Patents Examined by Michael LaFlame, Jr.
  • Delivery device usable in laser peening operation, and associated method
    Patent number: 10655191
    Abstract: A delivery device that is usable in a laser peening operation emits a columnar flow of a fluid that contains therein a beam of electromagnetic energy. The beam is retained within the interior of the flow of fluid since the total internal reflectivity of the flow is sufficient to do so. The flow of fluid that serves as a conduit for the beam also itself impinges on a workpiece and thus contains and washes away the plasma that forms from a laser peening operation, and this resists the plasma from reaching and possibly damaging the delivery device. The carrying of the beam in the columnar flow of fluid avoids the need to maintain a fixed distance between the delivery device and the workpiece, which simplifies the movement by a robotic manipulator of the delivery device along a non-planar surface of a workpiece during a laser peening operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Lyman J. Petrosky, Phillip J. Hawkins
  • Method and device for controlling heating temperature of electric rice cooker, and electric rice cooker
    Patent number: 10653264
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a heating temperature of an electric rice cooker and the electric rice cooker. The control method comprises: when determining that the electric rice cooker is in a boiling state, according to a temperature of a bottom temperature sensing bulb and a temperature of a top temperature sensing bulb, judging whether a bottom temperature of the electric rice cooker rises too fast (S110), when determining that the bottom temperature rises too fast, controlling a heating plate to temporally stop heating the bottom of the electric rice cooker (S120); and after the temperature of the bottom temperature sensing bulb falls to a first preset temperature, controlling the heating plate to reheat the bottom at a heating power in the boiling stage (S130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI
    Inventors: Wenbin Li, Yuting Liu, Zhixiong Yin, Yuxin Hu, Bofu Zhu
  • Heating element including nano-material filler
    Patent number: 10652957
    Abstract: A heating element includes a matrix material and a nanomaterial filler, wherein the nanomaterial filler includes at least one of a nano-sheet and a nanorod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seyun Kim, Soichiro Mizusaki, Haengdeog Koh, Doyoon Kim, Hajin Kim, Changsoo Lee, Intaek Han
  • Tubular welding wire with a thinner sheath for improved deposition rates
    Patent number: 10646965
    Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to welding and, more specifically, to tubular welding wires for arc welding processes, such as Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Flux Core Arc Welding (FCAW), and Submerged Arc Welding (SAW). The tubular welding wire includes a metal sheath surrounding a granular core. The metal sheath includes greater than approximately 0.6% manganese by weight and greater than approximately 0.05% silicon by weight. Further, the metal sheath has a thickness of between approximately 0.008 inches and approximately 0.02 inches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Hobart Brothers LLC
    Inventors: Steven Edward Barhorst, Joseph C. Bundy, Michael Scott Bertram
  • Compact absorptivity measurement system for additive manufacturing
    Patent number: 10646960
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a powdered bed fusion additive manufacturing (PBFAM) apparatus. The apparatus uses a container for holding a quantity of powdered material. The container has a bottom wall for supporting the powdered material, wherein the bottom wall is made from the same material as the powdered material. A temperature sensing subsystem is coupled to a portion of the container for detecting a temperature of the container. A laser generates an optical beam directed at the powdered material held by the container for melting the powdered material. A controller receives temperature information from the temperature sensing subsystem and determines an absorptivity of the powdered material based on the temperature information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander M. Rubenchik, Manyalibo Joseph Matthews, Johannes Trapp
  • Food processing apparatus and food manufacturing method using the same
    Patent number: 10645960
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a food processing apparatus that is capable of supplying two different kinds of food materials and sequentially performing manufacturing processes such as bonding and cutting on the single apparatus, thus allowing the food to be easily processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Myung Ho Kim, Jung Seo Park, Joo Dong Park, Hyun Woong Park, Tae Hum Back, Dong Jin Lee, Su Yeon Chung, Sang Goo Yun, Chang Yong Lee
  • Method for monitoring temperature-controlled units in a store
    Patent number: 10642293
    Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring cooling units in a store includes: at a robotic system, during a first scan routine, autonomously navigating toward a cooling unit in the store, recording a color image of the cooling unit, and scanning a set of temperatures within the cooling unit; identifying a set of products stocked in the cooling unit based on features detected in the color image; mapping the set of temperatures to the set of products at a first time during the first scan routine based on positions of products in the set of products identified in the color image; and generating a record of temperatures of the set of products stocked in the cooling unit at the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Simbe Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Durgesh Tiwari, Bradley Bogolea
  • Heat exchanger
    Patent number: 10641521
    Abstract: A device for heating a liquid includes a metal body, a conduit for the passage of the liquid to be heated, and one or more heating elements. The conduit and the one or more heating elements are incorporated in the body which forms a wall around the conduit and the one or more heating elements. Heat generated by the one or more heating elements is transmitted to the liquid to be heated by conduction. The body is provided with a plurality of openings which are separated from each other, having a depth equal to wall thickness. At least two first openings of the plurality of openings are on the conduit, and at least two second openings of the plurality of openings are on the one or more heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: I.R.C.A. S.P.A. INDUSTRIA RESISTENZE CORAZZATE E AFFINI
    Inventors: Stefano Wedam, Federico Zoppas
  • Continuous heat-treating apparatus for food material and energizing and heating method
    Patent number: 10638545
    Abstract: A main energizing/heating unit has an outer electrode and an inner electrode, and energizes a fool material to be gelatinized by heating and continuously heat-treats it while it is conveyed in a food flow channel. The food flow channel in which the food material flows is formed between the both electrodes. Fed to the food material flowing in the food flow channel by a power supply section is a current in a direction traversing a flow direction of the food material. An inner cooling flow channel is formed in the inner electrode, and cooling liquid is fed to the inner cooling flow channel through a piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Frontier Engineering Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hoshino
  • Laser welding quality determination method and apparatus
    Patent number: 10632570
    Abstract: Welding quality of a welding section W welded by laser welding is determined by acquiring an image of the welding section W and its surrounding region by means of a high-speed camera 11, analyzing, as parameters, the number of spatters P per unit length and the area of a high-luminance region in the acquired image by means of an analyzer 12, and comparing the analyzed parameters with respective comparison tables created beforehand, to determine the welding quality of the welding section Wa. Information on the welding quality of the welding section W is displayed on a monitor 13. Not only the laser welding quality of the welding section can be determined but also in-process shearing strength prediction as well as in-process fracture mode prediction can be performed, thus enabling quality control matching high-speed and high-precision laser welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: IHI INSPECTION & INSTRUMENTATION CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Katsura Oowaki, Shuichi Fujita, Shinichi Ebina, Fumio Matsuzaka
  • System and method for the preparation of beverages
    Patent number: 10624488
    Abstract: A beverage preparing system includes a beverage preparing machine, including a water inlet seat movable in a front-rear direction and formed with a rear water channel, a rear needled disc formed with rear perforating needles and mounted in the water inlet seat, an infusion housing movable in front of the water inlet seat and formed with a front water channel, a front needled disc formed with front perforating needles and mounted in the infusion housing, and an infusion capsule pre-packaged with raw plant material and held between the front and rear perforating needles by a clamp. The beverage preparing system further includes a mobile app communicatively connected to a controller of the beverage preparing machine, a cloud server and a cloud engine. A beverage preparing method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Lify Company Limited
    Inventors: Kong Wai Lee, Tak Chi Lee
  • Electrical barrier for wax warmer
    Patent number: 10616954
    Abstract: A wax warmer includes a body, an electrical assembly, a base plate, and a sleeve. The electrical assembly is positioned within an interior space of the body and includes an electrical cord that extends outside the body. The sleeve forms an electrical barrier positioned within the interior space and surrounding the electrical assembly. The sleeve is coupled to the base plate and a portion of the electrical cord that passes through an opening in the sleeve is retained by the base plate and the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Belongia, Dennis J. Beaumont, Michael J. Goodrich
  • Heating element including nano-material filler
    Patent number: 10616956
    Abstract: A heating element includes a matrix material and a nanomaterial filler, wherein the nanomaterial filler includes at least one of a nano-sheet and a nanorod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seyun Kim, Soichiro Mizusaki, Haengdeog Koh, Doyoon Kim, Hajin Kim, Changsoo Lee, Intaek Han
  • Infuser
    Patent number: 10602871
    Abstract: An infuser includes a base having a cylindrical mounting base mounted on the base, a rotating ring surrounding the mounting base, a tubular structure with perforated top and bottom axially mounted on the top surface of the mounting base by liquid seal and a spring axially mounted between the base and rotating ring by precompression. The spring underprops the rotating ring permanently. A through flow channel is formed axially in the mounting base. The rotating ring is provided with a waterstop block. The waterstop block closes the flow channel by liquid seal. When the rotating ring rotates against the mounting base, it performs axially reciprocating motion against the mounting base at the same time. The waterstop block opens the flow channel optionally, the liquid in the tubular structure flows down through the flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: YUKAWA ENTERPRISE CO., LTD
    Inventor: Yi-Tzu Lu
  • Pickling machine with detection device
    Patent number: 10602750
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pickling machine comprising a detection device for detecting if a needle is blocked, damaged and/or broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Gunther Machinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Höreth, Jörg Schwebel
  • Electrode wire for electrical discharge machining and method of manufacturing electrode wire for electrical discharge machining
    Patent number: 10589369
    Abstract: To provide an electrode wire for electrical discharge machining including ?-brass and ?-brass arranged on an outer peripheral surface of a core and a method of manufacturing the electrode wire, capable of enhancing wire connection performance and cutting down manufacturing cost while trying to increase a processing speed. The electrode wire for electrical discharge machining according to this invention comprises: an external layer including ?-brass and ?-brass; and a core having an undulating shape formed at a boundary surface with the external layer. The ?-brass and the ?-brass are arranged densely and sparsely at the boundary surface of the undulating shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignees: OKI ELECTRIC CABLE CO., LTD., MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichiro Kimoto, Yuji Miura, Yuki Hashimoto, Hengbo Su, Takayuki Nakagawa, Yoshikazu Ukai
  • Cutting device
    Patent number: 10588449
    Abstract: A device that may be configured to cut and remove the shell of a coffee pod is disclosed. The device may include a handle with a pod holder and a blade that may be set to different positions to cut the shell at different depths. The coffee pod may be held within the pod holder by locking tabs and may be rotated to sever the shell. The shell may be removed and recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Inventor: Steven Jay Self
  • Processing of material using non-circular laser beams
    Patent number: 10589384
    Abstract: Method for processing of material by use of a pulsed laser Each laser pulse is shaped regarding its beam profile so that a cross sectional area, which is defined by a cross section of the laser pulse in its focal point orthogonal to its propagation direction, is of particular shape and has a main extension axis of greater extent than its minor extension axis. One major crack is effected by each laser pulse, the major crack having a lateral extension basically oriented according to the main extension axis of the respective pulse in the focal point. Furthermore, each laser pulse is emitted so that the orientation of its main extension axis in the focal point corresponds to a pre-defined orientation relative to an orientation of a respective tangent to the processing path at the assigned processing point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: HIGH Q LASER GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Hendricks, Victor Matylitsky
  • Heated glass panel for electromagnetic shielding
    Patent number: 10582572
    Abstract: A glazing unit providing heating and electromagnetic shielding functions, including at least one substrate, a heating layer deposited on one of the faces of the substrate, and an electromagnetic shield, wherein the electromagnetic shield comprises an electrically conductive coating that covers a portion of the heating layer, the heating layer being electrically insulated from the coating by electrically insulating components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Thomas Tondu, Jean-Benoît Mayeux
  • Electrical heating device
    Patent number: 10576805
    Abstract: An electrical heating device includes a fluid-tight casing comprising inlet and outlet openings for the fluid to be heated, and at least one heat-generating element disposed in the casing. The heat generating element includes at least one PTC element and conductor elements of different polarities received in a flat tube. Heat heat-emitting elements abut against opposite sides of the flat tube. In order to increase the power density, the heat-emitting elements abut against the flat tube subject to spring pretension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Eberspächer catem GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Thomas Gschwind