Patents Examined by William C. Gibson
  • Patent number: 11234559
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for toasting a food item arranged to receive and support the food item during toasting. The apparatus includes a heating element assembly arranged to heat the surface of the food item by radiant heat. The apparatus is arranged to operate in a first mode where the heating element assembly operates at a first power and a second mode where the heating element assembly operates at a second power. The apparatus further includes a thermally sensitive actuator having a first and a second position and being arranged to switch from the first mode to the second mode at a predetermined temperature by moving from the first position to the second position. The apparatus further includes an arrangement for forcing the actuator to return to its first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Strix Limited
    Inventor: Colin Moughton
  • Patent number: 11148223
    Abstract: This laser processing machine, which moves a work piece, which is mounted on a table, and an optical head, which shines a laser light, relative to each other, and processes the work piece by irradiating the work piece with the laser light, is provided with: a calibration camera that is fixed to the optical head; a probe that is fixed to the optical head; and a calibration unit that has measurement reference points (Pc1, Pc2, Pc3, Pp1, Pp2, Pp3) for measuring the position of the calibration camera and the probe, and a processing portion that forms a processing mark (L1, L2) due to the laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Toyama, Muneaki Beppu
  • Patent number: 11117209
    Abstract: A soldering tip fastening device includes a soldering device fastener configured for fastening the soldering tip fastening device on a soldering device, and a soldering tip fastener configured to fasten a soldering tip on a soldering device when the soldering tip fastening device is fastened to the soldering device. The soldering tip fastener and the soldering device fastener are associated with opposite ends of the soldering tip fastening device. The soldering tip fastening device has a sleeve with an elastic element, the sleeve being configured such that the elastic element is tensioned during the fastening of the soldering tip on the soldering device by the soldering tip fastening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: APEX BRANDS, INC.
    Inventors: Bernd Niedermayer, Ralf Zerweck
  • Patent number: 11059123
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming a three-dimensional article through successively depositing individual layers of powder material that are fused together so as to form the article, the apparatus comprising an electron beam source emanating an electron beam for fusing the powder material in a build tank, a hollow construction having an upper opening and a lower opening, means for moving the hollow construction between a first position and a second position, a synchronising unit for synchronising the movement of a powder distributor for applying the individual layers of powder material on the work table with the movement of the hollow construction so that the hollow metal construction is at the first position when fusing and/or heating the powder layer and at the second position when the powder distributor is distributing the powder material for forming the individual powder layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Arcam AB
    Inventors: Ulf Ackelid, Isak Elfstroem
  • Patent number: 10974568
    Abstract: A coolant heating apparatus includes: a housing having a coolant flow path therein and configured to cause coolant to flow into the housing and to flow out from the housing after being heated; a sheath heater provided in an inside of the housing and configured to heat the coolant; and a heat conduction plate provided inside the housing and made of a heat-conductive material. A portion of the heat conduction plate is bent in a shape to enclose an outer circumferential surface of the sheath heater and to be in surface contact with the sheath heater so as to carry out heat conduction with the sheath heater, and a remaining portion of the heat conduction plate is in surface contact with the coolant inside the housing such that the coolant is heated by heat conducted from the sheath heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation Doowon, Climate Control Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Shin Lee, Jae Woong Kim, So Yoon Park, Man Ju Oh, Du Youl Choi
  • Patent number: 10967450
    Abstract: A method of yielding a thinner product wafer from a thicker base SiC wafer cut from a SiC ingot includes: supporting the base SiC wafer with a support substrate: and while the base SiC wafer is supported by the support substrate, cutting through the base SiC wafer in a direction parallel to a first main surface of the base SiC wafer using a wire as part of a wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process, to separate the product wafer from the base SiC wafer, the product wafer being attached to the support substrate when cut from the base SiC wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Nirdesh Ojha, Francisco Javier Santos Rodriguez, Roland Rupp, Markus Heinrici, Karin Delalut, Claudia Friza
  • Patent number: 10962229
    Abstract: A cooking appliance is provided that may include a main body having a cooking chamber formed therein; a lower space formed inside the main body and separated from the cooking chamber between a bottom of the main body and the cooking chamber; and first and second heating assemblies, the second heating assembly being installed inside the lower space. An opening configured to open the lower space portion to an outside of the main body may be formed in the lower space between the bottom of the main body and the cooking chamber, and the second heating assembly may be inserted into or withdrawn from the lower space through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyun Woo Park, Jun Ho Seok, Jong Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 10953493
    Abstract: A system for making a welded assembly. The system may include a welding system that projects a laser beam that welds a first part to a second part. The system may further include a gas delivery device defining an interior cavity. The gas delivery device may include an inlet that provides pressurized gas to the interior cavity, and a discharge slot that receives the pressurized gas from the interior cavity and outputs the pressurized gas with substantially laminar flow toward the laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Phillip Leicht, Yang Zhai, David Earl Rogers
  • Patent number: 10919112
    Abstract: A negative electrode for an electrochemical cell of a lithium metal battery may be manufactured by joining together a metallic current collector piece and a lithium metal piece. The metallic current collector piece may be positioned adjacent the lithium metal piece in an at least partially lapped configuration at a weld site. A laser beam may be directed at an upper surface of the metallic current collector piece at the weld site to melt a portion of the lithium metal piece adjacent the metallic current collector piece and produce a lithium metal molten weld pool. The second laser beam may be terminated to solidify the lithium metal molten weld pool into a solid weld joint that physically bonds the lithium metal piece and the metallic current collector piece together at the weld site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Fang Dai, Hongliang Wang, Wayne Cai, Mei Cai
  • Patent number: 10835995
    Abstract: A system for making a welded assembly. The system may include a welding system that is configured to weld a first part to a second part with a laser beam. The system may further include an integrated feeder nozzle that includes an inlet manifold that receives a shield gas, and a nozzle body secured to the inlet manifold. The nozzle body may include a plurality of peripheral apertures that extend through the conical distal region and that are arranged around a central axis of the nozzle body. The system may further include a wire feeder disposed in the inlet manifold and the nozzle body. The wire feeder receives a welding wire and guides the welding wire to the central aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Yang Zhai, Phillip Leicht, David Earl Rogers
  • Patent number: 10779678
    Abstract: An automatic handmade drink brewing packing equipment contains: a delivery unit, an ordering unit, a material preparation unit, a drink cup unit, a storage unit, a seasoning unit, a stirring unit, and an automatic capping unit. The delivery unit includes a rail on which a dropping area, a material supply area, a first flavoring area, a first mixing area, a packaging area, and a sales area are arranged. The ordering unit includes a display screen and a central controller. The material preparation unit includes an automatic control device and multiple accommodation tanks. The drink cup unit includes multiple cup holders and drink cups. The storage unit includes plural storing tanks and control valves. The seasoning unit includes plural first flavoring buckets and second flavoring buckets. The stirring unit includes a first stirrer and a first power member. The automatic capping unit includes a sealing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Inventor: Wei-Hsiang Hsu