Patents Examined by Keith R Campbell
  • Patent number: 11420825
    Abstract: A method for state monitoring in a conveyor system, and also to a control unit, to a motorized roller, to a conveyor zone, to a conveyor section and to a conveyor system for carrying out this method. The method comprises checking for the presence of a reference operating state, determining a current of the motorized roller if the reference operating state is present, and comparing the determined current of the motorized roller with a reference value for the reference operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: INTERROLL HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Andreas Hampe, Herbert Henze
  • Patent number: 11401115
    Abstract: A machine for conveying objects, including: a base; a turret mounted to the base for rotation about an axis, the turret including a turret mounted track, and a turret shuttle with a gripper to grip an object, the turret shuttle mounted on the turret mounted track; a boom mounted to the turret, whereby turret rotation sweeps the boom radially about the axis, the boom including: a boom mounted track extending therealong, a boom shuttle with a gripper to grip an object, the boom shuttle mounted to the boom mounted track, and a carousel located proximal to the base extending around the turret and rotatable about the axis, the carousel having a plurality of object bays, the carousel being controllably rotatable about the axis to locate any of the object bays proximal to the turret mounted track for transfer of an object between the object bay and the turret shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: FASTBRICK IP PTY LTD
    Inventor: Mark Joseph Pivac
  • Patent number: 11390474
    Abstract: A system and a method for gently loading, transporting and unloading frangible products using totes is provided. The system includes a loading station at a first location, an unloading station at a second location and a plurality of totes for use in storing the frangible products for transportation from the first location to the second location. The totes include an interior space that is upwardly curved for gently receiving the frangible products therein as they are laterally discharged off of a lateral discharge portion of the reciprocating conveyor. Two or more totes can be sequentially loaded along the lateral discharge portion of the reciprocating conveyor using backpressure caused by accumulation of frangible product along the edge of the lateral discharge portion of the reciprocating conveyor to redirect incoming frangible products towards a downstream section of the lateral discharge portion of the reciprocating conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventor: Paul Blake Svejkovsky
  • Patent number: 11371556
    Abstract: Linear bearings assemblies are provided that include polycrystalline diamond bearing surfaces that are engaged with diamond solvent-catalyst bearing. Also provided are methods of making and using linear bearing assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: XR Reserve LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Prevost, William W. King, David P. Miess, Michael R. Reese
  • Patent number: 11365060
    Abstract: A conveyor module includes an elongate frame to which a looped conveyor track is mounted. The frame includes first and second end housings which include end pulleys for the conveyor track. The frame also includes a drive housing located at a mid-portion thereof which houses the drive motor for the conveyor track. The conveyor module is a discrete independently driven unit with an upper portion (running surface) of the conveyor track in a planar orientation for conveying items thereon in use. The conveyor module can include additional smart features. A warehouse floor arrangement uses a plurality of side by side conveyor modules being identical and grouped into banks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventor: Michael C. McElligott
  • Patent number: 11339004
    Abstract: A movable material processing apparatus for handling material such as ore, gravel, rock or the like, that includes: a foldable conveyor for discharging material from the apparatus. The foldable conveyor is movable between a transport position and an operating position. The foldable conveyor includes a loading block arranged at the loading end, and a discharge block extending from the loading block towards a discharge end. The discharge block is pivotally coupled to the loading block along a first axis being perpendicular to a transport path of the foldable conveyor and parallel with a carrying surface of the foldable conveyor. The loading block is pivotally coupled to a support structure of the movable material processing apparatus along a second axis being parallel to the transport path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Metso Minerals, Inc.
    Inventor: Tuomas Juutinen
  • Patent number: 11332326
    Abstract: A gripper mechanism for a palletizer apparatus is configured to receive articles from an associated infeed conveyor in any one of a plurality of orientations of the gripper mechanism relative to the infeed conveyor. In a preferred embodiment, the gripper mechanism is configured to receive articles through any one of four sides of the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Barry-Wehmiller, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Klaassen, Willem Zegers
  • Patent number: 11297803
    Abstract: A conveying system for shock-sensitive items, in particular eggs, is provided and comprises a plurality of conveying devices in which items are transferred from one conveying device to another. In particular, the conveying system comprises a motion transmission assembly which ensures synchronism between the advancement of a first conveying device and the advancement of a second conveying device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: VALLI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Fausto Martoni
  • Patent number: 11286119
    Abstract: An apparatus that conveys pellet-shaped articles may include a hopper that receives a quantity of the pellet-shaped articles. The hopper may include one or more openings to direct a flow of air into the hopper to dislodge jamming or bridging of pellet-shaped articles within the hopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Ackley Machine Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent M. DeLuccia, Jr., James T. McNamee
  • Patent number: 11279506
    Abstract: The wrapping machine includes a feed path of products to be wrapped in a wrapping sheet. An insertion station of products to be wrapped in a wrapping sheet, and folding members of the wrapping sheet are arranged along the feed path. A conveyor device receives the products in the insertion station and causes their feed through the folding members. The conveyor device includes a system of endless flexible members that define a closed trajectory along which carriages move. The machine also includes a magazine of carriages associated with the system of flexible members and manipulators adapted to pick up carriages from the magazine and attach them to the system of flexible members, and to pick up carriages from the system of flexible members and place them in the magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Fabio Perini S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luca Frasnetti, Fabio Pattuzzi, Daniele Bolognesi
  • Patent number: 11268592
    Abstract: An automatic control unit for field vulcanizing press is provided. The control unit helps to monitor and control all three essential vulcanizing parameters viz. temperature, pressure and time, either locally or through remote access. Data logging, local monitoring & control of vulcanizing parameters or remote monitoring and control of vulcanizing parameters using a smart device are the major features of this control unit in which remote monitoring and control of vulcanizing parameters is the unique feature of this control unit. A video recording unit is also provided to record entire splicing operation and also there is option for online video streaming facility and it will help to monitor the entire splicing operation from a remote-control station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Thejo Engineering Limited
    Inventors: Manoj Joseph Kallarackal, Jaimon Jacob, Manimaran Elumalai, Sabu Mathew
  • Patent number: 11267660
    Abstract: A device for sorting an item into containers on the side or sides of the device that includes several interconnected bogie assemblies movable in a direction, each bogie assembly includes a base, a right arm rotatable mounted on the base, a left arm rotatable mounted on the base, a right release that holds the right arm in a transport position, and a left release that holds the left arm in a transport position such that when both the right and left arms are in the transport position, the bogie assemblies move the item in the direction along the path and actuating the right release dumps the item into a right side container located on a right side of the device and actuating the left release dumps the item into a left side container located on a left side of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Engineering Innovation, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Hoag, Donald Caddy, Teresea D. Branson, David Rooze, Adam W. Fleming
  • Patent number: 11261032
    Abstract: A material processing apparatus comprises a material processing machine pivotably coupled to a base by a pivot joint that allows pivoting movement of the material processing machine about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to a ground surface. The pivot joint comprises an upper joint part coupled to the material processing machine, and a lower joint part coupled to the base, the upper and lower parts being coupled together by a spindle that defines said pivot axis and about which the upper joint part is rotatable with respect to the lower part. The pivot joint includes a non-contact rotation sensor for detecting an angular position of the upper joint part with respect to a reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventors: Gerard Grindel, Richard Byrne
  • Patent number: 11242209
    Abstract: A belt and a belt conveyor are provided for transporting particulate material and especially oilseeds up the belt conveyor. The belt conveyor can include an intake end having a hopper, a discharge end, a body extending between the intake end and the discharge end and a belt. The belt travels along a travel path in the belt conveyor; the belt traveling through the hopper, up an upper run in the body to the discharge end, down a return run in the body, and back through the hopper. The belt can have a top surface having pairs of adjacent ridges provided on the top surface, each ridge having a pair of arms extending from a point, in a travel direction of the belt, wherein each pair of adjacent ridges define a v-channel on the top surface of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Brandt Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Lyndon Graff, Jonathan Robert Carteri
  • Patent number: 11225385
    Abstract: A loading station (10) for loading automatically a primary load carrier (36) of an overhead conveyor (18) with a secondary load carrier (38) for hanging goods, comprising: an accumulation line (12), wherein the accumulation line is configured to accumulate primary load carriers, which are movable along the accumulation line, in the conveying direction one behind the other; a separating device (18), which is arranged laterally to the accumulation line, comprising: first and second stopping elements (68) being respectively supported transversally to the accumulation line in a movable manner, wherein each of the stopping elements, in its stopping position, is moved into a conveying path of the primary load carriers, and, in its release position, is moved out of the conveying path; and a switch (76); a control unit (40); a feeding device (16) arranged laterally to the accumulation line, and configured to guide a hanger-shaped head portion of the secondary load carriers through a transport opening in the primary l
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SSI Schäfer Automation GmbH (AT)
    Inventor: Gerald Haberl
  • Patent number: 11220116
    Abstract: In one example, a method of controlling a printing system is described, the method comprising activating a driver to advance a conveyor belt in a plurality of sub-turns. For each of the plurality of sub-turns, a first parameter associated with movement of the conveyor belt is determined, based on data obtained from the driver. For each of the plurality of sub-turns, a second parameter associated with movement of the conveyor belt is also determined, based on data obtained from an optical sensor. A per-sub-turn slippage parameter is calculated for each of the plurality of sub-turns, based on any difference between the first parameter and the second parameter. The method further comprises calculating a slippage metric based on the per-sub-turn slippage parameters for the plurality of sub-turns, and causing outputting of a conveyor belt tension adjustment indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Roger Terradellas Callau, Inaki Zudaire Rovira, Daniel Gutierrez Garcia
  • Patent number: 11203490
    Abstract: A weldment structure for reinforcing a boom of a material conveyor apparatus includes a pair of elongate rigid members having an overall length with cut ends, a set of cross members sharing an overall length with cut ends, the cross members fixed orthogonally to the elongate rigid members functioning to hold the rigid members apart and parallel and at the same edge alignment, and a set of cross support brackets fixed to the cross members and to the elongate rigid members, the cross support brackets each supporting at least a return roller bracket assembly and a pair of opposing belt guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventors: Darren L. DeGraw, Chad T. Porter
  • Patent number: 11186441
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for monitoring and removing contaminants from a conveyor surface based upon predicted frictional engagement qualities detected on a conveyor surface. In some examples, the methods may include monitoring the conveyor surface with at least one sensor configured to sense a condition on the conveyor surface. The sensor may detect the presence of a contaminant, and communicate the location of the detected contaminant to a processor. A treatment cycle may then be initiated to remove or displace the contaminant from the conveyor surface after the presence of a contaminant has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: REXNORD INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Andrea Andreoli, Cornelis Hendrik Mijndert Menke, Justin Michael Stefanko, Philip Michael Gabor
  • Patent number: 11155416
    Abstract: A conveyor belt monitoring system may utilize one or more ultrasonic sensors to identify variations in the position of the conveyor belt. These variations may be minor variations in belt position, which can be identified by the belt monitoring system well before they would be readily perceptible by a user. The monitoring system may be operated in conjunction with one or more belt adjustment mechanisms which can be used to correct the path of the conveyor belt based on information gathered by the monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: RCS TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Donald Greene Murphy, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11148885
    Abstract: A continuous mining machine trailing conveyor system providing a sandwich belt system that incorporates a set of hugging modalities to ensure that the sandwich belt system provides sufficient friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Dos Santos International
    Inventor: Joseph Anibal Dos Santos