Patents Examined by Essama Omgba
  • Method and apparatus for performing a search and feel assembly function
    Patent number: 9616532
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a search and feel function on a robot for installing parts on a workpiece. An air switch feature is provided on a gripper of the robot to determine the presence and proper placement of a part in a desired receptor location on the workpiece. The air switch feature is used to detect whether or not a particular part, such as a bolt or other part being inserted by the robot, has been properly gripped by the gripper, and whether the part has been properly placed in the desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Samuel J. Neumeier
  • Articulating fastener
    Patent number: 9618027
    Abstract: A fastener for insertion into aligned openings in articles and method of use, the fastener having a head having a width greater than a width of the opening, a neck having a width less than the width of the opening, a resilient shank having a width greater than the width of the opening. The shank having a tapered end and a U-shaped channel, to define a line of weakness to permit the shank to articulate between a normal position where the shank has a width greater than the width of the opening and an insertion position where the shank is bent to have a width less than the width of the opening. The shank resiliently returns to its normal position once pushed in and through the opening with the neck received within the opening, locking the fastener within the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Peter Gold
  • Riveting tool
    Patent number: 9616487
    Abstract: A riveting tool configured to install a plurality of fasteners simultaneously is provided including a body having a generally central cavity. A strike surface is arranged at a first end of the body and a plurality of contactors extends generally outwards from a second, opposite end of the body. Each contactor includes an engagement surface configured to contact a surface of an adjacent fastener when a force is applied to the strike surface. A biasing mechanism is arranged within the cavity adjacent an upper cavity surface. A dowel is positioned within the cavity adjacent the biasing mechanism. The dowel is configured to engage a portion of an adjacent nut plate and translate within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Edward E. Fast
  • System and method for replacing an engine powered air conditioning unit with an electric air conditioning unit in an aircraft
    Patent number: 9617005
    Abstract: A system and method of altering the air conditioning system in an aircraft so that the air conditioning system is electrically powered rather than engine powered. The aircraft is rid of the air conditioning components that are dedicated to the engine powered system. A new electric compressor, evaporator and condenser blower assembly are then installed. Heat exchanger units are installed in the areas of the aircraft that are to be cooled. The new air conditioning system has two circulatory loops. In a refrigerant loop, refrigerant is circulated between the electric compressor, evaporator and condenser. This cools the evaporator. The evaporator is then used to cool circulating liquid coolant. The coolant is circulated to the heat exchange units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Inventor: Peter Schiff
  • Crankshaft and method for producing the same
    Patent number: 9610633
    Abstract: In a crankshaft 200, one hole 213L formed in a crankpin 213 has a bottom surface having a larger area and a depth from a surface of the crankpin less than those of another hole 213M. In forming the hole 213L and the hole 213M, a preformed product 200 of the crankshaft having a shape smaller than that of a cavity is disposed in a die set and punches are simultaneously inserted into the crankpin 213. By this operation, the hole 213L and the hole 213M are simultaneously formed in each crankpin 213 of the preformed product 200.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Ohnuma, Tsutomu Ando, Yasuhiro Ito
  • Method of manufacturing an electrowetting device
    Patent number: 9612430
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrowetting device including forming a cavity between first and second support plates which narrows towards a constriction. The cavity is at least partly filled with second fluid to provide a reservoir for dispensing second fluid between the first and second support plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ivar Schram
  • Process for the manufacture of thin-walled elastoporous parts in the form of bushings in metal-rubber (MR)
    Patent number: 9610714
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of thin-walled elasto-porous elements in the form of bushings in metal-rubber material (MR), comprises the steps of: obtaining wire fragments in the form of spirals having a lead equal to the spiral diameter, forming a flat blank from said spiral segments; pressing the blank into a roll; placing the roll into a mold; placing some elastic medium inside said roll; and pressing the roll in several passes by axial compression together with the elastic medium elements transforming the axial compression into radial pressure on the roll to be compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Samara State Aerospace University
    Inventors: Danila Petrovich Davydov, Gennady Vasilievich Lazutkin, Petr Vladimirovich Bondarchuk, Alexander Ivanovich Ermakov, Tatiana Viktorovna Volkova
  • Automotive side view mirror attachment assembly and method of making same
    Patent number: 9610718
    Abstract: An automotive side view mirror attachment assembly includes a polymeric outer shell having a metal reinforcement member coupled thereto, wherein the polymeric outer shell forms form closures about connecting features of the metal reinforcement member, so as to provide an operably coupling between the polymeric outer shell and the metal reinforcing member that is secured by independent connection locations that are effective to support an external mirror assembly in multiple dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hubert Niessen, Andreas Thiessen, Michael Meyer, Helmut Olbricht
  • Heat-resistant roll, production method thereof, and method of producing sheet glass using heat-resistant roll
    Patent number: 9604867
    Abstract: A heat-resistant roll with improved characteristics, a production method thereof, and a method of producing sheet glass using the heat-resistant roll. A method of producing a heat-resistant roll equipped with a roll portion containing 5% by weight or more of clay includes: a grinding step (S101) of grinding a roll surface of the roll portion; and a surface treatment step (S102) of performing surface treatment of smoothening the ground roll surface in a wet state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NICHIAS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Nakayama, Daiji Tahara, Kouji Iwata, Kazuhisa Watanabe
  • Childproof, highly inert individual packaging
    Patent number: 9597852
    Abstract: A method for producing childproof, highly inert individual dose packagings for transdermal therapeutic systems or film-like forms of administration in the form of a sealing edge bag that can be peeled back with a complete surrounding and continuous sealing surface, comprising two packaging elements, that are arranged on top of each other and form the upper side and the bottom side of a bag containing the product, wherein at least one layer of the packaging material elements is a metal layer and at least one packaging material element a film laminate with at least three-layer design; and the outer layer of the at least three-layer film laminate comprises at least one line-shaped weakening that is not touching the edge of the packaging on the upper and bottom side and the line-shaped weakening has a reduced resistance to tear for opening the packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: LTS LOHMANN THERAPIE-SYSTEME AG
    Inventor: Markus Krumme
  • Apparatus and method for realizing a plurality of riveted connections along the surface of a workpiece
    Patent number: 9579712
    Abstract: A riveting apparatus for creating a plurality of rivet joints along the surface of a workpiece includes a tool device controllable by tool control data in order to create countersunk holes on the workpiece and to set countersunk rivets in the created countersunk holes. The riveting apparatus also includes a programmable control device to generate the tool control data for the tool device and an optical sensing device for optically sensing the workpiece surface and for supplying sensing data. The control device evaluates the sensing data in order to obtain geometric data that represent at least one geometric parameter of a countersunk hole that has already been created, and to correct as required the tool control data for a countersunk hole that is subsequently to be created based on the result of an evaluation of the obtained geometric data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Premium AEROTEC GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Schneider, Juergen Morisse, Torsten Halbmeyer, Fredo Eisenhauer
  • Method of manufacturing display device and manufacturing apparatus for the same
    Patent number: 9581839
    Abstract: The described technology generally relates to a method of manufacturing a display device and a manufacturing apparatus for the same. In one aspect, the method includes placing a carrier, in which a display panel is formed, into a film attachment portion such that the carrier is pulled onto a carrier adsorption surface of a first stage. The method also includes attaching a first protection film onto a first surface of the display panel in the film attachment portion, wherein the first surface is located opposite to a second surface of the display panel that faces the carrier. The method also includes first transferring the first stage to a carrier separation portion, separating the display panel from the carrier, and second transferring the display panel to a second stage such that the attached protection film is pulled onto a second film adsorption surface of the second stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gilhwan Yeo
  • Method for manufacturing bicycle front fork having wheel clamping base
    Patent number: 9579709
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a bicycle front fork having a wheel clamping base. The method includes the steps of extruding an aluminum alloy substrate having three rectangular bars, wherein the two of the rectangular bars have assembling segments; cutting the substrate for a blank and placing it into a mold for forging the three rectangular bars into three round bars; placing the blank into another mold for extruding and punching the three round bars to have guide holes; drilling the round bars along the guide holes to form three round tubes; flattening and shrinking openings of two of the three round tubes; molding the assembling segments; downwardly bending the two round tubes having the assembling segments into two fork tubes of a bicycle front fork; punching the assembling segments into locking connection portions for a clamping base of the bicycle front fork.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Alex Global Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei-Chin Chen
  • Electrically conductive rubber composition, transfer roller, and image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 9583232
    Abstract: An electrically conductive rubber composition which can be efficiently and sufficiently foamed and crosslinked by means of a continuous crosslinking apparatus including a microwave crosslinking device and a hot air crosslinking device without generation of ammonia and carbon monoxide. The electrically conductive rubber composition comprises a rubber component, a crosslinking component for crosslinking the rubber component, and a foaming component including sodium hydrogen carbonate and citric acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Tanio, Naoyuki Satoyoshi
  • Preloading a fastener of a mechanical fitting
    Patent number: 9574587
    Abstract: A system for preloading a fastener of a mechanical fitting includes a strain measuring device to measure a strain on the fastener as the fastener is tightened. The mechanical fitting may include a base structure and a plate member. A support structure supports the plate member at a predetermined spacing from the base structure. The support structure may include a first sloping plate and a second sloping plate each extending between the plate member and the base structure. The fastener extends through a first hole in the plate member and a second hole in the base structure. The fastener is accessible through an opening on each side of the support structure. At least a portion of the strain measuring device is positioned relative to the fastener through a first opening of the openings to measure the strain on the fastener correlating to the preload as the fastener is tightened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert E. Grip, Michael K. Hughes
  • Method of fabricating a pressurized-gas storage assembly
    Patent number: 9568150
    Abstract: A pressurized-gas storage assembly has a liner defining a gas storage chamber and an end portion with a planar surface, with an access opening on the planar surface that is in fluid communication with the gas storage chamber. A raised circular ring extends from the planar surface and surrounds the access opening. The assembly also includes a polar boss having a longitudinally extending part that has a top surface with a recessed opening, and a planar bottom surface, with a channel extending through the polar boss to serve as a passageway through the polar boss. A circular groove is provided on the bottom flat surface of the polar boss, with the raised ring received inside the circular groove. An outer shell is provided around the entirety of the liner, with the outer shell having an edge-defining aperture that receives the polar boss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Quantum Fuel Systems LLC
    Inventors: Mark Warner, Mark Leavitt
  • Drilling tool
    Patent number: 9561549
    Abstract: A drilling tool for machining structural components made of a titanium alloy includes: a support, which extends along an axis of rotation in the axial direction, the support having an end face with a receptacle disposed centrally therein; a plurality of cutting inserts inserted at the end face in a manner that forms a flat drill, each cutting insert having an active insert cutting edge extending transversely to the axial direction; and a drilling tip disposed in the receptacle and having at least two tip cutting edges, the tip cutting edges extending outward from the axis of rotation and being adjoined in each case by at least one active insert cutting edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: KENNAMETAL INC.
    Inventors: Alex Fraese, Holger Herdegen
  • Apparatus and method for production of adjustable duct member
    Patent number: 9561536
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming and sealing an adjustable duct member for use in an air handling system. At least one work station accommodates a tapered work piece. A repositionable die is positioned relative to the work piece, and a cutting and forming assembly cooperates with the repositionable die to cut the work piece and form a coupling bead to reconnect the members together. A sealing assembly cooperates with the first repositioning die to seal the coupling bead in the first and second members. The work station includes an insertion channel having predetermined dimensions to accommodate at least a portion of the work piece. A clamping assembly is associated with the insertion channel to securely hold the tapered work piece at the predetermined position during the cutting and forming and sealing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: CLEVELAND TOOL & MACHINE, INC.
    Inventor: Victor Bota
  • Alignment device, and method of alignment using an alignment device
    Patent number: 9556983
    Abstract: An alignment device is configured to receive, in a generally aligned configuration, workpieces which are to be joined together. In addition, the device is further configured such that, in use of the device, a joining line between the two workpieces is visible for checking alignment, and such that, in use of the device, each workpiece can be marked at a predetermined distance from the joining line. The device and a method of alignment using the device are particularly suited to the joining of pipes in the construction of marine vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS plc
    Inventor: Kenneth Percival
  • Tie bolt employing differential thread
    Patent number: 9556894
    Abstract: A tie bolt for joining two parts together has a shaft. The shaft in turn has a primary thread for engaging a first part and a secondary thread for engaging a second part, wherein the primary thread and the secondary thread have different pitches. The tie bolt may be used to join together any two parts which are to be locked together to transmit torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James B Coffin