Patents Examined by Andrés E. Behrens, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11168033
    Abstract: A method for drying at least one unfired columnar honeycomb formed body comprising a raw material composition containing at least one raw material of ceramics, water and at least one heat-gelling binder, and cells defined by partition walls comprising flow paths from a first end surface to a second end surface. The method comprising drying the honeycomb formed body by passing hot gas satisfying 0.8?T2/T1?3.3, where T1 represents a gelation temperature of the binder (° C.) and T2 represents a wet-bulb temperature of the hot gas (° C.) through the flow paths from the first end surface and out the second end surface, while surrounding the honeycomb formed body with a correction mold to correct the shape of the honeycomb formed body during drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuhei Kuno, Hironori Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11171385
    Abstract: A method of forming a separator for a lithium-ion battery includes arranging a polymer film in contact with a sacrificial layer to form a cutting stack. The method includes disposing the cutting stack between a first vitreous substrate and a second vitreous substrate. The method includes applying an infrared laser to the cutting stack through the first vitreous substrate to generate heat at the sacrificial layer. The method also includes transferring heat from the sacrificial layer to the polymer film to thereby cut out a portion of the polymer film and form the separator. A method of cutting a polymer film and a cutting system are also explained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Hongliang Wang, Brian J. Koch, Michael P. Balogh, Sean R. Wagner
  • Patent number: 11148979
    Abstract: A method is provided for making ceramic bodies having improved properties, such as optical and/or strength properties in which the ceramic bodies are densified by new sintering processes. The sintering profiles may have shorter run times than conventional sintering processes. Ceramic bodies made by these methods are suitable for use in dental applications, for example, as crowns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: James R. Glidewell Dental Ceramics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sreeram Balasubramanian, Yan Yang, Akash
  • Patent number: 11135739
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a honeycomb structure including: a formed body forming step of extruding a forming raw material, to form a plurality of quadrangular prismatic columnar honeycomb formed bodies; a firing step of firing the honeycomb formed bodies, to form a plurality of quadrangular prismatic-columnar quadrangular segments; a triangular segment forming step to form a triangular prismatic-columnar triangular segment; a bonded body forming step to form a honeycomb bonded body; and a circumference grinding step to manufacture the honeycomb structure, wherein the bonded body forming step further includes: a pressurizing step of pressurizing the triangular segment from a circumferential direction of the temporary assembly toward a central direction thereof, by use of a pressurizing jig comprising a pressurizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Daiki Kato
  • Patent number: 11135743
    Abstract: Processing sized fiber products to recover reinforcing fibers by removing fiber sizing material from the reinforcing fibers. The processing includes first treating the sized fiber product with a normally-liquid first solvent for fiber sizing material followed by removal of the first solvent from the first solid residue including reinforcing fibers. The removal of the first solvent from the continuous reinforcing fibers may include heating the fibers and/or second treating the first solid residue with a normally-gaseous material contacted with the solid residue under conditions of temperature and pressure at which the normally-gaseous material is in a liquid or supercritical fluid form. The processing may be performed in a continuous manner to recover the continuous reinforcing fibers in a continuous form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Vartega Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Timothy Maxey, Jordan Gray Harris, Sean Paul Kline
  • Patent number: 11137520
    Abstract: A method of making an integrated depth sensor window lens, such as for an augmented reality (AR) head set, the depth sensor window lens comprising a sensor lens and an illuminator lens separated by an opaque dam. The method uses a two-shot injection molding process, a first shot comprising an optically clear polymeric material to form the sensor lens and the illuminator lens and the second shot comprising an opaque polymeric material to form the separator of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Maosheng Ye, Javier Yanez, Frank C. Holloway, Michael Beerman, Roy Joseph Riccomini
  • Patent number: 11131565
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an annular insert molded article that suppresses contamination of a metal mold and generation of foreign matter without increase in material costs for an adhesive or contamination of a transfer jig, and has a high adhesion strength so that, when the annular insert molded article is attached to a rotating body, the adhesive does not peel off from the insert or remain as foreign matter in the rotating body. An annular insert molded article 1 is manufactured by injection molding in a state where a thermoset resin adhesive A is applied to a joining surface of an annular insert 2 attachable to a rotating body to an annular plastic 3 and then the annular insert 2 and the annular plastic 3 are placed in a metal mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: NAKANISHI METAL WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Osamu Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11125087
    Abstract: A method for forming a passage in a ceramic matrix composite component includes forming a core for a ceramic matrix composite component; embedding a hollow member into the core at a desired location for a passage in the ceramic matrix composite component; wrapping the core with a ceramic material; and inserting a rod through the hollow member and into the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, Raymond Surace
  • Patent number: 11104030
    Abstract: A system and a method for constructing a printed ceramic object, the method including the steps of extruding a substance to generate a 3D-printed elastomeric object; deforming the 3D-printed elastomeric object into a complex structure to form a printed elastomeric origami object; and transforming the printed elastomeric origami object into an aforesaid printed ceramic origami object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Jian Lu, Guo Liu
  • Patent number: 11103686
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating microneedle arrays capable of delivering a suitable drug dosages to subjects are provided. In one aspect, a method comprises creating at least one forming mold using laser ablation in a cross-over line pattern. The method further comprises casting a first material onto the at least one forming mold to create at least one microneedle mold. The method further comprises casting a second material onto the at least one microneedle mold to create at least one hollow microneedle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Trustees of Tufts College
    Inventors: Hojatollah Rezaei Nejad, Aydin Sadeqi, Sameer Sonkusale
  • Patent number: 11078119
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a composite of sintered mullite reinforced corundum granules and a method for its preparation. The composite comprises mullite and corundum in an interlocking microstructure. The process for preparing the composite involves the steps of admixing the raw materials followed by sintering to obtain the composite comprising sintered mullite reinforced corundum granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: ASHAPURA MINECHEM LTD.
    Inventors: Chetan Navnitlal Shah, Manan Chetan Shah, Amit Chatterjee, Anurag Tilak
  • Patent number: 11066334
    Abstract: A method of sintering a binderless cBN body includes providing a boron nitride particle mixture into a pressure chamber, the boron nitride particle mixture having a first type of boron nitride particles and boron nitride filler particles, and the boron nitride filler particles having a different size and/or type than the first type of boron nitride particles, and sintering the boron nitride particle mixture in the pressure chamber to form the cBN body by generating a pressure in the pressure chamber of less than 7.7 GPa and heating the boron nitride particle mixture to a temperature ranging from about 1900° C. to about 2300° C., wherein the cBN body has a density of at least 97 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yahua Bao
  • Patent number: 11045974
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a composite part includes arranging a fibrous preform in a mold including an impregnation chamber which includes in its lower part a filter by making a first face of the preform rest on the filter, the impregnation chamber being closed by a flexible membrane placed opposite a second face of the preform, the membrane separating the impregnation chamber from a compaction chamber. The process further includes injecting a compression fluid into the compaction chamber so as to apply a first pressure on the membrane and injecting a slurry including ceramic particles into the impregnation chamber with a second pressure while maintaining the injection of the compression fluid, the second injection pressure of the slurry being lower than the first pressure on the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN CERAMICS
    Inventors: Eric Philippe, Paul Carminati, Medhy Damien Bounia, Bertrand Desjoyeaux
  • Patent number: 11046620
    Abstract: A method of processing a CMC component includes applying a surface formulation comprising a resin and/or a preceramic polymer to a fiber preform. The surface formulation is cured to form a surface coating, which is then pyrolyzed to convert the resin to carbon and/or the preceramic polymer to silicon carbide. After pyrolysis, the fiber preform is infiltrated with a melt comprising silicon to form a CMC component. During melt infiltration, the carbon reacts with the silicon to form silicon carbide, and the silicon carbide prevents unreacted silicon from accessing a surface region of the CMC component. Thus, after melt infiltration, a concentration of free silicon in the surface region is a low amount of about 5 vol. % or less. Upon assembling the CMC component with a metal component, diffusion between the components is inhibited or prevented by the low amount of free silicon in the surface region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Sungbo Shim, Jun Shi
  • Patent number: 11046615
    Abstract: A method for forming a self-healing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component includes depositing a first self-healing particulate material in a first region of a CMC preform of the CMC component and depositing a second self-healing particulate material having a different chemical composition than the first self-healing particulate material in a second region of the CMC preform distinct from the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Xia Tang, James T. Beals, Richard Wesley Jackson, Ying She, Andrew J. Lazur, Kathryn S. Read, Mary Colby
  • Patent number: 11048836
    Abstract: A method for producing a porous body, comprising a raw-material mixing step of mixing talc having an average particle size of 1 ?m or more and 18 ?m or less, alumina, an auxiliary raw material containing a material that undergoes a eutectic reaction with talc and being prepared in an amount so as to satisfy a weight ratio of 0.5% or more and 1.5% or less by weight relative to the talc, and a pore-forming agent, to provide green body, and a molding and firing step of molding the green body to provide a compact and firing this compact at a firing temperature of 1350° C. to 1440° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Sakashita, Hiroyuki Nagaoka, Takehide Shimoda
  • Patent number: 11034624
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a silicon carbide-based honeycomb structure, including a firing step of introducing extruded honeycomb formed bodies containing a silicon carbide-based component, together with firing members into a firing furnace, and firing the honeycomb formed bodies, to manufacture the silicon carbide-based honeycomb structure, wherein the firing members are formed by using a ceramic material containing 70 wt % or more of alumina, and the firing step further includes: an inert gas supplying step of supplying an inert gas to a furnace space of the firing furnace, and a gas adding step of adding a reducing gas to the furnace space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chikashi Ihara, Shinya Yoshida, Masato Shimada, Yoshiyuki Kamei
  • Patent number: 11033885
    Abstract: A ceramic honeycomb structure comprising large numbers of cells partitioned by porous cell walls, the cell walls having (a) porosity of 50-80%, and when measured by mercury porosimetry, (b) a median pore diameter being 25-50 ?m, (c) (i) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of 20 ?m or less being 25% or less of the total pore volume, (ii) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of more than 20 ?m and 50 ?m or less being 50% or more of the total pore volume, and (iii) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of more than 50 ?m being 12% or more of the total pore volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventor: Shunji Okazaki
  • Patent number: 11020874
    Abstract: In an example of a three-dimensional (3D) printing method, a ceramic build material is applied. A liquid functional material, including an anionically stabilized susceptor material, is applied to at least a portion of the ceramic build material. A sintering aid/fixer fluid, including a cationically stabilized amphoteric alumina particulate material, is applied to the at least the portion of the ceramic build material. The applied anionically stabilized susceptor material and the applied cationically stabilized amphoteric alumina particulate material react to immobilize the anionically stabilized susceptor material, thereby patterning the at least the portion of the ceramic build material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James Elmer Abbott, Jr., Vladek Kasperchik, Joshua Flynn
  • Patent number: 11008245
    Abstract: An optical fiber production method includes: drawing an optical fiber preform in a drawing furnace; and cooling the optical fiber. The optical fiber is passed through a plurality of annealing furnaces while the optical fiber is cooled. While the optical fiber is cooled, temperatures of the annealing furnaces are set such that the temperature difference is within a range between and including an upper limit and a lower limit of a temperature difference between a temperature of the optical fiber and a fictive temperature of glass constituting a core of the optical fiber at which an increase of a transmission loss of the optical fiber when the fictive temperature of the glass is decreased is less than 0.001 dB/km.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kitamura, Akihito Imase