Patents Examined by Nathaniel E Wiehe
  • Patent number: 11969835
    Abstract: A method of preventing arc flaring events for a welding system is provided. The method includes determining, by a controller, a real-time welding output characteristic of the welding system. The method additionally includes comparing, by the controller, the real-time welding output characteristic to a threshold welding output characteristic. The method further includes controlling an operating characteristic of the welding system in response to a determination that the real-time welding output characteristic exceeds the threshold welding output characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel P. Fleming, Judah Benjamin Henry, Matthew R. Pischel
  • Patent number: 11974384
    Abstract: Consumables for cutting torches include consumables that define a parallel plasma channel and/or a steep, elongated plasma chamber. Additionally, the consumables may define smooth, rounded edges between different geometries of the plasma channel (e.g., at transitions between straight and angles sections) and/or between the plasma channel and the plasma chamber. That is, the consumables may provide a plasma channel that does not converge, diverge, or define any corners and/or a plasma channel that transitions to the plasma chamber without defining any corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: THE ESAB GROUP INC.
    Inventor: Jacob Farnham
  • Patent number: 11969010
    Abstract: An aerosol-generating device comprises a device housing comprising a first receiving chamber configured to receive and accommodate a first consumable and a second receiving chamber configured to receive and accommodate a second consumable. The device further comprises a power source in an internal space defined by the device housing and a controller configured to control aerosolization of an aerosol-forming substrate in a consumable in one of the first receiving chamber and in the second receiving chamber. At least the second receiving chamber includes electrical contacts configured to be detachably connected to a battery based on the separate power source being in the second receiving chamber such that the electrical contacts provide additional power from the separate power source to the aerosol-generating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Tony Reevell
  • Patent number: 11971195
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a liquid storage tank having a heating element, an inlet for receiving unheated liquid, an outlet for outputting heated liquid, and a partition configured to divide the tank into a first portion and a second portion. The partition can have an aperture such that the first portion and the second portion are in fluid communication. The liquid storage tank can include an actuator in mechanical communication with the partition and configured to linearly move at least a portion of the partition based at least in part on the temperature of liquid within the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Harsha Satyanarayana, Christopher M. Hayden, Abigail McMonigal
  • Patent number: 11969115
    Abstract: An adapter (1) for use in the preparation of a beverage by a capsule (2) and a beverage preparation device. The adapter (1) can be placed together with the capsule (2) in the beverage preparation device. The adapter (1) has a capsule face (4), on which mechanism (5) for introducing a liquid into the capsule (2) and mechanism (6) for discharging a liquid from the capsule (2) are located. In addition, the adapter (1) has a device face (7), on which an inlet (8) for a liquid provided by the beverage preparation device and an outlet (9) are located. The inlet (8) is fluidically connected to the mechanism (5) for introducing a liquid into the capsule (2) and the outlet (9) is fluidically connected to the mechanism (6) for discharging a liquid from the capsule (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Delica AG
    Inventors: Roland Affolter, Tim Thilla, Markus Brönnimann
  • Patent number: 11964344
    Abstract: A glass substrate for a semiconductor package includes a first principal surface, a second principal surface, at least one hollowed-out portion, and at least one through hole formed in a surrounding of the at least one hollowed-out portion, wherein in a section of the at least one hollowed-out portion taken in a direction perpendicular to the first principal surface, a minimum diameter of the at least one hollowed-out portion is smaller than an opening diameter of the at least one hollowed-out portion at each of the first principal surface and the second principal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: AGC Inc.
    Inventors: Mamoru Isobe, Kohei Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 11965487
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an Electro-Thermal Heating element for a wind turbine blade comprising an electrically conductive resistive material; two active busbars for supplying electrical power to the electrically conductive resistive material; and at least one dummy busbar at a predetermined spacing between the two active busbars on the electrically conductive resistive material. The present invention is also directed to a method of repair of the Electro-Thermal Heating Element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Luke Spandley, Arran Wood, Darren Rogers
  • Patent number: 11958132
    Abstract: A method of processing a SiC ingot includes a resistance value measuring step of measuring an electric resistance value of an end face of the SiC ingot, a laser beam output adjusting step of adjusting the output of a laser beam according to the electric resistance value measured in the resistance value measuring step, and a peeling belt forming step in which, while a laser beam of such a wavelength as to be transmitted through the SiC ingot is being applied to the SiC ingot with a focal point of the laser beam positioned at a depth corresponding to the thickness of a wafer to be formed, the SiC ingot and the focal point are put into relative processing feeding in an X-axis direction to form a belt-shaped peeling belt in the inside of the SiC ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya Hirata
  • Patent number: 11958141
    Abstract: Systems and methods to provide welding-type arc starting and stabilization with reduced open circuit voltage are disclosed. An example welding-type power supply includes: power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power to welding-type power; and control circuitry configured to: control the power conversion circuitry to output a voltage pulse at a first voltage; determine whether the power conversion circuitry outputs current during the voltage pulse; in response to determining that there is less than a threshold output current during the voltage pulse, control the power conversion circuitry to turn off an output or output a second voltage that is less than the first voltage; and in response to determining that the power conversion circuitry outputs at least the threshold output current during the voltage pulse, control the power conversion circuitry to output the welding-type power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Bernard J. Vogel, Michael D. Madsen
  • Patent number: 11958131
    Abstract: Disclosed are an aluminum-coated blank, a manufacturing method thereof, and an apparatus for manufacturing the same. The blank includes two or more aluminum-coated steel sheets connected together by a joint, each of the steel sheets including: a base steel sheet including 0.01-0.5 wt % of carbon, 0.01-1.0 wt % of silicon, 0.5-3.0 wt % of manganese, greater than 0 but not greater than 0.05 wt % of phosphorus, greater than 0 but not greater than 0.01 wt % of sulfur, greater than 0 but not greater than 0.1 wt % of aluminum, greater than 0 but not greater than 0.001 wt % of nitrogen, and the balance of iron and other inevitable impurities; and a coating layer including aluminum and formed on at least one surface of the base steel sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Hyundai Steel Company
    Inventors: Chang Yong Lee, Jeong Seok Kim, Sung Ryul Kim, Tae Woo Kwon
  • Patent number: 11957270
    Abstract: A machine for preparing and dispensing a beverage, such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food, comprising a capsule recognition module for recognizing a capsule inserted in said machine at a capsule recognition position, the capsule recognition module comprising a camera for capturing an image of at least part of said capsule in said capsule recognition position; wherein the capsule recognition module comprises a camera for capturing an image of at least part of a capsule in the capsule recognition position, at least one source of light, for example at least one LED, to light up the capsule at said capsule recognition position, wherein the capsule recognition module comprises a diffuser for diffusing the light of the at least one source of light towards the capsule recognition position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Laurent Sache, Christian Oggenfuss
  • Patent number: 11960256
    Abstract: A method for operating a plurality of devices which each contain at least one electrical or gas consumer, with the following steps: before switching on the consumer, the device asks an allocation module whether the process can be started, on the basis of parameters of the requested process, parameters of currently running and/or planned processes of the other consumers and a predefined maximum power value, the allocation module decides whether the requested process is enabled, modified or at least temporarily disabled. A system having a plurality of devices which each have at least one electrical or gas consumer as well as a controller, and having an allocation module in which a maximum power value for the consumers is stored, wherein the controller of the devices can send information about planned and current processes via a communication link to the allocation module and receive an enable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: RATIONAL AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, RATIONAL INTERNATIONAL AG
    Inventors: Manfred Breunig, Florian Löw, Frank Marek
  • Patent number: 11958145
    Abstract: A welding device for gas shielded arc welding includes: a portable welding robot mounted with a welding torch including a nozzle that guides jetting of shielding gas and a contact tip that performs energization on a consumable electrode; a feeding device that supplies the consumable electrode to the welding torch; a welding power source that supplies electric power to the consumable electrode via the contact tip; a gas supply source that supplies the shielding gas to be jetted from a nozzle end; and a control device that controls the portable welding robot. When the welding torch is seen from a side of jetting of the shielding gas, the contact tip is placed in an inside of an opening of the nozzle, the nozzle and the contact tip have a relatively movable structure, and an inner diameter of the nozzle end is within a range of 10-20 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO ROBOTiX Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Yashima, Masahiro Yokota, Shun Izutani, Hirofumi Kawasaki, Shinobu Toda
  • Patent number: 11950725
    Abstract: The invention relates to a portion dispenser (2) for dispensing beverage items (8) from an exchangeable cartridge (3) comprising: a frame (4) with a receiving portion (5) for receiving the exchangeable cartridge, a discharge opening (6) next to the receiving portion (5) and sized for allowing a beverage item to be individually discharged by gravity from the 5 exchangeable cartridge, a moving means assembly (16) comprising a moving means (19) and a moving means housing (20) in which the moving means are arranged for moving therein, wherein the moving means (19) are arranged for providing a discharge chamber (23) for discharge of at least one beverage item therein and for transporting to a dispensing area (17) and wherein the moving means assembly (16) is arranged for sealingly 10 connecting with the exchangeable cartridge (3) and comprises means for opening the exchangeable cartridge to allow the discharge of the beverage item in the discharge chamber and for re-closing the exchangeable cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
    Inventors: Damien Romand, Etienne Crozier, Marco Magatti
  • Patent number: 11956878
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and system for induction heating. The system may provide a first induction coil wrapped around a metal cylinder and a second induction coil wrapped around the metal cylinder. The first induction coil may carry a current in a first direction and the second induction coil may carry a current in an opposite, second direction. The currents may be generated in an alternating sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Patent number: 11953875
    Abstract: A cutting processing machine includes a processing machine body and an NC device. The NC device includes a tool diameter correction amount calculator, a processing trace calculator, and a driving controller. The processing machine body includes a processing unit and a tool trace controller. In a case where, as a processing condition, an offset amount between a control center point of a tool trace and a center point of a nozzle is set, the processing trace calculator generates a tool trace control signal for causing the control center point to be displaced relative to the center point of the nozzle by the offset amount in a predetermined direction. The processing machine body controls the tool trace based on the tool trace control signal such that the control center point is displaced relative to the center point of the nozzle in the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: AMADA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Nagayama, Kazuhiro Kanno
  • Patent number: 11950349
    Abstract: A combined ventilation and microwave oven system includes an external enclosure with a top portion defining recirculation vent outlets, a cooling air inlet, a cooling air outlet, and an outside vent outlet, first and second side portions, and a bottom portion defining a vent inlet. The vent inlet is connected with the recirculation vent outlets and the outside vent outlet via airflow pathways. A hood assembly is disposed within the external enclosure and includes a first hood fan disposed between the cooking cavity and the first side portion and a second hood fan disposed between the cooking cavity and the second side portion. The hood assembly is configured to direct air through the vent inlet and through an interior of the external enclosure. A cooling fan is disposed between the cooking cavity and the second side portion to direct air through the cooling air inlet and the cooling air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Owen (XunCai) Zhang, Michael A. Ledford, Stephen Zheng, Xiangxu Liu
  • Patent number: 11950347
    Abstract: An induction heat cooking apparatus that includes: a rectifier that is configured to convert alternating current (AC) voltage supplied from an external power source into direct current (DC) voltage; an inverter that is configured to generate current based on DC voltage received from the rectifier and provide the current to output nodes; heating coils that are configured to, based on the current generated by the inverter, generate magnetic fields for providing heat; a first capacitive unit that includes one or more resonance capacitors and that is coupled between the output nodes; a second capacitive unit that includes one or more wireless power transfer (WPT) capacitors and that is configured to be coupled between the output nodes; and a mode conversion switch that is configured to couple the second capacitive unit to the first capacitive unit in parallel is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: LG ELECTRONICS, ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Younghwan Kwack, Jaekyung Yang, Seongho Son, Yongsoo Lee, Jeehoon Jung, Hwapyeong Park, Mina Kim
  • Patent number: 11945057
    Abstract: A welding-type power system than includes a power supply, a DC power bus, an energy storage device, and a bi-directional converter. The bi-directional converter configured to connect the DC power bus to the energy storage device, and further configured to convert power from the DC power bus to the energy storage device to charge the energy storage device, and to convert power from the energy storage device to the DC power bus in response to a power demand on the DC power bus. The bi-directional converter further configured to balance the DC power bus. A controller is configured to control the duty cycle of the bi-directional converter in order to balance the DC power bus, and control the flow of power between the energy storage device and the DC power bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: James Frank Ulrich
  • Patent number: 11945044
    Abstract: In a control device for a laser machining apparatus including a plurality of lasers and a plurality of scanners which respectively scans laser beams outputted from the plurality of lasers, the control device includes: a laser control unit which controls the plurality of lasers, in which the laser control unit includes: a machining program analysis unit which analyzes a machining program, and generates a machining condition command for setting a machining condition of the plurality of lasers, a storage unit which stores machining condition information in which a plurality of the machining conditions and a plurality of the machining condition commands are respectively associated, and a plurality of machining condition reading units which references the machining condition information and reads a machining condition corresponding to a machining condition command analyzed by the machining program analysis unit, and sets the machining condition which was read in a laser of a control target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Mochida