Patents Examined by Brenda A. Lamb
  • Patent number: 7695768
    Abstract: The invention is a die comprising a die body. The die body defines an internal cavity and an applicator slot. The cavity is in fluid communication with the applicator slot. A plurality of gas relief passages are in fluid communication with the internal cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mikhail L. Pekurovsky, Joan M. Noyola, Robert B. Secor
  • Patent number: 7694644
    Abstract: A method for coating a dispersion slurry containing a solid SAP dispersed in a dispersion medium on a surface of a substrate sheet are provided. The method is characterized in that a first region and a second region are formed on the surface of the substrate sheet with a convex-and-concave pattern wherein the first region have the coating layer in thicker thickness and the second region have the coating layer in thinner thickness or does not scarcely have the coating layer, by means of positioning the rotating pattern roll over the substrate sheet via the cover film, of supplying the dispersion slurry between the substrate sheet and the cover film while rotating the rotating pattern roll, and of pushing the coating layer with the rotating pattern roll via the cover film, when the coating layer of the dispersion slurry is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: DSG International Limited
    Inventors: Migaku Suzuki, Toa Kobayashi, Reiko Moriya, Satoru Wakabayashi, Satoshi Ukawa
  • Patent number: 7690326
    Abstract: A system for controlling the coating width of an electrode plate, The system includes: a coating device which ejects a paste at a predetermined width from each of a plurality of slit nozzles toward a fed core substrate to form a coating layer on the surface of the core substrate; a gap controlling device which controls the gap between the slit nozzles of the coating device and the core substrate; a coating width measuring device which measures the width of the coating layer on the surface of the core substrate; and a controlling unit which controls the gap controlling device based on the results obtained by comparing the measured coating width with a predetermined coating width. In this system, the stripe-shaped coating layer is formed without using a masking tape, and the width of the coating layer is controlled with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Wakai, Kaoru Okinaga, Yukio Koike, Tomofumi Yanagi
  • Patent number: 7690324
    Abstract: During fluid treatment of a substrate surface, a carrier/wafer assembly containing a substrate wafer closes the top of a microcell container. The carrier/wafer assembly and the container walls define a thin enclosed treatment volume that is filled with treating fluid, such as electroless plating solution. The thin fluid-treatment volume typically has a volume in a range of about from 100 ml to 500 ml. Preferably a container is heated and the treating fluid is pre-heated before being injected into the container. Preferably, the chemical composition, temperature, and other properties of fluid in the thin enclosed fluid-treatment volume are dynamically variable. A rinse shield and a rinse nozzle are located above the container. A carrier/wafer assembly in a rinse position substantially closes the top of the rinse shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jingbin Feng, Steven T. Mayer, Daniel Mark Dinneen, Edmund B. Minshall, Christopher M. Bartlett, Eric G. Webb, R. Marshall Stowell, Mark T. Winslow, Avishai Kepten, Norman D. Kaplan, Richard K. Lyons, John B. Alexy
  • Patent number: 7685964
    Abstract: A device for wetting cable-ends includes a stand supporting a control, a bath-container with a bath, and a conveyor unit for conveying to the cable-end a wetting agent which forms the bath. The conveyor unit has a drive, a pump unit, a conveyor-pipe, and a nozzle with throttle. The pump unit conveys the wetting agent through the conveyor pipe to the nozzle with the wetting agent flowing through an exchangeable throttle that determines the shape and size of the free jet of the wetting agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Komax AG
    Inventors: Claudio Meisser, Georges Britschgi
  • Patent number: 7677197
    Abstract: Apparatus for treating tissue specimens comprises a stationary outer casing (2) in the top of which is positioned an annular trough (3) for holding a liquid. Rotatably mounted in the outer casing (2) is a central hub (5) supporting a disc-like lid (6) the underside of which carries a magnet (7). In use, the magnets hold, in a detachable manner, tissue specimens (12) and the trough (3) is filled with a liquid for treating the specimens. The hub (5) is capable of vertical translational movement with respect to the casing (2) to enable the specimens to be lowered into and subsequently lifted out of the trough (3). A method of treating tissue specimens is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Medical Research Council
    Inventor: James Alexander Sharpe
  • Patent number: 7673581
    Abstract: A device for the application of at least two liquid to pasty application media to one or both sides of a moving surface, having a curtain applicator for applying the application media. The curtain applicator discharges the application media onto the moving surface as curtains moving substantially under the force of gravity, and the moving surface being one of a surface of a material web and a surface of a transfer element, which transfers the application media to the surface of the material web. The device includes a collecting device for the separate collection of each application medium. The collecting device being positionable between the curtain applicator and the material web. The curtain applicator and the collecting device being movable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Ueberschär
  • Patent number: 7669549
    Abstract: A machine for single or double sided application of a liquid or viscous coating medium by way of at least one applicator unit onto the surface of a mating material web, especially a paper or cardboard web. A medium collecting device that is allocated to the applicator unit or to a dispensing component of the applicator unit which includes the dispensing openings, is equipped with a receiving and release component which is allocated to the medium collecting device and which is or can be mounted detachably on same. During the start of the application process the component releases the curtain or veil due to a common adjustment with the medium collecting device or of a section component of same relative to the curtain or veil from a rim extending across the moving background or from an edge extending across the moving background.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Ueberschär, Benjamin Méndez-Gallon, Bernd Bohnenkamp
  • Patent number: 7661385
    Abstract: A device for spin-coating substrates with liquid media is provided, including a rotatable substrate plate for horizontally supporting a substrate, and a covering unit for covering the substrate during a distribution operation of the liquid medium by means of rotation of the substrate holder. The substrate holder is adapted to be joined tightly to the covering unit, so that passage holes arranged circumferentially on the substrate holder so that an internal coating space, defined by the covering unit and the substrate holder, is in fluid communication with the environment outside the internal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: SSE Sister Semiconductor Equipment GmbH
    Inventor: Dirk Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 7650851
    Abstract: In a dip soldering process, solder is pumped through a nozzle outlet. Leads of a component on a circuit board are dipped into the surface of the flowing solder to solder the leads to a track on the underside of the circuit board. To prevent solder bridging between the leads, a plate is provided below the solder surface, and passes between the leads. When withdrawing the leads from the solder, the solder surface is dropped to the level of the plate, so that excess solder is drawn away from the leads, preventing solder bridging between the leads. Member may be movable to rise through the solder surface as the circuit board is raised away from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Pillarhouse International Limited
    Inventors: Michael Tombs, Charles Kent
  • Patent number: 7647885
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing module and nozzle or die tip for discharging at least one liquid filament. The nozzle includes a strand guide for guiding a substrate past the nozzle and a frustoconical protrusion disposed on a surface of the nozzle adjacent the notch. A liquid discharge passage extends along an axis through the frustoconical protrusion and forms an acute angle with a machine direction corresponding to movement of the strand past the nozzle. Four air discharge passages are positioned at the base of the frustoconical protrusion. Each of the air discharge passages is angled in a compound manner generally toward the liquid discharge passage and offset from the axis of the liquid discharge passage to create the controlled pattern of liquid material on the strand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick L. Crane, Michael W. Harris, Joel E. Saine
  • Patent number: 7647882
    Abstract: A strip coating device for coating of strips, particularly metal strips, has at least one application head for applying coating substances to the strip. The application head has at least one application roller that applies the coating substance to the strip, and having at least one supporting roller disposed on the side of the strip opposite the application head. The application head works on the strip either in a first functional position where the strip is supported by the supporting roller, or, in a second functional position outside of the supporting region of the supporting roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: BWG Bergwerk- und Walzwerk-Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Michelbrink, Dieter Baukloh, Andreas Noé
  • Patent number: 7644679
    Abstract: The invention relates to a plant for the treatment, in particular the cataphoretic dip coating of objects, in particular of vehicle chassis, comprising at least one transport car (5) which runs the objects (4) through the plant and introduces and retrieves the above to and from several treatment containers. The transport car (5) comprises a chassis (7, 8, 9 to 12), which travels along the trajectory of the objects (4), at least one pivot arm (50, 51), connected to the chassis (7, 8, 9 to 12), a mounting (61) joined to the pivot arm (50, 51), for at least one object. The translational displacement and the pivoting displacement of the at least one pivot arm (50, 51) and the mounting (61) are effected by independent drive devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Eisenmann Anlagenbau GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz Ehrenleitner
  • Patent number: 7640886
    Abstract: The disk lubricant tank of the present invention includes a lubricant bath cover device that resides on the lubricant bath surface to suppress surface waves. The bath cover includes a plurality of finger-like projecting members that define a plurality of disk passage slots therebetween. A plurality of disks are disposed upon a disk holding mandrel and are lowered into the lubricant bath. Each disk passes through a separate disk passage slot during the dipping process. The finger-like projections reside on the bath surface between the disk to suppress surface waves that would otherwise impinge upon side surfaces of the disk, leading to lubricant overcoat areas upon the side surfaces of the disk. Therefore, hard disks of the present invention are formed with a more uniform lubricant coating wherein unwanted lubricant overcoat areas formed by surface waves in the lubricant bath are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hung Q. Daodang, Ferdinand Hendriks, Larry W. Winterlin
  • Patent number: 7628858
    Abstract: A coating film forming apparatus, which applies a paint to an outer circumferential face of an object to be coated to form a coating film, the coating film forming apparatus, includes: a retention section which retains the coated object in a state in which the outer circumferential face is exposed and in which an axial core of the coated object is in parallel with a vertical direction; an applying nozzle formed in an annular shape, arranged to oppose the outer circumferential face and to have an interval therebetween, and coaxially arranged with the coated object retained by the retention section, the applying nozzle having a first slit, which discharges the paint to an inner circumferential face formed throughout a whole circumference thereof; a movement section, which relatively moves the retention section and the applying nozzle along the axial core; a paint supply section which supplies the paint to the applying nozzle; and a gaseous body discharger which discharges a gaseous body toward the paint dischar
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michitaka Higaki, Takayuki Yoshii, Satoshi Tohkai
  • Patent number: 7625449
    Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a fluid onto a moving substrate is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a die comprising a die body having a cavity therein, wherein the cavity is in fluid communication with an applicator slot. The die is then oriented such that the applicator slot is positioned so as to dispense the fluid onto the moving substrate. The fluid is introduced into the die cavity such that the fluid is dispensed onto the moving substrate through the applicator slot. At least one end of the slot includes means for preventing lateral widening of the dispensed fluid. In another embodiment, means are disposed at both ends of the applicator slot. The apparatus is particularly useful when the capillary number characteristic for dispensing the fluid onto the moving substrate is less than 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mikhail L. Pekurovsky, William B. Kolb, Joan M. Noyola
  • Patent number: 7622004
    Abstract: A slit die has a combined, opposing pair of lips. Between the lips, the die has a lip gap and a coating liquid discharge opening formed at the lower end of the lip gap. At least one of the lips is constituted of two blocks that are vertically layered over each other and relatively movable in the direction perpendicular to the length direction of the discharge opening. The slit die further has a block-engaging element for engaging the blocks together in such a way that relative positions of the blocks are adjustable, a block-fastening element for fastening the blocks together after their relative positions are adjusted, a positioning element attached to outer surfaces of the blocks, on the side opposite the discharge opening side, and defining the positions to which the blocks are relatively moved, and a fixing element for fixing the positioning element to the blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawatake, Yoshiyuki Kitamura
  • Patent number: 7614360
    Abstract: A breading machine has a battering unit for applying a fluent batter to a food product. The battering unit includes a batter reservoir and a battering unit conveyor system for delivering food products from said batter reservoir to a battering unit conveyor discharge section that propels the food product from the battering unit. The combination units also include a breading unit for receiving food product from an associated battering unit. The breading unit includes a breading reservoir and breading unit conveyor system for applying particulate breading to the food product at a breading station by moving breading material from the breading material reservoir and food product coated with the batter to the breading station. A conveyor drive system includes a machine housing and a drive unit rotatably supported by the machine housing that provides motive power to the breading unit conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Bettcher Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott M. Muniga, Jeffrey A. Whited, Lane Bettcher
  • Patent number: 7615118
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, when substrates are loaded into a chamber, a frame part formed integral with a substrate holding part is interposed between the chamber and a cover, thereby sealing the interior of the chamber. When the substrates are unloaded to above the chamber, the chamber and the cover are brought into a direct contact, thereby sealing the interior of the chamber. Hence, the interior of the chamber can be sealed satisfactorily when the substrates are loaded into the chamber, and when the substrates are unloaded to above the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Fukui, Toshio Hiroe
  • Patent number: 7601222
    Abstract: In a system for manufacturing a part, a first forming station forms the part from a supply of material. A chemical processing system chemically alters a surface of the part. The chemical processing system includes a tank, parts rotator, circulation system, and control system. The tank includes a chemical side and a rinse side. The chemical side includes a chemical solution and the rinse side includes a sprayer to spray a rinse solution on the part. The parts rotator assembly moves relative to the tank. The circulation system circulates fluid in the tank. The control system receives signals from a sensor and modulate the system in response to the signals. Additionally, in the system, a finishing station applies a finish to the item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Richard H. Miller, Ronald E. Jones