Patents Examined by Jeff H. Aftergut
  • Patent number: 8020599
    Abstract: A method for mounting a film, used to fabricate a mask for use in screening an electronic device, to a common carrier frame. The common carrier frame has an outer edge along an outer periphery and an opening in a central portion of the frame. The method includes applying external pressure to the frame outer edge to compress the frame inward and reduce the opening, securing a film to the frame, the film covering the frame opening, and releasing the pressure on the frame to expand the opening and place the film in tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert L Baan, Harry D Cox, John P Gauci, John R Lankard, Jr., David C Long, Thong N Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8007609
    Abstract: A method for forming a structure comprising multiple parallel surfaces having a precise separation is disclosed. Precise separation and parallelism of the surfaces is achieved through the use of an adhesive mixture that comprises a plurality of spacers having a dimension substantially equal to the desired separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Symphony Acoustics, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin Wade Carr, Gregory Robert Bogart
  • Patent number: 8007626
    Abstract: A method of bonding a capillary tube made of a thermally deformable material to a passage in a glass wafer comprising the steps of treating the surface of the capillary tube to render the surface bondable and wettable by a conventional epoxy resin; inserting a support inside the capillary to prevent inward deformation of the capillary during subsequent fabricating steps; inserting the supported capillary inside the port on the wafer; heating an end of the capillary proximate a bottom portion of the port to effect melting of a portion of the heated end of the capillaries; moving the melted end of the capillary into contact with a wall of the port at a desired location for the capillary in the port, thus forming a temporary seal between the capillary and the wall of the port; and introducing an epoxy around the capillary to bind the capillary to the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Lehigh University
    Inventors: Ashish V. Pattekar, Mayuresh V. Kothare
  • Patent number: 8002926
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing tubes formed from fiber reinforced composite material, the apparatus including: an elongate hollow mandrel (3) having an internal mandrel cavity (5), the mandrel having an external surface (7) upon which reinforcing fiber material (9) can be wrapped to provide a composite lay-up (10) supported thereon; and fluid flow means (11) for enabling heat transfer fluid of different temperatures to be circulated through the mandrel cavity (5), such that when fluid at an elevated temperature is circulated, heat is transferred from the fluid, through the mandrel (3) to the composite lay-up (10) for curing or forming said lay-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Quickstep Technologies Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Neil Graham
  • Patent number: 7998299
    Abstract: A composite truss structure employs a sandwich-in-sandwich construction in which a composite fluted core is sandwiched between two facesheets, and at least one structural foam stiffener is sandwiched within the core or between the facesheets and/or the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Douglas A. McCarville, Juan C. Guzman, Michael L. Hand, Michael J. Robinson
  • Patent number: 7998304
    Abstract: Methods configure a proximity head for conditioning fluid flow relative to a proximity head in processing of a surface of a wafer by a meniscus. The methods configure the head in one piece while maintaining head rigidity even as the head is lengthened for cleaning of large diameter wafers. The one-piece head configuring separates main fluid flows from separate flows of fluid relative to the wafer surface, with the separation being by a high resistance fluid flow configuration, resulting in substantially uniform fluid flows across increased lengths of the head in a unit for either fluid supply or return.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Arnold Kholodenko, Cheng-Yu (Sean) Lin
  • Patent number: 7998296
    Abstract: A method of protecting a bond layer in a substrate support adapted for use in a plasma processing system. The method includes the steps of attaching an upper member of a substrate support to a lower member of a substrate support with a bonding material. An adhesive is applied to an outer periphery of the upper member and to an upper periphery of the lower member, and a protective ring is positioned around the outer periphery of the upper member and the upper periphery of the lower member. The protective ring is originally fabricated with dimensions the provide mechanical stability and workability. The protective ring is then machined to an exact set of final dimensions consistent with the design of the substrate support application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Tony Ricci, Jim Tappan, Keith Comendant
  • Patent number: 7993477
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for Z-direction reinforcement of composite laminates is disclosed. Discrete fibers (25) are pulled through a fiber composite preform (11) in the Z-direction by needles (27) having bars (29) thereon to insert the Z-direction reinforcement (31) into the composite preform (11) from a discrete fiber mat (23) having discrete fibers (25) therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: J. Donn Hethcock, J. Scott Drennan, Kenneth D. Cominski
  • Patent number: 7981235
    Abstract: A cellular structure is formed on a wheel from an elongated tubular structure. At least one longitudinal line of a slow cure adhesive is applied to the exterior surface of the elongated tubular material. Then the material is wrapped around a collector in a manner to cause the adhesive to be positioned between overlying surfaces of the elongated tubular material and to form a cellular structure on the collector. The cellular structure is cut from the collector before the adhesive has fully cured and is placed on a flat surface where the adhesive has fully cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventors: Ren Judkins, John D. Rupel
  • Patent number: 7981232
    Abstract: Method for winding textile threads to filter bobbins for filtration purposes of petrochemicals, by, in a first operation, winding 4 layers laid at 30 degrees both ways, in a second operation winding 5 layers laid at 40 degrees both ways, in a third operation winding 9 layers laid at 35 degrees both ways, in a fourth and last operation winding 12 layers laid at 15 degrees one way and just with 50 degree transfer back for each layer, and repeating the first, second, third and fourth operations, the threads used thereby comprising 58% cotton, 16% acryl, 11.5% flax, 11.5% polyester, 2% polyamide, 0.6% acetate and 0.4 % viscose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventor: Jan Ingolf Kristiansen
  • Patent number: 7981236
    Abstract: A method and a device for bonding at least two sheets, is disclosed. The sheets may be joined by a groove and are connected to each other at least in one contact area in the sheet surface of the first sheet. The sheets may first be shaped whereby the first sheet may be shaped with at least one hook which forms an angle with the sheet surface and the second sheet may be shaped with at least one groove and one leg. The hook may be accommodated by the groove and the leg may be substantially parallel to the contact area of the first sheet. The shaped sheets are then bonded to each other, whereby the hook is inserted in the groove and the leg is bonded to the contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH
    Inventors: Henry Müller, Robert Magunia, Christian Schlemmer, Mand Khosrow Afzalian, Christoph Riester
  • Patent number: 7981243
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method of manufacturing constrained layer dampers with a vulcanized rubber viscoelastic core. The method includes the steps of: applying a first layer of adhesive to a first constraining layer; applying a layer of unvulcanized rubber solved in a solvent to the first layer of adhesive to form a first laminate structure; applying a second layer of adhesive to a second constraining layer to form a second laminate structure; laminating the first laminate structure with the second laminate structure; coiling the laminated first and second laminate structures; and increasing the temperature of the coiled first and second laminate structures to thereby vulcanize the layer of rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Material Science Corporation
    Inventor: Hong Xiao
  • Patent number: 7967932
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved method for forming a composite material mainly composed of carbon fiber. It is difficult to form an H-shaped structural member formed of a prepreg material having carbon fiber fabric impregnated with epoxy resin into a member having curvature. Thus, the structural member is divided into two bendable constructional elements 110 and 120, which are bent to given curvature then adhesively-bonded to form a structural member having curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Jamco Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Umeda, Kazumi Asari, Shuntaro Kuriyama
  • Patent number: 7964049
    Abstract: Processes for making fiber-on-end materials are provided. The materials can be used to make a variety of finished articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Vivek Kapur, Joseph Anthony Perrotto, Harry Vaughn Samuelson
  • Patent number: 7959756
    Abstract: A way of making small, fragile, decorative handles on a lathe is disclosed along with tools for gluing pen-tubes into these handles is shown. Use of these tools and methods of use allows wood turners to avoid excessive rework and mess associated with the gluing process of making pen blanks while assuring better product due to more complete and uniform distribution of the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventor: Roger Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 7951259
    Abstract: A catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen, and a distal portion of the shaft being at least in part within an outer sheath having a wedge-shaped distal end. In one embodiment, the outer sheath around the distal end of the shaft is the distal skirt section of the balloon. In an alternative embodiment, the outer sheath is a sleeve member having at least a portion located distal to the distal end of the balloon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jacky G. Duchamp, Misty Lynn Gervais, Teresita Baerga
  • Patent number: 7951318
    Abstract: Tooling aids for applying pressure in laminating, and methods for their use, are described herein. In one embodiment, a caul for applying pressure in laminating includes a base portion positioned between first and second corner portions. The base portion can have a curved shape when it is in a relaxed state, but it moves to a flatter shape when subjected to pressure during lamination. Movement of the base portion to the flatter shape causes the first and second corner portions to move outwardly and away from the base portion. In this manner, the caul can be used to compact laminating materials into corner regions of a corresponding female mold surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Steven F. Hanson
  • Patent number: 7947149
    Abstract: A web of a first sheet material and a web of a second sheet material are laminated together by a process wherein the sheet materials are wound, in an interleaved relationship, upon a roller having a radially displaceable outer surface. The roller and webs and then subjected to heating and/or a low-pressure environment so as to complete the lamination. A body of adhesive material, such as a hot melt adhesive, may be interposed between the webs and the heating or low pressure environment can activate this adhesive. Further disposed are particular configurations of rollers with radially displaceable surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: United Solar Ovonic LLC
    Inventors: Arthur Myatt, Gregory Demaggio, Kevin Beernink, Kermit Jones, Kenneth Lord
  • Patent number: 7946841
    Abstract: A device for the transportation and chilling of a film tube extruded shortly before has at least one first pair of rollers, through the clearance between which rollers, the film tube enters into a chilling area, and a second pair of rollers, through the clearance between which rollers, the film tube leaves the chilling area. Thereby the film tube can discharge heat to its environment between the first and the second roller pair. The path length that the film traverses between the first roller pair and the second roller pair is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Windmoeller & Hoelscher KG
    Inventor: Metin Arcan
  • Patent number: 7942993
    Abstract: In a method, multilayer tailored fiber placement (TFP) preforms of any desired thickness may be easily produced without fixing threads or intermediate layers interfering. Reinforcing fibers are sewn onto a substrate using a chemically or thermally meltable fixing thread thus resulting in the formation of a reinforcing fiber structure. The fixing thread firstly serves to fix the reinforcing fibers on the substrate and is subsequently melted so that the fixing thread disintegrates while pre-fixing the reinforcing fibers and may not influence the mechanical properties of the reinforcing fiber structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Gessler, Juergen Filsinger