Patents Examined by Nam X. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7935234
    Abstract: A planar electrochemical gas sensor is provided with at least one working electrode (4), at least one counterelectrode (4?), at least one electrolyte-filled planar electrolyte carrier (10), at least one planar housing upper part (3) and at least one planar housing lower part (2). The electrodes (4, 4?) are arranged such that they are in two-dimensional contact with the electrolyte carrier (10). The housing upper part (3) and the housing lower part (2) are connected with one another such that the electrodes (4, 4?) and the electrolyte carrier (10) are pressed against one another in such a way that they are secured against displacement. The housing upper part (3) and the housing lower part (2) are partially in direct two-dimensional contact with one another, and the connection of the housing upper part (3) and the housing lower part (2) in the area of the direct two-dimensional contact is present at least along a closed figure, which surrounds the electrodes (4, 4?) and the electrolyte carrier (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Frank Mett
  • Patent number: 7935232
    Abstract: To provide a sputtering apparatus and method, and a sputtering control program which are configured simply and can secure the uniformity of the film thickness from the beginning to the end of the use of a target. There are provided: a target 15 disposed so as to face an object to be treated 19; a permanent magnet unit M which generates a high-density plasma by means of a magnetic field and deposits a material of the target 15 on the object to be treated, in the form of a film; a rotational mechanism 9 which rotates the permanent magnet unit M; and a rotation number control apparatus 7 which gradually changes the number of rotations of the permanent magnet unit M rotated by the rotational mechanism 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Shibaura Mechatronics Corporation
    Inventor: Shunji Kuroiwa
  • Patent number: 7927465
    Abstract: The invention described herein generally pertains to utilization of high power density microwave energy to reduce organic compounds to carbon and their constituents, primarily in a gaseous state. The process includes, but is not limited to, scrap tires, plastics, asphalt roofing shingles, computer waste, medical waste, municipal solid waste, construction waste, shale oil, and PCB/PAH/HCB-laden materials. The process includes the steps of feeding organic material into a microwave applicator and exposing the material to microwave energy fed from at least two linear polarized sources in non-parallel alignment to each other, and collecting the material. The at least two sources of microwave energy are from a bifurcated waveguide assembly, whose outputs are perpendicular to each other and fed through waveguide of proper impedance, such that the microwave sources are physically and electrically 90° out of phase to each other. The microwave frequency is between 894 and 1000 MHz, preferably approximately 915 MHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventor: John F. Novak
  • Patent number: 7927474
    Abstract: A cell electrophysiological sensor is provided with: a well having a wall formed by at least one curved face, with opening sections being formed on the two ends thereof; a frame substrate having a through hole and an electrode; a cell electrophysiological sensor chip that is provided with a thin plate having a second through hole; and a void substrate, and in this structure, the frame substrate has a thickness greater than the thickness of the cell electrophysiological sensor chip and the opening diameter of the third opening section is made larger than the opening diameter of the fourth opening section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Nakatani, Hiroshi Ushio, Soichiro Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 7922883
    Abstract: A biosensor strip having a low profile for reducing the volume of liquid sample needed to perform an assay. In one embodiment, the biosensor strip includes an electrode support; an electrode arrangement on the electrode support; a cover; a sample chamber; and an incompressible element placed between the cover and the electrode support, the incompressible element providing an opening in at least one side or in the distal end of the sample chamber to provide at least one vent in the sample chamber. In another embodiment, the biosensor strip has an electrode support; an electrode arrangement on the electrode support; a cover; and a sample chamber, the cover having a plurality of openings formed therein, at least one of the openings in register with the sample chamber. The invention further includes methods for preparing such a biosensor strips in a continuous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Adrian Petyt, Matt Bates, Pamela Reid, Andy Bull, Jeff Garner
  • Patent number: 7918989
    Abstract: A gas sensor and method thereof are provided. The example gas sensor may include first and second electrodes formed on a substrate, a carbon nanotube connecting the first and second electrodes on the substrate, a light source disposed above the carbon nanotube and an ampere meter measuring current flowing between the first and second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-hun Kang, Wan-jun Park, Chan-jin Park
  • Patent number: 7909972
    Abstract: An electrochemical sensor is provided that includes a housing having an outer wall, an axial bore circumscribed by the outer wall, and a barrier wall that aids in defining a reference cavity. The housing further including a plurality of cross members in spaced relation to one another disposed between the axial bore and the outer wall, each cross member defining an aperture. A junction plug is disposed at the distal end of the housing. The junction plug comprises a porous material that enables ionic flow through the junction plug. The sensor enables ionic communication between the target fluid and the reference electrode within the reference cavity through the apertures of the plurality of cross members. In this manner, the sensor provides generally a long, tortuous flow path, or salt bridge, between the target fluid and the reference electrode, resulting in a high resistance factor for the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Georg Fischer Signet LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wells, Gert Burkhardt, Anthony Thai
  • Patent number: 7905999
    Abstract: A biosensor strip having a low profile for reducing the volume of liquid sample needed to perform an assay. In one embodiment, the biosensor strip comprises an electrode support; an electrode arrangement on said electrode support; a cover; a sample flow channel; and an incompressible element placed between said cover and said electrode support, the incompressible element providing an opening in at least one side or in the distal end of said sample flow channel to provide at least one vent in said sample flow channel. In another embodiment, the biosensor strip comprises an electrode support; an electrode arrangement on said electrode support; a cover; and a sample flow channel, the cover having a plurality of openings formed therein, at least one of the openings in register with said sample flow channel. The invention further includes methods for preparing such a biosensor strips in a continuous manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
    Inventors: Adrian Petyt, Andrew Savage, Simon A. Hector
  • Patent number: 7902452
    Abstract: The present invention is photovoltaic (solar) cell module comprising a multilayer laminate ionomer film as an encapsulant layer wherein the laminate has a light transmission of at least 85%, and or a haze of less than 6%, and wherein the laminate has a modulus of less than 15,000 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Arhart, Diego Boeri, Geraldine M. Lenges
  • Patent number: 7901556
    Abstract: A gas sensor is equipped with a cover assembly made up of an outer cover and an inner cover in which a gas sensor element is disposed. The outer cover has an outer gas inlet and an outer gas outlet formed closer to a top end of the cover assembly than the outer gas inlet. The inner cover has an inner gas inlet formed closer to the top end of the cover assembly than the outer gas inlet. The inner gas inlet is oriented to minimize the entry of drops of water having entered along with a gas to be measured into the inner cover to avoid splashing of the gas sensor element with the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kouhei Yamada
  • Patent number: 7901553
    Abstract: A system for sensing a gas stream constituent comprises: (a) a thermally conductive, electrically insulative substrate, (b) a gas-sensing element mounted on the substrate and capable of sensing the constituent, (c) a reference element mounted on the substrate having electrical properties congruent with the gas-sensing element and being insensitive to the constituent, (d) an electronic circuit interconnecting the gas-sensing element and the reference element. The circuit is capable of actuating both of the elements and measuring the voltage difference between the elements. The voltage difference is proportional to the concentration of the constituent in the gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: H2scan Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Howard, Carlton Salter
  • Patent number: 7897025
    Abstract: A rotor having a cylindrical peripheral surface is disposed in a treatment vessel into which a carrier gas is introduced, and the rotor peripheral surface is opposed to the surface of a substrate with a predetermine gap therebetween. Film-forming particulates including atomic molecules of the film-forming material and cluster particulates thereof are scattered from the surface of the film-forming material supplying member by sputtering, and the rotor is rotated to form a carrier gas flow near the rotor peripheral surface. The film-forming particulates are transported to the vicinity of the surface of the substrate by the carrier gas flow and adhered to the surface of the substrate. As a result, the adverse effect of high-energy particles and the like is suppressed to efficiently form a satisfactory thin film by an evaporation or sputtering process, which has less restriction to a source material gas, without the need for large equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Kenichi Inoue, Hiroyuki Takamatsu, Takashi Kobori, Kazushi Hayashi, Toshihiro Kugimiya
  • Patent number: 7892406
    Abstract: An iPVD system is programmed to deposit uniform material, such as barrier material, into high aspect ratio nano-size features on semiconductor substrates using a process which enhances the sidewall coverage compared to the field and bottom coverage(s) while minimizing or eliminating overhang within a vacuum chamber. The iPVD system is operated at low target power and high pressure >50 mT to sputter material from the target. RF energy is coupled into the chamber to form a high density plasma. A small RF bias (less than a few volts) can be applied to aid in enhancing the coverage, especially at the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Frank M. Cerio, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7887684
    Abstract: A gas sensor element having an element body, the element body including: a ceramic heater having ceramic layers and a heater element embedded in the ceramic layers; and a solid electrolyte layer including a detection section covered by a pair of electrodes, the solid electrolyte layer being laminated together with the ceramic heater. Furthermore, the element body has a width at a front portion including the detection section smaller than at a rear portion, and at least both side edge faces of the front portion of the element body are covered with a porous layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Awano, Keisuke Makino, Yoshiaki Kuroki, Takao Kojima, Masashi Ando
  • Patent number: 7887690
    Abstract: A ligand DNA including a probe portion having a sequence that is complementary to a target DNA to be detected in a sample DNA, and a probe portion having a base sequence that is complementary to a base sequence of a marker DNA 2 in a conjugate DNA 10 is formed, and the sample DNA and the ligand DNA are combined to form a DNA complex, and further, the DNA complex is made to perform electrophoresis in the conjugate DNA. Therefore, it is possible to provide a DNA separation detection method which can appropriately separate the sample DNA and deal with various kinds of target sample DNAs in short time, without the necessity of searching for an optimum electrophoresis condition by complicatedly combining the amount of a bonding control agent to be contained in the conjugate DNA, the viscosity of linear polymer, the amount of the sample DNA, the amount of the conjugate DNA, and the like, for each DNA sequence as a detection target, when separating the sample DNA by electrophoresis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Miho Hayashi, Kazuyoshi Mori, Mizuo Maeda
  • Patent number: 7883610
    Abstract: Apparatus for oxygenating an enclosed space as well as removing carbon dioxide from the enclosed space. The apparatus comprises a photolytic cell (16) having an anode compartment with a photo-active surface having the ability to convert water to oxygen; a cathode compartment having the ability to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen to a solid or liquid medium; and a light source (20) for providing light photons (21) to said photolytic cell and activating the photo-reactive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Bruce F. Monzyk, Eric C. Burckle
  • Patent number: 7883612
    Abstract: Provided is a microfluidic device for electrochemically regulating the pH of a fluid comprising: a cathode substrate; an anode substrate facing the cathode substrate and forming a reaction chamber with the cathode substrate; and a nonconductor which forms a boundary between the portions of the cathode substrate and the anode substrate that are capable of contacting one another, wherein at least one of the cathode substrate and the anode substrate is a semiconductor doped with impurities and the other is a metal electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung-im Han, Joon-ho Kim
  • Patent number: 7883611
    Abstract: An electrochemical sensor, especially for gases, is provided having a mediator compound based on transition metal salts of polybasic acids and/or transition metal salts of polyhydroxycarboxylic acids. The electrochemical sensor also contains a DLC, BDD or a precious metal thin-layer measuring electrode (3). The electrochemical sensor may be used for determining SO2 and H2S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Drägerwerk Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sabrina Sommer, Herbert Kiesele, Frank Mett
  • Patent number: 7879209
    Abstract: A magnetron sputtering cathode for use in a vacuum deposition process is disclosed wherein the cathode is coated on its sides with an electrically insulating material such as alumina to prevent arcing, and wherein the first end surface of the cathode supports a material to be sputtered. The bottom of the cathode may also be coated with an electrically insulating coating or may be resting upon an insulating platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Markus K. Tilsch, Georg J. Ockenfuss, Richard I. Seddon, Robert E. Hahn
  • Patent number: 7880082
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid electrolyte having superior conductive properties and reliability, a photovoltaic device using this electrolyte, and manufacturing methods thereof. The solid electrolyte of the present invention is a solid electrolyte having an electrolyte composition and a matrix polymer. The matrix polymer is formed by polymerization of a first compound having at least two isocyanate groups and a second compound having at least two nucleophilic groups containing active hydrogen in accordance with a polyaddition reaction, and the polymerization is performed after a precursor for the matrix polymer is brought into contact with a surface on which the solid electrolyte is to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Morooka, Yusuke Suzuki, Kazuhiro Noda