Including Stacking Of Plural Workpieces Patents (Class 83/29)
  • Patent number: 6872044
    Abstract: Sheets held by a sheet transfer mechanism are supplied from a supply unit to an aligning unit, and aligned with each other by the aligning unit. Thereafter, corners of the sheets are cut off by first and second cutting units, and then the sheets are vertically inverted by an inverting unit. Then, the sheets are turned into a given direction by a turning unit, and supplied to a discharge unit, from which the sheets are discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 6829815
    Abstract: Sheet-metal blanks for rotors or stators of electrical machines are cut from rolled sheet-metal strips with a magnetic preferential direction and layered to form a laminated rotor core or laminated stator core. To compensate largely for a magnetic anisotropy of the laminated rotor core or laminated stator core, the sheet-metal blanks, when they are not centrosymmetrical, are cut out together congruently in a single cutting operation, from rolled sheet-metal strips stacked one above the other and rotated relative to one another by an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Henschel, Martin Heyder
  • Publication number: 20040237739
    Abstract: An inserter input system including a web feeder providing a web of printed material to be split by a web slitting knife along the web's direction of travel. The split web is then cut transverse to the direction of travel by a web cutter, resulting in side-by-side individual sheets. Downstream of the rotary cutter, a right angle turn mechanism receives each of the side-by-side sheets and reorients them by ninety degrees. Further the right angle turn reorients the sheets into a serial shingled arrangement. The right angle turn transport operates at a velocity that is a function of the product of the web cutting rate and the width of the documents. A high speed separation nip pulls individual shingled sheets out from the shingled arrangement. The speed of the separation nip is such that a predetermined gap between the previously shingled sheets is formed. The separation nip speed is further controlled as a function of the product of the cutting rate and the sum of the document length plus the predetermined gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Incorporated
    Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, John R. Masotta, Boris Rozenfeld
  • Patent number: 6822193
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) and stacks. The method concerns assembling the layers required for the formation of a fuel cell, sintering the fuel cell and thereafter shaping the cell. When making a fuel cell stack, the sintered fuel cells are assembled with the interconnect, spacing and sealing material to form a stack of at least one stack element, followed by shaping the stack. Shaping is carried out in various ways and maximum tolerances of 1% are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Haldor Topsoe A/S
    Inventors: Christian Olsen, Jens Christiansen
  • Patent number: 6763748
    Abstract: A slicing and conveying system forms a three or more flavor-combined draft. A first slicing machine slices a succession of first and third slices in first and third shingled drafts. A second slicing machine slices a succession of second slices in second shingled drafts. A pass-through conveyor transfers the first draft to an output conveyor of the second slicing machine, wherein the second draft is added to the first draft to form a first combined draft. An overlap conveyor receives the first combined draft and merges the first combined draft with the third draft on the overlap conveyor to form an elongated combined draft. Optical sensors determine lengths of the first draft, the second draft, the third draft, and/or the elongated combined draft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Formax, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Wolcott, Glenn Sandberg
  • Patent number: 6752055
    Abstract: A turret assembly for receiving and holding lengths of re-cut tubing cut or sheared from a longer-length workpiece by a re-cut device. The turret assembly includes a motor, a plate and a plurality of accumulator members. The accumulator members are supported by the plate in essentially parallel, spaced-apart relationship to receive a predetermined quantity of lengths of re-cut tubing from the re-cut device. The plate is rotated by the motor. A stripping device having a stripping collar and a linear actuator can strip tubing from the accumulator members. A stacking element can collect stripped tubing from the accumulator members and stack tubing in a container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Inventor: John J. Borzym
  • Patent number: 6745457
    Abstract: An electromagnetically operable valve having an electromagnetic circuit which includes at least one solenoid coil, a core used as internal pole, and an armature, as well as a magnet housing at least partially surrounding the solenoid coil. The magnet housing is produced from a sheet-metal blank with the aid of rolling or bending. The magnet housing has a middle housing area that is adjoined in the axial direction on both sides by attachment areas which have a smaller outside diameter than the housing area. The valve is particularly suitable as a fuel injector for fuel-injection systems of mixture-compressing internal combustion engines with externally supplied ignition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Noller, Werner Hanft, Hubert Stier
  • Patent number: 6698266
    Abstract: A method for controlling a bar processing mill having an exit and a cooling bed to produce bars of a predetermined cold length. The method includes, for a first bar in a processing order, calculating a long hot cut length based, at least in part upon a predetermined cold length. In addition, the method includes adjusting the long hot cut length based on a total length of bar exiting the exit, if the long hot cut length is greater than a minimum cooling bed length, and if a number of layers of bars to be processed on the cooling bed is less than a predetermined number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mervin W. Brower
  • Publication number: 20040017028
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) and stacks. The method concerns assembling the layers required for the formation of a fuel cell, sintering the fuel cell and thereafter shaping the cell. When making a fuel cell stack, the sintered fuel cells are assembled with the interconnect, spacing and sealing material to form a stack of at least one stack element, followed by shaping the stack. Shaping is carried out in various ways and maximum tolerances of 1% are obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Christian Olsen, Jens Christiansen
  • Patent number: 6682625
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing profiles formed so as to have different cross-sectional shapes in the height direction, in which a long-sized hoop of workpiece is indexed, a plurality of types of component members having outer contours corresponding to the respective cross-sectional shapes of the profile are formed in a plurality of stages and indexed in the state where the component members are replaced on the workpiece, and the component members are sequentially ejected from the workpiece, laminated into a profile in the final stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignees: Institute of Technology Precision Electrical Discharge Works, Japan Science and Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Shoji Futamura, Chikara Murata, Isamu Aoki
  • Publication number: 20040011172
    Abstract: A method of automatic in-line forming of a material stack comprising the steps of feeding a base in sheet form or from a roll to a predetermined position, simultaneously feeding a first layer from a first roll for placement on one side of the base in sheet form and a second layer from a second roll for placement on the opposite side of the base in sheet form. The base, the first layer from the first roll, and the second layer from the second roll are moved together to a cutting station and are advanced a predetermined length. The first layer and the second layer are cut together to the predetermined length to form the desired stack, with the base between the first and second layers. In another aspect, the invention comprises apparatus for automatic in-line forming of a material stack comprising a main frame, a conveyor on the main frame for feeding a base material. A first layer of material is fed from a first roll onto one surface of the base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: David S. Rosenthal, Gregory Starr
  • Patent number: 6669805
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of temporarily adhering a stack of sheets together to facilitate drilling a hole through the stack of sheets. The method includes using a temporary adhesive that prevents burring while drilling a hole through the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. Japp, Gregory A. Kevern, Francis S. Poch
  • Patent number: 6666063
    Abstract: A process system and produces metal sheets, including electric sheets, and uses at least one sheet machining unit, particularly a notching device. One or more linear transfer devices or more one sheet stacking devices, one or more sheet feeding unit and one or more sheet removal devices are being configured for stacking at least one sheet metal blank, centering and/or orienting at least one sheet metal blank, (c) at least one of notching at least one sheet metal blanks, separate and/or remove one or more interior sheet metal parts, and deposit the one or more notched sheet metal blanks and/or depositing the one or more interior sheet metal parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Schuler Pressen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Pick, Otto Kurz, Alfred Bareis, Thomas Moeller
  • Patent number: 6640681
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device that allows portions of similar slices to be obtained even if the product that is sliced is changed. To this end, the slice surface is monitored. Incomplete portions are transferred to a park position subject to the slice surface monitoring. The incomplete portions are transported in a positionally accurate manner from the park position back to the collecting zone if the slice surface monitoring element detects that slices are available that match the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Co. KG
    Inventor: Günther Weber
  • Publication number: 20030145700
    Abstract: A conveying surface for a slicing apparatus that can be moved in two orthogonal directions in a coordinated manner to allow a depositing of slices in a pattern on the conveying surface. The conveying surface can be an endless belt conveyor circulated in the longitudinal direction by a servo-motor via a telescopic drive shaft and shifted in the lateral direction by servo-motor driving a crank arm mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: Formax, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott A. Lindee
  • Patent number: 6571833
    Abstract: A conduit sleeve structure for use with fiber optic cables, coaxial cables and the like includes a pair of adjacent strip-shaped layers of flexible material that are joined along their longitudinal edges to define a channel through which the cable can extend longitudinally through the innerduct structure between the layers. The adjacent layers have differing widths between their longitudinal edges, whereby the wider layer bulges away from the narrower layer to impart an open configuration to the channel. It has been found that the conduit sleeve structure may be manufactured more efficiently and inexpensively if multiple sheets and pull cords are stacked and arranged in such a way that multiple conduit sleeve structures may be manufactured simultaneously in a parallel arrangement. The method of manufacturing the conduit sleeve structures includes feeding several stacked sheets through a folding machine or mechanism, a stitching machine, and then a slitting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: George C. McLarty, III, Derek S. Kozlowski, Robert M. Smith, J. Robert Reynolds
  • Patent number: 6506276
    Abstract: A plurality of thermoplastic tubular segments having substantially equal lengths are arranged in horizontal side-by-side relationship with the respective ends of the tubular segments aligned in a generally common plane. Small portions of the respective ends of the tubes are cut by a thermal cutting device which simultaneously fuses the ends of the tubes to produce a consolidated unitary structure having a thickness defined by the distance between the fused ends of the tubular segments. The consolidated unitary structure is then rotated to a horizontal position, with the tubular segments vertically oriented, and cut along at least one horizontal plane to produce fused cores having a thickness defined by the vertical position of a horizontally disposed thermal cutting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Newcourt, Inc.
    Inventors: Calvin Leroy Court, Melvin T. Court, Calvin Lance Court
  • Publication number: 20020166426
    Abstract: A turret assembly for receiving and holding lengths of re-cut tubing cut or sheared from a longer-length workpiece by a re-cut device. The turret assembly includes a motor, a plate and a plurality of accumulator members. The accumulator members are supported by the plate in essentially parallel, spaced-apart relationship to receive a predetermined quantity of lengths of re-cut tubing from the re-cut device. The plate is rotated by the motor. A stripping device having a stripping collar and a linear actuator can strip tubing from the accumulator members. A stacking element can collect stripped tubing from the accumulator members and stack tubing in a container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventor: John J. Borzym
  • Publication number: 20020152859
    Abstract: A method to remove pieces (14) cut off from bar-shaped workpiece material (5) by a cutting machine (1) is provided as well as an apparatus to carry out this process, wherein the piece (14) of the material (5) to be cut lies on a machine table (7) during cutting behind the cutting plane (8) in the direction of feed (9) of the material (5), is gripped between gripping jaws (12, 13) from behind the cutting plane (8) only. At the end of the cut, the cut off piece (14) is moved away from the cutting plane (8) by the gripping jaws (12, 13) in the material feed direction (9) and is tilted about an axis perpendicular to the material feed direction (9) such that its most recently cut surface is essentially horizontal and directed downward and that the piece (14) is then discharged by the gripping jaws (12, 13) by means of an essentially vertical motion downward onto an offload table (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: KEURO Besitz GmbH & Co. EDV-Dienstleistungs KG
    Inventor: Armin Stolzer
  • Patent number: 6467382
    Abstract: An extraction apparatus for extracting or separating cut or partially cut pieces or parts from a cut sheet at an extraction station comprises: a sheet gripping and moving device for gripping and moving a cut or partially cut sheet through an extraction station; and an extraction roller at the extraction station positioned for movement transversely of a cut sheet and being constructed, arranged and operated to move transversely of the path of movement of the cut sheet when the leading edge scrap web of the cut sheet is adjacent the extraction roller to engage and deflect the scrap web of the cut sheet passing through the gripping and moving device away from the cut pieces or parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Spartanics
    Inventors: Samuel P. Willits, Thomas E. Kleeman, William W. Wilk, Baesley I Dahlstrom
  • Patent number: 6435066
    Abstract: A method of cutting a window covering having a longitudinal axis and a second axis substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis to a specified length includes providing a cutting apparatus including a base having a cutting surface. The cutting apparatus has a cutting blade slidably mounted thereon for sliding along a movement axis toward and away from the cutting surface. The window covering is then positioned atop the cutting surface of the base and the cutting blade is moved along the movement axis and toward the cutting surface to cut the window covering to the specified length. The movement axis has a first component extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the window covering and substantially perpendicular to the second axis of the window covering and a second component extending substantially parallel to the second axis of the window covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Springs Window Fashions Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Darrell J. Kutchmarek, Richard L. Seiders
  • Patent number: 6427571
    Abstract: A Venetian blind cutting machine is provided for cutting blinds produced in several sizes into a required size. Venetian blinds produced in several proper sizes are selected by consumers and are then cut into various sizes to meet their exact needs by the cutting machine. This blind cutting machine is made up of a retaining mechanism, a cutting mechanism, a corner trimming and a calibrating mechanism. The retaining mechanism is responsible for clamping blinds in place and the cutting mechanism is used to cut a blind into a proper size. The corner trimming and calibrating mechanism has a calibration ruler which permits slats to be placed in abutment for precise measurement and calibration. A mold set disposed on the corner trimming and calibrating mechanism is provided with a multi-faced mold assembly which has various types of knives suit for slats of different specification for trimming the ends of slats into proper round corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Ching Feng Blinds Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Pey-Son Hsu
  • Patent number: 6381822
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a plurality of friction plates obtained by adhering friction members to substantially annular core plates, comprising the steps of simultaneously stamping a plurality of coaxial core plates having different diameters with remaining joint portions therebetween, simultaneously stamping a plurality of substantially annular and coaxial friction members having different diameters corresponding to the core plates and with remaining joint portions therebetween to permit adhesion to the core plates, and stamping the joint portions of the friction members and the core plates when or after the friction members are adhered to the core plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: NSK-Warner K.K.
    Inventors: Tadashi Watanabe, Ken Haginoya
  • Publication number: 20020029671
    Abstract: A stacking apparatus for paper products comprises a supplier of an overlapping stream of paper products and a plurality of receiver elements to form a layer. A rotation device is arranged beneath the receiver elements, with the orientation of the supplied printed products being rotated through 90° with respect to the orientation of the layer on exiting the further receiver element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Applicant: Gammerler AG
    Inventors: Gunter Gammerler, Ronald Meisel
  • Patent number: 6318224
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for slicing products, such as of foodstuffs, has a slicing station at which slices are cut from a product fed to the station. The cut slices fall on a receiver arranged below the slicing station, and the vertical distance between the slicing station and the receiver is varied as a stack of slices builds up on the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Thurne Engineering Company Limited
    Inventor: Trevor Barry Hoyland
  • Patent number: 6055896
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a stacking machine which cuts a multiply rope into bundles, clamps the lead ends of the bundles against a conveyor which moves the bundles to stacking stations where the bundles are collected in stacks. Completed stacks are transferred to a takeaway conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Elsner Engineering Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Molison
  • Patent number: 6055895
    Abstract: A slider of the punch carry out unit is moved in the X-axis direction adjacent a punching section of the punch press machine before or after a plate material is punched into a punched product by a punch press machine. At the same time, a gravity center and a shape of the punched product are calculated and recognized on the basis of the manufacturing data. On the basis of the obtained gravity center and the shape of the punched product, the gravity center of the punched product is moved under the lift arm by the X- and Y-axis locating mechanism. Vacuum pads located just over the punched product are selected or discriminated. Then, the lift arm is lowered and the punched product is held by actuating only the discriminated vacuum pads. During this lift motion, it is preferable to bend one end of the punched product slightly upward to easily separate the punched product from the remaining flat plate material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Amada America, Inc.
    Inventor: Masato Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 6042680
    Abstract: Laminated siding pieces and a method of producing them. A laminated siding workpiece is provided including a substantially flat piece of display material having a first major surface that is laminated to a bevelled piece of support material. The substantially flat piece of display material is cut through to form a laminated siding piece having a flat piece of display material, possessing a freshly cut major surface, laminated to a bevelled piece of support material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Joined Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Peterman
  • Patent number: 5927170
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing and stacking sheets cut from a web of material, in which by longitudinal cutting, at least two web sections 7a, 7b of predetermined width are cut from the web of material 7, by transverse cutting, a predetermined number of sheets of material of desired length are cut from each of the web sections 7a, 7b, and the cut sheets are delivered to stackers which stack the cut sheets according to the different cut formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: BHS Corrugated Maschinen-und Anlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Grill, Paul Engel
  • Patent number: 5924185
    Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for reducing the working area for cutting on a cutting machine for cutting a stack (1) of sheet material, the machine being provided with an automatic moving cutting tool (4) and with suction apparatus for holding the stack covered in air-impervious film (5) down on a cutting table (3) having a conveyorized support surface 3a. The apparatus comprises the air-impervious film (5) for covering the stack (1), an air-impervious movable mask loop (6) designed to cover a portion of the table (3), and a low friction block (65) for positioning the mask (6) over the portion of the table. The mask (6) covers the portion of the table and holds down the film (5) and the mask (6) when suction is applied beneath the table. The mask (6) is able to move across the portion of the table when a conveyor (62) transfers the stack (1) by use of the conveyorized support surface 3a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Lectra Systemes
    Inventor: Regis Lallement
  • Patent number: 5829332
    Abstract: A rotary knife apparatus for depositing filled pouches in preselected count stacks along a travelling product conveyor. The rotary knife apparatus includes a rotating disc valve intermediate negative and positive pressure sources on one side and a rotary knife hub on the other side. The rotating disc valve includes a plurality of arcuate slots and apertures which communicate with the negative and positive pressure sources and axial ports in the knife hub such that the knife hub holds and expels the filled pouches along defined segments of rotation of the knife hub. The rotating disc valve has a dynamically variable rotational speed relative to a rotational speed of the knife hub for changing a predetermined number of different angular drop-off points during a period of rotation of the knife hub to correspondingly change the preselected count of pouches in a stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: R. A. Jones Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Paul E. Dieterlen
  • Patent number: 5806390
    Abstract: A method for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material. An origin point is located at a known position with respect to the sides and ends of the marker. The origin point of the marker is then registered relative to the cutting table and the centerline of the layup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Gerber Garment Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Pomerleau, Joseph R. Vivirito, Ivan Markowitz
  • Patent number: 5727433
    Abstract: A method for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Gerber Garment Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Pomerleau, Joseph R. Vivirito, Ivan Markowitz
  • Patent number: 5709023
    Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for reducing the working area for cutting on a cutting machine The apparatus comprises the cutting machine made up of a cutting table, the working area on the surface of the cutting table, an automatic cutting tool for cutting a stack of sheet material within the working area and a suction apparatus providing suction to the working area. An air-impervious film covers the stack and which holds the stack down within the working area when suction is applied. An air-impervious removable mask (6) covers a portion of the working area and is held in a determined position by fixing and positioning structures, such as a strip and an abutment attached to the mask. When the mask is held in the determined position, the working area is effectively reduced to a portion of the working area that is not covered by the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Inventor: Regis Lallement
  • Patent number: 5642900
    Abstract: An air bag module includes a base plate and an inflator mounted to the base plate. The inflator discharges inflator gas to inflate an air bag. The air bag includes an air bag opening for receiving inflator gas therethrough. The air bag is made of a flexible fabric air bag material. The air bag also includes a mouth portion surrounding the air bag opening. The mouth portion includes a plurality of flap portions. Each of the flap portions is a continuous extension of the air bag material and each of the flap portions is connected to the base plate to anchor the air bag during air bag deployment. The flap portions cooperatively define the shape of the air bag opening and are each formed by cutting the air bag material to form the air bag opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Muklesh Chunibhai Patel
  • Patent number: 5622587
    Abstract: A method for producing a three dimensional laminated decal composite having a predetermined configuration with top edges being curved or arcuate. The method includes providing a decal support for supporting a decal, and securing a decal to the decal support to produce a laminated decal composite. A thermal die is produced with a die base and at least one cutting ridge secured to the die base. The cutting ridge in vertical cross-section is essentially shaped as an isosceles triangle with a preferred height of about 0.09 inches. The laminated decal composite is die-cut with the cutting ridge of the thermal die having a cutting temperature, a cutting pressure and a cutting dwell time to produce a three dimensional laminated decal composite having a predetermined configuration. A three dimensional laminated decal composite produced in accordance with the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Barthelman
  • Patent number: 5568937
    Abstract: A modular air bag construction system is disclosed wherein an airbag is constructed by providing a main panel, attaching reinforcing material to predetermined locations on the main panel and forming holes through the main panel at the predetermined locations, and subsequently attaching a face panel to the main panel and trimming the face and main panels to a desired rounded configuration. The present system uses substantially rectangular panels whereby conveying and accurate placement of the panels is facilitated. The present system is conducive for implementation as an automated system and eliminates expensive and time consuming precutting of the air bag components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: MIM Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph F. Conley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5488886
    Abstract: A method for optimizing the cutting of sheets of material that are stacked on a bench in a cutting machine. Before cutting the sheets, a beam descends to hold the sheets fast while guillotine blade descends and cuts the sheets. After the sheets have been cut, the blade and beam are lifted, with the lower edge of the beam following the sharp edge of the blade. A definite distance between the blade and the top of the stack is determined while the blade rises after cutting the sheets. The rise of the blade is terminated at the upper end of that distance, which is determined by a pick-up mounted stationary on the holdfast beam. This pick-up detects the position of the rising blade in relation to the holdfast beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Inventor: Wolfgang Mohr
  • Patent number: 5483856
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for slitting a stack of folded corrugated paperboard boxes utilizes a thin slitting blade mounted for continuous movement through a slitting station and defining a vertical slitting plane. A stack supporting table straddles the slitting blade to support a stack of boxes in a stand-by position above the blade. Adjustable upstream and downstream squaring devices are operative to square and center the stack in the cutting plane and a vertically reciprocable ram operates to move the stack and the supporting table downwardly past the blade against a table biasing force to slit the stack into two half-size stacks. The squaring device is operable to re-square the slit half-size stacks prior to conveyance out of the slitting station. The slitting run of the continuous blade operates in a rigid blade holder which is adjustable to compensate for blade wear and to maintain the cutting edge of the blade in a fixed plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Marquip, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean W. Smitterberg, William R. Nachtrab, Jr., David G. Kadlecek, Bruce H. Beutler
  • Patent number: 5460408
    Abstract: A modular air bag construction system is disclosed wherein an air bag is constructed by providing a main panel, attaching reinforcing material to predetermined locations on the main panel and forming holes through the main panel at the predetermined locations, and subsequently attaching a face panel to the main panel and trimming the face and main panels to a desired rounded configuration. The present system uses substantially rectangular panels whereby conveying and accurate placement of the panels is facilitated. The present system is conducive for implementation as an automated system and eliminates expensive and time consuming precutting of the air bag components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: MIM Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph F. Conley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5413665
    Abstract: A web of cardstock divided by transverse score lines includes card segments having apertures oriented with respect to an optical center point of each card segment. The web is continuously fed from a supply of cardstock by engagement of a tractor feed device with tracks of holes extending along the longitudinal edges of the web. A selected one of the holes serves to locate the optical center point of each card segment as the web is fed to a film mounting station. Film negatives cut from a strip of developed film are sequentially positioned in registry with the optical centers in the apertures of the card segments as the web advances through the film mounting station. An adhesive releasably secures the negatives in overlying relation with the apertures on one side of the cards to expose through the apertures a selected composition of the negatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: Think, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph R. Gaetano
  • Patent number: 5309804
    Abstract: A rotary cutter is disclosed for repeatedly cutting web printed sheet material with a printed repeat portion of finite length thereon which includes a cutting cylinder adapted for rotation in a manner such that the web printed sheet material passes thereby A cutting knife extends generally along the length of the cylinder on the outer surface for periodic engagement with a backup support cylinder for cutting the sheet material when positioned therebetween. The cutting knife is generally continuous along a major portion of the length thereof and has a minor arcuate portion which is discontinuous with the major portion so as to cut the sheet material whereby the sheet material on one side of the cutting line is provided with a straight cut portion having an arcuate projection extending therefrom and the sheet material on the other side of the cutting line is provided with a void portion corresponding in configuration and dimension to the arcuate projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Newsday, Inc.
    Inventors: James H. Norris, Thomas M. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 5271792
    Abstract: A web of cardstock divided by transverse score lines includes card segments having apertures oriented with respect to an optical center point of each card segment. The web is continuously fed from a supply of cardstock by engagement of a tractor feed device with tracks of holes extending along the longitudinal edges of the web. A selected one of the holes serves to locate the optical center point of each card segment as the web is fed to a film mounting station. Film negatives cut from a strip of developed film are sequentially positioned in registry with the optical centers in the apertures of the card segments as the web advances through the film mounting station. The negatives are adhesively, releasably secured in overlying relation with the apertures on one side of the cards to expose through the apertures a selected composition of the negatives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Think, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph R. Gaetano
  • Patent number: 5228373
    Abstract: In a paper processing machine, the method and apparatus of this invention apply an opposite electrostatic charge to stacks and reams of paper to eliminate the repelling force from like charges on both sides of the individual sheets of the stack or ream to thereby temporarily bond them together. With the sheets thus temporarily bonded, the stacks and reams of paper can be easily transported between work stations without undesirable sliding of the sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Robert A. Foisie
    Inventor: Bernhard J. Welsch
  • Patent number: 5197364
    Abstract: Apparatus for trimming lateral marginal portions of a scalloped stream of partially overlapping sheets has two counterknives at that side of the path for the sheets which is adjacent the leaders of successive sheets and a pair of rotary knives located opposite the counterknives at the side of the path which is adjacent the trailing ends of successive sheets. The sheets of the stream of sheets issuing from a printing machine must be inverted by 180.degree. if the counterknives are located beneath the respective rotary knives. Trimming operations which are carried out upon successive sheets having leaders at that side of the path which is adjacent the counterknives are less likely to result in tearing of the sheets than the trimming operations in conventional apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: GRAPHA-Holding AG
    Inventor: Kurt Heutschi
  • Patent number: 5165314
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for longitudinally slitting a continuously moving shingle of sheets of corrugated paperboard includes a thin, circular rotary slitting blade cooperating with a lower roller assembly which supports the underside of the moving shingle and provides a firm surface to support the shingle against the upper rotating slitting blade. The roller assembly includes an annular circumferential slot in its outer surface through which an edge portion of the upper cutting blade travels with the shingle firmly supported by the roller surfaces on each side of the slot. In an embodiment of the invention for slitting a shingle of preformed knocked down boxes, the lateral edges of the advancing shingle are aligned and the shingle is held for movement into the slitting blade, resulting in extremely good registration and slit quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Marquip, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard F. Paulson, James A. Cummings
  • Patent number: 5158273
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of in-line die-cutting in saddle signature gathering wherein signature sets are gathered on a gathering chain to form signature sets. The signature set is grasped by a pair of belts which lift the signature off the gathering line so that a portion of the signature set along the spine thereof may be removed by a die-cutting pair of plates located above the gathering line. The signature sets may be stopped as lifting and cutting occurs. After lifting and cutting the signature set is replaced on the gathering line for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Wagner & Teldon Publishing Ltd.
    Inventor: Joerg Wagner
  • Patent number: 5144873
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for cutting patterned sheets. The apparatus is made of a support surface formed on an upper side of a pedestal. Needle holders having removable needles therein are disposed above said support surface and held adjustably by a base member. The apparatus also includes a suction pipe disposed on one side edge of the support surface. The suction pipe is used with an envelope of air-impervious material and forms one edge of the envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawakami Seisakusho
    Inventor: Nobuo Nasu
  • Patent number: 5123316
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the reduction of paper waste in a web fed printing machine utilizes one or more cutting mark reading heads and a strip cutting register device to vary the path of travel of a stack of part web strips in accordance with deviations in tension of the part web strips from a nominal value. Elongation or reduction of the length of the path of strip travel is used to properly register the strip stacks with respect to a strip cross-cutting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Albert-Frankenthal Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Arnold J. Niedermaier, Karl H. Zeiler
  • Patent number: 5103702
    Abstract: Venetian blind slats are stacked and clamped onto a support, and confined laterally, while leaving ends beyond the desired length to which they are to be cut, un-confined. Then in one stroke in a direction perpendicular to the support, the ends of the stack are sheared-off by a punching tool having a cutting edge which contacts longitudinal margins prior to the center of the slats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Levolor Lorentzen, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Yannazzone