Patents Examined by Stephen Kenny
  • Patent number: 6871399
    Abstract: In a fin forming step, fins of heat exchangers are formed into a connected state where the fins are connected to each other via a parting portion. In a fin attaching step, the fins in the connected state are temporarily attached to the respective heat exchangers. In a fin fixing step, an integrated heat exchanger in which the fins are temporarily attached is passed through a heating oven to braze the fins to the respective heat exchangers. In a fin separating step W4, the fins in the connected state of the respective heat exchangers are separated from each other in the parting portion. Therefore, each of the heat exchangers can independently perform a heat exchanging operation without being affected by heat conduction from the other heat exchanger via the fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Iwasaki, Kazunori Namai, Hiroshi Chikuma
  • Patent number: 6865975
    Abstract: A device and method for severing fasteners securing deck boards to pallet runners. A band saw extends across a table recess. The band saw is spaced above the tabletop aligning the saw between the deck boards and runners. The recess includes stop surfaces enabling the pallet to be pivoted from a horizontal position through a vertical position and then to an upside down position while the saw blade remains within the pallet for severing fasteners securing the opposite top deck board from the pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: SP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Waechter, Thomas A. Waechter
  • Patent number: 6860012
    Abstract: A method for forming elastic ventilation cushion comprises the steps of arranging a plurality of needle seats at two banks, an upper bank and a lower bank, and a straight gap is formed between the upper bank and the lower bank, wherein one edge of each needle seat near the other bank is mounted with a plurality of slender needles, wherein each distal end of the needles is folded as a distal folded section; passing an elastic cushion through the gap; and moving the needle seats at the upper and lower banks so that the length of the gap is enlarged or reduced, thereby, the needles on the needle seats will pierce the elastic cushion and the distal folded section will tear surfaces of the elastic cushion to form a plurality of elastic ventilation slits on the elastic cushion. Moreover, the needle seats can be replaced by needle rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Inventor: Chien Tan Lee
  • Patent number: 6860013
    Abstract: A method of joining two vehicle suspension components made from the same or dissimilar materials includes providing a first suspension component, and providing a second suspension component made from a material which is same/dissimilar to the material used to make the first suspension component, where one of the first and second suspension components is a metallic component made of a metallic material. A portion of one of the first and second suspension components is positioned within a portion of the other of the suspension components in an overlapping manner, thereby forming an overlapping portion. A metallic band may be disposed around the overlapping portion. An inductor is positioned around the overlapping portion. The inductor is energized to generate a magnetic field for collapsing at least one of the overlapping portion and the metallic band at a velocity sufficient to magnetic pulse weld the components to each other, thereby securing the first and second suspension components together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Robert D. Durand
  • Patent number: 6851175
    Abstract: A method of inserting coils in slots of a stator is provided. The method includes interleaving a first set of first phase windings and a first set of second phase windings on an insertion tool. The method also includes activating the insertion tool to radially insert the first set of first phase windings and the first set of second phase windings in the slots of the stator. In one embodiment, interleaving the first set of first phase windings and the first set of second phase windings on the insertion tool includes forming the first set of first phase windings in first phase openings defined in the insertion tool, and forming the first set of second phase windings in second phase openings defined in the insertion tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David L Brown, Gerald R Stabel, Robert Anthony Lawrence
  • Patent number: 6851173
    Abstract: A method for joining a metal component with a connection, wherein the metal component has a hole, the metal component is placed in an inner channel of a metal plate, and using a head type punch metal of the metal plate is forced into the corresponding hole of the metal component thereby joining the metal plate and the metal component with the press-fit connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Datech Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Che-Min Yu
  • Patent number: 6848160
    Abstract: A manufacturing process (100) for forming a product, such as a thermal shield (20), in a web (102) of material. The thermal shield includes a first plate (22) and a second plate (24) joined to one another at a seam (28). The manufacturing process includes engaging an upper member (128) containing second plate with the web, which contains the first plate. Registration structures (112, 130) are provided to the upper member and web for keeping the upper member in proper registration with the web during formation of the seam. After the seam has been at least partially formed, the thermal shield is separated from the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Thermal Shield Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Donald E. Cota, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6848158
    Abstract: The device comprises a base for positioning a tire and a lever pivoted on a support and able to move and be fixed in position along a plane which is radial with respect to the center of the base. An active end of the lever, located on an L-shaped bend at an end of the lever, can be introduced internally of the opening to interact contactingly with the internal surface of a part of the support ring pre-inserted in the opening. By acting on the lever, the active end presses the ring against the inside of the tire with radial force. The support ring is of a type which when applied on a vehicle wheel enables the vehicle to continue moving for a considerable time even where tire pressure is suddenly lost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Snap-On Equipment S.r.l.
    Inventor: Rino Spaggiari
  • Patent number: 6836954
    Abstract: Rotor for an electric motor that comprises a core (1), segments of a cylinder (5, 6, 7) made of magnetizable materials, a substantially cylindrical retaining wrapper (10) whose end portions are joined to at least a pair of plane elements (8, 9). The rotor also comprises first elastic means (11, 12, 13) having a length that is not smaller than the length of the core and being supported by means (2, 3, 4) that are integrally provided in the core parallelly to the axis of rotation (X) of the rotor, which interfere with contiguous longitudinal edges of the segments of a cylinder so as to keep said segments circumferentially spaced from each other. In a preferred manner, the rotor also comprises second elastic means (21-26) which are adapted to make up for the longitudinal and radial plays of the various parts of the rotor so as to ensure that the outer surface of the segments of a cylinder keeps in contact with the inner surface of the wrapper. The invention further relates to a method for producing the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Zanussi Elettromeccanica S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fabrizio Carli, Matteo Bellomo
  • Patent number: 6836960
    Abstract: The present invention has for its object to provide an apparatus and a method for transferring boards, and a component mounting apparatus whereby a production efficiency can be improved in accordance with types of boards to be produced. For accomplishing this object, there are arranged a shift device capable of moving a mounted board from a process-finished board transfer path to an unprocessed board transfer path, a controller for controlling this moving, and an identifying device. This arrangement enables switching of a method of transferring boards in accordance with types of boards to be produced, and controlling supply of boards to the component mounting apparatus, so that production efficiency is improved in accordance with types of boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kurayasu Hamasaki, Makito Seno, Kunio Sakurai, Hiroshi Ota, Akiko Katsui, Yoshiyuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 6834486
    Abstract: An improved mounting arrangement for a knife to a disc for use on a rotary disc cutter that eliminates the need for a threaded connector and the associated nut is disclosed. It also provides a positive retention method on the top side of the disc. In addition, it provides a method of removing the knife from the disc without the use of wrenches, simply requiring a tool for prying, such as a screw driver. A further feature is a low profile retainer does not need to be protected by a wear protector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kent Thompson, Rustin V. Bentzinger
  • Patent number: 6829812
    Abstract: A headliner system configured to mount to a vehicle roof structure comprises a retainer clip coupled to a substrate, and a handle movable between a first position and a second position. The handle is retained by a retaining system such as a biasing element captured between the roof structure and a projection. A method of mounting a handle to vehicle roof structure comprises providing a retaining system comprising a retainer clip, coupling the retainer clip to a headliner, coupling the handle to the retainer clip and orientating it in a first position, moving the handle to a second position to capture a portion of the handle between the retainer clip and a projection, locating the headliner relative to the roof structure, and moving the handle to a third position to retain a portion of the handle between at least a portion of the retaining system and the roof structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: David A. Ozios, Mathias R. Fox, Thomas S. Hodgson, Brian J. Sparks, Ben E. Sapak
  • Patent number: 6829822
    Abstract: A pallet board removal assembly for providing mechanical assistance to remove any board of a pallet for replacement includes a frame having rollers forming a bed. A pair of jaws are pivoted with staggered distal ends to clamp and subsequently remove a selected board from a pallet. The invention further includes a board cushioning assembly to control movement of the removed board and an optional nail press assembly to drive nail stubble into the stringers of the pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Inventor: Juston E. Minick
  • Patent number: 6826817
    Abstract: A method is provided for quickly and inexpensively balancing an article, such a driveshaft tube for use in a vehicular driveshaft assembly, for rotation about an axis. Initially, a balancing structure is provided that includes a chamber that contains a quantity of a first component of a balancing material. The balancing structure is secured to the article. Then, a quantity of a second component of the balancing material is disposed within the chamber so as to initiate solidification of the balancing material. Lastly, before the balancing material solidifies, the article and the balancing structure are rotated so as to cause the balancing material to move within the chamber to a position wherein the combined assembly of the article and the balancing structure are balanced for rotation. The balancing material solidifies in this position, thus permanently balancing the article for rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Torque-Traction Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeremy A. Rapp
  • Patent number: 6826824
    Abstract: A system and method are used to assemble and fill an embedded magnet type rotor. The system and method prevent rotation of the rotor core within a manufacturing device as the rotor core is being filled and the embedded magnets are magnetically orientated. The embedded magnet type rotor is made by a process in which resinous magnet is filled in slits provided in a rotor core. In one embodiment, a recessed portion of the core in a shaft hole is engageable with a projecting portion of a core pin of a metallic mold for use in filling the resinous magnet to prevent rotation of the core. Other positioning devices are also used to prevent rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ishihara Hiroyuki, Kazuyoshi Kaneko, Shinya Naito
  • Patent number: 6817081
    Abstract: A process to provide a surface with a fire-proof and/or wear resistant lining involving the following steps: a) mechanically fixing anchoring means to the surface, which anchoring means are pre-coated with a coating that melts at a temperature in the range from 40° C. to 100° C.; b) applying a lining material onto the surface provided with the anchoring means; c) curing the lining material to obtain a solid mass; and d) drying the lining, to a temperature at least sufficient to melt the coating on the anchoring means, to obtain a fire-proof and/or wear resistant lining. Anchoring means used in this process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Hendrik Schadenberg, Anthonij Wolfert
  • Patent number: 6813818
    Abstract: A method for joining vehicle components together to form a vehicle frame assembly where the components are formed from dissimilar materials such as metallic and non-metallic materials. A composite body mount bracket may be attached to a structural component of a vehicle body and frame assembly by providing a body mount bracket having an opening formed therethrough and by providing a first structural component formed from a metallic material also having an opening formed therethrough. The body mount bracket is then positioned adjacent the first structural component such that the respective openings are aligned with one another. A second structural component formed of a metallic material is then inserted through the aligned openings. Next, the second structural component is welded first structural component through a magnetic pulse welding technique, and lastly, the second structural component is pulse formed or deformed so as to mechanically clamp the body mount bracket thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Jim Schmidt
  • Patent number: 6810573
    Abstract: In manufacturing a fuel inlet, bulge forming and bend processing are conducted to a stainless pipe which will serve as an inlet pipe. Next, one end of the stainless pipe is eccentrically expanded, and the hardened portion is removed. After the pipe expanding step is finished, boring processing is conducted so that a breather pipe can be inserted into the inlet pipe, a guide is spot-welded to the inside of the eccentrically expanded portion, and a screw structure is formed. The inlet pipe and the breather pipe are degreased and cleaned as a pretreatment for brazing, and brazing is conducted by using BAg-4 (Low-temperature brazing material) at a temperature of 750-850° C. Removing of the flux and cleaning are conducted as a post-treatment for brazing, and finally coating is conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Bestex Kyoei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Morinaga, Hiroshi Kashima, Takashi Nakamura, Minoru Tada, Shinji Hirakawa
  • Patent number: 6810567
    Abstract: The invention relates to the partial or complete use of a pressurized gas cylinder known per se for compressed, liquefied or dissolved gases as a liner for a composite cylinder. This enables production costs of a composite cylinder to be reduced by ⅓ when compared to the costs arising from the production of a new composite cylinder using current manufacturing technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Messer Griesheim GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Markhoff, Martin Kesten
  • Patent number: 6810572
    Abstract: We combine superplastic forming (SPF) with adhesive bonding (AB) to produce quality multisheet sandwich panel structures, especially those using a superplastic aluminum alloy, such as Al 2004, Al 8090, or Al 1570. We produce the parts with improved energy efficiency and at lower cost. We heat the multisheet pack having an adhesive, preferably a polyimide, between the core sheets and the face sheets to its superplastic forming range. Then, we superplastically form the pack to define adhesive bonds between the sheets in the core and between the core and the face sheets with the flowing adhesive. Finally, we cool the formed pack below the superplastic range to set the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Matthew G. Kistner, Jeffrey D. Will