Patents Examined by John S Lowe
  • Patent number: 10172269
    Abstract: A chuck device includes a plurality of types of chuck pawls clamping a component, a chuck pawl switching mechanism switching the chuck pawls in use among the plurality of types of chuck pawls in accordance with the type of the component to be clamped, and a driving mechanism allowing the chuck pawl switched by the chuck pawl switching mechanism to be put into a clamping operation. The chuck pawl switching mechanism is configured to use a cylindrical cam, the plurality of types of chuck pawls are placed at predetermined intervals around the cylindrical cam, a cam follower disposed in each of the chuck pawls is fitted into a cam groove in an outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical cam, and the respective chuck pawls are moved upward and downward independently of each other by the cylindrical cam being rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Yamamuro
  • Patent number: 10130987
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending or shaping orthodontic archwires or other medical devices into a complex, patient individual shape is described. The apparatus comprises of two moveable, compact, manipulators with, in total, at least three revolute joints defining three rotation axes and at least three prismatic joints defining at least three translation axes. Gripping tools are provided on the manipulators. The two manipulators are arranged to allow a relative movement in six degrees of freedom. A reduced complexity embodiment is also described having only one or two revolute joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: OraMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Friedrich Riemeier, Werner Butscher, Frank Witte, Christoph Radinger, Andrew Cordell, Rohit Sachdeva
  • Patent number: 10118212
    Abstract: A method for forming a blanked piece from a material, where the blanked piece includes a production area having a through hole and at least one caulking and connection area protruding inside the through hole. The method includes forming a blanking hole in the material in a prescribed outline, placing a guide member in the through hole, where the guide member has an abutting part contacting a protrusion of the material formed along the outline of the blanking hole. The method further includes cutting and separating the material to blank or stamp out downward the caulking and connection area, pushing back the caulking and connection area, and temporarily connecting the caulking and connection area to the material; and blanking or stamping an outer configuration of the product area from the material to which the caulking and connection area is temporarily connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUI HIGH-TEC, INC.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Ono, Masahiro Izumi, Shigetoshi Yamato
  • Patent number: 10112226
    Abstract: Apparatus for drawing and straightening at least a metal wire, comprising a drawing unit of the metal wire along a direction of advance which comprises a first motorized main roll, on part of the periphery of which first idle contrast rolls are disposed, with a smaller diameter than the first main roll. The apparatus also comprises a straightening only unit of the metal wire, independent from the drawing unit, disposed along the direction of advance and upstream of the drawing unit, the straightening only unit comprising a second idle main roll, on part of the periphery of which second idle contrast rolls are disposed, with a diameter smaller than the second main roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: M.E.P. MACCHINE ELETTRONICHE PIEGATRICI SPA
    Inventor: Giorgio Del Fabro
  • Patent number: 10105750
    Abstract: A method for producing a blind hole in a metallic workpiece having at least one curved surface. One part of the material is pushed starting from approximately the horizontally extending curved tangent and from there approximately perpendicular in the direction of the material of the workpiece by means of reciprocating movement. Said method consists of the following steps: a) providing the workpiece with a matrix-type receiving element for the material which is to be displaced; b) pushing the workpiece material by means of a stamp in the axial direction of the receiving element, said material stamped by the stamp is initially sheared in an adiabatic state and flows partially into the receiving element; c) removing the material projecting from the receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Inventors: Wolfgang Rixen, Gerrit Pies
  • Patent number: 10105741
    Abstract: A steering roller head for hemming or seaming metal sheets includes a mounting flange that couples to an arm of a robot. The mounting flange is offset from a longitudinal axis of the steering roller head to reduce an operating envelope of the robot arm during a roller hemming process. The mounting flange can also be offset by a mounting angle from the longitudinal axis which allows for a further reduction in an operating envelope of the robot arm during a roller hemming process. Reducing the operating envelope of the robot arm can allow for additional robots or automated tooling to access the work piece during a roller hemming process. In addition, reducing the operating envelope of the robot arm allows for improved access to the work piece during a roller hemming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: HIROTEC AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gerald F. Erker, Justin T. Hester, Gary T. Krus
  • Patent number: 10105815
    Abstract: A method for controlled peening includes forming a surface layer on a workpiece by impacting a surface with a tool wherein the tool is under control to form compressive residual stresses in the surface layer. A system for peening a workpiece includes a tool configured to vibrate and an effector operatively connected to control the tool. The tool includes a peening surface. The tool is configured to cause controlled impact between the peening surface and a surface of a workpiece to form a surface layer of the workpiece with compressive residual stresses. The effector is configured to move the tool in multiple axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Changsheng Guo
  • Patent number: 10076779
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for bending profile sections, comprising at least one bending form (36) centered on a bending axis, provided with a peripheral groove that is interrupted by a cutout, a stack of clamping jaw counterparts (42-45) each comprising a cavity for clamping the profile section and having a shape designed to fit into the cutout of each bending form (36) with the cavity extending in the continuity of the peripheral groove of said bending form, means (51-53) for the so-called vertical movement of the stack of clamping jaw counterparts (42-45) which means are designed to move said stack along an axis parallel to the bending axis, a stack of clamping jaws (55-58), comprising cavities that complement the cavities of the clamping jaw counterparts (42-45), and means (70, 72-74, 76, 80, 81) for the relative movement of the assembly made up of the bending form(s) (36), the stack of clamping jaw counterparts (42-45) and the stack of clamping jaws (55-58).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: ADMC HOLDING, LLC
    Inventors: Philippe Jaubert, Jean Paul Chastan
  • Patent number: 10076780
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending or shaping orthodontic archwires or other medical devices into a complex, patient individual shape is described. The apparatus comprises of two moveable, compact, manipulators with, in total, at least three revolute joints defining three rotation axes and at least three prismatic joints defining at least three translation axes. Gripping tools are provided on the manipulators. The two manipulators are arranged to allow a relative movement in six degrees of freedom. A reduced complexity embodiment is also described having only one or two revolute joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: OraMetrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Friedrich Riemeier, Werner Butscher, Frank Witte, Christoph Radinger, Andrew Cordell, Rohit Sachdeva
  • Patent number: 10076778
    Abstract: A cooling section for flat rolling stock (1) has a working region (2), through which the flat rolling stock (1) is guided. The working region (2) can be supplied with a liquid coolant (4) by means of a number of spray beams (3i). The liquid coolant (4) is fed from a reservoir (7) for the liquid coolant (4) to the spray beams (3i) by means of a pump (5) and a supply system (6). Valves (9i) are arranged upstream of the spray beams (3i) in the supply system (6). Opening positions (si) of the valves (9i) are set by a control unit (10) of the cooling section according to a respective sub-flow (fi) that is to be applied to the flat rolling stock (1) by means of each spray beam (3i). Also, the delivery rate (M) of the pump (5) and/or a line pressure (p) generated by the pump (5) in the supply system (6) are set by the control unit (10) according to the total flow (F) that is to be applied to the flat rolling stock (1) by means of all the spray beams (3i).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: PRIMETALS TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA GMBH
    Inventors: Jian Chen, Sieglinder Ehgartner, Reinhard Karl, Erich Opitz, Florian Poeschl, Alois Seilinger, Thomas Trickl
  • Patent number: 10034419
    Abstract: A detaching apparatus includes a bench, a first supporting member attached to the bench, a convey system, a positioning member, a second supporting member, and a detaching member. The convey system is attached to the first supporting member for conveying a circuit board. The positioning member is attached to the first supporting member for positioning the circuit board. The second supporting member is attached to the bench and aligning with the first supporting member. The detaching member is attached to the second supporting member and includes a sliding bracket moving vertically relative to the bench, a moving block moving horizontally in the sliding bracket, a blade attached to the moving block, and a vacuum suction cup attached to the moving block and aligning with the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignees: HONGFUJIN PRECISION ELECTRONICS (ZHENGZHOU) CO., LTD., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin-Song Zheng, Jing-Bin Liang, Hai-Gui Huang, Lei Han, Zhi-Yong Liu, Tian-Sheng Chen, Dong Li, Ji-Ke Shan
  • Patent number: 10022767
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mold device for hot stamping, and includes: a hot stamping mold that molds an ultra-high strength steel plate and has a softening part; and a block heater part that is inserted into a lower portion of the softening part of the hot stamping mold to soften the ultra-high strength steel plate, in order to maintain a uniform temperature distribution of the softening part of the hot stamping mold and improve the temperature management and the maintenance performance of the softening part by providing a segmented structure for inserting the block heater part into the softening part of the hot stamping mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jae Bum Kang, Tae Wan Kim
  • Patent number: 10022798
    Abstract: A method forms a crowning on a sintered component made from a sintering powder, in particular on the teeth of a sintered component including a toothing. The sintered component is calibrated in that the sintered component is introduced into a calibration tool. The sintered component includes a forming chamber with at least one forming wall. In the forming wall a crowning is formed which is inverse to the crowning of the sintered component to be formed. After calibration the sintered component is removed again from the calibration tool. The size of the forming chamber of the calibration tool remains unchanged at least for the time period beginning with the insertion of the sintered component into the calibration tool and ending after the removal of the sintered molding from the calibration tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Miba Sinter Austria GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Weiermair, Peter Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10010916
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring the thermal crown of rolls in-situ (e.g., at high temperature) either inside or outside the rolling mill can include sensors that measure propagation times of mechanical waves through the rolls. In some embodiments, one or more sensors are used to measure the propagation times of ultrasonic waves traveling inside the roll and normal to the roll's axis. These measurements can be taken when the roll is still hot and can be used to determine in real-time the thermal expansion at various points along the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: NOVELIS INC.
    Inventor: Antoine Jean Willy Pralong
  • Patent number: 9999910
    Abstract: A slit plant comprises a rest bar (14), for regulating the transversal position of an inlet guide to the molder unit (12), a rolling unit for reducing the billet to a rolled section having two sections, a cutting box (13) for separating the two sections into two separate strands, one or more rolling units for rolling the two strands (1, 2), pairs of speed and/or section measurers (20, 21) downstream of the cutting box (13), a shear (15). The method for controlling the plant provides measuring the rolling speeds V1 and V2 of each of the two strands (1, 2) and/or of the respective sections A1 and A2 of the two strands (1, 2) downstream of the cutting box (13) by means of pairs of measurers; detecting the lengths of the two strands (1, 2) and calculating the difference in length thereof, based on which the plant, in a successive feedback step, is activated to decrease the difference in length between the two strands (1, 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche S.p.A.
    Inventor: Daniele Andreatta
  • Patent number: 9987671
    Abstract: A sheet metal member shape-forming system and method includes a mold consisting of a sealing die defining therein a sealing cavity and an air hole and a shape-forming die defining therein a shape-forming cavity, a compressed gas guided through the air hole into the sealing cavity, a sheet metal member placed on the shape-forming die that is pre-heated in an out-mold heating zone prior to deliver to the molding zone, a lift unit controlled to move the shape-forming die and the sheet metal member to the sealing die and to impart an upward pressure on the shape-forming die against the sheet metal member and the sealing die during continuous supply of the compressed gas into the sealing die cavity to compress the sheet metal member against the upward pressure, enabling the sheet metal member to be rapidly compression-molded into a shaped metal component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Inventor: Chi-Jui Huang
  • Patent number: 9975164
    Abstract: A shell, a container employing the shell, and tooling and associated methods for forming the shell are provided. The shell includes a center panel, a circumferential chuck wall, an annular countersink between the center panel and the circumferential chuck wall, and a curl extending radially outwardly from the chuck wall. The material of at least one predetermined portion of the shell is selectively stretched relative to at least one other portion of the shell, thereby providing a corresponding thinned portion. The tooling includes a pressure concentrating forming surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Stolle Machinery Company, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron E. Carstens, James A. McClung, Paul L. Ripple, Gregory H. Butcher, Patrick K. McCarty
  • Patent number: 9979151
    Abstract: Crimping tool including a first tool part having a first crimping die and a plurality of first crimping elements, a second tool part having a second crimping die and a plurality of second crimping elements, a first actuator being movable relative to the first crimping die along an actuation axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis, wherein the first actuator actuates the first crimping elements moving the first crimping elements in a radial direction, and a second actuator being movable relative to the second crimping die along the actuation axis, wherein the second actuator actuates the second crimping elements moving the second crimping elements in a radial direction, wherein a subset of the first crimping elements and a subset of the second crimping elements are moved consecutively by moving the first actuator and second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: YAZAKI EUROPE LTD.
    Inventors: Zelimir Loncar, Ivan Trgovcic, Ozren Milazzi, Vedran Kovac
  • Patent number: 9975198
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cap tip detachment device capable of detaching cap tips which are fitted at the end of the shanks of a welding device. A pair of nail mounting boards, which mounts a fixed nail, a movable nail, and a slider, which is located between the nail mounting boards, are arranged on a linear rail. The movable nail of the pair of nail mounting boards includes a an arm extending toward an opposite side of a pivot shaft, and a spring that elastically urges the arm in a direction of separating from the nail mounting boards; and a distal end of each arm is abutted against the slider. When a shank is pushed against the fixed nail of one nail mounting board by a robot, the movable nails of both nail mounting boards open allowing the cap tip to be detached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignees: Shinkokiki Co., Ltd., P&C Company Limited
    Inventors: Takeo Fukizawa, Kazuyuki Harada
  • Patent number: 9956601
    Abstract: A pilot assembly includes a body portion including an outer surface and an opening defined in the outer surface. A pilot is configured for extending through an alignment hole in a sheet of material and is coupled with the body portion. A shaft of the pilot extends through the opening and beyond the outer surface. A stripper includes a bushing and a resilient biasing member. The bushing is configured for moving with respect to the main body portion and the pilot to push the sheet of material off of the pilot. The resilient biasing member is situated within the body portion and is compressed when the bushing engages the sheet of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Dayton Progress Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Nikolaus Schneider, Richard Everett Del Grosso, II, Shrinidhi Chandrasekharan, Frederick Charles Wilkinson