Patents Examined by Jermie Cozart
  • Patent number: 9657362
    Abstract: In an exhaust gas purification apparatus or other apparatuses that are supplied with ammonia generated from a urea aqueous solution and causes selective reduction and purification of nitride oxides, a shot peening treatment is applied to a welded portion of its exhaust pipe which is made of a ferritic stainless steel plate and through which exhaust gas containing ammonia and hydrogen passes. By shot peening the welded portion of the exhaust pipe, a tensile residual stress in the welded portion of the exhaust pipe can be replaced with a compressive residual stress, and further the diameter of metal crystal grains in the welded portion can be reduced. In this way, the durability of the exhaust pipe can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: UD TRUCKS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Nozaki, Jouji Hagiwara, Kazuhiro Hirakawa, Norihiro Fujisawa
  • Patent number: 9657716
    Abstract: The invention resides in an assembly for rotationally supporting a wind turbine blade (110) relative to a wind turbine hub (120). The assembly comprises an intermediate ring (130) having an inner annular portion and an outer annular portion provided with means for attaching the turbine blade. The intermediate ring is rotatably mounted to the hub via a first bearing arrangement. According to the invention, the first bearing arrangement comprises a radial bearing (140) and a thrust bearing, whereby the inner annular portion is mounted to the hub via the radial bearing and the outer annular portion is mounted to the hub via the thrust bearing. The thrust bearing is a plain bearing comprising first and second sliding surfaces (151, 152) which are clamped to the hub between first and second clamping members (161, 162).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Dennis Vervoorn, Koos Welling, Jascha Van Pommeren, Johannes Cornelis Theodorus Blom, Peter Klein Meuleman
  • Patent number: 9658172
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a part is provided that includes the steps of aligning a contoured sheet having at least one surface that corresponds to at least one surface of the part, the contoured sheet having first portions and second portions, the first portions being radiodense and the second portions being radiolucent, and at least some of the second portions corresponding to internal features of the part. The part with the contoured sheet is exposed to x-rays to produce a first radiograph with markings that correspond to the first and second portions of the contoured sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: PCC STRUCTURALS
    Inventors: James Raphord Barrett, Jason Armstrong, Doug Nikolas, Andrew Isaac Deceuster, Lawrence Lang
  • Patent number: 9656543
    Abstract: A tank for safely storing a fuel in a high-pressure gaseous state, and a method for manufacturing the tank are provided. The fuel gas storage tank includes a composite material that forms a tank shell and a liner disposed under the composite material. In addition, the liner has a structure in which a metal coil is integrally formed within the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jae Han Chung
  • Patent number: 9656318
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle and a method of making an assembly including more than three panels stacked together and joined by self-piercing rivets or by clinch joints. A first panel and a second panel are joined together at a first attachment point. A third panel and the first panel are joined together at a second attachment point. A fourth panel and the third panel are joined together at a third attachment point. The first, second and third attachment points are spaced apart to avoid interference between the self-piercing rivets or the clinch joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jason Douglas Scott, Aindrea McKelvey Campbell, Amanda Kay Freis
  • Patent number: 9651080
    Abstract: A method for joining a plastic part to a second part with an insert adapted to thread into the plastic part. The insert includes a longitudinal body with outer threads, a hole in the longitudinal body with female threads, and an annular flange. Protrusions and recesses on the bottom of the annular flange alternate in a radial pattern. The insert is threaded into an opening in the plastic part. The protrusions and recesses of the insert interact with the plastic part to resist over rotation of the insert. The opening in the plastic part may include a hole and a counter bore portion. The counter bore includes protrusions and recesses. The protrusions and recesses alternate in a radial pattern. When the insert is threaded into the opening, the protrusions and recesses of the insert interact with the protrusions and recesses of the plastic part and resist over rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Custom-Pak, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Dean Eggers, Ronald A. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9629419
    Abstract: An apparatus for aligning materials in order to construct an article is provided. The apparatus may include an array of moveable pins and a solid plate having an array of holes, where the array of holes is aligned with the array of pins. Each pin may be extended and/or retracted by a programmable actuator array. When a pin is extended, at least a portion of the pin may extend through the hole with which it is aligned, such that at least a portion of the pin extends beyond the solid plate. A fraction of the total number of pins in the array of pins may be extended by the programmable actuator array. The particular pins that are to be extended may be based on a pattern for an article. A material that is to be used in constructing the article may be aligned using the extended pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Carrie L. Davis
  • Patent number: 9630451
    Abstract: A hollow axle shaft for transmitting rotational motion from a prime mover to a wheel of a vehicle comprises an elongated member. The elongated member extends along an axis between a first end and a second end. The hollow axle shaft further comprises a flange at the first end and extending radially away from the axis for receiving the wheel. The flange is integral with the elongated member. A method of manufacturing the hollow axle shaft comprises the step of providing the elongated member comprising a material and defining a bore extending along the axis between the first and second ends, and the step of forming the flange with the material at the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: John A. Pale, David I. Alexander
  • Patent number: 9631555
    Abstract: An air intake guide for a jet propulsion power plant for a supersonic aircraft comprises an intake aperture, an intake center body and an intake adjustment device. The intake aperture has an intake lip, an intake center body is positioned within the aperture, and an intake adjustment device is positioned on a radially inwardly facing surface of the air intake guide downstream of the intake lip. The intake adjustment device comprises a flexible panel and an actuator with the actuator being adapted to deflect the flexible panel in a radially inwardly direction so as to reduce a cross-sectional area of the intake aperture and thereby to position a shock wave at the intake lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Nicholas Howarth
  • Patent number: 9623462
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for reducing ovality in pipe for joining to pipe components by using a plug coupled on an inside surface of the pipe and a sacrificial component coupled to the end of the pipe to establish a coupling interface. The plug, the sacrificial component, or a combination thereof assists in minimizing ovality changes during use of the pipe, particularly at the end of the pipe. When the pipe is to be coupled with a pipe component, the pipe and sacrificial component are separated at a different location than the coupling interface along the pipe in proximity to the plug. The plug is left coupled to the sacrificial component, and generally slidably engaged with the pipe. The plug and the sacrificial component can be removed from engagement with the pipe. The pipe and the pipe component can be coupled together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: TECHNIP FRANCE
    Inventors: Laurent Frank Paupy, Fabien Anne, Mathieu Boisne, Eric Christopher Keith
  • Patent number: 9623519
    Abstract: A coffee filter includes a metallic member having a flat portion in which tapered exit regions are formed that extend from the bottom of the flat portion to vertices interior to the flat portion. The flat portion is provided with a hole uniformity enhancement region between the top of the flat portion and the exit region vertices that are interior to the flat portion. The top of the flat portion is micro-machined to remove a part of the hole uniformity enhancement region to a predetermined depth into the hole uniformity enhancement region. Holes are formed in the top of the flat portion extending from the micro-machined top of the flat portion through the hole uniformity enhancement region to the vertices of the tapered exit regions. The predetermined depth of the micro-machined top of the flat portion is selected to prevent the micro-machined top of the flat portion from meeting the tapered exit regions to promote and maintain uniformity of the holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Voice Systems Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Vincent Fedele
  • Patent number: 9623525
    Abstract: In a production system general-purpose cell for general-purpose use in processing and transportation of a received workpiece in a production system of processing and delivering the workpiece, the production system general-purpose cell includes a base unit having a planar shape of quadrangle and supporting at least a robot for use in transportation of the workpiece such that the robot is movable on the planar area of quadrangle, a parts supply unit for supplying parts of the workpiece to the robot supported by the base unit, and a processing area extending outside the base unit. The robot supported by the base unit having a motion range set in a range from inside to outside the base unit in a form including at least part of the processing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ono, Christoph Meyerhoff
  • Patent number: 9617954
    Abstract: The invention relates to a primary cowl for a turbofan comprising a primary body generating a primary stream to be ejected through a primary nozzle, and a secondary body generating a secondary stream to be ejected through a secondary nozzle, the primary cowl being shaped so as to be positioned downstream from the primary body and to define, on the inside of the turbofan, the path followed by the primary stream downstream from the primary nozzle and, on the outside, the path followed by the secondary stream downstream from the secondary nozzle. The primary cowl comprises a coupling to a system for supplying a pressurized gas and at least one perforation for injecting the pressurized gas, through the perforation, into the secondary stream. The primary cowl preferably comprises a ring which has perforations and which is rotated about the axis of rotation of the turbofan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Alexandre Alfred Gaston Vuillemin, Guillaume Bodard, Sebastien Jean-Paul Aeberli
  • Patent number: 9612450
    Abstract: An method for producing an optical assembly includes a first assembling step of assembling lenses from a first lens to an (n?1)-th lens (where n is an integer of 1<n?N) to a lens-holding member to assemble a pre-assembly; an optical property-measuring step of measuring optical properties of a first optical system in the pre-assembly; an optical parameter correction value-calculating step of obtaining displacement amounts from design values of the optical properties of the first optical system based on measurement results of the optical properties, and changing the optical parameters of at least the n-th lens itself from design values thereof, thereby calculating correction values of the optical parameters of the n-th lens; a lens-producing step of producing the n-th lens based on the correction values; and a second assembling step of assembling the n-th lens produced in the lens-producing step to the pre-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Norimitsu Nagayama, Hiroyuki Seki
  • Patent number: 9591963
    Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method of a bending module that forms a plurality of joint members by press-processing sheet material, with each joint member having a joint member body, a connection protrusion and a wire guide protrusion having a wire guide hole formed at one side corner of the joint member body, and one connection protrusion is formed at another side corner of the joint member body. The wire guide protrusions are folded with respect to the joint member bodies; a joint member assembly is formed by arranging the plurality of joint members in parallel and connecting neighboring connection members to connect the joint members together; the joint member assembly are bent to a ring shape; and each joint member is connect to each other by welding corners thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-won Lee, Mun-kue Park, Su-Kwang Lim
  • Patent number: 9587395
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing homes is provided. An embodiment includes a sub-assembly plant for assembling planar sections of a home according to production schedule for custom homes. The embodiment also includes at least one final assembly facility located proximal to a subdivision where a plurality of the custom homes are to be situated. The final assembly facility is for receiving the planar sections from the sub-assembly plant and for constructing the homes from planar portions according to the production schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: The Mattamy Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Gilgan, Jurgen Dirks, William Meevis, Walter Mitchell, Peter Vohsemer
  • Patent number: 9573505
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a base, a buckle mounted on the base, a mounting member used to mount the buckle on the base, and an intermediate member provided between the base and the buckle. The manufacturing method includes providing an assembled body formed by integrating the buckle, the mounting member, and the intermediate member, and mounting the buckle on the base by combining the assembled body with the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaya Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9574260
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a brake disk for a vehicle, in which a friction layer is arranged at least in certain regions on a base body of the brake disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tomasz Pawel Grabiec, Ivan Jan Mathieu Ernest Bruggen, Clemens Maria Verpoort, Thomas Schläfer
  • Patent number: 9567778
    Abstract: A method for use when retrofitting a panel of a storage compartment having a mechanical latch assembly with an electric latch assembly includes removing the mechanical latch assembly from the panel of the storage compartment; and preparing the panel of the storage compartment to receive a potted insert. The preparation may include defining and marking a location to receive the potted insert. The method may include removing a portion of the panel to define a potted insert cavity and inserting the potted insert through the potted insert cavity of the panel. The method may also include applying at least one of a potting compound and an adhesive to bond the potted insert to the panel and coupling a portion of the electric latch assembly to the potted insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Harper Engineering Company
    Inventor: Richard J. LaConte
  • Patent number: 9566672
    Abstract: A heat exchanger and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. With the method, a tube may be inserted into a through hole formed in at least one fin coated with a filler metal, and the tube and a fin collar of the at least one fin may be joined through the filler metal by a brazing processing. A flange may not be formed on or at a top of the at least one fin collar, which protrudes vertically from a central longitudinal plane of the at least one fin. The tube may be made of aluminum (Al), and an interval between an outer circumferential surface of the tube and an inner circumferential surface of the fin collar of the at least one fin may be approximately 0.1 mm or less. Accordingly, contact resistance occurring when fabricating a fin-tube heat exchanger using a mechanical tube expansion method may be reduced, and heat transfer performance of the heat exchanger may be improved because grooves formed within the tube may not be deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Juhyok Kim, Hongseong Kim, Hanchoon Lee, Sangyeul Lee