Patents by Inventor Floyd E. Woodard
Floyd E. Woodard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6707610Abstract: In a titanium nitride-based optical coating, the structural stability of the coating is enhanced by providing a damage-retardation base layer between the titanium nitride layer and a substrate. Where the optical coating is to provide solar control, the titanium nitride layer is selected primarily for achieving desired optical characteristics, while the thickness of the damage-retardation layer is selected primarily for achieving desired mechanical characteristics. The damage-retardation layer is formed of a grey metal, with nickel chromium being the preferred metal. The grey metal layer reduces the likelihood that the titanium nitride layer will crack. The tendency of such a layer to crack and form worm tracks is further reduced by exposing the substrate to a plasma preglow and/or by using a slip agent on the side of the substrate on which the layers are to be formed.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2002Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignees: Huper Optik International Pte Ltd, Southwall Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Floyd E. Woodard, Yisheng Dai
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Patent number: 6368470Abstract: A multi-layer antireflection coating is formed to include successive layers of a medium refractive index material, a high refractive index material, and a low refractive index material. The medium refractive index layer is hydrogenated in order to tailor the refractive index of the material to below 1.99 and to increase clarity in transmission. Preferably, the hydrogen atomic concentration is at least 7 percent, more preferably exceeds 9 percent, and most preferably exceeds 18 percent. The three layers combine to form a three-layer antireflection coating, but the hydrogenation may be used in antireflection coatings having a greater or lesser number of layers.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 1999Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Southwall Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 6255003Abstract: Heat wave-reflective or electrically conductive substantially transparent sheets, such as glazing sheets, which include a transparent solid substrate and one or more sequential transparent gold-clad silver layers supported by the substrate are disclosed. These sheets have superior corrosion resistance to equivalent sheets made without the gold cladding or made with gold/silver alloys. Sputter-deposit methods for producing these sheets are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 1997Date of Patent: July 3, 2001Assignee: Southwall Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Floyd E. Woodard, Jerome W. Knapczyk
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Patent number: 6204480Abstract: Vacuum deposition processes such as sputter-depositing are employed to deposit electrically conductive bus bars onto thin film transparent conductor sheets. These assemblies provide efficient and durable electrical connections to the conductor sheets which can be laminated into glazing structures such as automotive windshields to provide resistance heating for defogging and deicing or the provide an electrical connection for in-window antennas and in window radiation shields.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2000Date of Patent: March 20, 2001Assignee: Southwall Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Floyd E. Woodard, Reto Furler
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Patent number: 5763063Abstract: The durability of thin metal coatings and particularly substantially transparent copper and silver plus noble metal coatings and their ability to withstand corrosive environments is improved by overcoating the metal layers with a double coating of dielectric. The first coating is made up of dielectric based on indium and/or zinc. The second coating is made up of dielectric based on indium and tin. These overcoatings are more effective than a single coating based on one metal or a single coating based upon the two metals.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1996Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignee: Southwall Technologies Inc.Inventors: Thomas Pass, Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 5589280Abstract: The adhesion to plastic substrates of thick layers of functional metals having an oxide heat of formation that is greater than -40,000 calories/gram atom of metal, such as silver, copper, gold, and the like, is improved if a thin layer of a metal having an oxide heat of formation of less than -50,000 calories/gram atom of metal is present as an adhesion-promoting primer layer. When the primer layer metal has a melting point greater than 1100.degree. C., it should be present as the metal or as a substoichiometric oxide. When the primer layer metal has a melting point less than 1100.degree. C., it may be present as the metal, as a substoichiometric oxide, or as a full stoichiometric oxide. Processes for preparing these materials using sputter-depositing and reflectors incorporating these materials are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 1993Date of Patent: December 31, 1996Assignee: Southwall Technologies Inc.Inventors: Kevin P. Gibbons, Louis C. Lau, Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 5510173Abstract: The durability of thin metal coatings and particularly substantially transparent copper and silver plus noble metal coatings and their ability to withstand corrosive environments is improved by overcoating the metal layers with a double coating of dielectric. The first coating is made up of dielectric based on indium and/or zinc. The second coating is made up of dielectric based on indium and tin. These overcoatings are more effective than a single coating based on one metal or a single coating based upon the two metals.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 1993Date of Patent: April 23, 1996Assignee: Southwall Technologies Inc.Inventors: Thomas Pass, Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 5494743Abstract: Carbon-based polymer substrates such as polyesters are antireflected by applying to the substrates one or more discontinuous layers of inorganic metal compounds having an index of refraction greater than that of the substrates.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 1992Date of Patent: February 27, 1996Assignee: Southwall Technologies Inc.Inventors: Floyd E. Woodard, Larry C. Peck
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Patent number: 5427892Abstract: Optical storage media based on ablative metals give improved stability and offer improved write-read characteristics when they are overcoated with inorganic oxide, nitride, carbide, hydride, oxynitride or carbohydride to a reflectivity of 40-80% at the media write/read wavelength. Preferably the metal and overcoat are applied by sputter-depositing.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1993Date of Patent: June 27, 1995Assignee: The Dow Chemical CompanyInventors: Andrew J. G. Strandjord, Steven P. Webb, Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 5411838Abstract: Optical storage media based on ablative metals give improved stability and offer improved write-read characteristics when they are overcoated with inorganic oxide, nitride, carbide, hydride, oxynitride or carbohydride to a reflectivity of 40-80% at the media write/read wavelength. Preferably the metal and overcoat are applied by sputter-depositing.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1993Date of Patent: May 2, 1995Assignee: The Dow Chemical CompanyInventors: Andrew J. G. Strandjord, Steven P. Webb, Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 5328813Abstract: Optical storage media based on ablative metals give improved stability and offer improved write-read characteristics when they are overcoated with inorganic oxide, nitride, carbide, hydride, oxynitride or carbohydride to a reflectivity of 40-80% at the media write/read wavelength. Preferably the metal and overcoat are applied by sputter-depositing.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1992Date of Patent: July 12, 1994Assignee: The Dow Chemical CompanyInventors: Andrew J. G. Strandjord, Steven P. Webb, Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 5189551Abstract: A solar screening film for a motor vehicle windshield comprises an interference filter having one or more heat reflecting metal layers and one or more coacting reflection-suppressing layers to minimize reflection and enhance visible transmission and a gradient band continuation of the interference filter above the direct line of forward vision through a windshield when the film is disposed therein in a motor vehicle, for reflective rejection of infra-red solar energy, such band including a light-reflecting metal layer gradually increasing in thickness toward an edge of the film.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1989Date of Patent: February 23, 1993Assignee: Monsanto CompanyInventor: Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 4976503Abstract: An optical element for a motor vehicle windshield comprises, in combination, an interference filter having one or more light-reflecting metal layers and one or more reflection-suppressing layers for coacting with the one or more metal layers to minimize reflection and enhance transmission in the visible region, a gradient band continuation of the interference filter above the direct line of forward vision through a windshield when disposed in a motor vehicle for reflective rejection of infra-red solar energy, such band including a light-reflecting metal layer gradually increasing in thickness toward a lateral edge of the band, a transparent substrate supporting such filter and gradient band and plural bus bars substantially parallel to the lateral edge of the gradient band in electrical contact with the metal layers of the interference filter and the gradient band continuation.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1989Date of Patent: December 11, 1990Assignee: Monsanto CompanyInventor: Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 4973511Abstract: A laminated window construction includes a solar control film formed by a flexible plastic substrate such as a PET sheet having on one surface a multilayer solar coating. This multilayer solor coating includes at least one thin layer of metal and at least one adjacent adherent layer of a dielectric material. An energy absorbing safety film of the type normally used in shatterproof glass laminates (e.g., plasticized PVB) is bonded to at least one side, and preferably both sides, of the solar control film to form a composite solar/safety film. This composite solar/safety film is specially designed to contribute, after incorporation into a glass laminate, no more than about two percent of visible reflection (based on total incident visible radiation) which has the effect of substantially masking the visible effects of wrinkles in the solar control film substrate (i.e., the wrinkles are made less visible).Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1988Date of Patent: November 27, 1990Assignee: Monsanto CompanyInventors: Peter H. Farmer, Stanley S. Ho, Raymond F. Riek, Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 4943140Abstract: An optical element for a motor vehicle windshield comprises, in combination, an interference filter having one or more light-reflecting metal layers and one or more reflection-suppressing layers for coacting with the one or more metal layers to minimize reflection and enhance transmission in the visible region, a gradient band continuation of the interference filter above the direct line of forward vision through a windshield when disposed in a motor vehicle for reflective rejection of solar energy, such band including a light-reflecting metal layer gradually increasing in thickness toward a lateral edge of the band and an anti-glare backing behind the gradient band for suppressing luminous reflection from within the motor vehicle when the optical element is disposed in the windshield.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1989Date of Patent: July 24, 1990Assignee: Monsanto CompanyInventors: Floyd E. Woodard, Zane V. Zeable
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Patent number: 4786783Abstract: A transparent, laminated window, particularly for use as a vehicle windshield, has improved deicing capability and high luminous transmission and near IR rejection, comprises an optical element having a low sheet resistivity of less than about 6 ohms per square and less than about 11% normal incidence reflection of 400-700 nm wavelength light, such element containing at least two transparent metal layers less than 150A thick which are electrically conductively associated with bus bar(s) and separated by one or more dielectric layers.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1987Date of Patent: November 22, 1988Assignee: Monsanto CompanyInventor: Floyd E. Woodard
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Patent number: 4782216Abstract: A transparent, laminated window, particularly for use as a vehicle windshield, has improved deicing capability and high luminous transmission and near IR rejection, comprises an optical element having a low sheet resistivity of less than about 3 ohms per square, such element containing at least two transparent metal layers electrically conductively associated with bus bar(s) and separated by one or more dielectric layers.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1987Date of Patent: November 1, 1988Assignee: Monsanto CompanyInventor: Floyd E. Woodard