Patents Examined by Erin B Saad
  • Patent number: 12269113
    Abstract: The present invention includes a joining process in which a first metal member and a second metal member are joined with an auxiliary member interposed therebetween by moving a rotary tool along a butted portion in a state where the rotary tool being rotated is inserted only from a front face side of the auxiliary member, only a stirring pin is in contact with the auxiliary member, a base end side of the stirring pin is exposed, and an outer circumferential face of the stirring pin is slightly in contact with the first metal member and the second metal member, and the auxiliary member is provided with an inclined face on at least one side face in such a form that the auxiliary member has a smaller dimension with increasing distance from a front face, and at least one of the first metal member and the second metal member is provided with an inclined face corresponding to the inclined face of the auxiliary member and inclined from the front face toward a back face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobushiro Seo, Keita Oikawa, Ryo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12269109
    Abstract: A wire bonding capillary made of materials of differing hardness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Inventors: Jeffrey C. Roberts, Jeffrey Taylor
  • Patent number: 12269111
    Abstract: A machine tool and a control method for the machine tool, which determine the degree of misalignment during friction joint, are provided. The machine tool (an automatic lathe 1) includes: a first spindle 10 rotatably holding a first workpiece (a workpiece W1); a second spindle 20 arranged to face the first spindle and rotatably holding a second workpiece (a remaining workpiece W2); and a controller 40a, while rotating at least one of the first workpiece or the second workpiece, relatively moving the first spindle and the second spindle so as to get closer to each other and pushing a rear end portion of the second workpiece against a front end portion of the first workpiece to frictionally join the first and second workpieces. The controller has a misalignment amount detector detecting a misalignment amount s of the second workpiece with respect to the first workpiece during the friction joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ayako Kitakaze
  • Patent number: 12263542
    Abstract: Properties and performance of weld material between metals in a weldment is controlled by modifying one or more of the nitrogen content and the carbon content to produce carbide (e.g. MC-type), nitride and/or complex carbide/nitride (e.g. MX-type) type precipitates. Fusion welding includes (i) adjusting shield gas composition to increase nitrogen/carbon gas and nitride/carbide species, (ii) adjusting composition of nitrogen/carbon in materials that participate in molten welding processes, (iii) direct addition of nitrides/carbides (e.g. powder form), controlled addition of nitride/carbide forming elements (e.g. Ti, Al), or addition of elements that increase/impede solubility of nitrogen/carbon or nitride/carbide promoting elements (e.g. Mn), and (iv) other processes, such as use of fluxes and additive materials. Weld materials have improved resistance to different cracking mechanisms (e.g., hot cracking mechanisms and solid state cracking mechanisms) and improved tensile related mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: BWXT Nuclear Operations Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank A. Argentine
  • Patent number: 12266556
    Abstract: A method of adjusting a tilt between a bonding tool assembly and a support structure assembly of a bonding system is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) bringing a bonding tool assembly of a bonding system into contact with a support structure assembly of the bonding system; (b) sensing a vacuum leakage at an interface between the bonding tool assembly and the support structure assembly; and (c) adjusting a tilt of at least one of (i) the bonding tool assembly and (ii) the support structure assembly in response to the vacuum leakage sensed in step (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Tarabulski
  • Patent number: 12257643
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for increasing the speed and increasing the stability of the welding pin in friction stir welding with the following device features: a) a tool drive has a retaining flange for a cone-shaped tool cover with a union nut; b) an annular retaining ring surrounds a pin shank with a tool shoe secured to the diameter of the retaining ring, wherein the tool shoe has a smoothing and compressing surface in the region of the pin tip for smoothing the weld seam, wherein the pin shank has the width of the tool shoe; c) the pin tip has an annular friction surface which surrounds a screw conveyor for the output of material transport from the pin tip, which has a thread running in the opposite direction to the thread of the pin tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: GRENZEBACH MASCHINENBAU GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Weigl
  • Patent number: 12257651
    Abstract: A high-strength welding wire includes, in weight percentage, 5.8% Cu, 0.2% Mn, 0.1% V, 0.2% Zr, 0.2% Si, 0.3% Fe, 0.1% Zn, 1.4% compensation element, 0.2% hydrogen evolution element, 1.2% nanoceramic particle, and Al for the balance. Various powdered raw materials are mixed, wrapped with an aluminum strip, rolled and subjected to wiredrawing to form the high-strength welding wire. In a welding method for the high-strength welding wire, a K-shaped groove is formed between a stringer and a panel, and an inclined angle of the welding gun and a distance between the welding gun and the weld are adjusted. Then the angle between the wire-feeding tube and the welding gun and the striking mechanism and the weld are adjusted. Protective gas is supplied to the welding pool, and a laser is activated to perform welding. A striking mechanism is started to strike the weld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS
    Inventors: Xiaohong Zhan, Jianfeng Wang, Yue Li, Yanqiu Zhao
  • Patent number: 12255062
    Abstract: A method includes performing a plasma activation on a surface of a first package component, removing oxide regions from surfaces of metal pads of the first package component, and performing a pre-bonding to bond the first package component to a second package component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Xin-Hua Huang, Ping-Yin Liu, Hung-Hua Lin, Hsun-Chung Kuang, Yuan-Chih Hsieh, Lan-Lin Chao, Chia-Shiung Tsai, Xiaomeng Chen
  • Patent number: 12251772
    Abstract: A method of securing an insert in a preselected region of a workpiece. An opening wall is formed in the workpiece with an opening wall surface defining an opening to produce a remainder segment of the workpiece. The opening encompasses or coincides with the preselected region. An insert is provided to fit in the opening. An insert heated portion and a remainder segment heated portion are heated to a hot working temperature, at which they are plastically deformable. While the insert is subjected to an engagement motion, to move the insert relative to the remainder segment, an insert engagement surface of the insert is pressed against the opening wall surface, for plastic deformation of the insert heated portion and of the remainder segment heated portion, creating a metallic bond between the insert and the remainder segment. The insert and the remainder segment are allowed to cool, to bond them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Inventor: Paul Po Cheng
  • Patent number: 12246389
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a steel joined body having a plurality of steels joined together, the method comprising: disposing a carbonaceous material on at least one joining surface of steels to be joined together; overlapping joining surfaces of the steels to be joined together having the carbonaceous material interposed between the joining surfaces; and heating the steels having the joining surfaces overlapped at a maximum temperature of 1150° C. or higher and 1500° C. or lower, the carbonaceous material being disposed to generate a liquid phase on the joining surfaces at the maximum temperature, the carbon concentration in a joint interface after high frequency induction heating was adjusted to 0.20 mass % or higher and 2.10 mass % or lower by controlling a heating and holding time at the maximum temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Neturen Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuya Suzuki, Masahiro Tsukahara, Osamu Idohara, Setsuo Takaki
  • Patent number: 12246391
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a friction stir welding tool insert comprising a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, PCBN, composite material with a textured surface layer. The textured surface layer comprises a pre-defined repeating pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Element Six (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Teresa Rodriguez Suarez, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, Maria Louise Cann, Josquin Pfaff
  • Patent number: 12246390
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a two-piece friction stir welding (FSW) tool insert. The tool insert has a longitudinal axis of rotation and comprises a stirring pin and an annular shoulder coaxially mounted about the stirring pin. The stirring pin and annular shoulder each comprise polycrystalline cubic boron nitride. The annular shoulder is a thin disc with a thickness of 1 to 12 mm and the shoulder comprises a tapered, central aperture, through which the stirring pin protrudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Element Six (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Santonu Ghosh, Stig Åke Andersin
  • Patent number: 12246376
    Abstract: A method of making a combined sinter-ready silver film and carrier comprises the steps of: a) creating a carrier comprising designed openings; b) casting a silver film layer into the designed openings, for example casting a silver paste; and c) drying the carrier and silver film layer to form the combined sinter-ready silver film and carrier. The carrier may comprise a plastic carrier, which may be created by permanently bonding two plastic films, using a plasma bonding process or using a temperature stable glue. The carrier may comprise a stencil layer and a backing layer. The stencil layer may define the designed openings. The backing layer may be configured for sealing a bottom of the designed openings, wherein at the start of step b), a top of the designed openings may be open for receiving the cast silver film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: ALPHA ASSEMBLY SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventors: Oscar Khaselev, Matthew James Siebenhuhner, Monnir Boureghda, Mike Marczi, Carl Bilgrien
  • Patent number: 12243802
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a chip assembly comprises joining an in-process unit to a printed circuit board; reflowing a bonding material disposed between and electrically connecting the in-process unit with the printed circuit board, the bonding material having a first reflow temperature; and then joining a heat distribution device to the plurality of semiconductor chips using a thermal interface material (“TIM”) having a second reflow temperature that is lower than the first reflow temperature. The in-process unit further comprises a substrate having an active surface, a passive surface, and contacts exposed at the active surface; an interposer electrically connected to the substrate; a plurality of semiconductor chips overlying the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate through the interposer, and a stiffener overlying the substrate and having an aperture extending therethrough, the plurality of semiconductor chips being positioned within the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Madhusudan K. Iyengar, Christopher Malone, Woon-Seong Kwon, Emad Samadiani, Melanie Beauchemin, Padam Jain, Teckgyu Kang, Yuan Li, Connor Burgess, Norman Paul Jouppi, Nicholas Stevens-Yu, Yingying Wang
  • Patent number: 12237202
    Abstract: A die bonding system comprising a heated bond head with the ability to heat up and cool down quickly, change tips to handle different sized dies, and load and unload tips automatically while maintaining the precision required to handle dies smaller than 200 um2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: MRSI Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Nicholas Samuel Celia, Jr., Cyriac Devasia
  • Patent number: 12233470
    Abstract: Device for thermal joining of a heat exchanger for a motor vehicle. The device has a first and a second locating elements and at least one heat source. The locating elements are designed with at least one thermal insulation and with mutually aligned contact surfaces for joining an object between them. At least one locating element is designed movably in relation to the other locating element. At least the first locating element has at least one thermal mass, which is heatable by means of the heat source. The second locating element has a support element with a contact surface for the object, while at least a first thermal mass of the first locating element has a contact surface for heating the object via heat conduction. Method for thermal joining with the device. The use of the method for manufacturing a heat exchanger of plate elements for a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: HANON SYSTEMS
    Inventors: David Bowring, Peter Friesen, Felix Girmscheid, Robin Sluzalek, Andreas Britner
  • Patent number: 12234535
    Abstract: The present invention provides a weathering steel for solid-state welding that forms an excellent weld when subjected to solid-state welding and has tensile properties equivalent or superior to those of high tensile strength steel, said steel having weathering properties superior to those of conventional weathering steel for welding, wherein the reliability of the weld is equivalent or superior to that of the parent material; and a weathering steel material for solid-state welding. Further, there is provided a solid-state welded structure that includes the weathering steel for solid-state welding according to the present invention, and a solid-state welding method for said weathering steel for solid-state welding. The weathering steel for solid-state welding having a steel composition comprises, in % by mass, C: 0.10 to 0.60% and P: more than 0.035 to 1.000%, with the remainder consisting of Fe and unavoidable impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: OSAKA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Fujii, Kohsaku Ushioda, Tomoya Nagira, Yoshiaki Morisada
  • Patent number: 12233473
    Abstract: A liner sleeve is secured within a host pipe of a bimetallic lined pipe by driving a spinning friction stir welding tool through the liner sleeve but not through the full wall thickness of the host pipe. This forms a thermo-mechanically affected welded zone in which metal of the liner sleeve is bonded with some metal of the host pipe. Relative movement between the spinning tool and the lined pipe extends the welded zone along a weld path. Where the pipe is mechanically lined, the welded zone extends along a previously unbonded outboard region that extends longitudinally from an inboard region at which the liner sleeve is bonded mechanically to the host pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: ACERGY FRANCE SAS
    Inventor: Gregory Alexandre Toguyeni
  • Patent number: 12226849
    Abstract: An ultrasonic tool including a first end face and a second end face opposite the first end face. A tool lateral surface connects the first and second end face. The ultrasonic tool is elongate in a longitudinal direction of the tool, wherein at least the first end face is designed as a connection contact surface that is arranged for pressing the ultrasonic tool against a connection component, wherein the ultrasonic tool has an end region having the connection contact surface, which end region extends from the connection contact surface in the longitudinal direction of the tool over 15 mm, but at most one third of a length of the ultrasonic tool, toward the opposite end face, and wherein a pocket-shaped and/or blind-hole-like recess having a recess lateral surface and having a recess floor facing the connection contact surface is formed at the tool lateral surface in the end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Hesse GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Unger, Michael Broekelmann, Matthias Hunstig, Hans-Juergen Hesse
  • Patent number: 12220761
    Abstract: A friction stir welding (FSW) tool includes a pin, a housing, and a shoulder. The pin is configured to extend through a joint line between edges of two work pieces. The pin rotates to perform a FSW process that welds the two work pieces together at the joint line. The housing is coupled to a distal end of the pin to enable rotation of the pin relative to the housing. The pin extends through a support surface of the housing. The support surface contacts respective inner surfaces of the work pieces during the FSW process. The shoulder surrounds the pin and is configured to be rotated during the FSW process. The shoulder contacts respective outer surfaces of the work pieces during the FSW process such that the work pieces are sandwiched between the shoulder and the support surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Philip Shemkunas, Scott Anthony Rose, Mario A. Reyes, Sean Michael Thuston