Patents Examined by James Mackey
  • Patent number: 9775359
    Abstract: A system and method for producing a comestible baked product in complex shapes using cast molding. Embodiments generally include a first part and a second part, the first part, in some embodiments, being made up of at least two or more component pieces, then, the first part is detachably coupled to the second part creating an outer surface and an inner surface which create a contiguous internal hollow space that extends from the first piece to the second piece in the form of a three dimensional shape, and a means for supporting the unitary mold in a special and beneficial baking orientation. Other embodiments may include a single piece that is attachable to the rim of a cup of a multi-cup baking cup pan or a to a single, stand-alone cup pan. The interior of the mold can receive a baking cup liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventors: Todd Lindsay Wirth, Fatimah Wirth
  • Patent number: 9770858
    Abstract: A mold bushing assembly includes a pin member for assembly to a first mold portion and a bushing member for assembly to a second mold portion. The pin member includes a projection that includes a land portion and a guide portion, with the land portion being cylindrical and having an axial length, and with the guide portion extending from the land portion and having a varying cross sectional diameter that decreases from the land portion. The bushing member includes a bushing cavity into which the projection at least partially extends when the first and second mold portions are engaged with at least a portion of the land portion extending into the bushing cavity to aid in accurate alignment of the mold portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Stampede Die Corp.
    Inventors: Lee A. VanDyk, Randall T. Kerkstra
  • Patent number: 9770859
    Abstract: A cross-head die assembly for use with an extruder is described. The cross-head die assembly includes: an inlet section having an inlet for communicating flow from the extruder to one or more flow channels formed in a support block; and an outlet, a removably mounted die located at the outlet and in fluid communication with the one or more flow channels; said support block further comprising an interior slot extending from a first side of the support block to an outlet passageway; a removable cassette positioned in the interior slot, wherein the front end of the removable cassette is positioned to seal the outlet passageway of the slot so that the slot is isolated from the flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Christopher David Dyrlund, Gary Robert Burg, Hongbing Chen, Nathan Andrew Hunt
  • Patent number: 9764500
    Abstract: A vent apparatus for use in a mold defining an opening that includes a vent tube portion configured to extend through the opening of the mold and a secondary tube portion configured to mate with the first end portion of the vent tube portion. For example, the secondary tube portion may be used to seal the passageway at the first end portion and may define one or more membrane regions configured to melt during a mold process to unseal the passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: CLAUSSEN TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Steven W. Claussen, Kurtis Lee McCuen
  • Patent number: 9757913
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for correcting the shape of a green tire configured so that, even if a side wall portion (S) is subjected to local crushing deformation during its temporary storage, such deformation is effectively corrected to easily improve the tire uniformity. A pressurized fluid is applied to an inner chamber of a green tire (G) having bead portions (B) held coaxially by upper and lower holders (56, 89), for setting the tread portion (T) of the green tire (G) coaxially to the bead portions (B). The side wall portions (S) is deformed outward and applied with an internal tension in the meridian direction, for correcting the shape of the green tire (G). Crushing deformation on the side wall portion (S) is thereby effectively recovered and corrected before vulcanization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masayuki Ichinose
  • Patent number: 9757914
    Abstract: In order to improve tire production efficiency, there is provided a conveying apparatus that conveys a tire-accompanied rigid core in a lying-sideways position to a loading position P1, a preheating device for preheating at a preheating position P2, a vulcanizing device for vulcanizing at a vulcanizing position P3, a cooling device for cooling at a cooling position P4, and a transferring device. The transferring device has a turning arm capable of turning horizontally around an axis of turning and movable up and down, and transfers the tire-accompanied rigid core from and to the conveying device, the preheating device, the vulcanizing device, and the cooling device at the positions P1 to P4. The loading position P1, the preheating position P2, the vulcanizing position P3 and the cooling position P4 are arranged on the same circumferential line centered on the axis of turning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Onimatsu
  • Patent number: 9737080
    Abstract: Molding device for molding three-dimensional food products from a mass of foodstuff which can be transferred by pumping, for example a meat mass of minced meat. The device comprises a molding drum (16) having a peripheral surface containing multiple series of cavities (44) extending in the peripheral direction. The device comprises a mass feed device which is arranged in a filling position with respect to the peripheral surface of the molding drum. The peripheral surface is embodied as a profiled peripheral surface having a shaping profile. Multiple shoe segments (42) are provided which are arranged next to one another and which have a profiled inner side with a profile which is in meshing engagement with the shaping profile. The shoe segments have freedom of movement with respect to one another, at least in the direction of the rotation axis, in order to each remain individually aligned with respect to the profile of the section with which the inner side of the shoe segment is in meshing engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: MAREL TOWNSEND FURTHER PROCESSING B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Martinus Meulendijks, Franciscus Quirinus Fredrik Verouden, Wilhelmus Gerardus Maria Boom
  • Patent number: 9738021
    Abstract: A horizontal mold clamping mechanism includes a rail disposed on a base, a slider fitted with the rail, and a pedestal placed on the slider and provided with a sub-slider guided by a sub-rail. A fixed platen secured to the base supports a fixed mold. A mold clamping cylinder is secured to the pedestal and laid parallel to the fixed platen. A mold opening/closing actuator connects to the pedestal for moving the mold clamping cylinder. A movable platen is secured to the sub-slider and disposed between the fixed platen and the clamping cylinder. A tie-bar passes through the movable platen and the clamping cylinder, and a first linking mechanism selectively links the clamping cylinder to the tie-bar. The movable platen has a through-hole with a diameter greater than an outer diameter of the tie-bar to provide a clearance preventing slide-contact between the tie-bar and an inner surface of the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Hozumi Yoda
  • Patent number: 9738043
    Abstract: An apparatus for vulcanizing a tire comprises: a side mold segment provided with a face for shaping the outer surface of a tire sidewall portion, and an opposite face not serving for shaping; and a heater part for vulcanizing the raw tire. The heater part is disposed adjacently to the side mold segment to heat the raw tire abutting on the side-shaping-face from the side of the face not serving for shaping. The side mold segment is provided with a flow path through which a first fluid whose temperature is lower than the vulcanization temperature of the raw tire can flow to prevent over-vulcanization of the sidewall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Ao Imamura, Masaya Tsunoda, Shinji Kuchiki
  • Patent number: 9738048
    Abstract: The assembly comprises a coupling for direct or indirect coupling the core rod (15) to the lower punch (12) of a powder press. The coupling is configured as a magnetic coupling and comprising two coupling elements (20, 30), the first (20) of which is actively connected to the core rod (15) and the second (30) of which is actively connected to the lower punch (12). The magnetic coupling comprises several permanent magnets (24a, 24b, 33a, 33b) arranged at each coupling element. These permanent magnets (24a, 24b, 33a, 33b) are arranged and adapted to each other such that when coupling the two coupling elements (20, 30) the first coupling element (20) is automatically rotated by the effect of the field lines of the magnets (24a, 24b, 33a, 33b) into a predetermined angular position relative to the second coupling element (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: EROWA AG
    Inventor: Hans Hediger
  • Patent number: 9738045
    Abstract: An apparatus for applying a strip of elastomeric material to a surface, the apparatus comprising: a nozzle having an inlet in fluid communication with a pumping means, said nozzle having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the lower surface has a curved shape for mating engagement with an outer surface of a rotatable roller, said lower surface having an opening positioned for engagement with the roller outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Gary Robert Burg, Christopher David Dyrlund
  • Patent number: 9731463
    Abstract: Provided is a rigid core for tire formation that limits the rubber stuck between inner mold segments in an inner mold segment while minimizing the occurrence of unevenness in the radial direction between inner mold segments that is caused by thermal expansion. A core main body 2 is divided into: a first inner mold segment 5A in which both circumferential end surfaces 5As are inclined radially inward in a direction in which the circumferential width increases; a second inner mold segment 5B that is arranged in an alternating manner with the inner mold segment 5A and in which both circumferential end surfaces 5Bs are inclined radially inward in a direction in which the circumferential width decreases; and a butting member 6 that is arranged between the first inner mold segment 5A and the second inner mold segment 5B. Young's modulus Ea of the butting member 6 is smaller than Young's modulus Eb of the first and second inner mold segments 5A and 5B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kei Kohara
  • Patent number: 9731442
    Abstract: A mold clamping apparatus includes a mold clamping cylinder. The mold clamping cylinder has, in a region thereof located below left and right lower tie bars and above left and right sliders, a left grooved portion opened leftward and elongated horizontally, a right grooved portion opened rightward and elongated horizontally, and a leg portion formed between the left and right grooved portions. The leg portion and the left and right grooved portions together form a constricted part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Murata, Daiki Tanemura
  • Patent number: 9731462
    Abstract: Tire vulcanizing mold able to cooperate with a curing press, said mold comprising two shells each one molding a sidewall of the tire and a ring of sectors for molding the tread of the tire, each sector comprising a support and a molding lining situated radially on the inside of the support, in which ring the sectors, when the mold is in the closed position, are all in circumferential contact one with the next via the molding linings and in radial contact on the shells via the front ends of the linings each of which forms a face for contact with the shell, said supports and linings being produced in such a way that each support is able to take up the clamping force applied to the lining coming into contact with the shell when the mold is in the closed position when said clamping force at said contact face exceeds a given threshold that is lower than the plastic threshold of the lining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Denis Marchadier, Tom Petrina, David Stringer, Marvin Owen
  • Patent number: 9724862
    Abstract: A mold clamping apparatus includes a fixed platen, a mold clamping cylinder, a movable platen moved by the mold clamping cylinder toward the fixed platen, and a mold opening/closing actuator for moving the movable platen or the mold clamping cylinder. The mold clamping apparatus further includes a mold thickness adjustment cylinder provided between the mold clamping cylinder and the movable platen, the mold thickness adjustment cylinder being configured to generate an axial force larger than an axial force in an expanding direction of the mold opening/closing actuator and smaller than an axial force in a contracting direction of the mold clamping cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Murata, Daiki Tanemura, Hozumi Yoda, Nobusuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9724884
    Abstract: Equipment for molding and curing a green tire includes a curing mold including a first bead molding ring including a first surface for contacting a radially inner and axially inner surface portion of an annular fixing structure of the green tyre and a first sidewall plate including a second surface for contacting a radially inner and axially outer surface portion of the annular fixing structure. The first bead molding ring is radially extendable from a contracted operating position to an expanded operating position so as to delimit a portion of the annular fixing structure between the first sidewall plate and the first bead molding ring, and the first bead molding ring is translatable towards the first sidewall plate for generating a first squeezing pressure on the annular fixing structure. The equipment further includes an inflatable bladder associated for operation with the curing mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Pier Giuseppe Piantanida, Gianni Mancini, Gaetano Lo Presti
  • Patent number: 9718228
    Abstract: A mold for the manufacture of plastic objects has a plurality of cavities which are formed by clamping together a plurality of individual insert straps. The insert straps each have a shape corresponding to a portion of the desired cavity and the insert straps in combination form the desired cavity The insert straps may be rearranged and straps may be added or withdrawn to provide cavities of different lengths and configurations. The mold also has a sub-ejector assembly which may be positioned to accommodate changes in the size of the individual cavities formed by the combination of insert straps The method for making a mold includes the steps of forming a mold cavity using a plurality of insert straps and then clamping the individual insert straps together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Gurmeet Grover, Michael Gizzarelli, Elisha Tropper
  • Patent number: 9713907
    Abstract: A tire vulcanizing apparatus of the present invention includes a liftable center post which supports a green tire, and a heating portion which is fixed to the center post, is disposed inside the green tire, and transmits heat from the inside of the green tire to the green tire by radiation heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumito Kajitani, Kazutoshi Yokoo, Koji Shintani
  • Patent number: 9701060
    Abstract: Extrusion-to-sheet production line and method comprise first and second rolls set to a predetermined gap through which a continuously-extruded sheet of molten plastic material passes to calender the sheet to a predetermined thickness. The sheet passes through a nip formed between the second roll and a continuous belt looped around a third roll and a fourth roll. The belt comprises an embossing pattern of optical element shapes that is an inverse pattern of optical element shapes to be embossed at a first major surface of the sheet. The sheet remains in contact with the second roll until the sheet passes through the nip, where the pattern of optical element shapes on the belt is embossed into the first major surfaces of the sheet. Downstream of the third roll is a cooling area through which the belt passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Rambus Delaware LLC
    Inventor: W. Scott Thielman
  • Patent number: 9693567
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for preparing rolled dough sheets are provided. In an example, a dough rolling system can include a rolling board having first and second major surfaces and a first plurality of grooves within the first major surface and a plurality of removable templates configured to insert within at least one groove of the first plurality of grooves, wherein the plurality of templates are configured to define a shape and a thickness for a final dough sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Inventor: Kathleen Piper