Patents Issued in March 28, 2017
  • Patent number: 9604303
    Abstract: A method and system to determine optimum operating parameters for the startup phase of a welding-type process based on user-desired operating parameters of the post-startup or welding phase of the welding-type process are disclosed. While applicable to a number of welding-type processes, the method and system are particularly configured to determine an optimum wire feed speed for Gas Metal Arc Welding of aluminum using pulse spray transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Charles L. Kaufman, Michael Todd Klegin, Chris J. Roehl
  • Patent number: 9604304
    Abstract: A cutting system that utilizes an inertial sensor to control movement of a cutting device is provided. The system includes a cutting device for cutting operation, a controller, and at least one inertial sensor. The controller controls movement of the cutting device during cutting operation. The inertial sensor(s) is included in an inertial data module coupled to the cutting device and communicates inertial measurement data to the controller. The controller controls movement of the cutting device based on the inertial measurement data from the inertial sensor(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas R Myers
  • Patent number: 9604305
    Abstract: A system includes a host machine and a status projector. The host machine is in electrical communication with a collection of sensors and with a welding controller that generates control signals for controlling the welding horn. The host machine is configured to execute a method to thereby process the sensory and control signals, as well as predict a quality status of a weld that is formed using the welding horn, including identifying any suspect welds. The host machine then activates the status projector to illuminate the suspect welds. This may occur directly on the welds using a laser projector, or on a surface of the work piece in proximity to the welds. The system and method may be used in the ultrasonic welding of battery tabs of a multi-cell battery pack in a particular embodiment. The welding horn and welding controller may also be part of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: John Patrick Spicer, Jeffrey A. Abell, Michael Anthony Wincek, Debejyo Chakraborty, Jennifer Bracey, Hui Wang, Peter W. Tavora, Jeffrey S. Davis, Daniel C. Hutchinson, Ronald L. Reardon, Shawn Utz
  • Patent number: 9604306
    Abstract: A friction-stir welding tool includes a front shoulder; a rear shoulder in contact with plate materials; and a probe penetrating the plate materials between the front and rear shoulders, the probe connecting the front shoulder and the rear shoulder to each other. The probe has a first screw part provided on at least one axial end section, and at least one of the front shoulder and the rear shoulder has a second screw part in threaded engagement with the first screw part, the threaded engagement changing so that the rear shoulder and the front shoulder approach each other along the axial direction as the front shoulder and the rear shoulder rotate relative to each other, and the threaded engagement with the first screw part linking at least one of the rear shoulder and the front shoulder with the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kato
  • Patent number: 9604307
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a composite metal material which includes a first metal member made of first metal and a second metal member made of second metal having a smaller linear expansion coefficient than first metal. The method includes in the following order: a metal member preparation step of preparing the first metal member made of first metal and a plurality of divided members made of second metal; an assembling step of assembling the respective metal members into an assembled body; and a bonding step of, by applying a first temperature and a first pressure which enable the respective metal materials to be bonded to each other to the assembled body, bonding the plurality of divided members to each other thus forming the second metal member and also of bonding the first metal member and the second metal member to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ASAHI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kitazawa, Manabu Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 9604308
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing two kinds of rectangular unit pieces having different optical properties from a base material sheet through cutting using a cutting frame including a cutter, the method including preparing a base material sheet having a large length to width ratio, the base material sheet exhibiting optical directivity in a longitudinal direction or in a lateral direction, preparing a cutting frame including at least on first cutter for cutting a first unit piece exhibiting optical directivity parallel to that of the base material sheet and at least one second cutter for cutting a second unit piece exhibiting optical directivity perpendicular to that of the base material sheet, the first cutter and the second cutter being arranged adjacent to each other in the lateral direction of the base material sheet, and sequentially cutting the base material sheet using the cutting frame in the longitudinal direction of the base material sheet to simultaneously manufacture the first unit pie
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Ho Kyung Lee, Kyu Hwang Lee, Joo-Sang Kim
  • Patent number: 9604309
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes: a light projector configured to radiate light while causing the light to make angular movement at a constant speed; and a light reflector configured to reflect the light radiated from the light projector to guide the light to an intended irradiated point on a predetermined scanning line. The light reflector includes a plurality of reflecting portions and reflects, at least twice, the light radiated from the light projector to guide the light to the intended irradiated point. The reflecting portions each include a plurality of reflecting surfaces. A length of an optical path from the light projector to the irradiated point is substantially constant for all of irradiated points on the scanning line, and a scanning speed, on the scanning line, of the light radiated from the light projector is substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Morimasa Kuge, Hideyuki Tanaka, Mutsuhiro Nakazawa, Kazunori Takahara, Osami Oogushi
  • Patent number: 9604310
    Abstract: The invention relates to a nozzle for laser cutting, comprising a nozzle body (1) comprising a first axial passage (5); an external cover (13) comprising an axial housing (7), the nozzle body (1) being arranged at least partially in said axial housing (7); a movable element (3) comprising a second axial passage (4) and a front portion (3a) forming a skirt, said movable element (3) being arranged between the external cover (13) and the nozzle body (1) and being translationally movable in the axial housing (7) of the external cover (13); and an elastic element (8) arranged in the axial housing (7), between the external cover (13) and the nozzle body (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Thomas Jouanneau, Philippe Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 9604311
    Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding edge regions of separate sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. One or more of the sheet metal pieces includes a coating material layer and a weld notch, where at least some of the coating material layer is removed from the edge region(s) prior to welding so that the weld joint is substantially free from constituents of the coating material layer. An additional material may be added to a weld pool during weld joint formation to influence the size, shape and/or composition of the resulting weld joint to help compensate for the presence of the weld notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Shiloh Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Evangelista, Michael Telenko, Jr., Jason E. Harfoot, Jack A. Atkinson, James W. Walther, Anthony M. Parente
  • Patent number: 9604312
    Abstract: A fast-speed laser scoring method is provided, in which a set of related laser scoring device is used to simultaneously score lines on the upper surface and the lower surface of an oriented silicon steel strip, which is being fed and traveling forwards on a production line, with high-focalized continuous wave laser beam; the lines scored on the upper surface and the lines scored on the lower surface have the same space between every two adjacent scored lines but are staggered each other in order to reduce iron loss evenly. The space between every two adjacent scored lines on the same surface is 6-12 mm, laser power is 1000-3000 W and scanning speed is 100-400 m/min. The machining rate of the scoring method and device attains 1.5-2 times the one of conventional scoring methods which can not simultaneously score the upper and lower surfaces of a steel strip at a time. The lines scored on a steel strip by the method can reduce iron loss of the strip by 10-16%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: BAOSHAN IRON & STEEL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wangya Huang, Guobao Li, Xinqiang Zhang, Xing Mao, Wanqing Guo, Jianru Zhu, Banglin Xiang
  • Patent number: 9604313
    Abstract: Vision correction and tracking systems may be used in laser machining systems and methods to improve the accuracy of the machining. The laser machining systems and methods may be used to scribe one or more lines in large flat workpieces such as solar panels. In particular, laser machining systems and methods may be used to scribe lines in thin film photovoltaic (PV) solar panels with accuracy, high speed and reduced cost. The vision correction and/or tracking systems may be used to provide scribe line alignment and uniformity based on detected parameters of the scribe lines and/or changes in the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: IPG Photonics Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Sercel, Donald J. Lemmo, Terrence A. Murphy, Jr., Lawrence Roberts, Tom Loomis, Miroslaw Sokol
  • Patent number: 9604314
    Abstract: A method of forming a pattern on a mask sheet using a laser beam includes determining a target scan line with respect to the mask sheet, which corresponds to a position of the pattern on a final mask sheet, determining a correction scan line with respect to the mask sheet, along which the laser beam is scanned to form the pattern of the final mask sheet, applying a counter force to the mask sheet, fixing the mask sheet onto a mask frame while the counter force is applied to the mask sheet, scanning the laser beam along the correction scan line, and releasing the counter force which is applied to the mask sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoon-Chan Oh, Choong-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 9604315
    Abstract: Provided is a welding method and electrodes (wires) with aluminum as a primary deoxidizer and a basic flux system for joining a workpieces with weld metal of comparable strengths and enhanced toughness. For instance, provided is a welding wire, comprising an aluminum content configured to act as a primary deoxidizer, and an overall composition configured to produce a weld deposit comprising a basic slag over a weld bead, wherein the aluminum content is configured to kill the oxygen in the weld pool, and wherein the oxygen comprises oxygen provided by a shielding gas or produced by heating of welding filler materials. Further provided is a welding method comprising arc welding a workpiece using an electrode having aluminum as a primary deoxidizer under a gas shield to produce a bead of weld deposit and a basic slag over the weld bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Mario Anthony Amata, Joseph C. Bundy
  • Patent number: 9604316
    Abstract: A tin-based solder melt or aqueous tin plating bath composition comprising a source of tin and a stabilizing additive of chemical structure: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 are independently selected from hydrogen atom, hydrocarbon groups R having at least one and up to twelve carbon atoms, groups OR? wherein R? is selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups R, and halogen atoms, and wherein any two, three, or four of R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 or any two, three, or four of R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 are optionally interconnected to form a fused ring system; R11 and R12 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups R; and r is either 0 or 1. Methods for coating and/or bonding metal substrates by use of the above-described solder compositions are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Charles L. Arvin, Mark S. Chace, Qin Yuan, Nitin Jadhav, Janine L. Protzman
  • Patent number: 9604317
    Abstract: A brazing material which can be melted at a suitable temperature at which damage is not given to a device inside a package upon sealing, and besides the brazing material is not remelted, e.g., upon mounting to a board, and which has a low temperature difference between a liquidus and a solidus. The brazing material is made of a Au—Ga—In ternary alloy, wherein weight concentrations of the elements lie within a region of a polygon with a point A (Au: 90%, Ga: 10%, In: 0%), a point B (Au: 70%, Ga: 30%, In: 0%), a point C (Au: 60%, Ga: 0%, In: 40%) and a point D (Au: 80%, Ga: 0%, In: 20%) as vertexes (excluding lines on which In and Ga become 0%), in a Au—Ga—In ternary phase diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TANAKA KIKINZOKU KOGYO K.K.
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Taniguchi, Tomohiro Shimada, Kenichi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 9604318
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing a tailored sheet metal strip, comprising at least one welding station, by means of which at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, and at least two strip feeding devices for respectively feeding one of the sheet metal strips into the at least one welding station, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line. A further-processing station for further processing is integrated in the production line downstream of the at least one welding station in the strip running direction and is equipped with tools for applying reinforcing material, to local points of at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, for punching holes and/or for forming at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Wisco Lasertechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Alber, Martin Retzbach
  • Patent number: 9604319
    Abstract: In one aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for manipulating a plurality of curved sheets is provided. Each of the plurality of curved sheets includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes tooling to be coupled to the upper surface of each of the plurality of curved sheets. The tooling is capable of moving the plurality of curved sheets relative to each other and abutting the plurality of curved sheets so that the upper surface of each of the plurality of curved sheets is coextensive with a virtual arcuate surface. The apparatus also includes a welding apparatus capable of welding the plurality of curved sheets together after abutting the plurality of curved sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Peter Z. Anast
  • Patent number: 9604320
    Abstract: The counterbalance pipe it is designed for the pipe line welding field. The procedure of using this device it is to attach the Counterbalance Pipe to the pipe line by a chain clamp pliers without the needing of to be welded to the pipe line. The purpose of this devise it is to balance the weight of the pipes that it requires to be welded in a roll out weld position, which allows the user to roll the pipe line in a 360 degrees on top of a roller Jack stands, especially if is welding fittings such as elbows, nineties, tees, coupling or any other fitting that it needs to be welded on roll out weld position. In addition, the user may add 1, 2 or 3 weight iron disc to add more weight depending on the weight that it needs to be balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Neyda Yadira Fuentes
    Inventor: Neyda Yadira Fuentes
  • Patent number: 9604321
    Abstract: Injector assemblies and methods to repair concrete barriers, in particular ballistic concrete barriers used for training facilities used for training with live ammunition. Replacement material is loaded into the injector body and a set of one or more valves are used to allow air pressure to move the replacement material into a vented void in the ballistic panel to fill the void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: 360° BALLISTICS, LLC
    Inventors: Clayton Dean Amidon, Mark Alan Siver
  • Patent number: 9604322
    Abstract: Method of assembling a rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine having a plurality of components. The method comprises in one aspect calculating the bending forces due to the mass distribution along the rotor. In another aspect, an optimization routine iterates different rotor arrangements, comparing the calculated bending moments to determine a set of component positions that minimizes the bending forces. In another aspect, mass corrections are optimized to balance the rotor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Cameron Walters
  • Patent number: 9604323
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a steam turbine low-pressure or medium-pressure module deflector, said deflector comprising an internal ring and an external ring as well as vanes, said method comprising a step of welding said vanes to said rings. The main characteristic of a method according to the invention is that the welding step is preceded by a step of automatically machining the ends of each vane to create a peripheral recess around each of said ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Arnaud Buguin, Dominique Travers
  • Patent number: 9604324
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a refrigerator comprises preparing an inner case including an ice making chamber and an opening; preparing an outer case to be coupled to an outside of the inner case; preparing a refrigerant pipe assembly including a refrigerant pipe having at least a portion to be disposed in the ice making chamber to supply cooling energy, and a refrigerant pipe insulator to insulate the refrigerant pipe; inserting the refrigerant pipe assembly into the opening of the inner case in an inward direction from the outside of the inner case such that a portion of the refrigerant pipe insulator is disposed in the ice making chamber, and a remaining portion of the refrigerant pipe insulator is disposed between the inner case and the outer case; and foaming a body insulator between the inner case and the outer case, thereby supporting the refrigerant pipe insulator by the body insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Koog An, Jeong Hun Shin, Byung Su Kim
  • Patent number: 9604325
    Abstract: Hearing devices configured to fit within the bony portion of the ear canal and batteries that may be used with same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Phonak, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart Wenzel, Chuangang Lin, Paul Wagner, Igal Ladabaum
  • Patent number: 9604326
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (D2) employed in a system for facilitating the assembly of a product, said assembly being carried out by following one or more assembly sequences, an assembly sequence comprising several successive assembly steps graded by execution ranks, said device comprising: a presence sensor (C2), at least one signalling member (V2), a sequencer (SQ2) connected to the presence sensor (C2) and to the signalling member (V2), said sequencer comprising a microcontroller designed to manage said assembly sequence. The invention also relates to a system for facilitating the assembly of a product comprising several devices (D2) connected together via a communication line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS
    Inventor: Lino De Martin
  • Patent number: 9604327
    Abstract: A nut feeding apparatus for feeding a weld nut to an upper electrode of a resistance welding machine, whose size and production cost are reduced, is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a piston rod, a tension rod, a tube, a link mechanism and a nut chuck. When the piston rod is in a most retracting state, an upper surface of the nut chuck becomes substantially flush with a lower portion of an opening of the tube. While the tension rod is at a stop in a most advancing state and when the piston rod further advances, the link mechanism rotates around a rotation axis at a tip of the tension rod, and thereby, the weld nut held by the nut chuck moves to a feeding position of the weld nut in the upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Dengensha Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Iwamoto, Go Tamura, Shuhei Saeki
  • Patent number: 9604328
    Abstract: A heat sink structure and a method of manufacturing same are disclosed. The heat sink structure includes a main body and a plurality of radiating fins. The main body has a plurality of coupling flutes circumferentially spaced along an outer surface thereof and longitudinally extended from a first end to a second thereof. The radiating fins respectively have a bent section integrally located between a first and a second heat radiating section. To quickly assemble the radiating fins to the main body, the radiating fins are disposed in a forming mold, and the main body is mechanically driven into the forming mold at a high speed, so that the bent sections of the radiating fins are longitudinally forced into the coupling flutes from the first to the second end of the main body to thereby tightly connect the radiating fins to the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Huang Lin, Kuo-Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 9604329
    Abstract: A tightening system for tightening a fastening member includes: a driving section producing torque for tightening the fastening member; an extension bar coupled to the driving section and rotating by the torque; a spindle to which the torque is transmitted via the extension bar and which is connected to the extension bar such that the spindle moves forward or backward in a rotational axis direction of the extension bar with respect to the extension bar; a socket provided at a tip of the spindle and engages in the fastening member; a spindle case housing the spindle and helically spline-engaging with the spindle along a rotational axis direction of the spindle; an outer case housing the spindle case; and a switch for switching between held and separated states between the spindle case and the outer case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, GIKEN INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akio Ono, Seizo Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 9604330
    Abstract: A machining fixture contains: a base, a plurality of positioning blocks, and a workpiece holder. The base includes a first connecting face on which plural fixing slots are arranged, and each fixing slot has a threaded hole. Each positioning block includes an affix portion and a fixation portion having two symmetrical contacting faces and two flexible portions. Each positioning block further includes a mounting hole or blind aperture defined on a middle section thereof and passing through the affix portion from the fixation portion. A screw bolt is screwed with the threaded hole of each fixing slot via the a mounting hole or blind aperture, and the affix portion of each positioning block enters into and contacts with each fixing slot of the base. The workpiece holder includes a second connecting face on which plural locating slots are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Jia Sin Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian Sin Lin
  • Patent number: 9604331
    Abstract: A replacement device of a processing apparatus includes a gripping device having a single first support member positionally fixed, a first gripping portion provided on the first support member to grip a holder not to rotate in a releasing direction when the processing member is removed from the holder, and a second gripping portion provided on the first support member apart from the first gripping portion to grip the holder not to rotate in a restricting direction when the processing member is attached to the holder, and a holding device having a single movable second support member, plural first holding portions provided on the second support member to respectively accommodate the processing member removed from the holder, and plural second holding portions provided on the second support member apart from the first holding portions to respectively accommodate the processing member that is to be attached to the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: F-TECH INC., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiro Noma, Yukio Shoji, Tsutomu Kobayashi, Mitsuru Sayama
  • Patent number: 9604332
    Abstract: A machine tool accessory including a monolithic flexure travel guide, a motor, and a position feedback sensor is provided. The machine tool accessory also includes an accessory tool spindle configured to rotate a tool, the accessory tool spindle being disposed within the monolithic flexure travel guide. The motor is configured to move the monolithic flexure travel guide, and the position feedback sensor is configured to measure position of the monolithic flexure travel guide. In some embodiments, the machine tool accessory further includes a controller configured to (i) communicatively couple to the motor, (ii) communicatively couple to one or more external devices, and (iii) cause the motor to move the accessory tool spindle in response to signals received from the one or more external devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MICROLUTION INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Honegger, Andrew Phillip, Onik Bhattacharyya, Brendon DiVincenzo
  • Patent number: 9604333
    Abstract: In an electric machine tool having an electronics unit for implementing a starting lockout, the electric machine tool being connectable to an associated power source in an electrically conductive manner, the electronics unit is configured to receive power from the power source only for a limited, predefined period of time after an electrically conductive connection between the electric machine tool and the power source has been established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Bernd Wirnitzer
  • Patent number: 9604334
    Abstract: Positive feed tools and methods of use that include a spindle with a distal end configured to receive a tool bit. The spindle is movable in a forward direction for the tool bit to act on a workpiece, and a retract direction to move the tool bit away from the workpiece. The spindle is configured to retract to a home position at which an air motor that drives the spindle is shut off. The feed tool includes a clutch to prevent jamming of the spindle at the home position in the event the air motor is not shut off at the proper time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apex Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Watford, Kevin Myhill
  • Patent number: 9604335
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of polishing a substrate is described. The polishing includes: rotating a substrate; pressing a first polishing tool against an edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion; and pressing a second polishing tool against the edge portion of the substrate to polish the edge portion. The second polishing tool is located more inwardly than the first polishing tool with respect to a radial direction of the substrate. The first polishing tool has a polishing surface rougher than a polishing surface of the second polishing tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuji Togawa, Atsushi Yoshida, Toshifumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9604336
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a belt transmission device and a grinding apparatus. The device comprises: a grinding stand; rotation wheels mounted on the grinding stand, including a driver wheel and driven wheels; a grinding belt supported by rotation wheels; a first sensor fixedly provided on the grinding stand and configured to detect a rotation speed of any one of the driven wheels; and a controller configured to control a rotation speed of the driver wheel and connected with a driving motor of the driver wheel, wherein the controller is further connected with the first sensor, receives rotation speed signals of the one driven wheel detected by the first sensor, calculates difference between the rotation speeds of the driver wheel and the one driven wheel, and compares the difference with a predetermined difference range in the controller; and when the difference is beyond the predetermined difference range, an alarm is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yinchu Zhao, Haibin Liu, Jinjun Wang, Xu Li, Zuoxiang He, Xinqing Zhu
  • Patent number: 9604337
    Abstract: A method of polishing a substrate is disclosed. The method includes irradiating the substrate with light; measuring intensity of the reflected light; producing spectral waveform representing relationship between relative reflectance and wavelength of the light; performing a Fourier transform process on the spectral waveform to determine a thickness of the film and a corresponding strength of frequency component; determining whether the determined thickness of the film is reliable or not by comparing the strength of frequency component with a threshold value; calculating a defective data rate representing a proportion of the number of unreliable measured values to the total number of measured values; and changing the threshold value based on the defective data rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Toshifumi Kimba
  • Patent number: 9604338
    Abstract: A microelectronic device is formed by providing a substrate having a recess at a top surface, and a liner layer formed over the top surface of the substrate, extending into the recess. A protective layer is formed over the liner layer, extending into the recess. A CMP process removes the protective layer and the liner layer from over the top surface of the substrate, leaving the protective layer and the liner layer in the recess. The protective layer is subsequently removed from the recess, leaving the liner layer in the recess. The substrate may include an interconnect region with a bond pad and a PO layer having an opening which forms the recess; the bond pad is exposed in the recess. The liner layer in the recess may be a metal liner suitable for a subsequently-formed wire bond or bump bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jonathan Philip Davis, Andrew Frank Burnett, Brian Edward Zinn
  • Patent number: 9604339
    Abstract: Hard-material, flat-surfaced workpieces such as semiconductor wafers or sapphire disks are attached with vacuum to the flexible elastomeric membrane of a rotatable wafer carrier that allows one surface of the workpiece to be in conformal abrading contact with a moving flat-surfaced abrasive. The elastomeric membrane external wafer attachment surface has a pattern of recessed vacuum grooves where vacuum supplied to the grooves firmly attach the rigid-material silicon wafer in flat-surfaced contact with the membrane. The attached wafer seals the vacuum grooves. A flexible thin metal annular membrane support disk is attached to the membrane within an abrading-pressure chamber where attached drive pins engage matching holes in the wafer carrier provide rotational torque to the wafer and restrain it laterally against abrading forces. Wafer polishing pressure is applied uniformly over the wafer surface. The rotating wafer peripheral edge does not contact a rigid retaining ring during a wafer polishing procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventors: Wayne O. Duescher, Cameron M. Duescher
  • Patent number: 9604340
    Abstract: A carrier head includes a housing configured to enclose a wafer and a retainer ring attached to the housing. The retainer ring includes a body and an abrasive structure. The body includes an inner periphery configured to surround the wafer, an outer periphery, and a surface connecting the inner periphery and the outer periphery. The abrasive structure is attached to the surface of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 9604341
    Abstract: A drive unit for imparting rotation to a drum assembly of a floor grinder. The drive unit includes a rotatable pulley positioned adjacent to and in contact with a rotatable drive surface of a driven pulley of the drum assembly and a drive surface of the drum assembly. The rotatable drive surface of the driven pulley is configured to impart rotation to the rotatable drive pulley during rotation of the rotatable drive surface, and the rotatable drive pulley is configured to impart rotation thereof to the drum assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Innovatech Products and Equipment Co.
    Inventors: Phil Truong, Roger Wiggins, Shawn Wiggins
  • Patent number: 9604342
    Abstract: In an eyeglass lens processing apparatus, a roughing tool for roughing a periphery of an eyeglass lens cuts the periphery up to a roughing path without rotating an eyeglass lens in a first stage and the roughing tool moves along the roughing path while rotating the eyeglass lens in a second stage. A calculating unit for obtaining control data of the lens rotating unit at the second stage. The calculating unit obtains a first load torque applied to a lens chuck shaft at every rotation angle of the lens based on condition data, and obtains a rotation speed of the lens at which the first load torque per unit time becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoji Shibata, Osamu Tanabe
  • Patent number: 9604343
    Abstract: A motor, a reservoir, a recovery basket, an internal hose, an external hose, a power switch, baffle with injection nozzles and floats, a sanding head, an extended sanding head, and a corner sanding head comprises a hydro-filtration unit with a sanding heads for drywall work. The sanding heads may be used to sand drywall and simultaneously draw the dust out of the air as it is created through the sanding process. The hydro-filtration prevents dust from being released into the air. Within the reservoir, the internal hose connects at one end to the motor and at the other to the floating dust injector unit and the injection nozzles. The external hose connects the sanding heads to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventor: Daniel Oksanen
  • Patent number: 9604344
    Abstract: A dry cleaning casing of a dry cleaning apparatus includes a casing body including an internal space for flying a cleaning member, an opening to which a cleaning target is contacted to collide the cleaning member to the cleaning target, and an air introduction route to introduce external air to the internal space, by sucking air from the internal space while the opening is closed by the cleaning target, to generate rotating air flow for flying the cleaning member; a flow restriction member to define a rotation axis of the rotating air flow in the internal space; and a screen plate made of a porous plate to block movement of the cleaning member while passing through substance removed from the cleaning target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Taneda, Akihiro Fuchigami, Yoichi Okamoto, Shozo Murata, Kohji Tsukahara
  • Patent number: 9604345
    Abstract: A composite material and a methods of making and using the composite material, wherein the composite material provides improved wear resistance and fracture toughness to hard-facing and matrix materials for down hole drilling tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL OILWELL DHT, L.P.
    Inventors: Ying Wang, Wesley Craig Arceneaux, Sr., Jiinjen Albert Sue, Harold A. Sreshta
  • Patent number: 9604346
    Abstract: A coated abrasive article including a plurality of shaped abrasive particles overlying a backing, the coated abrasive article having a plain-carbon steel grinding lifespan of at least about 5500 g/in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN CERMAICS & PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Kristin Breder, Sujatha Iyengar, Christopher Arcona, Anthony C. Gaeta
  • Patent number: 9604347
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a filament tape utilization device is disclosed, which includes a handle with a first and second surface, where the first surface has treads for assisting a user in releasing the cutting filament from the main web of filament tape. According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of using the filament tape utilization device is disclosed, which includes securing a portion of the filament tape to a surface and leaving a free end of the filament tape not secured to the surface, securing part of the free end of the filament tape on the filament tape utilization device, and applying a force to the free end of the filament tape in a direction away from the filament tape utilization device so as to disengage the cutting filament from the main web of the filament tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Calman, Kathryn S. Calman
  • Patent number: 9604348
    Abstract: A tool for catching an IC package comprises a main body, a plurality of operation arms and a plurality of clamping arms. The main body has a base and a plurality of lateral portions rotating relative to the base. The operation arms each extends upwardly from a top portion of a corresponding lateral portion. The clamping arms each extends downwardly from a lateral portion and is formed with a clasping portion at a free end thereof, the clasping portion has a latching slot. The operation arms bring the lateral portions to rotate inwardly and open the clamping arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: FOXCONN INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Heng-Kang Wu, Quan Wang, Tzu-Li Chu, Fu-Jin Peng
  • Patent number: 9604349
    Abstract: A universal ratcheting tool provides improved handling of tools that are difficult to use on their own, specifically, hexagonal wrenches. The universal ratcheting tool includes a handle and a body with a ratcheting mechanism within the handle. The body includes a first aperture for receiving a tool, and the first aperture includes slots to accept a plurality of sizes of tools. The body also includes a second aperture where the tool extends out of the body. A retaining component is coupled with the body to retain the tool and a retaining tab is able to be used to open and close the retaining component. Once the tool is positioned and retained within the universal ratcheting tool, a user is able to easily install or remove an object such as a screw with the benefit of a comfortable handle and the ease of use of the ratcheting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: WAGIC, INC.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Johnson, Robert J. Gallegos, Steven Simas Escobar, Anders Scot Hudson, Idriss Mansouri-Chafik Ruiz, Yugen Patrick Lockhart, Howard Allen Wilson, Eric M. Colton
  • Patent number: 9604350
    Abstract: A power tool adaptor for holding a tool adapted thereto including an adaptor body, a tool insertion cavity formed in an end of the adaptor body for receiving the tool, an elongated tool bit insertion cavity formed as a continuation of the tool insertion cavity, means for fixating the tool by protruding into one or more fixation recesses on the outer surface of the tool and means for attaching the power tool adaptor to a power tool; a reversible tool bit holder is further disclosed for holding two changeable tool bits, which reversible tool bit holder is adapted to fit into the power tool adaptor, along with a kit including a power tool adaptor and a reversible tool bit holder adapted to fit into the power tool adaptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: FOVLING TRAEBYG APS
    Inventor: Erling Viuf
  • Patent number: 9604351
    Abstract: An oil filter removal and drain system including an oil-filter-removal assembly and a drain-attachment assembly in functional combination. The oil-filter-removal assembly includes a top-frame, a bottom-frame, a geared-socket-hub, a filter-socket, a plurality of geared-clamp-jaws, a filter-gasket, and a toggle-clamp in functional and structural combination. The drain-attachment assembly includes a drain-attachment-body, a drain-toggle-clamp, a drain-nipple, and a filter-cutter. The drain-attachment assembly is removably affixable to the oil-filter-removal assembly via the plurality keyhole-stud-receivers of the drain-attachment assembly accepting and retaining the plurality of keyhole-studs of the oil-filter-removal assembly. An oil-filter-removal assembly may be used on many different types of fluid filters (e.g., hydraulic fluid, diesel fuel, engine oil, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Inventor: Semor David Tofte
  • Patent number: 9604352
    Abstract: An impact tool can be operated by generating an impact using an internal mechanism. The impact tool includes a control unit and sensors. The control unit controls the internal mechanism. The sensors output a signal for operating the internal mechanism or a signal for preparing the operation of the internal mechanism, to the control unit. Until a predetermined condition is established after the internal mechanism is operated, the control unit does not accept the input of the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: MAX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Norihiro Nagai, Yasushi Yokochi