Patents Examined by Charles T. Jordan
  • Patent number: 5609797
    Abstract: A method for selectively altering the refractive index of selected portions of a polyimide material can be used to form a variety of optical components, such as waveguides that can be used as optical interconnections between elements in electronic or microelectronic circuits. The method includes the steps of introducing a dopant which is capable of altering the index of refraction of the film and which will be photoattached to the polyimide material after exposure to radiation, exposing selected portions of the material to radiation, removing at least some of the dopant from the non-irradiated portions of the material, and then exposing the non-irradiated portions of the material to radiation of a type and quantity sufficient to alter the index of refraction of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kishore K. Chakravorty
  • Patent number: 5610960
    Abstract: With an arrangement that the axial distance from the upper end of a first opening area to the upper end of the second opening area is equal to the axial distance from the upper end of a first coupling member to the upper end of a second coupling member, when a spring member is moved upwardly relative to round cells, the upper end of the second coupling member comes into contact with the upper end of the second opening area, and the spring members receives upwardly acting forces from fuel elements. The spring member is thereby prevented from inclining with respect to flow of a coolant. Simultaneously, the upper end of the first coupling member contacts the upper end of the first opening area, and the spring member is stably held in a condition where it is aligned with the direction of the coolant flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensuke Tokunaga, Yasuhiro Aizawa, Junjiro Nakajima, Masana Sasaki, Masayoshi Ajima, Masafumi Imai
  • Patent number: 5610408
    Abstract: A process for preparing a liquid MDI, which comprises adding, to MDI, a phospholine catalyst and a phosphorous acid ester of a specified formula and conducting a carbodiimidization reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitoma Bayer Urethane Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Imokawa, Yoshiharu Kato
  • Patent number: 5610367
    Abstract: A lead-free rim-fire primer mix which utilizes cupric azide, a highly sensitive chemical, as the primary explosive in lieu of lead styphnate. The cupric azide is mixed with carefully selected proportions of nitrocellulose, tetracene, fine particles of ground glass and a binder, typically gum tragacanth. When mixed in the proper proportions, this mix has the required sensitivity, stability, and non-hygroscopicity for regular commercial rim-fire ammunition. The tetracene is not required as a sensitizer, but is used as an ignition aid. The preferred range of percentages are 10-36% by weight of cupric azide, 5-10% by weight of tetracene, 15-30% by weight of nitrocellulose, 20-50% by weight of glass, and 1-2% by weight of a suitable gum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Federal-Hoffman, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack A. Erickson, John M. Melberg, Robert L. Kramer, John M. Hallis
  • Patent number: 5610959
    Abstract: A replacement rod for insertion into a nuclear fuel assembly to replace a fuel rod containing a neutron absorbing, fissile fuel, includes Hafnium sufficient to substantially replace the neutron absorption capacity of the fuel rod. The replacement rod also includes a non-fissile second material that is commonly used for structures in nuclear fuel assemblies. The second material is preferably selected from the group consisting of a stainless steel, a zirconium alloy and zirconium. In one embodiment, the Hafnium is fabricated into a cylindrically-shaped rodlet, or core, and the second material is fabricated into an annulus around the core. Alternatively, the Hafnium and the second material are each distributed about uniformly throughout a cylindrical volume of the replacement rod. Refurbishing nuclear fuel assemblies by replacing damaged fuel rods with replacement rods according to the invention obtains an improved peaking factor over prior art methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Fecteau, James W. Miller
  • Patent number: 5610957
    Abstract: A reactor core coolant flow rate control system for a BWR type nuclear power plant in which electric power is generated by a turbine-driven generator driven by a steam turbine rotating under the work of a main steam generated from a cooling water recirculated through a boiling water reactor includes an internal pump driving unit comprised of an electric motor driven by an electric power generated by the turbine-driven generator, a fluid coupling for transmitting an output torque of the electric motor and a variable-frequency generator whose rotation number is changed in accordance with the torque transmitted by way of the fluid coupling, a fluid coupling control signal generating unit for generating a fluid coupling control signal for the fluid coupling in response to at least one of deviation in a load and a rotation speed of the turbine-driven generator and deviation in a rotation speed of the internal pumps, and a plurality of internal pumps for recirculating the cooling water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoshi Tanikawa, Tetsuya Miyakawa, Hitoshi Sakuma, Toichi Shida, Kimiko Isono
  • Patent number: 5610347
    Abstract: The invention relates to a material for electric contacts taking silver tin-oxide as basis, consisting of silver or mainly silver-containing alloy, tin oxide and other oxides or carbides of tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, bismuth, titanium, and/or copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Doduco GmbH & Co. Dr. Eugen Durrwachter
    Inventors: Volker Behrens, Thomas Honig, Andreas Kraus, Karl E. Saeger, Rainer Schmidberger, Theodor Staneff
  • Patent number: 5608185
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of reducing the formation of toxic nitrogen oxides in after-blast fumes by using an emulsion blasting agent that has an appreciable amount of urea in its discontinuous oxidizer salt phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Dyno Nobel Inc.
    Inventors: Richard H. Granholm, Lawrence D. Lawrence
  • Patent number: 5608228
    Abstract: Rubber chemical preparation consisting of or comprising rubber chemicals in finely divided form and a carrier liquid, in which the rubber chemical particles have a mean diameter (weight average d.sub.50) from 2 .mu.m to 20 .mu.m, preferably <10 .mu.m, and exhibit a very narrow diameter distribution corresponding to .delta.d.sub.10 -d.sub.90 .ltoreq.20 .mu.m, preferably <10 .mu.m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Rhein Chemie Rheinau GmbH
    Inventors: Rene Loix, Hans-Joachim Graf, Harald Kleinknecht
  • Patent number: 5607961
    Abstract: Certain 3-amino-cycloalkanyl and cycloalkenyl derivatives of 5-cyano-substituted indoles of Formula I are useful antidepressant agents. ##STR1## The substituent R.sup.1 is hydrogen or C.sub.1-4 alkyl and R.sup.2 is C.sub.1-4 alkyl or --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --Ar with Ar being a phenyl, pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl or 1,4-benzodioxan-2-yl moiety. The symbol m is zero or 1, n is 1 to 3 and p is zero or 1 to 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
    Inventors: Joseph A. Cipollina, Ronald J. Mattson, Charles P. Sloan
  • Patent number: 5608768
    Abstract: In a fuel bundle assembly for a nuclear reactor wherein a plurality of fuel rods and tie rods extend between upper and lower tie plates and wherein some of the fuel rods are partial length fuel rods extending between the lower tie plate and a spacer located between the upper and lower tie plates, an improved end plug is provided for at least each of the partial length fuel rods, each end plug secured between a respective partial length fuel rod and the lower tie plate. The end plug includes an upper portion constructed of a first alloy material and including an exterior fuel rod receiving surface and a tapped hole in a lower end thereof, and a lower portion constructed of a second alloy material and including upper and lower threaded sections, the upper threaded section receivable within the tapped hole and the lower threaded section receivable within a tapped hole in the lower tie plate. The threaded end plug may be used with full length fuel rods as well as bundle tie rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Matzner, Thomas G. Dunlap, Richard A. Proebstle
  • Patent number: 5608182
    Abstract: A gas generator propellant formulation suitable for use in an air turbo ret (ATR) which employs an air breathing system that uses fuel gases produced by a gas generator propellant to operate the engine's turbine is provided which can also be used with other airbreathing propulsion systems that require a high gravimetric heating value (GHV). The basic fuel gas generator propellant formulation comprises in weight percent a tetraalkylammonium borohydride 50-100; lithium nitrate 0-50; and optional additives of hydroxy proply cellulose 0-20 and silica or silicon 0-20. The basic fuel gas propellant formulation can also employ an encapsulated tetraalkylammonium borohydride which employs an encapsulation polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethyl cellulose. When employing an encapsulated tetraalkylammonium borohydride a binder is employed selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene and polyether cured with 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Darren M. Thompson, William M. Chew
  • Patent number: 5607669
    Abstract: An amine polymer includes first and second substituents bound to amines of the polymer. The first substituent includes a hydrophobic moiety. The second substituent includes a quaternary amine-containing moiety. A method for binding bile salts of bile acids in a mammal includes orally administering to the mammal a therapeutically-effective amount of the amine polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: GelTex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: W. Harry Mandeville, III, Stephen R. Holmes-Farley
  • Patent number: 5606818
    Abstract: A scope mount is provided for a rifle which allows multiple scopes to be simultaneously attached to the rifle. The scope mount includes a connector which is rigidly attachable to a rifle base affixed to a receiver of the rifle. The scope mount also includes an auxiliary base rigidly attached to the connector and spaced to a side of the connector. The auxiliary base has a contour similar to a contour of the rifle base. Hence, any scope which is attachable to the rifle base directly can be similarly attached to the auxiliary base. The connector of the scope mount has a length which is shorter than a length of the rifle base. The connector can be connected to the rifle base and leave remaining portions of the rifle base exposed for connection of a scope thereto. A second scope can then be connected to the auxiliary base of the scope mount without necessitating removal of the scope which is attached directly to the rifle base. Thus, two scopes or other objects can be connected to the rifle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Inventor: Timothy G. Hardee
  • Patent number: 5607552
    Abstract: Aqueous suspensions of colloidal particles which particles are both silica based anionic particles and swollen particles of clays of smectite type which are expandable in water and a process for the preparation thereof. The suspensions are useful as flocculating agents and particularly in combination with polymers in the production of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Eka Nobel, AB
    Inventors: Kjell Andersson, Hans Johansson, Erik Lindgren, Marek Tokarz
  • Patent number: 5608766
    Abstract: A method for improving the performance and longevity of coatings of metal deposited from aqueous solutions of inorganic, organic or oraganometallic metal compounds. The method involves co-deposition of noble metal or corrosion-inhibiting non-noble metal during growth of oxide film on a component made of alloy, e.g., stainless steels and nickel-based alloys. The result is a metal-doped oxide film having a relatively longer life in the reactor operating environment. In particular, incorporation of palladium into the film provides greatly increased catalytic life as compared to palladium coatings which lie on the oxide surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter L. Andresen, Samson Hettiarachchi, Young J. Kim, Thomas P. Diaz
  • Patent number: H1635
    Abstract: The present invention provides a detergent composition comprising:(a) at least 0.1% of an oleoyl sarcosinate of the formula: ##STR1## wherein M is hydrogen or a cationic moiety; and (b) from about 0.1% to about 20% of an amine oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: James M. Vander Meer
  • Patent number: H1637
    Abstract: The fabrication of bipolar junction transistors in silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) relies upon the laser-assisted dopant activation in SOS. A patterned 100% aluminum mask whose function is to reflect laser light from regions where melting of the silicon is undesirable is provided on an SOS wafer to be processed. The wafer is placed within a wafer carrier that is evacuated and backfilled with an inert atmosphere and that is provided with a window transparent to the wavelength of the laser beam to allow illumination of the masked wafer when the carrier is inserted into a laser processing system. A pulsed laser (typically an excimer laser) beam is appropriately shaped and homogenized and one or more pulses are directed onto the wafer. The laser beam pulse energy and pulse duration are set to obtain the optimal fluence impinging on the wafer in order to achieve the desired melt duration and corresponding junction depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Inventors: Bruce W. Offord, Stephen D. Russell, Kurt H. Weiner
  • Patent number: H1638
    Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition comprising an amount of a polypeptide of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an acyl group, R.sup.2 is hydroxy or an acyloxy group, R.sup.3 is hydrogen, hydroxy or hydroxysulfonyloxy, R.sup.4 is hydrogen or carbamoyl, and R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are each hydrogen or hydroxy, with the proviso that (i) R.sup.2 is acyloxy when R.sup.3 is hydrogen, and (ii) R.sup.5 is hydrogen when R.sup.6 is hydrogen, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is useful in the prevention or treatment of Pneumocystis carinii infection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Inventors: Takahisa Furuta, Toshiro Iwamoto, Akihiko Fujie, Kumiko Nitta, Yasuhisa Tsurumi, Nobuharu Shigematsu, Chiyoshi Kasahara, Motohiro Hino, Masakuni Okuhara
  • Patent number: H1639
    Abstract: A catamenial device comprises a fluid permeable, body facing, topsheet (25), a liquid impermeable barrier layer and an absorbent body (34) disposed between the topsheet (25) and the barrier layer, the absorbent body (34) incorporating a water insoluble particular hydrogel material at a loading of at least 40 g/m.sup.2 of the plan area of the absorbent body, the water insoluble particulate hydrogel material having a gel strength of at least 0.38 kPa after 5 minutes exposure to synthetic urine solution in the modified AGE P test, a device incorporating insoluble particulate hydrogel material absorbing at least 40 g sheep's blood in the Total Capacity Storage Test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Inventor: Sorin Crainic