Patents Issued in June 2, 2020
  • Patent number: 10670990
    Abstract: A nozzle insertion member is in a powder container that includes a nozzle insertion opening into which a conveying nozzle is inserted. The nozzle insertion member includes an opening/closing structure to move to an opening position to open the nozzle insertion opening by being pressed by the inserted conveying nozzle, and to a closing position to close the nozzle insertion opening when the conveying nozzle is separated from the nozzle insertion member, and a seal arranged at the nozzle insertion opening and including a through hole into which the conveying nozzle is insertable. The opening/closing structure includes a front cylindrical portion to contact with an inner surface of the through hole, and a slide area formed on another side relative to the front cylindrical portion. W1<W4 is satisfied, where W1 is an inner diameter of the through hole, and W4 is an outer diameter of the slide area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Kikuchi, Shinji Tamaki, Shunji Katoh, Junji Yamabe
  • Patent number: 10670991
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container configured to accommodate a developer containing toner and a carrier and a feeding screw provided rotatably in the developer container and configured to feed the developer in a predetermined feeding direction. The feeding screw includes a rotation shaft, and a first helical blade and a second helical blade which are formed around the rotation shaft and which form a multi-thread helical blade. The feeding screw includes a region in which a plate-like projection portion is provided on the rotation shaft between the first helical blade and the second helical blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kouhei Mishima, Dai Kanai
  • Patent number: 10670992
    Abstract: A developer container includes a containing device, a support member, and a crumbling device. The containing device contains developer therein and is rotated so as to transport the developer. The support member supports the containing device such that the containing device is rotatable. The support member has an outlet through which the developer transported by the containing device flows out. The crumbling device is supported such that the crumbling device is rotatable together with the containing device. The crumbling device is, when the containing device is rotated, rotated so as to crumble the developer. The crumbling device includes a body portion and an applying member. The body portion extends from a region near the containing device toward the outlet. The applying member is formed in the body portion. The applying member applies a force for transporting the developer toward the outlet when the crumbling device is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Sakai
  • Patent number: 10670993
    Abstract: A developing device includes a first developer transport path, called as first path hereinafter; a first transport screw that transports a developer in the first path; a first conveyance roller that is thicker than a shaft of the first transport screw, attracts by magnetic force the developer at a downstream end portion of a second developer transport path arranged next to the first path, and conveys the developer to an upper portion located upstream of the first path; a first scraping wall that scrapes and sends the attracted developer; and a first guide columnar body that is adjacent to the first conveyance roller, has a peripheral surface continuous to the first conveyance roller, receives, using the peripheral surface, and guides the sent developer to an upstream end portion of the first path, and has a length that the guided developer is not attracted by the magnetic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nao Kato, Masayuki Shimoda
  • Patent number: 10670994
    Abstract: In a cartridge, a developing roller is configured to rotate around a first rotational axis extending in a predetermined direction and to carry developer thereon, the developing roller having a first end and a second end apart from each other in the predetermined direction, a from-first-to-second direction being defined along the predetermined direction as being directed from the first end to the second end. A developing electrode is formed of a conductive material and is configured to be electrically connected to the developing roller, the developing electrode including a main part and a protruding portion protruding from the main part in the from-first-to-second direction. A detection body is formed of an insulating material and is rotatably supported by the protruding portion, the detection body including a first opening that exposes part of the protruding portion and a covering portion covering part of the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nao Itabashi
  • Patent number: 10670995
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion that forms a toner image on a photosensitive member in accordance with image information, an intermediate transfer member that carries the toner image transferred from the photosensitive member, a transfer portion that transfers the toner image carried by the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium, a cleaning portion that collects toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member, and a toner collecting container into which the toner conveyed from the cleaning portion is collected. In the image forming apparatus, the toner collecting container is disposed in a region above the intermediate transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomomichi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 10670996
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first forming unit that forms a superimposed toner image, in which yellow, magenta, and cyan toner images are superimposed on one another, on a first intermediate transfer unit; a second forming unit that is located downstream of the first forming unit in a recording-medium transport direction and that forms a black toner image on a second intermediate transfer unit; a first transfer part that transfers the superimposed toner image formed on the first intermediate transfer unit by the first forming unit to a recording medium; and a second transfer part that is located downstream of the first transfer part in the recording-medium transport direction and that transfers, in a superimposed manner, the black toner image formed on the second intermediate transfer unit by the second forming unit to the superimposed toner image on the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keita Hashimoto, Yukihiro Ichiki, Masaki Suto, Akira Shimodaira, Toshihiro Goda
  • Patent number: 10670997
    Abstract: An intermediate transfer body used in an electrophotographic image forming device includes: at least a substrate layer and a surface layer, wherein the surface layer is formed by a cured product obtained by curing a coating liquid containing a curable compound, an inorganic filler, and a fluorine-based surfactant having a reactive group, and the surface layer has a pure water contact angle of 75° or more and 90° or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Akihiro Honya, Kazunori Kurimoto, Teruo Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10670998
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image holding member; a charging unit that charges a surface of the image holding member; an electrostatic image forming unit that forms an electrostatic image on the charged surface of the image holding member; a developing unit that houses an electrostatic image developer including a toner containing an external additive and develops the electrostatic image formed on the surface of the image holding member with the electrostatic image developer to thereby form a toner image; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the image holding member onto a surface of a recording medium directly or through an intermediate transfer body; and a fixing unit that fixes the toner image transferred onto the surface of the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Ota, Teppei Yawada
  • Patent number: 10670999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image transfer belt; a first transfer member; a second transfer member opposed to the first transfer member with the belt therebetween; an applying device for applying a voltage to at least one of the first and second transfer members; and a controller for controlling the applying device to apply to the at least one transfer member a voltage having the same polarity as a regular polarity of toner and a voltage of the opposite polarity to the first transfer member in a cleaning operation. The controller changes a number of image formations to be carried out from a cleaning operation to a next cleaning operation depending on the kind of the sheet. The number controlled by the controller is different depending on the kind of the sheets in a continuous printing job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 10671000
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a sensor driving unit that drives a temperature sensor to be movable in an axial direction of a fixing rotating body, and a sensor position control unit that controls the position of the temperature sensor by the sensor driving unit. The sensor position control unit performs sensor position control for setting a sheet size identified by a size identification unit as a reference sheet size and allowing the temperature sensor to be located within a passage area of a sheet having the reference sheet size and a non-passage area of a sheet having a sheet size smaller by one size than the reference sheet size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Akihiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 10671001
    Abstract: In an image heating device having a plurality of heating blocks which are controllable independently in a longitudinal direction of a heater, an increase of the size of the heater can be suppressed, and temperatures of a plurality of heating block can be detected. A heater has a first temperature sensor corresponding to a first heating block, a second temperature sensor corresponding to a second heating block, a first electric conductor electrically coupled to the first temperature sensor, a second electric conductor electrically coupled to the second temperature sensor, and a common electric conductor electrically coupled to the first and second temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Shimura, Akira Kato, Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 10671002
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a housing; a photoconductor; a developing unit configured to form a developer image on the photoconductor; a developer cartridge storing developer, the cartridge being removably mountable on the housing, a supplier configured to supply the developer from the developer cartridge to the developing unit; and a controller configured to execute a first printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer supplied from the developer cartridge, when the developer cartridge is being mounted on the housing, and a second printing process of forming a developer image by use of the developer remaining in the developing unit, when a usage amount of the developing unit is not less than a predetermined value and the developer cartridge is not being mounted on the housing, wherein the controller does not execute the second printing process when the usage amount is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Yabuki, Yoshifumi Kajikawa, Takashi Suzuki, Takashi Yasuda, Takashi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10671003
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus switches between a plurality of standby states differing in power consumption and operates accordingly. The image forming apparatus includes an interface, a specific operation section, and a controller. The interface is connectable to an external storage medium. The specific operation section performs a plurality of specific operations. The controller directs, based on a filename extension of data stored in the external storage medium, the specific operation section to operate. The standby states include a first standby state and a second standby state. The power consumption is higher in the second standby state than in the first standby state. The second standby state is a state in which the controller controls and activates the specific operation section to set the specific operation section to be ready to perform at least one of the specific operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hironori Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10671004
    Abstract: A movable holding device includes: a base; an attachment unit to which an operation unit is to be attached; and a connecting unit that extends in a longitudinal direction, has recessed members forming a space with each other and being connected to each other so that a relative movement thereof changes a position of the attachment unit with respect to the base, and has one longitudinal end portion connected to the base and another longitudinal end portion connected to the attachment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuyuki Ishida, Bokryong Lee, Hiroomi Arai, Jing Ma
  • Patent number: 10671005
    Abstract: A detecting apparatus includes: a light emitting element which emits light toward a detection material; a light receiving element which receives reflected light from the detection material; and an apparatus main body having an opening/closing member which opens and closes an opening through which light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected light from the detection material pass through, the apparatus main body being capable of moving between a first position where the apparatus main body comes into contact with the detection material and a second position where the apparatus main body separates from the detection material, and the opening/closing member being configured to open when the apparatus main body moves to the first position and to close when the apparatus main body moves to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Iwakoshi, Satoshi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 10671006
    Abstract: The image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: an edge determination unit configured to detect an edge pixel to which a white pixel and a black pixel are adjacent in a first direction in an image in which each pixel is represented as a white pixel or a black pixel; a first detection unit configured to detect a number of consecutive pixels up to the edge pixel in the first direction in the image; a second detection unit configured to detect a number of consecutive pixels whose number of consecutive pixels in the first direction is larger than a first threshold in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction in the image; and a type determination unit configured to determine a type of the edge pixel based on detection results by the first detection unit and detection results by the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryosuke Otani, Yoichi Takikawa, Hisashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10671007
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device, a sensor, and a processor. The image forming device is to form an image on recording medium. The sensor is to irradiate light to the recording medium and detect an amount of light transmitted through the recording medium and an amount of light reflected from the recording medium at each of a plurality of positions. The processor is to determine a thickness of the recording medium based on the amount of light transmitted through the recording medium and the amount of light reflected from the recording medium at each of the plurality of positions. The processor is to then control the image forming device on the basis of the determined thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Tomishima
  • Patent number: 10671008
    Abstract: A drive transmitting member including: a gear portion that is formed of a first resin and has gear teeth; and a flange portion that is formed of a second resin, in which the flange portion includes a shaft portion that transmits driving force from the gear teeth to a drive transmitted member, and a rotation stopper (i) that stops rotation of the gear portion with respect to the flange portion at an outer periphery of the flange portion and (ii) that is larger than an external form of the shaft portion, so that the shaft portion and the rotation stopper are integrally molded in the flange portion, and the gear portion has a shape that covers the rotation stopper and is not overlapped with the shaft portion as viewed in an axial direction of the shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Zensai, Takamichi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 10671009
    Abstract: A printed circuit board comprises a first mounting surface, a second mounting surface, and a piezoelectric transformer. The piezoelectric transformer has a piezoelectric substance, external electrodes, and a frame substrate. The second mounting surface has a projection region. There is a first region from a first location, where an end portion further from the output electrode out of end portions of the input electrode is projected onto the second mounting surface in the projection region, to a second location, where an end portion closer to the output electrode out of the end portions of the input electrode is projected onto the second mounting surface, the first region being a mounting allowed region where an electronic component is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taro Minobe, Norikazu Sugiyama, Ryo Matsumura
  • Patent number: 10671010
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power converting device includes a rectifier bridge configured to pulsate an AC voltage to generate a pulsating voltage, a first smoothing capacitor configured to smooth the pulsating voltage to generate a DC voltage, a primary winding connected to the first smoothing capacitor, a switch circuit configured to switch the DC voltage supplied from the first smoothing capacitor to the primary winding, and a first discharge circuit. The first discharge circuit includes a first discharge resistor configured to discharge electric charges remaining on the first smoothing capacitor and a first switch element configured to release the first discharge resistor from the first smoothing capacitor if the AC voltage is supplied and to connect the first discharge resistor to the first smoothing capacitor if the AC voltage is not supplied and the electric charges remain on the first smoothing capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hosokawa, Yutaka Usami
  • Patent number: 10671011
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing; a cover; a locked portion provided at one of the casing and the cover; and a locking portion provided at remaining one of the casing and the cover. The locking portion includes: a first pivot member; a second pivot member spaced apart from the first pivot member; and a third pivot member. Each of the first pivot member and the second pivot member is pivotally movable between an engaging position and a release position about a first axis. The third pivot member is pivotally movable between a first position and a second position about a second axis. Pivotal movement of at least one of the first pivot member, the second pivot member, and the third pivot member causes pivotal movement of the remaining of the first pivot member, the second pivot member, and the third pivot member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Saito, Yusuke Ikegami
  • Patent number: 10671012
    Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing cartridge including a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. A cartridge supporting member is movable, while detachably mounting the developing cartridge, between an inside position which is inside of the main assembly of the apparatus to mount the developing cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside position that is outside of the main assembly of the apparatus to remove the developing cartridge from the main assembly of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10671013
    Abstract: A drum unit detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and a coupling member provided on the photosensitive drum. The coupling member includes a driving force receiving portion and a supporting portion movably supporting the driving force receiving portion. The supporting portion includes a first extended portion and a second extended portion which extend at least in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Uesugi, Masato Tanabe, Tomonori Mori, Daisuke Abe, Tadayuki Tsuda, Hideshi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 10671014
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a drum frame detachably attached to the main casing and including a photosensitive drum, a developing device supporting structure movable between a first position close to the photosensitive drum and a second position farther from the photosensitive drum, and a developing device supported by the developing device supporting structure and including a guided portion. The developing device supporting structure has a guide groove at an inner surface. The developing device is configured to be attached to or detached from the developing device supporting structure by the guided portion being guided along the guide groove. When the developing device supporting structure is in the first position, the developing device is attached to the developing device support structure, and when the developing device supporting structure is in the second position, the developing device is detachable from the developing device supporting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10671015
    Abstract: A cartridge mountable to a printer, said printer including a coupling guide contactable to a coupling of the cartridge to guide the coupling member. A case of the cartridge is provided with a hole for exposing a free end portion of the coupling to an outside of the cartridge, and a retracted portion provided in downstream of the hole with respect to the mounting direction of the cartridge. When the cartridge is mounted to a main assembly of the printer, the coupling guide enters the retracted portion from which the coupling member has retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigemi Kamoshida, Takeshi Arimitsu, Isao Koishi, Yusuke Niikawa
  • Patent number: 10671016
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes an apparatus body and a process cartridge attachable to and detachable from the apparatus body. The apparatus body includes a sheet-feed roller and a body wall. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; a developing roller; a cleaner; a conveying pipe and a waste-toner container for storing waste toner removed from the photosensitive drum by the cleaner and conveyed by the conveying pipe. The waste-toner container is detachably mountable on the drum frame. The waste-toner container mounted on the drum frame is positioned opposite to the photosensitive drum with respect to the developing roller. The body wall of the apparatus body and a container wall of the waste-toner container constitute a part of a sheet-conveying guide for guiding conveyance of a sheet from the sheet-feed roller toward the photosensitive drum when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Shimizu, Shougo Sato
  • Patent number: 10671017
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge including a developing member mountable in and dismountable from a main assembly in a direction crossing a rotational axis direction of the developing member. A grip portion of the cartridge extends in a direction along a dismounting direction of the cartridge from the main assembly in a state in which the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly. An openable member in the main assembly includes a guiding portion to support the cartridge from below and guide the cartridge while the cartridge is being dismounted from the main assembly, with the guiding portion including a guiding surface having a downwardly recessed shape on a cross-section perpendicular to the rotational axis direction and guiding the cartridge so that an extending direction of the grip portion approaches a vertical direction as the cartridge is moved in the dismounting direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masatoshi Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 10671018
    Abstract: A process cartridge, a combination of a process cartridge and a drive shaft of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and a method of mounting and using a process cartridge in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus include a feature wherein a coupling member of the process cartridge can take different angular positions relative to the drive shaft's fixed axis of rotation. In one position, an axis of the coupling member is inclined relative to the drive shaft's fixed axis of rotation. In a second position, the axis of the coupling member is substantially coaxial with the drive shaft's fixed axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahito Ueno, Shigeo Miyabe, Masanari Morioka, Masato Hisano
  • Patent number: 10671020
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a facing portion provided at a position facing a surface of an image bearing member that corresponds to a portion between a transfer unit and a cleaning unit, wherein a first space for conveying the recording material from the transfer unit to the fixing unit, and a second space between the surface of the image bearing member and the facing portion are formed in the image forming apparatus, and wherein the image forming apparatus includes a block member positioned in the second space and having one end side fixed to the facing portion on a side closer to the first space, the block member being configured to block a flow of an air current, the block member having the other end side in contact with the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mahito Yoshioka, Takashi Yano, Yuji Mitsui
  • Patent number: 10671021
    Abstract: Timepiece movement for a mechanical watch, comprising, arranged on a main plate, a resonator mechanism with two degrees of freedom, and a maintaining mechanism subjected to the torque of driving means comprised in the movement, wherein this maintaining mechanism is a continuous maintaining mechanism, and includes a crank movable about a crank rotational axis, and which includes, on the crank rotational axis, an axial element subjected to the torque of driving means, and, off-centre relative to the crank rotational axis, a crankpin which is arranged to travel on a track of a stiff ring comprised in the resonator mechanism, this stiff ring being movable in the two degrees of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogere Suisse
    Inventors: Pascal Winkler, Gianni Di Domenico
  • Patent number: 10671022
    Abstract: An indication device is provided which has an electrically conductive fluid driven by an MHD pump. The fluid has an indicator surface driven adjacent indices of an indicator so as to indicate a quantity. A position of the indicator surface is sensed and controlled to ensure accurate indication of the quantity. Optionally, the quantity indicated is time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Preciflex SA
    Inventors: Lucien Vouillamoz, Yves Ruffieux
  • Patent number: 10671023
    Abstract: A wrist apparatus as a portable electronic apparatus includes a case, a solar battery that is provided in the case and has an outer circumference along the outer edge of the case and an inner circumference the perimeter of which is shorter than that of the outer circumference, and an acceleration sensor that is provided in the case and disposed in a position where the acceleration sensor overlaps with the solar battery in a plan view of light receiving surface of the solar battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehisa Uemura, Noriaki Hiraide
  • Patent number: 10671024
    Abstract: A metronome including a sensor capable of detecting an event and a controller in communication with the sensor and which controls the metronomes response to the event. The controller can receive a signal from the sensor indicating an occurrence of the event, the controller, in response, can generate a signal to adjust a characteristic of the metronome in response to the event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: CLIKBRIK, LLC
    Inventors: Konrad Meissner, Edwin Booth, Michael Glaser, Carla Diana
  • Patent number: 10671025
    Abstract: A time-to-digital converter arrangement has a ring oscillator with a plurality of inverting elements and a first and a second counter coupled to the ring oscillator. The first counter is configured to increment a first counter value if a positive edge transition is present at one of the inverting elements. The second counter is configured to increment a second counter value if a negative edge transition is present at the one of the inverting elements. A storage element stores the first and the second counter value and logical states of the plurality of inverting elements. A decoder coupled to the storage element selects one of the first and the second counter value as a valid value based on an evaluation of the stored logical states, and outputs a total counter value based on the valid value and the stored logical states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ams AG
    Inventors: Christian Mautner, Friedrich Bahnmueller, Friedrich Laengauer, Robert Kappel
  • Patent number: 10671026
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a display module having a hole and including a plurality of first light sources disposed along a perimeter of one side of the display module and a plurality of second light sources which are positioned opposite the plurality of first light sources and are disposed along a perimeter of the other side of the display module, a shaft rotatably inserted into the hole of the display module, a movement which is positioned in the rear of the display module, is connected to one end of the shaft, and provides a rotational force for the shaft, a window which is separated from the display module and is positioned in front of the display module, and a hand which is positioned between the display module and the window and is fixed to the other end of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Pilgoo Kang, Dongseuck Ko, Jeeyoung Cheon, Jonghun Kwon
  • Patent number: 10671027
    Abstract: In embodiments, a system may comprise a circuit component to perform a function; and a supervisor component (e.g., a safety component) coupled to the circuit component to monitor proper functioning of the circuit component. The circuit component may be configured to initiate provision of diagnostic information to the supervisor component, or to indicate to the safety component whether the circuit component will be responsive to a query from the safety component for diagnostic information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriele Boschi, Alessandro Campinoti, Jennifer Wang, Divya Gupta
  • Patent number: 10671028
    Abstract: An automated method for managing a work flow in a process plant includes determining the steps of performing a work item and generating associated displays for an operator or other personnel to perform the steps of the work item. A work item is created specifying a task to be performed in the process plant and determining from the specified task a set of procedures for execution of the work item. For each procedure, an associated display is generated and the associated displays are displayed on a mobile user interface device sequentially in an order in which the set of procedures are to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark J. Nixon, Ken J. Beoughter, Daniel D. Christensen
  • Patent number: 10671029
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product are provided for anomaly detection. The method includes receiving, by a processor, sensor data from a plurality of sensors in a system. The method also includes generating, by the processor, a relationship model based on the sensor data. The method additionally includes updating, by the processor, the relationship model with new sensor data. The method further includes identifying, by the processor, an anomaly based on a fused single-variant time series fitness score in the relationship model. The method also includes controlling an operation of a processor-based machine to change a state of the processor-based machine, responsive to the anomaly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Tan Yan, Haifeng Chen, LuAn Tang
  • Patent number: 10671030
    Abstract: Web-based interaction with building automation is provided. The interaction, regardless of the access point, is browser based. For IP access, hypertext protocol (http) communications of the browser are performed. The web-enabled controller serves responses with building automation information. For non-IP access, a web-server operating as an application in the same device as the browser intercepts the http communication and reformats the communication as appropriate for the non-IP access. Based on a response from the building automation system, the device local web-server responds to the browser. For communicating across different types of networks in the building automation system, controllers may use the embedded web-server to reformat as needed and route requests. The same look, feel, functionality, and/or usability may be provided using the browser regardless of the connectivity to the building automation network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Robert L. Kalafut, Gerhard Brun, Andreas Schlumberger, Ralph Sigrist
  • Patent number: 10671031
    Abstract: A method of detecting a hand-to-mouth (HMG) gesture with an e-vaping device includes detecting movements of the e-vaping device; generating quaternions based on the detected movements; generating movement features based on the generated quaternions; applying the generated movement features to a classifier; and determining whether the detected movements correspond to an HMG based on an output of the classifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Eric Hawes, Raymond Lau, Terry Bache, Niall Gallagher
  • Patent number: 10671032
    Abstract: A method of providing data from a process control system to remote computing devices includes obtaining, at a data server via a first network from a mobile server, one or more lists including indications of requested process data parameters indicating process data for communication from the server to the remote devices via a second network. The method includes receiving, from a plurality of controllers within the process control system via a third network, a stream of process data parameter values associated with process data parameters included in one or more configuration files. The configuration files describe a configuration of the process control system. The method includes identifying, by processors of the data server, a subset of the received parameter values corresponding to the requested process data parameters of the lists, and communicating, from the data server to the mobile server via the first network, the identified subset of parameter values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark J. Nixon, David R. Denison, Ken J. Beoughter, Daniel R. Strinden, Mariana Dionisio, Kim Ordean Van Camp, Hoa Van Lai, Matthew William Poplawski
  • Patent number: 10671033
    Abstract: Ubiquitous computing methods and apparatus are disclosed. An example method includes determining a first setting to control an actuator; setting a first record in a record list, the first record including the first setting, a first immediacy of the first setting, and a first priority of the first setting; determining a second setting; setting a second record in the record list, the second record including the second setting, a second immediacy of the second setting, and a second priority of the second setting, the second priority being lower than the first priority; selecting the first record from the record list based on the first priority being higher than the second priority; deleting the second record from the record list based on the second immediacy; and outputting the first setting to control the actuator when a current setting of the actuator is different than the first setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Pamela Zave, Eric Cheung
  • Patent number: 10671034
    Abstract: A rotating equipment system with in-line drive-sense circuit (DSC) electric power signal processing includes rotating equipment, in-line drive-sense circuits (DSCs), and one or more processing modules. The in-line DSCs receive input electrical power signals and generate motor drive signals for the rotating equipment. An in-line DSC receives an input electrical power signal, processes it to generate and output a motor drive signal to the rotating equipment via a single line and simultaneously senses the motor drive signal via the single line. Based on the sensing of the motor drive signal via the single line, the in-line DSC provides a digital signal to the one or more processing modules that receive and process the digital signal to determine information regarding one or more operational conditions of the rotating equipment, and based thereon, selectively facilitate one or more adaptation operations on the motor drive signal via the in-line DSC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: SIGMASENSE, LLC.
    Inventors: Patrick Troy Gray, Gerald Dale Morrison, Daniel Keith Van Ostrand, Richard Stuart Seger, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10671035
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for a production module having a data memory for storing operational settings of production modules and restrictions, which must be complied with by at least some of the operational settings. A settings management module is used to determine the external operational setting of an adjacent production module on which a local operational setting of the production module is dependent on the basis of a common restriction. An optimization module is also provided and has a local assessment function, which assesses the local operational setting, and a further assessment function which assesses noncompliance with the common restriction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellshaft
    Inventors: Wendelin Feiten, Harald Held, Philipp Emanuel Stelzig, Kai Wurm
  • Patent number: 10671036
    Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method may include executing, on a first device, a first instruction for adjusting a first environmental parameter of a first space from a first parameter value to a second parameter value. The method may include determining an influencing parameter. The influencing parameter may influence a change in the first environmental parameter of the first space. The method may include executing a second instruction based on at least one of the influencing parameter, the first parameter value, and the second parameter value. A second energy consumption of the first device, in response to execution of the second instruction, may be lower than a first energy consumption of the first device in response to execution of the first instruction. An electronic device and program product are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
    Inventor: Meng Wu
  • Patent number: 10671037
    Abstract: A machine controller for controlling a machine includes a data memory configured to store maintenance data for at least one of the machine controller or the machine in an electronically processable manner, an imaging processing unit configured to at least partially read the maintenance data from the data memory and to generate image information relating to a graphical representation that includes a first representation area representing a first section of the maintenance data in a form designed for machine readability. The machine controller includes at least one of: a display unit configured to display the graphical representation based on the image information or a data transmission interface configured to transmit the image information indirectly or directly to a service computer to display or evaluate the graphical representation on the service computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Bauer, Hans-Peter Bock
  • Patent number: 10671038
    Abstract: Process control systems for operating process plants are disclosed herein. The process control systems include control modules that are decoupled from the I/O architecture of the process plants using signal objects or generic shadow blocks. This decoupling is effected by using the signal objects or generic shadow blocks to manage at least part of the communication between the control modules and the field devices. Signal objects may convert between protocols used by control modules and field devices, thus decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture. Generic shadow blocks may be automatically configured to mimic the operation of field devices within a controller executing the control modules, thus partially decoupling the control modules from the I/O architecture by using the shadow blocks to manage communication between the control modules and the field devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Larry Oscar Jundt, Gary Law, Edward McDevitt, Matt Stoner, Godfrey R. Sherriff, David R. Denison, Mark J. Nixon, James R. Balentine, J. Michael Lucas, Stephen Gilbert
  • Patent number: 10671039
    Abstract: The example systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein generally relate to performing predictive analytics on behalf of wind turbines. In some instances, a data-analytics platform defines and executes a predictive model for a specific wind turbine. The predictive model may be defined and executed based on operating data for the specific wind turbine and for other wind turbines that experience similar environmental conditions as the specific wind turbine and that are operating in an expected operational state. In response to executing the predictive model, the data-analytics platform may cause an action to occur at the specific wind turbine or cause a user interface to display a representation of the output of the executed model, among other possibilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Uptake Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Herzog, Benedict Augustine
  • Patent number: 10671040
    Abstract: A process control system includes an engineering system for planning automation components into the project for a technical plant, a simulation framework for modeling the process behavior of field devices, a simulation unit for virtualizing the communication behavior of the real field devices and also includes a plant planning tool for planning the process engineering components of the plant into the project by which the commissioning of field-related components and a secure commissioning of a process engineering plant are made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Oliver Drumm, Benjamin Lutz, Gerrit Wolf