Patents Issued in August 3, 2017
  • Publication number: 20170217576
    Abstract: A rotor drive system includes a mast defining a rotation axis, an electric motor with a stator portion fixed to the stationary mast, a rotor portion rotatably relative to the stator portion, and a clutch disposed along the rotation axis and connected to the rotor portion of the electric motor. A rotor assembly is rotatable about the rotation axis and operably connected to clutch such that, when rotational speed of the rotor assembly exceeds rotational speed of the rotor portion of the electric motor, the clutch disengages the rotor assembly from the electric motor rotor portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Timothy Fred Lauder, Jonathan Hartman
  • Publication number: 20170217577
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a hybrid aircraft capable of being propelled by a vertical rotor(s) or a horizontal engine(s). The aircraft includes a fuselage defining a horizontal plane, two wings attached to opposite sides of fuselage and oriented substantially parallel to the horizontal plane, an engine(s) configured to generate propulsion in a horizontal direction, and a rotor(s) extending vertically from the fuselage and oriented over a first portion of each wing. Each wing includes a wing frame and an aircraft skin covering at least a portion of the wing frame. When the aircraft is being propelled by the rotor, the aircraft skin covering the first portion of each wing frame is removed or rotated to facilitate airflow through the rotors. When the aircraft is being propelled by the one or more horizontal engines, the aircraft skin may cover the first portion of the wing frame, facilitating aerodynamic lift and stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Saadeh HATTAR, Volodymyr Tanin
  • Publication number: 20170217578
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for propelling self-propelled movable objects are provided. In one aspect, a rotor assembly for a self-propelled movable object comprises: a hub comprising a first fastening feature; a drive shaft comprising a second fastening feature and directly coupled to the hub by a mating connection of the first and second fastening features, wherein the drive shaft is configured to cause rotation of the hub such that the mating connection of the first and second fastening features is tightened by the rotation; and a plurality of rotor blades coupled to the hub and configured to rotate therewith to generate a propulsive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Tao Wang, Tao Zhao, Zhi Gang Ou
  • Publication number: 20170217579
    Abstract: Elastomeric bearings exhibit a reactive positive spring effect, i.e., they produce an opposing torque or force when angular displacement or translation is applied upon them, due to shear stress developed within their elastomer parts. The present invention incorporates a device that exhibits an increasingly strong torque or force in the same direction as the displacement, i.e., a negative spring, under similar conditions of movement. When properly calibrated, the subject type of device can be used in paralleled motion with the ordinary reactive elastomeric bearing to produce a combined effect in which at least a part of the torque or force of the elastomeric bearing is compensated or minimized over a range of movement, particularly in helicopter rotor blade retention applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: William Lloyd Hinks
  • Publication number: 20170217580
    Abstract: A linkage assembly configured for use on a rotor blade having a first section and a second section, the second section being configured to rotate about a blade fold axis between an aligned position and a rotated position relative to the first section is provided. The linkage assembly includes a bracket having a first portion rotatably coupled to the first section about the blade fold axis and a second portion mounted to the second section. A spacer assembly is positioned between the bracket and an adjacent wall of the second section. The overall thickness of the spacer assembly is adjustable to control a distance between the second section and the bracket to adjust the rotated position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Adrial Kirchen, Jonathon Crim, Steven M. Capelle, Stephen V. Poulin
  • Publication number: 20170217581
    Abstract: An aircraft is provided including an airframe, an extending tail, and a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly with a plurality of blades rotating in a first plane and a lower rotor assembly with a plurality of blades rotating in a second plane, each of the blades having a root end, a midpoint, and a tip end. A translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe. The blades of the upper rotor assembly and the blades of the lower rotor assembly are indexed to improve tip end clearance between pairs of tip ends in the crossing plane as the tip ends move in respective first and second sinusoidal paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: David H. Hunter, Scott A. Chasen, Brandon Michael Cerge, Maximilian August Koessick, Michael J. Kostoss, Eric Lucien Nussenblatt, Justin Thomas, Chris P. Butler
  • Publication number: 20170217582
    Abstract: An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, an extending tail, a counter rotating, coaxial main rotor assembly including an upper rotor assembly and a lower rotor assembly, a translational thrust system positioned at the extending tail, the translational thrust system providing translational thrust to the airframe, at least one sensor and at least one inertial measurement unit (IMU) to sense current flight conditions of the aircraft, an interface to execute controls of a main rotor assembly in accordance with control commands and at least one flight control computer (FCC) to issue the control commands. The at least one FCC includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory having logic and executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, cause the CPU to issue the control commands based on the current flight conditions and a result of an execution of the logic for the current flight conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin L. BREDENBECK, Bryan S. COTTON, Kenneth C. ARIFIAN, Erez ELLER, Matthew T. LUSZCZ
  • Publication number: 20170217583
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a rotor hub which rotates about a hub rotation axis and a blade connected to the rotor hub. The blade rotates with the rotor hub around the hub rotation axis, and the blade is configured to rotate around a pitch rotation axis of the blade to adjust a pitch of the blade. The rotor assembly includes a pitch horn having a first end rotatably connected to the blade. The pitch horn is configured to rotate with the blade around the pitch rotatably axis of the blade to adjust the pitch of the blade, and the pitch horn is configured to rotate relative to the blade around a pitch horn pivot axis arranged at a non-parallel angle relative to the pitch rotation axis of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Lance Halcom, Frank P. D'Anna, Leonard J. Doolin
  • Publication number: 20170217584
    Abstract: An air vehicle includes a flight computer, a fuselage, and two rotors mounted symmetrically with respect to the fuselage. Each of the two rotors includes a servo mechanism to tilt a respective rotor of the two rotors about two axes of the respective rotor. The flight computer is configured to send control parameters to each of the two rotors, the control parameters including a rotational speed, a first tilt angle about a first axis of the two axes of the respective rotor, and a second tilt angle about a second axis of the two axes of the respective rotor. A method for operating the air vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Mahmoud Abdelmagid ELFEKY, Moustafa ELSHAFEI
  • Publication number: 20170217585
    Abstract: An aircraft, in particular an unmanned aerial vehicle with wing-borne flight mode and hover flight mode, comprises a wing structure (4) having a left (6), middle (7), and right wing section (8). A support structure extends from the wing structure (4), and has an upper and lower support section. Each one of the left and right wing section (6, 8), and upper and lower support section (18, 20) has a thrust unit (10, 12, 22, 24). Left and right wingtip sections are rotatable relative to a left and right wing base section, respectively, around an axis extending substantially in a lengthwise direction of the wing structure. The thrust units (10,12) of the left and right wing sections(6, 8) are provided at the respective wingtip sections, in particular at the extremities thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Sander HULSMAN, Jurjen DE GROOT, Maarten MILIS, Dirk Lucas Eduard DOKTER, Joost Leon BOUMAN, Ruud KNOOPS
  • Publication number: 20170217586
    Abstract: An aeronautical car comprises a ground-travel system including at least one traction device, an air-travel system including at least one flight mechanism configured to be selectively moved between a first position when the aeronautical car is in a driving mode and a second position when the aeronautical car is in a flying mode, and a weather manipulation device. The weather manipulation device may be configured to manipulate at least one aspect of a weather condition while the aeronautical car is in the air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: John Goelet
  • Publication number: 20170217587
    Abstract: A weather modification system that includes both systems and vehicles capable of modifying the weather. The systems may include devices capable of utilizing compositions to create dispersants that can modify weather. The system is capable of autonomous weather modification where the vehicles may operate for long periods of time in the air and may be directed by a control station. The vehicles may include an airplane, a UAV, a balloon, a satellite, an airship, such as a lenticular airship, a helicopter or a lighter than air vehicle. The vehicles are capable of multiple functions including weather modification, weather monitoring, and coordination between different vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: John Goelet
  • Publication number: 20170217588
    Abstract: A method and system for assessing a situation using an unmanned vehicle is disclosed. An unmanned vehicle receives a transmission indicating a situation at a designated location, and then navigates to the designated location. The unmanned vehicle may reach the designated location via air or ground travel, or a combination thereof. The unmanned vehicle receives signals from a first subset of sensors indicating information concerning an environment at the designated location and from a second subset of sensors indicating information concerning one or more objects associated with the situation. The unmanned vehicle then sends one or more transmissions based on the received signals, facilitating rapid determination of the situation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Charles Spinelli
  • Publication number: 20170217589
    Abstract: A device that controls the flight altitude of an unmanned aerial vehicle having mounted thereon an imaging device that captures an image of the ground, the device being provided with: one or more memories; and circuitry which, in operation, recognizes, as a plurality of markers, a plurality of objects located on the ground from the image captured by the imaging device, calculates the area of a polygon formed by the plurality of markers, and controls the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle in such a way that the area of the polygon is maximized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: HAJIME MAEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20170217590
    Abstract: An aircraft galley power and control system is disclosed having a plurality of electrical appliances within a monument, the galley control system including a control panel removed from the electrical appliances that include controls for operating each of the electrical appliances, The galley also includes a galley controller interface for receiving commands from a display screen on the control panel and communicating the commands to the electrical appliances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
    Inventors: William J. GODECKER, Nicolaas Van Zwieten, Michael Kemery, Eid-Beng Goh
  • Publication number: 20170217591
    Abstract: A storage rack is mounted on a wall panel via a reinforcing thin sheet and a synthetic resin rivet. The reinforcing thin sheet is mounted on the inner surface of the surface member at a location at which the storage rack is arranged. A rivet insertion hole is formed penetrating the surface member and the reinforcing thin sheet. Leg pieces of the pre-assembled rivet are inserted into the rivet insertion hole from the mounting hole in the storage rack, and a flange portion is brought into contact with a second vertical panel. An expanding shaft portion of the expansion member (30) is pushed into an inner peripheral portion of an expanded member, forming leg piece parts expanded to a dimension larger than the diameter of the rivet insertion hole on the leg piece parts projecting from the reinforcing thin sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Ayano Hirose, Takafumi Kobayashi, Yuji Taguchi
  • Publication number: 20170217592
    Abstract: A thermal management system for an aircraft is provided. The thermal management system may comprise a first vapor compression circuit, a second vapor compression circuit, and an intercooler. The first vapor compression circuit may define a first flowpath for fluid compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. The second vapor compression circuit may define a second flowpath for fluid compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. The intercooler may be disposed in cascading thermal communication between the first vapor compression circuit and the second vapor compression circuit. Generally, heat generated by the aircraft may be transferred to the first vapor compression circuit during aircraft operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Kevin Edward Hinderliter
  • Publication number: 20170217593
    Abstract: There is provided an anti-icing system that has a simple structure and makes it possible to exert anti-icing performance by dealing with displacement of a stagnation point without increasing air resistance. The anti-icing system according to the present invention blows heated gas to an inner surface of a wing of an aircraft, and includes: a piccolo tube that includes a flow path through which the heated gas flows in a longitudinal direction from a rear end to a front end, and a plurality of ejection holes provided along the longitudinal direction to make the flow path communicate with an outside; and a supply source that supplies the heated gas toward the piccolo tube. The piccolo tube is held to cause positions of the respective ejection holes to be fixed in a gravity direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ishida, Gento Ichikawa, Yoichi Uefuji, Masatoshi Morishita, Kazuhiro Kawai, Satoshi Watanabe, Go Fujita
  • Publication number: 20170217594
    Abstract: A rotorcraft, such as a tiltrotor aircraft having helicopter and airplane modes, includes an airframe, an engine and an engine mount assembly for coupling the engine to the airframe. The engine includes an engine lug forming an aperture. The engine mount assembly includes a mount having an aperture substantially aligned with the engine lug aperture. A sleeved bolt assembly extends through the apertures to secure the engine lug to the mount. The sleeved bolt assembly includes a bolt undersized relative to the apertures forming a circumferential gap within the apertures, a sleeve disposed around at least a portion of the bolt substantially filling the circumferential gap and a nut adapted to thread onto a threaded portion of the bolt. The use of the undersized bolt within the sleeve permits increased clearance between the sleeved bolt assembly and the engine while maintaining strength requirements in high load environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Michael Edwin Rinehart, Thomas Boudreau
  • Publication number: 20170217595
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe includes a torsion bar, a lateral movement control assembly and a vertical movement control assembly. The torsion bar has a torsional stiffness and is coupled between the engine and the airframe such that torsional movement of the engine causes torsion in the torsion bar. The lateral movement control assembly has a lateral stiffness and is coupled between the torsion bar and the airframe such that lateral movement of the engine causes rotation of the torsion bar which reacts on lateral movement control assembly. The vertical movement control assembly has a vertical stiffness and is coupled between the engine and the airframe such that vertical movement of the engine reacts on the vertical movement control assembly. The engine mount assembly, thereby enables torsional, lateral and vertical movement of the engine to be independently controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler Wayne Baldwin, John Elton Brunken, JR., Matthew Carl VanBuskirk, Bart Marcus Shafer, Bruce Bennett Bacon
  • Publication number: 20170217596
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe. The engine mount assembly includes a torsion bar coupled between the engine and the airframe. The torsion bar includes an external spline. The engine mount assembly also includes a bell crank having a clamp forming an internal spline with the internal spline of the bell crank adapted to mate with the external spline of the torsion bar to secure the bell crank to the torsion bar such that the bell crank rotates with the torsion bar responsive to movements of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Brett Rodney Zimmerman, Clegg Benjamin Brian Smith
  • Publication number: 20170217597
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe. The engine mount assembly includes a torsion bar coupled to the engine and a lateral movement control assembly coupled between the torsion bar and the airframe. The lateral movement control assembly includes a spring having a lateral stiffness. The torsion bar rotates in response to lateral movement of the engine such that the lateral movement of the engine is controllable based on the lateral stiffness of the spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, John Elton Brunken, JR., Michael Edwin Rinehart, Nick Pravanh
  • Publication number: 20170217598
    Abstract: An engine mount assembly for coupling an engine to an airframe. The engine mount assembly includes a torsion bar coupled between the engine and the airframe. The torsion bar has upper and lower tapered bosses. Upper and lower arm assemblies couple the engine to the torsion bar. Each arm assembly has an end bell crank with a tapered socket that is adapted to receive a respective tapered boss therein to secure the end bell cranks to the torsion bar such that the end bell cranks rotate with the torsion bar responsive to movements of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, John Elton Brunken, Jr., Tyler Wayne Baldwin
  • Publication number: 20170217599
    Abstract: A rotorcraft together with a heat dissipation structure for a motor are provided. The motor includes a body and a revolving shaft driven by the body, and the heat dissipation structure for the motor includes: a casing being a hollow structure having a top opening and an air inlet in a bottom portion, in which the body is disposed inside of the casing, and an air channel is formed between a circumferential edge of the body and an inner wall of the casing; a head cover connected to the revolving shaft of the motor synchronously and provided with a plurality of air flow picks on the lower surface thereof; and a mounting stand fixed to an upper surface of the head cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Bin PENG, Dingfeng XIAO
  • Publication number: 20170217600
    Abstract: A propulsion system assembly is provided including a driveshaft and a plurality of electric motor modules. The driveshaft is rotatably mounted to a casing about a drive axis, the driveshaft including a first shaft end and an opposite facing second shaft end. The plurality of electric motor modules are in axially stacked relationship with one another with respect to the drive axis to define an electric motor module stack, each electric motor module being configured for transmitting a torque to the driveshaft when coupled thereto independently of at least one other electric motor module. Each electric motor module includes a controllable clutch arrangement for selectively coupling and decoupling the respective electric motor module with respect to the driveshaft to respectively enable and disable transmission of torque between the respective electric motor module and the driveshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Eyal REGEV
  • Publication number: 20170217601
    Abstract: A flight information storage system for an airplane according to the present invention may include: one or more of a video acquiring device mounted on the airplane; a recording device for recording video acquired through the video acquiring device(s) during a flight of the airplane; and a travel storage device which simultaneously stores the video data recorded by the recording device. Here, the travel storage device may be a USB cartridge, and the video acquiring device may be one or both of a digital camera and a radar device. The digital camera may include a first digital camera that is installed in front of the cockpit of the airplane to capture an image to the front of the airplane during flight, and two or more second digital cameras installed behind the cockpit of the airplane to capture an image of the instrument panel of the airplane and the area surrounding the instrument panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicants: STARNEX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sang-Rae PARK
  • Publication number: 20170217602
    Abstract: A system for assisting in a dispatch decision of an aircraft and related process are provided. The system includes a synthesis module, configured to generate at least one dispatch status for the aircraft, based on at least one defect and/or fault datum of the aircraft received from the acquisition module and at least data contained in a first database and in a second minimum equipment list database; and a display, configured to display at least one synthesis window containing at least one defect and/or fault identification indicator of the aircraft developed from the or each defect and/or fault datum, and at least one dispatch status indicator based on the dispatch status determined by the synthesis module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Rémi BREBAN
  • Publication number: 20170217603
    Abstract: Lightning protected vent lines associated operatively with aircraft fuselage fuel tanks (i.e., on-board fuel tanks that are not physically located in an aircraft's wing but instead are physically located within the aircraft's fuselage structure) are provided which include a vent conduit, a coupling at a proximal end of the vent conduit for fluid connecting the vent conduit to the fuel tank, a vent opening positioned at a distal end of the vent conduit and at an external location of the fuselage and a flame arrestor positioned in the conduit between the coupling and the vent opening. The vent conduit will have an effective axial dimension (L) between the coupling and the vent opening and the flame arrestor will be positioned in the conduit at an effective separation distance (D) between an inlet of the flame arrestor and the vent opening such that L/D is greater than 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Adriano Donizetti Nogueira Machado CABRAL, Alessandro DA ROCHA MORDENTE, Lollan Naru NONAKA, Lucas Mateus Machado Duarte TAVARES, Sidney Osses NUNES, Valdeci Gomes DE OLIVEIRA, Wellington DE MOURA AOKI, Weber DE BRITO BARBOSA
  • Publication number: 20170217604
    Abstract: A component mounting assembly includes a non-metallic frame, a nut plate, and a grounding strap. The non-metallic frame is adapted for mounting to an aircraft fuselage. The non-metallic frame includes an outer peripheral portion having one or more fastener openings formed therein, and extends to a first height above the outer peripheral portion. The nut plate is coupled to the outer peripheral portion and extends therefrom to a second height that is at least 50% of the first height. The grounding strap is coupled, via a threaded fastener, to the nut plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Daniel C. Birchak, Christopher Thomas, William F. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20170217605
    Abstract: Systems and methods of precision landing in adverse conditions are provided. In one embodiment, a precision landing system comprises a vehicle including: a receiver configured to receive position information for structures and a landing zone of a landing site and a processor coupled to a memory, the memory includes three-dimensional geometric structural information for a landing site. The processor configured to: receive the position information from the receiver; assign geographical coordinates to the three-dimensional geometric structural information using the position information for the structures and the landing zone of the landing site; send the three-dimensional geometric structural information and graphical rendering information to a display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Amit Srivastav, John Hajdukiewicz, Sreedhar Garbham, Raman Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20170217606
    Abstract: A system and method including a processor coupled to the non-volatile memory and a non-transitory medium connected to the processor wherein the processor is configured to select one of a flight path between two points or a point of departure and frequency of departure in the flight path from the point for an aircraft, wherein the flight path has at least two phases and a flight along the flight path or a departure constitutes one cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Howard Fisher, Andrew Scott Kessie, Mazen Hammoud
  • Publication number: 20170217607
    Abstract: A filling device, in particular for filling liquid containers of electronic cigarettes with a liquid, includes: a rotary carrousel configured to rotate about a main axis of rotation, a pump cam track extending about the main axis, where the rotary carrousel includes multiple hose pumps arranged in an annular configuration about the main axis, where each hose pump includes: a hose, a rotary pump device, the rotary pump device including: a roller rotor including a number of rollers which are configured to engage the hose and urge the liquid through the hose, a cam rotor including a number of pump cams which are configured to engage the pump cam track, the cam rotor being coupled to the roller rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Oscar SLURINK
  • Publication number: 20170217608
    Abstract: Method for filling and closing a package including the operations of introducing two arms through the mouth, each one having or bearing a gripping tool and impressing a mutual distancing movement on the arms to expand the package with a retention mechanism which operates outside the package to grasp the walls of the package arranged between the arms and the retention mechanism while the retention mechanism approaches and fits over the gripping tool of each arm, such that when the arms move in the direction of the mouth of the package, the arms carry the grasped walls of the package to produce folds towards the interior of the package.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Girnet Internacional, S.L.
    Inventor: Ezequiel GIRO AMIGO
  • Publication number: 20170217609
    Abstract: Manufacturing capsules, comprising preparing a first and a second capsule element, at least the first element containing a cavity, each element, being provided with a peripheral ring, bringing the elements together, so that the rings are superimposed, placing the two elements between a sonotrode and an anvil, the anvil containing an anvil recess and a striking surface, surrounding the anvil recess, the sonotrode including a sonotrode recess, with the same cross-section as the anvil recess, and a working surface surrounding the sonotrode recess, wherein the striking and working surfaces are configures to come into contact with each other on a working area, extending around the recesses, clamping the rings between the working surface and the striking surface by the proximity of a sonotrode and the anvil, activating the sonotrode and directing the ultrasound towards the anvil, whilst maintaining the clamping action, wherein the rings are detached from the capsule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: POLYTEK INNOVATIONS
    Inventor: David Delhaye
  • Publication number: 20170217610
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing packaging comprising the steps of: a) providing a packaging material (2) comprising cartonboard, semi-rigid plastics or other semi-rigid packaging material; b) forming fold lines (8) and/or cuts within the packaging material (2) by subjecting the packaging material (2) to laser (12) or mechanical scoring; c) folding the packaging material (2) along the fold lines (8) and/or cuts and securing in position to form a substantially tubular container (200); and d) forming at least one seal (302, 304) by sealing together at least two opposing regions (122, 124, 126, 128) of a blank (4) to form an at least partially sealed package (300); e) performing at least one of steps b), c) and d) on a horizontal or vertical fill, form and seal apparatus (400).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Alain KOWALEWSKI, David Emiro GALAVIS
  • Publication number: 20170217611
    Abstract: An apparatus for packaging a product with an extensible film, including a conveyor for conveying a product to the apparatus, an evacuating device for evacuating a product from the apparatus at the end of packaging, an unwinding device to unwind the extensible film from a reel mounted on the apparatus, a tensioning device for tensioning the extensible film, the unwinding device including a first gripping element and a second gripping element that are movable independently of one another in an unwinding direction for unwinding the extensible film from the reel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Anigma Consulting
    Inventors: Angelo Cappi, Georgi Dimitrov Todorov
  • Publication number: 20170217612
    Abstract: An apparatus for a packaging machine comprising; a first conveyor for conveying an input stream of articles, a second conveyor for conveying an output stream of articles, a guide path configured as a loop and one or more tools coupled to the guide path. Each tool comprises a tool head for engaging with one or more articles in the input stream. The tool head is operable to transfer the one or more articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor. The one or more articles are placed upon the second conveyor in discrete groups having one or more tiers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Bonnain, Pascal MARTINI
  • Publication number: 20170217613
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating and distributing foodstuffs, in particular meat or sausage products, the foodstuffs being enveloped by a packaging material or introduced into a packaging material. According to the invention, the foodstuff contained in and provided with the packaging is subjected to a targeted treatment in order to inactivate micro-organisms for the purposes of microbe reduction and a protective coating is applied to the packaging immediately afterwards or during this treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Fritz Kortschack
  • Publication number: 20170217614
    Abstract: A method for the portioned packaging of liquid or pasty products using a packaging machine. The product is fed via an inlet to a metering chamber, being metered in the metering chamber by a metering member to form a product portion, and the product portion being fed via a metering outlet to a package. In order to avoid impairments of products which are sensitive to crystallizing out in the inoperative state, the metering chamber is operated in continuous flow in at least one operating state of the packaging machine from the following group: downtimes of the packaging machine, start-up of the packaging machine and operation of the packaging machine, by the product—whether entirely or in a partial flow—being removed entirely or partially from the metering chamber past the metering member via an outlet provided in addition to the metering outlet and being recirculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Maik FRANZ
  • Publication number: 20170217615
    Abstract: A filling station for filling containers includes a number of container holders defining respective container positions; a number of filling assemblies, each filling assembly being associated with a container holder, where each filling assembly includes a reciprocating nozzle assembly which makes a first reciprocating movement from a retracted nozzle position in which a nozzle is retracted from the container to an inserted nozzle position in which the nozzle is inserted into the container, where the nozzle moves through an opening in a lid member of a reciprocating lid assembly to be inserted into the container for filling the container with liquid; where the reciprocating lid assembly makes a second reciprocating movement towards a filling opening of the container in the container holder and back in a direction away from the filling opening, where the reciprocating lid assembly is under pretension in the direction of the container holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Oscar SLURINK, Lambert Wijnand BREMAN
  • Publication number: 20170217616
    Abstract: A thermoform packaging machine comprising a forming station for producing troughs in a bottom film, a sealing station for sealing troughs that contain a product, and at least one cutting station arranged on a machine frame. The thermoform packaging machine may include at least two clamp chains for holding and conveying the bottom film in a production direction through the packaging machine. The clamp chains may be guided by chain guides that extend at least from the forming station along an infeed line to the sealing station. Each chain guide may include an upper guide surface and a lower guide surface between which a respective one of the clamp chains is guided. In one embodiment, the chain guides are oriented horizontally at and along both the forming station and the sealing station and the chain guide ascends from the forming station to the sealing station along the infeed line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Elmar Ehrmann
  • Publication number: 20170217617
    Abstract: A sterilization process is performed on a preform or container made of resin after a corona discharge treatment is performed on an inner surface of the preform or container, the corona discharge treatment including applying a voltage produced in a corona discharge to an electrode that passes through an opening part of the preform or container, an insertion step of inserting the electrode to which the voltage is applied into the preform or container through the opening part, and a bottom part treatment step of treating an inner surface of a bottom part of the preform or container by bringing the electrode close to the bottom part until the corona discharge from the electrode changes discharge mode, and the sterilization process including a hydrogen peroxide supplying step of blasting a mist or gas of hydrogen peroxide solution or a mixture thereof to the preform or container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori SATO, Hirotaka TSUCHIYA
  • Publication number: 20170217618
    Abstract: Packaging for sterile packaging a product, comprising a bag shaped body with two main surfaces that are mutually gas tight at at least part of their peripheral edges comprising a gas non-permeable material. At least part of the main surfaces comprises a gas permeable material part of a pore size that locks out harmful organisms and comprises a gas tight material part that is positioned between two peripheral edges that extend in a longitudinal direction and between the gas permeable material part and a peripheral edge that extends in a transverse direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Jouni Matias Vikman, Paavo Petteri Muhonen, Kai Nieber, Michael Stephanus Terwolbeck
  • Publication number: 20170217619
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for filling a transport tray having a reduced risk of incorrect fillings. In accordance with the disclosure, a target filling of a plurality of receptacles in the transport tray is transmitted to the control device and at least one filling template is produced based on the target filling and on a filling regime and is displayed by means of a display device. Then drug portions corresponding to the filling template are transferred to the receptacles, and an image of at least the receptacles to be filled in accordance with the target filling is produced by means of an optical detection device and the actual filling is determined using the image and is compared to the target filling. If no target deviation is found, the transport tray is released for transferring the drug portions to the machine tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Christoph Hellenbrand
  • Publication number: 20170217620
    Abstract: An apparatus for optimizing automated packaging of a shipment set, said shipment set comprising one or more items arranged in an arrangement for being automatically packaged, the apparatus comprising at least one image obtaining device for obtaining three-dimensional image data of said arrangement and at least one computer system and a signaling device, the computer system adapted for processing said image data to obtain information on the dimensions of individual items present in said arrangement and on the orientation and position of said items in said arrangement, performing an analysis of said information with respect to at least one optimization criterion and depending on said analysis, generating signals indicating to either proceed with automated packaging of said arrangement or to modify or to divert said arrangement, and the signaling device adapted for receiving the signals generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Joost Zeilstra
  • Publication number: 20170217621
    Abstract: A bagging station for filling paper-type bags is disclosed. Described is a bagging station that includes a base and a center piece. The center piece has a cavity for storing a stack of paper or paper-type bags. The center piece rests on top of the base. The base is used to support one or more open paper bags while the paper bags are being filled. The base can include a carousel that rotates, where the center piece sets on the carousel. The center piece has a bag storage cavity for storing a stack of paper bags. The center piece also includes one or more paper bag upper edge holders, where each paper bag upper edge holder grasps the upper edge of an open paper bag in order to hold the bag open and in place while items are placed in the paper bag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Levi Robinson, Yurgis Mauro Bacallao, John Levy
  • Publication number: 20170217622
    Abstract: The invention relates to a labelling device (1), in particular price labelling device, for providing a product (2) with a label (3), with at least one scale (4) for weighing the product (2), with at least one handling system (5) for moving the product (2) and with at least one printer (6) comprising a label outlet (6.1) for printing and outputting labels (3). In order to reduce the complexity, the invention proposes that the handling system (5) can be moved from a product pickup position (I), in which the product (2) can be picked up by the handling system (5), to a first label acceptance position (II), which is located adjacent to the label outlet (6.1) of the printer (6) and in which a first label (3) can be transferred onto the product (2). Furthermore, the invention relates to a labelling system (11) with multiple such labelling devices (1) and to a method for providing a product (2) with a label (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Peter Wolff
  • Publication number: 20170217623
    Abstract: A winding device includes a first roller that winds label roll paper that is composed with a continues base sheet, a plurality of labels and a marginal portion, a second roller that winds the marginal portion peeled off the label roll paper, a drive part that generates a driving force for the second roller to rotate, a drive transmission control part that is provided between the drive part and the second roller such that the driving force is transmitted to the second roller from the driving part, and stops transmitting the driving force to the second roller if a load placed on the second roller exceeds a prescribed load, a detection part that detects a rotation of the second roller, and a control part that determines a cutoff of the marginal portion based on the rotation of the second roller detected by the detection part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Shunichi KANNO
  • Publication number: 20170217624
    Abstract: A composite container having a paper label adhered without adhesives to a container body at at least one of the top end edge outer circumferential surface of the container body and the bottom end edge outer circumferential surface of the base part of the container body. Adherence of the paper label to the container body being effectuated by disposing the paper label in a mold and biaxial stretch blow shaping a preform into the container body with a liquid as a pressurized medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Tamotsu TOYODA, Shinichi TABATA, Mitsuru SHIOKAWA
  • Publication number: 20170217625
    Abstract: This disclosure provides generally container base designs for use in packaging carbonated beverages and new containers that incorporate the base design. It has been found that improved physical and mechanical properties such as good stress crack performance can be achieving while improved light weighting and potential cost savings. The particular base and container designs are generally applicable to carbonated soft drink (CSD) containers, and can be used with containers of any size and with any type of base form such as petaloid or champagne base forms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: THE COCA-COLA COMPANY
    Inventors: Sterling Lane STEWARD, Venkat GOVINDARAJAN, Martin GEITHMANN