Patents Examined by John Wasaff
  • Patent number: 8431855
    Abstract: The formation of a bellows made up of a stack of a predetermined number of ring-convolutions and having an intermediate plate supported within said stack is achieved by supplying several thin metal rings, each having inner and outer edges. A pair of these metal rings are positioned in contiguous relationship and their adjacent inside edges are welded together to form a ring-convolution. This process is repeated until a sufficient number of ring-convolutions are made to eventually make the desired bellows. Before these separate ring-convolutions are fused to each other, an intermediate plate and a support ring are made. The intermediate plate is a disc of metal that is sized smaller than the inside diameter of the rings and is secured to the support ring. The support ring is then positioned between two formed ring-convolutions in contiguous relationship and the three abutting outside edges are welded to each other to form a support plate convolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Codman Neuro Sciences Sarl
    Inventors: Philippe Margairaz, Pierre Pringalle, Jean-Sebastien Petithory
  • Patent number: 8426766
    Abstract: A welding method for an impeller having a plurality of blades, a disc and an exterior body including a shroud welded to the plurality of blades, comprising the steps of: a first step for forming a groove having a prescribed depth and a prescribed width toward one of the blades on a surface of the disc or the exterior body, which is opposite to a surface against the blade abuts, emitting laser light toward the bottom of the groove, and performing melt-through bead welding to bond the bottom of the groove to an end of the blade in such a way that a bead formed on the back of the disc or the shroud is curved with an inward depression; and a second step for performing overlaying welding after completion of the first step by supplying a filler metal to a molten zone while the bottom of the groove is scanned with the laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Tsukamoto, Yoshihisa Maeda, Hiromi Kobayashi, Hideto Nogiwa, Tetsuya Kuwano, Ryujiro Udo, Masaaki Iwasa
  • Patent number: 8426780
    Abstract: A heating cartridge is intended especially for a thermostatic working valve. The cartridge is provided with a resistance wire winding (3), which is wound on a winding support (2) and is embedded in an insulating material filling (5) in a metal sheathing (7). The metal sheathing (7) is provided at one end (6) with a dimensionally stable coupling element (8) manufactured from a plastic, in which connecting lines (17, 18) are arranged, which electrically connect pluggable contact elements, especially pins (9, 10) of a connector plug, to the ends of the resistance wire winding (3). To simplify the manufacture and to obtain a compact design, the connecting lines (17, 18) are rigidly seated in the coupling element (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Türk & Hillinger GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Schlipf
  • Patent number: 8389900
    Abstract: The invention describes a method for welding a workpiece (16) with a consuming welding wire (13), the latter being moved substantially towards the workpiece (16) by a wire feeder (11) during a welding process, wherein a process is started and performed for removing slag (42) from the end of the welding wire (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Artelsmair, Josef Leeb
  • Patent number: 8367973
    Abstract: A heater with temperature detecting device, arranged to accurately detect the temperature of a laminated sheet heater over long periods, and a battery structure including the same. A first embodiment includes a laminated sheet heater and a temperature sensor having a temperature measuring portion. The laminated sheet heater includes first and second insulating resin films, a heater element, a first metal sheet, and a second metal sheet and includes a heater metallic section in which, any one of only the first metal sheet and only a combination of the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet is arranged in a lamination layering direction of the laminated sheet heater. The temperature sensor is fastened to the heater metallic section with a flat rivet and fixed to an outer surface of the first metal sheet with the temperature measuring portion in contact with the first metal sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Jun Okuda, Yuji Torii, Yukie Uemura, Kunio Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 8362392
    Abstract: A method for drilling holes in a component according to an optimized sequence is provided. The sequence is determined so as to minimize a total displacement of all axes of a hole drilling machine that is required for moving between each hole in the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Amr Elfizy
  • Patent number: 8350193
    Abstract: An oil water mixture heating apparatus comprises a metal outer barrel with a helical trough formed inside, a metal inner barrel held in the metal outer barrel to form a helical passage with the helical trough, a first and a second guide cap coupled on two sides of the metal outer and inner barrels, a first and a second seal cap coupled respectively on the first and second guide caps, a first and a second holder fixedly located on outer sides of the two seal caps and an electric heater encasing the metal outer barrel. When combustible oil or oil water mixture enters the helical passage and are heated by the electric heater, the oil or oil water mixture also is constantly blended in the helical passage so that it is heated rapidly to a required temperature and forms a finer oil water mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventor: Feng-Hui Lu
  • Patent number: 8350189
    Abstract: A method of making a metal art object using a MIG welder to form small and large end puddles having a primarily gold or blue sheen or a center gold dot formed by using combinations of a strip of selected metal and a wire of a selected metal; selectively tilting a surface to form end puddles having a feathered perimeter; randomly obtaining a hole in the end puddle; and affixing at least one, either randomly or non-randomly selected, end puddle to a user-selected media by welding, gluing, or wiring. The blue sheen is obtained by using a strip of stainless steel and a wire of stainless steel. The gold sheen is formed by using a strip of stainless steel and a wire of steel. The center gold dot primary is formed using the first metal of galvanized steel for the strip and the second metal of steel for the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Inventor: Miles E Waybrant
  • Patent number: 8338742
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the calibration and use of test glide head gimbal assemblies are disclosed. Calibration is performed by pulse laser adjustment of the flexure mounted to the glide head, while the head is flying above a media test disk having asperities of known dimensions. The calibration process normalizes the fly heights of glide heads used to measure defects on both upper and lower surfaces of disk drive media, allowing upper and lower surfaces to be scanned simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Karl Arthur Flechsig, Iraj Kavosh, Gurinder Pal Singh, Tim Strand
  • Patent number: 8338758
    Abstract: Provided is a heater power control circuit which switches on/off a voltage signal supplied from a direct-current power source to control a power of a heater by controlling a voltage applied to the heater. The heater power control circuit includes a voltage smoothing circuit that is disposed between the heater and a switching circuit which switches on/off a voltage supplied from the direct-current power source. The voltage smoothing circuit converts the voltage into an analog voltage signal by smoothing a voltage signal obtained by switching on/off the voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Advantest Corp.
    Inventors: Kazumi Kita, Tadahiro Kurasawa, Yasuo Muramatsu, legal representative
  • Patent number: 8291813
    Abstract: A variable-width toaster is described, in which the food-supporting carriage (5, 60) adapts readily, robustly and in a cost-effective manner to different width settings of the toasting chamber (2, 70). Respective elongate members (51, 52; 61, 62) are mounted to either side of the toasting chamber and are linked together by linking members (53a-53n; 63a, 63b) which form part of the food-supporting surface and are pivotally attached to the elongate members to accommodate lateral relative movement between the elongate members as the width of the toasting chamber is varied. In one embodiment, unitary linking members (53a-53n) link the two elongate members (51, 52) and the elongate members are urged apart by a spring (54). In another embodiment, chevron-like linking members, comprising pairs of pivotally associated linking members (63a, 63b) are employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Kenwood Limited
    Inventor: Keith Leaman
  • Patent number: 8294069
    Abstract: A heating device made of ceramics includes: a plate-like heating base having a heating surface; and a hollow cylindrical support member bonded to a back surface of the heating base. A concave surface portion that connects the back surface of the heating base and an outer surface of the support member smoothly to each other is formed in the vicinity of an outer end of a bonding interface between the heating base and the support member. On a cross section including an axis of the support member, the concave surface portion has a curved line of an arc of a ellipsoid in which a minor axis direction is parallel to an axis direction of the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Goto, Hisakazu Okajima
  • Patent number: 8278595
    Abstract: A predictive pulse triggering (PPT) method enables precise triggering of a laser beam in a link-processing system. The PPT method entails triggering the laser beam based on estimated relative motion parameters of the target and laser beam axis. The PPT method allows for a six-fold improvement in laser positioning accuracy over the conventional, entirely measurement-based method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly Bruland, Clint Vandergiessen
  • Patent number: 8109208
    Abstract: A cheese process vat is disclosed. The cheese process vat includes an enclosure and a shaft assembly, preferably a shaft assembly having a shaft and a plurality of agitator panels arranged on the shaft. The cheese process vat preferably further includes an adjustable shaft seal assembly that adjustably seals the joint between the shaft and the enclosure. Methods of using the respective cheese process vats are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Process Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Bokelmann, Craig J. Campbell, Gary L. Starkson
  • Patent number: 8071913
    Abstract: A heating device includes an electrode embedded near the heating surface of the ceramic base substantially in parallel to the heating surface. In the rear surface of the ceramic base, a terminal hole extending toward the electrode is formed. Between the bottom surface of the terminal hole and electrode, a conductive ceramic member is embedded and connected to the electrode. The conductive ceramic member has a thermal expansion coefficient equal to that of the ceramic base. The electrode and terminal are electrically connected through the conductive ceramic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroya Sugimoto, Masao Nishioka
  • Patent number: 8028617
    Abstract: An easily-cleaning multifunctional soybean milk maker comprises a motor, a blade, a head unit, and a container, wherein a lower cover of the head unit being capped on the container, characterized in that a flow guider is securely fastened to the lower cover of the head unit, with the lower part of the flow guider immersed into water and the lower port of the flow guider being open. The blade fastened at the front end of the motor shaft is arranged within the flow guider and extends into water. Guiding holes are provided in the flow guider, and/or guiding channels in communication with the interior of the flow guider are provided on the lower cover of the head unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Shandong Joyoung Household Electrical Appliances Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xu'ning Wang, Jun Wang, Yunjie Wei
  • Patent number: 7942094
    Abstract: A frozen drink maker is provided having an ice shaving unit with a rotatable ice chute. A plurality of blender units are positioned about the ice shaving unit, each having a removable blender jar for receiving shaved ice therein. A programmable controller is operably connected to the ice shaving unit and each of the blender units for controlling the operation of the ice shaving unit and the blender units. The programmable controller includes a plurality of preprogrammed routines to make a plurality of different frozen drink, wherein the programmable controller can be selectively set to make one of the plurality of frozen drink in each of the blender jars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sunbeam Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Phetsouvanh Kounlavong, Alejandro Pena
  • Patent number: 7926416
    Abstract: A machine for rapid cooking of pasta includes: a measuring device (A) to deliver a predetermined amount of pasta and insert it into a steam cooking chamber (B) equipped with an inlet and an outlet ball valves (40, 28) placed respectively at its upper and lower ends: an expansion chamber (C), where the cooked food leaving the cooking chamber (B) is conveyed: at the base of this chamber there being provided a lid (62) adapted to pour the food into a dish (76): a silencing-steam abating device (D) installed above the expansion chamber, a boiler (E) for the production of pressurized hot water with low evaporation index, which makes it possible to maintain the cooking chamber (C) at a stable temperature and with minimum gradient between the base and top, and a drive mechanism which synchronizes and restrains the movement of the intercepting and distributing organs of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Acanto S.R.L.
    Inventor: Biagio Battani
  • Patent number: 7886653
    Abstract: The built-in coffee machine (1) comprises an operation device (2) and a front panel (3) arranged on the front of the operation device and movable with respect to the cupboard (4) for containing the device from at least a first position closing the device inside the cupboard (4) to at least a second position for access to said device and vice-versa, with there also being an access opening (5) on the front panel at least to a dispenser of coffee drink and to a steam and/or water delivery group, the dispenser of the coffee drink and the steam and/or water delivery group (7) being directly connected to the operation device of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: De'Longhi S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giancarlo Marconi
  • Patent number: 7875832
    Abstract: A ceramic heater, heat exchange unit, and warm water washing toilet seat are provided having excellent temperature rise characteristics and a shortened heating time to reach a predetermined water temperature. A ceramic heater having a pattern watt density of 50 W/cm2 and above, and a surface watt density of 25 W/cm2 and above has a short start-up time and excellent temperature rise characteristics. Further, the thickness of a core is reduced to between 0.5 mm and 1.9 mm (circular tube thickness is between 1 mm and 2.4 mm), which enables efficient transfer of heat from the ceramic heater to water flowing in the circular tube. Accordingly, a gap between a heat exchanger and the ceramic heater is not necessarily narrowed, such that air bubbles are not likely trapped and breakage of the ceramic heater by thermal shock can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsuya Ikeda, Katsuhiko Horii