Patents Issued in June 13, 2023
  • Patent number: 11673235
    Abstract: A pair of pliers has a first and a second plier leg, which are mounted so as to be rotatable relative to one another in a joint region and which form gripping regions on one side of the joint region and a plier jaw on the other side. A locking part fixes position of the pliers. The locking part is rotatably mounted on the first plier leg at a transition between the gripping region and the joint region of the plier leg, and, in the fixed position, fixes the pliers by contact with the joint region of the second plier leg. The locking part, in the fixed position and under load, is in supporting contact both with the joint region of the second plier leg and with the gripping region of the first plier leg in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the plier legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: KNIPEX-Werk C. Gustav Putsch KG
    Inventor: Tim Liedtke
  • Patent number: 11673236
    Abstract: A wrench combination device includes three open-jawed wrench sockets. A first open jawed wrench socket is at one end of the device, and a second open jawed wrench socket, which is substantially identical to the first, is at an extreme opposite end. A third open jawed wrench socket is centered between and is inline with the first and second open-jawed wrench sockets, and has two portals. The first portal is open at two opposite ends and extends normal to a plane passing through the first and second open jawed wrench sockets. The second portal opens on one side of the third socket and extends in the plane passing through the first and second open jawed wrench sockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Javier Negron
  • Patent number: 11673237
    Abstract: A wrench structure with a variable driving state includes a rod and a sleeve connected to the rod. An outer surface of the rod includes an accommodating slot, an engaging block, an elastic element, and a connecting portion. The engaging block and the elastic element are disposed in the accommodating slot. The connecting portion is adjacent to the accommodating slot and surrounds the outer surface of the rod. The sleeve includes a first ratchet portion, a second ratchet portion, and a non-ratchet portion located between the two ratchet portions. The sleeve can be selectively displaced relative to the rod to a first position, where the connecting portion is connected with the second ratchet portion, or a second position, where the connecting portion is adjacent to the non-ratchet portion. By controlling the relative positions of the rod and the sleeve, the driving state of the wrench structure can be switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: KABO Tool Company
    Inventor: Chih-Ching Hsieh
  • Patent number: 11673238
    Abstract: A locking spanner assembly for an aircraft is disclosed. A clasp can be secured to an anchor by urging the clasp onto the anchor. The anchor contacts a trigger which opens a gate assembly to release a locking member which locks to the anchor. A lever arm allows for release which resets the clasp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Jones, William C. Haas
  • Patent number: 11673239
    Abstract: A tool bit includes a drive portion configured to be selectively coupled to a tool. The drive portion is composed of a first material. The tool bit includes a working end portion having a shape configured to correspond with a recess of a fastener for the working end portion to engage and drive the fastener. The working end portion includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is located between the second segment and the drive portion. The first segment is composed of the first material. The second segment is fixed to the first segment at a connection interface. The second segment is composed of a second material different than the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: James J. Van Essen, David Hlavac, Milorad Marich
  • Patent number: 11673240
    Abstract: A driver-drill (1) includes: a controller (32), which stops rotation of a brushless motor (9) when a torque applied to a spindle (26) reaches a prescribed clutch-actuation torque; and a dial (65), which is capable of specifying, to the controller (32), the setting of the prescribed clutch-actuation torque within a prescribed high-low range of values. In the controller (32), a relationship between clutch-actuation torques and each value in the high-low range is set such that, in a first range in which the values are low, changes in the clutch-actuation torques are the same in the low-speed mode and in the high-speed mode and such that, in a second range outside of the first range, the clutch-actuation torques in the low-speed mode are higher than in the high-speed mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuta Araki, Motohiro Omura, Akira Ito
  • Patent number: 11673241
    Abstract: A magazine is configured to be removably coupled to a power tool housing of a power tool. The magazine has a housing configured to be rotatably attachable to the power tool housing. An advancing mechanism is received in the magazine housing, and is configured to advance a strip of collated fasteners into position to be driven by the power tool. An indexing ring has a plurality of recesses and is configured to be non-rotatably attached to the power tool housing. A detent is biased to removably engage one of the plurality of recesses, and is configured to be non-rotatably attached to the magazine housing. The detent removably engages the recesses to allow for indexed tool-free rotation of the magazine housing relative to the power tool housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: James Dunlap Hays, John P. Zellinger, Rex A. Marshall, Jr., Wesson Charles, Joseph P. Kelleher, John K. Horky
  • Patent number: 11673242
    Abstract: A fastener device is disclosed. The fastener device includes a hub defining a bore, an attachment shank including a proximal stop and distal bit received within the bore, a retainer releasably engagable with a proximal end of the hub and a defining a passageway for a proximal mounting end of the attachment shank, a biasing element engaged with the proximal stop, and a split cam assembly disposed within a distal end of the bore. The split cam assembly is biased toward a closed configuration for engaging and retaining the head of a fastener, and is piovtable upon distal advancement of the attachment shank and distal bit, against the head, to release the head from engagement with the split cam assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: SHUR-A-TAK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Walter Heinrich Nagel, III, Michael Pintz, Michael Keller, Andrew Somrack
  • Patent number: 11673243
    Abstract: A blind rivet nut-setting tool includes an output shaft defining a longitudinal axis. The output shaft is moveable along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position. The blind rivet nut-setting tool further includes a first motor configured to rotate the output shaft about the longitudinal axis in response to an external force moving the output shaft in a rearward direction from the first position to the second position. The blind rivet nut-setting tool further includes a second motor configured to translate the output shaft along the longitudinal axis in the rearward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Blaine Vollmer
  • Patent number: 11673244
    Abstract: An oil filter wrench having a base, a main gear, a plurality of claws each having a gear portion and an arm configured to engage an oil filter. The gear portions are rotatably disposed within the base and configured to engage the main gear such that when the main gear rotates; the arms correspondingly extend or contract relative to the base. The oil filter wrench also includes a main spring. The main spring is disposed within a cavity defined by the main gear. The main spring is configured to selectively bias the main gear toward rotation in either a first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction. The oil filter wrench is characterised in that it also includes a switching mechanism a switching mechanism. The switching mechanism is configured to selectively toggle between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the switching mechanism engages a first tine of the main spring such that the main gear is biased to rotate in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: STANLEY BLACK & DECKER MEA FZE
    Inventors: Yu-Wei Tsai, Wan-Chiang Wang
  • Patent number: 11673245
    Abstract: A stapler for stapling sheet material with staples, each staple having two staple legs and a staple crown. The stapler having an anvil arm, with a stapling unit being pivotable relative to the anvil arm and including a staple magazine receiving the staples and a driver for pushing staples through the sheet material, with a base part, on which the anvil arm is mounted movably towards it, and with two two-armed bending levers pivotably mounted on the anvil arm about a respective pivot axis, each bending lever having a first and a second lever arm. Upon approach of the anvil arm to the base part, the second lever arms are pivoted and bend the staple legs. The pivot axes extend substantially perpendicular to the staple crowns and the second lever arms have end portions which are arranged offset to one another in the axial direction of the pivot axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Isaberg Rapid AB
    Inventor: Robert Ohlsson
  • Patent number: 11673246
    Abstract: A flat chisel (1) having a longitudinal axis (7), a shank (2) and a blade-shaped working section (5). The shank (2) has a striking surface (4) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (7). The working section (5) has a cutting edge (3) that is crosswise to the longitudinal axis (7). The cutting edge (3) is configured so as to be saddle-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Peter Gerold
  • Patent number: 11673247
    Abstract: An impact drill includes an output shaft capable of rotating around a first axis and moving along the first axis, a housing, a first impact block fixedly connected to the output shaft, a second impact block, a stopping element for stopping the output shaft from moving backward, and a movable element mounted on the housing. The housing is formed with a through hole for accommodating the movable element. The through hole passes through the housing in a first line and the movable element is capable of moving to a first position and a second position along the first line. When the movable element moves to the first position, the movable element prevents the output shaft from moving backward. When the movable element moves to the second position, the movable element allows the output shaft to move backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Nanjing Chervon Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei Lu, Fukinuki Masatoshi, Yasheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11673248
    Abstract: A cordless, hand-held power tool, such as a hammer drill/driver, an impact driver, an impact wrench, etc., that includes a brushless direct current (“BLDC”) motor. Each of the hand-held power tool includes a removable and rechargeable battery pack, electronics, and a BLDC motor that have been designed and balanced to produce high-performance-capable (e.g., high-power, high-current, high-torque) hand-held power tool. The hand-held power tool is capable of delivering high instantaneous (i.e., short duration) current to the BLDC motor for short-duration high power operation and high continuous (i.e., long duration) current to the BLDC motor for long duration high power operation. Additionally, the short and long duration power is capable of being provided in a smaller (in size) and lighter (in weight) power tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Brandon L. Verbrugge, Matthew J. Mergener, Matthew P. Wycklendt, Jeffrey C. Hessenberger, Dennis J. Grzybowski
  • Patent number: 11673249
    Abstract: Hydraulic tool for driving a pulling and/or pressing device, comprising a drive shaft that can be mounted to a screwdriver, wherein the drive shaft is operable to drive a hydraulic pump that pumps hydraulic fluid into the operating chamber of a hydraulic power piston. The hydraulic tool may in particular be configured as a riveting or punching attachment for a cordless screwdriver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: WS Wieländer + Schill Professionelle Karosserie-Spezialwerkzeuge GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Reitzig
  • Patent number: 11673250
    Abstract: In an improved air inlet valve assembly, a flow of air along a first or second flow path may be controlled by a position of air inlet guide surfaces of a rotatable valve relative to air inlet guide slots of a fixed valve sleeve. Air flowing along the first flow path may rotate a motor in a first direction to operate the tool in a forward mode. Air flowing along the second flow path may rotate the motor in the second direction to operate the tool in a reverse mode. In the forward mode, as air flows along the first flow path, air may be discharged along a primary discharge path, with a portion of the second flow path providing a secondary discharge path. In the reverse mode, as air flows along the second flow path, air may be discharged along the primary discharge path, with a portion of the first flow path providing the secondary discharge path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Sandipkumar D. Patel, Ross A. Billings, Andrew J. Birkel
  • Patent number: 11673251
    Abstract: A cooling device for a hand-held power tool, in particular an angle grinder, includes a first air guide channel configured to guide a first airflow and a first air inlet opening configured to guide the first airflow into a housing of the hand-held power tool. The first airflow is guided such that the first airflow extends/flows from the first air inlet opening to a side of the housing that faces away from the first air inlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Schneider, Elmar Feder, Manfred Lutz
  • Patent number: 11673252
    Abstract: A self-aligning tool guide has a holder for securing a portable power tool for working on a ceiling, a lifting mechanism, and a self-balancing chassis. The holder is mounted on the lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism has a propulsion system for raising the holder parallel to a lifting axis. The self-balancing chassis has two wheels on a wheel axis and a drive coupled to the two wheels. A sensor serves for detecting a contact pressure of the holder, the contact pressure acting in the direction of gravitational force. The control station activates the propulsion system depending on the detected contact pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Peer Schmidt, Dario Bralla, Serhey Khandozhko
  • Patent number: 11673253
    Abstract: An exoskeleton includes a first support, a second support, and a joint connecting the first and second supports. An actuator causes relative rotation between the first and second supports at the joint. The actuator includes a motor, a ball screw, a ball nut, and a yoke. The motor causes translation of the yoke via the ball screw and the ball nut. In some embodiments, the actuator further includes a roller and a joint cam having a track. Translation of the yoke causes movement of the roller within the track, and movement of the roller within the track causes rotation of the joint cam. In other embodiments, the actuator further includes a linkage and a joint crank. Translation of the yoke causes movement of the linkage, and movement of the linkage causes rotation of the joint crank. Rotation of the joint cam or the joint crank causes relative rotation between the first and second supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Ekso Bionics, Inc.
    Inventor: Aaron Julin
  • Patent number: 11673254
    Abstract: A porter module includes: a main body having a space formed between a left body and a right body spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction; a left pressing body disposed on the left body; a right pressing body disposed on the right body and disposed to face the left pressing body; and an adjusting mechanism installed in the main body and moving at least one of the left pressing body and the right pressing body to adjust an interval between the left pressing body and the right pressing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Chungin Jung, Sunho Yang, Eulpyo Hong
  • Patent number: 11673255
    Abstract: A box handling system is disclosed for use in an object processing system. The box handling system includes a box tray including a recessed area for receiving a box, and the recessed area includes a plurality of floor and edge portions for receiving the box that contains objects to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Amend, Jr., William Chu-Hyon McMahan, Joseph Romano, Victoria Hinchey, Jennifer Eileen King, Thomas Wagner
  • Patent number: 11673256
    Abstract: A coordinate positioning machine that includes: a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a hexapod metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume, and a non-hexapod drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume. Also, a coordinate positioning machine including a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume in fewer than six degrees of freedom, and a metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume in more degrees of freedom than the drive arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: RENISHAW PLC
    Inventor: Stephen Mark Angood
  • Patent number: 11673257
    Abstract: An assembly includes a first component including an arm having a first end and a second end, a plurality of nuts positioned within an interior of the arm, a yoke cap, a plurality of fasteners threadably coupled with the plurality of nuts to affix the yoke cap to the first end of the arm, and a second component positioned between the first end of the arm and the yoke cap. The second component is rotatable about an axis relative to the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: FARO Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Phipps, Dragos M. Stanescu
  • Patent number: 11673258
    Abstract: A modular robotic device is provided. The modular robotic device includes a robot base and a robotic manipulator connected to the robot base and operable to articulate a tool device connected to an end of the robotic manipulator. The robotic manipulator includes a plurality of modular rigid segments, wherein each of the plurality of modular rigid segments includes a joint portion and each operable to be selectably connected to the robotic manipulator. The plurality of modular rigid segments is interchangeable and operable to be assembled in various combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Carlos Y. Sakuramoto, Saulo Melotti, Fabiano Preisler, Gustavo R. Ascenção, Douglas Negri
  • Patent number: 11673259
    Abstract: This application describes multi-stage stop devices for robotic arms. During a first stage, rotational motion of a link of a robotic arm compresses a compressible member of the multi-stage stop device to absorb and dissipate at least some of the force generated by the collision. A second stage provides a hard stop the stops any further rotation. The multi-stage stop devices described herein can include a collapsing pin configured to compress a compressible member during the first stage. After the pin has collapsed a rigid sidewall provides a hard stop preventing further rotation during the second stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel P. Norboe
  • Patent number: 11673260
    Abstract: A system and method for gripping a cylindrical object. The system including: a housing; a plurality of gripping arms in the housing, the gripping arms in pairs each on an opposite side of a centerline plane from another; and a driving wedge in the housing and configured such that movement of the driving wedge moves each pair of gripping arms towards or away from each other while remaining equidistant from the centerline plane. The method including: opening the plurality of gripping arms against a bias by sliding a wedge in a first direction to slide the plurality of gripping arms apart while maintaining an equal predetermined distance from a part alignment position; placing a cylindrical body between the plurality of gripping arms; and closing the plurality of gripping arms by sliding the wedge in an opposite direction to allow the biasing force to close the gripping arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: ATS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roland Lindner, Ralph Rosenkranz
  • Patent number: 11673261
    Abstract: A manipulator including a shaft driven by a first motor, a rotatable unit, a linear slider, and a gripper is provided. The rotatable unit is coupled to the shaft, wherein the rotatable unit rotates with rotation of the shaft. The linear slider disposed on a first surface of the rotatable unit configured to slide from an initial position proximate to an outer edge of the rotatable unit to intermediate positions and to a final position proximate to a center of the rotatable unit. The gripper coupled to the linear slider to facilitate movement of the gripper along a first plane defined by the first surface of the rotatable unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Intelligrated Headquarters, LLC
    Inventor: Grant R. Jeremiah
  • Patent number: 11673262
    Abstract: A press working simulator according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a robot program storage section that stores a robot program that instructs a robot how to move; a press program storage section that stores a press program that instructs a press machine how to move; a profile data setting section that causes the press program storage section to store a press program according to profile data that records what position a die is in at each time point when the press machine is actually moved; a model placing section that places three-dimensional models of a workpiece, the robot, and the press machine in a virtual space; a press movement processing section that causes the three-dimensional model of the press machine to move according to the press program; and a robot movement processing section that causes the three-dimensional model of the robot to move according to the robot program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 11673263
    Abstract: A self-learning intelligent driving device including: a first neural network module for performing a corresponding action evaluation operation on an input image to generate at least one set of trajectory coordinates: a switching unit controlled by a switching signal, where when the switching signal is active, data received at a first port is sent to a second port, and when the switching signal is inactive, data received at the first port is sent to a third port; a second neural network module for performing a corresponding image evaluation operation on the at least one set of trajectory coordinates when the switching signal is active to generate at least one simulated trajectory image; and a driving unit having a robotic arm for generating at least one corresponding motion trajectory according to the at least one set of trajectory coordinates when the switching signal is inactive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL TAIWAN NORMAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Wei-Yen Wang, Chen-Chien Hsu, Yi-Hsing Chien, Min-Jie Hsu
  • Patent number: 11673264
    Abstract: A robot for performing an assembly operation is provided. The robot comprises a processor configured to determine a control law for controlling a plurality of motors of the robot to move a robotic arm according to an original trajectory, execute a self-exploration program to produce training data indicative of a space of the original trajectory, and learn, using the training data, a non-linear compliant control law including a non-linear mapping that maps measurements of a force sensor of the robot to a direction of corrections to the original trajectory defining the control law. The processor transforms the original trajectory according to a new goal pose to produce a transformed trajectory, update the control law according to the transformed trajectory to produce the updated control law, and command the plurality of motors to control the robotic arm according to the updated control law corrected with the compliance control law.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Nikolaev Nikovski, Diego Romeres, Devesh Jha, William Yerazunis
  • Patent number: 11673265
    Abstract: Faster, less computational intense, and more robust techniques to optimize velocity of robots or portions thereof without violating constraints on acceleration and jerk (derivative of acceleration with respect to time) are described. A nonlinear problem of optimizing velocity without violating acceleration constraints is linearized, and produces acceleration constrained velocity estimates. A nonlinear problem of optimizing velocity without violating jerk constraints in linearized, and produces jerk constrained velocity estimates, and may be feed by the acceleration constrained velocity estimates. Configuration and timing may be generated and provided, e.g., as vectors, to control operation of a robot, robotic appendage or other structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: REALTIME ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Barrett Ames
  • Patent number: 11673266
    Abstract: This control device for controlling the motion of a robot comprises a first processing part and a command part. The first processing part sets a first state of the robot and a second state to which the robot transitions from the first state as inputs, and sets at least one basic motion selected from a plurality of basic motions the robot is instructed to perform for transitioning from the first state to the second state and the order in which the basic motions are to be performed as outputs. Prescribed operating parameters are set for each of the basic motions. The command part executes motion commands for the robot on the basis of the output from the first processing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiya Shibata
  • Patent number: 11673267
    Abstract: A system includes a robot with a robot arm having multiple joints and an end effector to carry a substrate. A processing device is to build, with respect to a joint space for the multiple joints and the end effector, a graph of reachable positions and sub-paths between the reachable positions, wherein the reachable positions and the sub-paths satisfy Cartesian limits within the joint space. The processing device is to determine, by executing a graph optimization algorithm on the graph, multiple paths, each made up of a group of the sub-paths and having one of a shortest distance or a lowest cost between a start point and an end point of the end effector. The processing device is to select a path, of the multiple paths, through the graph that minimizes a move time of the end effector between the start point and the end point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Omar Abdul-hadi, Adam Christopher Cranmer, Gregory John Freeman
  • Patent number: 11673268
    Abstract: A cover for an automated robot includes elastic sheets that are adhered to each other in a geometry. The geometry is configured to allow the elastic sheets to expand and contract while the automated robot moves within its range of motion. The elastic sheets are attached to the automated robot by elasticity of the elastic sheets. A first group of the elastic sheets forms an elastic collar configured to grip the automated robot at a distal end and a proximal end of the cover in a non-breakable manner such that during operation of the robot, the elastic sheets hold their elasticity and integrity without breaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: David M.S. Johnson, Justin Rooney, Cody Chu, Anthony Tayoun
  • Patent number: 11673269
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method of identifying a dynamic obstacle and a robot implementing the same, wherein the robot configured to identify a dynamic obstacle may change mechanisms for identifying an obstacle in an image captured by a camera sensor in a first direction and for sensing the obstacle on the basis of a velocity of movement of the identified obstacle, a degree of congestion based on distribution of the obstacle and a velocity of movement of the robot, to generate a moving path of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Minjung Kim, Seungmin Baek, Jungsik Kim
  • Patent number: 11673270
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method of controlling a collaborative robot, or “cobot”. According to the disclosed method the “cobot” is controlled so as to make it ready to perform a task in collaboration with the human operator only when the latter is about to move into a work sector to carry out the task collaborating with the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: POLITECNICO DI MILANO, SMART ROBOTS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Andrea Maria Zanchettin, Luigi Piroddi, Paolo Rocco, Andrea Casalino
  • Patent number: 11673271
    Abstract: In a trajectory generation apparatus, position coordinates of an obstacle existing in a motion space of a robot arm is acquired. A hand position at a second time, which is a time next to a first time, is estimated by using a learning result of machine learning, based on the position coordinates of the obstacle, a subject joint state of the robot arm at the first time, and a target joint state of the robot arm. A non-interfering joint state of the robot arm at which the obstacle does not interfere with the robot arm at the second time is searched for by using the hand position as a restriction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Minoya
  • Patent number: 11673272
    Abstract: An inspection robot incudes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Loosararian, Michael A. Binger, Edward A. Bryner, Edwin H. Cho, Mark Cho, Alexander R. Cuti, Ignacio J. Cordova, Benjamin A. Guise, Dillon R. Jourde, Kevin Y. Low, Logan A. MacKenzie, Joshua D. Moore, Jeffrey J. Mrkonich, William J. Pridgen, Domenic P. Rodriguez, Francesco H. Trogu, Alex C. Watt, Yizhu Gu, Ian Miller, Todd Joslin, Katherine Virginia Denner, Michael Stephen Auda, Samuel Theodore Westenberg
  • Patent number: 11673273
    Abstract: An off-line programming apparatus includes a model creation unit that creates three-dimensional models of a robot and a load, a storage unit that stores a dynamic parameter of the load, a graphic creation unit that creates a three-dimensional graphic representing the dynamic parameter based on the dynamic parameter, and a display unit that displays the three-dimensional models of the robot and the load and the three-dimensional graphic. The dynamic parameter includes inertia around three axes that are orthogonal to one another at a centroid of the load. The three-dimensional graphic is a solid defined by dimensions in three directions orthogonal to one another. The graphic creation unit sets a ratio of the dimensions in the three directions of the three-dimensional graphic to a ratio corresponding to a ratio of the inertia around the three axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kokoro Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 11673274
    Abstract: An electronic circuit for a surgical robotic system includes a central power node, a first voltage bus that electrically couples a first power source to the node, a second voltage bus that electrically couples a second power source to the node, and several robotic arms, each arm is electrically coupled to the node via an output circuit breaker and is arranged to draw power from the node. Each bus is arranged to provide power from a respective power source to the node and each bus has an input circuit breaker that is arranged to limit a first output current flow from the node and into the bus. Each breaker that is arranged to limit a second output current flow from the node and into a respective arm. A breaker is arranged to open in response to a fault occurring within the respective arm, while the other breakers remain closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Verb Surgical Inc.
    Inventors: Rochelle Rea, Klaus Zietlow, Adam Hoffman, Yiqi Zeng
  • Patent number: 11673275
    Abstract: A method of teaching a robot including providing a pin at a location within a work station, and the robot in an area adjacent to the station. The robot having an arm and an end effector that pivots. The end effector has a through-beam sensor including a light emitter and a light receiver to sense when an object is present therebetween. The robot is moved to perform sensing operations in which the sensor senses the pin, such operations are performed while a position and/or an orientation of the end effector are varied to gather sensed position and orientation data. The sensing operations are performed such that the pin is located at different distances between the emitter and the receiver as the robot moves the sensor across the pin. Calculations are performed on the data to determine the location of the pin with respect to a coordinate system of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: YASKAWA AMERICA, INC., KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventor: John Charles Rogers
  • Patent number: 11673276
    Abstract: A suction assembly includes a main body, a sealing ring, an air duct, and a suction head. The main body includes a columnar wall, a top cover arranged at one end of the columnar wall and defining a first through hole, and a bottom cover arranged at another end of the columnar wall and defining a second through hole. The first through hole communicates with a negative pressure generating device. The sealing ring is sealed in the main body and movably arranged between the top cover and the bottom cover. The air duct includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end passes through the second through hole and is fixed in the sealing ring. The suction head is coupled to the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TRIPLE WIN TECHNOLOGY(SHENZHEN) CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Yun-Feng Wang, Yen-Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 11673277
    Abstract: A clamping device comprises an inner rod, a sliding handle, one or more claws, a top yoke, a bottom yoke, a spring, and a counterweight. The sliding handle surrounds and slides about the inner rod. The top yoke is coupled to the inner rod and each claw is coupled to the top yoke. The bottom yoke is coupled to the sliding handle and each claw is coupled to the bottom yoke via linkage bars. The inner rod is coupled to the counterweight. The spring extends between the sliding handle and the counterweight. The claws, top yoke, linkage bars, and bottom yoke form four-bar linkages. The clamping device clamps an object via a spring force transferred to the claws via the four-bar linkages. Each claw provides an equivalent clamping force independent of orientation of the apparatus. Spring tension is configurable by threading the inner rod into and out of the counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventors: Jonathan Edward Bussing, Edward Anthony Bussing
  • Patent number: 11673278
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a robot joint member, a dynamic joint and a robot with a heat dissipation structure. The joint member has a hollow barrel structure disposed to sleeve a heat source component, and a plurality of phase change heat dissipation units; the phase change heat dissipation unit comprises a phase change working medium, a capillary material and a sealed phase change cavity; heat dissipation auxiliary ribs are arranged on a periphery of the barrel wall of the joint member and a side of the phase change heat dissipation unit away from the heat source component; and the heat dissipation auxiliary ribs define a plurality of gas flow channels with cross sections gradually reduced along a gas flow direction. The joint member has can quickly eliminate the heat accumulation of the joint power source, and can keep a compact structure of the dynamic joint of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Beijing Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Qiang Huang, Wu Zhang, Donglin Qiu, Zhangguo Yu, Xingzhong Liu
  • Patent number: 11673279
    Abstract: A workspace isolated from an exterior space by a partition, a glove provided to the partition so that an external surface thereof is exposed to the workspace and an internal surface thereof communicates with the exterior space, and a robot configured to insert an arm into the glove and perform a work in the workspace. The glove includes, at a tip-end part thereof, an operating part provided inside the glove, and a hand part provided so as to be exposed to the workspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Kazunori Hirata
  • Patent number: 11673280
    Abstract: A folding knife has a handle and a blade with a working end and a tang, the blade being coupled to the handle and pivotable relative to the handle about a fold axis between an open position and a closed position. A toggle is coupled to the handle and pivotable relative to the handle about a toggle axis, the toggle axis being located a radial distance from the fold axis. A free end of the toggle has an open lock face located a radial distance from the toggle axis. A primary lock face on the tang is located on the opposite side of the fold axis from the working end. When the blade is in the open position, the open lock face engages the primary lock face to prevent rotation of the blade toward the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TransEquatorial Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Randall, Michael B. Alford
  • Patent number: 11673281
    Abstract: A cutting and snipping device includes a housing having a front, an opposed rear, an open mouth at the front, opposed sides extending from the front to the rear and each formed with longitudinal slots, and a head projecting from the rear, wherein a blade set into the head is exposed between the head and the rear of the housing. The device includes scissor arms, each having a cutting edge at a front end, an opposed rear end, and a grip extending between the front end and the rear end. The scissor arms are mounted within the housing for scissored movement with respect to each other and for reciprocal movement with respect to the housing between a forward position in which the cutting edges are advanced out of the mouth and a retracted position in which the cutting edges are retracted within the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Vance P. Zahorski
  • Patent number: 11673282
    Abstract: Sensor-based shaving systems and methods of analyzing a user's shave event are described for determining a unique threshold value of the user. A grooming device comprises a handle having a connecting structure connected to a hair cutting implement. A shave event sensor associated with the grooming device measures a user behavior, which includes collecting a first dataset comprising shave data defining a shave event. The first dataset is transmitted via a communication device and is analyzed to determine baseline behavior data of the user, and a unique threshold value of the user is determined from the baseline behavior data. One or more subsequent datasets, each comprising shave data of one or more corresponding shave events, is compared to the unique threshold value to determine comparison data. An indication is provided, based on the comparison data, to indicate a deviation from the threshold value and to influence the user behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC
    Inventors: Ian Anthony Good, Balasundram Periasamy Amavasai, Christopher Francis Rawlings, Amanda Washington, Susan Clare Robinson, Claus Hittmeyer, Werner Friedrich Johann Bonifer, Weiyan Yang, Angela Louise Richardson, Alexander James Hinchliffe Friend, Nicola Dawn Dixon, Shirley Namubiru, Joshua Thomas Kissel, Michael Thomas Roller, Venugopal Vasudevan, Robert Thomas Hinkle
  • Patent number: 11673283
    Abstract: A shaving apparatus including a handle and a cartridge connected to an upper end of the handle is provided. The cartridge includes at least two sub-cartridges connected to each other in a rigid connection or a detachable connection. Each of the sub-cartridges includes one or more blades extending outwardly at an acute angle relative to a face of the sub-cartridge and projecting generally away from a central longitudinal axis of the cartridge. The blades of a first of the two sub-cartridges are parallel to the blades of a second of the two sub-cartridges and positioned in a direction that opposes a direction of the blades of the second of the two sub-cartridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Inventor: Kwadwo Appiah
  • Patent number: 11673284
    Abstract: A cutting device includes: a movable blade; a moving mechanism moving the movable blade and having a first mechanism portion movable between a first operating position and a first non-operating position and a second mechanism portion movable between a second operating position and a second non-operating position; a first detecting portion and a second detecting portion detecting positions of the first mechanism portion and the second mechanism portion; and a controller configured to perform: setting, when one of the first detecting portion and the second detecting portion detects abnormally, updated positions of the first operating position and the second operating position or the first non-operating position and the second non-operating position. The updated positions are set based on detection result of another of the first detecting portion and the second detecting portion and are new start points of movement of the first mechanism portion and the second mechanism portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Mizutani