Patents Examined by H. Thi Le
  • Patent number: 7166356
    Abstract: The present invention relates to superabsorbent polymer particles with improved surface cross-linking and their use in absorbent articles. The superabsorbent polymer particles of the present invention comprise a water-absorbing resin and the reaction product of a radiation activatable surface cross-linker wherein the reaction product of the radiation activatable surface cross-linker is present at surfaces of the superabsorbent polymer particles. The radiation activatable surface cross-linker comprises at least two radiation activatable groups R, which are covalently bound to each other or to at least one spacer group S. Moreover, the invention relates to a process for making these superabsorbent polymer particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Andreas Flohr
  • Patent number: 7163667
    Abstract: A production process for an oxide magnetic material comprising the steps of blending raw material powder so as to take the composition of a hexagonal ferrite including: at least one kind of an element A selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr and Ca; Co and Cu; Fe; and O; and sintering said blended powder at a temperature lower than 1000° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Umemoto, Hideki Yoshikawa, Keiichi Kuramoto, Hitoshi Hirano
  • Patent number: 7163737
    Abstract: A new product is described characterized by its qualities to absorb undesirable scents present in the air, while serving at the same time as a carrier for aromas, fragrances, flavorings, repellents, attractants and other active ingredients. The active ingredients are gradually released by the carrier, which is compatible with the environment and current tendencies towards the use of organic and biodegradable products. The composition comprises a carrier and an active ingredient. The carrier is characterized as being particles obtained from the milling, separation, air wash and classification of the different fractions obtained from corncobs. An article of manufacture and a method of making the article containing the absorbent composition of matter is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Inventors: Jose Represas De Almeida, Genaro Casas Jassan
  • Patent number: 7163746
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronically conductive particle comprising an acicular substrate in contact with an electronically conductive polymer. Another embodiment comprises an article comprising electronically conductive particles comprising an acicular substrate in contact with an electronically conductive polymer. A further embodiment comprises a method for making electronically conductive particles comprising providing at least one acicular substrate, combining at least one monomer with said at least one acicular substrate, and mixing at least one catalyst with said at least one acicular substrate and said at least one monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Dennis J. Savage, Debasis Majumdar, Gary S. Freedman
  • Patent number: 7163717
    Abstract: Coated zinc oxide particles in which the surfaces of zinc oxide particles are coated with a metallic soap exhibit excellent dispersibility in resin. A thermoplastic resin composition containing the particles and a molded product formed from the composition are endowed with excellent visible light transmission property and ultraviolet light shielding property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hagihara, Jun Tanaka, Hisao Kogoi
  • Patent number: 7160525
    Abstract: Nanoparticle compositions of noble metals, and methods of making them, are described. The nanoparticle compositions are made by reacting a salt or complex of a noble metal, such as Au, Ag, Cu or Pt, with a weak ligand, and a reducing agent, in a single liquid phase. The noble metal is typically provided as a halide or carboxylate. The ligand is preferably a fatty acid or aliphatic amine. The reducing agent is preferably a borohydride reagent, hydrazine, or a mixture thereof. Nanocrystals in the size range of 1 nm to 20 nm are produced, and can be made in substantially monodisperse form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
    Inventors: Xiaogang Peng, Lin Song Li, Nikhil Jana
  • Patent number: 7160614
    Abstract: Crystalline superfine particles capable of emitting light depending upon a time-rate-of-change of a stress and controlled in grain size in the range from 5 nm to 100 nm are complexed with another material such as resin. The crystalline superfine particles are manufactured by using aggregates of molecules, i.e. inverted micelles, which orient hydrophilic groups of surfactant molecules inward and hydrophobic groups outward in a nonpolar solvent and which contain metal ions of a metal for forming the crystalline superfine particles dissolved in water inside the inverted micelles. Alternatively, they are manufactured by using inverted micelles enveloping precursor superfine particles, in which precursor superfine particles are enveloped in water inside the inverted micelles. The crystalline superfine particles are excellent in dispersibility in another material to be complexed, enhanced in emission efficiency and usable to make a transparent stress emission material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Naito, Yuichi Ishida, Masayuki Suzuki, Keiko Furukawa, Katsuyuki Hironaka
  • Patent number: 7157520
    Abstract: A powdery linear polymer having a narrow particle size distribution with little dusting and excellent in anti-blocking property is recovered from a latex of a linear polymer containing a large proportion (35–75 wt. %) of soft polymer (S) component through a two-step coagulation process including a first (moderate coagulation) step causing 70–98 wt. % of the coagulation. The linear polymer in the latex has a multilayer structure comprising a linear polymer (S) having a glass transition temperature below 40° C. and a linear polymer (H) having a higher glass transition temperature disposed in totally at least two layers and containing 35–75 wt. %, as a whole, of the linear polymer (S) with the proviso that the linear polymer (S) cannot be contained in excess of 30 wt. % in an outermost layer of the multilayer structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Higuchi, Yasuhiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7157529
    Abstract: Multi-layered macromolecules wherein the layers are covalently bonded together and wherein the macromolecules are covalently bonded to solid particulate substrates, methods for the preparation of such compositions, and methods for their uses in a multitude of end use applications ranging from the purification of waste chemical and metal process streams to the separation and identification of proteins, peptides, and oligionucleotides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Diazem Corporation
    Inventors: William H. Campbell, Yung K. Kim, Charles E. Skinner
  • Patent number: 7157113
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for encapsulating an inorganic component in a wax, wherein the method comprises the following steps: i) subjecting the inorganic component to shearing forces such that deagglomeration of the inorganic component takes place, which step is carried out in the presence of the wax, with the wax functioning as a spacer to prevent reagglomeration, ii) subsequently increasing the temperature of the mixture from step i) to a value above the melting temperature of the wax, iii) quickly cooling the mixture obtained in step ii), and finally iv) reducing the solidified mixture from step iii) so as to obtain a wax comprising an inorganic component. The invention further relates to a wax particle obtained by the method and to the use of such wax particles in water-based protection systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: BYK-Cera B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Bernardus Hendrikus Machielse, Jan Steenbergen
  • Patent number: 7153573
    Abstract: The invention provides a polymer composite particle having superb blending stability even in a W/O emulsion cosmetic, a highly effective ultraviolet protection effect and a good feeling in use. The invention also relates to a method of producing the polymer composite particle and a cosmetic composition containing the polymer composite particle. A preferred polymer composite particle contains a metal oxide coated with a silicone and/or fluorine compound and has an average particle diameter of 1 ?m or less, wherein the polymer composite particle is obtained by polymerizing a crosslinking agent with a vinyl monomer contained in an amount of 25% by weight based on 100% by weight of the sum of total of all the monomers and crosslinking agent and wherein the vinyl monomer has a solubility parameter calculated by the Fedors method of less than about 8.9. A preferred cosmetic composition may contain (A) a microparticle metal oxide having an average primary particle diameter of from 0.001 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Tsuji, Hiromi Nambu, Makoto Inoue, Satoshi Sugawara, Yukio Inomata
  • Patent number: 7153575
    Abstract: The present invention relates to coated particulate matter wherein the particles are individually coated with a first set of one or more layers of a curable resin, for example, a combination of phenolic/furan resin or furan resin or phenolic-furan-formaldehyde terpolymer, on a proppant such as sand, and the first set of layers is coated with a second set of one or more layers of a curable resin, for example, a novolac resin with curative. Methods for making and using this coated product as a proppant, gravel pack and for sand control are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Borden Chemical, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert William Anderson, Tom Diep, Avis Lloyd McCrary
  • Patent number: 7147891
    Abstract: A method for making a weak cation-exchange (carboxylic acid) medium comprising contacting a solution of a functional organic polymer having carbon to carbon double bond unsaturation and having weak cationic exchange functional moieties or precursors thereof in a solvent with a substrate having an organic polymer surface, evaporating said solvent and breaking said double bond under conditions to cause the functional organic polymer to covalently bond to the substrate surface and to cross-link to form a cross-linked functional polymer layer covalently bound to the substrate surface. The medium produced by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Dionex Corporation
    Inventors: Andrei V. Bordunov, Maria Rey, Christopher A. Pohl
  • Patent number: 7147917
    Abstract: Water-dispersible nanoparticles are prepared by applying a coating of a multiply amphipathic dispersant to the surface of a hydrophobic nanoparticle comprised of a semiconductive or metallic material. The multiply amphipathic dispersant has two or more hydrophobic regions and two or more hydrophilic regions, and is typically polymeric. Preferred polymeric dispersants are comprised of (1) a hydrophobic backbone with hydrophilic branches, (2) a hydrophilic backbone with hydrophobic branches, or (3) a backbone that may be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic, and substituted with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic branches. Monodisperse populations of water-dispersible nanoparticles are also provided, as are conjugates of the water-dispersible nanoparticles with affinity molecules such as peptides, oligonucleotides, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Invitrogen Corporation
    Inventors: Edward William Adams, Marcel Pierre Brunchez, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7147890
    Abstract: This invention relates to coated particles used as phosphor particles for a phosphor screen of a display and a coating method for such particles. In the coating method of the present invention, first particles having a mean particle diameter of 3 to 10 ?m are fluidized, and slurry drops obtained by suspending second particles having a mean particle diameter of 5 to 500 nm are generated from a spray nozzle or the like. Then, the fluidized first particles and the slurry drops are collided with each other, and thereby the second particles are coated on the surfaces of the first particles. Thereby, this invention is able to present coated particles wherein each surface of the first particles is uniformly coated with the second particles that are more microscopic than the first particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Igarashi, Tsuneo Kusunoki, Katsutoshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 7144627
    Abstract: Composite particles containing metallic shell layers are provided. The particles may include a coating layer, such as of a protective or electrically non-conducting material, over an outermost metallic shell layer. The particle preferably has a plasmon resonance associated with at least one metallic shell layer. The coating layer preferably imparts improved thermal stability to the plasmon resonance. Further, the present invention relates to particles that include at least two metallic shell layers, separated by a coating layer. The addition of a second metallic shell layer preferably allows the plasmon resonance of the shell layer to be more red-shifted with respect to a colloidal particle of the metal that the plasmon resonance of a particle of the same size but with only a single metallic shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Nancy J. Halas, Corey J. Radloff
  • Patent number: 7144626
    Abstract: There are provided magnetic iron oxide particles having an average particle diameter (Dp50) of primary particles of 0.05 to 0.3 ?m, an average particle diameter (Da50) of secondary particles of 0.055 to 0.9 ?m, and a ratio of the average particle diameter (Da50) of the secondary particles to the average particle diameter (Dp50) of the secondary particles (Da50/Dp50) of 1.1 to 3.0, as well as a magnetic toner containing the magnetic iron oxide particles. The magnetic iron oxide particles of the present invention are in the form of small agglomerated particles and exhibit an excellent dispersibility, and the magnetic toner using the magnetic iron oxide particles is excellent in electrification stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Toda Kogyo Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akai, Koso Aoki, Hiromitsu Misawa, Naoki Uchida, Ryo Iwai
  • Patent number: 7135231
    Abstract: A high strength composite particle comprised of a series of incrementally applied resin microlayer coatings such that each of the microlayer partial coatings are interleaved with each other is described. Methods of making the composite particles, as well as methods of using such particles as a proppant in oil and gas well hydraulic fracturing are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Fairmont Minerals, Ltd.
    Inventors: A. Richard Sinclair, Syed Akbar, Patrick R. Okell
  • Patent number: 7135230
    Abstract: At least one of a hollow particle 14, a porous particle 24, and a solid particle 34 having the pores 18, 28, 38 on the surface thereof is subjected to plasma irradiation under a reduced pressure while changing plasma irradiation intensity and/or the degree of vacuum. After the plasma irradiation, at least one type of monomer is graft polymerized onto the surface of the plasma irradiated particle by contact between the at least one type of monomer and the particle so as to substantially fill the pores 18, 28, and 38 of the particle with grafted polymers 12 of the monomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Reika Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Nakao, Takeo Yamaguchi, Liang-Yin Chu, Sang-Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 7132164
    Abstract: A hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder having an average tabular diameter of from 15 to 30 nm, a coercive force (Hc) of from 2,000 to 5,000 Oe (from 160 to 400 kA/m) and a saturated magnetization (?s) of equal to or more than the average tabular diameter (nm)×0.37+45 A·m2/kg. This magnetic powder is obtained by melting a starting material containing a material which has a composition within the hatched region (1) in the triangular phase diagram shown in FIG. 1 and quenching the molten product to obtain an amorphous product, subjecting the amorphous product to a thermal treatment, acid treatment, and washing. Also, a magnetic recording medium is obtained by adding this magnetic powder to the magnetic layer and coating it on the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignees: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Asahi Techno Glass Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuo Yamazaki, Masatoshi Takahashi, Akira Manabe, Hiroyuki Suzuki