Patents Examined by Marc W. Butler
  • Patent number: 6202306
    Abstract: The preload of the double row rolling bearing unit after completion is kept at a proper value regardless of the elastic deformation of the shaft caused when pushing the inner race in the axial direction wherein the balls are first installed in the bearing at the first pitch P1 of the ball rows which is larger than the pitch p1 in the state where the preload is proper and then preloaded to a pitch slightly smaller than the second pitch p1, so that the ball rows have the second pitch p1 after the shaft is elastically restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Seizo Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 6199257
    Abstract: A process for making a flow cell having an internal flow passage of a material having a refractive index less than that of water or having the internal walls of the flow passage coated or otherwise covered with such a material is provided. The flow cell so produced substantially totally internally reflects light along the cell bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Thermo Separation Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Miner Nelson Munk, Douglas Alan Perry, Brian Robert Said
  • Patent number: 6199259
    Abstract: Fabrication techniques for an integrated sputtering target assembly include pressure assisted bonding of soldered layers of material, in particular, soldering of the target material to its backing plate; pressure assisted curing of structural adhesives used to join a finned cover plate to a backing plate which between them form passages for fluid cooling; and bonding an electrical insulating layer to the back surface of the backing plate. The pressure to assist in bonding is typically applied by an autoclave. The cooling fluid passages disposed between a cover and a finned backing plate can be sealed by using laser welding or electron beam welding rather than closing the cooling passages with structural adhesives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Demaray, Manuel Herrera
  • Patent number: 6199277
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bake carbon flue straightener for straightening a flue wall of an anode baking surface from a deformed or bowed position to a straight or normal position. The flue straightener includes a plurality of remotely controlled and independently actuated hydraulic cylinders mounted on a plurality of elevations space apart at equal distances from each other, a steel frame for supporting hydraulic cylinders, such that each of the elevations of the hydraulic cylinders are coupled to a continuous length of extendable solid push plates for extending the push plates to the deformed or bowed flue wall so as to push or straighten with equally distributed forces the deformed or bowed flue wall back to the straight or normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Century Aluminum of West Virginia, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Massile
  • Patent number: 6199274
    Abstract: A method of making an oil scraper piston ring includes the following steps of providing a base ring body including a circumferential web having flanks and an outer circumferential surface; galvanically depositing on the web a wear resistant hard chromium layer having solid particles embedded therein; applying a break-off resistant cover layer to the hard chromium layer; and grinding the cover layer to provide the outer circumferential surface of the web with sharp bounding edges
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH
    Inventor: Karlfried Preyer
  • Patent number: 6196958
    Abstract: A toner supply roll including a cylindrical soft polyurethane sponge structure which is integrally formed on a metal shaft and which has a hardness of not higher than 350 g, a network of cells, and a skin layer having openings which are open in its outer circumferential surface and which communicate with respective radially outermost ones of the cells located adjacent to the skin layer, wherein the openings have a size of 100-800 &mgr;m, and a total area percent of at least 20% of the total area of the outer circumferential surface of the skin layer, and the sponge structure has a plurality of helical protrusions formed on the outer circumferential surface of the skin layer so as to extend helically about an axis of the sponge structure, the helical protrusions being arranged in a circumferential direction of the sponge structure, so as to form a plurality of helical recesses each interposed between adjacent ones of the helical protrusions, so that helical protrusions and recesses cooperate to define a toothe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita Shiraki, Akihiko Kaji
  • Patent number: 6195895
    Abstract: Air which would otherwise be entrapped in an O-ring seal groove in a hydrodynamic bearing arrangement is removable from the seal groove by providing at least one passage between the seal groove and an adjacent thrust plate recess. The air is removed from the seal groove though the passages by drawing a vacuum at a lower end of the bearing arrangement. Preferably, the passages are formed, at least in part, by grooves defined in the upper surface of a land formed between the seal groove and the thrust plate recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: David Wuester, Sr., Roger Addy
  • Patent number: 6192585
    Abstract: A ball nut has at least one internal bearing race with a first end and second end, and at least one recirculating crossover passage for connecting the first end with the second end of the bearing race to form a continuous recirculating path for a plurality of ball bearings. A method for producing a ball nut includes the steps of forming at least a portion of the ball nut body with a helix passage for receiving a plurality of ball bearings, forming a crossover passage in communication with the helix passage for returning the plurality of ball bearings to an opposite end of the helix passage, and assembling the ball nut body portions to position the helix passage and operable orientation with respect to the crossover passage to define at least one raceway having a single recirculating rotational path for receiving the plurality of ball bearings. The ball nut body can be formed by being drawn, coined, metal injection molded, roll formed, through rolled, stamped and/or overmolded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Electrical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Harry C. Buchanan, Jr., Yaomin Dong, Frederick M. Goerz
  • Patent number: 6192569
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacture of a top 1 intended to be attached on a container or a flexible tube 50 and comprising a neck 3 the opening 7 of which is connected by a tearable ring-shaped part 10 to a cover 20 serving as an impervious stopper prior to breaking of the ring-shaped part and then being able to serve for recapping. The cover 20 is extended by a plate 30 the periphery 31 of which has a common axis of symmetry with the tearable ring-shaped part 10 and is provided with at least three lugs 32. The skirt 40 is open at one end; its inner surface 46 is partially cylindrical, its section following the exact shape of the periphery 31, except for the lugs, of the plate 30, and is provided with at least three cavities 41 intended to accommodate said lugs. The skirt is drawn around the plate 30 to the point of immobilization, brought about by the insertion of the lugs 32 on the plate 30 into the cavities 41 of the skirt 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Cebal SA
    Inventors: Bernard Schneider, Jean-Paul Meausoone
  • Patent number: 6189214
    Abstract: Gas-assisted atomizing devices are provided that include liquid orifices, which release liquid, and gas orifices, which release gas to atomize the liquid into droplets. The atomizing devices are formed by at least a first layer and a second layer. The atomizing devices can include a gas supply network and a liquid supply network that supply gas and liquid to the gas and liquid orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Perry R Skeath, John R Saylor, Amy L Rovelstad
  • Patent number: 6190295
    Abstract: A charging roll comprising a center shaft an electrically conductive rubber layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the center shaft and having a relatively low hardness a resistance adjusting layer formed radially outwardly of the conductive rubber layer and a protective layer formed radially outwardly of the resistance adjusting layer. The resistance adjusting layer is formed of a rubber composition prepared by mixing a rubber material with particles of an electron-conductive material and particles of an electrically insulating material. The rubber composition comprises 10-50 parts by weight of the electrically insulating material per 100 parts by weight of the electron-conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Kawano, Kenichi Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 6182353
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a tool for swaging a bearing into an opening in a bearing housing, which apparatus is operable in confined spaces, such as in an aircraft application. The tool has a threaded elongated member or bolt that extends through the bore of the bearing. The tool also has a roller fixture assembly adapted to be positioned on one side of the bearing and positioned on one end of the elongated member. The roller fixture assembly has a number of rollers and a roller fixture shell that supports the rollers for engagement with the bearing to swage the bearing against the bearing housing. The bearing swaging tool also has a locating fixture assembly adapted to be positioned on the opposite side of the bearing from the roller fixture assembly. The locating fixture assembly is supported on the other end of the elongated member and includes a locating fixture with a first side adapted to be positioned against the bearing and bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Rexnord Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Grunze, Robert E. Franzen
  • Patent number: 6178637
    Abstract: In known methods for producing rotationally symmetrical valve seat faces, the valve closing body is brought into contact with the valve seat face of the valve seat body, set into a rotary motion, and set parallel to the rotary axis into an oscillating motion of high frequency. When the valve is assembled, care must then be taken that this pairing of the valve closing body and the valve seat body is preserved. In the novel method, the valve seat body is inserted into a receiving body and fixed by means of a tappet. A spherical tool body engages the valve seat face of the valve seat body with a contact pressure force and rotates in a rotary direction that is opposite a rotary direction of the valve seat body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Herold, Oliver Kirsten
  • Patent number: 6178639
    Abstract: A multilayer engine bearing (26) includes a steel backing (36) having a liner (38) of bearing metal of either copper-lead or aluminum alloys formed on the backing (36) and a thin layer (44) of either copper or nickel plated on the liner (38) to define a base lining member (40) of the bearing (26). A multilayer overplate (46) is formed on the base lining member (40) and includes an underlayer (48) of a lead-tin-copper alloy having a thickness of about 10 &mgr;m and an overlayer (50) of tin having a thickness of about 5 &mgr;m. The multilayer overplate (46) exhibits exceptional fatigue resistance under high dynamic loading conditions and retains good conformability and embedibility characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul World Wide, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Lytwynec, James R. Toth, Daniel E. Dugan
  • Patent number: 6173484
    Abstract: A system for fabricating muntin bars from sheet material. Sheet material in the form of thin ribbon stock is fed to a first forming station including a punching mechanism that punches the ribbon stock at a precisely predetermined location. The ribbon stock is delivered from the first forming station to a second forming station in the form of a rolling mill. The stock passes through a succession of forming rolls to produce a tube having a desired cross-sectional shape. The tube is delivered from the second forming station to a third forming station including a severing apparatus that severs the tube at a precisely predetermined location to produce a muntin bar. After severing, the muntin bar is engaged by a conveyor and moved to a desired location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Glass Equipment Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Bryan McGlinchy, Mohamed C. Khalfoun, John Louis Grismer, Michael J. Gardner
  • Patent number: 6174594
    Abstract: Duplex layers of carbon fiber each comprising a lower portion of uni-directional filaments and an upper staple fiber portion are laid one on top of the other in an annular form. Needles are reciprocated through the layers to cause the staple fiber to be pushed downwardly to interconnect the layers. The base supporting the layers being assembled is gradually lowered until there comes a time when the bottom of the needle stroke no longer passes through all of the layers. At that time additional layers comprising staple fiber only are added and needled down into the stack to enrich the lower layers. After that enrichment the stack is then built up by adding further duplex layers. When all of the duplex layers have been added, further staple fibers may be added to the stop of the stack and needled in order to enrich the upper layers with interconnecting staple fibers, which upper layers would otherwise be deficient in interconnecting staple fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Aerospace Preforms Limited
    Inventors: Norman Smith, Peter Geoffrey Lawton
  • Patent number: 6171222
    Abstract: Rolls for metal shaping have at least a peripheral surface of an iron-based Fe—B or Fe—B—C cast alloy having from 1 to 20 wt % chromium; from 0.5 to 3 wt % boron; up to 1.0 wt % carbon; or higher carbon if substantial amounts of strong carbide forming elements such as Mo, V, Ti, W and Nb are present; optional alloying additions including the Mo, V, Ti, W and Nb and also including Si, Al, Mn, Ni and Cu; and, apart from incidental impurities, a balance of Fe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventors: Kenneth Donald Lakeland, Graham Leonard Fraser Powell, Tommy Nylen
  • Patent number: 6167624
    Abstract: A method for producing a polymeric foamed material panel including the steps of providing a polymeric foamed material; and cutting (e.g. hot wire cutting) the polymeric foamed material until reaching a preconfiguration cut point. The method further includes cutting subsequently from the preconfiguration cut point a brace-receiving configuration in the polymeric foamed material; and sliding a brace member into the brace-receiving configuration to produce a polymeric foamed material panel. A method for forming a structure comprising engaging together a pair of polymeric foamed material panels produced in accordance with the method for producing a polymeric foamed material panel. A polymeric foamed material panel comprising a panel consisting of a polymeric foamed material, and a brace-receiving-configured slot disposed in the polymeric foamed material of the panel. A brace member is disposed in the brace-receiving-configured slot in the polymeric foamed material of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: QB Technologies, L.C.
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Lanahan, Thomas G. Durham, Stephen C. Foreman
  • Patent number: 6163961
    Abstract: A method of making a multi-layer plain bearing comprises roll-bonding a relatively soft aluminum-tin alloy to a harder aluminum-based bearing substrate and then roll-bonding the composite to a steel backing. Following heat treatment conventional for reticulation of the aluminum-tin alloy the surface is machined to give a precise overall bearing thickness of which the aluminum-tin overlay is in the range of 0.01-0.10 mm, typical of an overlay but having greater fatigue strength and war resistance than conventional electro-deposited materials. Alternatively, the overlay substrate and backing strips may be roll-bonded simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Glacier Vandervell Limited
    Inventor: Kenneth M McMeekin
  • Patent number: 6158123
    Abstract: A slide assembly is provided including a first slide segment, a reinforcing member and an overmold shell. The first slide segment defines a first sliding surface and a second sliding surfaces. The overmold shell is molded around at least a portion of the reinforcing member to form a second slide segment with a first sliding surface and a second sliding surface. The first slide segment and the second slide segment positioned such that the first sliding surface of the second slide segment is slidable along the first sliding surface of the first slide segment and the second sliding surface of the second slide segment slidable along the second sliding surface of the first slide segment to control the sliding of the first slide segment and the second slide segment relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Jonathan Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventor: Robert Carl Bryson