Patents Examined by Kirsten Jolley
  • Coating material distribution using simultaneous rotation and vibration
    Patent number: 8889222
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for distributing coating materials using simultaneous vibration and rotation. Inertial forces generated during vibration and centrifugal forces generated during rotation redistribute the coating materials previously deposited on the surface resulting in uniform and/or conformal layers. The coated surfaces may have various shapes and degrees of roughness and may be referred to as complex surfaces. An initial layer of the coating material may be deposited on a complex surface of the part using dipping, spraying, spin coating, or other like techniques. The coating material is redistributed by simultaneous rotation and vibration of the part using specifically selected process conditions, such as orientation of vibrational and rotational axes relative to the part, rotational speeds, and vibrational frequencies and amplitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Advenira Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmira Ryabova, Valentin Ryabov
  • Coating treatment apparatus, coating treatment method, and non-transitory computer storage medium
    Patent number: 8871301
    Abstract: A coating treatment apparatus includes: a rotating and holding part; a nozzle supplying a coating solution; a moving mechanism moving the nozzle; and a control unit that controls the rotating and holding part, the nozzle, and the moving mechanism to supply the coating solution onto a central portion of the substrate and rotate the substrate at a first rotation speed, then move a supply position of the coating solution from a central position toward an eccentric position of the substrate with the substrate being rotated at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed while continuing supply of the coating solution, then stop the supply of the coating solution with the rotation speed of the substrate decreased to a third rotation speed lower than the second rotation speed, and then increase the rotation speed of the substrate to be higher than the third rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kouzou Tachibana, Takahisa Otsuka, Akira Nishiya
  • Composition and method for cleaning and lubricating valves and slides within musical instruments
    Patent number: 8840961
    Abstract: A sticky valve or slide mechanism within a musical wind instrument is opened, wiped dry, cleaned and lubricated with a composition including diatomaceous earth, a solvent, and a lubricant, and closed, making the instrument ready to play with the composition being left within the valve or slide mechanism. When the mechanism again becomes sticky, it is wiped dry and lubricated with a conventional lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventor: Salvatore Lucca
  • Methods for producing a thin film consisting of nanosheet monolayer film(s) by spin coat methods, and hyperhydrophilized materials, substrates for an oxide thin film and dielectric materials obtained therefrom
    Patent number: 8828488
    Abstract: To provide a method for producing a thin film consisting of nanosheet monolayer film(s) and use of the thin film obtained thereby. The method for producing a thin film consisting of nanosheet monolayer film(s) by a spin coat method according to the invention comprises a step for preparing an organic solvent sol formed by allowing nanosheets obtained by the exfoliation of an inorganic layered compound to be dispersed in an organic solvent; and a step for dropping the organic solvent sol onto a substrate and rotating the substrate using a spin coater. Preferably, the nanosheet size, the organic solvent sol concentration and the spin coater rotation speed are controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: National Institute For Materials Science
    Inventors: Takayoshi Sasaki, Kazuko Saruwatari, Kazuaki Matsuba, Kousyo Akatsuka, Yasuo Ebina, Minoru Osada
  • Polyurethane gaskets and process for forming same
    Patent number: 8821981
    Abstract: A method of forming a seal includes preparing a froth from a one component polyurethane precursor, applying the froth to a surface of an article, and simultaneously applying water with the froth, the froth curing to form a gasket having a density not greater than 350 kg/m3 bonded to the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Chaineux
    Inventors: Ahmet Comert, Georges Moineau, Dino Manfredi
  • Coating method
    Patent number: 8808798
    Abstract: A coating method includes supplying a coating liquid from a coating nozzle onto a front side central portion of a substrate held on a substrate holding member, rotating the substrate holding member about a vertical axis to spread the coating liquid toward a peripheral portion of the substrate by a centrifugal force and thereby form a film of the coating liquid, forming a liquid film of a process liquid for preventing a contaminant derived from the coating liquid from being deposited or left on a back side peripheral portion of the substrate, and damping a vertical wobble of the peripheral portion of the substrate being rotated, by a posture regulating mechanism, while delivering a gas from delivery holes onto a back side region of the substrate on an inner side of the peripheral portion on which the liquid film is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Koichi Obata, Hiroichi Inada, Nobuhiro Ogata
  • Coating film forming apparatus, use of coating film forming apparatus, and recording medium
    Patent number: 8758855
    Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus that holds a substrate upon a spin chuck and forms a coating film by supplying a chemical liquid upon a top surface of said substrate comprises: an outer cup provided detachably to surround the spin chuck; an inner cup provided detachably to surround a region underneath the substrate held upon the chuck; a cleaning nozzle configured to supply a cleaning liquid for cleaning a peripheral edge part of the substrate, such that the cleaning liquid is supplied to a peripheral part of a bottom surface of the substrate; a cutout part for nozzle mounting, the cutout part being provided to the inner cup to engage with the cleaning nozzle; and a cleaning liquid supply tube connected to the cleaning nozzle, the cleaning nozzle being detachable to the cutout part in a state in which the cleaning liquid supply tube is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Ogata, Hiroichi Inada, Taro Yamamoto, Akihiro Fujimoto
  • Spin coat process for manufacturing a Z-directed component for a printed circuit board
    Patent number: 8658245
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a z-directed component for insertion into a mounting hole in a printed circuit board according to one example embodiment includes depositing a liquid based material onto a top surface of a rotatable plate. The top surface of the rotatable plate has at least one cavity formed thereon that defines the shape of a layer of the z-directed component. The rotatable plate is spun to level a top surface of the liquid based material in the at least one cavity. The liquid based material is cured to form the layer of the z-directed component. A conductive material is applied to at least one surface of the formed layer. The z-directed component is formed including a stack of component layers that includes the formed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Kevin Hall, Keith Bryan Hardin, Zachary Charles Nathan Kratzer, Qing Zhang
  • Spin coating method and spin coating apparatus
    Patent number: 8652571
    Abstract: A spin coating apparatus that supplies a coating liquid to a substrate and rotating the substrate to form a coating film, has a holding part that holds the substrate mounted thereon in a horizontal position; a rotationally driving source that rotationally drives the holding part about a rotational axis parallel with the vertical direction, thereby rotating the substrate; and a coating liquid supplying part that supplies the coating liquid to the substrate held by the holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Keisuke Nakazawa
  • Multiferroic nanoscale thin film materials, method of its facile syntheses and magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature
    Patent number: 8591987
    Abstract: Methods of producing a multiferroic thin film material. The method includes the steps of providing a multiferroic precursor solution, subjecting the precursor solution to spin casting to produce a spin cast film, and heating the spin cast film. The precursor solution may include Bi(NO3)3.5H2O and Fe(NO3)3.9H2O in ethylene glycol to produce a bismuth ferrite film. Further, the thin film may be utilized in varied technological areas, including memory devices for information storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Pirich, Nan-Loh Yang, Kai Su, I-Wei Chu
  • Method of coating a porous substrate with a thermoplastic material from the outside of the substrate
    Patent number: 8586138
    Abstract: A method of coating a first porous substrate with a thermoplastic material comprises the steps of: rotating the substrate about an axis of the substrate; and applying the material in a liquefied state onto the substrate, wherein the step of applying is performed from the outside of the substrate. According to another embodiment, a method of coating a porous substrate with a thermoplastic material comprises the steps of: connecting a first porous substrate to a rotator; rotating the substrate about an axis of the substrate; pumping the material in a liquefied state from a receptacle to an application head; and applying the material in a liquefied state onto the substrate, wherein the step of applying is performed from the outside of the substrate. In certain embodiments, the material coated on the substrate is used to help remove at least a portion of a filtercake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke W. Holderman, Jacob R. Shoemate
  • Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
    Patent number: 8580340
    Abstract: After a solvent is discharged onto a substrate in a period from a time point t0 to a time point t1, rotation of the substrate is started at a time point t2. A resist liquid is discharged onto a center portion of a target surface of the substrate at a time point t3. A rotation speed of the substrate starts to decrease at a time point t4, and attains a first speed after a certain period of time. The discharge of the resist liquid is stopped at a time point t5. The rotation of the substrate is accelerated in a period from a time point t6 to a time point t7, and the rotation speed of the substrate attains a second speed at the time point t7. The rotation of the substrate is decelerated in a period from the time point t7 to a time point t8, and the rotation speed of the substrate attains a third speed at the time point t8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sokudo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Imamura, Akihiro Hisai, Hidetoshi Sagawa
  • Coating treatment method, computer-readable storage medium, and coating treatment apparatus
    Patent number: 8574674
    Abstract: A substrate is first rotated at a first rotation speed, and a resist solution is applied. Rotation of the substrate is decelerated to a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed so that the substrate is rotated at the low speed to smooth the resist solution on the substrate. Rotation of the substrate is then accelerated to a third rotation speed higher than the second rotation speed, and a solvent for the coating solution and/or a dry gas are/is supplied to the resist solution on the substrate. The solvent gas is supplied to a portion of the resist solution on the substrate thicker than a set thickness, and the dry gas is supplied to a portion of the coating solution on the substrate thinner than the set thickness. This thins the thicker portion of the resist solution and thickens the thinner portion to uniform the resist solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takashi Tanaka
  • Coating method
    Patent number: 8551563
    Abstract: A coating method includes holding a substrate in a horizontal state on a substrate holding member; supplying a coating liquid onto a front side central portion of the substrate held on the substrate holding member; rotating the substrate holding member about a vertical axis to spread the coating liquid supplied on the front side central portion of the substrate toward a front side peripheral portion of the substrate by a centrifugal force; and damping a wobble of the substrate being rotated, by a wobble damping mechanism including a gas delivery port and a suction port both disposed to face a back side of the substrate, while delivering a gas from the delivery port and sucking the gas into the suction port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Kitano, Koichi Obata, Hiroichi Inada, Nobuhiro Ogata
  • Process for preparing adhesive using planetary extruder
    Patent number: 8552084
    Abstract: A process for preparing a pressure sensitive adhesive using a modified planetary roller extruder is described. The process in accordance with one aspect of the invention is a continuous process that includes introducing primary raw materials comprising a non-thermoplastic elastomer into a planetary roller extruder, introducing a heat-activatable crosslinker into the planetary roller extruder for mixing with the primary raw materials, and compounding the primary raw materials and the heat activatable crosslinker to form an adhesive composition while maintaining the temperature of the adhesive composition between about 25° C. and about 100° C. The non-thermoplastic elastomer is masticated during compounding and at least some of the heat-activatable crosslinker remains generally unactivated and is available for later activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Intertape Polymer Corp.
    Inventors: John Kinch Tynan, Jr., Richard Walter St. Coeur, David Michael Kovach, Thomas Lombardo
  • Enhanced densification of silicon oxide layers
    Patent number: 8541053
    Abstract: Densifying a multi-layer substrate includes providing a substrate with a first dielectric layer on a surface of the substrate. The first dielectric layer includes a multiplicity of pores. Water is introduced into the pores of the first dielectric layer to form a water-containing dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is provided on the surface of the water-containing first dielectric layer. The first and second dielectric layers are annealed at temperature of 600° C. or less. In an example, the multi-layer substrate is a nanoimprint lithography template. The second dielectric layer may have a density and therefore an etch rate similar to that of thermal oxide, yet may still be porous enough to allow more rapid diffusion of helium than a thermal oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Marlon Menezes, Frank Y. Xu, Fen Wan
  • Materials including semiconductor nanocrystals
    Patent number: 8535758
    Abstract: A composition includes a layer of nanoparticles and a layer of a second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Vladimir Bulovic, Seth Coe-Sullivan, Wing-Keung Woo, Moungi G. Bawendi
  • Low volatility polymers for two-stage deposition processes
    Patent number: 8529993
    Abstract: This invention relates to materials and processes for the preparation of high quality layers, for example for the fabrication of optical devices such as waveguides. In particular, the invention relates to the use of low volatility polymer materials for the deposition of high quality layers on large area substrates via a two-stage process, for example extrude-and-spin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Zetta Research andDevelopment LLC—RPO Series
    Inventors: Robert Bruce Charters, Dax Kukulj
  • Interconnect for MEMS device including a viscoelastic septum
    Patent number: 8518481
    Abstract: Provided is a micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) device for use with an elongate structure. The MEMS device includes a generally planar substrate, a device wall layer formed upon the substrate, a septum cavity formed in the device wall layer, a channel formed in the device wall layer in fluid communication with the septum cavity, and a septum element disposed in the septum cavity. The septum element is formed of a viscoelastic material. The septum element defines a septum entry surface and a septum exit surface with the septum exit surface being exposed to the channel and disposed between the septum entry surface and the channel. The septum element is without any openings formed through the septum element extending between the septum entry and exit surfaces. Methods of manufacturing and interacting with the MEMS device are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventors: Ellis Meng, Ronalee Lo
  • Method and apparatus for coating a complex object and composite comprising the coated object
    Patent number: 8507035
    Abstract: Disclosed are coating apparatus and coating methods to uniformly coat complex objects. The coating apparatus comprises first, second and/or third gimbals connected to rotational mechanisms to allow rotation of the gimbals around or about first, second and/or third axis. When three gimbals are used, an object holder is connected to the third gimbal. When an object is present in the object holder, it can be immersed in a coating solution to form a coated object. After removal from the coating solution, the coated object is then rotated around or about two or three axes which produces a multidirectional centrifugal force which causes the coating solution to spread evenly over the surface of the object to produce a uniform thin film. Coating methods based on the forgoing are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Advenira Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Elmira Ryabova