Patents Examined by Marc W. Butler
  • Patent number: 6158110
    Abstract: A bearing installer/remover, for installing and removing a bearing from a panel having a bearing seating passage through it, has a bridge with integral legs engaging a panel surface and straddling the bearing. The bridge has a threaded hole in it. The bearing is positioned between the bridging piece and the head of a bolt which has a threaded shaft threaded through the bridge hole. A cylindrical collar is mounted on the bolt shaft between the bolt head and the bearing, and a cylindrical bushing, preferably integral with the collar, fits closely but slidably around the bolt shaft between the collar and the bearing, and extends through the bore of the bearing, whereby the bearing is restrained against cocking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Inventor: John Takacs
  • Patent number: 6154943
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for closing sheathings, such as cable conduits 23, flexible pipe lines or container elements by means of a closure device 25 provided on a tool 24, wherein closure elements 26 at two oppositely located rim parts of the sheathing can be alternatingly hooked together and unhooked, or separated, when being opened by means of a slider 27 disposed on the tool 24. A further device 29 for securing the connected closure elements 26 or connecting elements, which can be respectively activated independently of the position of the slider 27, is provided on the tool 24 for receiving the slider 27.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Erich Krauss
  • Patent number: 6149564
    Abstract: A toner supply roll including a cylindrical soft polyurethane sponge structure formed on an outer circumferential surface of a metal shaft by foam molding of a polyurethane material in a mold cavity of a mold. The sponge structure having hardness of 350 g or lower includes a skin layer having a network of cells and openings open in its outer circumferential surface and communicating with respective ones of the cells located adjacent to the skin layer, such that the openings are substantially aligned with central portions of the respective ones of the cells in axial and circumferential directions of the sponge structure. Each opening has a size of 100-800 .mu.m, and a total area of the openings is at least 20% of the total surface area of the skin layer. The sponge structure has a plurality of protrusions formed on the outer circumferential surface of the skin layer so as to extend linearly or helically in the axial direction of the sponge structure. The protrusions have a height of 20-3000 .mu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akitoshi Nozawa, Keita Shiraki
  • Patent number: 6145199
    Abstract: A bearing system for mounting a rotating shaft includes a bearing assembly and a bearing mounting structure. The bearing assembly has an inner race which contacts the rotating shaft, an outer race, and bearing elements positioned therebetween. The outer race has an exterior surface with an outer dimension. The bearing mounting structure has a region for affixing it to an external structure in which the bearing system is to function. An internal surface of the bearing mounting structure defines a bearing cavity in which the bearing assembly is to be disposed. The internal surface engages the exterior surface of the outer race. The retention force exerted by the internal surface on the outer surface is determined by the design of the inner surface of the bearing mounting structure that defines the bearing cavity. The internal surface has cut-outs, or scallops, extending axially (with respect to the shaft) along the internal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Amana Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gregory L. Malchow, Steve B. Schwartzkopf
  • Patent number: 6143236
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite shaft comprising providing an impregnated fibrous material comprising a fiber impregnated with a hardenable polymeric material, forming an impregnated fiber preform by wrapping the impregnated fiber material around a shaped pressurizable bladder, the bladder having outer dimensions to form a preform dimensioned closely to the final dimensions of the shaft and dimensioned to allow placement of the assembly of the bladder and the impregnated fiber preform into female tooling, placing the assembly of the bladder and the impregnated fiber preform into the female tooling, pressurizing the bladder to press the impregnated fiber against the tooling, and heating the tooling to form a hardened composite of the polymeric material and the fiber while maintaining pressure in the bladder, releasing the pressure in the bladder, and removing the bladder from the interior of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Radius Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald H. Nelson, Dimitrije Milovich
  • Patent number: 6141862
    Abstract: An apparatus for disassembling and assembling a gas turbine combustor comprises a hand assembly for holding a combustor component of a gas turbine, an inserting and drawing section which supports the hand assembly and moves the same in parallel to a central axis of the combustor component and a retainer for securing the inserting and drawing section onto a casing which constitutes an outer section of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsui, Yoshinobu Ishikawa, Tadashi Munakata, Yoshikata Kobayashi, Takeshi Takahara, Yoshihiko Nakada, Yukio Someya
  • Patent number: 6138359
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing a predetermining curvature in the flange and web of a structural member including an indexing mechanism and method for controlling the amount of curvature produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Inventor: Charles W. Mears
  • Patent number: 6139478
    Abstract: A large round baler includes a plurality of bale-forming rolls which each have opposite ends defined by stub shafts rotatably supported in respective bearings fixed to opposite side walls of the bale chamber. The rolls are each in the form of a hollow cylindrical drum and each stub shaft includes a flange having a diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of the drum and being secured to the drum at a location spaced inwardly from an end face of the drum. For preventing crop particles and juices from reaching each bearing, a ring-like seal body is fixed to the outer surface of the flange in concentric relationship to the stub shaft and to, and between, a cylindrical sealing surface of a collar that is fixed to the wall and a ring that is also fixed to the wall. The seal body has a plurality of radially outward projecting lips disposed very close to the sealing surface of the collar and a single radially inward projecting lip disposed very close to the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jean Viaud, Steffen Clauss
  • Patent number: 6135934
    Abstract: A lap roller apparatus that enables a single individual to simultaneously seal the system and roll the lap of a protective membrane includes an elongated handle with one distal end having a plurality of rollers rotatably supported on a transverse axle, wherein at least one of the rollers is able to rise and drop, perpendicular to the axis of rotation, to a greater extent than the other rollers as the rollers travel along the lap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Victor Couch
  • Patent number: 6135935
    Abstract: A closing valve for a regulation valve of a roll in a paper machine, such as a variable-crown roll, including a frame part arranged between the regulation valve of a regulation valve block and a block frame and in which pressure medium ducts are formed. The closing valve includes a connecting part movable in relation to the frame part and having closing members mounted thereon and which are arranged to extend into the pressure medium ducts in the frame part. When the connecting part is displaced in relation to the frame part, the closing members attached to the connecting part close and open the pressure medium ducts in the frame part. A variable-crown roll including one or more closing valves is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventors: Pekka Kivioja, Juha Laitinen
  • Patent number: 6129652
    Abstract: A calender roll including a cylindrical base body, a cover composed of elastic plastic material, and a support cylinder composed of a light metal that carries the cover and is supported by the base body. The support cylinder may include a plurality of coolant conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Finishing GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Wenzel, Peter Dornfeld
  • Patent number: 6128814
    Abstract: A press for press-fitting an axle tube into a differential housing having a locator and accurately locating a flange on the tube relative the locator by offsetting flange mislocation, deflection of the tube and press and deflection and/or shifting of the tube and housing fixtures during press-fitting. The press has a ram in operable communication with a drive and a computer in communication with the ram and drive to accurately control movement of the ram and depth of insertion of each tube. Carried by the ram is a probe that senses flange location relative on the tube for determining deviation in flange location and offsetting depth of insertion to compensate for any such deviation. Another sensor communicates to the computer the insertion force the ram is applying to the tube to determine tube and press deflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Unova IP Corp.
    Inventors: Zbigniew J. Belka, William M. Faitel
  • Patent number: 6125536
    Abstract: In a connecting rod with a split big-end, the unmachined part is preferably aluminum die-casting in which notches are made along the subsequent line of separation. The big-end is separated substantially along the intended break line by means of a shearing tool capable of widening the eye in the region of intended bore reliefs in such a way that subsequent opening out is unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme fur Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Spurny
  • Patent number: 6125538
    Abstract: A tube connection apparatus for use with larger diameter flexible tubing particularly for hazardous material removal comprising an outer tapered sleeve and an inner tapered sleeve that is sized to snugly fit within the outer tapered sleeve and to engage the flexible tubing therebetween. A retainer ring is provided to secure a second flexible tube to the outer tapered sleeve and a transportable wall section which holds the sleeves may be positioned in a passageway of a building and tubing from spaces on either side of the passageway be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventor: John P. Vadas
  • Patent number: 6125521
    Abstract: A method of making an office chair by stretching a membrane in a stretching machine and retaining the stretched membrane on a loom. The loom, with the retained stretched membrane, is removed from the stretching machine and positioned between molds of a molding machine, wherein the molding machine is used to form a carrier member to hold a portion of the stretched member by injecting a material into a cavity formed between the molds to form a part of the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Stumpf, Rodney C. Schoenfelder, Donald Chadwick, Carolyn Keller, Timothy P. Coffield, Randy J. Sayers, Jeffrey W. Bruner, Eric Cammenga
  • Patent number: 6125522
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for manufacturing an electrostatic deflector comprising multiple electrodes. The electrostatic deflector is of a type not tending to generate large eddy currents during use. The electrodes are arranged as electrode-members relative to each other in a desired angular relationship with high precision around an optical axis. Each electrode is formed by adhering a conductive film to portions of the surface of an insulative electrode-member material except an outer surface of the electrode-member, and a conductive film is adhered to at least some of the inner surface of an insulating outer casing. The electrode-members are inserted into respective grooves in a jig; then the outer surface of each electrode-member is attached to the inner surface of the outer casing. Lead wires can be attached to the electrodes, and the jig is removed by dissolution or melting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Mamoru Nakasuji
  • Patent number: 6119347
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing steel balls for use in a ball bearing comprising an inner steel race or shaft with an inner raceway formed around its outer peripheral surface, an outer steel race with an outer raceway formed around its inner peripheral surface, and the steel balls freely rotatably disposed between the inner raceway and the outer raceway comprises the steps of providing steel balls, quenching the steel balls, preliminarily tempering the steel balls after quenched, rough-polishing the steel balls after preliminarily tempered, surface-hardening the steel balls after rough-polished, tempering the steel balls after surface-hardened, and finish-polishing the steel balls after tempered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hirakawa, Akira Suzuki, Jiami Pu, Katsunori Yanase, Minoru Kohari, Eiichi Takahashi, Yasushi Mutch
  • Patent number: 6112409
    Abstract: A method is provided for roll-forming an I-beam structure having a web and a pair of opposing flanges at each end of the web. The method includes the steps of providing a flat blank having a thickness generally equal to a thickness of the web of the I-beam to be formed. The blank has a longitudinal axis, a central portion and opposing ends. Each of the blank ends is split along the longitudinal axis to form first and second flange portions at each of the ends. Each of the first and second flange portions has an edge directed away from the central portion. The flange portions are then bent about the longitudinal axis by moving each of the edges in a direction towards the central portion to form a mass of material at each of the blank ends. The mass of material is compacted at each of the blank ends to define the flanges. Each flange is disposed generally transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis and has a thickness generally equal to the thickness of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Cosma International Inc.
    Inventor: Fred G Jaekel
  • Patent number: 6108895
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axially-swaged male end fitting assembly compatible with a standard 24.degree. cone flareless female fitting. The fitting may be fabricated from a sleeve and a tube that are axially swaged within a tool assembly. The sleeve includes a rounded shoulder, a partially conical nose, and a cylindrical inner surface. The inner surface includes a groove at the tip of the nose, and another groove positioned axially close enough to the shoulder to be radially deformed during axial swaging. The tool assembly includes a swaging tool, a female die and a ring die. The female die includes a tapered surface positioned and sized to preset the nose into the tube. The female die also has a surface confronting the sleeve shoulder, for controlling the amount of preset that occurs. The ring die includes a tapered surface positioned and sized to swage the shoulder into the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: The Deutsch Company
    Inventor: Charles Warren Helsley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6108905
    Abstract: A method is disclosed which is for assembling to an automotive instrument panel a meter module having incorporated therein meters, their control circuits. On an outer wall (9a) of a meter module (A) is provided a guide projection (10) extending in a fitting direction. On a ceiling wall (12a) of a meter-module receiving portion (12) of an instrument panel (P) is provided a guide recess (13) for receiving therein the guide projection (10). The meter module (A) is received into the meter-module receiving portion (12), with the guide projection (10) inserted in the guide recess (13), followed by coupling connectors (5a) on the part of the meter module (A) and connectors (16) attached to a wiring harness (15) together. The working efficiency during assembly of meter modules to a vehicle is improved, while contributing to a reduction in weight of meter modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Keizo Nishitani, Minoru Kubota