Patents by Inventor Theodore R. Burton

Theodore R. Burton 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).

  • Vehicle frame turnover system and method
    Patent number: 9517895
    Abstract: A system for turning over a vehicle frame defining openings and having a longitudinal center axis includes first and second robots each having an end effector. Each end effector has a pair of oppositely-positioned locator pins, at least one of which is selectively moveable toward the other. A controller is used to control the positioning of the frame via the robots and end effector by executing method instructions to cause the robots to align the locator pins of the end effectors with the openings of the frame, and to insert the aligned locator pins into the openings toward the center axis from outside of the vehicle frame. The robots lift the frame from a first conveyor, with weight of the vehicle frame born by the locator pins during the lift. The robots also rotate the frame about the center axis and lower the vehicle frame onto a second conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher E. Bacalia, John M. Lux, Andrew J. Buckland, Theodore R. Burton, Douglas M. Linn
  • VEHICLE FRAME TURNOVER SYSTEM AND METHOD
    Publication number: 20150118003
    Abstract: A system for turning over a vehicle frame defining openings and having a longitudinal center axis includes first and second robots each having an end effector. Each end effector has a pair of oppositely-positioned locator pins, at least one of which is selectively moveable toward the other. A controller is used to control the positioning of the frame via the robots and end effector by executing method instructions to cause the robots to align the locator pins of the end effectors with the openings of the frame, and to insert the aligned locator pins into the openings toward the center axis from outside of the vehicle frame. The robots lift the frame from a first conveyor, with weight of the vehicle frame born by the locator pins during the lift. The robots also rotate the frame about the center axis and lower the vehicle frame onto a second conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Christopher E. Bacalia, John M. Lux, Andrew J. Buckland, Theodore R. Burton, Douglas M. Linn
  • Convenience food service center
    Patent number: D249610
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1978
    Inventor: Theodore R. Burton
  • Convenience food service center
    Patent number: D249611
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1978
    Inventor: Theodore R. Burton
  • Convenience food service center
    Patent number: D249612
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1978
    Inventor: Theodore R. Burton
  • Convenience food service center
    Patent number: D249613
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1978
    Inventor: Theodore R. Burton
  • Convenience food service center
    Patent number: D249614
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1978
    Inventor: Theodore R. Burton