Patents by Inventor Justin T. Hester

Justin T. Hester 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: 10105741
    Abstract: A steering roller head for hemming or seaming metal sheets includes a mounting flange that couples to an arm of a robot. The mounting flange is offset from a longitudinal axis of the steering roller head to reduce an operating envelope of the robot arm during a roller hemming process. The mounting flange can also be offset by a mounting angle from the longitudinal axis which allows for a further reduction in an operating envelope of the robot arm during a roller hemming process. Reducing the operating envelope of the robot arm can allow for additional robots or automated tooling to access the work piece during a roller hemming process. In addition, reducing the operating envelope of the robot arm allows for improved access to the work piece during a roller hemming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: HIROTEC AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gerald F. Erker, Justin T. Hester, Gary T. Krus
  • Publication number: 20160279691
    Abstract: A steering roller head for hemming or seaming metal sheets includes a mounting flange that couples to an arm of a robot. The mounting flange is offset from a longitudinal axis of the steering roller head to reduce an operating envelope of the robot arm during a roller hemming process. The mounting flange can also be offset by a mounting angle from the longitudinal axis which allows for a further reduction in an operating envelope of the robot arm during a roller hemming process. Reducing the operating envelope of the robot arm can allow for additional robots or automated tooling to access the work piece during a roller hemming process. In addition, reducing the operating envelope of the robot arm allows for improved access to the work piece during a roller hemming process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Gerald F. Erker, Justin T. Hester, Gary T. Krus