Patents Examined by Kyle A Cook
  • Patent number: 11879488
    Abstract: A fastener assembly includes a bolt having a head and having a shank. The shank defines threads, the bolt defines a channel which extends circumferentially about the bolt, and the head defines multiple head channels with a first end of each of the multiple head channels in communication with the channel and a second end of each of the multiple head channels in communication with an outside of the head positioned at a top surface of the head. The fastener assembly further includes a sleeve having threads compatible for engaging the threads of the bolt. The sleeve includes a portion of the sleeve including an annealed material and multiple slots defined through the sleeve. With the bolt positioned within the sleeve, each of the multiple slots defined through the sleeve is positioned in communication with the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Shahriar Khosravani
  • Patent number: 11865655
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining integrally bladed rotors (IBR) includes using first vibration data from a IBR vibration apparatus of a first IBR to determine a set of values for a corresponding set of inherent vibratory properties based on a reduced order model for an IBR type to which the first IBR belongs. Shape data indicating an initial shape of a surface of a first blade is used, with repair data that indicates a candidate repair to form a restored shape, to determine a change in a value of an inherent blade section vibratory property of the set of inherent vibratory properties. A condition of the first IBR is determined based at least in part on the change in the value of the inherent blade section vibratory property. The first IBR is maintained based on the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Blade Diagnostics Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry H. Griffin, Drew M. Feiner, Blair E. Echols, Michael J. Cushman, Alex J. Kowalski, Daniel J. Ryan
  • Patent number: 11859648
    Abstract: A joint system including a support device with a plurality of radial extensions extending in at least a first direction from the support device, each individual radial extension of the plurality of radial extensions terminating at a distal engagement end and a receiving device separate from the support device with a notch area to receive the distal engagement ends of each radial extension of the plurality of radial extensions and a contact area upon which a length of the radial extensions of the plurality of radial extensions engage when the distal engagement end of each radial extension of the plurality of radial extensions are engaged within the notch area. At least one radial extension of the plurality of radial extensions is configured to be flexible between a first position to provide for at least one of assembly and disassembly of the support device to the receiving device and a second position when the support device and the receiving device are assembled. Another system and method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Westerberg, Jesse Rich Cannon
  • Patent number: 11833577
    Abstract: Methods, systems and tools for securing to a panel an expandable fastener having a threaded component and a mushrooming component, the tool including a sleeve having a cylindrical body with a hollow inside portion and an internal spline configured to match a splined shoulder of the mushrooming component, a drive shaft having a driving portion configured to engage and rotate the threaded component, the driving portion positioned within the hollow portion of the sleeve, and a driven portion configured to be driven by an arbor, the arbor having a first shaft portion configured to engage with the driven portion and drive the drive shaft, and a second shaft portion configured to connect to a drill or nut driver to drive the drive shaft to turn the threaded component relative to the mushrooming component and collapse the mushrooming component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventor: Scott Horton
  • Patent number: 11826539
    Abstract: A system, method, and article for delivering an antimicrobial agent into the lumen of a trans-dermal catheter are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system comprises an elongate member configured for insertion into a lumen of a catheter, and the elongate member containing an antimicrobial. In the alternative an antimicrobial agent can be placed on an interior surface of a retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ICU Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Ziebol, Keith J. Modert
  • Patent number: 11819905
    Abstract: According to a first aspect of the invention there as provided a method of forming a riveted joint comprising a UHSS layer and a non-UHSS layer using a self-piercing rivet comprising a head and a shank, an outer diameter of a top of the shank being greater than an outer diameter of a bottom of the shank before insertion of the rivet, the method comprising pushing the self-piercing rivet into the UHSS layer such that the lower portion of the shank flares outwards and cuts a slug from the UHSS, and pushing the flared shank of the self-piercing rivet and the slug into the non-UHSS layer such that the non-UHSS layer deforms into a die recess and flows around an outer surface of the flared shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Atlas Copco IAS UK Limited
    Inventors: Russell John Trinick, Samuel Williams, Elliot Jones
  • Patent number: 11819935
    Abstract: A method for precision machining a workpiece with gearing, wherein teeth of a gear-cutting tool rotating about a rotation axis are brought into engagement with teeth of the workpiece rotating about a workpiece rotation axis, and the gear-cutting tool and the workpiece are moved relative to each other in an axial direction parallel to the workpiece rotation axis. The thickness of the teeth of the gear-cutting tool, starting from an end face, increases in the axial direction until a thickness maximum is reached. The ratio (Bw/Bz) of the width (Bw) of the teeth of the workpiece to the width (Bz) of the teeth of the gear-cutting tool is 2-20. Before and after each pass of the teeth of the gear-cutting tool through the tooth gaps of the workpiece, the thickness maximum of each tooth of the gear-cutting tool is positioned outside the gearing of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Präwema Antriebstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Schieke, Walter Holderbein, Jörg Reinhardt
  • Patent number: 11820296
    Abstract: An apparatus for mounting within a vehicle, an object having at least one receptacle in a first main surface. The apparatus comprises a base having a mounting surface. A latch and a frame are movable between latched and unlatched positions and are biased toward the latched position by a first biasing element. One or more push buttons are movable between extended and depressed positions and are biased toward the extended position by a second biasing element. A lower portion of the push button blocks and allows movement of the frame toward the latched position when the push button is in the extended and depressed position, respectively. The first main surface pushes the push button to the depressed position, thereby enabling the first biasing element to move the latch and the frame to the latched position, in which the latch engages with the at least one receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Havis, Inc.
    Inventors: Kou Yang, Stephen Telesco, Keith Halonen, Bruce Jonik, David Skiver
  • Patent number: 11819908
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a extrusion forming method and a forming apparatus for manufacturing a self-clinching rivet, wherein the forming method comprises: upset-extruding a first end of a wire blank to shape it into a material pushing portion and a shank portion billet, upset-extruding the shank portion billet to shape it into a shank portion and a groove portion, and upset-extruding a second end of the wire blank to create a slot portion and a slot shaft portion. The invention for manufacturing the self-clinching rivet by one-time extrusion forming does not generate waste during processing, which greatly improves a utilization rate of raw materials compared with the traditional machining method. Meanwhile, a formed piece manufactured by the present invention has complete metal streamlines, which can greatly improve its strength compared with the one manufactured by machining and avoid a risk of hydrogen embrittlement in a subsequent surface treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventor: Haifeng Lu
  • Patent number: 11819902
    Abstract: An expansion tool includes a housing, a collar rotatably coupled to the housing, a plurality of jaws coupled for co-rotation with the collar, a mandrel movable relative to the housing between a retracted position and an extended position to expand the jaws, and a drive mechanism including a rotatable cam. Rotation of the cam moves the mandrel between the retracted position and the extended position. The expansion tool further includes an indexing gear configured to incrementally receive torque from the drive mechanism such that continuous rotation of the drive mechanism incrementally rotates the indexing gear, and a clutch assembly including a clutch gear meshed with the indexing gear, a clutch cover surrounding the clutch gear, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the clutch gear and the clutch cover. The clutch cover is drivably coupled to the collar such that rotation of the clutch cover rotates the collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter J. Davies, Peng Dai, Zhi Bin Li, Jing Jing Cai, Jian Wei Li
  • Patent number: 11821450
    Abstract: The present rivet invention has a main body comprising a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein the main body further comprises a lateral wall disposed at the second end and circumferentially extending around the main body; and a core part disposed at the second end of the main body and contained inside the lateral wall of the main body, wherein the core part has an end surface for pressing against at least an end surface of one of the work pieces when the rivet is being operated to rivet the work pieces, to allow materials of the work pieces flow outwardly of the core part. An accommodation space is formed between the core part and the lateral wall to receive materials of the work pieces flowing into the space and deform outwardly at least a portion of the lateral wall of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Qiang Sun, Shengbao Cai, Yong Wu, Dapeng Duan, Xiaofei Yan
  • Patent number: 11745250
    Abstract: Provided is a swaging device including: an upper anvil that is disposed in a state in which the upper anvil faces an end surface of a head of a rivet; a lower anvil that is disposed in a state in which the lower anvil faces an end surface of a shaft portion of the rivet; and a pressurizing mechanism that generates a pressurizing force of causing a distance between the upper anvil and the lower anvil along an axial line to decrease and plastically deforms the rivet, in which an end surface of the upper anvil includes a bottom surface that perpendicularly intersects the axial line X and a support surface that has a projecting length in a direction of the axial line with respect to the bottom surface gradually increasing from an inner circumferential side toward an outer circumferential side in the radial direction formed therein, and an inclination angle of the support surface is smaller than an inclination angle of the inclined surface of the rivet by a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Tsukioka, Akira Ikada, Michinobu Takahagi
  • Patent number: 11691763
    Abstract: A pressure measuring device for a scale model for elastic similar structure of a wing in a large transport plane adopts a bracket for pressure measuring steel pipes formed by 3D printing, shapes of an upper surface and an lower surface of the bracket are completely the same as local airfoile profiles of a skin at required pressure measuring positions, and the upper surface and the lower surface of the bracket are bonded to the skin and wing beams; a pressure measuring hose is connected with the pressure measuring steel pipe, and the pressure measuring steel pipe is embedded into the bracket and fixed to it; the upper surface and the lower surface of the bracket are provided with semi-cylindrical convex structures; and the pressure measuring steel pipe extends out of the pressure measuring hole in the surface of the skin for pressure measuring steel pipe in the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Dalian University of Technology
    Inventors: Wei Qian, Shaojie Ge, Xing Li, Xiangyan Chen
  • Patent number: 11643269
    Abstract: Systems, methods and containers for forming a beverage. A beverage container includes an enclosure arranged with a movable element that is movable to pierce a membrane and permit beverage material in the container to exit. The movable element can also be moveable to permit pressurized gas entry into the container and through the membrane. Gas can be introduced into the container to force beverage material to exit the container. A gas inlet port can be provided with the enclosure and arranged to mate with a gas source of a beverage machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Bedford Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Enrico Raffaele Cafaro, Michael Sack, Ian Scott Rice
  • Patent number: 11634239
    Abstract: Systems and methods for moving a vehicle component relative to the vehicle, the system including first and second upwardly-extending supports; a lift frame between the first and second supports including a crossbeam, and a pair of cambered truss assemblies secured to the crossbeam and configured to be attached to the vehicle component; movable first and second crossbeam support assemblies on the first and second supports to support the rotation of the crossbeam; a first lift mechanism configured to move the first crossbeam support assembly along the first support in response to a first control signal; a rotational drive mechanism configured to rotate the crossbeam relative to the first and second crossbeam support assemblies in response to a second control signal; and an electronic controller configured to generate the first and second control signals to change the position of the vehicle component relative to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert Steven Wright, James Tane Iwamoto, Jack William Mauldin, August West McKenna, Richard Kevin Wilson, Bruce Allen Biskup
  • Patent number: 11635100
    Abstract: A joint structure installed in the physical structure is provided. The joint structure includes a first latching member and a second latching member. The first latching member includes a first main body, a head portion extending from the first main body and a first convex portion extending from the first main body. The second latching member includes a second main body, a second convex portion extending from the second main body and a third convex portion extending from the second main body. When the first latching member and the second latching member are in an assembling status, the first convex portion slides between the second convex portion and the third convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL APPLIED RESEARCH LABORATORIES
    Inventors: Yao-Yu Yang, Chia-Ming Chang, Fang-Yao Yeh, Shih-Chung Kang
  • Patent number: 11618179
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for inserting a first ram (1) or a second ram (2) in an alternating manner into a ram feeder (3) of a device for inserting stripping pins and stripping claws into a stripping tool, wherein the first ram (1) and the second ram (2) are mounted on a retaining plate (6) so as to be moveable in a first movement direction (4), wherein the ram feeder (3) can be moved in a second movement direction (5), and wherein the first movement direction (4) is orthogonal to the second movement direction (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BOXPLAN GMBH & CO.KG
    Inventor: Tobias Jakob
  • Patent number: 11608844
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing furniture using extruded polymeric honeycomb profiles, capable of providing the market with a sustainable product which can be exposed to moisture. The method includes three polymeric extruded honeycomb profiles, the extruded profile being fitted to the profile by inserting the flanges into the angled conformation, being anchored by the contact of the external flexible flaps with the flexible flaps. The union of profiles and provides an intermediate fitting allowing fixating the shelves, for example, being anchored by inserting the appendage into the angled conformations, fixating them through contact of the flexible external flanges with the external flexible flaps, allowing the formation of a three-part conjugation, being one profile and two profiles. The method allows the union of two profiles through the union of the external flexible flaps of the appendage, anchored to the internal flexible flaps of the flanges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Inventor: André Cavalcante De Albuquerque
  • Patent number: 11608756
    Abstract: A service apparatus for use in maintaining a machine including a stator and a rotor is provided. The service apparatus includes a carriage assembly configured to couple to the rotor. The service apparatus is selectively transitionable between a stowed position in which the service apparatus is rotatable with the rotor and an extended position in which the service apparatus is extended toward the stator. The service apparatus also includes at least one maintenance device coupled to the carriage assembly. The at least one maintenance device is operable to perform a maintenance operation on a surface of the stator with the service apparatus in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Todd William Danko, Ramvineeth Nitta, Kori Unhee Macdonald, Yakov Polishchuk, Robert Edward Huth, Don Mark Lipkin
  • Patent number: 11565358
    Abstract: Methods involving adding a removable fixating material to a partially manufactured workpiece to stabilize a plurality of partially formed objects therein for subsequent manufacturing. In one example, a workpiece of interconnected structures is manufactured comprising precursors to the discrete objects as a function of a workpiece computer model. Manufacturing the workpiece further includes forming valleys between adjacent partially formed objects so that interconnecting portions remain to interconnect the partially formed objects. Further, the methods include removing the interconnecting portions so as to liberate the plurality of objects from one another. In some embodiments, a temporary frame is formed from the workpiece along with the plurality of objects during manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: PROTOLABS, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Stahl