Patents Examined by Ed Tolan
  • Manufacturing method for metal design panel
    Patent number: 7021112
    Abstract: A metal design panel is constituted by a surface decorative member and a thermoplastic resin member, which are firmly and integrally combined together. A plurality of through holes or dimples are formed at prescribed positions of a metal plate panel, which serves as a surface decorative member, in conformity with an outline of a product completed in manufacture. The metal plate panel is subjected to trimming to remove an unwanted peripheral portion, thus extracting a metal plate therefrom. The metal plate is arranged in a metal mold, into which a melted thermoplastic resin is injected to form a resin layer, which is firmly combined with the metal plate. Alternatively, a core member is formed and extracted from the metal plate panel and is combined with a resin layer upon injection molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Nakada
  • Vehicle frame straightening jig
    Patent number: 7017384
    Abstract: A vehicle frame and unibody straightening jig has eight joints, each including a socket for connecting a pulling tower assembly. A spider joint at one end of the jig includes five spaced sockets radiating within a 180° arc. Multiple pulling towers can be installed side-by-side on the same side of a vehicle. The jig also includes lateral support legs or outriggers pivotable about a 90° arc and foldable against the spine to reduce the width of the jig for storage. Clamps are mounted on the outriggers for connecting the jig to a vehicle frame or unibody, The clamps are adjustable along the length of the legs to permit connection of the jig with a wide variety of vehicle frames and unibody structures. The jig also includes a carriage assembly with wheels for easy positioning beneath a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Inventor: Michael Espinosa
  • Methods of forming aluminum-comprising physical vapor deposition targets; sputtered films; and target constructions
    Patent number: 7017382
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of forming an aluminum-comprising physical vapor deposition target. An aluminum-comprising mass is deformed by equal channel angular extrusion. The mass is at least 99.99% aluminum and further comprises less than or equal to about 1,000 ppm of one or more dopant materials comprising elements selected from the group consisting of Ac, Ag, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, C, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Ho, In, Ir, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, N, Nb, Nd, Ni, O, Os, P, Pb, Pd, Pm, Po, Pr, Pt, Pu, Ra, Rf, Rh, Ru, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, Ta, Tb, Te, Ti, Tl, Tm, V, W, Y, Yb, Zn and Zr. After the aluminum-comprising mass is deformed, the mass is shaped into at least a portion of a sputtering target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir M. Segal, Jianxing Li, Frank Alford, Stephane Ferrasse
  • Method and forming machine for deforming a hollow workpiece
    Patent number: 7013690
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and forming machine for deforming a hollow workpiece having at least one open end, wherein the workpiece is clamped down in a clamping device, at least one forming tool is placed into contact with the surface of the workpiece, the workpiece and this forming tool are rotated relative to each other about an axis, and the workpiece is deformed by means of the forming tool. During at least part of the deforming, the forming tool is being moved back and forth at a frequency that is substantially equal to or a multiple of the frequency of the rotation of the deformed part or the part to be deformed of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Inventor: Johan Massee
  • Method for drawing continuous fiber
    Patent number: 7013695
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for drawing continuous metallic wire having a first diameter to a metallic fiber having a reduced second diameter. A feed mechanism moves the wire at a first linear velocity. A laser beam heats a region of the wire to an elevated temperature. A draw mechanism draws the heated wire at a second and greater linear velocity for providing a drawn metallic fiber having the reduced second diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Inventors: Nathaniel R. Quick, Aravinda Kar, Yonggang Li, Raymond R. McNeice
  • Valve guide grooving tool
    Patent number: 7013692
    Abstract: A tool for grooving an outer surface of a valve guide comprising a tool body, a tightening nut disposed about a portion of the tool body, one or more rollers rotatably mounted within a bushing, and a handle for rotating the one or more rollers of the tool about the outer surface of the valve guide, wherein the tool is capable of grooving the outer surface of the valve guide while the cylinder head is mounted to an engine. The grooves on the outer surface of the valve guide allow the valve stem seal to grip the valve guide more effectively, thereby improving the retention force on the valve guide. As a result, the movement of the valve stem seal is minimized. A method of using the tool is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy A. Hegemier
  • Peripheral length adjusting apparatus and peripheral length adjusting method for endless metallic ring
    Patent number: 7013691
    Abstract: In a peripheral length adjusting apparatus and a peripheral length adjusting method for an endless metallic ring, an endless metallic ring is wound on plural rollers, and an interval between the plural rollers is enlarged such that the endless metallic ring is stretched while the plural rollers are rotated, whereby the endless metallic ring is plastically deformed and a peripheral length of the endless metallic ring is adjusted to a target peripheral length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Shimoda
  • Device for holding at least one roller of a rolling machine
    Patent number: 7010952
    Abstract: A device for holding at least one roller of a rolling machine that can rotate about a rotational axis includes two holding arrangements that can be arranged on opposite faces of the roller viewed in the direction of the rotational axis. The device further includes at least two coupling parts each configured for a coupled mode and an uncoupled mode. A first of the two coupling parts has at least one, preferably essentially straight first groove, and has a second groove that does not run parallel to the first groove. A second of the two coupling parts includes a first coupling element and a second coupling element, wherein the first coupling element projects further outward from the second coupling part than the second coupling element. In at least one implementation, the roller can be detached or removed from the holding arrangements when the holding arrangements are in uncoupled mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Langenstein & Schemann GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Hofmann, Stelios Katsibardis, Siegfried Hausdörfer, Henry Zwilling, Günther Vogler
  • Self-attaching female fasteners and method of forming female fastener elements
    Patent number: 7011584
    Abstract: A method of forming a female fastener including rolling a body portion strip having a midportion and flange portions on opposed sides of the midportion, piercing spaced openings through the midportion, cutting the strip to length between the openings, cold forming a separate generally cylindrical pilot portion having a length greater than the width of the midportion and a diameter greater than the opening through the midportion, preferably including radial splines, and press fitting the pilot portion through the opening in the midportion. The self-attaching female fastener thus includes a rectangular body portion and a generally cylindrical pilot portion having an end face spaced above a plane of the midportion and may be formed of a harder metal than the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Whitesell International Corporation
    Inventors: Richard P. Ward, John J. Vrana
  • Rotating head
    Patent number: 7007533
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device called a rotating head which is used to deform the edge of the points or nibs of ball-point pens. The inventive device has two rotating rolls which are installed so that they can pivot freely in the rotating head. The rotating rolls can turn freely around aligned axes. The rolls each have forming disks and are arranged to define a gap between the front surfaces of the forming disks. A tongue having a V-shaped end face is disposed in the gaps and can be moved against a spring. The tongue engages a tip ball in a nib positioned between the rotating rolls to be formed into a finished nib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Société Bic
    Inventors: David Schmitz, Anne Schmitz
  • Manufacturing process of a clinch nut and clinch nut achieved by such a process
    Patent number: 7004845
    Abstract: A manufacturing process of a clinch nut consists in forming a recess zone in a rough casting by cold heading so as to obtain a rough part. The rough part then undergoes a thermal annealing treatment followed by a cold heading operation enabling a bore to be formed designed to contain an internal thread. The internal thread is preferably achieved by tapping by upsetting material from the bore of the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Bollhoff Otalu s.a.
    Inventor: Patrice Brun
  • Apparatus for forming a flange at the end of a conduit
    Patent number: 7003998
    Abstract: Apparatus for shaping a conduit to form a radially outwardly projecting flange at an end thereof includes a holding fixture, a collar surrounding the conduit disposed in an opening in the holding fixture, rotation imparting structure engaging the collar for simultaneously rotating the collar and the conduit and a flange forming tool connected to the holding fixture engaging a conduit end to apply bending forces to the conduit to form the flange when the conduit is rotated. The apparatus also includes a conduit cutter for cutting the conduit to form the end prior to flange formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Inventor: Philip E. Smith
  • Method of making a hardened motor-vehicle part of complex shape
    Patent number: 7004004
    Abstract: A hardened steel part of complex shape is made from a workpiece by first heating the workpiece to an annealing temperature. Then, while the workpiece is still at the annealing temperature, the workpiece is rapidly deformed by a machine into an intermediate shape. The deformed workpiece is then moved from the machine to a press, and, while the workpiece is still at the annealing temperature, it is deformed in the press to the complex shape and then held in the press to harden the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Arns, Hans-Jürgen Knaup
  • Hydrotapping power unit
    Patent number: 7003995
    Abstract: A hydrotapping power unit is disclosed that is operable to hold a hydrotapping tool in a home position adjacent a part while the latter is being hydroformed in a die cavity, to then advance the tool to pierce a hole in the hydroformed part while the part remains in the die cavity and under pressure and then continue to advance the tool to inwardly extrude the part about the hole, to then further advance while also rotating the tool at a feed rate equal to the thread pitch of the tool to thereby form a thread in the pierced hole, and finally retract while also rotating the tool but in the reverse direction and at the same feed rate to release the tool from the threaded hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Mircea M. Ghiran, Spyros P. Mellas, David R. Jensen, Paul D. Larsen
  • Deformation of thin walled bodies
    Patent number: 7004000
    Abstract: A thin walled body such as a container is gripped at a holding station and tooling is engaged to deform the wall of the body at a predetermined zone. The predetermined wall zone is co-aligned with the tooling by means of co-ordinated movement of the tooling (typically by means of rotation about a tooling axis) prior to engagement with the wall zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Envases (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Santiago Garcia Campo, Juan Salz Goiria
  • Deformation on thin walled bodies
    Patent number: 7003999
    Abstract: A thin walled body such as a container (1) is gripped at a holding station and tooling (10) is engaged to deform the wall of the body at a predetermined zone. The predetermined wall zone is co-aligned with the tooling (10) by means of coordinated movement of the tooling (10) (typically by means of rotation about a tooling axis) prior to engagement with the wall zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Envases (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Santiago Garcia Campo, Juan Saiz Goiria
  • Wear resistant nail manufacturing tool inserts
    Patent number: 7004846
    Abstract: A clamping jaw assembly and cutter assembly employed in machinery used to manufacture nails, screws, rivets, and similar objects starting with wire material. The invention includes a groove design having a smooth wave that reduces the wear rate of the groove improving the life expectancy of the hard material clamping jaw insert. A clamping jaw assembly and cutting assembly that are both easily accessible for permitting quick replacement and/or indexing of the carbide-clamping inserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Kennametal Inc.
    Inventors: Joe L. Hurst, Michael P. Kimmel
  • System for forming an elongated container
    Patent number: 7000445
    Abstract: A system for forming a cup used in forming an elongated container including a draw-redraw station including a movable platen carrying a punch shell; a punch core riser, a punch core mounted on the punch core riser; and a first, fluidly actuated pressure sleeve; and a fixed base carrying a pressure pad; a die core ring; and a die core; the punch shell being movable toward the die core ring to wipe the blank over the die core ring to form an inverted cup; the punch core being movable toward the die core to reverse draw the inverted cup and form the cup; and the die core ring engaging the material against the punch core during the reverse draw to control metal thickness; and a cooling assembly including a chiller, a coolant passage formed in the punch core and fluidly connected to the chiller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Stolle Machinery Company, LLC
    Inventors: Mark E. Hepner, Barry Lippert
  • Decontamination of RPET through particle size reduction
    Patent number: 6997407
    Abstract: Contaminants are removed from RPET flakes by a process which includes the steps of comminuting the RPET flakes to produce RPET particles and driving the contaminants out from the RPET particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Plastic Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald W. Hayward, Alison S. Martin, Francis M. Schloss
  • Long barrel T-nut
    Patent number: 6997814
    Abstract: An elongated T-nut fastener is formed from a single piece of material. The fastener includes a barrel and a flange, with a threaded portion in the barrel and an unthreaded portion beyond the threaded portion. Fastening sites are provided at spaced locations along the length of the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
    Inventors: William J. Curley, Jr., James F. Norkus, James A. Head