Patents Examined by James P. Mackey
  • Patent number: 11007734
    Abstract: Methods for controlling curing apparatuses for tyre production, wherein the curing apparatuses are adapted to work on green tyres to obtain corresponding finished tyres, by acquiring, through a processing unit, initial parameters describing at least one of the shape and dimensions of the finished tyres; computing, through the processing unit, as a function of the initial parameters, first parameters describing the green tyres, the first parameters having at least one parameter representative of an axial height of the green tyres; acquiring, through the processing unit, second parameters describing the curing apparatuses, said second parameters having one or more parameters representative of dimensions of the curing apparatuses; computing, through the processing unit, third parameters as a function of the first parameters and the second parameters, the third parameters having one or more parameters representative of positions taken by movable members included in the curing apparatuses; generating, through the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Ivan Gildo Boscaino, Marco Cantu', Stefano Sangiovanni, Giuseppe Morrone
  • Patent number: 10994448
    Abstract: Station (7) and method of curing for a tread strip (2); provided are: a flat curing mold (9) which is composed of a lower shell (10) and an upper cover (11); and an extractor element (17) which is suitable for extracting the cured tread strip (2) from the lower shell (10) after the curing operation; the cured tread strip (2) has a first wall (13), which has a relief design and is in contact with the lower shell (10), and a second wall (14) which is opposite the first wall (13), and is in contact with the upper cover (11); the extractor element (17) is suitable for adhering to the second wall (14) of the tread strip (2) along the entire length of the second wall (14) itself; and the extractor element (17) is movable perpendicularly with respect to the second wall (14) of the tread strip (2) in order to simultaneously raise the whole tread strip (2) from the lower shell (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francesco Iozia, Simone Neroni, Antonio Castaldo
  • Patent number: 10987887
    Abstract: A green tyre (2) for bicycles is built, comprising at least one carcass ply (4) having axially opposite end flaps (4a) engaged with respective bead cores (5) and a tread band (6) applied in a radially outer position around said at least one carcass ply (4). The built tyre (2) removed from the building drum, is profiled so as to translate the tread band (6) in a radially outer direction with respect to the bead cores (5), so as to impart a cross-sectional convex profile to the tyre (2) in a radially outer direction. The profiled tire is engaged by means of a transfer member (31) comprising a gripping device (30) which holds it hanging and loads it into a vulcanisation mould (101) by axially positioning an axial centreline plane (M) of the green tyre at an axial reference (51) arranged at a predetermined height along a reference axis (K) of a central body (103) of the vulcanisation mould (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Davide Lupo Conti, Bruno Lodi, Gian Luigi Bosio
  • Patent number: 10980270
    Abstract: The food product machine with a food supply, a rotary food pump connected to the food supply, a molding mechanism having a mold plate and a knockout drive, and a mold plate reciprocating between a fill and a discharge position. The knockout drive reciprocates a knockout plunger to discharge molded food products from the mold plate, the mold plate being reciprocated between a cavity fill position and a cavity discharge position. The machine includes a manifold connected an outlet of the food pump and having an outlet passageway connected to an inlet of the molding mechanism for filling the cavity of the mold plate. The machine can further include a fill plunger system for increasing the fill pressure of the food mass prior to filling the mold cavities. Plungers extend into the manifold to displace food mass volume and increase the pressure in the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PROVISUR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Scott A. Lindee, Paul Taylor, Christopher Moore, E. William Wight
  • Patent number: 10981344
    Abstract: A tire vulcanizing method includes a tire removal step for removing a vulcanized tire from a mold. The tire removal step includes a stage in which upper and lower side molds are moved inward in a tire axial direction so as to deform the vulcanized tire in a direction in which a bead width of the vulcanized tire is decreased, and a stage in which, in the deformed state of the vulcanized tire, the segments are moved outward in a tire radial direction so that the segments are removed from the vulcanized tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Otani
  • Patent number: 10981313
    Abstract: A closing unit for a shaping machine includes mutually moveable mold mounting plates suitable for carrying mold tool portions, a first hydraulic cylinder adapted to apply a closing force to the mold mounting plates, a second hydraulic cylinder, and a pressure storage device connected to the first hydraulic cylinder and adapted to store a pressure prevailing in the first hydraulic cylinder upon pressure relief at a storage device pressure. A hydraulic interconnection of the pressure storage device with the second hydraulic cylinder allows the storage pressure stored in the pressure storage device to be used for locking and/or unlocking the locking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH
    Inventor: Anton Lohnecker
  • Patent number: 10974428
    Abstract: A mold closing unit for an injection molding machine for processing plastics and other compounds that can be plasticized, including at least one machine bed, at least one stationary platen, and at least one platen that can be moved relative to the stationary platen by a drive mechanism, where the movable platen can be moved on a slide having guide shoes along at least one guide attached to the machine bed, and the drive mechanism has at least one gear rack drive driven by at least one drive motor, whereby, because at least two gear racks are fixedly connected to the machine bed and because the drive motor is fixedly connected to the slide and, in the event of a movement of the movable platen, the occurrence of tilting torques are reduced and safe operation of the mold closing unit is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: ARBURG GMBH + CO KG
    Inventors: Eberhard Duffner, Rainer Bletscher
  • Patent number: 10967589
    Abstract: A mold (10) for forming a tire (12) is provided that has an interchangeable element (14) configured for engaging the tire (12) and forming a section of tread (16) of the tire (12) when the tire (12) is molded by the mold (10). A lamelle (18) is removably attachable to the interchangeable element (14) and is configured for engaging the tire (12) and forming a sipe (20) of the section of tread (16) of the tire (12). The lamelle (18) is removably attachable in that the lamelle (18) is configured to be attached to the interchangeable element (14) and then removed from attachment to the interchangeable element (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventor: Jonathan Greene, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10967595
    Abstract: A dual mold spacer for use with a dual mold assembly is provided that includes a first side portion configured to engage a first side rail of the dual mold assembly. A second side portion is configured to engage a second side rail of the dual mold assembly. A body portion extends from the first side portion to the second side portion and is configured to be located between a press of the dual mold assembly and first and second molds of the dual mold assembly. The body portion is configured for being spaced from and free from engagement with the first and second molds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: CompagnieGenerale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Harvey Duran, Steven Beasley, Dennis Marion Lowry, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10960623
    Abstract: A vent plug is mounted in a vent hole open in a molding face of a tire cure mold. The vent plug has a cylindrical housing having a vent path in itself, a stem that is inserted into the housing and serves as a valve element for opening and closing the vent path, and a coil-shaped spring that biases the stem toward a cavity so as to open the vent path. The vent path includes an outer inlet portion open in an annular shape between a valve seat provided to the housing and a head portion of the stem that comes in contact with the valve seat, and an inner inlet portion open in an annular shape on an inner side of the outer inlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Yasunaga, Tomohiro Deguchi
  • Patent number: 10953582
    Abstract: An injection mold includes two mold halves, each of the mold halves including a mold cavity coupled with a plastic material inlet to make a plastic part within the mold cavity, a solid metal material housing the mold cavity, a conformal cooling channel positioned around the solid metal material, a plurality of mesh-containing cavities containing metallic mesh material and positioned around the solid metal material, wherein the metallic mesh material of any of the plurality of mesh-containing cavities is of a constant size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Acro Tool and Die Company
    Inventors: Terry L. Ellis, Todd J. Ellwood
  • Patent number: 10940615
    Abstract: Provided is a mold clamping device that can simplify the component count or structure by including a mold thickness adjustment mechanism that reduces the load on a power source, is easily maintained, and has high design flexibility. Also provided is a mold clamping device that can set a long distance (daylight) between molds without having to upsize the entire mold clamping device and can simplify the component count or structure. A mold clamping device for split molds includes a first platen, a second platen, a pressure receiving platen, and a mold thickness adjustment mechanism disposed on the pressure receiving platen. At least one of the first platen and the second platen is able to move back and forth so as to approach or depart from the other. The pressure receiving platen is located on a side remote from the first platen, of the second platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: KYORAKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ono, Kengo Shimada, Yosuke Muroya, Shuji Ito
  • Patent number: 10913228
    Abstract: The press (1) for curing a green tyre has: a frame (2), at least one plate (4) that is mounted in a sliding manner with respect to the frame and comprises a plurality of pegs (22), a plurality of sectors (8) that are distributed circumferentially around the plate and are able to form all or part of the width of a tread of the tire, and, for each sector, at least one rocker (15) having at least one ramp (19) over which one of the respective pegs is able to pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Michael Massoptier-David
  • Patent number: 10905130
    Abstract: A mold assembly including at least three pieces that are joined together by a seal. Once joined together, the mold assembly defines an interior cavity defining a shape for a baked comestible product. A comestible substance is injected into the interior cavity through an opening in the mold assembly that is either defined by one of the three pieces or by an opening in the seal between two or more of the three pieces. After baking, the pieces of the mold can be peeled away from the comestible product by breaking the seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Todd Lindsay Wirth, Fatimah Wirth
  • Patent number: 10906214
    Abstract: A molding apparatus defining a processing direction includes multiple molding modules spaced apart in a lateral direction perpendicular to the processing direction and a common reaction surface. Each molding module includes a frame and a mold roll that defines molding cavities. Each mold roll defines a respective pressure zone in cooperation with the reaction surface and each mold roll is movable with respect to the reaction surface by controlled operation of the frame. Molten resin is introduced into the pressure zones and forced into the molding cavities to form arrays of fastener elements extending from base layers of resin formed on the surfaces of the mold rolls. The fastener elements are withdrawn from the cavities while stripping the base layers from the peripheral surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Velcro BVBA
    Inventors: Jerry G. Hodsdon, Christopher M. Gallant
  • Patent number: 10899055
    Abstract: An injection molding apparatus comprising: a manifold, a nozzle, A distal tip of the nozzle being comprised of a highly heat conductive insert and an insulation cap that is substantially less heat conductive than the insert, the downstream end portion of the insulation cap being disposed between the gate and the downstream end portion of the highly heat conductive insert forming a fluid seal around the gate, a valve pin, wherein when the valve pin is in a gate closed position, an axially interior surface of a fluid exit aperture of the insulation cap surrounds a gap enabling circumferential surface of the valve pin forming a spatial gap immediately upstream of the gate between the interior surface of the fluid exit aperture of the insulation cap and the gap enabling circumferential surface of the valve pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Synventive Molding Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ling Feng, Li Liqiao, William Henderson, Vito Galati
  • Patent number: 10897912
    Abstract: A rounding device and method of rounding that provides improved rounding of semi solid material portions by introducing changes or variations in the contours or profiles of rounding bars to produce two or more changes in the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion through rapidly changing release sections along the working length of the rounding bars and round the surfaces of the semi solid material portion with greater uniformity and consistency. By substantially changing the axis of rotation of the semi solid material portion in the working length of the variable contour rounding bar as it passes through a rapid transition area one can improve the rounding and avoid blemishes and deformities that occur to the surface of the semi solid material portion in existing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Food Machinery Engineering, LTD
    Inventors: Norman Schmidt, Adam Baran
  • Patent number: 10893678
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a food forming drum comprising a multitude of rows product cavities, each row comprising a multitude of product cavities, wherein the product cavities are provided as one or more at least partially porous members made from a porous material with interconnecting pores. The present invention further relates to a food forming apparatus comprising a food forming drum and a porous member. Additionally, the present invention relates to a movable unit to transport a drum and a method to change a drum or clean the food forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: GEA FOOD SOLUTIONS BAKEL B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrikus Petrus Gerardus Van Gerwen, Petrus Hubertus Maria Schoenmakers
  • Patent number: 10882225
    Abstract: A system for the continuous extrusion, molding, and curing of tread for tires. An elongated strip of rubber material can be molded and cured shortly after extrusion such that the material retains much of the heat energy of extrusion and does not have to be stored. A plurality of discrete mold assemblies are conveyed adjacent to each other. As the mold assemblies are advanced sequentially, the uncured and unmolded strip of rubber material are extruded and positioned onto the mold assemblies. While the rubber strip advances, individual portions are sequentially molded and cured by passing through a mold press and then a curing press. A plug assembly is used to prevent the backflow of rubber material during the molding and curing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: David Lung, John Hommerson, Michael Petrovich
  • Patent number: 10882105
    Abstract: When the deceleration start point is reached, the meter-in side of the hydraulic driving actuator is subjected to a flow rate control to thereby start the deceleration control processing. The position to which the movable unit is moved is detected to use a speed instruction corresponding to the movement position to subject the hydraulic driving actuator to a meter-in control. The position to which the movable unit is moved is detected to calculate the moving speed of the movable unit. Based on the speed instruction, the moving speed is subjected to the feedback control using the meter-out control to the hydraulic driving actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Satomi Sakaki, Kenichi Hayashi, Isamu Komamura