Patents Assigned to Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8957385
    Abstract: A radiation sensing unit for a radiation detection system can include a scintillator and a photosensor optically coupled to the scintillator. In an embodiment, the radiation detection system may provide an output signal to a particular radiation flux that is substantially temperature independent over a normal operating temperature range for the scintillator. The radiation sensing unit may further include a controllable radiation source configured to emit radiation and another photosensor coupled to controllable radiation source. A radiation detection system can include a radiation sensing unit and a control module that is coupled to the controllable radiation source and the photosensors. The control module may control the controllable radiation source and control a power supply coupled to the second photosensor in response to signals from the photosensors. In another aspect, a dynode tap from a photomultiplier tube can be used during calibration. Methods of using the foregoing are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Frank, Artan Duraj
  • Patent number: 8952318
    Abstract: A radiation detector can include a photosensor to receive light via an input and to send an electrical pulse via an output in response to receiving the light. The radiation detector can also include a pulse analyzer to send an indicator to a pulse counter when the electrical pulse corresponds to a scintillation pulse and to not send the indicator to the pulse counter when the electrical pulse corresponds to a noise pulse. The pulse analyzer can be coupled to the output of the photosensor. A method can include receiving an electrical pulse at a pulse analyzer from an output of a photosensor and determining whether the electrical pulse corresponds to a scintillation pulse or a noise pulse, based on a pulse shape of the electrical pulse. The method can also include sending the electrical pulse to a pulse counter when the electrical pulse corresponds to a scintillation pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Menge, John C. Cooper, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8952337
    Abstract: A detection device includes a photon sensor and a scintillator device optically coupled to the photon sensor. The scintillator device includes a scintillator material having a first refractive index, a first refractive material in a first annular space around the scintillator material, and a second refractive material in a second annular space around the first annular space. The first refractive material has a second refractive index. The second refractive index is less than the first refractive index. The second refractive material has a third refractive index. The third refractive index is less than the second refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter R. Menge, Michael R. Kusner
  • Patent number: 8932378
    Abstract: A high temperature bonded abrasive includes alumina abrasive grits, and a vitreous bond matrix in which the alumina abrasive grits are distributed, the vitreous bond matrix having a cure temperature not less than 1000° C. The alumina abrasive grits include polycrystalline alpha alumina having a fine crystalline microstructure characterized by an alpha alumina average domain size not greater than 500 nm, and the alumina abrasive grits further include a pinning agent that is a dispersed phase in the polycrystalline alpha alumina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Bauer, Margaret L. Skowron
  • Patent number: 8921007
    Abstract: A bonding layer, disposed between an interconnect layer and an electrode layer of a solid oxide fuel cell article, may be formed from a yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powder having a monomodal particle size distribution (PSD) with a d50 that is greater than about 1 ?m and a d90 that is greater than about 2 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Guangyong Lin, Yeshwanth Narendar, John D. Pietras, Qiang Zhao, Robert J. Sliwoski, Caroline Levy, Samuel S. Marlin, Aravind Mohanram
  • Patent number: 8901501
    Abstract: A scintillation device is disclosed and can include a scintillator and a pliable encapsulating barrier completely surrounding the scintillator. The scintillation device can be used within a detector device. The detector device can include a housing and a photosensor within the housing. The scintillation device can be within the housing adjacent to the photosensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Meldrum, Jeremy Flamanc
  • Publication number: 20140325916
    Abstract: An abrasive article includes a shaped abrasive particle including a body having a first height (h1) at a first end of the body defining a corner between an upper surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, and a second height (h2) at a second end of the body opposite the first end defining an edge between the upper surface and a third side surface, wherein the average difference in height between the first height and the second height is at least about 50 microns. The body also includes a bottom surface defining a bottom area (Ab) and a cross-sectional midpoint area (Am) defining an area of a plane perpendicular to the bottom area and extending through a midpoint of the particle, the body has an area ratio of bottom area to midpoint area (Ab/Am) of not greater than about 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN CERAMICS & PLASTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Doruk O. Yener, Jennifer H. Czerepinski, Sujatha Iyengar, Michael D. Kavanaugh
  • Patent number: 8877093
    Abstract: A polycrystalline ceramic scintillator body includes a ceramic scintillating material comprising an oxide of gadolinium (Gd) and a second rare earth element (Re). The ceramic scintillating material has a composition, expressed in terms of molar percentage of oxide constituents, that includes greater than fifty-five percent (55%) Gd2O3 and a minority percentage Of Re2O3. The ceramic scintillating material includes an activator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc., Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Brian C. LaCourse, Anne B. Hardy, Hélène Loetitia Rétot, Qiwei Chen, Xiaofeng Peng, Bruno Viana, Morteza Zandi
  • Patent number: 8872119
    Abstract: A scintillation device includes a free-standing ceramic scintillator body that includes a polycrystalline ceramic scintillating material comprising a rare earth element, wherein the polycrystalline ceramic scintillating material is characterized substantially by a cation-deficient perovskite structure. A method of producing a free-standing ceramic scintillator body includes preparing a precursor solution including a rare earth element precursor, a hafnium precursor and an activator (Ac) precursor, obtaining a precipitate from the solution, and calcining the precipitate to obtain a polycrystalline ceramic scintillating material including a rare earth hafnate doped with the activator and having a cation-deficient perovskite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Anne B. Hardy, Qiwei Chen, Xiaofeng Peng, Nathalie Petigny, Bruno Viana, Andrée Kahn-Harari
  • Patent number: 8871115
    Abstract: A luminescent material can be formed by a process using a vacancy-filling agent that includes vacancy-filling atoms. In an embodiment, the process can include forming a mixture of a constituent corresponding to the luminescent material and the vacancy-filling agent. The process can further include forming the luminescent material from the mixture, wherein the luminescent material includes at least some of the vacancy-filling atoms from the vacancy-filling agent. In another embodiment, the process can include melting a constituent corresponding to the luminescent material to form a melt and adding a vacancy-filling agent into the melt. The process can also include forming the luminescent material from the melt, wherein the luminescent material includes at least some of the vacancy-filling atoms from the vacancy-filling agent. The luminescent material may have one or more improved performance properties as compared to a corresponding base material of the luminescent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Vladimir Ouspenski
  • Patent number: 8871677
    Abstract: A carrier having at least three lobes, a first end, a second end, a wall between the ends and a non-uniform radius of transition at the intersection of an end and the wall is disclosed. A catalyst comprising the carrier, silver and promoters deposited on the carrier and useful for the epoxidation of olefins is also disclosed. A method for making the carrier, a method for making the catalyst and a process for epoxidation of an olefin with the catalyst are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Richard, John David Covey
  • Publication number: 20140311402
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for growing a sapphire sheet via edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) including an angled heat shield with respect to the a side surface of a die tip. The present disclosure is further directed to an sapphire sheets and batches of such sheets having features such as a particular maximum low spot thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Ouellette, Joseph M. Collins, John Walter Locher, Guilford L. Mack, III, Abbie M. Jennings, Jan J. Buzniak, Christopher D. Jones
  • Patent number: 8865607
    Abstract: A composite article including a body made of recrystallized silicon carbide and an infiltrant, wherein the body comprises a static impact resistance of at least about 1800 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Reilly, Edmund A. Cortellini, Robin M. Harrington
  • Patent number: 8866089
    Abstract: A scintillator pixel array can include a plurality of scintillator pixels and a plurality of voids arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Each void can be defined by at least two surfaces having an adhesive disposed thereon. The scintillator pixel array can be made by fabricating an array of scintillator members and dissolvable members and dissolving the dissolvable members in a solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Louis Perna
  • Patent number: 8866092
    Abstract: A radiation detection system can include a scintillator that is capable of emitting scintillating light in response to capturing different types of targeted radiation, a photosensor optically coupled to the scintillator, and a control module electrically coupled to the photosensor. The control module can be configured to analyze state information of the radiation detection system, and select a first technique to determine which type of targeted radiation is captured by the scintillator, wherein the first technique is a particular technique of a plurality of techniques to determine which type of targeted radiation was captured by the scintillator, and the selection is based at least in part on the analysis. In an embodiment, the radiation detection system can be used to change from one technique to another in real time or near real time to allow the radiation detection system to respond to changing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Artan Duraj, Peter R. Menge
  • Publication number: 20140295313
    Abstract: A glass-ceramic seal for ionic transport devices such as solid oxide fuel cell stacks or oxygen transport membrane applications. Preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise glass-ceramic sealant material based on a Barium-Aluminum-Silica system, which exhibits a high enough coefficient of thermal expansion to closely match the overall CTE of a SOFC cell/stack (preferably from about 11 to 12.8 ppm/° C.), good sintering behavior, and a very low residual glass phase (which contributes to the stability of the seal).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Signo Tadeu Reis, Matthieu Schwartz, Morteza Zandi, Yeshwanth Narendar
  • Patent number: 8846270
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a plurality of sub-cells. Each sub-cell includes a first electrode in fluid communication with a source of oxygen gas, a second electrode in fluid communication with a source of a fuel gas, and a solid electrolyte between the first electrode and the second electrode. The SOFC further includes an interconnect between the sub-cells. In one embodiment, the SOFC has a first surface in contact with the first electrode of each sub-cell and a second surface that is in contact with the second electrode of each sub-cell; and the interconnect consists essentially of a doped M-titanate based perovskite, wherein M is an alkaline earth metal. In another embodiment, the interconnect includes a first layer in contact with the first electrode of each sub-cell, and a second layer in contact with the second electrode of each sub-cell. The first layer includes an electrically conductive material selected from the group consisting of an metal, a metal alloy and a mixture thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventor: Yeshwanth Narendar
  • Patent number: 8840696
    Abstract: A method of forming an abrasive article includes depositing a mixture into an opening of a substrate, contacting an exposed surface of the mixture in the opening to a texturing form to form a textured preform, and removing the mixture from the opening and forming an abrasive particle having a textured surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Kavanaugh, Doruk O. Yener, Jennifer H. Czerepinski
  • Patent number: 8840695
    Abstract: A method of forming a mixture including a ceramic material into a sheet, sectioning at least a portion of the sheet using a mechanical object and forming at least one shaped abrasive particle from the sheet, such that the at least one shaped abrasive particle can have a two-dimensional shape as viewed in a plane defined by a length and a width of the shaped abrasive particle selected from the group consisting of polygons, ellipsoids, numerals, Greek alphabet characters, Latin alphabet characters, Russian alphabet characters, complex shapes having a combination of polygonal shapes, and a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul P. Braun, Doruk O. Yener, Jennifer H. Czerepinski, Ralph Bauer, Krishnamoorthy Subramanian, Robin Bright, Anuj Seth, Gregory G. Lafond
  • Patent number: 8840694
    Abstract: An abrasive article includes a bonded abrasive body having abrasive particles contained within a bond material. The abrasive particles include silicon carbide and are essentially free of carbon-based and boron-based sintering aid materials. In an embodiment, the bond material can include a phenolic resin. In another embodiment, the bonded abrasive body can include an oxide phase disposed interstitially between the silicon carbide abrasive particles. In an additional embodiment, the abrasive particles can consist essentially of silicon carbide and aluminum oxide in a ratio of silicon carbide to alumina of at least about 8:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Guan Wang, Yves Boussant-Roux