Patents Examined by Thomas M Wittenschlaeger
  • Patent number: 11753190
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to provide portioned instances of a compressible material includes a channel assembly, a gas source, a cutting assembly, and a discharge assembly. The channel assembly holds a bulk instance of the material extending through upper and lower channels of a continuous channel. The gas source supplies gas to compress the bulk instance. The cutting assembly moves in relation to the channel assembly to isolate the upper and lower channels, severing upper and lower material portions of the bulk instance. The discharge assembly directs gas to impinge on a lower face of the cutting assembly to discharge the lower material portion as a portioned instance. The channel assembly may be moveable, where operation of the gas source, cutting assembly, and/or discharge assembly are based on moving the channel assembly between various positions. The gas supply may be controlled based on a determined property of the portioned instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: Dwight David Williams, James David Evans, Patrick Sean McElhinney, Jarrod Wayne Chalkley
  • Patent number: 11752612
    Abstract: A dust suppression system for a demolition hammer is disclosed. The dust suppression system may have a water hose routed within a power cell of the demolition hammer, and a connector channel internal of the walls of a front head of the demolition hammer. The water hose may be utilized to deliver water from outside of the demolition hammer to a connection valve on a top end of the front head, and the internal connector channel may deliver water from the connection valve to one or more nozzles located at a bottom end of the front head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Cody Moore, Akshay D. Mate, Hariom Kumar Gupta, Dhanunjaya D. Reddy, Chetan Vilas Dahiwal
  • Patent number: 11752604
    Abstract: The present invention relates to torque application tools, such as an electronic torque screwdriver, with a multiple axis gyroscope (such as a 3-axis gyroscope or other type of gyroscope) and torque sensor that allows for simultaneous or sequential measurement of torque and angle around the axis of the tool. Targets for torque and angle measurements may be used to create algorithms to detect breakaway torque, residual torque, or to perform error proofing to ensure unique fasteners are tightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Snap-on Incorporated
    Inventors: Jerry A. King, Nathan J. Lee, John L. Reynertson, Stephen M. Bauer, Jie Li
  • Patent number: 11745910
    Abstract: Customized boxes for packaging one or more items therein can have item placement indicia printed, applied, or projected thereon. The boxes can include a plurality of side wall panels and a plurality of flaps extending from the plurality of sidewall panels. The plurality of flaps can be configured to form top and bottom surfaces of the customized boxes. The item placement indicia can be printed, applied, or projected on an interior surface of one or more of the side wall panels. The item placement indicia represent desired placements for the one or more items to be packaged in the customized boxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Packsize LLC
    Inventors: Hanko Kiessner, John Paul Alpine
  • Patent number: 11738980
    Abstract: A capping machine includes a gripper having a pair of gripping arms provided on an outer peripheral portion of a rotating body and configured to grip a cylindrical portion of a vessel, an opening and closing device configured to open and close the gripping arms, and a capping head liftably and rotatably provided on the rotating body. The gripping arms are arranged symmetrically with respect to a radius of the rotating body. The gripper has a protrusion for preventing the vessel from rotating on a vessel gripping surface of the gripping arms. The gripping arms have outer and inner gripping surfaces which are connected in a V shape. The protrusion is formed only on the inner gripping surface of a right gripping arm. A cap held by the capping head is screwed onto the vessel while sticking the protrusion into the cylindrical portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: SHIBUYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Masumoto, Hajime Matsui, Yasuto Nishide, Hiroyoshi Yamada, Hiroaki Kitamoto, Masatoshi Nozaki
  • Patent number: 11739481
    Abstract: A pavement breaker has a housing, a hammer mechanism mounted within the housing, and at least one handle moveably mounted on the housing. The handle(s) can move in a vertical direction when the pavement breaker is orientated in its normal operation orientation. A sensor is mounted within the housing for detecting when the handle(s) is moved towards or at its uppermost position. If the sensor detects such handle position, the hammer mechanism is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Borgers, Clemens Dunser, Benjamin Schmidt, Andreas Friedrich
  • Patent number: 11738431
    Abstract: A retaining device adapted for use with an electric nail gun includes: a swing arm unit adapted to swing relative to a flywheel of the nail gun; an impact unit adapted to swing with the swing arm unit, and being movable between a pre-striking position proximate to the flywheel, and a striking position distal from the flywheel; a retrieving unit configured to bias the impact unit to move to the pre-striking position; and first and second positioning members connected respectively to the swing arm unit and the impact unit, and magnetically attracted to each other to prohibit removal of the impact unit from the pre-striking position when the impact unit is at the pre-striking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Basso Industry Corp.
    Inventors: Chia-Yu Chien, Ching-Han Chang, Tsu-Yu Cho
  • Patent number: 11738434
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a modular fastener gun comprising at least a gun body that can accept any number of fastener cartridges using a same connection assembly mechanism. In one example, a fastener cartridge comprises a fastener box used to hold fasteners, the fastener box including a first alignment structure and a second alignment structure, the first alignment structure used to detachably connect the fastener cartridge to a fastener gun body, and the second alignment structure used to lock the fastener cartridge to the gun body. In this way, a plurality of fastener cartridges that each can house different fastener types, can readily be used with a same fastener gun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Arrow Fastener Company, LLC
    Inventor: Weiyi Wang
  • Patent number: 11738430
    Abstract: A striking device includes a swing arm unit, an impact member and two restoring units. Each of the restoring units includes a stationary seat removably connected to the swing arm unit, a moving seat removably and co-movably connected to the impact member, first and second coupling sets, and a resilient member interconnecting the stationary seat and the moving seat to bias the moving seat toward the stationary seat. For each of the restoring units, two portions of the first coupling set are formed respectively on the stationary seat and the swing arm unit and coupled removably with each other, and two portions of the second coupling set are formed respectively on the moving seat and the impact member and coupled removably with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Basso Industry Corp.
    Inventors: Chun-Chi Lai, Liang-Chi Hung, Sheng-Man Wang, Hung-Da Chen, Chia-Yu Chien, Jian-Rung Wu
  • Patent number: 11738436
    Abstract: A rotary hammer includes a motor, a manipulation member, a main switch, a mode-switching member, a first locking member and a second locking member. The first locking member is configured to selectively lock the manipulation member in an OFF position according to a switching position of the mode-switching member. The second locking member is configured to selectively lock the manipulation member in an ON position according to the switching position of the mode-switching member. The first locking member is allowed to lock the manipulation member in the OFF position both when a hammer mode has been selected and when a drill mode has been selected. The motor is allowed to be driven in a state in which the manipulation member is locked in the ON position by the second locking member only when the hammer mode has been selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Furusawa, Hajime Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 11731256
    Abstract: Provided is an electric tool with which work efficiency can be improved. A controller of an electric tool can execute: a first control, whereby during a non-operating state after a motor has started up and before a tip tool is set to be in an operating state, the motor is driven at a slow idling rotation speed, and when the tip tool is set to be in the operating state, the motor is driven at a normal rotation speed which is higher than the slow idling rotation speed; and a second control, whereby in a case where a trigger switch has been turned off in a state where the motor is being driven at the normal rotation speed and the trigger switch is thereafter turned on again under a prescribed condition, the motor is driven at the normal rotation speed regardless of the state of the tip tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Yamada, Hideyuki Hashimoto, Yuta Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11735304
    Abstract: Embodiments of the inventive technology may relate to a robotic pill dispensing system, whether puck-based or puck-free, configured to avoid delay during the filling of orders and achieve high, perhaps even maximal, order fill rates and associated processing efficiency. Additional embodiments of the inventive technology may relate to, inter alia, a bottle placement site that is different from a bottle pick-up site, a device configured to apply lodged pill clearance forces to counted pill reserve containers; counted pill reserve containers that are large enough to contain pills required by substantially all orders to be handled by a robotic dispensary; a method of dynamically repositioning medication-dedicated pill counters to increase processing speed and a system configured to facilitate the same; a robotic dispensary configured to allow manual operation when a robot is off-line; and a robotic dispensary configured to cover open, filled vials during transport thereof to prevent pill spillage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: MCKESSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tim Chambers, Mike Martin, Mathew Card, James Wynd, Cody Small
  • Patent number: 11724368
    Abstract: A power tool includes a housing, a motor positioned within the housing, and an impulse assembly coupled to the motor to receive torque therefrom. The impulse assembly including a cylinder at least partially forming a chamber containing a hydraulic fluid, an anvil positioned at least partially within the chamber, and a hammer positioned at least partially within the chamber and engageable with the anvil for transferring rotational impacts to the anvil. The hammer includes a surface facing the anvil, a first through hole formed in the surface and a second through hole formed in the surface. The impulse assembly further includes a biasing member biasing the hammer towards the anvil. The flow of the hydraulic fluid through the first through hole varies as the hammer translates away from the anvil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hugh A. Dales, Michael A. Verhagen, Troy C. Thorson
  • Patent number: 11724843
    Abstract: Packaging apparatus and methods include a plurality of article grippers driven by independently controlled motors in an end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), for picking articles, grouping articles, adjusting group pitch and placing article groups in packages where incoming articles and packages are continuously or intermittently moving and without motion of the entire EOAT in the direction in which articles and packages are picked and moved. Hole healing and incoming product registration apparatus and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: R.A Jones & Co.
    Inventors: Robert M. Kalany, Anthony B. Salvato, Matthew R. Lukes, Jerome Brugger
  • Patent number: 11724371
    Abstract: An electric power tool includes: an output shaft on which a front-end tool is adapted to be mounted; and a power transmission mechanism that transmits a rotational output of a motor to the output shaft. A posture information acquisition unit acquires posture information for identifying a posture of the electric power tool. A torque information acquisition unit acquires torque information indicating a measured value of tightening torque produced by the front-end tool. A transmission unit transmits the posture information, the torque information, and time information related to a time when respective information is acquired to an external apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Murui, Mitsumasa Mizuno, Hiroaki Murakami, Takashi Kusagawa, Masahiro Sato, Masanori Nakamoto, Akiko Honda
  • Patent number: 11718431
    Abstract: A portable packing table having a temperature-controlled work area is provided. The table defines a chamber for dry ice or like substance and has a surface on which an open-topped upright chimney is mounted for receiving a flow of conditioned air from the chamber and for defining a temperature-controlled work area therein. A fan unit is connected to the table for forcing a flow of ambient air into the chamber, and a control unit is connected to the fan unit for automatically controlling operation of the fan unit to maintain air temperature within the chimney within a set temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: ANDERSONBRECON INC.
    Inventor: Steven J. Medford
  • Patent number: 11707818
    Abstract: An impact tool and a hammer. The impact tool includes a housing, a motor supported within the housing, an anvil extending from the housing, and a drive assembly configured to convert a continuous rotational input from the motor to intermittent applications of torque to the anvil. The drive assembly includes a camshaft driven by the motor and a hammer configured to reciprocate along the camshaft. The hammer includes a core coupled to the camshaft and a sleeve coupled to the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yan Qiang Li, Kevin K. Taylor, Leonard F. Mikat-Stevens, Connor M. Temme
  • Patent number: 11707831
    Abstract: A power tool is provided that, in one version, includes a front housing that supports an output drive, and a back cap located opposite the front housing. The back cap receives at least one fastener of the plurality of fasteners. A motor housing supports a motor and is located between the front housing and the back cap. The motor includes a rotor that is configured to rotate about a motor axis to drive rotation of the output drive. The fastener is disposed through the back cap, and secures to the front housing coupling the front housing, the motor housing, and the back cap together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Christopher Bartoszek, Joshua Odell Johnson, Sean C. Ely, Douglas Fornell Leavitt, Dennis Naksen
  • Patent number: 11701767
    Abstract: The drill includes a motor, a spindle rotatable with a rotational force transmitted from the motor, a clutch assembly that disables transmission of the rotational force to the spindle in response to a rotational load on the spindle reaching a release value and including an elastic member that adjusts the release value, and a change ring switchable from a clutch mode in which the clutch assembly is operable to a nonclutch mode in which the clutch assembly is inoperable in response to the change ring operated in a forward rotation direction. In the clutch mode, the elastic member elastically deforms to reduce the release value in response to the change ring operated in the forward rotation direction, and to increase the release value in response to the change ring operated in a backward rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11701110
    Abstract: A surgical instrument comprising a shaft, an end effector, a housing, a drive assembly, and a manually-driven actuator is disclosed. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw rotatable relative to the first jaw between an open position and a clamped position. The housing comprises a rotary input movable by a motor. The drive assembly is operably engaged with the rotary input. The drive assembly is movable by the motor in a motorized mode of operation to transition the second jaw toward the clamped position. The drive assembly is movable in a non-motorized mode of operation by the manually-driven actuator to permit a transition of the second jaw toward the open position to release tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Cilag GmbH International
    Inventors: David C. Yates, Steven G. Hall, Emily A. Schellin, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Geoffrey C. Hueil