Patents Examined by Deborah Jones
  • Sheets having a microvoided layer of strength sufficient to prevent bend cracking in an imaging member
    Patent number: 5935690
    Abstract: The invention relates to a photographic element comprising a paper base with a thickness from 0.025 mm to 0.25 mm, at least one photosensitive silver halide layer, and a layer of microvoided and biaxially oriented polyolefin sheet having a layer thickness of 0.020 mm to 0.050 mm, a density of between 78% and 100% of the solid polymer density located between said paper base and said at least one photosensitive silver halide layer, and wherein the entire photographic element is substantially free from surface distortion or cracking when the photographic element is forced to the shape of a diameter of no less than 8.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Peter T. Aylward, Robert P. Bourdelais, Douglas N. Haydock, Thaddeus S. Gula
  • Lead-free, nickel-free and cyanide-free plating finish for semiconductor leadframes
    Patent number: 5935719
    Abstract: A leadframe and method of fabrication of the leadframe. A leadframe is formed from one of copper or copper-based material and a coating of palladium is formed over the leadframe. Optionally, a layer of from about 10 to about 95 percent copper by weight and the remainder palladium is deposited between the leadframe and the coating of palladium. The coating of palladium is from about 3 to about 10 microinches and preferably about 3 microinches. The palladium/copper layer is from about 5 to about 40 microinches and preferably about 10 microinches. A semiconductor device is fabricated by providing a copper or copper-based lead frame and forming a layer of palladium over the leadframe. Optionally, a layer of palladium and copper is formed between the leadframe and the layer of palladium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Donald C. Abbott
  • Sole-shaped sweat-absorbing disposable hygienic insert
    Patent number: 5935671
    Abstract: A sweat-absorbing, disposable hygienic insert having a permeable inner film in contact with the foot, an outer film, and an absorbent layer intermediate the inner and outer films. The inner film is provided with a plurality of openings produced without removal of material. The absorbent layer has a flexible hygienic pad including absorbent material, hygienic additives and treatment additives. The outer and inner films are attached to one another at their edges, and are attached by at least one bond which passes through the hygienic pad, the bond located inside a boundary defined by the attached edges of the outer and inner films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Inventor: Olivier Lhuillier
  • Aliphatic solutions of aminoalkyllithium compounds
    Patent number: 5935893
    Abstract: A method for reducing the amount of aliphatic solvent needed for maintaining aminoalkyllithium initiators in solution comprising the step of combining at least one aminoalkyllithium compound with a second, dissimilar lithioamine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Lawson, Michael L. Kerns, John R. Schreffler
  • Metal dual-color extruded plastic key
    Patent number: 5935691
    Abstract: The subject invention relates to a type of metal dual-color extruded plastic key; said key comprising an electroplatable plastic material and a non-electroplatable plastic material; said two parts being subjected to plastic dual-color extrusion forming process; said non-electroplatable plastic material serving to produce a letter or figure; the area surrounding said non-electroplatable plastic material being the electroplatable plastic material; the surface of said electroplatable material being a layer of light-proof electroplated coating, to form the required metal surface; whereby the non-electroplatable plastic material being used to form the area where the letter or figure is to appear, so the lighting could permeate from the letter or figure; the above structure is so designed to provide a high added value to the key product with an exterior of excellent light permeability and comfortable touch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Silitek Corporation
    Inventor: Jason Tsai
  • Hollow shell with internal baffle
    Patent number: 5932360
    Abstract: A hollow thin walled shell with integral internal baffles is formed by a multilayer coating process. A series of mandrels is designed to be assembled to form the outer surface of the desired shell. The mandrel surfaces hidden during assembly include the areas intended to form the internal baffles. The mandrels are coated separately, assembled, and the assembly is given a continuous overcoating that holds the assembly together and provides the shell with mechanical integrity. The assembly is machined to remove all internal and external coated surfaces not intended to be included in the shell and the mandrel is dissolved or otherwise removed, leaving the thin coatings as the desired shell with baffles at the areas where the coated mandrel surfaces were hidden during assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Servometer Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Hazlitt, Edward Howanice
  • Dust control mat with co-calendered reinforcing strips
    Patent number: 5932317
    Abstract: A method to produce a dust control mat with stronger longitudinal borders by co-calendering the rubber backing thereof with narrow strips of carboxylated nitrile rubber prior to formation of the dust control into a unitary product for use as a dust control mop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventor: Robert Charles Kerr
  • Insulated door assembly with low thermal deflection
    Patent number: 5932314
    Abstract: Compression molded pigmented door skins fabricated by compression molding a pigmented, curable, unsaturated polyester sheet molding compound containing a co-curable unsaturated monomer, a low profile additive, and a microvoid-reducing thermoplastic polymer, exhibit uniform stainability while maintaining a low linear thermal coefficient of expansion. Such door skins are suitable for preparing wood grain textured exterior insulated doors which exhibit minimal thermal deflection when exposed to interior/exterior temperature differentials, even at eight foot door heights. The doors may be stained without first applying a seal coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Therma-Tru Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth J. West
  • Automotive trim panel having dual density foam support layer
    Patent number: 5932331
    Abstract: A trim panel for use in automotive trim applications is made from a laminate of a thermoformable support layer and an A-side layer made of vinyl or cloth or similar material. The laminate is thermoformed to impart permanently the contour of a rigid substrate to which the panel will be attached. The support layer retains the desired contour without the use of other materials. The support layer is made of an intermediate layer and a bottom layer of thermoformable foam. The foam layers have different densities to allow selection of the hand or touch of the A-side layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: Simco Automotive Trim, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent H-H Jones, David L. Simon
  • Abrasive/abradable gas path seal system
    Patent number: 5932356
    Abstract: A composite ceramic coating having abrasive properties for application to a metallic substrate is provided which includes a ceramic matrix and a plurality of ceramic abrasive particles disposed within said ceramic matrix. The abrasive particles have a shear strength substantially greater than that of the ceramic matrix and possess an angular geometry. A method for providing an abrasive coating on a metallic article is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gerard A. Sileo, William J. Woodard, Frederick C. Walden, Harold W. Pettit, Jr., Timothy A. Twigg
  • Aluminum nitride wiring substrate and method for production thereof
    Patent number: 5928769
    Abstract: This invention provides an aluminum nitride wiring substrate in which a wiring metal layer for forming a signal wiring layer is densified to micropattern a signal wiring portion of an aluminum nitride package incorporating a semiconductor element therein and to increase the signal processing speed of the semiconductor element itself, the electric resistance of the wiring metal layer is reduced while keeping high thermal conductivity and insulating characteristics inherent in the aluminum nitride material to make it possible to mount a high-speed and high-output semiconductor element, and the wiring metal layer is prevented from defective wire continuity, odd appearance, or etc, and a method for the production thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Jun Monma, Hironori Asai
  • Imbedded waveguide structures for a microwave circuit package
    Patent number: 5929728
    Abstract: A technique for forming imbedded microwave structures in a microwave circuit package is presented. In one method, windows are punched, stamped or molded into metal laminate plates. A metal laminate layer is formed by fusing each of the metal laminate plates one on top of another, preferably using a diffusion bonding technique. The metal laminate layer is fused on top of a metal base plate, which is adhered to a ceramic substrate, and a shielded cover is fused on top of the metal laminate layer to form the imbedded waveguide structure as the base plate, metal laminate plates, and cover plate are fused together. In another method, indented cavities are formed in a shielded cover. The shielded cover is then fused, preferably using a diffusion bonding technique, to a metal base plate, which is adhered to a ceramic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Ronald J. Barnett, Anthony R. Blume
  • Data carrier with layers of modified PET
    Patent number: 5928788
    Abstract: The invention relates to a single- or multilayer data carrier, such as an identity card, bank card or the like. The data carrier has at least one plastic layer, this plastic layer consisting of a thermally nonrecrystallizing polyester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Riedl
  • Floor material
    Patent number: 5928754
    Abstract: A floor material which generates no harmful gas such as hydrogen chloride at the time of a fire, is suitable for dry maintenance with a high speed buffing machine and has excellent resistances against flaws, stains, abrasion and the like, which is also a floor material having markedly excellent adhesiveness to the floor ground. This invention is characterized in that a wax is contained in an amount of from 1 to 10% by weight in at least the surface layer of the floor material in which an olefinic resin is used as the base material and an inorganic filler is blended therein. Preferably, a back side layer of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or a mixed resin of said copolymer and other olefinic resin is used as its base material having an inorganic filler is blended therein is laminated on the under side of the surface layer, and 1 to 10% by weight of rosin is included in said back side layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Takiron Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Kondo, Takashi Butsuda, Xue Fang Song
  • Durable abrasive articles with thick abrasive coatings
    Patent number: 5928394
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an abrasive article containing an abrasive coating having more than one abrasive composite layer, wherein each abrasive composite layer has undergone at least one curing process. The abrasive article of the present invention has enhanced durability as a result of the essentially complete curing of each abrasive composite layer of the abrasive coating. The invention includes the method of making an abrasive article with enhanced durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: William L. Stoetzel
  • Overmolded package body on a substrate
    Patent number: 5927505
    Abstract: Substrates having a wide range of thickness, and intended to be overmolded with a plastic package body, are accommodated in a common mold. The top surface of the substrate is provided with a dam structure, which may be formed as an additional layer on the substrate, and which is preferably in the form of a square ring. A groove (channel) is machined (e.g., by routing) into the surface of the dam structure. The top mold half, having a cavity for forming the package body, is provided with a sealing structure at the periphery of the cavity. The sealing structure has a ridge fitting into the channel of the dam structure. The depth of the groove in the dam structure is readily adjusted to ensure uniform clamping pressure of the top mold half on the substrate, so that liquid molding compound is contained within the cavity and so that undue pressure is not exerted on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Chok J. Chia, Seng-Sooi Lim, Maniam Alagaratnam
  • Tear/puncture resistant material
    Patent number: 5928770
    Abstract: A tear/puncture resistant material made of polyethylene and polypropylene. The material is ideally suited for wrapping steel or many other uses. The material of the present invention includes four layers attached by lamination. The outer layer is woven polyethylene, which imparts tear resistance to the material. This outer layer is laminated to a layer of extruded polyethylene. This layer, which provides breaking and puncture resistance to the material, is laminated to a layer of polypropylene, which provides additional elasticity. The layer of polypropylene is laminated to an inner layer of polyethylene impregnated with a volatile corrosion inhibitor (VCI) such as sodium nitrite. This inner layer, which increases the puncture resistance of the material, provides corrosion protection to the wrapped object, e.g. a steel roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Inventor: Victor Manuel Quinones
  • Process for manufacturing a dust control mat including reinforcing strips for enhanced tear resistance
    Patent number: 5928446
    Abstract: A process for the application of tear resistant side and edge strip materials to a rubber base sheet of a launderable dust control mat is provided. The process involves the in-line mating of first and second strips of carboxylated rubber to the longitudinal borders of a rubber sheet and the in-line mating of third and fourth strips of carboxylated rubber to the leading and tailing edges of a rubber sheet, respectively, all by means of a series of pressure rolls. The process permits separate rubber sheet and side strip materials to be joined in a continuous or semicontinuous operation immediately prior to assembly of a mat thereby enhancing material handling efficiencies. Dust mats produced thereby are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Milliken Research Corporation
    Inventors: James N. Rockwell, Jr., William O. Burke, III, Robert C. Kerr
  • Overvoltage protection material
    Patent number: 5928567
    Abstract: A solvent-free liquid conductive material designed to protect electrical components, such as printed circuit boards from high pulse static electricity. The solvent-free liquid conductive material comprises a liquid silicone polymer, powdered metallic compound, non-conductive inorganic powder and a curing agent. The conductive material is applicable to both additively and subtractively processed printed circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Harald Flottman, Francis Joseph Nuzzi, David Bernard James
  • Carbon bonded abrasive tools and method for producing
    Patent number: 5925154
    Abstract: A method of producing a carbon bonded abrasive tool by chemical vapor deposition of carbon, such as pyrolytic carbon, diamond, or a polymorphous form of diamond through a preshaped tool, the preshaped tool containing a mixture of abrasive particles, and also the carbon bonded abrasive tool produced by the method. The mixture of abrasive particles may include a mixture of a superabrasive powder and an abrasive powder filler. All or a portion of the filler has been impact processing by subjecting the filler to an uniform super-pressure exceeding one gigapascal to break up the filler into random size particles, some at the original mesh size interspersed with a continuum of smaller particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Materials Specialties Scandinavia, Inc.
    Inventors: Semen S. Semenov, Andrey A. Shkola, John L. White