Patents by Inventor Kegan Luick

Kegan Luick has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11176660
    Abstract: A method and system for sorting pistons with flaws is disclosed. In an embodiment, a piston with flaws is three dimensionally scanned and compared to a reference image to detect the location and geometry of the flaws. The location and geometry of the flaws are recorded and used to generate a surface condition score. The pistons are sorted based on the surface condition score being higher or lower than a set threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Kevin P. Reardon, Allison Karen White, Jason Robert Mrkonich, William Ryan McDermith
  • Publication number: 20210027441
    Abstract: A method and system for sorting pistons with flaws is disclosed. In an embodiment, a piston with flaws is three dimensionally scanned and compared to a reference image to detect the location and geometry of the flaws. The location and geometry of the flaws are recorded and used to generate a surface condition score. The pistons are sorted based on the surface condition score being higher or lower than a set threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Kevin P. Reardon, Allison Karen White, Jason Robert Mrkonich, William Ryan McDermith
  • Patent number: 10830247
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a center housing, a turbine connected on one side of the center housing, the turbine including a turbine wheel connected to a shaft, the shaft extending through the center housing, and a compressor connected on an opposite side of the center housing, the compressor including a compressor wheel connected to the shaft opposite the turbine wheel. The shaft includes a cylindrical body having a centerline, a bore extending into the body adjacent the compressor wheel, and a stublet having an internal end engaged in the bore, and an external end connected to the compressor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Rodolfo Calvo Islas
  • Publication number: 20200056621
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a center housing, a turbine connected on one side of the center housing, the turbine including a turbine wheel connected to a shaft, the shaft extending through the center housing, and a compressor connected on an opposite side of the center housing, the compressor including a compressor wheel connected to the shaft opposite the turbine wheel. The shaft includes a cylindrical body having a centerline, a bore extending into the body adjacent the compressor wheel, and a stublet having an internal end engaged in the bore, and an external end connected to the compressor wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Rodolfo Calvo Islas
  • Patent number: 10184387
    Abstract: A prechamber ignition assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a base attached to a remanufactured prechamber ignition device at a base weld interface. The remanufactured prechamber ignition device includes a new tip formed of a tip material, and a root formed of a root material, with a used body formed of a body material disposed therebetween. The new tip is bonded to the used body at a tip weld interface and the root is bonded to the used body at a root weld interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Graham, Kegan Luick, Daniel Cavanaugh, Darryl Hatfield
  • Publication number: 20180347505
    Abstract: A method for remanufacturing an engine block is provided. The engine block includes a damaged area on an inner surface of a cylinder. The method includes removing a first liner from the cylinder. The first liner includes a first inner diameter defined by a first inner surface and a first outer diameter defined by a first outer surface. The method includes removing material from the damaged area on the inner surface of the cylinder. The method also includes providing a machined surface on the inner surface of the cylinder. The machined surface defining a machined diameter. The method further includes inserting a second liner into the cylinder. The second liner includes a second inner diameter defined by a second inner surface and a second outer diameter defined by a second outer surface. The second outer diameter is equal to the machined diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Robert Eugene Sharp
  • Publication number: 20180216518
    Abstract: A prechamber ignition assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a base attached to a remanufactured prechamber ignition device at a base weld interface. The remanufactured prechamber ignition device includes a new tip formed of a tip material, and a root formed of a root material, with a used body formed of a body material disposed therebetween. The new tip is bonded to the used body at a tip weld interface and the root is bonded to the used body at a root weld interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Graham, Kegan Luick, Daniel Cavanaugh, Darryl Hatfield
  • Publication number: 20180128780
    Abstract: A method for inspecting for discontinuities in a hole comprises inserting a probe including a first location having a first magnetic plarity and a second location having a second polarity into the hole, wherein the first location and second location have different magnetic polarities, creating a magnetic field between the first location and the second location within the interior of the hole, and detecting a discontinuity in the hole using the magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Anthony Kinney, Kegan Luick
  • Patent number: 9587740
    Abstract: A repaired piston includes a crown composed of base and welding filler materials, and having an annular rim extending around a combustion bowl. A finite number of repaired defects are within the annular rim, and have a spatial distribution limited by a multidirectional spacing parameter, and a size distribution limited by a unidirectional sizing parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Thomas Parnell, Aaron Claver, Jon Shumaker, Donald Clark
  • Patent number: 9555503
    Abstract: Cladding and remanufacturing a machine component includes directing cleaning and welding beams split from an incident laser beam toward the machine component, and moving the machine component relative the cleaning and welding beams such that the welding beam trails behind the cleaning beam along a common travel path. A surface of the machine component is decontaminated by the cleaning beam, while a cladding material is melted via the welding beam such that upon solidifying the cladding material forms a coating metallurgically bonded to base material and previously deposited cladding material of the machine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Daniel Sordelet, Daniel T. Cavanaugh, Justin Embrey
  • Patent number: 9381594
    Abstract: A method for laser cladding a material onto a surface of a machine component using a laser scanning head with laser scanning optics is disclosed. The method includes forming a molten bead of cladding material by directing a beam with the laser scanning optics over a bead scan on the machine component. The method also includes directing the beam with the laser scanning optics over a secondary scan on the machine component, the secondary scan being offset from the bead scan at a predetermined distance on the machine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Thierry Andre Marchione, Justin Curtis Embrey, Daniel Cavanaugh, Waylon Scott Walker
  • Patent number: 9377287
    Abstract: A method of configuring an eddy current detector to measure a thickness of a coating on a substrate includes measuring an impedance of the coated substrate, and establishing an impedance plane plot using a computer. The method may also include determining a rotation angle. The rotation angle may be an angle of rotation of the impedance plane plot that will make the inductive reactance component of the impedance substantially insensitive to substrate electrical conductivity within a coating thickness range. The method may further include establishing a calibration curve that is substantially insensitive to substrate electrical conductivity using the rotation angle. The calibration curve may be a curve that relates the inductive reactance component of the impedance to coating thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Tian, Douglas Alexander Rebinsky, Christopher Anthony Kinney, Kegan Luick
  • Publication number: 20160169056
    Abstract: A process for repairing a section of a rotatable shaft is disclosed. The section of the rotatable shaft has a surface portion having a surface parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotatable shaft and axial ends perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotatable shaft. The process includes preparing a well region extending over a perimeter of the section and extending downward in the surface portion, depositing material into the well region to fill the well region using a welding process and displacing a portion of the material that was deposited in the well region. The well region has a bottom portion that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation and includes opposing sidewalls. Each sidewall extends proximate to the axial ends of the rotatable shaft and directly adjoins a remaining portion of the surface portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Jeffery Stark, Larry Bright, Daniel Cavanaugh, Eric Jeffery
  • Publication number: 20150217414
    Abstract: A method of remanufacturing a component having a heat treated hardened layer over a substrate material is disclosed. The method includes removing at least the heat treated hardened layer of the component to expose the substrate material. The method also includes providing a cladding material on the substrate material. The method further includes melting the cladding material via a laser beam to form a single layered coating with hardness greater than or substantially equal to hardness of the heat treated hardened layer, on the substrate material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Benjamin C. Thomas, Curtis J. Graham, Adam Ostein, Jarrod D. Moss, Patrick W. Savage, Jr., Waylon Walker, Kristin A. Schipull, Robert E. Sharp
  • Publication number: 20150122783
    Abstract: A method for laser cladding a material onto a surface of a machine component using a laser scanning head with laser scanning optics is disclosed. The method includes forming a molten bead of cladding material by directing a beam with the laser scanning optics over a bead scan on the machine component. The method also includes directing the beam with the laser scanning optics over a secondary scan on the machine component, the secondary scan being offset from the bead scan at a predetermined distance on the machine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Thierry Andre Marchione, Justin Curtis Embrey, Daniel Cavanaugh, Waylon Scott Walker
  • Publication number: 20150069025
    Abstract: Cladding and remanufacturing a machine component includes directing cleaning and welding beams split from an incident laser beam toward the machine component, and moving the machine component relative the cleaning and welding beams such that the welding beam trails behind the cleaning beam along a common travel path. A surface of the machine component is decontaminated by the cleaning beam, whilst a cladding material is melted via the welding beam such that upon solidifying the cladding material forms a coating metallurgically bonded to base material and previously deposited cladding material of the machine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar, Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Daniel Sordelet, Daniel T. Cavanaugh, Justin Embrey
  • Publication number: 20150020932
    Abstract: A method of remanufacturing a rocker arm is provided. The rocker arm includes a body defining a center hole for receipt of a shaft, a first arm extending radially away from the center hole, and a second arm extending radially away from the center hole in a direction opposite the first arm. The second arm is configured to be operatively engaged with a valve mechanism and includes a contact surface configured to engage with a braking member. The contact surface includes a worn upper hardened surface. The method includes machining the contact surface to a depth less than a predefined tolerance limit to remove the worn upper hardened surface and create a generally planar unhardened contact surface. The method further includes hardening the unhardened contact surface using a laser to create a repaired contact surface with a surface hardness of greater than at least Rockwell C 50.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Taylor Young, Kegan Luick, Jonathan R. Eggemeyer
  • Publication number: 20140359989
    Abstract: A method of remanufacturing a seal surface includes forming a groove into a component surface at a location of a worn seal surface. A bead of new seal material may then be deposited in the groove by laser cladding. The bead of new seal material may then be machined to form a new seal surface that is generally flush with the component surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Timothy S. Graham, Jeffrey M. Stark
  • Publication number: 20140312096
    Abstract: A method of repairing a metallic component is disclosed. The method may include machining away a damaged first portion of the component, and machining away a second portion of the component adjacent the damaged first portion, the second portion being an area that would be subject to distortion resulting from solidification of molten weld material added to repair the damaged first portion. The method may also include inserting a dam made of a high-temperature-resistant material adjacent the machined away second portion to contain molten weld material added to the machined away second portion. Oxy-fuel welding may be performed to at least partially fill the machined away damaged first portion of the component and the machined away second portion of the component, and final machining of the welded portions may be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER ANTHONY KINNEY, BENJAMIN JAMES RASMUSSEN, KEGAN LUICK
  • Publication number: 20140298987
    Abstract: A repaired piston includes a crown composed of base and welding filler materials, and having an annular rim extending around a combustion bowl. A finite number of repaired defects are within the annular rim, and have a spatial distribution limited by a multidirectional spacing parameter, and a size distribution limited by a unidirectional sizing parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kegan Luick, Thomas Parnell, Aaron Claver, Jon Shumaker, Donald Clark