Patents by Inventor Micheal J. Brandt

Micheal J. Brandt 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).

  • Device for and method of maintaining a constant distance between a cutting edge and a reference surface
    Patent number: 8288678
    Abstract: A device for maintaining a cutting edge, e.g. a focused laser beam at a constant distance from a surface of the work piece as the cutting edge imposes a cut line in a coating on the surface of the work piece. The device includes a constant force spring connecting a tube to a support and a surface follower mounting an end of the tube. The positions of a surface of the surface follower and the cutting edge have a predetermined relationship to one another. Gas moving out of the tube provides a first gas bearing between the surface follower and inner surface of the tube, and gas moving through passageways in the surface follower provide a second gas bearing between the surface of the surface follower and a surface of the coating. The thicknesses of the bearings remain constant as the follower moves over the surface of the piece to maintain the cutting edge at a constant distance from the surface of the coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventor: Micheal J. Brandt
  • DEVICE FOR AND METHOD OF MAINTAINING A CONSTANT DISTANCE BETWEEN A CUTTING EDGE AND A REFERENCE SURFACE
    Publication number: 20100159251
    Abstract: A device for maintaining a cutting edge, e.g. a focused laser beam at a constant distance from a surface of the work piece as the cutting edge imposes a cut line in a coating on the surface of the work piece. The device includes a constant force spring connecting a tube to a support and a surface follower mounting an end of the tube. The positions of a surface of the surface follower and the cutting edge have a predetermined relationship to one another. Gas moving out of the tube provides a first gas bearing between the surface follower and inner surface of the tube, and gas moving through passageways in the surface follower provide a second gas bearing between the surface of the surface follower and a surface of the coating. The thicknesses of the bearings remain constant as the follower moves over the surface of the piece to maintain the cutting edge at a constant distance from the surface of the coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: PPG INDUSTRIES OHIO, INC.
    Inventor: Micheal J. Brandt