Patents by Inventor Robert L. Ciardella
Robert L. Ciardella 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: 10099238Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of fluids and more particularly rapidly dispensing highly precise and repeatable, minute amounts of viscous fluids in a non-contact manner. An impacting element is impacted against a hardened insert on a flexible diaphragm to deflect the insert into a jetting chamber and against an outlet orifice in the jetting chamber. The movement of the diaphragm and insert force viscous fluid in the chamber through the outlet orifice and the impact jets that fluid from the outlet orifice, with the impact force being adjusted to jet the fluid from the orifice in a single drop.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2016Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Graco Minnesota Inc.Inventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Duong La, Wai Ching Bessie Chin
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Patent number: 9457372Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of highly viscous material from a jetting needle when an expelling mechanism is activated using a nozzle plate with a jetting chamber having a top formed by a diaphragm and a bottom in fluid communication with a jetting needle. Fluid enters the chamber from an inlet channel and is jetted from the chamber by deforming the diaphragm to block the channel and expel a drop of fluid from the needle. A diaphragm driven metering chamber and/or reservoir chamber can optionally be used provide fluid to the jetting chamber.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2014Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: AdvanjetInventors: Robert L Ciardella, Duong La, Wai Ching Bessie Chin
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Publication number: 20160129467Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of fluids and more particularly rapidly dispensing highly precise and repeatable, minute amounts of viscous fluids in a non-contact manner. An impacting element is impacted against a hardened insert on a flexible diaphragm to deflect the insert into a jetting chamber and against an outlet orifice in the jetting chamber. The movement of the diaphragm and insert force viscous fluid in the chamber through the outlet orifice and the impact jets that fluid from the outlet orifice, with the impact force being adjusted to jet the fluid from the orifice in a single drop.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2016Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Duong La, Wai Ching Bessie Chin
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Patent number: 9254642Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of fluids and more particularly rapidly dispensing highly precise and repeatable, minute amounts of viscous fluids in a non-contact manner. An impacting element is impacted against a hardened insert on a flexible diaphragm to deflect the insert into a jetting chamber and against an outlet orifice in the jetting chamber. The movement of the diaphragm and insert force viscous fluid in the chamber through the outlet orifice and the impact jets that fluid from the outlet orifice, with the impact force being adjusted to jet the fluid from the orifice in a single drop.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2012Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: AdvanjetInventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Duong La, Wai Ching Bessie Chin
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Publication number: 20140252105Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of highly viscous material from a jetting needle when an expelling mechanism is activated using a nozzle plate with a jetting chamber having a top formed by a diaphragm and a bottom in fluid communication with a jetting needle. Fluid enters the chamber from an inlet channel and is jetted from the chamber by deforming the diaphragm to block the channel and expel a drop of fluid from the needle. A diaphragm driven metering chamber and/or reservoir chamber can optionally be used provide fluid to the jetting chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: AdvanJetInventors: Robert L Ciardella, Duong La, Wai Ching Bessie Chin
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Patent number: 8757511Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of highly viscous material from a jetting needle when an expelling mechanism is activated using a nozzle plate with a jetting chamber having a top formed by a diaphragm and a bottom in fluid communication with a jetting needle. Fluid enters the chamber from an inlet channel and is jetted from the chamber by deforming the diaphragm to block the channel and expel a drop of fluid from the needle. A diaphragm driven metering chamber and/or reservoir chamber can optionally be used provide fluid to the jetting chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2011Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: AdvanjetInventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Duong La, Wai Ching Bessie Chin
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Publication number: 20140124600Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of fluids and more particularly rapidly dispensing highly precise and repeatable, minute amounts of viscous fluids in a non-contact manner. An impacting element is impacted against a hardened insert on a flexible diaphragm to deflect the insert into a jetting chamber and against an outlet orifice in the jetting chamber. The movement of the diaphragm and insert force viscous fluid in the chamber through the outlet orifice and the impact jets that fluid from the outlet orifice, with the impact force being adjusted to jet the fluid from the orifice in a single drop.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2012Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: AdvanjetInventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Wai Ching Bessie Chin, Duong La
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Publication number: 20120085842Abstract: This invention concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing minute quantities of highly viscous material from a jetting needle when an expelling mechanism is activated using a nozzle plate with a jetting chamber having a top formed by a diaphragm and a bottom in fluid communication with a jetting needle. Fluid enters the chamber from an inlet channel and is jetted from the chamber by deforming the diaphragm to block the channel and expel a drop of fluid from the needle. A diaphragm driven metering chamber and/or reservoir chamber can optionally be used provide fluid to the jetting chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicant: AdvanJetInventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Duong La, Wai Ching Bessie Chin
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Patent number: 5913455Abstract: A chamber that communicates with a viscous material reservoir has a flexible resilient diaphragm which forms an exterior wall thereof. An impact mechanism, which may comprise a solenoid actuated hammer, applies a predetermined momentum to the diaphragm for rapidly metering a predetermined minute blob of the viscous material from the chamber through a nozzle. The reservoir is pressurized with gas to force the viscous material into the chamber to refill the same. The chamber is heated to control the viscosity of the material. Dispensing rates in excess of four blobs per second can be achieved. Variations in the height of the nozzle from the surface of the workpiece are not critical to uniform rapid dispensing. An alternate embodiment eliminates the diaphragm and instead rapidly retracts a nozzle relative to a fluid feed conduit to eject very small blobs of viscous material. A strain gauge detects refill of the chamber inside the nozzle and sends a signal to control refill logic circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 1997Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Duong La, Robert L. Ciardella, Alec J. Babiarz, Carlos E. Bouras
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Patent number: 5711989Abstract: A computer controlled method for high speed viscous fluid dispensing includes the steps of providing a dot generator and moving the dot generator along at least X and Y axes. The dot generator is controlled to repeatedly eject jets of viscous fluid that break away from the dot generator as a result of their forward momentum and fly to the surface of an adjacent substrate to create dots. The method may further comprise the step of monitoring the size and location of the dots through a vision system. The method may further comprise the steps of assigning dot sizes to specific components based on user specifications or a component library. The method may further comprise the step of optimizing the dot placement paths by aligning the in-line points of dot formation.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1996Date of Patent: January 27, 1998Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Philip P. Maiorca, Alec J. Babiarz, Duong La, Carlos E. Bouras, Mark S. Meier, John L. Christofferson, Ronald N. Abernathy, Stanley C. Aguilar, James C. Smith
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Patent number: 5505777Abstract: A computer controlled system for high speed surface mount adhesive placement in circuit board production includes a dot generator supported for motion along the X, Y and Z axes. The dot generator ejects a jet of viscous adhesive that breaks away from the nozzle of the dot generator as a result of its own forward momentum. The system includes an automatic circuit board conveyor with adjustable width and pneumatically operated lift and lock mechanisms. The system runs through a self-diagnostic set-up procedure and dot calibration routine. Dot size and location are monitored through a video camera and vision circuit. A computer interfaces with the vision circuit and with motion, dot generator and conveyor controllers so that the system can operate in a high volume production assembly line. Application programs are executed by the system computer typically utilizing CAD data from a disk or a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) controller.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 1994Date of Patent: April 9, 1996Assignee: Asymptotic Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Robert L. Ciardella, Philip P. Maiorca, Alec J. Babiarz, Duong La, Carlos E. Bouras, Mark S. Meier, John L. Christofferson, Ronald N. Abernathy, Stanley C. Aguilar, James C. Smith
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Patent number: 5320250Abstract: A chamber that communicates with a viscous material reservoir has a flexible resilient diaphragm which forms an exterior wall thereof. An impact mechanism, which may comprise a solenoid actuated hammer, applies a predetermined momentum to the diaphragm for rapidly metering a predetermined minute blob of the viscous material from the chamber through a nozzle. The reservoir is pressurized with gas to force the viscous material into the chamber to refill the same. The chamber is heated to control the viscosity of the material. Dispensing rates in excess of four blobs per second can be achieved. Variations in the height of the nozzle from the surface of the workpiece are not critical to uniform rapid dispensing. An alternate embodiment eliminates the diaphragm and instead rapidly retracts a nozzle relative to a fluid feed conduit to eject very small blobs of viscous material. A strain gauge detects refill of the chamber inside the nozzle and sends a signal to control refill logic circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1992Date of Patent: June 14, 1994Assignee: Asymptotic Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Duong La, Robert L. Ciardella, Alec J. Babiarz, Carlos E. Bouras
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Patent number: 4466033Abstract: A floppy disk drive with automatic disc clamping and ejection is disclosed. The movement of the linear actuator is used to provide both the clamping and ejection, without other drive means. A pair of magnetic heads, positioned on opposing sides of a drive wheel, are fixed to a carriage, one engages the upper surface of the disc, the other the lower surface. Neither head moves relative to the other. The drive components are easily assembled providing a relatively inexpensive, yet reliable drive.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 1982Date of Patent: August 14, 1984Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.Inventors: Richard Jordan, William Bull, Robert L. Ciardella, Robert Taggart, Frederick R. Holt
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Patent number: 4088512Abstract: A flexible Nb.sub.3 Al superconducting wire is fabricated from a niobium-aluminum composite wire by heating to form a solid solution which is retained at room temperature as a metastable solid solution by quenching. The metastable solid solution is then transformed to the stable superconducting A-15 phase by low temperature aging. The transformation induced by aging can be controlled to yield either a multifilamentary or a solid A-15 core surrounded by ductile niobium.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 1977Date of Patent: May 9, 1978Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of EnergyInventors: Milton R. Pickus, Robert L. Ciardella