Patents Examined by Brenda A. Lamb
  • Patent number: 7531040
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for one embodiment. An amount of photoresist is deposited upon a substrate, the amount of photoresist more than necessary to coat the substrate. The substrate is spun within a bowl such that an excess amount of photoresist is propelled off of the substrate to an interior surface of the bowl. A portion of the excess amount of photoresist is recovered and treated such that the recovered portion of the excess amount of photoresist is rendered usable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: ASML Holdings N.V.
    Inventors: Joseph Consolini, Keith Best, Cheng Gui, Alexander Friz
  • Patent number: 7527691
    Abstract: Provided is a coating apparatus for coating with coating liquid a surface of a strip-shaped body carried in a fixed direction includes, a primary bar extending along a width direction of a carrying plane, which is a carrying path of the strip-shaped body, a secondary bar extending in parallel with and on the downstream side of the primary bar, and a between-bars liquid reservoir disposed between the primary and secondary bars for storing the coating liquid therein at the time of coating. Conditions are set so that relationship W2<W1 is formed between a coating amount W1 of the coating liquid at the primary bar and a coating amount W2 of the coating liquid after the strip-shaped body has passed through the secondary bar. A coating apparatus is also provided, in which the secondary bar contacts the strip-shaped body before the primary bar at the time of starting coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Ando, Shin Kanke
  • Patent number: 7524377
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an apparatus including a die having at least one applicator slot for translating an applicator liquid through the die. The slot is in flow communication with a die cavity. An expansible chamber device is disposed within the die cavity and changes volume in response to changes in fluid pressure within the expansible chamber device, which may be regulated by a means for controlling the volume of the expansible chamber device. The applicator liquid is translated through the die and delivered from the applicator slot at intervals corresponding to actuation of the expansible chamber device. In some embodiments, the die has a single rectangular applicator slot, and the expansible chamber device is an expandable cylindrical tube disposed within the die cavity. In other embodiments, the fluid within the expansible chamber device is an incompressible liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mikhail L. Pekurovsky, Joan M. Noyola, Scott L. Ciliske
  • Patent number: 7520934
    Abstract: A gravure coating apparatus containing a gravure roll, a manifold block for continuously coating a solution on an outer peripheral surface of the gravure roll 15 by immersing a lower part of the outer peripheral surface in the solution, and a doctor blade for scraping off excess solution, a surface of a flexible strip support conveyed to the gravure roll being made in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the gravure roll to transfer and coat a prescribed amount of the solution on the surface of the flexible strip support. The apparatus further contains a dam block which extends from the manifold block on a side where the outer peripheral surface of the gravure roll moves out from the manifold block by rotation of the gravure roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nojo, Tomonari Ogawa, Takayuki Nakanishi, Masafusa Murakami
  • Patent number: 7517410
    Abstract: A micro adhesive nozzle for applying adhesive on a printed circuit board is disclosed. The nozzle includes a nozzle tip portion with a protruding portion arranged at a periphery of the nozzle tip portion, an adhesive discharge opening portion formed within the periphery of the nozzle tip portion, and a gap provided between the discharge opening portion and the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaharu Ono
  • Patent number: 7513951
    Abstract: In a system for chemically processing a metallic part, a tank, parts rotator assembly, circulation assembly, and control system are utilized to process the part. The tank includes a chemical side and a rinse side. The chemical side includes a chemical solution. The rinse side includes a sprayer to spray a rinse solution on the part. The parts rotator assembly moves relative to the tank. The circulation system circulates fluid in the tank. The control system receives signals from a sensor and modulate the system in response to the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Inventors: Richard H. Miller, Ronald E. Jones
  • Patent number: 7503976
    Abstract: A machine for impregnating a die cast metal part with liquid impregnant comprises an impregnation chamber having liquid impregnant in a lower portion, an opening for ingress and egress of the parts being defined in a side wall of the chamber above the liquid impregnant, a door for sealing the opening, a part holder in the chamber and an elevator for positioning parts above the liquid impregnant during evacuation of the chamber and then immersing the parts in the liquid impregnant during subsequent pressurization of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher D. Gilmore, Christopher B. Barney
  • Patent number: 7501160
    Abstract: An apparatus for coating an outer peripheral surface of a pillar structure 1 comprising a smoothing means, and a nozzle 12b having an opening 12c for supplying a coating material; the opening 12c being disposed nearly at the same position as that of the upper end portion 1e of the structure 1 in nearly vertical direction of the structure when being held for coating, and having a length of the longer direction shorter than the length between the both ends of the structure 1. The coating material is supplied from a nozzle 12b to the outer peripheral surface 1a of the structure and coating it on the outer peripheral surface 1a while smoothing the coating surface by a smoothing means 10. The coated surface of the structure is protected from cracking during drying after coating and it is free from defects. A coating method using the apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Noro, Takahisa Kaneko
  • Patent number: 7491272
    Abstract: A microfluidic device for applying a liquid to a surface comprises a chamber for carrying the liquid, an aperture in the chamber for communicating liquid from the chamber to the surface via a conduit having outer sides of limited wetability to the liquid. This device provides a solution for confining liquids to defined areas of a surface without involving physical seals and additionally permits moving the device and confined liquid on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Emmanuel Delamarche, David Juncker, Heinz Schmid
  • Patent number: 7485187
    Abstract: A strand coating system and method including drawing (710) a strand having major and minor dimensions past an adhesive dispensing nozzle, orienting (720) at least a portion of the strand so that the major dimension of the strand is substantially parallel to a direction in which adhesive is dispensed from the adhesive dispensing nozzle as the portion of the strand is drawn past the adhesive dispensing nozzle, and applying (730) adhesive to the strand as the strand is drawn past the adhesive dispensing nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: M. Steve Lessley, Rico R. Valentin, Edward W. Bolyard
  • Patent number: 7476276
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for hot dip coating a metal bar (1), especially a steel strip, in which the metal bar (1) is directed vertically through a container (3) accommodating the molten coating metal (2) and through a guide channel (4) mounted upstream thereof. The inventive device comprises at least two inductors (5) which are arranged on both sides of the metal bar (1) in the area of the guide channel (4) and generate an electromagnetic field for retaining the coating metal (2) inside the container (3). In order to relax the coating bath, the distance (d) between the walls (6) that delimit the guide channel (4) is not kept constant in a direction (N) extending perpendicular to the surface of the metal strip (1) in the zone (H) of the vertical extension of the guide channel (4), which is located between the bottom side (7) thereof and the bottom area (8) of the container (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: SMS Demag AG
    Inventors: Holger Behrens, Rolf Brisberger, Hans-Georg Hartung, Bernhard Tenckhoff, Walter Trakowski, Michael Zielenbach
  • Patent number: 7476277
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improved stencil/screen print quality is disclosed. The stencil or screen assists in application of a printable material onto a substrate, such as an adhesive to a semiconductor die of a semiconductor wafer during a lead-on-chip (LOC) packaging process. In one embodiment, the stencil includes a coating applied to at least one surface of a pattern of the stencil or screen to retard running of the printable material onto the surface. In another embodiment, the stencil or screen includes a second coating applied to at least one other surface of the pattern to promote spreading of the printable material onto the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Tongbi Jiang, Chad A. Cobbley, John VanNortwick
  • Patent number: 7470448
    Abstract: System and method for applying glue to a moving web. The system includes a glue nozzle coupled to glue reservoir. The glue nozzle has an outlet opening arranged to apply glue to the moving web while the moving web moves along a direction. A device delivers a substance to a region of the outlet opening. The device delivers the substance behind the outlet opening relative to the direction. The method includes applying the glue onto the moving web while the moving web moves along a direction and feeding the substance behind the outlet opening relative to the direction. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Janz, Mathias Blau, Andreas Herburg
  • Patent number: 7465358
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a fluid processing chamber, sensors and a controller and method for using the same. The fluid processing chamber includes an inlet region, a processing region and an outlet region. The inlet region generally contains one or more sensors and an external controller to monitor the characteristics of the processing fluid at the inlet to the processing region. The outlet region generally contains one or more sensors and an external controller to monitor the characteristics of the processing fluid leaving the processing region of the chamber. In one embodiment the processing region contains one or more sensors and an external controller to monitor the characteristics of the processing fluid in the processing region. The sensors may include, for example, an ORP probe, a temperature sensor, a conductivity sensor, a dissolved hydrogen sensor, a dissolved oxygen sensor, and a pH sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Weidman, Dmitry Lubomirsky
  • Patent number: 7465356
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for coating preferably webs or strip-like material and in particular to a method and a device for adapting the coating width of such devices. In particular, the present invention moreover relates to the field of liquid coatings by means of slot coating systems. The present invention provides a device and a method in which the coating width is adaptable via limiting means that are movable relative to each other. According to an additional or further preferred embodiment of the invention, the coating width is limited by means of a confining fluid. Preferably, a continuous material web is simulated by means of the confining fluid in the edge area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Kodak Graphic Communications Canada Company
    Inventors: Heinfried Rudolph, Jorg Heinemann
  • Patent number: 7462240
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing module and nozzle or die tip for dispensing at least one liquid filament from a liquid discharge passage onto at least one moving strand. A strand guide is used for guiding each strand past the nozzle and/or locating each strand relative to the discharged liquid filament. The nozzle includes a process air outlet that supplies a stream of process air impinging each moving strand before the liquid filament is dispensed onto the strand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Michael W. Harris, Joel E. Saine
  • Patent number: 7459027
    Abstract: An apparatus for enabling the uniform application of a layer of a coating composition to a tubular substrate includes a shaft, and upper and lower circular rim members of equal diameter that are concentrically attached to the shaft. A pneumatically inflatable tube disposed on each circular rim member has an outer diameter that is variable with changes in its internal pressure. A first flexible cylindrical sheet in contact with the inflatable tubes has parallel edges that form a first slit sufficiently wide to permit movement of the first sheet in response to pressure variation in the tubes. A second flexible cylindrical sheet surrounding the first cylindrical sheet has parallel edges that form a second slit sufficiently wide to permit movement of the second sheet also in response to pressure variation. The second slit is laterally displaced from the first slit, and the second cylindrical sheet has a diameter nearly equal to the specified diameter of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Jiann-Hsing Chen, Robert A. Lancaster, Nataly Boulatnikov
  • Patent number: 7455733
    Abstract: There is provided a fluorescent material coating apparatus for a fluorescent lamp. The fluorescent material coating apparatus includes a cassette on which a plurality of glass tubes are detachably mounted, a delivery member having a delivery chamber communicating with first ends of the glass tubes, a negative pressure generating unit for allowing fluorescent solution to be drawn into the glass tubes by generating a negative pressure in the glass tubes communicating with the delivery chamber by lowering the pressure of the delivery chamber, a dry air supplying unit for supplying dry air to the delivery chamber to dry the fluorescent solution applied on inner surfaces of the glass tubes, a solution tank containing the fluorescent solution and disposed below the glass tubes mounted on the cassette, and a moving unit for allowing lower end portions of the glass tubes mounted in the delivery chamber to be dipped into the fluorescent solution contained in the solution tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: DMS Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Chul Lee, Dong-Gil Kim, Sung-Jung Kim, Jeon-Gu Kim, Hong-Lae Cho
  • Patent number: 7438017
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for coloring slats utilizes a roller, such as an Anilox roller, and enclosed doctor blade subassembly for metering an amount of colorant transferred to the object, and a felt-wiper subassembly for removing colorant from a roller, such as a discharge roller. The doctor blade subassembly includes a pair of side plates located at opposing ends of a doctor blade to enclose a portion of the roller and prevent colorant from building up on a side of the roller while the colorant is being applied to the roller and as excess colorant is being scraped off by the doctor blade. The felt-wiper subassembly includes a wiper blade and a felt insert that combine effectively to remove colorant that is deposited on a roller, such as a discharge roller, that contacts the object once the colorant has been transferred to the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Inventors: Cyrus A. Jabbari, Edwin Morales
  • Patent number: 7435299
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for selectively applying an agent-containing liquid coating to extremely tiny skin piercing microprojections (10). The coating solution is applied to the skin piercing microprojections (10) using a coating technique which selectively coats only the skin piercing microprojections (10) and not the substrate (12) from which the microprojections (10) extend, and then dried. The coating method includes providing an agent-containing coating liquid and conveying the liquid to a liquid holding surface having a coating transfer region. The depth of the coating liquid at the coating transfer region is precisely controlled. The microprojections are then immersed to a predetermined level in the coating liquid. The liquid that coats the microprojections (10) is then dried to form a solid agent-containing coating on the microprojections (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: ALZA Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph C. Trautman, Cedric T. Wright, Michel J.N. Cormier