Patents Examined by Sean A. Pryor
  • Patent number: 6009780
    Abstract: A process carried out by an apparatus for cutting a tubular bar comprises a first cutting stage performed by a first disc-shaped rotary cutting tool, oriented so as to rotate about an axis parallel to a line of extension of the bar and also movable gradually along the contour of the bar, which is made to penetrate into the peripheral wall of the bar over a distance less than the thickness thereof, forming a groove therein. In a second and successive cutting stage, a second stationary cutting tool, oriented transversely with respect to the line of extension of the bar and movable along the contour of the bar inside the groove, is made to penetrate into the remaining thickness of the peripheral wall so as to cause gradual shearing of the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Sica S.P.A.
    Inventor: Leopoldo Savioli
  • Patent number: 6006739
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer saw and method of using the same for dicing semiconductor wafers comprising a wafer saw including variable lateral indexing capabilities and multiple blades. The wafer saw, because of its variable indexing capabilities, can dice wafers having a plurality of differently sized semiconductor devices thereon into their respective discrete components. In addition, the wafer saw with its multiple blades, some of which may be independently laterally or vertically movable relative to other blades, can more efficiently dice silicon wafers into individual semiconductor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Salman Akram, Derek J. Gochnour, Michael E. Hess, David R. Hembree
  • Patent number: 6003217
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method of and apparatus for sizing a factory made pleated shade downwardly to an exact width from a factory made width at the point of purchase in a retail outlet using the skill level of the service personnel commonly found in such retail establishments. Specifically, a pleated shade having (a) two or more lift cords and (b) head and bottom rails which are slidable with respect to the top pleat or pleats and the bottom pleat or pleats, respectively, is arranged so that the pleats as an integral unit can be moved relative to both the head and bottom rails in diametrically opposite directions whereby the pleats may be sized by cutting off portions at each and thereof and the rails sized by single or multiple cutting operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Newell Operating Company
    Inventors: Delbert B. Graves, Jeffrey L. Sands, Si-Chaun Cheou
  • Patent number: 6000311
    Abstract: A cutting valve, for example, for a transversing incore probe system, comprises a valve box, a cylinder formed to the valve box, a piston disposed in the cylinder to be slidable therein, a cutting blade mounted to one end of the piston, a powder plug which is provided to another end of the piston and in which a powder is filled up, the powder being exploded by the operation of the powder plug, and a through hole, through which a cable or wire to be cut by the cutting blade penetrates, formed to the cylinder so as to extend in a direction normal to the sliding direction of the piston and to communicate with an inside of the cylinder. The piston is slid together with the cutting blade in an accelerated manner at a time when the powder is exploded. A kind and an amount of the powder are predetermined so that the piston is accelerated in the sliding motion in the cylinder at a speed of more than 40 m/sec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiromi Katoh, Hidehiko Yasuta
  • Patent number: 6000136
    Abstract: A knife handle such as in a utility knife or box cutter knife with a blade carrier having a planar blade support, parallel flanges and laterally projecting tabs for securing the blade in position on the carrier. The knife handle provides improved retention of a knife blade under torsional loads applied to the blade through the use of two or more longitudinally spaced retention tabs that capture both forward and rearward portions of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: The Stanley Works
    Inventor: Robert L. Owens
  • Patent number: 6000307
    Abstract: A method of cutting is described, utilizing a specialized utility cutting tool. The tool has a fixed jaw, a movable handle, a blade, and a connecting link. The blade is inserted into a channel formed in the fixed jaw for stability, and is pivotally connected to that fixed jaw. The blade is connected to the connecting link which is connected at an opposite end to the movable handle, so that moving the movable handle toward a handle of the fixed jaw moves the blade. The connecting link provides a mechanical advantage to apply more force to an item to be cut than would be possible without the connecting link. An anvil is mounted in a channel formed in a substantially straight edge of the fixed jaw, and the sharp edge of the blade is moved toward that anvil as the handles of the fixed and movable handles are squeezed together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Inventor: Robert Wayne Aamodt
  • Patent number: 5988033
    Abstract: Apparatus, device and method for improved slicing of large food sticks, loaves and the like are provided. A slicing blade which has a top flat surface or top flat land width along its cutting edge provides generally longitudinal forces on the food product being sliced, which forces are in a direction generally opposite to the direction through which the food products are fed through a slicing apparatus. The slicing blade includes a bottom primary bevel land width surface and an advantageous primary angle for imparting improved stack and slice uniformity and for controlling package overfill. The slicing blade also exhibits a long slicing blade surface which follows an Archimedean spiral. The invention is particularly important in improving handling of large luncheon meat sticks, especially non-frozen, high water content and reduced fat content luncheon meat sticks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Kraft Foods, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary R. Skaar, Timothy T. Watson, Greg C. Wicke, Dennis G. Flisram, Robert B. Glennon, Larry C. Gundlach
  • Patent number: 5988034
    Abstract: A blade mounting device is operable for mounting a blade on a drive shaft of a cutting tool which is moved in a predetermined motion for a cutting operation. The blade mounting device includes an operation knob mounted on a body of the cutting tool and adapted to be rotated by an operator. An actuation rod is mounted on the drive shaft and is movable with the drive shaft and rotatable relative to the drive shaft. A holder device is mounted on the drive shaft for holding and releasing the blade in response to the rotation of the actuation rod relative to the drive shaft. A connection member is rotatable with the operation knob and is disposed on the same axis as the actuation rod. A connecting mechanism is provided for connecting the connection member and the actuation rod to each other, so that the connection member and the actuation rod are axially movable relative to each other and are rotatable together with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Okubo, Shinichi Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 5983765
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for die cutting both sides of paperboard sheets. The apparatus includes a die comprising a plurality of cutting knives projecting from a base, the cutting knives being set into a preselected pattern of grooves within the base. The die further includes a die blade mounted in the base, as well as an anvil, mounted in the base and oriented substantially parallel to the die blade. Securing elements secure at least one of the die blade and the anvil to the base. Manually-actuatable members are provided for adjusting the securing elements for selectively raising or lowering at least one of the selected die blade and the anvil. A back-up plate is provided to which the base is secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Inventor: Peter Sandford
  • Patent number: 5979729
    Abstract: This invention pertains to apparatus and methods for breaking a web along spaced lines of weakness. The invention includes a compact breaker bar assembly comprising at least one breaker bar in a gap. The apparatus also includes driving apparatus to power the breaker bar assembly in breaking the web. In some embodiments, one or more breaker bars engage and stress the web along a single transverse line across the web, breaking the web. In other embodiments, at least first and second breaker bars engage and stress the web along spaced first and second transverse lines across the web. The breaker bars can be mounted on one or more rotary elements, or can be mounted on one or more belts or other breaker bar carriers, traversing closed-loop paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: CMD Corporation
    Inventors: John Schmidt, Charles H. Sauder
  • Patent number: 5979282
    Abstract: A cutter-infeed apparatus for cutting installations for articles in tape or strip form or film-like articles, circular cutters being fastened on upper and lower shafts and displaced with respect to one another for fixing the cutter infeed, and an electrical insulation between the upper and lower shafts making it possible to detect the cutter contact during infeeding and thereby make the infeeding operation automatable. It is also possible to make the infeeding of the individual cutters or cutter-box cutters such that it can be set depending on the difference in speed of the upper and lower shafts. The apparatus can be used for cutting machines of all types in which thin, uncoated or coated polymer films or metal foils can be cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Emtec Magnetics GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Schlatter, Helmut Huber, Walter Kientz, Jochen Unglaube
  • Patent number: 5979285
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting dough products fed by a conveyor assembly into a cutting section comprises a segmented, generally spiral-shaped straight cutting blade or three-dimensional or helical-shaped cutting blade having an angled blade edge, the blade attached to a shaft coupled to a motor operable to turn the blade to effect a cut of the dough products within the cutting section, with a feedback controller coordinating the blade turning rate with the dough feed rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: The Pillsbury Company
    Inventors: Glenn O. Rasmussen, James S. Thorson, Jimmy A. DeMars
  • Patent number: 5974927
    Abstract: A circular saw having a cutting position for cutting a workpiece at a predetermined location thereof, a gripper for gripping a workpiece at a predetermined location on the workpiece, a drive having a plurality of gears including final and penultimate stage gears, and a backlash eliminator for braking the final stage gear for eliminating backlash between the final and the penultimate stage gears upon the initiation of cutting a workpiece at the cutting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Tsune Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryoichi Tsune
  • Patent number: 5975394
    Abstract: A portable hard cover dispenser for a small roll of interconnected plastic bags has a dispensing slot for removing a bag, a brake for holding the roll of bags while a bag is torn from the roll, a bag rewinder, and is equipped with a belt hook for convenience in carrying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: Shlomo Shuval
  • Patent number: 5974932
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting running workpiece includes a cutter for cutting, while the workpiece is running, the workpiece continuously supplied to run in a direction, and a travel member secured to the cutter, movable along the workpiece in contact with the workpiece. Since the travel member movable along the workpiece in contact with the workpiece is secured to the cutter, the cutter can follow a workpiece which is straight, curving or curving with a changing curvature. The cutter can be supported to be two-dimensionally movable to cut the workpiece in any form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Suzuki, Itaru Yamamura, Masahiko Yamamoto, Yuzi Furuno, Tamotu Sugiura, Shigehide Ishikawa, Mineo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5974928
    Abstract: A continuous strip of sheet paper material is divided into blanks by a device comprising a cutter and an anvil rendered capable of sliding movement one in relation to the other and establishing a cutting position toward which the strip is advanced by way of a passage incorporated into the anvil; the cutter is reciprocated across the anvil in such a manner as to pass through the cutting position transversely to the strip, alternating between two limit positions on opposite sides of the passage, the geometry being such that the cutter will vacate the passage entirely when occupying either one of the two limit positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: G.D S.p.A.
    Inventor: Fulvio Boldrini
  • Patent number: 5970840
    Abstract: An adjustable gauge plate for a food slicer comprising a front plate and a rear plate attached to the front plate, such that a cavity is defined between the plates, the rear plate having at least one hole therethrough. The gauge plate further comprises an indexing member attached to a slicer base, an adjustment plate mounted to the indexing member, the indexing member and adjustment plate being shaped to fit in the cavity between the front and rear plates, and a fastener shaped to be inserted in the hole in the rear plate and adjustably connected to the adjustment plate such that the gauge plate is capable of being adjusted relative to the adjustment plate and the gauge plate is capable of being adjusted relative to the food slicer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gongpu Yan, Ellis Gale Short, Timothy Allen Schrand, Richard Paul Scherch
  • Patent number: 5967015
    Abstract: The punching blades acts to punch out parts of any desired shape from paper, cardboard, pasteboard, plastics material foils, leather, rubber and the like. In order that an optimum cutting quality can be generated from the start using the punching blade, the punching blade has a cutting edge which comprises a curvature with a radius of from 0.005 to 0.060 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Karl Marbach GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Wolfgang Grebe
  • Patent number: 5966818
    Abstract: A chisel with a removably mountable blade is provided which consists of a handle for the chisel having a head region formed with a detent to provide a space for receiving a first cutting edge of the blade, while the other opposed cutting edge of the blade is arranged for a cutting operation. The space provided by the detent in the head region is constructed and arranged to prevent the cutting edge in the detent from contacting the handle portion during a chiseling operation, thereby preventing dulling of the edge prior to it being pivoted into position for a subsequent cutting operation. The blade is provided with a transverse axis at opposed sides of which are arranged a cutting portion and a rake, which cutting portion and rake are asymmetrical to the cutting portion and rake at the opposite side of the transverse axis of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Steven E. Spirer
  • Patent number: 5967011
    Abstract: A device for removal of slips from a continuously transported slip web is composed of an advancement roll pair which continuously advances and holds the slip web. A blade cylinder pushes a respective lead end of a slip into an open gripper of a gripper cylinder. A device is arranged between the advancement roll pair and the blade cylinder and provides transverse perforated lines. A rotating tear-off segment cooperates with the blade cylinder. In order to enable a simple and rapid adaptation to different slip formats, the advancement speed of the advancement rolls, the transverse perforating device and the angle of action of the tear-off segment are correspondingly changed relative to the blade cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Windmoller & Holscher
    Inventors: Richard Feldkamper, Rudiger Duwendag