Patents Examined by P. W. Echols
  • Patent number: 6176003
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing the molding 1 comprising a forming process of preparing a molded material 100 which is used as a core metal 10 and has a uniform sectional configuration by forming a material of the core metal 10 into a predetermined configuration; a cut-off process of cutting off a part of the molded material 100 to prepare the core metal 10 whose sectional configuration is varied; and an extrusion process of variably extruding the synthetic resin 19 onto a surface of the core metal 10 by moving a movable die 41 according to the sectional configuration of the core metal 10, using an extruding die body 40 and the movable die 41 installed on the die body 40. According to this method, the adherence of the synthetic resin to the core metal can be reliably accomplished, and thus the molding-manufacturing method having a high productivity can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Aoyama
  • Patent number: 6175997
    Abstract: A method of assembling strings of pocketed coil springs into an innerspring core which may be used as the core of a mattress, cushion or similar body support foundation uses plastic netting reinforced nonwoven webs supplied between a pair of spaced apart heated rolls. Strings of pocketed coil springs are fed in seriatim into the nip between the rolls to heat the netting and activate an integral adhesive to bond the webs to the top and bottom surfaces of the pockets of each string. The core formed thus has reinforced webs on the top and bottom of the strings. The process overcomes the problems encountered when hot melt spraying is utilized to bond the pocketed coil strings together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventor: Niels S. Mossbeck
  • Patent number: 6170918
    Abstract: A full face wheel assembly comprises a full face disc and a rim. The disc is preferably cast from aluminum whereas the rim is rolled from aluminum strip stock. The full face disc comprises an outboard bead seat flange, an outboard bead seat and an outboard well side wall. The disc may also include lightener pockets or a continuous re-entrant channel adjacent the outboard bead seat. The rim comprises an inboard bead seat flange, an inboard bead seat, an inboard leg, and a deep well. The disc and rim are welded together in the deep well or bead seat regions by gas metal arc welding, electron beam welding or other suitable welding technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth R. Archibald, Melvyn Leroy Scott, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6170156
    Abstract: The fatigue life of gears, for example, the gears in a sun gear-planetary gear set, is markedly improved by forming the respective gears by ordinary manufacturing practices and then running each new gear against a durable, but expendable, dummy of its counter-gear. The teeth of a dummy sun gear may be suitably hardened and used under suitable loads to minimally reshape the teeth of a plurality of newly-made pinions so that they are smoothed and better fit an intended sun gear. Similarly, the roughened teeth of a hardened or hard coated sun gear can be smoothed by running it for a few rotations against an expendable pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Leonid Charles Lev, Anita Miriam Weiner, Stephen Joel Harris
  • Patent number: 6167620
    Abstract: A method for transporting heat exchanger fins and forming a core subassembly for a heat exchanger uses a universal fin tray for all subassemblies instead of different tray sizes for different core subassemblies. The method includes indexing core plates forward under a stationary fin stuffing box, loading fins into the universal fin tray, indexing the loaded fins forward one at a time corresponding to the number of fins required, pushing required fins into the fin stuffing box when indexing reaches number required for the core subassembly, and pushing fins out of the fin stuffing box into the plates forming the core subassembly. A universal fin tray size, a stationary fin box, and a stationary cut off are used for all core sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Gerald Joseph Selm, Kevin Bennett Wise, Carl Eckardt Schornhorst
  • Patent number: 6167601
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing interlocking sheet metal floor members for use in a grain storage bin or like application requiring passage of fluid through the floor members without permitting passage of granular material therethrough. The method comprises the steps of forming a first interlocking section on a first side edge of a strip of sheet metal and a second interlocking section on a second side of the strip of sheet metal; shearing, opening and corrugating the strip of sheet metal in one roll forming stand which utilizes a pair of shearing and corrugation rollers, wherein the shearing step includes shearing rows of slits across a width of a central portion of the strip of sheet metal, wherein the opening step includes opening the slits to permit fluid flow therethrough, and wherein the corrugating step includes corrugating the strip of sheet metal along each of the series of the slits; and cutting the strip of sheet metal at selected transverse locations to form the sheet metal floor members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Conrad American
    Inventors: David Gollhofer, Brad E. Smithburg
  • Patent number: 6164422
    Abstract: A brake (10) for a hydraulic vehicle brake system has a housing (14) with a bore (18) which is formed therein and in which a brake piston (20) is received in a sealingly and slideably displaceable manner. The brake piston (20) is adapted to press a brake lining (32) against a brake disk (12) by means of hydraulic pressure. For sealing, the brake piston (20) is sealed off relative to the bore (18) by means of a sealing ring (26) made of elastic material. In order to optimize the adhesive and sliding properties between the sealing ring (26) and brake piston (20), the sealing ring (26) and/or at least that outer surface of the brake piston (20) which cooperates with the sealing ring (26) is coated with a lacquer which contains an organic binder and a solid lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited company
    Inventors: Franco Sanitate, Willibrord Conrad
  • Patent number: 6161271
    Abstract: A method for mounting a slider device on a recloseable package includes mounting the slider device by intersecting the slider device with a zipper arrangement so that at least one of the slider device and the zipper arrangement is distorted to allow mounting. A particular method includes mounting the slider device includes intersecting the slider device with the zipper arrangement at an angle between about 20 to 60.degree., preferably about 45.degree.. In another method, the zipper arrangement is distorted to facilitate mounting of the slider device thereon, and in yet another method, the slider device is distorted to facilitate mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Schreiter
  • Patent number: 6159134
    Abstract: A reusable multi-strip laminate paint roller and method for manufacturing the same. The method comprising steps of: advancing a first strip of polypropylene material about a mandrel; advancing a second strip of polypropylene about a mandrel in offset relation to the first strip; advancing a cover about the second strip of polypropylene; providing a first adhesive layer (preferably a liquefied polypropylene) between the first and second strips of polypropylene; providing a second adhesive layer between the second strip of polypropylene and the cover; and applying a compressing force upon the cover urging the cover toward the second strip and simultaneously urging the second strip toward the first strip, thereby creating the continuous laminated paint roller. After forming of the continuously paint roller it is moved towards a cutter by a helical drive belt system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Inventor: Chandra Sekar
  • Patent number: 6154948
    Abstract: An interchangeable cast metal block for mounting on a rotor shaft, the shaft having a polygonal cross-section. The block includes a substantially circular body having a central bore complementary to the polygonal cross-section of the rotor shaft such that the rotation of the shaft will turn the block. There are at least two opposed cutting blade mounting bosses for attachment of cutting blades on the external surface of the block. The mounting bosses are positioned on the block in a predetermined geometric arrangement relative to a facet of the polygonal center bore such that the block can be reversed and re-mounted on the rotor shaft to effectively double the available number of cutting blade positions. The number of available cutting blade positions is two times the number of facets on the polygonal center bore. A plurality of the blocks may be stacked on the rotor in an array to provide a plurality of cutting blade patterns along the length of the rotor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Robert M. Williams, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6151773
    Abstract: An assembly machine has a frame defining at least one work station, a transfer mechanism for feeding a succession of workpieces one at a time through the station, and at least one tool at the station movable between an operative position engageable with the workpiece in the station and a retracted position out of engagement with the workpiece in the station. A push-pull operating element has an outer end connected to the tool and an inner end connected to a cam carried on an output of a drive mounted on the frame for displacing the tool between its positions synchronously with feeding of the workpieces through the station. A pneumatic spring mounted on the frame is braced against the tool and has a compartment pressurizable to urge the tool into the operative position. The back compartment is continuously pressurized with a gas under a generally constant pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Sim Zufuhr- und Montagetechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Georg Dornieden, Carsten Tischendorf
  • Patent number: 6148495
    Abstract: A non-woven fabric liner comprising a plurality of bonded fibers is attached to the inner surface of one of the upper and lower shells of a disk cartridge. A main body of the fabric liner lies against the inner surface of the shell and is spaced a predetermined distance from a corresponding surface of the storage media within the cartridge. A region of the fabric liner is subjected to a fuzzing process in which the bonded fibers in that region are loosened to form a region of upstanding fibers that extend from the main body of the liner to the surface of the disk. The upstanding fibers wipe the surface of the disk while the main body of the liner remains spaced from the disk, thereby reducing drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Iomega Corporation
    Inventors: Yiping Ma, Theodore D. Hodapp, Ronald F. Hales, Wayne Miller
  • Patent number: 6148498
    Abstract: The invention is a method of manufacturing a composite drum ring and a composite brake drum having a drum ring. The invention is a method of manufacturing a brake drum ring. An annular band is provided, which is formed by any suitable known method. A cast metal insert is cast in the radially inner surface of the band. Upon casting the molten metal is cooled to an initial solidification temperature to at least partially solidify the molten metal, followed by hot rolling the drum band to reduce the roundness run out of the composite drum ring. The hot rolling operation includes rotating the drum band, providing a roll forming roll and applying the roll forming roll against the radially outer surface of the rotating drum band. A feedback sensor may by provided for determining the roundness run out of the composite drum ring. The hot rolling step may include adjusting the force applied to the roll forming roll in proportion to the roundness run out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph L. Knauer
  • Patent number: 6148504
    Abstract: A cycle of operation of an attaching apparatus begins with determining whether an operator's extremity is in an area in which it can be struck by a downwardly moving ram during attachment of two fasteners to each other and to a material therebetween. If it is determined that the operator's extremity is not in the area in which it can be struck by the downwardly moving ram, the remainder of the cycle of operation is completed. If it is determined that the operator's extremity is in the area in which it can be struck by the downwardly moving ram, the cycle of operation must begin again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Eastlex Machine Corporation
    Inventors: Volker Schmidt, James E. Linville
  • Patent number: 6148491
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a self-lubricating foil-type material having a low frictional coefficient from a stack of an expanded-metal sheet and at least one polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) strip by compression and heating. The stack is first calendered and then the calendered stack is heated to sinter the PTFE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Compagnie Plastic Omnium
    Inventor: Marcel Bartocci
  • Patent number: 6145198
    Abstract: An earring clip spring assembly has a strip of spring metal which is bent to have a pair of spring arms connected to each other by a closed U-shaped portion. An opening through the omega shaped portion receives a pin which holds the spring to an earring clip. A method of making the bent earring clip has two sets of dies for bending the clip in separate steps into its final shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: David D. Karmeli
  • Patent number: 6145197
    Abstract: A method of assembling a grand piano, an outer rim for a grand piano and a manufacturing method thereof, an arm for a grand piano and a fabricating method thereof, and a keyboard musical instrument are provided. The method of assembling a grand piano comprises an outer rim forming step of forming an outer rim, and a part mounting step of mounting to the outer rim, as a base, a plurality of other parts in order to assemble a grand piano. The outer rim of the grand piano is composed of a left flat plate forming a left front linear portion of a grand piano, a right flat plate forming a right front linear portion of the grand piano, and a plurality of arcuate plates mutually having the same radius r, wherein the arcuate plates are joined to connect rear ends of the left flat plate and the right flat plate therethrough to form a curved portion of the grand piano.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Riichi Kitashima, Yutaka Nakao, Manabu Arimori
  • Patent number: 6141852
    Abstract: A photographic film cassette manufacturing apparatus, has a perforator for providing a long film with perforations and a cutter for cutting the long film into individual filmstrips to be contained in the film cassette driven synchronously with transport of the long film. A magnetic recording head for recording data on a magnetic recording layer of the long film is driven in synchronism with the perforator and the cutter. The long film is transported in a first direction before being cut into the individual filmstrips. In cooperation with the cutting, a trailing end of the individual filmstrip in the first direction is moved in a direction which is reverse to the first direction to secure the trailing end to the spool. A cassette shell consisting of a pair of shell halves is temporarily assembled by mating the shell halves together while containing a spool inside the shell halves, and thereafter opened to an extent that confining elements still confine the position of flanges of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Shimizu, Toshiro Esaki, Tadayoshi Shibata, Koichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6138356
    Abstract: A stabilizer accessory for necklaces to keep the necklace from twisting about the wearer's neck. The stabilizer is an elongate approximately oval-shaped metal loop which is connected as by clasps to the necklace ends, and rests on the nape of the neck of the wearer. The presence of the stabilizer causes the necklace to resist twisting of the necklace, stabilizing the necklace in its proper position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Inventor: Anita W. Hertelendy
  • Patent number: 6138357
    Abstract: A method of forming a knuckle assembly for an automotive vehicle is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of forming a front and back half of a knuckle assembly and welding the front and back halves together. A spindle is positioned through holes formed in the front and back halves of the knuckle and is secured thereto to provide a low cost, light weight knuckle assembly for an automotive vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Allen Jones