Patents Examined by Donald R. Valentine
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Patent number: 6800181Abstract: A device for cleaning jewelry and the like has a housing with an electro-cleaning part and a steam cleaning part. A cleaning bath tank is made of an electrically conductive material. The tank is supported in the electro-cleaning part and can be connected to an electric potential and filled with a conductive fluid that cleans more effectively when heated. The jewelry cleaning device also has an electrical conductor extending into the tank, one that is electrically insulated from the tank and can be connected to an electric potential. There can be placed into the tank an insert with a support surface and conductive engagement means supported so that jewelry engages in an electrically conductive way with the insert. The insert is placed to avoid direct electrical contact between the engagement means and the tank.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2003Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Inventor: Carlo L. Accattato
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Patent number: 6800192Abstract: A cell for the electrowinning of aluminium comprising one or more anodes (10), each having a metal-based anode substrate, for instance comprising a metal core (11) covered with an metal layer 12, an oxygen barrier layer (13), one or more intermediate layers (14, 14A, 14B) and an iron layer (15). The anode substrate is covered with an electrochemically active iron oxide-based outside layer (16), in particular a hematite-based layer, which remains dimensionally stable during operation in a cell by maintaining in the electrolyte a sufficient concentration of iron species. The cell operating temperature is sufficiently low so that the required concentration of iron species in the electrolyte (5) is limited by the reduced solubility of iron species in the electrolyte at the operating temperature, which consequently limits the contamination of the product aluminium by iron to an acceptable level.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2001Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: Moltech Invent S.A.Inventors: Jean-Jacques Duruz, Vittorio de Nora
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Patent number: 6800828Abstract: Complex features and fine details in a Carbon—Carbon work piece, for example, are formed by electrical discharge machining (EDM). An electrode used in the EDM is made of a material that is mechanically and chemically compatible with Carbon—Carbon composite material.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2001Date of Patent: October 5, 2004Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventor: Ilan Golecki
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Patent number: 6797133Abstract: A mobile zinc stripping device for stripping zinc from cathodes comprising a moveable base frame, a cathode support frame to support the cathodes during stripping, a stripping assembly for stripping the zinc sheets from the cathodes and at least one power source for powering the stripping assembly. The stripping assembly includes a lateral stripper for separating an upper edge of a zinc sheet from each of the cathodes, the lateral stripper being adapted to bias away from the cathode immediately upon entering between the zinc sheet and the cathode, and a scraping device for completing removal of the sheet from each said cathode. The device also includes a cathode cleaner and a bottom up stacker assembly for stacking zinc sheets.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2001Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Outokumpu Technology Ltd.Inventors: Barry John Smith, Leopoldo Escobedo Asensio, Jan Bosscher
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Patent number: 6797132Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus that plates/deposits a conductive material on a semiconductor substrate and then polishes the same substrate. This is achieved by providing multiple chambers in a single apparatus, where one chamber can be used for plating/depositing the conductive material and another chamber can be used for polishing the semiconductor substrate. The plating/depositing process can be performed using brush plating or electro chemical mechanical deposition and the polishing process can be performed using electropolishing or chemical mechanical polishing. The present invention further provides a method and apparatus for intermittently applying the conductive material to the semiconductor substrate and also intermittently polishing the substrate when such conductive material is not being applied to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2001Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Nutool, Inc.Inventors: Homayoun Talieh, Cyprian Emeka Uzoh
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Patent number: 6797148Abstract: A drained-cathode cell for the electrowinning of aluminium comprises one or more anodes (14) suspended over one or more cathodes (16). The or each anode (14) and cathode (16) respectively have a sloped V-shaped active anode surface (22) and parallel sloped inverted V-shaped drained cathode surfaces (18) facing one another and spaced apart by two sloped inter-electrode gaps (20), arranged so the electrolyte circulates upwardly in the sloped inter-electrode gaps (20) assisted by anodically produced gas and then returns from a top part (22′) to a bottom part (22″) of each inter-electrode gap (20) along an electrolyte path (26,27,36,37).Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Moltech Invent S.A.Inventor: Vittorio De Nora
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Patent number: 6797135Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a conductive layer and an electroplating device, and in particular, to a method of forming a conductive layer that provides an electrically-conductive layer having both characteristics of increased adhesiveness to an electroplated body and increased uniformity. The electroplating apparatus and method can produce supersonic waves for electroplating. Thus, the electroplating device can include a wave generator. The electroplating device can further include a plating bath filled with an electrolyte solution that can propagate super sonic waves, a power supply, a plated body connected electrically to a first terminal of the power supply, and a plating body connected electrically to a second terminal of the power supply where the plating body provides ions the same as dissolved in the electrolyte solution to maintain a desired concentration of dissolved ions.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2002Date of Patent: September 28, 2004Assignee: Hyundai Microelectronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Do-Heyoung Kim, Jae-Jeong Kim, Jae-Hee Ha
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Patent number: 6793794Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate plating apparatus for plating a substrate in a plating bath containing plating solution. An insoluble anode is disposed in the plating bath opposite the substrate. The substrate plating apparatus comprises a circulating vessel or dummy vessel provided separate from the plating bath, with a soluble anode and a cathode disposed in the circulating vessel or dummy vessel. An anion exchange film or selective cation exchange film is disposed between the anode and cathode and isolates the same, wherein metal ions are generated in the circulating vessel or dummy vessel by flowing current between the soluble anode and the cathode therein, and the generated metal ions are supplied to the plating bath.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2002Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Akihisa Hongo, Naoaki Ogure, Hiroyuki Ueyama, Junitsu Yamakawa, Mizuki Nagai, Kenichi Suzuki, Atsushi Chono, Satoshi Sendai, Koji Mishima
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Patent number: 6790324Abstract: An apparatus for producing orthohydrogen and/or parahydrogen. The apparatus includes a container holding water and at least one pair of closely-spaced electrodes arranged within the container and submerged in the water. A first power supply provides a particular first pulsed signal to the electrodes. A coil may also be arranged within the container and submerged in the water if the production of parahydrogen is also required. A second power supply provides a second pulsed signal to the coil through a switch to apply energy to the water. When the second power supply is disconnected from the coil by the switch and only the electrodes receive a pulsed signal, then orthohydrogen can be produced. When the second power supply is connected to the coil and both the electrodes and coil receive pulsed signals, then the first and second pulsed signals can be controlled to produce parahydrogen.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2002Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Xogen Power Inc.Inventor: Stephen Barrie Chambers
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Patent number: 6790340Abstract: An electrochemical etching system has an etching bath for holding an n-type silicon substrate with a first surface of the substrate in contact with hydrofluoric acid, an electrode positioned in the hydrofluoric acid, a power source having a positive pole connected to the silicon substrate and a negative pole connected to the electrode, and an illumination unit having a light source for illumination of a second surface of the silicon substrate. The illumination unit illuminates the second surface of the silicon substrate with an illumination intensity of 10 m W/cm2 or more. A ratio of a maximum illumination to a minimum illumination of the second surface of the silicon substrate is 1.69:1 or less. With the etching system, pores and/or trenches of a certain size and shape can be formed in an entire area of the silicon substrate having a diameter of more than three inches.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2001Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shinichi Izuo, Hiroshi Ohji, Kazuhiko Tsutsumi, Patrick James French
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Patent number: 6783656Abstract: A cell for the electrowinning of aluminum using anodes (10) made from a alloy of iron with nickel and/or cobalt is arranged to produce aluminum of low contamination and of commercial high grade quality. The cell comprises a cathode (20) of drained configuration and operates at reduced temperature without formation of a crust or ledge of solidified electrolyte. The cell is thermally insulated using an insulating cover (65,65a,65b,65c) and an insulating sidewall lining (71). The molten electrolyte (30) is substantially saturated with alumina, particularly on the electrochemically active anode surface, and with species of at least one major metal present at the surface of the nickel-iron alloy based anodes (10). The cell is preferably operated at reduced temperature from 730° to 910° C. to limit the solubility of these metal species and consequently the contamination of the product aluminum.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2002Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: MoltechInvent S.A.Inventors: Vittorio De Nora, Jean-Jacques Duruz
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Patent number: 6783655Abstract: A refractory boride body or coating made of a boride of titanium, chromium, vanadium, ziconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum, molybednum and cerium is produced from a slurry of the refractory boride or a precursor in a collidal carrier preferably composed of two more different grades of the same colloidal carrier selected from colloidal alumina, yttria, ceria, thoria, zirconia, magnesia, lithia, monoaluminum phosphate and cerium acetate. The slurry can also comprise an organic additive selected from polyvinyl alcohol; polyacrylic acid; hydroxyy propyl methyl cellulose; polythylene glycol; ethylene glycol, butyl benzyl phthalate; ammonium polymethacrylate and mixtures thereof. The retractory boride body or coated body is useful as a component of aluminum electrowinning cells.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2002Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: Moltech Invent S.A.Inventors: Jainagesh Akkaraju Sekhar, Jean-Jacques Duruz, James Jenq Liu
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Patent number: 6780305Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a support for planographic printing plates which comprises a step of roughening the surface of an aluminum plate and in which the surface-roughening step includes (1) a pre-electrolytic surface-roughening step of electrolytically roughening the surface of an aluminum plate in an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution, (2) an alkali-etching step of etching the roughened surface of the aluminum plate with an alkali solution, (3) a desmutting step of contacting the etched aluminum plate with an aqueous sulfuric solution having predetermined sulfuric acid and aluminum ion concentrations at a predetermined temperature for 1 to 180 seconds, and (4) an electrolytic surface-roughening step of processing the desmutted aluminum plate in an aqueous nitric acid solution with an alternating current being applied thereto. The invention enables stable and inexpensive production of planographic printing plate supports even from regenerated aluminum.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2002Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventors: Atsuo Nishino, Yoshitaka Masuda, Hirokazu Sawada, Akio Uesugi
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Patent number: 6773574Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing thimbles (12) from stubs (20) of an anode yoke which includes the step of advancing a ram (20) towards each stub with the force applied by the ram against the stub being limited to a preset maximum, and another step of advancing the rams at the same speed to push the stubs through the thimbles.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2002Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: Jervis B. Webb CompanyInventor: Robert Kubsik
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Patent number: 6772501Abstract: The present invention relates to the design and manufacture of single cell units for planar, thin-film, ceramic electrochemical devices such as solid oxide fuel cells, electrochemical oxygen generators, gas separation membranes, and membrane modules and stacks and the fabrication of multi-cell stacks and modules of the single cell units. The design is based upon a single cell wherein manufacturing all layers of the device into an integral unit produces a monolithic structure. The design produces a gas-tight single cell that is easily assembled into multi-cell stacks and modules without external seals or sealing mechanisms. The design may use standard ceramic and metallurgical production techniques. The design of the present invention enhances device performance since the single cell units are inherently sealed for gas tightness and have reduced interfacial electrical resistances.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2001Date of Patent: August 10, 2004Assignee: ITN Energy Systems, Inc.Inventors: William G. Barker, Brian S. Berland, Michael Schwartz, Lin Simpson, Joseph Armstrong
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Patent number: 6770186Abstract: A hydrogen-fueled motor vehicle including at least one hydrogen-fueled locomotion subsystem and at least one refuelable hydrogen generator operative to supply hydrogen fuel to the hydrogen-fueled locomotion subsystem on demand. The refuelable hydrogen generator includes at least one electrochemical reactor operative to generate the hydrogen fuel from water on demand and a refueling subsystem providing at least one of water, electrolyte, hydrogen, a metal containing material and electrical power to the electrochemical reactor. A refueling method is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2001Date of Patent: August 3, 2004Assignee: Eldat Communication Ltd.Inventors: Oren Rosenfeld, Jonathan Russell Goldstein, Nimrod Sandeerman
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Patent number: 6764588Abstract: A method of and system for flushing one or more cells or components thereof in a particle-based electrochemical power source is provided. Reaction solution is delivered to and withdrawn from the one or more cells when the electrochemical power source is in a standby mode of operation.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2002Date of Patent: July 20, 2004Assignee: Metallic Power, Inc.Inventors: Stuart I. Smedley, Donald James Novkov, Kent I. Smedley, Raymond H. Alstadt, Frederick R. Grochulski
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Patent number: 6761806Abstract: A semiconductor processing workpiece support which includes a detection subsystem that detects whether a wafer or other workpiece is present. The preferred arrangement uses an optical beam emitter and an optical beam detector mounted along the back side of a rotor which acts as a workpiece holder. The emitted beam passes through the workpiece holder and is reflected by any workpiece present in the workpiece holder. The preferred units include both an optical emitter and pair of detectors. The detection is preferably able to discriminate on the basis of the angle of the reflected beam, so that a portion of the beam reflected by the workpiece holder is not considered or minimized.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2001Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: Semitool, Inc.Inventor: Kyle M. Hanson
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Patent number: 6761808Abstract: An electrode structure for use, for example, in a bipolar electrolyser comprising (i) a pan with a dished recess and a flange around the periphery thereof for supporting gasket means for sealing a separator between the flanges in adjacent electrode structures, which separator is disposed between the surface of the anode of a first electrode structure and the cathode of a second electrode structure such that the anode surface is substantially parallel to and faces but is insulated and spaced apart from the cathode surface by the separator and is hermetically-sealed to the separator, (ii) an electrically conductive plate spaced from the pan, (iii) a plurality of electrically-conductive members to which the electrically conductive plate is electroconductively attached and which provide electrically-conductive pathways between the pan and the electrically conductive plate, (iv) inlet for electrolyte and (v) outlets for liquids and gases wherein where the electrode structure is an anode structure the dished recessType: GrantFiled: November 13, 2001Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: Ineos Chlor LimitedInventors: Brian K Revill, Michael F Dutton, Keith A Stanley, Alan R Naylor
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Patent number: 6761807Abstract: The present invention relates to a molded tooling fixture for supporting an airfoil during an electrochemical stripping process. The tooling fixture comprises a holder for receiving the airfoil, which holder has a slot in which a serrated portion of the airfoil is positioned. The holder is formed from an electrically non-conductive material such as molded plastic. The first slot has at least one serrated surface which mates with at least one serration on the airfoil. The fixture further includes a support arm on which the holder is supported. The support arm is also formed from an electrically non-conductive material such as molded plastic. Still further, the fixture includes a rod formed from an electrically conductive material which sits in a groove in the support arm and which contacts a lower surface of the airfoil.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2002Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Ramon M. Velez, Jr., Thomas M. Morin, John S. Planeta, Ronald R. Soucy