Patents Examined by William R Harp
  • Patent number: 11219241
    Abstract: Bead feeding unit (1) on a production machine in the tobacco industry, provided with a unit of supply channels (4) feeding individual bead (2) streams from a store (2A) to holding pockets (14) situated at the outlets of the supply channels (4), a transferring unit (13) comprising two guiding discs (5,6) situated coaxially and movable feeding means (8) adapted to direct the beads to receiving channels (18) of the transferring unit (13). The unit (1) is characterised in that the transferring unit (13) has at least one cleaning element (25) adapted to clean the holding pockets (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. z o. o.
    Inventors: Radoslaw Figarski, Bartosz Cieslikowski, Robert Skierczynski
  • Patent number: 11214442
    Abstract: An auxiliary carrier includes a first base, a first supporting base mounted on the first base and having a plurality of receiving grooves receiving a plurality of components of an electrical connector, and a first coupling portion mounted on the first base or the first supporting base. The first coupling portion is adapted to be coupled with a second coupling portion of a main carrier so that the auxiliary carrier is movable along with the main carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignees: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., TE Connectivity Services GmbH, Kunshan League Automechanism Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: An Yang, Lvhai Hu, Dandan Zhang, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Jian Cao, Yun Liu, Yuting He, Haidong Wu, Hui Xiao
  • Patent number: 11203494
    Abstract: A system for sorting moving objects is disclosed. The system comprises a light source, an image capturing device, a controlling and processing device, and an object sorting device. Particularly, the controlling and processing device is configured to decide a first setting parameter so as to apply a parameter adjustment to the light source, and is also configured to decide a second setting parameter so as to apply an parameter adjustment to the image capturing device. After deciding an object classifier based on the first setting parameter, the second setting parameter, and object images received from the image capturing device, the object sorting device is controlled to apply an object sorting process to the of objects that are delivered by the belt conveyor, thereby sorting the objects into at least two object group consisting of a normal object group and a defective object group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: KAPITO INC.
    Inventors: Feng-Tso Sun, Yi-Ting Yeh, Feng-Yu Sun, Hui-Pu Chang
  • Patent number: 11198563
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vibratory conveyor comprising a drive unit that generates a vibration movement during operation, and a conveying element arranged on the drive unit, wherein the drive unit comprises a support arrangement for the conveying element, which is mounted on a rear section on the carrier arrangement and has a freely extending section, and a spring-elastic vibration arrangement is provided on the front section of the conveying element, said vibration arrangement being arranged and designed in such a way that it oscillates with respect to the oscillation of the drive arrangement with phase displacement counter to the phase displacement of the conveying element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: K-Tron Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Urs Helfenstein
  • Patent number: 11192728
    Abstract: A main mover and sub mover are made to run while changing a relative distance of the sub mover with respect to the main mover to change contact positions of cams and cam followers based on a holding position of a sheet member detected by a position detection device to thereby change a position in a horizontal plane of a holder and correct a holding position of the sheet member held at the holder to a preset reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhira Abe, Yuto Narita, Yuichi Ito
  • Patent number: 11192727
    Abstract: The invention discloses an automatic-sensing transfer device based on an edge-tracing alignment algorithm, which is characterized by comprising a device body, a rotating device, a lifting device, a stretchable device, a sensing device, a gripping device and a control device. The rotating device, the stretchable device, the lifting device, the sensing device, the gripping device and the control device are all arranged on the device body. The control device is connected to the rotating device, the stretchable device, the lifting device, the gripping device and the sensing device. Accurate positioning of the gripping device can be realized through the transfer device, so that the production efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Inventors: Ruihua Zhang, Chaojie Chen, Linjiao Shen
  • Patent number: 11186451
    Abstract: A conveying and sorting apparatus has a plurality of tilting conveyor units in a row in the conveying direction. Each tilting conveyor unit is able to switch between a horizontal conveying orientation and a tilted orientation for ejecting the object being conveyed, by means of gravity, laterally with respect to the conveying direction and has a belt conveyor with a plurality of ridge portions which extend in the width direction on the inside surface, and on the outside surface the ridge portions which extend in the width direction are provided an equivalent intervals in the length direction of the belt. A plurality of recessed grooves which engage with each of the ridge portions on the inside surface of the belt are provided to the peripheral surfaces of a front pulley and a rear pulley of the belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Fujio
  • Patent number: 11187526
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determination of warpage in a workpiece supported by a non-contact support platform, including a surface with a plurality of pressure ports and a plurality of fluid evacuation ports on the surface, a supply system with a pressure supply connected to the plurality of pressure ports on the surface and configured to supply pressure at a substantially constant level and cause a fluid to flow out of the plurality of pressure ports, so as to support a workpiece by fluid-bearing formed under the workpiece, and at least one flowmeter, coupled to a controller and configured to measure the flowrate at the surface, wherein the workpiece is determined to be warped when the measured flowrate is outside a predefined flowrate range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Core Flow Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronen Lautman, Boaz Nishri
  • Patent number: 11173627
    Abstract: A transport device includes a transport pipe for transporting a material to be transported having at least one of a sheet piece, a fiber, and a powder, and a blower for generating an air flow in the transport pipe, the transport device transports the material to be transported by the air flow, in which the transport pipe has an introduction port into which the material to be transported is introduced, the air flow has a velocity difference in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the air flow in the transport pipe, and the introduction port is provided on a side where a velocity of the air flow is lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naoko Omagari, Toshiaki Yamagami
  • Patent number: 11167935
    Abstract: A transportation path diverter diverts the transportation path of a conveyed article. The transportation path diverter includes an upstream-side lower diverting conveyor, a downstream-side upper diverting conveyor, a downstream-side lower diverting conveyor, a height sensor, and an article sensor. The height sensor detects the article conveyed by the upstream-side lower diverting conveyor, the article having at least a predetermined height. The article sensor detects the article transferred from the upstream-side lower diverting conveyor to the downstream-side lower diverting conveyor. A swing of the downstream-side upper diverting conveyor by a first swinging device is controlled based on the detection of the article by the height sensor and the article sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Fujio
  • Patent number: 11161701
    Abstract: Method for operating a transport apparatus that utilizes a long stator linear motor, the method includes moving a transport unit along a transport route of the long stator linear motor, causing drive magnets arranged on both sides of a main body of the transport unit to interact, at least in a region of a transfer position for transferring the transfer unit between two opposite route portions of the transport route, with drive coils of the opposite route portions of the transport route in order to generate a propulsive force (Fv), utilizing the drive magnets of the transport unit and the drive coils of the transport route of the long stator linear motor as sources of magnetomotive force of a magnetic circuit that develops at least in the region of the transfer position on both sides of the transport unit, and transferring the transport unit between the opposite route portions of the transport route in the transfer position by changing on at least one side of the transfer unit a magnetic flux (?1, ?2) of the m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: B&R INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Weber
  • Patent number: 11161696
    Abstract: An object redirection mechanism for a conveying system is provided. The object redirection mechanism is configured to redirect an object moved by the conveying system from a first direction to a second direction. The object redirection mechanism includes an arm tunnel positioned proximate an end of a conveyor configured for moving an object in the first direction. The arm tunnel includes an object stop having an object stopping portion defining at least a first side of the arm tunnel at least substantially parallel with the second direction and configured to engage an object moving in the first direction. The object stopping portion defines at least one finger aperture to enable at least one of the rotationally-retractable fingers to, when aligned with the at least one finger aperture, rotate between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration. A corresponding object conveying system and method of assembling an object stop are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventors: Jarl Nicholas Sebastian, Anthony J. Turco, Jacob D. Wieneke
  • Patent number: 11161698
    Abstract: A device for supporting a sheet of glass, in a contact band between the edge and up to 200 mm from the edge of the glass, includes first and second supports that each include a chassis and a support system for supporting the glass connected to the chassis, the support system of each support including a surface for supporting the glass including a fibrous material able to contact the glass in the contact band at a temperature between 400 and 600° C., the two supports being movable in a transfer vertical relative movement enabling the support surface of one to pass over or under the support surface of the other in order to transfer the glass from one support to the other, the support system of the first support including a passage to allow to pass an arm connected to the second support during the transfer vertical relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventor: Hervé Thellier
  • Patent number: 11161700
    Abstract: In order to allow for more flexible process control of a transport apparatus in the form of a long stator linear motor, in particular in order to at least intermittently increase the maximum achievable speed of a transport unit without changing the energy-related basic conditions (maximum current or maximum voltage) of the transport apparatus, according to the invention, in order to change a magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit during movement of the transport unit along the transport route, a magnetic reluctance of the magnetic circuit is changed and/or a magnetomotive force of the magnetic circuit is changed on the transport unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: B&R INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GMBH
    Inventor: Andreas Weber
  • Patent number: 11155415
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a belt clip set comprising a belt clip and at least two pilot bolts, the belt clip comprising a first leg having at least two guide openings and a second leg having at least two thread openings each associated with the guide openings. Each pilot bolt comprising a threaded region with an external thread, a bolt head for tightening the pilot bolt, and a tapered pin opposite the bolt head, where each pilot bolt can be received with some play in one of the guide openings in the first leg and via its threaded region screwed into the respective associated thread opening in the second leg, where each pilot bolt can be received with some play in one of the guide openings in the first leg and via its threaded region screwed into the respective associated thread opening in the second leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ARNOLD JÄGER HOLDING GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Jäger, Arjan Mulder
  • Patent number: 11155413
    Abstract: A spiral chute having a center column assembly with a first center column segment is disclosed. The center column segment has a plurality of pairs of opposed apertures. The spiral chute also includes a plurality of chute assembly sections, each including a chute support arm, a chute section coupled to the chute support arm, an outer wall support coupled to a distal end of the chute support arms, an outer wall segment coupled to the outer wall supports, and a support arm bolt having a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end of each support arm bolt passes through a corresponding one of the first plurality of opposing apertures and engages a proximal end of the chute support arm such that the proximal end of the chute support arm abuts the first center column segment. A method of constructing a spiral chute is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Stock Manufacturing and Design Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Kirk Stock, Jim Louis Greathouse
  • Patent number: 11148888
    Abstract: Provided herein is a pneumatic carrier having a leak resistant cargo area where first and second mating shells form the carrier. To provide a leak resistant cargo area, the one embodiment of the carrier employs a cantilevered sealing element on a first sealing periphery of the first shell. A free end of the cantilevered sealing element is configured to engage a sloped surface on a second shell. As the shells close, the sealing element slides down the sloped surface to form a seal between the shells. The use of the cantilevered sealing element in conjunction with the sloped surface reduces the compressive force required to form a seal between the shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Translogic Corporation
    Inventors: Craig Grafmiller, Daniel Serafin
  • Patent number: 11130162
    Abstract: A work reversing apparatus includes: a first conveyor that transports a work; a second conveyor that transports a work; and a rotary driving unit that integrally rotates the first conveyor and the second conveyor. The rotary driving unit rotates the first conveyor and the second conveyor around a rotation center axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to a transporting direction of a work on the first conveyor and the second conveyor. By driving the rotary driving unit, a work can be reversed around the rotation center axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the transporting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: AIDA ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventor: Shunichi Shiriya
  • Patent number: 11131006
    Abstract: The invention relates to a treatment device and a method for removing coatings, comprising a vibratory conveyor with a conveying channel, which is designed in the manner of a trough, in order to form a treatment bath with a liquid decoating medium, comprising an inlet end and an outlet end for bulk material, wherein the conveying direction of the conveying channel runs from the inlet end to the outlet end. The conveying channel has below the surface of the treatment bath at least one feeding device and at least one discharging device for the decoating medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: WIELAND-WERKE AG
    Inventors: Frank Michael Keppeler, Andreas Reindl, Frank Sälzle
  • Patent number: 11124368
    Abstract: A post compression carton rejection system for receiving cartons in-line from a carton assembly system having a compression conveying section for compressing folded and glued cartons for delivery to a packing system. The post compression carton rejection system comprise a frame adapted to be supported between the compression conveying section and the packing system. An infeed conveyor is mounted to the frame and has an infeed belt for transporting folded and glued cartons from the compression conveying section and an infeed drive for driving the infeed belt. An outfeed conveyor is mounted to the frame between the infeed conveyor and a conveyor exit proximate the packer, in use, and comprises a nose extension conveyor having an outfeed belt including a dump gate controllably retractable at the conveyor exit to selectively dump folded and glued cartons, an outfeed drive for driving the outfeed belt and a dump gate actuator for opening and returning the dump gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: W. H. Leary Co.
    Inventors: Andrew Sims, Keith Patrick Clarke, Christopher Michael Leary