Patents Examined by Geoffrey S. Evans
  • Patent number: 10730131
    Abstract: Various embodiments may be generally directed to a welding system that monitors an output of the welding system to determine if an output arc should be extinguished or maintained. The welding system can compare an arc voltage output to a voltage threshold and a temporal threshold. When the arc voltage output exceeds the voltage threshold in an uninterrupted manner for the duration of the temporal threshold, an output weld current can be stopped. In turn, the output arc can be broken or extinguished. After a predetermined amount of time, the power source can be re-engaged to prepare for re-ignition of another arc. By tracking the amount of time the arc voltage output exceeds the predetermined threshold, a probability of unwanted arc outs can be reduced or minimized while still providing quick and reliable arc breaking when desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: ESAB AB
    Inventors: Per Aberg, Johan Toftling, Mikael Pettersson, Jakob Lennartsson
  • Patent number: 10722978
    Abstract: The invention relates to machines and methods for the separative machining of a plate-shaped workpieces. The machine includes a first movement device for moving the workpiece in a first direction (X), a second movement device for moving a machining head, which directs the machining beam onto the workpiece, along a second direction (Y), Between workpiece bearing faces there is formed a gap for the passage of the machining beam. In the machine, mutually facing side edges of at least two of the workpiece bearing faces are oriented non-perpendicularly and non-parallel with respect to the first direction (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventor: Jens Ottnad
  • Patent number: 10722987
    Abstract: A joining machine to join work-pieces together comprises a body, at least one scanner disposed on the body and configured to collect data on the work-pieces and convert the data to a scanned image, a guide device and a positioning device. The positioning device is configured to determine a join position according to the scanned image and instruct the guide device to indicate the join position on the work-pieces to an operator of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Matthew Lloyd
  • Patent number: 10708979
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a system for heating a bulk medium includes two or more electrodes spaced apart from one another and coupled to the bulk medium; and a power control system coupled to the electrodes, the power control system configured to heat the bulk medium by shaping a density of the current along a current path between the electrodes, thereby, producing an effective resistance along the current path in the bulk medium that is greater than the resistance of the bulk medium to a DC current, in which the power control system shapes the density of the current within a depth of the bulk medium by tuning a skin-depth of the current, and in which the power control system shapes the density of the current in a direction across the current path by tuning a proximity effect of the current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: De-Ice Technologies
    Inventors: Alexandru Bratianu-Badea, Ruben Toubiana, Christopher Buenrostro
  • Patent number: 10695866
    Abstract: In some cases, an additive manufacturing (AM) system includes: a process chamber for additively manufacturing a component, the process chamber having: a build platform; at least one melting beam scanner configured to emit a melting beam for melting powder on the build platform; an applicator for applying layers of powder to the build platform; and a reservoir for storing powder; and a control system coupled with the set of melting beam scanners, the control system configured to: apply the melting beam to a layer of powder on the build platform along a primary melting path; and apply the melting beam to the layer of powder on the build platform along a re-melting path after applying the melting beam along the primary melting path, the re-melting path overlapping a portion of the primary melting path and applied only in an area proximate a perimeter of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Felix Martin Gerhard Roerig, Thomas Etter, Matthias Hoebel, Julius Andreas Schurb
  • Patent number: 10695869
    Abstract: A process to produce a workpiece surface or a groove inner surface on a rod-shaped, especially cylindrical workpiece. From the workpiece, a rotary tool is supposed to be produced. The material removal is done using laser beam pulses, which are directed through a deflection device onto points of incidence within a pulse area with a specified outside contour on the workpiece. Multiple machine axis drives position the workpiece and the deflection device relative to one another so that the pulse area is oriented essentially at right angles to the emission direction of the laser beam pulses and at right angles to the section of the tool surface that has already been produced and that borders the pulse area. While the material is being removed, the at least one machine axis drive moves the pulse area relative to the workpiece along a specified path of motion while maintaining the orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: EWAG AG
    Inventors: Christoph Pluss, Bruno Frei, Claus Dold, Maximilian Warhanek, Christian Walter
  • Patent number: 10688602
    Abstract: A submerged arc welding process using welding wire containing, based on the total mass of the welding wire, Ni: 50% or more by mass, Cr: 14.5% to 16.5% by mass, Mo: 15.0% to 17.0% by mass, W: 3.0% to 4.5% by mass, Fe: 4.0% to 7.0% by mass, and C, Si, Mn, P, S, Cu, V, Co, and Al: a predetermined amount or less, and a bonded flux containing, based on the total mass of the bonded flux, Al2O3: 35% to 55% by mass, SiO2: 5% to 25% by mass, CaO: 2% to 10% by mass, CaF2: 25% to 45% by mass, and Na2O: 2% to 4% by mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Kawata, Kazuhiro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10661368
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an electrode assembly comprising a carriage having a plurality of electrode holders, the electrode holders being respectively configured to detachably receive a plurality of electrodes, the electrodes include a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. The first electrodes are configured for rough machining a workpiece by electric discharging or wire electric discharging to remove material from the workpiece, the second electrodes are configured for finish machining the rough machined workpiece by electric discharging to remove material from the rough machined workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Qing Gao, Renwei Yuan, Howard Paul Weaver, Richard Leigh Adrian, Xiaobin Chen
  • Patent number: 10661388
    Abstract: A three dimensional printing system includes a powder delivery system and a controller. The powder delivery system includes a cartridge, a powder transfer assembly, a vacuum source, and source of inert gas. The cartridge includes a lower portion defining a lower cavity containing powder and an upper portion. The powder transfer assembly includes a cowling and a loader suction tube that extends through the cowling. The controller is configured to: (1) lower the cowling into sealing engagement with the upper portion of the cartridge whereby an upper cavity is defined between the cowling and the upper portion of the cartridge, (2) operate the source of inert gas to positively pressurize the upper cavity, and (3) lower the loader suction tube into the powder while operating the vacuum source to extract the powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: 3D Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Beauchamp
  • Patent number: 10661372
    Abstract: A system and method for determining settings or parameters for a welding-type power source are provided. By presenting an operator with an interface that is positioned along the path of a weld cable and configured to input weld characteristics, an operator is not required to determine electrical parameters for setting a welding-type power source output at the power source. The interface is presented to the operator at a remote welding-type device, such as a wire feeder, a weld robot, a torch, or the like. From the operator-specified weld characteristics, the system and method determine appropriate settings for the power source. In some embodiments, the system and method may automatically set the power source accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Ulrich, Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Todd Earl Holverson
  • Patent number: 10654128
    Abstract: A laser cutting device (100) is configured to etch an inner surface of a journal bearing (18). The laser cutting device (100) includes a laser (102); a beam directing tool (130) that receives a beam (108) emitted from the laser (102) and selectively changes the direction of travel of the beam (108); a fixture (170) that supports the journal bearing (18) in a desired position relative to the beam directing tool (130); an actuator (148) connected to one of the beam directing tool (130) and the fixture (170), the actuator (148) providing relative movement between the beam directing tool (130) and the fixture (170); and a controller (180) that controls the intensity and duration of the beam (108) emitted from the laser (102); and the actuator (148), whereby material can be removed from a surface of the journal bearing (18) to a precise width and depth, and in any pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: BorgWarner, Inc.
    Inventors: David Ledger, Zachary Ashton
  • Patent number: 10646940
    Abstract: A machining method for three-dimensional open flow channel using high-speed arc discharge layered sweep, which arranges an axial line of an installation shaft of a tool electrode with six degrees of freedom to be perpendicular to an axial line of a to-be machined work piece in an arc discharge process, with the tool electrode sweeping in a closed path in a plane or a curved surface perpendicular to the installation shaft, wherein the path of the sweeping satisfies: a space of an enveloped space being formed by the tool electrode moving in the path and being coincident with a removed portion of the work piece does not exceed a preset machined cavity of the flow channel. The present invention is based on high-speed arc discharge of hydrodynamic arc breaking and realized layered milling and surface machining for three-dimensional open flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Inventors: Wansheng Zhao, Lin Gu, Jipeng Chen
  • Patent number: 10639740
    Abstract: A three-dimensional deposition device and a three-dimensional deposition method used to manufacture a three-dimensional object with high accuracy are provided. A three-dimensional deposition device for forming a three-dimensional shape by depositing a formed layer on a base unit, includes: a powder supply unit which supplies a powder material by injecting the powder material toward the base unit; a light irradiation unit which irradiates the powder material feeding from the powder supply unit toward the base unit with a light beam so that the powder material is melted and the melted powder material is solidified on the base unit to thereby form the formed layer; and a control device which controls operations of the powder supply unit and the light irradiation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yoshimura, Yoshiharu Ozawa
  • Patent number: 10640837
    Abstract: An upholstery layer of a vehicle interior panel includes an airbag tear seam formed as a plurality of blind cuts arranged along a tear seam pattern. Each one of the blind cuts is formed by laser material removal at a plurality of locations along the pattern. Laser energy is delivered to the upholstery layer in a series of ultra-short pulses to form the blind cuts, which are formed in the upholstery layer while separate from a substrate of the panel. This technique is particularly useful with leather upholstery materials, in which non-visible airbag tear seams have been proven difficult to form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FAURECIA INTERIOR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Ulrich Weissert
  • Patent number: 10632567
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus including a chamber, a build platform movable in the chamber such that layers of flowable material can be successively formed across the build platform, a unit for generating an energy beam for solidifying the flowable material, a scanning unit for directing the energy beam onto selected areas of each layer to solidify the material in the selected areas and a getter for absorbing oxygen, nitrogen and/or hydrogen from atmosphere in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: RENISHAW PLC
    Inventor: Christopher John Sutcliffe
  • Patent number: 10632554
    Abstract: A wire electrical discharge machine for performing electrical discharge machining on a workpiece by applying voltage across an electrode gap between a wire electrode stretched between an upper nozzle and a lower nozzle and the workpiece to generate electrical discharges, includes a lifting mechanism configured to move the workpiece in the travelling direction of the wire electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohito Oosawa
  • Patent number: 10625367
    Abstract: A method of resistance spot welding an aluminum workpiece and an adjacent overlapping steel workpiece is disclosed in which a source of a reactive metal in a diffusible state is located along a faying interface of an aluminum workpiece and an adjacent overlapping steel workpiece. The source of the reactive metal in a diffusible state may take on a variety of forms including (1) a composite adhesive layer that includes reactive particles dispersed throughout a structural thermosetting adhesive matrix or (1) a reactive alloy layer that confronts and is in proximate contact with a faying surface of the aluminum workpiece. Once the source of a reactive material in a diffusible state is in place and the workpiece stack-up is assembled, an electrical current is passed through the workpiece stack-up and between a set of opposed welding electrodes at a weld zone to ultimately produce a weld joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David Sigler, Blair Carlson, Surender Maddela
  • Patent number: 10625369
    Abstract: A welding electrode unit includes a repositioning device that is movable. The repositioning device includes an energy storage device by way of which a welding electrode is connected directly or indirectly with the energy storage device can have a force applied to it for the purpose of a repositioning movement. The repositioning device is movable into a welding position by way of a forward movement and can be locked in the welding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP SYSTEM ENGINEERING GMBH, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Peter Cornelius, Jens Husner, Stefan Leidinger, Michael Döbert, David Klecha
  • Patent number: 10625374
    Abstract: An apparatus (10) for producing three-dimensional work pieces comprises a carrier (16), a powder application device (14) for applying a raw material powder onto the carrier (16), an irradiation device (18) selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder applied onto the carrier (16), and a control unit (38) which is adapted to control the operation of the powder application device (14) and the irradiation device (18) in dependence of the crystallization behavior of the raw material powder, in order to tailor the microstructure of a work piece made of said raw material powder by a additive layer construction method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: SLM SOLUTIONS GROUP AG
    Inventor: Dieter Schwarze
  • Patent number: 10631409
    Abstract: Methods, systems, devices, and products for manufacturing an electrical assembly, such as a completed downhole circuit board, for use in well logging. Methods include attaching an electrical component to a printed circuit board by mechanically fastening the electrical component to the printed circuit board. Methods may include using a laser to attach a plurality of legs to contact surfaces. Methods may include applying light from the laser to a material of the printed circuit board to produce heat, including mitigating reflection of the light from the material. Methods include forming a connection between a first electrical component of the electrical assembly and a second electrical component of the electrical assembly by causing heating of an additive manufacturing material by applying light from a laser. The connection may be at least one of: i) an electrical connection; ii) a structural connection; iii) an electrical insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Rocco Difoggio, Otto N. Fanini, Paul G. Cairns, Brian D. Breaux, Benjamin Todd