Friction Treatment (e.g., Welding) Patents (Class 156/73.5)
  • Patent number: 6308760
    Abstract: A strapping apparatus for strapping goods with a band, which apparatus has a tensioning device which is operatively connected to a tensioning drive and is intended for tensioning of the band, a closure device for sealing two ends of a band, and a plurality of rewinding locks for fixing the band on the strapping apparatus, is to be as lightweight as possible while of high functional reliability. It is therefore proposed that an essentially plate-shaped control board (14) which is operatively connected to an actuating means is provided as the means for controlling functions of the strapping apparatus, that a movement of the actuating means brings about a pivoting movement of the control board (14), and that the pivoting movement of the control board can be transmitted to a plurality of transmitting means which are coupled to the control board, with which the rewinding locks (5, 6, 26) can be transferred from a locking position into an insertion position and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Orgapack GmbH
    Inventors: Flavio Finzo, Giancarlo Haltinner, Bernd Marsche, Ludovigo De Felice
  • Patent number: 6299050
    Abstract: The invention intends to reduce a frequency at which defects occur in a welding region during friction stir welding, and to improve the reliability of the welding region. The invention resides in a friction stir welding apparatus wherein a distance to the surfaces of the workpieces is detected by a detector, a change of the detected distance is found by a signal processing device, and a tool is rotated by a rotation driving device in a state where a vertical driving device is controlled by a control device so as to suppress the found change, whereby a plastic fluidity of the workpieces is caused to accomplish joining of the workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisanori Okamura, Masahiko Sakamoto, Kinya Aota, Isao Funyu, Kouichi Watanabe, Akihiro Sato, Masakuni Ezumi, Yasuo Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 6296726
    Abstract: Sealed synthetic resin containers are spin welded by bringing opposed, generally complimentary horizontal mating surfaces of the lid and bowl into contact under a predetermined axial pressure and rapidly accelerating rotation of the lid relative to the bowl while maintaining substantially the axial pressure to produce melting of the mating surfaces until a desired torque value is attained. Thereafter, the rotation of the lid is immediately decelerated to terminate the rotation and allow the mating surfaces to bond. Generally, the torque is monitored repeatedly during the accelerating rotation until a plateau is reached and the accelerating step is continued for at least 50 milliseconds thereafter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Silgan Containers Corporation
    Inventor: John Pencak
  • Patent number: 6290792
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for low-cost production of a lens for a vehicular lamp formed by integrally joining a plurality of synthetic resin lens members through vibration welding. The s apparatus includes a fixed portion and a vibrating portion, each have a lens fixing jig composed of a pair of respective holding jigs. The method includes the steps of supporting the respective lens members with one of the jigs, holding a lens member between a pair of holding jigs located close together, bringing each welding portion of the respective lens members into contact with each other by moving the vibrating portion and the fixed portion close together, and integrally welding the lens members by vibrating the vibrating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Akiyama, Fujihiko Sugiyama, Masahiko Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 6273980
    Abstract: A vibration welding apparatus and a vibration welding method in which the weight of a vibrating member is reduced and large synthetic resin members can be vibration welded. A vibration welding apparatus for joining two synthetic resin members, such as vehicular lamp lens members, through vibration welding is provided with a vibration generating mechanism, a vibrating member vibrated in a predetermined direction by the vibration generating mechanism, a base, a fixed-side jig disposed on the base for holding a first synthetic resin member, a holding jig composed of a holding jig part fixed to the vibrating member, and a holding part slidably mounted on the base so as to be slidable in the direction of vibration of the vibrating member such that the second synthetic resin member vibrates synchronously with the vibrating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Akiyama, Fujihiko Sugiyama, Masahiko Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 6241836
    Abstract: The practice of joining two thermoplastic resin bodies with widely disparate melting temperatures is enhanced by providing a shallow, roughened surface on at least the higher melting point body. When the parts are clamped together for frictional engagement, the roughened surface increases the local pressure, accelerates the formation of a molten film between the bodies and provides a strengthening mechanical interlock in the welded joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Guide Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Dirk Skirha, Edward Ray Novinger, William Alan Nyberg
  • Patent number: 6228199
    Abstract: A synthetic wood material and method are disclosed, including providing a plurality of continuous glass fibers oriented substantially in the longitudinal axis and coated with a resorcinol modified phenolic resin binder substantially free from catalyst. In one aspect, the synthetic wood material is oxidatively treated to restore color. In one aspect, the fibers and binder are precoated with a furfuryl alcohol resin prior to the pultrusion step to form the synthetic wood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Balaba Concrete Supply, Inc.
    Inventors: Willy M. Balaba, Thomas J. Bryan, III
  • Patent number: 6227275
    Abstract: A method for vibration or orbital welding of a fabric to a thermoplastic substrate includes forming an assembly which has a decorative outer face without markings or pin dents that need to be removed or brushed out. The fabric can be woven or non-woven material and usually is characterized by high and low density regions that are bonded to a thermoplastic substrate in a vibration welder having a smooth surfaced platen applying pressure to the exposed surface of the fabric. High quality bonds or vibration welds are obtained between a fabric and a thermoplastic substrate characterized by a textured surface having tiny raised regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Sonics & Mateials, Inc.
    Inventors: Floyd H. Dibble, Robert S. Soloff
  • Patent number: 6227430
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel pin design for a friction stir welding (FSW) tool that can penetrate more deeply into workpieces to form a thicker weld joint without overloading the tool. The pin is provided with threads on its surface. Some portions of the threads are in a positive hand (d2, d3); positive threads screw in to draw the pin into workpieces when the pin is rotated. Other portions of the threads are in a negative hand (d1, d4); negative threads screw out to oppose drawing-in of the pin. When the pin is rotated and driven into workpieces under an applied vertical load, the positive threads encourage penetration of the pin into the workpieces while the negative threads enhance shearing of workpiece material into particles. The positive threads thus reduce the amount of vertical load required to drive the pin, and therefore allow the pin to penetrate more deeply into workpieces to form a thicker weld joint without overloading the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Charles D. Rosen, Edward Litwinski, Juan M. Valdez
  • Patent number: 6225767
    Abstract: A system for controlling the movement of a movable member with respect to a stationary member, such as is found in a vibration welding apparatus. The system may include a force controller that converts desired force command signals into desired flux command signals and a flux controller that controls the flux in a magnetic core of the stationary assembly to effect the desired movement of the movable member. The stationary assembly may include a plurality of magnetically uncoupled E-cores of paramagnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: Donald C. Lovett, Joseph S. Marcinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 6221189
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing thermoplastic tubes from hollow thermoplastic sleeves by a variety of different manufacturing processes. The machine used in the method is a single apparatus having an indexing device with a plurality of mandrels for holding hollow thermoplastic sleeves for the purpose of transporting the same around a closed manufacturing path. The method involves advancing sleeves around the closed manufacturing path to form tubes from the sleeves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Thatcher Tubes LLC
    Inventors: Ronald E. Kieras, John J. Rhoades
  • Patent number: 6199916
    Abstract: A joint between a fluid connector body and a plastic tube is formed at least in part by spin welding, wherein the portion of the connector which is configured to receive the tube defines inner and outer surfaces which engage the inner and outer surfaces of the mating tube to create redundant circumferentially continuous seals between the fluid passageway and the outside environment. The use of multi-layer co-extruded plastic tubing having intermediate or bonding layers is particularly advantageous inasmuch as separate inner and outer seals are established between the connector housing and the inner and outer tubing layers, respectively, to ensure that neither system fluids nor foreign contaminants are exposed to the intermediate tube layers, thereby preventing capillary adsorption or delamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary O. Klinger, Gary S. Zelinski, David C. Stieler
  • Patent number: 6173880
    Abstract: A friction stir weld system for welding and weld repair has a base foundation unit connected to a hydraulically controlled elevation platform and a hydraulically adjustable pin tool. The base foundation unit may be fixably connected to a horizontal surface or may be connected to a mobile support in order to provide mobility to the friction stir welding system. The elevation platform may be utilized to raise and lower the adjustable pin tool about a particular axis. Additional components which may be necessary for the friction stir welding process include back plate tooling, fixturing and/or a roller mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: R. Jeffrey Ding, Peter L. Romine, Peter A. Oelgoetz