Patents by Inventor Howard Paul Weaver

Howard Paul Weaver 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: 10661368
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an electrode assembly comprising a carriage having a plurality of electrode holders, the electrode holders being respectively configured to detachably receive a plurality of electrodes, the electrodes include a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. The first electrodes are configured for rough machining a workpiece by electric discharging or wire electric discharging to remove material from the workpiece, the second electrodes are configured for finish machining the rough machined workpiece by electric discharging to remove material from the rough machined workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Qing Gao, Renwei Yuan, Howard Paul Weaver, Richard Leigh Adrian, Xiaobin Chen
  • Patent number: 10562119
    Abstract: A machining system for electromachining a workpiece that in one embodiment includes a machine tool, a cutting tool for performing the eletromachining, and a tool holding apparatus for conductively holding the cutting tool and coupled to the machine tool. The tool holding apparatus includes a holding element for holding the cutting tool and at least one solution releasing element. The solution releasing element is used to receive machining solution and release the machining solution onto a predetermined area of the cutting tool through at least one group of channels. Each group of channels includes at least two channels configured to respectively release the machining solution onto at least two adjacent sections in the predetermined area of the cutting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lei Yang, Dong Liu, Renwei Yuan, Jianping Wu, Yuanfeng Luo, Howard Paul Weaver
  • Publication number: 20170282267
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an electrode assembly comprising a carriage having a plurality of electrode holders, the electrode holders being respectively configured to detachably receive a plurality of electrodes, the electrodes include a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes. The first electrodes are configured for rough machining a workpiece by electric discharging or wire electric discharging to remove material from the workpiece, the second electrodes are configured for finish machining the rough machined workpiece by electric discharging to remove material from the rough machined workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Qing GAO, Renwei YUAN, Howard Paul WEAVER, Richard Leigh ADRIAN, Xiaobin CHEN
  • Publication number: 20170238690
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for removing a coating from a defined area of a high pressure turbine part comprising the steps of: securing a guide to said turbine part, said guide both exposing said defined area while protecting adjacent areas; repeatedly inserting and withdrawing a brush through an opening in said guide which directs said brush to impinge said defined area and remove said coating. The invention also relates to a guide used in the aforementioned method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Howard Paul WEAVER, Jeffrey Arnold FEHRENBACH, Gary Michael STANKO, James GREEN
  • Publication number: 20150328705
    Abstract: A machining system for electromachining a workpiece that in one embodiment includes a machine tool, a cutting tool for performing the eletromachining, and a tool holding apparatus for conductively holding the cutting tool and coupled to the machine tool. The tool holding apparatus includes a holding element for holding the cutting tool and at least one solution releasing element. The solution releasing element is used to receive machining solution and release the machining solution onto a predetermined area of the cutting tool through at least one group of channels. Each group of channels includes at least two channels configured to respectively release the machining solution onto at least two adjacent sections in the predetermined area of the cutting tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Lei YANG, Dong LIU, Renwei YUAN, Jianping WU, Yuanfeng LUO, Howard Paul WEAVER
  • Publication number: 20140238119
    Abstract: A method for obtaining an edge prep profile of a cutting tool with a point sensor. The method includes: (a) scanning edge points of the cutting tool, including a target edge point on a target edge, with the point sensor, by rotating the cutting tool around its axis, to generate a first point cloud; (b) repositioning the point sensor and cutting tool relative to each other based on the location and orientation information of the target edge point, such that the sensor focus is at a region of interest containing the target edge point; and (c) scanning the region of interest using the point sensor to generate a second point cloud. The first point cloud includes location and orientation information of the target edge point. The second point cloud includes information for edge profile analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Xiaoming Du, Kevin George Harding, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Kevin William Meyer, Jiajun Gu
  • Patent number: 8112172
    Abstract: A method for extracting gash parameters of a cutting tool, comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, scanning two or more gash sections of the cutting tool to generate two or more gash section scanning point clouds, indexing multiple points of the gash section scanning point clouds, detecting multiple gash features using the indexed gash section scanning point clouds, projecting multiple point clouds of the gash features of the indexed gash section scanning point clouds to form one or more projected gash feature point clouds, identifying one or more types of the one or more projected gash feature point clouds, segmenting the one or more projected gash feature point clouds based on the type identification, and extracting one or more gash parameters based on the segmentation of the one or more projected gash feature point clouds. A system for extracting the parameters is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tian Chen, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Xiaoming Du, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Xinjue Zou, Kevin William Meyer
  • Publication number: 20110317909
    Abstract: A portable wear quantification system includes a hand-held image acquisition device and a fixture. The fixture includes a first end coupled to the image acquisition device. A light source emits a light beam along an emission axis. A beam splitter is disposed at an angle with respect to an axis of view of the image acquisition device for directing the beam from the light source toward a portion of an object. A second end of the fixture is located on an opposite side of the beam splitter from the first end. The second end includes a platform that is configured to position the fixture with respect to the object. A channel extends from the first end to the second end along the axis of view of the image acquisition device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Satheesh Jeyaraman, Kevin George Harding, Anandraj Sengupta, Debasish Mishra, Suneel Tumkur Shankarappa, Howard Paul Weaver, Kevin William Meyer
  • Patent number: 7924439
    Abstract: A method for extracting parameters of a cutting tool is provided. The method comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, performing one or more rotary scans of a first section of the cutting tool to generate a scanning point cloud, indexing a plurality of points of the scanning point cloud, detecting one or more feature points based on the indexed scanning point cloud, and extracting one or more parameters based on the detected feature points. A system for extracting the parameters is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Tian Chen, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Xiaoming Du, Jianming Zheng, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Xinjue Zou, Kevin William Meyer
  • Patent number: 7912572
    Abstract: A method of calibrating an inspection system is provided. The method includes contacting a test part with a run-out measurement device and rotating the test part and measuring a first run-out using the run-out measurement device. The method also includes moving the run-out measurement device to a new position and repeating the steps of contacting and rotating the test part to measure a second run-out at the new position. The method further includes using the first and second run-outs to adjust measurements of the inspection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoming Du, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Jianming Zheng, Tian Chen, Howard Paul Weaver, Yong Yang, Guofei Hu, James Allen Baird, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7876454
    Abstract: A method for measurement of a cutting tool is provided. The method comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, performing a first rotary scan of a first section of the cutting tool to generate a first scanning point cloud, segmenting the first scanning point cloud, performing a second rotary scan of the first section based on the segmentation of the first scanning point cloud, and extracting the parameters of the first section based on the second rotary scan of the first section. A system for extracting parameters of a cutting tool is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoming Du, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Tian Chen, Jianming Zheng, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Xinjue Zou
  • Publication number: 20100280649
    Abstract: A method for extracting gash parameters of a cutting tool, comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, scanning two or more gash sections of the cutting tool to generate two or more gash section scanning point clouds, indexing multiple points of the gash section scanning point clouds, detecting multiple gash features using the indexed gash section scanning point clouds, projecting multiple point clouds of the gash features of the indexed gash section scanning point clouds to form one or more projected gash feature point clouds, identifying one or more types of the one or more projected gash feature point clouds, segmenting the one or more projected gash feature point clouds based on the type identification, and extracting one or more gash parameters based on the segmentation of the one or more projected gash feature point clouds. A system for extracting the parameters is also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Tian Chen, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Xiaoming Du, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Xinjue Zou, Kevin William Meyer
  • Patent number: 7768655
    Abstract: A method of measuring an object includes positioning the object on a moveable stage, performing a rotary scan of the object with a range sensor, and determining geometric parameters of the object based on the rotary scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Robert Hayashi, Zhongguo Li, Kevin George Harding, Jianming Zheng, Howard Paul Weaver, Xiaoming Du, Tian Chen
  • Publication number: 20100079769
    Abstract: A method for extracting parameters of a cutting tool is provided. The method comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, performing one or more rotary scans of a first section of the cutting tool to generate a scanning point cloud, indexing a plurality of points of the scanning point cloud, detecting one or more feature points based on the indexed scanning point cloud, and extracting one or more parameters based on the detected feature points. A system for extracting the parameters is also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Tian Chen, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Xiaoming Du, Jianming Zheng, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Xinjue Zou, Kevin William Meyer
  • Publication number: 20090082899
    Abstract: A method of calibrating an inspection system is provided. The method includes contacting a test part with a run-out measurement device and rotating the test part and measuring a first run-out using the run-out measurement device. The method also includes moving the run-out measurement device to a new position and repeating the steps of contacting and rotating the test part to measure a second run-out at the new position. The method further includes using the first and second run-outs to adjust measurements of the inspection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Xiaoming Du, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Jianming Zheng, Tian Chen, Howard Paul Weaver, Yong Yang, Guofei Hu, James Allen Baird, JR.
  • Publication number: 20090067704
    Abstract: A method for measurement of a cutting tool is provided. The method comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, performing a first rotary scan of a first section of the cutting tool to generate a first scanning point cloud, segmenting the first scanning point cloud, performing a second rotary scan of the first section based on the segmentation of the first scanning point cloud, and extracting the parameters of the first section based on the second rotary scan of the first section. A system for extracting parameters of a cutting tool is also presented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Xiaoming Du, Kevin George Harding, Steven Robert Hayashi, Tian Chen, Jianming Zheng, Howard Paul Weaver, James Allen Baird, Xinjue Zou
  • Publication number: 20080148590
    Abstract: A method of measuring an object includes positioning the object on a moveable stage, performing a rotary scan of the object with a range sensor, and determining geometric parameters of the object based on the rotary scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Steven Robert Hayashi, Zhongguo Li, Kevin George Harding, Jianming Zheng, Howard Paul Weaver, Xiaoming Du, Tian Chen