Patents by Inventor Martin J. Twite, III

Martin J. Twite, III 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: 6204464
    Abstract: A high-speed handler for receiving a heap of randomly oriented parallel piped-shaped ceramic components, each component of the type having at least one set of metal terminations located on opposite edges thereof, presenting them in individual seats in controlled orientation for electrical parametric testing, and sorting them according to their test results, including a rotating feed wheel, mounted on a central shaft and defined by an outer rim concentric with the axis of the central shaft, the wheel inclined to the horizontal and including an upper surface on which to receive a heap of randomly oriented ceramic components, a plurality of radially-pointing, spaced-apart bosses extending upward and outward on the upper wheel surface terminating at component-sized cavities formed in the wheel adjacent the outer rim and arranged to receive therein a single ceramic component in specific orientation, a rotating carrier plate mounted planar to and spaced-apart from the feed wheel having an upwardly extending circula
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Inventors: Douglas J. Garcia, Martin J. Twite, III
  • Patent number: 5842579
    Abstract: One or more concentric rings of component seats are rotatable about the rings' center. The seats are uniformly angularly spaced and the rings are incrementally rotated, the increment of rotation being the angular space between adjacent seats. The rings are inclined at an angle and a stream of components is poured onto the rings as they are rotating. Stationary fences adjacent to outboard sides of the seats, confine unseated components to tumble randomly, due to gravity, over empty seats passing through arcs of the rings' rotation paths. The random tumbling results in seated components. In the paths of the rotating rings are electrical contactors for coupling the components to a tester. Preferably there are five contactor stations to permit five different kinds of tests to be performed simultaneously. Tested components pass beneath an ejection manifold which defines a plurality of ejection holes which register with a set of seats each time the ring is rotated an increment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Garcia, Steven D. Swendrowski, Mitsuaki Tani, Hsang Wang, Martin J. Twite, III, Malcolm V. Hawkes, Evart David Shealey, Martin S. Voshell, Jeffrey L. Fish, Vernon P. Cooke