Patents Issued in March 20, 2018
  • Patent number: 9919849
    Abstract: A closure for a beverage cup. The closure comprises a lid having a drinking opening and a rotatable member in rotatable engagement with the lid. The rotatable member swivels laterally of the lid between an open and a closed position. The rotatable member being adapted to close the opening in the lid when the rotatable member is in a closed position. The closure also comprises a vent in the lid that vents into a void under the rotatable member. When the rotatable member is in the closed position the void is sealed to an outside of the closure and when the rotatable member is in the open position the void is open to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KeepCup Pty Ltd
    Inventors: James Benjamin Forsyth, Ricardo Figari, Brett Capron, Marcus Krigsman, Steve Martinuzzo
  • Patent number: 9919850
    Abstract: An insert assembly for a fitment used with a pouch containing a liquid product producing an off-gas is provided. The assembly includes a vented insert for use with the vented fitment allowing the off-gas to pass there through. A carrier is configured to be attached to the vented insert and includes a liquid impermeable membrane attach to the carrier and fluid coupled to the fitment and insert to allow gas from the product to pass there through. The membrane, which can comprise an EPTFE material allows the gas to pass through, while preventing the liquid product from passing through a wall of the pouch. The insert assembly can be selectively opened and closed to allow or prevent the off-gas produced by the product to pass through the assembly as needed to reduce the pressure within the pouch or container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Steven Bons, Christopher John Opelt
  • Patent number: 9919851
    Abstract: Single-dose bottle for a fluid and a measuring cap for introducing a soluble substance in the bottle, said substance being stored in a sterile manner in a breakable capsule housed inside the measuring cap at the mouthpiece portion of the bottle; the measuring cap comprising a lower sleeve portion bottle for coupling with the neck of the bottle and an upper portion extending above the mouthpiece of the container and configured to make a seat for housing the capsule, the upper portion in turn comprising lateral walls for the at least partial lateral containment of the capsule and an upper roof portion for the upper containment of the capsule, the upper roof portion being movable by manual action of a user between a raised resting position, wherein it is in contact without compression against the capsule, and a lowered operating position wherein it compresses the capsule in a collapsed configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Montefarmaco OTC SpA
    Inventor: Angela Frosio
  • Patent number: 9919852
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cover (1) for a waste container (3), having an opening (5) that is formed in the cover (1). Waste (11) can be transferred into the waste container (3) via a sliding surface (9) of a slide (7), the surface being associated with the opening (5). At least one metal detector (13, 13a, 13b, 13c) is associated with the cover (1) such that metal components (15) of the waste (11) can be detected before transferring the waste (11) into the waste container (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Ludwig Kaeser
  • Patent number: 9919853
    Abstract: A subgrade vault system and method of forming the same is provided. Specifically, a subgrade vault suitable for housing utility and similar equipment is provided, the vault comprising a main body portion, a cap, and a lid that may be selectively secured to prevent or deter unauthorized access to vault contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: OLDCASTLE PRECAST, INC.
    Inventors: Eric Freeman, Nguyen Thai Dang
  • Patent number: 9919854
    Abstract: Durable consumable packaging systems for hot melt materials, and particularly asphalt. The packaging system can include an asphalt or asphalt composition contained within a durable consumable wrap or bag without the need for an outer protective container. The durable consumable wrap or bag comprises a woven or non-woven fiber based material, and particularly a spun-bonded olefin material, the olefin material comprising a high density polyethylene (HDPE) material. The durable consumable packaging system provides a simple, cost effective solution to a number of the problems associated with the prior art packaging containers and systems described above, while providing additional benefits to overcome the problems specific with the packaging and transport of asphalt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Crafco, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jim Chehovits, Todd Glover
  • Patent number: 9919855
    Abstract: A resealable closure or package for a container in which package integrity is indicated by a structure which breaks and/or produces an audible sound when the resealable closure is opened for a first time. The package integrity feature, in one form includes at least one strip or frangible structure that is initially affixed to two portions which comprise the resealable closure so that upon opening the resealable closure for a first time, at least one of the strips breaks. The strips may include a weakened portion such as a narrowing. Integrity of the package is indicated by an intact strip viewable upon opening the resealable closure and conversely, a broken or non-intact strip would indicate that the resealable closure has been previously opened. Package integrity may also be shown by a movable second panel or movable die cut tab portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
    Inventors: Carole A. Vogt, Jeffrey Thomas Weber
  • Patent number: 9919856
    Abstract: A microneedle-sheet packaging body includes a microneedle sheet, a forming sheet, and a support body. The microneedle sheet includes a substrate, and a plurality of microneedles formed on a lower surface of the substrate. The forming sheet is tightly adhered to the lower surface of the substrate. The forming sheet includes a plurality of micro-recess parts in which the plurality of microneedles are housed. The support body is fixed to an upper surface of the substrate of the microneedle sheet and is further fixed to the forming sheet around the substrate. Thus, the microneedle-sheet packaging body protects a plurality of microneedles on the microneedle sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Nissha Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinya Yamada
  • Patent number: 9919857
    Abstract: A container for packaging a welding wire on a spool includes a box with opposed first and second face panels that are separated by four vertical side walls. At least one aperture is provided on one of the first and second face panels located at one of the four vertically extending corners. Each aperture is defined by a frangible connection on one of the first and second face panels so that an interior of the box is initially inaccessible. At least one corner reinforcing element is provided that penetrates into the interior of the box via the aperture at one vertically extending corner after said frangible connection of the aperture is breached. The at least one corner reinforcing element engages the spool and forms a vertical support located at the vertically extending corner and between the first and second face panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Paul A. Weissbrod
  • Patent number: 9919858
    Abstract: A buffering member is interposed between an outer corner of a packaged article and an inner corner of a packaging box. The buffering member includes a base sheet and a plurality pairs of blocks. The base sheet is foldable along a folding line. The plurality of pairs of blocks are arranged along the folding line at predetermined intervals. Each block of the pair of blocks is bonded on one face and the other face of the base sheet on both side of the folding line. The pair of blocks is combined via a combined face so as to meet the outer corner when the base sheet is folded along the folding line. At least one of the combined faces is provided on the one face of the base sheet and another combined face is provided on the other face of the base sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Masami Fujihara
  • Patent number: 9919859
    Abstract: A food package for wet and dry ingredients with a pull-through sleeve. A container is filled with a wet food product. A sleeve filled with a dry food product is enclosed within the container by having the bottom end of the sleeve affixed to the bottom of the container and the top end of the sleeve extending through a narrow slot in the lid of the container. The sleeve is formed with perforations along its length in a helix. When top end of the sleeve is pulled up through the narrow slot in the lid of the container, the sleeve is stretched and the perforations break following the helical pattern thereby releasing the dry food product from the sleeve into the wet food product in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Rachel Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 9919860
    Abstract: Aspects described herein provide cap devices for dispensing a composition, the cap devices having chambers, shells, cutting elements, piercers, dust covers, and films. Methods of using the cap devices are also provided. The chambers or shells can contain a composition to be added to the container for consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventors: Yaacov Dabah, Dror Fold, Richard Flaks, Martin Binder, Coy M. Herald
  • Patent number: 9919861
    Abstract: A housing module (601) for use with a smart package (110) has a main body suitable for having an electronic device (605) affixed thereto. The main body includes one or more retention wings (603a, 603b) extending from the main body. The one or more retention wings are sized and configured for co-operation with a slot (88a, 88b) associated with the smart package (110) such that the housing module (601) is retainable substantially within the smart package (110). The one or more retention wings (603a, 603a) are shaped, sized and configured to co-operate with an end-stop of the slot (88a, 88b) for locating the housing module (601) within the smart package (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: WestRock MWV, LLC
    Inventors: David B. Bolognia, Steven P. Jones, Rodney D. Dixon
  • Patent number: 9919862
    Abstract: An aerosol dispenser. The aerosol dispenser is made from materials which can go into a single recycling stream having a single class of materials, as defined by the Society of the Plastics Industry, and particularly may exclusively comprise Class 1 materials with no flammable product/propellant present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Scott Edward Smith, Douglas Bruce Zeik
  • Patent number: 9919863
    Abstract: An alignment system for aligning the cover and base of an inner pod of a reticle carrier. The cover and base can each be provided with hard planar surface seal zones on the bottom surface and the top surface, respectively. The cover of the inner pod may be provided with a through hole or a blind hole into which an alignment pin is disposed. The base is provided with a guide recess to receive the distal end of the alignment pin. The alignment pin operates to limit contact surface area between the cover and the base during that is in sliding contact, thus inhibiting particulate generation. Low particulate-generating materials, such as stainless steel or polyamide-imide, can also be utilized to further reduce particulate generation. Furthermore, the cover and base can each be unitary without need for fastening components thereto, thereby eliminating clamped surfaces that can entrap and subsequently shed particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.
    Inventors: John Lystad, Steven P. Kolbow
  • Patent number: 9919864
    Abstract: A cartridge contains a beverage ingredient which comprises liquid beverage ingredient and elongate particles of beverage ingredient. The cartridge comprises an inlet (45) for the introduction of an aqueous medium, an outlet (44) for a beverage produced from the beverage ingredient, and a flow path linking the inlet to the outlet. The cartridge further comprises a filter (400) located in the flow path and an aperture (128) located in the flow path downstream of the filter, the aperture arranged, in use, to generate a jet of beverage. The filter has a plurality of openings (401) sized to retain a substantial portion of the elongate particles on the upstream side of the filter to prevent blockage of the aperture. The maximum area of each opening on the upstream face of the filter is no more than ten times the area of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.V.
    Inventor: Geoffrey York
  • Patent number: 9919865
    Abstract: A conveying system for conveying a conveyable material from a hopper where the system includes a fluid port located below the hopper outlet and in a vertical flow path into hopper outlet that can be momentarily opened for an on the go release of a charge of compressed air directly upward into the hopper outlet and into the underside of the bridge in the hopper to either disintegrate or unlock the bridged particles from each other thereby causing the bridged material to fall into the hopper outlet and into the conveying system where the material can be transported to a remote location or to remove any material that may be adhering to the wall during an emptying phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: DYNAMIC AIR INC.
    Inventor: James Steele
  • Patent number: 9919866
    Abstract: Containment systems and methods for assembling containment systems include a plurality of posts supporting panels, the posts having top and bottom connectors to connect posts to panels. The tank may be assembled without tools using tabs on the connectors and slots in the panels, with at least one connector having a tab that is bent down after insertion into a slot to secure a panel to a post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: TrueNorth Steel, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Johnson, Mark Kuznia, Scott Greelis, Nick Case, Joshua J. Artis
  • Patent number: 9919867
    Abstract: An automatic bin lid opener system is an apparatus used for opening and closing the top hatch of a storage bin from a control box at ground level to allow the user to avoid climbing ladders to the top of the storage bin. The control box may be operated manually or may be programmed to operate automatically as preferred by the user. The programmable control box may also be operated remotely at great distances via a cell phone using a cell phone application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Inventor: Shawn Poncsak
  • Patent number: 9919868
    Abstract: A receptacle liner for gripping the receptacle and method of making. A liner may be formed by one or more panels including at least one resilient segment extending from a bottom to a top of the liner. The liner segment can be coextruded so that the resilient segment is made from resilient material and other portions of the liner are made from another material that is less resilient. When the liner is placed in a receptacle, the liner can be expanded by resiliently stretching the resilient segment so that the liner may apply a gripping force to the receptacle. The liner can include gusseted side panels. A mouth can be formed as a recess in the top ends of front and rear panels and extend through the gusseted side panels to define handle portions and form apertures in the handle portions that open to the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Inteplast Group Corporation
    Inventors: Ben Tseng, Jyh-yao Raphael Li, Kelvin Yang
  • Patent number: 9919869
    Abstract: A power supply and a controller are arranged at positions different from a stacker crane and deviated from an extended line of a travelling route, and are connected to the stacker crane via a cable. The moving mechanism, the travelling motor, the transfer mechanism and the lifting motor are each arranged at the same position as an one-side end portion of the mast or arranged on the other side from the end portion in the extending direction of the travelling route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9919870
    Abstract: There is provided a vertical lift storage system (101), comprising a storage rack (105) configured to store load units and a lift system with an upwardly and downwardly movable carrier structure (108), where the carrier structure (108) is configured to carry multiple load units at respective sections and with first transportation means configured to insert and withdraw respective load units into and from the storage rack. The system is characterized in that the carrier structure is configured with second transportation means to shift load units sideways on the carrier structure between its sections. In some embodiments the first transportation means comprises telescopic arms and the second transportation means comprises rollers. There is also provided a method of operating such a carrier structure in a vertical lift storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: EFFIMAT STORAGE TECHNOLOGY APS
    Inventor: Tommy Langhoff
  • Patent number: 9919871
    Abstract: A buffer station provides potential improvement for the operation of a facility. By storing to-be accessed workpieces in the buffer stations of an equipment, the operation of the facility is not interrupted when the equipment is down. The workpieces can be retrieved through emergency access port of the buffer station, thus ensure the continuous supply of workpieces for the workpiece flow of the facility. Algorithm for getting the needed workpieces to the buffer station is also provided through a controller or a computer mechanism. The buffer station can be incorporated in a stocker, such as wafer stocker or reticle stocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Brooks Automation (Germany) GmbH
    Inventor: Lutz Rebstock
  • Patent number: 9919872
    Abstract: An order fulfillment system and method of fulfilling orders, each with at least one article, includes at least one mobile robotic unit that is capable of autonomous routing in an order fulfillment facility. A stationary robotic order-picking station with a stationary robot and vision equipment sorts articles into orders. The at least one mobile robotic unit transfers articles to or from the stationary robotic order-picking station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Dematic, Corp.
    Inventors: Michael S. Khodl, David M. Berghorn, Todd S. Hunter
  • Patent number: 9919873
    Abstract: There is described a feeding unit for feeding at least one sealed pack of pourable food products to a folding unit configured to form folded packages from relative pack; feeding unit comprising: a feeding conveyor; at least one push member movable cyclically along path and comprising, in turn, a wall adapted to contact pack; and a support for supporting push member on feeding conveyor; path comprising an inlet station at which push member receives, in use, pack, and an outlet station, at which push member discharges, in use, pack; path comprises a first curved stretch which defines outlet station; push member is connected to support in such a way that the movement of support along first portion causes the movement of wall towards feeding conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventors: Franco Santi, Giorgio Mattioli, Alessandro Galata
  • Patent number: 9919874
    Abstract: A powered drive unit system of an aircraft is disclosed herein. The system may include a support structure, a plurality of motor driven tires configured to present a horizontal motive force on an object, and an axle of a tire. The axle of the tire may be retained by the support structure. The object may move relative to the static support structure. The location of an axle of the tire may be rigidly fixed in position relative to the support structure housing the axle. Normal force on the object by the tire may be created through tire compliance. The axle of the tire may be retained by the support structure. The axis of rotation of the axle may be in a substantially static three dimensional plane relative to the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Aaron Roberts
  • Patent number: 9919875
    Abstract: A motorized drum having a drum shell with a motor therein, the motor having a stationary shaft, stator windings, and a stator support structure that is affixed to the stationary shaft. A rotor rotates coaxially around the stator, and a cycloidal reducer has an output that rotates at a reduced rate. The reducer output is rotationally fixed to, and is disposed within, the drum shell. An input gear of the reducer received a hollow eccentric input shaft, and is urged into eccentric motion as the input shaft rotates. The output gear urges the drum shell into rotation at same rate of rotation as the output gear. An harmonic drive speed reducer that has an input shaft provides rotatory motion to a wave generator that is disposed against a flexible splined member. The flexible splined member engages a rigid circular spline member at two radially opposed zones. Induction and permanent magnet forms of operation are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mol Belting Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Johan H. Paulides, Michael Hendrik DeGroot, Gerko Hulshof, Mircea Popescu
  • Patent number: 9919876
    Abstract: A conveyor system includes successive modules forming a conveyor segment, each module includes a control device associated with, and controlling, at least one zone. Each control device includes a communication device for communicating with the control devices included in the adjacent modules. The control devices execute a mechanism for propagation and enrichment of quantitative segment information, from the two end zones of the conveyor segment, thereby providing for each zone: a first quantitative segment information item (propagated and enriched from upstream to downstream and relating to all of the zones in an upstream sub-segment located upstream from the zone) and/or a second quantitative segment information item (propagated and enriched from downstream to upstream and relating to all of the zones in a downstream sub-segment located downstream from the zone). Each control device dynamically adapts the behavior of each zone it controls, according to the available quantitative segment information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SAVOYE
    Inventor: Patrick Collot
  • Patent number: 9919877
    Abstract: An end of travel arrangement for shutting down an assembly line conveyor when an ergo assist arm at a conveyor station moves beyond an end of travel limit point, the end of travel arrangement including a trolley rail mounted alongside one of a pair of runway rails for supporting an ergo assist arm carriage with the trolley movable along the trolley rail. One or more proximity switches are mounted aligned with a home position on the trolley and detect when the trolley is displaced from the home position by contact of a feature on the carriage with the trolley and generate signals immediately initiating shutting down of the assembly line conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Knight Industries
    Inventors: Scot Christopher Kempf, James Michael Weitz, Jeffrey William Hamden
  • Patent number: 9919878
    Abstract: The embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a system and a method for loading and unloading a cassette. The system comprises: a lifting device vertically moving between a first height and a second height; a first conveying device in the lifting device to move the cassette horizontally; a second conveying device to move the cassette in horizontally; a third conveying device to move the cassette horizontally, a plurality of first position sensors to detect a position of the lifting device; and a control device to control vertical movements of the lifting device, and adjust further movements of the first conveying device in the lifting device based on an initial stop position of the lifting device such that the first conveying device is aligned with the second conveying device at the first height, or is aligned with the third conveying device at the second height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiang Dong
  • Patent number: 9919879
    Abstract: A sorting device comprising an endless path placed on a frame, a series of trays provided with a pusher mechanism to be driven by an exchange system placed on the frame for pushing away an object substantially transverse to the conveyance direction, a drive system comprising alternately arranged first and second driving elements that are mutually connected to each other so as to hinge for a movement of the drive system that is oriented substantially parallel to the conveyance direction, a drive adapted for transferring a drive power onto the drive system, which power is directed substantially parallel to the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: OPTIMUS SORTER HOLDING BV
    Inventors: Don Johan Ben Koenraad Kuijpers, Maurice Gert-Willem Koop
  • Patent number: 9919880
    Abstract: An electronic component transportation device includes a rotation path and a first magnetic force generator. The rotation path extends along a transportation direction of an electronic component with a rectangular or substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The rotation path is inclined with respect to a horizontal direction. The rotation path includes a first surface and a second surface intersecting with each other. The first magnetic force generator is arranged at a lateral side of the rotation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Kakuho, Naoto Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9919881
    Abstract: A rail-road intermodal freight system. In an embodiment, a conveyor system is provided for placing rail cars in a position for loading shipping containers thereon, while an over-the-road trailer is secured to the rail car. Rail cars have a frame with a front end and a rear end, and a bogie having at least four flanged rail wheels is pivotally mounted to the rear of the frame of the rail car. A method for unloading the rail cars includes lifting the front of the frame of the rail cars and pivoting the rail cars by an angle alpha from the track direction at an unloading area, and lowering the front end of the frame to the ground to allow truck access to trailers on the rail car. By utilizing the method, efficient loading and unloading of train involved in intermodal shipments may save considerable time, and thus reduce costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SEA-TRAIN EXPRESS-LLC
    Inventor: David Kun
  • Patent number: 9919882
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure a system for capturing proppant dust particles when positioned at a fracking operation site including a proppant delivery assembly to receive one or more containers having proppant stored therein. The system dispenses the proppant from the one or more containers and delivers the proppant to other fracking operation equipment. Moreover, the system includes a dust collection assembly positioned proximate and associated with the proppant delivery assembly to capture dust particles released by movement and settling of the proppant when being dispensed and delivered by the proppant delivery assembly. The dust collection assembly is positioned to direct an air flow in a flow path overlying the dust particles to capture the dust particles and move the dust particles away from the proppant thereby reducing risk of dust exposure to fracking operation site personnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: OREN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Oren, Marty Boros, Pete Berveiler, Dave Hansen, Colin Campbell, Mike Edwards, Thomas Massalone
  • Patent number: 9919883
    Abstract: A lifter gear that is engaged with a drive gear when a sheet feeding cassette is mounted, and that releases the engagement with the drive gear when the sheet feeding cassette is dismounted, wherein when the engagement with the drive gear is released and when the lift plate is lowered, braking force caused by frictional force is applied to the lifter gear from a brake unit and a buffer member absorbs force exerted to the lifter gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Fuse
  • Patent number: 9919884
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor for conveying a sheet along a predetermined conveyance path and a feeder unit for supporting the sheet to be fed to the conveyor. The conveyor includes a first guide part for guiding the sheet toward a downstream side in the conveying direction in a direction inclined at a downward gradient, a second guide part for guiding the sheet from the first guide part toward a further downstream side in a direction inclined at an upward gradient, a suction roller arranged at the first guide part for conveying the sheet supported by the feeder unit toward the downstream side, and a first conveyance roller arranged at the second guide part and for conveying the sheet conveyed by the suction roller toward the downstream side one at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kotaro Kurokawa, Hideaki Utagawa
  • Patent number: 9919885
    Abstract: A device and a method for separating sheet material is provided. The separation of sheet material is not effected statically, but a suitable pick-up position and/or a suitable pick-up mechanism is selected for each sheet material piece, for example in dependence on the quality of a surface of the sheet material piece to be picked up, in order to pick up the sheet material piece from the sheet material stack and remove it from the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
    Inventors: Matthias Lochbichler, Christopher Lankeit, Martin Landwehr, Ludger Hoischen
  • Patent number: 9919886
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a pair of first rollers configured to nip a paper sheet in a reference position and convey the paper sheet, the pair of first rollers being pressed against each other; and a control unit configured to control operation of the pair of first rollers to correct a positional deviation in a width direction of the paper sheet, by moving the pair of first rollers from the reference position in the width direction perpendicular to a direction of conveyance of the paper sheet, wherein, the control unit controls the operation of the pair of rollers, to complete a series of operations for the pair of rollers to separate from each other, to return to the reference position, and to be again pressed against each other, before a bottom edge of the paper sheet nipped by the pair of rollers passes through the pair of rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Takahiro Okubo, Akihiko Kakita
  • Patent number: 9919887
    Abstract: A web unwind stand for obtaining, loading, splicing, and unwinding a web material from a plurality of convolutely wound rolls and forwarding the web material unwound from each of the convolutely wound rolls uninterruptedly to a downstream apparatus is disclosed. The unwind stand has a frame, a positionable roll grasping apparatus having a mandrel connectively engaged thereto and, splicing means. The positionable roll grasping apparatus is capable of obtaining and disposing the convolutely wound rolls proximate to the splicing means relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Matthew Joseph Macura, Rong Deng, Craig Allen Powell, Todd Douglas Lenser
  • Patent number: 9919888
    Abstract: A method of forming a roll of convolutely wound web material. The method includes winding web material around an elongated mandrel to form a roll of convolutely wound web material. The mandrel is substantially axially elastic and formed of material having a tensile yield strength divided by elastic modulus greater than 2.0%, and more preferably 2.5%. The mandrel is preferably radially complaint. The method further includes removing the mandrel from the roll. A further method includes winding web material around an elongated mandrel to form a roll of convolutely wound web material, the mandrel being comprised of material having a tensile yield strength divided by elastic modulus greater than 2.0%, and then longitudinally elongating the mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Company
    Inventor: Michael E. Techlin
  • Patent number: 9919889
    Abstract: A sheet guide device has a crumpling prevention unit disposed to a movable part with a guide surface that guides a side edge of die-cut label paper conveyed over the top of a feed plate, and prevents crumpling the side portion of the die-cut label paper of which the side edge contacts the guide surface. The crumpling prevention unit includes a pressure-bearing base unit disposed protruding from the top of the feed plate and causing the side portion of the passing die-cut label paper to rise to the side; a sheet presser part that presses the die-cut label paper to the conveyance path surface at the same or adjacent position to the pressure-bearing base unit; and a side presser member that the side edge of the die-cut label paper inclined by the pressure-bearing base unit contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Nakatsu, Daisuke Yanagimachi, Norio Nagata, Kenichi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 9919890
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a transport path for transporting a sheet, a branch path branched off from the transport path to transport a sheet to a stacker, transport rollers on the transport path, branch rollers on the branch path, and a sheet processing control section controlling the rollers. The control section performs wait transport for switchback-transporting a sheet to cause the sheet to once wait in the branch path after the sheet transported in the transport path passes through a branch position, and transporting the sheet to a first processing tray together with a subsequent sheet, and second tray transport for switchback-transporting a sheet to transport to the stacker via the branch path after the sheet passes through the branch position, makes a switchback transport velocity in the second tray transport lower than that in switchback transport in the wait transport, and suppresses fluttering and bending of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Takahiro Nakano, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 9919891
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a mount base having a mount surface on which a sheet discharged through a medium discharge outlet is mounted, the mount surface facing the recording surface of the sheet; a projection rib that is provided in the mount base, is projectable from the mount surface, and extends along a discharge direction of the sheet discharged through the medium discharge outlet, through a center of the sheet in a width direction crossing the discharge direction of the sheet; and a projection mechanism that causes the projection rib to project from the mount surface to a rib height according to a dimension of the sheet in the width direction discharged through the medium discharge outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Chiba, Hidetoshi Kodama, Toru Tanjo, Kohei Ueno
  • Patent number: 9919892
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first holding unit configured to hold one or more sheets and movable in a sheet transport direction, a first drive unit configured to move the first holding unit in a first direction along the sheet transport direction, a biasing member that biases the first holding unit in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and an energy storage unit that stores energy discharged from the biasing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kimie Kamata, Toshiaki Oshiro
  • Patent number: 9919893
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet processing device capable of preventing a folded sheet bundle from being opened after pressing to improve accumulating property and aligning property of the sheet bundle. A sheet processing device includes: a pair of sheet pressing members 70 that press a fold of a folded sheet bundle in a thickness direction of the fold; and a moving member 56 that moves the sheet pressing member pair 70 along the fold of the folded sheet bundle. The moving member 56 supports a plurality of rows of the sheet pressing member pairs 70 arranged in a moving direction of the moving member 56. The sheet pressing member pairs 70 press the folded sheet bundle with the intervals therebetween in the respective rows reduced stepwise in the moving direction of the moving member 56.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON FINETECH NISCA INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fukasawa, Hisashi Osada, Akira Takei
  • Patent number: 9919894
    Abstract: A festoon device includes a frame, which extends vertically, an upper pulley, which is rotationally supported by an upper part of the frame, and a lower pulley, which is rotationally supported by the frame below the upper pulley and is selectively moved up and down. The frame rotationally supports two auxiliary pulleys, which are arranged at a position closer to the frame than the upper pulley and the lower pulley. The festoon device is configured such that a wire is looped about the upper pulley and the lower pulley after being looped about the auxiliary pulleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: Fuji Seiko Co., Ltd., Fuji Shoji Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kihachiro Nishida
  • Patent number: 9919895
    Abstract: Systems and methods for hanking a cable are disclosed. A hanked cable may be formed by winding the cable around two or more mandrels attached to support members of a winding fixture. At least one of the mandrels can be removeably attached to the winding fixture to facilitate clamping the cable between the mandrel and the support member. The distance between mandrels may be varied by including, in the winding fixture, an adjustable stage for adjusting the relative positions of the mandrels. Once the cable is wound into a hanked configuration, it may be wrapped with a semi-rigid wrapping member to help retain the hanked shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Michael J. Solomon, Christopher J. Birgers, Charles W. Werley
  • Patent number: 9919896
    Abstract: A detection method for elevator brake moment solves the problems that operation of the brake detection device in the prior art is required to be manually executed, the brake detection device is not convenient and facilitative to operate, the function is singular and the brake moment change trend and the brake wear trend cannot be reflected. In the method, by inputting stagewise torque current to the motor and determine whether the torque during rotation of a motor is within the design moment range of a brake, whether torque of the brake is enough can be determined and the brake wear trend can be analyzed according to torque recorded at each time. The method has advantages that the automatic detection is performed periodically, the functions are diversified, the detection accuracy is high, the brake moment change trend can be reflected and the brake wear trend can also be reflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: HengFeng Xie, Shan Li, Xiaolin Harry Wang
  • Patent number: 9919897
    Abstract: A governor includes a housing, a pulley, a belt, a first flyweight, and second flyweight. The housing defines a housing cavity. The pulley is disposed at least partially within the housing cavity. The belt is in contact with the pulley. The belt is operable to rotate the pulley at a rotational speed. The first and second flyweights are pivotably connected to the pulley, and are biased towards one another. At least a portion of the first and second flyweights are operable to move away from the pulley when the rotational speed of the pulley is increasing toward a predetermined threshold rotational speed. The first and second flyweights are operable to contact the housing, and thereby transmit rotational energy to the housing, when the rotational speed of the pulley is equal to at least the predetermined threshold rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Jose Miguel Aguado, Jesus Canizares, Andres Monzon, Juan Jose Fernandez, Luis Marti, Javier Narrillos
  • Patent number: 9919898
    Abstract: A safety brake device at a load receiving component of an elevator installation includes brake equipment that co-operates with a guide rail of the load receiving component. The brake equipment includes a cam disc that is rotatable about a cam disc axis and for activation of the safety brake device is set into a rotation through an activation rotational angle by an activating mechanism, wherein as a consequence of such rotation the cam disc comes into contact with the guide rail, whereby the guide rail moving relative to the safety brake device when the load receiving component is travelling rotates the cam disc into a position in which the brake equipment and thus the safety brake device produce an intended braking action relative to the guide rail. The activating mechanism includes a pivotally mounted activating lever driven by an activating spring to rotate the cam disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Faruk Osmanbasic, Miriam Heini, Quirin Kollros, Simon Barmettler