The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 23, 2024
Filed:
Dec. 14, 2022
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
David Anthony Wagner, Dearborn, MI (US);
Jeffrey Michael Hatt, Livonia, MI (US);
Gerald J. Heath, Allen Park, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
An inner mandrel for forming a variable taper component includes a plurality of interlocking pieces and a brace. Each interlocking piece defines opposed tapered edge faces, a first surface, and a tapered second surface opposite the first surface. One of the edge faces defines a locking feature and another of the edge faces defines a receiving feature engaging the locking feature of an adjacent interlocking piece. The first surface defines a variable taper and a plurality of recesses. The brace secures the plurality of interlocking pieces to each other in a concentric arrangement about a central axis. A maximum width of each of the interlocking pieces is smaller than a minimum width of an end portion of the variable taper component. A central portion of the variable taper component is wider than the end portions.