Reshape Patents (Class 425/DIG41)
  • Patent number: 5346655
    Abstract: An optical coupler using round optical fibers whose ends have been formed into a predefined shape to allow greater physical packing densities in order to achieve greater uniform illumination efficiency. The interstitial space between optical fibers is greatly reduced by thermoforming the ends of round optical fibers in a mold that makes a gradual transition from a circular shape to the predefined shape to avoid optical loss. Since the change in shape is gradual, the total cross-sectional area of the fibers remains constant; and optical loss is minimal because there is no reduction in mode volume. The predefined shape may be substantially square or rectangular. The core and cladding materials of the optical fiber are carefully chosen with respect to the glass transition state temperatures of both materials because the temperature at which the materials are formed by a mold are slightly above the glass transition state of the core or cladding, whichever is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Lee L. Blyler, Jr., Gary J. Grimes, Lawrence J. Haas
  • Patent number: 5020985
    Abstract: A laminate bending device includes a pair of parallel shafts extending outwardly through transverse slots in a front wall of a housing. A pair of clamping jaws on the shafts each include an elongated slot for the insertion of a narrow strip of a laminate material of the type sold under the trademark FORMICA. Each of the shafts are mounted within the housing for linear and rotary movement. A spring biases each of the clamping jaws toward a stop on the front wall of the housing. In use, a strip of laminate material is inserted into the slots of the clamping jaws, the spacing of which has been previously adjusted to determine the bending radius. A heating element is then activated to heat the strip and allow the spring biased force on the clamping jaws to bend the strip to the desired radius. A cooling mechanism is activated upon completion of the bending to cool the strip and set the deformed shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: Carlos M. Torres
  • Patent number: 4678617
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for converting an expended, hollow article of thermoplastic material, the article having opposite end walls, an opening in one of the end walls and an annular wall extending between the opposite end walls establishing an original configuration, into a new article of a new configuration. Specifically, the expended article is a two-liter soda bottle and the new article is a building block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: Marpac Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald J. Sykes
  • Patent number: 4502363
    Abstract: The thermoplastic shotshell reconditioning tool includes an elongated member having a front conductive tip portion adapted to be heated to a high temperature sufficient to melt the thermoplastic material of the shotshell tubular portion. A reduced diameter portion of the member is disposed rearwardly of the tip portion to retard axial heat transfer toward a rear handle portion. A generally cylindrical shell conditioning portion is disposed immediately rearwardly of the reduced diameter portion for receiving the heated mouth portion of the melted shell tubular portion to permit it to cool as the heated tip portion advances axially toward the base end portion of the shotshell. The outer surface of the tip portion is heated with a blow torch to a high temperature in the range of 250.degree. F. and 350.degree. F. The heated tip portion is manually inserted into snug contact with the crimped mouth portion of the expended shotshell to melt it for reshaping purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1985
    Inventor: Ross W. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 4446088
    Abstract: An inwardly offset surface of the cover of a carton is cut in a plane transverse to the top of the cover. A protrusion on the bottom surface of a complementary recess in the latch flap extends through the hole to latch the carton with the protrusion being within the cover recess to prevent accidental opening of the carton. The mold for producing the carton cuts the hole while thermoforming by relative movement between a male key mounted in the male mold member and female key mounted in the female mold member. Both keys have flat surfaces transverse to the closing motion of the molds. These flat surfaces are biased into engagement one with the other so that the plastic is cut in a shearing action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: John Daines
  • Patent number: 4360491
    Abstract: A shape-preserving device which is attached to the top and bottom mold section of a thermoforming machine which reciprocatingly thermoforms articles from a heat-softened plastic sheet. The device includes a cavity mold attached to one mold section and a remolding shoe assembly attached to the other. The remolding shoe assembly includes a floating remolding shoe attached to the outer end of a piston rod connected to a pressurized fluid-actuated pneumatic cylinder which is in unimpeded flow communication with a source of compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1982
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Morell J. Holden, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4017227
    Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a method for increasing the production of stretched flat film webs of thermoplastic material in which a melt of thermoplastic material is extruded from a slot die, the melt is solidified to form a film, the film is transversely stretched, the stretched film is heat-set, divided into narrower webs, and wound up, the improvement comprising extruding the melt from a slot die wider than the die normally employed for the production of a preliminary film, which usually corresponds to the width of a transverse stretching frame, dividing the melt in the longitudinal direction into at least two films, superposing the film webs, and transversely stretching said superposed webs. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1977
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Willi Johann Schmidt