Patents Issued in April 1, 2003
  • Patent number: 6540439
    Abstract: The apparatus is an underground structure liner based upon an inflatable liner structure. An acid resistant layer is the innermost layer of an inflatable liner, and the liner is coated with epoxy resin on its outermost surface, the surface which contacts the existing walls of the underground structure. The outermost coated surface of the liner is constructed with a fibrous fleece layer for retention of the epoxy and adhesion of the epoxy to the walls of the underground structure. An added feature of the liner is a structure which also seals the liner to pipes entering the underground structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Terre Hill Silo Company
    Inventors: Hans De Bruijn, Michael D. Zeiber
  • Patent number: 6540440
    Abstract: Method for preparing an elongated object (22) having a relatively high bending stiffness, such as an elongated tube or cable, before storing and/or transporting object, wherein a) the elongated object is provided with sufficient buoyancy capacity to enable the object to float on a liquid (14) with a predetermined specific gravity and that b) the elongated object (22), while floating on the liquid and carried thereby, is spirally wound into a flat monolayer spiral (36), the inner radius of which is preferably in the order of the diameter of the elongated body divided by the yield point (ratio) or larger of the most fracture critical material in the elongated object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Bogey Venlo B.V.
    Inventor: Joseph Marie Elise Beaujean
  • Patent number: 6540441
    Abstract: A transporter for removing an offshore platform has an oblong structure with a U-shaped cross section, rotatable by ballasting. The transporter is adapted to remove and carry both a jacket and a topsides simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Marine Shuttle Operations AS
    Inventors: Gunnar Foss, Per Bull Haugsøen
  • Patent number: 6540442
    Abstract: An energy-absorbing “smart” bumper system features a variably controllable valve which is responsive to impact conditions. The initially closed valve opens upon maximization of the pressure reading upon the bumper, and maintains the same open setting (in other words, the same valve area) during such period of pressure maximization. During the succeeding period of pressure declination from maximum, the valve undergoes ongoing adjustment of its open setting (in other words, ongoing adjustment of its valve area) so that the reaction force of the bumper remains constant. The valve closes (in other words, the valve area becomes zero) when the pressure falls abruptly toward zero (an occurrence which correlates with a similar plummet in reaction force, as well as with near or approximate motionlessness of the impacting body), thereby avoiding or curtailing an unwanted rebound effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Kerry T. Slattery, Roger M. Crane, Kathleen A. Corona-Bittick, Donald James Dorr
  • Patent number: 6540443
    Abstract: A ground-boring apparatus for boring the ground within a casing tube, which is driven into the ground by a casing tube pusher machine to prevent the surrounding soil from collapsing into a to be formed hole. The soil removed by an extensible kelly bar to be suspended by a movable crane, a boring bucket attached to the lower end of the kelly bar, a supporting frame unit to be placed on the casing tube for holding the kelly bar rotatably about its vertical axis, hydraulic motors provided on the supporting frame unit for turning the kelly bar about its vertical axis, and clamping devices for joining the supporting frame unit and the casing tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignees: Bauer Maschinen GmbH, Kato Kenki Yugen Kaisha
    Inventors: Masatoshi Kato, Shigeki Ashida, Daisuke Fujiki, Leonhard Weixler
  • Patent number: 6540444
    Abstract: The rotating pile for undergrounding contains a pile-head pipe having a longitudinal center line, a pipe wall, one end portion, and the other end portion opposite to the one end portion. Three or four recessed portions in which the pipe wall is recessed toward the center line are formed in the one end portion. Blades defined by the pipe wall are formed between the adjacent recessed portions. Each of the recessed portions is inclined from the circumferential surface of the pile-head pipe toward the center line. The pipe wall defining one of the adjacent recessed portions contact with the pipe wall defining the other recessed portion so as to cause the one end to be substantially closed. The blades extend radially outward from the center line. The blades gradually expand in the circumferential direction of the pile-head pipe from its top end toward its base end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Fukushima Pulse Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 6540445
    Abstract: A concrete silt fence constructed of a plurality of very thin, steel reinforced concrete panels that are aligned side by side and fixed in a trench in the ground to form a fence. Each of the panels is constructed of reinforcing steel bars and concrete. The steel bars are aligned parallel to each other and centered in the neutral axis of the panel. A steel bar is provided adjacent each of the two side walls of the panel to provide shear strength to the side edges of the panel, and one or more steel bars are provided between these two outside steel bars. A thin coating of concrete is poured around the reinforcing steel bars so that each pre-cast panel contains so little concrete that it does not satisfy the American Concrete Institute's standard for minimum concrete cover of reinforcement for pre-cast concrete wall panels that are exposed to earth or weather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: Eldon Boyd Evans, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6540446
    Abstract: A cutter head assembly including: (a) a main body which has a cutting-blade receiving bore and a clamping-member receiving bore partially interfering with the cutting-blade receiving bore; (b) a cutting blade received in the cutting-blade receiving bore and having a flat surface as a part of an outer circumferential surface thereof and parallel to an axis of the cutting blade; and (c) a cylindrical clamping member received in the clamping-member receiving bore and having a fitting portion and a cam portion. The cylindrical clamping member is fitted at the fitting portion in the clamping-member receiving bore. The cam portion has a cam surface whose radial distance from an axis of the fitting portion changes in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical clamping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Yutaka Seimitsu Kogyo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsunesuke Iizuka, Junichi Moriyama, Ryunosuke Tsunenoki
  • Patent number: 6540447
    Abstract: A rhombic cutting insert includes cutting edges merging with each other at a nose part disposed at a diagonal acute-angle corner of an upper face of the insert. The cutting edges each form convex-curved shapes and are each inclined with respect to a mounting face of the insert. The cutting edges each include linear sub-cutting-edges, disposed in the vicinity of the nose part, forming a substantially right angle therebetween. Rake faces are formed on the upper face of the insert and each have positive rake angles and twisted-inclined surfaces. The insert is mounted on a tool part. One cutting edge serves as a peripheral cutting edge having a sub-cutting-edge disposed substantially parallel to an axis of the tool part, and the other cutting edge serves as a facing cutting edge having a sub-cutting-edge disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis of the tool part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Rikihiko Nagata, Hiroshi Shimomura
  • Patent number: 6540448
    Abstract: A cutting tool with a cutting tool holder and a plurality of replaceable indexable cutting inserts releasably attached to the holder. The holder has seats located about the circumference of one end of the holder for mounting of the cutting inserts. The seats are oriented with respect to the central axis of the tool holder such that not all seats have the same orientation, and this change in orientation allows greater use of the cutting edge of each insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Ingersoll Cutting Tool Company
    Inventor: William B. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6540449
    Abstract: A rotatable tool for chip removing machining includes a shaft and a cutting body connected detachably to the shaft by a drawbar. At its front end the drawbar has a locking device for effecting mechanical engagement with the cutting body. The drawbar is axially movable by an actuating element located at a distance from the locking device. Inside the cutting body there is a cavity, which communicates with an opening in a rear part of the cutting body. The opening has a smaller width than the cavity, and the locking device has a larger width than the opening in order to be able to be pressed against an interior rear surface of the cavity of the cutting body after the locking device is inserted into in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Sandvik Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Per Bejerstål, Sven-Erik Carlsson
  • Patent number: 6540450
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel has an outboard face which includes a smoothed portion to provide a cosmetic finish to the wheel face. The smoothed portion is formed by pressing a cutting tool having a non-symmetrical tip against the wheel surface as the wheel is rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey L. Gatton, Richard T. Guernsey
  • Patent number: 6540451
    Abstract: A hole punching apparatus having a frame, a blade having a tubular cutting edge and a cavity, and a projection on the frame. The blade is movable relative to the frame between a retracted position and a cutting position. The projection moves into the blade cavity as the blade moves from the retracted position into the cutting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Carl Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Mori
  • Patent number: 6540452
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drilling tool for machine tools and to a method for the production thereof. The drilling tool has at least one chip conveyor groove (16) and at least one functional channel (20). In order to produce the body of the drill (10), the wall of a tubular metal blank is simultaneously impinged upon by substantially radially oscillating form-giving forces in several forming sections spread over the periphery, moving in an axial direction along the surface of the blank, whereby at least one chip conveyor groove (16) is shaped and at least one functional channel (20) is formed. When the chip conveyor grooves (16) are formed on at least two interspaced forming sections in a peripheral direction in the wall of the blank (50), the parts of the wall in the area of two opposite-lying chip conveyor grooves (16) come to rest against each other in a sealed manner, defining at least two functional channels (20, 24) on the inner surfaces thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Komet Praezisionswerkzeuge Robert Breuning GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Bolkart, Gerhard Scheer, Konstantin Baxivanelis, Michael Koecher, Jacek Kruszynski
  • Patent number: 6540453
    Abstract: In to a method and apparatus for positioning engraving elements in an electronic engraving machine for engraving printing cylinders for rotogravure, at least two engraving lanes of predetermined lane widths lying side-by-side in the axial direction of the printing cylinder are engraved in the form of cups with a respectively allocated engraving element. Before engraving, the axial spacings of the engraving elements from one another must be set to the required lane widths. In order to save time, a manual rough adjustment of the axial spacings of the engraving elements is implemented first. Axial reference position marks whose axial spacings from one another correspond to the lane widths are generated in an apparatus. The engraving elements comprise axial position marks. In the rough positioning, the engraving elements are manually displaced until the position marks are in coincidence with the respectively allocated reference position marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hall Gravure Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Bernd Lübcke
  • Patent number: 6540454
    Abstract: In a multi-axis machine tool (M) including an angular dividing head (HD) having a spindle head (9) mounted thereto, the positional correction includes determining an error representative vector componentwise representative of a plurality of positional errors with respect to a plurality of axes of the spindle head at a respective angular position dividable by the angular dividing head, and correcting an arbitrary positional error of the spindle head by calculating a component vector of the error representative vector associated with the respective angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Tanaka, Kazuo Nagashima
  • Patent number: 6540455
    Abstract: A circumferential milling machine is for milling along an arcuate portion of a cylindrical work piece having a cylindrical outer surface and is capable of milling a series of circumferentially space holes or slots, axially expanded holes or slots and/or tapered holes or slots in the arcuate portion of the cylindrical work piece. The machine includes a circumferential moving block mounted for circumferential movement along the arcuate portion with a pair of axial moving blocks mounted at opposite ends of the circumferential moving block being capable of axial movement with respect thereto. A radial moving block is mounted on either of the axial moving blocks for radial movement toward and away from the cylindrical outer surface and includes a milling device rigidly mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Speranza Specialty Machining
    Inventor: Richard J. Speranza
  • Patent number: 6540456
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for cutting a low density flexible material and passing through a semi-rigid base material simultaneously by means of a rotary milling cutter and simultaneously applying a compressive force to the flexible material to increase the rigidity of the flexible material while cutting the flexible material, the method includes passing the cutter through a part of the semi-rigid material. The compression force is applied by a partial cylindrical shaped compression head having the rotary milling cutter extending therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: James A. Conley
  • Patent number: 6540457
    Abstract: A multi-section cover device is used to conceal a slide way for a work piece support of a machining apparatus, and includes a fixed shield member connected to the work piece support, a first movable shield member pivotally coupled to the first shield member, and a second movable shield member pivotally coupled to the first movable shield member. The first movable shield member has a roller unit for rolling contact with the slide way. A pair of link arms are pivotally connected to the second movable shield member, and have shield supporting edges for supporting a top wall of the second movable shield member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Yih Chuan Machinery Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-San Lai
  • Patent number: 6540458
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine-tool, especially a milling center, comprising a housing (2), a holder (54) for tools and/or workpieces, a coupling guide departing from the housing (2) to guide the holder (54) and a drive device departing from the housing (2) to move and fix the holder (54) guided by the coupling guide. The invention is characterized in that the coupling guide has first means for guiding the holder (54) on a first plane where it brushes over the surface and second means for pivoting the holder 54) on a second plane where it cuts the first plane, wherein the drive device has third means for moving and fixing the holder (54) guided by the coupling guide in an area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Heckert Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Achim Ponisch
  • Patent number: 6540459
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for counterbalancing the weight of movable machine parts of a machine tool. A simply and compactly designed apparatus of this kind enabling a weight compensation even without complex pressure supplies is, according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises one or more helical springs (1;15 to 18) the one end (7, 29) of which is connected to the movable machine part (12; 35) for generating a counter-force counteracting the weight force for the movable machine part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Deckel Maho Geretsried GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6540460
    Abstract: A fastener having a tamper-evident sleeve thereon. The fastener has a shank and a double-headed driving portion that is integrally formed with the shank. The double-headed portion includes an outer head for driving the fastener into a work piece or nut and an inner head for removing the fastener from an assembly. The sleeve is on the inner head and prevents a tool from being engaged with the sleeve for removal of the fastener without there resulting some indication that someone has removed or tried to remove the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Peter T. Miranda, Andrew Moschea
  • Patent number: 6540461
    Abstract: A retaining member structure. The structure includes a retaining rod member and a joint clamping member used to retain two object members. The joint clamping member extends between the jointed surfaces of two object members and the upper thereof has receiving slots, and the lower thereof has resilient clamping plates, and the center thereof has a through round hole which is provided for the retaining rod member to extend into, to make a retaining rod extend outside the resilient retaining plate and to further push the plate open to push against the inside of the inner insert hole of an object member, to assemble the retaining member engaged by the retaining rod member and the joint clamping member for fastening two object members. The retaining rod member and the joint clamping member can be separated to withdraw from two object members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Kenmark Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: James Hawang
  • Patent number: 6540462
    Abstract: A screw connection, which is intended in particular for plastic members comprises a screw and an insert member which is to be nonrotatably fitted into one of the components involved in the connection and which receives the screwthread of the screw in an axial passage. In accordance with the invention the axial passage of the insert member is of a smooth-walled, that is to say screwthread-free, configuration and the screw has a screwthread, which cuts or grooves the female screwthread of the insert member. The screw, like the insert, can comprise an aluminum alloy, in which case however the alloy of the screw is of a substantially greater hardness than that of the insert member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: EJOT Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Bernd Bretschneider, Heinrich Friederich, Reinhard Schmoock
  • Patent number: 6540463
    Abstract: A blind hole panel nut has an elongated geometrical configuration. The nut is adapted to be inserted and mounted within a similarly shaped aperture defined within a support panel upon which a component is to be mounted. The nut has slots formed within opposite longitudinal end portions thereof and at mid-depth portions such that upper and lower nut disk portions are formed. The nut is rotated a predetermined angle from its initial insertion position with respect to the support panel aperture to its locked position upon the support panel. The slots physically accommodate side wall portions of the support panel which define the aperture. The upper and lower nut disk portions self-support the nut member upon the support panel. The nut member is also provided with a centrally located threaded aperture for receiving a threaded bolt fastener to form a blind hole panel nut member and bolt fastener assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Ward
  • Patent number: 6540464
    Abstract: An apparatus for use with a transport vehicle having a vehicle support frame for loading, transfering, and unloading bales of hay or straw and the like. The apparatus comprises a tilting frame hingedly supported by the vehicle support frame and a loader hingedly attached to and supported by the tilting frame. The tilting frame has a side member and pivots about a first pivot axis oriented generally horizontally and transverse to the vehicle and at right angles to the side members. The loader pivots about a second pivot axis proximate to and oriented generally parallel to side member of the frame. The loader has a plurality of selectively actuated bale engaging time structures for securing bales to the loader. Each bale engaging time structure has at least one tine movable between a retracted position and a bale engaging position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: Thomas B. Maclay
  • Patent number: 6540465
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that includes a preliminary chamber and a substrate transferring apparatus. The substrate transferring apparatus is disposed in the preliminary chamber for transferring substrate or substrates in and out of a cassette which accommodates the substrate or substrates. The cassette is allowed to be inserted into the preliminary chamber through a lower wall of the preliminary chamber from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventor: Kouji Tometsuka
  • Patent number: 6540466
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method is provided for storing semiconductor wafer carriers, and for loading wafers or wafer carriers to a fabrication tool. The apparatus preferably provides an elevated port for receipt of wafer carriers from an overhead factory transport, allows for local interconnection among a plurality of the inventive apparatuses, and enables independent loading of the factory load port and the tool load port. An inventive wafer handling method which divides a lot of wafers into sublots and distributes the sublots among tools configured to perform the same process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Z. Bachrach
  • Patent number: 6540467
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided for preventing damage to wafers arranged in a wafer cassette. In particular, an apparatus is provided to protect wafers arranged in a wafer cassette during insertion of a wafer into the cassette. In one embodiment, the apparatus may be a separate entity from the wafer cassette. In this manner, the apparatus may be situated about the cassette such that the wafers arranged in the cassette are protected during insertion of a wafer. In another embodiment, the wafer cassette itself may be adapted to partially cover and protect the wafers arranged in the cassette during insertion of a wafer. Consequently, a method is provided using either embodiment of the apparatus. In particular, the method may include inserting a wafer into a wafer cassette by shielding one or more slots of the cassette, exposing a designated slot of the cassette, and inserting a wafer into the designated slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Nael O. Zohni, Clifford Fishley
  • Patent number: 6540468
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for handling individual wafers (2) that are temporarily in an essentially horizontal position. The apparatus (1) comprises at least one supporting part (5) with supporting areas (6), comprising at least three supporting points (9), for supporting an edge region of the wafer, and at least one holding part (7) with holding areas (8), comprising at least two holding points (10), for gripping the edge (4) of this wafer (2), with the holding points (10) being moveable relative to the supporting points (9) and, to grasp the wafer (2), relative to one another. Moreover, at least one of these holding points (10) is arranged on a rotatable rod (12) designed, for reliable holding of the wafer, as a holding part (7), with rod (12) extending coaxially with an axis (11) running through the wafer center (3) and essentially parallel to the surface of the wafer (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Tec-Sem AG
    Inventors: Jakob Blattner, Reto Stibi
  • Patent number: 6540469
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a process tube for processing a plurality of substrates, two boats for accommodating the substrates, two boat elevators, a substrate transfer unit for loading and unloading the substrates into and from the boats when the boats are at the first position. In this apparatus, each boat elevator has one boat mounted thereon and each of the boat elevators carries a corresponding boat between a first position located below the process tube and two corresponding second positions. Each of the boat elevators performs loading and unloading the corresponding boat into and from the process tube at the first position. Further, in the apparatus, a center position of the process tube is disposed inside a triangle formed by connecting the substrate transfer unit and the two boat elevators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuhisa Matsunaga, Kouichi Noto
  • Patent number: 6540470
    Abstract: The motorcycle wheel washing ramp comprised of a frame including opposing sidewalls and at least one incline wall substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls. The sidewalls have opposing apertures to adjustably receive parallel aligned rollers to permit the motorcycle wheel to advance upward onto the ramp and over the two parallel rollers after which the wheel may be manually turned for washing, cleaning and/or polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventors: Gerald F. Smith, Timothy R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6540471
    Abstract: A device for relative movement of two elements (1, 2) comprises two link arrangement (5, 6) coupled in series by means of a connection arrangement (4). A first link arrangement (5) comprises at least three links (9, 14), which have substantially equal length and which are substantially parallel, said links (9, 14) being oriented in a substantially triangular relation, viewed along the longitudinal direction of the links, between the connection arrangement (4) and the element (2). The second link arrangement (6) comprises at least one parallelogram acting between the connection arrangement (4) and the element (1). First the second force-applying arrangements (17, 18) are adapted to cause the first link arrangement (5) to pivot. A third force-applying arrangement (33) is adapted to cause the second link arrangement (6) to pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: ABB AB
    Inventor: Torgny Brogårdh
  • Patent number: 6540472
    Abstract: A work support which assists in the inversion of a large workpiece has a supporting frame and a top frame. The top frame is provided with an intermediate hinge and an end hinge along at least one end, so as to be collapsible, and the leg of the supporting frame is hinged along the opposite end. The workpiece can be moved to one side of the intermediate hinge and the top frame can be collapsed, lowering the centre of gravity of the workpiece and standing it partially on edge. One or two workers can then easily shift the workpiece over to the other side of the top frame. When the top frame is raised back to a horizontal position the work surface is in an inverted condition, exposing unfinished surfaces for finishing. In the preferred embodiment the top frame is provided with a flexible membrane overlaying the intermediate hinge. When the top frame is collapsed the membrane curls upwardly and forms a cushion which supports the edge of the workpiece, and thus assists in the inversion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventor: William John Ewaschuk
  • Patent number: 6540473
    Abstract: A robot vehicle for hot-line job for transmission and distribution lines which comprises an insulating boom formed of an insulating material at a tip end stage of multiple stage booms, a base end of which is supported on an elevated work vehicle to be capable of swinging, pivoting up and down, and extending and contracting, and a frame provided on the tip end of the insulating boom, the frame mounting thereon double arm manipulators of multishaft construction for performing a distribution work, a slide device for sliding independently these right and left double arm manipulators front to rear, and lifting arms of multishaft construction having a function of lifting a heavy article, so as to allow an operator to perform remote control. An electric actuator is used for driving the double arm manipulators and the slide device, and hydraulic manipulators for driving the lifting arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki, Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Inokuchi, Toshihide Tomiyama, Yoshihiro Yurita, Shinji Murai, Yusuke Hirano, Shinji Harada, Kengo Tsuruta, Youichi Motomura, Kazutoshi Imai, Yoshiaki Haga, Yoshikatsu Nakamura, Yukio Hashiguchi, Mitsuhiro Matsuzaki, Hiromichi Yamada, Akihiko Mishima, Yoshinaga Maruyama, Kyoji Yano, Moriyuki Nakashima, Osamu Yamashita
  • Patent number: 6540474
    Abstract: A side-channel pump includes guide means for the radial and/or axial guidance of an impeller, the guide means being arranged in the radially outer area of the impeller. The guide means include guide surfaces arranged on the impeller at an intended angle to the ends of the impeller. The frictional losses of the side-channel pump are thereby kept particularly low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann VDO
    Inventors: Peter Marx, Cicero Constantin, Jörg Deubner
  • Patent number: 6540475
    Abstract: A gas friction pump including a plurality of pumping active rotor and stator components arranged in the pump housing for delivery of gases and for producing a compression ration and having a diameter larger than a diameter of the suction opening formed in the housing, and a modified rotor component located adjacent to the suction opening and having a radial extent which increases starting from the suction opening in a direction of a radial extent of the pumping active rotor and stator components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Conrad, Peter Fahrenbach
  • Patent number: 6540476
    Abstract: The centrifugal fan of the present invention comprises a frame, a rotatory means and an impeller. Among these, the frame has a first intake, a second intake, at least one air outlet and a plurality of ribs crossing the second intake. The rotatory means mounted in the frame. The impeller further includes a hub, a partition, a plurality of first blades and a plurality of second blades. The hub is coupled to the motor. The partition separates the inlet air of the first intake and that of the second intake so as to reduce the noise caused by the disturbance. A plurality of first blades and second blades are formed on the first surface and the second of the impeller, respectively. Each of the first blades and second blades selectively include a cut corner formed thereon. The second blade and said rib forms an intersection angle of about 90 degrees as the second blade crosses the rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuhung Huang, Bor Haw Chang, Tsu Liang Lin, Kuo-Cheng Lin, Wen-Shi Huang
  • Patent number: 6540477
    Abstract: A turbine cooling circuit includes a flow sleeve having an aft end for adjoining the rim of a turbine disk. A seal rotor is spaced from the aft end adjacent a row of inlet holes. An inducer has an outlet disposed radially outwardly from the sleeve inlet holes. And, a seal stator surrounds the seal rotor to define a rotary seal disposed radially inwardly from the inducer outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Charles Glynn, Thomas Tracy Wallace, Ronald Arthur Dickman, Monty Lee Shelton
  • Patent number: 6540478
    Abstract: A blade row arrangement for turbo-engines has an axial construction with two guide blade rows fixedly positioned relative to one another and having a different number of blades while the blade pitch is constant in each case, and having a moving blade row arranged between the two guide blade rows. The blades of the first guide blade row, in a first partial area of the row, successively have an identical axial offset; the axial offset being selected as a function of the blade number ratio of the two guide blade rows such that it increases the effective flow-off cross-section when the first guide blade row has more guide blades than the second guide blade row and reduces the effective flow-off cross-section when the first guide blade row has less guide blades than the second guide blade row. The blades of the first guide blade row, in a second partial area of the row, successively have an axial offset which is opposite in relation to the blades in the first partial area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Fiala, Adam Heisler
  • Patent number: 6540479
    Abstract: An axial flow fan includes a first rotor having first blades and a second rotor having second blades. The first rotor is axially connected to the second rotor, and both of the first rotor and the second rotor are received in a first stator which has third blades extending from radially inward from an inner periphery thereof. A second stator is connected to the first stator and has fourth blades extending radially inward from an inner periphery thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Inventors: William C. Liao, Jian J. Yeuan
  • Patent number: 6540480
    Abstract: A compressor comprises a housing (4, 5) defining an inlet (6) and an outlet (15, 7), and a compressor wheel (8) mounted for rotation about a shaft (9a) within a chamber defined by the housing between the inlet (6) and the outlet (7). The back of the compressor wheel (8) is set into a recess (16) defined by a wall of said housing (4), the outside diameter of the recess (16) being greater than the outside diameter of the recessed portion (10) of the compressor wheel (8) defining an annular clearance gap around the recessed portion of the compressor wheel (8). The outside diameter of the recess (16) is at least 1.05 times the outside diameter of the recessed portion of the compressor wheel and/or the depth of the recess in the region of said gap is greater than 1.5 times the axial width of the recessed portion of the compressor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Holset Engineering Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Bahram Nikpour
  • Patent number: 6540481
    Abstract: A diffuser for a centrifugal compressor in which the diffuser has a plurality of passageways that each include a diffuser inlet region, a diffuser throat region, and a diffusion region. Within the diffuser inlet region are positioned pairs of opposed ridges that disrupt the boundary layer growth and minimize aerodynamic blockage at the throat region. The diffusion region includes a first diffusion region downstream of the throat region and that has a first area expansion ratio, and the second diffusion region that includes flow dividers to allow a total area expansion rate within the second diffusion region that is about twice that of the area expansion rate in the first diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zaher Milad Moussa, Gilbert John Laidlaw, David John Tapparo
  • Patent number: 6540482
    Abstract: A turbo-type machine, comprising a casing 2 storing an impeller within an inside thereof, and a plural number of grooves formed on an inner surface of the casing in a direction of pressure gradient of fluid, wherein the grooves 124 are provided from 80 to 150 pieces around a periphery on the inner surface of the casing, and a total width of the grooves all around the inner surface of the casing is from 30% to 50% of a peripheral length on the inner surface of the casing. Also, the area on cross-section of the groove 124 within an area where the blades exist is made larger than that of the groove outside where the blades exist, or openings 127 are drilled on a bottom surface of the grooves, each penetrating through thickness of the casing, or the groove is made in a two-layer structure in the direction of pressure gradient of fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Irie, Tomoyoshi Okamura, Sumio Sudo, Junichi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 6540483
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for a gas turbine engine rotor includes a damper bearing configured to support the rotor, a bearing centering sub-assembly configured to position the damper bearing relative to the rotor, and a retainer. The damper bearing includes a frame that defines a bearing bore, an inner race, and an outer race, said inner and outer races within said bearing bore. The bearing centering apparatus sub-assembly includes a plurality of first springs and a plurality of second springs. The retainer is coupled to the bearing housing and is configured to maintain an axial position of the bearing outer race with respect to the support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Barry Lynn Allmon, Morris Green Penn
  • Patent number: 6540484
    Abstract: A thermostat is positioned within a scroll compressor such that a thermostat switch is positioned in the non-orbiting scroll, and a body of the thermostat extends through the crankcase. The thermostat communicates with a heater associated with a motor protector circuit. Current is directed to the heater causing the heater to more promptly stop operation of the scroll compressor. A bias element holds the thermostat securely within the crankcase and non-orbiting scroll such that it will not rattle during operation. Several embodiments of the thermostat are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Scroll Technologies
    Inventors: Jason Hugenroth, James E. Barnes
  • Patent number: 6540485
    Abstract: A linear compressor, comprises a fixed member formed with a hermetically sealed compression chamber, a movable member axially movably received in the compression chamber of the fixed member, a plurality of resilient members each intervening between the fixed member and the movable member, driving means for driving the movable member, damping means for damping vibrations of the fixed member, the damping means including a retaining member fixedly connected to the fixed member and a weight member axially movably supported by the retaining member, first detecting means for detecting a displacement of the movable member, second detecting means for detecting a displacement of the weight member, and controlling means for controlling the driving means to have the movable member perform a reciprocally linear motion to ensure that the vibrations of the fixed member are damped by the damping means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Cryodevice Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichi Nara, Yasumasa Hagiwara, Takashi Murase
  • Patent number: 6540486
    Abstract: A fluid dispense system having a computer control system that operatively controls a stepper motor driving a nutating pump. The stepper motor actuates the nutating pump piston through partial revolutions. The computer control system determines the number of stepper motor steps required to pump a desired amount of fluid by the nutating pump by rotating the piston through segments which are less than a full revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignees: Fluid Management, Inc., Micropump, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Amsler, Tim Hogan, Margaret M. Lowan, James Martin, William A. Miller, Susan G. McDermott, Jeffrey G. Barton, Charles F. Carr
  • Patent number: 6540487
    Abstract: A pressure exchanger for simultaneously reducing the pressure of a high pressure liquid and pressurizing a low pressure liquid. The pressure exchanger has a housing having a body portion; with end elements at opposite ends of the body portion. A rotor is in the body portion of the housing and in substantially sealing contact with the end plates. The rotor has at least one channel extending substantially longitudinally from one end of the rotor to the opposite end of the rotor with an opening at each end. The channels of the rotor are positioned in the rotor for alternate hydraulic communication with 1) high pressure liquid and 2) low pressure liquid, in order to transfer pressure between the high pressure liquid and the low pressure liquid. Because of the high pressures and the high angular velocities, this is a highly cavitation prone structure, In order to prevent cavitation, there are one or more grooves in one or both of the end plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Energy Recovery, Inc.
    Inventors: Thanos Polizos, Thomas Babcock, Leif J. Hauge, Ragnar A. Hermanstad
  • Patent number: 6540488
    Abstract: A slant plate-type variable displacement compressor includes a housing enclosing a crank chamber, a suction chamber, and a discharge chamber. The housing includes a cylinder block, and cylinder bores are formed therein. Pistons are slidably disposed within the cylinder bores. A valve member is disposed in a first passage, which communicates between a discharge side of the cylinder bore and the crank chamber. The valve member is controlled by a suction pressure of the cylinder bore. A second passage communicates between the crank chamber and a suction side of the cylinder bore through an orifice for allowing pressure to release. A cross-sectional area of the orifice is variably controlled, such that when compressor operation begins, the cross-sectional area of the orifice is greater than that during a capacity control operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Sanden Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Takai, Makoto Tamura