Patents Examined by Michael E Barr
  • Patent number: 10998851
    Abstract: Generally, a panel maintenance system including a panel maintenance assembly configured to move over a plurality of panel modules. Specifically, a panel module including a first frame including a first plurality of frame members joined to enclose a first panel. The first plurality of frame members including a first frame inner side configured to capture the first panel within the first frame and a first frame outer side configured to provide a first track axially extending between first and second ends of at least one of the first plurality of frame members. The first track configured to engage a drive element of a panel maintenance assembly which operates to move the panel maintenance assembly over the first panel. The panel maintenance assembly bears one or more components which function to maintain the first panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Steam Tech, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Hartman
  • Patent number: 10994312
    Abstract: An apparatus for washing solid particles removed from a hydrocarbon-containing fluid produced from an oil and gas production facility using a company automated unit. The apparatus comprises an inlet that carries a mixture of solids particles and water flushed from a de-sander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Fourphase AS
    Inventors: Jorgen Bruntveit, Karl Ole Lyngbo
  • Patent number: 10988885
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance having a rotatable basket that defines a treating chamber, a tub for mounting the rotatable basket, a drive assembly mounted to the tub for rotating the basket and a drive motor mounted to the tub for driving the drive assembly. The tub has a lower region comprising a central cavity and a second cavity. The drive assembly is nested in the central cavity and the drive motor is nested in the second cavity for reducing the vertical stack of tub and the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Eric K. Farrington, Karl David McAllister, Brenner M. Sharp
  • Patent number: 10981025
    Abstract: A fire hose cleaning device that includes a washing frame comprising a piping system having one or more spray apertures for discharging a liquid to clean a fire hose. The piping system comprising a base pipe section, a top pipe section disposed in parallel alignment with the base pipe section, and two or more side pipe sections disposed in parallel alignment coupled to the base section and the top section. The washing frame may include a hose adapter. The hose adapter may connect to an open end of a hose to receive a liquid to pass through the washing frame. The washing frame may include one or more hose reception devices coupled to the two or more side pipe sections. The one or more hose reception devices enables a fire hose to be positioned thereon and selectively pass through the washing frame while being sprayed with the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Inventor: Joshua Ostler
  • Patent number: 10985037
    Abstract: Various examples regarding substrate cleaning apparatus and methods, and related apparatus and method are disclosed. According to one embodiment, provided is a substrate cleaning apparatus including: a substrate holding and rotating module; an elongated cleaning member configured to come into contact with the substrate while the substrate is held and rotated by the substrate holding and rotating module; and a first nozzle and a second nozzle, both of which are arranged on an identical side with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, wherein the first nozzle is operably adjusted to supply liquid more forcefully than liquid from the second nozzle, and the first nozzle is arranged so that the liquid from the first nozzle is reached to a first area located closer to the first nozzle than the cleaning member in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Minoshima, Masayoshi Imai
  • Patent number: 10981188
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing a residue of a substance, extrudable through a nozzle of an automated end-effector, from an exterior of the nozzle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a dispenser. The dispenser comprises a platform to support at least one cleaning pad. The dispenser further comprises a cage to maintain at least the one cleaning pad on the platform. The platform is movable relative to the cage. The apparatus also comprises a constricting device to circumferentially squeeze one of at least the one cleaning pad, adhesively picked up from the platform by the nozzle, around the nozzle once the nozzle is inserted into the constricting device. The apparatus additionally comprises a disposal receptacle to collect the one of at least the one cleaning pad, released from the constricting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John J. DeForest, Fei Cai, Cameron J. Moore, Jeffrey R. Joyce
  • Patent number: 10980394
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes: a tub that defines an washing chamber; spray nozzles configured to spray washing water into the washing chamber; a sump configured to store washing water; a steam nozzle configured to supply steam to the washing chamber; a washing pump housing coupled to the sump and connected to the spray nozzles or the steam nozzle; a heater configured to heat washing water in the washing pump housing; a washing motor configured to rotate an impeller; a washing water outflow pipe defining an outflow path protruding outward from one side of the washing pump housing; a steam discharge pipe that extends from a discharge port defined at a circumferential surface of the washing water outflow pipe; and a first protrusion disposed in an upper portion of the outflow path and disposed downstream of the discharge port in a flow direction of the washing water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sangwoo Woo, Minseong Kim, Hyungman Park
  • Patent number: 10975509
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a cleaning machine automatically identifies cleaning instructions associated with a load of textile articles, e.g., wearable and/or non-wearable textile articles, using an RFID reader. At least some of the wearable textile articles in the load include a respective RFID tag that provides information to the cleaning machine. In turn, the cleaning machine can configure various cleaning settings based upon the information. Some embodiments identify incompatibilities between the various cleaning settings, and provide a notification of this incompatibility. When the various cleaning settings are compatible, some embodiments automatically start a cleaning cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Scott DeBates, Jagatkumar Shah, Mary Hor-Lao, Douglas Lautner
  • Patent number: 10974288
    Abstract: The wall-climbing pressure washing tool is configured for use in washing a wall. The wall-climbing pressure washing tool transports a liquid under pressure to the wall. The wall-climbing pressure washing tool diverts a portion of the received liquid to generate a motive force that moves the wall-climbing pressure washing tool along the wall. The wall-climbing pressure washing tool comprises a pressure head and a telescopic handle. The pressure head is the working element of the wall-climbing pressure washing tool. The pressure head diverts a portion of the liquid to a motive device that moves the pressure head along the wall. The pressure head transports the balance of the liquid to the wall. The telescopic handle manipulates the wall-climbing pressure washing tool. The span of the length of the telescopic handle adjusts as the pressure head moves along the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Kirikos Georgatos
  • Patent number: 10974286
    Abstract: A washing apparatus for a 3D-printed article is provided for the removal of support material from the article. The apparatus includes a glove isolation cabinet with a liquid-discharging nozzle to enable an operator to spray an article with a washing liquid, and a drain. A first filter arrangement receives liquid discharged from the cabinet. The washing liquid drains through the first filter arrangement under the influence of gravity but the first filter arrangement is located in a trough in which washing liquid that has passed through the first filter arrangement accumulates whereby, in use, one or more filters of the first filter arrangement are submerged to ensure filtered-out residue remains submerged in the washing liquid. A pump is provided to pump liquid that has passed through the first filter arrangement through a second filter arrangement adapted to filter out solid material equal to or greater than 5 ?m in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: David James Dore
  • Patent number: 10978316
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing device according to an embodiment includes a processing tank configured to store a chemical therein to allow a semiconductor substrate to be immersed in the chemical. A gas supply part is provided below the semiconductor substrate accommodated in the processing tank and is configured to supply air bubbles to the chemical from below the semiconductor substrate. A chemical supply part is provided above the gas supply part and below the semiconductor substrate and is configured to discharge the chemical caused to circulate from the processing tank, towards the air bubbles appearing from the gas supply part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakaoka, Tomohiko Sugita, Shinsuke Kimura, Hiroaki Ashidate, Katsuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 10974287
    Abstract: The cable cleaning and rolling system combines an automated cleaning and winding system for industrial cables and the like with a water filtration system for recycling the water used to clean the cable. The cable cleaning and rolling system includes a hollow base, a feed drum and a receiving drum. The feed drum is adapted for releasably retaining and feeding the cable to be cleaned, and the receiving drum is adapted for receiving and rolling the cable after it has been cleaned and dried. At least one nozzle, for spraying cleaning water on the cable, at least one brush, for scrubbing the cable, and a blower, for drying the cable, are positioned between the feed drum and the receiving drum. Waste water from the cleaning is received within the hollow base, extracted therefrom, and delivered to a water filtration unit for recycling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Asel Mohamed Mwafy, Abdel-Hamid Ismail Mourad, Mouza Saeed Al Mansoori, Farah Ashraf Genena, Shahd Aahed Anshasy
  • Patent number: 10968553
    Abstract: The invention discloses a waterless fiber dyeing machine suitable for mixed fluid medium, including a dyeing tank, a carbon dioxide pressurizing system and a polar medium pressurizing system, a fiber loading system, a circulating dyeing system, a carbon dioxide recycling system, a polar medium separating and recycling system and an automatic unloading system. Since there are pressurizing systems and separating and recycling systems for carbon dioxide medium and polar medium, dyeing with the mixed fluid medium is realized in the waterless dyeing tank and the circulating dyeing system thereof; the hydrophobic carbon dioxide fluid medium is effectively modified, so that the dyeing performance and effect of the dye molecules on the hydrophilic natural fiber are improved. The fiber loading system and the unloading system can significantly improve the fiber loading efficiency, the discharging efficiency of the products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Jiajie Long
  • Patent number: 10967407
    Abstract: An apparatus for conditioning a component of a processing chamber is provided. A tank for holding a megasonic conditioning solution is provided. A mount holds the component immersed in a megasonic conditioning solution, when the tank is filled with the megasonic conditioning solution. A megasonic conditioning solution inlet system delivers the megasonic conditioning solution to the tank. A megasonic transducer head comprises at least one megasonic transducer to provide megasonic energy to the megasonic conditioning solution, wherein the megasonic energy is delivered to the component via the megasonic conditioning solution. A megasonic conditioning solution drain system drains the megasonic conditioning solution from the tank at a location above where the component is held in the megasonic conditioning solution. An actuator moves the megasonic transducer head across the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Amir A. Yasseri, Hong Shih, John Daugherty, Duane Outka, Lin Xu, Armen Avoyan, Cliff La Croix, Girish Hundi
  • Patent number: 10952590
    Abstract: A dishwasher includes a case, a sump connected to an inside of the case and collecting washing water, a washing pump receiving washing water from the sump and generating steam, and a steam nozzle connected to the washing pump and spraying steam to the inside of the case. The steam nozzle includes a steam nozzle body having a steam inlet and including a steam accommodating portion accommodating steam therein, a first steam sprayer provided in the steam nozzle body and spraying steam to the inside of the case, and a second steam sprayer provided in the steam nozzle body and disposed at a position farther from the steam inlet than the first steam sprayer, wherein a tunnel flow path penetrating through a lower end of the first steam sprayer is formed to allow steam passing through the tunnel flow path to be introduced into the second steam sprayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ilhwan Kim, Seunghun Kim, Sangwoo Woo
  • Patent number: 10945584
    Abstract: A drying system includes a tub defining a wet chamber with an outlet defined in the tub. The drying system also includes a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat pipes. Each heat pipe of the plurality of heat pipes has an evaporator section and a condenser section. The evaporator sections of the plurality of heat pipes define an evaporator section of the heat exchanger. The condenser sections of the plurality of heat pipes of the heat exchanger define a condenser section of the heat exchanger. The evaporator section of the heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the outlet to receive a flow of humid air from the outlet. The dishwashing appliance also includes an inlet defined in the tub. The inlet is configured to receive a flow of dry air from the condenser section of the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramasamy Thiyagarajan, Adam Christopher Hofmann, Abhisek Agrawal
  • Patent number: 10927492
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry processing apparatus and a control method thereof. A laundry processing apparatus operated by means of a motor, which has a plurality of washing units for performing washing independently of each other, charges a current generated during braking of a motor provided in each of the first washing unit and the second washing unit in a battery provided therein and uses the charged power at the next driving of the motor, thereby preventing the wasting of energy and reducing energy consumption even when power consumption is increased due to a simultaneous operation of the first washing unit and the second washing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Yonggyung Bae
  • Patent number: 10927486
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control method of a laundry treatment apparatus including a cabinet defining an external appearance and having a front opening, a drawer provided to be discharged through the opening, a tub accommodated in the drawer to accommodate wash water therein, a drum rotatably provided inside the tub to accommodate laundry therein, a fastening unit configured to separably couple the drawer to the cabinet, and a sensing unit configured to sense whether the drawer is discharged from the cabinet, the method including receiving a control command to operate the laundry treatment apparatus, sensing whether insertion of the drawer into the cabinet is completed by controlling the sensing unit, locking the drawer to the cabinet by controlling the fastening unit, performing the control command, and releasing a locked state so as to separate the drawer from the cabinet by controlling the fastening unit when the control command is completely performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yanghoon Jung, Heechul Choi
  • Patent number: 10918259
    Abstract: A dishwasher appliance includes a tub. A leak pan is positioned below the tub. A leveling assembly is configured for adjusting a level of the tub. The leveling assembly includes a housing mounted to the leak pan. A leveling leg is positioned within the housing. The leveling leg has a foot. An axle is mounted to the leak pan. A gear set is positioned within the housing. The gear set is configured to transfer rotation of the axle through the gear set to the leveling leg to adjust the level of the tub. The foot of the leveling leg is spaced from a thread on an outer surface of the leveling leg such that the gear set unmeshes from the thread on the outer surface of the leveling leg when the leveling leg is fully retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Arpit Singhal, Brian Steven Riddle
  • Patent number: 10920364
    Abstract: A novel filter canister configured to dock into a dry-cleaning machine incorporates unique structural elements that reduce or eliminate debris overfill and jamming of the filter canister after an extended dry-cleaning operation. In particular, a novel perforated hollow inner core, a vertical strut-based canister docking frame, a washable and reusable cartridge with a perforated rigid inner surface layer and a particulate filtering element-encapsulating outer surface layer, and a removable lid that secures or frees the washable and reusable cartridge that constitute the novel filter canister enable a dry-cleaning operator to install, clean, and reuse the washable and reusable cartridge conveniently for numerous dry-cleaning cycles while avoiding debris overfill, canister jamming, and frequent filter canister replacement and repurchase needs that are endemic in conventional dry cleaner filter designs that tend to be cumbersome, costly, and environmentally detrimental.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Inventor: Eung Chul Choi