Means To Coat Or Impregnate Particulate Matter Patents (Class 118/716)
  • Patent number: 5620521
    Abstract: A method for surface treatment in which a fluidizable powder mixture consisting of a powder of a refractory material, and a surface layer-forming powder of a metal, or alloy or both is fluidized by a fluidizing gas supplied through a gas distributor to form above the gas distributor a fluidized bed in which a surface layer is formed on the material to be treated under heating in the presence of a halide. A layer of coarse particles is disposed between the fluidized bed and the gas distributor, and the coarse particles have a mean diameter, D(m), as defined below:(1650V.mu./PG).sup.1/2 <D<6.5dwhereV: velocity of the fluidizing gas (m/s);.mu.: viscosity coefficient of the fluidizing gas (kg/m.multidot.s);P: mean density of the coarse particles (kg/m.sup.3);G: acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s.sup.2);d: mean particle diameter of the surface layer-forming powder (m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho
    Inventors: Hideo Tachikawa, Hiromasa Takeda, Kazuyuki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 5618580
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing ceramic fine particles comprising the steps of supplying gaseous starting materials or starting material droplets to a reaction space arranged in an annular portion between inner and outer cylinders of a coaxial, double-cylinder reaction apparatus, the reaction apparatus having a stationary outer cylinder and a rotatable inner cylinder; and subjecting the gaseous starting materials or the starting material droplets to reaction in the reaction space while rotating the inner cylinder. Also, the present invention provides a production apparatus used therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Oshima, Toshiharu Numata, Toru Nishimura, Sachiko Kokubo, Keiichi Tsuto
  • Patent number: 5593740
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making carbon-encapsulated ultrafine metal particles, in which metal powder intended for encapsulation is injected at a rate up to 25 grams per minutes into a plasma arc so that the metal powder is vaporized. The vaporized metal powder is then mixed with an active gas flow, which consists of hydrocarbons, filled in the surrounding area of the plasma arc, and thereby the vaporized metal powder and the active gas interact continuously producing carbon encapsulated ultrafine metal particles that are remarkably predictable in particle size, distribution of sizes and atomic composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Synmatix Corporation
    Inventors: Emil E. Strumban, Edward K. Dobrinsky, Anatoly A. Kuznetsov, Avetik H. Harutyunyan
  • Patent number: 5569329
    Abstract: A fluidized bed apparatus which produces a pyrolitic carbon coating with improved wear and porosity characteristics of the coating by producing a more uniform flat temperature profile throughout a reaction chamber in the area where coating is taking place. The apparatus has heating coils surrounding a lower end of the reaction chamber placed immediately adjacent one another at tight spacing. This contrasts to previous apparatus wherein heating coils were spaced between 2 cm and 5 cm apart. The apparatus also has a multi-jet nozzle to control a flow of gases through the reaction chamber. The jets in the nozzle comprise passages which are oriented such that the length of the passages lie on a series of cones having common axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: CarboMedics, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Cox
  • Patent number: 5565248
    Abstract: A plasma assisted deposition of a very thin inner surface coating inside a plastic or metal container is achieved using insoluble, inert, inorganic substances such as silica, or insoluble metal oxides, or by using mixtures of substances, for example of metals, metal oxides, metal salts and carbon and/or organic radicals, so as to form a flexible structure or lattice, or by using different layers of such structures. It involves locating the container in an evacuated enclosure, placing a vaporizer containing inert inorganic material of a predetermined constituency inside the container, generating a vapor of said material, forming a plasma of said vapor, and depositing a relatively thin coating of said material over a predetermined area of an inside surface of said container, whereby the high temperature of the particles of said coating penetrate said surface due to their heat energy while causing no overall rise in surface temperature because of the low mass flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
    Inventors: George Plester, Horst Ehrich
  • Patent number: 5554470
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for preparing migration imaging members are disclosed. Two substrates with softenable layers applied to them travel through a vacuum chamber where they are simultaneously exposed to vapor deposition of the migration marking material. After the migration marking material is deposited, the two softenable layers are laminated together in the same vacuum chamber to form the migration imaging member. In one of the embodiments, the softenable layers are applied to the substrates in the same sweep of the substrate through the vacuum chamber vapor deposition and lamination steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Hardy Sonnenberg, Arnold L. Pundsack, Man C. Tam
  • Patent number: 5470388
    Abstract: Device for the vacuum coating of mass produced products. By means of the ice small parts, such as screws and bolts, as mass produced products are highly productively coated by vacuum deposition or sputtering, also under plasma action. In a container is located a drum rotatable at high speed about its horizontal axis and in which the parts to be coated are fixed to the inner wall by centrifugal force. The surface of the inner wall is geometrically constructed such that the parts to be coated are reliably held and moved with it. The coating devices are located in the drum. A stripping device, whose spacing with respect to the inner wall is adjustable at programmable time intervals, is located in the drum and has an abutment surface directed opposite to the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foederung der angewandten Porschung e.V.
    Inventors: Klaus Goedicke, Christoph Metzner, Joerg Schmidt, Ullrich Heisig, Siegfried Schiller, Jonathan Reschke
  • Patent number: 5372862
    Abstract: A coating technique for beam tubes which employs a laser to ablate a target material and produce a plasma plume containing ions of the target material which adhere to the inner wall surface of the tube forming a thin film. The device employed in the coating process includes a pulse laser, a turning mirror used to direct the laser radiation, a window attached to tubing whose function is to evacuate the setup and to support a rail on which a carriage carrying the target material and optical elements for focusing the laser light onto the targets are mounted. During the coating process, the beam tube and the rail support tubes are evacuated to a lower pressure to remove ambient air. The apparatus is then filled with an inert gas. The laser is pulsed for a predetermined duration to ablate the target material for coating the vicinal surfaces of the beam tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Inventor: Jayaram Krishnaswamy
  • Patent number: 5328720
    Abstract: A coating-fluidizing gas supply system for a flat-bottom fluidized bed coater that maintains a high degree of uniform fluidization of levitated particles for a long enough time period to coat medical-device components. The coating-fluidizing gas supply system prevents premature pyrolysis of the coating component of the gas from plugging gas-distributor holes of a flat plate at the bottom of a flat-bottom fluidized bed coater, by directing multiple gas streams uniformly against the entire undersurface of the flat gas-distributor plate, creating an overall cooling-effect on the gas-distributor plate which prevents clogging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Carbon Implants, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Emken, Billie F. Hightower
  • Patent number: 5328713
    Abstract: Precise control of pyrocarbon being coated upon an object in a fluidized particle bed is achieved by monitoring the weight change of the fluidized particle bed over a period of time. Measurement of such weight change is truly representative of bed size in such a coater, which is a most important factor in achieving the desired characteristics of the pyrocarbon being deposited. By monitoring the bed size by repeatedly determining such changes in the weight, compensating adjustments are made by either adding additional particles to the bed or by changing the rate at which particles are withdrawn so that precise coating characteristics are achieved, and coatings can be deposited within very close thickness tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Carbon Implants, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Emken, James A. Accuntius, David S. Wilde
  • Patent number: 5298296
    Abstract: A process for coating powders with ultrafine particles of silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride or alloys thereof, entailing:a) introducing a reactant gas into a bed of core powders, thereby uniformly suspending the core powders in the reactant gas,b) entraining the uniformly suspended core powders into a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor,c) selectively forming ultrafine particles of silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride or alloys thereof in the gas phase by homogeneous deposition of the reactant gas, while minimizing core powder growth by CVD at surfaces of suspended core powders, andd) coating the core powders with the ultrafine particles of silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride or alloys thereof, by introducing hot inert gas into the uniformly suspended core powders in the reactant gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Toshinori Kojima, Masahiko Matsukata, Eiichi Ozawa, Jean-Marie Friedt
  • Patent number: 5273618
    Abstract: An apparatus for the synthesis of diamond by the vapor-phase process using a combustion flame is provided with a cover set in place in the peripheral region of a combustion burner for enveloping the combustion flame and provided, when necessary, with gas inlets. A method for the synthesis of diamond by the vapor-phase process using the apparatus described above effects the diamond deposition by forming a combustion flame for synthesis of diamond and, at the same time, varying the relative parallel positions of the combustion flame and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignees: Showa Denko K.K., Masao Murakawa, Yoichi Hirose
    Inventors: Kunio Komaki, Yoichi Hirose
  • Patent number: 5238525
    Abstract: A video tracking system and a program employing frequency-domain analysis for extracting RHEED intensity oscillation data for film growth on rotating substrates. In initial experiments on GaAs growth, excellent (2%) agreement has been obtained between oscillation frequencies measured for static substrates and substrates with rotation rates as high as 10 rpm. The capability of performing RHEED analysis on rotating substrates could lead to improvements in the quality of complex epitaxial structures and interfaces for which interrupting rotation can have a deleterious effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1993
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: George W. Turner, Adrian J. Isles
  • Patent number: 5201956
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for coating articles with a coating material by vapor deposition wherein a cellular fixture is employed for tumble coating the articles. The cellular fixture comprises multiple cells disposed radially about a common axis of rotation. The cells comprise hollow members having side walls with a plurality of openings therethrough to permit the flow of vapors of coating material, e.g. parylene, through the openings into the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Specialty Coating Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce J. Humphrey, Roger A. Olson
  • Patent number: 5198029
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus useful for fluidizing small particulate solids having a diameter of less than about 50 microns in average particle size, and at least partially enveloping these small solids with a coating material or a precursor thereto. The basis apparatus of this invention includes a cross-current multi-stage fluid bed reactor having N fluid beds in flow communication with one another, wherein N.gtoreq.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Arunava Dutta, Leonard V. Dullea, Ernest A. Dale
  • Patent number: 5171734
    Abstract: A process is described for coating a substrate surface in a heated fluidized bed reactor which comprises flowing one or more coating source materials in a condensed state into a fluidized bed reactor which is maintained at a temperature which is higher than the decomposition and/or reaction temperature of the one or more coating source materials but lower than the vaporization temperature of the coating composition formed in the reactor, whereby the coating composition formed by such decomposition and/or reaction will form a coating film on the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventors: Angel Sanjurjo, Bernard J. Wood
  • Patent number: 5140756
    Abstract: In conventional fluidized granulators whose housing is made of a steel plate, a powder tends to cause blocking if it is highly hygroscopic, and the bag filter used therein causes clogging. These problems have been solved in the present invention by forming the housing of a fluidized granulator with a porous membrane in place of the conventional steel plate. This fluidized granulator produces granules or a coated powder by spraying powder with water, a binder fluid or a coating fluid while maintaining the powder in a fluidized state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, Ohkawara Kakohki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichi Iwaya, Hitoshi Masumura, Hiroki Takahashi, Masaaki Ohkawara, Katsumi Kobayashi, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 5132105
    Abstract: Diamonds or diamond like substances are formed by breaking covalent bonds of fullerene and/or azite particles in the presence of carbon containing gases to form tetrahedral diamond like structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Quantametrics, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Remo
  • Patent number: 5122222
    Abstract: Computerized acquisition and frequency-domain analysis of dynamic reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) intensity data is obtained during growth by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE). Rapid, accurate determination of the frequency of RHEED oscillations can be obtained not only when these oscillations are well resolved, but also when the growth conditions yield oscillations that are too poorly resolved to permit frequency analysis by conventional procedures. The method has been used to study transients in the growth of AlGaAs on GaAs substrates and also to investigate the hetero-epitaxial growth of GaAs on Si.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: George W. Turner, Bettina A. Nechay, Stephen J. Eglash
  • Patent number: 5094185
    Abstract: Electroluminescent phosphors, electroluminescent panels and lamps made with such phosphors, and a process and apparatus for treating phosphors are disclosed in which the phosphor particles are coated with a very thin coating of SiO.sub.2, to protect the phosphor particles from aging due to moisture intrusion. The phosphor particles are coated in a cold wall reactor by the pyrolytic decomposition of silane in the presence of heat and oxygen to a coating thickness of approximately between 0.1 and 3.0 microns. The apparatus and method of coating includes the placement of a quantity of phosphor in a cup-shaped heated reactor bowl and subjecting the particles to a temperature of about 490.degree. C. and an atmosphere of silane and oxygen, while continuously mechanically agitating the particles with a blade arrangement in which the particles are continuously rotated and turned so as to expose the surfaces of the heated particles to the reaction atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: Lumel, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas T. Simopoulos, George N. Simopoulos
  • Patent number: 5060354
    Abstract: A rapid thermal processor for heat treating and cooling semiconductor material is an elongated process chamber having a base, side and top walls which enclose a heater plate assembly through which thin pins longitudinally move to carry workpieces vertically to and from the heater assembly. A cooling shutter is adapted in the chamber to shield the workpiece from the heater plate when the cooling process takes place. The chamber has gaseous ambient control means which regulates the type of atmosphere or vacuum in the chamber during heat processing of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Inventor: George Chizinsky
  • Patent number: 5059410
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for maintaining the purity of solid/granular product and dispensing high purity granular product from a vessel. A noncontaminating surface is provided by a cup, cylinder, or other structure having a surface of silicon, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, sialon, or similar materials and preferably operates as an angle of repose valve in a pressurized system to prevent contamination by undue contact of the high purity product with conventional gastight valves such as ball valves, butterfly valves, pinch valves, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Ethyl Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Boone, David W. Owens, Robert E. Farritor, Wesley D. Blank
  • Patent number: 5005518
    Abstract: Apparatus for preparation of artificial hair for hair-implantation comprising a vacuum vessel, a vacuum pump communicating with the vacuum vessel through an on-off valve, a crucible in of the vacuum vessel equipped with a heater for fusing silver, and a rotary container in the vacuum vessel adapted to receive monofilaments of a synthetic resin therein and to rotate to cause amorphous silver to adhere in spots to the monofilament by subjecting them to vacuum deposition of silver at a vacuum degree of 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-6 Torr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Inventor: Shiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 5003919
    Abstract: An apparatus for stabilizing treatment of ferromagnetic metal powder which apparatus makes it possible to form a surface-oxidized film on the powder which is as uniform and dense as possible and to afford ferromagnetic metal powder having a good quality, and which apparatus is characterized by comprising a horizontal, cylindrical, rotating type body of reactor; a feeding port for the ferromagnetic metal powder into the body; a withdrawing port for the ferromagnetic metal powder from the body; a blowing passageway for an oxidizing gas into the body; and a withdrawing passageway for the oxidizing gas from the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Chisso Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsushi Yamamoto, Masaru Niwano, Etsuo Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 5002797
    Abstract: Aluminum-coated ammonium perchlorate is prepared in an apparatus consisting f a four-opening reaction flask (which serves as a vacuum chamber). The reaction flask is fitted with an electrically-heated tungsten helix coil (for vaporizing the aluminum), a mercury diffusion pump, a mechanical vacuum pump, a dry ice-acetone-cooled trap, and a McLeod pressure-measurement gage. The heater electrodes are submitted through two of the openings; reduced pressure operation is maintained through the third opening, and the aluminum is fed through the fourth opening. The reaction flask is operated at approximately 10 Torr. A magnetic stirrer permits the ammonium perchlorate to be vaporized onto the surface of the ammonium perchlorate after the melted aluminum on the tungsten helix coil is subsequently vaporized from the tungsten helix coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: David C. Sayles
  • Patent number: 4991541
    Abstract: A device for treating fine particles is provided which comprises a plural number of reaction chambers for providing reaction fields different from each other provided along the flow pathway on the downstream side of a nozzle which jets out fine particles in a beam. The device may be provided with a chamber for a starting material for forming fine particles. The nozzle may be a convergent-divergent nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugata, Masao Sugata, Noriko Kurihara, Tohru Den, Kenji Ando, Osamu Kamiya
  • Patent number: 4936250
    Abstract: A reactor/transporter apparatus for coating particles by thermally decomposing at least one metal carbonyl into selected metal values and carbon monoxide with the metal values depositing on the particles. The reactor/transporter includes an upper end, a lower end and a source of transport fluid including the metal carbonyl. The transport fluid is supplied into the reactor/transporter for coating particles as they travel from the lower to the upper end. A separator is connected to the upper end of the reactor/transporter for separating the particles from the transport fluid. A downcomer is connected to the separator for collecting the particles. A heater heats the particles and a valve regulates the flow of particles into the reactor/transporter from the downcomer. In addition, the reactor/transporter has a purge vessel for removing coated particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1990
    Assignee: Inco Limited
    Inventors: Leonard G. Wiseman, George P. Tyroler, Gordon E. Cuthbert, John W. Gullick
  • Patent number: 4868013
    Abstract: Undesirable conversion of a silicon source, such as silane, in the freeboard above a fluidized bed of silicon particles in a fluidized bed reactor, can be reduced by cooling the gas within the freeboard. Preferably, the reduction in temperature is achieved by introducing into the freeboard, a stream of relatively cool quench gas such as hydrogen, which also reduces the concentration of silane in the freeboard. As a result of these two factors, the invention improves the service factor of the fluidized bed apparatus, and reduces the amount of silane conversion to undesired by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Ethyl Corporation
    Inventor: Robert H. Allen
  • Patent number: 4858552
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for making pellets from a fluidizable material having a fluid bed chamber with a perforated base and an open upper end in which a rotatable means for shaping the pellets is located. Gas for the formation of a fluidized current is introduced through the perforated base. A fluid spray for the agglomeration and coating of the fluidizable material is introduced into the fluid bed chamber, preferably near the perforated base in the central area of the fluid bed chamber. Additionally, a device for channeling agglomerated material is preferably located at a distance above the perforated base and concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the sprayer. A fluidized current carries particles, while still plastic, upwardly through the channeling device causing them to impinge on the underside of the rotatable means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: Glatt GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Glatt, Reinhard Nowak
  • Patent number: 4851262
    Abstract: A method of making metal carbide, nitride, or boride powders and mixtures thereof by direct reduction of metal compounds comprises (a) forming a reactant mixture, (b) heating the reactant mixture to temperatures that cause solid reactants to vaporize and above which the metal precursor compounds are reduced, (c) passing the heated reactant mixture through a converging-diverging nozzle designed to reduce the temperature of the mixture to a temperature and for a time sufficient for further product species to form and for nuclei to form and grow by condensation to form the product powders, and (d) exhausting the mixture and product powders from the nozzle into an expansion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Carnegie-Mellon University
    Inventor: John S. McFeaters
  • Patent number: 4812217
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for cleaning then coating articles such as circuit board panels with a metallic coating encompasses an enclosed evacuated chamber having a controlled low pressure gaseous process environment. The articles to be cleaned, then coated with a metallic deposit are continuously fed into the enclosed chamber through an air lock mechanism that permits the evacuated chamber to remain at its predetermined pressure and gaseous composition. Included within the chamber are a plurality of transport paths or panel carrying tracks. The articles to be cleaned, then coated are continuously transported along the various tracks while being coated.The plurality of tracks are positioned to be substantially parallel with each other so that articles on each track follow paths similar in direction and substantially equidistant from one another. A plurality of bidirectional coating sources are sequentially positioned on both sides of each article transport track so that both sides of the panels are coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: American Telephone and Telegraph Company, AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Carroll H. George, Ray D. Rust
  • Patent number: 4786477
    Abstract: An apparatus for preparing high-purity polycrystalline silicon is constructed with a heating applicator, a vertical fluidized bed quartz reactor within the applicator, a microwave generator, microwave guide tubes for conveying microwaves from the microwave generator to the applicator, a reacting gas inlet and outlet, a gas distribution device for distributing reacting gas within the reactor, a silicon seed inlet for introducing silicon seed into the reactor, and an outlet for withdrawing polycrystalline silicon from the reactor. The microwaves provide the heat for the fluidized bed reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1988
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
    Inventors: Poong Yoon, Yongmok Song
  • Patent number: 4777022
    Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition apparatus has a quartz envelope supporting a resistance heater. A boron nitride pill box configured core supports resistance heater windings. The core has a base having a cylindrical upper portion defining a hollow chamber and an upper annular ring. A circular top includes an upper circular portion and lower circular portion mating with the base. The annular ring surface is in thermal contact with the upper circular portion to transfer heat from the annular ring to the circular top. A zirconia insulator cups the core, providing heat insulation, in conjunction with a heat shield coating in the quartz envelope interior. Arrays of quartz envelope heaters provide for mass production of semiconductors. A horizontal configuration includes a laminar flow head and disposed at an angle to the horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Stephen I. Boldish
    Inventors: Steven I. Boldish, Joseph S. Ciofalo
  • Patent number: 4748052
    Abstract: Undesirable conversion of a silicon source, such as silane, in the freeboard above a fluidized bed of silicon particles in a fluidized bed reactor, can be reduced by cooling the gas within the freeboard. Preferably, the reduction in temperature is achieved by introducing into the freeboard, a stream of relatively cool quench gas such as hydrogen, which also reduces the concentration of silane in the freeboard. As a result of these two factors, the invention improves the service factor of the fluidized bed apparatus, and reduces the amount of silane conversion to undesired by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1988
    Assignee: Ethyl Corporation
    Inventor: Robert H. Allen
  • Patent number: 4715316
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for the coating of a substrate wherein the following chronologically takes place under vacuum conditions: (i) non-oxidized plating material is deposited on the substrate via ion vapor deposition; and (ii) a coating material is chemically bonded with the non-oxidized plating material. The coating material may comprise a primer, which chemically bonds with the non-oxidized plating material, and a polymer, which impregnates the primer-prepared plating material. Said polymer may also chemically bond with the primer. Alternatively, the coating material may comprise an epoxy which forms an organo-metallic bond with the plating material. In another embodiment of the invention, the coating material may comprise boron trifluoride, which chemically bonds with the non-oxidized plating material, and a polymer, which impregnates the boron trifluoride-prepared plating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Donald J. Broomfield, Paul C. Briggs, Eric G. Parker, David P. Wagner
  • Patent number: 4702791
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing a bismuth-containing oxide single crystal, in which vapor of bismuth or alkylated bismuth and vapor of an organic compound of other metal ion components of a crystal are introduced into a heated reaction chamber to be reacted with oxygen gas, so that the desired bismuth-containing oxide single crystal is deposited on a substrate prepared in the reaction chamber. A Bi.sub.12 SiO.sub.20 single oxide crystal can be produced by the use of bismuth or alkylated bismuth and alkylated silicon or silicon alkoxide or by the use of bismuth or alkylated bismuth and alkylated germanium or germanium alkoxide. A (Y.sub.1--x Bi.sub.x).sub.3 Fe.sub.5 O.sub.12 single crystal can be poduced by the use of bismuth or alkylated bismuth yttrium alkoxide and carbonyl iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Kokusai Denshin Denwa Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Mimura, Yasuyuki Nagao
  • Patent number: 4699082
    Abstract: An apparatus for the chemical vapor deposition on substrates of coatings comprising compounds of a titanium sub-group of metals, the vanadium sub-group of metals and the chromium sub-group of metals at temperatures in the range of 250.degree. to 850.degree. C. is disclosed. Sub-halides, such as TiCl.sub.3, are reacted with N.sub.2 and H.sub.2 and thermodynamic and kinetic parameters are manipulated by flow rates and partial pressures of the reactants to achieve the deposition reaction in the temperature range of 250.degree. to 850.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Liburdi Engineering Limited
    Inventor: M. Javid Hakim
  • Patent number: 4642227
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing large particles of material from gas, or gases, containing the material (e.g., silicon from silane) in a free-space reactor comprised of a tube (20) and controlled furnace (25). A hot gas is introduced in the center of the reactant gas through a nozzle (23) to heat a quantity of the reactant gas, or gases, to produce a controlled concentration of seed particles (24) which are entrained in the flow of reactant gas, or gases. The temperature profile (FIG. 4) of the furnace is controlled for such a slow, controlled rate of reaction that virtually all of the material released condenses on seed particles and new particles are not nucleated in the furnace. A separate reactor comprised of a tube (33) and furnace (30) may be used to form a seed aerosol which, after passing through a cooling section (34) is introduced in the main reactor tube (34) which includes a mixer (36) to mix the seed aerosol in a controlled concentration with the reactant gas or gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Richard C. Flagan, Mohammed K. Alam
  • Patent number: 4606941
    Abstract: The invention is a procedure and apparatus for coating the individual particles of solid bulk materials, which may be particulate products or multiple small objects, by chemical vapor deposition. The particles or small articles are vigorously agitated and moved along the length of a vibrating, bottom heated, enclosed trough with lesser heated side walls, while the uppermost layer of the moving materials is exposed to the vapor of a volatile heat-decomposable or heat-reactable coating compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1986
    Inventor: William C. Jenkin
  • Patent number: 4594270
    Abstract: Fluidized bed apparatus for use in applying a coating, having a relatively lesser density to particles, having relatively greater densities, by causing passage of a gaseous atmosphere through a bed of the particles. The apparatus includes an enclosure for holding and heating a bed of the particles. A valve network for causing the flow of the gaseous atmosphere carrying a material for forming the coating upward though the bed of particles to fluidize the particles, is provided. The apparatus further includes a conveyor for adding seed particles to the bed and a spillover for removing particles from the bed upon its achieving a predetermined level to limit the height of the bed. The apparatus also has a selectively operable sampler for removing sample of the contents of the bed at a level below the predetermined maximum level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1986
    Assignee: Carbomedics, Inc.
    Inventor: Lionel H. Brooks
  • Patent number: 4508760
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for microencapsulating an electroluminescent phosphor with an extremely thin coating. The process involves vaporizing a poly-para-xylylene, pyrolyzing the resulting vapors to form reactive monomeric radicals, and then passing such vaporous radicals to a vacuum deposition zone where they contact tumbling particles of an electroluminescent phosphor under vacuum conditions. As the particles are being coated, they are sifted by means of a screen. The reactive monomeric radicals deposit on the tumbling particles, are adsorbed by the particles, and polymerized into a very thin coating on the surfaces of the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Assignee: Nova Tran Corporation
    Inventors: Roger Olson, Ronald J. Versic
  • Patent number: 4495215
    Abstract: A fluidized bed furnace for coating fuel particles for nuclear reactors, ticularly high temperature reactors, can be emptied without cooling down the reaction tube by substituting an inert gas for the coating gas and then lowering the inner tube through which this gas is fed so as to clear a passage in the surrounding outer gas feed tube through which the kernels may fall down to a diverting device in the intermediate space between the inner and outer tubes that guides the kernels to a discharge tube. The reaction tube is emptied by lowering the feed gas pressure by cutting off the carrier gas flow and regulating the escape of the inert gas through an overflow pipe. After the reactor is emptied, the flow of carrier gas can be restored and the overflow pipe shut, so that the reactor can be refilled, after which the flow of coating gas is restored and another coating operation can begin without delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1985
    Assignee: Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Eike Barnert, Heinz Schmitz
  • Patent number: 4464413
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus are given for producing cryogenic inertially driven fusion targets in the fast isothermal freezing (FIF) method. Improved coupling efficiency and greater availability of volume near the target for diagnostic purposes and for fusion driver beam propagation result. Other embodiments include a new electrical switch and a new explosive detonator, all embodiments making use of a purposeful heating by means of optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: James T. Murphy, John R. Miller
  • Patent number: 4416913
    Abstract: An improved means and method for extracting polycrystalline silicon from silicon source gases is provided wherein seed particles and source gases are reacted in a rising particle reaction chamber in which the gas velocity is sufficient to entrain and eject all seed particles smaller than a predetermined size while those which have grown to a larger size fall through the rising gas stream and are extracted from the base of the reactor. Those seed particles which are ejected from the reaction column are separated from the spent gases and fall back into a concentric reservoir. A first gas not containing any silicon is supplied to a nozzle within the reservoir and creates a first gas-particle mixture which is injected into an auxiliary mixing chamber, where it is further mixed with a high velocity lifting gas which includes the source gases. The lifting and source gas-particle mixture is swept through the reactor where silicon deposits on the seed particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: William M. Ingle, Robert D. Darnell, Stephen W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4407230
    Abstract: For certain related dimensions of features of a nozzle feeding a fluidized bed reactor from below, it has been found that a central flow of a coating gas is squeezed down in diameter in passing through a constriction at the nozzle end by the action of the surrounding dilution gas flow, without the setting up of turbulence such as might have been expected, which would cause deposits from the decomposition of the coating gas at the constriction. The spacing between the mouth of the central tube that feeds the coating gas and the constriction at the end of the nozzle should be in the range of 20 to 70 mm, the diameter of the constriction aperture should be in the range from 3 to 10 mm and the diameter of the central channel should be greater than the constriction aperture diameter but not more than 3.5 times the latter diameter. For coating particles having a density of about 10 g/m.sup.3 and a diameter of about 200 .mu.m , the constriction aperture diameter should not exceed 7 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Kernforschungsanlage Julich GmbH
    Inventor: Eike Barnert
  • Patent number: 4354635
    Abstract: The reaction gas throughout of the supply duct feeding gas to the bottom of a fluidized bed reactor of the kind shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,004, issued May 8, 1979, is increased by providing the reaction gas supply tube in the form of a bundle of tubes of small cross-section of about 2 mm diameter. Subdivision of the supply tube into hexagonal ducts in honeycomb arrangement maximizes the useful cross-sectional area of the supply tube. With the smaller elemental tube diameters, a higher rate of flow is maintainable without loss of laminar flow behavior, which behavior is maintained in the jet issuing from the subdivided reaction gas supply duct as it flows towards the constricted entrance into the fluidized bed container while being surrounded by a sheath of inert carrier gas supplied by an annular duct surrounding the reaction gas tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Kernforschungsanlage Julich GmbH
    Inventors: Eike Barnert, Wolfgang Frommelt, Erich Zimmer
  • Patent number: 4353938
    Abstract: Powder is coated with valve-metal by rotating it in a drum 15 so that it is presented to valve-metal vapor derived by evaporation of a source of valve-metal. In the case of coating with aluminum, the vapor may be produced by directing aluminum wire 10 on to a heater 11, and oxygen or air is admitted to control agglomerate formation. Aluminum and tantalum coating are both described using electron beam evaporators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1982
    Assignee: International Standard Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Henley F. Sterling, Eric L. Bush, Miles P. Drake, Denis W. J. Hazelden, Sarah Y. Hughes
  • Patent number: 4342284
    Abstract: Fuel, fertile material and/or absorber material containing particles for fuel and/or absorber elements in nuclear reactors are coated by a process comprising introducing thermally cleavable gases in the reaction space heated to above 1000.degree. C. of a fluidized bed unit with the help of a gas inlet nozzle cooled with a cooling medium and having an elongated inlet tube, decomposing the cleavable gases after leaving the nozzle, depositing the decomposition products on fuel, fertile material or absorber particles present in the fluidized bed and bringing these coated particles into fuel elements or absorber elements. The cooling medium is solely gaseous and only the portion of the inlet tube for the nozzle tips of the gas inlet nozzles within the axis are cooled and the heat flow penetrating from outside is reduced by heat insulation. An apparatus for carrying out the process is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1982
    Inventors: Harald Loser, Gerhard Schmidt, Wolfgang Warzawa, Klaus Wegner
  • Patent number: 4330360
    Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for growing group III-V semiconductor layers by molecular beam deposition in which a gaseous source is used to form a molecular beam comprising M.sub.2 or M.sub.4 molecules, where M is a group V element. Arsine and phosphine may be decomposed in a high temperature leak-source to provide As.sub.2 and P.sub.2 molecular beams for molecular beam epitaxy of group III-V semiconductors such as GaAs and InP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1982
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: Glenn D. Kubiak, Morton B. Panish
  • Patent number: 4314525
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for thermally decomposing silicon containing gas for deposition on fluidized nucleating silicon seed particles is disclosed.Silicon seed particles are produced in a secondary fluidized reactor by thermal decomposition of a silicon containing gas. The thermally produced silicon seed particles are then introduced into a primary fluidized bed reactor to form a fluidized bed. Silicon containing gas is introduced into the primary reactor where it is thermally decomposed and deposited on the fluidized silicon seed particles. Silicon seed particles having the desired amount of thermally decomposed silicon product thereon are removed from the primary fluidized reactor as ultra pure silicon product.An apparatus for carrying out this process is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1982
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: George C. Hsu, Harry Levin, Richard A. Hogle, Ananda Praturi, Ralph Lutwack