Patents Examined by Jeffrey T. Knapp
  • Patent number: 5868298
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing shells, wherein a belt is attached to the outer surface of the shell by friction welding. The method is particularly favorable for welding bands to thin-walled shells. In the method, prior to the welding process, the shell is hardened and/or tempered for optimizing its properties during use and, after hardening and/or tempering, the shell receives the belt by friction welding, during which the temperature of the shell is kept at a level which does not reduce the qualities of the shell to a substantial degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Raufoss Technology AS
    Inventors: Rolf Martin Holmen, Vegard Sande
  • Patent number: 5868302
    Abstract: In a method and a device for mounting an electronic component, a solder paste is printed on lands of a substrate with the use of a mask having a projecting part at a portion facing the substrate and positioned to between neighboring lands, and the projecting part prevents the solder paste on of the neighboring lands from flowing so as to come in contact with a other of the neighboring land to cause a shortcircuit between the neighboring lands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Onishi, Masato Hirano
  • Patent number: 5868304
    Abstract: An electronic component having a socketable bump grid array comprising shaped-solder coated metallic spheres is provided by a method which comprises positioning solder coated metal spheres in an aligning device having a plurality of opening corresponding to the array, the openings being tapered preferably in the form of a truncated cone with the base of the cone being at the upper surface of the aligning device and having a diameter larger than the diameter of the solder coated metal sphere. The opening is configured so that a sphere positioned in the opening extends partially above the upper surface of the aligning device. The pads of the substrate are then contacted with the positioned spheres and, when the solder is reflowed, the solder forms a bond between the conductive layer on the substrate in contact with the solder-coated metal sphere and takes the shape of the aligning device and which maintains a solder coating on the whole surface of the metal sphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Jeffrey Brofman, Balaram Ghosal, Raymond Alan Jackson, Kathleen Ann Lidestri, Karl J. Puttlitz, Sr., William Edward Sablinski
  • Patent number: 5865364
    Abstract: A linear friction welding process provides two members to be joined together into a final product, where each of the members has a major outer surface, where one of the two members is a stub which is surrounded, at least in part, on its outer major surface by a collar. The stub is generally restrained without substantial restraining contact on its outer major surface by tooling, thereby eliminating the risk that tooling will cause physical or chemical damage to the final shape. Thereafter, pressure and relative movement are applied between said members to linear friction weld the members together. A collar comprises a major inner surface surrounding a portion of a major outer (lateral) surface of a member to be linear friction welded, and further comprises a radially outer surface which extends a surface to be interfaced of the member. The collar has an outer lateral surface which may be curved in order to prevent stress and cracking of the collar during linear friction welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Richard D. Trask, Susan H. Goetschius, Stephen A. Hilton
  • Patent number: 5865362
    Abstract: A method of welding together a motor vehicle structural assembly is available. The vehicle structural assembly includes a boxed member including an outboard wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and an inboard wall spaced from the outboard wall. The inboard wall has an opening therein. The motor vehicle structural assembly also includes a cylindrical support including a first end and a shoulder spaced from the first end at least the distance the boxed member inboard wall is spaced from the boxed member outboard wall. The method comprises spinning the support and advancing the support through the inboard wall opening so that the support first end is friction welded to the outboard wall and so that the support shoulder is friction welded to the inboard wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: R. J. Tower Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Behrmann, John F. Hinrichs, Robert J. Heideman, Phillip C. Ruehl, Jianzhong Xie
  • Patent number: 5865659
    Abstract: A gated electron-emitter having a lower non-insulating emitter region (42), an overlying insulating layer (44), and a gate layer (48A, 60A, 60B, 120A, or 180A/184) is fabricated by a process in which particles (46) are distributed over the insulating layer, the gate layer, a primary layer (50A, 62A, or 72) provided over the gate layer, a further layer (74) provided over the primary layer, or a pattern-transfer layer (182). The particles are utilized in defining gate openings (54, 66, 80, 122, or 186/188) through the gate layer. Spacer material is provided along the edges of the gate openings to form spacers (110A, 124A, 140, or 150B) but leave corresponding apertures (112A, 126A, 142, or 152) through the spacer material. The insulating layer is etched through the apertures to form dielectric openings (114, 128, 144, or 154) through the insulating layer. Emitter material is introduced into the dielectric openings to form electron-emissive elements (116B, 130A, 146A, or 156B) typically filamentary in shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Candescent Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul N. Ludwig, Duane A. Haven, John M. Macaulay, Christopher J. Spindt, James M. Cleeves, N. Johan Knall
  • Patent number: 5862973
    Abstract: A method is available for inspecting a printed circuit board and solder paste deposited upon the printed circuit board, whereby both systematic defects occurring during a solder paste deposition process and random defects are located. The printed circuit board is continuously scanned by an inspection head immediately following the solder paste deposition process. Images of the printed circuit board are then analyzed for random defects such as missing solder paste, improper solder paste coverage, and solder bridging. Next, heights of solder paste deposits are sampled. A pattern of light is projected upon selected solder paste deposits, and images of the selected solder paste deposits are captured. Light triangulation techniques are then used for determining the height of each selected solder paste deposit. Variations in the height of solder paste are systematic defects occurring in the solder paste deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold Wasserman
  • Patent number: 5863398
    Abstract: Described is a hot pressed and sintered sputtering target assembly formed of hot pressed and sintered metal powder diffusion bonded together and to a backing plate by use of an intermediate adhesion layer of titanium or titanium alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Johnson Matthey Electonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Janine K. Kardokus, Diana Morales
  • Patent number: 5862974
    Abstract: This method and apparatus for wire bonding allows easy checking and correction of bonding point coordinates in which upon the registration of the coordinates of fixed points used for alignment in a fixed point standard pattern storage memory and the subsequent registration of the coordinates of bonding points in a bonding point coordinate memory, the coordinates of bonding points and the images of pads or leads obtained by a camera at the time of the registration of the coordinates are both registered in an image data storage memory, so that the registered images are displayed on a monitor in cases where bonding point coordinates are checked or corrected at a later time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Shinkawa
    Inventor: Toshiaki Sasano
  • Patent number: 5857882
    Abstract: This method produces a field emitter material having a uniform electron emitting surface and a low turn-on voltage. Field emitter materials having uniform electron emitting surfaces as large as 1 square meter and turn-on voltages as low as 16V/.mu.m can be produced from films of electron emitting materials such as polycrystalline diamond, diamond-like carbon, graphite and amorphous carbon by the method of the present invention. The process involves conditioning the surface of a field emitter material by applying an electric field to the surface, preferably by scanning the surface of the field emitter material with an electrode maintained at a fixed distance of at least 3 .mu.m above the surface of the field emitter material and at a voltage of at least 500V. In order to enhance the uniformity of electron emission the step of conditioning can be preceeded by ion implanting carbon, nitrogen, argon, oxygen or hydrogen into the surface layers of the field emitter material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence S. Pam, Thomas E. Felter, Alec Talin, Douglas Ohlberg, Ciaran Fox, Sung Han
  • Patent number: 5853119
    Abstract: Variable amplitude, linear reciprocation of an output ram is produced by converting rotary motion into linear motion using a swash plate connected by a bending element to drive a crank. The rotary prime mover and swash plate are mounted on a pivotable frame so as the axial throw of the swash plate is determined by the angular offset of the rotational axes of the swash plate and crank. When the axes are coincident the throw, and therefore the ram stroke, is zero but progressive angular displacement produces a progressively increased stroke. Thus, the frequency of reciprocation is determined by the angular speed of the prime mover, and the stroke is controllably variable between maximum and zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: John G Searle
  • Patent number: 5853310
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electron-emitting device includes providing a pair of electrodes and an electroconductive thin film arranged between the electrodes. The method also includes a step of forming an electron-emitting region in the electroconductive film by the steps of partially modifying the composition of the electroconductive thin film with a chemical change to make a region of the electroconductive thin film have a higher resistivity than a resistivity in other regions, and causing an electric current to run through the electroconductive thin film to form the electron-emitting region in the region having the higher resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michiyo Nishimura, Ichiro Nomura, Yoshikazu Banno, Takeo Tsukamoto, Hirokatsu Miyata, Kazuhiro Takada
  • Patent number: 5845839
    Abstract: A dip soldering process includes a reservoir of molten solder and a solder ladle for immersion therein to refresh the supply of ladled solder. The ladled solder is displaced by a displacement plunger to thereby overflow the ladle and carry with it surface contamination. Continued immersion of the plunger during the soldering operation of the workpiece accomplishes continual flow across the soldered workpiece thereby removing any contaminants which rise to the surface or are introduced by the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Dale Dodge, Ronald Dale Gentry
  • Patent number: 5842627
    Abstract: A printed board, to which cream solders are applied on lands at the position where leads of electronic parts are to be soldered and the leads of the electronic parts are provided to the lands, is fed to a soldering position and, the cream solders of the fed printed board are spot heated and melted to solder the leads of the electronic parts to the lands. The molten solders are solidified by forced cooling to fix the leads of the electronic parts to the lands, and the printed board on which the leads of the electronic parts are fixed to the lands with the solidified solders is discharged from the soldering position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tei Takanashi, Masuru Tan
  • Patent number: 5842628
    Abstract: A wire bonding method includes a first bonding process for forming a first ball-shaped part in a wire and bonding the first ball-shaped part to a first connected member; a ball-shaped part forming process for guiding the wire away from a position where the wire is bonded to an inner lead so as to form a predetermined loop, and forming a second ball-shaped part in a predetermined position in the wire; and a second bonding process for bonding the second ball-shaped part to a semiconductor element pad that serves as a second connected member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Ryuji Nomoto, Kazuto Tsuji, Mitsutaka Sato, Junichi Kasai
  • Patent number: 5839646
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing hard-soldered aluminum heat exchangers is provided. For heat exchangers which are provided with flat tubes of a narrow interior with, known soldering processing operating with a fluxing agent cannot be used or can only be used with extreme difficulty. For such flat tubes, and optionally for turbulence inserts which can be slid into such flat tubes, certain materials and coatings are provided which result in a soldered connection in the tube interior where, according to the new process, no fluxing agent is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Bernd Duda, Klaus Lorenz, Cord Voelker
  • Patent number: 5839645
    Abstract: A bonding machine bonds electronic components to a substrate and makes it possible to prevent the breakage of wires from occurring without use of slip rings. A first terminal is connected to a thermal pressing head through a wire and is installed on a rotating member. A second terminal is connected to an electric power supply through a wire and is installed below the rotating member. The first terminal and second terminal contact only when electric current is supplied to the thermal pressing head. Both contacts are separated when the thermal pressing head releases the electronic component and is moved away from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuto Onitsuka
  • Patent number: 5839644
    Abstract: An improved fluid fitting made from a portion of copper tubing has at least one annular cavity disposed in its inner periphery adjacent to each open end of the fitting. Solder is disposed in and substantially fills the at least one annular without extending beyond the inner periphery of the fitting. The fitting is fabricated by being placed in a die having a hollow with at least one annular depression. A first mandrel is placed into the fitting, with annular cavity forming ball members in substantial alignment with the at least annular depression of the hollow. The ball members are used to form the at least one annular cavity in the inner periphery of the fitting. A second mandrel has an aperture that substantially aligns with the at least one formed annular cavity and molten solder is injected into the at least one annular cavity through the second mandrel, to substantially fill the at least one annular cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Inventor: John W. L. Windle
  • Patent number: 5839640
    Abstract: A multiple-tool ball bonder includes a first tool (50, 150) and a second tool (52, 152) mounted on a single head (82, 182) requiring only one vision system (78, 178), one positioning system (68, 168), and one computer system (56, 228). The ball bonder (44, 144) allows for the single head (82, 182) to create interconnections between semiconductor devices (10, 148) and lead frame fingers (12, 148) in a first direction with the first tool (50, 150) and the second tool (52, 152) allows interconnections in a second direction (40) without requiring additional equipment or processing runs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Clark D. Kinnaird
  • Patent number: 5839647
    Abstract: Weldolets or threadolet type fittings are welded onto pipe while being clamped in position with a clamp assembly that includes a threaded bolt, a wing nut, a positioning star with tapered arms which can slide along the axis of the bolt, and a tapered swivel anchor that is pivotally connected to an end of the bolt. In operation, the fitting is positioned at a hole in the pipe. The swivel anchor and bolt are inserted through the fitting into the pipe. The positioning star is engaged with a free end of the fitting and then the wing nut is tightened to produce a forced engagement between the positioning star and the fitting. This positions the fitting into concentric alignment with the hole and orthogonal alignment with the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: MSE Technology Applications, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald A. Orne