Patents by Inventor Kevin A. Bauer

Kevin A. Bauer 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: 12285803
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing combination gears and compound gears having challenging geometries using powder metal technology. This method allows for the production of combination gears and compound gears having any combination of straight or helical gear faces even in cases where the smaller gear intersects the flange of the larger gear creating an inside corner. The subject invention more specifically relates to a method for manufacturing a combination gear or a compound gear having a larger diameter gear face and a smaller diameter gear face, said method comprising molding a powder metal composition into a green preform having the smaller diameter gear face and a larger diameter cylindrical blank face, and subsequently machining the larger diameter cylindrical blank face into the larger diameter gear face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Keystone Powdered Metal Company
    Inventors: Kevin A. Bauer, Timothy E. Geiman
  • Publication number: 20250018474
    Abstract: It has been found that prototype parts having physical characteristics that mimic those of powder metal parts made utilizing conventional powder metal technology can be made by laser powder bed fusion techniques using direct reduced iron or sponge iron. More specifically, prototype parts can be manufactured by laser bed fusion of a metal bed in a selective laser melt process, wherein the metal bed is comprised of direct reduced iron or sponge iron, and the selective laser melt printing parameters are such that the target density of the prototype part is less than the theoretical density of the prototype part being 3-D printed and wherein the prototype part has a density which is within the range of 6.0 g/cc to 7.8 g/cc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Applicant: Keystone Powdered Metal Company
    Inventors: Peter G. Imbrogno, Kevin A. Bauer
  • Patent number: 12103075
    Abstract: This invention is based upon the discovery that prototype parts having physical characteristics that mimic those of powder metal parts can be made by laser powder bed fusion techniques in cases where water or gas atomized powder metals are employed in the laser fusion procedure. More specifically, parts made utilizing water or gas atomized powder metals in such additive procedures, using unique printing parameters to create desired porosity levels within the component, have densities and microstructures that approximate those made using conventional powder metal manufacturing techniques. For instance, such parts can be made so as to have a density which is within the range of about 6.0 g/cc to 7.8 g/cc and which have physical properties that are equivalent to those of powder metal parts of comparable densities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Keystone Powdered Metal Company
    Inventors: Peter G. Imbrogno, Kevin A. Bauer
  • Patent number: 11806799
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method of manufacturing a desired metal part which comprises (1) providing an powder metal sinterbraze hard steel component and a wrought steel stamping component; (2) affixing the powder metal hard steel component and the wrought steel stamping component together with a brazing filler metal being alloyed at the interface between the powder metal hard steel component and the wrought steel stamping component; (3) sinter brazing the powder metal hard steel component and the wrought steel stamping component together to produce an in-process metal part; and (4) tempering the in-process metal part to produce the desired metal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Keystone Powdered Metal Company
    Inventors: Peter G. Imbrogno, Kevin A. Bauer
  • Publication number: 20190321891
    Abstract: It has been found that high density articles having improved strength, corrosion resistance, better durability, and decent magnetic characteristics can be manufactured from a ferritic stainless steel powder using a novel method. This technique is especially beneficial in manufacturing parts, such as, reluctor rings, tone wheels, trigger wheels, pump impeller blades, and EGR valves, in large quantities. This method involves (1) compacting the ferritic stainless steel powder in a mold into a green article, (2) sintering the green article at an elevated temperature under vacuum or a reducing atmosphere to produce a sintered article, and (3) forging the sintered article under a reducing or an inert gas atmosphere to a density of greater than 7.5 g/cc in the presence of a graphite free lubricant to produce the high density article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: Keystone Powdered Metal Company
    Inventors: Gary L. Anderson, Zachary D'Aurora, Peter G. Imbrogno, Kevin A. Bauer