Graco Minnesota Inc.

Systems and methods for accurately controlling the volume, location, and characteristics of sprayed fluids, often involving sensors, feedback, or specific nozzle geometries for precise application.

Spraying devices designed to handle, mix, or independently dispense multiple distinct fluid components, often with mechanisms for selection, blending, or sequential application.

Methods and components for converting power into mechanical motion to drive pump mechanisms, encompassing electric motors, hydraulic actuators, and specialized motion converters like ball screws or solenoids.

Techniques and systems for optimizing pump operation, including capacity modulation, energy management, pulsation reduction, and precise fluid dispensing to improve performance and reduce energy consumption.

Design and engineering solutions for creating self-contained, mobile, or miniaturized pump systems, often incorporating battery power, ergonomic features, and integrated components for ease of use and transport.

Innovations in nozzle internal geometry, actuation, or multi-fluid mixing to achieve specific spray patterns, droplet sizes, or performance characteristics, especially for challenging fluids or conditions.

Systems and processes for applying coatings, films, or materials onto surfaces in manufacturing or industrial contexts, often involving automated movement, surface preparation, or post-application treatment.

Innovations in the design, materials, and maintenance of seals, valves, and related components to improve durability, reduce leakage, and enable specific pump functions like high-pressure operation or automated seal replacement.

Technologies for improving the efficiency, precision, and environmental impact of spraying applications in agriculture, including smart nozzles, boom control, and real-time sensing.

Slurry compositions and coating processes for battery electrodes, including binder/active-material slurries, surface coating layers, and electrode-to-foil adhesion for cathode and anode.

Tubes, hoses, or ducts incorporating additional components or features beyond simple fluid conveyance, such as embedded electronics (sensors, heaters), structural reinforcement, or segregated compartments for cable routing.

Couplings and fittings designed for specific fluid properties (e.g., cryogenic, chemical, medical, high-pressure) or requiring aseptic conditions, low-spill characteristics, or antimicrobial features to ensure safety and integrity.

Development of novel motor architectures beyond traditional radial flux designs, including linear, axial, or multi-armature configurations, often to optimize for specific performance characteristics like torque density or form factor.

Integrated systems for automatically dispensing, mixing, and often packaging multiple components to create a final product, frequently incorporating sensors and control for quality, customization, and unattended operation.

Mixing apparatus designed for integration directly into a fluid conduit or a continuous process stream, often employing static elements, impellers within a flow path, or multi-component injection for efficient, uninterrupted processing.

Manufacturing processes and techniques for producing stator cores, windings, and coils, including lamination, impregnation, hairpin winding, and segment coil bending, to improve motor efficiency, power density, or reliability.

Systems specifically engineered to use sprayed liquids or aerosols for cleaning surfaces, removing residues, or distributing disinfectants in various environments.

Technologies for establishing and managing high-bandwidth, low-latency communication pathways between computing components, peripherals, or systems, focusing on signal integrity, synchronization, and interface standards.

Systems and methods enabling the monitoring, configuration, and operation of industrial equipment and processes from a distance, often utilizing wireless communication protocols and networked platforms for enhanced flexibility and access.

Mechanisms and control systems for precisely moving valve elements, often involving electric motors, cams, solenoids, or pneumatic/hydraulic pilots, to achieve desired flow or position.

Valves engineered to automatically open or close based on pressure differentials, preventing over-pressurization, controlling flow direction, or suppressing backflow in fluid systems.

Mechanisms allowing rapid, secure, and often sealed attachment and detachment of pipes, tubes, or hoses, frequently featuring locking, sealing, and release components for efficient assembly and maintenance.

Integration of electric motors into larger systems (e.g., vehicles, power tools) and safety features for high-voltage components, including control interfaces, mechanical integration, and environmental protection (e.g., waterproofing).

Focuses on the structural integrity, housing, mounting, and physical integration of battery cells into robust and protected packs within electric vehicles, including manufacturing considerations.

Valves specifically designed for managing fluid power in hydraulic or pneumatic systems, including components for pressure regulation, flow direction, and system centering.