Patents by Inventor Joel Etienne

Joel Etienne 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: 11331708
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bending machine (M) for bending a workpiece (300), remarkable in that a clamping jaw (511) is supported by a clamping jaw holder (510) receiving at least two clamping jaws (511, 512) arranged back to back, the clamping jaw holder (510) being fastened to a shelf (513) guided and driven in translation on the bending arm (500), the support shelves (600) punctually receiving the clamping jaw holder (510) separated from the shelf (513) and to move it on either side of the bending axis transversely to the advance axis of the workpiece (300) to be bent, independently of the bending arm (500) so that the clamping jaw holder (510) can be fastened again to the shelf (513) once the bending arm (500) has been rotated 180 degrees. The invention also relates to a bending process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: NUMALLIANCE
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Bruyas, Joël Etienne
  • Publication number: 20210187573
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bending machine (M) for bending a workpiece (300), remarkable in that a clamping jaw (511) is supported by a clamping jaw holder (510) receiving at least two clamping jaws (511, 512) arranged back to back, the clamping jaw holder (510) being fastened to a shelf (513) guided and driven in translation on the bending arm (500), the support shelves (600) punctually receiving the clamping jaw holder (510) separated from the shelf (513) and to move it on either side of the bending axis transversely to the advance axis of the workpiece (300) to be bent, independently of the bending arm (500) so that the clamping jaw holder (510) can be fastened again to the shelf (513) once the bending arm (500) has been rotated 180 degrees. The invention also relates to a bending process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Bruyas, Joël Etienne
  • Patent number: 8783084
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wire feed station of a wire shaping machine, said station including grooved rollers functioning in pairs and rotating in reverse directions with respect to each other. The wire is clamped between said rollers by these moving closer to one another. Both rollers of the same pair of driving rollers are supported at the front of the same bearing block unit, said bearing block being elastically deformable to absorb a relative movement of the rollers. Preferably, said bearing block also supports an endless transmission screw on which are engaged a couple of transmission wheels coaxial with the driving rollers which they drive into rotation. More particularly, a bearing block is deformed so that a relative movement of the rollers results in a rotation-deformation of the bearing block about the transmission screw axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Numalliance SAS
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Patent number: 8756968
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shaping station of a metal wire shaping sequence machine, a machine wherein a wire feed station supplies the wire along a travel axis through a bending nose which brings the wire in front of tools of a bending head which can be moved about the wire travel axis. The bending head is supported by an annular arm centered on the travel axis, and mounted to rotate about said travel axis. Preferably, the annular arm, with the guiding in rotation thereof by rollers and a toothed ring, are mounted on a support plate positioned vertically and perpendicularly to the wire travel axis. In addition, the support plate can be moved in horizontal and vertical translation in a plane perpendicular to the wire travel axis, which also is the arm rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Numalliance SAS
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Patent number: 8220304
    Abstract: The invention concerns a machine for cambering, forming, folding or bending a bar, a wire or an extruded shape. The invention includes a bending form provided with a clamping system, a device for orienting the tube, and a bending jaw (8). The bending jaw is prismatic and machined to the tube radius on at least one of its surfaces. The kinematics of the displacement of the bending jaw in a peripheral area at the bending form is provided by any combination of at least two, rectilinear or rotating, movements. The bending jaw is steerable in rotation about a median axis perpendicular to the bending plane. The bending jaw is mobile in the vertical direction to provide multiple bending operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Numalliance
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Publication number: 20110027057
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wire feed station of a wire shaping machine, said station including grooved rollers functioning in pairs and rotating in reverse directions with respect to each other. The wire is clamped between said rollers by these moving closer to one another. Both rollers of the same pair of driving rollers are supported at the front of the same bearing block unit, said bearing block being elastically deformable to absorb a relative movement of the rollers. Preferably, said bearing block also supports an endless transmission screw on which are engaged a couple of transmission wheels coaxial with the driving rollers which they drive into rotation. More particularly, a bearing block is deformed so that a relative movement of the rollers results in a rotation-deformation of the bearing block about the transmission screw axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: NUMALLIANCE SAS
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Publication number: 20110016942
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shaping station of a metal wire shaping sequence machine, a machine wherein a wire feed station supplies the wire along a travel axis through a bending nose which brings the wire in front of tools of a bending head which can be moved about the wire travel axis. The bending head is supported by an annular arm centered on the travel axis, and mounted to rotate about said travel axis. Preferably, the annular arm, with the guiding in rotation thereof by rollers and a toothed ring, are mounted on a support plate positioned vertically and perpendicularly to the wire travel axis. In addition, the support plate can be moved in horizontal and vertical translation in a plane perpendicular to the wire travel axis, which also is the arm rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: NUMALLIANCE SAS
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Publication number: 20090126438
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bending head, for example, for a rotary draw bending technique, of the type including a bend form clamp assembly set in rotation about an axis and at least one roller keeping a tube or a profiled section clamped against the bend form during bending. The single assembly can be positioned in one or other of two bending starting positions that are symmetric with respect to the axis of the tube so as to allow either bending in one direction of bending starting from, or bending in an opposite direction starting from (P2). The rectilinear movement of the clamp in two directions (ox) and (oy) and its optimal orientation relative to the roller are obtained using a system involving an eccentric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: NUMALLIANCE
    Inventor: Joel Etienne
  • Publication number: 20090056401
    Abstract: The invention concerns a machine for automatically shaping components via different types of bending provided in a common plane or different planes. The machine includes a first device for performing a sequential shaping with standard tools by individual bending, and a second device using a tool plate. Both devices are managed by a single digital control. The method for controlling such a machine is characterized in that digital control provides the possibility for producing a blank of a component by individual bending on the first device followed by transfer of the component on the second device for finishing the component. Digital control provides the possibility of shaping one part of the component on the first device and shaping the remaining parts on the second device. The digital control also provides the possibility of using each machine alone and the possibility of using both machines for producing the same component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: NUMALLIANCE
    Inventor: Joel Etienne
  • Publication number: 20080295559
    Abstract: The invention concerns a machine for cambering, forming, folding or bending a bar, a wire or an extruded shape. The invention includes a bending form provided with a clamping system, a device for orienting the tube, and a bending jaw (8). The bending jaw is prismatic and machined to the tube radius on at least one of its surfaces. The kinematics of the displacement of the bending jaw in a peripheral area at the bending form is provided by any combination of at least two, rectilinear or rotating, movements. The bending jaw is steerable in rotation about a median axis perpendicular to the bending plane. The bending jaw is mobile in the vertical direction to provide multiple bending operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2006
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: NUMALLIANCE
    Inventor: Joel Etienne
  • Patent number: 7124486
    Abstract: A digitally controlled machine for bending, forming, folding or coiling a bar conventionally includes a frame, and a rotary bending tool for producing bends in different planes. A bar is moved along an axis and is brought through a bending snout associated with the frame, and then through a bending tool which is movable relative to the axis by a motor-driven turner. The bending tool is received by a standard conical tool support, and the turner is combined with means for automatically clamping and unclamping the jaws of a gripper associated with the turner. The jaws of the gripper are automatically unclamped when the turner reaches the end of its axial stroke, away from the bending station, and are automatically clamped when the turner begins its axial movement in the opposite direction, toward the bending station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Macsoft. S.A.
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Patent number: 6813922
    Abstract: A digitally controlled machine for bending, forming, or curving raw parts, such as rods, wires or profiled sections, comprises a conventional main frame (1) and a rotating bending head capable of bending articles in different planes. The rod (4) is horizontally displaced along a transport axis (5) by a feed station, located upstream, and is brought through a bending shank (7) borne by the main frame (1). The rod is then brought through a lathe (10) of the bending head. The lathe is formed by a bending roll (8) and a folding pin (9), and is capable of rotating in a horizontal plane about an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of the bending roll (8). The bending shank (7) is movably mounted in translation in a transport axis (5) and is continuously displaced between one or more projecting bending positions wherein the shank is proximate to the roll (8) and one or more retracted positions, facing upstream, which completely clear the bending zone between the lathe and the main frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Numalliance
    Inventor: Joël Etienne
  • Publication number: 20040050136
    Abstract: The invention concerns a digitally controlled machine for bending, forming, folding or coiling a bar, said machine comprising in standard manner a frame, a rotary bending tool to produce bends in different planes, wherein a bar is moved along an unwinding axis and brought through a bending shank borne by the frame then through the bending tool (3) whereof the digital axial movement, perpendicular to the unwinding axis is transmitted from a motor (5) by means of a lathe (2). The invention is characterised in that: the bending tool (3) is borne by a standard conical tool support (1); and the lathe is combined with means automatically unclamping the jaws (6) of the pliers when the lathe reaches the end of its digital axial stroke away from the bending station, and automatically clamping said jaws when the lathe begins its digital axial movement in the opposite direction, bringing it closer to the bending station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventor: Joel Etienne
  • Publication number: 20030089153
    Abstract: A digitally controlled machine for bending, forming, or curving raw parts, such as rods, wires or profiled sections, comprises a conventional main frame (1) and a rotating bending head capable of bending articles in different planes. The rod (4) is horizontally displaced along a transport axis (5) by a feed station, located upstream, and is brought through a bending shank (7) borne by the main frame (1). The rod is then brought through a lathe (10) of the bending head. The lathe is formed by a bending roll (8) and a folding pin (9), and is capable of rotating in a horizontal plane about an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of the bending roll (8). The bending shank (7) is movably mounted in translation in a transport axis (5) and is continuously displaced between one or more projecting bending positions wherein the shank is proximate to the roll (8) and one or more retracted positions, facing upstream, which completely clear the bending zone between the lathe and the main frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventor: Joel Etienne