Patents by Inventor Willem den Boer

Willem den Boer 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).

  • Patent number: 9919959
    Abstract: A coated article includes a low-emissivity (low-E) coating supported by a substrate (e.g., glass substrate) for use in a window, where the low-E coating is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation in order to improve the coating's and thus the coated article's electrical, optical and/or thermal blocking properties. Exposing the low-E coating to UV radiation, e.g., emitted from a UV lamp(s) and/or UV laser(s), allows for selective heating of a contact/seed layer which transfers energy to the adjacent IR reflecting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Guardian Glass, LLC
    Inventors: Alexey Krasnov, Muhammad Imran, Willem Den Boer, Kevin O'Connor
  • Patent number: 9921703
    Abstract: A multi-layer conductive coating is substantially transparent to visible light, contains at least one conductive layer comprising silver that is sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers, and may be used as an electrode and/or conductive trace in a capacitive touch panel. The multi-layer conductive coating may contain a dielectric layer of or including zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO2) and/or silicon nitride, and may be used in applications such as capacitive touch panels for controlling showers, appliances, vending machines, electronics, electronic devices, and/or the like. The touch panel may further include a functional film(s) which may be one or more of: an index-matching film, an antiglare film, an anti-fingerprint film, and anti-microbial film, a scratch resistant film, and/or an antireflective (AR) film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Guardian Glass, LLC
    Inventors: Willem Den Boer, Alexey Krasnov, Jason Blush, Eric W. Akkashian
  • Patent number: 9921704
    Abstract: A multi-layer conductive coating is substantially transparent to visible light, contains at least one conductive layer comprising silver that is sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers, and may be used as an electrode and/or conductive trace in a capacitive touch panel. The multi-layer conductive coating may contain a dielectric layer of or including zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO2), silicon nitride, and/or tin oxide in certain embodiments, and may be used in applications such as capacitive touch panels for controlling showers, appliances, vending machines, electronics, electronic devices, and/or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Guardian Glass, LLC
    Inventors: Alexey Krasnov, Willem Den Boer, Jian-gang Weng
  • Patent number: 9904431
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to capacitive touch panels. First and second glass substrates are substantially parallel and spaced apart from one another. At least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating (TCC) is patterned into electrodes and located between the first and second substrates. The TCC(s) include(s) at least one conductive layer including silver, a dielectric layer including zinc oxide under and directly contacting the conductive layer including silver, and a dielectric layer(s) including tin oxide or silicon nitride over the conductive layer including silver. Processing circuitry electrically connects to the electrodes and measures an aspect of the electrodes' capacitance. A laminate material is located between the first and second glass substrates. The TCC(s), when blanket deposited, may have a visible transmission of at least 88%, a sheet resistances of no more than 10 ohms per square, and a haze of no more than 0.5%. Mutual and self-capacitance designs are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Guardian Glass, LLC
    Inventors: Vijayen S. Veerasamy, Jason Blush, Eric W. Akkashian, Willem Den Boer, Alexey Krasnov
  • Publication number: 20180011567
    Abstract: A multi-layer conductive coating is substantially transparent to visible light, contains at least one conductive layer comprising silver that is sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers, and may be used as an electrode and/or conductive trace in a capacitive touch panel. The multi-layer conductive coating may contain a dielectric layer of or including zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO2) and/or silicon nitride, and may be used in applications such as capacitive touch panels for controlling showers, appliances, vending machines, electronics, electronic devices, and/or the like. The touch panel may further include a functional film(s) which may be one or more of: an index-matching film, an antiglare film, an anti-fingerprint film, and anti-microbial film, a scratch resistant film, and/or an antireflective (AR) film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Willem DEN BOER, Alexey KRASNOV, Jason BLUSH, Eric W. AKKASHIAN
  • Patent number: 9859840
    Abstract: Certain examples relate to improved solar photovoltaic systems, and/or methods of making the same. Certain improved building-integrated photovoltaic systems may include concentrated photovoltaic skylights having a cylindrical lens array. The skylight may include an insulated glass unit, which may improve the solar heat gain coefficient. The photovoltaic skylight and lens arrays may be used in combination with strip solar cells and lateral displacement tracking systems. Such techniques may advantageously help to reduce cost per watt related, in part, to the potentially reduced amount of semiconductor material to be used for such example embodiments. A photovoltaic skylight may permit diffuse daylight to pass through into an interior of a building so as to provide lighting inside the building, while the strip solar cells absorb the direct sunlight and convert it to electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Guardian Glass, LLC
    Inventors: Willem Den Boer, Vijayen S. Veerasamy
  • Publication number: 20170344157
    Abstract: A multi-layer conductive coating is substantially transparent to visible light, contains at least one conductive layer comprising silver that is sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers, and may be used as an electrode and/or conductive trace in a capacitive touch panel. The multi-layer conductive coating may contain a dielectric layer of or including zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO2), silicon nitride, and/or tin oxide in certain embodiments, and may be used in applications such as capacitive touch panels for controlling showers, appliances, vending machines, electronics, electronic devices, and/or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Alexey KRASNOV, Willem DEN BOER, Jian-gang WENG
  • Patent number: 9818725
    Abstract: An inorganic-light-emitter display includes a display substrate and a plurality of spatially separated inorganic light emitters distributed on the display substrate in a light-emitter layer. A light-absorbing layer located on the display substrate in the light-emitter layer is in contact with the inorganic light emitters. Among other things, the disclosed technology provides improved angular image quality by avoiding parallax between the light emitters and the light-absorbing material, increased light-output efficiency by removing the light-absorbing material from the optical path, improved contrast by increasing the light-absorbing area of the display substrate, and a reduced manufacturing cost in a mechanically and environmentally robust structure using micro transfer printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: X-Celeprint Limited
    Inventors: Christopher Bower, Willem Den Boer, Matthew Meitl, Ronald S. Cok
  • Patent number: 9809275
    Abstract: A crank assembly for a pedal-driven vehicle includes a first member, a second member, and a rotary sensor. The first member rotates about a crank axis of the pedal-driven vehicle. The second member is rotationally coupled to the first member and is configured to pivot about the first member via a member pivot. The second member also is configured to receive a pedal at a pedal interface. The rotary sensor is coupled to the first member and configured to measure rotation of the second member relative to the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Inventor: Willem den Boer
  • Publication number: 20170315638
    Abstract: A projected capacitive touch panel, including a substrate, a silver-inclusive transparent conductive coating which forms a plurality of row electrodes, a plurality of column electrodes, and a plurality of conductive traces, and a signal processor which sequentially measures a capacitance between each of row electrodes and an adjacent column electrode. The row electrodes, the plurality of column electrodes, and the plurality of traces are on a plane substantially parallel to the substrate. Each of the row electrodes is electrically connected to the signal processor by one of the plurality of conductive traces. The plurality of traces are at least partially substantially parallel to the column electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Willem DEN BOER, Alexey KRASNOV
  • Publication number: 20170315637
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to capacitive touch panels. First and second glass substrates are substantially parallel and spaced apart from one another. At least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating (TCC) is patterned into electrodes and located between the first and second substrates. The TCC(s) include(s) at least one conductive layer including silver, a dielectric layer including zinc oxide under and directly contacting the conductive layer including silver, and a dielectric layer(s) including tin oxide or silicon nitride over the conductive layer including silver. Processing circuitry electrically connects to the electrodes and measures an aspect of the electrodes' capacitance. A laminate material is located between the first and second glass substrates. The TCC(s), when blanket deposited, may have a visible transmission of at least 88%, a sheet resistances of no more than 10 ohms per square, and a haze of no more than 0.5%. Mutual and self-capacitance designs are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Vijayen S. VEERASAMY, Jason BLUSH, Eric W. AKKASHIAN, Willem DEN BOER, Alexey KRASNOV
  • Patent number: 9740357
    Abstract: A projected capacitive touch panel, including a substrate, a silver-inclusive transparent conductive coating which forms a plurality of row electrodes, a plurality of column electrodes, and a plurality of conductive traces, and a signal processor which sequentially measures a capacitance between each of row electrodes and an adjacent column electrode. The row electrodes, the plurality of column electrodes, and the plurality of traces are on a plane substantially parallel to the substrate. Each of the row electrodes is electrically connected to the signal processor by one of the plurality of conductive traces. The plurality of traces are at least partially substantially parallel to the column electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Willem Den Boer, Alexey Krasnov
  • Patent number: 9733779
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to capacitive touch panels. First and second glass substrates are substantially parallel and spaced apart from one another. At least one multi-layer transparent conductive coating (TCC) is patterned into electrodes and located between the first and second substrates. The TCC(s) include(s) at least one conductive layer including silver, a dielectric layer including zinc oxide under and directly contacting the conductive layer including silver, and a dielectric layer(s) including tin oxide or silicon nitride over the conductive layer including silver. Processing circuitry electrically connects to the electrodes and measures an aspect of the electrodes' capacitance. A laminate material is located between the first and second glass substrates. The TCC(s), when blanket deposited, may have a visible transmission of at least 88%, a sheet resistances of no more than 10 ohms per square, and a haze of no more than 0.5%. Mutual and self-capacitance designs are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Vijayen S. Veerasamy, Jason Blush, Eric W. Akkashian, Willem Den Boer, Alexey Krasnov
  • Publication number: 20170146859
    Abstract: A polarizer component has an optical film to receive excitation light, a light re-emitting layer and a polarizing layer. The light re-emitting layer has quantum dots that re-emit red light and quantum dots that re-emit green light in response to the excitation light. The re-emitted red light is provided to a red sub-pixel to be filtered by a red color filter, and the re-emitting green light is provided to a green sub-pixel to be filtered by a green color filter. The excitation light can be blue or ultra violet and part of the excitation light is provided to a blue sub-pixel. The polarizing layer can be a reflective polarizing layer and the optical film can be a wavelength selecting layer. The light re-emitting layer may contain scattering particles to diffuse the excitation light provided to a blue sub-pixel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Yi-Wen LIN, Adiel ABILEAH, Willem DEN BOER, Fang-Chen LUO, Shu-Han WANG, Chih-Kang WU
  • Publication number: 20170147119
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Steve Porter HOTELLING, Wei CHEN, Christoph H. KRAH, John Greer ELIAS, Wei Hsin YAO, John Z. ZHONG, Andrew Bert HODGE, Brian R. LAND, Willem den BOER
  • Publication number: 20170139507
    Abstract: This invention relates to a transparent conductive coating that is substantially transparent to visible light and is designed to have a visible reflectance which more closely matches that the visible reflectance of the underlying substrate. In certain example embodiments, the transparent conductive multilayer coating includes a silver layer(s) and may be used as an electrode(s) in a capacitive touch panel so as to provide for an electrode(s) transparent to visible light but without much visibility due to the substantial matching visible reflection design.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Willem DEN BOER, Jian-gang WENG
  • Publication number: 20170068362
    Abstract: A reflective display includes an array of reflective pixels in or beneath a display viewing area for viewing electronically displayed information. A layer is located on or over the display viewing area through which the display viewing area is viewed and a plurality of micro-LEDs is located on the layer in the display viewing area and arranged to emit light toward the display viewing area. A plurality of conductors is located on the layer and the conductors are electrically connected to the micro-LEDs. A controller is connected to the conductors to control the micro-LEDs to emit light illuminating the display viewing area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Willem Den Boer, Ronald S. Cok
  • Patent number: 9574352
    Abstract: Improved building-integrated photovoltaic systems according to certain example embodiments may include concentrated photovoltaic skylights or other windows having a cylindrical lens array. The skylight may include an insulated glass unit, which may improve the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). The photovoltaic skylight and lens arrays may be used in combination with strip solar cells. Arrangements that involve lateral displacement tracking systems, or static systems (e.g., that are fixed at one, two, or more predefined positions) are contemplated herein. Such techniques may advantageously help to reduce cost per watt related, in part, to the potentially reduced amount of semiconductor material to be used for such example embodiments. A photovoltaic skylight may permit diffuse daylight to pass through into an interior of a building so as to provide lighting inside the building, while the strip solar cells absorb the direct sunlight and convert it to electricity, providing for SHGC tuning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Willem Den Boer, Jian-gang Weng, Eric Walter Akkashian, Vijayen S. Veerasamy, Scott V. Thomsen
  • Patent number: 9575610
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screens that integrate the touch sensing elements with the display circuitry. The integration may take a variety of forms. Touch sensing elements can be completely implemented within the LCD stackup but outside the not between the color filter plate and the array plate. Alternatively, some touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates with other touch sensing elements not between the plates. In another alternative, all touch sensing elements can be between the color filter and array plates. The latter alternative can include both conventional and in-plane-switching (IPS) LCDs. In some forms, one or more display structures can also have a touch sensing function. Techniques for manufacturing and operating such displays, as well as various devices embodying such displays are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Porter Hotelling, Wei Chen, Christoph Horst Krah, John Greer Elias, Wei Hsin Yao, John Z. Zhong, Andrew Bert Hodge, Brian Richards Land, Willem Den Boer
  • Patent number: 9567666
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to techniques for reducing stress asymmetry in sputtered polycrystalline films. In certain example embodiments, sputtering apparatuses that include one or more substantially vertical, non-conductive shield(s) are provided, with such shield(s) helping to reduce the oblique component of sputter material flux, thereby promoting the growth of more symmetrical crystallites. In certain example embodiments, the difference between the travel direction tensile stress and the cross-coater tensile stress of the sputtered film preferably is less than about 15%, more preferably less than about 10%, and still more preferably less than about 5%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp
    Inventors: Alexey Krasnov, Willem den Boer, R. Glenn Stinson