Patents by Inventor Donald Stickel
Donald Stickel 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).
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Patent number: 11253956Abstract: A structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David R. Griffith, Michael Noble, William Ulrich, Christopher Lu, Ling Pan, Huijun Wang, Donald Stickel, Keith Egland, Jeremy R. Hammar, Seth Johnson, Timothy W. Olmsted
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Patent number: 10981253Abstract: A structural member is disclosed. The structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David R. Griffith, Michael Noble, William Ulrich, April J. Lu, Ling Pan, Huijun Wang, Donald Stickel, Keith Egland, Jeremy R. Hammar, Seth Johnson, Timothy W. Olmsted
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Patent number: 10913158Abstract: A robotic system includes a robotic arm, a base couple coupled to the robotic arm, and a controller. The robotic supports a work implement and is configured to move the work implement to perform an operation on a workpiece. The base is configured to be removably coupled to a mounting surface. The controller is in communication with the robotic arm, the work implement, and the base. Further, the controller is configured to disable the operation of at least one of the robotic arm and the work implement if a coupling parameter between the base and the mounting surface is below a threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Jeremy Roe Hammar, Leon R. Adcock, Bradley Phillip Graham, Matthew J. Behmlander, Joshua Clifton Short, Donald A. Stickel, III
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Publication number: 20200230749Abstract: A structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David R. Griffith, Michael Noble, William Ulrich, Christopher Lu, Ling Pan, Huijun Wang, Donald Stickel, Keith Egland, Jeremy R. Hammar, Seth Johnson, Timothy W. Olmsted
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Patent number: 10688600Abstract: A structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David R. Griffith, Michael Noble, William Ulrich, Christopher Lu, Ling Pan, Huijun Wang, Donald Stickel, Keith Egland, Jeremy R. Hammar, Seth Johnson, Timothy W. Olmsted
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Publication number: 20190344442Abstract: A robotic system includes a robotic arm, a base couple coupled to the robotic arm, and a controller. The robotic supports a work implement and is configured to move the work implement to perform an operation on a workpiece. The base is configured to be removably coupled to a mounting surface. The controller is in communication with the robotic arm, the work implement, and the base. Further, the controller is configured to disable the operation of at least one of the robotic arm and the work implement if a coupling parameter between the base and the mounting surface is below a threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2018Publication date: November 14, 2019Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Jeremy Roe Hammar, Leon R. Adcock, Bradley Phillip Graham, Matthew J. Behmlander, Joshua Clifton Short, Donald A. Stickel, III
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Patent number: 10286482Abstract: A weld kit is presented for use in creating a weld with limited access to a structure. The weld kit contains a back plate being a combination of a thermic material attached to a metallic material. Additionally, the weld kit has a lowering device secured to the back plate. A plurality of tacking nodes travel through both the thermic material and the metallic material of the back plate. The plurality of tacking nodes are operative to accept and distribute heat from a welding arc to create a tack weld at a location where at least one of the plurality of tacking nodes contacts a weld joint. The presented weld kit may be used to repair a damaged enclosed structure. Additionally, the presented weld kit may also be used to create an enclosed structure in a manufacture type environment.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Kendall Reed Powell, Yan Shao, Donald Stickel, Howard Ludewig
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Publication number: 20180304413Abstract: A structural member is disclosed. The structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David R. Griffith, Michael Noble, William Ulrich, April J. Lu, Ling Pan, Huijun Wang, Donald Stickel, Keith Egland, Jeremy R. Hammar, Seth Johnson, Timothy W. Olmsted
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Publication number: 20180161941Abstract: A structural member is disclosed. The structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2016Publication date: June 14, 2018Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: David R. Griffith, Michael Noble, William Ulrich, Christopher Lu, Ling Pan, Huijun Wang, Donald Stickel, Keith Egland, Jeremy R. Hammar, Seth Johnson, Timothy W. Olmsted
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Patent number: 9823224Abstract: A system for inspecting a weld on a component where the weld has a plurality of cross-sections includes a camera disposed above the weld that optically senses a weld position. A projector disposed above the weld projects on to the component along a length of the weld position a primary scan path with a primary scan path start point and a primary scan path end point. An imaging probe scans the weld as the imaging probe moves from the primary scan path start point to the primary scan path end point to generate a plurality of 2D cross-sectional images of the weld corresponding to the cross-sections of the weld, the imaging probe having a position and skew angle that vary as the imaging probe moves. Each 2D cross-sectional image of the weld is optically encoded with a respective imaging probe position and a respective imaging probe skew angle.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Michael T. Buelsing, Jean O. Bridge, Leon Adcock, Gregory H. Dubay, Dong Fei, Donald Stickel
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Patent number: 9649966Abstract: A truck body for a machine is disclosed. The truck body has a bottom wall defining a front end and a rear end, a pair of lateral walls extending from the bottom wall, and a front wall extending between the pair of lateral walls at the front end. The truck body includes a pair of bottom beams pivotally coupled to a frame of the machine. The truck body further includes a plurality of tubes disposed on the pair of bottom beams. Each of the plurality of tubes is disposed adjacent to each other to at least define the bottom wall and the pair of lateral walls of the truck body.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2015Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Donald A. Stickel, III, Howard W. Ludewig, Danny L. McCaherty
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Publication number: 20170131220Abstract: A system for inspecting a weld on a component where the weld has a plurality of cross-sections includes a camera disposed above the weld that optically senses a weld position. A projector disposed above the weld projects on to the component along a length of the weld position a primary scan path with a primary scan path start point and a primary scan path end point. An imaging probe scans the weld as the imaging probe moves from the primary scan path start point to the primary scan path end point to generate a plurality of 2D cross-sectional images of the weld corresponding to the cross-sections of the weld, the imaging probe having a position and skew angle that vary as the imaging probe moves. Each 2D cross-sectional image of the weld is optically encoded with a respective imaging probe position and a respective imaging probe skew angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Michael T. BUELSING, Jean O. BRIDGE, Leon ADCOCK, Gregory H. DUBAY, Dong FEI, Donald STICKEL
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Patent number: 9545693Abstract: A consumable insert for welding a first component to a second component is provided. The first component is positioned with respect to the second component in such a manner that a gap is defined between adjacent surfaces thereof. The consumable insert includes a body having a profile. The profile of the body matches a scan of a profile of the gap between the adjacent surfaces. The consumable insert also includes a dam portion having a profile. The profile of the dam portion matches, at least in part, a scan of corresponding surfaces of the first component and the second component respectively. The dam portion is provided in contact with at least one end of the body. The dam portion is configured to control an overflow of a weld puddle therefrom. The body and the dam portion are formed using three dimensional printing.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Leon R. Adcock, Kendall R. Powell, Donald A. Stickel, III, Howard W. Ludewig
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Publication number: 20160361778Abstract: A weld kit is presented for use in creating a weld with limited access to a structure. The weld kit contains a back plate being a combination of a thermic material attached to a metallic material. Additionally, the weld kit has a lowering device secured to the back plate. A plurality of tacking nodes travel through both the thermic material and the metallic material of the back plate. The plurality of tacking nodes are operative to accept and distribute heat from a welding arc to create a tack weld at a location where at least one of the plurality of tacking nodes contacts a weld joint. The presented weld kit may be used to repair a damaged enclosed structure. Additionally, the presented weld kit may also be used to create an enclosed structure in a manufacture type environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2015Publication date: December 15, 2016Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Kendall Reed Powell, Yan Shao, Donald Stickel, Howard Ludewig
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Publication number: 20160354854Abstract: Systems and methods for weld distortion reduction via a dynamically controlled heat source are disclosed. One system includes a welding apparatus comprising a sensor, a first heat source, and a second heat source. The system may further include a processor and a memory bearing instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system at least to: receive data relating to a weld of a first part to a second part performed by the first heat source, the data comprising at least data from the sensor; generate, based at least on the data from the sensor, a simulation of the weld; determine, based at least on the simulation of the weld, a simulated distortion in at least one of the first part and the second part; determine, based at least on the determined simulated distortion, a heat source application intended to counter a distortion represented by the simulated distortion; and generate a directive to implement, by the second heat source, the heat source application.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2015Publication date: December 8, 2016Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Michael Noble, Nien Lee, Howard Ludewig, Donald Stickel
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Publication number: 20160355117Abstract: A truck body for a machine is disclosed. The truck body has a bottom wall defining a front end and a rear end, a pair of lateral walls extending from the bottom wall, and a front wall extending between the pair of lateral walls at the front end. The truck body includes a pair of bottom beams pivotally coupled to a frame of the machine. The truck body further includes a plurality of tubes disposed on the pair of bottom beams. Each of the plurality of tubes is disposed adjacent to each other to at least define the bottom wall and the pair of lateral walls of the truck body.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2015Publication date: December 8, 2016Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Donald A. Stickel, III, Howard W. Ludewig, Danny L. McCaherty
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Publication number: 20160353527Abstract: An induction heating apparatus for heat-treating a joint disposed between two work pieces. The apparatus may include a retainer that has an inner surface. The inner surface of the retainer has a profile that corresponds to a profile of the joint and portions of the work pieces. The inner surface of the retainer may further include a groove for accommodating an inductor. The inductor has a first end connected to a first terminal of a radio frequency electric current source. The inductor extends from the first terminal and along the groove before terminating at the second end that connects to a second terminal of the radio frequency electric current source.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Michael H. Noble, Donald Stickel, Howard W. Ludewig
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Publication number: 20160096241Abstract: A consumable insert for welding a first component to a second component is provided. The first component is positioned with respect to the second component in such a manner that a gap is defined between adjacent surfaces thereof. The consumable insert includes a body having a profile. The profile of the body matches a scan of a profile of the gap between the adjacent surfaces. The consumable insert also includes a dam portion having a profile. The profile of the dam portion matches, at least in part, a scan of corresponding surfaces of the first component and the second component respectively. The dam portion is provided in contact with at least one end of the body. The dam portion is configured to control an overflow of a weld puddle therefrom. The body and the dam portion are formed using three dimensional printing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2014Publication date: April 7, 2016Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Leon R. Adcock, Kendall R. Powell, Donald A. Stickel, III, Howard W. Ludewig
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Publication number: 20150314407Abstract: A method to join a first enclosed workpiece and a second enclosed workpiece is provided. The first enclosed workpiece includes a first connecting end and a first cavity region. The second enclosed workpiece includes a second connecting end and a second cavity region. A backing member is placed in the first connecting end, with a first end within the first cavity region. A resilient member is positioned in the first cavity region, with a first portion within the first cavity region. The second enclosed workpiece is positioned proximal to the first enclosed workpiece to define a gap between the first connecting end and the second connecting end. Upon positioning, a second end of the backing member and a second portion of the resilient member are placed within the second cavity region. The first connecting end is then welded with the second connecting end over the backing member near the gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2015Publication date: November 5, 2015Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Yan Shao, Ronald T. Taylor, Donald A. Stickel, III, Howard W. Ludewig
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Publication number: 20150197061Abstract: High weld fatigue class transverse butt joint welds utilizing customized consumable weld inserts laid into the root of the joint. The customized consumable weld inserts may be produced with a 3D printer using digital data obtained by scanning of the joint or from product specifications. The insert may be printed or formed using one or more metal powders that may be solidified by the 3D printer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2014Publication date: July 16, 2015Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Huijun Wang, Lingyun Pan, Donald A. Stickel, III, James A. Forck, Howard W. Ludewig