Using Solid Work Treating Agents Patents (Class 134/6)
  • Patent number: 11191407
    Abstract: An autonomous cleaning robot includes a drive operable to move the autonomous cleaning robot across a floor surface; a cleaning assembly configured to clean the floor surface; a receiver configured to receive an indication of cat activity in a cat box; and a controller configured to navigate the autonomous cleaning robot to the cat box to execute a cleaning mission in response to the received indication of cat activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Anders Bialek, John Sinnigen, Colin Angle, Michael J. Halloran
  • Patent number: 11148177
    Abstract: The present invention describes an insulator stack cleaner to remove dust and dirt from power line transmission insulators. The cleaner autonomously cleans an insulator stack. The cleaner has two cleaning cups that counter-rotate during cleaning. The cleaner moves along an insulator stack by opening one cleaning cup while the other cup is locked onto an insulator, then the cleaner's transitional motors somersault the open cup onto the next insulator in the stack, and the open cup subsequently closes around the next insulator. A rack and pinion mechanism rotates the closed cup around an insulator and a cam mechanism opens and closes the cup around an insulator. Bristles on the cleaning cups scrub the insulators. The cleaner can be installed onto an insulator stack by a drone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventor: Venkata Rama Subba Rao Chundi
  • Patent number: 11135624
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate cleaning method including: supplying of a liquid cleaning solution containing a thermoreactive polymer resin in a solvent to a substrate; trapping of particles by gelling the liquid cleaning solution by phase transition through first heat treatment; liquefying of the gel-state cleaning solution with the particle trapped therein by phase transition through second heat treatment; and removing of the liquefied cleaning solution by supplying a rinse solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mi Young Jo, Da Jeong Kim, Ye Rim Yeon, Jun Taek Koo
  • Patent number: 11114302
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes an upper cup part including a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion that are formed each in a tubular shape capable of surrounding a substrate held by a substrate holder, the second tubular portion being connected to an upper side of the first tubular portion. The substrate processing apparatus also includes a cup moving unit that moves the upper cup part in a vertical direction with respect to the substrate holder to stop the upper cup part at each of a position where the first tubular portion surrounds the substrate, and a position where the second tubular portion surrounds the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shotaro Tsuda, Nobuyasu Hiraoka, Nobuaki Okita, Takayuki Nishida
  • Patent number: 11077830
    Abstract: A lidar sensor may include: a transmitter configured to transmit laser; a receiver configured to receive reflected laser; a mirror rotating unit configured to rotate a mirror in a designated direction, the mirror serving to reflect the transmitted or received laser; a cleaning device driving unit configured to drive a cleaning device to remove foreign matters adhering to the cover of the lidar sensor; a signal processing unit configured to determine when or where the lidar sensor is covered and calculate a distance to an object; and a control unit configured to control the transmitter not to transmit a laser signal or control a rotational velocity or rotation time of the mirror at a point of time that the lidar sensor is covered by the cleaning device, and control detection or utilization of the received signal when the distance to the object is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Shin Kim, Won Gyum Kim, Kyung Rin Kim, Sung Eun Jo
  • Patent number: 11061166
    Abstract: Deploying and retrieving streamer cleaning devices. At least some of the example embodiments are methods including transferring a streamer cleaning device to a geophysical sensor streamer. The transferring may include towing the geophysical sensor streamer through water while the geophysical sensor streamer submerged, towing a tow fish through water by way of an umbilical (the streamer cleaning device coupled within a payload area of the tow fish during the towing of the tow fish through the water), landing the tow fish on the geophysical sensor streamer and thereby abutting the streamer cleaning device against the geophysical sensor streamer, closing the streamer cleaning device around the geophysical sensor streamer, releasing the streamer cleaning device from the payload area, and separating the tow fish from streamer cleaning device and the geophysical sensor streamer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Rune Toennessen
  • Patent number: 11058273
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner that includes a suction source configured to generate a suction airflow, a dirt collector in fluid communication with the suction source and configured to separate debris from the suction airflow and the dirt collector is configured to store the debris separated from the suction airflow. The vacuum further includes an infrared sensor operable to output a signal corresponding to a distance to an amount of debris stored in the dirt collector, a controller that receives the signal, and the controller is operable to determine a fill level stored in the dirt collector based on the signal. A visual display displays the fill level stored in the dirt collector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited
    Inventors: Steven Marcus, William Jacob Kozlowski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11051667
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cleaning apparatus for cleaning surfaces. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning brush. The cleaning brush includes a handle, a stem and a cleaning head. The stem includes a first end and a second end. The handle is coupled to the first end of the stem and extends longitudinally from the stem. The handle is adapted to be held by a user. The cleaning apparatus further includes an elongated tubular sheath secured with a cleaning pad. The elongated tubular sheath includes a closed end and an open end. The open end is configured to allow receipt of the cleaning brush within the elongated tubular sheath. The cleaning pad includes an inner space. The cleaning pad is secured to the closed end of the elongated tubular sheath. The cleaning head is accommodated in the inner space by pushing the closed end within the cleaning pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventor: Erik Chan
  • Patent number: 11040382
    Abstract: The cleaning device is for cleaning the inner surface of pipes. The cleaning device has two sleeves on a flexible shaft and chains extending between the sleeves. A forward end sleeve is not attached to the shaft and is biased by a spring on the shaft. The cleaning device can be adapted to different pipe sizes by altering rotation speed of the cleaning device. High rotation speed compresses the spring and moves the chains further away from the shaft to enable cleaning of larger diameter pipes with the cleaning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: PICOTE SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Mika Lokkinen
  • Patent number: 11034333
    Abstract: A wiper unit for an automobile windshield wiper system has at least one wiper arm connectable to a wiper drive of the windshield wiper system and at least one wiper blade supported by the wiper arm. In order to provide a lightweight wiper unit that can be produced cost-effectively and offers greater design freedom, at least one fiber-reinforced nonmetallic strip is arranged on the outside of the wiper arm and/or the wiper blade. That nonmetallic strip extends over at least half the length of the wiper arm or wiper blade, is connected to the wiper arm or the wiper blade in a substance-bonded manner, and is arranged at least in part on a side of the wiper arm or wiper blade which is arranged facing or facing away from an automobile windshield which is to be wiped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Baranowski, Markus Franzen, Maik Broda, Pascal Rebmann
  • Patent number: 11022533
    Abstract: A method of controlling a particle size distribution of a filler in an extrudable composition comprises introducing an extrudable composition comprising a polymer matrix material and a filler into an extruder, the filler having a first average particle size that is larger than a target average particle size. The extrudable composition is extruded one or more times using the extruder to reduce the size of the filler from the first average particle size to a reduced average particle size, the reduced average particle size being within 10% of the target average particle size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Eric Alan Bruton, Loyal Bruce Shawgo
  • Patent number: 11006803
    Abstract: A sweeping brush for an automatically moving cleaning device has a rotational axis receptacle for receiving a rotational axis of the cleaning device and at least one bundle receptacle that extends outwardly from a transition area on the rotational axis receptacle, which holds a bristle bundle having a plurality of bristles. The bundle receptacle is arched as viewed in an axial direction of the rotational axis receptacle. In order to optimize known sweeping brushes in terms of their service life and cleaning properties, the bundle receptacle is fabricated out of an elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Blum
  • Patent number: 11000171
    Abstract: A dry and wet vacuum cleaner, including a main body, including a main base disposed at a bottom portion of the main body, a dry debris collecting compartment disposed on the main base to store therein dry debris gathered from a surface, a liquid containing compartment disposed on the main base to store a liquid therein, and a water collecting compartment to store therein water collected from the surface, a dry vacuum connected to the dry debris collecting compartment to gather the dry debris from the surface, a wet vacuum connected to the water collecting compartment to gather the water from the surface, a plurality of nozzles connected to the main base to spray the liquid downward onto the surface, and a scrubbing cylinder disposed between the dry vacuum and the wet vacuum to scrub the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Inventor: Austin Nedelcoff
  • Patent number: 10998851
    Abstract: Generally, a panel maintenance system including a panel maintenance assembly configured to move over a plurality of panel modules. Specifically, a panel module including a first frame including a first plurality of frame members joined to enclose a first panel. The first plurality of frame members including a first frame inner side configured to capture the first panel within the first frame and a first frame outer side configured to provide a first track axially extending between first and second ends of at least one of the first plurality of frame members. The first track configured to engage a drive element of a panel maintenance assembly which operates to move the panel maintenance assembly over the first panel. The panel maintenance assembly bears one or more components which function to maintain the first panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Steam Tech, LLC
    Inventor: Philip Hartman
  • Patent number: 10985037
    Abstract: Various examples regarding substrate cleaning apparatus and methods, and related apparatus and method are disclosed. According to one embodiment, provided is a substrate cleaning apparatus including: a substrate holding and rotating module; an elongated cleaning member configured to come into contact with the substrate while the substrate is held and rotated by the substrate holding and rotating module; and a first nozzle and a second nozzle, both of which are arranged on an identical side with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, wherein the first nozzle is operably adjusted to supply liquid more forcefully than liquid from the second nozzle, and the first nozzle is arranged so that the liquid from the first nozzle is reached to a first area located closer to the first nozzle than the cleaning member in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Minoshima, Masayoshi Imai
  • Patent number: 10981188
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing a residue of a substance, extrudable through a nozzle of an automated end-effector, from an exterior of the nozzle is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a dispenser. The dispenser comprises a platform to support at least one cleaning pad. The dispenser further comprises a cage to maintain at least the one cleaning pad on the platform. The platform is movable relative to the cage. The apparatus also comprises a constricting device to circumferentially squeeze one of at least the one cleaning pad, adhesively picked up from the platform by the nozzle, around the nozzle once the nozzle is inserted into the constricting device. The apparatus additionally comprises a disposal receptacle to collect the one of at least the one cleaning pad, released from the constricting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John J. DeForest, Fei Cai, Cameron J. Moore, Jeffrey R. Joyce
  • Patent number: 10953855
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (3) for protecting an optical sensor (13) for a motor vehicle. According to the invention, the protection device (3) comprises: a housing (4) which is mounted in such a way that it rotates about a rotational axis (A1) and has a receiving element (19) designed to receive the optical sensor (13) such that the optical axis (15) of the optical sensor (13) merges with the rotational axis (A1), a transparent optical element (9) constrained to rotate with the housing (4) and designed to be arranged in front of the housing (4) facing the road and such that it is centred in relation to the optical sensor (13), and an actuator (5) for rotating the housing (4), so as to clean said optical element (9) by means of a centrifugal effect. The invention also relates to a driving assistance system (1) corresponding in this way to a cleaning method implementing such a protection device (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Frédéric Bretagnol, Giuseppe Grasso, Grégory Kolanowski, Marcel Trebouet
  • Patent number: 10951044
    Abstract: A protective arrangement for an electric vehicle charging system includes a floor unit forming a recess and a linkage disposed in the recess. The linkage is extendable from the recess from a stowed position to an extended position. A cleaning device is disposed to discourage accumulation of debris into the recess and on the linkage when the linkage is in the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Sangeun Choi, William J. Eakins, Gregory A. Cole, Martin Krucinski, Thomas A. Fuhlbrigge
  • Patent number: 10933873
    Abstract: An apparatus for shift control in a vehicle includes: a transmission; an acceleration apparatus; and a control circuit electrically connected with the transmission and the acceleration apparatus. The control circuit shifts the transmission from a drive state to a neutral state when an activation condition for coasting is satisfied during travel of the vehicle, and corrects an oil pressure for release of a clutch in the transmission at the time of a kickdown shift, when a driver's input for kickdown is detected through the acceleration apparatus during the coasting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sang Jun Park, Byeong Wook Jeon, Kwang Hee Park, Jae Chang Kook
  • Patent number: 10919707
    Abstract: A cleaning pad can be attached onto an inner surface of a transport belt so the cleaning pad can move with the transport belt along hardware of a marking system, including support rollers and a marking platen to remove ink from the marking platen and support rollers of the rendering device as the transport belt cycles through its typical path within the rendering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Linn Hoover, Jeffrey J. Bradway, Rachel Lynn Tanchak, Paul M. Fromm, Frank B. Tamarez Gomez
  • Patent number: 10924056
    Abstract: A surface cleaning device for cleaning a surface of a solar panel, wherein the surface cleaning device may include: a first dust carrying member; a second dust carrying member; a motor; and a motion delay assembly. The first dust carrying member and the second dust carrying member are coupled to the motor; wherein the motor is configured to cyclically move the first dust carrying member and the second dust carrying member along a path. The motion delay assembly is configured to cyclically introduce a momentarily delay in a progress of the first dust carrying member along the path, while the second dust carrying member contacts the surface thereby reducing a gap between the first dust carrying member and the second dust carrying member and induce air to exit the gap and progress along the surface and remove dust that precedes the second dust carrying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: AIRTOUCH SOLAR LTD.
    Inventors: Henry Ouri Allouche, Yanir Allouche
  • Patent number: 10912277
    Abstract: A wheeled manure-removal vehicle for removing manure from an animal-shed floor includes a tank for storing manure, a manure collector, a liquid reservoir placed in the tank and having an opening for the supply of liquid to the reservoir and the discharge of liquid from the reservoir, and a flexible reservoir wall, to make it possible to vary the volume of the reservoir, depending on the fill level, and a dispenser operatively connected to the reservoir for dispensing liquid from the reservoir onto the animal-shed floor. The opening of the reservoir is situated in a top part of the reservoir. The reservoir furthermore includes a spacer which extends on the inside of the reservoir from the opening down to the lower part of the reservoir to ensure a liquid passage between the opening and a bottom part of the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: LELY PATENT N.V.
    Inventor: Huibrecht Johannes Arjen Van Den Beukel
  • Patent number: 10900948
    Abstract: A method for quantitating the amount of lint shed from a paper towel including cleaning a rectangular deposition surface having a short dimension and a long dimension, wherein cleaning comprises spraying the entire surface with glass cleaner, using a substantially lint-free squeegee to push the glass cleaner off one of two short sides of the surface, and using a substantially lint-free sponge to wipe the edges of the surface substantially free of lint; preparing a sample of paper towel to be analyzed; depositing lint from the sample onto the cleaned surface by moving the sample thereupon in a specific pattern; collecting the lint deposited on the surface; and determining the amount of collected lint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Terry P. Witkowski
  • Patent number: 10895086
    Abstract: A pool cleaning robot that has a water jet electrohydraulic motorized propulsion/pump unit and a waste-collecting body having a battery for powering the unit, the unit and the battery being contained inside a rotary and sealed turret, external to the body of the robot. The robot advantageously has an automatic direction reversing device having a vane secured to the turret with a first end stop and second end stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: KOKIDO DEVELOPMENT LIMITED
    Inventor: Max Roumagnac
  • Patent number: 10892705
    Abstract: Provided is a sweeping device for a photovoltaic panel, applied to a photovoltaic unit composed of a plurality of photovoltaic panel arrays arranged in sequence, the sweeping device comprises a guide rail mechanism composed by an upper rail and a lower rail respectively disposed on an upper side and a lower side of respective photovoltaic panel arrays and a plurality of scraper mechanisms for sweeping the plurality of photovoltaic panel arrays, and each photovoltaic panel array corresponds to one scraper mechanism at most, the respective scraper mechanisms are slidably disposed on the guide rail mechanism to which an arbitrary photovoltaic panel array corresponds; the sweeping device further comprises a pull rope mechanism for driving the respective scraper mechanisms to reciprocate on the photovoltaic unit, and a driving mechanism connected with the pull rope mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: HANGZHOU SUN OCEAN PHOTOVOLTAIC SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiangzhong Qian, Tao Jiang, Hong Song, Yifan Su, Meicheng Sang, Liuyi Zhou
  • Patent number: 10892173
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning roll that has a cylindrical shape and scrubs a surface of a substrate by rotating about a rotational axis in a longitudinal direction in contact with the substrate, the longitudinal direction being parallel to the surface of the substrate, the substrate cleaning roll including a bevel cleaner at least at one end of the substrate cleaning roll in the longitudinal direction, the bevel cleaner including a sloping surface to be in contact with an outermost edge of a bevel portion at a rim of the substrate when the substrate cleaning roll comes into contact with the substrate and cleans the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoatsu Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 10870238
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a recoater of an additive manufacturing machine includes installing a cleaning fixture into the additive manufacturing machine, the cleaning fixture including one or more cleaning elements, advancing the recoater into contact with the one or more cleaning elements, and rotating the recoater about a recoater axis thus dislodging material from a recoater outer surface due to frictional contact with the one or more cleaning elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander Madinger, Diana Giulietti
  • Patent number: 10858852
    Abstract: A method and a set of pool cleaning robots for cleaning a pool. The set includes a first pool cleaning robot and a second pool cleaning robot that differ from each other by at least one unit out of a propulsion unit and a cleaning unit. Each one of the first pool cleaning robot and the second pool cleaning robot includes a filtering unit, a housing, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: MAYTRONICS LTD.
    Inventors: Sharon Goldenberg, Yair Hadari, Ofer Regev, Shay Witelson
  • Patent number: 10843233
    Abstract: A pre-loaded cleaning substrate, and related systems and methods for picking up particles with an aspect ratio (L/D) greater than 300 (e.g., hair), or greater than 1200 (e.g., particularly long hairs). The substrate (e.g., a nonwoven) may include only a single layer of material. The pre-loaded substrate is loaded (e.g., during manufacture) with a cleaning composition. The fibers of the substrate may have an average diameter less than 15 ?m, the substrate may have an air permeability of 35 ft3/min to 75 ft3/min, and the liquid cleaning composition may have a surface tension of less than about 50 dynes/cm. Together, the combination of the particular substrate and cleaning composition may facilitate markedly improved ability to pick up high L/D aspect ratio particle debris (e.g., such as hair), while retaining such particles (e.g., providing hair retention index values of at least 20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Clorox Company
    Inventors: Ashish K. Jha, Nikhil P. Dani, David R. Scheuing, Nancy A. Falk, Bryan K. Parrish
  • Patent number: 10845137
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved mobile combustion cleaning system for removing debris from a plurality of semi-permeable heat exchange surfaces with a moveable distribution network configured for receipt of a combustion mixture from a mobile cart according to a configurable controller the configurable controller generating the impulse wave from the combustion mixture and for moving the moveable distribution network along a plurality of axes in response to a change in pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventor: Vincent P. Barreto
  • Patent number: 10790167
    Abstract: A foam brush that has nodules on an outer diameter surface of the brush that have a pitch to diameter ratio (P/D) of between 1.2 and 1.5 and a nodule height to nodule diameter ratio of 0.2 to 0.5 can be used to achieve improved small particle and organic residue removal from substrates following CMP processing. CMP cleaning brushes of the disclosure may also be prepared with foams that are relatively soft and have a compression strength of less than 90 grams/cm2. CMP cleaning brushes with such P/D and H/D ratios, and optionally a compression strength of less than 90 grams/cm2 can be used in a variety of CMP cleaning processes including post copper CMP processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.
    Inventor: Chintan Patel
  • Patent number: 10788242
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a surface of solar collectors or photovoltaic installations includes at least one cleaning head that comprises at least one cleaning member. The cleaning member can be set into rotation. The apparatus also includes a movement device for moving the cleaning head over at least a part of the surface to be cleaned. The movement device has a first movement unit movable in a first direction and a second movement unit. The cleaning head is movable transversely or obliquely to the first movement direction by the second movement unit along a guide that is connected to the first movement unit. A drive device that is arranged at the first and/or second movement units makes it possible to automatically move the first movement unit in dependence on a position of the second movement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Inventor: Anton Jäger
  • Patent number: 10772474
    Abstract: The wipe includes an elongated, shallow v-shaped tissue wipe having proximal and distal ends and, at the terminal proximal end, laterally spaced apart left-side and right-side finger apertures. Upper and lower tissue layers form finger apertures. An angle controller limits the v-shape of the wipe. A plurality of elongated corrugated ribs are longitudinal support elements and the upper tissue layer of said left and right side finger apertures form respective left and right finger tents permitting lateral expansion of the wipe between the finger apertures. Another embodiment has at least two elongated corrugated ribs disposed intermediate the laterally spaced apart left-side and right-side finger tents thereby permitting lateral expansion of said wipe the finger tents. The v-shaped wipe forms a distal excrement collection surface on a distal leg of the wipe longitudinally spaced apart from a proximal leg. The proximal leg terminates at the entrance of the finger tents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Inventor: David Ganger
  • Patent number: 10767928
    Abstract: A drying apparatus is disclosed that includes at least a first absorbent layer and a waterproof layer attached to the first absorbent layer to form a drying body. At least three elongated handles can extend from radially from the drying body. Wet items such as food can be placed on the drying body and the elongated handles can be brought together to wrap the drying apparatus around the items. The elongated handles can be grasped by a user's hand and the drying apparatus can be swirled or slung by the elongated handles to force water and moisture from the items and into the absorbent layer of the drying apparatus to dry the items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Inventor: Jill Visit
  • Patent number: 10753650
    Abstract: A parasitic cleaning system for cleaning the reflective surfaces of a heliostat is disclosed. The system includes a blade carriage assembly that cleans the surface by imparting a frictional force as the carriage assembly moves across the surface to be cleaned. A cleaner drive system controls the motion of the blade carriage assembly over the surface. A guide system connects the cleaner drive system to the blade carriage assembly. The cleaner drive system applies a spring force to move the blade carriage assembly upwardly. The same spring system controls the lowering of the blade assembly over the surface to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Dynamis Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Dallas Simonette, Houston Simonette
  • Patent number: 10737172
    Abstract: A user-input device includes a user-actuatable trigger configured to pivot about a trigger axis, a posture sensor configured to determine a posture of the user-actuatable trigger about the trigger axis, a force sensor configured to determine an actuation force applied to the user-actuatable trigger, and a force-feedback motor operatively coupled to the user-actuatable trigger. The force-feedback motor is configured to activate based on a force-feedback signal and adjust a user-perceived state of the user-actuatable trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Schmitz, Gabriel Michael Rask Gassoway, Jonathan Shea Robinson
  • Patent number: 10717076
    Abstract: The present invention reduces adhesion of trace metals in ultrapure water for cleaning products, and inhibits the metal contamination of an object to be cleaned. Provided is a metal contamination inhibitor that contains a polymer having an ion-exchange group, such as a polystyrene sulfonate having a molecular weight of at least 100,000. Trace metals in ultrapure water are adsorbed through an ion-exchange reaction of the polymer having the ion-exchange group, and can thus be inhibited from adhering to products. Also provided is a method for cleaning a product with ultrapure water to which the metal contamination inhibitor has been added. Preferably, the ultrapure water to which the metal contamination inhibitor has been added flows through a separation membrane module, and the products are cleaned with permeated water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: KURITA WATER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Morita, Toshimasa Kato, Shigeyuki Hoshi
  • Patent number: 10717271
    Abstract: An apparatus for non-evaporative drying comprises a solvent permeable transfer substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. An ejector is configured to eject a droplet comprising at least one solvent onto the first surface of the transfer substrate. A reservoir comprising a draw solution is configured to place the draw solution in contact with the second surface of the transfer substrate, and a print substrate is configured to contact a portion of the first surface of the transfer substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Eugene S. Beh, Michael Benedict, Jessica Louis Baker Rivest, David Mathew Johnson
  • Patent number: 10703092
    Abstract: A self-advancing cleaner and a method of operating the self-advancing cleaner. In an embodiment, a rotatable member can engage a transport belt, wherein the rotatable member includes a cleaning surface comprising a surface sufficiently rough to collect and take away ink debris from the transport belt. During a cleaning operation the cleaning surface remains stationary while the transport belt moves in a sliding relative motion with respect to the cleaning surface, which allows the ink debris to be collected on the cleaning surface. Once an ink contamination level associated with the ink debris attains a threshold and a set friction exceeds the threshold, the self-advancing cleaner advances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Chu-Heng Liu, Jason Lefevre, Seemit Praharaj, Paul McConville, Douglas Herrmann
  • Patent number: 10702621
    Abstract: The door mat is a dry disinfection apparatus. The door mat comprises a pedestal, a sheeting pad, and a disinfecting substance. The disinfecting substance forms a coating on the sheeting pad. The sheeting pad mounts on the pedestal. The door mat is used by having a person step on the sheeting pad of the door mat during the normal walking process. The disinfecting substance chemically reacts with microorganisms found on the exterior surface of the footwear (or foot) placed on the sheeting pad. This chemical reaction mitigates the risk of subsequent contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Inventor: Ricardo Patton
  • Patent number: 10696466
    Abstract: The cleaning kit includes a first liquid-tight container and a second liquid-tight container adapted to be received within the first container to be ruptured by the application of pressure to the container by a user. The second container includes a sealable liquid-tight pouch; a baffle extending at least partially across the pouch adapted to reduce accidental rupture caused by handling during shipping and a frangible seal along at least a portion of an outer edge of the pouch. A cleaning liquid may be in the second container, wherein the second container is adapted to be openable while it is located in the first container to release the liquid from the second container into the first container. Also, there may be at least one absorbent applicator in the first container and adjacent to the second container in the first container whereby the release of cleaning liquid from the second container is applied to the applicators in the first container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Berkshire Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Whitmore B Kelley, Jr., Susan E Faile, Justin J Autry, David Capotosto
  • Patent number: 10689602
    Abstract: Cleaning compositions and methods for removing chewing gum, its components and other sticky soils from surfaces, especially production facilities, are disclosed. Cleaning composition solutions that do not require a rinse step are disclosed and suitable for treatment of surfaces having indirect food contact. In an aspect, the cleaning compositions and methods employ a scraping-spraying-wiping procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Ecolab USA Inc.
    Inventors: Clinton Hunt, Jr., Tanya Paola Tristan Garza, Mallory Jo Tevis, Mark Andrew Malwitz, Marne Colleen Rasinen, Eric Joseph Ditzel, Scott Lyman Burnett, Sara Trevino Garza
  • Patent number: 10685856
    Abstract: While a substrate is being rotated, the lower surface of a brush is moved along the upper surface of the substrate. The brush and a spray nozzle are moved upward from a takeoff position to a lower non-contact position so as to separate the lower surface of the brush from the upper surface of the substrate. The spray nozzle generates the droplets in a state where the brush and the spray nozzle are located in the lower non-contact position so as to make the droplets collide with the upper surface of the substrate, and then the droplets colliding with the upper surface of the substrate are discharged from a gap between the lower surface of the brush and the upper surface of the substrate while the droplets are being supplied to the lower surface of the brush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryohei Hokaku, Junichi Ishii, Takashi Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10668466
    Abstract: The present invention is a cuvette assembly for use in optically measuring at least one characteristic of particles within a plurality of liquid samples. The cuvette assembly comprises a main body having internal walls and external walls, and a plurality of cuvettes within the main body at least partially being defined by the internal walls. Each of the plurality of cuvettes has a liquid-input chamber for receiving a respective one of the plurality of liquid samples, a filter, and an optical chamber for receiving a respective filtered liquid sample caused by passing the respective one of the plurality of liquid samples through the filter. Each of the optical chambers includes an entry window for allowing transmission of an input light beam through the filtered liquid sample and an exit window for transmitting a forward scatter signal caused by the particles within the filtered liquid sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: BACTERIOSCAN LTD.
    Inventors: Dana A. Marshall, Theodore S. McMinn, Dan Vadim Regelman
  • Patent number: 10662985
    Abstract: A car wash system including a hydraulic pump, the pump being overcapacity for the rotating cleaning elements to which it is connected. An output from the hydraulic pump is connected to a hydraulic motor, which is, in turn, connected to a generator. The generator is connected to a service panel. Thus, some of the spare capacity of the hydraulic pump may be used to generate electricity which may be returned to the grid, reducing operating costs of the automated car wash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Inventor: Daniel J. Kerpan
  • Patent number: 10662808
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning an inner surface of a slot includes a first block segment that has an outer perimeter that conforms to and fits inside the inner surface of the slot. A first cleaning pad is connected to the first block segment and extends beyond at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the first block segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jason Matthew Clark, James Bradford Holmes, John William Herbold
  • Patent number: 10633094
    Abstract: A system includes an unmanned aerial vehicle including a chassis, a tank attached to the chassis, a sprayer fluidly connected to the tank, a heating element attached to the chassis, a fan drawing air over the heating element, and a clamp attached to the chassis; and a computer in communication with the unmanned aerial vehicle and programmed to instruct the clamp to attach to an external sensor of a vehicle, instruct the sprayer to spray water and detergent onto the external sensor, and instruct the fan to blow heated air at the external sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies
    Inventor: Oswaldo Perez Barrera
  • Patent number: 10612528
    Abstract: Exterior cleaning machine in wind turbine-towers, which is coupled to lifting means (7) in a parallel direction in relation to the outer surface of a mast (1) of a wind turbine, and wherein said machine comprises at least one flexible roller (2a, 2b) configured to come in contact with part of the surface of a mast (1) of a wind turbine, a plurality of magnets (3) facing part of the outer surface of the mast (1) and configured to attract the machine with regard to said mast (1) via magnetic phenomena; at least one tank (4a, 4b) configured to receive a cleaning product; a plurality of rolling means (5) between the structure and said mast (1); and remote control means (6) of the lifting motion of said machine associated with lifting means (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY, S.L.
    Inventors: Jose Maria Mondejar Ruiz-Romano, Jose Ramon Dolera Simarro
  • Patent number: 10593571
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus including a liquid processing unit that performs a liquid processing on a substrate; a drying processing unit that performs a drying processing on the substrate in a wet state; a first conveyance unit that conveys the substrate to the liquid processing unit; a second conveyance unit that conveys the substrate in the wet state from the liquid processing unit to the drying processing unit; and a third conveyance unit that conveys the substrate before the liquid processing in the liquid processing unit and to convey the substrate after the drying processing from the drying processing unit. The first and second conveyance units and the drying processing unit are disposed on a side that faces the third conveyance unit, and the liquid processing unit is disposed on a side that faces the first and second conveyance units and is opposite to the third conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiroaki Inadomi, Tooru Nakamura, Kouji Kimoto, Yasuo Kiyohara, Satoshi Okamura, Satoshi Biwa, Nobuya Yamamoto, Katsuhiro Ookawa, Keiichi Yahata, Tetsuro Nakahara
  • Patent number: 10583391
    Abstract: An absorbent apparatus is provided for an air dryer purge air cleaner. The absorbent apparatus comprises a volume for containing absorbent material. The absorbent apparatus also comprises absorbent material that is both oleophilic and hydrophobic and is packed in the volume to provide a packed bed of absorbent material with a predetermined packing density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventors: Stephen Howe, David W Perry