Patents Represented by Law Firm Smith, Gambrell & Russell Beveridge, DeGrandi, Weilacher & Young Intellectual Property Group
  • Patent number: 5911232
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic cleaning device including a cleaning tank containing a semiconductor wafer W and pure water, and a plurality of vibrating plates provided with the cleaning tank. The vibrating plates are electric distortion transducers. By controlling the output phases of oscillators that vibrate the plates with a single oscillating source, the output phases of the oscillation sources can be matched. This enables uniform sound pressure distribution. Consequently, ultrasonic interference between vibrating plates can be eliminated. Uniform sound pressure distribution makes it possible to obtain a uniform particle removal rate, thereby improving cleaning efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shori Mokuo, Keiji Taguchi, Shigenori Kitahara
  • Patent number: 5909528
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical connector and assembly method thereof to provide easier, faster and more stable coupling characteristics without fusion connection nor end-face polishing procedures at job sites. The optical connector includes a ferrule formed of a cylindrical body having a channel along a center axis thereof, the ferrule intermediate section having a cut-away portion, the ferrule with a built-in optical fiber projecting into the cut-away portion; a support member existing within the cut-away portion for maintaining a contact section between the built-in optical fiber and the optical fiber inserted from the backward section; and a locking member for holding together the intermediate section and the support member from the outer periphery of the intermediate section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikyo Tamekuni, Ichiro Matsuura, Kenichiro Otsuka
  • Patent number: 5906012
    Abstract: In an automatic shampoo machine a recess is formed in a side wall of a basin to ensure water passage to the nape of the neck of a person being shampooed. A plurality of neck support members each including a bent wire arrangement is provided in a spaced relation in the recess. With the neck resting on top portions of the neck support members, the nape of the neck is rinsed by water sprayed from a stationary nape rinsing nozzle, and movable lower nozzles, through the recess. A pad for receiving the neck resting thereon is releasably attached on a peripheral portion of the basin to prevent fatigue of the neck and splashing of rinse water. Thus, the person can have his hair and nape washed in a comfortable posture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Sakane, Hideaki Matsunaga, Takenari Yuki, Masaru Noro, Mitsuru Naganawa
  • Patent number: 5906557
    Abstract: A manual transmission for a four wheel drive vehicle having a driving force distributing apparatus is composed of a transmission gearing mechanism and a differential mechanism. The transmission gearing mechanism comprises an input shaft for transmitting driving force of an engine, an output shaft arranged on the same axis as the input shaft for outputting driving force of the transmission to the differential mechanism, a counter shaft arranged in parallel with the output shaft for transmitting driving force from the input shaft to the output shaft through transmission gears. The differential mechanism mounted at the rear end of the transmission mechanism on the same axis as the output shaft comprises a differential for distributing driving force of the transmission gearing mechanism into a front drive shaft and a rear drive shaft. Further, the differential mechanism includes a differential limiting mechanism for controlling a torque distribution ratio according to running conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5905612
    Abstract: A magnetic head can be made by a first step of butting projection end faces of a pair of magnetic cores, each of which is previously machined into a convex shape, through a magnetic gap member; a second step of forming notches which reach a winding groove, at the butted projection end faces of the magnetic cores by an electric discharge machining process, thereby regulating a track width; and a third step of filling, under heat treatment, glass into grooves at two sides of the pair of convex magnetic cores and the notches. When the magnetic head is used, a magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus which is suitable for high density recording such as a digital VTR is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Honma, Ken Masaki, Ken Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5902485
    Abstract: An access valve suitable for controlling fluid flow into and out of a chromatography column has relatively movable valve elements preferably represented by a central axially movable probe with a head acting as a spool valve in a barrel. Axial movement of the probe adjusts the valve between a fully open condition, in which both a first conduit extending through the probe and a second conduit defined around the probe are open to the column interior, and a partly open condition in which a sealing component of the probe closes the second conduit. Also, further axial movement of the probe provides a fully closed position in which both conduits are closed. The partly open position is useful for packing chromatography media into its column while the third position is useful for unpacking the same. In the closed condition of the valve, the first and second conduits communicate with one another so that the valve interior can be cleaned while the column is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Amersham Pharmacia Biotech AB
    Inventors: John Davis, Martin John Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5903812
    Abstract: A recycle document feeder includes a partitioning unit (17) and action plates (19, 20). The partitioning unit (17) includes a partitioning bar (18). When the partitioning bar (18) is lowered, the leading edges of discharged document originals are stopped by the partitioning bar (18). The action plates (19, 20) guide the discharged document originals toward an upper side of the trailing edges of document originals yet to be fed, and push the trailing edges of the discharged document originals to transport the document originals for re-feeding thereof. The partitioning unit (17) and the action plates (19, 20) are driven by a common motor (47). Further, a partitioning unit driving mechanism (110) and an action plate driving mechanism (111) are provided for driving the partitioning unit (17) and the action plates (19, 20), respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Kondoh, Toru Tanjoh, Jun Kusakabe, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Hiroyuki Harada, Masaki Deguchi, Masahiro Sako, Shigeo Kurando
  • Patent number: 5899612
    Abstract: A document feeder having a cover covering a portion of a main body and adapted to be pivotally opened, and a pair of document transportation rollers provided in an abutting relation in the midst of a document transportation path for transportation of a document original. A document guiding member for guiding the document original to an abutment position of the pair of rollers is attached to the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kobayashi, Toru Tanjo, Hiroyuki Harada, Kazuhisa Kondo, Jun Kusakabe, Masahiro Sako
  • Patent number: 5899089
    Abstract: A cool air supply apparatus dispersedly supplies a cool air into a freezer compartment of a refrigerator. In the apparatus, an inner shell which surrounds the freezer compartment. A cross flow fan assembly is mounted under said inner shell inside the cooler chamber and blows cool air generated by an evaporator. An air distribution plate is spaced apart from the inner shell by a predetermined distance inside the freezer compartment. An air distribution plate includes a plurality of cool air outlet openings formed therein, each of the outlet openings being disposed apart from adjacent cool air outlet openings by a predetermined distance and defining a cool air supply duct with the inner shell, dispersedly supplies the cool air from said flow fan assembly into the freezer compartment through the outlet openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyuk-Jang Kwon
  • Patent number: 5898500
    Abstract: Device and method for three-dimensional measurements and observation of a surface layer of a thin-film structure, comprising a monitoring unit 4 which includes a video camera 12, a wide-beam illumination source 14, a narrow-beam illumination source, 20, an operation and control unit and a table for horizontal movement. The device comprises a Wollaston prism 24 arranged on the optical path of the narrow light beam, in order to obtain two narrow light beams whose polarization states are linear and mutually orthogonal, a polarizer 27 arranged on the optical axis of the Wollaston prism 24 so that the reflected narrow light beam passes through it after its travel through the Wollaston prism 24, and a detection cell 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Instruments, S.A.
    Inventors: Jean Canteloup, Roland Kleim
  • Patent number: 5897709
    Abstract: A suspension device for workpieces in electrostatic painting thereof comprises a carrier, a suspension member (2) in which the workpieces are suspended and which, by the intermediary of a connector (4) is suspended in the carrier. The suspension member (2) has an aperture (14) through which the connector (4) extends. In order to protect the suspension member (2) and the connector (4) from the build-up of layers of paint, an elastic protector device (15) is disposed to cover the suspension member (2) within an area (11) which encompasses the aperture (14), the connector (4) extending through the protector device (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Torestorps Tr.ang.d AB
    Inventor: H.ang.kan Torefors
  • Patent number: 5894836
    Abstract: A compound solar water heating and dehumidifying device including an adsorption bed disposed at a lower rim of a plate type heat collector of a solar water heating element for causing a heat collector element to absorb heat in the day-time and the adsorption bed to regenerate and accumulate heat. At night, the heat of adsorption and heat of condensation are released to the heat collector element to retard the drop of temperature of water in water channels that are in contact with the heat collector element. Therefore, dissipation of heat from the hot water in a water tank may be retarded and water moisture may be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wei-Yih Wu, Shyi-Min Lu
  • Patent number: 5893741
    Abstract: A method for formation of both local innerconnection and silicidation of source/drain transistors using the deposition of a blanket silicon layer over the entire top surface of the transistors and selectively stripping of unwanted portions of the silicon layer is disclosed. The method includes the step of applying a photoresist mask to map out where the local interconnection and source/drain are to be located. The final recited step is to deposit a thin metal layer to provide for the silicidation to complete the transistor. The silicon layer that is deposited has a thickness of 20 to 300 millimeters, and the thin metal layer is either cobalt or titanium having a thickness of 10 millimeters to 100 millimeters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: National Science Council
    Inventor: Tiao-yuan Huang
  • Patent number: 5893284
    Abstract: A lock insert with at least one revolving operating projection (1) for the lock pawl includes a first locking system (2) for axial contact with the frontal end (3) of the key (4) and a second locking system (10) for radial contact with the key (4). The first locking system (2) is formed by a blocking liner (7) with a bottom (5) with an axial carrier cavity (6) for the frontal end (3) of the key (4), and is provided on the outside with at least one operating projection (1) and in its housing with at least one radial opening (8) with a distance element (9) placed therein. The second locking system (10) is formed by a hollow unrevolving liner (11) coaxially enclosing on the outside and on the inside the blocking liner (7) and is provided with radially slidable elevation structures (12) for each distance element (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: I.M.S. Technologies A.S.
    Inventor: Lubomir Hrabal
  • Patent number: 5892049
    Abstract: A method of producing cyanopyridines by means of the catalytic reaction of methylpyridines with ammonia and oxygen at elevated temperature using catalysts consisting of compounds of the elements antimony, vanadium, silicon, titanium and oxygen and compounds of one or more of the alkali metals as well as a method of producing the catalysts and the catalysts themselves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Degussa Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lukas V. Hippel, Armin Neher, Dietrich Arntz
  • Patent number: 5887309
    Abstract: A sponge mop is composed of a handle, a lever, a rotary sleeve, a socket, a mophead seat, a sponge body, and two link rods. The lever and the mophead seat are connected by the two link rods. The lever is fastened pivotally with the handle which is in turn engaged at one end thereof with the rotary sleeve. The rotary sleeve is engaged at another end thereof with the socket which is in turn engaged at another end thereof with the mophead seat. As the rotary sleeve is rotated, the link rods are actuated by the handle to enable the mophead seat to swivel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Inventor: Yung-Cheng Lin