base via the respective guides which are affixed to the base. The base also can be provided with connecting elements sidewalls thereof such that a plurality of bases of roller tracks can be connected laterally to accommodate any width of shelf or display planogram. Thus, the roller tracks can be used either separately roller tracks or as a continuous mat (i.e. a plurality of roller tracks affixed to adjacent roller tracks). Additionally, dividers can be removably affixed to each roller track via securing members comprising an upper body portion formed via a living hinge and at least one lower connector that removably connects the securing member to the roller track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: SUNGAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yeyang Sun, Qing Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 11685612
    Abstract: A motorized transfer apparatus is described, comprising: a conveyor belt movable along a predetermined feeding direction and comprising a plurality of modular elements arranged in closed loop; a support structure comprising a sliding surface having a substantially cross-sectional triangular shape, so as to form in sequence: a first flat portion, which is substantially horizontal and which defines a transport plane for the objects transported by said conveyor belt, a second flat portion, which defines a descent path for the conveyor belt, and a third flat portion, which defines an ascent path for said the conveyor belt. The apparatus further comprises a motorized actuator device for the conveyor belt and a drive unit, inserted inside the support structure and arranged to transmit the motion generated by the motorized actuator device to the conveyor belt. Each modular element has a length, measured along the feeding direction, which is between 1.5% and about 6% of the overall length of the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: MOVEX S.P.A.
    Inventors: Sergio Marsetti, Matteo Marsetti
  • Patent number: 11685605
    Abstract: Various embodiments described herein relate to techniques for reinforcement learning based conveyoring control. In this regard, a conveyor system is configured to transport one or more objects via a conveyor belt. Furthermore, a vision system comprises one or more sensors configured to scan the one or more objects associated with the conveyor system. A processing device is configured to employ a machine learning model to determine object pose data associated with the one or more objects. The processing device is further configured to generate speed control data for the conveyor belt of the conveyor system based on a set of control policies associated with the object pose data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: Abhijit Makhal, Dikshya Swain, Sagar Lakhmani
  • Patent number: 11685617
    Abstract: A boom conveyor includes a boom that carries a conveyor, a support structure for the boom, a rear pivot joint that connects a rear end of the boom to the support structure, and a pivot drive that controls pivoting movement of the boom about the rear pivot joint. The boom conveyor apparatus includes an operator platform and an attachment mechanism at a front end of the boom whereby the operator platform may be attached to the boom or detached therefrom. The attachment mechanism includes a leveling mechanism that is configured to apply a leveling adjustment to the operator platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: TRANSNORM SYSTEM GMBH
    Inventors: Bryan Anthony Bell, John Henderson
  • Patent number: 11679936
    Abstract: A system, and associated method, for launching and delivering separated food product in organized groups to a robotized packaging station for the product. The system initiates the delivery via a metered hopper of food product delivering the product to a launch V-belt that aligns the product end to end. A successive singulator belt, positioned adjacent to and receiving product from the launch belt, further organizes the product into a single file alignment. An optional separator belt may follow the singulator belt to create gaps between successive product units. The product is then delivered to a pick belt for product to be provided to the packaging robot. The system product information is from a single (per product delivery line) sensor, enabling integrated end-to-end control from hopper to robot, and a nearly continuous motion of said pick belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: F.R. DRAKE CO.
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Milo, Keith W. Hopkins, George E. Reed
  • Patent number: 11679938
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for conveying products, which is intended for a production and processing line for these products and comprises at least one movable element in the form of a conveyor belt or link chain and a fixed support for the movable element, the support being in the form of at least one slider, the slider supporting the movable element in contact with at least one wear surface located on said slider, characterized in that at least one slider has, under the wear surface, at least one underlying layer, the underlying layer consisting of a material with a different appearance to the appearance of the material of the wear surface. The invention further relates to a slider for such a conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SIDEL CANADA INC.
    Inventor: Alex Adam