Patents Examined by Jan H. Silbaugh
  • Patent number: 6530773
    Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a fibrous material to a plastic substrate involves positioning a fibrous material over a surface of a plastic substrate, directing a stream of heated air through the fibrous material to melt the surface of the plastic substrate, compressing the fibrous material against the melted surface of the plastic substrate, and allowing the melted surface of the plastic substrate to cool and resolidify, whereby fibers of the fibrous material become embedded in the resolidified plastic. The apparatus comprises a fixture for supporting the plastic substrate and a fibrous material over a surface of the plastic substrate, a tool supported adjacent the fixture for directing heated, pressurized air toward the plastic substrate and for compressing the fibrous material against the plastic substrate, and an actuator for reciprocating the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: J. R. Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Bearman, Bret A. Hoeksema
  • Patent number: 6530770
    Abstract: A mold assembly is made up of a nozzle tip and a nozzle tip receiving housing. The nozzle tip has an outwardly projecting shoulder and a threaded base and the housing has a hollow stem with an internal recess and a threaded socket for receiving the base of the nozzle tip. The assembly further includes a locking member having both internal and external projections. The locking member fits over the nozzle tip with the external projection of the locking member locating within the internal recess of the housing stem and with the outwardly projecting shoulder of the nozzle tip trapped by the internal projection of the locking member to block unthreading of the nozzle tip from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Inventors: James Sheffield, Mario Giansante, John Kuipers
  • Patent number: 6527533
    Abstract: Systems for the manufacture of reinforcing preforms for structural composite products. Minimum contact eyelets reduce friction in the supply system for string reinforcing materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scott Dahl, Eric Daniel Kleven, Gerald Norman Chavka, Carl Frederick Johnson
  • Patent number: 6528003
    Abstract: A core sphere or a wound-string core is held by a pair of bottom rollers and a pair of concave top rollers. Then, the bottom rollers are reciprocated in opposite directions respectively and rotated to rotate the core sphere or the wound-string core and wind rubber string, and a wound-string core of a predetermined diameter is obtained by pressurizing the core sphere or the wound-string core intermittently by the pair of top rollers with a predetermined pressure. Rotation frequency of the bottom roller is set to be 1100 rpm to 200 rpm, ratio of the rotation frequency of the bottom roller to number of the horizontal movement of the bottom roller is set to be 10:15 to 15:10, and ratio of pressurizing number of the top rollers to the number of the horizontal movement of the bottom roller is set to be 1:14 to 1:5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Sano, Takayuki Saimen, Hiromasa Yamamoto, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6527537
    Abstract: A tablet rotary compression press for the manufacture of multi-layered tablets, comprising a rotationally driven rotor which has a die-plate with die-plate bores and top and bottom rams aligned towards the die-plate bores which are guided in ram guides of the rotor and are axially actuated by stationary control cams, an insertion device for a portion of the tablet-forming compacts which has two or more arms guided in a radially movable manner at the each end of which a compact is held and can be aligned towards a die-plate bore, wherein said rotor has circumferentially included thereon a support ring or support surfaces on which the compacts can be deposited in the positions approximately aligned towards the die-plate bores, the radial arms are disposed in the rotor, rotate therewith, and have radially movable gripping portions adapted to be radially moved to each other, and the rotor has provided therein a stationary guide with first and second guide cams the cam followers of which are interacted with by the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Wilhelm Fette GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Arndt, Thomas Heinrich, Jürgen Hinzpeter, Thomas Jacob, Peter Lüneburg, Gert Stellmach, Ulrich Zeuschner
  • Patent number: 6527534
    Abstract: A disturbance estimating observer is provided, which estimates a load applied to a servomotor for driving an ejector axis. When an ejector operates, the disturbance load torque estimated by the observer is sampled for each specific period (0 to j), and the data DA (0, 0) to DA (i, j) of (i+1) ejector processes are stored in a table TA in the form of cyclic storage. From this table TA, average values DB (0) to DB (j) of estimated disturbance load torques are determined in turn and they are stored in a table TB. From these average values, upper limit values DC (0) to DC (j) and lower limit values DD (0) to DD (j) of a permissible range are stored in tables TC, TD. When the determined estimated disturbance load torque has exceeded the permissible range, an abnormal load signal is outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Kamiguchi, Tatsuhiro Uchiyama, Minoru Kobayashi, Masayuki Ueno
  • Patent number: 6527535
    Abstract: A manual die set includes a ram, the ram defining a bore therethrough; a die, the die defining a bore therethrough for reciprocably receiving the ram; a baseplate having an upper portion and a lower portion and defining a bore therethrough, the upper portion of the baseplate being disposed in a bottom of the die bore, the lower portion of the baseplate supporting the die; a knockout ring for supporting the die; a supporting block disposed in an interior of the knockout ring, for supporting the baseplate when the manual die set is in a pressing configuration, the supporting block defining a bore therethrough; and a mandrel, the mandrel being disposed in the ram bore, the baseplate bore and the supporting block bore when the manual die set is in a pressing configuration, the mandrel including an upper large diameter portion, a transition portion and a lower small diameter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Philip S. Han
  • Patent number: 6527532
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making a dimensionally stable wood-thermoplastic composite material composed of a wood component and a thermoplastic component comprising the steps of forming a wood-thermoplastic mass at a temperature above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic component. The mass is then passed through a converging die to form a shaped extrudate profile having a cross sectional shape wherein at least a part of the converging die is maintained at a substantially higher temperature than that of the mass. The profile is then fed through a low friction thermally insulating land section, the land section having the substantially the same cross sectional shape as the exit end of the converging die. The profile is then quenched in a non-oxidizing environment to form a substantially dimensionally stable outer shell around the profile, the shell having a temperature below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Trex Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: John J. Muller, Roger A. Wittenberg, Bruce S. Yarmoska
  • Patent number: 6527539
    Abstract: A injection unit (10) of an injection system, including a shooting pot (12) having a shooting pot head (13) at one end, defining a melt chamber (14) therein; a melt inlet channel (16) for laterally bringing melt into the melt chamber (14); a plunger (26) arranged in the melt chamber (14), the plunger (26) being linearly moveable from a retracted position into an extended position, so as to force melt accumulated in the melt chamber (14) through a melt outlet channel (20) arranged in said shooting pot head (13) into an injection mold; an annular melt passage (28) provided between the melt chamber (14) and the plunger (26), for allowing the melt to flow from the melt inlet channel (16) to an outlet end (18) of the melt chamber (14); and a melt distribution channel (30) for distributing the melt from the melt inlet channel (16) to the annular melt passage (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Andreas Ujma, Pierre Glaesener
  • Patent number: 6524510
    Abstract: A trim component (1) includes a substrate (2) and two different cover materials (3, 4), which are not spliced together but are independently adhesively bonded onto the substrate (2) by a hot-melt contact adhesion. The junction (7) is received in a valley (6) of the substrate that is pinched closed using a molding apparatus that includes a horizontally movable pinching stamp (13) which forms a pinching gap (16) relative to a protruding edge (11A) of a fixed mold tool (11). A tucking blade (22) cooperates with a counter-clamping blade (26) to clampingly hold and then press the substrate and junction of the cover sheets into the pinching gap. The tucking blade is then retracted while the pinching stamp pinches closed the pinching gap, to form a tightly closed valley in the substrate with the junction cleanly pinched therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: R+S Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Spengler
  • Patent number: 6524506
    Abstract: A combined tool for edge-folding and trimming a rim of a panel includes a cutting blade rigidly secured to a tool holder frame, an edge-folding tool slidably received in the tool holder frame, and a biasing spring arranged in the tool holder frame to bias the edge-folding tool outwardly away from the holder frame. The tool is moved in a linear stamping direction, whereby the edge-folding tool folds back and then holds and compresses a margin of a panel workpiece. The tool holder frame and cutting blade are pushed farther in the linear stamping direction, while the edge-folding tool is pushed back into the tool holder frame and compresses the biasing spring, whereby the cutting blade cuts through and compresses the panel workpiece. This forms a back-folded, compressed, and trimmed rim of the finished panel in a single work step using an integrated edge-folding and cutting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: R+S Technik GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Spengler
  • Patent number: 6524513
    Abstract: A filtration apparatus is provided which is formed from multilayer presealed elements and monolayer elements that are insert molded together. The device is provided with a feed port, a filtrate port and, optionally, a retentate port. The sealing configuration of the presealed elements and the seal provided by the insert molding step effect a seal configuration that causes a feed liquid to be filtered to form a filtrate such that the filtrate is not mixed with either the feed or a retentate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Inventors: Steven R. Pearl, Wayne S. Merrill, Cristopher J. Petersen
  • Patent number: 6524092
    Abstract: A middle liner of a slide guide device for a machine press has a spherical shaped side which fits into a sliding gib attached to a slide. The middle liner slides along a fixed gib at first and second linear surfaces that are at an angle with each other. The combination of self-alignment and smooth movement of the slide is achieved in the presence of an eccentric load acting on the slide. A machine press equipped with such a slide guide device has excellent eccentric load resistance and high working precision. In a further embodiment, a press machine is further equipped with a knockout device having knockout block moving between a pair of guide rails. A plurality of middle liners, each having at least one spherical surface, are positioned between the knockout block and the guide rails. The resulting knockout device provides a stable knockout load with low noise and low energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Aida Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Ito, Hisanobu Kanamaru
  • Patent number: 6524509
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus/method for making a joint line in a plastic article comprising the steps of providing a mold having a mold surface, providing a gasket in the mold wherein the gasket defines first and second mold spaces, and molding a layer of a plastic material within one of the mold first and second mold spaces. In addition, during molding, the gasket is laterally moved relative to the mold surface in a direction towards that mold space containing the plastic material to therein form a distinct joint line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Textron Automotive Company Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Shope, John Gray, Stephen D. Farrington
  • Patent number: 6519826
    Abstract: A water-tight and gas-tight zip fastener with a sealing port and a method for forming the same provides a zip fastener made of plastic in which preferably spirals in a spiral zip fastener are injection molded with a thermoplastic elastomer which forms a continuously contoured coating, bearing directly on the contiguous edges of the zip fastener strips, and when the zip fastener is closed, the coatings are under compression and form a contiguous seal with each other and to the zip fastener slide to prevent undesirable gas and water penetration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Inventor: Hartmut Ortlieb
  • Patent number: 6521161
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for an one-piece ball formed with vulcanization in which a partial mold has eight grooves in a radius direction of a mating face, and ends of spews generated when the vulcanization is conducted do not connect and unify one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Tanaka, Naoki Baba, Hiroaki Tanaka, Hiroshi Hirata
  • Patent number: 6521165
    Abstract: A stripper assembly is provided for stripping a mold part from a core, extending from a core part of an injection mold where the core part has core lock wedges which is disposed thereabout for engaging a corresponding mold cavity and resisting outward movement of an outer edge of the mold cavity. The core lock wedges are spaced apart to provide respective openings between adjacent ends of the adjacent wedges. A stripper plate extends about the core and has acutator attachment regions extending through the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Stackteck Systems Limited
    Inventor: Robert F. Rick
  • Patent number: 6521154
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a skid-resistant surface on a thermoformed object such as a bed liner. The method includes forming a blank of extruded plastic material, abrading the surface with a wire brush, reheating the blank and thermoforming the blank to open the abraded surface of the blank. The apparatus includes an extruder delivery mechanism delivering a blank of sheet material to a wire brush which is turned by an electric motor at a speed slightly greater and in the same direction as the travel of the blank under the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: The Colonel's, Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis B. Bills, Sr.
  • Patent number: 6520763
    Abstract: The present invention relates to specific methods of producing cleated rubber-backed floor mats (such as dust control or rubber mats) through the utilization of the combination of a perforated coated woven fabric article and a cushioned platen liner between the article and the metal platen of an in-line dust control mat manufacturing machine. Such a procedure permits a more efficient manner of producing cleated anti-creep dust control mats than previously followed. In particular, the fabric article is in the form of a conveyor belt and is preferably constructed from Teflon®-coated woven fiberglass which will not adhere to the tacky rubber component of the target mat and can withstand the extremely high vulcanization temperatures and pressures required during the production of a dust control mat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Robert C. Kerr, Amy B. Streeton
  • Patent number: 6521159
    Abstract: The multilayer plastic container comprises a neck portion, a body portion, adjacent the neck portion, forming a cylindrical wall, and a bottom portion adjacent the body portion and opposite the neck portion. The cylindrical wall comprises a first layer of PET, a layer of EVOH adjacent the first layer of PET and a second layer of PET adjacent the layer of EVOH the EVOH has an average thickness which is greater near the neck portion of the container than near the bottom portion of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Pecheney Emballage Flexible Europe
    Inventors: A. B. M. Bazlur Rashid, Kevin James Curie, Patrick Carl Bushman, Michael Lewis Wampler