Patents Examined by William E. Dondero
  • Patent number: 10408312
    Abstract: The invention provides a simple-structured tensioner lever capable of suppressing deflection of a stopper member and allows smooth assembly of the tensioner lever into an engine. The tensioner lever includes a stopper member for locking a coil spring, this stopper member including: a stopper pin portion inserted into a pin hole; a stopper front side extension portion continuous with one end of the stopper pin portion and protruding toward a base front surface; a stopper rear side extension portion continuous with the other end of the stopper pin portion and protruding toward a base rear surface; a spring lock portion formed in the stopper rear side extension portion and making engagement with a spring support arm; and a stopper movement restricting portion making engagement with the spring support arm to restrict movement of the spring support arm in a direction away from the base rear surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN CO.
    Inventors: Kazushi Noro, Toyonaga Saitoh
  • Patent number: 10407272
    Abstract: A yarn tensioner is designed for adjusting tension in a running yarn. The yarn tensioner includes a rotatable tension wheel having opposing yarn-contacting surfaces formed along an annular region thereof and configured to frictionally contact opposite sides of the running yarn such that the running yarn causes rotational movement of the tension wheel. An elongated wheel shaft is directly affixed to the tension wheel. A tension adjustment assembly frictionally contacts the wheel shaft, and creates select rotation resistance between adjacent parts of the assembly and the wheel shaft such that rotation of the tension wheel is adjustably frictionally controlled, thereby adjusting tension in the running yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: American Linc, LLC
    Inventor: Donald Lynn Hoover
  • Patent number: 10400362
    Abstract: A method for depositing a yarn end on a bobbin wound on a tube in a defined manner during winding of yarn on the bobbin at a workstation of a spinning and winding machine includes terminating spinning production of the yarn at the workstation to create a yarn end. The yarn end is then prepared with working devices at the workstation, including rotating the bobbin in a direction opposite to a winding direction during production of the yarn. A yarn reserve is formed, and the yarn end is then deposited in a defined manner on the tube outside of the profile of a standard yarn package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
    Inventor: Evzen Pilar
  • Patent number: 10400363
    Abstract: A method for depositing a yarn end of a yarn on a bobbin wound on a tube in a defined manner during winding of yarn on the bobbin at a workstation of a spinning and winding machine includes detecting the yarn end on the bobbin via an attending device. After detecting the yarn end, the yarn end is passed to devices at the workstation, and with the devices at the workstation, the yarn end is directed in a defined manner outside of a profile of a standard yarn package wound on the bobbin prior to the yarn end being deposited onto the tube outside of the yarn package profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
    Inventor: Evzen Pilar
  • Patent number: 10399813
    Abstract: A device for receiving an extruded elastomer strand, during the transport thereof to a processing location, including a reel that receives the elastomer strand as a winding, wherein the moving reel is provided for temporary inclusion into a production facility that continuously processes the elastomer strand, by rotation of the reel, to form seals for doors or boots of vehicle bodies. The average thickness of the reel resulting from the total mass and the total volume of the material of the reel is <2.5 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: CQLT SAARGUMMI TECHNOLOGIES S.À.R.L.
    Inventor: Christian Kast
  • Patent number: 10398264
    Abstract: The present application provides a dispenser for a roll of sheet product. The dispenser may include a housing with a first wall, a discharge chute, and a roll support mechanism positioned within the housing. The roll support mechanism forces the roll against the first wall at a fixed contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Roy J. Rozek, Matthew K. F. Williquette
  • Patent number: 10392236
    Abstract: Example string reels with level wind apparatus are disclosed herein. An example level wind apparatus includes a guide to direct a line onto or away from a reel when the reel is rotating. The reel is rotatable in a first direction to wind the line onto the reel and the reel is rotatable in a second direction to unwind the line from the reel. The level wind apparatus also includes a tensioner to create tension in the line while the reel is rotating the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert Fordice, Shawn A. McAuley, Craig Ericksen, Jourdon S. Abrams
  • Patent number: 10383488
    Abstract: A coreless web material dispenser or dispensing apparatus that includes a flexible brace that is configured to support a roll of coreless web material relative to the dispenser. The flexible brace is supported by the housing such that closing a cover of the dispensing apparatus biases a portion of the brace into operative engagement with the roll of coreless web material. Preferably, the flexible brace includes at least one protrusion that extends inwardly relative to a roll facing side of the brace and defines a rotational axis upon which the roll of the coreless web material may rotate while one or more side portions of the flexible brace limit lateral movement of the roll during dispensing events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: San Jamar, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernie Ziebart, Michael Young
  • Patent number: 10384898
    Abstract: A fixing structure for fixing a reel is disclosed. The fixing structure includes a shaft having a first end having a first plurality of protrusions, and a second end having a second plurality of protrusions, wherein each of the first plurality of protrusions and one of its adjacent protrusions have a first recess therebetween, and each of the second plurality of protrusions and one of its adjacent protrusions have a second recess therebetween; and a supporting device, including a first supporting portion supporting the first end, and having a first protruding portion abutting the first recess; and a second supporting portion supporting the second end, and having a second protruding portion abutting the second recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Inventor: Shih-Hao Ray Yeh
  • Patent number: 10376938
    Abstract: A device for lateral guidance (1) of a metal strip (2) moving on a metal belt conveying device, including at least one base body module (7) includes an essentially vertical guiding plane (10), at least one wear body (12) having a wear surface (12a) can be rotated into several defined rotational positions in a controlled manner. The wear surface (12a) is substantially planar, and in all of its defined rotational positions, is parallel to the guiding plane (10). Further, a method for lateral guidance of metal strips (2) moving on a metal belt conveying device includes, after a first metal strip has passed through the metal belt conveying device, and prior to a second metal strip entering the metal belt conveying device, the wear body (12) is rotated from a first to a second defined rotational position in a controlled manner, wherein in all defined rotational positions, the wear surface (12a) is parallel to the guiding plane (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: PRIMETALS TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus Frauenhuber, Walter Grabner, Friedrich Moser, Juergen Schiefer
  • Patent number: 10364125
    Abstract: A reel device may include a stator and a rotor rotationally coupled with the stator. The rotor may include a drum for spooling a cable. The reel device may also include a biasing mechanism configured to rotate the rotor to spool the cable onto the drum, and a magnet connected to one of the stator or the rotor. The other of the stator or the rotor may include a conductive material that interfaces with the magnet when the rotor is turned to slow spooling of the cable onto the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: CONDUCTIX, INC.
    Inventors: Martin Blair, Benjamin B. Hiebenthal, Erik Antonson
  • Patent number: 10364112
    Abstract: A center feed roll dispensing apparatus including: a roll support that extends in a first direction from a first end to a second end; an end wall located in the first direction with respect to the first end of the roll support, the end wall comprising a dispensing aperture; and a roll stop located in the first direction with respect to the first end of the roll support and spaced from the end wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Harald Giesen, Christina Kraft, Volker Dirk Mowitz, Peter Schmidt, Eduard Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 10364120
    Abstract: The machine comprises an unwinding section (3) for unwinding parent reels (Ba, Bb) of web material (Na, Nb), and at least one unwinding station (15). A winding device (41, 53) is arranged in the unwinding station, and a longitudinal strip (S) of web material is fed to it and a respective spool (B) of web material is formed in it. A control unit (70) is also provided, configured to control the winding speed of the longitudinal strip (S) in the winding station (15), so as to perform an acceleration cycle to accelerate the winding of the longitudinal strip (S), comprising at least one step of gradually increasing the feeding speed (Vp) of the longitudinal strip (S), wherein the feeding speed is linked to the diameter of the spool (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: A.CELLI NONWOVENS S.P.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Vergentini
  • Patent number: 10358316
    Abstract: A system for winding wire includes a wire take-up unit and a wire cutter/grabber unit. The take-up unit includes rotatable first and second mandrel portions, and a wire directing traverse arranged to feed wire and alternately form coils on the first and second mandrel portions. The cutter/grabber unit is configured to cut the wire at a cut position between the traverse and a coil formed on the first mandrel portion and to grab a free end of the cut wire and move along a predefined cutter/grabber pathway to a hand-off position where the wire is transferred to the second mandrel portion. As the cutter/grabber is moved along the pathway from the cut to the hand-off position, a length of wire between the traverse and the free end of the wire does not decrease, and that length of wire is longer at the hand-off position than at the cut position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: REELEX Packaging Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott William Kotzur
  • Patent number: 10358751
    Abstract: A yarn winding assembly installed on a support includes a motorized spool and an oblique spacer pin, between which a yarn is wound. The spacer pin is supported rotatably by a rotating supporting component so that it is entrained in two directions by the yarn wound between the spool and the spacer pin. The rotation of the spacer pin is delimited by an element of arrest at least in a direction of unwinding the yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: L.G.L. ELECTRONICS S.P.A.
    Inventors: Rosario Castelli, Pietro Zenoni
  • Patent number: 10351384
    Abstract: A linear body that may be smoothly removed from a bobbin. The bobbin includes a guide tube, a pair of flanges provided on the ends of the guide tube, and a winding drum sandwiched between the pair of flanges. One flange is removably attached to one end of the guide tube and the other flange is fixedly secured to the other end of said guide tube. The winding drum includes a plurality of split drum plates separated by a plurality of slits. A biasing mechanism for biasing each split drum plate inwardly is provided. When the detachable flange has been attached, the split drum plates are supported at both ends from the inner side thereof by supporting projections on the inner surface of each of the flanges. When the detachable flange is removed, the split drum plates move inwardly owing to the respective biasing mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignees: TOKYO ROPE MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., GOHDA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsugu Gohda, Toru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10343870
    Abstract: Technology is provided for a cable management spool assembly. The cable management spool assembly includes a spool and one or more arcuate covers. The spool includes a flange portion having a first side configured to confront a mounting surface and a second side opposite the first side. A drum portion extends from the second side of the flange portion and one or more latches extend away from the first side of the flange portion. The latches are positioned to engage one or more corresponding mounting features of the mounting surface. The arcuate covers are coupled to the spool and are pivotable between an open position where a cable may be wound on the drum portion and a closed position where the cable is retained on the drum portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon Brian Ehlen
  • Patent number: 10342395
    Abstract: An example sheet product dispenser includes a housing, a first roll holder, and a second roll holder. A first roll of sheet product is positioned on the first roll holder and assigned as a primary roll and a second roll of sheet product is positioned on the second roll holder and assigned as a secondary roll. A dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense sheet product from at least one of the first roll and the second roll. A sensor is configured to sense measurement data associated with the primary roll, including sensing when the primary roll rotates to dispense and measuring the diameter of the primary roll. A data communication device is in communication with the sensor and configured to transmit the measurement data. A controller is configured to determine situational information regarding the sheet product dispenser and provide corresponding alerts to users regarding the situational information and measured data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: GPCP IP HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Russel Kobs, Ryan Anthony Goltz
  • Patent number: 10343871
    Abstract: A method and reel design enables blowing cable from a reel into a mid-span access point within a cable conduit. The cable reel includes a central hub, a first flange located proximate one edge of the central hub, a second flange located proximate an opposite, second edge of the hub, and a third flange located between the first and second flanges. A continuous communications cable has first and second portions spooled on first and second reel sections. The technician inserts a first end of the communications cable into a mid-span opening in the conduit, so that the first end of the communications cable is directed toward the first end of the conduit. The first portion of cable is blown off of the first reel section. The technician inserts a second end of the communications cable into the opening in the conduit so that the second end of the communications cable is directed toward the second end of the conduit. The second portion of cable is blown off of the second reel section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina
    Inventor: Daniel J. Parke
  • Patent number: 10343869
    Abstract: The machine (1) comprises: an unwinding section (3) of parent reels (Ba, Bb) of web material (Na, Nb); a cutting station (13), comprising a plurality of cutting members (201, 203) to divide the web material (Na, Nb) into longitudinal strips (S); a plurality of winding stations (15); in each winding station (15), a guide arm (31) to guide the longitudinal strip (S), adjustable parallel to the rotation axis (C-C) of the winding mandrel (51). The cutting station (13) comprises sensor members (213, 214) to detect the position of the cutting members (201, 203). A control unit (216) is interfaced with the sensor members (213, 214) of the cutting station (13) and the positioning actuators (27), to position the guide arms (31) parallel to the rotation axis (C-C) of the respective winding mandrel (51) as a function of the position of the corresponding cutting member (201, 203).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: A.CELLI NONWOVENS S.P.A.
    Inventors: Francesco Vergentini, Andrea Menconi