Patents Examined by Daniel C. Crane
  • Patent number: 7243518
    Abstract: A hydraulic cut-off press includes a base, a body vertically movable along vertical tracks at the base, a plurality of raisers provided at the body in four corners, each raiser having a holder base, a raiser screw vertically mounted in the holder base and fixedly connected to the base, a transmission gear set mounted inside the holder base and meshed with the raiser screw, and an axle extended out of the holder base, a transmission system formed of transmission shafts and couplings for coupling the axles of the raisers to one another for synchronous rotation, and a motor for rotating the axle of the first raiser to move the raiser screws of the raisers to move the body to the desired elevation relative to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Inventor: Sen-Jung Chuang
  • Patent number: 7240528
    Abstract: An apparatus for bending orthodontic wires has means for guiding and holding a wire. In order to prevent forces resulting from compressive or stretching strain during the bending process, one of these means does not apply any longitudinal forces onto the wire by design. In another implementation, the apparatus for bending orthodontic wires has a gimbal-mounted gripper for bending the wire. Furthermore, a method is disclosed for applying two bends at the same longitudinal wire location in two different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Lingualcare, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Weise, Ruedger Rubbert
  • Patent number: 7240530
    Abstract: An auxiliary embosser for use with a mobile or stationary on or off-site roll forming apparatus which roll forms sheet material into objects such as a rain gutter or aluminum siding having complex cross section profiles. The auxiliary embosser includes a frame adapted to be aligned and attached adjacent to the apparatus in relation to a roll formed object discharge thereof. The frame includes closely spaced mating embossing rollers held for rotation in the frame about spaced rotational axes and aligned to receive one surface of a roll formed object discharging from the apparatus. The embossing rollers are formed having a profile of their mating surfaces configured to be substantially similar to a profile of the one surface of the object and further include a decorative design which is embossed into the one surface of the object while being moved through the embossing rollers as controlled by the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Inventor: Leland Slaven, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7237420
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for the deformation of workpieces, in particular for the plastic shaping of pipe ends, with a shaping unit actuated by the pressure of a fluid and with a prestressing unit arranged on a common longitudinal axis and actuated by the pressure of a fluid and also with clamping elements of conical design which can be clamped by means of the prestressing unit, in each case at least one separate pressure space being designed in the shaping unit and in the prestressing unit, which space can be pressurized independently of the pressure space of the other unit in each case. In this connection, the shaping unit and the prestressing unit are interconnected but completely closed off in relation to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Voss Fluid GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Gerd Berghaus
  • Patent number: 7237480
    Abstract: A trash container cover has a pivotable lever arm which pivots vertically moving one or two compactor arms slidably connected to the handle. The compactor arm(s) force a horizontal compactor plate down onto the trash in the container to compact it. The lever arm, compactor arm(s) and compactor plate are pivoted into proximal parallel alignment with the cover and in proximity to the cover for storage and move together to open the trash container to deposit or remove trash. The lever arm may clamp down on the cover to serve as a handle for the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Inventor: Donovan Ruddock
  • Patent number: 7237419
    Abstract: A bending tool (12) for bending workpieces, especially plate and sheet metal blanks includes at least one bending element (23) positioned on one side of a workpiece as well as a retainer device with clamping elements (14, 42) on opposite sides of the workpiece. For bending the workpiece, the retainer is moved, together with the workpiece clamped on it, relative to a bending element (23). In the process, the retainer device with the workpiece and the bending element (23) move relative to each other in a bending stroke which contains a component in the bending-stroke direction as well as a component in the transverse direction of the bending stroke. The direction of the bending stroke is controlled by at least one control element associated with the bending element (23) as well as at least one guide element associated with the equal-sided clamping element (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Trumpf Maschinen Austria GesmvH & Co KG
    Inventors: Glenn Fielder, Ivo Karrasch
  • Patent number: 7237424
    Abstract: A method of forming a radially expandable externally grooved tubular fastener from metal, comprising the steps of providing a suitable tubular blank (11) having a tubular wall (12) and squeezing the tubular wall between an internal member (17) with a surface which engages the internal tubular wall face (15) of the blank and a plurality of external members (18) provided with suitably shaped surfaces engaging the external tubular wall face (16) of the blank (11) thereby to form grooves (23) on the external tubular wall face (15) of the blank (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Avdel UK Limited
    Inventor: Derek Crutchley
  • Patent number: 7237427
    Abstract: A pressing tool includes at least two pressing jaws hinged together to enclose a workpiece having an inserted pipe end. The pressing tool also includes an opening area located between the at least two pressing jaws and at least one hinge pin arranged opposite the opening area. Further included is a pressing element located adjacent to the at least one hinge pin and arranged to be moved to the workpiece during a closing of the at least two pressing jaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Viega GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Walter Viegener
  • Patent number: 7237426
    Abstract: A crimp die set for use in a crimping tool is provided, including: a rotating crimp die having a plurality of differently sized male die parts; and a stationary female crimp die having a plurality of differently sized female nests which correspond to one or more of the plurality of male die parts, wherein a rotation of the rotating crimp die permits different crimping action to accommodate different terminal and wire sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Thomas & Betts International, Inc.
    Inventors: James Michael Baker, George Robertson
  • Patent number: 7237421
    Abstract: The invention concerns a conveying device for sheet steel plates and for moving several sheets (1, 1?) inside or through a working zone (W; 50) wherein the sheets are machined. The inventive feeding device comprises first and second sheet feeders (10, 11; 20) which feed the sheets in controlled manner to the working zone (W) so that the sheets are machined with positional accuracy. The first sheet feeder (10, 11) is located on an input side of the tool zone and the second sheet feeder (20) is located on an output side of the tool zone. The two sheet feeders (10, 20; 11; 20) are mutually synchronized in their movements (x, y) when feeding forward the sheet (1), the sheet driven by the synchronous movement being maintained by the two sheet feeders. The invention provides the advantages of increased speed and safety. It is possible to increase the speed without the sheet being deformed or losing its flatness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Amcor Limited
    Inventor: Gerd Von Allwoerden
  • Patent number: 7234332
    Abstract: The invention concerns a bending machine comprising a machine frame, and upper bar and a lower bar mounted on the frame and mutually mobile, a bending bar mounted on the frame, a bending bar mounted on the frame and mobile relative to the frame, to the upper bar and to the lower bar, said bending bar being provided with a support and a bending tool pressing on said support via a bending device actuated by a control unit. The invention aims at making the bending adjustment faster and more accurate. Therefor, said bending device is equipped with an adjusting device capable of being used during a bending operation; the adjusting device, which is actuated by the control unit, can be controlled during a bending operation; at least one sensor associated with the control unit enables detection, through the adjusting device of an adjustment performed by the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: RAS Reinhardt Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kutschker
  • Patent number: 7231801
    Abstract: A panel conveying apparatus for a press line comprises a shuttle feeder and at least one panel position regulating device. The shuttle feeder is configured to be movable between presses. The panel position regulating device is mounted on the shuttle feeder and includes a panel guide unit, a rotating screw axis unit, and a link unit. The panel guide unit is configured to guide the panel. The rotating screw axis unit comprises a rotating screw axis and an actuator rotating the rotating screw axis. The link unit connects the panel guide unit and the rotating screw axis unit such that a vertical position of the panel guide unit is regulated in response to a rotation of the rotating screw axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Byeong Ho Choi
  • Patent number: 7231797
    Abstract: A calking die for calking a component in a receiving bore, in particular for calking a securing flange in a stepped receiving bore of a valve block of a traction-controlled vehicle brake system, having an end face oriented toward the component, which face can be brought at least partially into engagement with a calked volume disposed on an edge of the receiving bore, in order to positively displace at least some of the calked volume in the form of a calked bead from the bore edge toward a face of the component. The end face of the calking die has a peripheral recess, which extends from a diameter defining a radially inner remaining end face to a radially outer circumferential face of the calking die and which is intended for at least partially receiving the calked bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Florian Rispler
  • Patent number: 7231796
    Abstract: A roll-forming machine formed of a machine base, a plurality of sheet-transfer roll sets, and a plurality of forming roll sets and adapted for the formation of a C-shaped component or a Z-shaped component from a sheet material is disclosed to have an adjustment structure for adjusting the horizontal pitch between the left-side forming rolls and the right-side forming rolls, the vertical pitch between the first left-side forming toll and the second left-side and the vertical pitch between the first right-side forming roll and the second right-side forming roll, and the pitch between the impression roll and sheet-transfer roll of each sheet-transfer roll set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Inventor: Sen-Jung Chuang
  • Patent number: 7231794
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a rotational shaft having a worm, wherein a worm portion has a small bending amount. According to the method of the invention, a worm portion is formed at a worm forming portion by a rolling process with rolling dies, and a small diameter portion is formed at least at one axial end of the worm forming portion, wherein a diameter of the small diameter portion is smaller than a diameter of a bottom of a worm tooth to be formed at the worm forming portion, so that surplus material portion of the worm forming portion can flow toward the small diameter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: ASMO Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Kidowaki
  • Patent number: 7231795
    Abstract: An automatic rolling machine with flat chasers, comprising a motionless plate and a movable plate. The movable plate is fixed to a supporting structure that has a reciprocating motion actuated by means of a spindle, crank and linkage, the spindle being supported by a base. The base comprises a first motionless part, which is rigidly coupled to the frame of the machine, and a second movable part, which constitutes the support for the spindle, the position of the movable part with respect to the motionless part being adjustable by a means for varying the position of the movable part with respect to the motionless part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: S.M.A.R.T., S.R.L.
    Inventor: Enrico Ghezzi
  • Patent number: 7228721
    Abstract: A guide mechanism for use with a sheet bending brake has a clamping member having a lower leg extending therefrom, a pivot arm and a guide mechanism. The pivoting arm being pivotally supported by and extending from the clamping member to define a clamping area with the lower leg. The guide mechanism reacts between the clamping member and the pivoting arm for moving the pivoting arm between an open position and a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Tapco International Corporation
    Inventor: Michael C. Clark
  • Patent number: 7225659
    Abstract: A punch press tool includes a cylindrical punch guide in which a punch body provided with a punch tip for press forming is fit slidably. The punch tip consists of an appropriate number of long forming punch tips each including a press forming portion in the leading end thereof. The punch tip also consists of an appropriate number of clamping punch tips each with a shorter length compared with the forming punch tips. Both of the tips are attached to the punch body detachably and exchangeably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kazuo Tomita
  • Patent number: 7222511
    Abstract: A process of forming bend-controlling structures, such as slits, grooves or displacements (22), in a sheet of material (21, 121, 221, 321, 421, 521, 621, 721). The bend-controlling structures (22) have central portions (26) extending substantially parallel to a desired bend line (23) on the sheet and end portions (27) which diverge away from the bend line (23). In one embodiment the process includes the step of forming the bending straps (24) between pairs of slit end portions (27) at a desired spaced apart distances along the bend line (23) with the straps (24) having a desired configuration, and the step of forming central portions (26) which connect the end portions (27) to complete the slits (22) using a separate die set. A plurality of end portion dies (51/54) can be used to produce end portions (27) of various shapes and straps (24) of various widths, and a single set of central portion forming dies (71/74) are used to connect the end portions (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Industrial Origami, Inc.
    Inventors: Max W. Durney, Philip M. Arnold
  • Patent number: 7219525
    Abstract: A work transfer apparatus for transferring a work within a press or between presses is provided which includes at least a pair of lift beams and carriers movable along a longitudinal direction of the lift beams. A pair of guides are provided on the carriers, and a pair of sub-carriers are movable along the guides in a carrier moving direction by a linear motor which moves the pair of sub-carriers in the carrier moving direction. A cross bar is laterally spanned between the sub-carriers and is provided with a work holding unit which is capable of holding the work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiichirou Kawamoto