Process Patents (Class 414/800)
  • Patent number: 12145280
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automated wire pickup using image-based robot guidance. The machine vision-based system includes: a robot arm; a tool head coupled to the distal end of the robot arm and including a wire gripper motor; a wire gripper movably coupled to the tool head and operatively coupled to the wire gripper motor; a wire holder configured for clamping a wire; cameras mounted to the distal end of the robot arm and having first and second fields of view which intersect in a volume of space that includes the tip of the wire gripper and the wire holder; and a computer system configured to control operation of the robot arm motors and wire gripper motor. More specifically, the computer system is configured for visually estimating the position and orientation of a contact-equipped wire being held by the wire holder and then generating robot guidance to enable automated pickup of the end section of the wire by the wire gripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Heiko Hoffman, Jeffrey A. McCaskey, Lars E. Blacken, Bradley J. Mitchell, Damien O. Martin
  • Patent number: 12139338
    Abstract: An article transportation system, including at least one access vehicle (1) and at least one transport vehicle (2), each access vehicle (1) is provided with a first drive assembly, and each transport vehicle (2) is provided with a second drive assembly; the first drive assembly is configured to drive the access vehicle (1) to travel on a preset plane and in a vertical direction, and the second drive assembly is configured to drive the transport vehicle (2) to travel on the preset plane; the access vehicle (1) or the transport vehicle (2) is provided with a transfer assembly (3); where the transfer assembly (3) is configured to transfer an article from one of the access vehicle (1) and the transport vehicle (2) to the other one when the access vehicle (1) and the transport vehicle (2) travel to a same position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: BEIJING JINGDONG QIANSHI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mingfu Wu, Fengquan Huang, Guoku Song
  • Patent number: 12109681
    Abstract: A substrate handling device includes a substrate reception area defined by an edge. The substrate reception area includes a planar surface, wherein the edge extends upward from the planar surface. The substrate reception area further includes a plurality of contact structures extending upwards from the planar surface, wherein a first contact structure of the plurality of contact structures directly contacts a side surface of the edge, and a second contact structure of the plurality of contact structures is separated from the edge. The substrate reception area and the planar surface include a first material. At least one contact structure of the plurality of contact structures includes a second material different from the first material, and the second material has a hardness aligned to a hardness of a substrate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: You-Hua Chou, Kuo-Sheng Chuang
  • Patent number: 12102994
    Abstract: According to embodiments, an apparatus for distributing solid particles into a tube includes a center member and a plurality of damper members connected to the center member. Each damper member includes a loop extending away from the center member. Each loop is arranged on the center member extending from a first position on the center member to a second position on the center member different from the first position in a longitudinal direction of the center member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: CAT TECH INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
    Inventor: Stephen Brennom
  • Patent number: 12106993
    Abstract: A device and a method for aligning substrates. The method includes the steps of detecting alignment marks and aligning substrates with respect to one another in dependence on the detection of the alignment marks. At least two alignment marks are arranged parallel to a direction of a linear movement of the substrates, wherein the alignment of the substrates takes place along a single alignment axis, the alignment axis running parallel to the loading and unloading direction of the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: EV Group E. Thallner GmbH
    Inventor: Jozsef Krol
  • Patent number: 12070291
    Abstract: A hand grip apparatus for receiving operator input includes a body having a proximal end and a distal interface end for coupling to an input apparatus. A first control lever is attached to the body and extends away from the proximal end and terminates in a finger grip for receiving one of the operator's fingers. A second control lever is attached to the body and extends away from the proximal end terminating in a thumb grip for receiving the operator's thumb. Movement of at least one of the control levers is operable to produce a first control signal representing the movement. An input control is included on the body between the grip ends and has an actuator surface angled towards the finger grip end and configured to produce a second control signal in response to actuation by one of the operator's fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Andrew Lutzow, Daniel P. Smith, Peter John Kenneth Cameron
  • Patent number: 12057337
    Abstract: A chip transferring method includes providing a plurality of chips on a first load-bearing structure; measuring photoelectric characteristic values of the plurality of chips; categorizing the plurality of chips into a first portion chips and a second portion chips according to the photoelectric characteristic values of the plurality of chips, wherein the second portion chips comprise parts of the plurality of chips which photoelectric characteristic value falls within an unqualified range; removing the second portion chips from the first load-bearing structure; dividing the first portion chips into a plurality of blocks according to the photoelectric characteristic values, and each of the plurality of blocks comprising multiple chips of the first portion chips; and transferring the multiple chips of one of the plurality of blocks to a second load-bearing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: EPISTAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Min-Hsun Hsieh, De-Shan Kuo, Chang-Lin Lee, Jhih-Yong Yang
  • Patent number: 12004337
    Abstract: Disclosed in some embodiments is a chamber component (such as an end effector body) coated with an ultrathin electrically-dissipative material to provide a dissipative path from the coating to the ground. The coating may be deposited via a chemical precursor deposition to provide a uniform, conformal, and porosity free coating in a cost effective manner. In an embodiment wherein the chamber component comprises an end effector body, the end effector body may further comprise replaceable contact pads for supporting a substrate and the contact surface of the contact pads head may also be coated with an electrically-dissipative material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gayatri Natu, Geetika Bajaj, Prerna Goradia, Darshan Thakare, David Fenwick, XiaoMing He, Sanni Seppaelae, Jennifer Sun, Rajkumar Thanu, Jeff Hudgens, Karuppasamy Muthukamatchy, Arun Dhayalan
  • Patent number: 11999052
    Abstract: A robot for detecting and saving a life, includes: a body part including a plurality of unit joints; a head part which is provided at the front of the body part in the direction in which the body part moves forward, and which has a gripper capable of picking up an object by a plurality of tongs parts that are folded and unfolded; and an extension part capable of extending forward from the head part so as to enter a small space that is difficult for the body part to enter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignees: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ROBOT AND CONVERGENCE, KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jong Geol Kim, Mao Lin Jin, Dong Bin Shin, Dae Hie Hong, Seung Sub Oh, Kap Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 11992913
    Abstract: A workpiece support device includes a shaft rotatable about a shaft rotation axis of the shaft, a first support, a first reciprocating mechanism, and a first connecting rod having one end and another end. The shaft extends along a longitudinal direction of a workpiece. The first support includes a first support roller that is rotatable about a first roller rotation axis orthogonal to the shaft rotation axis and that is configured to contact the workpiece to support the workpiece. The first reciprocating mechanism has one end connected to the first support and is configured to reciprocate in a first expansion-contraction axis direction. The one end of the first connecting rod is rotatably connected to the first support. The another end of the first connecting rod is connected to the shaft such that the another end of the first connecting rod is rotatable together with the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAZAKI MAZAK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Kageyama, Kazuya Shimamoto, Keita Hachiya
  • Patent number: 11939147
    Abstract: A method of transporting proppant to a wellsite can comprise transporting a plurality of trailers to a proppant-loading site, each of the trailers comprising one or more containers. At the proppant-loading site, proppant can be loaded into the container(s) of each of first and second ones of the trailers. A long combination vehicle comprising a truck and the first and second trailers can be formed at least by coupling the first trailer to the truck and the second trailer to the first trailer. The long combination vehicle can be driven from the proppant-loading site to the wellsite after proppant is loaded into the container(s) of each of the first and second trailers at the proppant-loading site. Less than 1% of a distance that the long combination vehicle drives from the proppant-loading site to the wellsite can be on a public road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Atlas Sand Company, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher R. Scholla, Alexandra Couture, Dacia Webb
  • Patent number: 11911801
    Abstract: Apparatuses, method and computer program products for automatically performing sorting operations are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may comprise: an array of gripping elements, and at least one processing component configured to: obtain image data corresponding with the plurality of items; identify, from the image data, one or more characteristics of the plurality of items; determine, based at least in part on the one or more characteristics, an ordered sequence corresponding with the plurality of items; and generate a control indication to cause at least one of the gripping elements to perform the sorting operations based at least in part on the ordered sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: INTELLIGRATED HEADQUARTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Wicks, David Pepley
  • Patent number: 11891249
    Abstract: An order picking system includes a paternoster conveyor having a carrier configured to carry products. The paternoster conveyor is on one side associated with at least one transporter; and on an opposite side associated with at least a plurality of further transporters that comprise a plurality of transport boxes. The plurality of transport boxes are configured to receive one or more than one product carried by the carrier. The paternoster conveyor is configured to at least one of: selectively place one or more than one product in a pre-selected transport box of the plurality of transport boxes; and selectively pick up and carry a pre-selected transport box comprising one or more than one product previously received therein. A method of handling products in such an order picking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: QIMAROX PATENTEN B.V.
    Inventor: Pieter Gerrit Hannessen
  • Patent number: 11872752
    Abstract: A system for additive manufacturing includes a nozzle configured to translate along a first axis, a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first and second axes, wherein the nozzle is operably coupled to: an extruder having an outlet and including a screw disposed within a barrel, and a pump having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is coupled to the extruder, and the outlet is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The system also includes a controller configured to adjust a speed of the pump with respect to a speed of the screw to apply a target pressure at the outlet of the extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Thermwood Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Susnjara, Nicolas Vote, Robert Gaesser, Brian S. Smiddy, Scott G. Vaal
  • Patent number: 11864503
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multi-functional automatic translational field service device, which includes a first driverless water wagon and a second driverless water wagon that are arranged on a flat road at two ends of a field respectively. The first driverless water wagon is connected with the second driverless water wagon through a first steel wire (1) and a second steel wire (2), and two sides of the first steel wire (1) are each provided with a synchronizer (3); the first steel wire (1) is connected with a first horizontal PVC pipe (5) through a plurality of third steel wires (4) that are evenly distributed and extended along a vertical direction; a plurality of first round holes are evenly distributed on the first PVC pipe (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventor: Jinpo Li
  • Patent number: 11870233
    Abstract: A mobile conductor lift comprised of multiple lightweight subassemblies that may be rapidly assembled manually or using handheld tools by a small crew of workers and that is capable of being quickly and easily placed into multiple potential configurations and in either horizontal or vertical orientations for lifting energized or deenergized conductors away from power poles in order to provide room for work to be performed by workers on such power poles or on other equipment connected to such power poles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: John Gibel, Daniel Spaulding
  • Patent number: 11828516
    Abstract: A cryogenic storage system includes a transfer module configured to service one or more cryogenic storage freezers. The transfer module includes a working chamber that maintains a cryogenic environment for the transfer of sample tubes between different sample boxes. One or more freezer ports enable the transfer module to receive a sample box extracted from a respective freezer. An input/output (I/O) port enables external access to samples. A box transport robot operates to transport sample boxes between the freezer ports, the working chamber, and the I/O port. A picker robot operates to transfer sample tubes between sample boxes within the working chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: AZENTA US, INC.
    Inventors: Lingchen Sun, Bruce Zandi, Frank Hunt, Jr., Aaron Plaisted, Tiffany Holmes, Matthew Albert, Fang Cui, Yuri Rubenchik, Daniel Lamothe
  • Patent number: 11827449
    Abstract: A mover according to the present disclosure includes: a body to move; a second member; a suction unit; a location detection unit; a first moving part, and a second moving part. The second member moves in a state where the second member is combined with a first member provided for an object, as the body is displaced relative to the object. The suction unit is sucked to the object in the state where the second member is combined with the first member. The location detection unit detects a location of the body with respect to the object by detecting movement of the second member. The first moving part moves the body until the state where the second member is combined with the first member is established. The second moving part displaces the body relative to the object in the state where the second member is combined with the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shirouzu, Osamu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11823934
    Abstract: A wafer stocker capable of further improving an environment around wafers is provided. The wafer stocker includes a housing, a loading device provided on a front surface of the housing, a wafer cassette shelf arranged in the housing, a wafer transfer robot configured to move the wafers from a transfer container mounted on the loading device to a wafer cassette in the wafer cassette shelf, a wafer cassette delivery device configured to move the wafer cassette in the wafer cassette shelf to a stage having a different height, and a fan filter unit configured to generate a laminar flow in a wafer transfer space and in a wafer cassette transfer space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Taniyama, Toshihiro Kawai
  • Patent number: 11781310
    Abstract: A method of unloading a modular home from a trailer includes extending a plurality of linear actuators coupled to overhanging portions of a modular home positioned on a bed of a trailer until the linear actuators lift the modular home off of the trailer, sending instructions to one or more crawlers to move under the modular home, retracting the linear actuators to lower the modular home such that a lower surface of the modular home rests on a platform positioned on each of the crawlers, sending instructions to the crawlers to move the modular home to an installation location, extending the linear actuators until the linear actuators lift the modular home off of the crawlers, sending instructions to the crawlers to move out from under the modular home, and retracting the linear actuators to lower the modular home to an installed height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Modology Design Group
    Inventor: Mark D. Hall
  • Patent number: 11772912
    Abstract: A transport system in the form of a long-stator linear motor and method for operating a transport system in the form of a long-stator linear motor including a stator on which a plurality of magnetic-field-generating units is arranged and a plurality of transport units which are moved along the stator simultaneously. In an event of a system error in a part of the transport system, the method includes defining an error area on the stator that includes only a part of the stator with a defective part of the transport system, and transferring the magnetic-field-generating units within the defined error area to a specified error state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: B&R INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Flixeder, Benjamin Reichenwallner, Michael Hauer, Birgit Zimmer
  • Patent number: 11751520
    Abstract: A mobile drip irrigation system includes a plurality of drip tubes anchored at a first end to a water supply conduit. As the mobile irrigation system travels across a surface to be watered a second, free end of each drip tube is pulled along the surface to provide precise and uniform water distribution through the drip tubes. A cable extending across each section of the mobile irrigation system is attached to the plurality of drip tubes within that section, with the cable movable via a winch mechanism to shift the position of the drip tubes within that section to correspondingly shift the drag path of the tubes to a desired location. In exemplary embodiments, a lower manifold distributes water to the drip tubes, and in further embodiments a support restraint provides support to the lower manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventor: Monty J. Teeter
  • Patent number: 11753881
    Abstract: A system comprising a rig, a fingerboard, a first sensor, and a second sensor, with the first sensor positioned on an opposite side of the entrance from the second sensor, where the first sensor and the second sensor are used to detect when a tubular enters or exits the fingerboard and to detect a parameter of the tubular, such as diameter of the tubular, speed of the tubular, and an angle of entry of the tubular. A method comprising sensing, via first and second sensors, when a tubular is entering a fingerboard through an entrance of the fingerboard, restricting movement of a top drive at an elevated position until the first and second sensors sense the tubular entering the fingerboard, and enabling movement of the top drive when the first and second sensors sense the tubular entering the fingerboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc.
    Inventors: John Patterson, Scott Boone
  • Patent number: 11712314
    Abstract: Implementations relate to a master control device. In some implementations, a master control device includes a control body comprising a proximal end, a thumb grip portion, and a finger grip portion. The control body has a length configured to engage the proximal end of the control body in the palm of a hand of the user while the hand engages the thumb grip portion with a thumb of the hand and the finger grip portion with a finger of the hand. The control body is configured to allow the proximal end of the control body to be selectively engaged by the palm of the hand and selectively disengaged from the palm of the hand while the hand engages the thumb grip portion with the thumb of the hand and the finger grip portion with the finger of the hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen C. Thompson, Grant M. Kadokura, John Ryan Steger
  • Patent number: 11694906
    Abstract: In one example, a semiconductor device can comprise a unit substrate comprising a unit conductive structure and a unit dielectric structure, and an electronic component coupled to the unit conductive structure. The unit substrate can comprise a portion of a singulated subpanel substrate of a panel substrate. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Amkor Technology Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Yoon Kim, Ji Hun Lee, Suresh Jayaraman, David Hiner, Won Chul Do, Jin Young Khim, Ju Hong Shin, Kye Ryung Kim
  • Patent number: 11608812
    Abstract: Methods (200) for reducing vibrations in one or more rotor blades (120) of a wind turbine (160), when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions are provided. The method comprises measuring (201) one or more deformation parameters indicative of deformation of one or more blades (120), determining (202), at a dedicated controller (190) for an auxiliary drive system (20, 107), a vibration of one or more of the blades (120) based on the deformation parameters, wherein the dedicated controller (190) for the auxiliary drive system is separate from the wind turbine controller (180), and generating (203), at the dedicated controller (190), an output signal to operate the auxiliary drive system to reduce the vibration. Also disclosed are wind turbines (160) which comprise a dedicated controller (190) configured to determine a vibration and generating an output signal to reduce the vibration, when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables España, S. L.
    Inventors: Pedro Arroyo Beltri, Thomas Picard, Marc Canal Vila, Ricardo Lázaro Bosch, Pedro Palomares Rentero
  • Patent number: 11603301
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a lifting mechanism mounted on a lifting device, wherein the lifting device includes a carrying unit. The lifting mechanism is disposed under the carrying unit, and comprises a driving assembly and a lifting assembly. The driving assembly includes an axle fixing part, a drive wheel and a power source, and the lifting assembly includes a screw nut and a screw rod. An upper end of the screw rod is fixedly connected to the carrying unit. When the lifting mechanism is traveling, each drive wheel is in contact with a base surface and moves the lifting device on the base surface; and when lifting, each drive wheel rotates on the base surface to drive the screw nut to rotate about a vertical axis relative to the carrying unit, to drive the screw rod to lift the carrying unit along the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SUZHOU XINYOUHUA INVESTMENT ADVISOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tao Luo
  • Patent number: 11566604
    Abstract: Described is a tool and apparatus for positioning a blade for a wind turbine the wind turbine including a tower and a rotatable hub on the tower. The tool is mounted on a side of the tower so that the blade is supported on the tower in an initial configuration. The tool includes a first part arranged to be angularly movable relative to a second part for tilting the blade with respect to the tower to position the blade in a position that can allow the blade to be connected to the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: National Oilwell Varco Norway AS
    Inventors: Anibal B. Teixeira, Ole Petter Torvik, Thor Strand
  • Patent number: 11569118
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a thrust-up unit having a plurality of blocks in contact with a dicing tape, a head having a collet absorbing the die and capable of being moved up and down, and a control section controlling the operation of the thrust-up unit and the head. The thrust-up unit can operate each of the plurality of blocks independently. The control section configures the thrust-up sequences of the plurality of blocks in a plurality of steps, and controls the operation of the plurality of blocks on the basis of a time chart recipe capable of setting the height and the speed of the plurality of blocks for each block and in each step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Fasford Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Yokomori, Tatsuyuki Okubo, Yuki Nakui, Hiroshi Maki, Akira Saito, Naoki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11547066
    Abstract: A mobile drip irrigation system includes a plurality of drip tubes anchored at a first end to a water supply conduit. As the mobile irrigation system travels across a surface to be watered a second, free end of each drip tube is pulled along the surface to provide precise and uniform water distribution through the drip tubes. A cable extending across each section of the mobile irrigation system is attached to the plurality of drip tubes within that section, with the cable movable via a winch mechanism to shift the position of the drip tubes within that section to correspondingly shift the drag path of the tubes to a desired location. In exemplary embodiments, a lower manifold distributes water to the drip tubes, and in further embodiments a support restraint provides support to the lower manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Inventor: Monty J. Teeter
  • Patent number: 11544480
    Abstract: An operation of calibrating the object using a reference reader is performed, the calibration operation including an operation of placing the reference reader at various distances away from the object that correspond to various values of a parameter within the object that is representative of the intensity of the signal received by the object, and, for each distance, an operation of determining an internal phase-shift compensation in the object with respect to a nominal internal phase shift, making it possible to obtain a load modulation amplitude that is higher, in terms of absolute value, than a threshold, and an operation of storing a lookup table of the various values of the parameter and the corresponding internal phase-shift compensations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Nicolas Cordier, Anthony Tornambe
  • Patent number: 11531956
    Abstract: A system for parcel transport and tracking that operates responsive to data bearing records includes a plurality of geographically spaced repositories. The exemplary repositories include one or more enclosed compartments. Access to each of the enclosed compartments is controlled by a respective door which is in operative connection with a respective lock. Central system circuitry is in operative connection with the repositories and is operative to control access to the compartments and to cause compartments to be selectively accessible so that selected parcels may be placed therein or removed therefrom by persons authorized to access such parcels. In exemplary arrangements the central system circuitry is operative to determine bundles of parcels to be transported between respective repositories to facilitate the delivery of parcels at the respective delivery locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: DANBY PRODUCTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Jim Estill, Paul McLean
  • Patent number: 11521163
    Abstract: A system for parcel transport and tracking that operates responsive to data bearing records includes a plurality of geographically spaced repositories. The exemplary repositories include a plurality of enclosed compartments. Access to each of the enclosed compartments is controlled by a respective door which is in operative connection with a respective lock. Central system circuitry is in operative connection with the repositories and is operative to control access to the compartments and to cause compartments to be selectively accessible so that selected parcels may be placed therein or removed therefrom by authorized item handlers. The exemplary central system circuitry is further operative to make determinations concerning handling of a plurality of parcels together in respective bundles to facilitate the timely and cost-effective transport of the parcels between repositories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DANBY PRODUCTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Jim Estill, Darren Redfern
  • Patent number: 11518292
    Abstract: A trailer system for a vehicle includes a trailer having a trailer body, wheels, and a trailer tongue for hitching the trailer to a towing vehicle. A rear end of the trailer body is pivotally and detachably attachable at a rear of the vehicle. When attached at the rear of the vehicle, the trailer is pivotable between a stowed position, where the trailer is vertically oriented along the rear of the vehicle, and a lowered position, where the trailer is lowered such that the wheels are at the ground. When attached at the rear of the vehicle and in the stowed position, the front end of the trailer body is at or near an upper region of the vehicle. When attached and in the lowered position, the trailer functions to allow items to be unloaded from the vehicle and onto the trailer body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HOP FAMILY INVESTMENTS LLC
    Inventor: Dean Hop
  • Patent number: 11521164
    Abstract: A system for parcel transport and tracking that operates responsive to data bearing records includes a plurality of geographically spaced repositories. The exemplary repositories include a plurality of enclosed compartments. Access to each of the enclosed compartments is controlled by a respective door which is in operative connection with a respective lock. Central system circuitry is in operative connection with the repositories and is operative to control access to the compartments and to cause compartments to be selectively accessible so that selected parcels may be placed therein or removed therefrom by authorized item handlers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DANBY PRODUCTS LIMITED
    Inventors: Jim Estill, Darren Redfern
  • Patent number: 11484378
    Abstract: A hand grip apparatus for receiving operator input includes a body having a proximal end and a distal interface end for coupling to an input apparatus. A first control lever is attached to the body and extends away from the proximal end and terminates in a finger grip for receiving one of the operator's fingers. A second control lever is attached to the body and extends away from the proximal end terminating in a thumb grip for receiving the operator's thumb. Movement of at least one of the control levers is operable to produce a first control signal representing the movement. An input control is included on the body between the grip ends and has an actuator surface angled towards the finger grip end and configured to produce a second control signal in response to actuation by one of the operator's fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Andrew Lutzow, Daniel P. Smith, Peter John Kenneth Cameron
  • Patent number: 11464594
    Abstract: A hand grip apparatus for receiving operator input includes a body having a proximal end and a distal interface end for coupling to an input apparatus. A first control lever is attached to the body and extends away from the proximal end and terminates in a finger grip for receiving one of the operator's fingers. A second control lever is attached to the body and extends away from the proximal end terminating in a thumb grip for receiving the operator's thumb. Movement of at least one of the control levers is operable to produce a first control signal representing the movement. An input control is included on the body between the grip ends and has an actuator surface angled towards the finger grip end and configured to produce a second control signal in response to actuation by one of the operator's fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Titan Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Andrew Lutzow, Daniel P. Smith, Peter John Kenneth Cameron
  • Patent number: 11465888
    Abstract: A lifting system for a vehicle including a powered winch, a telescopic hoist, jib, or arm and an attachment means on the vehicle for allowing the hoist arm to be pivotally adjusted. The attachment means is provided as a mounting plate which is mounted beneath the vehicle. The mounting plate includes receiving sections that receive a bottom distal end of the telescopic hoist arm. The hoist arm then upwardly extends from the bottom of the mounting plate and is supported to the vehicle using straps. Furthermore, the winch is provided as an integral part of the vehicle which is then fed through to the hoist arm an received by a pulley member located on a distal top end of the hoist arm. The winch is then secured to an anchor which is adapted to receive a load to be transported by the lifting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Inventor: Jason Laidler
  • Patent number: 11396169
    Abstract: The cargo liner is configured for use with a cargo carrying vehicle. The cargo liner is a protective structure that covers the supporting surface of the cargo carrying vehicle that supports the cargo. The cargo liner forms a protective barrier that prevents the cargo from damaging the supporting surface. The protective barrier formed by the cargo liner transfers the load of the cargo to the supporting surface of the cargo carrying vehicle that supports the cargo. The cargo liner is formed from a composite material. The cargo liner is temperature resistant. By temperature resistant is meant that has a melting point greater than 500 F (260 C). The composite material that forms the cargo liner has a structure selected from the group consisting of: a) a base structure; b) a flexible structure; and, c) a panel structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Inventor: Damarius Pollard
  • Patent number: 11351677
    Abstract: In the manufacture of certain cosmetics packaging, small metal pans are used to carry the cosmetic material, and these are incorporated in cosmetics carriers. The cosmetic material is initially in a powder form that is compressed into the pan prior to the pan being assembled into a carrier A multi-pan insertion tool includes a control plate and one or more interface plates that can, in turn, be attached to the control plate. Each interface plate corresponds to a different pan configuration. The interface plate includes a plurality of protrusion sites that each correspond to a single pan. An air passage from each protrusion site passes through the tool to the valve on the control plate that is controlled by an operator (either open or closed). A vacuum hose is attached to the valve to create the necessary vacuum/suction. The operator can then use the tool to pick up multiple pans at once, using suction, and then deposit the pans into a press for powder loading and then compression of the powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Oxygen Development LLC
    Inventor: Jeronimo Olea
  • Patent number: 11322380
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a substrate transfer system, which includes a main body, a tray cassette base, a tray aligner, a tray robot, a substrate cassette base, a substrate aligner, a substrate robot and a Bernoulli robot. The tray can be transferred to the tray aligner by the tray robot. The substrate can be transferred to the substrate aligner by the substrate robot. By the Bernoulli robot, the substrate can be transferred from the substrate aligner to the tray on the tray aligner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SKY TECH INC.
    Inventors: Jing-Cheng Lin, Jung-Hua Chang
  • Patent number: 11287804
    Abstract: A mobile manufacturing platform including a control unit; a manufacturing unit operatively coupled to the control unit, the manufacturing unit configured to fabricate a component using an automated manufacturing process based on a three-dimensional solid model of the component; and a quality test unit operatively coupled to the control unit and configured to perform testing on one of the component and a sample of material used to fabricate the component; wherein the platform is configured for transport via a vehicle to a worksite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
    Inventors: Timofey Sitnikov, Jason White Bradley, Paul Gifford, Aurelian Ioan Furcoiu
  • Patent number: 11279021
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a robot is provided. In this robot, direct teaching can be performed while updating a position command on the basis of an applied external force. In the method and apparatus, a proximity region is set inside a boundary of an operation-allowed range of the robot, the proximity region being indicative of a proximity of the boundary. Stored is an external force applied when a monitoring point provided in the robot reaches the proximity region as a reference external force. And performed is comparing the reference external force with a current external force when a current position of the monitoring point is in the proximity region, to thereby determine a direction that facilitates movement away from the proximity region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masanori Sato, Yuto Kawachi
  • Patent number: 11186261
    Abstract: A parked freight trailer stabilizer and restraint comprising: (a) a kingpin receiver configured to lock onto a kingpin of a parked freight trailer; (b) a jack operatively coupled to the kingpin receiver, the jack repositionable between a retracted position and an extended position; (c) a tail hold operatively coupled to the kingpin receiver, the tail hold repositionable between a stowed position and a restraining position, the tail hold configured to engage a ground mount; and, (d) a transport receiver configured to engage a transport vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Stabilock, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Terrance Kimener
  • Patent number: 11053025
    Abstract: A method and system for alleviating a load is provided. A support system is positioned at a nominal location with respect to an object. The support system comprises jacks and supports. Each of the supports is associated with one of the jacks. The object is positioned on the support system. The support system with the object is moved across a path. The height of each of the jacks is adjusted as the support system moves along the path to maintain a desired minimum load on each jack. Maintaining the desired minimum load prevents damage to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Samuel Merrit, Patrick B. Stone, Don J. Russell, Brennan John Dunlap
  • Patent number: 10923381
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck device includes: an electrostatic chuck part which incorporates an internal electrode for electrostatic attraction and has a placing surface on which a plate-like sample is placed; a base part which cools the electrostatic chuck part; and an adhesion layer which bonds the electrostatic chuck part and the base part to integrate the parts together, in which a first through-hole is provided in the electrostatic chuck part, a second through-hole that communicates with the first through-hole is provided in the base part, a tubular insulator is fixed in the second through-hole, an annular sealing member is sandwiched between the electrostatic chuck part and a distal end surface of the insulator, wherein the distal end surface is located on the electrostatic chuck part side of the insulator, and a tubular insulating wall member is located at the inner side of the sealing member in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mamoru Kosakai, Yukio Miura, Kazunori Ishimura, Keisuke Maeda, Hitoshi Kouno, Yuuki Kinpara, Shinichi Maeta, Tomomi Ito
  • Patent number: 10923378
    Abstract: A method for transferring components from a transfer head to a receiving substrate is disclosed. The method includes monitoring signals indicative of a pitch mismatch between locations on the transfer head and locations on the receiving substrate and actuating at least one actuator based at least in part on the monitored signals to reduce the mismatch of the pitch of the locations on the transfer head and the locations on the receiving substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Javier I Guzman, I-Fei Tsu, Michael J Conover, Declan Macken
  • Patent number: 10759600
    Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle for transferring case units to and from predefined storage areas in an automated case unit storage system, the automated case unit storage system including an array of multilevel storage racks with picking aisles passing therebetween and at least one multilevel vertical conveyor having movable shelves, the autonomous transport vehicle including a frame configured to traverse the picking aisles and a transfer deck connecting the picking aisles to the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor for transferring case units between the predefined storage areas and the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor, and a controller connected to the frame, the controller being configured to effect movement of the autonomous transport vehicle through the picking aisles for accessing each storage area within a respective level of the array of multilevel storage racks and each shelf of the at least one multilevel vertical conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Symbotic LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sullivan, John Lert, Stephen C. Toebes, Foster Hinshaw, Nathan Ulrich
  • Patent number: 10697257
    Abstract: A system includes a casing running tool and a tubular measurement system coupled to an internal shaft of the casing running tool and configured to measure data indicative of a grappling force of the casing running tool on a tubular. The measured data indicative of the grappling force includes a number of turns of the internal shaft and/or a torque experienced by the internal shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Dale Dewald, Doug Christian Greening
  • Patent number: 10625421
    Abstract: The control system includes a first controller, a second controller, and a third controller. The third controller includes a first communication module, a second communication module, and a control processing module configured to output a first operation command for operating the first controlled object to the first controller via the first communication module, configured to output a second operation command for operating the second controlled object to the second controller via the second communication module, configured to acquire information on a current position of the first controlled object from the first controller via the first communication module, and configured to correct the second operation command on a basis of information on the current position of the first controlled object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventors: Masao Ojima, Kazuo Fujino