Patents Assigned to Unisearch Limited
  • Patent number: 4521286
    Abstract: There is disclosed a dry process etching or deposition chamber which allows an improvement in process speed and control of directionality over prior art dry process chambers. The etching or deposition chamber is provided with a hollow cathode electrode comprising two parallel electrode surfaces which are maintained at substantially the same electrical potential while a radio frequency potential is applied between the hollow cathode electrode and an anode electrode which is also located within the chamber. During the etching or deposition process, a partial vacuum is maintained in the dry process chamber and a gas is introduced into the chamber to provide a source of halogen ions and carbon or silicon ions under radio frequency excitation these ions forming a chemically reactive plasma. Products of the etching or deposition process can be pumped out of the chamber during the processing step if greater performance is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: Christopher M. Horwitz
  • Patent number: 4517977
    Abstract: Surgical instrument for accurately cutting and removing fibrous tissue comprising a first tube (11) having at one end an end wall (12) disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the first tube (11), which end wall contains an aperture (13); a second tube (14) coaxial with the first tube (11) and having at one end wall (15) disposed in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the second tube (14) which end wall (15) contains an aperture (16) and lies in closed juxtaposition with the end wall (12) of the first tube (11); a mechanism (17) to enable the tubes (11 and 14) to be rotated relative to one another such that the apertures (13 and 16) are moved into and out of register with one another; ducts (19 and 20) to direct a stream of an irrigating liquid to the one end of the tubes (11 and 14); and ducts (21, 37, 36 and 35) to connect the interior of the second tube (14) to a source of suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: Richard B. Frost
  • Patent number: 4518463
    Abstract: A potentiometric flow-through electrode detector for use in high performance liquid chromatography and autoanalyzers. Said detector comprises a metal electrode which has the property that it provides a voltage response to the particular molecule to be detected thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1985
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Peter W. Alexander, Paul R. Haddad
  • Patent number: 4516080
    Abstract: A high-efficiency low-distortion parallel amplifier or regulator is driven by an input signal source V.sub.i. An input signal passes to a linear circuit LC, and the output current i.sub.1 from the linear circuit passes to the input of a switching circuit SC. Alternatively, the input to the switching circuit may be any other signal that is a function of the linear-circuit output current. The output of the switching circuit passes through a coupling network CN and is applied with the output current of the linear circuit to a load impedance ZL. The output of the switching circuit acts to reduce the output current of the linear circuit so that the power it supplies is low. A low linear-circuit output current is usually sufficient to drive the switching circuit and coupling network to the maximum current required by the load. The system automatically adjusts independently of the load impedence so that with high output current most of the current is supplied by the switching circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1985
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: Peter Garde
  • Patent number: 4505819
    Abstract: A system for the anaerobic bacterial degradation of organic material in waste water, comprising introducing the waste water into a contact reactor, pumping the waste water into the bottom of a fluidized bed reactor containing anaerobic bacteria attached to the particles in the bed, the fluidized bed reactor having an effective volume not more than 0.35 times the effective volume of the contact reactor, returning the waste water which has passed through the fluidized bed reactor to the contact reactor and continuously or discontinuously removing treated effluent from the system.A start-up procedure for the anaerobic treatment system is described comprising culturing anoxic bacteria in the system by adding nitrate ions to the waste water and gradually reducing the amount of nitrate ions in the stream until the population of anoxic bacteria is substantially replaced by a population of anaerobic bacteria. A viable microbial population is established in both the fluidized bed reactor and the contact reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1985
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: David Barnes, Peter J. Bliss
  • Patent number: 4499115
    Abstract: Novel antioxidant compounds for use in foodstuffs containing oils or fats are described which comprise benzodioxole compounds having the structure ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group or an aryl group,R.sub.2 is an alkyl group or an aryl group,or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 together form a cyclo alkyl group, andR.sub.3 is a hydrogen atom or an hydroxyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Thi H. Minh, Edward R. Cole, George Crank
  • Patent number: 4464573
    Abstract: A charged particle beam focussing device in which a pair of rod like electrodes having a potential difference maintained between them are arranged on either side of the path of a beam to be focussed. The configuration of the electrodes is such that the significant electric field between them is confined to a short section of the path of the particles. A second pair of similar electrodes are arranged parallel to and in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the first pair and displaced in a direction parallel to the plane in which the first pair lie, a potential difference being maintained between the second pair of electrodes. The arrangement is such that by variation of the potentials between the electrodes a beam of charged particles passing along the beam path between the electrodes can be caused to come to a focal line in a predetermined plane. A further device arranged at right angles to the first beam is provided to bring the beam to a point focus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: Robert L. Dalglish
  • Patent number: 4445367
    Abstract: A thermal contact resistance having a thermocouple whereby the contact resistance between a probe of the thermocouple and a test material is less dependant on the thermal conductivity of the test material and more dependent on its hardness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi J. Goldsmid
  • Patent number: 4443544
    Abstract: An improved method for the production of ethanol from a fermentable carbohydrates such as glucose, fructose or sucrose using the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis which method involves continuously culturing the bacterium in a culture medium containing the fermentable carbohydrate, continuously drawing off a portion of the culture medium and replacing that portion with fresh culture medium, separating from the removed portion of the culture medium cells of Zymomonas mobilis contained therein and returning those cells to the culture medium and recovering the ethanol contained in the portion of the culture medium from which the cells have been removed.It has been found that this method results in greatly improved ethanol production without the disadvantages which have been found when yeasts are continuously cultured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Peter L. Rogers, David E. Tribe
  • Patent number: 4443543
    Abstract: A process for the production of ethanol from a carbohydrate substrate such as glucose comprising culturing a flocculant strain of Zymomonas mobilis such as ATCC 31822, in a semi-batch manner periodically allowing the flocculent cells to settle, removing the ethanol containing supernatant and introducing fresh fermentation medium into the fermentor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Peter L. Rogers, David E. Tribe
  • Patent number: 4440800
    Abstract: A liquid or powder material can be dispersed by the application of electrostatic fields. The phenomena, referred to as "electrodispersion" is the dispersion by an intense electric field of part of a static bed of liquid or powder into a stable cloud of rapidly moving particles, and the maintenance of a dynamic equilibrium between the static and dispersed phases. The density of the dispersed cloud of particles varies with a number of factors, including the field strength and the nature of the powder. The electrodeposition effect is employed to produce a uniform and durable coating of controlled thickness on the individual particles, by the generation of a vapor of the desired coating--typically a metal or semiconductor material--and allowing the vapor to permeate the dispersed particles. The electric field ensures that only the particles are coated, and the dispersed particles, having the same charge, repel each other, avoiding agglomeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1984
    Assignees: Unisearch Limited, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
    Inventors: David H. Morton, Stephen G. Szirmai, Edmund C. Potter
  • Patent number: 4432889
    Abstract: A heterogeneous catalyst formed by the steps of:(a) irradiating an organic macromolecular substrate or a metal substrate with ionizing or U.V. radiation in the presence of a monomer selected from the group comprising o-, m-, or p- styryl diphenyl phosphine or o-, m-, or p- phenyl acrylyl diphenyl phosphine to graft the monomer to the substrate, and(b) reacting the graft copolymer with a homogeneous catalyst selected from the group consisting of catalytic metal salts and catalytic organometallic complexes such that the monomer-substrate conjugate becomes a ligand of the catalyst.These catalysts have particular activity in hydrogenation reactions, hydroformylation reactions, isomerization reactions, cracking reactions and dehydrogenation reactions of organic compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1984
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: John L. Garnett, Mervyn A. Long, Ronald G. Levot
  • Patent number: 4404422
    Abstract: The invention relates to a new-type of solar cell structure, and to a method of manufacturing same. The solar cell is designated as an MINP cell (Metal-Insulator-NP junction solar cell). Essentially, the MINP solar cell is an extremely shallow N-P junction cell with a MIS (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor) type contact made to the top of the cell. Although combining features of the two technologies, no more processing steps are required than for a conventional P-N junction cell. The advantage of the MINP structure is its substantially improved efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Martin A. Green, Andrew W. Blakers
  • Patent number: 4403034
    Abstract: A method of producing ethanol (alcohol) comprising culturing in a suitable means a strain of Zymomonas mobilis which has a specific ethanol productivity at 30.degree. C., pH5 and in a medium containing 300 g/l glucose of at least 4.0 g/g/h; a specific rate of glucose uptake at 30.degree. C., pH5 and a medium containing 200 g/l glucose of at least 8.0 g/g/h; and an ethanol tolerance level at 30.degree. C., pH5 and in a medium containing 300 g/l of glucose of at least 120 g/l ethanol in a batch culture or of at least 60 g/l ethanol in a continuous culture at 30.degree. C., pH5 and in a medium containing 150 g/l glucose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Peter L. Rogers, David E. Tribe
  • Patent number: 4401688
    Abstract: The method for imparting permanent press characteristics to textile articles without using textile resins and textile resin catalysts includes applying to the textile article, a urethane acrylate prepolymer or an epoxy acrylate prepolymer or an acrylated polyester prepolymer or a water soluble monomer having a molecular weight less than 300 and selected from the group comprising acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, esters and substituted esters of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid and amides of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, or prepolymers of such monomers, curing the prepolymer or monomer in situ on the textile article using ultraviolet radiation, and pressing the textile article along a crease after the application of the prepolymer or monomer. The pressing step may be applied either before or after the curing of the prepolymer or monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited (N.S.W.)Australia
    Inventors: John L. Garnett, Thomas Schwarz, Grant Fletcher
  • Patent number: 4399701
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting degradation in wood by applying acoustic waves along the wood grain and measuring the bandwidths and frequencies or standing wave resonances induced in the wood as the frequency of the applied waves is varied. Good quality wood exhibits a substantially harmonic relationship between the frequencies at which resonances occur and the bandwidths of the resonances are relatively small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: John I. Dunlop
  • Patent number: 4399441
    Abstract: An apparatus for remote temperature reading particularly for the reading of the temperature of an article or animal at a distance by means of an electromagnetically interrogatable label attached to or implanted in the article or animal the label being constructed to be capable of receiving an electromagnetic signal from a transmitter, converting the signal to a surface acoustic wave, passing the wave over a path on the label, reconverting the surface acoustic wave to an electromagnetic signal and retransmitting it to a receiver. The path of the surface acoustic wave is of a material such that the time of travel of the surface acoustic wave over the path is a function of the temperature of the path and thus of the label. The receiver is constructed to measure the time interval between electromagnetic signals produced by the passage of the surface acoustic wave past a transducer or transducers in the path and thereby provide an output indicative of the temperature of the environment of the label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Richard Vaughan, Peter H. Cole
  • Patent number: 4398951
    Abstract: The invention provides corrosion-oxidation resistant alloys based on iron, using aluminum (usually about 4 to about 9% by weight) as the element which prevents corrosion/oxidation, and manganese (usually about 3 to about 15% by weight) and containing from 0 to about 6% chromium. The alloys are referred to collectively as "Fermalloys". The invention provides alloys with high ductility at working temperatures and reasonable malleability at room temperature. Some scale deterioration that may occur on these rather simple alloys can be eliminated using minor additions of rare earth elements and some degree of high temperature strengthening may also be possible by the addition of carbon to form carbides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: Greig R. Wallwork
  • Patent number: 4386471
    Abstract: Method and means for controlling the drying and/or aeration of a stored product, particularly grains and other agricultural produce. The system requires consideration of the drying effect of blowing ambient air through the grain and is not predicated solely upon whether the ambient air will have a cooling effect on the grain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventors: Ronald G. Bowrey, Andrew K. Fullford, Michael S. Kearney
  • Patent number: 4378530
    Abstract: An amplifier system comprising at least two tracking switching regulators or a dual-output regulator, which regulators vary the voltage across the output stage at the signal or its envelope rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1983
    Assignee: Unisearch Limited
    Inventor: Peter Garde