Patents Examined by Sarang Afzali
  • Patent number: 11191614
    Abstract: A processing machine and a method of using the processing machine to process a block to form a dental prosthesis is provided. The processing machine includes a polishing jig. The polishing jig is for machining tools which makes it possible for a deteriorating machining tool to be used again without detaching the machining tool, with which the processing machine is equipped, from the processing machine. The polishing jig for machining tools comprises an attachment part to be attached to the processing machine; and a polishing face that is at least part of a surface of the polishing jig, the polishing face adapted to polish a processing part of a machining tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: GC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Mashio, Tatsuya Fujimoto, Hayato Yokohara, Tomohiro Hoshino, Toshihiko Azuma
  • Patent number: 11193495
    Abstract: A method including bending an elongate portion of a flat strip of metallic material into a ring about an axis extending parallel to a thickness of the elongate portion of the strip of metallic material. The method includes fixing end portions of the ring together to form a flat ring, the flat ring having opposite flat side surfaces, a radially inner surface, a radially outer surface, a pair of radially inner edges, and a pair of radially outer edges, wherein the pair of radially inner edges connect the radially inner surface and the opposite flat side surfaces and the pair of radially outer edges connect the radially outer surface and the opposite flat side surfaces. The method includes connecting a plurality of curved blades to the flat ring and connecting a hub support to the curved blades at a position spaced from the flat ring along the curved blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Revcor, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig R. Hall, Richard R. Shelby, Dominic Phillip Menoni, Stephen A. Adamski, Michael F. Buckley
  • Patent number: 11192213
    Abstract: An automated assembly apparatus, system and method of use thereof, characterized by comprising an assembly robot having a plurality of hands, the plurality of hands being movable in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction by an X-axis moving unit and a Y-axis moving unit, and a plurality of workbenches which are provided with Z-axis moving unit and which are movable in a Z-axis direction by the Z-axis moving unit. A work area is independently provided for the plurality of workbenches, a width of a predetermined work area among the work areas is larger than clearance widths of the plurality of hands, widths of the work areas other than the predetermined work area are smaller than the clearance widths of at least some of the plurality of hands, and the hand which performs a job on the predetermined work area is disposed at a lowermost level in the Z-axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Wataru Kogushi
  • Patent number: 11167158
    Abstract: A method of custom manufacturing a flame arrestor includes providing a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface where the exterior surface of the housing is shaped to fit within a fluid passageway. The method includes forming, using an additive manufacturing technique, a three-dimensional lattice structure by depositing a first material onto the interior surface of the housing in a predetermined pattern. The lattice structure includes a plurality of connected lattice members forming channels extending from a first end to a second end of the three-dimensional lattice structure. An element of a second material is provided adjacent to the three-dimensional lattice structure. The second material is different than the first material and the element is configured to draw heat away from fluid flowing through the plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Tulsa, LLC
    Inventors: John D. Cockerham, James Myers
  • Patent number: 11155925
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a decorative article (2) including the following steps of: making a blank by injection moulding a material comprising a metallic material, machining and/or polishing the blank to form a product, and forming the product to print a raised or recessed relief pattern (3) on part of the surface of the product, the product with the pattern (3) forming the decorative article. Also, a decorative article, notably an external timepiece part made of a sintered material having on part of its surface a raised or recessed relief pattern (3) made by a forming process. Preferably, the sintered material is a grade 5 titanium alloy (Ti6V4Al) or a stainless steel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: MECO SA
    Inventor: Hervé Avril
  • Patent number: 11154956
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing or repairing a turbine blade or vane are described. The airfoil portions of these turbine components are typically manufactured by casting in a ceramic mold, and a surface made up of the cast airfoil and at the least the ceramic core serves as a build surface for a subsequent process of additively manufacturing the tip portions. The build surface is created by removing a top portion of the airfoil and the core, or by placing an ultra-thin shim on top of the airfoil and the core. The overhang projected by the shim is subsequently removed. These methods are not limited to turbine engine applications, but can be applied to any metallic object that can benefit from casting and additive manufacturing processes. The present disclosure also relates to finished and intermediate products prepared by these methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Terrence Garay, Mark Kevin Meyer, Douglas Gerard Konitzer, William Thomas Carter
  • Patent number: 11148266
    Abstract: A wedge anchor removal device. The wedge anchor removal device has an elongated cylindrical body. The elongated cylindrical body includes a bore centrally defined therein. The bore is sized to receive a rod. The rod has a first end disposed opposite a second end. The first end has a threaded interface. The threaded interface is configured to engage an anchor bolt. A nut is disposed on the second end of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventor: Alvin Buffalo
  • Patent number: 11149780
    Abstract: A method of covering a portion of a fastener, protruding from a surface, that comprises providing a cap comprising a wall, a base, an interior, at least partially delimited by the wall and the base, and pawls, located in the interior of the cap. The method further comprises coupling a tooth to the fastener, covering the portion of the fastener with the cap, and positively engaging the pawls with the tooth, such that the pawls are loaded in tension against the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Blaine Knight Rawdon, Michael Scott Cameron
  • Patent number: 11136913
    Abstract: An exhaust gas system clamping and joining device for clamping and joining at least two components of an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle has a clamping unit with at least one positioning unit and at least one holding unit, the holding unit being a vacuum system having at least one vacuum suction cup and a joining unit including a welding unit or a soldering unit. The two components of the exhaust gas system can be transferred by the positioning unit into a predetermined position and can be secured by the holding unit in the predetermined position and joined by the joining unit. An exhaust gas system clamping device for clamping at least two components of an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle has at least one positioning unit and at least one holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventor: Alfred Blueml
  • Patent number: 11136070
    Abstract: A mounting part (11) for affixing a composite fiber part of a motor vehicle to at least one adjoining component of a motor vehicle is made from a fiber composite material. The mounting part (11) has a three-dimensionally shape that defines ribs and/or webs and/or protrusions and/or depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventors: Thiemo Erb, Markus Brunner, Thomas Meier, Eduard Ene
  • Patent number: 11136904
    Abstract: A method of installing a turbine assembly is provided. The method includes assembling a support member for supporting a turbine assembly during installation. The support member includes a platform having a plurality of modular platform components oriented to define an upper surface of the platform. The method also includes positioning a linear actuator on the upper surface of the platform. The method further includes positioning a column on the linear actuator. The method includes lifting the turbine assembly onto the column. The platform, the linear actuator, and the column are sized to support the turbine assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Piotr Krzysztof Dzieciol, Sean Cornelius O'Meara, Adrian Adam Klejc, Szymon Perkowski
  • Patent number: 11135506
    Abstract: An apparatus for installing and removing glass panels and methods of using the apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a base portion, a back support structure secured to the base portion, and a glass adjustment system moveably coupled to the back support structure. Methods for using the apparatus to install and remove glass panels from, for example, ice rink boards, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventor: Barry Collins
  • Patent number: 11130536
    Abstract: A vehicle assembly method includes assembling a chassis platform, mounting a floor pan to the platform, mounting a modular interior to the floor pan, assembling a body top-hat separate from the platform and the floor pan, and mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan after mounting the modular interior to the floor pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christian Hosbach, Ari Caliskan, John Jaranson, Christopher Bondanza, Jonathan Weiler, Peter A. Friedman
  • Patent number: 11122935
    Abstract: A ceramic deep-frying device capable of withstanding high temperatures and releasing far-infrared energy is made by grinding and mixing mullite, spodumene, energy ceramic material, ball clay, and kaolin clay into clay blank; molding the blank into ceramic green body; and sintering the green body at 1250-1320° C. for 18-24 hours. The device is completely immersed in the oil in a deep-frying vessel while leaving a gap between the device and heating pipe in the vessel or the inner bottom wall of the vessel, for enabling the oil to circulate through the through holes in the device due to temperature difference in the oil, causing the energy ceramic material to release anions and far-infrared rays that decrease van der Waals forces between oil molecules, and hence split, the oil molecules, thereby extending the service life of the oil, shortening the deep-frying time required, and lowering the oil content of deep-fried food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventors: Chun-Shyong Lee, Sen-Kung Hsu
  • Patent number: 11125137
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing an insulator including disposing first and second covering members, and swaging the first covering member with the second covering member. The first and second covering members each include a groove and flanges including a perforated flange. The second covering member is disposed on the first covering member such that an inner side of the groove of the second covering member faces an inner side of the groove of the first covering member; the flanges of the second covering member are individually placed on the flanges of the first covering member; and a pin retained on a base is inserted through the perforated flange of the second covering member, to thereby fix the second covering member in position. In the swaging, at least the respective perforated flanges of the first and second covering members are swaged with each other with the pin being inserted therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kouhei Yamamoto, Fuyuki Itoh
  • Patent number: 11122929
    Abstract: A machine for preparing beverages has a hydraulic circuit including a normally open discharge valve, which comprises a main inlet connected to a fluid actuator, a main outlet connected towards a collecting space, and a valve member between the main inlet and the main outlet, for enabling and preventing a flow of fluid between the main inlet and the main outlet. The discharge valve is a hydraulically driven valve, which also comprises a driving chamber for hydraulic driving the valve member. The driving chamber has an auxiliary inlet, connected to the delivery of a pump, and an auxiliary outlet, connected to a brewing unit and to the fluid actuator, in such a way that water delivered by the pump passes through the driving chamber before reaching the brewing unit and the fluid actuator, respectively. The driving chamber has a further outlet, connected in fluid communication to a device for spillage of water from the driving chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Colonna, Denis Rotta, Gabriele Picone
  • Patent number: 11123827
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for remotely switching screw color or screw type feeding into a door assembly machine with an auto-hinge applicator. An apparatus having a turntable is supported on bearings and a framework. Each side of the turntable includes a screw hopper accessible via a rotary index. The screw hoppers receive a user input to make a screw selection. Upon receiving a selection, one of the hoppers indexes into position, allowing the correct screw to feed to the hinge applicator. Screw feed-hoses from screwdrivers on the hinge applicator are arranged to connect to a manifold below the screw hoppers. Screws drop from the hoppers into a manifold, at which point the screws are blown with compressed air through the feed-hoses to the screwdrivers on the hinge applicator. Screws can be reloaded into the screw hoppers when rotated in alignment with the hinge side of the door assembly machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Kval, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Kvalheim, Scott Bacon, David Schneider
  • Patent number: 11125513
    Abstract: A formable structure comprises a first material having a first level of viscosity and a second material having a second level of viscosity, wherein the second material is formed to hold at least a portion of the first material in a particular position or a particular shape. The first material can be configured to function as a thermal interface between two or more hardware components. The second material can be configured to have a higher viscosity than the first material. In one illustrative example, the second material can include a light-activated resin that is configured to harden when exposed to one or more treatments. By the use of the first material and second material, the techniques disclosed herein are adaptable to gaps having a wide range of sizes, which is difficult to do with traditional thermal interface materials. The second material can also function as an EMI shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Renee Wu, Michael Nikkhoo
  • Patent number: 11123133
    Abstract: A method of disassembling a surgical instrument for reprocessing, includes accessing an interior housing of a surgical instrument to expose a slider assembly, an elongated outer shaft including a drive plate and knife assembly extending therethrough, and a torsion spring of the surgical instrument. The method further includes grasping an upper leg of the torsion spring to disengage the upper leg from a slot defined within the drive plate, disengaging the drive plate from the slider assembly, and removing the torsion spring from the slider assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Stephen J. Stamm, Purvishkumar H. Soni, Alyssa M. Sawyer, Subhadeep Saha, Jessica E. C. Olson
  • Patent number: 11117184
    Abstract: An aircraft panel production method has: a step in which a holding jig holds a body panel, which has a plurality of plate-like members having a curved cross-sectional shape, such that the cross section of the body panel has an upwardly bulging curved shape; a step in which the plate-like members of the body panel held by the holding jig are overlapped with each other and the overlapping portions are joined by a rivet; a step in which the holding jig, which is holding the body panel of which the plate-like members have been joined to each other, is moved; and a step in which a frame that follows the curved shape of the body panel is joined, by a rivet, to the plate-like members of the body panel which is held by the holding jig which has been moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirai, Hiroshi Taneda, Takuya Goto, Tsuyoshi Kaneko