Patents by Inventor Dean J. Kruger

Dean J. Kruger 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).

  • Sealed gripper apparatus
    Patent number: 6666489
    Abstract: A gripper includes a body, an actuator movably supported by the body and a first hub rotatably supported by the body where the first hub rotates about a transverse axis. The gripper also includes a drive arm having a camming surface. The drive arm is coupled to the first hub so as to be rotatable about the transverse axis. A member drivingly interconnects the camming surface and the actuator such that an arm coupled to the first hub operably moves in response to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: BTM Corporation
    Inventor: Dean J. Kruger
  • Adjustable end arm effector
    Publication number: 20030180135
    Abstract: An adjustable end arm effector joint is provided. The joint includes a first surface having an alignment indicia associated therewith. Another aspect of the present invention includes a second surface having a cooperating alignment indicia associated therewith. The alignment indicia cooperate with each other to identify an alignment position of the mating joint surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Stephen E. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger
  • Adjustable stroke clamp
    Patent number: 6612557
    Abstract: An apparatus to position or clamp a work piece includes a body, a generally linearly moving powered actuator positioned in the body, and a mechanism to adjust an available stroke of the actuator. The actuator has a first piston coupled to a second piston. The available stroke is defined by a distance spanned by the first and second pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: BTM Corporation
    Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Stephen E. Sawdon
  • Sealed gripper apparatus
    Publication number: 20030038492
    Abstract: A gripper includes a body, an actuator movably supported by the body and a first hub rotatably supported by the body where the first hub rotates about a transverse axis. The gripper also includes a drive arm having a camming surface. The drive arm is coupled to the first hub so as to be rotatable about the transverse axis. A member drivingly interconnects the camming surface and the actuator such that an arm coupled to the first hub operably moves in response to the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Inventor: Dean J. Kruger
  • Powered pivot unit
    Patent number: 6488273
    Abstract: A apparatus includes an arm, a housing having a chamber, a vane rotatably movable within the chamber and an engaging member. The engaging member is slidingly coupled to the arm. The engaging member is selectively positionable in an engaged and a disengaged position with the vane such that the arm rotates in response to rotation of the vane when the engaging member is in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: BTM Corporation
    Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Andrew T. Sanders
  • Adjustable stroke clamp
    Publication number: 20020158394
    Abstract: An apparatus to position or clamp a work piece includes a body, a generally linearly moving powered actuator positioned in the body, and a mechanism to adjust an available stroke of the actuator. The actuator has a first piston coupled to a second piston. The available stroke is defined by a distance spanned by the first and second pistons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Stephen E. Sawdon
  • POWERED PIVOT UNIT
    Publication number: 20020153650
    Abstract: A positioning apparatus includes an arm, a housing having a chamber, a vane rotatably movable within the chamber and an engaging member. The engaging member is slidingly coupled to the arm. The engaging member is selectively positionable in an engaged and a disengaged position with the vane such that the arm rotates in response to rotation of the vane when the engaging member is in the engaged position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Andrew T. Sanders
  • Auto equalized dual pierce unit
    Patent number: 6237458
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatically equalizing press for sequential operations on opposite sides of a workpiece. The press is designed to allow a pair of punch-anvil combinations to work on opposing sides of the workpiece without substantially deforming the workpiece prior to the final, e.g. piercing, operation. One tool from each combination is mounted on a slide block which is capable of movement independent of the other slide block. The slide blocks are operable by fluid actuated pistons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: BTM Corporation
    Inventors: Glenn M. Dennison, Michael D. Miller, Dean J. Kruger
  • Tool adjustment system
    Patent number: 6200059
    Abstract: A tool adjustment system includes a first body, a second body and an adjusting member. The adjusting member is rotatably affixed to the first body and allowed to rotate in the second body during angular adjustment of the first body relative to the second body. In yet another aspect of the present invention, an adjustment tool and a locking tool are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: BTM Corporation
    Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger
  • Pad for universal gripper
    Patent number: 5938259
    Abstract: A universal gripper has a movable arm locked in a gripping position by abutting against a movable blocking member. A pair of pivoting arms are maintained in their gripping positions by a blocking member being linearly slid between ends of the arms. Varying movable arm configurations can be easily interchanged with each other and mounted to a body by way of a single fixed pivot pin. The opening angle of a gripper arm can be mechanically limited to various positions by selective positioning of an adjustment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: BTM Corporation
    Inventors: Edwin G Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Steven J. Sprotberry
  • Universal gripper
    Patent number: 5853211
    Abstract: A universal gripper has a movable arm locked in a gripping position by abutting against a movable blocking member. A pair of pivoting arms are maintained in their gripping positions by a blocking member being linearly slid between ends of the arms. Varying movable arm configurations can be easily interchanged with each other and mounted to a body by way of a single fixed pivot pin. The opening angle of a gripper arm can be mechanically limited to various positions by selective positioning of an adjustment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: BTM Corporation
    Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Steven J. Sprotberry