Patents Examined by John E. Ryznic
  • Hydraulic controller for variable capacity hydraulic transmission
    Patent number: 6442934
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hydraulic controller for a variable capacity hydraulic transmission. This hydraulic controller reduces the load of the engine to improve fuel efficiency while maintaining a hydraulic pressure which is necessary for the control of the skew angles of the swash plates of the variable capacity type hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor that are incorporated in the transmission. The hydraulic controller adjusts the hydraulic pressure supplied to the servo cylinders 92 and 96 which are to tilt the pump swash plate 32 and the motor swash plate 38, to a minimum necessary pressure on the basis of the pressure Ph of the oil passage which is at the higher pressure in the hydraulic closed circuit 26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito Okuda, Shigeru Morimoto, Koichi Fushimi
  • Periodic stator airfoils
    Patent number: 6439838
    Abstract: A stator includes a row of airfoils extending inwardly from a casing. The airfoils are spaced apart circumferentially from each other at a spacing varying in turn around the perimeter of the casing for reducing vibratory excitation of a downstream rotor stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David W. Crall, Steven R. Manwaring
  • Motor/fan assembly having a radial diffuser bypass
    Patent number: 6439843
    Abstract: A bypass motor assembly includes a motor having a rotatable shaft, a working air fan secured to the rotatable shaft and a shroud having an intake eyelet and at least one exhaust apertures. The assembly includes an end bracket having a shaft hole through which the shaft extends. The end bracket and the shroud partially enclose the working air fan, wherein rotation of the working air fan draws air in through the intake eyelet and pushes the air through the plurality of exhaust apertures, the end bracket having a plurality of vanes that form a fan chamber that receives the working air fan such that air expelled by the working air fan is efficiently re-directed by the vanes toward the exhaust aperture. An air intake seal can be disposed between the shroud and the working air fan to further enhance the working air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Ametek, Inc.
    Inventor: David B. Finkenbinder
  • Hydraulic drive with regeneration circuit
    Patent number: 6438951
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive with regeneration circuit comprises a pump, a hydraulic actuator and a rotary flow divider which operates in conjunction with valve means to provide regeneration flow for the hydraulic drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: George H. Morgan
  • Dual trunnion hub-to-mast assembly
    Patent number: 6439849
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an apparatus for mounting two or more tail rotor hubs to a tail rotor mast. The apparatus comprises a mast having an externally-splined inboard section shaped and sized to mate with an internal spline on an inboard trunnion. The inboard trunnion is mechanically fixed to the one or more outboard hubs via a torsionally-rigid connection. The outboard portion of the mast is designed to have reduced torsional stiffness, so that torque is transmitted to the outboard trunnions through the inboard trunnion rather than through the mast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay Sehgal, Glenn Shimek
  • High suction performance and low cost inducer design blade geometry
    Patent number: 6435829
    Abstract: An inducer having a hub and a plurality of blades is provided. In one embodiment, the thickness of the blades is defined such that during the operation of the inducer each of the blades is positioned underneath a cavitation vapor line so as to improve the performance of the inducer. In another embodiment, the hub is contoured or ramped according to a fifth order polynomial to provide improved performance. In another embodiment, the flow passage area of the inducer, as taken normal to the flow of fluid, is varied according to a fifth order polynomial to provide improved performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sen Yih Meng, George H. Prueger, Wei-Chung Chen
  • Bearing device for swash plate type compressors
    Patent number: 6435074
    Abstract: In a swash plate type compressor comprising a piston 4 slidably received in a cylinder bore disposed parallel with the driving shaft and a swash plate 2 obliquely attached to the driving shaft and engaged by the piston 4 through a bearing device, the bearing device comprises a spherical seat 4b composed of a single concave surface formed in the piston 4, and a substantially hemispherical shoe 10 contacting the spherical seat 4b, the outer peripheral surface of the shoe 10 being composed of a skirt portion 12, a top portion 16 having a larger radius of curvature, R2, than that R of the spherical seat 4b, and a transition portion 14 contacting the spherical seat 4b between the skirt portion 12 and the top portion 16 and having a smaller radius of curvature, R3, than that R of the spherical seat 4b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahisa Tanaka, Toshikatsu Miyaji, Masaki Kawachi
  • Hydraulic brake master cylinder with controlled center port valve gap and method of assembly
    Patent number: 6434931
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake master cylinder assembly includes a central or center port compensation valve mounted in respective brake actuator pistons and having a variable length stem which may be adjusted to predetermine the amount of valve travel between open and closed positions in response to actuation of the brake cylinder piston or pistons. The variable length stem includes a hub and a sleeve which is force fit over the hub and may be moved to set the length of the stem. The amount of gap or open position of the valve in the primary piston may be determined by installing the primary piston in the master cylinder, holding the piston in a fixed position and installing a seal retainer and washer for engaging the primary piston pin to move the pin to set the length of the valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Schuyler S. Shaw, Elaine A. Ruble
  • Rotary actuator with cushion mechanism
    Patent number: 6435072
    Abstract: The invention provides a rotary actuator having a rack driven in an oscillating manner by an air pressure, a pinion engaged with the rack, and a cushion mechanism for stopping the rack to at least one normal or inverse stroke end in a cushioning manner. The cushion mechanism has an exhaust port open to a pressure chamber at a position close to a chamber end rather than a port hole, a flow amount adjusting mechanism for restricting a flow amount of the exhaust air discharged from the exhaust port, and a cushion packing mounted to an outer peripheral surface of the piston and operating so as to shut the port hole from the pressure chamber immediately before the piston reaches the stroke end, thereby discharging the air within the pressure chamber through the flow amount adjusting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Hirano, Kenji Koiwa, Kiyoshi Takeuchi
  • Non-planar rotor cover for a centrifugal pump
    Patent number: 6431828
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a centrifugal pump is configured with at least one non-planar outer surface, in either the rotor cover or the rotor, or both, to produce centrifugal forces which exert an inward force on the rotor cover and/or rotor to counterbalance centrifugal pressures and suction pressures exerted on the rotor assembly from within the rotor chamber which cause deleterious deflections of the rotor assembly, thereby limiting the operational speed of the pump, limiting suction pressure and accelerating degradation of the seals associated with the rotor cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: EnviroTech Pumpsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel Quinn
  • Loop flushing circuit
    Patent number: 6430923
    Abstract: A loop flushing circuit includes a loop flushing valve that is connected to the low pressure system line in a hydrostatic transmission for selectively bleeding fluid therefrom to the case drain without relying on a shuttle valve to identify the low pressure line. The loop flushing valve is adaptable to electrical or electro-hydraulic actuation by a microcontroller. Thus, the timing of loop flushing can be controlled based upon various system operating conditions or input values. Loop flushing with this circuit avoids adversely impacting control characteristics of the transmission, can be defeated around neutral, and can provide single-sided loop flushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Inc.
    Inventor: Siegfried M. Meier
  • Piston for a swashplate reciprocating compressor
    Patent number: 6431053
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a piston for use in a swashplate type compressor. The piston includes a void in the exterior surface of the head region that is positioned at a distance from a region that receives a side load during operation of the compressor. In preferred embodiments, the void comprises a helical groove that extends along a path parallel to the region receiving the side load, and a recess or depression positioned adjacent the region receiving the side load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Guntis Viktors Strikis, Shane A. Harte, Srinivas S. Pitla, Vipen Khetarpal
  • Gas turbine engine airfoils with improved cooling
    Patent number: 6431832
    Abstract: Cooling air delivery systems for gas turbine engines are used to increase component life and increase power and efficiencies. The present system increases the component life and increases efficiencies by better utilizing the cooling air bled from the compressor section of the gas turbine engine. For example, a first portion of cooling fluid cools the leading edge of a turbine blade internally. After first contacting a predetermined area of the component, a portion of that first portion of cooling fluid is then used to film cool the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Boris Glezer, Hee Koo Moon
  • Seal between static turbine parts
    Patent number: 6431825
    Abstract: A seal between two static turbine parts is provided with a carrier piece comprising a flat metal piece with a middle piece and end pieces each of which is arranged in a groove in the static turbine parts. A second part comprising a flat metal piece and having a middle piece and end pieces which are also arranged in grooves is attached to the middle piece of the carrier. The end pieces are constructed resiliently, ensuring a sealing contact between the end pieces and the inside surfaces of the grooves even in the case of a relative shift of the grooves. The seal does not depend on the level of a pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: ALSTOM (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventor: Howard Jones McLean
  • Power generating apparatus using compressed air
    Patent number: 6431052
    Abstract: Provided is a power generating apparatus for obtaining a desired power source from elastic movement of an elastic tube into which compressed air is injected. The elastic pressure receptacle having compressed air is rotatably supported and pistons engaged with the elastic receptacle are installed in the vicinity thereof. Also, installed is a driving mechanism having circular plates having inclined protrusions for providing power to rotate the elastic pressure receptacle while inducing elastic movement for driving the pistons from the elastic pressure receptacle and a seesaw mechanism having rollers in contact with the inclined protrusions of the circular plate. The rotation power generated from the elastic pressure receptacle can be used as a desired power source through a driving shaft integrally installed on the elastic pressure receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Inventor: Young-Chan Kim
  • Contact device used in heat-dissipating device for hot swap
    Patent number: 6431910
    Abstract: Disclosed is a contact device adapted to be mounted on a heat-dissipating device for hot swap in a system. The contact device includes a main body having a resilient member protruding from one side thereof, a conductive member disposed in the main body for electrically connecting the heat-dissipating device and the system, and a first engaging member disposed on the resilient member for engaging with a second engaging member of the heat-dissipating device to allow the main body to be detachably mounted on the heat-dissipating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Te-Tsai Chuang, Kuo-Cheng Lin
  • Construction machine
    Patent number: 6430922
    Abstract: When simultaneous operation of rotating and arm pulling is detected by a detector, a switching controller recognizes that both signals are output simultaneously, and switches a switching valve to a second position, so that oil flows discharged from a plurality of hydraulic pumps are united and supplied to a rotating motor and an arm cylinder. A meter-in flow controller restricts a quantity of oil supplied to the arm cylinder. Thereby, even where rotating and arm pulling are operated simultaneously, each of operations can be done quickly, and the delay of the rotating operation is overcome, to enable proper rotating and arm pulling operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Tohji
  • Hydrostatic transaxle
    Patent number: 6427442
    Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle axle assembly for a vehicle such as a grass mowing lawn or garden tractor comprising a housing for an internally disposed hydrostatic transmission having a variable-displacement hydraulic pump fluidly connected to a fixed-displacement hydraulic motor, the hydraulic motor being connected by differential gearing to axle shafts supported in the housing. The housing is formed by three housing members, two of which are preferably separable on a parting plane coincident with the longitudinal axes of the axle shafts. One of the housing members being provided with an opening to allow a portion of one of the other housing members to extend through, and where the extending housing member contains within its interior a number of internal fluid passages for fluidly connecting the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Hydro-Thoma Limited
    Inventors: Christian Helmut Thoma, George Duncan McRae Arnold
  • Load bearing apparatus for use with fluid power systems
    Patent number: 6427577
    Abstract: A load bearing apparatus includes a first container having enclosed ends and at least one expansion segment. The expansion segment includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder of diameter smaller than the first cylinder disposed along a longitudinal axis of the first cylinder. An elastomer seal is connected between the first and second cylinders to form a fluid tight seal between the cylinders. The elastomer seal further permits translation of the first cylinder with respect to the second cylinder in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the first cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Novellant Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James J. Lee, Steven M. Byle, John C. Montague
  • Clamp for a horizontal skid which allows axial movement of pump
    Patent number: 6425735
    Abstract: A system for accommodating thermal expansion of a pump housing. The system includes a pump having an external housing, and a mounting structure for mounting the pump. Contacting members are disposed intermediate the mounting structure and the pump for allowing one-dimensional movement of the external housing along a longitudinal axis of the external housing. Alternatively, bearing members are positioned to support the pump in the mounting structure, while allowing a thermal distortion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technolog Corporation
    Inventor: Ketankumar K. Sheth