Patents Examined by Pradeep C Battula
  • Patent number: 10160017
    Abstract: A roll forming machine is provided having a series of mill stands, each having an upper roller and a lower roller that performs a roll forming step. The upper roller rotates on a central axis that is parallel to the lower roller. Each roller has a driven feature that connects to a driving feature. The driving feature for the upper roller can rotate independently from the driving feature of the lower roller. A control system is capable of monitoring, controlling, and displaying the individual torque and speed of separate motors that rotate the individual driving features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventor: Douglas S. Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 10160034
    Abstract: A progressive former having a bolster and a ram reciprocal towards and away from the bolster, a plurality of workstations evenly spaced across the bolster and ram including aligned tooling piece holders on the bolster and ram, cylindrical die cases in the tooling holders on the bolster and cylindrical tool cases in the tooling holders on the ram, the tooling cases at the workstations being coaxial, a sideways forming mechanism at one of said workstations, the mechanism including a cam and a cam follower radially outward of imaginary outward projections of the associated tooling cases, the cam follower being arranged to be activated by forward motion of the ram towards the bolster, the mechanism including a tool for forming the blank by applying a sideways force on the blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: NATIONAL MACHINERY LLC
    Inventor: Stanley J. Wasserman
  • Patent number: 10160100
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for forming wire loops using wire looping pliers. In one embodiment of the invention, the pair of wire pliers having a cylindrical jaw and a recessed jaw for accepting the cylindrical jaw allows the user of the tool to make symmetrical wire loops on a consistent basis. Additionally, the width of the recessed jaw can be set such that the user can use the recessed jaw to measure the distance from a particular point where the neck of the wire loop should be broken. The recessed surface of the recessed jaw and the cylindrical jaw mate together in such a manner as to provide uniform pressure around a significant portion of the loop so as to prevent marring of the surface of the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Wubbers, LLC
    Inventor: Patricia Bullard
  • Patent number: 10160027
    Abstract: A vertical Pittsburgh Seam closing apparatus having a base supporting surface, a track mechanism for moving a carriage assembly which holds seam forming members used to close a Pittsburgh Seam, a pair of upper and lower guide members for guiding the duct section into a proper vertical position, and upper and lower clamping members positioned inside the duct section and adjacent the inside portion of the Pittsburgh Seam to be closed, the upper guide members and clamping member being selectively movable and adjustable for accommodating different duct section lengths. In one embodiment, the seam forming assembly includes a plurality of members mounted in vertical arrangement, at least one of the plurality of seam forming members being shaped to initially bend the overhanging edge portion and at least one of the plurality of seam forming members having a substantially V-shaped configuration for closing the Pittsburgh Seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Vicon Machinery LLC
    Inventors: Paul L. Baker, Bert Michael Fischer
  • Patent number: 10160031
    Abstract: A method of forming a closed cross-sectional structure press-forming the plate-shaped workpiece into portions corresponding to bottom portion and left and right side wall portions; and providing bend-facilitating lines at the plurality of bend lines; bending the workpiece in a direction that the portions corresponding to the left and right side wall portions approach each other by pressing a punch into a space between a pair of dies while clamping the portion corresponding to the bottom portion between the punch and a pad in a plate thickness direction; and bending the corresponding portions along the bend-facilitating lines by pressing the corresponding portions against an outer periphery of a plug having an outer peripheral shape the same as a final shape of the closed cross-sectional structure while the plug is placed on the portion of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Higai, Toyohisa Shinmiya, Yuji Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10160035
    Abstract: A method for texturizing a workpiece uses a die assembly installed within a press having a press ram. The method includes (a) delivering the workpiece onto a center die plate; (b) forcing the press ram against an upper die plate mounted above the center die plate to descend a first contact surface associated with the upper die plate and a plurality of blades mounted to the upper die plate toward the center die plate; (c) actuating horizontal movement of the blades; (d) driving the blades down into the workpiece; and (e) contacting the first contact surface to a second contact surface associated with the center die plate to descend the center die plate in unison with the upper die plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: NUCAP INDUSTRIES INC.
    Inventors: Ray Arbesman, Nghi Pham
  • Patent number: 10160020
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a rotationally symmetrical shaped article, which has a cylindrical, concentric hub axially closed on one side, in a shaping process is performed such that at least one pressure roll is in contact with a rotating, closed, planar circular blank sheet and presses the material of the blank radially from the outside inward against a projecting part that runs upright on the circular blank such that the thickness of the circular blank decreases and the hub including a blind hole is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: WF-MASCHINENBAU U. BLECHFORMTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG, THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Heiko Ohlscher, Michael Gövert
  • Patent number: 10160156
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to punch die apparatus, related thermoforming press apparatus, and methods for thermohydroforming die-punched parts formed therefrom, in particular from sheet blank substrates such as polymer composite materials and metals. The disclosure further relates to thermohydroforming blanks incorporating a vacuum-sealed outer film, in particular polymer composite blanks which can be used in combination with the disclosed apparatus. The apparatus and methods are particularly suitable for thermohydroforming parts with complex deep drawn geometries yet which retain relatively smooth outer surfaces and internal material structure. The apparatus and methods provide a fast and efficient means for composite part manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Farhang Pourboghrat, Nicholas E. Kuuttila
  • Patent number: 10160018
    Abstract: A method manufactures a closed-structure part by forming a flat plate-shaped workpiece into a closed structure including a bottom portion curved along a longitudinal direction. The method includes a first forming step of forming a plurality of first out-of-plane deformed portions and a bent portion, the first out-of-plane deformed portions being formed in a region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion and arranged along the longitudinal direction, each of the out-of-plane deformed portions having a recessed shape or a protruding shape; and a second forming step of squashing the first out-of-plane deformed portions between a pad and a punch such that the region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion is curved and bending bent portions by pressing the punch into a space between dies while the region of the workpiece corresponding to the bottom portion is clamped between the pad and the punch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Higai, Yuji Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10160019
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine and method for the semi-continuous cold-bending of sections (3) with low ductility, of the type including a horizontal mount (1) and an interchangeable tool (4) against which the section (3) is bent. The machine includes a gantry support (10). The tool (4) is located in a zone delimited by the mount (1), vertical supports (5) for the tool (4), and a compression plate (7) actuated by vertical pressure cylinders. The tool (4) is positioned facing an actuation plane defined by a double set of hydraulic positioning (23) and push (20) cylinders. The bent sections (3) can be used for tents, skylights, facades, solar shading louvres, or three-rail frames for truck tarps, guaranteeing a uniform bend in all bent sections, without the section becoming pinned in the machine during bending.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Inventor: Ana Perez Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 10118214
    Abstract: A thread-rolling flat die for a threaded fastener, includes a thread-rolling surface including at least a bite surface to which a workpiece of the threaded fastener is supplied, a finishing surface formed adjacent to the bite surface, and a roll-off surface formed adjacent to the finishing surface. The bite surface includes at least: a first partial bite surface having an inclination and a second partial bite surface formed continuously from the first partial bite surface and having an inclination. A length L1 along a thread-rolling direction in the first partial bite surface, a length L3 along the thread-rolling direction in the finishing surface, a length L4 along the thread-rolling direction in the roll-off surface, and a diameter of a processed portion of the workpiece of the threaded fastener have a relationship of L1>L3>L4> the diameter of the processed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SANSHU CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10058905
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing profiled metal strips (1, 1?), in which a metal strip (1, 1?) with predefinable material thickness consisting, in particular, of stainless steel is wound up on a coil (4) and guided through a rolling stand (W1-W4) containing several rolls (2, 3, 2?, 3?), wherein at least the rolls (2, 3) that effectively interact with the metal strip (1, 1?) are provided with a predefinable topography (8, 9), by means of which profiles with profile depths >250 ?m can be produced on both sides of the metal strip (1, 1?) depending on the geometry of the topography (8, 9) of the rolls (2, 3), and wherein the metal strip (1, 1?) is subsequent to its profiling wound up on a coil (5) and, if so required, subjected to a thermal post-treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Outokumpu Nirosta GmbH
    Inventors: Jochen Krautschick, Jörn Teipel, Dirk Wiemer
  • Patent number: 10052670
    Abstract: An apparatus for bending metal beams and methods of using the same are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Triumph Aerostructures, LLC
    Inventors: Harold M. Brewer, Jr., Steven McDonough, Charles Phy, David Rose, Brian Travis, Keith Willhite
  • Patent number: 10052675
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a two-piece food can having improved corrosion resistance is provided, wherein the two-piece food can using a metal sheet coated with a thermoplastic resin and having annular uneven beads and/or a bottom rim. After forming a bottomed cylindrical can body by drawing and ironing, by heating at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic resin for a predetermined time before forming uneven beads and/or a bottom rim to the can body and quenching within a predetermined time after heating, the inner resin coating hardly peel off during the following formation of uneven beads and/or the bottom rim. As a result, a two-piece food can having excellent corrosion resistance may be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: DAIWA CAN COMPANY
    Inventors: Hiroko Namekawa, Koichiro Nakamura, Shigeru Noto, Yuichiro Murayama, Chiharu Nabeta, Tomohiko Oyanagi
  • Patent number: 10046376
    Abstract: A guided keeper assembly and related method includes a cylindrical base that mounts to a die member using a multi-piece, interlocking flange. The flanges have outer fastener holes and inner arcuate walls that matingly engage a complimentary profile on the outer surface of the base to axially interconnect the same. The flanges also have male and female end connectors which snap lock together around the base in an assembled condition. Mounting screws pass through the fastener holes in the flanges and are anchored in the die member to securely retain the guided keeper assembly in place. A retainer ring is mounted in an associated groove in the base over the heads of the screws to prevent unintentional unfastening of the screws from the die member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: STANDARD LIFTERS, INC.
    Inventors: Scott M. Breen, Joel T. Pyper
  • Patent number: 10047533
    Abstract: A wire reel is detachably provided in a housing chamber of a binding machine body which binds a reinforcing bar. The wire reel includes a cylindrical hub portion which winds a wire, and a pair of parallel flanges overhanging outward from both external peripheral ends of the hub portions. A side wall inside the hub portion is formed of light-transmitting portions which allow the light from a transmissive photosensor provided in the binding machine body to be transmitted therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: MAX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Nakagawa, Kouji Katou, Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Yu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10040585
    Abstract: A cable tie tensioner includes a first plate body and a second plate body. The first plate body includes a first pivot portion, a first operation handle, and a cutting member. The second plate body includes a second pivot portion and a second operation handle corresponding to the first pivot portion and the first operation handle. The second plate body is provided with a pressing member. When in use, a tie section of a cable tie is inserted through the pressing member, the second operation handle is operated to move toward the first operation handle, and the pressing member clamps the excessive tie section of the cable tie to be pulled so that an article can be tied up. After the article is tightened, the cutting member is used to cut off the excessive tie section of the cable tie.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Inventor: Hsiu-Man Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 10040109
    Abstract: A method for producing metal sheets from strand-shaped profiles having a low thickness made of magnesium or magnesium alloys, wherein an open or a closed extruded profile is produced in a preceding method step, wherein the extruded profile exiting the extrusion die of an extrusion press is shaped to form a planar metal sheet by the contactless action of electromagnetic forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Inventor: Ulrich Bruhnke
  • Patent number: 10035180
    Abstract: A guided keeper assembly includes a base, at least one marginal fastener aperture to detachably mount the base to an associated die shoe, and a central guide aperture. A guide pin is closely received in the central aperture of the base. A first end of the guide pin has an enlarged head to positively limit travel between the die shoe and die pad, and an opposite second end with a generally flat terminal shoulder configured for close reception in a blind hole in the die pad. The shoulder has a fastener aperture at a location spaced radially offset from the central axis of the guide pin. A fastener extends through the fastener aperture in the die pad and engages in the fastener aperture in the second end of the guide pin to securely, yet detachably, connect the second end portion of the guide pin with the die pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: STANDARD LIFTERS, INC.
    Inventors: Scott M. Breen, Joel T. Pyper
  • Patent number: 10029294
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a hot-press formed steel-member that is capable of reducing LME without causing cracking of a galvanized steel sheet. The method includes using a galvanized steel sheet, as a base steel, having a prescribed chemical composition, heating the galvanized steel sheet to not lower than an Ac3 transformation-point, and executing hot-press forming at least twice after the heating. Every hot-press forming in is executed so that to satisfy the following expression (1): (R/t)>?(a·(T?b)), where “R” is a curvature radius (mm) of a shoulder of a tool used in the hot-press forming, “t” is a thickness (mm) of the galvanized steel sheet, “T” is a forming-start temperature (° C.) of the hot-press forming, “a” is a constant 0.2984, and “b” is a constant 590.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yamano, Noriyuki Jimbo, Tatsuya Asai