Patents by Inventor Joost Duflou

Joost Duflou 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: 7984635
    Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to sheet material forming technology and the forming of structures there from. The invention relates to incremental forming of sheet material (1) with localised heating (5) and more particularly to a system and method for incrementally forming a sheet blank (1) that is at the same time heated by a dynamically moving heating source (5). This dynamic and localised heating locally changes the mechanical properties of the sheet material (1), thus facilitating the forming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: K.U. Leuven Research & Development
    Inventors: Bart Callebaut, Joost Duflou, Johan Verbert
  • Patent number: 7863544
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement (1) for the on-line monitoring of the quality of a laser process exerted on a workpiece (3), comprising a laser source transmitting a laser beam (4) to the workpiece (3), the thermal process of the laser beam (4) causing emission of electromagnetical radiation (7) from the process zone on the workpiece (3); a heat detection camera (8) for detecting the electromagnetical radiation emitted from the process zone of the workpiece (3), wherein the arrangement (1) is provided with a tilted non-focussing mirror (5) such that the laser beam (4) which is transmitted by the laser source is let through the tilted non-focussing mirror (5) towards the working piece (3), and the electromagnetical radiation (7) emitted from the process zone on the workpiece (3) is reflected by the tilted non-focussing mirror (5) towards the heat detection camera (8). The invention further relates to a method using such an arrangement (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: LVD Company NV
    Inventors: Wim Serruys, Johan De Keuster, Joost Duflou, Jean-Pierre Kruth
  • Publication number: 20090158805
    Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to sheet material forming technology and the forming of structures there from. The invention relates to incremental forming of sheet material (1) with localised heating (5) and more particularly to a system and method for incrementally forming a sheet blank (1) that is at the same time heated by a dynamically moving heating source (5). This dynamic and localised heating locally changes the mechanical properties of the sheet material (1), thus facilitating the forming process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Bart Callebaut, Joost Duflou, Johan Verbert
  • Publication number: 20090050612
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement (1) for the on-line monitoring of the quality of a laser process exerted on a workpiece (3), comprising a laser source transmitting a laser beam (4) to the workpiece (3), the thermal process of the laser beam (4) causing emission of electromagnetical radiation (7) from the process zone on the workpiece (3); a heat detection camera (8) for detecting the electromagnetical radiation emitted from the process zone of the workpiece (3), wherein the arrangement (1) is provided with a tilted non-focussing mirror (5) such that the laser beam (4) which is transmitted by the laser source is let through the tilted non-focussing mirror (5) towards the working piece (3), and the electromagnetical radiation (7) emitted from the process zone on the workpiece (3) is reflected by the tilted non-focussing mirror (5) towards the heat detection camera (8). The invention further relates to a method using such an arrangement (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Wim Serruys, Johan De Keuster, Joost Duflou, Jean-Pierre Kruth