Special Applications Patents (Class 209/2)
  • Patent number: 11806724
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing magnetite iron ore, including a screen arranged to send oversize material to a regrind mill and undersize material to a high grade concentrate thickener and includes a CCD thickener type system for product grade improvements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: IB Operations Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Andrew Graham Hamilton, Gerald Michael Larosa
  • Patent number: 11744274
    Abstract: A fully automatic peanuts peeling robot for seeds retention and a method using the same are provided. The robot includes a processing mechanism, a feeding mechanism and a screening mechanism. The processing mechanism includes an aluminum profile support bracket, a bracket assembly, a conveyor belt device, and a conversion device, a sensor device and a cut-off device; the aluminum profile support bracket is fixedly connected to the bracket assembly; the bracket assembly includes a first bracket assembly, a second bracket assembly, and a third bracket assembly; and the aluminum profile support bracket is fixedly connected to the conveyor belt device; the conveyor belt device includes a first conveyor belt assembly, a second conveyor belt assembly, and a third conveyor belt assembly; the conveyor belt device is fixedly connected to the conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Liaocheng University
    Inventors: Qun Sun, Fuguo Ren, Ying Zhao, Dongjie Zhao
  • Patent number: 11541438
    Abstract: A waste treatment system for separating contaminants including per-fluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from bulk solid waste (12). A preparation module (9) having a bulk material separator separates oversize material (14) from bulk solid waste (12). A physical separation module (13), located down-stream of the preparation module (9), separates the bulk solid waste (12) based on particle size using physical and/or hydrodynamic and/or density separation techniques. An extraction/chemical separation module (19), located downstream of the physical separation module (13), adds leachate and/or extractant to separate the contaminants from a slurry output from the physical separation module (13), into a fines output and a contaminated water solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: CLEANEARTH TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Colin Morrell
  • Patent number: 11464204
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for use in large-scale industrial insect farming. More in particular, the invention relates to a live insects transport device for transporting live insects from a first location to a predetermined second location, the live insects transport device comprising a fluid guiding unit, a fluid discharge member and a feeder arrangement, wherein the live insects transport device is configured to receive live insects such as freshly hatched neonate larvae, for example of black soldier fly, wherein the live insects are taken up in a laminar flow of fluid and while in said fluid are transported to a predetermined location in the live insects transport device. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of the device in industrial insect farming, such as large-scale farming of black soldier flies, and the invention relates to a method of dosing live insects, wherein preferably live insects are doses which are essentially of the same age, such as freshly hatched neonate larvae.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Protix B.V.
    Inventors: Jaap van Kilsdonk, Eric Holland Schmitt, Ralf Henricus Wilhelmina Jacobs, Henricus Petrus Johannes Simons, Maurits Petrus Maria Jansen
  • Patent number: 11284608
    Abstract: In one aspect, provided herein is an apparatus for mass rearing aquatic arthropod larvae that provides control over the environment in which the larvae are reared. The apparatus comprises an aquatic reservoir, means to supply water to the reservoir, and means to drain water from the reservoir, said drainage means being equipped with a porous barrier, such as a sieve, adapted to prevent said larvae from exiting the reservoir therethrough, while permitting the passage of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Oxitec Limited
    Inventor: Neil Naish
  • Patent number: 11193118
    Abstract: A molecular filter that may include a substrate. The substrate may define a first channel, a second channel, at least one slit fluidically coupling the first channel to the second channel, at least one inlet port fluidically coupled to the first channel, at least one recovery port fluidically coupled to the first channel, at least one purge port fluidically coupled to the first channel, and at least one filtrate port fluidically coupled to the second channel. A respective cross-sectional area of each respective slit of the at least one slit in a plane perpendicular to a long axis of the respective slit is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the first channel in a plane perpendicular to a long axis of the first channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Kevin David Dorfman, Pranav Agrawal
  • Patent number: 11192101
    Abstract: A microfluidic chip with high volumetric flow rate is provided that includes at least two vertically stacked microfluidic channel layers, each microfluidic channel layer including an array of spaced apart pillars. Each microfluidic channel layer is interconnected by an inlet/outlet opening that extends through the microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip is created without wafer to wafer bonding thus circumventing the cost and yield issues associated with microfluidic chips that are created by wafer bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chi-Chun Liu, Yann Mignot, Joshua T. Smith, Bassem M. Hamieh, Nelson Felix, Robert L. Bruce
  • Patent number: 11186480
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes forming a sacrificial layer along sidewalls of an array of trenches that are indented into a substrate, depositing a fill layer over the sacrificial layer, and then creating an array of gaps between the fill layer and the substrate by removing the sacrificial layer along the sidewalls of the trenches, while maintaining a structural connection between the substrate and the fill layer at the floors of the trenches. The method further includes covering the substrate, the fill layer, and the gaps with a cap layer that seal fluid-tight against the substrate and the fill layer. The method further includes indenting a first reservoir and a second reservoir through the cap layer, and into the substrate and the fill layer, across the lengths of the array of gaps, so that the array of gaps connects the first reservoir in fluid communication with the second reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Joshua T. Smith, Stacey Gifford, Sung-Cheol Kim, Benjamin Wunsch
  • Patent number: 11103879
    Abstract: An apparatus for washing and grading sand and aggregate includes an aggregate grading and washing screen with a plurality of vertically stacked decks for producing a plurality of aggregate products therefrom, and at least one sump for collecting undersize material comprising sand and water from the plurality of decks. A plurality of sand washing and grading units each include a first hydrocyclone, a vibratory screen having a deck, and a sump beneath the deck for receiving undersize material and water passing through the deck. The deck of the vibratory screen receives an underflow from the first hydrocyclone. A further hydrocyclone receives undersize material and water from the vibratory screen's sump. Underflow from the further hydrocyclone is delivered onto the deck of the vibratory screen. The first hydrocyclone of each sand washing and grading unit receives undersize material and water from the sump of the aggregate washing and grading screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: CDE Global Limited
    Inventor: Enda Ivanoff
  • Patent number: 11059048
    Abstract: A fluidized powder heat treatment classification assembly includes a gas source. A fluidized bed is connected to the gas source via a metered connection. The fluidized bed includes a first output connected to a powder classifier via at least a first valve. The powder classifier includes a catch container operable to decelerate a gas flow from the output and operable to catch particles entrained in the gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ying She, Aaron T. Nardi, Lawrence Binek
  • Patent number: 11053468
    Abstract: A method of cell culture and a method of generating organoids is provided. The methods utilize a cell culture system which includes a multiwell culture plate having shafts for mixing culture media within wells of the culture plate. The multiwell culture plate includes a base substrate having a plurality of culture wells, and a shaft operably associated with each culture well, each shaft being configured to mix media present in each culture well and having a gear adapted to operably associate with a gear on a shaft associated with an adjacent culture well. The system further includes a motor having a drive shaft in operable communication with the shaft gears of the multiwell culture plate. The system can be widely used as a standard platform to generate stem cell-derived human organoids for any tissue and for high-throughput drug screenings, toxicity testing, and modeling normal human organ development and diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Hongjun Song, Guoli Ming, Mingxi Max Song, Christopher Hadiono, William Jeang, Ha Nam Nguyen, Xuyu Qian
  • Patent number: 10964567
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a processing apparatus including a wafer testing unit for testing whether or not a wafer carried from a cassette mount unit is a wafer corresponding to a processing condition. The wafer testing unit measures characteristics of the carried wafer by a measuring section, and a determining section of a control unit compares actual measurements of the wafer characteristics measured by the measuring section with setpoints of wafer characteristics corresponding to the processing condition, to thereby determine conformability of the carried wafer. When it is determined by the determining section that the carried wafer is a wafer corresponding to the processing condition, the wafer is carried to a processing unit and processed. When it is determined by the determining section that the carried wafer is not a wafer corresponding to the processing condition, an error is notified by a notifying section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuma Sekiya
  • Patent number: 10799882
    Abstract: A method and system is used to process slag material to yield by-products including a finished iron rich product and a finished low iron fines product. The by-products may include a finished high iron product and a finished medium iron product. The method and system include size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups prior to using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into two portions having differing magnetic susceptibilities. The method and system may include more than one phase of size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups and using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into portions, where the average size of the material remaining after one phase is reduced prior to the subsequent phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Mid-American Gunite, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Keaton, Keith P. Masserant, Lawrence I. Masserant
  • Patent number: 10760788
    Abstract: A method of combusting a sulfur-containing carbonaceous material with ash treatment includes: feeding a feed containing the sulfur-containing carbonaceous material and limestone into a furnace; combusting the feed in the furnace so as to generate preliminary fly and bottom ashes; hydrating the preliminary fly and bottom ashes to form a hydrated material; recycling the hydrated materials into the furnace so as to generate secondary fly and bottom ashes; and reacting the secondary fly and bottom ashes with a sulfuric acid solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: CHANG GUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hsiu-Po Kuo, An-Ni Huang
  • Patent number: 10738550
    Abstract: Disclosed are treatments of recovered commercial solids and use of the treated recovered commercial solids in well treatment fluids. Systems and methods are disclosed for chemically treating recovered commercial solids to remove contaminants and then recycling the recovered commercial solids by using them in a treatment fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Chesnee Lae Davis, Katerina V. Newman, Kimberly Jo Burrows, William Walter Shumway
  • Patent number: 10717088
    Abstract: A GMK-reactor includes —a housing, —a hollow base attached to the housing; an inverse taper narrowing downward and attached to the top of housing, —a supporting tube passing through the base including an upper portion situated inside the housing and a bottom discharge opening, —a number of washers of predetermined shapes mounted on an outer surface of the upper portion of the supporting tube such that outer edges of the washer and the inner sidewalls of the housing form predetermined gaps therebetween, and —a number of inlets tangentially attached to the base for introducing a substance and a liquid thereinto forming a circulating suspension therein. The suspension flow, under external pressure, takes a vortex, laminar or turbulent form, rises along inner sidewalls of the housing, enters the gaps, changing its direction at the inverse taper, thus forming a cavitation zone, providing for grinding, or/and mixing of the suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Inventors: Oleksandr Galaka, Oleksandr Kozlovskyi, Yurii Matvienko
  • Patent number: 10675638
    Abstract: A magnetic separator for a product having ferrous and non-ferrous particles includes a housing having an entry section and a cleaning section. A driven magnetic roller is disposed within the cleaning section. A non-magnetic isolator including inner and outer surfaces is positioned in the cleaning section and surrounds and seals the driven magnetic roller. The driven magnetic roller is positioned proximate the inner surface of the non-magnetic isolator. The magnetic roller includes a magnetic field that penetrates a flow of product contacting the non-magnetic isolator wherein ferrous particles travel along the outer surface of the isolator and non-ferrous particles do not travel on the outer surface separating the ferrous and non-ferrous particles. The driven magnetic roller has no direct contact with the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNETIC SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL
    Inventor: Darren Paul Butler
  • Patent number: 10647020
    Abstract: A sheet manufacturing apparatus that shortens the time until the apparatus stops is provided. The sheet manufacturing apparatus has a sieve unit having at least part of material defibrated in a defibration process introduced thereto, moving at a first speed, and passing defibrated material through multiple openings disposed in the main section thereof; and a forming unit forming a sheet using precipitate that past through the openings of the sieve unit; the sheet manufacturing apparatus stopping the sieve unit with defibrated material that was introduced stored inside the sieve unit when production by the sheet manufacturing apparatus stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Oguchi, Yoshinobu Monbetsu, Masahide Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10597623
    Abstract: A cell culture system and method of generating organoids is provided. The system includes a multiwell culture plate having shafts for mixing culture media within wells of the culture plate. The multiwell culture plate includes a base substrate having a plurality of culture wells, and a shaft operably associated with each culture well, each shaft being configured to mix media present in each culture well and having a gear adapted to operably associate with a gear on a shaft associated with an adjacent culture well. The system further includes a motor having a drive shaft in operable communication with the shaft gears of the multiwell culture plate. The system can be widely used as a standard platform to generate stem cell-derived human organoids for any tissue and for high-throughput drug screenings, toxicity testing, and modeling normal human organ development and diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Hongjun Song, Guoli Ming, Mingxi Max Song, Christopher Hadiono, William Jeang, Ha Nam Nguyen, Xuyu Qian
  • Patent number: 10596580
    Abstract: A device for separating and extracting suspended solids and particles from a fluid is shown. The device can include a hydro-cyclonic process unit, a variable geometry vortex process unit, a reverse coalescence and flocculation process unit and a fixed geometry vortices separator process unit. The fluid to be treated can enter the device through a fluid inlet and travel and recirculate through the several process units. The process units can collectively induce vorticose separation of the fluid and separate suspended solids and particles within the fluid. The suspended solids and particles can then be extracted from the device via one or more extraction fluid outlets. After the desired amount of suspended solids and particles has been removed, the processed fluid can be discharged from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: LAYNE CHRISTENSEN COMPANY
    Inventor: George R. King
  • Patent number: 10413911
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for sorting and utilizing coal and rock for a coal and rock combined mining face, and is especially applicable to the sorting and utilization of coal and rock mined from a coal and rock combined mining face when an extremely thin coal seam is used as a protective layer in combined mining of multiple coal seams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: CHINA UNIVERSITY OF MINING AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Boquan Lin, Tong Liu, Wei Yang, Ting Liu, He Li, Zhanbo Huang, Rui Wang
  • Patent number: 10350645
    Abstract: An article rejecting system includes: a conveyance unit that conveys an article along a conveying direction; a detection unit that detects the article which is conveyed by the conveyance unit; a rejecting unit that is provided on a downstream side of the detection unit in the conveying direction and performs a rejecting motion for rejecting the article which is conveyed by the conveyance unit; a control unit that controls the rejecting unit such that the rejecting motion is performed at a predetermined automatic timing when the detection unit detects the article; and an input unit that accepts input of a manual operation for causing the rejecting unit to perform the rejecting motion at a manual timing. The control unit sets the automatic timing based on the manual timing, if the input unit accepts the input of the manual operation when the detection unit detects the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: ISHIDA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shoji Suda, Emi Mizuno, Ken Iwakawa, Kohei Hayashida, Yuzuru Yamada
  • Patent number: 10342222
    Abstract: A sieving device is described. The sieving device includes a sieve surface attached to a sieve rim. A set of openings is formed in the sieve surface so as to define a set of pathways extending through the sieve surface. The set of opening are defined by a length dimension that is greater than a width dimension. When the sieve surface is submerged in a liquid, a first pupa having a first cephalothorax width that is less than the width dimension is free to move through any one of the set of openings, and a second pupa having a second cephalothorax width that is greater than the width dimension is prevented from moving through the set of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC
    Inventors: Robert Sobecki, Charles Behling
  • Patent number: 10185962
    Abstract: A system for transporting merchandise returned by a customer from a customer service area or a retail store to a back storage area of a retail store comprises a customer facing device for use by a retail store customer to enter return merchandise data; a scanning device for identifying the returned merchandise; and at least one conveyor belt at the retail store for transporting the returned merchandise from the customer service area to the back storage area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Yurgis Mauro Bacallao, Douglas E. Humphrys, Tina Kurtz, Leslie Irvin
  • Patent number: 9983197
    Abstract: Low-cost and portable microfluidic systems are needed for cell migration research and Point of Care (POC) testing. This study introduces a low-cost and portable USB Microscope Microfluidic Chemotaxis Analysis System (UMCAS) for rapid analysis of cell chemotaxis studies. A standalone microfluidic gradient generator is also developed for rapid generation of chemical gradient in microfluidic device without need of any peripheral perfusion apparatus. A smart phone based application program was developed for the real-time remote monitoring of the migration data. This system is validated by observing the neutrophil migration in three different conditions: 1) medium control, 2) uniform IL-8 control, and 3) IL-8 gradient. The results show that neutrophils exhibit random migration in both medium and uniform IL-8 control experiments, while they show strong directional migration to the IL-8 gradient. These results successfully validated the developed UMCAS system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Inventors: Francis Lin, Jiandong Wu
  • Patent number: 9871252
    Abstract: Method for the production of lithium metal phosphate, wherein a dry mixture containing a lithium compound, a metal compound, wherein the metal is selected from Fe, Mn and mixtures thereof, and a phosphate is provided, the dry mixture is converted to LiMPO4 and the LiMPO4 is wet ground by adding water and lithium polyacrylate and dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: BK GIULINI GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Staffel, Siegbert Weber, Marina Fleischhauer, Sebastian Metzger
  • Patent number: 9851719
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to method for executing project plan at worksite including project location. The method includes receiving, the project plan and analyzing, by the control unit, the project plan to determine excavation locations and dumping locations. The method further includes determining properties of material associated with the excavation locations and the dumping locations. The method includes determining, by the control unit, if properties of material associated with the excavation locations are matching with the properties of material present at the dumping locations, and if properties of materials present at the excavation locations are matching with the properties of materials present at the dumping locations, by combining materials present at the excavation locations with the materials present at the dumping locations. The method includes instructing the machine to excavate materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Stratton
  • Patent number: 9841367
    Abstract: Microspheres are sorted by resonant light pressure effects. An evanescent optical field is generated when light is confined within the interior of an optical element such as a surface waveguide, a tapered microfiber, or a prism. Microspheres brought within vicinity of the surface are subjected to forces that result from a coupling of the evanescent field to whispering gallery modes (WGM) in the microspheres. Alternatively, a focused laser beam is directed close to the edge of the microspheres to exert resonant optical forces on microspheres. Alternatively, standing optical waves are excited in the optical element. Optical forces are resonantly enhanced when light frequencies match WGM frequencies in the microspheres. Those microspheres for which resonance is obtained are more affected by the evanescent field than microspheres for which resonance does not occur. Greater forces are applied to resonating microspheres, which are separated from a heterogeneous mixture according to size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: The University of North Carolina At Charlotte
    Inventor: Vasily N Astratov
  • Patent number: 9707569
    Abstract: A method and system is used to process slag material to yield by-products including a finished iron rich product and a finished low iron fines product. The by-products may include a finished high iron product and a finished medium iron product. The method and system include size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups prior to using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into two portions having differing magnetic susceptibilities. The method and system may include more than one phase of size classifying the material into a plurality of sized groups and using magnetic separation to separate at least one of the sized groups into portions, where the average size of the material remaining after one phase is reduced prior to the subsequent phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MID-AMERICAN GUNITE, INC.
    Inventors: Donald E. Keaton, Keith P. Masserant, Lawrence I. Masserant
  • Patent number: 9695491
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a beneficiation process for low grade uranium ore, wherein the process comprises a primary beneficiation stage comprising: wet scrubbing the low grade uranium ore to separate the low grade ore into a fine fraction and a coarse fraction; screening the fine fraction according to a size separation parameter to provide an undersize fraction and an oversize fraction, wherein the uranium predominantly reports to the undersize fraction; and separating the undersize fraction to produce an intermediate uranium concentrate. The intermediate uranium concentrate may be further processed in a secondary beneficiation stage to produce a high grade uranium concentrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Uranium Beneficiation Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Murray Philip Hill
  • Publication number: 20150144536
    Abstract: A modular handling system and method for transporting cases is disclosed. The system includes at least one mobile base including a base frame with a base diverter thereon and at least one collapsible wing. The base frame is supported by wheeled legs. The collapsible wing includes a wing frame. The wing frame is operatively connectable to the mobile base, and is supported by collapsible legs. The wing frame and the collapsible legs are movable between an operational position and a collapsed position whereby a configurable path is movably positionable about a work space. A sorting system including at least one sorter mounted to the mobile base(s) may also be provided. Each sorter is operatively connectable to the mobile bases to identify and route the cases. The sorters are interactively coupled for communication therebetween whereby the cases are selectively movable about the configurable path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Jay Mark Dugat
  • Publication number: 20150135636
    Abstract: A portable processing plant for processing granular material is provided. The portable plant includes a plurality of portable processing modules configured to be stacked vertically to allow for a vertically downward progression of the generally granular material through the portable processing plant. Each portable processing module includes a self-supporting independent frame structure and has at least one processing component affixed to the self-supporting independent frame structure. The self-supporting independent frame structures of the plurality of portable processing modules combine to define a structural skeleton of the portable processing plant. Each self-supporting independent frame structure can be removed from the structural skeleton substantially fully assembled while the at least one processing component carried by the self-supporting. Methods of assembling and disassembling the portable processing plant are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Red Flint Group, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Thomas Ayres
  • Publication number: 20150136661
    Abstract: Processing shredder residue fines to recover valuable metals, such as copper, from waste materials. The disclosed systems and methods employ processes that further refine the waste materials to concentrate the metallic material after the waste materials are initially processed. Processes include employing a destoner, and optionally multiple destoners and screens, to concentrate metal constituents in the shredder residue fines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas Valerio
  • Patent number: 9016476
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of handling portions comprising a respective at least one slice, wherein the slices have been produced by slicing food products, wherein the portions are conveyed, in particular line-wise, one after the other in a main conveying stream along a conveying direction, wherein incomplete portions, in particular portions low in weight, are automatically recognized and/or classified, wherein incomplete portions are expelled from the main conveying stream and are supplied to a correction station in a correction stream, wherein incomplete portions are respectively completed by at least one single slice which is removed from a slice store with the aid of an automatic transfer unit and wherein completed portions are automatically channeled back into the main conveying stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Breidenbach
    Inventors: Sigfrid Bauer, Gerd Lischinski
  • Publication number: 20150101963
    Abstract: Disclosed is a buffer system for mining a deep seafloor mineral resource. The buffer system includes a hopper part that introduces and stores a crushed mineral resource to discharge the crushed mineral resource upward, a first pipe that communicates with an upper portion of the hopper part to introduce the mineral resource, a feeder part provided under the hopper part to discharge the mineral resources upward, a second pipe that communicates with the feeder part and lifts the mineral resource, a hydraulic part provided under the hopper part to convert power received from a surface boat into hydraulic power to operate at least one actuator and a driving motor to introduce the mineral resource into the first pipe, and a structure frame coupled to a lifting pipe to transmit an external load applied to the buffer system, and constituting an external frame of the buffer system to protect internal units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Sup HONG, Jong-Su CHOI, Hyung-Woo KIM, Tae-Kyeong YEU, Cheon-Hong MIN
  • Patent number: 8906453
    Abstract: A tool for harvesting polycrystalline silicon-coated rods from a chemical vapor deposition reactor includes a body including outer walls sized for enclosing the rods within the outer walls. Each outer wall includes a door for allowing access to at least one of the rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: MEMC Electronics Materials, S.p.A.
    Inventors: Rodolfo Bovo, Paolo Molino, Diego Gava
  • Patent number: 8881908
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for separating metallic CNT and semiconducting CNT, comprising treating with a physical separation means of centrifugation, freezing-thawing-squeezing, diffusion, permeation or the like using a gel containing CNT as a dispersed and isolated state (CNT-containing gel), to thereby make semiconducting CNT exist in gel and make metallic CNT exist in solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Takeshi Tanaka, Hiromichi Kataura
  • Publication number: 20140291210
    Abstract: Processes for separating and recycling battery and electrochemical cell materials are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: RSR Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy W. Ellis
  • Patent number: 8723104
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a system for sorting target particles from a flow of particles. The system has a microscope, a light source, a CCD camera, microfluidic chip device with microfluidic channels, a detection apparatus for detecting the target particles with predefined specific features, a response generating apparatus for generating a signal in response to the detection of the target particles, and an optical tweezing system for controlling movement of optical traps, the optical tweezing system is operably linked to the response signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Dong Sun, Xiaolin Wang
  • Patent number: 8662310
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for increasing the concentration of platinum group metals in urban waste material. The method comprises obtaining particles of urban waste material; screening the particles of urban waste material by size,—selecting particles of urban waste material that lie within a defined size range; and processing the selected particles using at least one physical or chemical technique whereby to increase the concentration of platinum group metals to at least 5 ppm. The invention also relates to an apparatus for increasing the concentration of platinum group metals in particulate urban waste material. The apparatus comprises: a drying unit (4), a particle size screening unit (5); and one or more processing units for effecting platinum group metal concentration of the particulate urban waste material by physical and/or chemical techniques, in particular a magnetic separation unit (7) and a froth flotation cell (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: The University of Birmingham
    Inventor: Angela Janet Murray
  • Patent number: 8616377
    Abstract: The present invention provides devices and methods for facilitating the single stream recycling of toxic substance-containing products. A toxin impermeable container designed to enclose the product containing toxic substances incorporates graphic markings or radiofrequency tags to facilitate automated or manual sorting from single stream recycling processes, identification of the toxic component, identification of the person or entity recycling the toxic to allow verification and documentation of compliance with government regulations or reimbursement of a recycling deposit that may be associated with the particular product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: EcoPaq LLC
    Inventor: Edward T. Maggio
  • Patent number: 8606417
    Abstract: Segmenting a power distribution network comprising AC power generating stations synchronously interconnected by AC power transmission paths. The stations operate within market sectors and are subject to market rules. The method includes identifying all transmission paths which extend between differing ones of the sectors and segmenting the path by inserting a controllable DC link in the path. Each of the sectors is then operated asynchronously. Power flow and counter-flow between the sectors is controlled by controlling the DC links. A power transmission network is disclosed comprising AC power generating stations operable within market sectors subject to market rules; power transmission paths interconnecting the stations, at least some of the paths extending between differing ones of the sectors, including a controllable DC link in the path for desynchronizing the differing sectors; and, control means operatively connectable to each of the DC links for controlling power flow between the differing sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: DC Interconnect Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed M. El-Gasseir, H. D. Kenneth Epp
  • Publication number: 20130323588
    Abstract: An electrode binder composition includes polymer particles. The polymer particles include 5 to 40 parts by mass of a constituent unit (A) derived from an alpha,beta-unsaturated nitrile compound, and 0.3 to 10 parts by mass of a constituent unit (B) derived from an unsaturated carboxylic acid, and have a number average particle size of 50 to 400 nm. The electrode binder composition has a gel content of 90 to 99% and an electrolyte solution swelling ratio of 110 to 400%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Kajiwara, Fusazumi Masaka, Takeshi Mogi, Daisuke Sukeguchi, Tatsuaki honda
  • Publication number: 20130168296
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a spray apparatus and methods for the separation of plant embryos.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventor: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
  • Patent number: 8439201
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for separating particles that exhibit different Raman characteristics. The method can include introducing nanoparticles, on which Raman-active molecules are adsorbed, into a photopolymerizable resin and exposing to excite Raman active vibrational modes of the molecules to generate Raman-shifted radiation suitable for polymerizing the resin such that the Raman-shifted radiation causes selective polymerization of a resin surrounding nanoparticles if the nanoparticles provide a Raman enhancement factor greater than a threshold. In addition, methods for electrically isolating nanoparticles, or selectively removing one type of nanoparticles from collections, are disclosed. These methods rely on generation of blue-shifted anti-Stokes photons to selectively expose portions of a photoresist covering the nanoparticles to those photons. Such exposure can cause a change in the exposed portions (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Eric Mazur, Eric Diebold
  • Publication number: 20130112597
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for separating metallic CNT and semiconducting CNT, comprising treating with a physical separation means of centrifugation, freezing-thawing-squeezing, diffusion, permeation or the like using a gel containing CNT as a dispersed and isolated state (CNT-containing gel), to thereby make semiconducting CNT exist in gel and make metallic CNT exist in solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventor: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
  • Patent number: 8365921
    Abstract: To provide a cell sorting method and a cell sorter which are capable of performing sorting focusing on various changes in each cell as stress on living cells is kept as low as possible, and proliferating the sorted cells. The present invention performs cell sorting using a fiber unit in which a plurality of fibers is bundled so as to be separable and unitable. In the present invention, a cell group containing target cells targeted for sorting is dispersed in a fluid into which the fiber unit is immersed, target fibers to which the target cells are attached among the plurality of fibers, are separated from the fiber unit, and the target cells are proliferated by use of the separated target fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: National University Corporation Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
    Inventors: Takashi Sakurai, Susumu Terakawa, Remi Susuki, Hideo Mogami
  • Patent number: 8365923
    Abstract: A method of separating at least one carbon nanotube having a desired diameter and/or chirality from a mixture of carbon nanotubes having different diameters and/or chiralities is provided. A calixarene of formula (I): wherein n?4; X is PO3H2, Ra—PO3H, SO3H, or Ra—SO3H; Y is Rb, OH, or ORb; and Ra and Rb are independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylene alkyl and optionally substituted alkylene aryl is combined with the mixture of carbon nanotubes in an aqueous solvent to produce an aqueous supernatant containing the carbon nanotube(s) having the desired diameter and/or chirality. The aqueous supernatant containing the carbon nanotube(s) is then separated from a residue comprising the remaining carbon nanotubes of the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: The University of Western Australia
    Inventors: Colin Llewellyn Raston, Lee John Hubble
  • Patent number: 8330610
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for detecting wear in a screening arrangement is disclosed. The system, method, and apparatus can include a sensor that is configured to provide a notification signal when a surface of a screen panel has worn to a threshold level. The threshold level can be based at least in part on the amount of wear that requires replacement of a screen panel to prevent breakthrough or contamination. The notification signal provided by the sensor can be used to identify which screen panel or region of screen panels has been worn to the threshold level so that the screen panels can be replaced in a timely manner. The sensor may be coupled to a conductor embedded in one of the screen panels that is altered when a screen panel has worn to a threshold level, triggering the sensor to provide the notification signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Polydeck Screen Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Helmut Franz Freissle, Manfred Freissle, Mark V. Weaver, Patrick Fraser King, Gregory Anderson
  • Publication number: 20120279904
    Abstract: A soil plug processing mechanism for processing soil plugs which occur during ground maintenance. The soil plug processing mechanism having a separating device for picking up and processing the soil plugs by separating the soil plug material into fine particles and coarse particles. The separating device has at least one rotatable rotary sieve which has a rotatably driveable sieve drum with an outside surface which is configured at least partially as a sieve area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: Wiedenmann GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Pfisterer