Patents Examined by Debra M Wolfe
  • Patent number: 7287408
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a battery case which has a tubular shape with a closed end and which houses an electricity-generating element, the apparatus including: a die assembly including a blanking die, a drawing die, a redrawing die and an ironing die which have respective die holes having mutually different sizes and which are immovably and coaxially arranged in series in the order of the sizes of the die holes; a first punch, a second punch and a third punch which are disposed coaxially with respect to the die assembly such that the first through third punches can be inserted into the corresponding die holes of the respective dies; and a moving mechanism which permits the first through third punches to be inserted into the corresponding die holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Kojima Press Industry Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Kawai, Kazunori Noba, Toshi Saeki, Takahisa Morita, Norikazu Morita, Haruo Morita
  • Patent number: 7275409
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a heat pipe having an enlarged portion includes the steps of: preparing a hollow tubular material having a uniform outer diameter; forming the tubular material with an enlarged portion having a different or larger outer diameter by narrowing or enlarging the tubular material; arranging a capillary structure into the tubular material; filling a working fluid into the tubular material after sealing one end of the tubular material; sealing the end to form a heat pipe after performing a degassing operation; and pressing the enlarged portion obtained in the previous step to form a flattened enlarged portion on the heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Chaun-Choung Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chung Wu, Meng-Cheng Huang, Tony Wang
  • Patent number: 7260974
    Abstract: A bending machine (1) is provided wherein components of the existing abutment system, namely a drive part or a carriage (7), which can be directly or indirectly detachably coupled to the lower tool, are used instead of an additionally integrated device (axle) for displacing lower tools (2) transversely in relation to their length. In this way, the existing axle of the abutment system can also be used to adjust the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Trumpf Maschinen Austria GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Gerald Koch, Thomas Gerber, Thomas Fehrenbach
  • Patent number: 7254981
    Abstract: The present invention provides a crimping apparatus that can adapt widely to various diameters of the insulating coatings of wires. The crimping apparatus has a crimp height adjustment mechanism for an insulating coating of a wire, the front of the crimping apparatus facing in a direction opposite to the direction of a core of the wire. The adjustment mechanism includes a shaft member having a regular polygon part and an eccentric shaft part that are connected thereto, and an adjustment dial which is disposed in the eccentric shaft part so as to face in the same direction as the front of the crimping apparatus. Therefore, this crimping apparatus can perform the crimping of terminals having various diameters of the insulating coatings of wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP K.K
    Inventors: Kazuharu Ishizuka, Hiromi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7243521
    Abstract: An elastic member is disposed on a load supporting device such as cushion pins and wear plates, which are placed between at least a workpiece and a die cushion pad and transfer a load applied to the work to the die cushion pad, to support the load. The load supporting device is disposed in two or more on the die cushion pad to realize equalization of the load applied to a die cushion. Thus, use of a conventional large-scale hydraulic circuit is eliminated, and the device can be simplified. Also, the press machine can be produced at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoji Aoshima, Kiyokazu Baba
  • Patent number: 7234337
    Abstract: A punch press that provides an arrangement of a motor and a crank mechanism so that the motor does not project far from the side of a frame. The punch press includes a servo motor, a ram which drives a press tool, a crank mechanism which converts a rotating motion transmitted to a crank shaft into an elevating and lowering operation of the ram, and a drive transmitting mechanism which transmits rotation of the servo motor to the crank shaft while reducing rotation speed. The servo motor is next to the crank mechanism and its rotating axis is parallel to the axis of the crank shaft. The drive transmitting mechanism includes servo motor side gears joined to respective output shafts of the servo motor. The servo motor side gears respectively engage, directly or via intermediate gears, with crank side gears joined to the crank shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masayuki Nagae
  • Patent number: 7234336
    Abstract: A method and a tool are provided for producing structural parts from sheet metal which have a vault-structured stiffening zone and adjacent, flat connection zones. The starting point for producing these structural parts is vault-structured blanks which are smoothed in the region of the connection zones in the course of the forming, whereas the vault structure is retained unchanged in the region of the stiffening zone. These structural parts are produced by an embossing tool which has a die and a two-piece punch including of a fixing punch and a forming punch. In the process, the blank is first of all fixed relative to the fixing punch in the region of the vault-structured stiffening zone by a fixing element which is in a leading position with respect to the die. The connection zones are then shaped between the punch and the forming punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Guenter Braun, Juergen Ehrenpfort, Daniela Frank, Martin Gruenbaum, Bernd Heim, Dieter Lange, Michael Schwabe
  • Patent number: 7234292
    Abstract: A cable and hose carrier support framework or walker is engaged by and independently driven by the carrier at an arcuate bend thereof for transferring a portion of a carrier load from the bend to a support surface beneath the lower run of the carrier in a manner which will prevent cogging and undue wear of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: A&A Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: James D. O'Rourke, Mark A. Zanolla
  • Patent number: 7231799
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a workpiece with internal toothing, especially an internal geared wheel, by using a cup shaped preform (N) with a substantially cylindrical side wall (N1) and a mandrel (5) with an external profile (6) according to the internal toothing to be produced, as well as with a forming tool which reduces the outside diameter of the cylindrical side wall during an advancing movement, as a result of which the material of the cylinder wall region flows into the external profile (6) of the mandrel (5). In accordance with the invention, the forming tool is configured as a drawing ring (14) ensuring the ironing of the cylinder wall region (N1) during an advancing movement and that two tool elements act upon the preform (N) during the ironing, which tool elements produce axial compressive stresses in the cylinder wall region (N1) of the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Forschungsgesellschaft Umformtechnik mbH
    Inventors: Aribert Schwager, Fritz Bley, Manfred Kammerer, Klaus Siegert
  • Patent number: 7096703
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a three-dimensional metal structure, the method being characterized by the following steps: making longitudinal cuts in a sheet metal strip by causing the strip to pass between two rollers carrying annular knives whose blades are discontinuous and angularly offset from one roller to the other so as to form parallel rectilinear chords that are interconnected at regular intervals by connecting bridges and by linking legs, two adjacent chords being provided either with U-shaped bridges for connection with two legs of the same orientation, or with S-shaped bridges for connection with two legs of opposite orientations, and the U-shaped bridges are oriented in opposite directions from one chord to the next; slicing the strip transversely by sectioning said chords and said bridges at different longitudinal positions; moving every other precut chord into an offset plane by exerting vertical thrust on the chords carrying the U-shaped bridges so as to cause the legs to pivot
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Joseph Kieffer
  • Patent number: 7096699
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for the production of a plurality of uniform expansions of a tube in a plurality of tube supports simultaneously. A plurality of tubes are expanded in apertures of tube supports in a repetitive manner, each tube being expanded into the plurality of tube supports simultaneously. The tube expander assembly, when positioned such that each bladder is centered on each land of the tube support surrounding the tube, will precisely control the degree (magnitude) of expansion of each tube against the tube support aperture by controlling the amount of applied hydraulic pressure applied to expandable bladders. The method and apparatus can also be used to expand a tube into the apertures of the tube sheet. This operation can be accomplished without removing the tube expander assembly from the tube. Ideally, the operation is accomplished simultaneously, but may be accomplished in sequential pressurizations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: York International Corp.
    Inventor: Troy Davis Bryan
  • Patent number: 7093622
    Abstract: A method for testing and burning-in semiconductor components such as semiconductor dice on a semiconductor wafer, is provided. The method includes the step of providing all of the components on the wafer with resilient contact structures, such as metal pins having integral spring segments. The resilient contact structures are used to test the components to identify functional and non-functional components. Following this test, the resilient contact structures on the non-functional components are deformed, such that electrical communication with the non-functional components is prevented in a subsequent burn-in test. This permits the burn-in test to be performed using “shared resources” test equipment. A deformation apparatus for deforming the resilient contact structures includes a deformation block configured to compress, bend or shape the resilient contact structures on the non-functional dice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel P. Cram
  • Patent number: 7086265
    Abstract: A method for controlling the material flow during the deep-drawing of sheet metal involves compressing the edges of the sheet metal (1) between at least one upper stopper (13) and at least one lower stopper (6, 7) during the deep-drawing process, with a controllable elastic force (8, 9). A corresponding deep-drawing tool is also provided. A Z-shaped blocking step (11) is stamped into the edge (1a) of the sheet metal when the upper and lower stoppers (13, 6, 7) are closed, the basic shape is then produced by deep-drawing, maintaining the blocking step (11) and completely blocking the sheet metal between the stoppers. The sheet metal (1) is outwardly stretched, and the blocking step (11) is then reduced in terms of height, facilitating the outward displacement of the sheet metal towards the outside. The deep-drawing tool has a lower stopper including an inner stopper (6) and an outer stopper (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Nothelfer GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Lösch
  • Patent number: 7082805
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a cylindrical part with a thin-walled portion at a lower cost, and according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, a base metal formed with thin-walled portion adjacent to its closed end can be easily detached from working jigs. According to the method, a thin-walled portion is at first formed by the ironing process on a cylindrical wall adjacent to the closed end, so that an outer-side step portion is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall. Then the closed end is punched out and the thin-walled portion is enlarged in a radial and outward direction to form an inner-side step portion on an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nihon Pakkin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Ezaka, Satoshi Sugiyama, Tomohiro Matsuura, Takafumi Watanabe, Tatsuya Ito, Nobuhisa Tako
  • Patent number: 7082797
    Abstract: An indexable spring coiling point tool, for use on spring coiling machines, includes a holder for mounting in a spring-forming station of a spring coiling machine. The holder has a base end and a working end configured to engagingly receive a coiling point. The tool also includes a coiling point configured for attachment to the working end of the holder. The coiling point is formed of a material comprising a metal carbide, and is removably attachable to the working end of the holder. The coiling point can take the form of an insert or another attachment which can be removably affixed to the working end of the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Inventor: Thomas R. Wiese
  • Patent number: 7062948
    Abstract: A process by which the end of a tube having at least one internal surface feature is reduced and at least a portion of the surface feature eliminated from the tube end while achieving accurate control of the outer diameter of the tube end. The process preferably makes use of a forming tool comprising an external die for reducing the outer diameter of a tube and a mandrel for deforming the internal passage of the tube. The process generally comprises forcing the external die over the end of the tube so that the outer diameter of the tube end is reduced and so that the mandrel is simultaneously inserted through the internal passage of the tube end. While the tube end remains within the external die, the mandrel is withdrawn from the internal passage of the tube end to eliminate the internal surface feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Blissfield Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Gerald Richard Beagle
  • Patent number: 7059165
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydromechanical clamping device having two movable die halves and two punches, a first hydraulic piston, and a second hydraulic piston. The second die half is fixed to the frame and the second punch is arranged on the second hydraulic piston. The first hydraulic cylinder is connected to a third hydraulic cylinder. The latter acts on a fourth hydraulic piston. The first hydraulic cylinder is connected to the third hydraulic cylinder, so that the pressure medium displaced from the first hydraulic cylinder during a feed movement flows into the third hydraulic cylinder and the third hydraulic piston moves the fourth hydraulic piston in the feed direction, so that pressure medium is displaced into the second hydraulic cylinder, and the requisite forming pressure can be applied to the second hydraulic piston and the punches move toward one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Hatebur Umformmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Klaus Siegert, Aribert Schwager, Manfred Kammerer
  • Patent number: 7040130
    Abstract: A microcavity forming device is provided for making microcavities in a tungsten wire. The microcavity forming device includes a source of particles; a housing for receiving a heated tungsten wire; and a plurality of jet nozzles disposed in the housing for spraying the particles toward the heated tungsten wire. The particles are 0.35–0.75 micron in diameter. The heated tungsten wire is received in the housing and the jet nozzles spray the particles toward the tungsten wire to form the microcavities in the tungsten wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xinbing Liu, Ming Li, Makoto Ishizuka, Daniel Hogan, Kazuaki Ohkubo, Mitsuhiko Kimoto
  • Patent number: 7040133
    Abstract: A transmission device for a tube bending machine include a first power means and a second power means mounted on the sliding seat to drive the sliding seat as well as a workpiece securely connected to the sliding seat to move. The second means has a second motor alternately connected to the clutch so that the transmission power is selectively transmitted to drive the sliding seat when required. Therefore, transmission of workpiece is smooth and the processing work to the workpiece is accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Ying Lin Machine Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Kun Hu
  • Patent number: 7028521
    Abstract: A pipe feeding mechanism includes a rack, a power source, first and second planetary gears, a clutch for releaseably securing an output shaft to an input shaft in the first planetary gear, and a brake for releaseably blocking rotation of a sun gear of the first planetary gear; the input shaft of the first planetary gear is connected to the power source; the first planetary gear will be stopped from functioning, and the output shaft thereof rotated at a same speed as the input shaft thereof during a return stroke of pipe feeding cycle after the clutch is switched to a clutching position, and the brake device a releasing position; the first planetary gear will be allowed to function together with the second planetary gear to increase output torque during a forward stroke after the clutch is switched to a releasing position, and the brake device a braking position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Chiao Sheng Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Tzung Fan