Patents Examined by Brian Jennison
  • Patent number: 9498838
    Abstract: A system and method is provided. The system includes a high intensity energy source to create a molten puddle on a surface of a workpiece and a wire feeder that feeds a wire to the molten puddle via a contact tube. The system also includes a power supply that outputs a first heating current during a first mode of operation and a second heating current during a second mode of operation. The system further includes a controller that initiates the first mode of operation in the power supply to heat the wire to a desired temperature and switches the power supply from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation to create a micro-arc. The second mode of operation provides at least one of an increased heat input to the molten puddle and an increased agitation of the molten puddle relative to the first mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Steven R. Peters
  • Patent number: 9492882
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cutting method for cutting an upper edge and a lower edge of a cutting plane into a curved shape, when a cutting object is cut by supplying plasma gas to the periphery of an electrode of a plasma torch and ejecting plasma arc from a nozzle. In order to melt the upper edge and the lower edge of the cutting plane to form a curved shape, at least one condition selected from plural conditions including a cutting electric current, cutting speed, height of a plasma torch, angle of the plasma torch, and flow rate of plasma gas upon performing the vertical cutting for forming the upper edge and the lower edge of the cutting object substantially at right angles is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KOIKE SANSO KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Koike, Akira Furujo, Ryuta Hirai
  • Patent number: 9492894
    Abstract: Provided are a flux cored arc welding wire able to improve low-temperature toughness of a weld joint and a weld joint using the same, in which the flux cored arc welding wire includes 0.01 wt % to 0.1 wt % of carbon (C), 0.3 wt % to 1.4 wt % of silicon (Si), 1.0 wt % to 3.0 wt % of manganese (Mn), 4.0 wt % to 7.5 wt % of titanium (Ti)+TiO, 0.01 wt % to 3.0 wt % of nickel (Ni), 0.01 wt % to 0.2 wt % of boron (B), 0.02 wt % to 0.42 wt % of yttrium (Y) or 0.02 wt % to 0.56 wt % of a rare earth metal (REM), and iron (Fe) as well as other unavoidable impurities as a remainder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: POSCO
    Inventors: Il-Wook Han, Bong-Keun Lee, Jeong-Kil Kim, Hong-Kil Lee
  • Patent number: 9481584
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for treating a liquid by providing a santitary type stainless steel hydrocyclone, flowing the liquid through the hydrocyclone, and turning on a plasma torch attached to the hydrocyclone such that a plasma arc irradiates the liquid. The hydrocyclone can be a forward flow hydrocyclone, a reverse flow hydrocyclone, a through flow hydrocyclone, a hydrocyclone pump or a volute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Foret Plasma Labs, LLC
    Inventor: Todd Foret
  • Patent number: 9481047
    Abstract: A conductor tube for use in an arc welding apparatus is disclosed that diffuses gas from an aperture in the conductor tube. The conductor tube has an internal passageway and a distal end portion. In one form of the present disclosure, proximate to the distal end portion there is at least one aperture disposed wherein the gas flowing through the internal passageway is at least partially dispersed through the at least one aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Victor Equipment Company
    Inventor: Khalid Hassan
  • Patent number: 9481045
    Abstract: A TIG welding system is provided including a power source having a controller in communication therewith, the controller having a memory storing at least one waveform; a welding torch including an electrode electrically connected to the controller, the electrode having a length and a diameter; an amperage input in communication with the controller and adapted to receive a user-selected welding amperage; wherein in the controller is programmed to select one of the at least one waveform based on the user-selected amperage and apply power from the power source to the electrode according to the selected at least one waveform; wherein the at least one waveform includes an arc initiation stage including at least one pulse, wherein during the arc initiation stage, the controller is configured to prevent user control of an arc current or voltage, wherein upon attaining a steady state at the user-selected welding amperage, the controller is configured to permit user control of the arc current or voltage applied to the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Theresa Spear
  • Patent number: 9475155
    Abstract: A method of welding a pipe section in a ring-based welding system, wherein the welding system comprises: (i) an adjustable ring gear mount; (ii) a ring gear assembly positioned on the adjustable ring gear mount, the ring gear assembly having an inner diameter and a center point; and (iii) at least one weld head assembly mounted on the ring gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Technip USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Wayne Gatlin, Charles Stewart, Ian Sykes
  • Patent number: 9463527
    Abstract: In a first embodiment, at a time of magnetic pulse welding, a stepped tube profile machining process axially bores a walled tube from an end inward to a transition depth to form a section with a reduced wall thickness and then axially bores the walled tube from the transition depth to a fall off depth, thereby forming a section with a maximized welding wall section. In a second embodiment, also at a time of magnetic pulse welding, a surface angle tube profile machining process axially bores at a surface angle a walled tube from an end to a bore length to form an angular welding wall thickness inward to a maximized wall section. For both embodiments, the bored surfaces are virgin with no pits, oil, residue, or oxidation thereon, thus making the machined walled tubes available for immediate magnetic pulse welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Johnny N. Smith, Thomas M. O'Neil
  • Patent number: 9463520
    Abstract: The present invention includes drive units 7a and 7b that change a relative position between a wire electrode 12 and a workpiece 14 by moving a position of wire guide 8a and 8b, drive control units 6a and 6b that drive the drive units 7a and 7b based on a machining shape on the workpiece 14, respectively, a correction-amount storage unit 3 that previously stores therein a position correction amount for the wire electrode 12 corresponding to a machining condition, a correction-amount reading unit 4 that reads the position correction amount corresponding to the machining condition from the correction-amount storage unit 3, and a wire-position correction unit 5 that causes the drive control units 6a and 6b to correct a relative distance between the wire electrode 12 and the workpiece 14 based on the read position correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugie, Hiroyuki Takeda, Takayuki Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 9463530
    Abstract: A method for producing analytical aids for obtaining bodily fluid, in particular lancets or microsamplers, in which the aids are formed as a shaped part (10) from a flat metallic material by material separation on shaped part edges (28), wherein at least one sharp shaped part edge (28) is finished by laser irradiation, a laser beam (36) is guided repeatedly over the shaped part (10) along an irradiation path (38) in irradiation intervals, and the shaped part edge (28) is rounded by the cumulative energy input of the laser beam (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Roche Diabetes Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Guenther Ihle, Hans List
  • Patent number: 9457420
    Abstract: Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is a widely used process for joining metals. Its main advantage over its competition gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is its high productivity in depositing metals. However, to melt metal from the wire to deposit into the work-piece, additional heat is consumed and applied to the work-piece with an uncontrolled fixed proportion to the effective heat that melts the wire. Such additional heat is often in excess of the needed heat input for the work-piece. The side-effects include a waste of the energy, an increased distortion, and possible materials property degradation. This invention is to device a method to transfer this part of heat to melt the wire by adding two wires, which form a pair of arc spots, under a tungsten arc. It also devices a method to assure the arc between the two wires be maintained stable such that the transfer be successfully continuous.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Shujun Chen, Liang Zhang, Ning Huang, Xuping Wang, Zhenyang Lu, Fan Jiang
  • Patent number: 9452494
    Abstract: Novel laser drilling systems are disclosed. The laser drilling systems are useful for drilling bore holes in medical devices, especially blind bore holes in surgical needles. The laser systems use a low power fiber seed laser to produce a high quality laser beam that is modulated and amplified, and which has precise characteristics to produce precision drilled holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Ethicon, Inc.
    Inventor: Reza K. Mosavi
  • Patent number: 9452484
    Abstract: Components, such as turbine blades or vanes, are formed to a desired shape and dimensions by ablation machining a work piece surface. Recast layer material created on the work piece surface during the ablation machining is subsequently removed by fluoride ion cleaning (FIC). Exemplary ablation machining methods include laser machining and electric discharge machining (EDM). The work piece material may include superalloys commonly used for fabrication of turbine blades or vanes, which are susceptible to recast layer formation during EDM or laser machining. Post ablation FIC recast layer removal is easier than known methods, such as mechanical grinding, secondary EDM machining of the layer at lower speeds and/or current intensity, or chemical etching processes. Ablation machining processes can be optimized for speed and efficiency without regard for recast layer avoidance, with knowledge that the recast layer will be subsequently removed by the complimentary FIC process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Ivan F. Oliver Vargas
  • Patent number: 9440305
    Abstract: A method of resistance spot welding aluminum alloy workpieces together includes several steps. In one step a welding electrode is provided. The welding electrode has a weld face. In another step, the weld face of the welding electrode is shaped to have a desired radius of curvature. The shaped weld face is then textured to a desired surface roughness, and resistance spot welding using the welding electrode is performed to the aluminum alloy workpieces. In yet another step, the weld face is dressed to an extent sufficient to remove contamination build-up that may have accumulated on the weld face from the aluminum alloy workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David R. Sigler, Michael J. Karagoulis
  • Patent number: 9420641
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a cavity arranged to receive a load. At least one microwave generator is configured to feed a plurality of microwaves into the cavity. At least one image-capturing device and a control unit is adapted to obtain load volume information of the load within the cavity based on information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, obtain load density information using at least one of a user input and information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, determine load mass information based upon the load volume information and the load density information, determine a heating pattern based upon the load mass information and control the at least one microwave generator to provide the heating pattern within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Enrique Corona, Fredrik Hallgren, Horacio Polli, Gianpiero Santacatterina
  • Patent number: 9409246
    Abstract: The present invention includes a post-cooling temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the machining fluid immediately after being cooled by a cooling device as a post-cooling fluid temperature, and an intra-tank temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the machining fluid in a work tank as an intra-tank fluid temperature, for a cooling control device that controls a fluid temperature of the machining fluid in a wire electric discharge machining apparatus, and the cooling control device has a first temperature-feedback control unit that feeds back the post-cooling fluid temperature into a cooling instruction value as an instruction value for the cooling device, and a second temperature-feedback control unit adjusts the cooling instruction value by feeding back the intra-tank fluid temperature to cause the intra-tank fluid temperature to follow a target temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yuzawa, Takashi Hashimoto, Takayuki Nakagawa, Yoichi Otomo
  • Patent number: 9403233
    Abstract: A welding operation is performed by moving or rotating an arc in a welding torch, and feeding a metal cored wire through the torch in a direct current, electrode negative welding process. The electrode may include one or more arc stabilizers. The welding process may be pulsed or non-pulsed. Moreover, the process may be used with a number of different base metals intended to be welded, such as thin plate, galvanized metals, painted metals, coated metals, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Pagano, James Lee Uecker, Steven Barhorst, Bryan Dustin Marschke, Mario Amata
  • Patent number: 9403231
    Abstract: Welding power is generated by first generating two different current waveforms, and comparing the waveform values for control intervals to select which waveform provides the greater current. The waveforms are for different transfer modes, such as one for a pulsed arc portion, and another for a short-circuit transfer mode or for short-circuit clearing. The waveforms may be programmed by settings in a state machine. A balance or relative prioritization in the comparison may be influenced by user inputs. The resulting hybrid process has aspects of both spray transfer and short-circuit transfer modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Richard Martin Hutchison, James Lee Eucker, Todd Earl Holverson, Bryan Dustin Marschke, Robert R. Davidson, Richard Schuh
  • Patent number: 9403232
    Abstract: An arc welding apparatus includes a lifting motor. A speed adjustment circuit controls the lifting motor such that the rising speed of the welder decreases if a current of the welding power source is smaller than a set value, or increases if the value of the current is larger than the set value. A voltage adjustment circuit controls the welding power source such that the voltage increases if the number of times that the voltage falls below a determination voltage is larger than a set number of times or if periods for which the voltage remains below the determination voltage are longer than a set time, or decreases if the number of times that the voltage falls below a determination voltage is smaller than a set number of times or if periods for which the voltage remains below the determination voltage is shorter than a set time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Reiichi Suzuki, Kei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9403234
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems including a wire spool having a core with a core diameter and wire wound around the core and having a wire diameter. An outer diameter of the wire spool is defined by a sum of the core diameter and the wire diameter. The systems may also include a sensing system having a sensor component disposed on the wire spool and/or a wire spool hub. The sensing system is adapted to acquire data corresponding to a parameter indicative of the outer diameter of the wire spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Brian Lee Ott, Michael P. Vandenberg