Patents Examined by Tim Phan
  • Dynamoelectric machine winding joining method
    Patent number: 6990724
    Abstract: An intermediate holding member is inserted between a second free end and a third free end from an inner circumferential side in a radial direction, a first radial restraining member presses against a free end at an innermost circumference from radially inside, and a second radial restraining member presses against a free end at an outermost circumference from radially outside. Next, a voltage is supplied between a torch and the members, an inert gas is supplied to the torch, and an arc discharge is generated between the torch and the free ends, welding the radially-adjacent free ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Syuuichi Tamura, Hiroyuki Akita, Takushi Takizawa, Atsushi Oohashi
  • Method of manufacturing devices to protect election components
    Patent number: 6981319
    Abstract: Devices capable of protecting electronic components during the occurrence of a disturbance event using printed circuit board manufacturing techniques. A three (3) layer structure is formed comprising a polymer-based formulation sandwiched between two electrode layers. The devices can be manufactured in panel form providing high quantities of devices which can be removed from the panel and applied directly to the component to be protected. Desired patterns can be formed on either one of the electrode layers by photo-etch techniques thereby providing a process that can be tailored to a large number of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Inventor: Karen P. Shrier
  • Apparatus for connecting electric terminal to connector blocks
    Patent number: 6981313
    Abstract: An electric terminal connector block is provided with oblong tool openings that communicate with interior channels of the connector block and with openings in the motor wiring electric terminals positioned in each channel of the connector block. The oblong shapes of the tool openings enable insertion of tool pins through the tool openings and openings of the electric terminals and movement of the tool pins along the lengths of the oblong tool openings whereby the tool pins engage with the electric terminals and move the terminals relative to the connector block to insure that the terminals are locked in place in the connector block. In addition, the tooling used with the connector block is operated according to a method that insures that the terminals of the motor winding are moved to a position relative to the connector block where the terminals are locked in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Jacob M. Olejniczak, Vincent P. Fargo, Kent L. White, Paul G. Michaels, William L. Riggs, Charles A. Peters
  • Method of manufacturing rare earth-iron bond magnet
    Patent number: 6978533
    Abstract: A powder molded magnet manufactured by a method comprising the steps of: (1) forming a granular compound of diameter of not more than 250 ?m with a rare earth-iron rapid-quenched flake, which has not more than 150 ?m in diameter, being coarsely ground if necessary, and a binder, (2) dry-blending the granular compound with fatty acid metallic soap powder, (3) forming compressed powder from the granular compound dry-blended with the fatty acid metallic soap powder, by powder molding, and (4) heat-treating the compressed powder to a temperature higher than a thermally dissociating temperature of stabilized isocyanate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Yamashita, Yuichiro Sasaki
  • Accelerated vehicle development process
    Patent number: 6976307
    Abstract: An accelerated vehicle development process includes establishing a common, standardized interface system whereby different types of vehicle bodies may be attached to a single chassis design. Chassis and bodies are designed, manufactured and validated independently of each other in accordance with the standardized interface system, thereby accelerating the development process. As new bodies are designed to mate with the previously manufactured and validated chassis, the newly designed bodies may be developed more quickly in response to market demand and attached to the previously validated chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Adrian B. Chernoff, Christopher E. Borroni-Bird, Mohsen D. Shabana, Robert Louis Vitale
  • Method of removing stators from tubular stator housings
    Patent number: 6973707
    Abstract: A method of removing stators from tubular stator housings involving subjecting a tubular stator housing having an interior surface to which a worn stator is adhered by adhesive to cryogenic refrigeration until the stator shrinks and pulls away from the interior surface of the tubular stator housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Inventor: John Russell McKay
  • Method of manufacturing winding of rotary electric machine
    Patent number: 6971153
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a winding of a rotary electric machine includes steps of pressing a portion of a conductor segment in a predetermined direction to reduce its dimension in the direction, inserting the conductor segment into a slot of a stator core, bending the conductor segments and joining ends of the conductor segments. In the pressing step, the conductor segment is pressed with a punch in a condition that it is held in a die that has curved inside corner portions to restrict deformation of corners of the pressed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Tokizawa, Mitsuru Kato, Yoshinori Nakamura, Yasunori Kitakado, Motohiro Murahashi
  • Method of manufacturing multilayer microwave couplers using vertically-connected transmission line structures
    Patent number: 6961990
    Abstract: A microwave coupler is constructed in a multilayer, vertically-connected stripline architecture provided in the form of a microwave integrated circuit that has a homogeneous, multilayer structure. Such a coupler has a vertically-connected stripline structure in which multiple sets of stripline layers are separated by interstitial groundplanes, and wherein more than one set of layers has a segment of coupled stripline. A typical implementation operates at frequencies from approximately 0.5 to 6 GHz, although other frequencies are achievable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Merrimac Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Logothetis
  • Manufacturing method of a coil member
    Patent number: 6951054
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes a step of setting prescribed dimensions L and p, a wire feeding step of feeding a wire on a turning base surface by the dimension L, a turning step of turning the wire on the turning base surface to thereby form a first turning portion, a straight first portion, a second turning portion and a straight second portion, and a pushing step of pushing the straight first portion or the straight second portion so that it goes away from the turning base surface by the dimension p. A manufacturing apparatus that executes the above steps is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Hirota, Yoshihiro Harada, Atsushi Oohashi
  • Manufacturing method of a rotor of small motors
    Patent number: 6944933
    Abstract: Each of the rotor magnetic poles is composed of a winding around a laminated core and each of both ends of each wound wire is connected to a commutator leg part coupled with a tip of a corresponding commutator segment of the commutator unit. Each of the commutator leg parts comprises a base portion extending outward in a direction substantially normal to the radial direction from the tip of the corresponding commutator segment tip and coupled to the commutator segment tip and a tip portion narrowed stepwise to let the ends of a wound wire be connected. A disk-shaped varistor having a hole at the center is mounted over the base portion of the commutator leg part, and each electrode of the varistor is soldered onto the corresponding base portion. Further, the commutator leg parts are punched and cut out of a reel-wound flat parent metal sheet and fixed to the commutator segment tips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Furuya, Makoto Kimura
  • Method for making a self-locking knot in a stator lacing machine
    Patent number: 6944932
    Abstract: A method and a corresponding apparatus provide for both the automatic lacing of a toroidal coil of a stator of a dynamo-electric machine, and the knotting of the end lacing terminal of the lacing cord, by using the same needle and the same thread-guide tube. The apparatus for lacing and knotting comprises an automatic control system that, accomplished the whole lacing operation on the coil, stops the rotation movement of the stator and drives the lacing needle according to a sequence of movements in order to form a plurality of linked rings closed one on the other for obtaining a closing chain on said end lacing terminal. A particular cutting system allows not generating scrap, i.e. undesired cord portions, accelerating the production process and increasing the system reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Inventor: Giovanni Fortuna
  • Interconnecting method for segmented stator electric machines
    Patent number: 6941638
    Abstract: A method of connecting phases of a segmented stator electric machine includes providing a stator core. An end cap assembly is attached to the stator core. Winding wire is wound around the end cap assembly and the stator core to form a stator segment assembly. A plurality of the stator segment assemblies are assembled into a stator including first, second and third phases. A phase wire stitching machine is used to connect opposite ends of the winding wire of each of the stator segment assemblies to form the first, second and third phases of the stator. The phase wires can be attached to the stator segment assemblies using terminals, IDCs, hook terminals, and/or directly to the winding wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Richard E. Hartsfield, Jr., Gary E. Horst, Dennis M. Hurst, Kent A. Sheeran
  • Method of manufacturing a motor comprising a rare earth thick film magnet
    Patent number: 6941637
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing rare earth thick film magnet comprising a step of forming an alloy layer of 30-100 ?m thick having a general formula RXBYTMZ on a substrate by a physical deposition process, and a step of heat-treating the alloy layer to form a thick film magnetic layer having R2TM14B phase as a main phase. In the general formula, R is at least one of rare earth elements, B is boron, TM is iron or its alloy partly substituted by cobalt. X is 0.1-0.2, Y is 0.05-0.2 and Z=1-X-Y. Further, the method of the present invention includes a step of laminating a plurality of alloy layers formed on a substrate together with the substrate. A motor comprising rare earth thick film magnet of the present invention is extremely small while obtaining high output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Fukunaga, Masaki Nakano, Fumitoshi Yamashita
  • Method for repairing generator rotor
    Patent number: 6941639
    Abstract: An improved generator rotor (30) and a method of repairing an existing generator rotor (12) are disclosed. Methods consistent with the present invention provide techniques for repairing existing stress-damaged rotors (12) to remove stress-induced cracks (29), without requiring new retaining rings (16), to significantly extend the useful life of a generator without the cost and complexity of conventional repair techniques. Improved generator rotors (30) consistent with the present invention provide a tooth-top design that is more resistant to stress-induced cracking than conventional designs, resulting in new generators with longer useful lives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Jiping Zhang, Kevin Light, William Cannon Gardner, Randy Edward Whitener
  • Methods of manufacturing board having throughholes filled with resin and multi-layered printed wiring board using the board
    Patent number: 6938336
    Abstract: A resin filled board is manufactured by forming roughened surfaces on a conductive layer in a throughhole before it is filled with a resin, forming smooth surfaces on conductive layers on the top and bottom of the board, printing the resin using a mask having an opening at a position corresponding to the throughhole to selectively fill the resin in the throughhole, and curing the resin. In this way, the surface of the conductive layer around the throughhole is smoothed, so that hardly any of the resin remains on the surfaces near the throughhole when the surfaces of the board is mechanically polished after the resin is cured. Also, the filling resin will not fall down into the throughhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Toppan Circuit Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshihide Ito, Satoshi Nakamura
  • Method of manufacturing stator coil of rotary electric machine
    Patent number: 6938323
    Abstract: A stator coil of a rotary electric machine such as an alternator for use in an automobile is composed of a plurality of U-shaped conductor segments inserted into slots formed in a stator core. Each segment has a head portion and two legs extending from the head portion. The plurality of segments include regular segments each having a regular distance between two legs (a regular slot-pitch) and special segments each having a special slot-pitch different from the regular slot-pitch. The head portions of both the regular and the special segments are simultaneously twisted to form the respectively required slot-pitches after a preliminary twist is given to the special segments. In this manner, a process of manufacturing the stator coil is simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Katou, Yasunori Kitakado, Motohiro Murahashi
  • Method of manufacturing a stator core
    Patent number: 6938324
    Abstract: A motor stator core for achieving improved magnetizing feature in lower magnetic fields and reduced iron loss, and improving motor power. The stator core fabriated out of non-oriented electrical steel sheets is annealed by applying a magnetic field to the heated stator core at least in the temperature range from a temperature immediately above a Curie point thereof to 300° C. in the process of cooling the stator core. The magnetic field has the same direction as the direction of exitation of a stator in the motor when used to drive a motor. This increases the magnetic induction in lower magnetic fields in particular and reduces the hysteresis loss, with a reduction in the total iron loss of the stator. A motor using this stator core increases in saturation induction under exciting currents of higher frequncies, allowing enhanced motor power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignees: Toyo Tessin Kogyo Co., Ltd., Hi-Z Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Koshiishi, Tomiya Ogata, Shigeki Eguchi, Hideo Hasegawa
  • Method of producing thermistor chips
    Patent number: 6935015
    Abstract: Thermistor chips are produced by preparing thermistor bodies each having outer electrodes formed on its end parts and dipping them in a solvent so as to melt away exposed surface portions of the thermistor body. In order to efficiently adjust their resistance values so as to produce thermistor chips with resistance values having only small variations from a target value, the resistance value between the outer electrodes are measured for each and they are divided into ranks according to the measured resistance values, and the dipping process is carried out differently for different ranks such that different amounts of the thermistor body material will be melted away.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Fujimoto, Noboru Furukawa, Masahiko Kawase, Norimitsu Kito
  • Method of forming a stator for a brushless motor
    Patent number: 6935011
    Abstract: A method of forming a stator for a brushless motor comprising providing a stator core having a generally rectangular body and having a plurality of teeth extending generally perpendicularly from a side of the body, and forming the stator core into a generally circular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kyi-Shin Shiah
  • Method for manufacturing a resistor
    Patent number: 6935016
    Abstract: An inexpensive fine resistor which do not require dimensional classifications of discrete substrates, eliminating a process of replacing a mask according to a dimensional ranking of each discrete substrate as in the prior art. The resistor includes discrete substrate made into pieces by dividing an insulated substrate sheet along a first slit dividing portion and a second dividing portion perpendicular to the first dividing portion; top electrode layer formed on a top face of discrete substrate; resistor layer formed such that a part of resistor layer overlaps top electrode layer; protective layers formed so as to cover resistor layer; side electrode layer formed on a side face of discrete substrate such that side electrode layer is electrically coupled to top electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Hashimoto, Yoshiro Morimoto, Akio Fukuoka, Hiroaki Kaito, Hiroyuki Saikawa, Toshiki Matsukawa, Junichi Hayase