Patents Examined by Vicki Wu
  • Patent number: 8623266
    Abstract: An angled tissue cutting instrument comprises an angled outer tubular member rotatably receiving a flexible inner tubular member. The inner member has a flexible region in correspondence with an angle of the outer member. The flexible region comprises a helically cut length portion of an elongate tubular body of the inner member and a continuous solid flexible surface secured to an outer surface of the body along the helically cut length portion. A method of fabricating a flexible inner tubular member involves forming a helical cut through the solid wall of a length portion of a tubular body and securing a continuous solid flexible surface to the outer surface of the body along the helically cut length portion to form a flexible region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Medtronic Xomed, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth M. Adams
  • Patent number: 8623161
    Abstract: Processes for producing an article having a fine concavo-convex structure on the surface of a transparent substrate and a wire-grid polarizer, with high quality with high productivity, with which a concavo-convex layer having a large area can easily be achieved. The process comprises a step (I) of forming an interlayer (A) on the surface of a substrate film, a step (II) of forming a concavo-convex layer (B) having a fine concavo-convex structure on its surface, on the surface of the interlayer (A) by imprinting technology, and a step (IV) of separating a laminate comprising the interlayer (A) and the concavo-convex layer (B) from the substrate film and laminating the laminate to the surface of a transparent substrate so that the interlayer (A) faces the transparent substrate side. Further, a process for producing a wire-grid polarizer employing the production process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yuriko Kaida, Hiroshi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 8617337
    Abstract: A method of making an implantable medical device includes extruding a first ePTFE tube and a second ePTFE tube, cutting a plurality of slits in the first ePTFE tube, positioning a radially expandable support layer between the first and second ePTFE tubes so that the slits span portions of the support layer, and laminating the first ePTFE tube to the second ePTFE tube through openings in the support layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Layne, Sandra M. Cundy, Debra A. Bebb
  • Patent number: 8617440
    Abstract: A polyethylene composition, in particular suitable for the preparation of monofilaments, mono-tapes and stretched tapes, is described. The polyethylene composition of the invention comprises 95.1%-99.5% by weight of polyethylene having a density above 0.930 g/cm3 and a polydispersity Mw/Mn from 2.0 to 5.9, and 4.9%-0.5% by weight of polybutene. The bubble stability and the me-chanical properties of the films prepared from this composition are advantageously improved. The use of a polyethylene composition comprising 90.0%-99.5% by weight of polyethylene having a density above 0.930 g/cm3, and 10.0%-0.5% by weight of polybutene, for preparing monofila-ments, monotapes or stretched tapes is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Basell Polyolefine GmbH
    Inventors: Franco Sartori, Siegfried Grabowski
  • Patent number: 8617338
    Abstract: A method and a manufacturing line for manufacturing wind turbine blades having a composite shell structure comprising a matrix material and a fiber reinforcement material by use of a resin transfer moulding process. The method comprises a manufacturing line, where wind turbine blades are formed in a number of moulds. Each number of moulds comprising at least a first mould part comprising a first mould cavity. The manufacturing line further comprises a gantry means movable along the manufacturing line. The method comprises the following steps: a) arranging fiber reinforcement material in the first mould cavity of a first mould using the gantry means, b) moving the gantry means along the manufacturing line to a second mould, c) supplying curable matrix material into the first mould cavity of the first mould, while substantially simultaneously arranging fiber reinforcement material in the first mould cavity of a second mould using the gantry means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S
    Inventors: Dennis André Børsting, Qinyin Zhou, Jacobus Johannes van der Zee
  • Patent number: 8613824
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multilayer composite film which is substantially free from polyvinyl chloride and polyolefins. In particular, the layers of the film may include an ABS material, a polystyrene material, and/or a polyester material. The material composition and thickness of composite film are such that the maximum tensile force generated when a test body including the composite film is subjected to a specified single-axis tensile testing procedure ranges between 30 Newtons and 280 Newtons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Senoplast Klepsch & Co. GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Kappacher, Erich Bernsteiner, Andreas Höllebauer
  • Patent number: 8608890
    Abstract: A method and support apparatus for providing structural support to a mold or mandrel, such as a shape memory polymer (SMP) apparatus configured for shaping a composite part. The support apparatus may comprise a rigid structural member and a plurality of SMP cells attached thereto and configured to inflate or deploy in a malleable state toward and against a surface of the SMP apparatus, mold, or mandrel. Then the SMP cells may be returned to a rigid state while still pressed against this surface, thereby providing structural support when composite material is applied to an opposite surface of the SMP apparatus, mold, or mandrel. After the composite material is cured into the finished composite part, the SMP cells may be deflated or otherwise collapse toward the structural member to provide enough clearance to be removed from the cured composite part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Spirit AeroSystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel James Everhart, David E. Havens, Steven Fillmore Hanson, Jeffrey W. Priest, Carl Ray Fiegenbaum, Thomas Joseph Barnell
  • Patent number: 8603280
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hollow bodies from thermoplastic material, comprising the molding of at least two sheet-like, web-shaped preforms of plasticated thermoplastic material in a multi-part tool forming a cavity to form two complementary shells, and also the joining together of the shells to form a substantially closed hollow body, wherein the preforms are brought between open parts of the tool which each have part-cavities, the parts of the tool are then closed against a tool separator arranged between the preforms, and the preforms are inserted into the part-cavities with the use of differential pressure and molded. In a subsequent separate method step, the tools are reopened and internal components of the hollow body to be produced are fastened to the shells. Finally, the shells are joined together by reclosing the tools to form a closed hollow body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Borchert, Carsten Elsasser, Christoph Mehren
  • Patent number: 8603284
    Abstract: A fluid dispensing subassembly, includes a first set of plates including a diaphragm to be operated on by a transducer, a second set of plates including at least one manifold plate to direct ink to an aperture plate forming an exterior surface of the second set of plates, and a polymer compliant film arranged in between the first and second sets of plates to attach the first and second sets of plates together to form the fluid dispensing subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Terrance L. Stephens, John R. Andrews, John S. Moore, James M. Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8597455
    Abstract: A manufacturing process, and related products, for fabricating translucent articles in the form of tiles is disclosed. The manufacturing process includes holding together a stack of corrugated cardboard pieces and saturating the cardboard pieces with an impregnating agent. Additional steps may include machining the cardboard pieces to define a block of a desired shape, slicing the block into tile components, and/or coating one or more tile components with a coating material to produce the article. Articles include translucent tiles made of corrugated cardboard pieces saturated with an impregnating agent. The tiles may be arranged to define a surface, such as a floor, a wall, a roof, a lighting installation, an architectural construction element, an architectural aesthetic element, or a solar panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Metacomb, Inc.
    Inventor: Vsevolod Tsodokov
  • Patent number: 8585851
    Abstract: Methods of making a golf ball that includes a lattice reinforced layer, which is a layer made of at least two materials with different properties, includes various injection and compression molding steps. In some embodiments, the lattice reinforced layer is manufactured using a shutoff molding technique so that the entire lattice reinforced layer is molded in the same mold. In other embodiments, a grid for the lattice layer is formed first, then filled using an injection molding technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Kennedy, III
  • Patent number: 8580065
    Abstract: Method of creating a copied fine structure producing a diffractive optical effect onto the target surface, includes using a transfer foil manufactured from thermoplastic, on the surface of which is first created an original fine structure producing a diffractive optical effect; placing the transfer foil on the target surface with the original fine structure is in contact with the target surface; heating the transfer foil to a temperature close to the glass transition temperature of the material of the transfer foil; simultaneously during the heating or immediately after the heating lightly pressing the transfer foil against the target surface, whereby material from the transfer foil adheres to the target surface; and removing the transfer foil from the target surface, whereby the adhered material makes up a copied fine structure, which is a mirror image of the original fine structure of the transfer foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Valtion teknillinen tutkimuskeskus
    Inventors: Olli-Heikki Huttunen, Johanna Hiitola-Keinänen
  • Patent number: 8580064
    Abstract: Process for fastening an accessory to a hollow body obtained by molding a molten plastic parison and using a plastic connector comprising coupling means for the accessory and a stop surface intended to limit the penetration of the connector into the molten plastic, according to which the stop surface is provided with a curved double lip (or one-piece part having two concentric curved edges, i.e., two protuberances located preferably at its periphery, which are concentric and are in relief relative to the remainder of the part) and the connector is welded to the inner wall of the parison using this double lip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Inergy Automotive Systems Research (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Frederic Jannot, Bjorn Criel, Pierre-Francois Tardy, Ralph Pohlmann
  • Patent number: 8574388
    Abstract: A method and device for automated manufacture of an elongated composite material part having at least one layer. The method includes depositing, by unrolling onto a mold, in a first direction, along the mold, an assembly having a composite material layer separably attached to a substrate tape, and forming and compacting part of the assembly onto the mold in the first direction. The assembly is partially shaped to the shape of the mold, and then a remaining portion of the assembly is formed and compacted in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to shape the assembly completely to the shape of the mold. Then the assembly is separated, by peeling the substrate tape from the composite material layer that is secured to the mold, by unrolling the substrate tape in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Constructions Industrielles de la Mediteranee-CNIM
    Inventors: Denis Colombo, Pierre Valibouse, Dominique Mailhot, Dominique Micheaux
  • Patent number: 8573275
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting exposed and partially separated metal cords 17 in a cut end of a metallic cord reinforced strip 17 includes the steps of conveying and cutting the strip 17 and separating the cut ends and passing the conveyed cut strip 17 past a sensor means 40 for detecting any exposed partially separated metal cords or filaments. The preferred sensor means 40 includes a pair of closely spaced electrically conductive rollers 41, 42, a power source connected to one of the other rollers 41 or 42. When an exposed wire 26 touches both rollers 41 and 42 a circuit is closed giving indication of an exposed wire cord condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: David Ray Lovell, Jingfei Zhang
  • Patent number: 8568548
    Abstract: Disclosed therein are a method of manufacturing footwear using adhesive films and a composite of the adhesive film, which can allow an outsole and a midsole to be simultaneously molded and formed through the steps of putting the midsole made of EVA foam and the outsole made of rubber into a mold, inserting an adhesive film between the midsole and the outsole, and applying high temperature and high pressure to the midsole and the outsole, thereby not needing to carry out a cleaning process, a primer coating process, and a bonding process when an outsole and a midsole are manufactured, not needing additional facilities for the cleaning and bonding processes, reducing unnecessary manpower, and improving working environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventors: Hee-Dae Park, Veerag Mehta
  • Patent number: 8562779
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for laminating a plastics molding with spatial surface contours, in particular for interior trims of motor vehicles, using a backing layer and a decorative layer, where an edge region of the decorative layer, which edge region is provided as a bent-around region, extends beyond the nearby corresponding edge of the backing layer with an exposed rear-side region, including: heating a strip-shaped mold part and placing the heated mold part on the bent-around region of the decorative layer and melting part of the bent-around region; turning the bent-around region over the nearby edge of the backing layer and placing the rear-side region of the bent-around region on the second side, which is positioned opposite the first side, of the backing layer, and pressing the bent-around region onto the backing layer with a second mold part, situated opposite the first mold part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Faurecia Innenraum Systeme GmbH
    Inventor: Wilfried Schilles
  • Patent number: 8562780
    Abstract: A process for the production of a stiffened panel made of composite material includes the stages of depositing the fibers that constitute the panel on a rigid device, depositing at least one stiffener, covering the unit with a sealed wall, and then polymerizing, and providing—for each stiffener—a rigid counter-mold in contact with the convex surface of the stiffener, covering the zone(s) of the panel that is/are not covered by the stiffener with at least one band sufficiently rigid to transmit compression forces by allowing play between the band and the stiffener, and then depositing a seal such that the seal, the band, and the rigid counter-mold form the sealed wall, whereby the seal is able to have two states, a first malleable state during application so that it adapts to the profile of the lateral edges of the stiffeners, and a hardened state to ensure transmission of compression forces in a manner essentially identical to the rigid counter-molds or to the bands arranged on either side of the seal so as n
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Denis De Mattia, Mathieu Lannuzel
  • Patent number: 8557067
    Abstract: A substrate, an array of organic electroluminescence element groups disposed on the substrate, each organic electroluminescence element group formed of a plurality of organic electroluminescence elements, a protective layer disposed on the array of organic electroluminescence element groups, and a laminate member disposed on the protective layer were divided between the array of organic electroluminescence element groups into a plurality of organic electroluminescence panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ichiro Kataoka
  • Patent number: 8551276
    Abstract: A laminating process in which an adhesive composition which is freely flowing or can be rendered freely flowing is discharged from a coating appliance in the form of a substantially continuous or interrupted film, out of a slot nozzle with lateral film boundaries, and is applied and fixed to the surface of at least one web-type substrate, if applicable after being deposited on an advancing transfer substrate, such as a roller, and then transferred to the web-type substrate, and in which the film is guided outward to the substrate via the nozzle slot, clamped or hemmed in at its edges by the film boundary elements, heat is drawn off to the surrounding atmosphere via at least one heat exchange element provided along the film boundary elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Josef Rothen