Patents Examined by Irene Cuda
  • Patent number: 6032361
    Abstract: Provided are a gas turbine multi-hole film-cooled combustor liner, which can be manufactured with improved accuracy in shape and position of cooling holes in a very short time, ensuring desirable buckling strength and satisfactory cooling performance. A planar flat member is curved to form a liner shell of a cylindrical shape, the cylindrical member is welded in the longitudinal direction thereof to form a cylindrical shell. Then a wavy configuration and a corrugated configuration are formed on the cylindrical shell by a hydro-bulging method, cooling holes are formed through the liner shell by laser drilling at or near wave crest portions of the wavy configuration of the liner shell, and inner rings are attached to the liner shell by resistance spot welding or vacuum brazing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Makino, Kiyoshi Yamada, Hiroshi Matsui, Yoshihiro Aburatani, Yamato Kaminaka, Hiroshi Kubo, Hiroaki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 6029346
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine component assembly including piston, wrist pin, and cylinder sleeve, all constructed of a matching carbon--carbon composite is disclosed. The piston is a two-piece assembly divided in crown and skirt, each fabricated individually to optimize the most desirable properties in the respective cylinder areas in which they operate. The crown is fabricated by placing the fiber and binder into a compression mold and pyrolizing(heating) the resulting preform at a high temperature in the range of 1500 to 2000 degrees C. to achieve high temperature strength, and high thermal conductivity that continue after machining to the finished crown part. The skirt, a separate piece, on the other hand is fabricated differently to seek higher lubricity and better wear resistance along the cylinder wall with lower thermal conductivity to minimize heat loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Inventor: Venkatesh Chellappa
  • Patent number: 6029353
    Abstract: A multi-void structural member is alterable to form separate yet integral strut members extending from the original member. The defined voids are joined by webs which are removed from any or all of the defined voids to form the integral strut members of a desired configuration. The defined voids may be joined to others or separated to an individual extending strut. The multi-void member or any of the integral strut members formed therefrom are formed to a desired configuration by conventional methods to provide an integral structural member of a desired configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Anodizing, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael H. Cowan
  • Patent number: 6030327
    Abstract: A coupling arrangement for the tending-side end of a roll in a paper machine, such as a suction roll or a variable-crown roll, or a roll in a paper finishing machine, such as a variablecrown roll or a heated roll in a calender for paper. Through this coupling arrangement, energy media are passed into the roll, such as pressure fluid and/or compressed air, lubricating media, such as lubrication oil and/or water, and cleaning media, such as hot water. The coupling arrangement includes an openable shield casing which is tightly connected with the tending-side end of the roll and a coupling flange or coupling flanges to which the various pipes and/or hoses are attached. In the interior of the shield casing, there are connecting pipes and/or hoses which connect the pipe parts of the roll end with the hose and/or pipe parts departing from the coupling arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Valmet Corporation
    Inventors: Jyri Suomalainen, Miikka Kettunen, Hannu Hyvonen
  • Patent number: 6029347
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a turbine comprising a plurality of blades disposed between two end plates and defining flow passages between an inner ring and an outer ring. The turbine is formed by first and second parts, each part made as a single one-piece part out of thermostructural composite material. The first part forms both a first end plate and the blades, and the second part forms the second end plate that is applied against the blades of the first part. The first part and the second part are preferably assembled to each other solely by being clamped together via their central portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Societe Europenne de Propulsion
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Maumus, Guy Martin
  • Patent number: 6029348
    Abstract: An oil cooler mounting structure includes: a heat exchanger tank main body that is made of aluminum and has an oil cooler mounting hole in a wall surface thereof; an oil cooler that is made of aluminum, has an insertion hole for an oil introducing/discharging pipe formed in a seat portion, and is mounted inside the heat exchanger tank with a plurality of projecting pieces erected around the circumference of the insertion hole; a patch that is made of an aluminum-containing brazing filler metal and is arranged on the outer circumference of the projecting pieces of the oil cooler; and the oil introducing/discharging pipe that is inserted into the insertion hole formed in the seat portion of the oil cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Calsonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Makino, Haruo Ikeda, Hiroyasu Koizumi, Hideki Kobayashi, Katsumi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6026570
    Abstract: A tube junction is produced having at least two inlets and an outlet, and at least one bend between the two inlets by providing a forging die with a first recess contoured to hold a bent tube piece. A second recess opens into the first recess and, terminates in a moveable counterpunch. A tube piece having two inlets is bent to bring the two inlets into positions relative to each other generally similar to relative positions of the inlets in a finished tube junction. The bent tube piece is placed within the forging die, and pressurized internally to bulge the tube piece wall into the second recess and form a neck for the outlet. Motion of the counterpunch away from the first recess is controlled as the neck forms under pressure in the second recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Zeuna-Staker GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Alfons Bohm, Bernhard Grescher, Enrique Santiago
  • Patent number: 6026569
    Abstract: A heat exchanger and method of assembly for an automotive vehicle includes at least one tube having an internal surface and an external surface, and a composition cladding having at least magnesium applied to the internal surface and external surface of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Tim V. Evans, Matthew J. Zaluzec, Gerry A. Grab, Henry Mehraban, Jeffrey S. Southwood
  • Patent number: 6023843
    Abstract: A method of forming a driven plate (20) of a torque converter (1) has first, second and third steps. In the first step, a flat plate member (10) is cut into a predetermined configuration. In the second step, the plate member (10) is wound to form an annular member 11 that has slightly overlapping ends with a predetermined length (t). In the third step, resistance welding is performed on overlapping ends of the annular member (11), and thereby the opposite end portions are joined together to form a continuous annular member (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Exedy Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Mizobuchi
  • Patent number: 6021570
    Abstract: Present combustion liners are used to form combustors in which fuel and air are burned and heat energy is directed to a turbine. The construction of the present combustion liners reduces manufacturing cost by reducing assembly time and processing time. An inner and outer liner portion is formed from a single sheet into a generally cylindrical tube. The tube is formed, by a spin forming operation to include a plurality of generally axial portions being interconnected by a plurality of transition portions. The transition portions have a plurality of openings therein to be used for cooling the combustion liner portions. The transition portions also act as stiffeners to support the generally cylindrical configuration of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Lockyer, Kenneth W. Maden
  • Patent number: 6018868
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piston, wherein the piston includes a piston body with through-channels for fluid which are covered by valve disks on supporting bodies with valve support surfaces. The piston body is constructed in one piece in a disk-shaped manner by press stamping. Starting from a base body of the piston, the raised areas of the piston body on one side of the piston are formed as depressions on the axially opposite side. The piston has at least one support for the valve disks whose axial height is adapted to the height of the support surfaces. The support on both sides of the piston is stamped from the base body of the piston and the valve support surfaces and the support are machined in the same manufacturing step on a common plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hassan Asadi, Gerald Fenn, Hans Luksch
  • Patent number: 6018870
    Abstract: A large diameter and axially long cylindrical roll is fabricated from axially short cylindrical roll sections to provide a roll with circumferentially spaced, parallel and axially extending steam passages through the outer cylindrical wall of the roll. Through bore portions, which are gun drilled in the short roll sections, are aligned with cylindrical pins that also provide backing material for the annular welds used to join the roll sections. By utilizing pins of weld backing material in the bore portions, the bores may be formed very close to the outer cylindrical surface of the roll, thereby enhancing heat transfer in the completed roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Marquip, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean D. Marschke, Carl R. Marschke, Kenneth D. Danielson
  • Patent number: 6016603
    Abstract: A method for hydroforming a closed channel structural member that allows the perimeter to be increased, but which maintains a relatively uniform wall thickness throughout, includes the initial step of disposing a closed channel structural member, such as a tube, within a first hydroforming die defining a first die cavity. The inner surface of the first die cavity corresponds in cross sectional shape to the outer surface of the tube, but the perimeter of the first die cavity is somewhat larger than the perimeter of the tube enclosed therein. A preliminary hydroforming operation is then performed at a relatively high pressure to expand the tube into conformance with the first die cavity. Throughout most of this expansion, the outer surface of the tube does not engage the inner surface of the die cavity. As a result, as the perimeter of the tube is increase, the wall thickness thereof is decreased uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Richard A. Marando, Thomas R. Sanko, Eric M. Schrack
  • Patent number: 6012220
    Abstract: A fixture for supporting a heat exchanger coil within a tube expander apparatus. The back wall of the fixture contains a series of spaced apart vertically disposed stationary slats. A moveable frame is slidably mounted in the back wall which contains a series of vertically disposed spaced apart moveable slats that are interspaced between the stationary slats. The slats coact to present an adjustable flat support surface to a coil mounted in the fixture that can be adjusted to accommodate different size coils. The front door of the fixture contains a similarly adjustably wall that coacts with the back wall to fully support a coil in the fixture as the tubes of the coil are being expanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventor: Antonio P. Cornejo
  • Patent number: 6006407
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for repairing a turbine engine vane segment of at least one airfoil disposed between band or platform members originally assembled in a designed relationship uses locating features integral with at least the band members and used in original assembly. For repair, the members are separated and at least one member is selected for reassembly, while preserving substantially in original form locating features of the selected member. A replacement member is provided for reassembly with the selected member, and the members are reassembled using the preserved locating features for positioning the members in the designed relationship. The apparatus provides elements for moving the segment members into and holding in the designed relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Reverman, Jerry L. McFarland, Jr., Michael W. Auger
  • Patent number: 6006429
    Abstract: A built-up camshaft has cam discs which are secured to a tube under mechanical prestress, are of annular design, and are inductively hardened all the way around at a boundary layer on their outer periphery before they are secured to the tube. The hardening of the boundary layer is formed in such a manner that, due to the hardening, high residual compressive stresses (at least -450 N/mm.sup.2) are produced in an at least approximately 0.5 mm deep boundary zone near the surface in such a manner that, even after the cam discs are mounted on the tube, the superimposing residual tensile stresses in the boundary zone, induced by the joining, only partly compensate the original residual compressive stresses, i.e. there are still only residual compressive stresses (at least -150 N/mm.sup.2) in the boundary zone near the surface even after the pressing-on. Sufficiently high residual compressive stress in the boundary zone can be produced by effecting the inductive heating of the cam disc in two stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Gustav Hanisch, Christoph Duell
  • Patent number: 6003227
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a molded piston ring for a piston in a piston-cylinder unit from a material which can be molded in a master mold. The surfaces of the piston in contact with the piston ring are provided with a separating agent which substantially prevents adhesive contact between the piston and piston ring. The piston is placed in the master mold including a shaping piece which at least partially contacts the circumferential surface of the piston. As a result of piston ring material being pressed in at the contact point or contact points of the shaping piece an expansion zone is formed at the piston which is free from the piston ring material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Norbert Deppert, Gerald Fenn, Hasan Asadi
  • Patent number: 5996217
    Abstract: A heat exchanging tube assembling apparatus is adapted to a heat exchanger having an outer casing in which is arranged a partition plate formed with holes through which heat exchanging tubes, each having a U-shape in an outer appearance, are inserted from an open end side of the casing in a full automatic manner. The heat exchanging tube assembling apparatus comprises a tube grasping device for grasping a plurality of U-shaped tubes in a lump at a working position, a tube positioning device for positioning the grasped tubes to positions from which the U-shaped tubes are inserted into the holes formed to the partition plate, a tube taking-out device for sequentially taking out one by one the U-shaped tubes grasped by the tube grasping device, and a tube feed device for feeding the taken-out tubes toward the partition plate and inserting the tubes into the holes of the partition plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Tokunaga, Tadashi Washizuka, Shoichi Okisawa, Takio Ichimura, Motomu Ito
  • Patent number: 5996225
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing through a minimal flow pipeline with a Coriolis effect mass flowmeter. The flowmeter has a single flow tube with two loops. The loops are connected by a cross-over section. A driver oscillates the loops and the phase difference between the ends of the loops is measured. The measured phase difference is then used to find the flow rate of the fluid. The flow tube is fixedly attached to an anchor which is, in turn, attached to a housing. The anchor separate the vibrating, dynamic portion of the flowmeter from the non-vibrating portion of the flowmeter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis John Ollila, David Frederick Normen, Ernest Dale Lister
  • Patent number: 5992019
    Abstract: Method of replacing inner heating tubes in a heating chamber where the heating tubes are replaced by cutting the collars at pre-designated points on the two ends of the heating tube such that the welding seams holding the heating tube are removed. The collar containing a length compensator can be cut either before or after the length compensator depending on whether replacement of the length compensator is desired. The heating tubes are removed by moving the heating tubes out of the interior of the drum chamber through an opening in one of the two ends of the heating tube. New heating tubes containing an impact shell and a centering bushing, are inserted through an opening in one of the two ends of the heating tube. After a heating tube is inserted, the heating tube is raised such that the centering bushing can be inserted and centered in the collar. Then the heating tubes are welded at their two ends to the bushing of the collars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl May, Hartmut Herm, Karlheinz Unverzagt