Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm William L. Chapin
  • Patent number: 6641338
    Abstract: A plug ejecting hole saw (20) includes an arbor holder (21) removably attachable to saw cups (22A), (22B) having small and large non-circular attachment bores (41A), (41B), lockingly engageable by front and rear bosses (61), (63) of a nose-piece (54) which protrudes from a locking body (50) longitudinally slidably held in a collar (45). Bosses (61), (63) have transverse grooves (68), (68B) intersected by a longitudinal groove (53) slidably holding a lug (81) biased forward in groove (53) by a spring (90) to block grooves (68), (68B) with front and rear locking tabs (110), (120); grooves (68) (68B) are unblocked to rotatably engage wall segments of a saw cup bore (41A), (41B), by pushing a saw cup (22A) (22B) rearward against tabs (110), (120). Grooves (68), (68B) are unblocked to enable rotatable disengagement of a saw cup from nose-piece (54) by pulling collar (45) rearward relative to a saw cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Inventor: Roger J. Despres
  • Patent number: 6616030
    Abstract: An automatic ultrasonic wire bonding machine for bonding interconnecting wires to electrically conductive sites on a workpiece includes a gantry which supports a generally downwardly cascaded series of support platforms linearly translatable with respect to the gantry and to one another in response to translation drive signals provided from a remote source to a separate translation motor for each platform. A head support assembly mounted to the last translatable platform in the series rotatably supports via a hollow elongated spindle an orbital bonding tool head rotatable with respect to the head support assembly in response to a rotational drive signals provided to a head rotation motor from a remote source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: West Bond, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles F. Miller
  • Patent number: 6613999
    Abstract: A method of joining a sintered hard alloy member 1 such as a cylindrical rod-shaped twist drill bit blank made of material whose main component is tungsten carbide to a softer metal member such as a stainless steel shank 2 includes the steps of connecting the hard alloy member 1 and the metal member 2 to separate electrodes 3 and 4, applying a longitudinally directed force couple to the hard alloy member 1 and metal member 2 to press end faces of the members together to form an electrically conductive contact region, and passing a pulse of current through electrodes 3 and 4 of sufficient energy to melt the two end face regions of the members, thereby welding them together. Preferably, the end face of the metal member has a convex conical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Union Tool Company
    Inventors: Ichiro Katayama, Hideo Wakui
  • Patent number: 6581790
    Abstract: A shower caddy for holding personal care articles including containers of preparations such as shampoo, hair conditioner, lotions, toothpaste and the like, and items such as shavers, toothbrushes and combs, includes a frame having generally vertically disposed structural elements, at least one and preferably two transversely disposed shelves for holding articles, the shelves being attached to the frame at a vertically spaced apart locations, and a mirror pivotably attached to the frame at an intermediate vertical location between the shelves. A tubular collar attached parallel to the frame is has a vertically disposed coaxial bore therethrough that telescopically and rotatably holds the elongated straight, lower shank portion of a hanger rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Zlatko Zadro
  • Patent number: 6543299
    Abstract: A transducer sensor array for measuring forces or pressures exerted on a surface includes a lattice of individual force or pressure sensor transducer elements comprising intersecting regions of pairs of elongated, flexible threads, each consisting of a central electrically conductive wire core covered by a layer of piezoresistive material having an electrical resistivity which varies inversely with pressure exerted on the material. The threads are arranged into two parallel planar sets, one set forming parallel spaced apart rows and the other set forming parallel spaced apart columns angled with respect to the rows. Row and column piezoresistive threads are retained in physical contact with one another at cross-over intersection points forming a lattice of piezoresistive junctions comprising individual force sensing elements, either by being bonded between a pair of thin, flexible, upper and lower laminating sheets, or by being interwoven to form a fabric mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Inventor: Geoffrey L. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6520351
    Abstract: A shower caddy for holding personal care articles customarily used in bathroom showers which is reversible to enable the caddy to alternatively be attached to a shower head and shower enclosure panel includes a pair of laterally spaced apart, straight vertical stanchion rods, each having at the upper end thereof a short upper end arm which protrudes perpendicularly forward from a longer lower portion of the stanchion. An upper transverse bracket member removably attachable at outer lateral ends thereof to the stanchions has a laterally centrally located central arch section having an upwardly concave opening adapted to fit over a shower pipe and thereby suspend the caddy frame therefrom. The reversible shower caddy includes a plurality of article storage shelves which are removably attached to the stanchions at adjustable heights, the shelves protruding perpendicularly forward from the stanchions when the caddy is hung from a shower head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventor: Zlatko Zadro
  • Patent number: 6496154
    Abstract: A frequency adjustable radio antenna includes a conductive whip on an insulated cylindrical coil housing electrically connected to the upper end of a tuning coil within the housing. A commutator attached to a conductive shaft is raised/lowered to interpose less/more coil turns between shaft and whip to tune the antenna. An RF de-coupler slidably contacts the shaft, and electrically contacts the lower end of the coil and a conductive mast which supports the housing, thus shorting out lower portions of the coil to suppress harmonic currents from being induced therein. A method for making the coil includes winding wire onto a mandrel in a first direction, sliding a housing over the windings, and rotating the mandrel in an opposite direction to cause coil convolutions in a helical mandrel groove to increase in diameter and thereby spring out of the mandrel groove and into a helical coil housing groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Inventor: Charles M. Gyenes
  • Patent number: 6491632
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a three-dimensional image of a subsurface object utilizes an ultrasonic transducer wand to acquire ultrasonic images of an object, and a target plate attached to the wand which is optically imaged during each of a sequence of ultrasound scans, each of which is made with a different positioning of the ultrasonic scanning beam, thereby forming a sequence of quasi two-dimensional sonogram image slices of the object. Intersecting lines on the target are used to calculate a first coordinate transformation which transforms each optical image of the target plate and sensor to a normal view thereof, and each normally oriented target plate image is used to orient each sonogram image in a fixed coordinate system. A transformation matrix is then used to construct in a fixed coordinate system normalized two-dimensional sensor image slices of correct relative size, location, and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Inventor: Geoffrey L. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6484385
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are for use in the manufacture of self-sealing reinforcement tie rods for reinforcing HVAC ducts, of the type including an elongated threaded rod having fastened inwardly of each end thereof an abutment structure comprising an elongated hollow tubular body having a bore therethrough for coaxially receiving the rod, the tubular body having a longitudinally inwardly located tubular crown portion for attachment to the rod, and a longitudinally outwardly located, radial outwardly protruding annular flange portion for abutting and bracing a duct wall. The apparatus includes a work plate having in the upper surface thereof a slot having a lower wall which slopes downwardly and radially inwardly towards the center of the work plate, on which are positioned a single file line of abutment structures, flange down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Eco Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Stanley J. Ellis
  • Patent number: 6418700
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically installing in tandem pairs of protective covers to adjacent corners of a rectangular picture frame, to protect the corner during shipment, includes a pair, e.g., right and left of substantially identical corner protector installation mechanisms oriented at ninety degrees with respect to one another and mounted on a supporting frame laterally spaced apart at a distance adjustable to accommodate frames of various widths. Each mechanism has a work table which supports a pair of mutually perpendicular, non-intersecting, vertically disposed, longitudinally elongated guide plates which support on the upper surfaces thereof, near inner diagonally cut transverse vertical end walls of the plates, a clamp support beam member, a lower surface of which define with inner sides of the guide plates and the work table surface a diagonally disposed frame corner entrance opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Inventor: Joseph S. Parcels
  • Patent number: 6412569
    Abstract: A hoe for facilitating manual intermixing of materials initially in heterogeneous phases, particularly dry concrete pre-mix and water, includes an elongated straight handle having a rear longitudinal portion adapted to be grasped within a person's hands, and a blade which is attached to and depends perpendicularly downwardly from the front transverse end of a front longitudinal portion of the handle. The blade has substantially parallel front and rear surfaces and has in front and rear elevation views thereof an outline shape approximating that of an inverted isosceles triangle having a generally straight, horizontally disposed upper base, and straight symmetric sides which angle downwardly and inwardly towards a vertical center line of the blade, the lower ends of the sides terminating in the vertex of the triangle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Inventor: Carlyle Webb
  • Patent number: 6409436
    Abstract: A plug ejecting hole saw includes a cylindrical saw cup provided with front cutting teeth, and an end wall having therethrough a non-circular concentric aperture; and an arbor holder removably attachable to a saw cup that includes a collar slidably holding a body including a nose piece, that has a cross-section which fits congruently within the aperture, and a pair of longitudinal grooves, which slidably hold locking tabs biased forward by springs to abut transverse ribs in the nose piece. The longitudinal grooves intersect a pair of transverse grooves blocked by the tabs. Inserting the nose piece into a cup aperture and pushing it forward causes each tab to be pushed rearward in a longitudinal groove, unblocking the transverse grooves and allowing the nose piece to be rotated relative to the saw cup, each tab springing forward to block a transverse groove and thereby lock the arbor holder to the sawcup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Inventor: Roger J. Despres
  • Patent number: 6382494
    Abstract: A machine for automatically making ultrasonic bonds between metallic conductors using a metal bonding wire precisely positions the tip of an ultrasonic bonding tool relative to a workpiece with a positioning mechanism which includes a first, upper tool support platform rollably supported by a support structure and translatable in a first direction with respect to the support structure by a first remotely operable drive motor, at least a second tool support platform rollably supported by the first tool support platform and translatable with respect thereto in a second direction by a second drive motor, and preferably, a third, end tool support platform rollably supported by the second tool support platform and translatable with respect thereto by a third drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: West Bond, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles F. Miller
  • Patent number: 6370773
    Abstract: A method for making air turning vanes each having formed therein a pair of locking protuberances which adapt the vanes to self-gripping attachment between a pair of rails to fabricate an air turning vane and rail assembly utilizes an elongated length of double plate airfoil vane stock including a front plate having an outer concave surface arcuately bowed about the central longitudinal axis of the plate, and a rear plate having an outer concave surface arcuately bowed about the central longitudinal axis of the rear plate. A vane of a desired length is severed from the vane stock, and the outer concave surface of the rear vane plate is impacted by a punch with sufficient force to deform from the inner surface of the plate a generally hemispherically-shaped button having a lower severed wall which forms a locking lip. The apparatus according to the present invention includes a guillotine-like shearing structure/vane stock support fixture which vertically slidably supports shear blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Inventors: Stanley J. Ellis, Donald H. Siiter
  • Patent number: 6341925
    Abstract: A plug ejecting hole saw includes a saw cup provided at a front annular edge wall thereof with a plurality of forward protruding angled cutting teeth, and having at a rear end thereof a circular base wall having therethrough a non-circular aperture concentric with the cup. An arbor holder removably attachable to a saw cup of a selected size includes a collar axially slidably holding therewithin a central body having a front nose piece which protrudes axially outward of the collar, the front nose piece having a transverse cross-sectional shape adapted to be inheritably received into the saw cup aperture. The nose piece has formed in longitudinal wall surfaces thereof a pair of diametrically opposed, longitudinally disposed grooves, each of which longitudinally slidably holds therewithin a locking tab member urged forward to abut a separate one of a pair of diametrically opposed, front transversely disposed web ribs formed in the nose piece axially inward of the front transverse face of the nose piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Inventor: Roger J. Despres
  • Patent number: 6337453
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for forming a fusion ball at the end of a wire protruding from an ultrasonic bonding tool preparatory to making a ball bond to a workpiece includes shielding means for attenuating electromagnetic interference (EMI) emissions from an electrical arc discharge used to form the ball, which EMI emissions may damage sensitive electronic circuitry on a workpiece. In a preferred embodiment, a ball-forming arc discharge to a wire end occurs with a spark chamber in an electrically conductive electrostatic shield and preferably includes a ferromagnetic shield cup surrounding the chamber. According to the method of the present invention, a capillary ultrasonic bonding tool having a severed end of a gold bonding wire protruding from a capillary bore through the tool is moved away from a vertical line of action between the tool and a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: West Bond, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Miller, John C. Price
  • Patent number: 6331133
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically re-pointing twist drill bits includes a drill support mechanism including means for rotatably and axially translatably holding the shank of a drill bit, and a fluted portion receiver for supporting the fluted front cutting portion of the drill bit. The apparatus also includes an optical sensor unit which views the tip and blade part of the drill bit with the drill support mechanism in an off-line position, i.e., rotated away from a grinding wheel station. Responsive to error correction servo command signals received from a comparison of the actual orientation of drill bit cutting lips with a desired pre-determined template position, rotary and linear actuators in the drill support mechanism rotate the drill bit to the proper angular orientation, and advance the bit axially to a pre-determined protrusion length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Union Tool Company
    Inventors: Ichiro Katayama, Yoshinobu Watanabe, Yuichi Nakajima, Yoshiharu Shinbo
  • Patent number: 6308402
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are for use in the manufacture of self-sealing reinforcement tie rods for reinforcing HVAC ducts, of the type including an elongated threaded rod having fastened inwardly of each end thereof an abutment structure comprising an elongated hollow tubular body having a bore therethrough for coaxially receiving the rod, the tubular body having a longitudinally inwardly located tubular crown portion for attachment to the rod, and a longitudinally outwardly located, radial outwardly protruding annular flange portion for abutting and bracing a duct wall. The apparatus includes a work plate having in the upper surface thereof a slot having a lower wall which slopes downwardly and radially inwardly towards the center of the work plate, on which are positioned a single file line of abutment structures, flange down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Inventor: Stanley J. Ellis
  • Patent number: D461668
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: Zlatko Zadro
  • Patent number: D469714
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Inventor: Steven C. Book