Patents Examined by John C. Hong
  • Iso-grid composite component
    Patent number: 10335905
    Abstract: An iso-grid composite component according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a spacer transverse to a uni-tape ply bundle, the spacer interrupted by the uni-tape ply bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Russell B. Hanson
  • Method and apparatus for installing pierce nuts
    Patent number: 10335907
    Abstract: A gag bar with a cam surface is used to reciprocate a kicker pin in a ram-driven punch assembly into the bore of a pierce nut in a pre-mounting position. The kicker pin and punch assembly are thereafter driven toward a workpiece to install the pierce nut in the workpiece and to fully separate a slug formed during the pierce nut entry from the workpiece. The gag bar and punch are thereafter reciprocated to allow the next pierce nut to be put in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: REO Hydro-Pierce, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Obrecht
  • Integrated robotic press and reaction frame
    Patent number: 10315280
    Abstract: A press frame for a robot system includes a base, a bridge and a set of columns supporting the bridge above the base. A first robot holds a part on the base and a second robot manipulates a pressing tool to press a component into an opening. The pressing tool is backed by the bridge that opposes a reaction force resulting from pressing the component part into the part. A method of assembling components to a part by pressing the part into an opening while engaging the bridge of a reaction frame. The part is transferred to the base by a first robot that positions the part on the base. A pressing tool and a component are selected by a second robot that orients the component to be inserted in the opening. Data relating to displacement, load and time is collected by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: FORD MOTOR COMPANY, ABB TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Alexander Marrocco, Isaac Zolotarev, Arnold Bell, Joosok Jinn, Hossein Firoozgan
  • Lockbolt collar feed mechanisms, lockbolt installation tools, and methods of installing lockbolt assemblies
    Patent number: 10316878
    Abstract: Lockbolt collar feed mechanisms, lockbolt installation tools, and methods of installing lockbolt assemblies are disclosed. Lockbolt collar feed mechanisms comprise a collar cartridge and a mounting bracket operatively coupled to the collar cartridge and configured to be operatively coupled to a lockbolt installation tool. The collar cartridge has a delivery position, in which an exit port is positioned to position a lockbolt collar forward of the lockbolt installation tool's anvil, and a retracted position, in which the collar cartridge is pivoted and translated rearward relative to the delivery position. The collar cartridge is biased toward the delivery position and moves from the delivery position to the retracted position responsive to a user urging the lockbolt installation tool and the lockbolt collar feed mechanism toward and into engagement with a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Johnny Smith Suttles
  • Aluminum alloy heat exchanger and method of producing refrigerant tube used for the heat exchanger
    Patent number: 10307813
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy heat exchanger is produced by applying a coating material that is prepared by adding a binder to a mixture of an Si powder and a Zn-containing compound flux powder to a surface of an aluminum alloy refrigerant tube, assembling a bare fin that is formed of an Al—Mn—Zn alloy with the refrigerant tube, and brazing the refrigerant tube and the bare fin by heating in an atmosphere-controlled furnace, the refrigerant tube being an extruded product of an aluminum alloy that comprises 0.5 to 1.7% (mass %, hereinafter the same) of Mn, less than 0.10% of Cu, and less than 0.10% of Si, with the balance being Al and unavoidable impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO LIGHT METAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Yamashita, Yasunaga Itoh, Yuji Hisatomi
  • Construction method of a fermenter for a biogas plant
    Patent number: 10287540
    Abstract: A construction method of a fermenter, which has a fermenter cage and a fermenter shell made of metal, for use in a biogas plant, wherein the fermenter shell surrounds the fermenter cage making the fermenter shell gas-tight. The fermenter cage is formed by a plurality of cage rings, wherein each cage ring is supported on at least one cage-retaining device having at least one rolling device in such a way that the entire fermenter cage is rotatably supported about a longitudinal axis, wherein the fermenter cage is lined with a plurality of rows of shell plates by way of rotation about the longitudinal axis and the shell plates are permanently fastened to the inner surfaces of the plurality of cage rings and thus the fermenter shell is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI ZOSEN INOVA AG
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Kientz
  • Fastener cartridge
    Patent number: 10286532
    Abstract: A fastener cartridge can be used with a shaft of a tool during an orthopedic procedure. The fastener cartridge can have a main housing that can be attached to fastener housing including a fastener chamber and a backstop component. The fastener chamber includes a plurality of non-flexible tabs and the backstop component includes a plurality of resiliently flexible tabs. The fastener housing is configured to include a plurality of fasteners that are arranged therein such that the longitudinal axes of the fastener chamber and the plurality of fasteners are collinear. The plurality non-flexible tabs prevent one of the fasteners from inadvertently passing entirely out of an outlet of the fastener chamber and the plurality of resiliently flexible tabs allow the fasteners to move axially in the first direction and restrict movement of the fasteners in a second direction opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Zimmer Biomet CMF and Thoracic, LLC
    Inventors: Saddy Garcia, James Licht, Myles Tonkinson, Kerwin Suarez, Lawrence Jene Chadwell, Ryan Luby, Nicolai Ussin, Rachel Hale, Brian Lamothe
  • System and method for forming barbs on a suture
    Patent number: 10278693
    Abstract: A station for cutting a barb suture is provided. The barb cutting station includes a suture transport assembly for supporting a first suture, a first knife assembly for forming barbs on the first suture, and a first clamp and position assembly for approximating the at least first suture towards the at least first knife assembly. The barb cutting station may further include at least a first suture cutting mechanism configured for severing the at least first suture when a defect is detected. The station may also include at least a first visual inspection assembly configured for detecting defective barbs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Nicholas Maiorino, Timothy Kosa, Mark Buchter, Keith Kroeber, Richard Casey Hart
  • Tap-hole refurbishing
    Patent number: 10281213
    Abstract: A method for refurbishing a tap-hole including making a channel trough a tap-hole block, restoring the channel to form a refurbished tap-hole, detachably connecting a prefabricated refractory insert including a shell to a clay gun, where the insert includes a first and second ends in axial direction, where the second end is blocked, an opening arranged on the first end, a hollow passage in the axial direction, where the hollow passage is accessible through the opening, a plurality of lateral through holes, aligned in a longitudinal direction of the shell, with a constant interval covering 10-25% of the shell, the method further including inserting the insert into the channel, where the clay gun is fluidly coupled with the insert and the channel, injecting a grouting material from the clay gun into the insert and through the through hole into the channel and, disconnecting the insert from the clay gun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: TMT—TAPPING MEASURING TECHNOLOGY SÀRL
    Inventor: Romain Clesen
  • Method and apparatus for producing microporous metal foil
    Patent number: 10283284
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing a microporous metal foil by forming fine pores in a metal foil passing through a gap between a pattern roll having high-hardness fine particles on the surface and a hard metal roll; (a) a plastic sheet laminate comprising a soft plastic layer and a hard plastic layer having high tensile strength being interposed between the metal foil and the hard metal roll, with the soft plastic layer on the metal foil side; and (b) mechanical vibration being given to at least one of the pattern roll and the hard metal roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Inventor: Seiji Kagawa
  • Food cooking oven
    Patent number: 10274204
    Abstract: A food cooking oven having an enclosure, which defines a cooking compartment and a door, which is movable between an open position and a closed position, is disclosed. The door door may include a first panel, a second panel, which in a closed configuration has a greater distance from the compartment than the first panel. Additionally, a first and a second body for supporting the first and second panels is included. A profile is included, which is movable between a first position retaining the first panel and a second position permitting removal of the first panel from the door. A push-push type connector is included to retain the profile to the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A.
    Inventor: Fabio Gambardella
  • Multi-stranded heat set annuloplasty rings
    Patent number: 10265171
    Abstract: An annuloplasty repair segment for heart valve annulus repair. In one embodiment a multi-stranded cable replaces solid core wire for both the tricuspid and mitral valves. Cable allows for greater deployment flexibility for minimally-invasive surgical (MIS) implant, while still maintaining the required strength and similar tensile properties of solid-core wire. Stranded cable provides a MIS annuloplasty ring with sufficient flexibility in the x-y plane to allow a surgeon to squeeze the ring into a small incision, such as being able to pass through an 18 Fr or smaller catheter, while maintaining structural rigidity under forces exerted on the implanted ring by the cardiac cycle. The particular shape of the annuloplasty ring is fixed using a heat setting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Migliazza, Ruggero De Paulis
  • Rolling apparatus, continuous casting and rolling apparatus and method
    Patent number: 10265744
    Abstract: A hot rolling device, according to one embodiment of the present invention, may comprise: a cast part supply portion for producing a cast part; a hot roller, linked to the cast part supply portion, for receiving and hot-rolling the cast part; and a heating unit, arranged between the cast part supply portion and the hot roller, for reheating an outer surface portion in the widthwise direction of the cast part while latent heat is maintained in the center portion of the widthwise direction of the cast part from preheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: POSCO
    Inventors: Jea-Sook Chung, Il-Sin Bae, Young-Ju Ko, Kyeong-Mi Park, In-Jae Lee, Choong-Yun Lee, Suk-Cheol Song, Seong-Yeon Kim, Jong-Yeon Hwang, Sang-Hyeon Lee
  • Flexible pressing system
    Patent number: 10265814
    Abstract: An integrated control system for a flexible pressing system may include a first robot including a gripper for manipulating a part, a second robot including a pressing tool, and a controller configured to instruct the first robot to move the part into a pressing position and to instruct the second robot to concurrently ready the pressing tool for pressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignees: Ford Motor Company, ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Alexander Marrocco, Hossein Firoozgan, Joosok Jinn, Isaac Zolotarev, Arnold Bell
  • Conductor cover applicator
    Patent number: 10263402
    Abstract: Methods and applicators for applying tubular conductor cover to a cable. The applicator may retain a user's hand. The applicators may stop a user's hand from moving relative to the applicator in a direction opposed to a path of conductor cover passage through the applicator. An applicator for applying a tubular conductor cover to a cable, the conductor cover being split longitudinally to define a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, the applicator comprising: a separator shaped to contact, in operation of the applicator, an interior surface of the conductor cover to spread open the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge along a portion of the conductor cover to allow the portion of the conductor cover to be applied to a cable; and a hand retainer connected to or forming part of the separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Cantega Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Martin S. Niles, Edmond LeRouzic, Scott Young, Keith I Yeats
  • Beverage can having a grommet
    Patent number: 10246250
    Abstract: A drawn and wall ironed beverage can body, method for forming same, and a sealed and filled can, include a through-hole or aperture in the base. A grommet for charging a propellant in can is located in the aperture. The aperture has a burr that is located on the inboard side of the rim of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Crown Packaging Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Mark Orlando Golding
  • Device for mounting a spark plug in a combustion engine of a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 10247101
    Abstract: A device for mounting a spark plug in a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine includes a chimney including a collar extending radially inwards, a washer fastened on an axial end of the chimney so as to project towards the inside of the chimney, and a bushing forming a spark plug guide and including an inner collar and an outer collar that are axially spaced apart from each other by a cylindrical portion. Each collar extends radially outwards. The bushing is floatingly mounted inside the chimney with its collars axially positioned between the collar of the chimney and the washer. The inner collar comes in operation to bear against the collar of the chimney. The outer collar presents an outside diameter (d1) greater than the inside diameter (d2) of the washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Jacques Marcel Arthur Bunel, Mario Cesar De Sousa, Gilles Ulryck
  • Non-penetrating anchor system and method
    Patent number: 10250025
    Abstract: An anchor for lightning protection systems include a base and pad that extend over a sufficient area and a sufficient bearing length to hold in shear and in tension against the weight, shear force, and moment of cables, points, and other components of a lightning protection systems. The mounting anchor is non-penetrating, and adheres to a vertical surface almost immediately without requiring damage to structures, long term support over days waiting for cure, and works in overhang situations as well. An integrated clip may be constructed with the base from sheet material. Adhesion of the base to a cover material on a wall or parapet may be promptly followed by snapping cable into clips formed monolithically with the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: LIGHTING PROTECTIONS SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Kirk Patridge, Todd Vought, Travis Vought
  • Method of reducing cycle time for flow drill screw operations
    Patent number: 10239112
    Abstract: A method of reducing the cycle time required for flow-drill screw operations by providing a dimple on a part that is engaged by a flow-drill screw. A tip of the flow-drill screw engages a contact band at a location spaced from the tip of the distal end of the flow-drill screw and base portion of the dimple. Friction between the flow-drill screw tip and dimple creates a heat concentration area and results in displaced material forming a threaded sleeve. The flow-drill screw is secured by the threads of the threaded sleeve to secure the top part to the bottom part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Norton, Amanda Kay Freis, Anthony J. Grima, Garret Sankey Huff
  • Bolted connection
    Patent number: 10233958
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is an assembly and clamping bolt to be employed under tension, having a shank and a head, wherein the head, situated at a first end of the shank, is provided with a clamping tensioning means with a hydraulic cylinder mounted permanently on the bolt, clamping taking place between a rear shoulder device and the hydraulic cylinder, the rear shoulder device being disposed at a second end of the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: AIRBUS SAFRAN LAUNCHERS SAS
    Inventor: Sebastien Coffiney