Patents by Inventor THOMAS KISER

THOMAS KISER 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).

  • Publication number: 20240140513
    Abstract: A shopping cart comprises a chassis, wheels, and a basket. The chassis includes a base frame and support masts extending upwardly from the base frame. The wheels are coupled to the chassis. The basket is supported by the support masts to extend over the chassis, wherein the basket defines a compartment for selectively storing items. The base frame defines an exterior facing surface having a bumper extending outwardly away from a remainder of the exterior facing surface providing a buffer of space between an exterior bumper surface and a remainder of the base frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TARGET BRANDS, INC
    Inventors: Sara L. Pedersen, Alex K. Poniatowski, Hermann Eichele, Stefan Remmele, Dieter Stöckle, Thomas Gasche, Peter Irlbacher, Johann Daminger, William Kiser
  • Publication number: 20240140511
    Abstract: A shopping cart includes a wheeled base, two support masts, a basket, and a gate. The two support masts are coupled to and extend upwardly from the wheeled base. The basket is coupled to the two support masts and extends over the wheeled base to define a compartment having a rear opening. The gate includes a primary panel and a child seat. The primary panel is rotatable between a first position, covering the rear opening, and a second position extending above the compartment. The child seat extends from a front surface of the primary panel and into the compartment when the primary panel is in the first position. The child seat comprises a bottom panel, a back, and side panels. The bottom panel and opposing side panels collectively form a child seat surround extending from a first side of the primary panel to a second side of the primary panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: TARGET BRANDS, INC
    Inventors: Sara L. Pedersen, Alex K. Poniatowski, Hermann Eichele, Stefan Remmele, Dieter Stöckle, Thomas Gasche, Peter Irlbacher, Johann Daminger, William Kiser
  • Publication number: 20240132132
    Abstract: A shopping cart is configured to roll along a supporting surface and includes a chassis, a basket, a rear leg, a rear wheel, and a rotational brake. The basket is supported above the chassis. The rear leg extends downwardly from the chassis. The rear wheel is rotatably coupled to the rear leg and is configured to rotate about a rotational axis. The rear wheel defines an outside perimeter configured to contact and roll along the supporting surface. A rotational brake is coupled to the rear leg and extending radially away from the rotational axis in a rearward and downward direction beyond an outside perimeter of the rear wheel. The rotational brake is configured to impede rotation of the chassis and the basket about the rotational axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: TARGET BRANDS, INC
    Inventors: Sara L. Pedersen, Alex K. Poniatowski, Hermann Eichele, Stefan Remmele, Dieter Stöckle, Thomas Gasche, Peter Irlbacher, Johann Daminger, William Kiser
  • Publication number: 20240132130
    Abstract: A shopping cart for use in forming a horizontal stack of shopping carts that includes a support frame, a basket, and a lifting fender. The support frame includes a chassis and support masts extending substantially vertically from the chassis. The chassis is coupled to front wheels and rear wheels and includes a rear cross bar extending across the chassis. The basket is supported by the support masts over the chassis and defines a compartment. The lifting fender is formed separately from the support frame and is selectively coupled to an underside of the rear cross bar. The lifting fender defines a lift section extending below the rear cross bar and defines a bottom surface configured to be the initial contact point for a second, rear shopping cart when the horizontal stack of shopping carts is formed decreasing contact between the second, rear shopping cart and the rear cross bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: TARGET BRANDS, INC
    Inventors: Sara L. Pedersen, Alex K. Poniatowski, Hermann Eichele, Stefan Remmele, Dieter Stöckle, Thomas Gasche, Peter Irlbacher, Johann Daminger, William Kiser
  • Patent number: 11618516
    Abstract: An example bushing has three portions along its radial direction including an inner portion most proximal to a central hole of the bushing, an outer portion most distal from the center hole, and a core portion between the inner portion and the outer portion. The core portion has a hardness that is less than the hardness of the inner portion or the outer portion of the bushing. The bushing may be formed using high carbon steel, which in some cases may be spheroidal cementite crystal structure. A rough bushing may be formed using the high carbon steel, followed by a direct hardening process, and an induction hardening process on the inner surface most proximal to the central hole of the bushing. The induction hardening on the inner surface may harden the outer portion while tempering the core portion of the bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Chandrasen Rameshlal Rathod, Roger Lee Recker, Robert Jason Pickerill, Scott E. Keele, Matthew Thomas Kiser
  • Publication number: 20220195550
    Abstract: An example track shoe, cutting edge, or other component of a machine is formed in a heated process, such as hot-rolling followed by air-hardening. The air-hardening process involves cooling the component by flowing air over the component (e.g., air cooling), such that the component is cooled at a controlled rate. During the air-cooling process, such as in the range of about 250° C. to about 1100° C., the component may be machined, such as by shearing, punching, drilling, etc. The machining may form the final shape of the component. As the air-hardening process is completed, and the component approaches room temperature, the component may have at least 5% bainitic crystal composition, and as high as greater than 80% bainitic crystal composition, resulting in relatively high hardness and fracture toughness. The final track shoe may have a hardness between about 40 HRC and 55 HRC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Thomas Kiser, Lindsey S. Cavanaugh, Thomas Marshall Congdon, Susan Marie Graham, Tianjun Liu, Mark David Veliz, Thomas John Yaniak
  • Patent number: 11068698
    Abstract: A three-dimensional model (e.g., motion capture model) of a user is generated from captured images or captured video of the user. A machine learning network may track poses and expressions of the user to generate and refine the three-dimensional model. Refinement of the three-dimensional model may provide more accurate tracking of the user's face. Refining of the three-dimensional model may include refining the determinations of poses and expressions at defined locations (e.g., eye corners and/or nose) in the three-dimensional model. The refining may occur in an iterative process. Tracking of the three-dimensional model over time (e.g., during video capture) may be used to generate an animated three-dimensional model (e.g., an animated puppet) of the user that simulates the user's poses and expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sofien Bouaziz, Brian Amberg, Thibaut Weise, Patrick Snape, Stefan Brugger, Alex Mansfield, Reinhard Knothe, Thomas Kiser
  • Publication number: 20210095355
    Abstract: An example bushing has three portions along its radial direction including an inner portion most proximal to a central hole of the bushing, an outer portion most distal from the center hole, and a core portion between the inner portion and the outer portion. The core portion has a hardness that is less than the hardness of the inner portion or the outer portion of the bushing. The bushing may be formed using high carbon steel, which in some cases may be spheroidal cementite crystal structure. A rough bushing may be formed using the high carbon steel, followed by a direct hardening process, and an induction hardening process on the inner surface most proximal to the central hole of the bushing. The induction hardening on the inner surface may harden the outer portion while tempering the core portion of the bushing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Chandrasen Rameshlal Rathod, Roger Lee Recker, Robert Jason Pickerill, Scott E. Keele, Matthew Thomas Kiser
  • Publication number: 20200125835
    Abstract: A three-dimensional model (e.g., motion capture model) of a user is generated from captured images or captured video of the user. A machine learning network may track poses and expressions of the user to generate and refine the three-dimensional model. Refinement of the three-dimensional model may provide more accurate tracking of the user's face. Refining of the three-dimensional model may include refining the determinations of poses and expressions at defined locations (e.g., eye corners and/or nose) in the three-dimensional model. The refining may occur in an iterative process. Tracking of the three-dimensional model over time (e.g., during video capture) may be used to generate an animated three-dimensional model (e.g., an animated puppet) of the user that simulates the user's poses and expressions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sofien Bouaziz, Brian Amberg, Thibaut Weise, Patrick Snape, Stefan Brugger, Alex Mansfield, Reinhard Knothe, Thomas Kiser
  • Patent number: 10430642
    Abstract: A three-dimensional model (e.g., motion capture model) of a user is generated from captured images or captured video of the user. A machine learning network may track poses and expressions of the user to generate and refine the three-dimensional model. Refinement of the three-dimensional model may provide more accurate tracking of the user's face. Refining of the three-dimensional model may include refining the determinations of poses and expressions at defined locations (e.g., eye corners and/or nose) in the three-dimensional model. The refining may occur in an iterative process. Tracking of the three-dimensional model over time (e.g., during video capture) may be used to generate an animated three-dimensional model (e.g., an animated puppet) of the user that simulates the user's poses and expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sofien Bouaziz, Brian Amberg, Thibaut Weise, Patrick Snape, Stefan Brugger, Alex Mansfield, Reinhard Knothe, Thomas Kiser
  • Publication number: 20190180084
    Abstract: A three-dimensional model (e.g., motion capture model) of a user is generated from captured images or captured video of the user. A machine learning network may track poses and expressions of the user to generate and refine the three-dimensional model. Refinement of the three-dimensional model may provide more accurate tracking of the user's face. Refining of the three-dimensional model may include refining the determinations of poses and expressions at defined locations (e.g., eye corners and/or nose) in the three-dimensional model. The refining may occur in an iterative process. Tracking of the three-dimensional model over time (e.g., during video capture) may be used to generate an animated three-dimensional model (e.g., an animated puppet) of the user that simulates the user's poses and expressions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Sofien Bouaziz, Brian Amberg, Thibaut Weise, Patrick Snape, Stefan Brugger, Alex Mansfield, Reinhard Knothe, Thomas Kiser
  • Patent number: 10154565
    Abstract: A lighting system comprises a plurality of lights, a sensor for measuring a light level associated with each light, and at least one controller for generating a light output from at least one light of the plurality of lights. The controller is adapted for adjusting the light output from the at least one light by an incremental amount to bring the measured light level closer to a target light level, which may correspond to an overall brightness for the space including the lights. Related methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: DELTA T, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan William Wiley Olsen, Stephen Alexander Harper, Adam Glenn Tucker, Thomas James Lesser, James Tristan Miller, Mitchell Thomas Kiser, Marcus Landon Borders, Warner Lee Wells, Kristjen Ejvind Kjems, Jason Robert Bishop, Paul Frederick Wigler
  • Patent number: 9576553
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a reflective or refractive surface that reflects or refracts light shined thereon and reproduces on a screen a desired greyscale intensity image on which the reflective or refractive surface is based and a corresponding apparatus, wherein the method permits a reproduction of a reference grayscale image with adjustable precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE
    Inventors: Mark Pauly, Thomas Kiser
  • Patent number: 9440693
    Abstract: A method of producing a forged steel part is disclosed. The method includes providing a steel billet that can be selectively hardened to different hardness levels by varying the air cooling rate. The method also includes heating the steel billet to an austenization temperature of the steel billet. The method further includes hot forging the steel billet to form the steel part including a first region and a second region. The method yet further includes selectively cooling the hot forged steel part by air cooling the first region at a first cooling rate and air cooling the second region at a second cooling rate that is less than the first cooling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Tianjun Liu, Matthew Thomas Kiser
  • Publication number: 20150376750
    Abstract: A method of producing a forged steel part is disclosed to include providing a steel billet having a composition including 0.25-0.40 wt. % C, 1.50-3.00 wt. % Mn, 0.30-2.00 wt. % Si, 0.00-0.150 wt. % V, 0.02-0.06 wt. % Ti, 0.010-0.04 wt. % S, 0.0050-0.0150 wt. % N, 0.00-1.00 wt. % Cr, 0.00-0.30 wt. % Mo, 0.00-0.003 wt. % B, and a balance of Fe and incidental impurities. The method may further include heating the steel billet to an austenization temperature of approximately 1150 degrees C. to 1350 degrees C., hot forging the steel billet to form the steel part, and controlled air cooling the forged steel part after the hot forging. The method may still further include induction heating select portions of the forged steel part after the controlled air cooling to increase the hardness of the select portions of the forged steel part, followed by quenching and tempering before the final machining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Tianjun LIU, Matthew Thomas KISER
  • Publication number: 20150266526
    Abstract: A method of producing a forged steel part is disclosed. The method includes providing a steel billet that can be selectively hardened to different hardness levels by varying the air cooling rate. The method also includes heating the steel billet to an austenization temperature of the steel billet. The method further includes hot forging the steel billet to form the steel part including a first region and a second region. The method yet further includes selectively cooling the hot forged steel part by air cooling the first region at a first cooling rate and air cooling the second region at a second cooling rate that is less than the first cooling rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Tianjun Liu, Matthew Thomas Kiser
  • Publication number: 20150037198
    Abstract: A steel article is provided for improved wear resistance due to optimized hardness, toughness and temper resistance. In one exemplary embodiment, the steel article may have a composition including about 0,2 to 0.43 percent by weight of carbon, about 0.5 to about 3.0 percent by weight of silicon, about 0.01 to about 3.0 percent by weight of chromium, and 0.43 to about 2.5 percent by weight of vanadium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Tianjun Liu, Mohammed Maniruzzaman, Matthew Thomas Kiser, Thomas John Yaniak
  • Publication number: 20140283960
    Abstract: A method of producing a forged steel part is disclosed to include providing a steel billet having a composition including 0.25-0.40 wt. % C, 1.50-3.00 wt. % Mn, 0.30-2.00 wt. % Si, 0.00-0.150 wt. % V, 0.02-0.06 wt. % Ti, 0.010-0.04 wt. % S, 0.0050-0.0150 wt. % N, 0.00-1.00 wt. % Cr, 0.00-0.30 wt. % Mo, 0.00-0.003 wt. % B, and a balance of Fe and incidental impurities. The method may further include heating the steel billet to an austenization temperature of approximately 1150 degrees C. to 1350 degrees C., hot forging the steel billet to form the steel part, and controlled air cooling the forged steel part after the hot forging. The method may still further include induction heating select portions of the forged steel part after the controlled air cooling to increase the hardness of the select portions of the forged steel part, followed by quenching and tempering before the final machining.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Tianjun LIU, Matthew Thomas KISER
  • Publication number: 20140071155
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a reflective or refractive surface that reflects or refracts light shined thereon and reproduces on a screen a desired greyscale intensity image on which the reflective or refractive surface is based and a corresponding apparatus, wherein the method permits a reproduction of a reference grayscale image with adjustable precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: MARK PAULY, THOMAS KISER
  • Publication number: 20120304954
    Abstract: A cylinder liner for an engine includes a hollow cylindrical sleeve, with an inner surface and an outer surface, that extends from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis. The cylinder liner may also include an annular cuff-ring groove, with a radiused fillet region, on the inner surface proximate the first end. The cylinder liner may further include a hardened case formed on the inner surface of the sleeve. The case may extend under a base of the fillet region of the cuff-ring groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: MATTHEW THOMAS KISER, JAMES W. GEE, SCOTT DAVID PERKINS, MAGGIE R. BURROW