Patents Examined by Stephen J. Lechert, Jr.
  • Method of manufacturing a lens for microwave frequencies
    Patent number: 6660193
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microwave antenna lens includes the provision of a mold that has a lens defining cavity formed therein. The shape of the lens defining cavity is predetermined. The lens defining cavity is filled with a suitable filler material such as, for example, microspheres of a certain dielectric constant. A quantity of a resin is introduced into the lens defining cavity to fill the interstices between the individual pieces of filler material. Then, after the resin is cured, a microwave lens if formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Andrew Corporation
    Inventor: John D. Myhre
  • Method for producing an elongated drug formation
    Patent number: 6660197
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for producing an elongated drug formulation being suitable for being injected through the skin of a patient with-out the use of a needle or a cannula. The drug formulation is produced by compressing a drug granulate in cavity of a system comprising a roller and a surface, wherein the roller roles over the surface thereby comprising the granulate to the formulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Novo Nordisk A/S
    Inventors: Thomas Buch-Rasmussen, Søren Aasmul, James M. Flink, Philip Hansen, Claus Juul-Mortensen, Jens-Ulrik Poulsen
  • Method for producing shaped bodies
    Patent number: 6656399
    Abstract: Shaped bodies, such as boards, are manufactured from particles having a surface with a wax layer, such as straw, hemp stalks, maize stalks, grapevine stalks and the like. The particles are first comminuted, then heated and then further comminuted. Thereafter the particles are admixed with a binder to form a mixture, the mixture is scattered into a mat, and the mat is then pressed into the shaped body of the desired size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Valmet Panelboard GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Guenter Buecking, Ralf Wuttke, Ernst Brinkmann
  • Process for determining press parameters for pressing complex structured materials
    Patent number: 6656395
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for determining pressing parameters for the pressing of compacts, whereby in one step a test compact is brought to the required density in order to achieve the nominal pressing force, and in order that consequently the machine is in a balanced deflected condition with regard to this nominal pressing force. In next step, in case a nominal height (hsi,Nominal) deviates from a height (hsi,Measure) measured on the test compact, there will be determined for the next pressing operation a required height (HPowderNew) of the material to be pressed in the pressing mould.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Dorst Maschinen-und Analagenbau GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Roland Menzel
  • Method of fabricating brushes
    Patent number: 6652790
    Abstract: In a two-layer brush for a commutator, the plane form projected on a commutator surface is nearly similar to the plane form of the segment. A molding die used in brush fabrication has a lower punch which slides obliquely up and down along a sliding groove provided in the lower die, and an upper punch which can slide obliquely up and down in relation to the lower punch. The pressure applying face of the upper punch is formed nearly level, while the pressure receiving face of the lower punch is inclined by a predetermined angle relative to the pressure applying face of the upper punch. It is, therefore, possible to form a first brush material to a predetermined shape, and to apply a uniformly pressure to the second brush powder, to thereby form a second brush material having nearly fixed thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Niimi, Hideki Ichikawa, Masahiro Katoh
  • Method of incorporating fluid treatment agents into absorbent composites
    Patent number: 6649099
    Abstract: A method of incorporating a density modulator into an absorbent composite includes the steps of applying a density modulator solution to a pulp sheet, fiberizing the pulp sheet, and incorporating the fiberized pulp sheet into an absorbent composite. The density modulator can be applied by slot coating or by using a flooded nip. Once the density modulator is incorporated into the absorbent composite, the absorbent composite is highly wettable and, upon contact with blood-containing bodily fluids, undergoes a decrease in density, thereby increasing the absorbent capacity of the absorbent composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: David Charles Potts, Yen-Ling Lai, Ramonica Frances Green, Teri Taylor Kish, Sylvia Bandy Little
  • Method of manufacturing articles utilizing a composite material having a high density of small particles in a matrix material
    Patent number: 6649002
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing articles utilizing a composite material having a high density of small particles such as microspheres in a matrix material is disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, at least first and second layers of flanking material are disposed in a generally non-parallel relationship with respect to each other and then are pulled through a die. While the flanking material layers are being pulled through the die, a composite material is injected into a space defined between the at least first and second layers of flanking material. The composite material and the at least first and second layers of flanking material are heated as they pass through the die to cure the composite material and bond the at least two flanking material layers to the composite material, thereby forming a cured article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Patent Holding Company
    Inventors: Darius J. Preisler, Lloyd R. Hilligoss
  • Process of making lignocellulosic articles
    Patent number: 6649098
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for preparing compression molded or pressed lignocellulosic articles. The method involves forming a binder resin by combining a polyisocyanate component with a synergist component of a C1 to C4 N-alkyl pyrrolidone, gamma-butyrolactone, or mixtures thereof. A resinated lignocellulosic mixture is formed by combining the binder resin with lignocellulosic particles having a moisture content of from 2 to 15 weight percent. The compression molded or pressed lignocellulosic article is formed by compressing the resinated lignocellulosic mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Donald C. Mente, Li-Mei Lu
  • Process for making absorbent material with in-situ polymerized superabsorbent
    Patent number: 6645407
    Abstract: A process for making an absorbent composite including absorbent fibers, superabsorbent polymer and, optionally, thermoplastic fibers and other ingredients is provided. The synthesis (i.e., polymerization) of the superabsorbent is completely integrated into the process for forming the absorbent composite. Specifically, the polymerization of superabsorbent is initiated from within a plurality of absorbent and/or thermoplastic fibers, which are then formed into a web. The integrated process eliminates the need for separate manufacture of superabsorbent polymer prior to the fiber forming and web forming processes. Also, the superabsorbent polymer thus formed tends to disperse better and remain adhered to the absorbent and/or thermoplastic fibers, providing a stable and uniform absorbent composite for various end use applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley R. Kellenberger, David Martin Jackson, Young C. Ko, Dave A. Soerens, Jason M. Laumer, Sridhar Ranganathan
  • Hemp hurd composite panels and method of making
    Patent number: 6641909
    Abstract: A method of forming a structural member from hemp hurd and the structural member produced which is substantially free of hemp bats fibers is made by providing hemp stalks which have been decorticated and hurd material is divided into hurd strands which are then mixed with a binder and then pressed into a structural member. The hemp hurd strands can be mixed with wood strands to form wood/hurd structural members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Alberta Research Council Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne Wasylciw
  • Fibrous aggregate forming method
    Patent number: 6641763
    Abstract: A forming method for a fiber aggregate in which fibers are heated to be welded with each other includes a heating step of applying upward heated air to a bottom of a block of the fibers to pass the heated air therethrough and to cause the block of fibers to float, wherein at least parts of fibers are melted while the block of fibers float, and a compression step of compressing substantially in a vertical direction the heated block of fibers into a desired height. The compressed block of fibers is cooled to solidify melted portions of the fibers at portions where the fibers intersect with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignees: Inoac Corporation, Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Nakamura, Tetsuya Hase, Haruo Morita, Hajime Yamamoto, Eiichiro Shimizu, Kenta Udagawa, Kenji Kitabatake
  • High temperature clip cushion
    Patent number: 6641906
    Abstract: A process and composition of matter for preparing an improved clip cushion product having tighter dimensional control, better consistency of composition, higher heat resistance, better crack resistance, less abrasive, and lower weight loss at high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Inventor: Robert Francis Wittschen
  • Method of reducing the wall thickness of a PTFE tube
    Patent number: 6638468
    Abstract: A thin wall PTFE tube is formed from an extruded green tube. The PTFE tube includes an inner tubular surface and an opposed outer tubular surface defining a tubular wall of a first thickness. The tubular wall is compressed to uniformly reduce the wall-thickness and circumferentially orient the tube. The PTFE tube is positioned over a first elongate roller with the inner tubular surface being in contact therewith. A second roller is positioned against the outer tubular surface of the PTFE tube. The pair of rollers are counter rotated so as to circumferentially compress the tubular wall between the rollers. This results in the uniform reduction in the tubular wall from the first thickness to a lesser second thickness and a circumferential orientation otherwise not occurring in an extruded PTFE paste extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason P. Hill, James R. Lininger, Brian J. Brown
  • Method for production of storage-stable pellets from clarified sludge
    Patent number: 6638452
    Abstract: In order to produce pellets or agglomerates in an economically feasible manner from clarified sludge which contains disease-causing bacteria and which is dewatered in a solid mantle worm-gear centrifuge (11) and is subsequently thermally dried in the centrifuge housing (14), and which satisfy the conditions of being hygienically unremarkable and also storage-stable, according to the invention it is proposed that the clarified sludge pellets (25), still hot or warm due to thermal clarified sludge drying, are held at their temperature in a sanitizing apparatus (26) for a dwell time of at least 10 min and thus sanitized and additionally dried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Baker Hughes (Deutschland) GmbH
    Inventor: Wilfried Schnabel
  • Manufacturing method for hollow panel
    Patent number: 6638457
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method for hollow panels wherein highly rigid, lighter and various shapes of hollow panels constructed by layering board material made from fibers, wood elements, or wood strands can be obtained economically, wood strands on which a binder is added are layered with a plurality of cores, a thermal compression molding is performed on this layered material uniformly, cores are extracted after the thermal compression molding, and thus ribs and holes are formed in the panel. Also in the core is a bar which may be of irregular shape, and the core can be a combination of bars having the same or different cross sections. The cores are joined by joining boards in a direction of the short dimension of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Takayoshi Inagaki
  • Method of making a degradable composite article
    Patent number: 6638458
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing disposable tableware products is taught using a degradable composite material including the following components by weight in parts: a plant fiber, 60-90 parts; a urea-formaldehyde resin, 10-35 parts; a melamine resin, 3-10 parts; and a food coloring agent, 1-10 parts; wherein the molecular weight of said urea-formaldehyde resin is 300-600, including: (1) pulverizing the plant fiber into 60 mesh or over and thoroughly mixing the plant fiber with the urea-formaldehyde resin and the melamine resin proportionately to form a mixture of the degradable composite material; (2) feeding the mixture of the degradable composite material into a concave molding mould positioned in an operating platform of a hydraulic press wherein the press is capable of moving in an upward direction in a fixed quantity and position; maintaining the temperature of the mould at 125-190° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Enviro Concept Ltd.
    Inventor: Wang You Tong
  • Process of making lignocellulosic articles
    Patent number: 6638459
    Abstract: A method for preparing compression molded or pressed lignocellulosic articles is disclosed. The method involves forming a binder resin by combining a polyisocyanate component with a parting agent and preferably a synergist. The parting agent is the reaction product of an isocyanate compound and an isocyanate-reactive compound of the general structure R—(ao)n—Y where: R is a hydrophobic group containing alkyl, alkaryl, polyaryl, or siloxane moieties; (ao) is an alkylene oxide or mixture of alkylene oxides; n is from 1 to 25; and Y represents a monofunctional isocyanate-reactive group. A resinated lignocellulosic mixture is formed by combining the binder resin with lignocellulosic particles. Then a compression molded or pressed lignocellulosic article is formed by compressing the resinated lignocellulosic mixture at an elevated temperature and under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Donald C. Mente, Li-Mei Lu, David D. Peters, Joe C. Wilson, Anthony G. Schaefer
  • Method of manufacturing improved corn zein resin films, sheets, and articles
    Patent number: 6635206
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing sheets, films, and articles of manufacture from a corn zein resin. A wet corn zein resin is formed including corn zein and a fatty acid, and the wet zein resin is cold rolled into sheets. The sheets are dried, and the dried zein resin is processed to form sheets, films, and/or articles of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Graciela Wild Padua, Andrianaivo Maherisoa Rakotonirainy, Toan Thanh Ha
  • Method for forming narrow channels in a wood flake article
    Patent number: 6635208
    Abstract: Method of production of molded wood strand products having relatively narrow projections, such as channels, by inserting binder coated implants into projection forming voids in the mold cavity used to form the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Strandwood Molding, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce A. Haataja
  • Method for making wood and plastic composite material
    Patent number: 6632387
    Abstract: A method of preparing wood and plastic to produce a composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignees: P & M Plastics, The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Phil T. Archuletta, James H. Muehl