Direct Application Of Electrical Or Wave Energy To Heat The Mold (e.g., Electromagnetic Wave, Particulate, Magnetic, Sonic, Electrostatic Energy, Etc.) Patents (Class 264/402)
  • Patent number: 5162089
    Abstract: A method of making a coil of a plastic foil forms a flat web by extrusion through a wide slit nozzle or by film blowing and determines the thickness-error profile of the foil wound on a coil. Based upon monitoring the contour of the coil the inverse thickness-error profile is produced by control of the die gap and wound on the coil so that the coil is built-up alternatingly with the original thickness-error profile and the inverse thickness-error profile until completion of winding so that it has a sufficiently cylindrical coil contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Hartmut Halter
  • Patent number: 5158724
    Abstract: A plastic material, controlled at a desired temperature, is fed on an upstream side of a gap between a pair of rotating forming rolls arrayed almost in parallel and controlled at a desired temperature from a flat die connected to an extruding machine and having a slit outflow portion. The plastic material is pressed and formed into a sheet by the forming rolls therebetween while forming a bank or an accumulation of the plastic material on an upstream side of the gap of the forming rolls and is carried out on a downstream side of the gap. The bank quantity monitoring is performed by measuring a temperature of the sheet carried out through the gap of the forming rolls and estimating the quantity of the bank in accordance with measured temperature information. The sheet formation is performed by measuring a temperature of the sheet carried out through the gap of the forming rolls and controlling various forming conditions according to a measured temperature information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Yagi, Toshihiko Kusago
  • Patent number: 5158720
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for in situ monitoring the viscosity and cure of resins using viscosity dependent fluorescence uses a fiber optic waveguide to introduce light to the resin of a wavelength exciting fluorescence and to conduct the emitted light to a monitor. The emitted light parameters correlate to the viscosity and cure conditions of the resin. The apparatus and method may be used to control composite construction and to provide information on the in service condition of composites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: McDonnell Douglas Corporation
    Inventor: Ram L. Levy
  • Patent number: 5152942
    Abstract: Agglomerated particle size of ceramic materials is controlled by accurate determination of the proper final point of agglomeration. A part of a suspension in a cylindrical agitating region having agitation blades is circulated through a pipe having at least one transparent portion, the suspension which flows through the transparent pipe is irradiated with a light, preferably a laser beam and the final point of agglomeration is calculated based on the change in quantity of the transmitted light and/or the change in acoustic emission generated in the agitating region, thereby to stop the agglomeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Showa Shell Sekiyu Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Nakamura, Takakatsu Takamori, Masami Tsunekawa, Tsuyoshi Hirajima, Winston Guinto, Fuminori Saga, Yoshihiro Nishisu
  • Patent number: 5145693
    Abstract: A method of monitoring maximum pressing forces of a pelletizing machine provided with a rotatable matrix disc and plungers, involves the steps of supplying values corresponding to pressing forces applied by plungers for evaluation in a computer so as to control a deviating device, detecting a position of the matrix disc continuously by an angle pulse transmitter and releasing pulses by the latter to supply the pulses to the computer, and coordinating the pulses with predetermined maximum pressing force values and supplying to evaluation. The pelletizing machine has a rotatable matrix disc, plungers whose maximum pressing forces are supplied for evaluation, a computer to which the maximum pressing forces of the plungers are supplied for evaluation, and an angle pulse transmitter supplying pulses released by the matrix disc during its rotation into the computer for an association to measured maximum pressing forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Firma Wilhelm Fette GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Hinzpeter, Ingo Schmidt, Heinrich Behrmann, Jorg Reitberger, Klaus-Peter Preuss
  • Patent number: 5139406
    Abstract: This invention relates to an inspection system for a container made of synthetic resin, including a first container conveying station provided with a plurality of container holders arranged around the circumference of a rotary disc with predetermined spaces; a container feeding station for feeding the containers to a container conveying passage of the first container conveying station with the interval equal to that between the adjacent holders; a first inspecting station for inspecting the existence of the heat resistant resin of the container; a second inspecting station for inspecting the wall thickness of the container; a second container conveying station provided with a container receiving end portion for receiving the container determined to be a good product by the inspections of the first and second inspecting stations and conveying the container externally of the first container conveying station; and a first container discharging station for discharging a container judged to be a faulty product by
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Insatsu Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaru Hoshino, Hiroaki Nose
  • Patent number: 5135689
    Abstract: For measuring thickness of films of synthetic thermoplastic which have been solidified but not yet fully cooled after extrusion, a capacitive measuring head is moved into contact with the film and during a measuring cycle is moved over the surface of the film in the area in which the measurement is to be effected. The measuring head is disengaged from the film after each measuring cycle. To ensure that the measurement will not be affected by a temperature rise of the measuring head during a measuring cycle, the measuring head is moved into contact with the film before the measuring cycle begins and the measuring cycle is not initiated until a time has elapsed in which the measuring head has assumed a temperature which remains substantially constant throughout the measuring cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Windmoller & Holscher
    Inventors: Klemens Sensen, Werner Feistkorn
  • Patent number: 5128077
    Abstract: A method of producing a multicomponent extrudate in which the operating line automatically and accurately extrudes the extrudate materials necessary to obtain the desired contribution of materials and specified dimensions of the multicomponent extrudate profile. The screw speed of each extruder can be adjusted to the desired speed by determining the actual thickness and width dimensions of the multicomponent extrudate. The actual measurements are then fed to a computer which calculates the corresponding values of the ratios of the extruder screw speeds to line speed. using the specified dimensions desired in the extrudate, the corresponding values for the screw and line speeds are also calculated. A comparison of the speeds based on measured dimensions, with the speeds based on specified dimensions, provides a measurement by which the screw speeds may then be adjusted such that the measurements of the extrudate profile are brought closer to the specified dimensions of the multicomponent extrudate profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: General Tire, Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Stevenson, Thomas E. Codispoti
  • Patent number: 5128076
    Abstract: An open tube apparatus and method for continuously producing a rotating elongate strip of material are disclosed. An extrusion die continuously extrudes flowable material to form an open tube with a central longitudinal cavity and a transport mechanism includes a plurality of drive rollers which engage and pull the tube downline. A driver rotates the extrusion die and transport mechanism. A tube cutter, which is offset at an angle with respect to the downline direction and defines the open end of the tube, cuts the tube into a continuous elongate web of the desired width as the tube moves downline. An air seal seals the tube cavity to prevent air from escaping through the open end of the cavity, and a tube pressurizer controls air pressure in the central longitudinal cavity of the tube to expand the tube laterally outwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Anatoly Akselrod, Mark A. Berman, James B. Cysewski, Steven J. Lenius, John W. Louks, David W. Osten, Joseph W. Petrin, Ronald P. Swanson, Eugen Will
  • Patent number: 5124094
    Abstract: A constraining structure for an open tube apparatus for continuously producing a rotating elongate strip of material is disclosed. The constraining structure controls expansion of an extruded blown film tube to a desired outer diameter range after the tube is formed. The constraining structure includes a casing positionable around the tube, and an annular sleeve in the casing having a generally cylindrical central passageway adapted to receive the tube to permit movement of the tube along its longitudinal axis in a downline direction. The casing and the sleeve walls define a gas chamber with pressurized gas separate from the passageway. The gas layer along the inner surface of the sleeve is at a sufficiently large pressure to constrain the tube to the desired outer diameter while the tube solidifies and to prevent the tube from contacting the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Lenius, John W. Louks, Ronald P. Swanson, Eugen Will
  • Patent number: 5116551
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an article, by covering at least a portion of a microwave heatable former with a liquid-containing material, applying microwave radiation to heat the former so as to leave a dry solid coating on the former, and effecting relative separation between the former and the dry solid coating so as to produce the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Inventors: Roderick I. Davidson, Peter R. Hornsby
  • Patent number: 5116211
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the thickness of a film molded by a melt extruding method provided with a plurality of cooling means for cooling the vicinity of a die lip close to a plurality of heating means and with many grooved holes in which the heating means are embedded and provided with air holes at the both ends thereof, whereby the temperature can be freely adjusted to the high and low set values in a short period of time, by which the time loss and material loss can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Tomi Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jitsumi Shinmoto
  • Patent number: 5110519
    Abstract: In a process and apparatus for the production of hollow bodies from thermoplastic material, the walls of the hollow bodies are of a laminate structure having at least first and second layers, by means of extrusion blow molding, the pressure within the extrusion head and more particularly at the location at which the laminate is formed by the discharge of flows of material from a storage chamber in the head is maintained within limits such as to avoid disturbing the laminate to such an extent as to have an adverse effect on its function. The pressure at the time of a transition between filling and emptying of the storage chamber and between emptying and filling of the storage chamber is maintained substantially at a pressure level which approximately corresponds to the storage chamber emptying pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Krupp Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Daubenbuchel, Otto Eiselen, Karsten Friedrichs, Dieter Hess, Erich Kiefer, Peter Klusener
  • Patent number: 5102588
    Abstract: A method of making tubular bodies from thermoplastic material by extruding a parison through an extruder head die slit which is then expanded in a blow mold. The position of the parison and particularly a thickened portion thereof is regulated and/or controlled relative to critical cross-sectional regions of the hollow body blown therefrom. The hollow body of the separated lower waste portions and/or the net weight of the hollow body is measured in order to control and/or regulate the position of the thickened portion of the parison and to change the die slit as need be upon deviation from a reference value. The latter is particularly beneficial in accumulation head operation, while in continuous operation, either the hollow body net weight and the weight of the lower waste-portion is measured and compared with a reference characteristic or the hollow body net weight is compared to a reference characteristic and markings reflective of the critical cross-sectional regions of the blown article are sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Inventor: Harald Feuerherm
  • Patent number: 5096634
    Abstract: Biaxially stretched thermoplastic tubes are made in an apparatus having a plastic extruder, the output of which is controllable on an open-circuit or closed-circuit basis and which has a too head for the extrusion of a highly viscous exiting tubing, a stretching mandrel and a speed-controllable draw-off device. In the region of the run-on part there is disposed a surrounding temperature control bath for controlling the temperature of the tube to the stretching temperature while a cooling bath is disposed in the region of the draw-off part. A Raman spectrometer operating with laser waves is disposed in the zone downstream of the cooling bath. The frequency of the laser waves is adapted to the plastic used and the energy of the laser waves is so adapted to the wall thickness of the tube produced that in addition to the radiated wave scattered or reflected by the plastics, at least one wave corresponding to a Raman spectral line is radiated from the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: George Aristovoulos Petzetakis
    Inventors: Adonis Tsadares, Costas Anastassakis
  • Patent number: 5094600
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring eccentricities of a rod of plastic material extruded from an extruder includes an optical sensor arrangement having a central axis, the arrangement including a pair of optical sensor devices circumferentially spaced at 90 degrees to one another about the central axis and a pair of light sources disposed on sides of the central axis opposite to the respective optical sensor devices for providing shadows of the rod on the optical sensor devices. A mounting fixture supports the sensor arrangement with its central axis aligned with the nozzle axis of the extruder so that the extruded rod will travel along the central axis of the sensor arrangement. An output device is connected to the sensor devices for measuring deviations of the shadows from predetermined positions indicating concentricity of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: Sikora Industrieelektronik GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Sikora
  • Patent number: 5094786
    Abstract: A tablet determining method and an apparatus therefor capable of accurately determining ingredients of a multi-layer tablet without breaking the tablet. A multi-layer tablet is lighted from light sources, an area of the side surface of the tablet on which a boundary line between the layers appears is detected by image processing, an area of the side surface of at least one of the layers of the tablet which are separated by the boundary line is detected by image processing, and data obtained by the image processing and data on the total weight of the tablet are used for determining the layer by processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: Lion Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiro Nagashima, Masatoshi Utsunomiya, Norimichi Suzuki, Kazuhiko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5087185
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously taking off a thermoplastic synthetic resin sheet foamed by a vertical foaming furnace which has a rail fixedly disposed horizontally, two bodies mounted obliquely at the same angle in a linear symmetrical manner with respect to a vertical line and moving in parallel along the rail, a driver for driving the bodies, two holding roll rows having a plurality of holding rolls disposed in a zigzag manner along the longitudinal direction of the body, a pair of supports respectively wound on the holding rolls, and sensors having optical fiber sensors electrically connected to the driver and provided at each of the upper ends of the bodies. The interval of the two bodies is defined to be narrow at its top and wider toward the lower interval. The degree of the width of the foamed sheet is determined by the angle. The sensor includes two casing halves. One casing half contains a light emitting unit of the optical fiber sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1992
    Assignee: Kyowa Leather Cloth Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tooru Yada, Hideaki Nakayama, Hiroyuki Kurita
  • Patent number: 5059363
    Abstract: A method for extruding silicone tubing which maintains consistently precise dimensions in the final tubing product by continuously monitoring the tubing profile after cooling and adjusting the height the loop of uncured tubing as necessary to neck the tubing down to the desired size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Uresil, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles R. Davis, Jeffrey T. Williams
  • Patent number: 5045251
    Abstract: In a resin transfer molding process a preform is positioned in the cavity of a molding tool, the molding tool is closed and resin is introduced into the cavity. The preform is a resin transfer molding core with fiber reinforcement material affixed to its outer surface. Internal communication passages extend within the interior of the core, a first and a second internal communication passage each having an inlet opening and a discharge opening extending through the outer surface of the core. The molding tool has a first port and a second port. Fluid-tight communication is formed between the first port and the inlet opening of the first internal communication passage. Fluid-tight communication also is formed between the second port and the discharge opening of the second internal communication passage. Uncured resin is introduced into the cavity through the first port, to and through the inlet opening of the first internal communication passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Carl F. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5037763
    Abstract: An article such as a drawn optical fiber (21) or an array of optical fibers is provided with a curable coating material. The array of optical fibers may be held together with a curable matrix material (45). Included in the coating material or the matrix material is a fluorescent constituent the fluorescence emission of which changes as a function of the degree of cure of the coating or matrix material. After the in-line curing of the coating material or of the matrix material, the fluorescence emission of the fluorescent constituent is monitored to determine the degree of cure of the curable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventor: James R. Petisce
  • Patent number: 5032329
    Abstract: An apparatus for making a fleece comprises a horizontally elongated upright passage, flaps defining a stretching gap between the walls, and respective lower flaps have upper edges pivotal by actuators on the walls. A foraminous conveyor belt extends horizontally immediately underneath the passage and is advanced generally continuously horizontally past the passage. An array of spinnerets in the upper end of the passage forms filaments that move downward in the passage and that deposit on the moving conveyor as cool air is introduced into the upper end of the passage and is withdrawn from the passage through the lower end thereof and through the foraminous belt. The deposited length of the filaments on the belt downstream of the lower passage end is continuously monitored and an output corresponding thereto is generated and is compared with a set point and the lower flaps are pivoted to move their lower edges away from one another when the output of the sensor means exceeds the set point and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventor: Hans Reifenhauser
  • Patent number: 5006286
    Abstract: Polymeric electrically conductive apparatus such as electric connectors are disclosed. These connectors employ a polymeric conductive material such as a conductive epoxy having conductive particles dispersed therein sufficient to establish electrical conductivity. These conductive materials are at least initially deformable such that electrical conductors may be inserted within an envelope containing the conductive material and electrical continuity for a prescribed circuit can be verified before structurally affixing the conductors to the envelope. Embodiments having radially collapsible envelopes for forming splice connectors and multicontact configurations employing rigid dielectric housings are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: AMP Incorporated
    Inventors: Ronald A. Dery, Frederick R. Deak, Richard H. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 4994224
    Abstract: An injection molding device and a method for manufacturing a foil decorated molding use a first half of a mold and a second half of a mold with a transfer foil having a transfer layer on a substrate film transported into a space between the first half of the mold and the second half of the mold. A heating and removing device has a heating device and a molding removal device moved into the space to hold, with the removal device, a molding attached temporarily to the first half of the mold, and to heat the foil at the side of the second half of the mold with the heating device. When the first and second halves of the mold are closed, the heating and removing device is moved outside the space to remove the molding from the removal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Nissha Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Itoh, Yuzou Nakamura, Noriaki Higuchi, Seiichi Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 4986938
    Abstract: A recording medium for optical high-density data storage and retrievel, comprising a flat transparent plastic substrate characterized by the following relationship between the refractive index (n.sub.z) in the direction perpendicular to the flat surfaces of the transparent substrate, and the refractive indexes (n.sub.x) and (n.sub.y) in the direction parallel to the flat surfaces of the transparent substrate:.vertline.n.sub.z -n.sub.x .vertline. smaller than 4.times.10.sup.-4 ; and.vertline.n.sub.z -n.sub.y .vertline. smaller than 4.times.10.sup.-4.The recording medium is produced by an injection molding process wherein the pressure on the molten resin filled into the molding cavity of a mold is decreased or increased, as appropritate, in order to maintain the desired differences between the refractive index n.sub.z in the direction perpendicular to the flat surfaces of the transparent substrate, and the refractives indexes (n.sub.x) and (n.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Izuka, Yoshio Onizawa, Mitsuru Yamashita
  • Patent number: 4981719
    Abstract: An improved process for the production of a magnetic recording material including a non-magnetic layer support and, cast thereon, a magnetic dispersion including a mixture of at least two different batches of finely divided magnetic pigments finely dispersed in a polymeric binder is characterized in that the magnetic pigment batches are separately finely dispersed in a polymeric binder and/or a dispersion aid and/or a solvent until the necessary degree of dispersion is reached, after which they are combined, optionally provided with further additives and applied to the layer support, the degree of dispersion of the magnetic dispersions preferably being continuously determined by a colorimetric arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert Aktiengessellschaft
    Inventors: Horst Schulz, Hans-Heinrich Credner, Johannes Gerum, Werner Wimbersky
  • Patent number: 4978484
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing biaxially oriented film. A tubular original film which has been extruded by an extruding die is biaxially oriented by heat and air injected to the inside portion thereof being conveyed to nip rolls each having an individual circumferential speed. The temperature of heat to be applied to the film is controlled on the basis of the detected film thickness for the purpose of obtaining a uniform film thickness distribution. Furthermore, the film can be made uniform by adjusting the outer diameter of the bubble-shaped oriented film by adjusting the distance between two sets of nip rolls on the basis of the measured width of the film. In addition, when the thus-oriented film is subjected to a heat treatment, temperature of heat is arranged to be a predetermined temperature as to prevent adhesion of the films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Takashige, Teruyuki Iwai, Hidenobu Takeichi, Yasuo Takai, Yoshinori Sasaki, Masato Masuoka, Yuichi Ohki
  • Patent number: 4978485
    Abstract: A method for controlling a quench fluid velocity delivered to a quench zone in a polymer melt spinning process wherein the quench fluid velocity is measured by a velocity detector, compared to a desired quench air velocity and a damper valve mechanism is adjusted in a quench fluid duct so that the desired quench fluid velocity is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: Amoco Corporation
    Inventors: Paul R. Daugherty, Jerry R. McNair, Patrick F. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 4973238
    Abstract: Apparatus for applying marking to the outside surface of an outer jacket of a cable assembly including a cable having flat cable sections and sections where the conductors are not held. The apparatus includes a supply station for providing a length of the cable, a take up station for taking up the completed cable assembly, and a driver for moving the cable toward the take up station. The apparatus also includes a flat cable section detector adjacent the supply station for marking a flat cable section with an implant, and an extruder positioned downstream of the flat cable section detector for providing the outer jacket about the cable and the implant. The apparatus further includes an implant detector disposed downstream of the extruder for detecting the passage of the implant, and a printer located between the implant detector and the take up station and which is responsive to the implant detector for marking the location of a flat cable section on the outside surface of the outer jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Dave J. T. Kihlken, John J. Deeter, Harry Nelson
  • Patent number: 4971540
    Abstract: An apparatus for laying a mat of fibrous material which includes an upwardly inclined belt onto which the fibrous material is fed, one or more combing roller located above the belt, a stripping roller at the upper end of the belt for removing the material from the belt and passing it into a mechanism for laying the material into a mat. The angle of inclination of the incline belt and the position of the first combing roller as such that the material can build up to reach a critical angle of repose and then slide back down. A second combing roller located upstream of the first combing roller serves to comb the material to a constant depth, and the speed of the incline belt is adjustable to determine the amount of material leaving the incline belt and thus regulate the thickness of the formed mat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Compak Systems Limited
    Inventor: Michael C. Barnes
  • Patent number: 4956134
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing one phase of a silica crucible including controlling the filling of a hollow mold of cylindrical shape, which rotates about its vertical axis, with grains of crystallized quartz. The grains of material are continuously introduced into the mold and are deposited on or near the lateral wall face of the mold in the form of a cylindrical layer, E, of internal radius R. A beam of light is directed to form a luminous spot on the summit of the layer from the commencement of its formation and the radial displacement of the spot on the layer is observed. The height at which the grains are introduced and the height of the trajectory of the luminous beam are modified as a function of the position of the luminous spot relative to determined reference points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Quartz et Silice
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Luc
  • Patent number: 4954064
    Abstract: The pivoting of a guide roller (20) together with a conveyor belt (19) running around it, as well as a pressing roller (25), from a standby position (A) into a resting position (B) is optimized both for thick dough and for thin dough. The pivoting operation takes place in the case of thick dough after one turn has been wound on the dough reel (18). For thin dough, the pivoting operation takes place after about two turns of the dough are on the reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: Seewer AG
    Inventor: Peter Siegenthaler
  • Patent number: 4944899
    Abstract: A process for casting lenses using male and female mold halves, which includes placing a polymerizable liquid into the female mold, introducing the male mold down into the female mold until the male mold touches the surface of the liquid and then allowing the male mold to fall into the female mold. Also, an apparatus suitable for carrying out the casting process is provided which includes a horizontal support for the female mold, a holder for releasably holding the male mold, a mechanism for moving the holder down towards and into the female mold and a mechanism for detecting contact between the male mold and the surface of the liquid and causing the holder to then release the male mold. The molds are maintained under a predetermined closing pressure during curing by spot welding their flanges together while under that pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: CooperVision, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert H. Morland, Timothy J. Warren
  • Patent number: 4935176
    Abstract: The present invention incorporates a conductor contact apparatus, a conductor defect detector, and a relay or equivalent added to the emergency stop circuit of a conductor insulation extruder apparatus in order to detect conductor defects and shut-down the extrusion apparatus before the conductor defect can cause the extruder to become blocked, interrupting normal production operations. The defect detector is especially adapted to detect variations in the cross-sectional area (or apparent cross-sectional area) of a conductor being insulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Southwire Company
    Inventors: Roger M. Brock, Paul E. Large, Jr., Larry J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4931243
    Abstract: Process and apparatus for spreading a chip web from a supply over a width corresponding to the web width on a substrate moving below the supply. Such spreading is accomplished according to a web height distribution specified in the web transversely to the direction of web travel. The apparatus includes a rake-like distribution device and a distribution chute arranged between the supply and the web laydown for the purpose of eliminating defects caused by delivery elements in the transverse distribution of the chip web. An arrangement of several rakes inclined toward one another functions to control the transverse chip distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Carl Schenck AG
    Inventors: Walter Henschel, Manfred Riesner, Uwe Kunstmann
  • Patent number: 4927589
    Abstract: A film manufacturing method which utilizes a trough storing a liquid therein. The liquid surface of the liquid forms a developing region in which a monomolecular film of organic molecules is developed. The developed monomolecular film is compressed by a barrier to a predetermined surface pressure. A workpiece having a build-up surface is moved by a vertical moving mechanism in a direction perpendicular to the developing region through the monomolecular film while being moved ahead of the build-up surface in a horizontal direction by a horizontal moving mechanism, so that the monomolecular film is built up on the build-up surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Syun Egusa, Akira Miura, Nobuhiro Gemma
  • Patent number: 4921415
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the curing of a fiber reinforced composite plastic which is cured at temperatures of the order of 350.degree. C. and an ultrasonic transducer assembly useful in the apparatus. The transducer assembly comprises a lithium niobate piezoelectric element having anisotropic coefficients of thermal expansion which is mounted on a metal base of the transducer assembly by means of a layer of structured copper. The structured copper is thermo-compression diffusion bonded to the lithium niobate element and to the metal base, and is compliant in a transverse direction to compensate for differential thermal expansions while affording good electrical and thermal conductivity and good acoustic coupling between the lithium niobate element and metal base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lewis J. Thomas, III, Robert S. Gilmore, Homer H. Glascock, II
  • Patent number: 4919855
    Abstract: A process for the production of a laminate of thermoplastic material with a multi-layer wall by co-extrusion provides that added to the material for forming at least one of the layers of the laminate is a substance which makes it possible for that layer to be rendered recognizable in the laminate by the action of physical and/or chemical means. The added substance may be a fluorescing, phosphorescing or luminescing substance so that the layer containing that substance can be rendered visible in the wall of the laminate by the action of UV radiation of appropriate wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Kautex Werke Reinold Hagen AG
    Inventor: Alfred Thomas
  • Patent number: 4911868
    Abstract: The process for making a thermoplastic foil involves the use of a wide-outlet or long-slit die which has at least one outlet-gap-defining adjustable die lip, an opposing gap-bounding lip and a group of piezotranslators distributed over the length of the outlet-gap-defining adjustable die lip, each of which is part of a control loop, acts as a positioning member and is associated with an individual section of an outlet-gap-defining adjustable die lip. At least one actual value of the foil thickness of the thermoplastic foil formed is measured with a measuring device and is fed to a controlling processor. Each of the piezotranslators is controlled by a controlling processor with a controlling variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Hans Reifenhauser, Wilhelm Predohl
  • Patent number: 4909630
    Abstract: An interference image of a biaxially stretched film strip 4 is generated optically. Streaks in the film strip are areas of different orientation and/or thickness d which are distinguished from the streakfree areas in the interference image by clearly different intensities. In order to generate the interference image, a light-source 1, a diffuser screen 2 and a polarizer 3 are arranged on one side of the film strip 4, and an analyzer 5 and a filter 6 are arranged on the other side of the film strip 4. The light beam of the light source 1 is polarized by the polarized 3 and, within the film (whose main refractive indices n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 have an angle of 45.degree. or 135.degree. respectively to the polarization plane) is split into two beams, oscillating perpendicularly to one another, which have a path difference .GAMMA.=(n.sub.1 -n.sub.2)d after emerging from the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Gawrisch, Thomas Trzebiatowski
  • Patent number: 4908169
    Abstract: Method for improved melt quality of thermoplastics processed in reciprocating-screw molding, especially optical injection molding processes. In a reciprocating-screw injection-drive unit (4) is a barrel (53) and screw (15). Screw (15) is double flighted throughout its melting or transition zone (2), to form melt channel (48) and solids channel (50) separated by melt-filtering flight element (47), and kept in fluid communication by melt-transfer apertures (47 or 55 or 56) or substantially nonvertical ramped barrier flight geometry (not shown). The largest energy input for melting is directly provided by thermal conductivity, via electrical resistance heating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Inventors: George J. Galic, Steven M. Maus
  • Patent number: 4902327
    Abstract: Forming an optical fiber so as to have a relatively constant bend loss characteristic includes apparatus for continuously bending the optical fiber downstream from a preform from which it is drawn and continuously detecting light withdrawn from the fiber at the bend so created to determine the fiber bend loss characteristic, the fiber bend loss characteristic being maintained constant by using feedback control to vary a drawing speed of the fiber and hence a diameter of a core of the fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Raynet Corporation
    Inventor: Frank H. Levinson
  • Patent number: 4902210
    Abstract: In a fluidized-bed granulating apparatus for continuously producing granular particles from a powdered raw material, while a granulated product is continuously exhausted in a substantially constant amount from the bottom or bottom side wall of a fluidizing chamber and is introduced into a classifying section where the granulated product is classified by classifying means thereby selecting and delivering the granules granulated to particle size greater than the desired size and returning ungranulated material to the fluidizing chamber, the pressure drop of the fluidized bed is detected to adjust the charging rate of the powdered raw material into the fluidized bed and the moisture content of the material to be granulated in the bed is detected to adjust the feed rate of a binding liquid, thereby producing a granulated product of a desired particle size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Okawaraseisakusho
    Inventor: Takeo Shibata
  • Patent number: 4897026
    Abstract: A separator manufacturing apparatus includes a transfer roller (2) with a plurality of annular shaping grooves (1) having a predetermined shape in cross section which are formed in the outer circumferential surface of the transfer roller (2) in its circumferential direction, a resin feeding device (4) with nozzles (3) to feed a hot-melt type resin to the annular shaping grooves (1) of the transfer roller (2), a base paper feeding device (5) to feed a continuous paper (w) at a predetermined speed to the outer circumferential surface of the transfer roller (2) supplied with the resin to thereby form by transfer a plurality of ribs (9) on a surface of the continuous paper (w), and a fault detecting device (6, 36, 46) to detect the shape and/or a dimension of the rib (9) formed by transfer. A resin drop receiving device (53) or an annular shaping groove cleaning device (63) may be provided so that maintenance of the transfer roller (2) can be easy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisao Yokoya
  • Patent number: 4882104
    Abstract: A method for monitoring and controlling the wall thickness of an extruded profile of heated polymeric material that issues from an extrusion die. The die includes a plurality of discrete sectors each having a controllable heat source and a temperature sensor, and the temperature at each particular sector is controlled and adjusted in order to change the measured wall thickness corresponding with that particular sector as necessary to provide a desired wall thickness distribution. A characteristic curve for the particular material is provided as an input quantity and involves the relationship between a change in extrusion temperature versus the corresponding change in wall thickness, and that relationship is utilized to effect rapid adjustment of wall thickness by means of a temperature change in order to provide a finished article having the desired thickness profile and without having excessive material, to thereby reduce the weight and cost of the extruded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Cincinnati Milacron, Inc.
    Inventor: Josef Dobrowsky
  • Patent number: 4874566
    Abstract: In a method and a device for making shaped objects from plastic refuse plasticized in a roller extruder under pressure and ejected from the nozzle of the extruder a plurality of molds are provided transported to the extruder, filled thereby and transported therefrom. Each mold has at the end face a plate having a filling opening. During the filling process this plate sealingly overlaps the surface surrounding the nozzle so that the mold can be filled with plasticized plastic under the pressure generated in the roller extruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Inventor: Uwe Heuschkel
  • Patent number: 4865796
    Abstract: A novel method of producing molding members for automobiles, formed at least partly of a synthetic resin material is disclosed. According to the method of the invention, synthetic resin material is extrusion molded into a continuous body with a substantially constant cross-section throughout the entire length thereof. A controlled amount of the material is removed from the predetermined location of the continuous body, synchronously with the extrusion molding of the material, such that the cross-section of the continuous body varies in the longitudinal direction of the body. The continuous body subjected to the controlled removal of the material is then cut into the predetermined length of the molding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Assignee: Hashimoto Forming Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Tamura, Nobuo Igarashi, Sadao Konno, Hiroyuki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 4865675
    Abstract: A hot press device has a pair of hot press rollers for heating and pressing a treatment object therebetween while rotating, and pairs of delivery rollers are arranged before and after the pair of hot press rollers. The treatment object passes back and forth through the pair of hot press rollers, and a controller controls the delivery rollers so that the circumferential speeds of the respective delivery rollers located downstream in the forward or reverse passing direction of the treatment object can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mayumi Yamamoto, Eiichi Suzuki, Yoshitaka Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4861530
    Abstract: A method for enabling the cutting to size of a continuous extruded weather strip including an anchoring profile provided with internal longitudinal retaining ribs and a tubular sealing profile co-extruded with the retaining profile and having variable characteristics. In order to cut the weather strip in predetermined zones related to the variations in the characteristics of the weather strip during extrusion, at least one of the internal longitudinal ribs is at least partially omitted in sections spaced from each other according to the length of the pieces of extrusion to be cut to size, and the omitted sections are detected to provide corresponding signals to enable cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: S.A.I.A.G. S.p.A.
    Inventor: Manrico Zaccaria
  • Patent number: 4857247
    Abstract: The specification discloses a new method and apparatus for treating extruded TEFLON (fluoropolymer) tubing to significantly improve its dimensional and optical characteristics. Diameter tolerance is .+-.0.0002, concentricity rises to 95%, and optical clarity rises to the theoretical transmittance of the material. The tubing is first cleaned, and then heated to a transition temperature above 150.degree. C. to soften and further homogenize the tubing. The tubing is then drawn through a polished diamond die and then rapidly cooled. The cooled tubing may be further stabilized by an annealing step. Both a batch mode and a continuous mode of operation are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Jan Raczkowski