Patents Examined by Erwin J Wunderlich
  • Patent number: 11478875
    Abstract: A processing machine for processing a workpiece with a processing beam includes a nozzle changer and a protective enclosure. The nozzle change is for mounting nozzles on or demounting nozzles from a processing head of the processing machine. The nozzle changer has multiple nozzle holders for holding nozzles. The protective enclosure is configured to close off a working space for the processing of the workpiece with the processing beam from a working space surrounding area. The nozzle changer is movable between a nozzle changing position within the protective enclosure and a setup position outside the protective enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG, TRUMPF Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Andreas Bunz, Philipp Nieding, Julian Rudow, Simon Schnyder, Andreas Buehler
  • Patent number: 11471980
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and systems incorporating physical modeling to identify the ultrafast laser/material interaction mechanisms and the impact of laser parameters, to optimize implementation of ultrafast laser-based processing for a given material. The process determines a laser fluence near the ablation threshold for a given material and given pulse duration. The repetition rate, scanning speed and scanning strategy are subsequently optimized to minimize heat accumulation, having an operable line scan overlap between 50% to 85% for achieving smooth ultrafast-laser polishing, while maintaining an optic-quality surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jie Qiao, Lauren L. Taylor
  • Patent number: 11458570
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing process is disclosed that involves positioning a metallic layer beneath a component substrate and welding the metallic layer to the component substrate using laser energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Eric W. Karlen, Sergey Mironets
  • Patent number: 11370046
    Abstract: A device for machining a part by electrical discharge machining using an electrode wire. The device includes equipment for holding the electrode wire taut and driving the wire to translate longitudinally, in proximity to the part to be machined, in a sparking zone. The device further includes equipment for making a stream of dielectric liquid flow through the sparking zone between the electrode wire and the part to be machined. An electrical power source generates electrical pulses that cause sparks in the sparking zone between the electrode wire and the part to be machined. The quantity of gas bubbles present in the sparking zone is measured, and a signal is produced, representative of the quantity of bubbles, the signal being delivered to a controller. The controller modifies machining parameters so as to maintain the value of the signal within a suitable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: THERMOCOMPACT
    Inventors: Michel Ly, GĂ©rald Sanchez
  • Patent number: 11338384
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a numerically-controlled plasma special-shaped cutting machine tool including a bracket, a cross beam, a feeding mechanism, a clamping mechanism, a gun head moving mechanism, a material conveying system, a material receiving device, a dedusting system, an electrical control system, and an outer cover. The present disclosure adopts plasma cutting, and the surface quality is obviously improved. Material conveying and cutting are performed by a predetermined program programmed in advance, and the dimensional precision of the machining is well ensured. Workers only need to place a workpiece material on the material conveying system, and the machine tool can perform automatic cutting. The labor intensity of the workers is greatly reduced, the cutting is continuously performed, and the machining efficiency is remarkably improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Beijing Jinsuohengdun Protective Equipment Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Guoxi Liu, Tianyu Lan, Weiwei Li
  • Patent number: 11331757
    Abstract: An apparatus for laser processing a material including an optical fibre, at least one squeezing mechanism, and a lens. The optical fibre is a multimode optical fibre in which laser radiation propagates in a first optical mode and in a second optical mode. The squeezing mechanism includes at least one periodic surface defined by a pitch. The periodic surface is located adjacent to the optical fibre. The pitch couples the first and second optical modes together. The first optical mode is defined by a first mode order. The second optical mode is defined by a second mode order which is higher than the first mode order. The squeezing mechanism squeezes the periodic surface and optical fibre together with a squeezing force thereby coupling the first optical mode to the second optical mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Trumpf Laser UK. Limited
    Inventors: Andrew Malinowski, Christophe Andre Codemard, Mikhail Nickolaos Zervas, Iain Botheroyd, Stephen John Keen, Malcolm Paul Varnham
  • Patent number: 11305451
    Abstract: Discussed is an apparatus for notching an electrode sheet for an electrode tab, the apparatus including: a transfer unit including first and second transfer rollers to continuously, transfer the electrode sheet at regular intervals; a jig unit disposed between the first and second transfer rollers, and supporting a non-coating portion of the electrode sheet; and a notching unit to notch the non-coating portion supported on the jig unit, wherein the jig unit includes: a rotation member provided between the first and second transfer rollers and rotated in a direction perpendicular to a transfer direction of the electrode sheet; and two or more jigs to support the non-coating portion disposed between the first and second transfer rollers, and the jig unit is able to improve a supporting force of the electrode sheet, to prevent the electrode sheet from vibrating, and accurately notch an electrode tab to the electrode sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: LG ENERGY SOLUTION, LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Hoon Kwak, Hyun Kyu Eom, Yang Ho Shin
  • Patent number: 11285566
    Abstract: A laser machining apparatus 1 includes: a laser head that is supported by a laser moving device so as to be movable in X, Y, and Z directions above a motor driven conveyor that transports a workpiece loaded thereon. The laser head includes protection glass for protecting a laser focusing lens; an ultraviolet irradiation device disposed beside the conveyor such that a laser light axis and an ultraviolet ray axis are parallel to each other; and a control device that controls the components of the laser machining apparatus so that the ultraviolet irradiation device radiates UV rays on the protection glass in a state in which a UV irradiation port faces a laser irradiation port of the laser head, thus cleaning the protection glass without removing it from the laser head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanaka, Kazuhide Matsuo, Shinichi Miyasaka, Satoshi Oyama
  • Patent number: 11103954
    Abstract: The present invention is a laser processing device wherein adhesion of fumes to a lens can be effectively avoided. The laser processing device is provided with a laser scanner provided with protective glass on a laser output opening, and a cylindrical member having a through path through which the laser output via the protective glass passes formed on the center side in the direction of the radius. A cylindrically shaped filter is disposed on an inside wall part of the cylindrical member facing the through path. The cylindrical member discharges a gas into the through path from the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideaki Akahoshi, Kotaro Fujikura, Kohei Kanaya, Akira Yamaguchi, Akio Shimoda
  • Patent number: 11097376
    Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus to radiate a high-powered laser beam and a method for treating a surface of a base material by the high-powered laser beam in order to reduce contamination. Compared to a low-powered laser beam, a high-powered laser beam can be utilized to alleviate the generation of secondary dust ejected from the base material and remove contamination or dust, while forming a layer with lower adhesion attraction. For example, a diamond-like carbon layer can be formed over a carbon-based material layer by laser fusing surface treatment technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: MAIN-TYPE TRADING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ching-Sen Cheng
  • Patent number: 11065711
    Abstract: An electrical resistance spot welding electrode is disclosed for contact with a narrow or other selected spot weld region in a steel workpiece in a stack-up with an aluminum alloy workpiece for use in a spot welding method in which the weld nugget is carefully formed in the aluminum workpiece at the interface of the stack-up. The welding face of the welding electrode for contact with the steel workpiece is shaped with an aspect ratio greater than one, which fits against the contact surface of the steel workpiece, while the welding face for the aluminum-contacting weld electrode is circular (with an aspect ratio equal to one). The stack-up of workpieces may include a single steel workpiece facing two aluminum workpieces in a sandwich type stack-up or two steel workpieces facing a single aluminum workpiece with the outer steel workpiece having the narrow contact surface for the steel welding electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Amberlee S. Haselhuhn, David R. Sigler