Patents Examined by Megha Mehta
  • Patent number: 8177113
    Abstract: An assembly for positioning a structural assembly for friction stir welding, and a system and method for friction stir welding the structural assembly are provided. The assembly includes a frame defining an aperture therein, and at least one structural member positioned within the aperture. The assembly also includes at least one spacer positioned within the aperture such that the spacer and structural member substantially fill the aperture to secure the structural member within the frame, as well as a substrate secured to the frame and positioned adjacent to the structural member in an overlapping configuration to define an interface between the substrate and structural member. In this configuration, the substrate and structural member are capable of being friction stir welded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kevin T. Slattery
  • Patent number: 8168306
    Abstract: Provided are metal structures and methods of forming such structures for use in oil, gas and/or petrochemical applications that are joined with non-ferrous weld metal compositions or a high alloy weld metal compositions. The welded metal structures include two or more segments of ferrous or non-ferrous components, and fusion welds, friction stir welds or a combination thereof bonding adjacent segments of the components together, wherein the welds comprise a non-ferrous weld metal composition or a high alloy weld metal composition that is substantially different from the metal composition of the two or more components. The resultant welded structures exhibit improvements in fatigue resistance, toughness, strain capacity, strength, stress corrosion cracking resistance, and hydrogen embrittlement resistance compared to traditional iron-based weld compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Raghavan Ayer, Neeraj S. Thirumalai, Daniel B. Lillig, Steven J. Ford, Douglas P. Fairchild
  • Patent number: 8167187
    Abstract: A method and a device is provided for levelling an area region on the surface of a metal or metallization layer of a carrier. The area region is made planar by the action of a stamp or of a roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Reinhold Bayerer, Thomas Licht, Alfred Kemper
  • Patent number: 8157155
    Abstract: A system for automated assembly and welding is disclosed. The system includes a pallet for receiving incoming workpieces; a workpiece holder having a plurality of electromagnets; a handling robot configured to transport incoming workpieces from the pallet to the workpiece holder; and a controller in communication with the workpiece holder and the handling robot. The controller is configured to determine an orientation of a workpiece positioned on the workpiece holder, and to selectively adjust an activation state of one or more electromagnets of the workpiece holder based upon the orientation of the workpiece. A method of assembling and welding workpieces is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Martinez Diez, Keith Alan Herman, Huijun Wang, Howard W. Ludewig, Mathew Mark Robinson
  • Patent number: 8152049
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an electronic component mounting apparatus and an electronic component mounting method that perform automated setting of a thickness of a paste film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Morita, Masanori Hiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8146795
    Abstract: A method of friction welding comprises providing a first workpiece having a first weld surface and a second workpiece having a second weld surface. The first workpiece is arranged such that it tapers away from the first weld surface, the first workpiece converges in a direction away from the first weld surface. The first and second workpieces are arranged such that the first weld surface abuts the second weld surface. The first and second workpieces are oscillated relative to each other such that at least one of the weld surfaces of at least one of the workpieces moves relative to the other weld surface of the other workpiece such that the temperature increases at the weld surfaces to create a weld interface. The oscillation is stopped and the first and second weld surfaces are allowed to cool to weld the first and second workpieces together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Simon E. Bray
  • Patent number: 8141768
    Abstract: A method for welding and repairing cracks in metal parts is provided by subjecting the metal parts to be welded to friction stir welding and the cracks to be repaired to friction stir processing under conditions sufficient to provide a weld joint or crack repair having a preselected property or set of properties based upon the intended use of the weldment. The FSW and FSP methods are advantageous in joining and repairing metal structures and components in applications for natural gas transportation and storage, oil and gas well completion and production, and oil and gas refinery and chemical plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Steven J. Ford, Neeraj Thirumalai, James Ronald Rigby, Mark Biegler, Narasimha-Rao Venkata Bangaru, Jayoung Koo, Glen A. Vaughn, Raghavan Ayer, Douglas P. Fairchild
  • Patent number: 8113414
    Abstract: A method of brazing an aluminum alloy material, which is a Nocolok brazing method of the aluminum alloy material, in which the method satisfies the condition: Ts?Tf?Ts+15° C. in which Tf represents an incipient fluidization temperature of a filler material, and Ts represents an incipient fluidization temperature of flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Furukawa-Sky Alumnum Corp.
    Inventor: Noriyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 8104660
    Abstract: A transducer is provided that comprises a horn having a longitudinal axis, a bonding tool attached to the horn, and an ultrasonic generator attached to the horn and spaced from the bonding tool along the longitudinal axis of the horn. A flexure is attached to the horn between the bonding tool and the ultrasonic generator for supporting the horn whereby to increase its dynamic rigidity in directions transverse to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: ASM Technology Singapore Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Srikanth Narasimalu, Chee Tiong Lim, Sathish Kumar Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 8096464
    Abstract: A method and device for depositing a solder mass within a plated opening that is formed in a side edge of an electronic device includes the steps of carrying the solder mass in a carrier device and orienting the carrier device with respect to the side edge such that the solder mass is aligned with the plated opening. The method further includes reflowing the solder mass to cause the solder mass to be deposited and securely held within the plated opening and then removing the carrier device leaving the solder mass behind within the plated opening and along the side edge of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Teka Interconnection Systems
    Inventors: James Zanolli, Joseph Cachina
  • Patent number: 8091763
    Abstract: In a method of making a control arm, a middle piece is held in a mounting of a rotary friction welding machine so as to be constraint against rotation and movement in an axial direction. End pieces are rotated in synchronism on opposite ends of the middle piece so as to rub friction welding sites of the end pieces and friction welding sites on the middle piece on one another to initiate a friction welding process. After releasing the middle piece, the friction welding sites are compressed through axial displacement of at least one of the end pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Rodscha Drabon, Hendrik Korinth
  • Patent number: 8091767
    Abstract: A substrate manufacturing apparatus manufactures a ball-mounted substrate and has a ball mounting apparatus which includes a ball vacuum chucking apparatus including a vacuum chucking head that carries out a vacuum chucking process to chuck balls at edges of inlets formed in a vacuum chucking surface and which mounts the balls vacuum-chucked by the vacuum chucking head on a substrate, the ball vacuum chucking apparatus further including: a holding vessel that holds the balls; and a vacuum chucking/holding unit that vacuum chucks and holds the balls held in the holding vessel on a front end thereof, and carrying out a supplying process that brings the vacuum chucking/holding unit that holds the balls on the front end thereof and the vacuum chucking surface of the vacuum chucking head relatively close to supply the balls to the vacuum chucking head while air is being drawn through the inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hioki Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Seki, Hideo Matsubayashi, Makoto Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8087565
    Abstract: A process for filling openings, including blind holes, through-holes, and cavities, in high temperature components. The process entails forming a powder mixture by mixing particles of at least a base alloy and a second alloy that contains a sufficient amount of a melting point depressant to have a lower melting temperature than the base alloy. The powder mixture is combined with a binder and compacted to form a compacted preform, which is then heated to remove the binder and form a rigid sintered preform. The sintered preform is produced, or optionally is further shaped, to have a cross-sectional shape and dimensions to achieve a clearance of up to 200 micrometers with the opening, after which the preform is placed in the opening and diffusion bonded within the opening to form a brazement comprising the particles of the base alloy dispersed in a matrix formed by the second alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Charles Gitahi Mukira, Warren Martin Miglietti, Arthur S. Peck, Christopher Penny, Yan Cui, Steven Rauch
  • Patent number: 8074867
    Abstract: A conductive ball mounting apparatus for mounting conductive balls by providing an array mask having through holes, into which conductive balls are to enter, above a mounting target placed on a stage, by arranging a ball reservoir having an opening for reserving a plurality of conductive balls, in the bottom, by moving the ball reservoir along the array mask, by dropping the conductive balls into the individual through holes of the array mask, adopts the following means. Firstly, the conductive ball mounting apparatus comprises moving means for moving the array mask and the stage relative to each other in horizontal directions. Secondly, the positions of the conductive balls in the through holes are arranged by finely moving at least one of the array mask and the stage relative to each other in the horizontal directions after the balls were dropped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Shibuya Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Niizuma
  • Patent number: 8070048
    Abstract: In a method of attaching a solder ball, a first material is coated on a solder ball. A second material is coated on a pad of a substrate where the solder ball is to be attached to exothermically react with the first material. The solder ball makes contact with the pad such that the first material and the second material exothermically react with each other to release heat to adhere the solder ball to the pad using the heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nam-Yong Oh, Seong-Chan Han, Jae-Young Kim, Jae-Hoon Choi
  • Patent number: 8070050
    Abstract: A heat conducting apparatus includes an air guide hood and a heat conducting device. The air guide hood is connected to a hot air supply source for delivering hot air, and includes an air outlet for exit of the hot air. The heat conducting device is disposed at the air outlet of the air guide hood, and includes a contact wall spaced apart from and disposed below the air outlet for contacting a soldered component, and a surrounding wall extending upwardly from the contact wall and connected to the air guide hood. The contact wall and the surrounding wall cooperatively define a space for guiding the hot air. The contact wall conducts the heat to the soldered component so as to melt tin solders between the soldered component and a circuit board, thereby reducing any adverse effect on other electronic components or good chips on the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Hsien Lee, Hao-Chun Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8066170
    Abstract: A wire bonding machine is provided. The wire bonding machine includes a bonding tool and an electrode for forming a free air ball on an end of a wire extending through the bonding tool where the free air ball is formed at a free air ball formation area of the wire bonding machine. The wire bonding machine also includes a bond site area for holding a semiconductor device during a wire bonding operation. The wire bonding machine also includes a gas delivery mechanism configured to provide a cover gas to: (1) the bond site area whereby the cover gas is ejected through at least one aperture of the gas delivery mechanism to the bond site area, and (2) the free air ball formation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary S. Gillotti, Stanley Szczesniak, Peter J. Van Emmerik
  • Patent number: 8061583
    Abstract: A device for mounting an array of solder balls to a plurality of substrates of integrated circuits, comprising: a first plate for receiving a first substrate in a loading position; said first plate adapted to translate laterally from a substrate loading position to a flux receiving position; said first plate further adapted to rotate 180° from the substrate loading position to a such that the first plate is in a solder ball receiving position, and; mounting solder balls to the first plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Rokko Ventures Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Nee Seng Ling, Soo Loo Ang, Ter Siang Pai
  • Patent number: 8047417
    Abstract: A friction stir weld apparatus having a linear drive actuator and a separate friction stir weld device. The linear actuator and the friction stir weld device are driven by concentric motors. In the preferred embodiment, the thrust member of the actuator is connected to the friction stir weld device within or adjacent to the friction stir weld device motor to advance and retract the friction stir weld device along a linear axis concentric with the actuator and friction stir weld device motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tol-O-Matic, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Hochhalter, Mike T. Seiler, Drew O. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8028886
    Abstract: A bonding tool comprises: a horn which transmits an ultrasonic vibration; a ultrasonic transducer which is provided on one end of the horn, and produces the ultrasonic vibration; a heater disposition part, in which a heater is disposed, which is provided between the one end of the horn and the other end of the horn; a bonding action part which is provided between the one end of the horn and the other end of the horn, holds an electronic component, and is heated by the heater; a first cooling part, through which a fluid flows, which is provided between the heater disposition part and the one end of the horn; and a second cooling part, through which a fluid flows, which is provided between the heater disposition part and the other end of the horn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ebihara, Katsuhiko Watanabe, Ryo Fujita