Patents by Inventor Casey Placek

Casey Placek 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: 11987889
    Abstract: A boring bit or other component for horizontal directional drilling is provided which includes a hard faced layer that is preferably made by a laser cladding bead. A subsequent or post heat treatment is applied to modify the heat affected zone (HAZ) to eliminate or reduce the hard brittle regions and/or softer regions in the base iron or steel material of the HAZ. Further, the hard faced layer may be applied in combination with carbide insert teeth that are embedded within the steel base of the boring bit body, such as by press fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Keith A. Johnson, Andrew J. Theisen, Mark More, Casey Placek
  • Patent number: 11808088
    Abstract: A new horizontal directional drilling (HDD) bit comprising a bit body is provided with illustrated embodiments including a flat bit design and a cobble bit design. Cutter teeth may be cut (e.g. formed or machined) into the base steel material of the bit body. Additionally, a broken edge profile may be generated to avoid sharp corners for better receipt of hard facing material such as laser clad beads that may be applied in higher wear regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Mark More, James Wessing, Tina Giese, Casey Placek
  • Patent number: 11525313
    Abstract: A hard facing is preferably accomplished with laser clad beads applied to horizontal directional drilling (HDD) component(s). These components may be subject to recirculating fluid regions associated to stepped geometries along a drill string, including various drill string coupling members. For example, laser cladding can be applied to a step region of the sonar housing and starter rod. A method applies a hard face coating such as laser cladding or other suitable hard facing in areas of tight geometric tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Mark More, Casey Placek, Tina Giese, James Wessing
  • Publication number: 20220333222
    Abstract: Laser shock peening is applied to a harvester component for an agricultural wear application that for example may be any of the following components: a knifeback, a knifehead, a knifeback connecting strap, a straw chopper, a sickle section, stalk chopper, a bedknife, a sod cutter knife, a net wrap knife or a combine concave component. The laser shock peening may be selectively applied. For example, laser shock peening can be applied in regions of drive ends of harvester components, and/or in regions proximate fastener holes of such harvester components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Casey Placek, Keith A. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20220025713
    Abstract: A new horizontal directional drilling (HDD) bit comprising a bit body is provided with illustrated embodiments including a flat bit design and a cobble bit design. Cutter teeth may be cut (e.g. formed or machined) into the base steel material of the bit body. Additionally, a broken edge profile may be generated to avoid sharp corners for better receipt of hard facing material such as laser clad beads that may be applied in higher wear regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Mark More, James Wessing, Tina Giese, Casey Placek
  • Publication number: 20210156206
    Abstract: A hard facing is preferably accomplished with laser clad beads applied to horizontal directional drilling (HDD) component(s). These components may be subject to recirculating fluid regions associated to stepped geometries along a drill string, including various drill string coupling members. For example, laser cladding can be applied to a step region of the sonar housing and starter rod. A method applies a hard face coating such as laser cladding or other suitable hard facing in areas of tight geometric tolerances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Mark More, Casey Placek, Tina Giese, James Wessing
  • Publication number: 20200325584
    Abstract: A boring bit or other component for horizontal directional drilling is provided which includes a hard faced layer that is preferably made by a laser cladding bead. A subsequent or post heat treatment is applied to modify the heat affected zone (HAZ) to eliminate or reduce the hard brittle regions and/or softer regions in the base iron or steel material of the HAZ. Further, the hard faced layer may be applied in combination with carbide insert teeth that are embedded within the steel base of the boring bit body, such as by press fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Keith A. Johnson, Andrew J. Theisen, Mark More, Casey Placek
  • Publication number: 20200224499
    Abstract: A boring bit such as for horizontal directional drilling is provided which includes a hard faced layer that is preferably made by a laser cladding bead. The laser clad bead may be applied in some regions to a greater extent and in other regions to a lighter extent and with thicker coverage or longer regions of application in different regions of the boring bit. Additionally, circumferential segments of the hard faced layer bead may be applied to impart a spiral path on the outer periphery of the boring bit which may be overlapped upon more general hard faced layer application. Further, the hard faced layer may be applied in substantially complete coverage over carbide insert teeth that are embedded within the steel base of the boring bit body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Keith A. Johnson, Andrew J. Theisen, Mark More, Casey Placek
  • Patent number: 9717176
    Abstract: A laser cladded agricultural blade is provided. The blade includes a blade body. The blade body is of a first hardness. The blade body is additionally provided with a cladding material of a second hardness, wherein the cladding material comprises an amorphous metal. The cladding material is applied by a laser cladding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Kondex Corporation
    Inventors: Neal J. Stoffel, Casey Placek, Keith A. Johnson, Heather Baez
  • Publication number: 20160073582
    Abstract: A laser cladded agricultural blade is provided. The blade includes a blade body. The blade body is of a first hardness. The blade body is additionally provided with a cladding material of a second hardness, wherein the cladding material comprises an amorphous metal. The cladding material is applied by a laser cladding process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: KONDEX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neal J. Stoffel, Casey Placek, Keith A. Johnson, Heather Baez