Patents by Inventor C. Brent Dane

C. Brent Dane 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: 10072971
    Abstract: A beam delivery technology for high power laser systems, like laser peening systems, for work pieces which may have compound curvatures, includes placing an optical assembly having a receiving optic, beam formatting optics and a scanner mounted thereon, in a position to receive laser pulses from a laser source and within an operating range of the process area. Polarized laser pulses are delivered to the receiving optic while the position of the optical assembly remains unchanged. The pulses proceed through the beam formatting optics to the scanner, and are direct to respective impact areas having nominal shapes and locations on the work piece. The scanning process includes for each laser pulse, setting direction, divergence, polarization, rotation and aspect ratio of the laser pulses output from the scanner, to control the polarization, shape and location on respective impact areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: METAL IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Edward W. H. Lao, Fritz B. Harris, Jr., Randall L. Hurd, Jon Rankin, Scott N. Fochs
  • Patent number: 8810792
    Abstract: A beam sampling system, includes a first beam splitter adapted to split a laser beam having a primary polarization component and a secondary polarization component, into a first intermediate sample beam, and a first beam splitter output beam, the intermediate sample beam including first percentage of the primary polarization component and a second percentage of the secondary polarization component. A 90-degree polarization rotator is positioned in the intermediate sample beam line. A second beam splitter is mounted so that the intermediate sample beam is split into an output sample beam on an output sample beam line, and a second transmitted beam, the output sample beam including substantially said first percentage of the secondary polarization component and substantially said second percentage of the primary polarization component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company, LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Edward W. H. Lao, Scott N. Fochs
  • Patent number: 8698040
    Abstract: A laser energy delivery system includes a relay imaging system. Input optics arranged to receive the laser energy, a transmitting mirror having adjustable angle of incidence relative to the input optics, and a robot mounted optical assembly are configured to direct laser energy toward the movable target image plane. The laser energy follows an optical path including an essentially straight segment from the transmitting mirror to the receiving mirror, having a variable length and a variable angle relative to the input optics through air. Diagnostics on the processing head facilitate operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Fritz B. Harris, Joseph T. Taranowski, Steven L Honett, Stewart B. Brown
  • Patent number: 8608590
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a driver, or other types of golf club, includes inducing residual compressive stress by high intensity laser shock peening to form an array of laser shock peened impact zones on the club face. Laser pulses having irradiance greater than 4 GW/cm2, with spot size greater than 4 mm2 are used, including a pulse with on the order of 16 ns, with spot size greater than 9 mm2. Residual compressive stress of more than 400 MPa penetrating with a depth of more than 0.2 mm are imparted, without increased hardening in or damage to the face of the club. Laser shock peening a pattern that covers an interior area leaves the perimeter unpeened, inducing a stress gradient between interior area and the perimeter of the club face. Multiple layers of arrays of laser shock impact zones are applied on the club. The technology is readily applied to assembled club heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company, LLC
    Inventors: Lloyd A. Hackel, Jon Rankin, Chanh H. Truong, C. Brent Dane, Fritz B. Harris, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8207474
    Abstract: A method of operating a laser to obtain an output pulse having a single wavelength, comprises inducing an intracavity loss into a laser resonator having an amount that prevents oscillation during a time that energy from the pump source is being stored in the gain medium. Gain is built up in the gain medium with energy from the pump source until formation of a single-frequency relaxation oscillation pulse in the resonator. Upon detection of the onset of the relaxation oscillation pulse, the intracavity loss is reduced, such as by Q-switching, so that the built-up gain stored in the gain medium is output from the resonator in the form of an output pulse at a single frequency. An electronically controllable output coupler is controlled to affect output pulse characteristics. The laser acts a master oscillator in a master oscillator power amplifier configuration. The laser is used for laser peening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignees: Metal Improvement Company, LLC, Regents of the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd A. Hackel, Fritz B. Harris
  • Publication number: 20110253690
    Abstract: A beam delivery technology for high power laser systems, like laser peening systems, for work pieces which may have compound curvatures, includes placing an optical assembly having a receiving optic, beam formatting optics and a scanner mounted thereon, in a position to receive laser pulses from a laser source and within an operating range of the process area. Polarized laser pulses are delivered to the receiving optic while the position of the optical assembly remains unchanged. The pulses proceed through the beam formatting optics to the scanner, and are direct to respective impact areas having nominal shapes and locations on the work piece. The scanning process includes for each laser pulse, setting direction, divergence, polarization, rotation and aspect ratio of the laser pulses output from the scanner, to control the polarization, shape and location on respective impact areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: METAL IMPROVEMENT COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: C. BRENT DANE, Edward W.H. Lao, Fritz B. Harris, JR., Randall L. Hurd, Jon Rankin, Scott N. Fochs
  • Publication number: 20110255088
    Abstract: A beam sampling system, includes a first beam splitter adapted to split a laser beam having a primary polarization component and a secondary polarization component, into a first intermediate sample beam, and a first beam splitter output beam, the intermediate sample beam including first percentage of the primary polarization component and a second percentage of the secondary polarization component. A 90-degree polarization rotator is positioned in the intermediate sample beam line. A second beam splitter is mounted so that the intermediate sample beam is split into an output sample beam on an output sample beam line, and a second transmitted beam, the output sample beam including substantially said first percentage of the secondary polarization component and substantially said second percentage of the primary polarization component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: METAL IMPROVEMENT COMPANY LLC
    Inventors: C. BRENT DANE, Edward W.H. LAO, Scott N. FOCHS
  • Patent number: 7960671
    Abstract: A method for laser shock processing a device, including a metallic body having a surface, comprises conformally applying a compliant solid material to the first region on the surface of the metallic body and applying a layer of ablative material to the second region on the surface of the metallic body. A damping liquid is flowed over the layer of ablative material. An array of pulses of laser energy is directed through the damping fluid to impact the layer of ablative material on the surface and peen the surface in the second region. The pulses induce pressure waves within the metallic body which propagate to the surface in the first region. The compliant solid material acts as a momentum trap, so that the acoustic waves are at least partially coupled into the compliant solid material and attenuated outside of the metallic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz B. Harris, Chanh H. Truong, James D. Wintemute
  • Publication number: 20110045922
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a driver, or other types of golf club, includes inducing residual compressive stress by high intensity laser shock peening to form an array of laser shock peened impact zones on the club face. Laser pulses having fluence greater than 4 GW/cm2, with spot size greater than 4 mm are used, including a pulse with on the order of 16 ns, with spot size greater than 9 mm2. Residual compressive stress of more than 400 MPa penetrating with a depth of more than 0.2 mm are imparted, without increased hardening in or damage to the face of the club. Laser shock peening a pattern that covers an interior area leaves the perimeter unpeened, inducing a stress gradient between interior area and the perimeter of the club face. Multiple layers of arrays of laser shock impact zones are applied on the club. The technology is readily applied to assembled club heads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2007
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: METAL IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Lloyd A. Hackel, Jon Rankin, Chanh H. Truong, C. Brent Dane, Fritz B. Harris, JR.
  • Patent number: 7851725
    Abstract: An active laser energy delivery system includes a relay imaging system. Input optics arranged to receive the laser energy, a transmitting mirror having adjustable angle of incidence relative to the input optics, and a robot mounted processing head including an optical assembly are configured to direct laser energy toward the movable target image plane. The laser energy follows an optical path including an essentially straight segment from the transmitting mirror to the receiving mirror, having a variable length and a variable angle relative to the input optics. Diagnostics on the processing head facilitate operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Fritz B. Harris, Joseph T. Taranowski, Stewart B. Brown
  • Publication number: 20100219170
    Abstract: A laser energy delivery system includes a relay imaging system. Input optics arranged to receive the laser energy, a transmitting mirror having adjustable angle of incidence relative to the input optics, and a robot mounted optical assembly are configured to direct laser energy toward the movable target image plane. The laser energy follows an optical path including an essentially straight segment from the transmitting mirror to the receiving mirror, having a variable length and a variable angle relative to the input optics through air. Diagnostics on the processing head facilitate operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Metal Improvement Company LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Fritz B. Harris, Joseph T. Taranowski, Steven L. Honett, Stewart B. Brown
  • Patent number: 7750266
    Abstract: A laser peening method and system allows the work piece to be fixed, while moving and directing the laser beam. A laser energy delivery system includes a relay imaging system. Input optics arranged to receive the laser energy, a transmitting mirror having adjustable angle of incidence relative to the input optics, and a robot mounted processing head including an optical assembly are configured to direct laser energy toward the movable target image plane. The laser energy follows an optical path including an essentially straight segment from the transmitting mirror to the receiving mirror, having a variable length and a variable angle relative to the input optics. Diagnostics on the processing head facilitate operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Fritz B. Harris, Joseph T. Taranowski, Stewart B. Brown
  • Patent number: 7718921
    Abstract: A laser energy delivery system includes a relay imaging system. Input optics arranged to receive the laser energy, a transmitting mirror having adjustable angle of incidence relative to the input optics, and a robot mounted optical assembly are configured to direct laser energy toward the movable target image plane. The laser energy follows an optical path including an essentially straight segment from the transmitting mirror to the receiving mirror, having a variable length and a variable angle relative to the input optics through air. Diagnostics on the processing head facilitate operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Fritz B. Harris, Joseph T. Taranowski, Steven L Honett, Stewart B. Brown
  • Publication number: 20090294424
    Abstract: A method of operating a laser to obtain an output pulse having a single wavelength, comprises inducing an intracavity loss into a laser resonator having an amount that prevents oscillation during a time that energy from the pump source is being stored in the gain medium. Gain is built up in the gain medium with energy from the pump source until formation of a single-frequency relaxation oscillation pulse in the resonator. Upon detection of the onset of the relaxation oscillation pulse, the intracavity loss is reduced, such as by Q-switching, so that the built-up gain stored in the gain medium is output from the resonator in the form of an output pulse at a single frequency. An electronically controllable output coupler is controlled to affect output pulse characteristics. The laser acts a master oscillator in a master oscillator power amplifier configuration. The laser is used for laser peening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicants: The Regents of the University of California, Metal Improvement Company, LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz Harris
  • Patent number: 7573001
    Abstract: A method of operating a laser to obtain an output pulse having a single wavelength, comprises inducing an intracavity loss into a laser resonator having an amount that prevents oscillation during a time that energy from the pump source is being stored in the gain medium. Gain is built up in the gain medium with energy from the pump source until formation of a single-frequency relaxation oscillation pulse in the resonator. Upon detection of the onset of the relaxation oscillation pulse, the intracavity loss is reduced, such as by Q-switching, so that the built-up gain stored in the gain medium is output from the resonator in the form of an output pulse at a single frequency. An electronically controllable output coupler is controlled to affect output pulse characteristics. The laser acts a master oscillator in a master oscillator power amplifier configuration. The laser is used for laser peening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignees: Metal Improvement Company, LLC, Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz B. Harris
  • Patent number: 7291805
    Abstract: A system for applying a laser beam to work pieces, includes a laser system producing a high power output beam. Target delivery optics are arranged to deliver the output beam to a target work piece. A relay telescope having a telescope focal point is placed in the beam path between the laser system and the target delivery optics. The relay telescope relays an image between an image location near the output of the laser system and an image location near the target delivery optics. A baffle is placed at the telescope focal point between the target delivery optics and the laser system to block reflections from the target in the target delivery optics from returning to the laser system and causing damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Metal Improvement Company, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd A. Hackel, Fritz Harris
  • Patent number: 7286580
    Abstract: A laser system, such as a master oscillator/power amplifier system, comprises a gain medium and a stimulated Brillouin scattering SBS mirror system. The SBS mirror system includes an in situ filtered SBS medium that comprises a compound having a small negative non-linear index of refraction, such as a perfluoro compound. An SBS relay telescope having a telescope focal point includes a baffle at the telescope focal point which blocks off angle beams. A beam splitter is placed between the SBS mirror system and the SBS relay telescope, directing a fraction of the beam to an alternate beam path for an alignment fiducial. The SBS mirror system has a collimated SBS cell and a focused SBS cell. An adjustable attenuator is placed between the collimated SBS cell and the focused SBS cell, by which pulse width of the reflected beam can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, Metal Improvement Company, Inc.
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz B. Harris
  • Publication number: 20070138157
    Abstract: A method for laser shock processing a device, including a metallic body having a surface, comprises conformally applying a compliant solid material to the first region on the surface of the metallic body and applying a layer of ablative material to the second region on the surface of the metallic body. A damping liquid is flowed over the layer of ablative material. An array of pulses of laser energy is directed through the damping fluid to impact the layer of ablative material on the surface and peen the surface in the second region. The pulses induce pressure waves within the metallic body which propagate to the surface in the first region. The compliant solid material acts as a momentum trap, so that the acoustic waves are at least partially coupled into the compliant solid material and attenuated outside of the metallic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Metal Improvement Company LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz Harris, Chanh Truong, James Wintemute
  • Patent number: 7209500
    Abstract: A laser system, such as a master oscillator/power amplifier system, comprises a gain medium and a stimulated Brillouin scattering SBS mirror system. The SBS mirror system includes an in situ filtered SBS medium that comprises a compound having a small negative non-linear index of refraction, such as a perfluoro compound. An SBS relay telescope having a telescope focal point includes a baffle at the telescope focal point which blocks off angle beams. A beam splitter is placed between the SBS mirror system and the SBS relay telescope, directing a fraction of the beam to an alternate beam path for an alignment fiducial. The SBS mirror system has a collimated SBS cell and a focused SBS cell. An adjustable attenuator is placed between the collimated SBS cell and the focused SBS cell, by which pulse width of the reflected beam can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company, LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz B. Harris
  • Patent number: 7180918
    Abstract: A method of operating a laser to obtain an output pulse having a single wavelength, comprises inducing an intracavity loss into a laser resonator having an amount that prevents oscillation during a time that energy from the pump source is being stored in the gain medium. Gain is built up in the gain medium with energy from the pump source until formation of a single-frequency relaxation oscillation pulse in the resonator. Upon detection of the onset of the relaxation oscillation pulse, the intracavity loss is reduced, such as by Q-switching, so that the built-up gain stored in the gain medium is output from the resonator in the form of an output pulse at a single frequency. An electronically controllable output coupler is controlled to affect output pulse characteristics. The laser acts a master oscillator in a master oscillator power amplifier configuration. The laser is used for laser peening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Metal Improvement Company, LLC
    Inventors: C. Brent Dane, Lloyd Hackel, Fritz B. Harris