Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Ceradyne, Inc.

Other

Richard L Allor

David Robert Collins

Dawn Roberta White

Peter A Friedman

Allen Roche

Warren Benjamin Copple

Samir Samir

George Luckey, Jr

John Scott Badgley

Jerald Edward Jones

Grigoriy Grinberg

John Michael Nicholson

George C DeBell

Matthew M Shade

Dainius E Skiotys

Kevin Patrick Regan

Timothy Jay Potter

Michael Alan Tamor

Joseph A Szuba

Gary Mark Crosbie

Robert A Pett

Arup Kumar Gangopadhyay

Ching-Hsong George Wu

Ernest D Stiles

Fred G Oblinger

Robert R Baker

John Richard Baer

Chris Young

John C Caverly

John A Herman, Sr

George Luckey Jr

Michael K Benjamin

David Warren Worthey

David A DeTroyer

James C LaLonde

Terry R Peckham

Alan J Peleshok

Tyann Sue Chappell

Thomas J Husak

Douglas George Mcwatt

Allen Dennis Roche

An armor blast shield for use on the bottom of a vehicle to protect occupants of the vehicle from improvised explosive devices. A preferred embodiment is configured in a V-shaped configuration formed by at least two planar blast resistant panels and an I-beam having channels with inclined walls which receive the panels at an obtuse angle. The panels are adhesively adhered to the I-beam channel walls and at least one bolt is secured through the I-beam and a panel to provide superior blast resistant performance as compared to welded panels.

V-shaped blast shield for protection against IEDs

The adjustable louvered armor window system invention comprises angled louvers made of the lightweight opaque armor. For the front window a viewing window of ballistic glass can be installed, the rear or sides could be solid armor. The louvers have overlaps to provide for gap protection. When no threat is present, the louvers are in the full open position. Once a threat is detected, then the louvers are closed. The movement of the louvers can be accomplished by a push/pull cable, hydraulic pressure, air pressure or other means. The system in the fully open position allows for a complete unobstructed viewing area. In the semi-deployed or partial down position, the system provides partial ballistic coverage for the occupant, and still allows for some occupant vision capability. In the fully deployed, or fully closed position, the system provides full ballistic coverage for the occupant, with a small viewing area or port, which is made of ballistic grade transparent armor.

Adjustable louvered armor window system

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming a sheet of ductile material by superplastic forming. The gas pressure is varied to control the material flow during the forming process. Accordingly, the gas pressure can be increased or decreased to control the rate of deformation of the workpiece. Accordingly, the method and apparatus contemplates the use of predetermined pressure profiles to reduce the overall forming time.

Pressure controlled superplastic forming

A superplastic forming tool for forming a workpiece to make a part. The forming tool includes a forming die having first and second die members. At least one of the die members having a cavity including a forming surface and a plenum. A plurality of passageways extend between the plenum and the cavity. The passageways allow passage of fluid between the cavity and the plenum.

Superplastic forming tool

A system and method for superplastic forming a workpiece. The system includes a superplastic forming cell formed of a plurality of individual stations or modules, each one performing a specific manufacturing step or process on the workpiece. Individual stations include a preheat station, a forming station, a cooling station, a cleaning station and a trimming station. These stations work in conjunction with one another to reduce superplastic forming cycle times and correspondingly increased production times when manufacturing a workpiece using a superplastic forming process.

System and process for superplastic forming

Method and arrangement for spray forming an article. The method includes spraying a plurality of metal streams upon a low-heat resistant model and thereby forming a spray formed article. Each of the plurality of metal streams is composed of moltenized droplets, and as between the plurality of metal streams, each is composed of different constituent elements. In the spray form process, conditions of the metal streams are controlled, particularly around the time that the droplets land, to prevent adverse affects such as melting or burning the master model. The spray conditions are controlled in such a manner that the individual metal droplets forming the metal streams remain substantially segregate. The segregated state is maintained through out solidification so that the resulting spray formed article is composed at least partially of psuedo-alloy.

Spray-formed articles made of pseudo-alloy and method for making the same

An apparatus and method for heating and transferring a workpiece to a forming press for superplastic forming. The apparatus includes a heater assembly, having upper and lower heated platens, mounted to a frame. The heater assembly heats the workpiece to a predetermined temperature. A shuttle assembly operates to remove the heated workpiece from the heater assembly and transfer it to the forming press for forming.

Apparatus and method for heating and transferring a workpiece prior to forming

An apparatus and method for removing a part from a forming tool and supporting the part. The apparatus includes a support member having a surface contoured to conform to a formed shape of the part and an aperture disposed in the surface. A manipulator moves the support member near the part while the part contacts the forming tool. Pressurized gas is directed toward the part to cause the release of the part from the forming tool and to cool the part. The surface supports the part to inhibit distortion as the part cools.

Apparatus and method for removing and cooling a part from a forming tool

A method and arrangement for implementing post-heat treatment after spray forming is ended to achieve stress control in the manufacture of a spray formed metallic tool involves providing a spray-formed metallic tool by applying a spray-forming material on a mold substrate and causing substantially homogenous metallic phase transformations of the spray forming material within the spray-formed metallic tool to a substantially homogenous distribution of commingled metallic phases consisting, for example, of predetermined proportions of at least a bainite phase and a martinsite phase.

Method and arrangement implementing heat treatment after the execution of sprayform techniques

An apparatus and a method for forming an article and performing a secondary operation on the article in-situ. The apparatus includes a closure and a die having a cavity. A source of pressurized gas forces a portion of a sheet into contact with a forming surface having a predetermined shape. A tool is movably connected to the apparatus and is configured to engage the sheet to perform a secondary operation while the sheet is held in compression between the closure and the die.

Apparatus and method for forming an article and performing a secondary operation in-situ

The present invention relates to a method of spray forming a boron steel metal article, and to the formed article. In at least one embodiment, the method comprises (a) providing a spray forming pattern, (b) spraying metallic particles onto the spray forming pattern, and (c) allowing the sprayed metallic particles to cool to form a metal article. In at least one embodiment, the metallic particles are sprayed from a carbon steel feedstock having a boron content of 0.25-2.25 weight percent, based on the total weight of the feedstock.

Spray formed articles made of boron steel

Spray formed articles made of boron steel and method for making the same

One method of the present invention relates to a method for enhancing adhesion of spraying metal to a ceramic model. The method is comprised of providing the ceramic model having a spray surface, and modifying at least a portion of the spray surface if the ceramic model to enhance adhesion of spray metal to the spray surface.

Method for enhancing adhesion of metal particles to ceramic models

One method of the present invention includes introducing a slurry into a mold unit comprised of a mold contained within a casting receptacle and lowering the temperature of the slurry to freeze the slurry and form a freeze-cast substrate while controlling temperature gradients within the mold unit to minimize distortion in the freeze-cast substrate. Another method includes introducing a slurry into a mold unit comprised of a mold contained within a casting receptacle, placing insulation material around at least a portion of the casting receptacle to minimize distortion in the freeze-cast substrate by controlling temperature gradients within the mold unit, and lowering the temperature of the slurry to freeze the slurry to form a freeze-cast substrate.

Method for producing a freeze-cast substrate

One method of the present invention relates to a method for spray forming metal deposits. The method is comprised of providing a ceramic substrate having a spraying pattern for receiving sprayed metal particles, spraying metal particles onto the spraying pattern to form a metal deposit on the spraying pattern for at least a first spray period, controlling the spraying step during the first spray period so that the temperature of the deposited metal particles increases at an average rate of less than or equal to about 15&deg; per minute. The first spray period can be defined as lasting until the temperature of the deposited metal particles is at or about a steady state temperature. The steady state temperature is preferably in the range of about 330&deg; C. to about 370&deg; C.

Method for spray forming metal deposits

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Livonia, MI, United States of America

Richard L Allor