Patents Issued in April 17, 2018
  • Patent number: 9943846
    Abstract: Limit size lipid nanoparticles, methods for using the lipid nanoparticles, and methods and systems for making limit size lipid nanoparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The University of British Columbia
    Inventors: Pieter R. Cullis, Igor V. Jigaltsev, James R. Taylor, Timothy Leaver, Andre Wild, Nathan Maurice Belliveau
  • Patent number: 9943847
    Abstract: A microfluidic system includes a bubble valve for regulating fluid flow through a microchannel. The bubble valve includes a fluid meniscus interfacing the microchannel interior and an actuator for deflecting the membrane into the microchannel interior to regulate fluid flow. The actuator generates a gas bubble in a liquid in the microchannel when a sufficient pressure is generated on the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: CYTONOME/ST, LLC
    Inventors: John R. Gilbert, Sebastian Böhm, Manish Deshpande
  • Patent number: 9943848
    Abstract: An apparatus for disrupting cells or viruses comprises a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The container includes at least one flexible wall defining the chamber. The apparatus also includes a transducer for impacting an external surface of the flexible wall to generate pressure waves in the chamber. The apparatus also includes a pressure source for increasing the pressure in the chamber. The pressurization of the chamber ensures effective coupling between the transducer and the flexible wall. The apparatus may also include beads in the chamber for rupturing the cells or viruses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Cepheid
    Inventors: Michael T. Taylor, Phillip Belgrader, Farzad Pourahmadi, William A. McMillan, Ronald Chang, Stanley H. Sakai, Jesus Ching
  • Patent number: 9943849
    Abstract: Sample tube racks having retention bars to retain sample tubes in the racks during processing of the contents of the sample tubes are described. An example rack for holding sample tubes includes a tube holder to hold the sample tubes in a substantially vertical orientation. A retention cover pivotally engages the tube holder at a first end and locks against the tube holder at a second end. The second end of the retention cover pivots relative to the tube holder about an axis that is non-parallel relative to a longitudinal axis of the retention cover while the first end of the retention cover is pivotally captured by the tube holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Abott Laboratories
    Inventors: Brett W. Johnson, Kenneth E. Pawlak, Bryan K. Pawlak
  • Patent number: 9943850
    Abstract: A specimen holding and positioning apparatus operable to substantially non-movably maintain a specimen (e.g., an excised tissue specimen) in a fixed or stable orientation with respect to the apparatus during imaging operations (e.g., x-ray imaging), transport (e.g., from a surgery room to a pathologist's laboratory), and the like for use in facilitating accurate detection and diagnosis of cancers and/or other abnormalities of the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Faxitron Bioptics, LLC
    Inventors: Ciaran Purdy, Donogh O'Driscoll
  • Patent number: 9943851
    Abstract: A process for separating carpet fibers from carpet backing uses a grinder of the type having a rotor with a plurality of vertically spaced cutter discs and a fan disc below the cutter discs. Sections of carpet are fed into the grinder which grinds the carpet, separating the fibers from the backing and breaking the backing into relatively small particles. The grinder is connected with a series of ginning equipment for removing the ground backing from the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ENERGY CREATES ENERGY LLC
    Inventor: Kyle T. Watts
  • Patent number: 9943852
    Abstract: A center plate for a rotor in a pulp refiner is described in which the center plate is provided with a plurality of first wings for directing pulp flowing onto the center portion of the center plate towards the periphery of the center plate, each of the first wings comprising an arc-shaped protrusion extending between a corresponding first point and a corresponding second point on the surface of the center plate, the first point being displaced from the center portion of the center plate and the second point being disposed further from said center portion of the center plate then the first point, the first wings having an arc shape that yields a larger pulp feeding angle then that of a circular arc intersecting the center portion of the center plate and ending in the same corresponding second point, and the second point of each of the first wings lies on the periphery of the center plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Valmet AB
    Inventor: Karl Lönngren
  • Patent number: 9943853
    Abstract: A rock crushing assembly is provided in the form of a pulverizing tumbler. The apparatus includes a faceted tumbler having a plurality of faceted end walls, a pair of parallel sidewalls, and an open interior. A power source and a drivetrain assembly attach to the sidewalls of the tumbler and rotate the same. Within the tumbler is adapted to be placed rocks and minerals to be pulverized, wherein pulverizing media is placed in the tumbler with the rocks to break down the rocks into fine, granular material. One of the end walls of the tumbler is removable to allow access to the tumbler interior. One or more gaps or apertures through one or more of the end walls allow the pulverized material to exit the tumbler during operation, thereby reducing build-up of loose material that can dampen impacts within the tumbler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: Michael Marshall
  • Patent number: 9943854
    Abstract: A cryomill system having an intake component housing an auger, a cooling source containing a liquid coolant being coupled to the cryomill system, a cryomill containment portion, having a mixer located therein and an associated cryomill lid coupled thereto, as well as a collection canister having a poppet valve aperture there through and a gas shielded poppet valve coupling the collection canister to the containment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventors: Christoperh T. Melnyk, Brian K. Weinstein, Robert V. Gansert
  • Patent number: 9943855
    Abstract: A crushing machine construction kit for the construction of a crushing machine contains a drive device and a frame of a crushing device. The crushing machine construction kit further contains at least two shear shafts and at least two shredder shafts for the selective configuration of the crushing machine as a rotary shear or as a rotary shredder. A method converts the rotary shredder into the rotary shear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Erdmann GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Boehlefeld
  • Patent number: 9943856
    Abstract: Disclosed are calcium carbonate mineral filler compositions, wherein the composition has a mineral content characterized by a weight ratio of calcium to magnesium of at least 10:1, and wherein the composition is at least substantially free of calcium oxide. Also disclosed are methods for making a mineral filler composition from a renewable biological source of calcium carbonate. Also disclosed are carpets comprising the mineral filler from renewable biological source produced by the methods disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company
    Inventor: John Charles Mastrangelo
  • Patent number: 9943857
    Abstract: A mining sluice box having a louver processing zone comprising a plurality of louvers positioned perpendicular to the incline slope, with the pitch angle of the louvers being variable so as to permit adjustment of the intensity of a vortex flow between the plurality of louvers by adjusting the pitch angle of the plurality of louvers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: Frank E. Reed
  • Patent number: 9943858
    Abstract: The invention relates to a waste treatment method in which waste is subjected to a first screening process (4). The fraction of waste passing through the screening is subjected to a pre-fermentation treatment in a rotating tube (1) and the material leaving the pre-fermentation treatment tube is subjected to mixing in a mixing hopper, and, subsequently, to a methanization treatment in a digester (2). The organic materials are separated from the undesirable products in the material leaving the pre-fermentation treatment tube before it enters the digester. The digester (2) is horizontal and mechanically stirred, and a fraction of the digestate leaving the digester is recirculated at least in the mixing hopper, the recirculation rate being sufficiently high to ensure complete mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SUEZ ENVIRONMENT
    Inventor: Arnaud Sommain
  • Patent number: 9943859
    Abstract: A water separator comprises an axially extending airflow passage, an airflow mixer, a plurality of electric plates of alternating charge, and a mechanical separator. The airflow mixer, the plurality of electric plates, and the mechanical separator are disposed within the airflow passage. The airflow mixer imparts a non-axial flow component on airflow through the airflow passage. The electric plates are situated downstream of the mixer, and create an electric field region within the airflow passage. The mechanical separator is situated at or downstream of the electric field region, and is disposed to separate water droplets from air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Dilip Prasad
  • Patent number: 9943860
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for collecting mineral particles in the tailings is disclosed. The apparatus may take the form of a filter, a conveyor belt, a collection plate or an impeller configured to contact with tailings of a flotation process, before and/or after the tailings are discharged into a pond. The filter, conveyor belt, collection plate or impeller has a collection area or surface made of, or coated with, a synthetic material having a functional group, e.g., having an ionizing bond to attract the mineral particles of interest. Alternatively, the synthetic material has hydrophobic molecules to render the collection area hydrophobic. When the mineral particles of interest in the tailings are combined with collector molecules, the mineral particles of interest may also become hydrophobic. The hydrophobic mineral particles of interest are attracted to the hydrophobic collection area or surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: CiDRA Corporate Services Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Rothman, Mark R. Fernald, Francis K. Didden, Christian V. O'Keefe, Alan D. Kersey, Douglas H. Adamson
  • Patent number: 9943861
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator for separating solid particles from a liquid mixture includes a rotor body. The rotor body has a separation chamber with an inlet for the liquid mixture, one or more liquid outlets for a liquid separated from the liquid mixture, a sludge outlet for the separated solid particles, a screw conveyor adapted to rotate in the rotor body, at a speed differing from the rotational speed of the rotor body, for transporting the separated solid particles in the separation chamber towards and out of the sludge outlet, a drive arrangement adapted to rotate the rotor body and the screw conveyor at their respective speeds, and a control unit which is adapted to control the drive arrangement to rotate the rotor body at a first speed during a separation phase and at a second speed, which is lower than the first speed, during a particle discharge phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventors: Tomas Oldebäck, Rolf Ridderstråle, Robert Geiding, Per Fonser
  • Patent number: 9943862
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a bowl with a conical part with a narrow discharge end comprising a radial surface; an end member opposite the radial surface; a number of distance members extending between the radial surface and the end member and providing outlet openings for a separated solid or heavy phase between adjacent distance members; and wear resistance members covering surfaces at the outlet opening. The wear resistance members include plate members and bushing members. The bushing members include mantle portions surrounding respective distance members. The plate members each cover a portion of the radial surface between adjacent bushing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventors: Willi B. Lendzian, Hans Lauge Joakim Svarrer, Henrik Reiff
  • Patent number: 9943863
    Abstract: A showerhead assembly including a plurality of scanner nozzles. Each scanner nozzle includes an oscillation chamber fluidly coupled to an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, and configured to discharge a random sweeping jet from the outlet aperture over a coverage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Delta Faucet Company
    Inventors: Todd A. Huffington, Gregory A. Russell
  • Patent number: 9943864
    Abstract: An electrostatic coater capable of realizing high-level coating quality is provided. Shaping air SA, discharged from an air port, is directed radially outward. An elevation angle thereof preferably ranges from 10 to 20 degrees. Further, the shaping air SA is a flow in a state of being twisted in a direction opposite to the rotation direction R of a bell cup. The twisting angle about the axis O of the bell cup preferably ranges from 38 to 60 degrees. A liquid thread of paint extends radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the bell cup, and the paint separated from the tip end thereof becomes a particle. It is preferable that the shaping air SA collides with the paint particle at a point P where the momentum of the paint particle is decreased of the paint particle is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: RANSBURG INDUSTRIAL FINISHING K.K.
    Inventors: Michio Mitsui, Osamu Yoshida, Yoshiji Yokomizo
  • Patent number: 9943865
    Abstract: An applicator for spraying hair building solids is configured for one-handed operation and includes an applicator body which is connectable with a container including hair building solids. The applicator body includes a top part, a bottom part and a main part extending between the top part and the bottom part; an air pump electrically configured for creating an air flow; and a nozzle for spraying hair building solids out from the applicator. The bottom part includes an attachment structure for attaching the container to the applicator body, a first orifice in flow connection with the air pump for delivering air flow from the air pump via the bottom part and a second orifice in flow connection with the nozzle for delivering hair building solids via the bottom part to the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: AM-TUOTANTO OY
    Inventors: Arto Martiskainen, Janne Kuitto, Jarmo Kuitto
  • Patent number: 9943866
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to a coating device comprising a syringe, an injection needle and a first cooling device. The injection needle is connected with the syringe, and the bottom end of the injection needle has a nozzle. The first cooling device is disposed on the outer wall of the syringe. According to the disclosure, the cooling device is disposed on the outer wall of the syringe and/or the injection needle, such that the problem of hardening of the liquid inside the syringe and/or the injection needle and cannot be ejected successfully can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wei Yu
  • Patent number: 9943867
    Abstract: A liquid sprayer apparatus includes a multi-chamber spray mechanism, with at least one chamber being adapted to accumulate pressurized fluid for dispensation over an extended time period. The liquid sprayer apparatus is capable of emitting a liquid spray over a period of time that is substantially greater than a manual pump action applied to the trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Zhejiang JM Industry Co., LTD
    Inventor: Xufeng Tu
  • Patent number: 9943868
    Abstract: A hand pump for pumping out fluid from a reservoir, comprising a pump body, a faucet, a driving mechanism and a sealing arrangement. The pump body has at a side a connector defining a receptacle radially extending into a cavity of the pump body. The driving mechanism includes an axle inserted in the receptacle of the connector, a sealing sleeve mounted around the axle, a coupling cap axially secured to the sealing sleeve, and a L-shaped handle. The handle having at one end inserted through the coupling cap and the axle, and at the other hand extending outside the coupling cap. Operation of the handle in cyclically up and down motion drives the axle to rotate, which causes a piston in the cavity to move upward and downward so as to suck the fluid into the faucet. The sealing arrangement has at least three O-rings disposed among the parts of the driving mechanism to provide an effective seal between the driving mechanism and the pump body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: Yi-Wei Chen
  • Patent number: 9943869
    Abstract: The showerhead includes a main body; a power generator disposed in the main body; a power monitor module, disposed in the main body, electrically connected to the power generator, and configured for monitoring quality of power from the power generator and switching on/off power supply of the power generator; and a control module, disposed in the main body, electrically connected to the power monitor module, and configured for controlling functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES
    Inventors: Chun-Ming Huang, Chen-Chia Chen, Chien-Ming Wu
  • Patent number: 9943870
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing compounds bearing scent in which one or more scent dispensing units contain each one scent bearing compound and is activated mechanically by an electromechanical activator. A user handled device contains a controller, a memory and a communications device. Resident hardware includes a resident channel for communicating with the user handled device and a controlled driver for controlling the scent dispenser mechanically. A wireless peer to peer communications system carries out the communications between the user device and the resident hardware. The user can input parameter for controlling the dispensing unit through a user device interface. A controller in the resident hardware implements a dispenser activation scheme, mechanically expressed by the activator of the scent dispensing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventors: Yoav Ben-David, Moshe Zach
  • Patent number: 9943871
    Abstract: An electrode rod 71 serving as a first electrode is provided to be in contact with a flow path member and a processing liquid of a processing liquid supply path 2. If the processing liquid is flown in the processing liquid supply path 2, static electricity is generated by friction so that the processing liquid and the flow path member is electrically charged. By allowing the electrode rod 71 to be closely contacted with the flow path member, the amount of electric charges corresponding to the sum of the charge amounts of the processing liquid and the flow path member is measured as a surface potential of the first electrode by a surface potential measuring unit 77. The measured surface potential is displayed on a display unit 201.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Hitoshi Hashima
  • Patent number: 9943872
    Abstract: An apparatus for configuring dispersing equipment for applying liquid solutions to vegetation, comprising: a plurality of nozzles for dispersing liquid in the form of liquid droplets; a plurality of magnets for applying a magnetic field to the liquid droplets; where the nozzles are configured to produce liquid droplets sized less than 400 microns and preferably less than 150 microns and more preferably within the range of 10 microns to 50 microns; where each magnet in the plurality of magnets has a magnetic remanence of at least 0.9 and preferably at least 1.25; where the plurality of magnets are moveably mountable on the spray equipment to vary the field strength and polar orientation to adapt for application conditions and purposes; where the liquid solution includes at least water, and where the nozzles are positionable to produce air turbulence and a spray cloud consisting of liquid droplets impacting target vegetation during spraying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: AGRICULTURAL MAGNETICS, LTD.
    Inventor: Theodore F. Lenhardt
  • Patent number: 9943873
    Abstract: The invention relates to an atomizing plug assembly and an atomizer formed thereby. The atomizing plug assembly comprises a containing part and an atomizing part. The containing part has a containing body. The containing body defines a containing space for containing a liquid to be atomized and has an aerosol opening which communicates with the containing space. The atomizing part is integrated with or detachably connected with the containing part and has a vibrating member and a nozzle plate. The vibrating member has an atomizing electrical connecting portion, where the vibrating member is electrically connected, and a pin element electrically connected with the atomizing electrical connecting portion. The nozzle plate is located corresponding to the aerosol opening. The atomizer is formed by electrically connecting the atomizing plug assembly to a base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Puritic Corp.
    Inventor: Huan-Ping Teng
  • Patent number: 9943874
    Abstract: A process for generating droplets with a modulatable droplet size distribution, comprises: making a stream of liquid strike a support with a given relative impact velocity; making said support vibrate at at least one vibration frequency; heating said support to a impact temperature such that the liquid film formed by the impact and made to vibrate is heated to a principal temperature to form in combination what are called principal droplets from said film; and transporting said droplets via a transfer/braking/sorting system to a liquid for precipitating the principal droplets, said transportation being carried out at a transportation temperature, all of these parameters, namely the relative impact velocity, the vibration frequency, the principal temperature and the transportation temperature allowing the droplet size of said formed principal droplets and the velocity of the latter to be modulated. A device allowing the process to be implemented is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Méryl Brothier, Dominique Moulinier
  • Patent number: 9943875
    Abstract: A water valve and a drinking device are provided. The water valve includes an upper support, a lower support, a valve spool, a sealing member, a spring and a water outlet. The upper support is provided with a water inlet. The lower support is provided with a water outlet and a vent hole. The valve spool has a first end connected with the upper support and a second end fixedly connected with the lower support, and the valve spool is movable relative to the upper support, to switch on or off a communication between the water inlet and the water outlet. When the water valve is at a state of discharging water, an interior of the water outlet pipe is not communicated with atmosphere; when the water valve is at a state of not discharging water, the vent hole communicates the interior of the water outlet pipe with the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: HEFEI HUALING CO., LTD., HEFEI MIDEA REFRIGERATOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Tang, Shuisheng Peng, Jianhai Zhang, Yanping Li
  • Patent number: 9943876
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing a viscous fluid whether in combination, disassembly or assembly. The apparatus comprising a cartridge, reservoir or tube containing the fluid and having an openable or opened outlet structure which, when opened, allows the expression of the fluid from a created outlet aperture. A nozzle is engaged or engageable to the outlet structure and/or cartridge, reservoir or tube whereby fluid expressed from the outlet aperture can subsequently move to and be expressed from the nozzle outlet. The openable or opened outlet structure is adapted to provide on opening at least one outlet aperture having a size of area A; and wherein the nozzle has or is adapted to be cut to provide a nozzle outlet of area B, area B being greater than or equal to area A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: DFund Limited
    Inventor: Andrew Leo Haynes
  • Patent number: 9943877
    Abstract: A dispelling pen including a pen case and a pen head connected with the pen case, wherein at least one accommodation cavity for storing a dispelling solution is disposed in the pen case. The accommodation cavity is connected with the pen head via a pipeline. A switch control valve is disposed on the pipeline. The dispelling pen need not frequently dip in the dispelling solution, thereby avoiding fragmentation and circuit scratch due to the dispelling pen's repeated contact with the substrate while increasing convenience significantly, and increasing the security of the substrate at the time of dispelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Zhou, Chao Qian, Lei Jin, Xuan Cheng, Yunfa Cao
  • Patent number: 9943878
    Abstract: A coating method for forming a laminated coating film including a lower layer formed on a base material and an upper layer formed on the lower layer including: preparing a thermosetting coating material as a lower layer-coating material and preparing a thermosetting coating material as an upper layer-coating material; forming an uncured laminated coating film by applying the lower layer-coating material and the upper layer-coating material on the base material using a wet-on-wet technique; and simultaneously curing the lower layer-coating material and the upper layer-coating material by baking the uncured laminated coating film. In the preparation step, the lower layer-coating material and the upper layer-coating material are selected so that an absolute value of a difference in shrinkage ratio between the lower layer and the upper layer coating materials is 2.0% or smaller at a late stage of the baking step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Yomo, Kazuyuki Tachi, Hisao Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9943879
    Abstract: A method for shaping a coating on a razor blade, and a razor blade produced using the aforesaid method, are provided. The method includes the steps of a) providing a razor blade having a tip end defined by at least one tip surface and a cutting edge; b) applying a surface coating having a first thickness on at least one tip surface; and c) shaping the surface coating on the at least one tip surface to have a second thickness using a fluid stream, which second thickness is less than the first thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Edgewell Personal Care Brands, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Doyle, Tomasz Hejmowski, Massimo Nyiry, David Tressel, Yiming Xu
  • Patent number: 9943880
    Abstract: Kits and methods are provided for color customization of articles by applying ink to regions of decreased pigment density. By creating tension over these regions during application of the ink, the ink may be preferentially transferred to those regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Yodle Ventures LLC
    Inventor: Jason Dorf
  • Patent number: 9943881
    Abstract: An ultrasound transducer includes an electric vibrator including a vibrator contact layer, to transmit and receive ultrasound wave, and a circuit-board including a circuit contact layer connected to the vibrator contact layer, to transmit and receive ultrasound signals via the vibrator contact layer. A maximum width which width is an extent of a shorter side of the circuit contact layer, is same to a width of the electric vibrator. The circuit contact layer includes a bonding area that extends to a surface of a circuit-board and a surface of the vibrator contact layer. An adhesive is provided in the bonding area to adhere the electric vibrator and the circuit-board to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Kengo Okada, Minoru Aoki, Hiroyuki Shikata, Takashi Kubota, Yasuhiro Ona
  • Patent number: 9943882
    Abstract: A component sorting mechanism is disclosed. The component sorting mechanism includes a vibrating plate, a feeding tray having a plurality of grooves in an inner bottom surface thereof, the feeding tray mounted on the vibrating plate, and a first driving device connected to the feeding tray. The first driving device drives the feeding tray to swing within a predetermined angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: TE Connectivity Corporation, Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) co. Ltd., Shenzhen AMI Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Dandan Zhang, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Qinglong Zeng
  • Patent number: 9943883
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for unloading articles from a container of items for use in an automatic stack feeder are disclosed. The automatic stack feeder may comprise a belt, a moveable lower paddle, and a moveable upper paddle, wherein the lower paddle is configured to partially extend through a belt of the automatic stack feeder. The movement of the belt, the lower paddle, and the upper paddle are coordinated such that there is no need to interrupt the operation of the automatic stack feeder to unload the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: John W. Brown, Edward F. Houston, Juan A. Roman, Leung M. Shiu, Riley H. Mayhall, William P. McConnell, Matthew G. Good, Robert E. Hume, Darin Dickey
  • Patent number: 9943884
    Abstract: An improved device and method for gathering up loose pet hair, lint, and other fine debris from a variety of surfaces. In the preferred embodiment, the device includes a handle and a blade. The blade is made of an elastromeric material that is flexible. Exposed surfaces of the blade have a rough, crinkled, pebble-grain texture, such as crepe rubber. The blade is greater in height than in thickness; greater in width than in height; and wider at the bottom end than at the top end, where it is connected to the handle. The handle of the device is held by the user, while the bottom end, side ends, or front and back surfaces of the blade are placed on the surface to be cleaned and dragged with slight pressure across the cleaning surface. The blade dislodges, grips, and gathers up loose pet hair and other fine debris into a wad so that it may be removed by hand or by vacuum suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventor: Charles A. Viola
  • Patent number: 9943885
    Abstract: A barbeque grill scraper that uses a scraping edge with a tooth formed of a wearable material to remove char and debris from the grill grates. The tooth fits between adjoining grill grates to guide the scraping edge and create a plurality of indents in the scraping edge that match the top profile of the grill grates. The grill grates are thus thoroughly cleaned without the health risks associated with wire brush cleaners. Another embodiment further utilizes a protruding cleaning tool to access and clean the lower sides and bottom of the grill grates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Charboss LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Rosenberger
  • Patent number: 9943886
    Abstract: A cleaning cart for a three-dimensional object printing system wipes an ejector head to remove debris from the ejector head. The cleaning cart includes a platform having a plurality of bearings configured to move the platform on rails of the printing system. A cleaning mechanism is movably mounted to the platform, and an actuator is mounted to the platform. The actuator is configured to move the cleaning mechanism relative to the platform to enable the cleaning mechanism to clean an ejector head that is positioned opposite the rails of the printing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Atwood, James J. Spence
  • Patent number: 9943887
    Abstract: A fluid supplying apparatus includes an inner tube having a plurality of holes for distributing a fluid supplied from a supply unit, and an outer tube arranged coaxially or non-coaxially with the inner tube to surround the inner tube and having a plurality of slots for injecting the fluid distributed therein from the holes to the outside. The outer tube substantially has the same length as the inner tube. The fluid supplying apparatus may be used for a thin film cleaning system or method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Young Ju Seo, Chae-Ho Chung, Do-Ki Chang, Ki-Kyo Yeom, Ye-Hoon Im, Jae-Min Kim, Kyoung-Hoon Min, Won-Chan Park
  • Patent number: 9943888
    Abstract: A method for removing solidified ink or varnish from a surface includes applying a cleaning agent to the ink on the surface. The cleaning agent applied to the ink on the surface is substantially solvent-free and water-based and reduces adhesion between the ink and the surface without dissolving the ink. An adhesive side or face of a single-sided or single face adhesive element is applied to the surface. As the adhesive element is removed from the surface, the ink that has been treated with the cleaning agent but is undissolved adheres to the adhesive element and is thus removed from the surface together with the adhesive element without splitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmashinen AG
    Inventors: Silvia Worgt, Jessica Gioia, Matthias Schloerholz, Heiner Pitz
  • Patent number: 9943889
    Abstract: A hole cleaning apparatus includes a member, a brush, and a vacuum source. The brush rotates around a longitudinal axis of the member, or translates in a direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member. The vacuum source provides vacuum suction within the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric Whinnem, Gary A. Lipczynski, Wesley E. Holleman, Daniel W. Barnett
  • Patent number: 9943890
    Abstract: A method for cleaning and conditioning the water-steam circuit of a power plant, especially of a nuclear power plant, uses an amine as a film-forming agent. The amine is metered into the working medium circulating in the water-steam circuit. The film-forming agent forms a hydrophobic film on the surfaces of the circuit. During the process, the concentration of at least one impurity contained in the water and the concentration of the film-forming agent in at least in the feed water of the steam generator are measured and monitored. The concentration of the film-forming agent is varied, as needed, subject to the concentration of the impurity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: AREVA GmbH
    Inventors: Ute Ramminger, Joerg Fandrich, Fernando-Mario Roumiguiere
  • Patent number: 9943891
    Abstract: The present invention is a rack system for transporting and retaining powder coat hangers during a cleaning process to remove built-up coating materials from the powder coating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Production Plus Corp.
    Inventor: Donovan Dixon
  • Patent number: 9943892
    Abstract: A system (21) for the continuous treatment of products such as waste by thermal input, includes: —a product treatment chamber (210), —a device (211) for supplying heat by microwave generators (211a), arranged with respect to the chamber (210) such that the microwaves are contained in the chamber (210), —a moving floor transportation device (212) resting on the bottom of the chamber (210), capable of transporting a layer of products (D) from the entry thereof into the chamber until the exit thereof from the chamber, —a containment device (213) for the products and the vapors released by same, inside the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: AMB
    Inventors: Gauthier Hurlin, Sebastien Corneillie
  • Patent number: 9943893
    Abstract: A string of reactant chambers configured for inserting a reactant into each reactant chamber, in the string of reactant chambers, while maintaining the reactant chamber being filled in the string of reactant chambers is provided. The string of reactant chambers has a first reactant chamber, a second reactant chamber, and a system configured to maintain the reactant chamber being filled in the string of reactant chambers. The system has a first removable end cap on each reactant chamber and a coupler on each reactant chamber configured for the removal of the first removable end cap and maintaining the reactant chamber in the string of reactant chambers. A process for charging a reactant chamber is also presently disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Specialty Earth Sciences, LLC
    Inventors: Lindsay Swearingen, Jason Swearingen
  • Patent number: 9943894
    Abstract: In a method for producing a component by hot forming of a pre-product made of steel, the pre-product is heated to forming temperature and subsequently formed. The product is heated to a temperature below the AC1-transformation temperature and undergoes a strength increase prior to the heating by cold forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SALZGITTER FLACHSTAHL GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Evertz, Volker Flaxa, Michael Braun
  • Patent number: 9943895
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rolling device including a stationary first assembly (110), comprising at least one first rolling cylinder (110), and a movable second assembly (120), comprising at least one second rolling cylinder (122). The second assembly (120) is movable along at least one degree of freedom relative to the stationary first assembly (110) such that the axis (X2) of the second cylinder (122) is movable relative to that of the first cylinder (110) so as to control the distance between the cylinders (110, 120).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Blue Solutions
    Inventor: Guy Le Gal