Patents Examined by Alexander P Taousakis
  • Patent number: 8671571
    Abstract: This invention is about a method and apparatus for fabricating large scale stationery parabolic solar collector. The method involves use of a robot like apparatus for determining locations and height of support piles to be staked to the ground such that the tips of the piles define contour and shape of a parabolic collector. The reflective panels installed on the support piles form a parabolic shaped mirror which reflects the sun's rays to a well defined focal point. The method of construction is scalable and can be used for fabricating small size parabolic collectors as well as large scale ones. The construction apparatus and method of operation are also used for periodic cleaning of solar collector in a practical and fast manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Inventor: Tarik Ozkul
  • Patent number: 8667679
    Abstract: In a method of making a turbocharger housing surfaces of a sheet-metal shell which bound a gap towards the turbine wheel are measured, after the sheet-metal shell has been joined with a bearing flange provided for support of a turbine wheel, to generate measuring values. Subsequently, the bearing flange is machined in dependence on the measuring values for establishing a position of the turbine wheel in relation to the bearing flange and thus of the sheet-metal shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Smatloch, Elmar Grussmann, Frank Arlt
  • Patent number: 8667668
    Abstract: A method of sheathing a stent including the steps of providing a stent assembly including a catheter member and a stent member disposed about the catheter member; placing a first sheath film adjacent one side of the stent assembly; placing a second sheath film adjacent an opposite side of the stent assembly, and compressing the stent assembly, whereby the first and second sheath films move toward each other and substantially surround the stent assembly. The first and second sheath films are provided in rolls. Compressing is implemented by a radial compression mechanism. The first and second sheath films pass through the radial compression mechanism. Compressing sheaths the stent assembly and crimps the stent onto the catheter. As an alternative to two sheath films, a single film may be used, whereby compressing surrounds the stent assembly with the single sheath film. Also disclosed is an apparatus for sheathing a stent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Machine Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul R. Seyler, Thomas Motsenbocker, James L. Battaglia
  • Patent number: 8667663
    Abstract: An eccentric fitting assembly includes an outer eccentric fitting which defines an outer axis, the outer eccentric fitting defines an opening offset from the outer axis and an inner eccentric fitting which defines an inner axis, the inner eccentric fitting defines a stud opening offset from the inner axis, the inner eccentric fitting receivable within the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Maxwell, Scott A. Chasen, Barton J. Hainsworth
  • Patent number: 8662801
    Abstract: A drill bit has a shank portion having a plurality of SDS-type slots, a cutting portion comprising at least one cutting flute, and an intermediate portion connecting the shank to the cutting portion, the intermediate portion including at least one additional slot. A depth gauge includes a body configured to receive the drill bit, a retention mechanism coupled to the body and having an inward projection to removably couple the body to the at least one additional slot in the drill bit, and a cap coupled to the body such that the cap contacts a workpiece surface to prevent the drill bit from entering the workpiece more than a predetermined depth, wherein the cap is movable relative to the body among a plurality of positions, wherein each of the plurality of positions corresponds to a different predetermined drilling depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Aland Santamarina, Joseph Kelleher, Scott Muhlbaier, Darren B. Moss, Mark E. Brunson, David B. Lee, Michael Peters, Rickey J. Thomas, Craig A. Schell, Robert S. Gehret
  • Patent number: 8661658
    Abstract: A lashing platform includes a base frame, a setting plate resiliently supported on the base frame, a plurality of screwing devices for inserting twistlocks into container fittings or removing twistlocks from container fittings, a plurality of magazines for accommodating the twistlocks, and a plurality of transfer devices for transferring a twistlock from a magazine to a screwing device or from a screwing device to a magazine. The lashing platform being characterized by at least two units, which are each formed by at least two screwing devices, at least one transfer device, and at least one magazine and which can be moved relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the lashing platform within the base frame, at least one drive for moving the units, and a controller for moving the units into positions in which the screwing devices have access to the container fittings of containers of different size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kalp GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Michael Jörg Kapelski
  • Patent number: 8661641
    Abstract: A rotor blade assembly tool for coupling a plurality of circumferentially spaced rotor blades to a rotor disc of a turbine rotor assembly, includes a base ring with an array of circumferentially spaced resilient fingers axially extending from the base ring. The resilient fingers are configured each to radially abut a blade seal, damper or other engine component against radially inner facing surfaces of platforms of the respective blades when the blades are being seated onto the disc during an assembly procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph Daniel Lecuyer, Bruno Chatelois
  • Patent number: 8661682
    Abstract: A ring manufacturing method of the present invention includes: a laminating step laminating a plurality of metal plates; a junction step jointing the plurality of metal plates by heating and giving pressure; a twisting step heating and twisting the plurality of metal plates after the junction step, an angle stick processing step performing twist processing to the plurality of metal plates to make angle stick shape, a slit formation step forming two longitudinal slits in angle stick component, a ring formation step opening the slits from inside thereof to make two ring components, and a cutting step cutting and separating the two ring components into two rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Mokumeganeya Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8661672
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying member comprises a housing an exhaust gas purification block placed in the housing, and an exhaust gas purification block-retaining element inserted in an annular space between the housing and the block. The retaining element is, during manufacture of the member, made from a material including at least one nonfunctional component intended to disappear after a characteristic period of using the member. A method of manufacturing the member comprises assembling the housing, the retaining element, and the exhaust gas purification block to obtain a housing whereof a diameter is equal to a predetermined diameter, and with the installation density of the retaining element being equal to a target installation density after the characteristic usage period of the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Faurecia Systemes D'Echappement
    Inventors: Cyrille Cantele, Gerard Lerdung
  • Patent number: 8661670
    Abstract: A process for producing a structure in a smooth sheet-metal strip includes multiple process steps. In a first step, a first section of a smooth sheet-metal strip is fed to a first tool and a second section of the sheet-metal strip is fed to a second tool in a direction of advance. Then the sheet-metal strip is stopped. A sheet-metal machining of the first section of the sheet-metal strip is carried out using the first tool. A sheet-metal machining of the second section of the sheet-metal strip is carried out using the second tool, with the first feeding step being carried out simultaneously. An apparatus is provided for producing a sheet-metal strip of such a complex structure, which produces the structure with a very high degree of accuracy even when the materials properties differ.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brück, Ludwig Wieres, Jan Hodgson, Gottfried-Wilhelm Häsemann
  • Patent number: 8661678
    Abstract: Wear resistant metal ring thermally locked at a machined interface to a lightweight alloy roller coaster wheel body and method of machining and thermally locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Uremet Corporation
    Inventor: Jeff Hudgins
  • Patent number: 8656588
    Abstract: Disclosed is a flange for a fuel pump module, which includes an adhesion enhancing member so that there is no gap between a power supply terminal and a resin material for forming a flange, thus further increasing injection efficiency and sealing performance. A method of manufacturing such a flange is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Coavis
    Inventors: Ha Young Cho, Jae Won Choi, Jin Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 8640341
    Abstract: A method of producing a rolling sliding member, wherein, after a work for a rolling sliding member, which is made of a bearing steel and formed in a predetermined shape, is quenched, a heating start temperature is set to be 10 to 100° C., a heating finish temperature is set to be 220 to 350° C., a time between the heating finish time and the heating start time is set to be a heating time, the quenched work for the rolling sliding member is heated so that a rate of temperature increase indicated by the following formula becomes 7 to 35° C./s rate of temperature increase=(heating finish temperature?heating start temperature)/heating time, the work is tempered by being cooled without being maintained at a heating finish temperature from the heating finish time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Towako Matsui, Katsuhiko Kizawa
  • Patent number: 8640334
    Abstract: A method of setting lash in a cam phaser includes rotating a stator having a lobe in a first direction so that the lobe contacts a motion limiter pin disposed within a first hole in a rotor, causing the compression of a spring until a motion limiter lock pin enters a groove on the motion limiter pin and contacts a wall at one end of the groove. The rotor is then rotated in conjunction with the stator in the first direction until a rotor locking pin that is disposed within a second hole in the rotor engages a lock pin seat on a cover at one end of the seat. The rotor is then held in place while rotating the stator in a second direction so that there is a gap between the wall at one end of the groove and the motion limiter locking pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: William P. Vukovich, Nick John Hendriksma
  • Patent number: 8640338
    Abstract: Method for producing a dentist tool formed by an overlay to be used by a dentist in removing tooth structure, said method comprising the steps of: acquiring three-dimensional data relating to a shape of a tooth and at least a part of a neighboring tooth; processing said three-dimensional data with a computer so as to determine an overlay fitting said tooth and fitting at least said part of said neighboring tooth; further processing said three-dimensional data with said computer so as to determine a predetermined part of tooth structure to be removed from said tooth so as to prepare said tooth for further treatment; determining at least two guiding edges of which a first and a second guiding edge are spaced apart from each other by a distance d of at least 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Viax Dental Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Evelyne Jacquemyns
  • Patent number: 8635772
    Abstract: A method for the milling machining of components is disclosed. The method produces recesses with one or more lateral walls, in particular for the production of integrally bladed rotors for gas turbines, the recesses forming flow channels and the lateral walls forming blade surfaces of an integrally bladed rotor. The component to be machined by milling is clamped in a locating device for the milling machining. To adjust the vibrational properties of the component to be machined by milling, areas of the component are embedded in and/or filled with a machinable plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Heinrich, Arndt Glaesser, Goetz Lebkuechner
  • Patent number: 8631553
    Abstract: A tube splicing machine is provided which includes a frame on which a die holder is located. A swaging die is removably mounted in the die holder, and the die holder includes a main plate and a top plate that is removably connected to the main plate. A die holding opening is defined through a portion of the main plate and the top plate in which the swaging die is inserted. The swaging die includes two die parts that together define a die opening and are separable along a mid-line of the die opening. A splice fitting engagement plate with a splice fitting engagement portion is located on the frame, with the splice fitting engagement plate having an opening or an openable top to allow removable connection to a splice fitting. An actuator is connected between the splice fitting engagement plate and the die holder for moving the splice fitting engagement plate relative to the die holder from an initial position to a swaged position, in order to swage the splice fitting onto a length of hose or tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Polyflow, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Gleim
  • Patent number: 8631572
    Abstract: A method for the production of a piston for an internal combustion engine, in which a piston blank is forged, which is subsequently separated into two parts, to form an upper piston part and a lower piston part, after which the lower piston part and the upper piston part are machined and then welded to one another. Subsequently, the piston is finished. During forging of the piston blank, the top of the piston blank is partly given the shape of the underside of the upper piston part, and the underside of the piston blank is given the shape that corresponds to the interior of the lower piston part. After forging of the piston blank and before separation of the upper piston part from the lower piston part, the top of the piston blank is given the finished shape of the underside of the upper piston part by a cutting machining method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Seifried, Kevin Speck
  • Patent number: 8631563
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing a dry tube assembly includes a mounting structure configured to mount the apparatus to a top guide of a reactor vessel, a clamping assembly configured to engage the dry tube assembly, and a positioning assembly that is configured to position and rotate the clamping assembly relative to the dry tube assembly. The dry tube assembly is buckled and removed without exercising a joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: C. Alan Peet, James E. Burner, Edward L. Chaney, William L. Goldsworth
  • Patent number: 8627565
    Abstract: A preformed product of a crankshaft is formed in a shape smaller than a shape of a cavity of a separatable die set 1103 composed of an upper die and a lower die and is disposed in the cavity of the die set 1103 as a material M. The cavity of the die set 1103 matches a required shape of the crankshaft. When the material M is disposed in the cavity of the die set 1103, a clearance is formed between the material M and the cavity, and when a side-forming punch 1000P is inserted into the material M, a hollow hole is formed in the material M and the cavity is filled with the material M. As a result, not only can weight saving be achieved by forming the hole in the crankpin of the crankshaft, but also degradation of dimensional accuracy by forming the hole can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ohnuma, Tsutomu Ando, Yasuhiro Ito