Patents Examined by Donald E. Czaja
  • Patent number: 5782978
    Abstract: A fluid application apparatus of the present invention includes a rotatable substrate holding mechanism (4), a photoresist liquid supply portion (5) and a motor mechanism (26). The photoresist liquid supply portion (5) supplies resist fluid to a region smaller than the entire region of the substrate surface while moving in the horizontal direction relative to the substrate holding mechanism (4). The motor mechanism (26) rotates the substrate holding mechanism (4) to diffuse the resist fluid over the entire surface of the substrate and form a resist layer having a predetermined thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Kinose, Takeshi Yonezawa, Taimi Oketani, Tomoo Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5779858
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for inhibiting the deposition of organic contaminants from pulp in pulp and papermaking systems are disclosed. The methods add to the pulp or to the deposition prone surface of the papermaking system a composition comprising a polyvinyl alcohol having 50 to 100% hydrolysis and a high molecular weight gelatin having a molecular weight of about 100,000 or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: BetzDearborn Inc.
    Inventor: Duy T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 5779754
    Abstract: A process for melting glass in a horseshoe-flame furnace including a rear, a forward and a lateral wall and a longitudinal axis comprising the steps of: introducing a charge into a region of the rear wall of the furnace; running the charge, in succession in a longitudinal direction, through a melting zone to completely melt the charge and form a glass bath, through a homogenization zone and then through a refining zone; evacuating the melted and refined glass into a region of the forward wall of the furnace; sending an air-fuel flame from a first region in the rear wall which is staggered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the furnace, evacuating smoke from a second region of that same rear wall essentially symmetrically to the first region with respect to the axis; periodically alternating the first and second regions; and sending at least one oxidized fuel flame above the refining zone from a point on the lateral wail adjacent to the second region which is situated opposite the refining zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignees: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude, Verrerie, Cristallerie d'Arques, J.G. Durand & Cie
    Inventors: Pierre Bodelin, Patrick Recourt
  • Patent number: 5779793
    Abstract: A device for feeding out reinforcement fibres at production of thermosetting plastic products, which device includes at least one magazine spool for a fibre thread (15), and guiding means (17, 18, 19) for guiding the fibre thread to a fibre feedout head (13). The feedout head is provided with feed means (21, 22, 31, 32) for feeding the fibre thread from the magazine spool coil via the guiding means, and cutting means (26, 26a, 27), which enables cutting off the fibre thread. The feed means of the feedout head (13) means includes on one hand driven feed rollers (21, 22), which form at least one nip for the fibre thread (15) and on the other hand fibre ejecting means (31, 32). The cutting means (26, 26a, 27) are individually driven and placed between the feed rollers (21, 22) and the fibre ejecting means (31, 32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Aplicator System AB
    Inventor: Kjell Sand
  • Patent number: 5779796
    Abstract: The present invention provides a resist processing method for an object to be processed, including the processing step of supplying a process solution onto the object to be processed to perform a process on the object to be processed, and the cleaning step of supplying a cleaning solution onto the object to be processed to clean the object to be processed, wherein the processing step at least partially overlaps the cleaning step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Kyushu Limited
    Inventors: Takayuki Tomoeda, Masaaki Murakami, Kenichi Nishioka
  • Patent number: 5779857
    Abstract: Defibrated cellulose product comprising a fibrous structure having good compressibility under the influence of heat and pressure. The structure is obtained by cross-linking, in a dry state, cellulose fibers which are impregnated with cross-linking agent and at least one polyfunctional alcohol, and which a difibrated prior to carrying out the cross-linking reaction. The cross-linking reaction is carried out at an elevated temperature of at least 110.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Stora Kopparbergs Bergslags Aktiebolaf
    Inventor: Leif Norlander
  • Patent number: 5779798
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for distributing liquid by gravity, particularly in a photographic coating process.The device comprises: a) a rigid cylindrical outer pipe; an inner casing produced from a flexible material and the external diameter of which is less than or equal to the internal diameter of the pipe, said casing being arranged so as to define, with the pipe, substantially concentric first and second zones isolated from each other, the second zone being connected to a source of fluid so as to be able, under the effect of the pressure of the fluid, to cause the relative volumes of the first and second zones to vary in order to control the flow of liquid in the first zone; and c) a source of pressurized fluid connected to the second zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Bosvot
  • Patent number: 5779751
    Abstract: A method for making a fresnel lens on a substrate by forming a plurality of annular rings. Each ring has a plurality of steps, with each step having an inner wall and an outer wall, and an upper surface. The first step is formed on the substrate, and successive steps are formed at least partially on the upper surface of the previous step such that the outer wall of each successive annular step is offset from the outer wall of the previous annular step in an outward radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Kaiser H. Wong
  • Patent number: 5776304
    Abstract: Recycled fiber pulp from a vortex cleaning plant (e.g. connected to the short circulation of a paper machine) effects the recovery and return of fillers in the recycled fiber pulp discharged from the vortex cleaning plant, in an efficient and economical manner. The loss of filler in the recycled fiber pulp discharged from the vortex cleaning plant is decreased by treating a concentrated fraction of the rejects from the vortex cleaning plant with a mixer/disperser for dispersing the filler in the recycled fiber pulp, and returning as much usable filler as possible back to the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Ahlstrom Machinery Oy
    Inventor: Pentti Vikio
  • Patent number: 5776223
    Abstract: In a method of making a shaped fiber, a stream of fiberizable material is provided with an original shape and a void fraction from 20% to 80%. The void fraction can be provided by forming a hollow stream, a porous stream or a significantly shaped stream. The stream of fiberizable material has a soft portion at which the shape of the stream can be changed. Preferably the stream is provided by discharging molten fiberizable material through a first tube located in an orifice in a wall of a container, and introducing gas through a second tube into the interior of the molten material. The fiber stream is contacted to change the shape of the stream at the soft portion, preferably by applying torsion downstream from the soft portion. Torsion can be applied by contacting the fiber stream with a first surface moving in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jianzhong Huang
  • Patent number: 5776310
    Abstract: This invention relates to the treatment of press section felts. The treatment comprises applying to the felts an effective amount of a felt cleaning agent comprising one or more anionic polymers, selected from the group of polycarboxylic acids and derivatives thereof having an average molecular weight of 500 to less than 5000, 2-phosphino-1,2,4-tricarboxybutane, and an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl-N-(3 aminopropyl)-glycines and alkyl-di(aminoethyl)-glycines. The cleaning agent inhibits the blinding of paper machine press section felts and provides improved felt conditioning at much lower concentration levels than known commercial products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: BetzDearborn Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Anthony McDermott, Jurgen Friedrich Schuetz
  • Patent number: 5772717
    Abstract: A method of tempering an article is disclosed in which an article is heated so that the material making up the article is in an essentially stress-free state and the article thereafter is quenched and cooled. At the conclusion of the quenching, a stress pattern in initiated through the thickness of the article in which the midplane layer is in tension and the surface layers are in compression. This stress pattern is further developed during the cooling stage. The article is quenched by spraying the surfaces with a coolant, preferably comprising either liquid nitrogen or liquid air in the form of a two phase flow of liquid and vapor. The liquid is sprayed so that the surface tensile stress of the surface layers are not exceeded and the liquid does not accumulate on the surface layers as a film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Kirschner, Hamdi Kozlu, Michael K. Sahm
  • Patent number: 5773529
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating cullet before use as a raw material in a glass manufacturing process is disclosed. The method includes providing a bed of cullet; passing hot gases through the bed, the quantity and temperature of gases being sufficient to pyrolyze odor creating impurities within the bed of cullet; entraining volatile products of pyrolysis into gases leaving the moving bed; heating the gases leaving the bed to oxidize odor creating impurities; and discharging the gases to the atmosphere. The apparatus includes a housing containing a moving bed of cullet; a source of hot gases which permits the gases to pass through the moving bed of cullet to pyrolyze odor creating impurities within the cullet and entrain volatile products of pyrolysis into gases leaving the moving bed; and an incinerator to remove odor creating impurities from gases leaving the moving bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Sandvik AB
    Inventor: Jeffrey C. Alexander
  • Patent number: 5772769
    Abstract: A coating apparatus for detecting the presence of contaminants carried by a liquid a is that is applied as a coating on a workpiece. A tube guides the liquid along a flow path to the workpiece. A light source illuminates the liquid along the flow path with an optical fiber or other light carrier, and light is scattered by any contaminants present in the liquid. Light scattered by the contaminant particles is more intense than light scattered by the other liquid particles, and this brighter scattered light is detected by a light detector positioned adjacent to the fluid flow path. The coating system is particularly well suited for use in a spin-on coating process that applies a liquid, such as a photoresist material or a dielectric material, to a semiconductor wafer or other workpiece that is secured to a rotating turntable and rotated to receive a coating of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Sayka
  • Patent number: 5772765
    Abstract: The flat workpieces (W) are conveyed in the vertical position on a horizontal transport path through at least one processing cell (BZ) that contains a processing bath, vertical slots (S) for the passage of the workpieces (W) being provided in the end walls of the processing cell (BZ). Bars or rods which are arranged in pairs in the processing bath, such that they are loose in the vertical direction, are assigned in pairs to the slots (S) as seals (D) and are pressed by the liquid pressure against one another or against the workpiece (W) respectively passing through, and against the assigned end wall of the processing cell (BZ). Seals (D) having a circuilar cylindrical cross section rotate while the workpieces (W) are passing through. The seals (D) are preferably arranged in end chambers (SK) which are fitted at the ends to the processing cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens S.A.
    Inventor: Daniel Hosten
  • Patent number: 5772847
    Abstract: A method for processing recycling mill sludge into pulp, and cellulosic products made from such pulp, is described. The method for forming cellulosic pulp comprises first forming an aqueous composition in a pulper comprising recycling mill sludge, caustic agent, bleaching agent and a chelating agent. The aqueous composition also preferably includes a deinking agent and sodium silicate. The composition is then processed in the pulper for a period of time sufficient to form pulp from recycling mill sludge. The disclosure also describes a method for forming cellulosic products. The method comprises forming a cellulosic pulp from recycling mill sludge, and thereafter forming cellulosic products from the pulp. The method for forming cellulosic products may further comprise forming a pulp mixture comprising from about 1 to about 40 percent pulp from recycled materials and recycling mill sludge, and from about 99 to about 60 percent virgin pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Stone-Consolidated (US) Corporation
    Inventors: Carl W. Simpson, Raymond Lam
  • Patent number: 5772714
    Abstract: A process for producing opaque silica glass in which a quartz raw material grain having a particle size of 10 to 350 .mu.m is filled into a heat resistant mold, the quartz raw material grain is heated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere from a room temperature up to a temperature lower by 50.degree. to 150.degree. C. than a temperature at which the above raw material grain is melted at a temperature-increase speed not exceeding 50.degree. C./minute, then, slowly heated up to a temperature higher by 10.degree. to 80.degree. C. than the temperature at which the quartz raw material grain is melted at the speed of 10.degree. C./minute or less, and the heated quartz raw material grain is further maintained at the temperature higher by 10.degree. to 80.degree. C. than the temperature at which the quartz raw material grain is melted, followed by cooling down to the room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Sato, Akira Fujinoki, Kyoichi Inaki, Nobumasa Yoshida, Tohru Yokota
  • Patent number: 5772946
    Abstract: A press-forming apparatus is disclosed in which a preform such as green sheets, for example, is charged into a cavity in a pressure container, the cavity is covered with a lid member, and the green sheets are pressed by a pressure medium while the green sheets are heated by heating means, whereby the green sheets are press-formed into an integral laminated product. The pressure force should preferably be fluctuated during the pressing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Nikkiso Company Limited
    Inventors: Kenzo Kaminaga, Kouichi Imai, Takaaki Watabe, Hisao Matsuno, Masaaki Suzuki, Akira Nishioka, Yusi Sakurada, Teruo Kagawa
  • Patent number: 5772768
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a loading section for guiding wiring boards into the apparatus, a printing section equipped with a mask for printing a conductive material onto each of the wiring boards, a position detecting device for detecting a position of the wiring board held by the holding device, an alignment section for positionally correcting the mask or wiring board held by the holding device on the basis of an output signal from the position detecting device, and a transfer device having holding device for holding the wiring boards and turning to transfer the holding device and stop the holding device at the loading, printing, and alignment sections at the same time so that loading, printing, and alignment operations are simultaneously performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Inagaki, Toru Hattori, Toshinori Mimura
  • Patent number: 5772767
    Abstract: This invention discloses an apparatus for holding and transporting a hollow flexible belt throughout a coating process. The apparatus includes a spring and shaft assembly which is placed into the hollow portion of a seamless flexible belt. The spring portion of the assembly until it is transformed into a belt carrying chucking device. The chucking device is then attached to a mechanical handling device, and the the belt is transported through the dipping and coating process. This allows the belt to be transformed into an organic photoreceptor. The chucking device and flexible belt are then removed from the mechanical handling device, and the chuck is removed from the inside of the photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: John S. Chambers, Ronald E. Godlove, Huoy-Jen Yuh, Timothy J. Leenhouts, Rachael A. Forgit, Robert T. Cosgrove