Patents Examined by Stephen Kenny
  • Patent number: 6763570
    Abstract: A pressure vessel having a removable closure head in a high radiation environment is closed by placing the closure head having a flange over and spaced from the flange of a pressure vessel body containing fissile material. The closure studs are installed in closure stud holes of the pressure vessel body flange. Transition nut members of hydraulic nut assemblies are threaded onto the closure studs. Hydraulic hoses are connected between the hydraulic nut assemblies and a pressure source. The pressure source simultaneously pressurizes the hydraulic nut assemblies to simultaneously apply a uniform force to the closure studs sufficient to seat the spaced apart closure head flange on the pressure vessel body flange and to elongate the closure studs. The hydraulic nut assemblies are locked in place over the closure head flange while the force is applied to the closure studs and the closure studs are elongated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Stephan L. Abbott, Louis J. Tylman
  • Patent number: 6763588
    Abstract: A method of providing with precision a number of long and narrow through holes (11) in a body (1) made of a high-density material. The body (1) is made in the form of a number of partial bodies (2, 2′, 2″), which are arranged close to each other and from the body (1). Each partial body (2, 2′, 2″) is defined by an outer surface (5), which is part of the outer surface of the entire body (1), an inner surface (6), which is part of the inner surface of the entire body (1), as well as a pair of boundary surfaces (7, 8), which extend from the outer surface (5) to the inner surface (6). Holes (11) are produced by machining at least one of the bounding surfaces (7, 8) adjacent partial bodies (2′, 2″). Each hole (11) extends from the outer surface (5) to the inner surface (6) along said at least one boundary surface (7, 8). The thus machined partial bodies (2, 2′, 2″) are fixedly attached to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Elekta AB
    Inventors: Börje Nilsson, Jürgen Arndt
  • Patent number: 6760965
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an alternator includes preparing a winding assembly formed by bending strands of wire so as to have straight portions which fit into slots, forming a base core by laminating plate-shaped magnetic members formed with the slots, stacking the winding assembly on the base core and pressing the winding assembly such that the straight portions enter the slots, and forming the stator core by bending the base core into a cylindrical shape and abutting end surfaces of the base core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihito Asao, Katsumi Adachi, Akira Morishita, Atsushi Oohashi
  • Patent number: 6757957
    Abstract: A dispenser package for fluent products such as cosmetics and lotions that includes an integrally molded plastic container having a flexible body with a sidewall, a closed bottom, and a top wall having a dispensing opening offset from the axis of the container body. A closure has a base wall and a peripheral skirt. In some embodiments of the invention, the closure is rotatably mounted on the container body, and has a dispensing opening in the closure base wall for selective registry with the dispensing opening in the top wall of the container body. Detent elements are provided on the closure and container body for selectively locking the closure in open and closed positions. In alternative embodiments, the closure includes a flip-top hinged to the base wall, with a plug extending therefrom for selectively opening and closing the dispensing opening in the container body top wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Plastic Products Inc.
    Inventors: Craig E. McClean, Robert E. Harman
  • Patent number: 6757958
    Abstract: A load handler with a modular frame and the manufacture and assembly of the frame and loader and components that may be used therein. A frame is provided that has a low pivot point for a boom that may be lowered to a position within the frame. The frame has left and right side rails, and front and rear cross rails, each having a closed cross-section construction. The side rails and cross rails are modular and the cross rails of a selected size are configured to fit a plurality of sizes of side rails, such that the same size cross rails may be used to construct a variety sizes and capabilities of load handling vehicles in a flow type manufacturing process. A structural beam is provided having plates interconnected along their lengths to form the beam having a box-shaped closed cross-section having a perimeter generally along the widths of the plates and forming a beam cavity within the perimeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: JLG OmniQuip, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Baumann, Richard F. King, David Petrovic, Phil Schaffner
  • Patent number: 6757975
    Abstract: A compliant mechanism and method of manufacturing the same includes a plurality of layers formed from stamping a plurality of layers from a layer of thinner material and stacking the layers together. Compliant mechanisms can include clutches, switches, derailleurs, brakes and other mechanisms. The compliant mechanism includes rigid and flexible sections of integral construction. The rigid and flexible sections provide an integral device capable of achieving motion by elastic deformation. The flexible section is deflectable, and stores energy in the form of strain energy when deflected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Brigham Young University
    Inventors: Robert H. Todd, Larry L. Howell, Spencer P. Magleby, Aaron L. Herring
  • Patent number: 6754942
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method for assembling a polishing while inspecting for air leakage in the polishing head and an apparatus for performing the same. By the present invention, a polishing head may be tested for air leakage at each assembly step thereof, so that the polishing head may be assembled free of air leakage, thereby reducing testing time of the polishing head, and failure of the polishing head due to air leakage may be prevented. The apparatus includes a housing supporting the polishing head and having coupling lines coupled with ends of tubes provided in the assembled polishing head, or the polishing head being assembled. A pneumatic pressure regulating section selectively supplies positive pressure or vacuum to the tubes through the coupling lines. A sensor section detects the pressure and level of vacuum in the tubes. A determining section determines if there is air leakage in the polishing head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bong Choi, Jung-Hwan Sung, Yong-Seok Ro, Doeg-Jung Kim
  • Patent number: 6751836
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices that enable the spacing of metal units. One method generally identifies a dimple location on a metal unit, and applies a force at the dimple location to create a spacing feature. In another embodiment, the invention is a spacable metal sheet having thereon a spacing feature. The spacable metal sheet is preferably embodied as a copper cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Inventor: Richard A. Smith
  • Patent number: 6751849
    Abstract: A movable contact arrangement suitable for use in a switching device has a rigid contact body and a flexible conductor piece connecting the contact body to a fixed conductor. The contact body is connected to the conductor piece by mechanically compressing a section of a semifinished product in the form of a cable or strand, with the flexible conductor piece being formed by an uncompressed part of the semifinished product. The compressing operation can also be used at the same time to produce the contact body from the semifinished product. The method described allows low-cost production of contact modules for power circuit breakers used in sophisticated mechanical and electrical equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Helmke, Harald Kurzmann
  • Patent number: 6748642
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for installation of a lockbolt to fasten together an assembly of at least two parts having a viscous fluid such as adhesive or sealant in the interface between the two parts, inserts a lockbolt into aligned holes through the two parts and exerts a pulling force of a predetermined intermediate magnitude on the lockbolt while reacting the pulling force against opposite sides of the assembly to exert a compressive force on the assembly to squeeze the fluid out of the interface. The intermediate pulling force is maintained for a precisely timed dwell period based on an optimal period for that fluid and that temperature. After the dwell period, the pulling force is increased in magnitude while simultaneously swaging a collar into threads on the lockbolt to secure the collar on the lockbolt and secure the lockbolt in a state of tension in the hole in the assembly. The pulling force magnitude continues to increase said until the pintail breaks off the lockbolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mekonnen Tsegga, Kenneth R. Christie
  • Patent number: 6745456
    Abstract: An apparatus and an associated method are utilized to make a rotor core. The apparatus includes a support for supporting a lamina stack that has an axis extending along the stack. The apparatus includes a plurality of collets. A collet moving mechanism moves the collets radially inward against the lamina stack. An arrangement receives casting material that is cast to the lamina stack while the collets are against the lamina stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
    Inventor: Redmond Wood
  • Patent number: 6745449
    Abstract: A metal plate (126) has a plurality of openings (127) extending through it, and is cleaned using a wet hydrogen process (157). Glass windows (106) are then placed in the openings, and are each fused to the metal plate by heat (231) in a manner so that each window projects outwardly on each side of the plate. Both sides of each window are then simultaneously ground and polished (232). Exposed surfaces of the metal plate are electroplated with nickel and gold (236). One or more coatings (41, 46, 47) are applied to one or both sides of each window. Several sections are then cut from the assembly, each of which can serve as a lid (17) for an optical apparatus (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Mark B. Hanna, Kyle W. Nix
  • Patent number: 6742239
    Abstract: A progressive stamping die assembly apparatus and method in which strip stock material advances in a first direction through the apparatus and substantially simultaneously with the strip stock movement, a transversely moveable die station moves in opposite second and third directions substantially perpendicular to the first direction to one of a plurality of predetermined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: L.H. Carbide Corporation
    Inventors: Barry Andrew Lee, Timothy L. Schrank
  • Patent number: 6742238
    Abstract: A stator core extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a yoke, and a plurality of radially-inwardly projecting teeth separated by intervening slots. A radially innermost portion of each tooth initially includes a pair of legs separated by a recess disposed therebetween. The conventional tooth tips are unformed in the first stage, thereby defining an increased-size slot opening for allowing the insertion of stator windings. In a second processing stage, after the core itself has been manufactured and wound with stator windings, the legs are cold-formed in order to form tooth tips, which define a reduced-size slot opening to provide a magnetic flux path and provide a wire retention function. A higher stator slot fill is provided, which allows and enables higher generator efficiencies and output for a given package size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Lee
  • Patent number: 6735843
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing a hollow threaded insert into a hole in a substrate having first and second surfaces. The insert has a hollow shaft having a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion. The insert has a front flange at the first end portion for engaging the front surface of the substrate around the hole. The second end portion of the shaft has an internal thread and, the intermediate collapses to engage the second surface when a force is applied that pulls the second end portion toward the first end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Meikle NY, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Campbell, Jesse J. Diehl
  • Patent number: 6735847
    Abstract: A semi-automated method for forming armature coils comprising a plurality of transposed wire pairs includes joining a plurality of pairs of wires having offset segments along their lengths, wherein each pair of wires are in contiguous, surface-to-surface engagement with each other along a length defining said each pair of wires, insulating each of the transposed pairs of wires, assembling the plurality of the insulated transposed pairs of wires with the transpositions being staggered to create a pack, and forming the pack into an armature coil in an automated coil forming machine by bending the pack in two planes. The joining of the plurality of pairs of wires having the offset segments along their lengths is effectuated at a transposition point. Each pair of wires has a transposition at a unique point relative to others of the plurality of the pairs of wires forming the coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ricky L. Roberts, Robert Henry Hartman, Floyd Curry
  • Patent number: 6732423
    Abstract: When ring components 4 of layers to assemble a laminated ring 3 are unloaded from a component storage facility 10, a computer 13 generates lamination combinatorial data representing a combination of ring components of layers. A target frequency distribution of circumferential length values of ring components 4 of each layer is established, and lamination combinatorial data including ring components of a class where an error of an actual inventory frequency with respect to a target frequency is large are selected in a layer where an error between the target frequency distribution and an actual inventory frequency distribution is maximum. Ring components 4 of all layers corresponding to the selected lamination combinatorial data are unloaded from the component storage facility 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Saito, Yoshihiko Suzuki, Katsumune Inaki, Tetsuo Sugizono
  • Patent number: 6732418
    Abstract: A method of constructing a rail track on a concrete slab, in which method the concrete slab is poured around anchor members for fixing tie plates supporting rails of the rail track, includes the following steps: suspending temporary tie plates at the location where the tie plates supporting the rail track are to be placed, the temporary tie plates supporting anchor members to be partly embedded in the concrete and including vents for evacuating air trapped under the bottom face of the temporary tie plate when pouring the concrete slab, pouring a concrete slab up to the height of the temporary tie plates, removing the temporary tie plates after the concrete slab has dried, and placing the tie plates supporting the rails accurately in their final position and fixing the tie plates to the anchor members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Alstom
    Inventor: Nicolas Rada
  • Patent number: 6725524
    Abstract: A bonding lug apparatus for devices such as electric motors installed within a distance of a fluid-holding apparatus such as pools, hot tubs, spas, and the like, is provided that includes a fastener having a head and a bonding lug having an aperture that receives the fastener such that a bonding conductor of a bonding grid of the fluid-holding apparatus area is captured between the head of the fastener and the bonding lug. The bonding lug apparatus bonds the electric motor to the bonding grid of the fluid-holding apparatus area when the bonding lug apparatus is electrically coupled to the electric motor and the bonding conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: A. O. Smith Corporation
    Inventors: Chih M. Lin, William J. Watkins
  • Patent number: 6722011
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for installing a c-clip outside a far end of a passage. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises prong members each comprising a prong end, a base end, and a lip part. A base is secured to the base ends, so the prong members are parallel with each other, and so the lip parts form a ring-shaped lip adapted to secure the c-clip. A tube is provided comprising an inner surface having a varying radius. The base inserts the prong members through the tube and against the inner surface, the inner surface forcing the c-clip to close into a closed c-clip. The prong ends are moved at least partially through the rear of the tube, and in some embodiments through a tube extension, permitting a restoring force of the c-clip to open the c-clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Inventor: Bradley Bacon