Patents Examined by Robert Davis
  • Patent number: 7137801
    Abstract: A stereolithographic method which comprises irradiating the surface of a photohardenable resin composition with light through an image drawing mask capable of changing its mask image with the image drawing mask being moved in parallel to the surface of the photohardenable resin composition and the mask image of the image drawing mask being changed in synchronism with the movement of the image drawing mask according to the sectional shape pattern on the photohardened resin layer to be formed to form a photohardened resin layer having a predetermined sectional shape pattern and a stereolithographic apparatus therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Teijin Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takakuni Ueno
  • Patent number: 7134637
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas purging block for use with injection molding and die casting systems, which includes a stationary-side block adapted to be removably mounted to a stationary-side mold half of the injection molding or die casting system, and an ejector-side block adapted to be removably mounted to an ejector-side mold half of the injection molding or die casting system. At least one of the stationary-side block and the ejector-side block includes a pair of channels extending through the block adapted to selectively function as conduits for cooling fluid and as mounting bores for mounting the block to the respective mold half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Inventor: Richard L. Dubay
  • Patent number: 7118370
    Abstract: A machine and a method for forming composite materials are provided. The machine includes a frame and at least one forming beam attached to the frame, the at least one beam being arranged to align with a mandrel. The forming beam is pivotally segmented into at least two segments to conform to the shape of the mandrel, or alternately is bendable to conform to the shape of the mandrel. The mandrel is receivable within the frame in alignment with the forming beam. An apparatus is also provided to position a composite charge over the mandrel, and to position the mandrel within the frame. A further apparatus is provided to transport the mandrel, and to urge the mandrel toward the forming beam, forming a composite charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Kurtis S. Willden, Raymond N. Henderson, Gary E. Pfitzner, Surendra R. Parekh, Christopher G. Harris
  • Patent number: 7118362
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pellet-type non-crosslinked polypropylene foam having a melting point of 125 to 140° C., and a process and device for producing said foam. Since the pellet-type foams of non-crosslinked polypropylene of the present invention has a lower melting point and a closed cell content of 80% or more, it is advantageous to mold such foams. The present invention also relates to an article molded from the above pellet-type non-crosslinked polypropylene foams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: A San Chemicals, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee-Sung Lee, Chul Lee, Ryeong Lee, Jea-Myung Kim
  • Patent number: 7108500
    Abstract: Within a process for recycling of PET-material and/or objects of PET, the PET-material to be processed is heated and dried in the course of a pre-treatment step and simultaneously is crystallized at elevated temperature. This pre-treatment step is followed by a main-treatment step under vacuum. In this main-treatment step, the processed material is again dried and crystallized at a temperature that is higher than the temperature of the pre-treatment step. Preferably, also in the main-treatment step no plasticizing of the material takes place; the plasticizing or, respectively, melting of the material takes place only after the main-processing step. An apparatus for performing this process comprises a pre-processing device (3) in which the processed material is dried and simultaneously crystallized at elevated temperature, and, if desired, is also comminuted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Inventors: Helmut Bacher, Helmuth Schulz, Georg Wendelin
  • Patent number: 7108495
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for manufacturing shaped polymeric articles by substantially continuous vacuum forming. The method includes providing a sheet of hot polymeric material which is disposed onto a rotating belt having a mold impression. Vacuum pressure is applied to the polymeric material through the belt so as to draw the hot polymeric material into intimate contact with the mold impression to form a patterned sheet portion and a remaining sheet portion. This method thereafter cools at least the patterned sheet portion below a heat deflection temperature of the polymeric material, forms the remaining sheet portion, and then cools the remaining sheet portion below the heat deflection temperature so that features other than the central pattern, such as nail and butt edges, can be mechanically worked into the polymeric sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: CertainTeed Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Gilbert, Kenneth D. Bosler, Edward C. Dell
  • Patent number: 7104773
    Abstract: A three-dimensional laminating molding device includes ejection heads that eject support material for a support, and an ejection head that ejects mold material for a mold. The support material is sold at room temperature. An inner temperature of the laminating molding device during the laminating molding is controlled to a range of (a melting point of the support material?30)° C. to (the melting point of the support material?5)° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Maekawa, Akemi Ouchi, Hidetoshi Fujii, Kunihiro Tamahashi, Yutaka Shoji, Hiroshi Takahagi
  • Patent number: 7104781
    Abstract: An injection molding apparatus has a die having a fixed mold and a moveable mold disposed to face with each other. A frame structure is detachably provided on the outer surfaces of the fixed mold and the moveable mold, that is, opposite to the surface of the cavity defined by the fixed mold and the moveable mold. Each frame that constitutes the frame structure has a shape that can be combined together. One of frames provided on the fixed mold or the moveable mold is fixed thereto in a die clamping direction or a direction perpendicular thereto. The frame is fixed to the fixed mold of the die, leaving a predetermined gap in the direction perpendicular to that for fixing the frame structure to the die. The pressurizing mechanism that applies a pressing force in the direction other than for fixing the frame structure to the die. The hydraulic control mechanism is employed as the pressurizing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Iwata, Yoshiharu Isoshima
  • Patent number: 7101166
    Abstract: The extruding apparatus has the molding die to form the ceramic molding, the screw extruder containing the extrusion screw to knead and guide the ceramic material toward the molding die. The extrusion screw is comprised of the pressure screw part and the diffusion screw part. The diffusion screw part provided at the front end of the extrusion screw has a diameter greater than the screw diameter of the pressure screw part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Yamaguchi, Yasunao Miura
  • Patent number: 7101165
    Abstract: An extrusion molding apparatus comprises a shaping die for producing a ceramic molded product, and a screw extruder having built therein an extruding screw (40) for mixing while leading a ceramic material forward. The extruding screw (40) includes a pressing screw portion (410) having a first lead (411) and a dispersing screw portion (420) having a second lead (421) adjacent to a forward end (412) of the pressing screw portion (410). The second lead (421) is formed in such a manner that the rear ends of all the second lead surfaces (426) at the rear end (422) of the dispersing screw portion (420) and the forward end of the first lead surface (416) at the forward end (412) of the pressing screw portion (410) are displaced from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Yamaguchi, Yasunao Miura, Hiromi Katou
  • Patent number: 7101163
    Abstract: Slabstock foam free of cavities can be produced without any restriction, i.e. also from rapidly reacting chemical systems, by introducing the liquid reaction mixture from underneath, in front of, and/or through an optionally swivellable floor plate, wherein the floor plate and the inlet for introducing the liquid reaction mixture is arranged in a manner such that the reaction mixture above the floor plate is substantially still liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hennecke GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Michael Sulzbach, Lothar Röhrig, Reiner Raffel
  • Patent number: 7097438
    Abstract: A foaming agent charging and mixing device comprises at least one mixing device and one foaming agent metering device, wherein the foaming agent charging and mixing device may be arranged between an plasticating screw and a mold. In order to improve the foaming agent charging and mixing device in a manner that the mixing with foaming agent is facilitated and at the same time a risk of obstruction of the foaming agent metering device is avoided, the foaming agent metering device is alternately opened and closed through the mixing device during operation thereof for supplying foaming agent to the plastic melting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Demag Ergotech GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schuermann, Juergen Herrmann, Ansgar Jaeger, Marco Prigandt, Joerg Seidel
  • Patent number: 7097442
    Abstract: An extruder capable of obtaining a treatment volume equal to that of the conventional art without enlarging a screw diameter is provided. The extruder includes screw shafts, a drive unit, and a barrel, in which three or more screw shafts having the same diameter and the same root diameter in a waveform shape are engaged with each other and arranged in parallel to each other horizontally or nearly horizontally, while a distance between axial centers is made equal. According to the above configuration, the same treatment volume as that of a conventional extruder can be handled by screw shafts of smaller diameter as compared with that of the conventional art. By using the screw shafts of the smaller diameter as compared with the conventional art, temperature irregularities of an extrusion material in screw grooves, leakage of the extrusion material from the screw shafts, an installation area of the extruder, and the like conventional trouble of various kinds can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Inventor: Kohei Sawa
  • Patent number: 7097798
    Abstract: An apparatus for molding a honeycomb structure provided with an extruder for the honeycomb structure capable of extruding a honeycomb structure in the gravity direction or an oblique direction at an angle of smaller than 30° with the gravity direction and at least one cradle, said apparatus being provided with a means of being able to place the honeycomb structure extending in length with progress of extrusion on the cradle with cell opening end face 9 of the honeycomb structure being pressure contacted with the cradle under a pressure smaller than the compressive strength at the end face and then to move the cradle at a speed capable of keeping the pressure contact state and in the same direction as the lengthwise direction of the honeycomb structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyuki Ishii, Yuji Asai, Tsutomu Hirota
  • Patent number: 7097443
    Abstract: A method and system are provided that efficiently compound high levels of inorganic filler, processing fluid and silicone polymer at a commercial rate into homogeneous filled and devolatilized silicone compositions. In the method, filled silicone compositions are compounded by compounding a filler, processing fluid and silicone polymer in a first compounding apparatus to produce a first dispersed composition and simultaneously compounding a filler, processing fluid and silicone polymer in a second compounding apparatus that shares a common extruder shaft with the first compounding apparatus to produce a second dispersed composition. The system comprises a first compounding apparatus and a sequential second compounding apparatus that shares a common shaft with the first compounding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mark Howard Giammattei
  • Patent number: 7094045
    Abstract: A microencapsulation apparatus is provided which is configured to form co-axial multi-lamellar microcapsules from materials discharged from first and second microsphere dispensers of the apparatus. A method of fabricating and processing microcapsules is also provided which includes forming distinct droplets comprising one or more materials and introducing the droplets directly into a solution bath to form a membrane around the droplets such that a plurality of microcapsules are formed. A microencapsulation system is provided which includes a microcapsule production unit, a fluidized passage for washing and harvesting microcapsules dispensed from the microcapsule production unit and a flow sensor for sizing and counting the microcapsules. In some embodiments, the microencapsulation system may further include a controller configured to simultaneously operate the microcapsule production unit, fluidized passage and flow sensor to process the microcapsules in a continuous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Dennis R. Morrison
  • Patent number: 7090480
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus capable of extrusion molding a comparatively wide, thin ceramic sheet using a screw extruder while suppressing the wrinkling thereof. The molding apparatus includes a screw-type extruder and a mold at the forward end of the extruder is used to extrusion mold a ceramic sheet from the ceramic material introduced into the extruder by way of the mold. The extrusion molding is carried out while regulating the temperature of the portion of the ceramic material passing through the mold corresponding to each of a plurality of areas (control zones) into which the mold is divided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Tsuruta, Satoru Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7090484
    Abstract: In stereolithographic apparatus and method, a mask is formed on a light-transmissible member (glass plate) on the basis of stereolithographic data for one layer of photohardenable resin; photohardenable resin of one layer is successively supplied to form an unhardened resin layer of photohardenable resin; if necessary, a film having light transmission is attached onto the unhardened resin layer so as to cover the unhardened resin layer in close contact with the unhardened resin layer; the light-transmissible member having the mask on or above the film; the unhardened resin layer is plane-exposed to light through the mask to harden the photohardenable resin of the unhardened resin layer; and the light-transmissible member and the film are evacuated from the hardened photohardenable resin layer after the exposure by the exposure means, thereby obtaining a desired three-dimensional object through stereolithography. As the photohardenable resin may be used having a melting temperature ranging from 5 to 90° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Teijin Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takakuni Ueno
  • Patent number: 7090478
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an anisotropic formed body in which functional, magnetic fine particles are oriented in a specific direction within a matrix and in which anisotropy is given to properties attributable to the functional fine particles. The apparatus allows use of a wide variety of materials as the functional fine particles and realizes an anisotropy which is parallel and of a uniform interval within a large area. Further, a method for manufacturing an anisotropic formed body, includes applying, by using a superconducting magnet device, a uniform and parallel magnetic field with magnetic lines of force at equal intervals and parallel to each other, to a mold in which the matrix is filled with a liquid molding material containing functional, magnetic fine particles, to orient the functional fine particles in a direction of the magnetic lines of force, whereby the liquid molding material subsequently hardens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignees: Independent Administrative Institution National Institute for Materials Science, Polymatech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Wada, Tsukasa Kiyoshi, Masayuki Tobita, Eiji Homma, Hideaki Konno
  • Patent number: 7090477
    Abstract: An electromagnetic coaxial driving injection apparatus, having a linear motor for driving injection and a rotation motor for metering. The linear motor and the rotation motor of both the injection and metering motors and an injection screw are set on a common axis. A connecting device connects moving parts of the motors with the injection screw. Stationary parts of the motors are fastened on a frame and forward-backward moving unit, not moving during injection and metering. Due to the arrangement of the moving parts and the injection screw on a single axis, moving parts are lessened, and transmission losses are minimized. Since the number of structural parts is low, only the moving parts of the motors move during injection while the stationary parts thereof remain at rest, thus greatly reducing inertia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chia-Chun Hsu, Yong-Chen Chung, Chia-Hung Lin, Wen-Hung Feng, Ming-Chi Chen