Patents Examined by David Jones
  • Patent number: 6705150
    Abstract: A raised panel door section (22, 54, 64) for an overhead garage door (20, 50, 60) includes a sheet metal layer (32, 56, 66) formed from sheet metal stock (74) that is embossed to produce a raised panel design by an automated method that selects one of a first die set (84) and a second die set (90) in response to a predetermined embossment style, installs the selected one of the first and second die sets (84, 90) into an embossing press (36) and embosses the sheet metal stock (74) with the predetermined embossment style. The predetermined embossment style includes one of a vertical raised panel design (30), a horizontal raised panel design (52), and a horizontal long raised panel design (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: 1st United Door Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John F. Jellá
  • Patent number: 6694721
    Abstract: An ornamental chain element having a hollow body constituted by two complementary portions (3; 4) provided with co-operating internal snap-fastening members (5-6; 8-11). The hollow body is shaped to retain at least one link member (14; 15) for linking it to an adjacent element of the chain, and contains internally a locking member (12) for locking the snap-fastening means in their assembled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Cartier International B.V.
    Inventor: Luis Gomez
  • Patent number: 6694789
    Abstract: A system for shot peening that includes an enclosure in which are provided a workpiece W to be shot peened and a nozzle for projecting the shot particles. A memory stores data for maximizing the anticipated shot-peening intensity at the workpiece based on the predetermined conditions of the shot peening. Then a calculating circuitry determines the conditions of the shot peening to be carried out in the system to maximize an anticipated shot-peening intensity at the workpiece based on the stored data from the memory and the selected type of the shot-peening process to be applied to the workpiece before the shot particles have been actually projected. The nozzle is then actuated under the determined conditions such that it projects the shot particles and directs them onto the workpiece. The shot-peening intensity of the actually projected shot particles at the workpiece is measured by a measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Sintokogio, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Yamamoto, Hideaki Kaga
  • Patent number: 6691546
    Abstract: The present invention includes both the device and the method for utilizing two wedge shaped halves to retract a stud used to deform rivet nut material, thereby setting the rivet nut. The tool consists of two wedge shaped halves and a stud passing through both halves, extending to receive the threads of an uncompressed rivet nut. A slide screw controls the wedging action, causing the stud to retract. A stabilizing member is utilized to resist the rotational forces created during activation of the slide screw. The slide screw allows the top wedge and bottom wedge to slidably relate to one another, allowing the stud to increasingly extend beyond the bottom wedge. The extended stud threads into a rivet nut which is then passed through a predrilled hole in the material to which the rivet nut is to be fastened. Upon activation, the slide screw causes the top wedge to slide along the bottom wedge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Inventor: Edward Kovalik
  • Patent number: 6688096
    Abstract: To provide a link bodies-connected cable drag chain, in which even in a case where a long flexible body C such as a cable, a hose or the like is incorporated a roller, which protects the flexible body, can be easily detached from the link bodies. The cable drag chain of the present invention is formed by articulately connecting a plurality of link bodies each having a pair of plates 22. Between the pair of plates 22 is rotatably provided a roller 24, which protects the flexible body. In the plate 22 is formed a through-hole 25 larger than the outer diameter of the roller 24, and to this through-hole 25 is detachably fit-secured a plug, which protects the dislodgement of the roller 24. When this plug 27 is removed the roller 24 can be easily detached from the through-hole 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
    Inventors: Toru Wada, Akihiko Utaki, Kazunori Nakayama, Masaaki Ikeda, Shoichiro Komiya, Takayuki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6684679
    Abstract: A pneumatic metal-work tool includes a punch assembly mounted on the front end of a hydraulic push-rod assembly. The hydraulic push-rod assembly has a hydraulic chamber mounted with a piston rod. One end of the piston rod is mounted in a center hole of a piston. When the control valve of the metal-work tool has a high pressure air entered the casing to drive the piston to move, the pressure air will be converted into a hydraulic force via the hydraulic chamber so as to have the hydraulic push rod provide a punch force, and to have a metal sheet in the opening of the punch assembly punched with a hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Inventor: Yu-Fu Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6675620
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a large area sheet metal part, in particular a body component for a vehicle, from a flat blank, provides that one sided pressurization with an active medium in a forming tool gives the flat blank a prestretched preform, and that then the preform, removed from the forming tool, is formed into the final shape in a separate deep drawing tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Rolf Heyll, Robert Koehr
  • Patent number: 6672121
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a hem flange in an aluminum alloy sheet during the forming of the sheet into a panel that is intended to be attached to a second panel by hemming. The hem flange is formed by fluid pressure over a small radius tool portion to bend the flange from the sheet material and stretch the flange material below the bend to form a thinned hemline valley in the material. The original bend and thinned valley cooperate during the folding of the flange around the second panel to form a flat pinched hem without cracking or fracturing the flange material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Carsley, Chongmin Kim, John Robert Bradley, George K. Nurminen
  • Patent number: 6672125
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an Invar tool includes the step of superplastically forming an Invar facesheet for the tool. A tool header is provided, and the Invar facesheet is then formed with an SPF diaphragm driver to match the predetermined contour of the tool header. The Invar facesheet is then welded to the tool header. Forming the Invar facesheet is achieved by positioning the Invar facesheet between a superplastically formable diaphragm and a die having the predetermined contour. The diaphragm is heated to a predetermined superplastic temperature, and a predetermined pressure is applied to the diaphragm. Application of the predetermined pressure allows the diaphragm to cause the Invar facesheet to form against the predetermined contour of the die. Superplastically forming the Invar facesheet results in a negligible amount of excess scrap, reduces material costs, and reduces labor costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Phillip E. Kenney, Jeffrey D. Fletcher, Dennis R. Malone, Lawrence B. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6672127
    Abstract: A metal sheet bending apparatus includes first and second lower bar molds each having a section of a semicircular shape. The first and second lower bar molds are rotatably provided in first and second concave portions of a support, respectively. First and second adjust screws are attached to first and second pull-up rods, respectively at an opposite side of the portions with respect to first and second stoppers. An upper mold is adapted to bend a metal sheet placed on metal contact surfaces of the first and second lower bar molds by pressing the metal sheet above a groove of the support while the first and second lower bar molds rotate against spring force given by first and second push springs such that the metal contact surfaces form a V-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Yuugenkaisha Taigaa Koosan
    Inventor: Takaaki Maida
  • Patent number: 6666013
    Abstract: A chain which does not generate hydrogen brittleness is formed with components having improved wear resistance. At least one part of the chain, for example a surface, is covered with a diamond-like amorphous carbon coating (DLC). Further, metallic particles are dispersed into the diamond-like amorphous carbon coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Tsubakimoto Chain Co.
    Inventors: Takerou Nakagawa, Shigeo Tamura
  • Patent number: 6662420
    Abstract: A hydraulic installation tool for installing fasteners is provided, that includes a housing having a first portion adapted to receive a drawbar and a second portion adapted to receive a piston, a gland and a retaining ring. A generally L-shaped drawbar is disposed in the first portion of the housing and a piston, a gland and a retaining ring is disposed in the second portion of the housing. The hydraulic installation tool is useful in securing lockbolt or swage type fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Huck International, Inc.
    Inventor: Hendrik E. Rosier
  • Patent number: 6662620
    Abstract: A crimping tool is provided including a rotary drive unit and removable extension arm with pivotal jaw arms. The removable extension arm is rotatable about its axis. A locking device is included in the jaw arm assembly such that the jaw arms may be securely positioned in a number of locations to accommodate various working angles. A logic circuit limits the movement of the jaw arms to one complete cycle for each trigger event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Baron, Michael O'Banion
  • Patent number: 6658907
    Abstract: A method for shot peening wherein peening shot having a Vickers hardness (Hv) in the range of 900-1100 and a Young's modulus of 200,000 MPa or less, is used, and wherein a treated article is obtained by such a method that has a maximum residual compressive stress of 1600 MPa or more and a surface roughness of 5 microns or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignees: Sintokogio, Ltd., Sintobrator, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihisa Inoue, Junkou Kurosaki, Kiyoshi Okumura, Kouji Kajita
  • Patent number: 6658837
    Abstract: The invention relates to a chain that consists of chain members with respective two inner flat links (1) that are parallel with respect to each other and two bushes (2) that are rigidly located between the inner flat links and that link two ends of said links each. The chain further comprises outer flat links (5) that interlink the chain members. Said outer flat links are parallel with respect to each other and hinge the ends of two adjacent chain members that face each other by rigidly linking each of the opposing ends with one respective end of the pin. Said opposing ends link two ends of two outer flat links which in turn link two chain members. Said pin is guided through a bush and is rotatably received therein. The bushes protrude at their two ends from the outer faces of the inner flat links that face the respective outer flat links and said protrusion is provided with at least one lubricant passage (6) that extends from the outer diameter to the inner diameter of the bush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Arnold & Stolzenberg
    Inventor: Erhard Vogt
  • Patent number: 6655186
    Abstract: A machine tool for manual actuation is proposed, in which an intermediate rotary bearing, which has a retaining handle, is disposed on the housing that receives the tool and an abutment, and a cantilevered beam which leads to a rotatable retaining device is secured to the intermediate rotary bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Pfleghar
  • Patent number: 6651472
    Abstract: A numerical control device for a bending machine includes a keyboard, a memory and a processor. The memory stores one or more groups of data, each containing bending conditions, a bend angle and at least one penetration depth. The memory further stores program instructions for searching whether data input with the keyboard is stored in the memory, in a same group of data, and that sends a signal to the bending machine so that the bending machine peforms bending according to the penetration depth included in the group of data. The processor that executes said program instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Amada Europe
    Inventor: Brahim Chebbi
  • Patent number: 6651301
    Abstract: A dual function adjustable hand tool including a head device having a hollow and a room. The hollow is coupled to the room and threaded on one side to screw with a pull-over member. The room further includes a leverage system. An adjusting device is placed between the lead device and the lower handle, and has at least one wheel that includes a hole, with a connecting shaft passing through it and a hole with a connecting rod passing through it. One side of the connecting rod couples to the second side of the leverage and the other side of the connecting rod screws to a sleeve which is coupled to the upper handle by a pin. The device further includes, a concavity and a wave spring; a setting device having a connecting nut, a setting rod and a setting nut wherein the connecting nut is screwed with the setting rod; and an assembly device including a connecting sleeve and a connecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Inventor: Yang-Ting Liu
  • Patent number: 6644091
    Abstract: A lower die (10) for a bending machine includes a support member (40) and a work member (60), manufactured separately. The support member defines a longitudinal groove (44) in an upper surface thereof, a pair of longitudinal V-shaped slots (48) in opposite side walls thereof, and a plurality of screw holes (42) in a bottom surface thereof. A pair of shoulders (46) is formed on opposite sides of the groove. The work member comprises a position portion (66) for being accommodated in the groove, a pair of projections (68, 70) for abutting against the shoulders, and an upper wedge-shaped groove (72) for shaping a workpiece. The lower die is secured on a die shoe (20 or 20′) by screws (12) which extend through the die shoe and engage with the screw holes, or by engagement of the V-shaped slots with V-shaped protrusions (29′) of the die shoe (20′).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fu-Shun Huang, Chun Lin Chang
  • Patent number: 6644082
    Abstract: A support medium is capable of being read by a numerical control system of a bending machine. The support medium stores program instructions for searching, in a memory region storing at least one group of data, each containing bending conditions, a bend angle and at least one penetration depth, whether input data including a desired bend angle and bending conditions are stored in the memory region, in a same group of data. The support medium sends a signal to the bending machine so that the bending machine executes a bending according to the penetration depth included in the same group of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Amada Europe
    Inventor: Brahim Chebbi