Patents Examined by Robert G Bachner
  • Patent number: 12773747
    Abstract: Provided is a workpiece edge position detection device with which it is possible to accurately detect the position of a workpiece edge even under conditions in which an inclined portion is present on the workpiece. A workpiece edge position detection device includes: a control unit that controls the position of a machining head, on which a gap sensor is mounted, such that a spacing with respect to the workpiece as detected by the gap sensor remains fixed while the machining head is scanned along the surface of the workpiece; and a workpiece edge detection unit that, during execution by the control unit of the control for keeping the gap fixed, detects the position of an end section of the workpiece on the basis of the coordinate position of the machining head when the amount of variation in the spacing between the gap sensor and the workpiece has reached or exceeded a prescribed threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2026
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryousuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 12773750
    Abstract: The purpose is to smooth a surface of a molten portion, to suppress formation of a sharp edge and an undercut at an end of the molten portion and in the vicinity of the end. A laser welding method includes emitting a laser beam onto a surface of a stack of a plurality of workpieces, and moving the laser beam in a predetermined traveling direction, thereby welding the plurality of workpieces to each other. The laser beam includes a main beam, a sub beam, a rear beam, and an end beam. The main beam is emitted onto a main region. The sub beam is emitted onto a sub region surrounding the main region. The rear beam is emitted onto a rear region located rearward of the main region. The end beam is emitted onto an end region located rearward of the rear region and outside of the sub region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2026
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Kitagawa, Shimpei Takahara, Koji Fukuoka, Mitsutaka Igaue
  • Patent number: 12768596
    Abstract: A modular reflective heating system for use in a process chamber is provided. The modular reflective heating system includes: a plurality of connectors; a plurality of lamps, each lamp connected to at least one of the connectors; a reflector including: a base; and a reflective assembly including a first plurality of reflective portions and a second plurality of reflective portions. Each reflective portion in the first plurality of reflective portions and the second plurality of reflective portions is connected to the base, and each reflective portion in the first plurality of reflective portions and the second plurality of reflective portions is configured to be individually disconnected from the base. The modular reflective heating system further includes a spare reflective portion configured to replace a first reflective portion in the first plurality of reflective portions or the second plurality of reflective portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2026
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Raja Murali Dhamodharan, Shu-Kwan Lau, Shainish Nellikka, Enle Choo, Kalaivanan Mohanadass, Aniketnitin Patil
  • Patent number: 12766647
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for preventing welding distortion and a method for welding a pipe and a flange using same, the apparatus being capable of effectively reducing welding distortion of a flange, which occurs during welding with a pipe and improving economic efficiency and productivity. The apparatus for preventing the welding distortion comprises: at least one counterweight which is arranged to be in contact with one side of a flange that is to be welded to a pipe, and has a hollow portion therein; and a fastening tool which fixes the counterweight to the flange, wherein the hollow portion of the counterweight may accommodate a refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2026
    Assignee: POSCO CO., LTD
    Inventors: Jae-Yik Lee, Kyu-Tae Han
  • Patent number: 12772344
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes a ceramic base having a wafer placement surface; resistance heating elements buried in the ceramic base; jumper layers having a planar shape and provided in a different layer from the resistance heating elements; an inner via connecting the jumper layer and an end of the resistance heating element; and a feed via connected to the jumper layer, wherein each of the resistance heating elements is provided for each of zones of a surface parallel to the wafer placement surface, each of the jumper layers is provided for each of the resistance heating elements, and a center-to-center distance between the inner via and the feed via in each of the jumper layers is greater than or equal to 50 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2026
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroya Sugimoto, Masaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 12766633
    Abstract: An optical element assembly includes a first optical element and a second optical element. A reflective surface is formed in the first optical element, the second optical element is bonded to the reflective surface of the first optical element, and the reflective surface is shielded from ambient air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2026
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Nomaru, Hideo Matsuda
  • Patent number: 12759075
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (IO) for controlling the axial position of a laser focal point produced by a microscope objective, comprising:—a laser source for emitting a laser beam,—a deformable mirror for focusing or defocusing the laser beam axially,—a microscope objective for focusing the laser beam coming from the deformable mirror on a laser focal point, characterized in that it further comprises a system for passing the laser beam emitted by the laser source several times through the deformable mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2026
    Assignees: Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Sinan Haliyo, Stéphane Régnier, Edison Gerena
  • Patent number: 12759090
    Abstract: In a method for laser fusion cutting in particular a plate-shaped workpiece, preferably with a thickness D of at least 1 mm, a laser beam and a cutting gas, in particular nitrogen, at a cutting gas pressure are directed at the workpiece surface by a convergent cutting nozzle. The laser power is at least 6 kW and the cutting nozzle has a nozzle end face on the workpiece side. A distance A between the nozzle end face and the workpiece surface during the cutting operation is 2 to 8 mm. The cutting nozzle has a nozzle channel with a diameter dD at the nozzle end face on the workpiece side of 1.5 to 4 mm. The cutting gas pressure before emergence from the cutting nozzle is 15 to 30 bar. This makes it possible to achieve high productivity along with a reduced risk of collision, i.e. higher process reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2026
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen SE + Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Krutzke, Patrick Mach, Christoph Kraus
  • Patent number: 12757940
    Abstract: An inductive heating system is provided, including: a first inductive heating device including a first DC power supply configured to provide a first DC supply voltage, and a first heater module including an inductor configured to provide inductive heating, the first heater module having a first heater module input voltage that is substantially equal to the first DC supply voltage; and a second inductive heating device including a second DC power supply configured to provide a second DC supply voltage that is different from the first DC supply voltage, a second heater module including an inductor configured to provide inductive heating, the heater module having the first heater module input voltage, and a DC/DC voltage converter configured to convert the second DC supply voltage to the first heater module input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2026
    Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
    Inventor: Enrico Stura
  • Patent number: 12765337
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) includes a semiconductor substrate and an interconnect region. The semiconductor substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The semiconductor substrate has a first region with a passive component. The semiconductor substrate has a second region outside the first region. The resistance of the second region is smaller than the resistance of the first region. The interconnection region is on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2026
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Swaminathan Sankaran, Scott Robert Summerfelt, Benjamin Cook
  • Patent number: 12750922
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present invention are a method and device for prolonging the service life of a ceramic electric heating body under a direct-current power supply condition. According to the solution, power can be supplied to a ceramic electric heating body in a forward-reverse inverting pulse manner under a direct-current condition, so that the service life of the ceramic electric heating body is prolonged. The beneficial technical effects of the present invention are: a method and device for prolonging the service life of a ceramic electric heating body under a direct-current power supply condition are provided; and the solution can effectively ameliorate the aging problem of a ceramic electric heating body, prolong the service life of the ceramic electric heating body, and ensure that the product performance is stable for a long time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2026
    Inventor: Hon Kin Andes Wu
  • Patent number: 12751247
    Abstract: A wafer alignment assembly is provided. The wafer alignment assembly includes: a first tapered wall extending in a first horizontal direction; a first spring wall attached to an inner surface of the first tapered wall; a first set of conveyor rollers configured to rotate; a second tapered wall extending in the first horizontal direction, wherein the first tapered wall and the second tapered wall are characterized by a tapered shape that facilitates entry of a wafer assembly; a second spring wall attached to an inner surface of the first tapered wall; and a second set of conveyor rollers configured to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2026
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Ching Lee, Tung-Hsuan Tsai, Hsin-Tai Wang, Chen Liang Chang, Kuo Hui Chang, Chi-Chun Peng
  • Patent number: 12745325
    Abstract: A transparent heater includes: a substrate that is transparent to a visible light and has one surface; and a conductive layer that is disposed on the one surface, is transparent to the visible light, and contains an aggregate of carbon nanotubes. The conductive layer includes: a patterned portion that includes a linear portion linearly extending in a first direction parallel to the one surface; and a non-patterned portion that is a film-shaped portion connecting to the patterned portion in a second direction parallel to the one surface and orthogonal to the first direction, and has a thickness smaller than that of the patterned portion in a third direction orthogonal to the one surface. The non-patterned portion has an orientation direction of the carbon nanotubes defining less than 45 degrees with respect to the second direction, the orientation direction being measure by an orientation evaluation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2026
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuma Ishino, Yoshihiro Kozawa, Kenji Nakamura, Hidehiko Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 12741334
    Abstract: An arrangement including a welding arm (2) for a resistance seam welding machine and a roller head (1) fastened thereon, which has a stator (3) and an electrode roller (4) which is supported as a rotor on the stator (3) in a rotatable way, wherein the stator (3) protrudes over the electrode roller (4) with fastening extensions (5) on both sides of the electrode roller (4). The welding arm (2) has a reception opening (6) for the roller head (1), which is formed between two limiting walls (7) facing each other, which themselves have fastening reception openings (8) for the fastening extensions (5). The roller head (1) is arranged inside the reception opening (6) in such a way that the electrode roller (4) protrudes outside the reception opening (6) with a part of its circumferential boundary and the fastening extensions (5) are arranged inside the fastening reception openings (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2026
    Assignee: SOUDRONIC AG
    Inventors: Pascal Gauch, Matthias Roth, Daniel Stäubli
  • Patent number: 12738716
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for a universal laser system including a laser operable to produce an infrared laser beam for a range of wavelengths, an optics assembly operable to focus and direct the laser beam, and electronics communicatively coupled with the laser and the optics assembly, the electronics being configured to control the laser and the optics assembly, where the laser is configured to produce the infrared laser beam at wavelengths in the range of wavelengths that overlap with absorption peaks due to higher-order, non-linear oscillations of molecular bonds of each polymeric material of at least ten different polymeric materials, thereby generating heat from absorption of photon energy from the infrared laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2026
    Assignee: Markem-Imaje Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart W. Wilson
  • Patent number: 12729860
    Abstract: A method of operating a cooking appliance includes receiving a temperature setpoint input for a preheating phase of a cooking operation; retrieving a default power level for at least one heating element in response to receiving the temperature setpoint input; directing the at least one heating element at the default power level over a thermal coupling classification period, the thermal coupling classification period being a portion of the preheating phase; determining a thermal coupling behavior of a cookware item provided on the at least one heating element after an expiration of the thermal coupling classification period; and adjusting one or more parameters of the preheating phase based on the thermal coupling behavior of the cookware item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Omar Santana
  • Patent number: 12729638
    Abstract: An exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine includes a carrier arrangement and a heating conductor arrangement carried on the carrier arrangement. The heating conductor arrangement has at least one heating conductor. At least one carrier-arrangement supporting unit is provided for carrying the heating conductor in an electrically insulated manner with respect to the carrier arrangement. The carrier-arrangement supporting unit includes at least one of the following: an insulating coating applied to the carrier arrangement; and, an insulating coating applied to the heating conductor supported on the carrier arrangement via the carrier-arrangement supporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: Purem GmbH
    Inventor: Jochen Hammer
  • Patent number: 12727703
    Abstract: An electric kettle includes a power supply base, and a kettle main body to be removably mounted on the power supply base. The kettle main body has: a container having a bottomed cylindrical shape that contains a liquid; a nozzle provided in a lower part of a side surface of the container; and a valve mechanism that opens and closes a flow channel for the liquid from the container to the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2026
    Assignee: KALITA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ichiro Ishida
  • Patent number: 12722231
    Abstract: A method for stripping a rod-shaped conductor using laser radiation is provided. The rod-shaped conductor includes an electrically conductive core and a coating that is at least partially transparent to the laser radiation. The method includes traversing the conductor for a first time with at least one laser beam to at least partially reduce transparency of the coating, and traversing the conductor for a second time with the at least one laser beam to at least partially reduce adhesion of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2026
    Assignee: TRUMPF LASER- UND SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Oliver Bocksrocker, Christoph Neugebauer, Tim Hesse
  • Patent number: 12722229
    Abstract: A laser welding mechanism includes a main body having a space and two securing devices which are respectively attached to two ends of the body. A linkage assembly includes a bearing and a linkage tube. A refraction mirror unit includes two mirrors connected to the linkage tube of the linkage assembly. A laser unit is pivotally connected to a swinging member which is connected to the linkage tube of the linkage assembly. A drive unit including a motor, a driving gear, and a driven gear. A rotation unit is connected to the swinging member of the laser unit. The laser unit rotates relative to the first workpiece and the second workpiece during welding, ensuring a stable rotation at the joining faces of the two workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2026
    Assignee: GENII IDEAS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuo Chiang Tseng, Nan Kai Weng, Chih Yu Weng, Pei Yu Wang, Tzu Wen Sung, Feng Chi Wei, Mao Te Chuang