Patents Examined by Kevin Kerns
  • Patent number: 7661458
    Abstract: A magnesium metal thin plate manufacturing method includes at least a casting process of supplying a molten metal obtained by melting a magnesium metal to a molten metal bath, drawing out the molten metal, supplying the molten metal into the gap between a pair of casting rolls composed of at least a pair of casting upper roll and casting lower roll, applying pressure to the molten metal, and casting a plate solidified at a predetermined temperature and having a predetermined thickness, and a rolling process of rolling the cast plate by means of at least a pair of rolling rolls by applying pressure thereto to manufacture a magnesium metal thin plate. With the above arrangement, there can be provided a magnesium metal thin plate manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus that can effectively manufacture a magnesium metal thin plate by plastic working without requiring a heat energy generation step again in rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Gonda Metal Industry Corporation Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Haga, Kazunari Yoshida, Yoshio Gonda
  • Patent number: 7416105
    Abstract: A method for superplastically forming a preform to manufacture a structural assembly with a contoured configuration is provided. The preform includes first and second structural members in a stacked configuration, with at least one additional peripheral member abutting the stack and joined thereto by a friction welded butt joint. In some cases, the preform defines dissimilar forming characteristics throughout, such as variations in material or thickness according to the amount of superplastic forming to be performed in each portion of the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Franna S. Pitt, Keith McTernan
  • Patent number: 7401640
    Abstract: An exemplary die-casting mold core includes a mold body, an intermediate layer and a diamond-like carbon film. The mold body is made of a steel alloy containing carbon, chromium, manganese, silicon, vanadium, and iron. A molar percentage of hydrogen in the diamond-like carbon film is in a range from 2% to 25%. The die-casting mold core has excellent mechanical hardness, good corrosion resistance, good wear resistance, long lifetime and ease of separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ga-Lane Chen
  • Patent number: 7392835
    Abstract: A water-jacket core and slab core for a V-block of an internal combustion engine are assembled into a jacket and slab sub-assembly and are placed on an apparatus for the automatic insertion of staples in the jacket and slab sub-assembly to thereby retain the water-jacket core and slab core together in the jacket and slab sub-assembly. The apparatus automatically positions four automatically operable staple guns so that each of the staples is inserted with one tine of each staple in the water-jacket core and the other tine of each staple in the slab core with the crown of each inserted staple lying across the interface between the assembled water-jacket core and slab core and retaining the water-jacket core and slab core together. As few as two staples per sub-assembly can be used to retain the water-jacket and slab core in their sub-assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory D. Watkins, Donald G. Wildrick, II
  • Patent number: 7334625
    Abstract: A method for forming an investment casting core comprises cutting a patterned core precursor from refractory metal-based sheet. The cutting forms recast along the cuts. An oxide is grown on non-recast areas. The recast is substantially chemically removed but substantially leaving the oxide. The core precursor may then be shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Judge, Joseph J. Parkos, Jr., Gary M. Lomasney
  • Patent number: 7311136
    Abstract: In an injection mold including at least two mold sections which are movable relative to one another for opening and closing the injection mold and an electronic counter with an actuator and a sensor element supplying, influenced by the actuator, a signal indicative of the number of closings of the injection mold, the sensor element is disposed in a first housing and the electronic counter is disposed outside the first housing and connected to the sensor element via an electrical communication line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Otto Månner Innovation GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Männer
  • Patent number: 7302990
    Abstract: A method of forming at least one concavity of a selected size and shape within a surface of an internal passageway of a metallic component comprises: depositing a ceramic-based material by a direct-write technique onto a ceramic core which is suitable for forming the internal passageway during a casting process to form the metallic component, wherein the ceramic-based material is deposited as a positive feature; heat-treating the deposited ceramic-based material; forming the metallic component by a casting process in which the ceramic core is incorporated into the casting, in a position selected as a desired position for the internal passageway; and then removing the ceramic core from the metal component after the casting process is complete, thereby forming the internal passageway, with the concavity contained within the surface of the passageway, said concavity formed by removal of the positive feature of the ceramic-based material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald Scott Bunker, Canan Uslu Hardwicke, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 7299967
    Abstract: The invention relates to an innovative method for manufacturing plate stacks, particularly for manufacturing coolers or cooler elements or heat sinks at least one plate stack, with at least two plate-shaped elements made of metal, for example copper, and provided with passages or openings, wherein the stacked elements are joined with each other using bonding on joining surfaces formed by surface sides of said elements by heating to a process temperature to form the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Electrovac AG
    Inventor: Jurgen Schulz-Harder
  • Patent number: 7293597
    Abstract: A substrate is coated by applying an essentially pure aluminum first layer to a surface of the substrate. At least a first portion of the first layer is oxidized so as to provide a protective coating of desired properties. The substrate may be a refractory metal-based investment casting core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph J. Parkos, Jr., Gary M. Lomasney, Joshua E. Persky
  • Patent number: 7290589
    Abstract: Material is incrementally deposited using material directed toward a deposition zone. The scan path of the directed material is controlled according to a path plan derived to reduce derivation from an ideal uniform temperature profile for the deposition during the deposition process. A path plan having angled scan passes that intersect (or overcross one another), for example in a mirrorbox path plan, is preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Isis Innovation Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Richard Duncan, Patrick Grant, Paul Jones, Timothy Rayment
  • Patent number: 7290590
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a shaped part has a shot sleeve. A melt can be fed into the shot sleeve. The melt can be forced into a die by means of an injection plunger. The apparatus is provided with a drive unit for actuating the plunger rod. Moreover, the apparatus has an oscillation generator, by means of which the plunger rod can be set in longitudinal oscillations. The plunger rod is moveably connected to the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Aluwag AG
    Inventor: Walter Wagner
  • Patent number: 7291808
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for setting a parameter for external control units (30) of a welding device (1), whereby the welding parameters can be selected and set using different control elements (27) and indicating elements (28) on the welding device (1). The aim of the invention is to provide a method of this type with which a flexible adaptation of setting options of external components (29) connected to the welding device (1) is made possible for the most varied applications or welding processes. To this end, a control program (32) is activated in the welding device (1), whereby the selected welding parameter for setting or adjusting is selectively assigned to an external control unit (30) located on an external component (29) so that this welding parameter is set or changed when the external control units (30) on the external components (29) are activated or adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Burgstaller, Markus Pernegger, Philipp Trinkfass
  • Patent number: 7290587
    Abstract: A system and method for thermal management of a die is disclosed wherein cooling of the die is controlled by controlling coolant flow to switch between laminar flow and turbulent flow as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Gary C. Ward
  • Patent number: 7290583
    Abstract: A system and method for heat treating castings and removing sand cores therefrom. The castings are initially located in indexed positions with their x, y, and z coordinates known. The castings are passed through a heat treatment station typically having a series of nozzles mounted in preset positions corresponding to the known indexed positions of the castings passing through the heat treatment station. The nozzles apply fluid to the castings for heat treating the castings and degrading the sand cores for removal from the castings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Paul M. Crafton, Volker R. Knobloch, James L. Lewis, Jr., Ian French, Franz Ruegg
  • Patent number: 7284591
    Abstract: A perimeter wall lubrication system for molten metal molds wherein the lubricant conduit within the permeable perimeter wall is configured with a K constant which is lower than 40 or more in the equation where X is the perimeter of the groove in the permeable perimeter wall and Y is the perimeter to area ratio, relative to the equation k=XY in a plot of the respective values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Wagstaff, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael K. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7284590
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing cast components, in which method the cast mold and/or macroscopic inserts to be placed either totally or partly inside thereof are left totally or partly as a part of the final component to be used, after the casting the piece is further treated with temperature and/or pressure in order to improve the compactness of both the cast materials and the materials acting as inserts and to improve the bond between the cast material and the solid material attached thereto, and the portion of the solid or partly solid material (inserts) to be placed into the cast mold and remaining in the final component, inclusive the portion of the mold eventually remaining in the final component, of the weight of the total component is more than 3 percent by weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Metso Powdermet Oy
    Inventor: Jari Liimatainen
  • Patent number: 7278460
    Abstract: A ceramic core for use in casting an article such as for example an airfoil, wherein the ceramic core has a pocket located at or near a region of the core that is otherwise associated with occurrence of a localized casting defect in the cast article. A covering is disposed on the core to cover the pocket and provide core outer surface features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Howmet Corporation
    Inventors: Robert E. Grunstra, John Corrigan
  • Patent number: 7278464
    Abstract: A control pin for controlling the flow of liquid metal in a casting process includes an elongate body member, the body member being made at least partially of a composite ceramic material that includes a fibrous reinforcing material embedded within a ceramic matrix, and a failsafe element embedded within the composite ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Pyrotek Incorporated
    Inventor: Mark Vincent
  • Patent number: 7275582
    Abstract: A system and method for heat treating castings and removing sand cores therefrom. The castings are initially located in indexed positions with their x, y, and z coordinates known. The castings are passed through a heat treatment station typically having a series of nozzles mounted in preset positions corresponding to the known indexed positions of the castings passing through the heat treatment station. The nozzles apply heat to the castings for heat treating the castings and dislodging the sand cores for removal from the castings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Consolidated Engineering Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott P. Crafton, Paul M. Crafton, Volker R. Knobloch, James L. Lewis, Jr., Ian French
  • Patent number: 7273669
    Abstract: Method and arrangement for spray forming an article. The method includes spraying a plurality of metal streams upon a low-heat resistant model and thereby forming a spray formed article. Each of the plurality of metal streams is composed of moltenized droplets, and as between the plurality of metal streams, each is composed of different constituent elements. In the spray form process, conditions of the metal streams are controlled, particularly around the time that the droplets land, to prevent adverse affects such as melting or burning the master model. The spray conditions are controlled in such a manner that the individual metal droplets forming the metal streams remain substantially segregate. The segregated state is maintained through out solidification so that the resulting spray formed article is composed at least partially of psuedo-alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Grigoriy Grinberg, Matthew M. Shade, David Robert Collins, Richard L. Allor