Patents Examined by Dimple N. Bodawala
  • Patent number: 7316556
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing individual dough products, comprising the steps of conveying a continuous dough sheet along a travel path, engaging a first die cutter with a first portion of the dough sheet to cut a first portion of the peripheral shape of at least one dough product, then conveying the continuous dough sheet along the travel path and engaging the second die cutter with the first portion of the dough sheet to cut a second portion of the peripheral shape of at least one dough product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: General Mills Marketing, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas C. Maniak, Susan Y. deWerff, Amy B. Larson Kolbe, Sherri A. Slocum
  • Patent number: 7311507
    Abstract: The identification and location of possible faults of operation and/or installation of a hot runner are obtained through the measurement of the absorption of power by the heating resistors applied to the arms and to the injectors of the hot runner. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the power absorbed by the resistors also enables identification of the type of possible faults and the corresponding seriousness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Inglass S.p.A.
    Inventors: Dario Girelli, Peter Dal Bo
  • Patent number: 7311510
    Abstract: Disclosed is a die (10) for forming a honeycomb body having a structure provided with groovy slits (2) on a front face thereof, the slits being formed by cell blocks (3) and back holes (4) on a back surface thereof, each hole being communicatively connected with the slit. The number N of the cell blocks per one side of the die is even number. According to the die for forming the honeycomb body, strain generated on an extruded face of the honeycomb body after extrusion and bending of the honeycomb body can be reduced as well as the die can maintain a stable frictional force of extrusion and is excellent in extrudability and wear resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Nate, Takahisa Kaneko, Masayuki Hironaga, Yuji Deguchi
  • Patent number: 7309225
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a body having a first area and a second area separated by a recess. The recess is dimensioned to reduce, if not prevent, a liquid moving along a surface of the body from traveling between the first and second areas. One or more alignment marks may be positioned within one of the first and second areas. In this manner, the recess functions as a moat by reducing, if not preventing, a quantity of the liquid from being in superimposition with the alignment marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian M. McMackin, Pankaj B. Lad
  • Patent number: 7306194
    Abstract: A mold for producing a ceramic heat shield element having a mold shell is provided. The mold shell comprises a plurality of mold surfaces and a casting aperture for pouring in a ceramic material. The mold shell is embodied as a single-piece mold shell during casting, and the casting aperture is embodied as an aperture in one of the mold surfaces. Separating or retaining elements enable graded or reinforced heat shield elements to be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Grote, Andreas Heilos, Marc Tertilt
  • Patent number: 7303382
    Abstract: A conveying apparatus for directing material into a die. The die includes a material opening to accept the material from a material feed system and is positioned in a press. The conveying system comprises a frame, including a front stanchion, a rear stanchion, a first side, and a second side. The first side is spaced a first distance from the second side and the front stanchion is spaced a second distance from the rear stanchion. A plurality of horizontal supports is operatively attached to first and second sides and spans the first distance. A plurality of horizontally expanding cross members is also included wherein each cross member supports one of the horizontal supports and is operatively connected to adjacent cross members. The cross members are positioned to vary the second distance. A vertical displacement device is operatively attached to the plurality of horizontal supports to vertically position the plurality of horizontal supports to direct the material to the material opening of the die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Bennett Tool & Die Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Jefferey W. Bennett
  • Patent number: 7296989
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for continuously producing elongated siding panels is disclosed. The apparatus includes a conveyor, a plurality of mold plates, and a die for extruding a sheet of material onto the mold plates. The mold plates are formed of a rigid material and positioned adjacent one another and supported by the conveyor for forming the elongated siding panels. Each of the mold plates has an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion with an intermediate portion therebetween. The intermediate portion has an aesthetic pattern for imparting the pattern to the sheet of material with the adjacent mold plates having different aesthetic patterns. The lower edge portion has a lower leg extending substantially perpendicular from the intermediate portion defining a horizontal plane and a projection portion between the lower edge portion and the intermediate portion extends beyond the horizontal plane for imparting a jagged pattern to the intermediate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: MTP, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel W. King
  • Patent number: 7294304
    Abstract: There is disclosed a die for forming a honeycomb structure and a method of manufacturing the honeycomb structure by use of the die, in which variations of cell pitches are suppressed in a central portion and the vicinity of an outer periphery after drying and firing an extruded honeycomb structure, and the honeycomb structure having a uniform cell pitch can be manufactured. A die 1 for forming a honeycomb structure has a front surface provided with groovy slits 2 formed between cell blocks 3 and a back surface provided with back holes 4a communicating with the slits 2. The die 1 has a structure in which a pitch P of the adjacent cell blocks 3 is enlarged from a central portion of the front surface toward an outer periphery in a stepwise manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihisa Wada, Tomohiro Iida, Jiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 7293977
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to produce concrete moulded blocks, using a mould which is subjected to a vibrating process. Said mould comprises a frame (FR) and a moulding insert (FE) which is maintained therein. A device comprising receiving elements arranged in said moulding insert (FE) for receiving a displacement sensor (SE) is provided, in addition to an arrangement comprising said device and at least one sensor. The invention discloses advantageous embodiments and arrangements of said receiving elements. The arrangement of the sensor (SE) on the moulding insert (FE) is particularly advantageous and provides an additional displacement variable for relative displacement between the moulding insert and the frame by combining the displacement variables of a sensor (SE) on the moulding insert (FE) and a sensor (SE) on the frame (FR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: KOBRA Formen GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Braungardt, Erwin Schmucker
  • Patent number: 7290999
    Abstract: A die plate for an extruder is coupled directly to a fluid-driven motor on one side and to an extruder on the other side. Suitable fluid inlet and outlet passages are formed in the die plate to supply the motor with fluid and withdraw fluid. A cutter assembly includes a housing to receive the motor within and is coupled for rotation to an output shaft from the motor, so that in use blades mounted on the housing are caused to rotate into the path of extrudate and to sever it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: John T. Farnsworth, Jack K. Boatman
  • Patent number: 7284741
    Abstract: A candle melting system includes a candle shaper having a guard that operatively separates a handle from a wax cutting blade is thermally controlled by a heating assembly. The candle melting system also includes a candle mold that includes an outer kiln that is sized to accommodate an inner mold. In some embodiments, the inner mold includes a heat sink positioned near the bottom of the inner mold. The candle mold includes a wick placement assembly configured to hold a wick in place so that wax can be melted around the wick to form a custom candle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Access International Inc.
    Inventor: Jillianne Pierce
  • Patent number: 7281919
    Abstract: A system for controlling a volume of liquid on a mold that features a body defining a volume with an aperture formed into the body and positioned proximate to the mold. A pump system is in fluid communication with the body, and the aperture and the pump system are established to create a stream of fluid moving between the mold and the volume. In this manner a quantity of fluid is removed while retained upon the mold is a desired portion of the fluid to undertake imprint lithographic processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Shackleton, Ian M. McMackin, Pankaj B. Lad, Van N. Truskett