Cooperating Endless Belts Patents (Class 425/371)
  • Patent number: 12226931
    Abstract: A method for producing engineered stone slabs which includes: compressing composite material to form compressed composite material; fragmenting the compressed composite material into a plurality of fragments of composite material; depositing colorant in a predefined region onto at least part of side walls of some of the plurality of fragments of composite material; and using a device to press, flatten and stretch the plurality of fragments of composite material into a slab. The method may further include moving one or more of the plurality of fragments without substantially breaking or deforming them to form a channel in the plurality of fragments prior to depositing colorant in the predefined region. The device may include a first press roller and a second press roller; wherein the plurality of fragments pass between the first and second press rollers to press, flatten and stretch the plurality of fragments of composite material into the slab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: SQIP, LLC
    Inventor: Alex Xie
  • Patent number: 12186934
    Abstract: A process for the production of slabs made of mineral grits bound with resins comprises at least the phases of supplying one basic mixture including mineral grits and resins; dispensing the basic mixture over a molding support so as to obtain a slab to be compacted provided with an exposed surface facing upwards and a laying surface facing downwards; compacting the slab to be compacted to obtain a compacted slab; and hardening the compacted slab to obtain a slab made of mineral grits; at least one decoration with ink by digital printing of at least the basic mixture carried out prior to the compaction, wherein the decoration phase includes at least one phase of pre-decoration by digital printing which is carried out prior to the dispensing and at least one phase of post-decoration by digital printing which is carried out after the dispensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: MEDICAL SOPARFI S.A
    Inventor: Fabio Tarozzi
  • Patent number: 12151409
    Abstract: A double belt press has at least one press device having at least one pressing plate and at least one counter-pressure element for the pressing plate spaced from each other. Portions of first and second endless and driven metal belts are guided, opposite one another, through a press gap located between the pressing plate sides facing one another and the plate-shaped counter-pressure element. The press device has at least one pressing stamp having a pressing surface movable toward the counter-pressure element and back again. The first and second endless metal belt portions guided through the press gap are guided between the pressing surface of the at least one pressing stamp and the at least one counter-pressure element, and the pressing surface of the pressing stamp is smaller than a surface of the side of the at least one pressing plate facing the at least one counter-pressure element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: Berndorf Band GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Kager
  • Patent number: 12133532
    Abstract: In a food dough forming device according to the present invention, a dough forming flow path is formed to be enclosed between at least two rotatable rollers and between two wall plates. At least one of the at least two rotatable rollers is at least one long rotatable roller (31A, 32A). At least one remaining rotatable roller is at least one short rotatable roller (33A, 31B, 32B, 33B). A far-side wall plate (53) of the two wall plates has a fitting recess (53A, 53B) into which an arc portion of a periphery of the long rotatable roller is fitted, and a recessed cutout (53C, 53D, 53E, 53F) at the rotational shaft for the short rotatable roller. The short rotatable roller is fitted onto the rotational shaft for the short rotatable roller to abut the far-side wall plate. The nearside wall plate is disposed to abut the short rotatable roller. An axial movement of the short rotatable roller is limited by the two wall plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: RHEON AUTOMATIC MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsuo Nakayama, Mikio Narabu, Susumu Kominato
  • Patent number: 12070933
    Abstract: A chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet includes a web or mesh of chopped rovings and a thermoplastic resin that fully saturates the web or mesh of chopped rovings. The web or mesh of chopped rovings is not mechanically bonded and does not include a binder that bonds or adheres the chopped rovings together other than thermoplastic resin. As such, the thermoplastic resin and the web or mesh of chopped rovings are able to flow and conform to a mold or cavity when the chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet is pressed within the mold or cavity and when the chopped roving thermoplastic composite sheet is heated to above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Johns Manville
    Inventors: Mingfu Zhang, Jawed Asrar
  • Patent number: 12059861
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a wood material panel hot press for producing a wood material panel, wherein the wood material panel hot press has an inlet side and an outlet side, and is designed to press a blank supplied on the inlet side in order to form a wood material panel. According to the invention, a temperature measurement device is provided which is designed to automatically measure the temperature (T) of the wood material panel on the outlet side in a spatially resolved manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: SWISS KRONO TEC AG
    Inventor: Peter Dröge
  • Patent number: 12013149
    Abstract: An improved system for thermal management is provided. The system includes thermally anisotropic composites coupled with a thermal loop to re-direct, reduce, and shape heat flows through a building envelope, having the potential to (1) significantly reduce envelope-generated heating and cooling loads and (2) provide grid services such as decreasing peak loads and shaping energy use. In one embodiment, the thermal management system includes an anisotropic composite that consists of alternating layers of thermal insulation and thermally conductive materials that are immediately adjacent to each other, including polyisocyanurate foam boards and aluminum sheets. The thermal management system also includes a thermal loop along the long edge or the entire the perimeter of the anisotropic composite, the thermal loop having dynamically controlled or floating temperature that is maintained at lower than an outdoor ambient temperature (for cooling).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: UT-BATTELLE, LLC
    Inventors: Som S. Shrestha, Kaushik Biswas, Diana Hun, Jerald A. Atchley
  • Patent number: 11964348
    Abstract: Provided is a mold adapted for producing a wind turbine blade, including a first carrier and a shell for accommodating blade building elements to be embedded in a resin matrix for building a blade body part, which shell is placed on the first carrier, and a second carrier changeable in its length and elongating the first carrier adapted to accommodate a prefabricated blade tip to be connected to the blade body part when the blade body part is built.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy A/S
    Inventors: Soeren Randrup Daugaard Henrichsen, Mogens Nielsen
  • Patent number: 11912007
    Abstract: Systems and methods for producing a composite structural laminate comprising fabric, polymer, and fiber layers. During production, the laminate base is heated and compressed several times to improve adhesion of the layers which results in improved laminate strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: HORTON WORLD SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Samuel D Shannon, Fred Arthur Simmons
  • Patent number: 11887883
    Abstract: A heterogeneous composite material and a method for manufacturing the heterogeneous composite material are provided. The heterogeneous composite material includes a first compression structure formed by compressing a first material, and a second compression structure formed by compressing a second material different from the first material, and disposed in close contact with the first compression structure, wherein at least a portion of the first compression structure and at least a portion of the second compression structure are disposed on both sides of a boundary surface existing in a circular shape with a predetermined radius with respect to a central axis in a state in contact with each other at the boundary surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Do Yeon Kim, Pil Kyun Heo, Ho Jong Hwang, Hyun Yoon, Jong Min Lee, Chul Gyun Baik
  • Patent number: 11872796
    Abstract: The pressing of an article is achieved with a closed-loop feedback press. The closed-loop feedback press is effective to measure an amount of pressure applied and adjust the pressure to achieve a prescribed amount of compression on the article. Further, the press may leverage a closed-loop feedback system to maintain a consistent temperature of one or more platens. The press is able to adjust a pressure applied one or more times during a pressing operation to accelerate a temperature change in the pressed article while reducing the pressure applied as the temperature approaches a target temperature to limit unintentional deformation and bleeding of the pressed material of the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Hancock, Nicolai Luksza, Adam Montoya, Charles W. Morrison, Daniel Black Thayer
  • Patent number: 11819030
    Abstract: A rolled food dough having a good shape is stably produced. The rolled food dough is arranged on a conveyor in an orderly manner. A roll-forming device and method having high production capacity are provided. The downstream end portion PL of the food dough piece P is deflected by a middle-speed conveyor 1 and a high-speed conveyor 3 facing each other in an up-down direction, folded and adhesively pressed between a following low-speed conveyor 2 and the high-speed conveyor 3 to form a rolling core PA, and rolled due to a speed difference between the facing conveyors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rheon Automatic Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumichi Higuchi, Taro Fukugami, Akihiro Orui
  • Patent number: 11785971
    Abstract: A cooked rice forming apparatus for forming cooked rice into a desired shape includes a light guide part that is provided with a first surface and a second surface, and is made of a material having transparency, wherein the first surface is in slidably contact with one side of the cooked rice, and has a slope, and the second surface is arranged on a lower side of the slope and on the other side of the cooked rice; a light source part that emits ultraviolet rays and is provided near the light guide part; a forming part that is arranged below a lower side of the slope, and forms the cooked rice into the desired shape; and a housing body that accommodates an input part, a discharging part, the light guide part, the light source part and the forming part, wherein the light guide part is configured such that at least the first surface and the second surface glow due to the ultraviolet rays emitted from the light source part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: GTEC INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masahiro Shimizu, Masahiko Tamaki, Kazuhiro Mitani
  • Patent number: 11780683
    Abstract: A configurable assembly is provided for conveying products along a longitudinal direction; the assembly has a supporting structure and at least two conveyor units; at least one of said units is provided with at least two tracks which receive, in use, respective products and diverge from or converge towards each other along a lateral direction, proceeding longitudinally from an inlet to an outlet; the units are movable with respect to the supporting structure by the action of an actuator device between a working area and at least one storage area, so as to selectively arrange one of said units in the working area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ELCAT S.R.L.
    Inventor: Mauro Testa
  • Patent number: 11771971
    Abstract: A mobile molding system, comprising a vehicle and one or more molds arranged on the vehicle configured for receiving one or more expandable nonwoven substrates, heating said one or more expandable nonwoven substrates so as to cause said one or more expandable nonwoven substrates to expand and fill the one or more molds with one or more expanded nonwoven containing articles of three dimensional shape, and releasing said one or more expanded nonwoven containing articles of three dimensional shape from the one or more molds is provided. Methods for manufacturing three dimensional objects using the mobile molding system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: PIANA NONWOVENS
    Inventors: Andrea Piana, Michael Stephen DeFranks, Eric McCann, Andy Hollis, Sang-hoon Lim, Helias Andriessen, Mehran Jafari
  • Patent number: 11772319
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for manufacturing a pipe shell from an insulating material by means of which the cycle times can be further reduced while the quality of the pipe shell is simultaneously improved, by at least one web (29) of the insulating material which is provided with a binding agent being wound around a core (19) by means of at least two opposing belts (12, 13) which wrap around the core (19) partially. The method steps are characterized in that the at least one wound-up web (32) of insulating material is removed in a radial direction of the core (19) which is, however, not opposite to the direction in which the at least one web (29) of insulating material was fed by the one belt (12), especially by the wound-up web (32) being discharged through the same belt (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN ISOVER
    Inventors: Nikolaus Wesely, Harald Ligtenberg, Hans-Joachim Höller, Romain Lecomte
  • Patent number: 11639577
    Abstract: An automated method is provided for forming pleats in a textile product in a production line. The method includes conveying a web of the textile product on a conveyor in the production line. The web is folded using a folding board at a folding station in the production line. The method includes removing heat from the folding board. The automated method can allow for high speed folding of the textile product without damaging the textile product from heat caused by friction between the web of textile product and the folding board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: O&M Halyard, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric C. Steindorf, Anthony S. Spencer, Joseph P. Weber, Mark T. Pamperin, David L. Harrington
  • Patent number: 11541569
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a plant for the continuous production of engineered stone slabs. In the method, raw materials comprising at least one mineral filler and one organic binder are mixed, applied to a lower belt of a dual-belt press, or a conveying means mounted upstream of the lower belt, and subsequently continuously pressed, and the binder is cured. A continuously-obtained material strand is separated into individual engineered stone slabs. It is provided that the mixing operation of the raw materials is carried out at staggered times in a batch mixing operation by means of at least two separate mixing devices. The mixed raw materials from the mixing devices are transferred into one, or multiple, spreading device(s) at staggered times and are applied continuously and without interruption to the lower belt, or the conveying means mounted upstream of the lower belt, by means of the spreading device(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: EQTEC Engineered Quartz Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Johann Horvath
  • Patent number: 11413785
    Abstract: A device (100) for compacting a layer (MT) of powder material; the device (100) comprises a movable surface (12), which is designed to convey the layer (MT) of powder material in a predefined feeding direction (F); a compacting belt (22) positioned over the transport surface (12); a pressing station (40, 45, 50, 55), which is designed to press the compacting belt (22) towards the transport surface (12), so as to press the layer (MT) of powder material; and an expansion countering station (80), which is designed to counter the expansion of the layer (MT) of powder material downstream of the pressing station (40, 45, 50, 55) and comprises a pusher delivering a gas under pressure to create a pushing gas cushion (STR; STR*) on the compacting belt (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: SACMI COOPERATIVA MECCANICI IMOLA SOCIETA COOPERATIVA
    Inventors: Alan Babini, Marco Salieri, Silvano Valli
  • Patent number: 11400676
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a wood material panel pressing device for pressing a fibrous press cake in order to produce a wood material panel including an inspection device that is designed to emit a signal in the event of a disruption. According to the disclosure, the wood material panel pressing device for pressing a fibrous press cake for producing an HDF panel or an MDF panel includes: an inspection device, which is designed to emit a signal in an event of a disruption, wherein: the inspection device has a camera and an evaluation unit, the camera is arranged in an intake region of the wood material panel pressing device; and the evaluation unit automatically emits a signal in an event of a blow-out of press cake particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SWISS KRONO TEC AG
    Inventor: Daniel Sperlich
  • Patent number: 11259530
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for guiding and supplying dough to a dough processing or transporting means comprising a receiving chamber with at least one belt conveyor comprising a conveyor belt forming at least part of a side wall of the receiving chamber. The receiving chamber is further provided with at least two sealing strips mounted at opposing side ends of the conveyor, wherein the sealing strips create a seal between the conveyor belt and an adjacent stationary wall forming another part of the side wall of the receiving chamber. The invention further relates to a chunker for subdividing dough into smaller parts comprising said device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventor: Johannes Josephus Antonius Van Blokland
  • Patent number: 10179423
    Abstract: A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a raw material detection unit that detects a raw material amount stacked on a stacking unit, a calculation unit that calculates a first amount of the sheet able to be manufactured in the sheet manufacturing apparatus based on a detection result of the raw material detection unit, and an output unit that outputs the sheet amount calculated by the calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Monbetsu, Seiichi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9694510
    Abstract: A heating system is provided having a plurality of heated zones, with at least a first zone and a second zone. The first zone receives variable input moisture fiberglass over a first conveyor system and comprises a first compression system above the first conveyor system. Each zone has a fire box at the top and an exhaust stack. Heated air is up drafted through the bottom of the first zone, where the heated air flows from the bottom through the conveyor belt, through the fiberglass media, through the tensioned compression chain, and out the exhaust stack of the first zone. The first zone establishes fiberglass loft, with the second zone providing cure of the fiberglass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventors: Charles Douglas Spitler, Rodney Ray Wilkins
  • Patent number: 9474722
    Abstract: Compositions for the transdermal delivery of amphetamine in a flexible, finite form are described. The compositions comprise a polymer matrix that includes amphetamine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug thereof and a backing layer comprising a polyurethane film layer and a polyester film layer, with a polyurethane adhesive disposed therebetween. Related methods also are described. Also described are compositions that exhibit a short onset period and a long duration of therapeutic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: NOVEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
    Inventor: Robert L. Lambert
  • Publication number: 20150140309
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for embossing relatively rigid polymeric panels having precise microstructured surfaces on at least one face of the panel including using a continuous press having upper and lower belts; providing tools with the embossing pattern(s); feeding the tools and panels juxtaposed thereon through the press where heat and pressure are applied to form the em bossed precise microstructured surface and cooling the embossed panel, all while maintaining pressure on the panel and the tool, and thereafter separating the embossed polymeric panel from the tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Robert M. Pricone
  • Patent number: 9033694
    Abstract: A molding apparatus for making a continuous molded article generally includes a pair of spaced-apart molding assemblies, which cooperatively generate a movable mold having a dynamic mold-cavity therein, each of the molding assemblies including a series of movable mold segments, which are adapted to fit together to form a portion of the dynamic mold-cavity, a drive mechanism for conveying the mold segments along a path, and a dispenser for dispensing a moldable, expandable material into the dynamic mold-cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation (US)
    Inventors: Mark Garceau, Mark Kaltenborn, Alex Shafir, Robert Jennings
  • Patent number: 8961165
    Abstract: The present invention leads to a method for preparing a dough piece rolled up with separator sheet, comprising supplying in a transport direction, a dough piece positioned on a separator sheet, the dough piece and the separator sheet having a length and a width, wherein a leading edge of the separator sheet exceeds the dough piece at least a first side, rolling up the at least one side of the dough paper that exceeds the dough piece, thus forming a cylinder of separator sheet, extending in a width direction of the dough piece and rolling up the rest of the separator sheet with the dough piece around the cylinder. The invention further relates to a device for performing the method and a roll formed by the method and/or device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Rademaker B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Josephus Antonius Van Blokland
  • Publication number: 20150042006
    Abstract: A device (1) for producing a slab (9) from artificial stone material by means of a double-belt press having a lower belt (2) and an upper belt (3), the double-belt press comprising a charging device (4) for loading a starting material for producing the slab (9) onto the lower belt (2), and the charging device (4) comprising at least one drum (5, 6) that is rotatable about its longitudinal axis (a1, a2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: BERNDORF BAND GMBH
    Inventor: Franz Kager
  • Patent number: 8936453
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously forming a continuous element made of expanded plastic material comprises: a loading section of a mass of granules made of expandable plastic material; a sintering section of the continuous element made of expanded plastic material extending downstream of the loading section; a stabilizing section of the continuous element made of expanded plastic material extending downstream of the sintering section; a forming tunnel extending along the sintering and stabilizing sections and defined between a pair of lateral walls and a pair of gas permeable conveyor belts, supported by respective supporting tracks. Further, at least one of the supporting tracks of the gas permeable conveyor belts comprises at least one portion extending in the sintering section and angularly tiltable with respect to a transversal centerline plane (?) of the forming tunnel for varying the height of the tunnel in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Gilanberry Trading Ltd.
    Inventor: Piero Cretti
  • Patent number: 8876520
    Abstract: A dimpled fabric creation system and method is provided to form a dimpled fabric using a mold or machine having a plurality of protrusions and grooves, while avoiding the repetitive steps to manually shape each protrusion individually by tying portions of fabric individually. The protrusions may be of complex three dimensional shapes to form dimples in the fabric having corresponding complex three dimensional shapes. The system and method provide for creation of a dimpled fabric container, wherein the dimpled fabric container may be utilized in gift wrapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Inventor: Christopher G. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 8877106
    Abstract: There are provided a forming device capable of drying at a high speed and of manufacturing a thermosetting resin foam plate more efficiently and stably without multilayering any unnecessary surface material, and a method of efficiently manufacturing a thermosetting resin foam plate therefor. A thermosetting resin foam plate is manufactured by: mixing a resin composition containing at least a thermosetting resin, a foaming agent and a curing agent in a mixer; continuously discharging the resin composition on a traveling air-permeable and flexible surface material, and at the same time covering the upper surface of the resin composition with an air-permeable and flexible surface material; and passing the covered resin composition through a forming device equipped with conveyors having apertures having an aperture area ratio of 15% or more and 80% or less to form and cure the resin composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Construction Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Inoue, Tadashi Ishio
  • Patent number: 8846124
    Abstract: A method for forming a pressed, baked food product including providing a dough intermediate puck. The dough intermediate puck is processed through a first, compression station that applies a compression force and heat to the dough intermediate puck, resulting in a pressed puck. The pressed puck is processed through a second, dwell and heating station that contacts opposing major surfaces of the pressed puck in a manner allowing the pressed puck to naturally rise and applies heat to the puck, resulting in a pressed, at least partially-baked, food product. The above steps are characterized by continuous movement of the puck from an upstream end of the first station to a downstream end of the second station. In one embodiment, residual heat from the first station is applied in the second station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas E. Heinzen
  • Patent number: 8808780
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for making shaped food chip products (2) including hotplates (3) (4) that are arranged in such way that, when in use, food snacks are hold between the hotplates and where at least one hotplate surface is covered with a steam permeable membrane (5). Also a method for making food chip product (2) including feeding slices of food in a monolayered between hotplates (3, 4) where at least one of the hotplate surfaces pressing on the food snack is covered with a membrane (5) that guidance the steam away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Inventor: Anders Fredlund
  • Patent number: 8740603
    Abstract: The invention relates to a forming and cooling device for a flowable, melted food mass 1, more particularly processed cheese, comprising two parallel, oppositely rotating cooling belts 2, 3, which are each guided over an upper 4 and a lower 5 deflection roller and are separated from each other in order to form a continuous strip 6 of the food mass, wherein the cooling belts 2, 3 are each acted upon by a cooling fluid 7 on the side facing away from the strip, characterized in that a tubular supply channel 8 is formed at the upper region of each cooling belt 2, 3 and is equipped with a plurality of outlet conduits 9 arranged side by side, the central recess of which is cylindrically formed and by way of which a laminar, non-turbulent cooling-liquid stream 10 can be placed upon the cooling belt 2, 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hochland SE
    Inventors: Andreas Biggel, Franz Stadelmann
  • Patent number: 8728360
    Abstract: [Object] An apparatus and a method for producing optical sheeting with which increased productivity can be achieved while maintaining the accuracy of produced optical sheeting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Carbide Industries Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Ikuo Mimura, Chihiro Hayashi, Akihiro Mathuda, Hiroshi Hamada, Naotake Osaki
  • Patent number: 8668948
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods are disclosed for manufacturing semi-moist meatballs. An illustrative embodiment provides a method of manufacturing generally spherical pet treats comprising: (a) providing a ground mix of proteinaceous material, flavor enhancers and preservatives to a portioning device that divides said mix into smaller portions of roughly uniform volume, (b) placing said portions on a first belt of a first conveyor moving at a first speed in a longitudinal direction, (c) periodically pressing said portions with a second belt of a second conveyor, where said second belt operates in a plane at a height above, and substantially parallel to, said first belt, said second belt moving at a second speed in substantially the same longitudinal direction as said first belt, while also oscillating back and forth in a lateral direction that is at an angle to said longitudinal direction, such that said portions are transformed into generally spherical shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Del Monte Corporation
    Inventors: Davor Juravic, Yomayra Alvarez, Oscar Ortiz, Dwayne P. McDowell, II, Geoffrey Chase Thornhill
  • Patent number: 8663528
    Abstract: A caterpillar traction apparatus (110), wherein two pairs of pulleys (122 & 123, 132 & 133) can be driven at different speeds, so that the linear member (40) being driven by the mechanism is subjected to either compression or extension forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventors: Peter David Jenkins, Daniel Owen Jenkins
  • Patent number: 8579621
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a high-quality porous film. Here, while the porous film is being manufactured through forming micropores by stretching, a raw film is prevented from slipping on the surfaces of the respective rolls as much as possible even though the raw film includes oil or liquid paraffin as a solvent. The method is for manufacturing a porous film through forming micropores by successive biaxial stretching. A tensile force applied to the raw film F transferring from the longitudinal stretching machine (10) to the transverse stretching machine (50) is set not less than a stretching force necessary for the longitudinal stretching, and thus the raw film is prevented from slipping on a contact surface between the raw film and each roll of the longitudinal stretching machine (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayoshi Sano, Satoru Nitta
  • Patent number: 8507026
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods are disclosed for manufacturing semi-moist meatballs. An illustrative embodiment provides a method of manufacturing generally spherical pet treats comprising: (a) providing a ground mix of proteinaceous material, flavor enhancers and preservatives to a portioning device that divides said mix into smaller portions of roughly uniform volume, (b) placing said portions on a first belt of a first conveyor moving at a first speed in a longitudinal direction, (c) periodically pressing said portions with a second belt of a second conveyor, where said second belt operates in a plane at a height above, and substantially parallel to, said first belt, said second belt moving at a second speed in substantially the same longitudinal direction as said first belt, while also oscillating back and forth in a lateral direction that is at an angle to said longitudinal direction, such that said portions are transformed into generally spherical shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Del Monte Corporation
    Inventors: Davor Juravic, Yomayra Alvarez, Oscar Ortiz, Dwayne P. McDowell, II, Geoffrey Chase Thornhill
  • Patent number: 8485811
    Abstract: A fine structure formation apparatus includes a preheating heater to heat up the surface of belt-like mold alone, right before contacting the belt-like mold to heating and pressurizing rollers, the temperature of the surface of the belt-like mold is made equal to that of the heating and pressurizing rollers, enabling to reliably obtain a predetermined temperature, and cooling rollers or a cooling blower are arranged right after the heating and pressurizing rollers, enabling cooling by a forced cooling and pressure holding, and to transfer a pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Shimao, Takanori Yamasaki, Mitsuru Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20130168883
    Abstract: Fluffy powders, such as calcined kaolin clays or air floated clays, can be compacted using a process which comprises applying increasing amounts of pressure to a powder moving through a confinement area. The compacted product has an improved bulk density and improved wet out and slurry incorporation times as compared to the non-compacted starting material feed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventor: William H. Wiggins, JR.
  • Patent number: 8388334
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for curling up dough slices, comprising a conveyor for the dough slices, a gripping element, arranged above the conveyor, for curling up a dough slice conveyed under the gripping element by the conveyor, pressure means, for pressing curled up dough slices on the conveyor, wherein the distance along which the gripping element grips dough slices is adjustable in the direction of conveyance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Rademaker B.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Josephus Antonius Van Blokland
  • Patent number: 8372324
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for binding of particulate materials to manufacture articles including continuous panels or sheets. Particulate feed materials are mixed with a heat curable binder and the mixture is fed to and compressed in a die. A radio frequency (RF) field is applied across electrodes between which the mixture is held compressed to inductively or dielectrically heat and cure the binder. Prior to entering the die the mixture is first fed to an intake zone where the mixture is shaped into substantially the same shape as the shape of the mixture in the die so that any curing of the binder due to heating of the mixture in the intake zone occurs while the mixture is in the desired final shape. Operating parameters including shape and dimensions of the intake zone, mixture advancement lengths, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panel Board Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Richard Laurance Lewellin
  • Patent number: 8356988
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for forming wallboard panels having recessed edges along all four edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Inventor: John S Conboy
  • Patent number: 8337190
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided which uses activation members for incrementally stretching a web at a low strain rate. The activation members include an activation belt and a single activation member wherein the activation belt and single activation member comprise a plurality of teeth and grooves that complement and engage one another at a depth of engagement in a deformation zone. The depth of engagement can be controlled to increase linearly over at least a portion of the deformation zone such that a web interposed between the activation belt and the single activation member in the deformation zone is incrementally stretched at a low rate of strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: John Joseph Curro, John Brian Strube, Timothy Ian Mullane, Jill Marlene Orr
  • Publication number: 20120308679
    Abstract: The invention relates to a forming and cooling device for a flowable, melted food mass 1, more particularly processed cheese, comprising two parallel, oppositely rotating cooling belts 2, 3, which are each guided over an upper 4 and a lower 5 deflection roller and are separated from each other in order to form a continuous strip 6 of the food mass, wherein the cooling belts 2, 3 are each acted upon by a cooling fluid 7 on the side facing away from the strip, characterized in that a tubular supply channel 8 is formed at the upper region of each cooling belt 2, 3 and is equipped with a plurality of outlet conduits 9 arranged side by side, the central recess of which is cylindrically formed and by way of which a laminar, non-turbulent cooling-liquid stream 10 can be placed upon the cooling belt 2, 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: HOCHLAND SE
    Inventors: Andreas Biggel, Franz Stadelmann
  • Patent number: 8323552
    Abstract: A method for forming a clay slab includes providing a frame, a first panel supported on the frame in a vertical orientation and a second panel supported on the frame in a vertical orientation, with the first panel and the second panel defining a gap therebetween. The method further includes positioning a block of clay adjacent the gap defined by the first panel and the second panel, moving at least one of the first panel and the second panel from an initial position to an intermediate position to draw the block of clay between the first panel and the second panel and thereby form the clay slab, and moving at least one of the first panel and the second panel from the intermediate position back to the initial position to withdraw the clay slab from between the first panel and the second panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: David Bellar
  • Patent number: 8252218
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a high-quality porous film. Here, while the porous film is being manufactured through forming micropores by stretching, a raw film is prevented from slipping on the surfaces of the respective rolls as much as possible even though the raw film includes oil or liquid paraffin as a solvent. The method is for manufacturing a porous film through forming micropores by successive biaxial stretching. A tensile force applied to the raw film F transferring from the longitudinal stretching machine (10) to the transverse stretching machine (50) is set not less than a stretching force necessary for the longitudinal stretching, and thus the raw film is prevented from slipping on a contact surface between the raw film and each roll of the longitudinal stretching machine (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayoshi Sano, Satoru Nitta
  • Patent number: 8187515
    Abstract: Droplets of polymerizable material may be patterned on a film sheet. The droplets of polymerizable material may be dispensed on the film sheet. A pre-determined force may be applied to an imprint lithography template such that localized trapping of the droplets of the polymerizable material on the film sheet is minimized and the droplets coalesce to form a continuous layer. The polymerizable material may be solidified to form a patterned layer having a residual layer and at least one feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignees: Molecular Imprints, Inc., Board of Regents, The University of Texas
    Inventors: Sidlgata V. Sreenivasan, Shrawan Singhal, Byung Jin Choi, Ian Matthew McMackin
  • Patent number: 8172564
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for producing a polymeric film that accurately replicates a complex mold surface at least a portion of which surface has microstructured or nano-structured dimensions. A polymeric powder is electrodeposited on an underlying mold surface. Then the powder is cured to create a polymeric film. Finally the film is removed from the mold surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: 10x Technology LLC
    Inventor: Robert M. Pricone