Patents Represented by Attorney Sixbey, Friedman, Leedom & Ferguson, PC
  • Patent number: 6867432
    Abstract: In fabricating a thin film transistor, an active layer comprising a silicon semiconductor is formed on a substrate having an insulating surface. Hydrogen is introduced into the active layer. A thin film comprising SiOxNy formed to cover the active layer and then a gate insulating film comprising a silicon oxide film formed on the thin film comprising SiOxNy. Also, a thin film comprising SiOxNy is formed under the active layer. The active layer includes a metal element at a concentration of 1×1015 to 1×1019 cm?3 and hydrogen at a concentration of 2×1019 to 5×1021 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Inventor: Satoshi Teramoto
  • Patent number: 6217477
    Abstract: An automatic transmission control system for controlling a gear ratio of an automatic transmission connected to an engine so as to bring an engine speed of rotation to a target speed of rotation predetermined according to a vehicle speed and a throttle opening of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Nobumoto, Hiromasa Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6116035
    Abstract: A hot heat source heat exchanger (1) receives heat from a primary refrigerant circuit (A) to evaporate liquid refrigerant. The hot heat source heat exchanger (1) is connected to a cold heat source heat exchanger (2) through a gas flow pipe (4) and a liquid flow pipe (5). An indoor heat exchanger (3) is connected to the gas flow pipe (4) through a gas pipe (6) and connected to the liquid flow pipe (5) through a liquid pipe (7). Gas refrigerant evaporated in the hot heat source heat exchanger (1) flows into at least the cold heat source heat exchanger (2). In the cold heat source heat exchanger (2), the gas refrigerant is condensed and refrigerant flow with respect to the indoor heat exchanger (3) is changed in accordance with a cooling or a heating operation requested by the indoor heat exchanger. In the indoor heat exchanger (3), refrigerant is condensed or evaporated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanaka, Takashi Matsuzaki, Kazuhide Mizutani, Yasushi Hori, Toru Inazuka
  • Patent number: 6092719
    Abstract: A container body formed from two substantially identical interlocking container members with each of the container members comprising a substantially planer base portion and a plurality of opposing sidewalls connected to the base portion and tab portions extending from at least one pair of the opposing sidewalls with each of the tab portions including an opening and an adjacent interference element is set forth. The interference elements of a first of the two container members is received in respective openings of a second of the two container members for securing the second container member in an inverted condition with respect to the first container member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Graphic Packaging Corporation
    Inventor: James L. Capo
  • Patent number: 6093934
    Abstract: Nickel is selectively held in contact with a particular region of an amorphous silicon film. Crystal growth parallel with a substrate is effected by performing a heat treatment. A thermal oxidation film is formed on the silicon film by performing a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere containing a halogen element. During this step, in the silicon film, impurities included such as oxygen or chlorine, are segregated with extending along the crystal growth, the crystallinity is improved, and the gettering of nickel element proceeds. A thin-film transistor is formed so that the direction connecting source and drain regions coincides with the above crystal growth direction. As a result, a TFT having superior characteristics such as a mobility larger than 200 cm.sup.2 /Vs and an S value smaller than 100 mV/dec. can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Satoshi Teramoto, Jun Koyama, Yasushi Ogata, Masahiko Hayakawa, Mitsuaki Osame, Hisashi Ohtani, Toshiji Hamatani
  • Patent number: 6093935
    Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a thin film transistor having a semiconductor layer constituting source and drain regions and a channel forming region, by the semiconductor layer being made thinner in the source and drain regions than in the channel forming region a structure is realized wherein, at the boundary between the source region and the channel forming region and the boundary between the drain region and the channel forming region, portions where electric field concentrations occur are displaced from the portion where a channel is formed. By reducing the OFF current (the leak current) without also reducing the ON current, a high mutual conductance is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoto Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 6079788
    Abstract: A device for removing individual fiber tufts from a plurality of fiber bins of a brush making machine comprises a tuft remover, a counterpart matching the tuft remover and a movable slide arranged between the counterpart and the fiber bins. The slide has a plurality of through-passages each of which is associated with one of the fiber bins. The outer passages of the slide are inclined at an angle to the central passage. Between the central fiber bin and each of the outer fiber bins an associated ram is arranged. Each ram has an end face which faces the slide and either bears on one side surface area of the slide or applies pressure to the opposite end of one of the outer through-passages, depending on the respective position of the slide. The device allows the tuft remover to selectively pick up tufts of three different types of fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: G. B. Boucherie N.V.
    Inventor: Bart Gerard Boucherie
  • Patent number: 6079387
    Abstract: An air intake control system for an engine equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation feature controls an exhaust gas recirculation valve according to an amount of air charge dictated by an amount of intake air detected by an air flow sensor to deliver a target amount of air charge and control an amount of air charge meeting an estimated amount of air charge estimated under the condition that the control of exhaust gas recirculation valve according to an amount of air charge is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mamiya, Michihiro Imada, Takeo Yamauchi, Masayuki Tetsuno
  • Patent number: 6060725
    Abstract: A thin film transistor including a semiconductor film including silicon formed on an insulating surface; a channel region formed within the semiconductor film; and source and drain regions formed within the semiconductor film with the channel region interposed between the source and drain regions, each of the source and drain regions having one conductivity type, wherein the source and drain regions contain a catalyst element for promoting a crystallization of silicon at a concentration not higher that 1.times.10.sup.20 atoms/cm.sup.3, and wherein a concentration of the catalyst element in the channel region is lower than 1.times.10.sup.17 atoms/cm.sup.3 and the concentration in the channel region is lower than that in the source and drain regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongyong Zhang, Toru Takayama, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 6054739
    Abstract: In producing a semiconductor device by annealing with laser light irradiation, while a linear laser light is scanned in a direction perpendicular to a line, the annealing is performed for a semiconductor material. In this state, since an anneal effect in a beam lateral direction corresponding to a line direction is 2 times or more different than that in the scanning direction, a plurality of semiconductor elements are formed along a line direction in which the linear laser light is irradiated. Also, a line direction connecting the source and drain region of a thin film transistor is aligned to the line direction of the linear laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Naoto Kusumoto, Koichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6051453
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the step of, after patterning the silicon film crystallized to a low degree by thermally annealing an amorphous silicon film into an island by etching, irradiating an intense light of a visible light or a near infrared radiation to effect a short-period annealing (RTA) to the silicon film of low crystallinity. Thus, the crystallinity of the silicon film is improved and the silicon film is densified in a short-period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 6049092
    Abstract: A TFT formed on an insulating substrate source, drain and channel regions, a gate insulating film formed on at least the channel region and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. Between the channel region and the drain region, a region having a higher resistivity is provided in order to reduce an loff current. A method for forming this structure comprises the steps of anodizing the gate electrode to form a porous anodic oxide film on the side of the gate electrode; removing a portion of the gate insulating using the porous anodic oxide film as a mask so that the gate insulating film extends beyond the gate electrode but does not completely cover the source and drain regions. Thereafter, an ion doping of one conductivity element is performed. The high resistivity region is defined under the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Akira Sugawara, Yukiko Uehara, Hongyong Zhang, Atsunori Suzuki, Hideto Ohnuma, Naoaki Yamaguchi, Hideomi Suzawa, Hideki Uochi, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 6048440
    Abstract: An improved flexible manufacturing process for making molded fiber products uses a molding machine provided with a large number of ports for mounting a variety of molds. Quick release mold attachments permit rapid changeover of production output. The molds used are designed to have a predetermined total height, and platen stops maintain this design separation during transfer of the molded product. An expanded stock chest is provided to permit a higher pulp usage rate. Separate positive air supply lines are provided for the different transfer mold sites. Using these separate lines, a novel air volume and flow control method is provided to control the volume of air applied to release products from transfer molds, permitting manufacture of a variety of complex structures. The air flow controls permit control of both the rate of flow and the duration of the selected rate of flow of positive pressure air, thus providing total volume control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Moulded Fibre Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger J. Baker
  • Patent number: 6041705
    Abstract: A rotary silk screen printing machine or press with a modular design of the individual printing mechanisms and fully integrated control modules within a digital network system of the printing machine is set forth.As a result of the logical, modular design of the individual printing mechanisms, on a given printing machine base with a continuous conveyor belt fixed between two main rollers and which is driven by a main drive motor, it is possible to insert, replace and reprogram individual printing mechanisms. Both during the installation of a new printing system and when reequipping existing systems, considerable technical and economic advantages arise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Inventor: Alexander Lintner
  • Patent number: 6043105
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a non-single crystalline semiconductor layer including an intrinsic or substantially instrinsic silicon which contains hydrogen or halogen and is formed on a substrate in a reaction chamber which may have a substrate holder. Sodium is removed from the inside of the reaction chamber and/or the surface of the substrate holder to remove sodium therefrom so that the concentration of sodium in the semiconductor layer is preferably 5.times.10.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6038866
    Abstract: In a gas pressure-driven type cryogenic refrigerating machine, an inner space of a cylinder 2 is divided into a lower pressure room 20, an upper pressure room 29 and expansion rooms 30, 31 by a slack piston 17 and a displacer 22 connected to the slack piston, a rotary valve 35 alternately changes between a high-pressure valve-open position for supplying high-pressure helium gas to the upper pressure room 29 and the expansion rooms 30, 31 and a low-pressure valve-open position for discharging the helium gas in the upper pressure room 29 and the expansion rooms 30, 31, and a difference in gas pressures between the upper and lower pressure rooms 29, 30 causes the slack piston 17 to be driven to reciprocate the displacer 22 thereby producing a cold condition at an extremely low temperature level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Okamoto, Toshiyuki Kurihara
  • Patent number: 6039682
    Abstract: Composite paperboard containers formed from a first substantially planar sheet of paperboard material having a content contacting surface and a back surface, a first embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the back surface of the first planar sheet and a second embossed sheet of paperboard material having a plurality of raised portions adhered to the first embossed sheet of paperboard material. Additional planar sheets or embossed sheets may be added as desired in order to achieve the desired flexural stiffness and thermal resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Fort James Corporation
    Inventors: Jerome G. Dees, Kirk Kimbel
  • Patent number: 6038968
    Abstract: In a stencil printer, a printing drum is provided with a clamp plate for clamping an end portion of a stencil master, thereby holding the stencil master on the printing drum. A paper supply mechanism supplies printing sheets to the printing drum in synchronization with rotation of the printing drum. A first motor drives the paper supply mechanism by way of a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism is operatively connected to the first transmission mechanism to be driven by the first motor by way of the first transmission mechanism, thereby rotating the printing drum. A phase adjustment mechanism driven by a second motor drives the second transmission mechanism with the first transmission mechanism held stopped, thereby changing the relative phases of rotation of the printing drum and sheet supply operation of the paper supply means. A drum position sensor generates a detecting signal upon detection that the printing drum comes to a reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Hara, Katsuro Motoe, Hisashi Sanagi
  • Patent number: RE37441
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device has a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member formed on a substrate having a conductive surface, and a conductive layer formed on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member. The non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member has such a structure that a first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a P or N first conductivity type, an I-type second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and a third non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type are laminated in this order. The first (or third) non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is disposed on the side on which light is incident, and is P-type. The I-type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer has introduced thereinto a P-type impurity, such as boron which is distributed so that its concentration decreases towards the third (or first) non-single-crystal semiconductor layer in the thickness direction of the I-type layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: D423470
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: SCM Microsystems GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Neifer, Robert Schneider