Patents Examined by Nicolas A Arnett
  • Patent number: 11584633
    Abstract: A robotic system for fueling or charging a vehicle having a vehicle connector, the robotic system including a robotic arm having a plurality of sequentially arranged articulated links and at least one group of operating cables extending from a proximal end of the arm to terminate at a control link, for controlling the position of that link, the cables each having a path comprising a passage in each successive more proximal link for closely receiving the cable, a flexible conduit operably connected with the robotic arm for delivering a fluid or an electrical current, respectively, to a vehicle, the conduit being connected to a source at a first end and a delivery connector at a second end, and a control system for operating the robotic arm and the hose or cable, wherein the control system directs the robotic arm to engage the vehicle connector with the delivery connector and, upon engagement of the vehicle connector and delivery connector, the control system relaxes the robotic arm to an under-constrained cond
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: OLIVER CRISPIN ROBOTICS LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Crispin Graham, Christopher David Boyce, Tim Henri Ann Francois, Jason Ralph Gordon Curle, Trevor Owen Hawke
  • Patent number: 11583884
    Abstract: A paint bucket may have a funnel shaped bottom to collect paint into a recess while a powered painting system draws paint from the bucket for application to a surface. The recess may receive an intake nozzle from the powered painting system. An insert may create a funnel shaped bottom and recess in a standard flat bottomed bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: Jesus Perez-Aguayo
  • Patent number: 11569110
    Abstract: A buffer unit for storing a substrate includes a housing having a buffer space inside, a substrate support unit that supports one or more substrates in the buffer space, a pressure adjustment unit that adjusts pressure in the buffer space, and a controller that controls the pressure adjustment unit. The pressure adjustment unit includes a gas supply line that supplies a gas for pressurizing the buffer space and a gas exhaust line that reduces the pressure in the buffer space. The controller controls the pressure adjustment unit to maintain the buffer space in a selected one of a filling mode in which the buffer space is filled with the gas and an exhaust mode in which the buffer space is evacuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dukhyun Son
  • Patent number: 11565223
    Abstract: A dispensing machine for dispensing fluid products comprising a dispensing zone (15) in which elongated support means (12) are disposed, configured to support a plurality of removable containing units (11) of the fluid products in a stationary manner along a longitudinal axis (X) is disclosed. The dispensing zone (15) further includes translation means (20) configured to allow moving a receptacle (18) positioned on a metering unit and disposed on the translation means (20) substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction (X) to delivery positions substantially vertically below said containing units (11) and measurement means (16) configured to meter a quantity of fluid product that is delivered from a containing unit (11) to the receptacle (18) in a delivery position corresponding to the respective containing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: Corob S.P.A., PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Bergamini, Giuseppe Casalini, Joanne Sarah Thompson, Alban R. D'Epenoux
  • Patent number: 11554888
    Abstract: A delivery head for a dispensing machine for delivering fluid products, including: a tubular casing having a vertical longitudinal axis, a plurality of nozzles carried by the tubular casing and having respective outlet openings with axes parallel to the vertical longitudinal axis, and a cleaning device for automatically cleaning the nozzles, having a plurality of scraper tubes associated with respective nozzles, movable in a direction of the vertical longitudinal axis between a raised position and a lowered position, and vice versa, and having respective lower ends that clean the nozzles during a stroke from the raised position to the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Inventor: Luca Drocco
  • Patent number: 11548665
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for filling a medical packaging formed as a pouch. Preferably, the packaging is filled with liquid via a port, wherein the port is aerated with a protective gas, such as nitrogen, for example, during filling According to the invention, prior to filling with liquid, the packaging is filled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, for example, which then provides the headspace of the filled and closed pouch. This results in a particularly low oxygen content in the headspace of the pouch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Fresenius Kabi Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Joern Wittorf, Gerald Wegner, Witali Klan, Marius Ruffer, Stefan Faber, Denis Kosatsch, Behnam Zandnia
  • Patent number: 11548378
    Abstract: A tubular fuel filler pipe body is a blow molded body and is adapted to connect to a fuel tank at one end thereof. The fuel filler pipe body includes in an outer circumferential surface of another end side thereof an annular recessed groove. The fuel filler pipe body includes an opening of the other end thereof to which a nozzle guide is mounted. The nozzle guide includes on an one end side thereof an annular covering portion configured to cover annularly the outer circumferential surface of the other end side of the fuel filler pipe body. An annular rubber sealing member configured to seal between an inner circumferential surface of the annular recessed groove and an inner circumferential surface of the annular covering portion fits with the annular recessed groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Keylex Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Shiokawa, Atsushi Nakasaki
  • Patent number: 11542044
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, canisters, and other implementations, including a method of filling a filter canister with a particulate filter material to a desired packing density comprises providing a canister having a fill opening through which the particulate filter material is introduced into the canister, introducing the particulate filter material through the fill opening, and subjecting the canister to centrifugal forces for a time until the desired packing density is reached is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Louis M. Gerson Co.
    Inventor: Ronald L. Gerson
  • Patent number: 11542138
    Abstract: A filling unit (1) comprises: a plate (12) for resting a container to be filled; a housing (2) facing the plate (12) to receive container's mouth; a dispenser (3) which opens onto the housing (2) to dispense liquid substance towards the container. The plate (12) is movable towards or, vice versa, away from the dispenser (3). The housing (2) comprises a bottom wall (24), fitted with a first annular gasket (21), and an annular body (6), movable relative to the bottom wall (24) and fitted with a second annular gasket (22). With a container (90) of a first type positioned on the plate (12), the plate (12) is moved towards the dispenser (3) to bring container's mouth (91) into contact with the first annular gasket (21). With a container (95) of a second type positioned on the plate (12), the annular body (6) is moved towards the plate (12) to bring the second annular gasket (22) into contact with container's mouth (96).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: KOSME S.R.L. UNIPERSONALE
    Inventor: Gianluca Franceschini
  • Patent number: 11542139
    Abstract: A keg filling apparatus (101) is disclosed. The apparatus (101) comprises a stand (102) and a keg receiving plate (201). The stand (102) comprises a plurality of legs (105) and braces (107) for supporting an upper bracket (106) at a convenient height. The keg receiving plate (201) is releasably attached to the upper bracket (106) of the stand (102) and comprises a coupler (204). The coupler (204) releasably engages a keg valve to allow the keg to be filled through the valve. The apparatus further comprises alternative keg receiving plates (208 & 210), these plates comprising alternative couplers (209 & 211) for releasable engagement with different valves. The apparatus obviates present issues in stability during the filling of one-way kegs which must be inverted during the filling process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventors: Paul Calcott, Paul Burchell, Aaron Brown
  • Patent number: 11542893
    Abstract: An evaporative emissions control system includes a first vent valve configured to selectively open and close a first vent, a second vent valve configured to selectively open and close a second vent, a fuel level sensor configured to sense a fuel level in the fuel tank, a pressure sensor configured to sense a pressure in the fuel tank, an accelerometer configured to measure an acceleration of the vehicle, and a controller configured to regulate operation of the first and second vent valves to provide pressure relief for the fuel tank. The controller is programmed to determine if a refueling event is occurring based one signals indicating the fuel level is increasing, the pressure in the fuel tank is increasing, and the vehicle is not moving, and open at least one of the first and second vent valves based on determining the refueling event is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Max Russell Franklin, Nikhil Nahar, Vaughn Kevin Mills, Mark Beaupre, Matthew Memmer, Steven L. Ambrose, Robert P. Benjey
  • Patent number: 11535503
    Abstract: Method and filling device for filling a container with a filling product, in a beverage filling system, wherein the method comprises: determining one or more changeable influence variables which influence a target variable of the filling process, a filling level and/or a filling volume; receiving the influence variables by means of a control apparatus; calculating at least one output variable from the received influence variables by means of a calculation model of the control apparatus; and filling the container as a function of the at least one output variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KRONES AG
    Inventors: Andreas Kursawe, Florian Habersetzer
  • Patent number: 11535207
    Abstract: A fluid-distribution assembly has controllable components. The fluid-distribution assembly also has a vehicle-fuelling connection configured to be selectively connectable to a first compressed-natural-gas tank of a first compressed-natural-gas-powered vehicle. The fluid-distribution assembly also has a fuel-storage connection configured to be selectively connectable to a fuel storage assembly. The fluid-distribution assembly is configured to be electrically connected to a controller assembly. The controller assembly is configured to monitor and control operations of the controllable components of the fluid-distribution assembly. The controllable components of the fluid-distribution assembly are configured to selectively distribute, under control by way of the controller assembly, a fluid flow of a compressed natural gas between the first compressed-natural-gas tank and the fuel storage assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Change Energy Services
    Inventors: Gordon Rymal Smith, Allan Wallace Davidson
  • Patent number: 11530128
    Abstract: Method and device for controlling the quantity of liquid contained in a cartridge for an aerosol generating device, wherein the cartridge has a container and a liquid contained in the container and wherein, according to which is measured the quantity of liquid contained in the cartridge; and compared the quantity of liquid with a reference quantity of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: G.D SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Giovanni Madera, Gianpiero Lamborghini, Sergio Morelli, Eugenio Navacchia, Catello Sorrentino, Luca Federici
  • Patent number: 11530781
    Abstract: Station for filling one or more tank(s) with pressurized gas, in particular pressurized hydrogen, comprising at least two pressurized gas source stores, a transfer pipe having an upstream end connected parallel to the source stores and a downstream end intended to be connected to a tank to be filled, the station comprising a valve assembly for controlling the transfer of gas between the sources and the tank to be filled and an electronic controller connected to the valve assembly and configured to control the valve assembly, the electronic controller being configured to implement successive transfers of gas between the source stores and the tank to be filled via successive pressure balancing sequences, the electronic controller being configured to determine the temperature attained by the gas in the source stores or by the source stores during transfers of gas and, when said attained temperature is below a determined threshold, to prevent or to interrupt this transfer of gas or to reduce the flow of gas trans
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Laurent Allidieres, Mathilde Weber, Etienne Werlen
  • Patent number: 11523632
    Abstract: A system and method for closing and sealing a cone filled with a smokable material provides a cone filler control system, a plurality of cone inserts each including a tapered inner wall defining a taper lock area for holding a cone filled with smokable material, and an insert ring provided at a lower end of each cone insert, each of the plurality of cone inserts removably inserted in corresponding cone receptacles residing in a cone carousel, a cone tamper actuator for compacting smokable material in a filled cone, a cone closer system including a gripper actuator for closing the cone top of the filled cone, and a cone sealing drive system including a motor with a drive wheel operated to impart a rotational force on the insert ring of each cone insert to rotate both the cone insert and a filled cone to form a wick seal at the end of the filled cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Giddings, Roger Sunday
  • Patent number: 11518553
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combination metering assembly for filling liquid products into containers. The invention is characterised by a base unit (1) and pump components (3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14) of at least two different pump types for a metering operation, wherein the pump components of each pump type can be combined with the base unit in order to form a pump system of the corresponding pump type, and the base unit has connection means (19, 23) for this purpose which are compatible with the connections of the pump components. The combination metering assembly can be adapted to different metering situations with little complexity and has a comparably small space requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: BAUSCH + STRÖBEL MASCHINENFABRIK ILSHOFEN GMBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Fabian Kleinheinz, Harald Bauer
  • Patent number: 11508593
    Abstract: Electronic device processing systems including an equipment front end module with at least one side storage pod are described. The side storage pod has a chamber including a top substrate holder and a bottom substrate holder. In some embodiments, an exhaust port is located at a midpoint between the top substrate holder and the bottom substrate holder. Methods and systems in accordance with these and other embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul B. Reuter, Dean C. Hruzek
  • Patent number: 11497686
    Abstract: A filling aid. The filling aid includes a locking portion including a groove feature; and a locking feature having a locked and an unlocked position; and a filling syringe holder slidably attached to the locking portion, the filling syringe holder including a filling needle cradle portion having a tongue feature; and a needle housing portion comprising at least one tab having a starting position and a filling position, wherein the groove feature configured to accommodate the tongue feature, and wherein the locking feature interact with the filling syringe holder wherein when the locking feature moves from the locked position to the unlocked position the needle housing portion moves from the starting position to the filling position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Richard J. Lanigan, Kevin L. Grant, Lisa A. Gustin, Timothy D. Moreau
  • Patent number: 11484472
    Abstract: A fluid transfer device (10) includes a vial holder (23) configured to hold a vial (22). An actuator (40) is coupled to the vial holder (23) and can rotate the vial (22) between upright and inverted positions. A pump (positive or negative pressure) can pump contents out of the vial (22). Before pumping of the contents the actuator (40) rotates the vial (22) to the inverted position and after pumping of the contents the actuator (40) rotates the vial (22) to the upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Aran Research Development and Prototypes Ltd.
    Inventors: Asaf Asherov, Dmitry Golom, Yaron Cina, Avraham Zakay