Patents Examined by Robert F Long
  • Patent number: 12251811
    Abstract: A linerbolt removal tool, including: a housing; a moil supported for reciprocating movement by the housing; an inertial body located within the housing; a gas charged accumulator extending from the inertial body away from the moil; a piston moveable within the inertial body between a striking position at which the piston strikes the moil and a retracted position, whereby firing the piston from its retracted position to its striking position includes causing pressurised gas within the accumulator to accelerate the piston toward the moil, wherein the piston has a striking end for striking the moil and an opposing rear end; and a piston cap that encloses the rear end of the piston, wherein during firing, the piston and the piston cap initially accelerate together and prior to the piston reaching its striking position the piston cap separates from the piston, whereby the piston cap isolates the piston from the accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Russell Mineral Equipment Pty Ltd.
    Inventors: David Groves, Peter John Rubie
  • Patent number: 12252384
    Abstract: A paint can cap remover system and method is provided. The system includes a cap remover and a leverage element. The cap remover and leverage element are either a single unitary item or two separate items. The cap remover includes a main body portion with thumb tabs and a receiving edge. The receiving edge is configured to engage with the cap of a paint can, while the thumb tabs are configured to engage with a paint can cap and translate leveraging forces into rotational movement to assist in dislodging and removing the paint cap. The leverage element includes a handle portion and a connecting portion. The handle portion provides a surface or handle for a user to apply leveraging forces to the leverage element. The connecting portion interfaces with the cap remover to transfer forces applied to the leverage element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Inventor: Kevin Ray Stoops
  • Patent number: 12251810
    Abstract: A power tool having a rotary hammer mechanism has a motor, a driving mechanism, a tool body that houses the motor and the driving mechanism, a handle having a grip part, and a first operation member. The driving mechanism is configured to operate by power of the motor in an action mode that is selected from a plurality of operation modes including a first mode of at least rotationally driving a tool accessory around a driving axis and a second mode of only linearly driving the tool accessory along the driving axis. The grip part extends in a direction crossing the driving axis and is configured to be held by a user. The first operation member is on the tool body and faces the grip part. The first operation member is configured to be manually operated by the user to change the action mode of the driving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Iida, Masanori Furusawa, Kei Watanabe
  • Patent number: 12246427
    Abstract: The power tool includes: a handle; a biasing member for biasing the handle in a direction away from a final output shaft in the axial direction; at least one guiding member disposed between a housing and a first part of the handle so as to extend in the axial direction and configured to slidably guide relative movement between the handle and the housing; and at least one elastic member disposed at least one of between the at least one guiding member and the housing and between the at least one guiding member and the first part of the handle. The at least one guiding member is disposed so as to be movable relative to the housing or the handle in a crossing direction that crosses the axial direction by elastic deformation of the at least one elastic member in the crossing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Machida, Kazuki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 12246422
    Abstract: A driving tool has a configuration for preventing deviation of a driving posture of driving members from intended position during a use. The driving tool has a guide member supplied to a driving passage and a relief passage for an engagement portion of a driver to pass. The relief passage is therefore blocked by the guide member, stabilizing a driving posture of the driving member. The guide member is then pushed by a lowermost engagement portion of the driver so as to be retreaded from the relief passage, thereby allowing the engagement portion to move downward in the relief passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hoshiyama, Masaya Nagao
  • Patent number: 12233525
    Abstract: A working apparatus has a manual operating region, a tubular part extending away from the manual operating region, and an electric cable arrangement in the tubular part. The working apparatus includes a rod-shaped cable holder, which is inserted into and held in the tubular part and has a cable holding arrangement, by which the cable arrangement is held in a pre-mounted manner on the cable holder. An assembly method secures the cable arrangement on the cable holder by the cable holding arrangement, and inserts the cable holder, with the cable arrangement held thereon, into the tubular part. The working apparatus may be a battery-operated, hand-guided garden or forestry working apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Johannes Luecke, Jens-Peter Kern, Johanna Koch, Matthias Maier
  • Patent number: 12232725
    Abstract: A cartridge for use with a surgical instrument includes a curved body and a deck defined by the curved body and configured to clamp tissue against an anvil. A plurality of staple openings is formed in the deck and is configured to house a plurality of staples. An arcuate slot is formed in the deck and is configured to slidably receive a cutting member therethrough. The deck includes a sloped deck portion that slopes away from the arcuate slot in a direction transverse to a length of the arcuate slot. The sloped deck portion is configured to provide varied compression of tissue across a width of the deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Ryan P. Posey, Nicholas D. Courtwright, Stephen D. Geresy, Kevin D. Sackett, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 12232728
    Abstract: A method of surgical stapling that uses a surgical instrument operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector with a pair of jaws. A placement tip extends distally from one of the jaws of the end effector. The method includes positioning the end effector at a desired site for surgical stapling. The method also includes controlling one or more of the jaws of the end effector to place the end effector in an open position. The method also includes positioning the end effector such that tissue is located between the jaws. The method also includes clamping the tissue between the jaws by moving at least one of the jaws toward the other jaw. The method also includes advancing a firing beam of the apparatus from a proximal position to a distal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, Gregory J. Bakos, Chester O. Baxter, III, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Hilary A. Reinhardt, Christopher J. Hess, Taylor W. Aronhalt, Daniel L. Baber
  • Patent number: 12228003
    Abstract: A pulsating hammer tool providing longer, stronger and frequent shock waves is disclosed. Selective closure of a poppet valve and interruptions of fluid flow through sliding valve assemblies and a flow regulator valve, generates shock waves and induces opening of the poppet valve. Shock waves generated by the sliding valve assemblies and the flow regulator valve combine with those generated by opening/closing of the poppet valve resulting in waves with increased amplitude. Shape, dimensions and orientations of flow paths through flow regulator valve are chosen to impart desired frequency and magnitude to generated shock waves. Similarly, the frequency of shock waves generated by the valve assemblies can be controlled by varying lengths of the valve mid-sections and/or wash pipes, or by adjusting fluid pressure or the number and size of vents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Texas Oilwell Partners LLC
    Inventor: Jason Swinford
  • Patent number: 12227328
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a strap-segment-cutting system for locating and removing strap segments from an object, such as a metal coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: SIGNODE INDUSTRIAL GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Bongcheon Song, Yongho Shin, Junyeong Kim, Taewon Kang
  • Patent number: 12226881
    Abstract: A power tool with an impact mechanism and that is controlled based on a drive angle from impacting. The power tool includes a housing, a brushless direct current (DC) motor within the housing, an impact mechanism, and an output drive device. The brushless DC motor includes a rotor coupled to a motor shaft to produce a rotational output. The impact mechanism includes a hammer coupled to the motor shaft, and an anvil that receives impacts from the hammer and drives an output device. The power tool further includes a position sensor that senses a position of the rotor and a controller coupled to the position sensor. The controller detects an impact of the impact mechanism, calculates a drive angle of the anvil caused by the impact based on output from the position sensor, and controls the brushless DC motor based on the drive angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Dey, IV, Jeffrey M. Wackwitz
  • Patent number: 12220801
    Abstract: Hammer drill and/or chipping hammer having a drive motor, an impact mechanism and a tool fitting for fitting a tool, wherein the impact mechanism has an anvil that is axially displaceable in an anvil guide and acts on the tool, wherein the impact mechanism has an idle-strike damper element and a rebound-strike damper element, which are formed in one piece with one another and as such form a combined damper element, wherein the anvil guide is arranged outside, preferably only outside the combined damper element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Uto Plank, Ulrich Mandel, Josef Fünfer
  • Patent number: 12220127
    Abstract: Stapling assemblies for use with a surgical stapler are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a stapling assembly can include a cartridge and a knitted adjunct that is configured to be releasably retained on the cartridge. The adjunct can include at least one knitted layer formed of first fibers and at least one core layer formed of second fibers that are interconnected with the first fibers to form a plurality of interconnections, in which one of the plurality of interconnections differs from at least another one of the plurality of interconnections to provide a variable compression strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Jason L. Harris, Michael J. Vendely, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
  • Patent number: 12220804
    Abstract: A tool with a transmission having a reduction gearset and a speed selector. The speed selector has a member, an actuator and a shifter assembly. The member is movable between a first position, in which the member is non-rotatable, and a second position in which the member is coupled to a planet carrier of the reduction gearset for common rotation. The actuator includes a pivoting yoke and a follower that is coupled to the yoke. The follower engages the member so as to be axially movable with the follower. The shifter assembly has a selector switch, a switch fork, and a pair of springs. The selector switch is slidable between a first switch position and a second switch position. The shift fork is slidably coupled to the selector switch and receives the yoke. The springs cooperate to bias the shift fork relative to the selector switch into a neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventor: Brent A. Kuehne
  • Patent number: 12214429
    Abstract: A hand-held power tool, in particular a hammer drill, includes a tool holder and a housing which has two housing half-shells. The hand-held power tool further includes a drive unit for driving a tool holder arranged in the housing. The drive unit includes at least one drive motor arranged in a motor support and a gear unit arranged in a gear unit housing. The motor support is connected directly to at least one of the two housing half-shells via at least one non-positive connection and at least one positive-locking connection. A relevant fastening axis is assigned to the at least one non-positive connection and to the at least one positive-locking connection. The fastening axis is arranged at right angles to and at a distance from an axis of rotation assigned to the tool holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Fritz Schlegel, Ralf Maier
  • Patent number: 12213666
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a tissue thickness compensator can comprise a compressible extracellular matrix and a bioabsorbable material dispersed within the extracellular matrix, wherein the bioapsorption of the bioabsorbable material is configured to leave behind channels in the extracellular matrix. The tissue thickness compensator can also comprise generation means for generating the ingrowth of tissue into the channels. In at least one embodiment, the tissue thickness compensator can comprise dissolvable wicking members which, when dissolved, can leave behind channels in the tissue thickness compensator. In certain embodiments, the tissue thickness compensator can comprise at least one rupturable capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Tamara S. Widenhouse, Mark D. Timmer, Steven G. Hall, Richard W. Timm, Matthew M. Lang
  • Patent number: 12213668
    Abstract: A surgical stapling instrument includes a shaft assembly and an end effector. The end effector includes a first jaw having an anvil, and a second jaw. The instrument also includes a stapling assembly supported by the second jaw and including a plurality of staples, a staple actuator, and a driver assembly. The driver assembly includes a laterally-opposed pair of distal drivers that receive respective staples, a proximal driver that receives a respective staple, and a cam surface. The staple actuator is configured to engage the cam surface during distal translation of the staple actuator to drive the respective staples into contact with the anvil. The staple actuator and the cam surface are configured such that, when the respective staples contact the anvil, the engagement between the staple actuator and the cam surface is centered at a location along the cam surface distal of a centroid of the first driver assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Kevin M. Fiebig, Adam D. Hensel
  • Patent number: 12208591
    Abstract: A method and system for edge-forming cellulose products from an air-formed cellulose blank structure. The system comprises a first mould part having an edge-forming device with a protruding element configured for compacting and separating fibres of the cellulose blank structure and a second mould part arranged for cooperating with each other. The edge-forming device is movably arranged in relation to a base structure of the first mould part, and is adapted for interacting with a pressure member arranged in the base structure. The method includes the steps: providing the air-formed cellulose blank structure, and forming a compacted edge structure of the cellulose products by separating fibres of the cellulose blank structure with the protruding element, applying an edge-forming temperature, and compacting the cellulose blank structure by applying an edge-forming pressure onto the cellulose blank structure between the protruding element and the second mould part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: PULPAC AB
    Inventors: Martin Ljungberg, Mathias Bergfjord
  • Patent number: 12208935
    Abstract: A wrap replacing apparatus according to the embodiments includes: an insertion port into which a medical device wrapped in a first bag is inserted; a peeler configured to peel off the first bag from the medical device inserted into the insertion port; a wrapper configured to wrap in a second bag the medical device from which the first bag is peeled off; and a take-out port from which the medical device wrapped in the second bag is taken out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Sugawara, Seiichi Nishizuka, Takehiro Fukuzaki, Daisuke Sato, Tatsuaki Kodaka, Akitoshi Sato, Tomio Maehama
  • Patent number: 12207835
    Abstract: A motor-driven surgical instrument that may comprise (i) a moveable drive member that is driven in a first direction when the electric motor operates in a first direction and that is driven in a second direction when the electric motor operates in a second direction. Movement of the drive member causes movement of the moveable component of the end effector, and (ii) a motor control circuit connected to the motor for controlling the motor. The motor control circuit may comprise a switching circuit that, upon actuation, reverses the direction of the motor from the first direction to the second direction. The switching circuit may be actuatable separately through each of: (i) actuation of a moveable actuator of the switching circuit through movement of the drive member at least in the first direction; and (ii) manual actuation by a user of the surgical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Ryan J. Laurent, Brett E. Swensgard, Bret W. Smith