Patents Examined by Elena T Lightfoot
  • Patent number: 8920884
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a polymer stabilized alignment liquid crystal display panel including: filling a liquid crystal layer between a first substrate and a second substrate, the liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules, monomer with single functional group and monomer with multiple functional groups; polymerizing the monomer with single functional groups to form two alignment layers over inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate; and polymerizing the monomer with multiple functional groups to form a polymer capable of pre-tilting the liquid crystal molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shih-Wei Yeh, Te-Sheng Chen, Chih-Ho Chiu, Hsi-Chien Lin
  • Patent number: 8906468
    Abstract: A method of applying a low gloss coating to a substrate such as the exterior surface of an aircraft is disclosed. The coating composition comprising a polyene, a polythiol, a flatting agent and a coloring pigment is applied to the substrate and given a first dosage of UV radiation followed by a second dosage in which the second dosage is greater than the first resulting in an ultralow gloss coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Bowman, Harry Muschar
  • Patent number: 8900673
    Abstract: A long-lasting water-repellent textile treatment process using a curable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-containing polyurethane (PU) system includes the steps of mixing a di-isocyanate with a PDMS-containing material, and reacting the di-isocyanate with the PDMS-containing material to form an NCO-terminated PDMS-containing PU system. The treatment process obtains a long-lasting water-repellent textile, which overcomes the shortcomings in hand feel, washing durability, and breathability of the conventional water-repellent textile, while having the advantages of low cost and of being an environmentally friendly process, while also providing useful and practical industrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Inventors: Wei-hung Chen, Po-cheng Chen, Shih-chieh Wang, Kan-nan Chen
  • Patent number: 8889233
    Abstract: The present invention addresses provides improved methods of preparing a low-k dielectric material on a substrate. The methods involve multi-step ultraviolet curing processes in which UV intensity, wafer substrate temperature and other conditions may be independently modulated at each step. In certain embodiments, a film containing a structure former and a porogen is exposed to UV radiation in a first step to facilitate removal of the porogen and create a porous dielectric film. In a second step, the film is exposed to UV radiation to increase crosslinking within the porous film. In certain embodiments, the curing takes place in a multi-station UV chamber wherein UV intensity and substrate temperature may be independently controlled at each station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Maxim Kelman, Krishnan Shrinivasan, Feng Wang, Victor Lu, Sean Chang, Guangquan Lu
  • Patent number: 8871311
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method providing efficient curing of an optical-fiber coating on a drawn glass fiber. The method employs one or more UV-radiation sources that emit electromagnetic radiation to effect the curing of coated glass fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Draka Comteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Delya Gharbi, Nicolas Mariette
  • Patent number: 8865264
    Abstract: A method of coating a substrate surface. The method includes plasma spraying a direct-spray component onto a substrate surface, and plasma spraying an over-spray component onto the substrate surface. The direct-spray and over-spray components form a plasma coating surface contacting at least a portion of the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Larry P. Haack, Ann Marie Straccia
  • Patent number: 8865267
    Abstract: A method for coating a board of wood-based material, comprising the steps of providing a board of wood-based material; applying a first liquid coating; applying at least a second liquid coating onto the still wet first coating, so that a partial mixture of the coatings takes place; curing the applied coatings by means of radiation, wherein the coatings are selected so that the cured resultant coating has a hardness gradient wherein the hardness of the resultant coating decreases with increasing depth viewed from the surface of the resultant coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Kronoplus Technical AG
    Inventors: Dieter Döhring, Hans Schäfer, Udo Hanitzsch
  • Patent number: 8865266
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of coating a porous substrate. The method includes forming a first coating on the substrate that at least partially fills the pores of the substrate, forming a second coating on the substrate, and optionally at least partially restoring the porosity of the porous substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Dow Corning Corporation
    Inventors: Dongchan Ahn, Christopher Wong, Renee Berrie
  • Patent number: 8852690
    Abstract: The present invention relates to metal oxide coating materials that can be used as thin film thin film coatings on various substrate surfaces. The invention also concerns a method of making metal oxide material which are stable in aqueous phase and that can be deposited on a substrate by liquid phase deposition, such as spin-on deposition. The new materials can be patterned lithographically or non-lithographically and are applicable for building up various electronic and opto-electronic device structures, such as anti-reflection layers, high-k interlayer and gate oxide structures for ICs, etch stop layer, CMP stop layer, solar cells, OLEDs packaging, optical thin film filters, optical diffractive grating applications and hybrid thin film diffractive grating structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Braggone Oy
    Inventor: Ari Karkkainen
  • Patent number: 8852694
    Abstract: A method of forming a polymer film includes dispensing a substrate and coating the substrate with a composition that is curable using actinic radiation. In an example, the method further includes exposing the composition to actinic radiation in presence of an atmosphere including 1 vol % to 37 vol % oxygen, whereby the surface of the composition forms an undulating morphology. In another example, the method further includes applying an oxygen-containing overlay over the composition, exposing the composition to actinic radiation through the oxygen-containing overlay, and removing the oxygen-containing overlay, whereby the surface of the composition forms an undulating morphology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc., Saint-Gobain Abrasifs, University of Massachusettes
    Inventors: Alfred J. Crosby, Dinesh Chandra, Anuj Seth, Michael A. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 8846132
    Abstract: A method for producing a polymer layer on a transparent support. A photopolymerizable liquid composition is applied to the support. The photopolymerizable liquid composition is irradiated through the support such that polymerization of the liquid composition starts at the surface of the support and ends at a predetermined distance over the surface of the support. Only partial polymerization of the liquid composition takes place. A polymer layer with a predetermined thickness is formed on the support wherein the predetermined thickness is less than the thickness of the photopolymerizable liquid composition. The remaining photopolymerizable liquid composition is removed from the entire polymer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Carina Horn, Joachim Hoenes, Wolfgang-Reinhold Knappe
  • Patent number: 8828494
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of treating a metal to improve the metal's corrosion resistance. In one such method, the method is carried out by applying, to the surface of the metal, a coating which includes magnesium powder and a UV-curable or other radiation-curable binder. In another such method, the method is carried out by applying, to the surface of the metal, a coating which includes magnesium powder and an inorganic binder. In another such method, a coating that includes a magnesium alloy powder and a binder is applied to the surface of the metal. The magnesium alloy powder is selected such that it has a corrosion potential that is from about 0.01 volt to about 1.5 volt more negative than the metal's corrosion potential. Also disclosed are methods of treating a ferrous metals and magnesium alloys to improve the corrosion resistance of these materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: NDSU Research Foundation
    Inventors: Gordon P. Bierwagen, Dante Battocchi, Neena Ravindran, Duhua Wang
  • Patent number: 8815351
    Abstract: A method for attaching silicon-containing compounds to a surface and for synthesis of hypervalent silicon-compounds is described. Attaching silicon-containing compounds to a surface comprises providing a silicon-containing compound having two or more leaving groups, and a first functional compound comprising at least one nucleophilic group, contacting the silicon-containing compound and the functional compound with a surface of a substrate having nucleophilic sites and exposing the silicon-containing compound, the functional compound and the surface of the substrate to microwave radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Owens
  • Patent number: 8808811
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a nanovoided article, a nanovoided coating, and a low refractive index coating is described. The process includes providing a first solution of a polymerizable material in a solvent; at least partially polymerizing the polymerizable material to form a composition that includes an insoluble polymer matrix and a second solution, wherein the insoluble polymer matrix includes a plurality of nanovoids that are filled with the second solution; and removing a major portion of the solvent from the second solution. An apparatus for the process is also described, and includes a webline, a coating section, a partial polymerization section, and a solvent removal section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: William Blake Kolb, Encai Hao, Brant U. Kolb, David L. Phillips
  • Patent number: 8784931
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing ULSI wiring in which wiring layers are separately formed via a diffusion prevention layer and an insulating interlayer portion made of SiO2. The method comprises the steps of treating, with a silane compound, a SiO2 surface of the insulating interlayer portion on which the diffusion layer is to be formed, performing catalyzation with an aqueous solution containing a palladium compound, forming the diffusion prevention layer by electroless plating, and then forming the wiring layer on this diffusion prevention layer. A capping layer may be formed on the wiring layer by electroless plating. Consequently, a diffusion prevention layer having good adhesive properties can be formed through a simple wet process, and, the wiring layer can directly be formed on this diffusion prevention layer by a wet process. The capping layer can also be directly formed on the wiring layer by electroless plating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Waseda University, Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Ueno, Tetsuya Osaka, Nao Takano
  • Patent number: 8784945
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for making materials treatable by electron beam (EB) processing, such as materials for flexible packaging, comprising: providing a substrate; applying an ink formulation on at least a portion of the substrate, the ink formulation comprising ink and at least one monomer selected from acrylates, vinyl ethers, cycloaliphatic diepoxides, and polyols; and applying a lacquer on at least a portion of the ink formulation, the lacquer comprising at least one monomer selected from acrylates, vinyl ethers, cycloaliphatic diepoxides, and polyols. The processing apparatus for EB treating the material operates at a low voltage, such as 110 kVolts or below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Energy Sciences, Inc.
    Inventor: Imtiaz Rangwalla
  • Patent number: 8778462
    Abstract: A composite sheet comprises a substrate and a multi-layer coating on its outer surface, the coating comprising a metal layer and an outer polymeric layer formed from a precursor comprising a polymerizable composition that includes an olefin group and a moisture curable group, such as an isocyanate or silane group. The function of the polymeric layer includes protecting the metal layer from corrosion. A production process for the composite sheet includes depositing the precursor and exposing it to both beam radiation and moisture, which respectively promote polymerization and curing at different sites of the precursor. The amenability of the isocyanate or silane functionality to moisture-promoted coupling promotes substantially full conversion and curing of the precursor, even of portions of the substrate that are geometrically shadowed from incident beam radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Noel Stephen Brabbs, Eric Huebsch, Yufei Tao, Lech Wilczek
  • Patent number: 8758865
    Abstract: A system and method for creating an authentication mark on a recording medium by depositing marking material on a medium in an image area to create a marking material image and to create a marking material authentication image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Belelie, Michelle N. Chretien, Naveen Chopra, Barkev Keoshkerian
  • Patent number: 8734910
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electroconductive paste for electron beam curing that allows the formation of a circuit board having an electroconductive layer that has superior hardness and bendability as well as superior adhesion to a plastic base even if used in a high-temperature environment. The present invention is an electroconductive paste for electron beam curing comprising an electroconductive powder, a radical polymerizable composition and a plasticizer, wherein the plasticizer is incorporated at a ratio of 5 parts by mass to 20 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the radical polymerizable composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignees: Fujikura Ltd., Goo Chemical Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Koshimizu, Shigeo Ota
  • Patent number: 8697185
    Abstract: A new device and process for continuously applying coatings, such as resin and additives or polymers or the like, to minerals are disclosed. The device and apparatus differ substantially from standard batch coating processes currently used by industry. The apparatus uses a horizontal cylinder with an internal auger and a series of injection ports distributed along the cylinder. Minerals that are to be coated are pretreated and passed through the mixing cylinder using the auger (which may comprise one or more screws with variable pitch blades). As the mineral particles pass through the cylinder various coating materials are injected by the injection ports. The complete system is described, the method of use is explained and the control system which allows for different products is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fairmount Minerals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert H. Mizwicki, Kelley J. Kerns