Patents Examined by Lynn Schwenning
  • Patent number: 9873975
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method and corresponding apparatus of transferring a piece of cloth from a pair of spreader clamps to a conveyor via a transverse boom, where the piece of cloth is first suspended and straightened between the spreader clamps, then delivered to the transverse boom, and subsequently delivered from the transverse boom to the conveyor. Apart from that, a straightening of the fore edge of the piece of cloth is performed, seen in the direction of conveyance of the conveyor, after its delivery from the clamps to the transverse boom has been initiated, but before it is delivered to the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: JENSEN DENMARK A/S
    Inventors: Steen Nielsen, Henrik Munch Jensen, Niels Peter Madsen
  • Patent number: 9776812
    Abstract: A device and method for automatically stacking packages on a roll container in a predetermined spatial arrangement for forming a stack, comprising at least one feed conveyor which arranges the individual packages in a predetermined order; a lifting and lowering unit for lifting and lowering of the roll container in the Y-direction; at least one sliding plate and one pusher in order to transport the packages in the Z-direction to the predetermined position in the stack; moveable journals being provided in order to separate the lateral walls of the roll container. In a particular embodiment the journals are arranged on rotating disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Dematic GmbH
    Inventor: Jörg Cavelius
  • Patent number: 9776843
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wheel based measuring system and a method for lifting a vehicle. The lifting system includes one stationary lift; a number of moveable lifts; positioning means for defining a position of a wheel axle of the vehicle; distance measuring means for determining the distance of the vehicle to a reference point; and control means for determining the distance between two vehicle axles and steering the one or more moveable lifts to the correct position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Stertil B.V.
    Inventor: Johan Luinge
  • Patent number: 9771131
    Abstract: A vessel for e.g. well intervention or deep sea lowering, comprises a moon pool and a hoisting arrangement for lowering and retrieving items, in particular equipment, tools, and/or supplies or modules comprising the same, through the moon pool, into respectively from the sea and onto respectively from the seabed or an installation on the seabed. The vessel further comprises one or more guides for laterally retaining items inside the moon pool, preferably at least two guides positioned on opposite sides of the moon pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: IHC HOLLAND IE B.V.
    Inventors: Jurgen Arjan Zijlmans, Eline Wilhelmina Heerema, Marius Peerdeman, Norbert Zandbergen
  • Patent number: 9771249
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sporting vehicle lift that lifts a sporting vehicle and allows a car to be placed under the lifted vehicle. Sling arms that move vertically on a lift tower are connected to a lift pan with pivot connector to raise and lower the lift pan with respect to the floor and allow said lift pan to pivot. The lift pan rotates towards the tower by either placing the pivot connectors on the lift pan in a position so that the center of gravity causes the lift pan to rotate towards the tower, or by using a tilt arm, that is connected to the lift pan, which engages a pivot pin on the tower to rotate the lift pan as the lift pan is raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Inventor: William E. Scott
  • Patent number: 9758321
    Abstract: The automatic layer picking assembly for a warehouse comprises a movable layer transporter comprising layer positioner that is operable to position the movable layer transporter with respect to the predetermined pallet positions separately from a pallet transporter during a pallet layer mixing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: INTRION NV
    Inventor: Gerard Paulussen
  • Patent number: 9758265
    Abstract: A gripping head for a loading robot or manipulator of a cartoning machine capable of nesting articles arranged on two substantially parallel rows, the gripping head comprising a row of gripping members, wherein each of the gripping members comprises a gripping section adapted to receive two adjacent articles and on opposite sides with respect to a centerline plane, and wherein at least the gripping members having even index position or odd index position in the row rotate by about 180 degrees around an axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: CAMA1 S.p.A.
    Inventor: Daniele Bellante
  • Patent number: 9758314
    Abstract: A rotary device includes a bracket, a first supporting module, a second supporting module and a driving module. The two supporting modules respectively have a pivot end and a connective end. The two pivot ends are pivotally connected to different and adjacent position of the bracket. The driving module is utilized to reversely rotate the first supporting module and the second supporting module, simultaneously. The driving module includes an actuating component, a first rod and a second rod. The first rod is connected between the first connective end and a side of the actuating component. The second rod is connected between the second connective end and an opposite side of the actuating component. When the actuating component rotates at a first direction, the first rod rotates the first supporting module at a second direction, and the second rod rotates the second supporting module at the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Zhong-hui Mao
  • Patent number: 9751704
    Abstract: An automatic stack feeder having a moveable stack or product guide is disclosed. The automatic stack feeder may be configured to receive a stack of articles and a container enclosing a stack of articles. To ensure the stack of articles is properly supported following unloading from the container, the stack guide is moveable between a first and a second position, wherein the stack guide is in contact with the stack of articles while in the first position, and not in contact with the stack when in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, William P. McConnell, Robert E. Hume, Thomas A. Hillerich, Darin Dickey
  • Patent number: 9744791
    Abstract: A booklet processing mechanism is described that includes a spine guidance system that is configured to hold the area adjacent to the spine of an opened, multiple sheet booklet against a backing plate during processing on a page of the booklet, for example by a laser or during vision verification. The spine guidance system is configured so that it resides closely adjacent to the spine of the booklet, below the field of lasing by the laser or other processing operation, so that it does not interfere with the processing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: ENTRUST DATACARD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary Schultze, Dennis J. Warwick
  • Patent number: 9743764
    Abstract: A preassembled parallel wire cable creates a random cast of loops. Any of the random cast of loops is hung for transport, thus eliminating costly and time-consuming coiling and reeling operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: ULTIMATE STRENGTH CABLE, LLC
    Inventor: Walter L. Lambert
  • Patent number: 9738458
    Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade handling system for moving a wind turbine rotor blade is provided. The wind turbine rotor blade comprises a root portion, a tip portion and a rotor blade longitudinal rotational axis extending from the root portion to the tip portion. Furthermore, the wind turbine rotor blade handling system comprises a rotary device to rotate the wind turbine rotor blade about the rotor blade longitudinal rotational axis. The rotary device is arranged and prepared for being fastened to the tip portion. Additionally, a method of moving the wind turbine rotor blade by means of the wind turbine rotor blade handling system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Thomas Posborg Schmidt, Soeren Baek Vennegaard
  • Patent number: 9725250
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for handling cylindrical tubulars in a process that, in preferred embodiments, also performs cleaning, inspection and other operations on the tubular. The tubular is held stationary while it is rotated. During rotation of the tubular, internal and external cleaning systems, and data acquisition systems, pass up and down the length of the rotating tubular. In preferred embodiments, a first tubular is loaded onto the handling machine, whereupon it is indexed and then rotated. Cleaning, inspection and other operations may be performed during rotation. Once operations are complete, the handling system ejects the first tubular while queuing up a second tubular to be loaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Thomas Engineering Solutions & Consulting, LLC
    Inventors: William C. Thomas, William J. Thomas, III, Perry J. DeCuir, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9701519
    Abstract: A lifting tool for opposing twisting of generally submerged ropes. The lifting tool includes a body with a center axis, an operable lock configured to selectively limit movement of a rope connector through the body, and a structure coupled to the body and configured to couple to a hoist or crane. The lifting tool also includes at least one rudder positioned at a radial distance from the center axis to oppose rotation of the lifting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Norway, AS
    Inventor: Yngvar Boroy
  • Patent number: 9682831
    Abstract: A rail-road intermodal freight system. In an embodiment, a conveyor system is provided for placing rail cars in a position for loading shipping containers thereon, while an over-the-road trailer is secured to the rail car. By utilizing the method, efficient loading and unloading of train involved in intermodal shipments may save considerable time, and thus reduce costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: SEA-TRAIN EXPRESS-LLC
    Inventor: David Kun
  • Patent number: 9682815
    Abstract: A method of delivering proppant to a well site has the steps of transporting a load of proppant in a vessel to a desired location, moving the load of proppant from the vessel into a container so as to create a proppant-loaded container, unloading the proppant-loaded container into a pneumatic bulk trailer, and transporting the unloaded proppant in the pneumatic bulk trailer to well site. The container is placed onto a bed of a truck and moved in proximity to the vessel. The proppant-loaded container is placed onto a tilting mechanism and then tilted so that the proppant is discharged through a flow gate of a container into a hopper. The proppant in the hopper can then be conveyed to the pneumatic bulk trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: OREN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: John Oren
  • Patent number: 9679794
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of present disclosure, a spacer is provided. The spacer includes at least a protrusion formed to protrude from an outer periphery of the spacer. The protrusion serves to locate the spacer in place in a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the spacer when the spacer is fixed by the transfer mechanism in such a way that the protrusion comes in contact with the transfer mechanism, and configured to allow the spacer to rotate or move in case the spacer is deviated from a predetermined transfer position when the spacer is engaged with the transfer mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Oyama, Yasushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9670037
    Abstract: A crew boat for transporting personnel to and from an offshore platform is equipped with a passenger capsule and a basket-like cradle, which retains the passenger capsule adjacent a passenger deck during the voyage. The passenger capsule forms a watertight enclosure, which can serve as a life raft in emergency. The passenger capsule is equipped with its own automated heave compensation system, power supply, and stabilization means. The passenger capsule is equipped to be lifted and lowered onto the cradle using platform-mounted cranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Advanced Personnel Pods, LLC
    Inventors: Natchez Morice, III, Leslie Lallande, Chris Gunter
  • Patent number: 9663304
    Abstract: A rotary chuck includes a clamp assembly, a first drive mechanism for operating the clamp assembly to clamp an associated workpiece, a frame rotationally fixed to the clamp assembly, and a second drive mechanism for rotating the frame and the clamp assembly. The second drive mechanism can rotate the frame and the clamp assembly around 360 degrees. A pair of alignment springs are engaged with a mounting plate upon which the second drive mechanism is mounted. The mounting plate can pivot relative to a stable surface to which it is mounted, and the springs limit the pivotal movement. Each first and second drive mechanism includes a motor, and are connected to a microprocessor for operation of the respective motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: GREENLEE TEXTRON INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Mantell, Jeffrey Plummer, Gerald Tully, Sean Daugherty
  • Patent number: 9653337
    Abstract: A transport arm including a holding unit that holds a substrate by vacuum adsorption. The holding unit has an air discharge port and an adsorption member formed so as to surround the air discharge port. The adsorption member is a squeeze packing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO OHKA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Inao, Satoshi Kobari, Akihiko Nakamura