Patents by Inventor John Hummel
John Hummel 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: 11949026Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, John Gannon, Michael J. Starkey, Robert Stuart, Tamir Lance, Dan Maydan
-
Patent number: 11942561Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells conductively bonded to each other in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: MAXEON SOLAR PTE. LTD.Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, John Gannon, Michael J. Starkey, Robert Stuart, Tamir Lance, Dan Maydan
-
Patent number: 11850732Abstract: Underactuated robotic manipulators may include a plurality of links rotatably or rigidly coupled to one another at a plurality of joints. The links may include driven links that are driven to grasp an object to be held, driving links that are actuated by an actuator to drive movement of the driven links, and a plurality of connecting links that couple the driving links to the driven links. Such manipulators may include a plurality of driven links and associated touch points, and a plurality of independent degrees of freedom, and be driven by a single actuator, making them underactuated.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITEDInventors: David Gabriel Hallock, Thomas John Hummel, Bryan Whittington, Nicholas Keyes
-
Publication number: 20230302665Abstract: An end-effector may include a base, a plurality of underactuated fingers coupled to the base; and an adhesion gripper coupled to the base. An end-effector may include a base, an actuator, a first underactuated finger comprising a proximal link and a distal link, the proximal link including a distal end, a guide for a first tendon spaced a first distance away from the distal end of the proximal link and the distal link including a lever arm disposed on a proximal side to the distal pad and which extends in a volar direction from a first axis, and a node disposed on the lever arm sized and shaped to receive a first tendon. The end-effector may include a first revolute joint compliant in a first direction disposed between the base and the proximal link; and a second revolute joint compliant in the first direction disposed between the proximal link and the distal link.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Nicolas Normand Bergeron, Thomas John Hummel
-
Publication number: 20230075952Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of robotic grasping systems, and in particular to an active robotic manipulator that includes a passive grasping component so that the robotic manipulator can grasp a wide variety of objects and simultaneously provide soft grasping features which reduce the risk of damage to objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Inventors: David Gabriel Hallock, Jun Jeong, Thomas John Hummel
-
Patent number: 11559884Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of robotic grasping systems, and in particular to an active robotic manipulator that includes a passive grasping component so that the robotic manipulator can grasp a wide variety of objects and simultaneously provide soft grasping features which reduce the risk of damage to objects.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2019Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Kindred Systems Inc.Inventors: David Gabriel Hallock, Jun Jeong, Thomas John Hummel
-
Publication number: 20220219318Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a robotic gripping system and method that utilizes vacuum suction and finger grasping, wherein the suction and grasping are actuated based on a dynamic collision model. In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to generating collision scenes of a surrounding environment which is used to determine possible collisions in a motion path, and which is used to selectively actuate the vacuum suction and/or finger grasping.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Jun Jeong, Bryan Whittington, Petr Lipay, Thomas John Hummel, David Gabriel Hallock, Adrian Martin, Hugo Seize, Kevin George, Sara Wojciechowski, Nicolas Keyes, Adam Rizkalla
-
Patent number: 11312014Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a robotic gripping system and method that utilizes vacuum suction and finger grasping, wherein the suction and grasping are actuated based on a dynamic collision model. In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to generating collision scenes of a surrounding environment which is used to determine possible collisions in a motion path, and which is used to selectively actuate the vacuum suction and/or finger grasping.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2019Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Kindred Systems Inc.Inventors: Jun Jeong, Bryan Whittington, Petr Lipay, Thomas John Hummel, David Gabriel Hallock, Adrian Martin, Hugo Seize, Kevin George, Sara Wojciechowski, Nicholas Keyes, Adam Rizkalla
-
Publication number: 20200238506Abstract: A robotic manipulator includes a first stage, a second stage, a third stage, and an actuator that actuates movement of the second stage with respect to the first stage. Movement of the second stage with respect to the first stage passively drives movement of the third stage with respect to the second stage. In some embodiments, the passive driving is achieved using one or more cables. In other embodiments, the passive driving is achieved using rack and pinion components. The robotic manipulator may further include additional stages, wherein movement of preceding stages passively drives movement of succeeding stages.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Nicholas Keyes, David Gabriel Hallock, Thomas John Hummel, Jun Jeong, Sara Wojciechowski, Bryan Whittington
-
Publication number: 20200164506Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of robotic grasping systems, and in particular to an active robotic manipulator that includes a passive grasping component so that the robotic manipulator can grasp a wide variety of objects and simultaneously providing soft grasping features which reduce the risk of damage to objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2019Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: David Gabriel Hallock, Jun Jeong, Thomas John Hummel
-
Publication number: 20200164523Abstract: Underactuated robotic manipulators may include a plurality of links rotatably or rigidly coupled to one another at a plurality of joints. The links may include driven links that are driven to grasp an object to be held, driving links that are actuated by an actuator to drive movement of the driven links, and a plurality of connecting links that couple the driving links to the driven links. Such manipulators may include a plurality of driven links and associated touch points, and a plurality of independent degrees of freedom, and be driven by a single actuator, making them underactuated.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2019Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: David Gabriel Hallock, Thomas John Hummel, Bryan Whittington, Nicholas Keyes
-
Publication number: 20200078939Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a robotic gripping system and method that utilizes vacuum suction and finger grasping, wherein the suction and grasping are actuated based on a dynamic collision model. In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to generating collision scenes of a surrounding environment which is used to determine possible collisions in a motion path, and which is used to selectively actuate the vacuum suction and/or finger grasping.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: Jun Jeong, Bryan Whittington, Petr Lipay, Thomas John Hummel, David Gabriel Hallock, Adrian Martin, Hugo Seize, Kevin George, Sara Wojciechowski, Nicholas Keyes, Adam Rizkalla
-
Patent number: 10518372Abstract: An apparatus for use with a robot may couple to or form part of an appendage, for example a wrist. The apparatus can include a base, a first platform, a second platform, a first set of linear actuators that moveably couple the first platform to the base and a second set of linear actuators that moveably couple the second platform to the first platform. The apparatus can take the form of dual prismatic platforms. A controller can provide control signals to operate the linear actuators to cause the first platform to translate and rotate with respect to the base and to cause the second platform to translate and rotate with respect to the first platform. Connectors can couple the base to an appendage and couple an end effector to the second platform.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: Kindred Systems Inc.Inventors: Nicolas Normand Bergeron, Thomas John Hummel, David Gabriel Hallock
-
Publication number: 20180264660Abstract: An end-effector may include a base, a plurality of underactuated fingers coupled to the base; and an adhesion gripper coupled to the base. An end-effector may include a base, an actuator, a first underactuated finger comprising a proximal link and a distal link, the proximal link including a distal end, a guide for a first tendon spaced a first distance away from the distal end of the proximal link and the distal link including a lever arm disposed on a proximal side to the distal pad and which extends in a volar direction from a first axis, and a node disposed on the lever arm sized and shaped to receive a first tendon. The end-effector may include a first revolute joint compliant in a first direction disposed between the base and the proximal link; and a second revolute joint compliant in the first direction disposed between the proximal link and the distal link.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Nicolas Normand Bergeron, Thomas John Hummel
-
Publication number: 20180071874Abstract: An apparatus for use with a robot may couple to or form part of an appendage, for example a wrist. The apparatus can include a base, a first platform, a second platform, a first set of linear actuators that moveably couple the first platform to the base and a second set of linear actuators that moveably couple the second platform to the first platform. The apparatus can take the form of dual prismatic platforms. A controller can provide control signals to operate the linear actuators to cause the first platform to translate and rotate with respect to the base and to cause the second platform to translate and rotate with respect to the first platform. Connectors can couple the base to an appendage and couple an end effector to the second platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2017Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventors: Nicolas Normand Bergeron, Thomas John Hummel, David Gabriel Hallock
-
Patent number: 7500928Abstract: A chain and a chain and sprocket assembly for a roller, bush, or inverted tooth chain is disclosed. The chain has at least two types of link plates having different profiles, with at least one type of link plate having a leading corner for interaction with a contact ring on the sprocket, thereby reducing noise by reducing chordal action and by breaking up the regular timing of roller-sprocket (or bushing-sprocket) and link plate-sprocket impact. A method of reducing noise in a chain and sprocket assembly is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2005Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.Inventors: John Hummel, Roger Butterfield
-
Patent number: 7263710Abstract: A central service facility is connected via a network and a uniform service interactive platform to a multiplicity of remotely located medical diagnostic systems. The interactive platform includes a video/audio plug-in application which can be used to access a library of videos via a network. The video library is stored at the central service facility or on a local area network at the remote facility. The interactive platform of the medical diagnostic system comprises a web browser which enables the end-user to search and select a training video from the database, and a video/audio player for viewing the selected video directly from the operator's console. Depending on bandwidth availability, the video file can be downloaded to the remotely located medical diagnostic equipment prior to display or streamed in real-time.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1999Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Henry John Hummel, Jr., Thomas L. Lamoureux, Karamjeet Singh, Sunil Melepatt Palliyal, David Adam Ross, James F. Kohli
-
Publication number: 20070166840Abstract: Novel methods for reliably and reproducibly forming magnetic tunnel junctions in integrated circuits are described. In accordance with aspects of the invention, sidewall spacer features are utilized during the processing of the film stack. Advantageously, these sidewall spacer features create a tapered masking feature which helps to avoid byproduct redeposition during the etching of the MTJ film stack, thereby improving process yield. Moreover, the sidewall spacer features may be used as encapsulating layers during subsequent processing steps and as vertical contacts to higher levels of metallization.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2006Publication date: July 19, 2007Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Solomon Assefa, Michael Gaidis, Sivananda Kanakasabapathy, John Hummel, David Abraham
-
Patent number: 7229375Abstract: A silent chain and sprocket assembly is disclosed for use with a chain tensioner that provides driving contact on both sides of the chain and improved system wear, noise and vibration characteristics without adding to the chain's weight or material costs. The front-side sprockets employ sprocket teeth and engage the front-side silent chain links in conventional fashion. The back-side driven sprockets differ from prior silent chain sprockets in that the sprockets employ small protrusions instead of traditional teeth. The silent chain engages a back-side sprocket protrusion using the geometry of either a single link, or that of two adjacent links, as the chain wraps on the back-side sprocket.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2001Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.Inventors: John A. Hummel, Harold J. Fraboni
-
Patent number: 7127499Abstract: A system is provided for remotely servicing medical diagnostic systems. The diagnostic systems may include a range of modalities and system types. A remote service facility may be contacted by the diagnostic systems, or may contact the diagnostic systems via a network link. Service requests, messages, protocols, data and log files, and so forth, may be transmitted between the diagnostic systems and the service facility. The service requests are handled by the service facility interactively with the medical diagnostic systems. The diagnostic systems are thereby apprised of the status of service requests, service reports, and so forth. A uniform interface and platform are provided for facilitating interactive communications of service requests and data between the diagnostic systems and the service facility.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 1998Date of Patent: October 24, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kenneth Lawrence Accardi, Deborah Ann Babula, George Peter Gesior, Henry John Hummel, Jr., Ianne Mae Howards Koritzinsky, Scott Matt McOlash, George Tzortzos, Hubert Anthony Zettel