Patents Examined by Edmund Lee
  • Patent number: 9764521
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shoe part by injection molding a material into a mold where an insert is placed. The insert comprises at least two separable insert parts, an upper insert part and a lower insert part, providing an injection channel in the region of the separation area between the two parts. The insert is placed in the chamber and the injection material is injected through a sprue channel in the mold into the injection channel and into a cavity, whereby the shoe part is formed. The mold is opened after the injection material has cured and the insert is separated into the upper and lower insert parts, thereby exposing the cured material in the injection channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ECCO SKO A/S
    Inventor: Hans Christian Hansen
  • Patent number: 9764622
    Abstract: In the manufacturing of an operating element (10) for an air vent, a first partial element (12) is manufactured from a hard component in a first injection molding process and a second partial element (14) is manufactured from a soft component in a second injection molding process. The second partial element (14) forms a bearing (20) for a support of the operating element (10) on a vane (22) of the air vent. During its manufacture, the second partial element (14) is connected with the first partial element (12) by adhesion and/or by geometric shaping. The two partial elements (12, 14) that are captively connected with each other constitute a prefabricated unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Harald Noichl, Steve Kober
  • Patent number: 9751256
    Abstract: A joint molding apparatus for molding joints between composite panels comprising inflatable molding bladders connectable to a source of pressurized fluid. A bladder support structure supports the bladders in respective positions adjacent an intersection of panels where, when inflated, the bladders support a joint formed at the intersection of panels while an uncured portion of the joint is curing to hold the joint in a desired configuration at the panel intersection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Peter Zivich, Ashley J. Norris, Matthew Grant Swain
  • Patent number: 9750914
    Abstract: Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention fabricate objects using investment molding techniques. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating an object includes: fabricating a subassembly including a plurality of volumes; where each volume is defined by the homogenous presence or absence of a material; where fabricating the subassembly includes using an additive manufacturing process; where at least one of the plurality of volumes defines a shape that is to exist in the object to be fabricated; where at least a first of the plurality of volumes includes a first dissolvable material; dissolving the first dissolvable material; where the dissolution of the first dissolvable material does not dissolve at least one other material within the subassembly; forming at least one cavity within the subassembly; and introducing an additive material into the at least one cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: MetaMason, Inc.
    Inventors: Leslie Oliver Karpas, Aaron M. Ryan
  • Patent number: 9751265
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to securely and integrally join a metal and a resin, more particularly, a shaped titanium alloy substrate and a resin composition. A titanium alloy substrate is used that has undergone surface roughening by chemical etching or the like so as to have a ultrafine textured face in which bent, ridge-like protrusions having a width and height of from ten to a few hundred nanometers and a length of from a few to a few hundred microns rise up on the surface at a spacing period of from ten to a few hundred nanometers. A titanium alloy piece 1 with its surface treated is inserted into the cavity of a metallic mold for injection molding 10 and a specific resin composition 4 is injected to obtain an integrated composite 7. The main resin component of the resin composition 4 that is used can be a polyphenylene sulfide resin (PPS) or a polybutylene terephthalate resin (PBT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TAISEI PLAS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Naritomi, Naoki Andoh
  • Patent number: 9738018
    Abstract: A process for providing an overmolded waterway comprising inserting a shaft portion of a sacrificial core into an end of a tube, the shaft portion having a first opening therein, the sacrificial core having a second portion comprising a second opening and a contact surface about the second opening, the second opening in fluid communication with the first opening and the inside of the tube, in a mold cavity inserting a core pin transverse to the tube end, the sacrificial core contact surface engaging a mating surface of the core pin closing the second opening, injection overmolding over a portion of the tube end and core pin forming an overmolded waterway having an outlet portion in fluid communication with the second opening and the inside of the tube, and removing the core pin from the second opening through the outlet portion and removing the overmolded waterway from the mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Mercury Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard F. Seman, Earl Christian, Jr., William Blue, Scott R. Gardner, William Shane Hochstetler
  • Patent number: 9731456
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for manufacturing a functionally graded polymer material. The methods comprise preparing a melted polymer mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a magnetic filler dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer, molding the melted polymer mixture and applying a magnetic field to a portion of the melted polymer mixture to form a functionally graded polymer material. The resulting functionally graded polymer material has a magnetic filler gradient formed through a thickness of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Poovanna Theethira Kushalappa, Sudhakar Ramamoorthy Marur, Hariharan Ramalingam, Sadasivam Golakrishanan
  • Patent number: 9724859
    Abstract: The equipping of syringe barrels (11) with needles (25) takes place before the injection of the plastic, in which the needles (25) are introduced through the fixed part (5) of the injection mold (1) by a suitable transport device (transport rollers 33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: HUSKY INJECTION MOLDING SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventor: Lothar Zahn
  • Patent number: 9718212
    Abstract: A second mold is placed on a planar surface of a first mold to form a first mold cavity, which is filled with a first material slurry containing a first material powder and the molded slurry is caused to set, thereby forming a first molded part on the planar surface of the first mold. A third mold is placed on the planar surface of the first mold from which the second mold is removed and on which the first molded part is formed, thereby forming a second mold cavity. The second mold cavity is filled with a second material slurry which contains a second material powder different from the first material powder so as to mold the slurry in contact with the first molded part. The molded slurry is caused to set, thereby forming a second molded part on the planar surface of the first mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Yoshioka, Kimihisa Kaneko, Makoto Ohmori, Kenji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9718242
    Abstract: Briefly, the present disclosure provides a film, tape or outer layer of a composite part comprising: a) at least one layer comprising a crosslinked polymer selected from the group consisting of crosslinked polyurethane, crosslinked polyurea, and crosslinked mixed polyurethane/polyurea polymer; and in some embodiments b) an adhesive layer. In some embodiments the layer additionally comprises a non-crosslinked polymer forming a semi-IPN with the crosslinked polymer. In some embodiments the non-crosslinked polymer may be selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyurea, and mixed polyurethane/polyurea polymer. In some embodiments the crosslinked polymer may additionally comprise an acrylate-containing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ryan F. Marx, Gerald F. Fleischhacker
  • Patent number: 9718241
    Abstract: An orthopedic component having multiple layers that are selected to provide an overall modulus that is substantially lower than the modulus of known orthopedic components to more closely approximate the modulus of the bone into which the orthopedic component is implanted. In one exemplary embodiment, the orthopedic component is an acetabular shell. For example, the acetabular shell may include an outer layer configured for securement to the natural acetabulum of a patient and an inner layer configured to receive an acetabular liner. The head of a femoral prosthesis articulates against the acetabular liner to replicate the function of a natural hip joint. Alternatively, the inner layer of the acetabular shell may act as an integral acetabular liner against which the head of the femoral prosthesis articulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Zimmer, Inc.
    Inventors: Kirt Case, Oludele O. Popoola, Robby Kissling, Brion R. Mimnaugh, Archie Newsome, Clarence M. Panchison, Dirk Pletcher, Randy Schlemmer, Zhibin Fang, Juan Vivanco, Alicia Rufner, John Knight
  • Patent number: 9718088
    Abstract: A sealant forming nozzle is disposed to seal an object that a sectional shape in a first plane is a stair shape. The sealant forming nozzle includes a shaping section and a guide section. The shaping section includes a shaping surface orthogonal to the first plane, and a sealant output hole to supply a sealant to a space surrounded by the object and the shaping surface. The guide section has a guide surface. The guide surface is orthogonal to the first plane and formed to have a line contact with a corner section of an upper step of the stair shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Nawata, Akihito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9701067
    Abstract: A method is presented. The method comprises identifying a desired shape of a ply on a tool, in which the ply has a fiber orientation; identifying a cut shape for the ply, in which the cut shape is different than the desired shape; cutting a composite prepreg ply to have the cut shape, the composite prepreg ply having the fiber orientation; using a deformable carrier to apply the composite prepreg ply having the cut shape to the tool such that the composite prepreg ply has the desired shape on the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert D. Hawkins, Kurtis S. Willden, Andrew E. Modin, Edoardo Depase, Michael L. Glain, Benjamin Adam Mussi, Max U. Kismarton
  • Patent number: 9705369
    Abstract: A method of resin-sealing a laminated core, including inserting permanent magnets 24 into magnet insertion holes 18 of a core body 15, pressing the body 15 with upper and lower dies 11, 12, and injecting resin 29 to the holes 18 from a resin reservoir 17 of the die 11 or 12 via a runner 19 in a removable cull plate 14, one end of the runner 19 having plural resin injection holes 33, 34 per hole 18. The resin 29 presses the magnets 24 in the holes 18 to one sides in a radial direction of the holes 18. Thereby, resin-sealing is performed using the plate 14 and the magnets 24 are arranged in radially outward or inward sides even with narrow gaps between the magnets 24 and the holes 18 or without resin injection holes in centers in a width direction of the holes 18.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUI HIGH-TEC, INC.
    Inventor: Hisatomo Ishimatsu
  • Patent number: 9682502
    Abstract: A method of making a molded article having a curved surface, such as plates or serving trays, and the resulting molded articles. The in-mold label (IML) is a laminated film that includes a backing layer, a printed surface incorporating one or more designs thereon, a protective film layer, and one or more notches each having adjacent edges separated by a gap of predetermined distance and configured to intersect to ensure conformance of the IML to the angled or curved peripheral portion of the article. The article has front and back sides and a central portion bounded by a peripheral portion having a perimeter that is raised on the front side of the article wherein the peripheral portion transitions from the perimeter to the central portion by an angled surface, a curved surface or combinations thereof, with the article including the IML at least peripheral portion of the molded article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Modern Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin Shapiro, Christopher Wlezien, J. Joseph Tokich
  • Patent number: 9677200
    Abstract: A method for making carbon nanotube composite wire includes providing at least one carbon nanotube film. A graphene film is grown on a top surface of a substrate. The at least one carbon nanotube film is pasted with the graphene film. The substrate is removed to form a carbon nanotube/graphene composite film. The carbon nanotube/graphene composite film is curled and then twisted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiao-Yang Lin, Peng Liu, Li-Na Zhang, Kai-Li Jiang, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 9676159
    Abstract: A system and method for forming 3D printed structures includes printing an outer shell portion and filling an interior of the outer shell portion to form an inner portion. The outer shell portion and inner portion may have differing material properties. The outer shell portion may be anchored to the base component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoav Sterman, Todd A. Waatti
  • Patent number: 9669153
    Abstract: A process of making a tack-free gel is disclosed comprising the steps of providing a mold defining a mold cavity, the mold cavity comprising a plastic material; pouring or injecting a molten gel having a high molding temperature into the mold cavity; and forming the tack-free gel as a thin layer of plastic of the mold cavity is melted over the gel. The forming step further comprises cooling the gel from the molten state to a solidified state. The melting temperature of the plastic material is lower than the molding temperature of the gel; and the higher the temperature differential, the greater the melting of the plastic material and the thicker the layer of the plastic material on the surface of the gel. The mold may be formed of low-density polyethylene (LDPE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Medical Resources Corporation
    Inventors: Russell E. Ahlberg, Payam Adlparvar, Scott V. Taylor, Matthew A. Wixey, Daniel Martinez, John R. Brustad
  • Patent number: 9649795
    Abstract: Methods of joining members, forming molded portions with members, securing inserts with members, and joined members, such as for a frame or a frame for a fenestration unit, formed thereby, are disclosed. One embodiment of the method includes placing a first member with a first cavity in a joining position, placing a second member proximate the first cavity of the first member in the joining position, injecting a resin into the first cavity, allowing the resin to solidify at least partially to join the first member and second member to form a joined member, and removing the joined member from the joining position. Optionally, the joined member can be formed in a fixture, can include molded portions formed by the resin, and/or can include inserts held in place by the resin. Further, members without cavities can form a cavity that can receive the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Andersen Corporation
    Inventors: Jim Eggert, Dale Thompson, Paul Machacek, James T. Weglewski, Bryan Kendall, Troy Rubenzer
  • Patent number: 9649783
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing paving blocks having ornamented surface, and the apparatus includes a starting table, a filling carriage movable along a guide rail towards and above a forming having at least one mold cavity, and connected to the starting table is arranged, and in an interior space of the filling carriage a first chamber for receiving base material, and at least one second chamber for receiving ornamenting material are formed and separated by a septum, and a feeding device, for dispensing a mixture of ornamenting material is arranged in the second chamber and wherein the feeding device is formed by a metering plate provided with holes and a metering member fitted to and movable along the metering plate and further provided by an actuator for moving the metering member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Inventor: Arpad Barabas