Patents Examined by Christina Johnson
  • Patent number: 9914247
    Abstract: A method for infusing gas into a thermoplastic material includes positioning a sheet of a thermoplastic material into a vertical or substantially vertical position; positioning a sheet of a gas-permeable material into a vertical or substantially vertical position; and winding together the positioned sheet of thermoplastic material sheet and the positioned sheet of gas-permeable material to form a roll of the thermoplastic material interleaved with the gas-permeable material, the interleaved roll having a longitudinal axis oriented in a vertical or substantially vertical position. The method also includes exposing the interleaved roll to an atmosphere of a gas pressurized to infuse the thermoplastic material with the gas, while the longitudinal axis of the interleaved roll is oriented in a vertical or substantially vertical position; and then unwinding the gas-infused interleaved roll, while the longitudinal axis of the interleaved roll remains in a vertical or substantially vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Dart Container Corporation
    Inventor: Krishna Nadella
  • Patent number: 9908287
    Abstract: A build platform and methods of fabricating an article with such a platform in an extrusion-type additive manufacturing machine are provided. A platform body 202 includes features 204 that extend outward from the body 202. The features 204 define protrusive areas 206 and recessive areas 208 that cooperate to mechanically engage the extruded material that forms the initial layers 220 of an article when the article is being fabricated by a nozzle 12 of the additive manufacturing machine 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventor: Amelia M. Elliott
  • Patent number: 9907168
    Abstract: A method of making a filled large-format imprinted structure includes providing a substrate, locating a curable layer over the substrate, imprinting the curable layer, and curing the curable layer to form a cured layer including a layer surface and one or more imprinted micro-cavities. Each micro-cavity has a micro-cavity depth and a micro-cavity width and one or more ribs extending from the bottom of the micro-cavity toward the top of the micro-cavity. Each rib has a rib width that is less than one half of the micro-cavity width, a rib height that is less than the micro-cavity depth, and each rib separates the micro-cavity into portions, each portion having a portion width less than or equal to 20 microns. A curable material is located in each micro-cavity and cured to form cured material located in each micro-cavity, thereby defining a filled large-format imprinted structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventor: Ronald Steven Cok
  • Patent number: 9895851
    Abstract: A method to cast in place an internally threaded hole in an open cell core of a sandwich structural composite panel enables a threaded fastener to be secured to the sandwich structural composite panel without requiring a separate insert for the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Brad Jeremy Reeves, James S. Bradley, Michael Steven Lewis
  • Patent number: 9895836
    Abstract: Technologies for fused filament fabrication using multi-directional layering are disclosed herein. According to aspects of the disclosure, a component may be strengthened using a multi-directional layering manufacturing technique. In some implementations, one or more portions of the component are manufactured in different orientations. In still further implementations, one layer of a component is laid down in a first orientation and a second layer of the component is laid down in a second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Matthew S. Stauffer
  • Patent number: 9889584
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a crash pad having a foam layer by injecting and foam-molding a foam liquid between a base and a skin may include a first mold and a second mold which mold the base by injecting molten resin into a base forming space formed in a mold-closed state and a vacuum mold for vacuum-molding the skin, in which when the vacuum mold to which the formed skin may be attached may be mold-closed with the first mold, a foam space may be formed between the skin and the base of the first mold, and an injection channel for injecting the molten resin into the base forming space and a foam liquid injection channel for injecting the foam liquid into the foam space may be provided in the first mold, such that the first mold may be used as a foam mold, together with the vacuum mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Byung Seok Kong
  • Patent number: 9889585
    Abstract: A glass encapsulation structure and an injection molding device are provided. The encapsulation structure includes: a guide piece; and an encapsulation component, wherein the guide piece is fixed to a side surface of a glass through the encapsulation component, wherein the guide piece includes a strip part, a bump and a positioning hole, wherein the strip part has a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface and facing an interior of a vehicle body when the guide piece is mounted onto the vehicle body, the bump is located on and perpendicular to the first surface, the positioning hole is formed in the bump, an axis of the positioning hole is perpendicular to the side surface of the glass, and the positioning hole matches a positioning pin in an injection molding device in an injection molding process. A yield of encapsulation structures may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Zhizhao Yu, Pingchun Sheng
  • Patent number: 9889589
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacturing and labeling plastic wares comprising durable acrylic labels that are integrated into a surface of the plastic wares.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: AMSCAN CUSTOM INJECTION MOLDING, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Pluemer, Greg Pluemer
  • Patent number: 9884449
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object operates a platen configured to facilitate the release of objects produced by a three-dimensional object printer. The method includes moving a first plate and a second plate to form a platen, the first plate having a plurality of parallel members and the second plate having a plurality of parallel members, the first plate and the second plate being moved to interlock the plurality of parallel members of the first plate with the plurality of parallel members of the second plate to form the platen, at least one of the first plate and the second plate being independently movable. At least one of the first plate and second plate is moved to release a three-dimensional object formed by the printer from the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Eliud Robles Flores, Robert B. Anderson, Jr., Timothy P. Foley
  • Patent number: 9877813
    Abstract: A method of preparing organic and natural material for making teeth and typical dental devices or appliances having sufficiently hard and durable chewing surfaces, obtained from sustainable resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Frederick Ralph Guy
  • Patent number: 9868235
    Abstract: A compacting and injection mold for a fiber preform is for use in fabricating a turbine engine guide vane out of composite material. The mold includes a shell forming a trough that is to receive the fiber preform and that is closed in leaktight manner by bottom and top covers, compacting blocks arranged inside the trough each having a surface pressing normally against a surface of the fiber preform that is to be compacted, and closure blocks arranged inside the trough. Each closure block has a surface pressing normally against a surface of a compacting block and does not have a surface in contact with the fiber preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Romain Plante, Lise Lacroix, Olivier Patrigeon, Jean-Pierre Cauchois, Pascal Burek
  • Patent number: 9849641
    Abstract: A method of forming a film (1) of molten polymer material, by extruding said material in a direction (2) out of a narrow exit slot (3), which is an integral part of a wider die chamber (4) of which the major dimension of extension is parallel with the major dimension of the exit slot (3), characterized in that the molten polymer material is formed into one or more flows generally parallel with said major dimension of the exit slot (3), each said flow being pumped in a re-circulating arrangement from the chamber inlet (7) to the outlet (8) through conduits connecting the inlet to the outlet, while fresh molten polymer material is administered from a reservoir into each re-circulating flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Inventor: Ole-Bendt Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9847181
    Abstract: The present invention provides: a film that comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes having shapes which enable the characteristics thereof to be sufficiently exhibited; and a process for producing the film. The film, which comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes, has portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are densely present and portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are sparsely present, the dense portions forming a pseudo-honeycomb structure in a surface of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Shigeo Maruyama, Shohei Chiashi, Kehang Cui
  • Patent number: 9844975
    Abstract: A method includes storing, in a database, different design templates. Each template includes (i) a print component configured to be printed and (ii) a foil component configured to be foil-stamped. The print component of each design template is associated with inner crop marks and outer crop marks. The foil component of each template is associated with alignment marks that are configured to be aligned with the inner crop marks for the respective template. Both the foil component and the foil alignment marks are embossed on a foil-press die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Minted, LLC
    Inventors: Sean Belling, Tonia Misvaer, Nathan Glynn
  • Patent number: 9844916
    Abstract: A solid object manufacturing system comprises: a controlling device, a solid object manufacturing device and a projecting device. The control device generates a solid object model and then divides the model into a plurality of layer images. The control device then adjusts the height of a lifting table of the solid object manufacturing device and controls the projecting device to project one of the layer images on the lifting table synchronously, so as to guide user to form an article by using a printing module of the solid object manufacturing device. The solid object manufacturing system guides user to complete the article by projecting the layer images and adjusting the height of the lifting table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignees: Inventec Appliances (Pudong) Corporation, Inventec Appliances Corp., Inventec Appliances (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li Li, Li Yu, Shih-Kuang Tsai
  • Patent number: 9845059
    Abstract: A method of creating in situ an acoustic enclosure in a space that is between body panels of a motor vehicle, wherein the space defines an empty volume, the method comprising placing into the space between body panels a molding tool that comprises a solid barrier that divides the space between body panels into an interior portion on an inside of the molding tool and an exterior portion that is external to an outside of the molding tool, where the outside of the molding tool is exposed to the space between body panels, and while the molding tool is in the space between the panels, introducing a fluid material into the exterior portion of the space between the body panels, wherein the fluid material is configured to cure into a solid shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Bradford Kyle Subat, Tobe Z. Barksdale, Charles E. Dunn, Jr., Lee Prager, Ben J. Feng
  • Patent number: 9840034
    Abstract: A mold for producing a vehicle bumper fascia and methods for releasing the bumper fascia are provided. The mold includes a core mold half having a primary mold core. A first movable mold core is slidingly engaged to the primary mold core. A second movable mold core is slidingly engaged to the first movable mold core. A third movable mold core is slidingly engaged to the second movable mold core. Portions of the primary mold core and the movable mold cores together define cavities for forming the mounting rib, a wing portion, and a wheel well flange of the bumper fascia. Methods of releasing the bumper fascia include the steps of providing the mold, disengaging the movable mold cores from each other and from the primary mold core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujiwara, Rikiya Suwa, Chad Wojniak, Takashi Abe, Youhei Mizukami
  • Patent number: 9828697
    Abstract: In a process for producing regenerated cellulose fibers, in which particles of a flame-retardant solid are incorporated into the fiber, the particles are placed into a mold, the dimension of which in a major axis of the particle is greater than in the two orthogonal minor axes of the particle, and the major axes of the particles in the fiber are aligned in a preferential direction parallel to the spinning direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Glanzstoff Bohemia s.r.o.
    Inventors: Bernhard Mueller, Martin Gebert-Germ
  • Patent number: 9822007
    Abstract: A mechanically robust, binder-free, inexpensive target for laser synthesis of carbon nanotubes and a method for making same, comprising the steps of mixing prismatic edge natural flake graphite with a metal powder catalyst and pressing the graphite and metal powder mixture into a mold having a desired target shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Michael W. Smith, Cheol Park
  • Patent number: 9821521
    Abstract: Wood-type golf clubs and/or golf club heads include: (a) a golf club head base member including a face member having a ball striking face; and (b) a polymeric body member engaged with the golf club head base member, wherein the polymeric body member is formed via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process) and/or engaged with the golf club head base member via a rotational molding process (or other centrifugal force inducing molding process). The polymeric body member forms at least a portion of a crown member of the club head in some structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Karsten Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Stites, Gary G. Tavares, Todd Anthony Waatti