Patents Examined by Zachary L Kuhfuss
  • Patent number: 12269515
    Abstract: In order to enhance the safety of a cableway, in particular when a cable car passes through a cableway support of the cableway, according to the present teaching a detection device having at least one evaluation unit and at least two sensors connected to the evaluation unit is provided on at least one cableway support. A first sensor is located in the entry area of the cableway support in order to detect the presence of a cable car in a detection area of the first sensor. A second sensor is located in the exit area of the cableway support in order to detect the presence of a cable car in a detection area of the second sensor. The detection device is provided in order to detect a number of cable cars between the first sensor and the second sensor and to generate a fault signal when the detected number exceeds a predefined maximum number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: INNOVA PATENT GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel Pfeifer, Adrian Mohni
  • Patent number: 12272581
    Abstract: A steering device for an OHT according to some example embodiments of the present inventive concepts includes: an LM block; a steering plate fixedly installed to the LM block and provided with an insertion groove; a link installed in the insertion groove of the steering plate and tilted; a main bearing having an outer circumferential surface in contact with the link to reduce friction when the link is tilted; and a guide roller rotatably installed on a protrusion protruding from the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sangjune Bae, Jimin Choi, Hyungsik Um, Jeongjae Bang, Hyeonhui Cho
  • Patent number: 12269517
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a piston rod end for absorbing forces on a linear actuator in a train coupler, the piston rod end comprising a housing (2) enclosing a cavity (23) with a bottom surface (24), the cavity (23) extending in a longitudinal direction in the housing (2), —an elongated insert (3) arranged at least partly inside the cavity (23) of the first portion (P), a spring (5) arranged inside the cavity (23), and a fastening device (4) comprising a transversal element (41) and a longitudinal slot (42) forming a play, one being arranged in the housing and the other in the insert, and configured to cooperate in such a way that the transversal element extends into the slot in a transversal direction in relation to the housing and is movable in the play. The invention also relates to a piston assembly and to a sealing method for sealing the piston rod end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: DELLNER COUPLERS AB
    Inventor: Khaled El-Musleh
  • Patent number: 12264015
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for structural rib assemblies for container shuttle rails. In one embodiment, an example system for a shuttle may include a rib assembly. The rib assembly may include a first plate with a first tab on a first lateral side, a second tab on a second lateral side, a first cutout disposed adjacent to the first tab, a second cutout disposed adjacent to the second tab, and a third cutout disposed along an upper portion of the first plate. The rib assembly may include a second plate coupled to the first plate, the second plate having a third tab on a first lateral side, a fourth tab on a second lateral side, a fourth cutout disposed adjacent to the third tab, a fifth cutout disposed adjacent to the fourth tab, and a sixth cutout disposed along an upper portion of the second plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Alan Bray
  • Patent number: 12263872
    Abstract: The present invention refers to an improvement developed on a pneumatic transport system for loads and/or passengers whose vehicles are not provided with on-board drive means, being guided on two exclusive tracks arranged in parallel. The vehicles travel over railway tracks laid over an elevated track supported by pillars. The center of the top of the superstructure of the elevated track has a longitudinal slot with seal by means of which the mast of the propulsion plate is allowed to move freely along the path of the vehicle. In the superstructure of the turnout beams there are mounted the mobile rails with their respective drive mechanisms and locking. A section isolation valve is positioned inside the propulsion duct of the turnout beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: AEROM REPRESENTAÇÕES E PARTICIPAÇÕES LTDA.
    Inventors: Diego Da Cruz, Marcus Coester, Oskar Coester
  • Patent number: 12264019
    Abstract: An article container for an overhead conveying device for transporting an article includes a bag body adjustable between a transport position and a loading and/or unloading position. The body includes front and rear walls of flexible material, a loading and/or unloading opening on a first body side at least in regions between the front and rear walls, a side wall stop against which the article is placeable formed on a second body side at least in some regions between the front and rear walls. The front wall forms first and second front wall sections and includes a base plate in the first front wall section. The rear wall includes first and second rear wall sections. The first rear wall section forms a transport rest sloping in the side wall stop direction when the bag body is in the transport position. Moreover, an unloading station automatically unloads an article container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: TGW Mechanics GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Reischl, Martin Rausch
  • Patent number: 12258051
    Abstract: A pivoting and sliding door device for arrangement in a door opening of a door frame of a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, includes at least one pivoting and sliding door, which has a door leaf which is movable relative to the door frame and is mounted on the door frame between a door leaf closed position and a door leaf open position such that the movement direction of the door leaf runs substantially horizontally during an opening process and during a closing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRÄNKTER HAFTUNG
    Inventors: Stefan Guggenbichler, Daniel Weinbergmair, Thomas Hirtenlehner, Johann Wilflinger
  • Patent number: 12258053
    Abstract: Rail conveyor element which can be displaced on a rail system with intersecting rails, includes a base and a wheel-bearing cassette which supports the base and in which at least one wheel is accommodated to rest on a rail, the wheel-bearing cassette is rotatably mounted around a vertical axis relative to the base and the rail conveyor element includes a pressure ram with actuator which extends downward on or below the base and can be displaced between a raised unloaded position which coincides with the transport position of the rail conveyor and a lowered loaded position to unload the wheel-bearing cassette relative to the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Strothmann Machines & Handling GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Rehling, Michael Bentrup, Markus Ostendorf, Fabian Kuhlemann, Tim Büllesbach
  • Patent number: 12258717
    Abstract: An improved rail anchoring spike that includes barbs is used for fastening metal to ties. The spike includes a head having one or more flanges and a stand-off extending axially from the flange(s). The spike includes a shank extending axially from the stand-off to form a tapered tip. The shank is adapted to engage dense material of the tie by a combination of threads and barbs on the shank. The threads are generally parallel and extend over a threaded portion of the shank. The shank includes a plurality of barbs positioned in a lower half of the threaded portion. Each barb is positioned between a pair of threads. Each barb is configured to minimize damage to fibers of the tie during installation of the spike as the fibers relax behind, and engage with, a barbed end. This prevents movement of the spike over time despite deterioration of the tie.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Lewis Bolt & Nut Company
    Inventors: David M. Barry, Jeremy W. Soden
  • Patent number: 12258050
    Abstract: The invention refers to a chairlift loading apparatus comprising at least two adjacent timing gates for regulating a flow of persons passing through said timing gates, the loading apparatus comprising a high-risk situation detection system comprising: a detection device capable of determining the presence of a potential person passing through each of the timing gates and determining whether the potential person is taller than a predetermined height; and a data processing unit configured to determine, from the data from the detection device, the existence of a high-risk situation when a person who is shorter than the predetermined height is detected in front of a given gate of the adjacent gates, and no person who is taller than the predetermined height is detected in front of one of the adjacent gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: POMA
    Inventor: Christian Mathieu
  • Patent number: 12258058
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for train operation control and enforcement. A train control system for controlling operations of a train may include a train-mounted control unit deployed in the train, and a plurality of fixed control nodes deployed on or in close proximity to a track traversed by the train. Each of the train-mounted control unit and fixed control nodes includes a corresponding communication subsystem that includes transponders and communication circuits, configured for communicating signals. The train-mounted control unit is configured to transmit signals to and receive signals from the plurality of fixed control nodes, with the signals including ultra-wideband (UWB) signals and with at least some of the signals carrying data pertinent to controlling operations of the train; and to determine control information relating to controlling operations of the train based on received UWB signals originating from one or more fixed control nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: METROM RAIL, LLC
    Inventors: Richard C. Carlson, Kurt A. Gunther, Marc W. Cygnus
  • Patent number: 12258055
    Abstract: A weeding system for a railway weeding vehicle including at least one camera for mounting on a railway vehicle to acquire an image of a portion of a railway track while the railway vehicle is moving. The system also includes a spraying unit to be mounted on the railway vehicle, a control unit to receive images from the camera, generate a weed species detection signal and selectively cause the spraying of a chemical agent on the basis of the weed species detection signal. The control unit executes a training-based algorithm based on a set of reference images labeled to indicate the presence or not of at least one weed species in the images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Bilberry SAS
    Inventors: Aurelien Benoit-Levy, Loic Steunou, Hugo Serrat
  • Patent number: 12252339
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an article transport vehicle and an article transport facility capable of allowing the article transport vehicles to share power. In addition, the present disclosure provides the article transport vehicle and the article transport facility capable of normally managing the article transport vehicle even though a non-power supply section, in which no electric supply line is installed along a rail, is lengthened. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to normally manage the article transport vehicle and relatively easily ensure power stored in the battery even though a supply of power from the electric supply line is cut off or no electric supply line is installed along the traveling rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ki Sub Yoon
  • Patent number: 12252160
    Abstract: An assembly that may be used in a transportation system is disclosed that in one or more embodiments includes at least one or more of the following: a braking system, which at least partially functions with an air bearing, a linear induction motor (‘LIM’) that has tilting abilities, and an inflated air bearing that is positioned with respect to a rail such that a portion of the rail is inside the air bearing. Regarding the latter, in one or more embodiments the inflated air bearing has a semi-enclosed cavity shape and the rail is cross-sectionally curved such that a portion of the cross-sectionally curved is positioned partially inside the semi-enclosed cavity. In one or more embodiments, the assembly is included as part of a monorail system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Inventor: Gonzalo Duran Ariza
  • Patent number: 12251963
    Abstract: A traction board for insertion under a vehicle's tire for freeing the vehicle from a stuck condition includes an elongated board body and an end plate pivotally connected to an end portion of the elongated board body. According to a further aspect, a traction board includes an elongated board body and a finger pivotally connected to the elongated board body and pivotally extending below the elongated board body in order to prevent the elongated board body from sliding rearward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: James A. Wobser
  • Patent number: 12252340
    Abstract: An object processing system is disclosed that includes a plurality of track sections, and a plurality of remotely actuatable carriers for controlled movement along at least portions of the plurality of track sections, each of the actuatable carriers being instructed at any time to move a limited number of track section only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Wagner, Kevin Ahearn, John Richard Amend, Jr., Benjamin Cohen, Michael Dawson-Haggerty, William Hartman Fort, Christopher Geyer, Jennifer Eileen King, Thomas Koletschka, Michael Cap Koval, Kyle Maroney, Matthew T. Mason, William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Gene Temple Price, Joseph Romano, Daniel Smith, Siddhartha Srinivasa, Prasanna Velagapudi, Thomas Allen
  • Patent number: 12246766
    Abstract: A concealed asset locator includes an enclosure with multiple external surfaces, wherein an external surface is configured as reflective surface, an electric notification device, a receiver relay positioned inside the enclosure and electrically coupled to the notification device, wherein the receiver relay is configured to activate the notification device in response to a received transmitter signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: SIEMENS MOBILITY, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Alan McGavock, Jr., John Sanders
  • Patent number: 12247358
    Abstract: A rail including a predetermined chemical composition is provided, in which 90 area % or greater of a metallographic structure in a cross section of a rail web portion is a pearlite structure, a minimum value of a hardness in the cross section of the rail web portion is Hv 300 or greater, and a difference between a maximum value and the minimum value of the hardness in the cross section of the rail web portion is Hv 40 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Ueda, Teruhisa Miyazaki, Takuya Tanahashi, Yusuke Maeda
  • Patent number: 12240336
    Abstract: A pantograph includes a chassis, a bow, an articulated arm comprising at least one main rod and at least one auxiliary rod, an aileron assembly comprising at least one aileron which is movable relative to the articulated arm, support means for supporting the movable aileron which are movably mounted on the main rod or the auxiliary rod, means for immobilizing the support means relative to the support rod, and orienting means mounted on the main rod or the auxiliary rod. Over a first range of extension of the articulated arm, the orienting means do not act on the support means such that a characteristic angle of the aileron is substantially constant. Over a second range of extension of the articulated arm, the orienting means act on the support means such that the characteristic angle of the aileron varies continuously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Faiveley Transport Tours
    Inventor: Benjamin Caffier
  • Patent number: 12240354
    Abstract: The invention relates to a line section for the operation of electrically driven rail vehicles, with a track which exhibits two parallel rails, with a contact line borne by an insulator, said contact line being arranged on one side of the track in a spatial region extending parallel to the rails, wherein the contact line is intended to supply current-collectors of the electrically driven rail vehicles with current and to support said current-collectors from underneath, and wherein the contact line and the insulator bearing the contact line are intermittently interrupted or not interrupted. The support device, which is non-functional for the power supply of the rail vehicle, is arranged on the other side of the track in a second spatial region extending parallel to the rails. The support device is intended to support current-collectors of the electrically driven rail vehicles from underneath without supplying them with current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Inventor: Surim Eberlein