Patents Examined by Colleen P. Cooke
  • Patent number: 6818320
    Abstract: A welding method for materials to be welded which are subjected to fluoride passivation treatment, and a fluoride passivation retreatment method, wherein, when fluoride passivation retreatment is conducted after welding, there is no generation of particles or dust. The method provides superior resistance to fluorine system gases. During fluoride passivation treatment, hydrogen is added to the gas (the back shield gas) flowing through the materials to be welded. In one embodiment of the welding method, the thickness of the fluoride passivated film in a predetermined range from the butt end surfaces of the materials to be welded is set to 10 nm or less, followed by subsequent welding. Furthermore, the fluoride passivation retreatment method, includes the steps of heating at least the welded parts following welding and flowing a gas containing fluorine gas in the interior portion of the parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignees: Stella Chemifa Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Takahisa Nitta, Yasuyuki Shirai, Osamu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6812439
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a vehicle frame assembly includes the initial steps of providing first and second structural components, disposing portions of the first and second structural components in an overlapping relationship, and generating an electromagnetic field that causes at least one of the overlapping portions of the first and second structural components to move into contact with the other of the overlapping portions of the first and second structural components at a high velocity so as to be joined together to form a joint. Third and fourth structural components are provided. The third and fourth structural components are joined to the first and second structural components together to form a vehicle frame assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Robert D. Durand
  • Patent number: 6811072
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating a chip from substrate where the chip is attached to the substrate by solder connections to form an assembly involve applying a loading force to drive a coil spring biased shearing element comprising a slide block with carrying a shearing blade into a loading position. Load the assembly of the substrate and the chip into a fixture with a window therethrough for the chip with the shearing blade in contact with the chip. Remove the loading force to arm the shearing blade to apply a shearing force from the shearing blade to the chip. Heat the solder connections of the assembly in the fixture to a predetermined temperature, preferably below the melting temperature of the solder at which shearing of the solder connections occurs. The shearing blade comprises a slidable plastic blade backed up by a metal blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Lannie R. Bolde
  • Patent number: 6811073
    Abstract: A method for connecting conductive members includes a step of providing a first conductive member, a step of providing a second conductive member, and a step of jetting droplets of molten metal so as to form a connecting portion which electrically connects the first conductive member to the second conductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Ohashi, Hitoshi Ushijima
  • Patent number: 6810276
    Abstract: A method of producing multifilament superconducting Nb3Sn wire with low bridging potential during reaction by introducing a diffusion/reaction barrier between the filaments as a radial sheet. The barrier is made of Ta, Va, a NbTa alloy or other ductile material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Supergenics LLC
    Inventor: Bruce A. Zeitlin
  • Patent number: 6805277
    Abstract: In a process of soldering an electric connector on a circuit board, the connector has an insulator and a plurality of leads mounted inside the insulator. Each lead has a first end extending into a soldering terminal to a bonding surface of the insulator. A soft solder paste is dispensed over a bonding surface of the circuit board. The soldering process inserts the soldering terminal of each lead in the soft solder paste and applies heat to the soft solder paste to bond the soldering terminal and the circuit board together. The direct insertion of the soldering terminal of the lead into the soft paste on the circuit board minimizes the contact area between the lead and the circuit board and prevents the solder paste from being unduly spread, causing short circuit. Furthermore, the yield and soldering reliability are increased and the production cost is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Lotes Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ted Ju
  • Patent number: 6805275
    Abstract: A device for fastening a barrel of a gas operated soldering gun to a spout of a combustion chamber thereof is disclosed. The device comprises a cavity in a rear end of the barrel, a resilient clip disposed in the cavity, and a plurality of latched pieces on the clip, the latched pieces being disposed inside the clip. The spout can be fastened in the barrel by clinging the barrel to the spout as the latched pieces exert a strong, resilient force onto the spout. The invention can carry out a quick assembly or disassembly of the barrel and the spout and increase soldering efficiency and safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Rekrow Industrial Inc.
    Inventor: Jin-Shong Kao
  • Patent number: 6800591
    Abstract: An article including a substrate, at least one intermediate layer upon the surface of the substrate, a layer of an oriented cubic oxide material having a rock-salt-like structure upon the at least one intermediate layer, and a layer of a SrRuO3 buffer material upon the oriented cubic oxide material layer is provided together with additional layers such as a HTS top-layer of YBCO directly upon the layer of a SrRuO3 buffer material layer. With a HTS top-layer of YBCO upon at least one layer of the SrRuO3 buffer material in such an article, Jc's of up to 1.3×106 A/cm2 have been demonstrated with projected Ic's of over 200 Amperes across a sample 1 cm wide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Quanxi Jia, Stephen R. Foltyn, Paul N. Arendt, James R. Groves
  • Patent number: 6799714
    Abstract: A circuit board pallet with an improved securement pin and component positioning arms is disclosed. The improved pin of the present invention is cylindrical pin with an enlarged head. A countersunk hole is drilled in the bottom of the pallet to accommodate the pin. The pin is inserted into the countersunk hole and secured with a high-temperature epoxy resin. The epoxy holds the pin securely in place and keeps the pin from moving up or down. The present invention also comprises at least one arm affixed at one end to a swivel joint. The swivel joint allows the arm to rotate about a vertical axis. The upper portion of the swivel joint is hinged such that the arm can rotate about a horizontal axis. The combination of movement about the horizontal and vertical axis allows the arm to be positioned at any point over the pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Inventor: James Gleason
  • Patent number: 6799713
    Abstract: Disclosed are a flip-chip bonding structure for improving the vertical alignment of an optical device relative to a PLC and a flip-chip bonding method for achieving this structure. The flip-chip bonding structure includes: a semiconductor substrate; a lower-clad layer formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the lower-clad layer is depressed on a designated area for mounting an optical device; vertical alignment structures formed on a part of the upper surface of the depressed area of the lower-clad layer and determining a vertical alignment position of the optical device on the semiconductor substrate; electrodes formed on another part of the upper surface of the depressed area of the lower-clad layer; a solder bump formed on the upper surfaces of the electrodes; and, an optical device bonded to the substrate by a flip-chip bonding method using the solder bump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo-Hoon Lee, Duk-Yong Choi, Dong-Su Kim
  • Patent number: 6799708
    Abstract: In a device for butt joining workpieces by friction stir welding along a connecting area, including a shaft having a driven end and, at the opposite end, a pin-like projection to be disposed in the connecting area of the workpieces, whereby, upon rotation of the shaft, the workpiece material in contact with the pin-like projection is plasticized, first and second stops with first and second shoulders are provided on the device and disposed at opposite sides of the workpieces and at least one of the stops is movable relative to the other and biased toward the other with a controllable force for engaging the workpieces between the shoulders of the stops during the friction stir welding procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: GKSS - Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander von Strombeck, Jorge Dos Santos
  • Patent number: 6796484
    Abstract: A brazing product, e.g. a brazing sheet product, having an aluminium layer made of an aluminium alloy comprising silicon in an amount in the range of 2 to 18 weight %, and a layer comprising nickel on the outer surface of the aluminium layer such that taken together the aluminium layer and all layers exterior thereto form the filler metal for a brazing operation. The filler metal has a composition containing at least one element: (i) with a smaller exchange current density for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (“HER”) than nickel and/or (ii) such that the electro-chemical potential difference between particles of Ni-aluminide(s) of the filler and the aluminium alloy matrix of the filler is reduced. The filler metal's mol-ratio of Ni to such element(s) is in the range of 10:(0.3-30). The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a brazed assembly using the brazing product, and to a brazed assembly comprising at least one component made of the brazing product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Corus Aluminum Walzprodukte GmbH
    Inventors: Adrianus Jacobus Wittebrood, Jacques Hubert Olga Joseph, Joop Nicolaas Mooij
  • Patent number: 6796485
    Abstract: An electromagnetic shield is provided and includes a shield body having an upper wall connected to opposing side walls and opposing end walls. At least two opposing walls of the electromagnetic shield each have a plurality of resilient fingers formed at a lower edge thereof. The electromagnetic shield also includes a solder mass securely held by the fingers by being interleaved between the fingers of each of the at least two opposing walls. The interleaving of the solder mass results in the solder mass being securely held by the fingers and ready for mounting to an electronic component for shielding a portion of the electronic component from undesirable and potentially damaging emissions from neighboring components. A method of mounting an electromagnetic shield to an electronic component having a planar surface and a method of interleaving the solder mass are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Nas Interplex Inc.
    Inventor: Jack Seidler
  • Patent number: 6796480
    Abstract: A laser diode bar, solder preform and heat sink are assembled prior to reflowing the solder in a manner to prevent molten solder from being drawn by capillary action over the light emitting end of the diode bar. A recessed pin 30 locates the ends of the laser bar and solder preform with respect to an edge of the heat sink so that the laser bar and solder preform overhang the heat sink edge by respective amounts. When molten, the solder will not be drawn by capillary action to obscure the light emitting end of the laser diode bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Spectra-Physics
    Inventors: Jeffrey Powers, Nicolo Sciortino
  • Patent number: 6794338
    Abstract: Described is an article having a substrate; a thermochemically stable, amorphous layer comprising tantalum or a tantalum-containing material; a layer of material having a rock salt-like structure having substantial alignment both in-plane and out-of-plane; a superconducting layer formed on said rock salt-like layer having substantial in-plane and out-of-plane alignment; wherein said rock salt-like layer provides a template for the epitaxial growth of said superconducting layer; and an optional buffer layer or layers having substantial alignment both in-plane and out-of-plane, between the rock salt-like structure layer and the superconducting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jonathan G. Storer, Bruce C. Williams
  • Patent number: 6793116
    Abstract: A solder ball achieves a desired quantity of solder material for a solder joint easily without increasing the thickness of a solder layer formed to cover a core. The solder ball comprises a conductive core having depressions on its outer surface, and a solder layer formed to cover the outer surface of the core in such a way as to fill the depressions of the core. Thus, the quantity of the solder material included in the ball is supplemented by the solder material filled into the depressions. Preferably, the core has a higher melting point than the solder layer and wettability to the solder layer. The core may have a cavity in its inside, thereby forming a shell-shaped core. The core may be made of a porous metal body having pores, in which part of the pores reaches the outer surface of the core, thereby forming the depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tomoko Harada
  • Patent number: 6794025
    Abstract: The inventive method for producing packaging materials consisting of a polyolefin foam layer (B) coated with a coating film (A) on at least one side, which packaging material is formable into self supporting packaging items, such as trays, by thermoforming or folding, comprises a coextrusion step or an extrusion lamination step in which step the bonding between the polyolefin foam layer (B) and the coating is achieved. With the extrusion lamination step, the method is as follows: In a first method step, a single-layer or multi-layer coating film (A) is produced by extrusion or coextrusion, in a second method step a polyolefin foam sheet (B) is produced by expansion and extrusion and in the third method step the polyolefin foam sheet (B) is coated with the coating film (A) by extrusion lamination, wherein a polyolefin bonding layer (30) is extruded between the foam sheet (B) and the coating film (A) and pressure is applied to the combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Convenience Food Systems, B.V.
    Inventors: Jacques Laurent, Michel Pittet
  • Patent number: 6789721
    Abstract: A capillary threading tool is used to thread bond wire through the capillary tool of a wire bond machine. The capillary threading tool includes a handle that is grasped to manipulate a body portion into a gap between the upper end of the capillary tube and the lower end of a guide tube that is positioned above the capillary tube. The body portion includes a guide surface that is placed in contact with the wire bond machine, and a vertical slot extending from the guide surface that terminates in a closed end having an inclined surface. The length of the slot is selected to position the lower edge of the inclined surface above the end of the capillary tube so the bond wire can be threaded into the capillary tube simply by forcing the end of the wire on the inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Stilwell, Daniel A. Pfankuch, John Tucker
  • Patent number: 6791056
    Abstract: A projection coined onto a metal sheet, preferably an aluminum sheet, for projection welding the sheet to an adjacent metal sheet. The projection has a thickness greater than the thickness of the sheet on which it is formed. The wall of the projection surrounds a first recess and a second recess is formed in a side of the sheet opposite the projection from which the metal cold flows to form the projection. A welding gun assembly having an improved low interia, fast response to the collapse of the projection welding the sheet having the projection to the adjacent sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignees: Newcor, Inc., Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. VanOtteren, Edward P. Patrick, Donald J. Spinella
  • Patent number: 6787221
    Abstract: A gasket or other comprising a core and a flexible outer layer prepared by co-dispensing at a temperature of about 15° C. to about 30° C., a core composition and an outer layer composition, wherein the core composition is an elastomer or a foam and comprises at least two reactive components, wherein each component has a viscosity at 25° C. of less than 106 cps. The core and outer layer compositions are applied in a non-solid state. The outer layer is preferably at least a two reactive-component elastomer or foam. A method for producing a gasket or other object comprising co-dispensing a core composition and an outer layer composition at a temperature of about 15° C. to about 30° C., wherein the core composition is an elastomer or a foam and comprises at least two reactive components, wherein the composition has a viscosity at 25° C. of less than 106 cps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Chemque Incorporated
    Inventors: Alexander Botrie, Dorota Ulman