Patents Examined by Stephen Kenny
  • Patent number: 6598286
    Abstract: An arrangement for locking a metal tube to a hose fitting in which the end of the metal tube is flared to form a generally conical tube end, and the conical tube end is inserted into a fitting to seat against an opposing conical shoulder. The portion of the fitting surrounding the tube is then plastically deformed around the tube firmly and sealingly to grasp the tube, but without scarring a corrosion resistant coating on the tube. A plurality of barbs preferably are formed on the radially outer surface of the flared end of the tube for engaging the fitting when the fitting is crimped over the flared end of the tube and thereby preventing rotation of the tube with respect to the body of the fitting. The other end of the fitting may be crimped or otherwise secured to a constituent part such as a fluid hose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Inventor: Donald Howard Brugmann, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6591470
    Abstract: A framework of magnet pods and beams or strongbacks can be quickly and easily assembled to plug a leak in a ferromagnetic container wall. The magnet pods are located on either side of the leak. One or more beams extend between the magnet pods. Each magnet pod has a yoke with plural holes therethrough. The yoke loosely receives the beam. Each beam has lines of holes therethrough all along the beam length. The plurality of holes in the yokes and beams simplifies the alignment of at least one set of holes between the yoke and beam, wherein a pin is inserted to couple the beam to the magnet pod. A clamp is pinned to the beam so as to be adjacent to the leak. The clamp is tightened to exert removable pressure on a patch over the leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Trident Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Buren T. Palmer, II
  • Patent number: 6584672
    Abstract: The method makes it possible to form a stator of an electric motor by means of a multiple-slide press (21, 22, 23). The starting point is a bundle consisting of rectilinear segments of sheets obtained by stamping and welded. The stator is formed by means of four successive operations carried out by four groups of slides of a multiple-slide press and corresponding dies. The cylinder formed is subsequently welded along its joining generatrix and is calibrated in a hydraulic press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: R. Bourgeois
    Inventor: Raymond Bourgeois
  • Patent number: 6581264
    Abstract: A transportation container comprises: a container body for housing a plurality of semiconductor wafers; a detachable lid adapted to engage in and cover an open front face of the container body via a seal gasket; and a locking mechanism adapted to fix the lid engaged into the open front face of the container body. The locking mechanism has a pair of protrusions formed at the opposing sides of a rim of the open end face of the container body. The locking mechanism also has a pair of clamp plates which are pivotally supported on the opposing sides of the lid to clamp the protrusions. Each protrusion has, on the back thereof, a groove with a semi-circular cross-section to be clamped. Each clamp plate has attachment shafts for the lid formed in one end of the clamp plate. The clamp plate also has operated parts for automatized operation formed in the other end of the clamp plate. The operated part has a Y-shape in cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Ohori, Hideaki Aoki
  • Patent number: 6581265
    Abstract: An apparatus for the repair or maintenance of a vehicle is provided which facilitates the removal of a wheel, wheel rim, brake rotor, brake drum or the like, when these become seized or fused onto the wheel hub of the vehicle. The wheel pulling apparatus provides a pull plate to pull on, for example, a brake drum, and a push plate which acts to directly or indirectly push on the wheel studs of the vehicle. A simple, easy to use wheel pulling apparatus is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Inventor: Eli Sawaya
  • Patent number: 6581270
    Abstract: The invention relates to a procedure for preparing the windings for an electric motor. The magnetic core (20) of the stator and/or rotor of the motor is provided with slots (24,25) in which winding coils (2; 5,7;15,17) can be fitted. According to the invention, the winding coils (2) are wound from winding wire and shaped substantially into their final form, the cross-section of the coil sides (15,17) corresponding to the space reserved in the slot (24,25) for the coil. The winding coils (15,17) are fitted in place in the slots (24,25) provided in the magnetic core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Panu Kurronen, Marko Tulander
  • Patent number: 6578259
    Abstract: An automated filter changing system comprises a rotatable filter dispensing assembly and a filter clamping assembly. The filter dispensing device receives filter storage magazines in which a plurality of filters are initially stored in the form of connected stacks. The filter dispensing assembly includes a filter separating device having a stationary portion. The filter separating device separates one or more stacks of filters into discrete filter units, such that individual filters are transported sequentially from the filter dispensing device. The filter clamping assembly operates in conjunction with the filter dispensing device to receive one or more individual filter units dispensed therefrom, and provides one or more coupling sites which can fluidly communicate with one or more fluid lines. The filter clamping device couples unused filters to fittings associated with the fluid lines by applying an evenly distributed force to the filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Varian, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory S. Duckett
  • Patent number: 6568065
    Abstract: An inductive coil for an electromotive device includes a pair on concentric conductive sheet metal winding portions each comprising a plurality of axially extending conductive bands each being separated from an adjacent conductive band by a space, each of the conductive bands of the winding portions being coupled to one of the conductive bands of the other winding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: G & G Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Graham, Gerald W. Yankie
  • Patent number: 6564454
    Abstract: Semiconductor packages and methods of making packages are disclosed. An exemplary method includes providing a printed circuit board having a first surface with circuit traces thereon, first apertures, and a second aperture. Each circuit trace overlies a first aperture, and an end of the circuit trace is near the second aperture. Solder balls are placed in each first aperture and fused to the overlying circuit trace. A die is placed in the second aperture. Each circuit trace may include a third aperture over the first aperture. Solder from the solder ball within the first aperture fills the overlying third aperture. A second package can be stacked on a first package. Solder balls of the second package each fuse with an underlying solder ball of the first package through a third aperture of the first package. The dies of the stacked packages may be positioned for optical communication with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas P. Glenn, Steven Webster, Roy D. Holloway
  • Patent number: 6564444
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically inserting insulating material into the slots of armatures of electric motors generally includes means for feeding a continuous web of insulating material beyond a cutting device, cutting the insulative material at a predetermined length, bending the insulative material to comport with the shape of an armature slot, inserting the insulative material into the slot, and indexing the armature for further insertion of insulative materials. The apparatus further comprises electronically programmable device for automatically determining and communicating the length of the insulative material to be cut based on the dimensions of the armature, automatically feeding, cutting, bending, and inserting the insulative material into the armature slot, and automatically indexing the armature for the insertion of additional insulative materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: ATOP S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Ponzio, Fabrizio Cresti
  • Patent number: 6557239
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a stator of a rotary electric machine includes: a step of forming a plurality of conductor segments each having at least a straight leg; a step of inserting the plurality of conductor segments into each of the slots in a plurality of radially aligned layers so that the straight legs can extend outside an end of the stator core; a step of stratifying the straight legs in radially aligned layers to correspond to the layers in the slots; a step of holding each of the stratified portions at grip portions; a step of circumferentially shifting each of the grip portions in a prescribed circumferential direction of the stator core; and a step of axially shifting each of the grip portions separately from another in an axial direction of the stator core to locate those of the grip portions to be connected adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Takahashi, Youichi Kamakura, Masaru Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 6557238
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented that improve the efficiency of stator production by connecting stator coil leads to final attachment devices before the coils are inserted into a stator core. After coil insertion, the final attachment devices are merely mounted to the stator receiving the stator core, eliminating most if not all post-coil-insertion lead identification and manipulation processes. The final attachment devices can be terminal receivers that include a plurality of is wire sockets for receiving a plurality of coil leads. Coil leads are connected to final attachment devices during the coil winding stage. Such connections add little or no additional time to the winding stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Axis USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Raffaele Becherucci, Gianfranco Stratico
  • Patent number: 6557236
    Abstract: An armature for a selectively engageable and disengageable coupling and a method of making the armature are provided. The armature includes a substantially annular body that is disposed about a first axis. The body may be formed by stamping or fine-blanking. One side of the body is hardened through a nitriding process. A grinding wheel is then applied at an angle to the same side of the body along a diametrical line of the body extending perpendicular to the first axis. As a result, the body is configured so that the thickness of the body increases as the distance from the diametrical line increases. In particular, the thickness of the body varies along each cross-section taken along the line from a minimum thickness at the innermost portion of the cross-section to a maximum thickness at the outermost portion of the cross-section. The inventive armature reduces galling, and the resulting noise, that occur during burnishing of couplings incorporating the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Inventors: Charles A. Boyer, Jeffrey C. Steiner
  • Patent number: 6553645
    Abstract: A motor stator is fixed to a body shell by shrinkage fit with a large fitting margin, and a compression mechanism is then shrinkage fit with a small fitting margin, and welded thereafter. Afterwards, an auxiliary bearing assembly is fixed in position with reference to the compression mechanism by shrinkage fit with a small fitting margin, followed further by welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideshi Nakamura, Masahiro Tsubokawa, Satoshi Hakamada
  • Patent number: 6553663
    Abstract: A method of installing a connector assembly relative to a terminal assembly of a hermetic compressor assembly, including: aligning the connector assembly with the terminal assembly; positioning an installation tool on the connector assembly; actuating the installation tool; and seating the connector assembly into the terminal assembly. Also, a method of installing a connector assembly relative to a terminal assembly of a hermetic compressor assembly, including: aligning the connector assembly with the terminal assembly; positioning an installation tool on the connector assembly; pneumatically applying force to the connector assembly through the installation tool until a predetermined pneumatic pressure has been reached; seating the connector assembly into the terminal assembly when or before the predetermined pressure has been reached; and retracting the tool after the connector assembly has been seated into the terminal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventors: Rick L. Bunch, Jack M. Curtiss
  • Patent number: 6553639
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a leaf seal for use between rotating components comprises forming corrugations within a metallic strip and feeding the corrugated strip into a seal guide. The corrugated strip is then pressed into the guide by an angled ram such that the corrugations lie at an acute angle to the perpendicular axis. The strip is then secured in a seal carrier, the free ends of the corrugations thus forming the angled sealing leaves of a leaf seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce, plc
    Inventors: John Hobbs, David W Richards
  • Patent number: 6550130
    Abstract: In manufacturing the iron core of a divided stator, a plurality of pole pieces with fitting portions formed on both sides of pole portions are laminated and fixed to one another. A plurality of the pole piece laminates are arranged in the form of a ring and the outer or inner circumference is held with a jig. A non-magnetic and high-rigidity connecting member is press-fit in the laminating direction into fitting portions of a plurality of adjacent pole piece laminates, thereby a plurality of adjacent pole piece laminates are positioned with high accuracy and rigidly connected to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Itoh Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Itoh, Toshiyuki Tachibana
  • Patent number: 6546611
    Abstract: An anti-spin and drift device and installation method for railway plug type car doors that prevents unintentional rapid rotation of the center door operation handle caused by accidental movement of the door. The anti-spin device rapid rotation in both directions and replaces existing pinion gear assemblies and one-directional anti-spin assemblies that interlink the operational handle with the door operating mechanism that activates multiple crank rod assemblies for opening and closing the doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Pennsylvania Rail Car Company
    Inventor: Walter S. Ryan
  • Patent number: 6539612
    Abstract: An automotive instrument panel (IP) has a thermostatically controlled electric heating element for maintaining the plastic material of the IP at a temperature warm enough to inhibit brittle fracture during deployment of an airbag mounted within the IP. The heating element is formed by depositing a layer of electrically conductive material on an inner surface of the outermost layer of the IP along the perimeter of an airbag deployment path, bonding the outermost layer to a substrate, and using a laser to simultaneously score the IP around the deployment path and cut the conductive layer so that it forms a circuit through which electric current may be passed for resistance heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Robert Brown, Marshall Lawrence Quade
  • Patent number: 6536093
    Abstract: A semi-automated method for forming armature coils comprising a plurality of transposed wire pairs includes joining a plurality of pairs of wires having offset segments along their lengths, insulating each of the transposed pairs of wires, assembling the plurality of the insulated transposed pairs of wires with the transpositions being staggered to create a pack, and forming the pack into an armature coil in an automated coil forming machine by bending the pack in two planes. The joining of the plurality of pairs of wires having the offset segments along their lengths is effectuated at a transposition point. Each pair of wires has a transposition at a unique point relative to others of the plurality of the pairs of wires forming the coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ricky L. Roberts, Robert Henry Hartman, Floyd Curry