Involving Use Of Claimed Apparatus Patents (Class 72/372)
  • Patent number: 11724302
    Abstract: An expansion tool for expanding an article. The expansion tool includes a lead-in portion extending outwardly from a first end of the expansion tool and a first pilot portion extending from the lead-in portion. The first pilot portion has a first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a second pilot portion being generally parallel with the first pilot portion. The second pilot portion has a second diameter larger than the first diameter. The expansion tool further includes a forming portion bridging the first pilot portion and the second pilot portion. The forming portion is generally sloped. The expansion tool further includes an expansion portion extending from the second pilot portion toward a second end of the expansion tool. The expansion portion has a third diameter larger than the second diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: BELVAC PRODUCTION MACHINERY, INC.
    Inventor: Gerald Meador
  • Patent number: 11464659
    Abstract: Systems and devices for crimping a medical device and associated methods are disclosed herein. A crimping device configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include, for example, a frame including a stationary plate, a movable member, and a plurality of blades arranged to form a channel and each including a pin that projects through a slot on the movable member and a corresponding slot on the stationary plate. The crimping device can be actuated to move the movable member relative to the stationary plate to drive the pins along paths defined by the slots to thereby drive the blades radially inward to crimp a medical device positioned within the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Twelve, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Fox, David Trask
  • Patent number: 10710148
    Abstract: Methods for forming fixed-cutter earth-boring drill bits include retrieving a forged steel drill bit body from an inventory of substantially identical forged steel drill bit bodies including fixed blades and junk slots between the fixed blades. Cutter pockets are formed in the blades. Nozzle holes are formed in the drill bit body to provide fluid communication from an interior of the forged steel drill bit body to the junk slots. Additional methods include forging first and second steel drill bit bodies substantially identical in shape and configuration, forming first cutter pockets in the first steel drill bit body in a first configuration, and forming second cutter pockets in the second steel drill bit body in a second, different configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: James Andy Oxford, Richard Wayne Borge, Jr., Stephen Duffy
  • Patent number: 9884359
    Abstract: A die 20 used to form a metal tube into a tubular twist beam part 22 having a U-shaped torsion section 66 is provided. The die 20 includes a punch 44 and side form blocks 34 which simultaneously engage a metal tube and form the metal tube into the tubular twist beam part 22. The form blocks 34 have a curved profile which depends on the desired profile of the tubular twist beam part 22 to be formed. The die 20 includes horizontal spacer blocks 38 and vertical spacer blocks 32 restricting movement of the punch 44 and form blocks 34. The spacer blocks 32, 38 can have various different dimensions and can be easily removed and replaced to adjust the closing position of the die 20 and thus form multiple tubular twist beam parts 22 each having a different dimension and different roll rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Magna International Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Erik Peters, Scott Robert Mooney
  • Patent number: 9796007
    Abstract: A cold pilger rolling mill includes a pair of rolls rotatably attached to a roll stand, a crank drive on a driveshaft, which is rotatably mounted around a rotation axis, with a counterweight attached to the crank drive at a radial distance from the rotation axis, and a push rod with a first and a second end. The first end of the push rod is rotatably attached on the crank drive wherein, during the operation of the mill, a rotation of the crank drive is converted into a translation movement of the roll stand between a first and a second reversal position. The radial distance of the first end of the push rod from the rotation axis is adjustable, so that the distance between the two reversal positions of the translation movement of the roll stand is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SANDVIK MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Frobose
  • Patent number: 9283613
    Abstract: The specification discloses a swaging press (10) having an annular axially movable drive member (19) and a plurality of die shoes (16) cooperable with the drive member (19), the drive member (19) having at least one inwardly facing contact surface (22, 23) engageable with at least one outwardly facing segmented contact surface (24, 25) of each die shoe (16), the die shoes (16) being arranged as a die shoe set (17) whereby axial movement of the drive member (19) in a first direction causes the die shoes (16) of the die shoe set (17) to move radially inwardly during a swaging operation, the die shoes (16) and the drive member (19) being movable relative to one another about a rotation axis (29) after a single swaging operation or after a number of swaging operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Betaswage Pty Ltd
    Inventor: Frederick Van Essen
  • Patent number: 9085022
    Abstract: In order to provide a manufacturing device and a manufacturing method for a hot-rolled steel strip, which are capable of obtaining the desired quality of material by rapid uniform cooling immediately after rolling, and improving yield by early sheet tension and sheet shape measurements, a manufacturing device for a hot-rolled steel strip is provided with a finishing rolling mill line (11), a first cooling unit (13) installed just behind the exit side of the finishing rolling mill line, and a pinch roll (14) which is installed on the exit side of the first cooling unit and in contact with both the upper and lower surfaces of a strip (S), at least a wiping roll (15) located on the upper side of the strip (S) is disposed between the first cooling unit and the pinch roll, and a tension/shape measuring unit (16) for measuring the tension and shape of the strip (S); is installed between the wiping roll and the pinch roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignees: MITSUBISHI-HITACHI METALS MACHINERY, INC., NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Horii, Yuji Ikemoto, Koichi Takeno, Manabu Eto, Yoshiro Washikita
  • Publication number: 20150114074
    Abstract: A method for controlled peening includes forming a surface layer on a workpiece by impacting a surface with a tool wherein the tool is under control to form compressive residual stresses in the surface layer. A system for peening a workpiece includes a tool configured to vibrate and an effector operatively connected to control the tool. The tool includes a peening surface. The tool is configured to cause controlled impact between the peening surface and a surface of a workpiece to form a surface layer of the workpiece with compressive residual stresses. The effector is configured to move the tool in multiple axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Changsheng Guo
  • Publication number: 20150082854
    Abstract: An incremental forming method includes pressing a rod-shaped tool into a workpiece and stretching the workpiece little by little while moving the rod-shaped tool so that a percentage of decrease in plate thickness of the workpiece after forming with respect to plate thickness of the workpiece before forming is made to be within a range of 35% to 40%, inclusive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Nonomura, Koji Kurozumi, Koji Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150078847
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing workpieces to form parts. Tools associated with a multi-spindle machine may be positioned with respect to a plurality of workpieces on a fixture comprising a plurality of platforms and an adjustment system. Each platform may be individually moveable with respect to others in the plurality of platforms about a number of axes. The plurality of platforms may be configured to hold the plurality of workpieces in which each platform may be configured to hold a workpiece in the plurality of workpieces during operations performed by the multi-spindle machine. The adjustment system may be configured to move each of the plurality of platforms about the number of axes independently from the others in the plurality of platforms. The operations may be performed on the plurality of workpieces using the multi-spindle machine and the fixture to form a plurality of parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Ryan L. Hanks, Kevin G. Waymack, David P. Heck
  • Publication number: 20150075248
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for changing physical characteristics of a workpiece which may have been pre-loaded before being further processed. The workpiece is supported in a fixed position during processing. A driven member applies multiple impacts to one surface of the workpiece. The driven member is operated within adjustable parameters. A controller, having the adjustable parameters, is operatively connected to the driven member for causing the driven member to apply multiple impacts against a surface of the workpiece while under the control of the pre-adjustable parameters for changing physical characteristics of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Lauren K. LUNDQUIST, James E. PILLERS, McKay A. KUNZ, Michael Delos MCGRAW, Gregory L. RAMSEY, Nate SPEER
  • Publication number: 20150047408
    Abstract: A system and method for straightening a bent tine of a baler tooth includes a holding member having a narrow opening for temporarily inserting a first section of the bent tine between a bend in the bent tine and a tooth coil of the baler tooth and for firmly gripping the first section of the bent tine to be straightened. Also, a straightening member having a narrow opening for temporarily inserting a second section of the bent tine between the bend in the bent tine and a free end of the bent tine and for straightening the second section of the bent tine while the first section is firmly gripped by the holding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventor: Ray Jacobson
  • Publication number: 20140367146
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a single strand wire with improved flexibility and a stranded cable from a single strand wire. In one embodiment, the flexible single strand wire has a solid, single strand wire body and at least one helical groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of the wire body. The stranded cable includes a plurality of strands. In one embodiment, one of the strands has a planar surface that extends along a longitudinal axis of the cable body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: THOMAS M. CLERKIN
  • Publication number: 20140345350
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of uniformly heating, rheologically softening, and thermoplastically forming magnetic metallic glasses rapidly into a net shape using a rapid capacitor discharge forming (RCDF) tool are provided. The RCDF method utilizes the discharge of electrical energy stored in a capacitor to uniformly and rapidly heat a sample or charge of metallic glass alloy to a predetermined “process temperature” between the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material and the equilibrium melting point of the alloy in a time scale of several milliseconds or less. Once the sample is uniformly heated such that the entire sample block has a sufficiently low process viscosity it may be shaped into high quality amorphous bulk articles via any number of techniques including, for example, injection molding, dynamic forging, stamp forging, sheet forming, and blow molding in a time frame of less than 1 second.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Georg Kaltenboeck, Joseph P. Schramm, Marios D. Demetriou, William L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140293421
    Abstract: A three-sided reflected is formed to include a front and two adjacent sides that are sized to encompass a sign post. This three-sided reflector is then attached to the sign post so that the front faces in the same direction as a front of the sign post. A highly visible material having a bright or fluorescent color and optionally including retro reflectors is disposed on each of the outer surfaces of the front and the two adjacent sides of the reflector so that incident light is reflected back toward a driver of a vehicle that is approaching the front or either side of the sign post. The reflected light greatly increases the visual perception of the sign post by a driver of the vehicle so that it much less likely that the driver will strike the sign post with the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Zumar Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Brandes
  • Publication number: 20140263258
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for polishing and lubricating an aluminum welding wire. The system and method draw stock aluminum wire from a spool, subject the stock wire to a plurality of drawing and thermal treatment steps to obtain a wire having a final diameter suitable for use in a continuous welding apparatus. Immediately after the final drawing step, the wire is subjected to a polishing and lubricating process in which a cord that is impregnated with a lubricant is passed over the surface of the wire. The cord serves to remove contaminants, such as metal fines, from the surface of the wire, and also to provide a layer of lubricant over the surface of the wire. The resulting wire has an improved appearance, will not clog the automatic welding apparatus, and the lubricant will not contribute adversely to weld porosity in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ALCOTEC WIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lance T. Vernam, Timothy M. Cook
  • Publication number: 20140260503
    Abstract: A die set for crimping operations includes first and second die members having raised areas including a plurality of knurls and character areas. The die set combining knurls and character areas on the operative areas of the die members allows a single die set to be used to condition a surface for crimping operations as well as crimping connectors and marking them with relevant indicia without having to change die sets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Peter N. Therrien
  • Publication number: 20140216594
    Abstract: A wire straightening apparatus that straightens kinks of a wire that is fed along a wire feeding path includes one or a plurality of straightening mechanisms. Each straightening mechanism includes a plurality of first straightening rollers and one or a plurality of second straightening rollers. Each roller has a groove along its outer periphery, the groove gradually deepening toward a bottom portion. The bottom portion of the groove of each first straightening roller is spaced from the wire feeding path in a first direction, and the bottom portion of the groove of each second straightening roller is spaced from the wire feeding path in a second direction opposite to the first direction. With this structure, the wire can be made to follow a path that meanders as viewed from a direction perpendicular to axes of the straightening rollers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Mizutani, Yoshiaki Hattori
  • Publication number: 20140202225
    Abstract: A duct making apparatus includes a first station configured to accept a formable sheet material and a second station configured to receive the formable sheet material from the first station. The first station includes a mechanism for forming one of a male lock bend and a female lock seam in a leading edge of the formable sheet material. The second station includes a retractable conveyor. Movement of the sheet material from the first station to the second station defines an axis of travel of the sheet material. The retractable conveyor is selectively movable from a first position in which the retractable conveyor is in close association with the first station, and a second position in which the retractable conveyor is spaced from the first station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: MESTEK MACHINERY, INC.
    Inventor: Randy Runyan
  • Publication number: 20140150516
    Abstract: An embodiment for disposing a sleeve on a fluid conduit includes positioning a sleeve through lead rollers, pressing sleeve edges to flatten the sleeve against its normal geometry, aligning the flattened sleeve with opposing guide channels defined in an passage through a sleeve guide, feeding the sleeve through the passage, and compressing the sleeve in the passage, letting the edges of the sleeve ride against the guide channels to open the sleeve. A length of the compressed sleeve exiting the guide may be cut using a heated device that fuses the sleeve material, leaving the sleeve clear to receive a fluid conduit. A collar may be disposed around an end of the cut sleeve and over the conduit, then compressed, with an end of the sleeve captured between the collar and end of the conduit. This compressing may define at least one raised portion in the collar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: THE GATES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yelena Gray, Martin K. Bauer
  • Publication number: 20140130567
    Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to a wire bending apparatus capable of both on and off-plane nose and mandrel bends. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention incorporate a center turret cluster with a plurality of radii possible, a nose-bending mandrel, and a mandrel-bending mandrel. This apparatus forms a bending head that is attached to a CNC wire bending machine. This combination allows increased flexibility in forming complex wire forms and cuts down secondary operations, such as operations from robot arms, sometimes associated with CNC wire bending. In addition, the turret cluster position in the center allows for bending support with mandrel bends or nose bending on the back side of the bending head, usually 180 degrees away from the normal bending area. This allows the manufacturing of double end-loop forms without the addition of external clamps or robotic manipulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Automated Industrial Machinery, Inc., dba AIM, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom J. Christofilis, Constantine S. Grapsas
  • Publication number: 20140130566
    Abstract: A hydraulic expander for use in a tube containing a U-bend region is disclosed and claimed. The tool includes a sheath for transmitting hydraulic fluid therethrough to an inflatable bladder. The sheath is flexible, allowing it to be inserted through the U-bend region of the tube. The bladder is fluidly connected to the sheath and is thereby in fluid communication with a supply of hydraulic fluid. The length of the bladder and the metal end caps, along with the centering spacers on the expansion sheath, allows it to pass through the U-bend region of the tube such that it can be positioned inside the tube adjacent to a support outside the tube, such as an AVB. Hydraulic expansion of the bladder causes it to exert an outward force on the tube inner surface, causing it to plastically deform such that its outer surface comes into contact with the tube support, such as an AVB. This expansion will increase the friction between the tube and the AVB to minimize the risk of tube vibration damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Bruce William Schafer, Jeffrey Lee Snow, Benjamin Joseph Hefner, Brian Cole Claiborne
  • Publication number: 20140123722
    Abstract: An electrically heating device is provided with a pair of clamp units serving as electrodes for energization and applying tension to a workpiece to be heated clamped between the clamp units by moving the clamp units in the direction in which the clamp units separate from each other during energization heating. The clamp units each include a facing surface inclined with respect to the moving direction of the clamp units and form, by the facing surface, a preform including an inclined surface inclined with respect to the plane direction of the workpiece in a clamping portion clamped between the clamp units in the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao Nojiri, Shinji Ishii
  • Publication number: 20140090441
    Abstract: A die cushion drive includes a first pump, operated by a first electrical machine and at least one hydraulic cylinder having first and second chambers, with the first chamber in fluid communication with the first pump. A die cushion mechanically connected to the hydraulic cylinder. During a controlled movement of the die cushion, a pressure regulation and a preliminary control are active, with a second pump being coupled to a second electrical machine. During preliminary control, the second electrical machine is operated as a generator, with a first valve being used as an adjustment element of the pressure regulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Frank Knoche, Johannes Kurz, Oleg Schlegel, Stephan Schäufele
  • Publication number: 20140083150
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of uniformly heating, rheologically softening, and thermoplastically forming magnetic metallic glasses rapidly into a net shape using a rapid capacitor discharge forming (RCDF) tool are provided. The RCDF method utilizes the discharge of electrical energy stored in a capacitor to uniformly and rapidly heat a sample or charge of metallic glass alloy to a predetermined “process temperature” between the glass transition temperature of the amorphous material and the equilibrium melting point of the alloy in a time scale of several milliseconds or less. Once the sample is uniformly heated such that the entire sample block has a sufficiently low process viscosity it may be shaped into high quality amorphous bulk articles via any number of techniques including, for example, injection molding, dynamic forging, stamp forging, sheet forming, and blow molding in a time frame of less than 1 second.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Georg Kaltenboeck, Joseph P. Schramm, Marios D. Demetriou, William L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140053624
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of an adaptive protective textile (3) in sheet metalforming, comprising non-woven material which is draped over the active surfaces of the sheet metalforming tool (2), wherein the surfaces of the sheet metal (4) are protected from contact with the surfaces of the tool (2) and the need for lubricant is eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: SWEREA IVF AB
    Inventors: Daniel Wiklund, Anders Bergner, Pernilla Valkenstrom Sundberg, Boel Wadman, Lars-Olof Ingemarsson
  • Publication number: 20130319069
    Abstract: A method la proposed for producing a plate heat exchanger with flow channels through which a first and a second medium flow, the flow channels formed for the first medium between individual plates joined together to form a pair of plates, and for the second medium between pairs of plates joined together to form a stack of plates. For a cost-effective production of countercurrent flow plates and cross flow plates within a single manufacturing plant, the individual plates are produced from a non-pressed plate blank, wherein first a tool is converted with exchangeable mold members for producing cross flow plates or countercurrent flow plates, and subsequently, the plate blank is pressed by the converted tool into a cross flow plate or a countercurrent flow plate, thereby forming corresponding edges and/or contact surfaces as well as inflow and outflow cross-sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: GEA ECOFLEX GMBH
    Inventors: Gerd Abker, Alfred Ernst, Bernd Muller, Klaus Monig
  • Publication number: 20130276497
    Abstract: When roll-forming a blank into a profile having varying width and upright sides, the vertical position of at least any one of the forming roll pairs (21, 22; 23, 24) is varied 5 on either side during the roll-forming operation while the lateral and rotational positions thereof are simultaneously varied. The profile can thus be given a flat bottom during the roll-forming operation itself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventor: Lars Ingvarsson
  • Publication number: 20130276506
    Abstract: A die locking device including a press having a top end, a bottom end and a plurality of channels disposed around a perimeter of the press. The device also includes a plurality of actuators, each of the plurality of actuators affixed to a first end of one of a plurality of locking arms that are each at least partially disposed in one of the plurality of channels. The device also includes a plurality of locking clips, each affixed to a second end of each of the plurality of locking arms and each affixed to one of a plurality of hinges. The plurality of hinges is configured to receive and secure a die stack to the top end of the press.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: FIRTH RIXSON LIMITED
    Inventors: DAVID HEBERT, MATTHEW JOHN VILLANI, DAVID LIVINGSTON
  • Publication number: 20130233042
    Abstract: A device for configuring foil as it is dispensed comprising a first section comprising a first configuration; a second section comprising a second configuration; the foil dispenser adapted to dispense foil between the first and second sections, the first and second sections imparting a grill-like configuration to the foil as the foil exits the dispensing device. A method of creating a cross sectional configuration in foil comprising: passing the foil through an opening; the opening having first and second sections which impart a configuration to the foil; the first and second sections being configured to create a grill-like configuration along the longitudinal axis of the foil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventor: Lawrence E. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20130220049
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a component of an adjustment device for vehicle seats, wherein, in a first step, a work piece is machined such that the work piece is harder in a first region than in a second region, and/or in that the work piece is of a larger geometrical size in a third region than in a fourth region, wherein, in a second step, the work piece is deformed in such a way that a tool is moved onto the work piece at a speed greater than 1 m/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Georg Werner, Bernd Gross
  • Publication number: 20130180307
    Abstract: The invention relates to a gripping head for grasping devices for manipulating a long workpiece in a horizontal arrangement. A gripping head with two clamping jaws which can be adjusted independently of one another can be used. In addition, a device for feeding long workpieces into a processing machine, and discharging them therefrom is proposed. At least one of the grasping devices may have a gripping head for gripping in a frictionally locking fashion one end of the workpiece which is conveyed here by the horizontal conveying means, and drive means for pulling the workpiece to be straightened into the processing section and for pushing the straightened workpiece out onto the at least one horizontal conveying means by means of the gripping head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventor: Manfred Mitze
  • Publication number: 20130167610
    Abstract: A riveting tool including a magnet, a magnetically attractive housing, a non-magnetically attractive bucking bar received in the housing, the bucking bar being moveable relative to the housing along a bucking bar axis, and an actuation mechanism to move the bucking bar along the bucking bar axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Branko Sarh, David Hassan Amirehteshami, Rodney Stephen Wright, Harinder Oberoi
  • Publication number: 20130160517
    Abstract: A method of forming a metal container comprises: curling outward a top edge of the metal container to form a curl and expanding a diameter of a first section of the metal container to form a first expanded section; wherein at least part of the first expanded section is below the curl. In some embodiments, the steps of curling outward a top edge of the metal container to form a curl and expanding a diameter of a first section of the metal container to form a first expanded section are performed in a single stroke of a single die. In some embodiments, the step of expanding a diameter of a first section of the metal container to form an expanded section is performed after the step of curling outward a top edge of the metal container to form a curl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ALCOA INC.
    Inventor: ALCOA INC.
  • Publication number: 20130152652
    Abstract: A spin forming process and apparatus is disclosed. A workpiece (e.g. sheet metal) is rotated with respect to a forming roller which bears against one of the outer and inner surfaces of the workpiece to deform the workpiece towards a required shape. First and second support rollers bears against the opposite surface of the workpiece. Computer control of the positions of the forming roller and the first and second support rollers allow non-axisymmetric shapes to be manufactured by spin-forming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE LIMITED
    Inventors: Julian M. Allwood, Omer Music
  • Publication number: 20130145812
    Abstract: A three-dimensional guide for a wire for forming a pedicle screw insertion hole is produced based on a CT image of a spine, and includes a contact surface section that comes in surface contact with a morphological surface of a bone at an insertion site, and a guide block section that is provided upright from the contact surface section. The guide block section has a guide hole that restricts the insertion direction of the wire. The guide hole has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the wire. The guide hole has a length of 15 to 30 mm to restrict the insertion position and the insertion direction of the wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: National University Corporation University of Toyama
    Inventor: National University Corporation University of Toyama
  • Publication number: 20130098133
    Abstract: According to an implementation a method for manufacturing a pedal for a motor vehicle is provided. The method comprising inserting into a hollow profile a flexible yet substantially incompressible retainer member and subsequently applying one or more forces to an external surface of the hollow profile to induce a change in shape of the hollow profile from a first shape to a second shape. The substantial incompressibility of the retainer member inhibiting deformations in the internal wall surface of the hollow profile as the one or more forces are applied to the external wall surface of the hollow profile so that the internal wall surface is substantially free of deformations upon the hollow profile assuming the second shape, the flexibility of the retainer member allowing it to bend in the direction of the applied one or more forces to accommodate a change in shape of the hollow profile from the first shape to the second shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: BATZ, S.COOP.
    Inventor: BATZ, S.COOP.
  • Publication number: 20130086969
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes various embodiments of devices for preparing cables, such as devices for pulling back the shield on an end portion of a coaxial cable to prepare the end portion for attachment to a connector. A coaxial cable, with an exposed central conductor, a dielectric insulator, and a shield (e.g., a metallic shield) can be inserted into a bore of a shield pull-back device configured in accordance with the present disclosure. As the cable is inserted into the bore, one or more gripping members can engage the cable shield and pull it back evenly without damaging the central conductor or the dielectric insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: PCT International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Wilson, Paul Sterkeson
  • Publication number: 20130047693
    Abstract: A lead pin correction device includes a holding unit holding an electronic device having lead pins; a pressing unit pressing the electronic device held by the holding unit in an extending direction of the lead pins; and a correction fixture including holes having a shape corresponding to a shape of the lead pins after correction. Further, the shape of the lead pins is corrected so as to fit the shape of the holes by inserting the lead pins into the holes by pressing the electronic device with the pressing unit while distal ends of the lead pins are inserted into the holes, the electronic device being held by the holding unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Shigeru Fujita
  • Publication number: 20130042663
    Abstract: A lead pin rectifying apparatus is provided, including a first member which includes a tapered upper face and a cylindrically-shaped side face; a cylindrically-shaped second member which has an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the first member, wherein the second member covers over the first member therewith while an electronic component having the lead pin is housed inside the second member; and a pressing member which presses the electronic component to the first member from the top side of the second member while housing the electronic component having the lead pin inside the second member to abut the lead pin against an upper face of the first member, wherein the second member is pressed to the first member after pressing the electronic component to the first member with the pressing member to rectify the shape of the lead pin of the electronic component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.,
    Inventor: Fumikata ANDOH
  • Patent number: 8371029
    Abstract: The present invention provides a production apparatus for crankshaft, including: a die which has a lower die, an upper die, and plural side forming punches, the upper die being provided movably to the lower die, the side forming punches moving perpendicularly to a movement direction of the upper die; a press ram which moves the upper die to the lower die, closes a material of the crankshaft, and forms the material; cam mechanisms which are provided for the side forming punches and which move the side forming punches to an inside portion of the die in accordance with movement of the press ram; a grade separation structure which is provided to at least one of the side forming punches in order to prevent interference of the side forming punches with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Nichidai Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ito, Takayuki Ohnuma, Tsutomu Ando, Yasuyuki Kondo
  • Publication number: 20130008275
    Abstract: A method forms a concave constituting a ball return passage directly on an inner circumferential surface of a nut blank by plastic working without damaging a die. Letter S shaped concaves are formed on an inner circumferential surface of a nut blank, by pressing by use of a die having a blank holder, a cam driver, cam sliders, and a cylindrical member. The cam driver has inclined surfaces having the same angle of inclination as the cam sliders. The cam sliders have letter S shaped convexes corresponding to the letter S shaped concaves, and are held by through holes, respectively. When the cam driver is pressed from the top thereof, the cam sliders move outwardly in the radial direction, respectively, and the letter S shaped convexes push the inner circumferential surface of the nut blank for plastic deformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Toru Harada, Shouji Yokoyama, Kiyoshi Ootsuka, Koji Hashimoto, Kazuto Kobayashi, Toshio Nakamura, Shinobu Mogi, Shingo Saitou, Tomofumi Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20120318035
    Abstract: A pressing-shaping method for manufacturing a circular cooling base for being embedded with fins and a mold used in the method are disclosed. The method includes providing a blank ingot that has a first surface, a second surface, and a lateral circular surface encircling the rims of the first and second surfaces. The method further includes using a mold to press the blank ingot to cause the first surface of the blank ingot to indent inward to form a groove, and to cause a plurality of clipping grooves to be formed on the lateral circular surface of the blank ingot through extrusion. As a result, the blank ingot is shaped into the circular cooling base for being embedded with fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventor: Shih-Ming CHEN
  • Publication number: 20120312413
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mandrel tool and method for more efficiently and consistently forming various shapes of material. In one embodiment of the invention, a pair of pliers having mandrel jaws that are shaped with a uniform cross sectional area throughout a length of the mandrel jaw is used to replace the traditional tapered mandrel. Because the mandrel jaws have a uniform cross sectional area, the wire, for example, can be wrapped multiple times around the mandrel jaw when it is desired to produce multiples of the same shape. For added versatility, the pliers can have opposing mandrel jaws with different size cross sectional area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventor: Patricia Bullard
  • Publication number: 20120297854
    Abstract: A hemming head device and method for hem forming one or more edges of deformable material. The hemming head device includes dual biasing spring members which provide a resistive force whether the hemming wheel is in a push hemming operation on an exterior joint edge or in a pull hemming operation on an interior joint edge. The device further includes a quick connect device for selectively connecting hemming wheels and other forming devices to the head and a gauge to measure the relative position or resistive force applied on the forming member by the biasing members. A method for hem forming a workpiece using dual biasing spring members is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: COMAU, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Cyrek, William T. Maybee, Robert F. Chapman, Kenneth D. St. Denis
  • Publication number: 20120291511
    Abstract: A crimper die set for assembling a safety hose sleeve system includes an upper die comprising an upper curved compressive face, upper recess walls extending contiguous from the upper compressive face at an acute angel to the upper compressive face, each defining a portion of a cavity Thrust plate slots extend upward from ends of the upper recess walls. A lower die comprises a lower curved compressive face, lower recess walls extend contiguous from the lower compressive face at an acute angel to the lower compressive face and define another portion of each cavity. Lower thrust plate slots extend downward from an end of the lower recess walls, distal from the lower compressive face. Thrust plates extend from the lower thrust plate slot into the upper thrust plate slot, across the cavity at an acute angle to each of the recess walls, defining an outer abutment of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Yelena Gray, Martin K. Bauer
  • Publication number: 20120279274
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending elongated metal elements comprising a bending station provided with a first contrasting pin, a bending support defining a first bending plane on which the elongated metal elements are positioned and advance, and a first bending pin mounted mobile around the first contrasting pin, in order to bend the elongated metal elements on the first bending plane in cooperation with the first contrasting pin. The bending station comprises a second contrasting pin mounted on the first bending pin, and a second bending pin disposed mobile with respect to a bending support in a slanting direction with respect to the bending plane, in order to bend the elongated metal elements in cooperation with the second contrasting pin on a second bending plane, angled with respect to the first bending plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: M.E.P. Macchine Elettroniche Piegatrici SpA
    Inventor: Giorgio Del Fabro
  • Publication number: 20120272950
    Abstract: Insulating element for expansion compensation device and method for manufacture thereof, of the type used in solar energy collector absorber tubes, being formed by a single piece in the form of a ring and with a bellows-like end portion, which is filled with rock wool or other equivalent insulating material, so as to create a hot air chamber which minimizes heat losses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: ABENGOA SOLAR NEW TECHNOLOGIES, S.A.
    Inventors: Noelia Martínez Sanz, Javier Asensio Pérez Ullivarri, Pablo José Bombin Ortega, José Ángel Rico Sánchez
  • Publication number: 20120234072
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed having a plurality of cold rolling installations which each have a roll stand movable along a linear path and having at least one roll which is fixed rotatably to the roll stand, a drive connected to the roll stand and having an electric motor so adapted that the roll stand is drivable in an oscillating movement along the linear path, and a feed clamping saddle for feeding a blank. The apparatus has an electric control having at least two control outputs, wherein each control output is connected to the electric motor of the drive of a roll stand and wherein the control is so adapted that in operation of the apparatus it so controls the electric motors that they drive at least two of the roll stands with an adjustable phase displacement between the oscillating movements of the roll stands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: SANDVIK MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Froböse
  • Patent number: 8256084
    Abstract: During the manufacture of printed circuit boards, metal stencils are used as a mask over which a blade is used to squeegee solder through stencil holes onto conducting pads of the circuit board. A typical stencil is both expensive and delicate. Even minor dents, creases, or impressions (commonly referred to as “coins”) in the stencil can result in circuit board defects. Manufacturers frequently suffer significant losses scrapping their coined stencils and idling manufacturing lines while waiting for replacement stencils to be fabricated, shipped, and installed. An apparatus and method is provided for repairing metal stencil coins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Your Dent Guy, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Bishop