Patents by Inventor Eric Hlinka

Eric Hlinka has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10610054
    Abstract: The present inventions are directed to an ash catcher system for use with a charcoal grill and having an ash catcher pan and a plurality of support clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Slavisa Dacic, Eric Hlinka
  • Publication number: 20180055284
    Abstract: The present inventions are directed to an ash catcher system for use with a charcoal grill and having an ash catcher pan and a plurality of support clips.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Slavisa Dacic, Eric Hlinka
  • Patent number: 8746526
    Abstract: A fastener driver comprises a housing and a magazine configured to retain a plurality of fasteners. A driver assembly is positioned within the housing and is configured to provide an expulsion force that expels one of the plurality of fasteners from the magazine. The device further includes a lockout member configured to pivot about a pivot axis between an unlocked position and a lockout position. The pivot axis is configured to move relative to the housing when a work contact element is depressed. The driver assembly is prevented from providing the expulsion force when the lockout arm is in the lockout position. The pivot arm moves from the unlocked position to the lockout position when a low level of fasteners remains in the magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eric Hlinka, Chia Sheng Liang, Chu Hsiang Tseng, Chin Lung Chang
  • Patent number: 8162073
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a drive mechanism configured to impact a fastener, a lever arm pivotable between a first position and a second position, and a motor including a plurality of permanent magnets mounted on a rotatable housing, the motor mounted on the lever arm such that when the lever arm is in the first position, the rotatable motor housing is isolated from the drive mechanism and when the lever arm is in the second position, the rotatable motor housing is positioned to transfer rotational energy to the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, John DeCicco, Eric Hlinka
  • Patent number: 8136606
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a frame, a motor mounted to the frame and including a drive shaft defining a drive shaft axis, a lever arm including a pivot axis parallel with the drive shaft axis, a flywheel rotatably mounted on the lever arm and operably connected to the motor for storing energy received from the motor, a drive mechanism for impacting a fastener, and a solenoid configured to pivot the lever arm between a first position wherein the flywheel is spaced apart from the drive mechanism and a second position wherein the flywheel can contact the drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, Eric Hlinka, John DeCicco
  • Patent number: 7934565
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a lever arm pivotable between a first position whereat a flywheel is spaced apart from a drive mechanism and a second position whereat the flywheel can contact the drive mechanism, a motor operably connected to the flywheel for storing energy in the flywheel, a trigger sensor assembly for generating a trigger signal indicative of the position of a trigger, a work contact element (WCE) sensor for generating a WCE signal indicative of the position of a WCE, a memory including program instructions, and a processor operably connected to the memory for executing the program instructions to (i) energize the motor based upon the WCE signal, and (ii) pivot the lever arm based upon the trigger signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, John DeCicco, Eric Hlinka
  • Patent number: 7934566
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a lever arm pivotable between a first position whereat a flywheel is spaced apart from a drive mechanism and a second position whereat the flywheel can contact the drive mechanism, a lever arm solenoid for pivoting the lever arm between the first position and the second position, a drive mechanism sensor for generating a position signal indicative of the position of the drive mechanism, a timer for generating a timing signal, a memory including program instructions, and a processor operably connected to the memory for executing the program instructions to (i) energize the solenoid to pivot the lever arm to the second position, (ii) de-energize the solenoid based upon the position signal, and (iii) de-energize the solenoid based upon the timing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eric Hlinka, John DeCicco
  • Publication number: 20110062207
    Abstract: A fastener driver comprises a housing and a magazine configured to retain a plurality of fasteners. A driver assembly is positioned within the housing and is configured to provide an expulsion force that expels one of the plurality of fasteners from the magazine. The device further includes a lockout member configured to pivot about a pivot axis between an unlocked position and a lockout position. The pivot axis is configured to move relative to the housing when a work contact element is depressed. The driver assembly is prevented from providing the expulsion force when the lockout arm is in the lockout position. The pivot arm moves from the unlocked position to the lockout position when a low level of fasteners remains in the magazine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicants: CREDO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Eric Hlinka, Chia Sheng Liang, Chu Hsiang Tseng, Chin Lung Chang
  • Patent number: 7905377
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a drive mechanism, a flywheel pivotable between a first flywheel position whereat the flywheel is not in contact with the drive mechanism and a second flywheel position whereat the flywheel contacts the drive mechanism, a motor operably connected to the flywheel, a trigger movable between a first trigger position and a second trigger position, and a WCE assembly movable between a first WCE position and a second WCE position, the WCE assembly configured such that (i) when the trigger is in the first trigger position and the WCE assembly is in the first WCE position, the WCE assembly mechanically engages the trigger to preclude movement of the trigger out of the first position, and (ii) when the WCE assembly is in the second WCE assembly position, the WCE assembly does not mechanically engage the trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, John DeCicco, Eric Hlinka, Chia Sheng Liang
  • Publication number: 20100213232
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a drive mechanism configured to impact a fastener, a lever arm pivotable between a first position and a second position, and a motor including a plurality of permanent magnets mounted on a rotatable housing, the motor mounted on the lever arm such that when the lever arm is in the first position, the rotatable motor housing is isolated from the drive mechanism and when the lever arm is in the second position, the rotatable motor housing is positioned to transfer rotational energy to the drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicants: CREDO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, John DeCicco, Eric Hlinka
  • Publication number: 20100038394
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a lever arm pivotable between a first position whereat a flywheel is spaced apart from a drive mechanism and a second position whereat the flywheel can contact the drive mechanism, a lever arm solenoid for pivoting the lever arm between the first position and the second position, a drive mechanism sensor for generating a position signal indicative of the position of the drive mechanism, a timer for generating a timing signal, a memory including program instructions, and a processor operably connected to the memory for executing the program instructions to (i) energize the solenoid to pivot the lever arm to the second position, (ii) de-energize the solenoid based upon the position signal, and (iii) de-energize the solenoid based upon the timing signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: Credo Technology Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eric Hlinka, John DeCicco
  • Publication number: 20100038396
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a frame, a motor mounted to the frame and including a drive shaft defining a drive shaft axis, a lever arm including a pivot axis parallel with the drive shaft axis, a flywheel rotatably mounted on the lever arm and operably connected to the motor for storing energy received from the motor, a drive mechanism for impacting a fastener, and a solenoid configured to pivot the lever arm between a first position wherein the flywheel is spaced apart from the drive mechanism and a second position wherein the flywheel can contact the drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: Credo Technology Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, Eric Hlinka, John DeCicco
  • Publication number: 20100038395
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a lever arm pivotable between a first position whereat a flywheel is spaced apart from a drive mechanism and a second position whereat the flywheel can contact the drive mechanism, a motor operably connected to the flywheel for storing energy in the flywheel, a trigger sensor assembly for generating a trigger signal indicative of the position of a trigger, a work contact element (WCE) sensor for generating a WCE signal indicative of the position of a WCE, a memory including program instructions, and a processor operably connected to the memory for executing the program instructions to (i) energize the motor based upon the WCE signal, and (ii) pivot the lever arm based upon the trigger signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: Credo Technology Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, John DeCicco, Eric Hlinka
  • Publication number: 20100038397
    Abstract: A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a drive mechanism, a flywheel pivotable between a first flywheel position whereat the flywheel is not in contact with the drive mechanism and a second flywheel position whereat the flywheel contacts the drive mechanism, a motor operably connected to the flywheel, a trigger movable between a first trigger position and a second trigger position, and a WCE assembly movable between a first WCE position and a second WCE position, the WCE assembly configured such that (i) when the trigger is in the first trigger position and the WCE assembly is in the first WCE position, the WCE assembly mechanically engages the trigger to preclude movement of the trigger out of the first position, and (ii) when the WCE assembly is in the second WCE assembly position, the WCE assembly does not mechanically engage the trigger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: Credo Technology Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Krondorfer, John DeCicco, Eric Hlinka