Patents Examined by Richard Chang
  • Patent number: 10472099
    Abstract: A method for autonomously constructing structural bodies in a zero gravity environment utilizes an assembly line space structure to fabricate segments for constructing a modular space structure. An assembly housing provides an open ended structure through which materials are processed in order to construct a segment. The materials are loaded into a plurality of workstations positioned along the assembly housing through the use of a plurality of external manipulators adjacently connected to the assembly housing. Each of the plurality of workstations provides the equipment for sequentially loading materials into the assembly housing. An assembly line conveyor, positioned throughout the plurality of workstations, guides materials through the assembly housing as the materials are mated to form the segment. Upon completion of the segment, a plurality of segment transport units transports the segment to an orbital construction site, wherein the segment is mated with subsequent segments to form the space station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Inventor: John Jeffrey Blincow
  • Patent number: 10323887
    Abstract: A heat exchanger and method for making a heat exchanger assembly is described, involving generating a digital model of a heat exchanger assembly that comprises a heat exchanger core within a housing. The digital model is inputted into an additive manufacturing apparatus or system comprising an energy source. The additive manufacturing apparatus applies energy from the energy source to successively applied incremental quantities of a metal powder, which fuses the powder to form incremental portions of the heat exchanger core and housing according to the digital model. Unfused or partially fused metal powder is enclosed in a first region of the heat exchanger assembly between the heat exchanger core and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Colette O. Fennessy
  • Patent number: 10316789
    Abstract: A method for working a wall of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, in which peripheral grooves are machined into the wall, wherein at least one annular saw blade, which is provided on a circumference with a multiplicity of cutting teeth, is used for introducing the grooves, wherein the saw blade is moved so as to rotate about its longitudinal axis and on an annular path. A subsequent forming operation on the lands that are formed between neighboring grooves causes the formation of undercuts that can improve the connection of the wall of the cylinder to a subsequently applied coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: Hoffmann GmbH Qualitätswerkzeuge, Technishe Universität München, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karlheinz Hahn, Wolfram Wagener, Patrick Woisetschlaeger
  • Patent number: 10316672
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an airfoil includes forming a diffuser section in an exterior surface of the airfoil. The diffuser section is defined by at least an outer surface and an inner surface that converge at a stop surface. The method also includes positioning a drilling element of a drilling device on the stop surface. The method further includes orienting the drilling element at a first angle relative to the exterior surface. The method also includes forming, using the drilling element, a cooling channel extending through the airfoil from the stop surface to an interior surface, thereby forming the cooling channel at substantially the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aaron Ezekiel Smith, John Wesley Harris, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10285775
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods to physically couple a transponder to a surgical object are provided. One example apparatus includes a first clamp comprising a first fastener and a first channel member that has a first base and a first pair of side portions that extend from the first base to form a first channel therebetween. The first fastener adjustably engages with the first channel member to securingly clamp a surgical object in the first channel of the first channel member. The apparatus further includes a housing that has at least a first cavity that receives at least a portion of the first pair of side portions of the first channel member, a first passageway that receives the first fastener and permits the first fastener to extend at least in part into the first cavity, and a second passageway to receive at least one transponder that wirelessly receives and returns signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: William A. Blair
  • Patent number: 10260994
    Abstract: A method for servicing a landing gear strut in service supporting an aircraft including: determining a current amount of damping fluid in the landing gear strut; determining a required amount of the damping fluid for correct servicing of the landing gear strut; and adjusting the current amount of damping fluid in the landing gear strut so that the current amount of damping fluid complies with the required amount of damping fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Airbus Operations Limited
    Inventors: Alan Shepherd, Julian Duncan
  • Patent number: 10253722
    Abstract: Methods for forging a piston blank are disclosed such that the forged piston blank is in a near-net shape and size of a final piston. Bending a flange to form a cooling channel can be done with reduced or no preliminary machining away of core material relative prior to bending the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: KS Kolbenschmidt US, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Boye, Bryan Quinn, Joseph Stojkov, Joshua Cota, Scott D. Bailey
  • Patent number: 10252323
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a cylinder head is described. A masking member is attached to cylinder head material, which followed by a film formation step. The masking member comprises a mask portion to mask the matching surface with the cylinder block, and mask portions to mask each of the openings of the intake ports, the exhaust ports, and the CPS hole. Mask portions are linked directly to other mask portions without any steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Iguma, Akio Kawaguchi, Hideo Yamashita, Kazuaki Nishio
  • Patent number: 10245654
    Abstract: A clutch brake cutter for removing a disk-shaped clutch brake from off an input shaft that couples a truck engine to a transmission includes one or more cutting tools and employs a method of clamping and axially compressing a solid or multilayer clutch brake during the cutting operation. In some examples, the clutch brake cutter first guides a drill bit radially from an outer peripheral edge to an inner peripheral edge of the clutch brake. The resulting hole has a diameter that is less than the disk thickness of the clutch brake. Next, the clutch brake cutter guides a chisel lengthwise through the predrilled hole to split the hole open. The drilling and chiseling operation is repeated at an opposite location on the clutch brake to separate the clutch into at least two pieces that can be readily removed from the input shaft without having to first remove the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Inventors: Geoffrey S. Craychee, John F. Craychee
  • Patent number: 10239110
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a large- or medium-sized wheel disk including using a punch or die in a first step of ironing a blank of a flat plate to a first-stage product. The first-stage product having a cylindrical rising portion with an axially non-constant thickness. The rising portion includes a thick portion located at a tip portion of the rising portion and a thickness-reduced portion which is a remaining portion of the rising portion excluding the thick portion. During the first step, only a portion of the blank corresponding to the thickness-reduced portion is ironed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Topy Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kikuya Itou, Koji Takeuchi, Yoshio Suzui
  • Patent number: 10233865
    Abstract: A piston has a piston crown and a top land extending circumferentially around the piston crown, as well as a combustion bowl and at least one valve pocket machined therein. The valve pocket has a side wall and a bottom, and wherein the side wall extends at an angle of between 110° and 120° from the bottom. A method for forming such valve pockets in the piston crown includes machining the valve pockets with a rotating cutter having an inverted frustoconical shape such that an angle between a bottom of the cutter and a side wall of the cutter amounts to between 110° and 120°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Snjezana Prstojevic, Giang Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10233690
    Abstract: A spacer applicator assembly has tooling with a plurality of retention devices. An actuator is coupled to the tooling, where the actuator is adapted to continuously rotate the tooling about an axis in a first direction and the tooling is adapted to move in a direction that is generally parallel to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: GUARDIAN IG, LLC
    Inventors: Raimo T. Nieminen, Eric B. Rapp
  • Patent number: 10228006
    Abstract: A method of producing a fastening arrangement for the position-correct fastening of a component to a structural part of a motor vehicle comprises the steps: providing of the structural part; providing of a first tolerance compensation element and a second tolerance compensation element; positioning of the first tolerance compensation element, while holding the structural part firmly, relative to the structural part in a nominal position for the later position-correct fastening of the component to be fastened, and holding of the first tolerance compensation element in the nominal position, the first tolerance compensation element being positioned with a gap relative to the structural part; inserting of the second tolerance compensation element between the first tolerance compensation element and the structural part, so that the gap between the first tolerance compensation element and the structural part is bridged over; joining of the second tolerance compensation element to the first tolerance compensation el
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: PROGRESS-WERK OBERKIRCH AG
    Inventors: Michael Pfaff, Frank Domnik, Tobias Kraus, Franz Mayer, Romain Roucco, Stephan Kasper
  • Patent number: 10202263
    Abstract: The invention provides a belt axle connecting piece of a winch and a manufacturing method in the field of mechanical technologies. The winch comprises a bracket and a belt axle axially arranged on the winch, wherein the belt axle includes three rods arranged along the axial direction. Bundling belts or ropes can be placed within the clearance between any two adjacent rods. The belt axle connecting piece comprises a cylindrical body, with three bent positioning petals arranged at one end of the body. Every two adjacent positioning petals form positioning holes for securing the rods to the bracket. The connecting piece is simple in structure, sturdy, and easy to manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Zhejiang Topsun Logistic Control Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zhaoyin Xiao
  • Patent number: 10195809
    Abstract: The press-fit device includes a platform having an upper surface provided with a bearing base; a mounting rack disposed at the upper surface of the platform; a power cylinder mounted at the mounting rack, including a piston chamber, a piston rod and an actuating element intercommunicated with the piston chamber to provide pressure medium, wherein the piston rod is perpendicular to the bearing base; a guiding track disposed at the upper surface of the platform and arranged in parallel to the piston rod; and a press-fit plate disposed at one end of the cylinder rod and slidably sheathed on the guiding track, wherein a surface of the press-fit plate facing the bearing base is provided with a pressure base, and a surface of the pressure base facing the bearing base is provided with a press-fit frame and a pressure sensing device which is configured to detect a press-fit pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Hefei BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yunfa Cao, Bochao Jia, Yi Zhang, Pengjun Fang, Erpeng Wang, Guiyang Liu
  • Patent number: 10190419
    Abstract: Introducing a through hole into a substrate (4) before coating, and performing the removal thereafter, shortens the machining times for producing a through hole (18) with a diffuser (13) and also subjects the intermediate layers to less stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Bahadir Basdere, Diana Felkel, Andrea Massa, Rolf Wilkenhöner, Adrian Wollnik
  • Patent number: 10182626
    Abstract: Silicone is placed between an upper die and an injection-pressing rubber-lid upper die, and the silicone injection passage is pressurized by the injection-pressing rubber-lid upper die. With this, the silicone is caused to flow into an injection port through the silicone injection passage. Then, sequentially through the injection port and the disc silicone-flow passage, the silicone is caused to flow toward an inner periphery of a silicone injection space. Further, the silicone flows between both circumferential sides of the silicone-flow deflection region. In this way, the silicone flows in a peculiar manner in conformity with a shape of the silicone-flow deflection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: BISCO CO., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sato, Yukio Sato
  • Patent number: 10173327
    Abstract: A device for use in handling a load and a method for producing the device are provided. The device comprises a three-dimensional framework that comprises a plurality of single parts, a cover made of a fiber-reinforced plastics with which the framework is covered, and at least one mounting unit for a handling unit for handling a part that is useable in the production of an object and that forms the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: FFT PRODUKTIONSSYSTEME GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin Kraft, Jochen Schneegans
  • Patent number: 10161494
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a sliding cam assembly. In particular, a requirement for wear resistance of a hollow tubular portion in which sliding takes place can be satisfied due to a cam piece being fixed to the hollow tubular portion by diffusion bonding while the sliding cam assembly repeatedly slides along a shaft, and each component can be separately machined and combined, thus minimizing an amount which is wasted at the time of machining, reducing the machining time, and rendering a separate heat treatment of a cam piece unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Seojincam Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Kyoon Kim, Yung Sang Park, Jun Ho Song, Keun Ho Kang
  • Patent number: 10151212
    Abstract: A retention device for restraining movement of a clapper arm used in a clapper valve during removal of a clapper valve shaft that extends through the clapper arm. The device includes an adapter plate mounted to a wall of a clapper valve casing wherein the adapter plate includes a hole having an internal thread. The device also includes a retaining element having an outer thread that threadably engages the internal thread. Further, the device includes a retaining end that is formed on an end of the retaining element, wherein the retaining end includes a circumferential contact surface that abuts against the clapper arm to restrain movement of the clapper arm during removal of the clapper valve shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Maxwell Pless