Patents Examined by Lester Ill Rushin
  • Patent number: 10450147
    Abstract: A conveying system is disclosed. The conveying system may have a first conveying apparatus that conveys a first article to a first location. The conveying system may also have a second conveying apparatus that conveys a second article to a second location. The conveying system may have a frame, a chute connected to the frame, and a third conveying apparatus. The chute may convey the first article received from the first conveying apparatus to a discharge location. The third conveying apparatus, disposed below the chute, may convey the second article received from the second conveying apparatus to the discharge location. The chute may be movable relative to the to the third conveying apparatus, such that the first or second article may be selectively conveyed to the discharge location via the chute or third conveying apparatus, depending on the position of the chute relative to the third conveying apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: FEDEX GROUND PACKAGE SYSTEM, INC.
    Inventors: John Hughes, Timothy Roney
  • Patent number: 10414590
    Abstract: A brake mechanism for a pallet storage system includes a leg defining a stop surface and movable between a stop position, wherein the stop surface is disposed within a travel path of a pallet traveling along a pallet storage system, and a go position, wherein the stop surface is displaced from the travel path. A biasing mechanism having a spring force is coupled to the leg and configured to bias the leg towards the stop position such that the spring force is required to be overcome to permit the leg to move from the stop position to the go position. Pallet storage systems including at least one of such brake mechanisms are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Inventor: Xiaoyu Guo
  • Patent number: 10414631
    Abstract: A device for driving a handrail of a passenger conveyor includes an endless drive element that is driven by a motor. Support rolls are disposed on the side of the drive element which lies opposite to the handrail, and the drive element is supported on the support rolls by a belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Innova Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Pavel Vlasak, Jiri Drencko
  • Patent number: 10407255
    Abstract: A device for transporting stationary objects, such as containers, bottles, multipacks, packaged items, which comprises at least one transporting device having a first conveying speed and defines a transport plane for the standing transport of the objects, at least one web arranged parallel to the transporting device, the upper side of the web defines a support plane and the web has a length which is at least equal to double the diameter of the deck surface of the objects to be transported, and at least a lifting device, by which the relative tilting of the support plane of the web relative to the transport plane of the at least one transporting device can be changed, the lifting device allows a step-free tilting of the web and/or transporting device, so that the horizontal position of an intersection line between the support plane and the transport plane is continuously adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Heuft Systemtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Heuft
  • Patent number: 10399277
    Abstract: The invention relates to a transport system for a plastics-processing joining system, to the joining system itself and to a method for operating a plastics-processing joining system. It is known to feed plastics components by means of transport systems for processing purposes to a main material transport means, for example moving film path, in order to produce bags for medical purposes. According to the invention, individually controlled movable workpiece carriers for the components are provided, or in addition to a work conveyor path for the workpiece carriers, a path for temporary parking is provided for a separate multitude of workpiece carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: KIEFEL GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Haas, Thomas Halletz
  • Patent number: 10399794
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a space separator for a sorting robot. A preferred embodiment of the space separator may comprise: at least one layer of trays, an axial center of the tray being provided with a shaft, the tray being provided with a slot in which an openable tray door is provided, an end of the tray extending upwards to form a tray wall; wherein the space separator is disposed along the shaft of the tray till the tray wall, the space separator being rotatable about the shaft of the tray. This embodiment enables a flexible adjustment of the number and size of the storage bins divided on the tray with the space separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: Beijing Jingdong Shangke Information Technology Co, JD.com American Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Zihang Wei
  • Patent number: 10399788
    Abstract: A pallet transport device includes a plurality of pallet rails; a pallet feeding unit configured to transport the pallet along the pallet rails; a pallet moving unit configured to horizontally rotate so as to move the pallet; one or more short rails disposed at a periphery of the pallet moving unit; a pallet feeding assist unit configured to move the pallet from the pallet rails to the short rails, or move the pallet from the short rails to the pallet rails; and an elevator unit configured to cause the pallet feeding assist unit to descend and ascend. The horizontal rotation of the pallet moving unit is permitted by the descent of the pallet feeding assist unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: NITTOKU ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ikuo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10384892
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for receiving, transporting, and dispensing film bags, comprising a film bag magazine with multiple parallel magazine shafts and two circulating conveyor belt devices which can be driven independently of each other and which comprise film bag receiving areas arranged thereon, said conveyor belt devices circulating about two common axes. The two axes are designed to be drivable independently of each other, and each axis drives one of the two conveyor belt devices. The invention further relates to a method for receiving, transporting, and dispensing film bags by means of the device for receiving, transporting, and dispensing film bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Inventors: Rolf Harth, Frank Lechert
  • Patent number: 10358294
    Abstract: A collapsible conveyor rack for supporting a conveyor is disclosed to include a bottom rack unit including a frame body and a pivot connector, a folding unit including a pivot connector pivotally connected to the pivot connector of the bottom rack unit for allowing biasing of the folding unit relative to the bottom rack unit and a retractable portion connected to the pivot connector of the folding unit, a retracting unit including a retractable portion coupled to and retractable relative to the retractable portion of the folding unit, and a driving mechanism for moving the retracting unit relative to the folding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: KEYARROW (TAIWAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Fu-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 10358300
    Abstract: Article sorting equipment of the invention comprises a flat conveyor of the chain type having carrier links configured to convey articles towards sorting outlets in a certain conveying direction. The links are mounted to slide on the chain transversely relative to the conveying direction and the sorting outlets are disposed under the links of the chain, one after another in the conveying direction. The links are also arranged to come out from under the articles when they are slid so as to cause the articles to fall into the sorting outlets. A monitoring and control unit for monitoring and controlling the sorting equipment is also configured to cause the links to slide as a function of the sorting outlets into which the articles are to be sorted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: SOLYSTIC
    Inventor: Jean Rieu
  • Patent number: 10358249
    Abstract: A label positioning mechanism has a conveying mechanism, a label dispensing mechanism disposed on a side of the conveying mechanism, a first labeling mechanism disposed together with the label dispensing mechanism on the same side of the conveying mechanism and positioned proximate to the label dispensing side, and a second labeling mechanism which is disposed on another side of the conveying mechanism and opposes the first labeling mechanism. A first tight-fitting winding belt of the first labeling mechanism and a second tight-fitting winding belt of the second labeling mechanism move in opposite transmission directions and come into contact with each other to rotate bottles. Therefore, the label positioning mechanism is capable of rotating labeled bottles by a specific angle by adjusting the speeds of the conveying mechanism, the first tight-fitting winding belt, and the second tight-fitting winding belt so as to render ensuing processes speedy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Inventor: Chien-Hsing Wang
  • Patent number: 10343852
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sorting device for elements of the cap or stopper type, used to close a bottle or vial, or of the plastic preform type. The device includes a continuous conveyor arranged to travel in a conveying direction and equipped with successive transverse stop members between which the elements can rest in transverse alignment. The sorting device includes an ejector for ejecting the elements from the conveyor by moving the elements essentially along the length of the transverse stop members, the ejector include at least one push member which can move at least transversely to the conveying direction so as to push the elements towards the exit zone. Also disclosed is a corresponding method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: GEBO PACKAGING SOLUTIONS FRANCE SAS
    Inventor: Emmanuel Roth
  • Patent number: 10322887
    Abstract: In a method for opening a transport pocket (15), which is moved in a conveying direction (BR) along a running rail (11) extending in the conveying direction (BR) for the conveying of goods suspended on a carriage (12), simple and precise loading and/or unloading of the transport pocket (15) is enabled by the fact that the carriage (12) with the transport pocket (15) suspended thereon is stopped in its forward movement at a predetermined point of the running rail (11) in order to open the transport pocket (15), and that the transport pocket (15) of the carriage (12) is opened for loading and/or unloading of conveyed goods to be transported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: FERAG AG
    Inventor: Robert Fenile
  • Patent number: 10322480
    Abstract: A production line comprises at least one assembly station which is electronically controlled, in which a chain-conveyor device feeds with continuous motion a plurality of pallets carrying parts to be assembled. The production line further comprises at least one module for carrying containers provided with a plurality of part-holder containers for supplying parts to said at least one assembly station. The module comprises a plurality of drawers associated to a paternoster conveyor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Comau S.p.A.
    Inventors: Simone Belardinelli, Ugo Ghirardi
  • Patent number: 10315853
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically leveling a base frame of a bulk material transport conveyor include raising or lowering either or both radial travel wheels mounted on generally opposing sides of the base frame. Actuators normally used to raise or lower the radial travel wheel actuators may be controlled in response to inclination and/or limit sensors mounted on the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Superior Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Nelson, Scott Oberg, Steven Haugen, Bryan Weiss
  • Patent number: 10294081
    Abstract: The present invention provides an escalator braking system and an escalator braking control method, belonging to the field of escalator braking control technology. In the escalator braking system and the escalator braking control method according to the present invention, a braking mode is determined based on the classification of failure information in combination with the corresponding image information, and a braking device is controlled based on the braking mode, so that the braking is more intelligent, scientific and accurate, the occurrence of security problems caused by the failure can be effectively prevented, and the probability of accident is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: LongWen Wang
  • Patent number: 10259660
    Abstract: A method and device for conveying and grouping products by supplying the products in a first conveying direction on a track by a first conveying device, wherein the products are located one behind another at arbitrary spacings; grouping the products on the track by a grouping device so that a defined number of products are arranged at defined spacings one behind another in a formed product group on the track behind the grouping device in the conveying direction; and transferring the formed product group to a second conveying device for forwarding in a second conveying direction so that the products maintain their relative alignment at the defined spacings with respect to one another in the formed product group and are essentially located side by side in a row. In a multiple-track embodiment, a product matrix is formed from several product groups which are located side by side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: LOESCH VERPACKUNGSTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Heinz-Peter Hammacher, Roland Pleichinger
  • Patent number: 10259654
    Abstract: A helical conveyor comprises a belt having a transport section for transporting products where the belt follows at least partly a helical path between a lower end and an upper end of the transport section and a return section where the belt follows a path. The conveyor comprises a lower end reverse guide for turning the belt upside down and reversing its direction of movement between the transport section and the return section at the lower end of the transport section and an upper end reverse guide for turning the belt upside down and reverting its direction of movement between the transport section and the return section at the upper end of the transport section. The return section leaves the upper end through a horizontally oriented upper return section portion and the return section leaves the lower end through a horizontally oriented lower return section portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: AMBAFLEX INTERNATIONAL B.V.
    Inventors: Wouter Balk, Johannes Wilhelmus Broers
  • Patent number: 10246266
    Abstract: To reduce mechanical loading due to guidance of the transport unit of a conveyor installation in the form of a long stator linear motor and nevertheless ensure safe retention of the transport unit on the conveyor track of the conveyor installation in all operating conditions, the normal force (FNn) is controlled with a controller (Rk) for controlling the normal force (FNn). The controller (Rk) determines a normal-force-forming current component (iAnd) of the drive current (iAn) of the drive coils interacting with the transport unit (Tn) so that a resulting normal force (F?Nn) acting on the transport unit (Tn) as the sum of the normal force (FNn), a magnetic force (FMn) in the normal direction (N) caused by the drive magnets, and an external force (FEn) in the normal direction (N) acting on the transport unit (Tn) corresponds at least to a specified retaining force (FNnmin) in the normal direction (N).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: B&R INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Weber, Franz Spanlang
  • Patent number: 10239703
    Abstract: A board turner assembly may include an endless chain, first and second groups of turning arms pivotably coupled with the endless chain and disposed along opposite sides thereof, an upper guide with an inclined surface, an actuator selectively operable to move the upper guide between a resting position and an extended position, and one or more endless belts. The turning arms may be spaced apart at regular intervals that are offset on one side of the chain relative to the other. The groups of turning arms may be operated in an alternating fashion to turn selected boards to a desired orientation (e.g., wane side up). Corresponding methods and systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: USNR, LLC
    Inventors: Tim Staal, Thomas Congdon