Patents by Inventor Stephen E. Sawdon
Stephen E. Sawdon 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).
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Patent number: 9931720Abstract: A pierce nut insertion tool is provided. In another aspect, a pierce nut feeding mechanism has a mechanically independent driver actuator from that of a punch. A further aspect of the present tool employs a member, moveable with a punch, that retains a pierce nut prior to fastening of the nut to a workpiece. An additional aspect uses a fluid actuated nut feeder including a piston.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2014Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: BTM Company LLCInventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Stephen E. Sawdon, Steven J. Sprotberry, Brian D. Petit
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Patent number: 9421599Abstract: An apparatus for clinching a workpiece is provided. The apparatus generally includes a clamp body, an arm, a punch, a die and a first linear actuator. The arm is rotatably fixed to the clamp body around a first pivot axis between a closed position and an open position. The punch is mounted to one of the body and the arm.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2011Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: BTM Company LLCInventors: Stephen E. Sawdon, Brian D. Petit, Steven J. Sprotberry
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Publication number: 20150026950Abstract: A pierce nut insertion tool is provided. In another aspect, a pierce nut feeding mechanism has a mechanically independent driver actuator from that of a punch. A further aspect of the present tool employs a member, moveable with a punch, that retains a pierce nut prior to fastening of the nut to a workpiece. An additional aspect uses a fluid actuated nut feeder including a piston.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2014Publication date: January 29, 2015Applicant: BTM CorportionInventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Stephen E. Sawdon, Steven J. Sprotberry, Brian D. Petit
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Patent number: 8881364Abstract: A pierce nut insertion tool is provided. In another aspect, a pierce nut feeding mechanism has a mechanically independent driver actuator from that of a punch. A further aspect of the present tool employs a member, moveable with a punch, that retains a pierce nut prior to fastening of the nut to a workpiece. An additional aspect uses a fluid actuated nut feeder including a piston.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2011Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: BTM CorporationInventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Stephen E. Sawdon, Steven J. Sprotberry, Brian D. Petit
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Publication number: 20120137496Abstract: A pierce nut insertion tool is provided. In another aspect, a pierce nut feeding mechanism has a mechanically independent driver actuator from that of a punch. A further aspect of the present tool employs a member, moveable with a punch, that retains a pierce nut prior to fastening of the nut to a workpiece. An additional aspect uses a fluid actuated nut feeder including a piston.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2011Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: BTM CorporationInventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Stephen E. Sawdon, Steven J. Sprotberry, Brian D. Petit
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Publication number: 20120117773Abstract: An apparatus for clinching a workpiece is provided. The apparatus generally includes a clamp body, an arm, a punch, a die and a first linear actuator. The arm is rotatably fixed to the clamp body around a first pivot axis between a closed position and an open position. The punch is mounted to one of the body and the arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: BTM CORPORATIONInventors: Stephen E. Sawdon, Brian D. Petit, Steven J. Sprotberry
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Patent number: 7003861Abstract: A flexible retainer for retaining die blades in a tool assembly. The retainer comprises inner and outer walls with the inner wall being generally concentric with and radially spaced inward from the outer wall. The inner wall defines a central opening in the retainer which is configured and adapted to extend radially around the die blades so that the retainer retains the die blades in the die assembly while allowing radial movement of the die blades. The retainer may have at least one channel that extends axially between the inner and outer walls.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2004Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: BTM CorporationInventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Steven J. Sprotberry, Stephen E. Sawdon
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Patent number: 6785959Abstract: A flexible retainer for retaining die blades in a tool assembly. The retainer comprises inner and outer walls with the inner wall being generally concentric with and radially spaced inward from the outer wall. The inner wall defines a central opening in the retainer which is configured and adapted to extend radially around the die blades so that the retainer retains the die blades in the die assembly while allowing radial movement of the die blades. The retainer may have at least one channel that extends axially between the inner and outer walls.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2002Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: BTM CorporationInventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Steven J. Sprotberry, Stephen E. Sawdon
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Publication number: 20040032069Abstract: A flexible retainer for retaining die blades in a tool assembly. The retainer comprises inner and outer walls with the inner wall being generally concentric with and radially spaced inward from the outer wall. The inner wall defines a central opening in the retainer which is configured and adapted to extend radially around the die blades so that the retainer retains the die blades in the die assembly while allowing radial movement of the die blades. The retainer may have at least one channel that extends axially between the inner and outer walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2002Publication date: February 19, 2004Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Steven J. Sprotberry, Stephen E. Sawdon
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Patent number: 6640458Abstract: An adjustable end arm effector alignment system and process is provided. The system includes an arm having a working end and an alignment support in a known location relative to said arm. An adjustable end arm effector including at least two alignment members is attached to one of said working end of said arm and said alignment support. A control system is also provided that is operable to move the working end of the arm into a first and a second alignment position, each permitting appropriate adjustment of the adjustable end arm effector with respect thereto.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2002Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: BTM CorporationInventor: Stephen E. Sawdon
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Publication number: 20030180135Abstract: An adjustable end arm effector joint is provided. The joint includes a first surface having an alignment indicia associated therewith. Another aspect of the present invention includes a second surface having a cooperating alignment indicia associated therewith. The alignment indicia cooperate with each other to identify an alignment position of the mating joint surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2002Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Stephen E. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger
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Publication number: 20030177656Abstract: An adjustable end arm effector alignment system and process is provided. The system includes an arm having a working end and an alignment support in a known location relative to said arm. An adjustable end arm effector including at least two alignment members is attached to one of said working end of said arm and said alignment support. A control system is also provided that is operable to move the working end of the arm into a first and a second alignment position, each permitting appropriate adjustment of the adjustable end arm effector with respect thereto.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2002Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventor: Stephen E. Sawdon
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Patent number: 6612557Abstract: An apparatus to position or clamp a work piece includes a body, a generally linearly moving powered actuator positioned in the body, and a mechanism to adjust an available stroke of the actuator. The actuator has a first piston coupled to a second piston. The available stroke is defined by a distance spanned by the first and second pistons.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2001Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: BTM CorporationInventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Stephen E. Sawdon
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Publication number: 20020158394Abstract: An apparatus to position or clamp a work piece includes a body, a generally linearly moving powered actuator positioned in the body, and a mechanism to adjust an available stroke of the actuator. The actuator has a first piston coupled to a second piston. The available stroke is defined by a distance spanned by the first and second pistons.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2001Publication date: October 31, 2002Inventors: Edwin G. Sawdon, Dean J. Kruger, Stephen E. Sawdon
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Patent number: 5737819Abstract: A fastening apparatus includes a spring operable to inwardly bias a pair of die blades toward an anvil. In one aspect of the present invention, the anvil and die blades act in conjunction with a punch to form either an interlocking lanced joint or a contiguous, leakproof, inverted mushroom-shaped joint. In another aspect of the present invention, the anvil has a flat external face. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the spring includes a pair of spring arms joined by a bridge. In still another aspect of the present invention, the spring extends around an external surface of a die body. In a further aspect of the present invention, a discontinuous contact surface of the anvil is provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1995Date of Patent: April 14, 1998Assignee: BTM CorporationInventors: Stephen E. Sawdon, Edwin G. Sawdon, Gregory K. Allison
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Patent number: 5339509Abstract: A method and apparatus is employed for forming an attachment of a threaded fastener or other item to a deformable sheet material by a clinching technique, preferably without shearing the sheet material in the area of the interlocking attachment of the fastener with the sheet material. As a result, a secure, interlocked, joint is formed to which other items can be threadably secured, with such joint being leakproof in some embodiments. Such leakproof fastener assembly is especially advantageous in the manufacture of fluid-containing products or other applications where a leakproof construction is necessary or desirable. In other embodiments, however, where such leakproof feature is not needed or is undesirable, the invention still provides an improved, secure, interlocked attachment of a fastener to a sheet material item, wherein the sheet material item is a single layer item or a multiple layer item.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1993Date of Patent: August 23, 1994Assignee: BTM CorporationInventors: Stephen E. Sawdon, Edwin G. Sawdon