Patents by Inventor Brian Drier

Brian Drier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11865642
    Abstract: A method of forming a ferrous metal case-hardened layer using additive manufacturing. The method includes delivering, by a material delivery device, a filler material to a surface of a substrate. The substrate includes a first ferrous metal. The filler material includes a second ferrous metal and a carbon-based material. The method also includes directing, by an energy delivery device, an energy toward a volume of the filler material to join at least some of the filler material to the substrate to form a component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Drier, Amanda Dawn Graham, Robert Frederick Proctor, Quinlan Yee Shuck, Jacque Sue Bader
  • Publication number: 20210078108
    Abstract: A method of forming a ferrous metal case-hardened layer using additive manufacturing. The method includes delivering, by a material delivery device, a filler material to a surface of a substrate. The substrate includes a first ferrous metal. The filler material includes a second ferrous metal and a carbon-based material. The method also includes directing, by an energy delivery device, an energy toward a volume of the filler material to join at least some of the filler material to the substrate to form a component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Brian Drier, Amanda Dawn Graham, Robert Frederick Proctor, Quinlan Yee Shuck, Jacque Sue Bader
  • Patent number: 10303827
    Abstract: An example system may include a computing device including a finite element analysis module solving for a finite element model representing a component including a metal or an alloy and including a plurality of respective elements. The finite element analysis module may solve a respective stress St and a respective temperature Tt at each respective element during the predetermined cooling operating. The finite element analysis module may determine a respective impact energy ET based on the temperature Tt and cooling rate, using a predetermined cooling rate-dependent energy relationship that relates a temperature of the metal or the alloy to an impact energy, determine a respective weakness index Wt=[A×ET/St]n (A being a predetermined constant, n being a predetermined real number greater than or equal to 1), and identify a respective element having a minimum weakness index less than a predetermined weakness index threshold as a cracking-prone element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Gangshu Shen, Eugene Sun, Stephanie M. Janicek, Robert A. Ress, III, Brian Drier, Mark E. Bartolomeo
  • Publication number: 20170286579
    Abstract: An example system may include a computing device including a finite element analysis module solving for a finite element model representing a component including a metal or an alloy and including a plurality of respective elements. The finite element analysis module may solve a respective stress St and a respective temperature Tt at each respective element during the predetermined cooling operating. The finite element analysis module may determine a respective impact energy ET based on the temperature Tt and cooling rate, using a predetermined cooling rate-dependent energy relationship that relates a temperature of the metal or the alloy to an impact energy, determine a respective weakness index Wt=[A×ET/St]n (A being a predetermined constant, n being a predetermined real number greater than or equal to 1), and identify a respective element having a minimum weakness index less than a predetermined weakness index threshold as a cracking-prone element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Gangshu Shen, Eugene Sun, Stephanie M. Janicek, Robert A. Ress, III, Brian Drier, Mark E. Bartolomeo
  • Patent number: 8454767
    Abstract: A heat treatment method is capable of molding, by mobile quenching of induction quenching, an outer joint member of a tripod type constant velocity universal joint having excellent strength without forming hardened layers in larger radially-inner portions. Mobile quenching is performed in such a manner that a high-frequency induction heating coil is moved in an axial direction relative to an outer joint member, and thus hardened layers are formed on the roller guide surfaces. Magnetic field line cut-out bodies for cutting out generated magnetic field lines are arranged on the high-frequency induction heating coil. The larger radially-inner portions become an unquenched portion by cutting out the magnetic field lines with the magnetic field line cut-out bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: NTN Corporation, NTN Driveshaft, Inc.
    Inventors: Taku Itagaki, Seiya Kato, Brian Drier
  • Publication number: 20120222779
    Abstract: Proposed are a heat treatment method capable of molding, by mobile quenching of induction quenching, an outer joint member of a tripod type constant velocity universal joint excellent in a strength thereof without forming hardened layers in larger radially-inner portions, and the outer joint member and the tripod type constant velocity universal joint which are manufactured by the above-mentioned heat treatment method. Mobile quenching is performed in such a manner that a high-frequency induction heating coil (51) is moved in an axial direction relative to an outer joint member (21), and thus hardened layers (S) are formed on the roller guide surfaces (27) of the outer joint member (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Taku ITAGAKI, Seiya Kato, Brian Drier