Patents Examined by Tanzim Imam
  • Patent number: 11059709
    Abstract: A telescopic cap-supply that supplies caps for closing containers includes a cap passage having a length-adjustable section. Adjustment of a length of the length-adjustable section causes the length-adjustable section to transition between an extended state and a collapsed state. First, second, and third segments form the cap passage. Each of these segments is secured to an adjoining segment in such a manner that two adjoining segments are movable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Naaber, Bernd Bruch
  • Patent number: 11059612
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to the packaging of metal thin films deposited on polymeric substrates. The packaging method prevents deleterious change of surface energy/water contact angle as a function of time for metal thin films such as rolls, coils, sheets or strips of sputtered or vacuum deposited metal thin films. Methods and kits directed toward a unique packaging and storage scheme are also disclosed. This results in maintenance of the metal film's hydrophilicity and surface energy for extended periods of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: MATERION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lee A. Donohue, Margaret S. Fariss, Christopher Massing, Robert R. Newton, Kevin V. Goodwin
  • Patent number: 11052615
    Abstract: Welding apparatus (10; 30) having a safety feature comprising: two electrodes (11, 12; 21, 22), whereof at least one of said two electrodes is movably arranged in relation to the other electrode. The electrodes are in non-contact with each other and define a gap (13) in which an object (14) provided with an electrically non-conductive surface to be sealed may be inserted. The welding apparatus comprises an actuator (15; 25) configured to move at least one electrode when activated to squeeze the object, a detector (16; 26) configured to determine a clamping force when the inserted object (14) is squeezed between the electrodes, a distance sensor (17; 23) configured to measure the distance between the electrodes. There is also a conductance sensor (24) configured to measure the conductivity of an object located between the electrodes (11, 12; 21,22) when the object (14) is squeezed, and optionally a position sensor (19b) configured to detect the position of the object (14) inserted between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Conroy Medical AB
    Inventor: Per Jansson
  • Patent number: 11052528
    Abstract: A power tool including a drive, and a planetary gear speed reducer reducing the speed of rotation transmitted from the drive. The planetary gear speed reducer has a positioning ball between a first sun gear and a second sun gear. The first sun gear has an annular engagement portion smaller in diameter than the positioning ball, and the second sun gear has a ball-retaining recess accommodating at least half of the positioning ball and retaining the positioning ball at a position on a rotation axis of the second sun gear. The ball-retaining recess has a bottom surface substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis and a cylindrical inner surface to retain the positioning ball at a point on the rotation axis. A gap is formed between the first sun gear and the second sun gear when the positioning ball is sandwiched between the annular engagement portion and the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Hita
  • Patent number: 11045198
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, a cartridge, and a staple driver actuator. The end effector is operable to manipulate tissue. The end effector comprises a lower jaw, a pivotable anvil, and a translating cutter. The translating cutter is operable to translate relative to the lower jaw and the anvil when the anvil is pivoted toward the lower jaw to manipulate tissue. The cartridge is insertable into the lower jaw and includes a plurality of staples. The staple driver actuator is disposed within the cartridge. The staple driver actuator comprises a secondary cutting element. The translating cutter of the end effector is operable to drive the staple driver actuator distally to staple and cut tissue substantially simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: Chester O. Baxter, III, Jerome R. Morgan, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Charles J. Scheib, Michael J. Vendely
  • Patent number: 11045201
    Abstract: A circular stapler is disclosed. The circular stapler comprises a handle assembly, an elongate body, and a cartridge assembly. The elongate body extends from the handle assembly and defines a longitudinal axis. The cartridge assembly is disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongate body. The cartridge assembly includes a pusher assembly and a knife assembly. The pusher assembly is movable to cause staples to be ejected from the cartridge assembly. The knife assembly is selectively movable relative to the pusher assembly to distally translate a knife. A knife carrier of the knife assembly includes at least one latch thereon. The at least one latch is configured to contact an engagement surface of the pusher assembly in response to movement between the knife carrier and the pusher assembly. The at least one latch is prevented from distally translating beyond the engagement surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventor: Keith Milliman
  • Patent number: 11039839
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a handle portion, an end effector, an anvil, a knob, and a monolithic closure rod. The monolithic closure rod includes a proximal shank portion, a distal trocar portion, and a band portion. The proximal shank portion is located within the handle portion and is configured to linearly actuate in response to rotation of the knob. The distal trocar portion is configured to selectively couple with the anvil in order to actuate the anvil relative to the end effector. The band portion extends between the proximal shank portion and the distal trocar portion and provides a reduced cross-sectional area. The monolithic closure rod consists of a single homogenous continuum of material extending along the lengths of the proximal shank portion, the band portion, and the distal trocar portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: William D. Fox, Gregory J. Bakos
  • Patent number: 11034477
    Abstract: A transport and packaging container for a plurality of pharmaceutical containers and a method for transferring the pharmaceutical containers from the transport and packaging containers into a clean room are provided. By placing a side wall of the transport and packaging container in close proximity to or in contact with the side wall of the clean room and by opening the side wall of the transport and packaging container and a transfer port door of the clean room, the pharmaceutical containers can be transferred into the inside space of the clean room via the access opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Gregor Fritz Deutschle, Edgar Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 11034474
    Abstract: A seal head assembly includes a plurality of heat seal plates defining a corresponding plurality of heating areas, each heat seal plate including a heating element to independently control the temperature of the corresponding heating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Inventors: William Lee Harrison, Andrew William Jones, David McAuley Alexander, Gary Scott Liles
  • Patent number: 11021279
    Abstract: Manufacturing capsules, comprising preparing a first and a second capsule element, at least the first element containing a cavity, each element, being provided with a peripheral ring, bringing the elements together, so that the rings are superimposed, placing the two elements between a sonotrode and an anvil, the anvil containing an anvil recess and a striking surface, surrounding the anvil recess, the sonotrode including a sonotrode recess, with the same cross-section as the anvil recess, and a working surface surrounding the sonotrode recess, wherein the striking and working surfaces are configures to come into contact with each other on a working area, extending around the recesses, clamping the rings between the working surface and the striking surface by the proximity of a sonotrode and the anvil, activating the sonotrode and directing the ultrasound towards the anvil, whilst maintaining the clamping action, wherein the rings are detached from the capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: MELCHIOR MATERIAL AND LIFE SCIENCE FRANCE
    Inventor: David Delhaye
  • Patent number: 11006581
    Abstract: A bale wrap mechanism including a frame including a wrap chute formed from one or more perimeter walls, where the wrap chute includes a wrap axis extending longitudinally therethrough, and where the one or more perimeter walls at least partially define a passageway, a first rail fixedly coupled to the frame, a first shuttle movable along the length of the first rail, where the first shuttle includes a second rail that is transverse to the first rail, a second shuttle movable along the length of the second rail, wherein the second shuttle includes a mounting point, and a shaft coupled to the mounting point, where the shaft is configured to rotatably support the roll of wrap material thereon, and where the shaft is configured to travel along a wrap path during a wrapping process, where the wrap path surrounds the passageway, and where the wrap path is non-circular in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Kraus, Henry D. Anstey, Uri Blich
  • Patent number: 11000934
    Abstract: A hand power tool includes at least one electric-motor drive that is configured to act upon at least one motor shaft, and that is accommodated by a first housing part, the motor shaft and the first housing part defining a first common axis. The electric-motor drive is an electronically commutated electric motor. The hand power tool further includes at least one output shaft configured to drive a tool in an oscillating manner, and at least one second housing part that is configured to accommodate a rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery and the second housing part defining a second common axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Florian Esenwein
  • Patent number: 11001486
    Abstract: The invention relate generally to a tightening mechanism for a bottle filling and capping system, and a bottle neck configuration. More specifically, the invention includes a machine for tightening plastic caps onto the threaded necks of plastic bottles, and bottle neck configuration that facilitates the capping process, both of which result in a simple and effective capping operation. A conveying assembly moves the bottle in a circular path where the neck of the bottle and the cap are brought together by moving the bottle under a cap that is loosely held at a particular elevation and angle by a feeder mechanism. The conveying system constricts the rotational movement of the bottle, and a neck support stabilizes the neck of the bottle vertically, as the cap is pressed onto the neck initially by a roller. A capping station in a bottle filling line is comprised of a spring biased toothed finger that engage the peripheral edge of the caps as the bottles are conveyed through the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: BLACKHAWK MOLDING CO., INC.
    Inventor: Roy F. Parsons
  • Patent number: 10991192
    Abstract: A device, system, and method are provided for grinding, dispensing, and packaging a granular material into a receptacle to be obtained by a user. The device can include: a user interface; a canister comprising a dispensing mechanism and a grinder; a packaging system configured to physically manipulate and position a receptacle within the device, thereby eliminating the need for manual handling by the user; a receptacle-storage configured to house a plurality of receptacles and from which the packaging system can obtain a receptacle; a capping station configured to apply a covering onto a filled receptacle to prevent spillage and waste; an inventory database to store inventory information; a communication system to facilitate internet connectivity; and a recommendation system to recommend various recipes to the user. The description also discloses a system of interconnected kiosks for automatically grinding, dispensing, and packaging granular materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Pinch Corp.
    Inventors: Dylan Cole Hooe, Sarah Budhiman
  • Patent number: 10967599
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for forming packages of flexible material with a first side gusset and a second side gusset starting from a strip coming from a reel having a sliding direction. The method comprises the following steps: making the first gusset by folding close to a first side edge of the strip coming from the reel, and making the second gusset by folding the strip coming from the reel; in which the step of making the second gusset is performed on a portion of the strip which extends in the sliding direction after the step of making the first gusset was performed on the portion of the strip. Moreover, the present invention relates to a machine configured so as to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: ICA S.P.A.
    Inventor: Gino Rapparini
  • Patent number: 10952731
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a surgical fastener applying apparatus (10) for sequentially applying fasteners to body tissue. The apparatus includes a clamping half-section (12) having a distal anvil attachment portion (12b) and a proximal handle portion (12a), a cartridge receiving half-section (14) having a handle portion (22) and an elongated channel portion (24), the elongated channel portion being configured to releasably receive a single use loading unit and the handle portion being configured to releasably receive a firing assembly (20), an anvil member (16) configured to be releasably supported within the distal anvil attachment portion of the clamping half-section and a firing assembly configured to be releasably supported within the handle portion of the cartridge receiving half-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Arvind Kumar Gupta, Harshottam Singh Dhakad, Kiran Garikipati, Nikhil R. Katre, Vinayan Vivekanandan, Mangesh Patankar
  • Patent number: 10947014
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing bags with counting marks includes a workstation for making bags, and a coding machine for spraying counting marks on the bags. The coding machine includes a main body, a fixing structure and a spraying gun. The main body has ink cartridges for providing ink and a pressure mechanism to spray the ink through the spraying gun. The spraying gun is fixed to a fixing structure and connected to the main body via a cable such that the ink of the ink cartridges is operably moved from the ink cartridge to the spraying gun via the cable. The cable includes channels, each channel adapted for delivering a respective color of the ink. The spraying gun includes nozzles coupled to the channels for spraying the ink on the bags so as to form the counting marks thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: FORESIGHT USA, INC.
    Inventor: Fung Steven Wong
  • Patent number: 10945727
    Abstract: A staple cartridge assembly includes staple pockets, staples deployable from the staple pockets into tissue, and staple drivers movable from a starting position to deploy the staples into the tissue. The staple drivers comprise deformable retention features configured to maintain the staple drivers at the starting positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ethicon LLC
    Inventors: Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Jerome R. Morgan
  • Patent number: 10947081
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric used for the industrial production of moistened wipes. The apparatus for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric from a roll wound on a core is mounted on a countertop, equipped with a housing, provided with a drive unit. Mounted on a hub (1) is a cylinder (2), to which eccentrically attached are rods (3) from which at a certain distance is mounted a linear feed (4). The hub assembly (1) with the cylinder (2) with the rods (3) and the linear feed (4) can be mounted vertically or horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: AUTOMATEC SP. Z O.O.
    Inventors: Wojciech Siwek, Artur Malejki
  • Patent number: 10947080
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric used for the industrial production of moistened wipes. The apparatus for folding and winding a predetermined length of non-woven fabric from a roll wound on a core is mounted on a countertop, equipped with a housing, provided with a drive unit. Mounted on a hub (1) is a cylinder (2), to which eccentrically attached are rods (3) from which at a certain distance is mounted a linear feed (4). The hub assembly (1) with the cylinder (2) with the rods (3) and the linear feed (4) can be mounted vertically or horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: AUTOMATEC SP. Z O.O.
    Inventors: Wojciech Siwek, Artur Malejki