Patents Issued in April 24, 2018
  • Patent number: 9950457
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to an apparatus for casting a portion of a tire or other article of manufacture, and, more specifically, to an apparatus that has a gate design that has a circular runner and concentric channel or waste reservoir for separating off-ratio material before it enters the cavity that forms a portion of the fire or oilier article of manufacture. The design may further include a passage that connects the runner to the waste reservoir as well as an air vent that allows trapped gas or air to exit the waste reservoir as it fills with waste material, a valve that Is operative!)? associated with the passage for closing and opening the passage at appropriate times, and a nozzle for initially introducing material into the waste reservoir and subsequently into runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventor: Brian D Wilson
  • Patent number: 9950458
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to an apparatus for casting a portion of a tire or other article of manufacture, and, more specifically, to an apparatus that has a gate design, that has a plunging nozzle with a waste reservoir for separating off-ratio material before it enters the cavity that forms a portion of the tire or other article of manufacture. The design may further include a passage that connects the runner to the waste reservoir as-well as an air vent that allows trapped gas or air to exit the waste reservoir as it fills with waste material, a valve that is operative!'/associated with the passage for closing and opening the passage at appropriate times, and a nozzle constructed from two independently translating components for initially introducing material into the waste reservoir and subsequently into the runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventor: Brian D Wilson
  • Patent number: 9950459
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle resin part and a vehicle resin part manufacturing method with which raised portions can be formed using slanted slide molds even on opposing molded portions that have a narrow distance between them. In a rail cover, shelf-shaped portions that can be molded using a cavity and a core are formed on opposing side wall portions, and claw portions that can be molded using slanted slide molds are formed projecting from the shelf-shaped portions in the directions of the opposing side wall portions. Additionally, the claw portions are molded by moving, during demolding, the pair of slanted slide molds in the directions of the opposing side wall portions from a molding position and thereafter removing the pair of slanted slide molds in a forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Shirai, Taisuke Matsuzaki, Yuta Takagi
  • Patent number: 9950460
    Abstract: A method and device for producing containers filled with a liquid filling material from preforms made of a thermoplastic material, wherein the respective preform is at least thermally conditioned and subsequently re-formed during a forming and filling phase into the container with at least one liquid filling material as a pressure medium having a filling pressure p2. The filling material or portions of the filling material is/are supplied at at least two points in time and/or during at least two process phases having different carbon dioxide contents and/or different temperatures. The filling pressure p2 of the container formed in the first process phase is reduced to a pressure p1 and filling material is supplied in the second process phase, after which the pressure of the container is reduced to atmospheric pressure p0. In the first process phase filling material that has been previously degassed and/or uncarbonated is supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: KHS GMBH, KHS CORPOPLAST GMBH
    Inventors: Dieter Klatt, Frank Haesendonckx, Ludwig Clüsserath, Manfred Härtel, Wilfried Ehmer
  • Patent number: 9950461
    Abstract: Provided is a method capable of producing a retardation film suppressed in biaxiality, having a small Nz coefficient, and having a slow axis in an oblique direction with high production efficiency. The production method for a retardation film of the present invention includes: holding left and right side edge portions of a film to be stretched with left and right variable pitch-type clips configured to have clip pitches changing in a longitudinal direction, respectively; preheating the film; reducing, under a state in which a position at which the clip pitch of the clips on one side out of the left and right clips starts to reduce and a position at which the clip pitch of the clips on another side starts to reduce are set to different positions in the longitudinal direction, the clip pitch of each of the clips to a predetermined pitch to subject the film to oblique stretching; and releasing the clips holding the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Shimizu, Satoshi Hirata, Seiji Kondo, Nao Murakami
  • Patent number: 9950462
    Abstract: Wrinkling of supported thin films is a strain-driven phenomenon that enables scalable and low-cost fabrication of periodic micro and nano scale structures. The morphology of wrinkles depends on both the magnitude and the nature of compressive strains that are applied to the thin film. This disclosure presents the methods to fabricate asymmetric 2-D wrinkled structures using biaxial compressive strains. The method relies on the dependence of wrinkle morphology on both strains and strain paths to generate asymmetric 2D wrinkles. Asymmetry is achieved by deliberately traversing the system through a strain state that creates cracks along a preferential direction. Fabricated patterns include non-uniform zigzag wrinkles that demonstrate period doubling only along one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventors: Sourabh Kumar Saha, Martin Luther Culpepper
  • Patent number: 9950463
    Abstract: An imprinting device capable of realizing uniform transfer regardless of the thickness of a substrate includes a stage having a placement area for placing a substrate to which a transferred object is applied, a thin-plate mold with flexibility having a fine pattern on a first surface facing the placement area of the stage, which is held with a predetermined tension and a pressing roll which can press a second surface opposite to the first surface of the mold, in which the stage has plural adsorption holes around the placement area, and the adsorption holes start adsorption in synchronization with movement of the pressing roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Ishikawa, Teppei Iwase, Toshihiko Wada
  • Patent number: 9950464
    Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a molding compound comprising a resin, a filler, and a carbon nano-tube dispersion and methods of forming a package using the molding compound is disclosed. The carbon non-tube dispersion has a number of carbon nano-tubes with surfaces that are chemically modified by a functional group to chemically bridge the surfaces of the carbon nano-tubes and the resin, improving adhesion between the carbon nano-tubes and the resin and reducing agglomeration between various ones of the carbon nano-tubes. The carbon nano-tube dispersion achieves a low average agglomeration size in the molding compound thereby providing desirable electro-mechanical properties and laser marking compatibility. A shallow laser mark may be formed in a mold cap with a maximum depth of less than about 10 microns. Other apparatuses and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Myung Jin Yim, Jason M. Brand
  • Patent number: 9950465
    Abstract: An example system includes: (i) a resin container defining a cavity; (ii) a plurality of rods extending from an inner base surface of the resin container and into the cavity; (iii) a plurality of light sources arranged to emit radiation into the plurality of rods, such that when the cavity contains liquid resin, radiation passing through a given one of the rods cures liquid resin that surrounds the given rod; and (iv) a control system configured to: (a) receive data specifying a three-dimensional structure; (b) determine a shape for a layer of a plurality of layers that collectively form the three-dimensional structure; and (c) determine one or more of the light sources that correspond to the shape of the layer; and (d) form the layer by operating the one or more determined light sources that correspond to the shape of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Jeff Linnell, Brandon Kruysman, Jonathan Proto
  • Patent number: 9950467
    Abstract: A method of additive manufacturing of a component includes cutting a plurality of sheets, each sheet corresponding to a respective cross-section of the component, tack welding the sheets to one another to form a stack, arranging the stack in a mold, and spark plasma sintering the tack-welded stack of sheets to reduce vacancies and dislocations between adjacent sheets of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Sergey Mironets
  • Patent number: 9950468
    Abstract: A system for flash-free over-molding of LED array substrates. In an aspect, a method is provided for molding encapsulations onto an LED array substrate. The method includes attaching a protective tape onto a substrate surface of the substrate so that openings in the protective tape align with LED devices of the substrate and applying molding material onto a molding surface of a molding tool and to portions of the substrate exposed through the openings in the protective tape. The method also includes pressing the molding surface and the substrate surface together at a selected pressure and a selected temperature so that encapsulations are formed on the portions of the substrate exposed through the openings in the protective tape, separating the molding surface from the substrate surface, and removing the protective tape so that molding material flash is removed from the substrate leaving a clean molded substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGELUX INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Shaikevitch, Vahid Moshtagh
  • Patent number: 9950469
    Abstract: A device for welding plastic tubes includes a pair of tube holders each of which has a tube clamp which includes an upper jaw and a lower jaw. The jaws in both of the tube clamps of both tube holders have smooth tube contacting walls to permit the tubing to slip through either side when the tube holders and tubes are being moved from a loading station to a stripping station to increase the length of fluid free area in the clamped tubes. A cutting/welding station provides for cutting the tubes and welding them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Geness BPS, LLc
    Inventors: Ivars V. Ivansons, Dudley W. C. Spencer
  • Patent number: 9950470
    Abstract: A liner heat sealing device used to fuse two or more sheets of plastic or vinyl together along a straight line using a heating element and a temperature control unit to control the temperature of the device, the device having three separate temperature zones along a linear axis, including a front preheating segment, a central fusing segment and a rear cooling section, each section provided on the common linear sealing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventors: Davis Peck, Jason Conway, Michael Tindill
  • Patent number: 9950471
    Abstract: A method for forming butt joints between thermoplastic members by resistive implant welding. A tongue is formed on one member to be joined and a complementary groove is formed in the other member. A resistive implant is placed between the tongue and the groove which are then pressed together by an applied pressure. An electric current is run through the resistive implant to melt a portion of the thermoplastic material of both the tongue and groove, and the melted plastic intermingles through the implant. When the electric current is removed, the plastic cools, forming a weld.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Magna International Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Grgac, Bradford D. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 9950472
    Abstract: A method of cutting a continuous hollow tubular member having a fully expanded configuration with an outer diameter D, includes the steps of feeding the continuous hollow tubular member in the fully expanded configuration to a cutting station, cutting the continuous hollow tubular member into a plurality of hollow tubular members, each of which has a first flattened end and expanding the first flattened end of the plurality of hollow tubular members to the fully expanded configuration such that the first end of the plurality of hollow tubular members has an outer diameter D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Lewis W. Wadsworth
  • Patent number: 9950473
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for additively fabricating a solid object from a series of components. The method utilizes additive fabrication with a programmed computer operating a machine to produce a solid object based on a three dimensional, computerized rendering of the solid object. Each component is produced from one or more molds which are filled with a fluid material that solidifies into a component that attaches to a previously manufactured component by way of the same process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventors: Richard J. Russell, Michael F. Turk
  • Patent number: 9950474
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system and process for producing three-dimensional parts, which includes forming layers of the three-dimensional part from a part material at a first resolution, and ablating selected voxels of the formed layers with a laser beam at a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Statasys, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Samuel Batchelder
  • Patent number: 9950475
    Abstract: A device for generative manufacturing of a component, in particular for layered generative manufacturing of a component which is printed on a base plate. The base plate forms a connecting surface for applying and compacting powder in order to manufacture the component, and includes a plurality of sheets, the sheets being formed and arranged next to one other such that the connecting surface of the base plate is formed by lateral surfaces of the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: PREMIUM AEROTEC GMBH
    Inventor: Thorsten Schroeder
  • Patent number: 9950476
    Abstract: A method of minimizing distortion in a workpiece is described that includes utilizing a computer system to carry out finite element analysis on a finite element thermo-mechanical model of the workpiece during and after fabrication by additive manufacturing to predict shape distortion and residual stress development in the workpiece, wherein the fabrication includes the fabrication step of depositing multiple layers of a material melted by a heat source along a deposit path on a substrate, and introducing alterations to the workpiece prior to or during fabrication to compensate for the predicted distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Vu Thua Nguyen, Srinivasarao Lathabai, Yuqing Feng, Anthony Miller, John Barnes, Gary Coleman, Amy Marie Helvey
  • Patent number: 9950477
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for bi-directional cutters for Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) machines. One embodiment includes a bi-directional cutter for Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) manufacturing. The cutter includes a cutter body that has an upper edge and a lower edge, and has an opening placed between the upper edge and the lower edge that is dimensioned to enable passage of a tow of fiber through the cutter body. The cutter also includes a first blade disposed on the lower edge of the cutter body that is oriented to cut the tow when the cutter is driven downward, and a second blade disposed on an edge of the opening in the cutter body that is oriented to cut the tow when the cutter is driven upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Andrew Elmer Modin, Allen Halbritter, Tu N. Hoang
  • Patent number: 9950478
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a spar for a blade, which spar includes transversely at least one arrangement. A male former is defined for each arrangement that is to be fabricated and each arrangement is subdivided into a pressure-side subassembly and a suction-side subassembly, each comprising a plurality of hanks, each hank comprising a plurality of U-shaped tape segments stacked on one another. Each subassembly of an arrangement is fabricated outside a mold for fabricating the blade on a single former adapted to that particular arrangement, fabrication being by stacking tape segments on the former using a fiber placement method implemented by a placement head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Jacques Gaffiero, Benedicte Rinaldi, Andre Amari
  • Patent number: 9950479
    Abstract: A method of producing FRP includes disposing a preform made of a reinforcing fiber base material in a cavity of a mold, providing a resin injection path and a suction path that sucks at least air to the mold, and causing resin from the resin injection path to flow in a direction toward the suction path in the cavity to be impregnated into the preform, wherein 1) a high flow resistance region for partially making the resin flowing in the preform hardly flow is formed in the preform itself, 2) a flow front of the resin flowing in the direction toward the suction path through the high flow resistance region is controlled to settle within a permitted region that has been predetermined relative to a shape of a product to be molded, 3) the resin injection path is formed from a runner provided around the preform and the suction path is disposed at a central portion of the preform, and the high flow resistance region is formed at a corresponding part corresponding to a part around the suction path as a high flow resi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kohnosuke Yamamoto, Seiji Tsuji, Kazuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9950480
    Abstract: A composite structure and method of assembling a composite structure is provided. The composite structure includes a base member having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a channel therethrough. The composite structure further includes a support member coupled to the outer surface. A fabric overwrap is coupled to the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Thomas Karl Tsotsis
  • Patent number: 9950481
    Abstract: Described are processes for repairing plastic glazing and for the local application of a plasma coating using a plasma depositing device to an edge created by the removal of excess or unwanted plastic from plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: EXATEC LLC
    Inventor: Steven M. Gasworth
  • Patent number: 9950482
    Abstract: A method for adjusting a light adjustable lens in an optical system includes providing a light adjustable lens in an optical system; providing an ultraviolet light source to generate an ultraviolet light; and irradiating the generated ultraviolet light with a light delivery system onto the light adjustable lens with a center wavelength and with a spatial irradiance profile to change a dioptric power of the light adjustable lens by changing a refraction of the light adjustable lens in a refraction-change zone, thereby causing a wavefront sag, defined as half of a product of the change of the dioptric power and the square of a radius of the refraction-change zone, to be within 10% of its maximum over an ultraviolet spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: RxSight, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H. Grubbs, Christian A. Sandstedt
  • Patent number: 9950483
    Abstract: The invention is related to a method for qualifying and quantifying carboxyl groups on the surfaces of a silicone hydrogel contact lens. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) obtaining silicone hydrogel contact lenses each of which comprises a silicone hydrogel lens body (i.e., bulk material) and a coating thereon, wherein the silicone hydrogel lens body is obtained from a lens formulation free of any polymerizable component including one or more carboxyl groups, wherein the coating comprises a polymer having carboxyl groups; (b) immersing a given number of the silicone hydrogel contact lenses in a fixed volume of a C1-C4 alcohol solution of a positively-charged dye having acetate as counter anion at a given initial concentration for a time period sufficient to stain the silicone hydrogel contact lens; and (c) determining the concentration of carboxyl groups per each silicone hydrogel contact lens and/or the thickness of the coating on the silicone hydrogel contact lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Novartis AG
    Inventors: Xinming Qian, Frank Chang, Troy Vernon Holland, Yongxing Qiu, Venkat Shankar
  • Patent number: 9950484
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a finite conveyor belt of the present invention includes a laminated body formation step of forming a laminated body (35) in which a core layer member (32) which includes a tensile body (14) is interposed between an unvulcanized top cover rubber member (33) and an unvulcanized bottom cover rubber member (34) in a belt thickness direction T, and a vulcanization step of vulcanizing the laminated body (35) by pressurizing in the belt thickness direction (T) and heating the laminated body to form a finite conveyor belt, and the laminated body formation step includes a member formation step of forming the top cover rubber member (33) by separately connecting both ends of an unvulcanized first cover rubber part (36) in a belt length direction (L) in which a detection object (15) is embedded with ends of an unvulcanized second cover rubber parts (37) in the belt length direction (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiki Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 9950485
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method of forming an annular apex filler for tire beads. Said apparatus comprises a cylindrical former (2) for supporting a cut length of an apex filler strip (91) of elastomeric material, wherein said cylindrical former (2) comprises a hollow rotary shaft (21) and a plurality of rigid, circumferentially spaced apart fingers (22). The fingers (22) are movably connected to support members (24) for flipping the apex filler when wound on the cylindrical former. The support members (24) are movable connected to substantially radially extending guiding members (25). The guiding members (25) are connected to a hollow rotary shaft (21). The fingers (22) are connected via linkages (27) to a driving member (281) which is connected to a push/pull shaft (28) which extends at least partially through the hollow rotary shaft (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: VMI HOLLAND B.V.
    Inventors: Marco Slot, Gerard Johannes Van Laar
  • Patent number: 9950486
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a sole for a shoe, especially for a sports shoe, wherein the sole has at least a first section which consists of a first plastic material and has at least a second section which consists of a second plastic material, wherein the second plastic material is Expanded Thermoplastic Polyurethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Matthias Hartmann
  • Patent number: 9950487
    Abstract: A method for operating a machine tool/work machine includes providing a machine tool/work tool including a stroke element, a connection arrangement including a traction/pressure element and at least one traction/pressure point, a detachable connection including a connection element, a compensation element or a unit which generate a pre-stress, a (cutting) impact dampening, and compensates for a weight of the stroke element in the connection arrangement. The drive device acts on a work piece to be machined via the connection arrangement with the traction/pressure element and the at least one traction/pressure point via the stroke element. A force is produced via the compensation element or a unit corresponding to a weight of the traction/pressure element, the force being initiated independently from a drive force for the stroke element, to generate a pre-stress, a (cutting) impact dampening and a compensation of the weight of the stroke element in the connection arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SCHULER PRESSEN GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Spiesshofer
  • Patent number: 9950488
    Abstract: A space-saving in-flight trash compactor, comprising a trash chute, a compactor mechanism disposed above a level of the trash chute, and a storage chamber removably positioned below the compactor mechanism and below a level of the trash chute. The storage chamber is vertically aligned with the compactor mechanism. The trash chute is configured to channel trash disposed through an opening of the trash chute at a level of a counter top and above a level of a top of the storage chamber into an opening of the storage chamber at the top of the storage chamber. The opening of the trash chute may be horizontally offset from the vertical alignment of the storage chamber and compactor mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Fritz, Mark P. Rezner, Michael T. Zimmerman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9950489
    Abstract: The plastic bag may include flexible thermoplastic sidewalls that have a pattern imparted onto them. The wrinkle pattern may be a plurality of linear ribs formed into the sidewall that may be arranged adjacent and parallel to one another. To impart the pattern to the sidewall, a thermoplastic web used to make the sidewall may be directed between a first cylindrical roller and a second cylindrical roller, each of which may have a plurality of spaced ridges extending about their peripheries. When the web is directed between the first and second rollers, the meshing of the ridges may form ribs into the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: The Glad Products Company
    Inventors: Robert W. Fraser, Kyle R. Wilcoxen
  • Patent number: 9950490
    Abstract: A tearable core, adapted for winding a sheet product, includes a cylindrical body wall defining a longitudinal hole of longitudinal axis XX?. The cylindrical body wall is tearable from an edge, and includes an outer strip and an inner strip that are helically wound on one another and displacedly overlapped in a lateral direction parallel to the longitudinal axis XX?, and secured together through their mutually facing surfaces by a first region of attachment. The strips are made of the material having characteristics such that the inner strip and the outer strip are made of cardboard having different water drops. The cylindrical body wall is formed by securing together the outer strip, a first end part of the outer strip of one turn being superposed and secured to a second end part of the outer strip of an adjacent turn through their mutually facing surfaces by a second region of attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SCA TISSUE FRANCE
    Inventors: Gilles Cattacin, Damien Brendle
  • Patent number: 9950491
    Abstract: A flexible structure inflation and sealing assembly that can comprise a driver configured for engaging the flexible structure to drive the structure in a downstream direction longitudinally along a material path and a nozzle configured for reception in an inflation channel that extends through the flexible structure. At least a portion of the nozzle is flexible and is operable to adjust to the direction and angle that the flexible structure approaches from. The flexible portion may align with a tip of the nozzle in one axis and the opposite end of the nozzle in a second axis thereby allowing for misalignment of the flexible structure as it engages the nozzle and is directed to a pinch area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: PREGIS INNOVATIVE PACKAGING LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Christopher M. Rains
  • Patent number: 9950492
    Abstract: A variable insulation system for an article of outdoor equipment that allows a user to adjust the amount of insulation within the article of outdoor equipment. The article of outdoor equipment may include at least one resealable channel that is configured to receive one or more insulation pouches. The insulation pouches may include first and second attachment members for connecting the insulation pouches before they are inserted into the resealable channels. A user may add insulation pouches to or remove insulation pouches from the resealable channels depending on the user's insulation needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Channel Gear, LLC
    Inventor: Steven W. Banowit
  • Patent number: 9950493
    Abstract: A decorative film includes a dark-colored opaque substrate, which includes a surface that includes an uneven section, and a transparent decorative layer, which is stacked on the surface of the opaque substrate and closely contacts the uneven section. The uneven section includes ridges and grooves, which are located between the ridges. The ridges extend in directions of the same tendency, and the grooves extend in directions of the same tendency as the ridges. A minute uneven section formed in the top surface of each ridge includes minute ridges and minute grooves, which are located between the minute ridges. The minute ridges extend in directions of the same tendency and have a narrower width than the ridges and the grooves, and the minute grooves extend in directions of the same tendency as the minute ridges and have a narrower width than the ridges and the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., NISSHA PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Etsuo Ozawa, Tatsuo Ito, Ryouki Kubomoto
  • Patent number: 9950494
    Abstract: A method for producing a sandwich component, which method permits the production of a sandwich component with a class-A surface without cumbersome reworking of the visible surface of the sandwich component, a sandwich component produced by the method, and a corresponding device for producing the sandwich component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Dietz, Danijel Drezga, Christoph Krammer, Guenter Wolfsberger
  • Patent number: 9950495
    Abstract: A method for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional object includes: a) identifying a set of sequentially extending planar cross-sectional shapes of the three-dimensional object; b) cutting a metal sheet into a plurality of planar metal pieces, each metal piece cut to a metal piece shape corresponding to a respective one of the cross-sectional shapes, wherein the metal sheet has a first face with a first plurality of barbs extending therefrom, and an opposed second face with a second plurality of barbs extending therefrom; c) cutting a substrate sheet into a plurality of planar substrate pieces, each substrate sheet cut to a substrate piece shape corresponding to a respective one of the cross-sectional shapes; and d) positioning the metal pieces and the substrate pieces in facing relation in an alternating pattern and in sequential order, and pressing the metal pieces and substrate pieces together to force the barbs to penetrate the substrate pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: NUGRIPMETAL S.A.R.L.
    Inventor: Ray Arbesman
  • Patent number: 9950496
    Abstract: A multi-layer preform sheet having at least a first layer and a second layer, the first layer being composed of a solder material that contains an intermetallic compound, and the second layer containing a first metal having a melting point of 300° C. or above, and a second metal capable of forming an intermetallic compound with the first metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Napra Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Sekine, Chihiro Shimaya
  • Patent number: 9950497
    Abstract: The invention relates essentially to a composite part comprising at least one sheet of steel coated with at least one polymeric film formed beforehand by extrusion of a polymeric blend comprising at least the following components: a polymer formed of a dispersion of elastomer nodules in a polypropylene matrix, the proportion of elastomer in the matrix being less than 20% by weight of the combination formed by the matrix and the elastomer, a first antioxidant from the family of the phenolic antioxidants for a content by weight of greater than or equal to 0.2%, a second antioxidant from the family of the hydroperoxide-decomposing antioxidants for a content by weight of greater than or equal to 0.1%, reinforcing fillers for a content by weight of less than 10%. The invention relates in addition to a process for the manufacture of this composite part and to the application of this composite part in the motor vehicle and transportation fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: ARCELORMITTAL INVESTIGACION Y DESARROLLO
    Inventors: Marjolaine Doux, Didier Verchere
  • Patent number: 9950498
    Abstract: A plastics film with improved energy-shielding properties, suitable for application on a transparent or translucent surface, such as glass, and which is at least 50% transparent for visible light, further characterized in that it includes at least one plastic carrier layer with on top thereof as a functional layer a metallic layer consisting of antimony and/or arsenic together with indium and/or gallium, wherein the plastics film contains a total of indium (In), gallium (Ga), antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) together, which are present as an alloy, such as indium andmonide, gallium andmonide, indium arsenide, indium gallium arsenide and/or gallium arsenide, of at least 4.0 ppm by weight and at most 25.0 ppm by weight. A glass plate to which the film is attached, is described as are objects provided with the glass plate. Methods are described for the production of the film, the glass plate and the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Michiels Group
    Inventors: Luc Michiels, Bart Michiels
  • Patent number: 9950499
    Abstract: A layer structure having at least one metal element and at least one polyamide layer arranged at least regionally on the metal element, the structure preferably comprising an insulated electrical conductor wherein The polyamide layer consists of a polyamide molding composition consisting of the following components: (a) a polyamide based on cycloaliphatic diamines or cycloaliphatic dicarboxylic acids having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at 130° C.; (b) a polyolefin based on C2-C12 alkenes, and additionally on at least one monomer selected from the following group: maleic anhydride, itaconic anhydride, glycidyl acrylate, butene, propylene, glycidyl methacrylate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl acetate, C1-C12 alkyl (meth)acrylates, substituted or unsubstituted styrene, or a mixture of such monomers; (c) optionally an aliphatic polyamide different from (a), or a mixture of such polyamides; (d) optionally additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: EMS-PATENT AG
    Inventors: Georg Stoppelmann, Gabriel Garcia
  • Patent number: 9950500
    Abstract: A glass assembly having a first glass component, a frame overlapping the perimeter and top surface of the first glass component, a second glass component atop the frame, and a layer of adhesive interposed between the two glass components. Also disclosed is a frame for bonding two glass components. Also disclosed is a protective glass assembly for a LCD having a top surface and perimeter. The protective glass assembly having a frame which overlaps the top surface and perimeter of the LCD, a glass component placed atop the frame, and a layer of optical adhesive interposed between the LCD and the glass component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: MANUFACTURING RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: William Dunn, Michael LeCave
  • Patent number: 9950501
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multilayer heat shrinkable film incorporating an oxygen barrier material and layer containing a styrene polymer or blend of styrene polymers, where the shrinkage of the film in at least one of MD, TD is at least 30% at 90° C. The invention is further directed to a method of manufacturing a bag from said multilayer heat shrinkable film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Flexopack S.A. Plastics Industry
    Inventor: George Roussos
  • Patent number: 9950502
    Abstract: Described is paper or cardboard packaging produced from mineral oil contaminated, (e.g., recycled) paper, wherein the packaging includes a barrier layer obtainable by applying an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising a copolymer obtainable by emulsion polymerization of C1-C4 alkyl (meth)acrylates, acid monomers, e.g., acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, 0-20 wt % of acrylonitrile and 0 to 10 wt % of further monomers in an aqueous medium in the presence of a carbohydrate compound, preferably in the form of a degraded starch, wherein the glass transition temperature of the copolymer is in the range from +10 to +45° C. The barrier layer may be situated on one of the surfaces of the packaging or form one of multiple layers of a multilayered packaging coating or be situated as a coating on one side of an inner bag situated within the packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Hermann Seyffer, Carmen-Elena Cimpeanu, Heiko Diehl, Darijo Mijolovic, Andre Van Meer, Jan Van Delft, Christof Van Sluijs
  • Patent number: 9950503
    Abstract: A jig for fixing laminated materials, a system for manufacturing bonded laminated materials, and a method of manufacturing bonded laminated materials are provided at a good yield factor and to efficiently manufacture the bonded laminated materials that are pressed and bonded after being laminated without a misalignment of the membranes or deformation of the laminated materials or any deficiency in bonding at the interface. The bonded laminated materials are manufactured by storing materials made of membranes (W) in a housing space (S) formed by a first sheet-shaped member (12), a second sheet-shaped member (22), and a sealing member (30), exhausting the housing space (S) to sandwich the laminated materials (W) between the first and second sheet-shaped members (12, 22) to fix them, and pressing and bonding them by hot-pressing rollers (51) and cold-pressing rollers (52) of a machine (50) for manufacturing the bonded laminated materials while they are fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: SINTOKOGIO, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Nagasaka, Shogo Nakajima, Takayuki Nozawa, Osamu Sugino, Ikuto Mishima
  • Patent number: 9950504
    Abstract: An elastic composite film provided with a sintered ePTFE film and an elastomeric resin layer, produced by continuously forming the elastomeric resin layer on at least one side of the sintered ePTFE film, continuously elongating the resulting multilayer film at less than the yield point of the expanded, sintered, porous film and at an elongation factor of 1.3 times or more in the biaxial directions, or in the uniaxial direction without contracting in the direction perpendicular to the direction of elongation, and relaxing the resulting elongated multilayer film, wherein when the composite film is elongated by 10% in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction, the tensile stress of the composite film is 2.5 N/15 mm or less, and/or the elongation percentage of the composite film in the longitudinal and/or transverse direction is 30% or more and the elongation recovery rate is 70% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Imai
  • Patent number: 9950505
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing the display device (70, 80) comprises: providing a first flexible substrate (101) comprising a first and second surfaces and a second flexible substrate (102) comprising a third and fourth surfaces; joining the second surface of the first flexible substrate with the third surface of the second flexible substrate by a connecting element (11) to form a laminated structure, wherein the first surface of the first flexible substrate (101) is a first outer surface of the laminated structure, and the fourth surface of the second flexible substrate (102) is a second outer surface of the laminated structure; forming a first flexible display element layer (10a) and a second flexible display element layer (10b) respectively on the first and second outer surfaces of the laminated structure; separating the first flexible substrate (101) from the second flexible substrate (102) of the laminated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Qiao, Hongli Wang, Yanli Wang
  • Patent number: 9950506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a laminating foil having an initial roughness on at least one side, which makes the laminating foil matte, wherein the laminating foil has a marking configured as a surface pattern with surface portions on the matte side or at least on one of the matte sides, wherein the roughness of the surface portions is different from the initial roughness. The invention furthermore relates to a laminating foil set comprising the laminating foils, a method for hot laminating sheet material using such laminating foils, a laminating unit for using the laminating foil, and eventually a laminating system including the laminating unit and the laminating foils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Monollth GmbH Buerosystems
    Inventor: Bernd Loibl
  • Patent number: 9950507
    Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional structure manufacturing apparatus which manufactures a three-dimensional structure by laminating layers formed using three-dimensional formation compositions containing three-dimensional formation powders, the apparatus including: a formation unit in which the three-dimensional structure is formed; a first supply unit and a second supply unit which supply the three-dimensional formation compositions to the formation unit; a first squeegee and a second squeegee which form the layers configured with the three-dimensional formation compositions on the formation unit; and a discharge unit which discharges a binding solution for binding the three-dimensional formation compositions to the layer, in which the first supply unit, the first squeegee, the discharge unit, the second squeegee, and the second supply unit are arranged in this order, along a movement direction of the discharge unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Okamoto, Junichi Goto