Patents Examined by Alain L. Bashore
  • Patent number: 7226637
    Abstract: An information layer for an optical information storage medium is formed in a centrifuge. A photopolymerizable composition is applied to a solid base having a relief pattern, and a flexible, transparent film layer is applied on top of the composition. The three are spun in a centrifuge to cause a thin, even distribution of the photopolymerizable composition, which is photopolymerized. The resulting replica is separated from the relief pattern and has a fluorescent material applied thereto. Alternatively, the replica has a non-fluorescent material applied thereto, and the non-fluorescent material is made fluorescent through diffusion. Multiple information layers thus formed can be glued together to form a multilayer optical information storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: D Data Inc.
    Inventors: Galina Dorozhkina, Irina Kiryusheva, Eugene Levich, Alexey Lezhnev, Dmitry Pebalk
  • Patent number: 7223438
    Abstract: A direct-write method for fabricating magnetic nanostructures, including hard magnetic nanostructures of barium hexaferrite, BaFe, based on nanolithographic printing and a sol-gel process. This method utilizes a conventional atomic force microscope tip, coated with a magnetic material precursor solution, to generate patterns that can be post-treated at elevated temperature to generate magnetic features consisting of barium ferrite in its hexagonal magnetoplumbite (M-type) structure. Features ranging from several hundred nm down to below 100 nm were generated and studied using AFM, magnetic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The approach offers a new way for patterning functional inorganic magnetic nanostructures with deliberate control over feature size and shape, as well as interfeature distance and location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Chad A. Mirkin, Lei Fu, Xiaogang Liu, Vinayak P. Dravid
  • Patent number: 7223439
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium and a method for manufacturing the same are provided, which provide high surface recording density and high recording/reading performance. The magnetic recording medium is manufactured by forming an intermediate protective layer between a continuous recording layer and a first mask layer, dividing the continuous recording layer to form divided recording elements, and then removing the first mask layer while leaving the intermediate protective layer on the top of the divided recording elements. Further, gaps between the divided recording elements are filled with a non-magnetic material before removing the first mask layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Suwa, Mitsuru Takai, Kazuhiro Hattori
  • Patent number: 7222096
    Abstract: A method receives incoming messages from data feed lines. The incoming messages have data on associated market events. The method includes receiving incoming messages from a feed line, translating the received incoming messages into market event messages having a common format, and publishing a portion of the translated messages on a network. Each market event message includes data on a market event and time data. The network has multiple devices capable of receiving the translated messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.
    Inventors: Ana Gabriela Anaya, Brenda L. Boulter, Ann G. Neidenbach
  • Patent number: 7220456
    Abstract: A process for the patterning of a desired substance on a surface includes: (i) charging a particle formation vessel with a compressed fluid; (ii) introducing into the particle formation vessel a first feed stream comprising a solvent and the desired substance dissolved therein and a second feed stream comprising the compressed fluid, wherein the desired substance is less soluble in the compressed fluid relative to its solubility in the solvent and the solvent is soluble in the compressed fluid, and wherein the first feed stream is dispersed in the compressed fluid, allowing extraction of the solvent into the compressed fluid and precipitation of particles of the desired substance; (iii) exhausting compressed fluid, solvent and the desired substance from the particle formation vessel at a rate substantially equal to a rate of addition of such components to the vessel in step (ii) through a restrictive passage to a lower pressure whereby the compressed fluid is transformed to a gaseous state, and wherein the re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Rajesh V. Mehta, Ramesh Jagannathan, Seshadri Jagannathan, David J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7220457
    Abstract: A spray head and air atomizing assembly for providing atomizing air in an air sprayer or other delivery device in which the atomizing assembly includes converging, spiral atomizing fluid passageways. The invention also relates to a method and system for applying materials to a substrate using atomizing air as a vehicle for delivering a component to the application fluid or for conditioning the application fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventor: Steven R. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7217440
    Abstract: The invention concerns a process for replacing an initial outermost coating layer of a coated optical lens with a layer of a new final coating having surface properties different from those of said initial outermost coating which comprises: (a) providing a coated optical lens having an initial outermost coating layer having a surface contact angle with water of at least 65°; (b) subjecting the initial outermost coating layer to a treatment with activated chemical species at about atmospheric pressure, and for less than one minute, in order there is obtained a treated surface having a contact angle with water of 10° or less; and (c) depositing on said treated surface a layer of a final coating having surface properties different from those of said initial outermost coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Essilor International Compagnie Generale d'Optique
    Inventors: Agnès de Leuze Jallouli, Gérald Fournand
  • Patent number: 7217442
    Abstract: A method of applying a multi-component coating of a desired composition over a substrate includes providing a coating device in flow communication with a first coating component having a first rheological profile and at least one second coating component having a second rheological profile. The method further includes defining a desired ratio of the first and at least one second coating components to provide a coating of a desired composition, and selecting the rheological profiles of the first and at least one second coating components such that the coating components are supplied at a desired ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: PPG Industries, Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Truman F. Wilt, David N. Walters, James A. Claar, John R. Rassau, Melanie S. Campbell
  • Patent number: 7214405
    Abstract: A method of making a liquid crystal alignment layer comprising the steps of: (i) providing a layer on a substrate, the layer comprising a polythiophene according to formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent hydrogen or a C1–C4 alkyl group or together represent a C1–C4 alkylene group or a cycloalkylene group; and (ii) mechanically rendering the layer liquid crystal aligning; a liquid crystal alignment layer obtainable by the above-mentioned method; a liquid crystal device incorporating the above-mentioned liquid crystal alignment layer; a liquid crystal display comprising the above-mentioned liquid crystal alignment layer or the above-mentioned liquid crystal device; and the use of the polythiophene according to formula (I) for aligning liquid crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert, N.V.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Tahon, Tom Cloots, Roger Bäuerle
  • Patent number: 7214411
    Abstract: A manufacturing line for gypsum boards includes a conveyor for moving gypsum boards in a line; a spray arm having a pivot at one end thereof for supporting the spray arm in a pivotable manner; a base frame mounted adjacent the conveyor; a support for the pivot mounted on the base frame so that the spray arm can be pivoted from an operative position wherein the spray arm extends over the conveyor to an inoperative position; a plurality of spray nozzles arranged on the spray arm for spraying a coating on gypsum boards on the conveyor; and a pump system on the frame to deliver the coating to the plurality of spray nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Lafarge Platres
    Inventors: Elizabeth A. Colbert, Andrew B. Bingaman, Scott E. Statler, Michael J. Budroe, Walter Weldon
  • Patent number: 7212994
    Abstract: A system and method for real time dissemination of information is provided. One server receives and data bases the information while another server disseminates the information; instead of one server receiving the information, data basing the information, and disseminating the information to all users requesting the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: TD Ameritrade IP Company, Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Howell, Robert L. Earthman, Jr., Manmeet Singh
  • Patent number: 7208194
    Abstract: A film sheet which has a polymer layer formed of a coating solution is drawn from a balk roll and transported toward a rubbing apparatus. Thereby, first and second blowers sequentially disposed respectively apply to the polymer layer an air of temperature 45±2° C. and humidity 50%–60%, and an air of temperature 25±1° C. and humidity 30%–35%. Thus, damages which occurred in transporting and rolling the film sheet are removed. Thereafter, a rubbing action is performed to the film sheet such that the polymer layer has alignment. Then a liquid crystal layer is formed on the polymer layer, to obtain an optical compensation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidetomo Itoh
  • Patent number: 7205020
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a non-magnetic under-layer, a magnetic layer, a protective film and a liquid lubricant layer sequentially laminated on a non-magnetic substrate. The magnetic layer has a multi-layer structure laminated with two or more magnetic layer components, each of the magnetic layer components having ferromagnetic grains and non-magnetic grain boundaries surrounding the grain. The resulting magnetic recording medium has a granular magnetic layer exhibiting very high Hc accompanying high density of magnetic recording, while decreasing the amount of platinum needed for attaining the high Hc, and reducing media noise accompanying the high recording density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadaaki Oikawa, Hiroyuki Uwazumi, Takahiro Shimizu, Naoki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 7205021
    Abstract: An optical antenna collects, modifies and emits energy at light wavelengths. Linear conductors sized to correspond to the light wavelengths are used. Nonlinear junctions of small dimension are used to rectify an alternating waveform induced upon the conductors by the lightwave electromagnetic energy. The optical antenna and junctions are effective to produce harmonic energy at light wavelengths. The linear conductors may be comprised of carbon nanotubes that are attached to a substrate material, which may then be connected to an electrical port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: AMBIT Corp
    Inventor: Robert Joseph Crowley
  • Patent number: 7201947
    Abstract: As track widths of magnetic read heads grow very small, conventional longitudinal bias stabilization has been found to no longer be suitable since the strong magnetostatic coupling at the track edges also pins the magnetization of the free layer. This problem has been overcome by extending the free layer so that it is no longer confined to the area immediately below the spacer or tunneling layer. A longitudinal bias layer immediately below the free layer is given a relatively weak magnetic exchange coupling field of about 200 Oe. Although there is strong exchange coupling between this and the free layer, the degree of pinning of the free layer is low so that the device's output signal is reduced by less than about 10%. A process for manufacturing both the CPP SV and a MTJ versions of the invention is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Liao, Kochan Ju, Youfeng Zheng
  • Patent number: 7198817
    Abstract: A process for producing a magnetic recording medium having at least one magnetic layer formed above a support is provided. The process includes a step of providing, on at least one side of the support, a smoothing coating layer having a thickness of 0.10 to 1 ?m, a surface roughness of at most 5 nm, a number of projections having a height of 20 nm or higher measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) of at most 20 projections/900 ?m2, and an amount of residual solvent of less than 10 mg/m2, and a step of forming at least one magnetic layer on or above the smoothing coating layer without winding up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Takahashi, Mikio Tomaru, Hiroshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 7195797
    Abstract: A vacuum deposition system has been designed to produce thin film based demultiplexers with high throughput and production yields of greater than 25% for use in Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexer (DWDM) systems. The system employs a dense array of high yield fixtures and an ion assisted movable dual electron beam evaporation system. The fixture array increases acceptable yields of narrow band pass filters to 25–75% compared to less than 5% in conventional coating systems used for DWDM. The movable e-beam system allows critical symmetry to be maintained while eliminating significant delays resulting from deposition of two materials from a single electron gun. The vacuum deposition system will enable production of more than 15,000 50–200 GHZ filters which meet specifications for DWDM demultiplexers every 48 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Atomic Telecom
    Inventors: Gerald T. Mearini, Laszlo Takacs
  • Patent number: 7192484
    Abstract: A coating apparatus for coating a rollable device including a device rotator having a pair of rollers and spray nozzle is described. The spray nozzle produces a spray of coating material that is directed towards a gap that is between the rollers of the pair. The majority of any spray not deposited on the rollable device during a coating process passes through the gap between the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: SurModics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph A. Chappa, Mark F. Carlson
  • Patent number: 7189438
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a recording layer, disposed above a surface of a substrate and made of hard magnetic nano-particles. The hard magnetic nano-particles are made of an alloy having as a main component an element selected from a group consisting of FePt, FePd and CoPt, and the hard magnetic nano-particles have axes of easy magnetization oriented in a direction approximately perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Satoru Momose, Hiroyoshi Kodama, Nobutaka Ihara
  • Patent number: 7186443
    Abstract: Systems and methods for dispensing an anti-traction, mobility denial material on a target surface. In various exemplary embodiments, a method of dispensing an anti-traction material on a target surface includes providing a polymer particle powder to a first section of a dispensing nozzle, providing a water stream to a second section of a dispensing nozzle, and mixing the polymer particle powder with the water stream upon exit of the streams out of the first and second sections of the dispensing nozzle to form the anti-traction material on the target surface, the formed anti-traction material being a gel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Cliff J. Scribner, Geronimo I. Elias, Jr.