Patents Examined by Edna Wang
  • Patent number: 5866752
    Abstract: A method for removing VOCs from a gas stream comprising irradiating the gas stream in intimate contact with a semiconductor catalyst under laminar flow conditions. The catalyst can be chosen from a wide range of semiconductor materials, including naturally occurring chalcopyrites, synthetic chalcopyrites, CdTe, CdS, CuInSe.sub.2, CuS, FeS.sub.2, CuFeS.sub.2, Si, GaAs, GaSb, GaPS, ZnS, GaInP, and As.sub.2 S.sub.3. This process can be performed in a fluidized bed, in a tube reactor or in an irradiated reactor packed with catalyst adhering to a light conducting fibrous substrate. The method is capable of being practiced in a passive manner in a module have no moving parts and no requirement for routine maintenance or replenishment of reagents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Inventor: Robert E. Goozner
  • Patent number: 5865980
    Abstract: An inert electrode material is made by reacting at an elevated temperature a mixture preferably comprising iron oxide, at least one other metal oxide, copper and silver. The reaction produces a material having ceramic phase portions and alloy phase portions, wherein the alloy phase portions have copper-rich interior portions and silver-rich exterior portions. Inert anodes made with a reaction mixture containing copper and silver have lower wear rates than inert anodes made with copper and no silver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Aluminum Company of America
    Inventors: Siba P. Ray, Robert W. Woods, Robert K. Dawless, Robert B. Hosler
  • Patent number: 5865960
    Abstract: A photocatalyst for the preparation of hydrogen consisting of a catalytically active ingredient, cesium (Cs), impregnated in a support, K.sub.4 Nb.sub.6 O.sub.17, represented by Formula I as follows:Cs (a) /K.sub.4 Nb.sub.6 O.sub.17wherein a is an amount of the catalytically active ingredient impregnated in the support and has a value of between 0.05 to 5.0% by weight based on total weight of the support. Such a catalyst is prepared by combining K.sub.2 CO.sub.3 with Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 in a mole ratio of 2:3; sintering the combination at a temperature of about 1,200.degree.-1,300.degree. C. to produce the support, K.sub.4 Nb.sub.6 O.sub.17 ; and impregnating the support with the catalytically active ingredient, Cs. Hydrogen is efficiently produced by illuminating an ultraviolet light on an aqueous solution added with an oxygen-containing organic promoter at a reaction temperature of about 15.degree.-80.degree. C., under a reaction pressure of about 0.1-3.0 atm, in the presence of the photocatalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
    Inventors: Dae Chul Park, Kyeong Hwan Chung, Duck Rye Chang
  • Patent number: 5858198
    Abstract: A process for electroplating a metal clad substrate by coating the substrate with a coating of carbonaceous particles. The coating of particles is applied to the substrate from an aqueous dispersion and then the coating is saturated with an etchant for the metal cladding on the substrate to undercut the carbonaceous coating and facilitate its removal from areas where plating is undesired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Shipley Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven M. Florio, Jeffrey P. Burress, Carl J. Colangelo, Edward C. Couble, Mark J. Kapeckas
  • Patent number: 5833814
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for purifying boron trichloride by removal of phosgene. In accordance with the invention, phosgene is photolytically decomposed into carbon monoxide and chlorine and liquid vapor phase in equilibrium with one another and in solution with the boron trichloride. This equilibrium is disturbed preferably by sparging a vapor stream that rises through the boron trichloride and is composed of the substance, such as nitrogen, to disturb the equilibrium and thereby cause the carbon monoxide and chlorine to be carried out of solution and collect in the overhead space. The decomposition product of chlorine and carbon monoxide can then be removed from the vapor space so that the carbon monoxide and chlorine does not recombine and contaminate the boron trichloride with phosgene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Deming Tang, Walter H. Whitlock, Edward Frederick Ezell
  • Patent number: 5770018
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing an intercalation compound of the nominal general formula Li.sub.x Mn.sub.2 O.sub.4, where x is greater than 0 and less than 2, which comprises providing a manganese compound and a lithium compound and mixing such compounds in proportion which provides the desired amount of x demonstrated by the nominal general formula. The mixed compounds are then irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, desirably microwave frequency or infrared radiation whereby manganese, lithium, and oxygen combine to form the Li.sub.x Mn.sub.2 O.sub.4 having the desired quantity x of lithium. It is desired that the heating by radiation be conducted in air. Preferably, the radiation is microwave radiation and such radiation is at a frequency which causes atomic bonds to vibrate within at least a portion of the precursor compounds and/or the solvent contained in the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Valence Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: M. Yazid Saidi
  • Patent number: 5750278
    Abstract: A mono-container fuel cell generator (10) contains a layer of interior insulation (14), a layer of exterior insulation (16) and a single housing (20) between the insulation layers, where fuel cells, containing electrodes and electrolyte, are surrounded by the interior insulation (14) in the interior (12) of the generator, and the generator is capable of operating at temperatures over about 650.degree. C., where the combination of interior and exterior insulation layers have the ability to control the temperature in the housing (20) below the degradation temperature of the housing material. The housing can also contain integral cooling ducts, and a plurality of these generators can be positioned next to each other to provide a power block array with interior cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Gillett, Jeffrey T. Dederer, Paolo R. Zafred
  • Patent number: 5726361
    Abstract: In a plating apparatus 10, a known control signal for detection is supplied from a computer 50 to a motor 13 in advance; the motor 13 is rotated at a variable speed within a predetermined range; and the displacement of a basket 18 is detected by a displacement sensor 30 to obtain displacement characteristics data. Next, the computer 50 controls the rotating operation of the motor 13 through a motor controller 60 to put the basket 18 in a desired optimum state of vibration using the obtained displacement characteristics data and data of an optimum amplitude for the plating process obtained in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mamoru Ogawa
  • Patent number: 5667662
    Abstract: A process for electroplating a nonconducting substrate comprising formation of a film of a conductive polymer on the surface of a nonconducting substrate and electrolytic deposition of metal thereover. The conductive film is formed by deposition of the conductive polymer onto said surface from an aqueous suspension of said polymer containing a polymeric stabilizer having repeating alkylene oxide groups and a hydrophilic--lipophilic balance of at least 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Shipley Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Wade Sonnenberg, Patrick J. Houle, Thong B. Luong, James G. Shelnut, Gordon Fisher
  • Patent number: 5667656
    Abstract: An electrophoresis apparatus for detecting samples migrating in migration portions includes a plurality of gel separation portions separate from one another and having respective ends disposed along a straight line, a plurality of migration portions equal in number to the gel separation portions and disposed along a straight line following respective ones of the gel separation portions, a light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions, the light propagating along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective points where the light from the light source passes through respective ones of the migration portions, the optical fibers being equal in number to or greater in number than the migration portions, and an optical detector optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for receiving light fro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Kambara
  • Patent number: 5654112
    Abstract: A novel structure and method of manufacture gives good electrode-polyelectrolyte electrical contact and superior solid polyelectrolyte battery capacity. Solid polyelectrolyte is sandwiched between a negative electrode active layer and a positive electrode active layer. A monomer composite gel of macromolecule compound, solute, and solvent is applied onto the positive electrode active layer, part of this monomer composite gel is impregnated into the positive electrode active layer, and the system is polymerized to yield a solid polyelectrolyte-positive electrode active layer laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsukasa Itou, Masato Nishioka, Tsutomu Sonozaki, Yasunobu Kodama
  • Patent number: 5645700
    Abstract: An electrolytic cell for generating hydrogen peroxide is provided including a cathode containing a catalyst for the reduction of oxygen, and an anode containing a catalyst for the oxidation of water. A polymer membrane, semipermeable to either protons or hydroxide ions is also included and has a first face interfacing to the cathode and a second face interfacing to the anode so that when a stream of water containing dissolved oxygen or oxygen bubbles is passed over the cathode and a stream of water is passed over the anode, and an electric current is passed between the anode and the cathode, hydrogen peroxide is generated at the cathode and oxygen is generated at the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Eltron Research, Inc.
    Inventors: James H. White, Michael Schwartz, Anthony F. Sammells
  • Patent number: 5578188
    Abstract: A film of a composite material is deposited by electropolymerization onto electrically conductive surface. A mixture comprising a monomer, a substance forming a dopant, a supporting electrolyte and a solvent is subjected to electrolysis in which the conductive surface to be coated is used as either cathode or anode. The cathode or anode is polarized to a potential between the electron transfer between the electrically conductive surface and the monomer. Prior to electrolysis, a solution is made from the mixture containing the substance forming a dopant either as anion, cation, molecule, and/or as undissociated complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: "Recherche et Developpment du Groupe Cockerill Sambre" en abrege "RD-CS"
    Inventors: Marc Mertens, Lucien Martinot, Cedric Calberg, Robert Jerome, Jean Schrijnemackers
  • Patent number: 5538618
    Abstract: A process is described for the electrochemical preparation of organosilicon compounds having at least one SiC-bound organic radical, a solution which contains at least one halosilane being subjected to an electrochemical reaction, an anode which contains a noble metal or an alloy consisting essentially of one or more noble metals having a halogen scavenger flowing around said anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Wacker-Chemie GmbH
    Inventors: Edwin Hengge, Christa Jammegg, Wilfried Kalchauer
  • Patent number: 5522982
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing 4,4'-dimethyl-1,1'-binaphthyl, by electrochemically oxidatively dimerizing 1-methylnaphthalene in the presence of acetonitrile/water/conducting salt mixtures which additionally contain at least one further component which is immiscible or only partially miscible with water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Brietzke, Hans Millauer
  • Patent number: 5516409
    Abstract: An electrophoresis apparatus for detecting samples migrating in migration portions includes a plurality of gel separation portions separate from one another and having respective ends disposed along a straight line, a plurality of migration portions equal in number to the gel separation portions and disposed along a straight line following respective ones of the gel separation portions, a light source for generating light which passes through the migration portions, the light propagating along a straight line extending through all of the migration portions, a plurality of optical fibers having respective first ends and respective second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers being disposed facing respective points where the light from the light source passes through respective ones of the migration portions, the optical fibers being equal in number to or greater in number than the migration portions, and an optical detector optically coupled to the second ends of the optical fibers for receiving light fro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideki Kambara