Patents Examined by Monica A. Fontaine
  • Patent number: 7022276
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a circuit board with high thermal dissipation includes the following steps: preparing a thermal conductive resin composition including 70 to 95 mass % of an inorganic filler and 5 to 30 mass % of a resin composition that includes a liquid thermosetting resin, a thermoplastic resin powder, and a latent curing agent; bonding the thermal conductive resin composition and a metal foil together by heating at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the thermosetting resin starts to cure while applying pressure so that the thermal conductive resin composition increases in viscosity and thus is solidified irreversibly; providing holes and curing the thermosetting resin to form an insulating substrate; and forming through holes and a circuit pattern. This method can achieve improved productivity and low cost in processing the holes. It is preferable that the thermal conductive resin composition is integral with a reinforcing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Hirano, Yoshihisa Yamashita, Seiichi Nakatani
  • Patent number: 7008585
    Abstract: An assembly disposed within a mold for forming openings in a plastic part includes a punch pin and a backing pin having faces disposed flush with a surface of a mold cavity. The backing pin is disposed opposite the punch pin. The punch pin is driven into the completed plastic part removing material to form an opening. The waste material is driven into a bore housing the backing pin. The backing pin recedes into the bore to accept the waste material. Upon ejection of the plastic part the waste material ejects from the mold cavity as the backing pin moves back to a position flush with the surface of the mold cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Build A Mold Limited
    Inventor: Tony Romanello
  • Patent number: 7001545
    Abstract: Disclosed is a compression molding method comprising the steps of: calculating an average value of mold clamping forces sensed in a plurality of mold clamping mechanisms for clamping a stationary and a movable mold half; obtaining a first control signal on the basis of deviation between a preset target mold clamping force and an average value of sensed mold clamping forces; sensing positions of movable members of the mold clamping mechanisms; obtaining an average value of sensed positions; setting the average value as a successive target position; obtaining a second control signal on the basis of deviation between each of the sensed positions and the successive target position; and obtaining a clamping control signal for each of the clamping mechanisms by adding the first control signal and the second control signal. An apparatus suitable for implementing the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Meiki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Shoji Okado, Yasuhiro Yabuki
  • Patent number: 6982054
    Abstract: A method of forming a joint (32) between two plastics extrusions (10) is disclosed which comprises mitring the extrusions (10) so that they form the desired angle to one another, removing part of the rear face of each extrusion (10) placing the mitred extrusions in a mould and injecting a resin material whereby to bond the extrusions (10) to one another and produce the desired joint (32) configuration. Because the front surface (24) of the joint in accordance with the invention is entirely made up from the original extrusion, there are no problems with raised sight-lines, colour differentials, surface differences, or colour matching. Moreover, the method of the invention allows a corner to be produced which has a clean right angled rather than radiused inner portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: SD Investments Limited
    Inventor: Donald Arthur Reynolds
  • Patent number: 6979420
    Abstract: An apparatus for molding balloon catheters is disclosed. The balloon may be molded by providing a polymeric tube within a mold having an interior cavity in the shape of the desired balloon. Microwave energy, which may be generated by a gyrotron, may then be directed toward the mold, to heat the polymeric material without heating the mold. Once heated, pressurized fluid may be injected into the tube to blow the polymeric material against the interior cavity whereupon the material can cool to form the balloon or can be further heatset by additional microwave energy and be cooled to form the balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jan Weber
  • Patent number: 6972103
    Abstract: In a method and a device for continuously manufacturing films, webs, and sheets of plastics capable of forming optical images a melted plastic mass, pre-shaped as a sheet, is guided into a roller gap of a calender, the roller gap formed between a shaping engraving cylinder roller and a smoothing strip surrounding partially the shaping engraving cylinder roller. The shaping engraving surface of the cylinder roller is heated to melting temperature in the roller gap, wherein the melted plastic mass is applied directly onto the shaping engraving surface of the heated cylinder roller. A profiling is provided by cooling the melted plastic mass in the roller gap by heat removal on a side facing the shaping engraving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Heinrich Friedrich Schröder
    Inventor: Peter Nawrath
  • Patent number: 6969482
    Abstract: A method for polychrome plastic material injection molding in accordance with the present invention, in which, a molding board is provided with a plurality of cores, and the cores are each provided with a plurality of cavities. The cores rotated for exchanging the positions of the cavities and together with the rotation of the molding board, whereby permitting the injection of three different colored plastic materials into the cores respectively in turn, and then forming a triple colored plastic object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Inventor: Teng-Jen Yang
  • Patent number: 6942826
    Abstract: Method for spectroscopically monitoring resin applied to a planar surface of veneer-wood sheets during travel in an assembly line. Spectroscopic instrumentation for monitoring applied resin is calibrated by measurements of predetermined resin applications to reference-test-samples, so as to provide a pre-determined relationship enabling monitoring of applied resin, during commercial production of a veneer-wood product using the visible light spectrum and near infrared extending to 2500 nm. Monitoring of selected radiation absorbance by the applied resin is carried out by spectroscopic measurement of non-absorbed electromagnetic radiation, as reflected back by the wood-veneer matrix; selected wavelengths are utilized for determining average resin-weight per designated surface area of a sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: DYNEA Chemicals Oy
    Inventors: Reginald A. Mbachu, Tyler G. Congleton
  • Patent number: 6939500
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for molding a sealing surface of revolution on a molded part in first and second partable mold halves that mate at a major parting line plane. First and second mold inserts each have a sub-insert trim wheel component shaped to mold form the sealing surface of revolution when closed at a minor parting line plane. The sub-inserts are rotatable between a position flush with the major parting line plane and a starting position angularly offset therefrom. The mold cavity is filled with liquid molding material that is allowed to harden to at least a self-sustaining solidification strength. The sub-inserts are then rotated to thereby move any minor parting line flash toward a position angularly offset from their starting position. This rotation causes any parting line flash that might otherwise remain on the sealing surface to be removed from attachment to, and/or smeared smooth along, such surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Inventor: Edward Helmut Bernard
  • Patent number: 6932924
    Abstract: Method for mold clamping of the present invention is capable of shortening a molding cycle without any initial setting works for an engaging position of a tie bars. The method is constituted the steps of moving the tie bars in the direction of mold closing during mold close operation, judging a relative moving speed between a movable die plate and the tie bar to be within a predetermined value, engaging the tie bars with the movable die plate mechanically by operating an engaging means when the relative moving speed is judged to be within the value, then further moving the movable die plate against a fixed die plate under engagement, and after contact of a movable mold with a fixed mold driving a mold clamping cylinder, thereby executing mold clamping operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Nishizawa, Toshihiro Kasai, Kazuhito Kobayashi, Yukio Iimura
  • Patent number: 6926853
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an elongate composite element in undefined lengths, the composite element containing reinforcement fibers embedded in a matrix based on a composition containing a curable resin, including a vacuum chamber, rigid-walled inlet tubing, an impregnation chamber, rigid-walled transfer tubing between the vacuum chamber and the impregnation chamber, a sizing die and, downstream of the sizing die, irradiation tubes providing radiation in the ultraviolet-visible spectrum to prepolymerize the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Conception Et Developpement Michelin S.A.
    Inventors: Henri Hinc, Jean-Paul Meraldi, Antoine Verdis, Fernand Genoud
  • Patent number: 6926857
    Abstract: A closure whereby a mold in the shape of a closure is injected with plastic, allowed to cure or cool, forms a closure having a top portion surrounded by sidewalls, said top portion formed from two opposing surfaces, whereby at least one of said surfaces is domed shaped forming a closure having a flat top portion. Particularly, this invention provides different embodiments allowing for the formation of a closure with a flat top portion which is aesthetically pleasing and prevents against disorientation during production and moreover, prevents the sidewalls of the closure from collapsing inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Phoenix Closures, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard J. Petro
  • Patent number: 6926856
    Abstract: The present invention thus provides a fabric-laminated plastic part and a novel process where the fabric edges are covered with a second plastic component that adheres both to the fabric and to the first plastic material. A first plastic substrate component is prepared with an adhered fabric surface area and then the edges of the fabric are overlapped by a second molded-on, plastic edge-covering component. The second material covers the fabric edge to provide an aesthetically pleasing surface. This construction produces a more durable fabric edge covering and eliminates the tendency of the fabric to peel off the molded part during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Inventors: Michael E. Hus, Joseph A. Langmaid, Curt E. Peterson, Jeffrey D. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 6911171
    Abstract: By achieving an extruded, foamed core formed from plastic material peripherally surrounded and integrally bonded with a plurality of cooperating synthetic, plastic, extruded, outer layers, a unique, multi-component, multi-layer synthetic closure is provided which may be employed as a bottle closure or stopper for any desired product, whether the product is a liquid, a viscous material, or a solid distributed in a bottle or container and dispensed through the open portal of the container neck. The present invention achieves a mass producible, resilient, synthetic bottle closure which is employable for any desired bottle, including wine. By employing the present invention, a multi-component or multi-layer synthetic closure is attained which possesses physical properties substantially equal to or better than the physical properties found in cork material, which has caused such cork material to be the principal closure material for wine bottles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Nomacorc LLC
    Inventor: Eduardo Lauer
  • Patent number: 6911169
    Abstract: A method of making a composite article of a graphite-filled polymer mixture that is robust during high shear mixing and compounding, and that exhibits relatively low electrical resistivity after molding. The mixture is formed by shear mixing a liquid polymeric material, graphitized carbon fibers having diameters of less than one micrometer, and glass fibers longer than the carbon fibers. The carbon and glass fibers constitute up to about 25 volume percent and up to about 50 weight percent, respectively, of the mixture, though the addition of as little as about 1 weight percent of the glass fibers has been shown to dramatically reduce resistivity. The mixture is then introduced into a mold so that the glass fibers are substantially oriented parallel to the direction of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Choongyong Kwag, Gary George Tibbetts, D. Gerald Glasgow
  • Patent number: 6896834
    Abstract: A method of forming ablative insulation coatings on aerospace structures and articles produced thereby. The method includes forming a mold having a cavity configured to complementarily receive at least a portion of the structure and directly molding the ablative coating to a surface of the structure by introducing a prepared ablative mixture, such as an epoxy resin, into the mold. The process may desirably include curing at atmospheric pressures to reduce the expense and equipment required in carrying out the process. The method of applying the ablative coating further includes features such as varying the thickness of the ablative coating from one portion of the component to another. Control of the thickness may be effected through use of spacers embedded into the ablative coating and formed of the same or similar material previously cured prior to placement in the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradford P. Packer, Roy E. Bronson, Russell Montgomery, Roger D. Holstein
  • Patent number: 6887062
    Abstract: A screw nose for a rubber extruder screw has an upstream portion of increasing diameter providing working engagement of the rubber flowing from the screw with the extruder barrel and a downstream portion of decreasing diameter providing working engagement of the rubber with a converging tapered wall of a flow channel block for reducing the shrinkage and pressure drop at the discharge end of the screw and thereby prevent porosity and blisters in an extruded rubber component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Gary Robert Burg, Malcolm George Marshall
  • Patent number: 6887419
    Abstract: A multi-material runner gate system allows effective de-gating of elastomeric materials that would otherwise stretch and/or flex reducing de-gating forces at the gate upon separation of the molds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: MGS Mfg. Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis J. Payette, Thomas W. Woloszyk, Stuart J. Nitschke, Brian Hartlmeier, John J. Hahn
  • Patent number: 6887417
    Abstract: An enhanced catheter introducer and method for making the same are disclosed. The catheter introducer may have a splittable sleeve assembly configured to be inserted into a blood vessel with a cannula. The cannula may then be removed, and a catheter may be inserted into the sleeve assembly. The sleeve assembly may be removed from the catheter by pulling handles of the sleeve assembly in different directions to split the sleeve assembly into two pieces. The sleeve assembly may have failure zones that enable the sleeve assembly to be easily split; the failure zones may take the form of thinned regions running along the length of the sleeve assembly. The sleeve assembly may be injection molded with a single step by injecting flows of molten plastic into a cavity of a mold such that the flows converge into an even distribution about the circumference of the sleeve. The mold may have a core pin designed to fit into the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: BectonDickinson and Company
    Inventors: Craig N. Gawreluk, Cynthia A. Castro, Weston F. Harding, Steven W. Johnson, Wayne M. Parris, Lantao Guo, Michael C. Larsen
  • Patent number: 6884380
    Abstract: The invention is to ensure that in injection molding a molten resin having carbon dioxide dissolved therein as a plasticizer, a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide to achieve satisfactory improvement in flowability is dissolved in the molten resin so that the flowability of the molten resin is significantly improved while enabling the production of a non-foamed molded article. Specifically, in the invention, a molten resin having dissolved therein a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide to improve its flowability is filled into a mold cavity while allowing to foam at the flow front of the molten resin, and the resin in the mold cavity is then pressurized to at least a pressure at which it does not foam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yamaki