Patents by Inventor Nicholas Michael O'Rourke

Nicholas Michael O'Rourke 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: 12342963
    Abstract: A micro puree machine including a housing, a power shaft, a bowl assembly and a platform. The power shaft extends from the housing. The bowl assembly including at least one locking bowl element. The platform includes at least one complementary locking platform element that is configured to engage the at least one locking bowl element such that rotation of the bowl assembly relative to the platform is prevented at times the bowl assembly is positioned thereon. The platform is rotatable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing such that the platform raises the bowl assembly towards the power shaft during the rotation of the bowl assembly and platform. The raising of the bowl assembly facilitates connection between the power shaft and a blade assembly that is positioned in a lid assembly on the bowl assembly. A blade assembly detection system detects proper positioning of the blade assembly within the lid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignees: SharkNinja Operating LLC, SharkNinja (Hong Kong) Company Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Michelle Hilary Power, Xu Sheng Deng, Ting Hua Zhang, Pushan He, Ping Chu
  • Patent number: 12262851
    Abstract: Disclosed are a container assembly and a food processing system (20) comprising thereof. The container assembly includes a sealable body including a chamber (32), a chamber opening (56) formed in the sealable body, and a vacuum sealing assembly (52) mounted to the sealable body adjacent the chamber opening (56). The vacuum sealing assembly (52) includes a needle valve (60) having a needle valve opening formed therein. The needle valve (60) is movable relative to the chamber opening (56) such that the needle valve opening is movable into and out of the chamber (32). A biasing mechanism (74) is operably coupled to the needle valve (60) to move the needle valve opening out of the chamber (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Yaoming Deng, Smith Shi, Kevin Pei, Kai Zhou, Gang Chen, Edward Lockyer, Sam Bannister, Matt Roberts, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Joshua D. Anthony
  • Patent number: 12251051
    Abstract: A container (32) includes a sealable body including a chamber (42), at least one opening formed in the sealable body, and a vacuum sealing assembly (52) mounted to the sealable body adjacent at least one opening. The vacuum sealing assembly (52) includes a valve (60) and a mechanism (70) moveable between a first position that maintains the valve (60) in a sealing engagement with at least one opening and a second position that removes the valve (60) from the sealing engagement or exposes the valve (60) for removal from the sealing engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Yaoming Deng, Kevin Pei, Kai Zhou, Gang Chen, Edward Lockyer, Sam Bannister, Matthew P. Roberts, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin
  • Patent number: 12147799
    Abstract: A method comprises: installing the target software version on a first node of the storage appliance; restarting the first node of the storage appliance while also running the current software version on other nodes of the storage system; subsequent to said installing the target software version and said restarting of the first node, determining if all hosts of the storage system have discovered paths to volumes on the first node; responsive to determining that all hosts of the storage system have discovered paths to volumes on the first node, permitting the CCU of the nodes to continue to upgrade one of the other nodes of the storage system from the current software version to the target software version; and responsive to determining that not all hosts of the storage system have discovered paths to volumes on the first node, preventing the CCU of the nodes from continuing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Warren Hawkins, Nicholas Michael O'Rourke, Dominic Tomkins, Timothy Andrew Moran
  • Patent number: 12133613
    Abstract: An attachment for use with a food processing system includes a sealable body including a wall and a processing chamber, a chamber opening formed in said sealable body, and a vacuum passage arranged in fluid communication with said chamber opening. The vacuum passage is associated with at least one of said wall and said processing chamber of said sealable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignees: SharkNinja Operating LLC, SharkNinja (Hong Kong) Company Limited
    Inventors: Sam William Bannister, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin
  • Patent number: 12131027
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and computer program product in which a storage volume is configured to be maintained in a replicated relationship between two storage systems. A reversing is performed of a switch of a direction of replication for a replicated storage volume, in response to determining that host activity does not sufficiently match a pre-switch host activity, where the host activity does not sufficiently match the pre-switch host activity if a predetermined set of criteria is not met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy Andrew Moran, Dominic Tomkins, Nicholas Michael O'Rourke, Warren Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20240341537
    Abstract: A micro puree machine including a housing, a power shaft, a bowl assembly and a platform. The power shaft extends from the housing. The bowl assembly including at least one locking bowl element. The platform includes at least one complementary locking platform element that is configured to engage the at least one locking bowl element such that rotation of the bowl assembly relative to the platform is prevented at times the bowl assembly is positioned thereon. The platform is rotatable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing such that the platform raises the bowl assembly towards the power shaft during the rotation of the bowl assembly and platform. The raising of the bowl assembly facilitates connection between the power shaft and a blade assembly that is positioned in a lid assembly on the bowl assembly. A blade assembly detection system detects proper positioning of the blade assembly within the lid assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Michelle Hilary Power, Xu Sheng Deng, Ting Hua Zhang, Pushan He, Ping Chu
  • Publication number: 20240296037
    Abstract: A method comprises: installing the target software version on a first node of the storage appliance; restarting the first node of the storage appliance while also running the current software version on other nodes of the storage system; subsequent to said installing the target software version and said restarting of the first node, determining if all hosts of the storage system have discovered paths to volumes on the first node; responsive to determining that all hosts of the storage system have discovered paths to volumes on the first node, permitting the CCU of the nodes to continue to upgrade one of the other nodes of the storage system from the current software version to the target software version; and responsive to determining that not all hosts of the storage system have discovered paths to volumes on the first node, preventing the CCU of the nodes from continuing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: September 5, 2024
    Inventors: Warren Hawkins, Nicholas Michael O'Rourke, Dominic Tomkins, Timothy Andrew Moran
  • Patent number: 12064056
    Abstract: A lid assembly for use with a micro puree machine including a lid, a clip mechanism, and a release mechanism. The defines an axis. The clip mechanism is movable between an inward position and an outward position relative to the axis of the lid. The release mechanism is positionable relative to the clip mechanism between a home position and a release position and is operable to move the clip mechanism between the inward position and the outward position. At times the release mechanism is positioned toward the home position, the clip mechanism is moved toward the inward position. At times the release mechanism is positioned toward the release position, the clip mechanism is moved toward the outward position. The clip lever is operable to cause the clip mechanism to engage with or disengage from the blade assembly during installation and removal of bowl assembly from a micro puree machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignees: SharkNinja (Hong Kong) Company Limited, SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Michelle Hilary Power, Xu Sheng Deng, Ting Hua Zhang, Pushan He, Ping Chu
  • Patent number: 12022979
    Abstract: A micro puree machine including a housing, a power shaft, a bowl assembly and a platform. The power shaft extends from the housing. The bowl assembly including at least one locking bowl element. The platform includes at least one complementary locking platform element that is configured to engage the at least one locking bowl element such that rotation of the bowl assembly relative to the platform is prevented at times the bowl assembly is positioned thereon. The platform is rotatable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing such that the platform raises the bowl assembly towards the power shaft during the rotation of the bowl assembly and platform. The raising of the bowl assembly facilitates connection between the power shaft and a blade assembly that is positioned in a lid assembly on the bowl assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignees: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC, SHARKNINJA COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Michelle Hilary Power, Xu Sheng Deng, Ting Hua Zhang, Pushan He, Ping Chu
  • Patent number: 12016496
    Abstract: A micro puree machine including a housing, a power shaft, a bowl assembly and a platform. The power shaft extends from the housing. The bowl assembly including at least one locking bowl element. The platform includes at least one complementary locking platform element that is configured to engage the at least one locking bowl element such that rotation of the bowl assembly relative to the platform is prevented at times the bowl assembly is positioned thereon. The platform is rotatable from a first position to a second position relative to the housing such that the platform raises the bowl assembly towards the power shaft during the rotation of the bowl assembly and platform. The raising of the bowl assembly facilitates connection between the power shaft and a blade assembly that is positioned in a lid assembly on the bowl assembly. A blade assembly detection system detects proper positioning of the blade assembly within the lid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignees: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC, SHARKNINJA COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Michelle Hilary Power, Xu Sheng Deng, Ting Hua Zhang, Pushan He, Ping Chu
  • Publication number: 20240008686
    Abstract: A reservoir assembly for a food processing system including a vacuum mechanism includes a housing having a hollow interior, an inlet pipe extending through said housing into said hollow interior, a fluid flow path from said hollow interior to the vacuum mechanism, and a valve positioned within said hollow interior, said valve being movable to control a flow of air provided to the vacuum mechanism via said fluid flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Sam William Bannister, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin
  • Publication number: 20240000268
    Abstract: An attachment for use with a food processing system includes a sealable body including a wall and a processing chamber, a chamber opening formed in said sealable body, and a vacuum passage arranged in fluid communication with said chamber opening. The vacuum passage is associated with at least one of said wall and said processing chamber of said sealable body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Sam William Bannister, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin
  • Patent number: 11853246
    Abstract: Communication between target devices using protocol commands being carried out by a target device includes accessing a key for mapping of a plurality of defined patterns of stimuli and defined patterns of resultant protocol commands to a plurality of messages. A defined pattern of stimuli is sent from a target device to an initiator device to prompt a resultant defined pattern of protocol commands to be sent from the initiator device to all target devices that identify as the same device. The protocol commands including Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) specification compliant commands. A selected pattern of protocol command stimuli is sent from a first target device to the initiator device to prompt a resultant pattern of protocol commands from the initiator device to all target devices that identify as the same device thereby communicating the mapped message to other target devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Andrew Moran, Dominic Tomkins, Warren Hawkins, Nicholas Michael O'Rourke
  • Publication number: 20230385219
    Abstract: Communication between target devices using protocol commands being carried out by a target device includes accessing a key for mapping of a plurality of defined patterns of stimuli and defined patterns of resultant protocol commands to a plurality of messages. A defined pattern of stimuli is sent from a target device to an initiator device to prompt a resultant defined pattern of protocol commands to be sent from the initiator device to all target devices that identify as the same device. The protocol commands including Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) specification compliant commands. A selected pattern of protocol command stimuli is sent from a first target device to the initiator device to prompt a resultant pattern of protocol commands from the initiator device to all target devices that identify as the same device thereby communicating the mapped message to other target devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Timothy Andrew Moran, Dominic Tomkins, Warren Hawkins, Nicholas Michael O'Rourke
  • Patent number: 11771265
    Abstract: A reservoir assembly for a food processing system including a vacuum mechanism includes a housing having a hollow interior, an inlet pipe extending through said housing into said hollow interior, a fluid flow path from said hollow interior to the vacuum mechanism, and a valve positioned within said hollow interior, said valve being movable to control a flow of air provided to the vacuum mechanism via said fluid flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignees: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC, SHARKNINJA (HONG KONG) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Sam William Bannister, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin
  • Patent number: 11759056
    Abstract: An attachment for use with a food processing system includes a sealable body including a wall and a processing chamber, a chamber opening formed in said sealable body, and a vacuum passage arranged in fluid communication with said chamber opening. The vacuum passage is associated with at least one of said wall and said processing chamber of said sealable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignees: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC, SHARKNINJA (HONG KONG) COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Sam William Bannister, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin
  • Patent number: 11684215
    Abstract: An accessory for use with a container of a food processing system includes a body positionable within a base of the food processing system, said body having a first side and a second side, an opening formed in said body, a member configurable with said opening to selectively seal said opening, said member being arranged at said second side of said body, a vacuum sealing assembly for sealing a chamber of the container, and a release mechanism operable to selectively fluidly couple said chamber to an ambient atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
    Inventors: Sam William Bannister, Ross Richardson, Michael Ting, Jared Proulx, Kristof Benedict Fogarasi, Joshua D. Anthony, Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Kevin Pei, Zintis Jones
  • Patent number: 11641978
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro puree machine that includes a blade assembly, a lid assembly, and a clip mechanism. The blade assembly has a central support hub, a blade, and an undercut. The lid assembly is configured to cooperate with a bowl assembly and includes a lid and a clip mechanism. The clip mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position and cooperates with the undercut at times the clip mechanism is the in the first position. The blade assembly is retained in the lid assembly at times the clip mechanism is in or near the first position, and the blade assembly is disengaged from the undercut and removable from the lid assembly at times the clip mechanism is in or near the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael O'loughlin, Xu Sheng Deng, Ting Hua Zhang, Ming Li Shi, Michelle Hilary Power
  • Patent number: 11540669
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro puree machine that includes a blade assembly, a lid assembly, and a clip mechanism. The blade assembly has a central support hub, a blade, and an undercut. The lid assembly is configured to cooperate with a bowl assembly and includes a lid and a clip mechanism. The clip mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position and cooperates with the undercut at times the clip mechanism is the in the first position. The blade assembly is retained in the lid assembly at times the clip mechanism is in or near the first position, and the blade assembly is disengaged from the undercut and removable from the lid assembly at times the clip mechanism is in or near the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Michael O'Loughlin, Xu Sheng Deng, Ting Hua Zhang, Ming Li Shi, Michelle Hilary Power