Patents Issued in September 17, 2024
  • Patent number: 12090656
    Abstract: A method of manipulating boxes includes receiving a minimum box size for a plurality of boxes varying in size located in a walled container. The method also includes dividing a grip area of a gripper into a plurality of zones. The method further includes locating a set of candidate boxes based on an image from a visual sensor. For each zone, the method additionally includes, determining an overlap of a respective zone with one or more neighboring boxes to the set of candidate boxes. The method also includes determining a grasp pose for a target candidate box that avoids one or more walls of the walled container. The method further includes executing the grasp pose to lift the target candidate box by the gripper where the gripper activates each zone of the plurality of zones that does not overlap a respective neighboring box to the target candidate box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Boston Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sachin Chitta, David Hershberger, Karl Pauwels
  • Patent number: 12090657
    Abstract: A robot includes: a drive link; two parallel passive links coupled to the drive link; and a support mechanism having two shafts. Each shaft is fixed to each of the passive links so that each shaft is engaged with a through-hole at an intermediate position of each of the passive links along a longitudinal axis thereof, and an auxiliary link rotatably attached to the shafts by bearings in which the shafts engage. The through-hole is formed in a direction that is orthogonal to a plane including the longitudinal axis. Each shaft includes a first shaft section engaged with the through-hole and abutting on one end surface, a second shaft section engaged with the through-hole and abutting on another end surface, and a fastening section applying a force in a direction that causes the first shaft section and the second shaft section to approach each other within the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kentarou Ootani
  • Patent number: 12090658
    Abstract: A servo motor includes a housing, a rotor, a stator, a planetary reduction mechanism, a first Hall magnet, Hall switches, a second Hall magnet, and a position sensor; the rotor, stator, the planetary reduction mechanism, and the position senor are arranged in the housing. The rotor has a rotor support and a rotor shaft; the planetary reduction mechanism includes a sun gear, a planetary carrier, and planetary gears; a reduction ratio of the planetary reduction mechanism is N:1, where N is a positive integer; the first Hall magnet is arranged on the planetary carrier; the Hall switches correspond to the first Hall magnet and are arranged in the housing at even intervals around a rotation axis of the rotor shaft. The number of Hall switches is N; the second Hall magnet is arranged on the rotor; and the position sensor is opposite the second Hall magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Robot Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yiyang Liu, Wenping Guo, Xiaomao Wei, Fang Zhi, Shuang Li
  • Patent number: 12090659
    Abstract: A table (122) for holding a beam-cut piece of material (204) including at least one beam-cut part (202). The table (122) comprises a holder (114) holding a raster structure (120) configured to hold the beam-cut piece of material (204). The raster structure (120) comprises raster sections (802) comprising parallel members (804). The table (122) comprises a movable rib structure (902). The rib structure (902) comprises ribs (904). At least one of the ribs (904) is movable between two neighbouring members (804). The rib structure (902) lifts the at least one part (202), or the beam-cut piece of material (204), or a section (208) of the beam-cut piece of material including at least one part of the beam-cut piece of material, or a remainder (206) of the beam-cut piece of material from a resting position on the raster section (802).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: TOMOLOGIC AB
    Inventor: Magnus Norberg Ohlsson
  • Patent number: 12090660
    Abstract: A calculation device, a calculation method, and a storage medium are provided. The present invention is provided with: a first calculation unit which, with respect to input data, performs calculations relating to predetermined processing by using a first model in which a corresponding relationship between input data and output data changes by performing machine learning that uses learning data, and outputs a first output; a second calculation unit which, with respect to input data, performs calculations relating to predetermined processing using a second model for which the correspondence relationship between input data and output data is fixed, and outputs a second output; and a comparison unit which, on the basis of a comparison result obtained by comparing the first output and the second output with a prescribed determination standard, outputs the first output, the second output, or a third output that is a combination of the first and second outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Kennosuke Hayashi, Yoshiya Shibata, Yu Tomono, Chisato Saito
  • Patent number: 12090661
    Abstract: A velocity control-based robotic system is disclosed. In various embodiments, sensor data is received from one or more sensors deployed in a physical space in which a robot is located. A processor is used to determine based at least in part on the sensor data an at least partly velocity-based trajectory along which to move an element comprising the robot. A command to implement the velocity-based trajectory is sent to the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Dexterity, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhouwen Sun, Samir Menon, Kevin Jose Chavez, Toby Leonard Baker, David Leo Tondreau, III, Andrew Nguyen, Cuthbert Sun
  • Patent number: 12090662
    Abstract: A method is described for selecting evaluation points for a Bayesian optimization method for optimizing a physical or chemical process that is modeled by a statistical model. The method includes the ascertainment of a posterior model of the statistical model in accordance with the results of one or multiple evaluations at previous evaluation points and the selection of a next evaluation point by optimizing an acquisition function over a search space, which is given by a specified limit for the predictive variance of the points in the search space given by the posterior model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Edgar Klenske, Lukas Froehlich
  • Patent number: 12090663
    Abstract: Disclosed are a robot arm control method, a skin surface treatment apparatus, and a computer-readable memory medium, which relate to the field of mechanical control. the robot arm control method includes steps of: demarcating a to-be-treated surface of an object treated by a robot arm into at least two areas of interest; obtaining, by a three-dimensional scanning device, a three-dimensional point cloud corresponding to each area of interest; optimizing respective three-dimensional point clouds; merging the respective three-dimensional point clouds to obtain an executive point cloud; creating a motion path for the robot arm based on the executive point cloud; and performing, by the robot arm, a treatment to the surface of the object based on the motion path. Compared with conventional technologies, the disclosure has a better cost-effectiveness, an enhanced treatment efficiency, and an improved apparatus safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Lin Chun Man Anthony
    Inventor: Chun Man Anthony Lin
  • Patent number: 12090664
    Abstract: An interference avoidance device is provided with: a three-dimensional sensor that is attached to a tip portion of a robot arm and acquires a distance image of an area around a robot; a position data creating portion that converts coordinates of a nearby object in the distance image to coordinates on a robot coordinate system and creates the position data of the nearby object based on the coordinates of the nearby object on the robot coordinate system; a storage portion that stores the position data; and a control portion that controls the robot based on the robot coordinate system; and the control portion controls the robot to avoid interference of the robot with the nearby object, based on the position data stored in the storage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumikazu Warashina, Yuta Namiki, Kyouhei Kokubo
  • Patent number: 12090665
    Abstract: A method includes generating a workspace model having one or more digital robots, one or more digital sensors, and a digital transport system. The method includes simulating, for a task of the one or more digital robots, a sensor operation of the one or more digital sensors within the workspace model based on sensor characteristics of the one or more digital sensors. The method includes identifying, for the task of the one or more digital robots, an undetectable area within the workspace model based on the simulated sensor operation. The method includes selectively positioning, by a transport system, a set of sensors from among the one or more sensors based on the undetectable areas associated with the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory P. Linkowski, Ling Zhu, Meghna Menon, Geoffrey Horowitz, Mario Anthony Santillo
  • Patent number: 12090666
    Abstract: A path generation device including an acquisition unit, a setting unit, and a path generation unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire pose information relating to an initial pose and a target pose of a robot, position information relating to a position of the robot, obstacle information including a position of an obstacle present in a range of interference with the robot, and specification information relating to a specification including a shape of the robot. The setting unit is configured to, based on a positional relationship between the robot and the obstacle, set a clearance amount representing an amount of clearance to avoid the interference for at least one out of the robot or an obstacle present in a range of interference with the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norikazu Tonogai, Haruka Fujii, Takeshi Kojima
  • Patent number: 12090667
    Abstract: A planning system includes flow generating circuitry, confirmation circuitry, and update circuitry. The flow generating circuitry is configured to generate a task flow which includes work tasks predetermined based on a concurrent execution constraint with respect to concurrent execution of tasks performed by robots and connection tasks to be connected to the work tasks. The confirmation circuitry is configured to determine whether at least one of the robots interferes with an object in the connection tasks. The update circuitry is configured to update the concurrent execution constraint when the at least one of the robots is determined to interfere with the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Makoto Takahashi, Wataru Watanabe, Yutaro Uchida, Ryo Kabutan
  • Patent number: 12090668
    Abstract: A robot control system determines which of a number of discretizations to use to generate discretized representations of robot swept volumes and to generate discretized representations of the environment in which the robot will operate. Obstacle voxels (or boxes) representing the environment and obstacles therein are streamed into the processor and stored in on-chip environment memory. At runtime, the robot control system may dynamically switch between multiple motion planning graphs stored in off-chip or on-chip memory. The dynamically switching between multiple motion planning graphs at runtime enables the robot to perform motion planning at a relatively low cost as characteristics of the robot itself change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: REALTIME ROBOTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Sorin, George Konidaris, Sean Murray, William Floyd-Jones
  • Patent number: 12090669
    Abstract: Provided is an off-line simulation system that enables performance of efficient vision correction training. This vision correction training system for vision correction training is provided with a head mount display capable of displaying an image in a virtual space, and a teaching device communicably connected to the head mount display. The teaching device has: a vision correction unit that, on the basis of a captured image captured by a camera after the position of a workpiece has been moved, performs vision correction on a predetermined movement; and a correction confirmation unit that confirms that the vision correction is appropriately performed on the predetermined movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuusuke Murata, Hiromitsu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 12090670
    Abstract: A transfer robot includes one arm, another arm, a motor, and a brake. The another arm is connected to the one arm via a shaft such that the another arm is rotatable relatively with respect to the one arm around a shaft axis of the shaft. The motor includes a rotor rotatable around the shaft axis to rotate the another arm around the shaft axis, and a stator connected to the one arm. The brake is provided at the another arm to apply a force to the stator so as to suppress relative rotation between the stator and the rotor when electric power is not supplied to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Osamu Harada, Toshiyuki Harada, Kentaro Yotsuji
  • Patent number: 12090671
    Abstract: A robotic fleet platform for configuring robot fleets with additive manufacturing capabilities includes a fleet resources data store that maintains a fleet resource inventory indicating additive manufacturing systems that can be provisioned with fleet resources and, for each additive manufacturing system, a set of 3D printing requirements, printing instructions that define configuring an on-demand production system for 3D printing, and a status of the additive manufacturing system. The platform includes additive manufacturing system provisioning rules that are accessible to an intelligence layer to ensure that provisioned additive manufacturing systems comply with the provisioning rules. The platform receives a request for a robotic fleet to perform a job and determine a job definition data structure based on the request. The job definition data structure defines a set of tasks for the job. The platform deploys the robotic fleet based on the robotic fleet configuration data structure to perform the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Strong Force VCN Portfolio 2019, LLC
    Inventors: Charles H. Cella, Brad Kell, Teymour S. El-Tahry, Andrew Cardno, Leon Fortin
  • Patent number: 12090672
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, from a sensor on a robotic device, a captured image representative of an environment of the robotic device when the robotic device is at a location in the environment. The method also includes determining, based at least on the location of the robotic device, a rendered image representative of the environment of the robotic device. The method further includes determining, by applying at least one pre-trained machine learning model to at least the captured image and the rendered image, a property of one or more portions of the captured image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Ammar Husain
  • Patent number: 12090673
    Abstract: A control apparatus according to one or more embodiments may calculate a first estimate value of the coordinates of an endpoint of a manipulator based on first sensing data obtained from a first sensor system, calculates a second estimate value of the coordinates of the endpoint of the manipulator based on second sensing data obtained from a second sensor system, and adjust a parameter value for at least one of a first estimation model or a second estimation model to reduce an error between the first estimate value and the second estimate value based on a gradient of the error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yohei Okawa, Kennosuke Hayashi, Yoshiya Shibata
  • Patent number: 12090674
    Abstract: A shaving unit for a shaving apparatus including a cutting unit, a main input spindle coupled to each cutting unit to drive an internal cutting member, and a system for adjusting operational parameters of the shaving unit. The adjustment system includes an adjustment input drive member drivable by the spindle, a unidirectional coupling member for coupling the spindle and the adjustment input drive member, when rotating in a first direction, such that the adjustment input drive member is driven by the spindle. A decoupled condition of the spindle and the adjustment input drive member is also provided when the spindle rotates in a second direction, such that the spindle is prevented from driving the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Marcus Cornelis Petrelli
  • Patent number: 12090675
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a beard trimmer with a handle and a motorized cutting unit having a cutting head and a motor. The motorized cutting unit is attached to a cylindrical movable unit that slides in a complementary cylindrical shape located inside the handle or forming the handle. A resilient means is positioned behind the movable unit. This resilient means is adapted to dampen the pressure of the motorized cutting unit on the skin during use and to create a return force. This return force allows the movable unit to return to its equilibrium position after having released the pressure of the motorized cutting unit on the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: BABYLISS FACO SRL
    Inventors: Aubry Ernotte, Pierre Julemont
  • Patent number: 12090676
    Abstract: A shaving cartridge with a housing having a primary guard and a secondary cap. A bridge member is integrally molded with the housing. The bridge member has a plurality of spaced apart parallel ribs. The plurality of spaced part ribs define a primary cap surface and a secondary guard surface. A first blade having a cutting edge is mounted to the housing between the primary guard and the primary cap surface. A second blade having a cutting edge extending in a same direction as the cutting edge of the first blade is mounted to the housing between the secondary guard surface and the secondary cap. The cutting edge of the first blade and the cutting edge of the second blade define an interblade span greater than 3.0 mm. The plurality of spaced apart parallel ribs define a plurality of rinse openings extending through the bridge member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC
    Inventor: Vincent Paul Walker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 12090677
    Abstract: An apparatus for demonstrating at least a first shaving razor, having a first shaving surface with a first lubrication member, may include a first sheet of paper, a liquid composition, and a light source transmitting ultraviolet light onto the first sheet of paper. The liquid composition may include water and an ultraviolet dye. The apparatus may position the shaving razor to engage the first sheet of paper and to allow relative motion between the first lubrication member and the first sheet of paper such that the first lubrication member deposits the liquid composition onto the first sheet of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Lorenzo Whitmore, IV
  • Patent number: 12090678
    Abstract: Provided herein is a paper cutter, including: a paper cutter housing which includes an accommodating space for accommodating a roll of paper to be cut, where a side wall of the paper cutter housing further includes two parallel guide rails, a holding portion is arranged on an outer wall of the paper cutter housing, and a pressure direction of the holding portion is capable of being perpendicular to a plane formed by the two parallel guide rails; and a paper cutting device which is connected to the side wall of the paper cutter housing and includes a cutter assembly, where the cutter assembly includes an object picking member and a cutter, and a direction corresponding to a cutting edge of the cutter is opposite to a paper feeding direction of the paper to be cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Inventor: Yong Liu
  • Patent number: 12090679
    Abstract: Device for cutting a syringe having a barrel with a flange at a proximal end thereof, the barrel containing a liquid, a plunger provided in the barrel and sealing the liquid specimen therein, said cutting device comprising: a jig for supporting a syringe, the jig including a proximal wall and a distal wall, a first through-hole defined in the proximal wall and a second through-hole defined in the distal wall; wherein the first and second through-holes are coaxially aligned and are sized to closely approximate the barrel; the first through-hole including a counter bore such that a distal end of the first through-hole closely approximates the barrel and a proximal end of the first through-hole closely approximates the syringe flange; a blade pivotably supported between the proximal and distal walls; wherein the blade cuts the proximal end of the syringe with the flanges without contaminating the liquid within the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: PRP TECHNOLOGIES INC
    Inventor: Marcin Kowalewski
  • Patent number: 12090680
    Abstract: A sheet processing machine includes a processing device including a processing blade; a drive shaft related to an operation of the processing blade; a shaft drive motor; a rotational position detection unit that detects a rotational position of the drive shaft; a width direction drive motor that moves the processing device; and a control unit, in which the control unit controls the shaft drive motor so that the drive shaft is at a predetermined rotational position based on the rotational position of the drive shaft detected by the rotational position detection unit, and controls the width direction drive motor so that the processing device moves to a predetermined processing position while the drive shaft maintains the predetermined rotational position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Inventors: Masahiko Mori, Takaaki Maeda
  • Patent number: 12090681
    Abstract: A nosebar is supported by supports arranged along the longitudinal direction, and the supports are assembled to fixtures to swing independently of each other in a direction away from a log according to the reaction force of the pressing force acting on the supports. Thus, when a knife peels a knot part of the log or a fragment of the log enters a cutting edge, the portion of the nosebar pressing the knot part or corresponding to the location where the fragment enters the cutting edge is greatly deformed, while the deformation of the nosebar in the other portions is kept small. A corner of the nosebar is prevented from contacting the peeled portion of the raw wood and generating a gap when the nosebar is bent and deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Koike
  • Patent number: 12090682
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally deformed plate made of a wood fiber material comprises providing a prefabricated, flat wood fiber material plate as the original plate, preheating the original plate in sections, wetting the preheated section of the original plate with an atomized liquid mixture of water and a separating agent, introducing a section of the original plate that is preheated and wetted with a liquid mixture of water and a separating agent between two rollers of a molding station, wherein the rollers respectively provide a corrugated profile in the peripheral direction of the external surface, such that the original plate is being deformed in sections into a plate with a wave shape, wherein rollers are being used, the respective profiling of which has half-waves which follow one another in the peripheral direction and which at least partially have a different extension in the peripheral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Homann Holzwerkstoffe GmbH
    Inventors: Fritz Homann, Markus Wahlen, Micha Wessel, Matthias Schulte
  • Patent number: 12090683
    Abstract: A composite transparent film, a preparation method thereof and a method for continuous digital light processing ceramic 3D printing based on the same are provided. The method selects a mixture of silica microspheres and PDMS to form a composite film on which silica is used to form a hydrophobic layer. Combined with specific optimized parameters, the film is more suitable for continuous digital light processing ceramic 3D printing, which can realize the continuous printing of ceramic slurries, solve the problem of delamination of printed pieces obtained by the existing 3D printing method of ceramics, improve the printing accuracy, and decrease the printing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: QINGDAO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Guangming Zhang, Jin Jiang, Hongbo Lan, Fei Wang, Daosen Song, Hui Huang, Wenhai Li, Zun Yu
  • Patent number: 12090684
    Abstract: Provided herein are rapid, high quality film sintering processes that include high-throughput continuous sintering of lithium-lanthanum zirconium oxide (lithium-stuffed garnet). The instant disclosure sets forth equipment and processes for making high quality, rapidly-processed ceramic electrolyte films. These processes include high-throughput continuous sintering of lithium-lanthanum zirconium oxide for use as electrolyte films. In certain processes, the film is not in contact with any surface as it sinters (i.e., during the sintering phase).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: QuantumScape Battery, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Holme, Martin M. Winterkorn, John Olenick, David Berkstresser, Matthew Sheffield, Yamini Mohan, Yi Zhou, Lucas Broganer
  • Patent number: 12090685
    Abstract: Provided is a wire sawing device comprising an ingot temperature controller, the wire sawing device comprising: a chamber; an ingot clamp supporting an ingot inside the chamber; a first roller and a second roller; a wire which is wound around the first roller and the second roller and cuts the ingot into a plurality of wafers by rotating; a temperature measuring unit which is mounted inside the chamber, in which the ingot is cut, and measures the temperature of the ingot; and a heater unit mounted inside the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: SK SILTRON CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Young Il Jin
  • Patent number: 12090686
    Abstract: A mould aligner is used to align and lock a first mould and a second mould for moulding shell parts of a wind turbine blade. The mould aligner includes a first alignment segment configured to be attached to a first mould and a second alignment segment configured to be attached to a second mould. The second alignment segment includes a hydraulic cylinder having a barrel and a piston rod. The piston rod is axially displaceable and rotatable with respect to the barrel. The hydraulic cylinder includes a lock part having a first rod part and a locking element being provided on the first rod part. The first rod part is configured for being received in and engaged in the locking cavity of the first alignment segment. The hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder part comprising the barrel and a second rod part having a piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: LM WIND POWER A/S
    Inventors: Johnny Eriksen, Silviu Gabriel Hanachiuc, Poul Jakobsen
  • Patent number: 12090687
    Abstract: A method of creating a polymer surface with surface structures is disclosed. The method includes creating a mold, forming a metal sheet into the molds, creating a surface structure on a surface of the metal sheet by exposing the surface to laser pulses, and bringing a curable polymer to be in contact with the surface of the metal sheet containing the surface structure, curing the curable polymer, and separating the cured polymer from the metal sheet, resulting in a polymer surface containing the surface structure. The polymer surfaces with the surface structures can be hydrophobic or superhydrophobic depending on the micro and nano features contained by the surface structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Yung C. Shin, Shashank Sarbada
  • Patent number: 12090688
    Abstract: A film stretching apparatus includes: a pair of first and second link devices configured to be able to carry and stretch a film and each composed of a plurality of links coupled to form an endless chain; a heat treatment unit configured to cover a central portion of the first and second link devices and perform a heat treatment to the film; a sprocket (first link drive mechanism) arranged outside the heat treatment unit and on an inlet side of the film and configured to drive the plurality of links; a sprocket (second link drive mechanism) arranged outside the heat treatment unit and on an outlet side of the film and configured to drive the plurality of links; and a sprocket (link adjustment mechanism) arranged outside the heat treatment unit and on the outlet side of the film and configured to reduce a pitch of the plurality of links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: THE JAPAN STEEL WORKS, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoaki Yoshimatsu, Ichiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 12090689
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a thin construction element (10) in sandwich lightweight construction having a high-quality surface (26). Including the steps of deep drawing a substrate film, placing the deep-drawn film into a cavity of a die, introducing partially expanded particles onto the substrate, heating to completely expanded the particle foam, curing the expanded particle foam, and opening the die to remove the molded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: PARAT TECHNOLOGY GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Maximilian Prinz, Tobias Schmid
  • Patent number: 12090690
    Abstract: Provided are a foamed product with a high level of design, and the like. The problem is solved by a foamed product including: a foam medium with a first part protruded by foaming and a second part that is lower than the first part; and a decorative part with a plurality of decorative particles, formed only in the second part of the first part and the second part, and a manufacturing method for a foamed product, including: a first step of foaming a foam medium to form, in the foam medium, a first part protruded by the foaming and a second part that is lower than the first part; and a second step of fixing a plurality of decorative particles only to the second part of the first part and the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Yamada, Isao Kurashima
  • Patent number: 12090691
    Abstract: A method of making a vehicle interior panel having a molded-in airbag door includes cutting a hinge layer of the panel while the hinge layer is supported in a panel molding tool. The hinge layer can be in the form of a reinforcing net and is cut along a perimeter of the airbag door away from the airbag door hinge. The cutting occurs in the molding tool either before or after molding material is introduced into the mold cavity. The cutting also occurs before, during, or after the molding tool is closed from an open condition. A cutter of the molding tool is either stationary or moveable with respect to the portion of the molding tool from which it extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Gerardo Lopez Martinez, Antonio Esteban Guzman, Armando Barrios Zitlalpopoca
  • Patent number: 12090692
    Abstract: An injection molding system including an injection molding apparatus that performs injection molding, and a conveyor apparatus configured to insert a mold through an opening of the injection molding apparatus, wherein the improvement to the injection molding system includes the injection molding apparatus further comprising a first door configured to restrict access via a first opening when a first door is closed and a second door configured to restrict access via a second opening when a second door is closed, and a controller configured to start injection molding with the mold in a case where the first door is partially opened and the second door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignees: Canon Virginia, Inc., Canon U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Koki Kodaira, Yuichi Yanahara, Yohei Minatoya
  • Patent number: 12090693
    Abstract: A co-injection molding apparatus may mold an injection product that includes a skin layer forming an outer surface by a first material and a core layer surrounded by the skin layer and having an interior formed by a second material. The co-injection molding apparatus may include an injection mold configured to form an injection space to be injection molded by the first material and the second material, a first injector configured to inject the first material, a second injector configured to inject the second material different from the first material and positioned between the first injector and the injection mold, and a runner configured to connect the first injector, the second injector, and the injection mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Eunsu Jo
  • Patent number: 12090694
    Abstract: An injection molding system and method are disclosed. The injection molding system includes a molding device and injector. The molding device defines a mold cavity and includes an inlet portion in communication with the mold cavity. The injector includes a discharging channel. An end portion of the inlet portion and an end portion of the discharging channel have non-planar end surfaces respectively, which are engageable with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KING STEEL MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ching-Hao Chen, Liang-Hui Yeh
  • Patent number: 12090695
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for manufacturing polymer parts, comprising: a material-injection portion, a mould movable between at least one open position and a closed position, the mould comprising an outer mould portion, wherein the injection portion is suitable for injecting material into the closed mould so as to form at least one part when the injection portion is connected to the closed mould, and wherein the system is suitable for moving the injection portion relative to the mould after injection, the outer portion being kept in contact with the part formed by injection in order to cool the part during the movement of the injection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Groupe JBT
    Inventors: Dominique Malfroy, Laurent Lavina, Philippe Janod, Rémy Michaud
  • Patent number: 12090696
    Abstract: Provided is a cooling module to which a microporous cooling structure is applied, and a method of locally and conformally cooling a mold using the same. The cooling module to which a microporous cooling structure is applied which is installed at each high temperature region inside a mold core and allows supplied cooling fluid to flow thereinto to perform local and conformal cooling on a mold may include a body part inserted into the mold core, a microporous cooling structure which is inserted into an upper portion of the body part and in which micro unit cells are periodically and repeatedly formed to form a plurality of connected hollow portions, and a cooling channel including a conduit configured to pass the cooling fluid through the microporous cooling structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND BUSINESS, SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Keun Park, Junwon Lee
  • Patent number: 12090697
    Abstract: A method of detecting and compensating for a non-operational mold cavity in an injection molding apparatus having a plurality of mold cavities and an injection molding screw or ram includes injecting, via the injection molding screw or ram, a molten thermoplastic material into the plurality of mold cavities. The method includes measuring a first process parameter of the injection molding apparatus at a pre-determined time during or after the injecting. The method also includes determining, based on the first process parameter, whether one or more mold cavities of the plurality of mold cavities are non-operational. Then, when it is determined that one or more mold cavities are non-operational, the method includes automatically adjusting the first process parameter or a second process parameter of the injection molding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: IMFLUX INC.
    Inventors: Bryler Collins, Brian Matthew Burns, Gene Michael Altonen, Brandon Michael Birchmeier, Matthew Craver
  • Patent number: 12090698
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a mouthpiece for a wind instrument. The method of manufacturing a mouthpiece for a wind instrument includes the steps of: pulverizing a first material made of a synthetic resin material and a second material made of a mineral material; mixing the first and second materials at a predetermined ratio; melting the mixed materials and continuously extruding a primarily shaped product having a uniform sectional shape; cutting the extruded primarily shaped product into cut primarily shaped products at predetermined intervals; and forming secondarily shaped products by machining the cut primarily shaped products into mouthpiece shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Inventor: Myung Sub Cho
  • Patent number: 12090699
    Abstract: A device (1) for filtering plastic melt having an inlet valve (14), an outlet valve (15) and a filter canister (2), wherein a cavity (3) closable by means of a cover (4) is formed and into which a melt channel (20) opens. In the filter canister (2) there is arranged a plurality of filter cartridges (5), which are each formed by a filter substrate (6) and a filter lattice (7). The filter substrate (6) comprises a wall having openings, said wall defining an internal space (8), which opens through an outlet (9) into a collection channel (10). The filter lattice (7) covers the openings of the filter substrate (6). The melt channel (20) is adjacent to the inlet valve (14) and may be brought into fluid communication with an outlet channel (16) via the inlet valve (14). The collection channel (10) is adjacent to the outlet valve (15) and may be brought into fluid communication with an outlet channel (18) via the outlet valve (15). The cover (4) fixes the filter lattices (7) onto the filter substrates (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: STARLINGER & CO GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.
    Inventors: Christian Lovranich, Christopher Uhl, Christoph Weberhofer, Andreas Pechhacker
  • Patent number: 12090700
    Abstract: The invention relates to a monitoring method for monitoring a film bubble (FB) in a discharge region (112) downstream of a discharge nozzle (110) of a blown film device (100), comprising the following steps: optically detecting at least one contour parameter (KP) of a film contour (FK) of the film bubble (FB) in the discharge region (112), comparing the at least one detected contour parameter (KP) with a specific preset value (VW), determining a contour deviation (KA) between the at least one detected contour parameter (KP) and the specific preset value (VW), outputting the contour deviation (KA) as monitoring result (UE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Windmöller & Hölscher KG
    Inventors: Ingo Hehmann, Markus Bussmann, Martin Backmann
  • Patent number: 12090701
    Abstract: A support apparatus (3) for supporting at least one neck mold (4) of a plastic container, the apparatus being adapted to be fastened to a lower surface of a rotating device (2) of an injection blow molding machine, said support apparatus comprising—a pair of plates (5) defining a longitudinal axis (X), said plates (5) being adjacent to each other along the axis (X) and separable from each other transversely to said axis (X), and being kept adjacent in a normally closed state by elastic means (6); wherein each plate (5) is provided with at least one respective recess positioned so that, when the plates (5) of said pair of plates are in the normally closed state, at least two recesses are adjacent to each other along said longitudinal axis (X) so as to define a seat for a neck mold (4) comprising a pair of split molds (7), each split mold (7) being capable of being accommodated in a recess of a respective plate (5); —a pair of side guides (8) transverse to said longitudinal axis (X), adapted to be fastened to s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: S.I.P.A. SOCIETA' INDUSTRIALIZZAZIONE PROGETTAZIONE E AUTOMAZIONE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Coran, Marco Frare, Matteo Zoppas
  • Patent number: 12090702
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary molding machine that can be easily manufactured. The present invention provides a rotary molding machine comprising: first and second molds; a camshaft; and a cam track member, wherein the first and second molds and the camshaft are configured to rotate around a revolving axis, the cam track member has a cam track, the camshaft is configured to move along the cam track as the first and second molds and the camshaft rotates, the first and second molds are configured to open and close as the camshaft moves, and an angle between a first axial direction and a second axial direction is 45 degrees or less, the first axial direction is a longitudinal direction of the camshaft when the first and second molds are closed, the second axial direction is the longitudinal direction of the camshaft when the first and second molds are most opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: KYORAKU CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Kawata
  • Patent number: 12090703
    Abstract: A device of a blow-moulding apparatus for moulding hollow bodies, in particular a stretch blow-moulding machine, is disclosed. The device includes a housing block with a through-bore, at least one valve with a movable piston and with a valve chamber, a first channel which runs in the housing block and which connects the valve chamber to the through-bore, a second channel which connects the valve chamber to an external line, and a cover for fastening the valve to the housing block. The valve connects the first channel and the second channel to one another and separates them from one another. The second channel runs at least partially in the cover and/or at least one part of the valve chamber is arranged in the cover and surrounds the piston. The device is small and compact and the valves may be replaced in a simple manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: Eugen Seitz AG
    Inventors: Joachim Schmidt, Roland Schnetzer
  • Patent number: 12090704
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for cooling heated molds from a machine for molding containers from thermoplastic material by stretch-blow molding hot preforms using at least one pressurized fluid. The cooling method includes, in order to cool the molds, at least one cooling step that involves selectively feeding at least one cooling fluid into the molding cavity of at least some of the molding units that, after the carousel has been stopped in order to immobilize the molding units at least during the cooling step, are located in a predetermined cooling region in which the molding units are in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: SIDEL PARTICIPATIONS
    Inventors: Nicolas Chomel, Damien Fournier
  • Patent number: 12090705
    Abstract: Additive manufacturing systems and methods utilizing an optical light valve configured to spatially modulate the intensity of a laser beam, in conjunction with a writing and erasing sub-system configured to repeatedly write and erase patterns in the optical light valve to repeatedly vary the spatial modulation of the laser beam. In some implementations, the systems and methods may also employ additional laser beams or other energy sources that are not spatially modulated by the optical light valve. In some implementations, the systems and methods may employ additional laser beams or other energy sources configured to reduce surface roughness of the powder or other material being used for additive manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: University of Rochester
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Marshall, Stavros G. Demos, Tanya Kosc