Patents by Inventor James W. Walther
James W. Walther 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: 11198195Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding first and second sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. At least one of the sheet metal pieces includes a boron steel or press hardenable steel base material layer and an aluminum-based coating material layer, along with a weld notch where at least a portion of the coating material layer is removed before welding. An additional material can be provided during welding to influence weld joint composition and/or a secondary heat source can be used to heat and flow a protective material in a weld region of the blank assembly. The weld notch has a width that may be related to the width of a heat-affected zone formed during welding.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2017Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: TWB COMPANY, LLCInventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Publication number: 20210025417Abstract: A sheet metal assembly includes sheet metal pieces joined by a weld joint. An initial weld joint is subsequently conditioned in a manner that reduces the size of a recess in the initial weld joint and/or changes its grain structure. A laser beam or other heat source can be used to condition the weld joint. The resulting change in weld joint geometry and/or grain structure improves the formability of the sheet metal assembly at the weld joint and is particularly advantageous when butt welding same-gauge sheet metal and/or aluminum alloys.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Inventors: James W. Walther, Kevin D. Hamann, Erick B. Tomlinson, Steve Skrzypek
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Patent number: 10821546Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Publication number: 20190232424Abstract: A hybrid weld joint for joining sheet metal pieces together. According to one example, the hybrid weld joint exhibits characteristics of both butt welds and lap joints and is used to create a tailor-welded blank assembly where at least one sheet metal piece is made of aluminum or an aluminum-based alloy. Such a tailor-welded blank assembly is particularly suitable for the automotive industry.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2017Publication date: August 1, 2019Inventors: James W. Walther, John R. Ewolski, Clifford J. Hoschouer, Anthony Santamaria
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Publication number: 20180193949Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2018Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Patent number: 9956636Abstract: A welded blank assembly includes a capping material in a weld region of the assembly. The capping material can help protect a weld joint joining first and second sheet metal pieces together. At least one of the sheet metal pieces has a coating material layer that is removed prior to forming the weld joint so that the coating material does not contaminate the weld joint. The removed coating material can be collected before the weld joint is formed and reapplied as part of the capping material after the weld joint is formed, effectively changing the coating material from a potential weld contaminant to a weld joint protectant. The capping material may also include additional material from a source other than the coating material layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Publication number: 20170173734Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding first and second sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. At least one of the sheet metal pieces includes a boron steel or press hardenable steel base material layer and an aluminum-based coating material layer, along with a weld notch where at least a portion of the coating material layer is removed before welding. An additional material can be provided during welding to influence weld joint composition and/or a secondary heat source can be used to heat and flow a protective material in a weld region of the blank assembly. The weld notch has a width that may be related to the width of a heat-affected zone formed during welding.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2017Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Patent number: 9604311Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding edge regions of separate sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. One or more of the sheet metal pieces includes a coating material layer and a weld notch, where at least some of the coating material layer is removed from the edge region(s) prior to welding so that the weld joint is substantially free from constituents of the coating material layer. An additional material may be added to a weld pool during weld joint formation to influence the size, shape and/or composition of the resulting weld joint to help compensate for the presence of the weld notch.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Shiloh Industries, Inc.Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jr., Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Patent number: 9289855Abstract: A sheet metal piece includes a base material layer and one or more intermediate and coating material layers, along with a weld notch formed along an edge region of the piece. At least a portion of the coating and intermediate material layers is removed at the weld notch so that certain constituents from such layers do not affect the integrity of a nearby weld joint when it is subsequently formed along the edge region. Various methods of ablation, including laser ablation, can be used to form the weld notch.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: Shiloh Industries, Inc.Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jr., Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Publication number: 20140270922Abstract: A welded blank assembly includes a capping material in a weld region of the assembly. The capping material can help protect a weld joint joining first and second sheet metal pieces together. At least one of the sheet metal pieces has a coating material layer that is removed prior to forming the weld joint so that the coating material does not contaminate the weld joint. The removed coating material can be collected before the weld joint is formed and reapplied as part of the capping material after the weld joint is formed, effectively changing the coating material from a potential weld contaminant to a weld joint protectant. The capping material may also include additional material from a source other than the coating material layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Publication number: 20140151347Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2013Publication date: June 5, 2014Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, JR., Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Publication number: 20140003860Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding edge regions of separate sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. One or more of the sheet metal pieces includes a coating material layer and a weld notch, where at least some of the coating material layer is removed from the edge region(s) prior to welding so that the weld joint is substantially free from constituents of the coating material layer. An additional material may be added to a weld pool during weld joint formation to influence the size, shape and/or composition of the resulting weld joint to help compensate for the presence of the weld notch.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jr., Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Publication number: 20130316185Abstract: A sheet metal piece includes a base material layer and one or more intermediate and coating material layers, along with a weld notch formed along an edge region of the piece. At least a portion of the coating and intermediate material layers is removed at the weld notch so that certain constituents from such layers do not affect the integrity of a nearby weld joint when it is subsequently formed along the edge region. Various methods of ablation, including laser ablation, can be used to form the weld notch.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, JR., Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
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Patent number: 8573021Abstract: A metal blank that includes a binder trim component having at least one cut edge with a non-linear section. The creation of the non-linear section simultaneously forms a corresponding section in a binder trim component of an adjacent metal blank so that binder material can be shared therebetween. This reduces the amount of scrap metal, as the binder trim component is subsequently cut off and discarded. Furthermore, the non-linear section can include one or more strategically placed formations, such as projections, recesses, flat sections, etc., that cause it to be non-uniform along its length and to be specifically tailored to the manufacturing requirements of the part being formed.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2011Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Shiloh Industries, Inc.Inventors: John R. Ewolski, James W. Walther, Stephen A. Fetsko
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Publication number: 20120035902Abstract: A metal blank that includes a binder trim component having at least one cut edge with a non-linear section. The creation of the non-linear section simultaneously forms a corresponding section in a binder trim component of an adjacent metal blank so that binder material can be shared therebetween. This reduces the amount of scrap metal, as the binder trim component is subsequently cut off and discarded. Furthermore, the non-linear section can include one or more strategically placed formations, such as projections, recesses, flat sections, etc., that cause it to be non-uniform along its length and to be specifically tailored to the manufacturing requirements of the part being formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2011Publication date: February 9, 2012Applicant: SHILOH INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: John R. Ewolski, James W. Walther, Stephen A. Fetsko
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Patent number: 8062763Abstract: A metal blank that includes a binder trim component having at least one cut edge with a non-linear section. The creation of the non-linear section simultaneously forms a corresponding section in a binder trim component of an adjacent metal blank so that binder material can be shared therebetween. This reduces the amount of scrap metal, as the binder trim component is subsequently cut off and discarded. Furthermore, the non-linear section can include one or more strategically placed formations, such as projections, recesses, flat sections, etc., that cause it to be non-uniform along its length and to be specifically tailored to the manufacturing requirements of the part being formed.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Shiloh Industries, Inc.Inventors: John R. Ewolski, James W. Walther, Stephen A. Fetsko
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Publication number: 20080209974Abstract: A metal blank that includes a binder trim component having at least one cut edge with a non-linear section. The creation of the non-linear section simultaneously forms a corresponding section in a binder trim component of an adjacent metal blank so that binder material can be shared therebetween. This reduces the amount of scrap metal, as the binder trim component is subsequently cut off and discarded. Furthermore, the non-linear section can include one or more strategically placed formations, such as projections, recesses, flat sections, etc., that cause it to be non-uniform along its length and to be specifically tailored to the manufacturing requirements of the part being formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2008Publication date: September 4, 2008Applicant: Shiloh Industries, Inc.Inventors: John R. Ewolski, James W. Walther, Stephen A. Fetsko
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Patent number: 6957848Abstract: A laser welded blank for use in applications calling for an engineered or tailor welded blank, such as in vehicle door panel assemblies. Two sheet metal pieces of different thicknesses are in edge-to-edge abutment such that an interface is formed therebetween, however, the mating edges are not parallel. Instead, a first segment of the interface is flush on a first side of the laser welded blank, while a second segment is flush on a second side of the blank. This arrangement permits an adjacent component, such as a rubber seal, located on one side of the laser welded blank to extend across or contact the interface at the first segment, while another component located on the other side of the blank may extend across or contact the interface at the second segment. Because both components are in flush contact with the interface, there is a reduction of air gaps, leaks, etc.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2004Date of Patent: October 25, 2005Assignee: Shiloh Industries, Inc.Inventor: James W. Walther
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Publication number: 20040251711Abstract: A laser welded blank for use in applications calling for an engineered or tailor welded blank, such as in vehicle door panel assemblies. Two sheet metal pieces of different thicknesses are in edge-to-edge abutment such that an interface is formed therebetween, however, the mating edges are not parallel. Instead, a first segment of the interface is flush on a first side of the laser welded blank, while a second segment is flush on a second side of the blank. This arrangement permits an adjacent component, such as a rubber seal, located on one side of the laser welded blank to extend across or contact the interface at the first segment, while another component located on the other side of the blank may extend across or contact the interface at the second segment. Because both components are in flush contact with the interface, there is a reduction of air gaps, leaks, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2004Publication date: December 16, 2004Applicant: Shiloh Industries, Inc.Inventor: James W. Walther