Patents Examined by Lynn E Schwenning
  • Patent number: 12187553
    Abstract: A layer destacking system, for destacking a layer from a stacked layer pallet load, including a layer seating platform configured so as to seat the destacked layer on the layer seating platform, a slip sheet detection sensor arranged to sense a slip sheet in contact with the seated destacked layer, a slip sheet pickup removal mechanism, and a controller that receives a signal from the slip sheet detection sensor identifying presence of the slip sheet. The controller is operably connected to the slip sheet pickup removal mechanism so as to actuate the slip sheet pickup removal mechanism effecting discharge of the slip sheet off the layer seating platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Symbotic Canada, ULC
    Inventors: Sylvain Paul Morency, Louis Philippe Beaudoin, Matt Brecher, Christian Simon, Salah Mellal, Rene Alexander Vides Ramirez, Philippe Ambeault, Guillaume Lemelin, William Legare
  • Patent number: 12187555
    Abstract: An improved silo bag extractor that can collect grain or other flowable materials contained therein. As the extractor empties the silo bag's contents into an accompanying grain cart, it simultaneously performs differentiated cuts on the bag, effectively dividing it in two bands of plastic that are directed to the left and right sides of the machine, where they wind tightly around roll-up assemblies equipped with consumable rigid plastic cores. On terminating grain extraction, the used plastic sheet takes the form of two very dense bales that can each weigh 100 kilos or more depending on the original size of the bag. These bales are then released from the machine automatically, proffering several advantages: not having to manually collect large swaths of plastic, not having to rewind the plastic on a second contraption and accomplishing lesser compaction in the process, easier storing and handling, and lower transportation costs to recycling centers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: AGROINDUSTRIA Y SERVICIOS G Y G S.R.L.
    Inventor: Gabriel Alberto Richiger
  • Patent number: 12187175
    Abstract: A hydraulic system of a tow truck comprises first and second hydraulic wheel lift assemblies. The first hydraulic wheel lift is used to lift the two wheels of a vehicle that are closer to the tow truck. The second hydraulic wheel lift extends below the first hydraulic wheel lift to reach the other two wheels of the vehicle that are farther from the tow truck. The first and second hydraulic wheel lifts include wheel retainers to hold the corresponding wheels of the vehicle. The wheel retainers of the second hydraulic wheel lift include shafts that are attached to towing wheels to hold the wheels of the vehicle that are farther from the tow truck above the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Inventor: Iman Nonahal
  • Patent number: 12180003
    Abstract: The present invention provides a container-handling vehicle (9?) for picking up storage containers (6) from a three-dimensional grid (4) of an underlying storage system (1), comprising a vehicle body (13) and at least one lifting device (18) for lifting a storage container (6) from the grid (4), the lifting device (18?) comprises a lifting band drive assembly (47, 47?,31), a horizontal lifting frame (17) and a plurality of lifting bands (16a, 16b); the lifting band drive assembly (47, 47?,31) is connected to the vehicle body (13) and comprises at least one rotatable lifting shaft (22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: AutoStore Technology AS
    Inventor: Trond Austrheim
  • Patent number: 12180006
    Abstract: A method for loading break bulk cargo ships includes stacking one or more cargo layers in a hold of the break bulk cargo ship, wherein the stacking includes placing a bottom layer for each cargo layer, where the bottom layer is formed by one or more mats manufactured from an elastically deformable material, such that the mats form strips which extend adjacently of each other in elongate manner. The stacking further includes placing at least one layer of goods on the bottom layer, where the at least one layer of goods is formed by one or more layers of break bulk goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: BELGO-IBERIAN MARITIME NV
    Inventors: Jeroen De Smedt, Philippe Oyen
  • Patent number: 12168593
    Abstract: An L-shaped track has a vertical part configured to stand on the ground, a horizontal part configured to span over a roof, and a curved part in between. A motor-driven winch moves a carriage up and down the track. The carriage engages a skylight, which can be quickly and easily hoisted from the ground to the roof up the track to the roof to install the skylight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Solatube International, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcelo Esposito, Kalen Eidenschink, John Calvanico
  • Patent number: 12168377
    Abstract: The disclosure generally pertains to a robotic vehicle. An example robotic vehicle has a base platform that includes at least a chassis, an actuator, a sensor, and a controller. The chassis includes a first wheel that is attached to a first section of the chassis and further includes a second wheel attached to a second section of the chassis. The actuator has a proximal end attached to the first section of the chassis and a distal end attached to the second section of the chassis. The sensor is configured to obtain information associated with a stair structure located on a traversal path of the robotic vehicle. The controller evaluates the information obtained by the sensor and operates the actuator to vary a separation distance between the first section of the chassis and the second section of the chassis so as to enable the robotic vehicle to traverse the stair structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Smruti Panigrahi, Kurt Lundeen, Sanghyun Hong, Yifan Chen
  • Patent number: 12157647
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to unloading system and methods of using the same. In various embodiments, an unloading system comprises a trailer bed configured to receive a container thereon, wherein the trailer bed comprises one or more joints configurable between a plurality of joint positions, wherein the trailer bed is configured to lift, tilt, and oscillate at least a portion of the container based on the joints; and an extendable conveyor configured to receive a box that has been released from the container and convey the box away from the trailer bed. Various embodiments are directed to a method comprising tilting the container such that an open end of the container is lower than a closed end of the container, wherein the open end of the container is proximate to an extendable conveyor; and oscillating the container to facilitate release of a box from the container onto the extendable conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Sai Prasanth Krishnamoorthy, Dikshya Swain, Ramdas Pai, Thomas M. Ferner
  • Patent number: 12156852
    Abstract: An item storage apparatus includes a first storage to store items, a carrier to take an item from the first storage and convey the item, a first support supporting the carrier to be movable back and forth in a first horizontal direction, a second support supporting the first support to be movable back and forth in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, a vertical moving mechanism supporting the second support to be movable back and forth in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction, and a second storage to store the item. At least one of the first or second storage has a multi-tier structure in which a space for movement of the carrier is between tiers. The first support has a cantilever structure in which one end is secured to the second support and another end is free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kojima, Hirotaka Hayashi, Hiroshi Fujie, Takuya Morinaga, Wataru Nozaki
  • Patent number: 12151278
    Abstract: Apparatus for collecting oblong products, preferably metal products, comprising a first containing device (11) mobile between a work position, in which it is able to receive a plurality of oblong products (P) from a working machine, and a delivery position, in which said metal products (P) are picked up. The present invention also concerns a method to collect said oblong products (P) and a plant (100) for working them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: M.E.P. MACCHINE ELETTRONICHE PIEGATRICI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Giorgio Del Fabro
  • Patent number: 12151907
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for container dumpers having controlled unloading. In one embodiment, an example container unloading system may include a container support mechanism configured to secure a container, where the container has items inside, and a first conveyor configured to rotate from a first position to a second position. The first conveyor may be disposed in a vertical orientation adjacent to a sidewall of the container in the first position, and the first conveyor may be disposed in a non-vertical orientation adjacent to the sidewall of the container in the second position. The system may include a controller configured to cause the container support mechanism to rotate the container from a vertical orientation to a rotated orientation, and cause the first conveyor to be actuated, such that the items are conveyed out of the container by the first conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajeev Dwivedi, Parth Kamlesh Champaneri, Nikhil Madan Yardi
  • Patent number: 12139976
    Abstract: A stabilization manipulator for manipulating and moving drilling elements in a drilling rig includes a linear guide fixed to a drill floor; a carriage having a base and sliding blocks, sliding along the linear guide between a positions close to and distant from a well; a first arm having a first end constrained to the carriage base, to rotate about a horizontal axis; and a separate second arm having a first end constrained to the carriage base, to rotate about a horizontal axis. A roller is constrained to the first arm second end, to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the first arm, changing position relative to the first arm. A roller is constrained to the second arm second end, to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the second arm, changing position relative to the second arm. A rotation system rotates the base about a vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: DRILLMEC S.P.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Tiberi, Adolfo Basile
  • Patent number: 12128554
    Abstract: An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) with a single modular platform to mount plurality of material handling units is provided. The AMR includes a monolithic chassis; a top plate includes plurality of standoffs to mount at least one material handling units; the plurality of standoffs are integrated on top of the top plate; drive wheels are coupled to a wheel mount as a single unit to form a drive wheel assembly; a suspension unit is coupled symmetrically in between two main bodies which corresponds to the monolithic chassis and the drive wheel assembly with spring enclosures, suspension shafts, and coil springs; a set of side plates connect the monolithic chassis on the AMR. The top plate is sandwiched between the plurality of standoffs and the monolithic chassis. A load is transferred from the plurality of material handling units through the plurality of standoffs and the top plate to the monolithic chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Tata Consultancy Services Limited
    Inventors: Venkatesh Prasad Bangalore Srinivas, Venkat Raju Chintalapalli Patta, Swagat Kumar
  • Patent number: 12122301
    Abstract: A winch mounting device for mounting a winch to an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) includes a bracket, which is mountable to a frame of the ATV so that the bracket is positioned at a front end of a bed and behind a seat of the ATV. A winch is mountable to the bracket, positioning a user to attach a cable of the winch to a load and to winch the load into the bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Inventor: Jasper Buford
  • Patent number: 12122595
    Abstract: A guided trash can cart assembly for automatically transporting a garbage can to a pick up location includes a cart that has a pair of tracks on each side of the cart to drive the cart along a support surface. A dump box is hingedly integrated into the cart to receive a package delivery. An actuator is integrated into the cart and the actuator urges the dump box into a dumping position and a lowered position. An engagement element is integrated into the cart. A garbage can is provided and the engagement element releasably engages the garbage can. In this way the cart can transport the garbage can to a predetermined location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Inventor: Dominick Giacobbe
  • Patent number: 12116024
    Abstract: A railroad car moving vehicle comprises a chassis, the chassis including at least two ground wheels and at least two track wheels; a platform moveably mounted on the chassis; a platform lifting apparatus configured to move the platform between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the chassis, the platform lifting apparatus including a platform lifting cylinder operatively coupled between the chassis and the platform; and at least one locking leg, the locking leg positionable between an extended position and a stowed position, the locking leg preventing lowering of the platform when in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: STEWART & STEVENSON LLC
    Inventors: Brian Sharp, Joe Rielly, Matthew Drummond
  • Patent number: 12103785
    Abstract: Provided an automatic feeding device for automotive wheel hub, comprising a separable material rack having material rack units capable of being stacked in turn, a first roller table for conveying the separable material rack containing the wheel hub to a second roller table, and a material rack separating device having a support frame and material rack inserting and taking devices; the second roller table, under which a lifting platform is mounted, is located at a first end of lower part of the material rack inserting and taking device; the material rack inserting and taking device splitting the separable material rack into units, and placing to a third roller table being arranged at a second end of the lower part thereof; a manipulator, for grasping and placing the wheel hub from the material rack unit to a fourth roller table being on a second side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignees: QINGDAO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, IK GUJRAL PUNJAB TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Changhe Li, Minkai Chen, Zongming Zhou, Bo Liu, Yun Chen, Huajun Cao, Shubham Sharma, Naiqing Zhang, Qidong Wu, Teng Gao, Yanbin Zhang, Mingzheng Liu, Xiaoming Wang, Min Yang, Hao Ma, Xifeng Wu
  • Patent number: 12103836
    Abstract: A coupling structure includes an outer member attached over first and second column members, a first inner member between the first column member and the outer member, a second inner member between the second column member and the outer member, a first fixing member to fix the outer member to the first column member along with the first inner member, a second fixing member to fix the outer member to the second column member along with the second inner member, a third fixing member to fix the first inner member to the first column member, and a fourth fixing member to fix the second inner member to the second column member. The outer member and the first inner member are provided with a first positioner, and the outer member and the second inner member are provided with a second positioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Sai, Kazuhiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 12084326
    Abstract: A lift and tilt mechanism (1) is disclosed, comprising a base frame (10) and an upper lever arm (2) rotatably connected to each other by a lower lever arm (3) and a control rod (4), wherein a rotating arm (6) is rotatably connected to an upper lever arm (2), a torque arm (9) is rotatably connected to a lower lever arm (3), and the rotating arm (6) and the torque arm (9) are rotatably connected to each other, and wherein a power source (8) is rotatably connected to the upper lever arm (2) and directly or indirectly to the connection joint (19) for the rotating arm (6) and the torque arm (9), in such a way that an extension of the length of the power source (8) causes its suspension point (11) on the upper lever arm (2) to move in an substantially vertically direction, whereby the upper lever arm (2) is tilted towards a more upright position. Furthermore, a tilt system (21) comprising such a mechanism (1) is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Global FabTech (Shanghai) Company Limited
    Inventor: Hans Balle Christensen
  • Patent number: 12077398
    Abstract: In preferred embodiments, the present disclosure relates to methods for transportation of hazardous waste and/or waste classified under TSCA, and may comprise the acts of: translocating at least one intermodal trailer chassis from a primary terrestrial site to a first stationary barge, wherein said trailer chassis is carrying an intermodal shipping container containing the waste material, and wherein the first stationary barge is adapted to rise and fall with changes to the water level; moving the intermodal trailer chassis carrying the intermodal shipping container from the first stationary barge to a mobile barge adapted to traverse the body of water; traversing the body of water with the mobile barge; and offloading the at least one intermodal trailer chassis carrying the intermodal shipping container to a secondary terrestrial site via a second stationary barge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Heritage Environmental Services, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel Handschu