Patents Examined by Natasha N Campbell
  • Patent number: 11964306
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a system and method for operating a surface pressure washer with a wand component. The method may include the steps of cleaning a first surface through a first fluid path, where the first fluid path includes a pump, a pressure regulating valve, a diversion block, and a spray gun, while spray nozzles are not discharging fluid to a second surface, actuating a valve connected to the diversion block, thereby reducing the pressure available to the first fluid path and creating a second fluid path, where the second fluid path includes the pump, the pressure regulating valve, the diversion block and the spray nozzles, where the spray nozzles are configured to rotate above the second surface when the second fluid path is open, and cleaning a second surface underneath the pressure washer system through the second fluid path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Boyd Equipment & Supply LLC
    Inventors: Clayton Boyd, Jennifer Boyd
  • Patent number: 11964634
    Abstract: A wiper control technique is provided that can prevent a windshield from being damaged by a falling wiper blade during a wiper parking operation, even when a wiper arm is in a retreat position where the blade is raised and held away from the windshield. In one embodiment, the wiper arm is stopped for a predetermined time interval at a predetermined pause position when the wiper arm is positioned above a parked position and at the retreat position during the wiper parking operation, while the wiper arm is being swung downward toward a lower reversal position. The pause position is a position at which the wiper arm is able to fall toward the windshield to return to a base position. After a lapse of the predetermined time interval, the wiper arm is swung to the parked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Kondou, Ippei Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 11958090
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for wafer cleaning. The apparatus can include a wafer holder configured to hold a wafer; a cleaning nozzle configured to dispense a cleaning fluid onto a first surface (e.g., front surface) of the wafer; and a cleaning brush configured to clean a second surface (e.g., back surface) of the wafer. Using the cleaning fluid, the cleaning brush can clean the second surface of the wafer with a scrubbing motion and ultrasonic vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Chen Chen, Sheng-Wei Wu, Yung-Li Tsai
  • Patent number: 11957291
    Abstract: A system (10) for loading at least one conveyor warewasher (1, 1?) with washware includes a feed conveyor belt (11) for delivering washware to at least one loading region of the conveyor warewasher (1, 1?) and a detection system (15), in particular an optical one, configured to detect at least one of the following parameters of the washware on the feed conveyor belt (11) when delivering the washware (9a, 9b, 9c) to the loading region: (i) a type of the washware, (ii) a degree of soiling of the washware, and/or (iii) an order of the washware and/or an alignment of the washware relative to the feed conveyor belt (11). The detection system (15) has an assigned evaluation device, which is configured to control the delivery of the washware to the at least one loading region as a function of at least one of the detected parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Martin Schrempp, Harald Disch, Adrian Boldt
  • Patent number: 11952906
    Abstract: A machine is cleaned by directing a foam detergent into the machine to remove contaminants from inside the machine. An effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with some of the contaminants. One or more of a turbidity, a salinity, an amount of total dissolved solids, or a concentration the contaminants in the effluent is measured. A cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine is determined based on the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, and/or the contaminant concentration that is measured from the effluent. The foam detergent continues to be directed into the machine during the cleaning time period, and the flow of the foam detergent into the machine is terminated on expiration of the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Eriksen, Keith Anthony Lauria, Richard Schliem, Erica Sampson, Eric Telfeyan
  • Patent number: 11944186
    Abstract: A flexible cleaning device which may include a handle assembly and a cleaning head connected thereto. The handle assembly may include a reservoir which may be in fluidic communication with the cleaning head that consists of a non-porous material. Within the cleaning head a emulsion cavity may be disposed that is in fluidic communication with both the reservoir and an area exterior to the cleaning head. And a method for using such a flexible cleaning device to remove dirt and debris from unclean surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: BURNS BROTHERS LLC
    Inventors: Eli Burns, Noah Burns, Luke Burns
  • Patent number: 11944252
    Abstract: A cleaning system (110) and a method for cleaning items to be cleaned (112) are proposed. The cleaning system (110) comprises: a) at least one cleaning apparatus (114), having at least one at least partially closed cleaning chamber (116) with at least one loading apparatus (118) for loading the items to be cleaned (112) with at least one cleaning liquid; and b) at least one transport system (144) for the automatic transport of the items to be cleaned (112), the transport system (144) comprising: a. at least one first conveying apparatus (146) for the delivery of dirty items to be cleaned (112); b. at least one second conveying apparatus (148) for the transport of the dirty items to be cleaned (112) to the cleaning apparatus (114); c. at least one transfer apparatus (150) for the transfer of at least one part of the dirty items to be cleaned (112) from the first conveying apparatus (146) onto the second conveying apparatus (148); and d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Bruno Gaus
  • Patent number: 11945009
    Abstract: A wet laser cleaning apparatus includes a machine base, a laser cleaning module, a shielding housing and a filtering device. A base material is placed in a reservoir of the machine base, into which a liquid is introduced through the filtering device. A control module drives first parallel axial track groups, a second parallel axial track group and a vertical axial track group to move an optical fiber laser knife device of the laser cleaning module to irradiate and clean the base material. A height sensor device and an orientation sensor device sense a position and a height of an object, so that the optical fiber laser knife device can automatically focus on the base material. Dusts produced after the optical fiber laser knife device has irradiated the base material are stored in the liquid, and the filtering device filters the dusts from the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: UNICE E-O SERVICES INC.
    Inventor: Chih-Nien Chang
  • Patent number: 11937763
    Abstract: There is provided a cleaning nozzle that cleans a cleaning target face that is one of a holding face that holds a workpiece and/or a surface of the workpiece held on the holding face. The cleaning nozzle includes an air nozzle having an jet port for jetting air toward the cleaning target face and extending in a direction parallel to the cleaning target face, and a suction nozzle having a suction port for sucking air on the cleaning target face and arranged adjacent to and in parallel to the air nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fumiaki Ito
  • Patent number: 11938264
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described to flush debris from a suction pipe network installed in a medical office. A filter, an amalgam separator and at least one flexible vacuum line are disconnected from a suction pipe network. The suction pipe network has a main trunk line, a downstream end, and at least one branch line. A neutral pH cleaning fluid solution is passed through the main trunk line from a location downstream of the at least one branch line to flush debris from the main trunk and the at least one branch line. The neutral pH cleaning fluid solution is collected subsequent to the neutral pH cleaning fluid solution being circulated through the main trunk line and the at least one branch line. Then, the filter, the amalgam separator and the at least one flexible vacuum line are reconnected to the suction pipe network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: Rodney A. Sandburg
  • Patent number: 11930860
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cleaning tool configured for cleaning a heating element (22) of an aerosol-generating device (20). The cleaning tool comprises a handle (10) and a main body (12). The main body comprises one or more cleaning elements (14). The handle is rotatably attached to the main body. The present invention further relates to an aerosol-generating device and a cleaning tool and a method for cleaning a heating element of an aerosol-generating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Tony Reevell
  • Patent number: 11925514
    Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for cleaning, decontaminating, and/or sterilizing an instrument during the intraoperative phase of a surgical procedure. In exemplary embodiments, the apparatus comprises: a container having an aperture, a bottom portion, and at least one sidewall defining an instrument bath configured to hold a cleaning agent; a vibration means and radiation means coupled to the container; and a power supply. It is contemplated that at least one of the sidewalls of the container comprises a longitudinal channel disposed within the sidewall for housing the radiation means. It is further contemplated that the cleaning agent can comprise an aqueous solution of chlorohexidine, that the radiation means is configured to emit ultraviolet radiation in a range of at least 100 nanometers to 400 nanometers, and that the vibration means is configured to emit ultrasonic radiation in a range of at least 20 kilohertz to 120 kilohertz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KMW ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventors: Michael Karch, Meredith Moss, Chris Wylie
  • Patent number: 11926905
    Abstract: A method of removing a ceramic coating from a ceramic coated metallic article without damaging the metallic bond coating, the metallic article having a first and second portions, each of the portions comprising a metallic bond coating and a ceramic coating on the metallic bond coating, the ceramic coating on the second portion being less porous than the ceramic coating on the first portion. The method comprises the steps of a) immersing the ceramic coated metallic article in a caustic solution; b) maintaining the ceramic coated metallic article in the caustic solution at atmospheric pressure for a predetermined time period and at a predetermined temperature; c) removing the ceramic coated metallic article from the caustic solution; d) rinsing the ceramic coated metallic article in water at ambient temperature; e) water jet blasting the first portion of the metallic article to remove the ceramic coating; and f) water jet blasting the second portion of the metallic article to remove the ceramic coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventor: Mehrzad Delfan-Azari
  • Patent number: 11903549
    Abstract: A vacuuming apparatus for collecting and disposing of sharps waste is disclosed. The sharps waste may include a used hypodermic needle. The vacuuming apparatus includes a passageway including a sidewall defining an interior chamber. The passageway includes an open suction end and an open nozzle end dimensioned to receive the sharps waste. The vacuuming apparatus includes a discharge port located at the suction end and in gaseous communication with a container, such as a used sharps container. The vacuuming apparatus includes a fan, that when operated, is configured to move air from the open nozzle end to the suction end and into the container such that the sharps waste may be moved in an airstream from a surface proximate to the open nozzle end into the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventors: Robyn Lynn Lau, Wayne David Gregory Lau
  • Patent number: 11897011
    Abstract: A tool that removes a scale inside a pipe includes: a laser tool including a laser head to output a laser beam, and a robotic arm that is articulated and that is connected to the laser head. The robotic arm includes segments that are connected by flexible robotic arm joints to enable movement of the laser head in six degrees of freedom, and a control system to control the robotic arm to direct output of the laser beam. The tool also includes a drilling shaft attached to the robotic arm of the laser tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Sameeh Issa Batarseh, Wisam Assiri
  • Patent number: 11890653
    Abstract: A method for cleaning firearm suppressors comprising: providing a used suppressor having an internal cavity with a fouling material deposited on a surface of the internal cavity; providing a cleaning solution; providing an ultra-sonic probe; introducing the cleaning solution into the internal cavity of the used suppressor; contacting at least part of the ultra-sonic probe with the cleaning solution that is introduced inside the internal cavity of the used suppressor; operating the ultra-sonic probe; removing at least part of the fouling material from the surface of the internal cavity of the used suppressor; and, draining the cleaning solution from the used suppressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: TDA Research, Inc.
    Inventor: William Wallace Ellis, III
  • Patent number: 11883861
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cleaning device for drinking straws. The cleaning device can be divided into a connection portion, an outlet portion, and a manipulation portion therebetween. The connection portion is connected fluidically to the outlet portion via the manipulation portion. The connection portion can be configured such that a firm but removable connection of the cleaning device to a water tap can be produced. The outlet portion is designed with receiving structure for receiving a drinking straw. The receiving structure has a sealing surface such that a drinking straw can be tightly received by the outlet portion when in contact with the said sealing surface. The cleaning device can be designed such that a ratio of the inlet cross section to the outlet cross section is more than 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: VitaJuwel GmbH
    Inventor: Ewald Eisen
  • Patent number: 11887869
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, a first cleaning body, a first moving mechanism, a second cleaning body, a second moving mechanism, and a controller. The first cleaning body cleans one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder by ejecting fluid thereto or by coming into contact therewith. The second cleaning body cleans the other one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder by coming into contact therewith. The controller controls the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism to perform a both-surface cleaning processing in which the first cleaning body which ejects the fluid to one surface or is in contact with the upper surface and the second cleaning body which is in contact with the lower surface are horizontally moved in synchronization with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Mouri, Takanori Obaru, Yasushi Takiguchi, Teruhiko Kodama
  • Patent number: 11884529
    Abstract: A filling valve that has a high temperature due to an SIP is cooled in a short time. An aseptic water is blasted to an outer surface of the filling valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 11874598
    Abstract: The present application relates to a method for disposing of excess material of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) enlarging a surface of the excess material; (b) displacing the enlarged excess material on the photolithographic mask using at least one first probe of a scanning probe microscope; and (c) removing the displaced enlarged excess material from the photolithographic mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Budach, Christof Baur, Klaus Edinger, Tristan Bret