Patents Examined by Kevin Joyner
  • Patent number: 11751587
    Abstract: Method for operating a tunnel pasteuriser with a plurality of sequentially successive treatment zones, wherein containers with a product packed therein are transported by means of a conveying device through the treatment zones and are heated with treatment media having different actual media temperatures, are pasteurized and preferably then cooled again, wherein the actual media temperatures are detected by a control unit and compared with target media temperatures, and wherein heating and/or cooling devices are controlled based on the comparison, characterised in that during the treatment of the containers, initial values for an optimisation are formed from the actual media temperatures of the treatment zones, and the target media temperatures are determined by means of a prediction model for determining the expected degree of pasteurisation with the optimisation, such that at least a minimum degree of pasteurisation of the containers is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kaatz, Martin Nissen, Falko Jens Wagner
  • Patent number: 11746547
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a smart tunnel having a tunnel structure having a quarantine section and a disinfection section, which is capable of regularly performing a quarantine function for determining whether an infectious disease is introduced and a disinfection function for preventing spread of an infectious disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Hyun-Bon Koo, Jung-Jun Park, Jong-Won Kwark, Im-Jong Kwahk, Seong-Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 11730838
    Abstract: A method for inactivating medically important Gram-positive bacteria including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus (CONS), Streptococcus, Enterococcus and Clostridium species, comprising exposure to visible light, and in particular light within the wavelength range 400-500 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE
    Inventors: John Galloway Anderson, Michelle Maclean, Gerald Alexander Woolsey, Scott John MacGregor
  • Patent number: 11730848
    Abstract: A gas irradiation system has an irradiation chamber having a plurality of compartments disposed circumferentially about a central axis. One of the compartments is an inlet compartment. The inlet compartment has an aperture at the bottom through which gas flows from the compartment. The irradiation chamber comprises a plurality of UV lights which are configured to irradiate the gas and neutralize pathogens as the gas flows through the irradiation chamber. Circumferentially adjacent to one side of the inlet compartment is an outlet compartment. Circumferentially adjacent in the opposite circumferential direction on the other side of the inlet compartment is the first of a plurality of intermediate compartments. These intermediate compartments extend circumferentially about the central axis between the inlet compartment and the outlet compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Environmental Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stanley W. Ellis, Mitchell Caughron
  • Patent number: 11725191
    Abstract: Methods for continuously inactivating virus during manufacture of a biological product are provided. The methods include steps of (1) combining (a) a composition including a biological product, and (b) a composition including a virus-inactivation reagent, to obtain (c) a treatment composition having a predetermined property for inactivation of a virus, (2) confirming that the treatment composition exhibits the predetermined property, (3) transferring the treatment composition to a treatment vessel that includes an inlet, an outlet, and a static mixer, the transferring occurring at the inlet, (4) incubating the treatment composition in the treatment vessel at a predetermined temperature while the treatment composition flows at a predetermined rate and contacts the static mixer, and (5) collecting the treatment composition from the treatment vessel at the outlet, wherein steps (1) to (5) are carried out continuously. Apparatuses and systems including such a treatment vessel are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
    Inventors: Jonathan Coffman, Jeff Goby, Scott Godfrey, Raquel Orozco, Jens Holger Vogel
  • Patent number: 11717588
    Abstract: A disinfection apparatus includes an installation member. The installation member includes a sealing member configured to seal a hole located in a ceiling, a nozzle configured to be placed in a ceiling space through the hole and spray a chemical solution to disinfect the ceiling space, a mount member configured to place the nozzle above the sealing member, and a fixing member configured to maintain a state in which the sealing member seals the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignees: OBAYASHI CORPORATION, OBAYASHI FACILITIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mizuyo Yotsumoto, Hiroki Ogata, Satoru Okuda, Yu Suzaki, Yoshio Seishu, Atsuya Yuasa, Sadayoshi Nomizo, Keiichi Tomiki, Hirokazu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11712321
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for adjusting a void volume of a basin of a treatment apparatus are provided. A treatment apparatus comprising a basin and an expandable member are provided. The expandable member may be disposed in the basin. The expandable member may be configured to expand from a first state to a second state to adjust the void volume of the basin. A void volume of the basin when the expandable member is in the second state is less than the void volume of the basin when the expandable member is in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventor: Navid Omidbakhsh
  • Patent number: 11696961
    Abstract: An assembly for redirecting light emitted by an end-emitting optical fiber into an inner lumen of a body is provided. According to one implementation, the body includes one or more surfaces disposed on or in the body onto which the light is configured to impinge when the end emitting optical fiber is activated, the one or more surfaces being configured to alter the trajectory of the light so that the light is directed to impinge on a light reflector of a cap removably attached to the body, the light reflector of the cap being configured to redirect the light distally into the inner lumen of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: INIKOA MEDICAL, INC.
    Inventor: Brett M. Zaborsky
  • Patent number: 11691861
    Abstract: A method of cleaning and sterilizing a drink filling apparatus including a CIP process of circulating a cleaner in a drink supply piping to remove foreign matter on an interior of the drink supply piping, and an SIP process of sterilizing the interior of the drink supply piping. The processes are performed at the same time or in sequence without an interruption between the two. The SIP process uses the cleaner to sterilize the interior of the drink supply piping. After the SIP process, while the cleaner is kept circulating, a temperature condition at a predetermined position in the drink supply piping is adjusted to a temperature setting for manufacture, after which the cleaner in the drink supply piping is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Hayakawa, Seiji Kuwano
  • Patent number: 11679176
    Abstract: A system (10) for removing airborne pathogens can include a housing (1, 4, and 6) having at least one or more chambers, a bipolar ionizer (9A), at least one particle filter (8), and an ultra violet light radiation source (5A) residing in at least one or more chambers. Furthermore, the embodiments can include the use of a ventilation system which can include a fan (3) that draws in surrounding air at an intake (7A) and directs the surrounding air towards the at least one particle filter, the bipolar ionizer, and the ultra violet light radiation source before the ventilation system expels the surrounding air drawn through the intake through an exhaust vent (7B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Jibe Lighting North America Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Lucien Laseur, Todd Darling, Mehron Massoud Talebi
  • Patent number: 11662107
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel isolating consulting table. The novel isolating consulting table includes a table body and an air outlet pipe, wherein an air inlet duct is inlaid on the table top; the air inlet duct and the air outlet pipe are located in the same vertical plane; an electric ion purification and disinfection system is arranged in the air inlet duct; the table body is provided with a pneumatic device; an air inlet and an air outlet of the pneumatic device are communicated with an air outlet of the air inlet duct and an air inlet duct of the air outlet pipe, respectively; the air outlet pipe includes a ventilation pipe, and an air outlet guide hood located at an air outlet of the ventilation pipe; an air outlet side of the air outlet guide hood is arranged toward the air inlet duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SHANDONG SADY MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaoshuai Xu, Ping Wang, Qidi Xu, Gang Hao, Lepeng Li, Zhaoshui Zhang
  • Patent number: 11660362
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatuses and methods for cleaning and disinfecting probes. A cleaner is utilized to remove foreign materials (e.g., bioburden, soil, and other like material) from the probe after it is removed from the patient by soaking and/or flushing the foreign materials from the probe. The cleaner may be an enzymatic detergent that has bacteriostatic properties to inhibit bacterial growth within the apparatus. The multiple enzymes in the cleaner attack the foreign material, and include low-foam properties for effective recirculation across cycles within the cleaning step. The probe is rinsed after the cleaning step, and after rinsing a disinfectant process is applied to the probe. The disinfectant soaks and/or flushes the probe for a specified amount of time across cycles of recirculation to disinfect the surface of the probe, and afterwards the probe is rinsed thoroughly to remove the disinfectant from the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Inventor: Gregory John Dobbyn
  • Patent number: 11660365
    Abstract: A sterilizing cabinet performs a method of processing a medical device, such as a used medical device or an otherwise non-sterile medical device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting a sterilization cycle from a plurality of available sterilization cycles. The sterilizing cabinet identifies a biological indicator associated with the selected sterilization cycle. The sterilizing cabinet prompts the user via a touch screen display to place the medical device and the biological indicator into a sterilization chamber of a sterilizing cabinet. The sterilizing cabinet performs load conditioning on the medical device in the sterilization chamber. The sterilizing cabinet then performs the selected sterilization cycle on the medical device in the sterilization chamber after completing the act of load conditioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ASP Global Manufacturing GmbH
    Inventors: Brian J. Thompson, Jacob S. Childs, Chunhui Xie, Marco A. Mangiaterra, Darius D. Eghbal, Margaret D. Shaffer, Jeremy M. Yarwood, Benjamin M. Fryer
  • Patent number: 11648329
    Abstract: In certain exemplary embodiments, an air purifier comprises a housing defining an enclosure and having an air entrance and an air exit; a particulate filter; a NCCO filter material configured to adsorb and decompose at least one gaseous pollutant; an AOG configured to generate at least one oxidant; an oxidant remover configured to remove at least one oxidant; a fan unit configured to generate airflow from the air entrance to the air exit; wherein the particulate filter, the NCCO filter material, the AOG, the oxidant remover and the fan unit are positioned within the enclosure such that during operation, a flow of air passes from the air entrance to the air exit through the particulate filter and the NCCO filter material along a direction of the flow of air. In certain embodiments, the air purifier may ensure safety to users while efficiency in removing contaminants can be greatly improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: RHT LIMITED
    Inventors: Chi Keung Rudy Chan, Ka Wai Jim, Lam Lung Yeung
  • Patent number: 11642830
    Abstract: Provided is a novel container sterilization method in which no liquid agent is used. A container sterilization method is a method of performing sterilization by supplying a sterilization component to a container that is continuously conveyed along a predetermined conveyance path, the container sterilization method including supplying a humid ozone gas to a sterilization area, the humid ozone gas being an ozone gas that has humidity, the sterilization area being partitioned by a sterilization chamber that contains the conveyance path. The humidity of the humid ozone gas to be supplied to the sterilization region is regulated, depending on a temperature of the containers to be conveyed to the sterilization region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINERY SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ueda, Kohichi Aoki, Daisuke Tanaka, Yasue Takeuchi, Kohichi Tamura, Takashi Minamihonoki
  • Patent number: 11623017
    Abstract: A smart air-purifier system to provide improved air quality in a negative pressure enclosure is disclosed. The system comprises a machine housing that encloses a filter unit to remove airborne particles. The filter unit includes a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. The system further includes one or more sensors to monitor the air quality and maintain the random forest approach (RAQ) for predicting air quality, a server to store a plurality of real-time data of the air-purifier system, and a user device to access the plurality of data stored in the server. Further, the real-time data is analyzed using internet-of-things (IoT) to perform surveillance to capture and monitor infection prevention and control data using a mobile application. The system further comprises a four-node controller inside the machine housing configured to switch on and off the system. Also, the system further comprises one or more ultraviolet (UV) lamps and an ionizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventors: Narayanan Narasimhan, Venkateswaran H
  • Patent number: 11617812
    Abstract: An apparatus includes at least one storage tank configured to store a disinfectant/sanitization solution, at least one pump connected to the at least one storage tank to distribute the disinfectant/sanitization solution via a piping system, at least one valve in communication with the piping system to open and close to control flow of the disinfectant/sanitization solution, at least one device to control the flow of the disinfectant/sanitization solution for a particular period of time to at least one misting nozzle, and the at least one misting nozzle in communication with the piping system and the at least one valve to mist a particular area with the disinfectant/sanitization solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Orbital Building Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent Padula, Stephen McCrossin, Alexander Hammelbacher
  • Patent number: 11613362
    Abstract: An air duct system is disclosed, and includes an air duct having a main body, where the main body of the air duct defines a passageway having a reflective inner surface. The air duct system also includes an ultraviolet light source configured to generate ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light source directs the ultraviolet light along the reflective inner surface of the air duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Nathan D Hiller
  • Patent number: 11607471
    Abstract: The present invention is generally related to an apparatus and method for sanitizing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, in particular the invention relates to a system, method and device that attach to a CPAP device and sanitizes all of the parts of the CPAP device, including the inner areas of the hose, reservoir and face mask most prone for bacteria buildup. The device has an ozone operating system and one or more ozone distribution lines that distributes ozone to a CPAP device and a non-permeable bag for sanitizing a CPAP mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: SOCLEAN INC.
    Inventors: Michael U. Schmidt, Timothy Leyva, Mariusz Surowaniec
  • Patent number: 11607470
    Abstract: To sterilize a sterilization filter unit with heated steam, minimize the heat load on the sterilization filter unit and extend the service life of the sterilization filter unit. Heated steam is supplied to a sterilization filter unit that sterilizes supplied air, the temperature of the heated steam discharged from the sterilization filter unit is measured at predetermined time intervals, the F value is calculated from the measured temperature, and sterilization of the sterilization filter unit is ended when the F value reaches a target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Hayakawa