Patents Examined by John T. Haran
  • Patent number: 6402880
    Abstract: A method of bonding together a first disc element (1) and a second disc element (2) with the aid of glue (10) to form a DVD comprises applying a quantity of glue (10) in the form of a ring on the first disc element, said ring being disposed concentrically with a center hole through the first disc element (1), and moving a second disc element, which also has a center hole and which is parallel with the first disc element, towards the glue ring in parallel with said first disc element and with the centre holes of said disc elements in coaxial alignment, such as to enable the glue to spread between the surfaces of the disc elements through the effect of pressure and capillary action. A center peg (14) is inserted sealingly in the centre hole of the first disc element and the glue ring is applied in contact with the perimeter surface of the peg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: M2 Engineering AB
    Inventors: Göran Ewerlöf, Nils Gawell, Carl Langenskiöld
  • Patent number: 6395125
    Abstract: A process for making a picture frame includes the step of printing border art and registration marks on a piece of transparent sheet material, such as vinyl or polycarbonate plastic sheet material, while leaving a center window portion transparent. Then making a laser cut path in a computer digital file for the printed transparent sheet material for cutting the outside path of the border art and then coating an adhesive onto the transparent sheet material to cover the printed artwork and transparent center window. The process includes attaching the transparent sheet material having the printed border surrounding a transparent center window onto a transparent polymer picture frame member, cutting the transparent sheet of material along the computer stored cutout path on the outer edge of the border art to form an outer border on the transparent material and transparent picture frame member. The transparent polymer sheet is heated and folded to form a backing for the picture frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Inventor: Richard N. Bradford
  • Patent number: 6395126
    Abstract: A micro-fabrication method of manufacturing optical assemblies and a temperature compensated optical isolator. The manufacturing method employs a lamination procedure to create an array of optics-receiving micro-fixtures. The method is well adapted for the automated manufacturing of optical assemblies. Desirably, the method provides for high speed, high volume production, thereby advantageously, maintaining low manufacturing costs. The isolator utilizes a bimetallic element to rotate a polarization element of the isolator in response to temperature variations. The isolator maintains an effectively constant isolation over a substantially wide temperature range. Advantageously, the isolator is simple, compact and a viable solution to a wide range of optical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Horizon Photonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Cullen, Richard J. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 6387209
    Abstract: An apparatus for sealing films together along a path includes a sealing shoe and a counter shoe defining a clearance through which the films pass. The sealing shoe includes an elongated optical energy source having a length dimension oriented generally parallel to the sealing path; a reflector for focussing light emitted by the energy source; a window transparent to the light and having an outer surface adapted to be oriented toward the counter shoe for sealing the films by the light; and a firing arrangement for activating the energy source. The window and the counter shoe are urged toward one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: SIG Pack Systems AG
    Inventor: Stefan Nettesheim
  • Patent number: 6379484
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for manufacturing a semiconductor package of the type in which a gap between a semiconductor chip and a mount board is filled with a resin. The apparatus includes resin supply means for supplying the resin along one side of the semiconductor chip, and resin supply control means for controlling the amount of resin supplied by the resin supply means such that more resin is supplied near the central portion of the semiconductor chip than near the end portions of the semiconductor chip. Also provided is a method that includes the steps of connecting the semiconductor chip and the mount board, and supplying the resin along one side of the semiconductor chip in such a manner that more resin is supplied near a central portion of the semiconductor chip than near the end portions of the semiconductor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takahito Nakazawa, Hiroshi Nomura, Yumiko Ohshima
  • Patent number: 6364979
    Abstract: A carpet seam repair tool, and a method, for repairing a seam in installed carpet wherein a first carpet portion is separated from a second carpet portion along a seam rift and the seam overlies an adhesive tape. The repair tool includes a pair of legs joined by a pin at and end thereof for enabling coplanar movement of the legs about the pin. In use, the tool is inserted in the seam rift and a setscrew fixes the legs in a selected spaced relationship, thereby holding the carpet portions apart. The repair tool includes a wheel, rotatably attached at an end of each leg, opposite the pin. During a repair operation, the tool is drawn along the seam rift while the wheels hold the carpet portions away from the underlying tape. By holding the carpet portions away from each other, and by separating them from the tape, the repair tool enables convenient deposition of adhesive along the tape, while reducing the likelihood of getting the adhesive on the carpet portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Inventor: Michael C. Grato
  • Patent number: 6361632
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to increase compressive creep capabilities of high voltage coil insulation. The method preferably includes applying at least one layer of a first tape as a groundwall insulation to substantially the entire length of a high voltage coil. The first tape preferably has a first predetermined amount of resin therein. The method also includes curing the groundwall insulation for a first predetermined time period, applying at least one layer of a second tape as a protective armor overlying the groundwall insulation only to end portions of the high voltage coil after the first predetermined time period. the second tape preferably includes substantially more resin than the first tape. The method further includes curing the protective armor for a second predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: Franklin Timothy Emery
  • Patent number: 6355125
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for making a module that can be used in an electric or electronic device such as a flat panel display, a light emitting diode or a photovoltaic cell. The figure shows as a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention a schematic section of a panel consisting of three adjacent modules (liquid crystal display cells; only one is shown completely). The panel is obtained by assembling two substrates (2) and (8) which carry functional layer (3) and (9) respectively. The substrates are preferably flexible plastic foils. Thin glass sheets (1, 7) are laminated to the substrates (2, 8) so as to obtain an efficient barrier layer which protects the functional layers (3, 9) from mechanical damage, heat and degradation due to diffusion of oxygen or water vapor. The method is especially suitable for making flexible, low-weight flat panel displays, e.g. LCDs comprising a liquid crystal composition (6), spacers (4) and seals (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Tahon, Bart Verlinden, Luc Leenders, Rudi Goedeweeck
  • Patent number: 6355124
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the lamination of two lens blanks to form an ophthalmic lens comprise: a) providing a first ophthalmic lens blanks having two major surfaces thereon; b) applying a hardenable liquid adhesive to less than an entire one of said at least two major surfaces of said first ophthalmic lens blank; c) placing a second ophthalmic lens blank into contact with the hardenable liquid adhesive, forming an association of two lens blanks with the hardenable liquid adhesive between the two lens blanks; d) rotating said association of two lens blanks to assist in spreading the hardenable liquid adhesive; and e) after at least some of said hardenable liquid adhesive has spread, hardening said hardenable liquid adhesive to laminate the two lens blanks into a laminated ophthalmic lens. This method provides a relatively automated process and apparatus for performing that automated process for the lamination of ophthalmic lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: BMC Vision-Ease Lens, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Blomberg, Gert Levin, Sujal Bhalakia
  • Patent number: 6352604
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making smart cards by rolling. A first synthetic sheet (1) is first smoothed by hot pressing against a first smoothing plate (4). Likewise a second synthetic sheet (2) is smoothed against a second smoothing plate (5). Without being unstuck from their smoothing plates, these two sheets are rolled with other layers (3, 6, 7), said synthetic sheets (1, 2) serving as external layers. One of the smoothing plates may comprise a three-dimensional pattern to be relief printed on the synthetic sheet. The rolling is carried out by cold pressing the different layers (1, 6, 3, 7, 2) which the laminated card comprises between the two smoothing plates (4, 5). After being rolled, different cards with adapted dimensions can be cut out from the laminated sheets. The invention is advantageous in that the same plates (4, 5) are used for the hot pressing and the cold rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: NagraID S.A.
    Inventor: François Droz
  • Patent number: 6344107
    Abstract: Improved efficiency of deposition work between a protection trimming and a clip seat of an automobile is provided with an automatic deposition machine having wire heating elements (3a and 3b), a first connection member (1) connected to one end of the wire heating elements (3a and 3b), a movement mechanism for moving the first connection member (1), a second connection member (2) that can be connected to the other end side of the wire heating elements (3a) and (3b) and a bending jig (5) for overlapping the clip seat the member for the protection trimming. The dip seat and the protection trimming are interconnected, to the rear face of the protection trimming via the wire state heating elements (3a and 3b), the retainer member (4) for retaining the said overlapped clip seats, and the power source for carrying the electric current between the said first connection member and the said second connection member. In addition, the wire heating element is designed with a pipe structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Tohoku Munekata Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Tashiro, Takao Shigihara, Takeshi Ito, Kazuto Sawada
  • Patent number: 6336492
    Abstract: A mounting head apparatus for adsorbing and moving a sheet member to a position above an object on which the sheet member is to be mounted and mounting the adsorbed sheet member on the object includes an adsorbing portion having a plurality of adsorbing openings formed at the leading end thereof; a connection chamber to which the adsorbing portion is joined and which is formed into a space for connecting the base portions of the plural adsorbing openings to one another; a dividing unit disposed in the connection chamber and arranged to divide the internal space of the connection chamber into a plurality of sections; and a pressure reducing unit connected to the connection chamber and arranged to reduce the pressure in the connection chamber, wherein adsorbing force is generated from a portion of the plural adsorbing openings in a predetermined region when the dividing unit divides the inside portion of the connection chamber at a predetermined position and the pressure in at least one of the divided connectio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Chemicals Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 6332948
    Abstract: An apparatus and method to seal a spacer between a pair of substrates within an IG assembly having a pair of spaced apart substrates and a bondable spacer therebetween, having support means for supporting an IG assembly to be treated and zonal energy applying means to locally apply energy to selected zones of the IG assembly where said spacer is located without providing direct energy to the balance of the IG assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Inventor: Luc Lafond
  • Patent number: 6332489
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for sticking a sheet material on a screen of a picture tube without scratching the surface of the sheet material. In this apparatus for sticking a sheet material on the screen of a picture tube with an adhesive, the picture tube is conveyed while a sheet material (2), to which an adhesive is applied on one face, being pressed on the screen of the picture tube by a pressure roller (80), and the sheet material is gradually transferred from a sheet material transferring member (12) to the screen of the picture tube. The sheet material transferring member (12) comprises a box member (32) in which one face is opened and a sucking mouth is formed, and a sucking belt (38) which is arranged to block the whole open face of the box member, provided with a large number of through holes for sucking the sheet material, and is supported in such a manner as to be movable along a conveying direction of the picture tube in the box member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Kyoritsu Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tosizo Kusano
  • Patent number: 6332942
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembling a hub to an optical disk with an adhesive. The optical disk includes opposing first and second major surfaces and a central opening. The adhesive is predisposed onto the second major surface. The method includes supporting the first major surface of the disk at a defined three-dimensional position and orientation. The hub is aligned above the central opening of the disk such that the hub is movable to a plurality of three-dimensional positions and orientations with a hub placement assembly supporting an inner portion of the hub. The defined three-dimensional position and orientation of the first major surface is transferred to the hub placement assembly. The hub is maneuvered into contact with the adhesive by the hub placement assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: Wayne M. Hector, Harold J. DeBlieck, Joseph F. Fuller, Robert J. Hanowski
  • Patent number: 6331221
    Abstract: A semiconductor package assembly is disclosed having a semiconductor die receiving member configured to accept a semiconductor die in either the flip-chip or the wirebond orientations. First contact sites on a die receiving surface provide electrical connection with a flip-chip component. Second contact sites provide electrical connection with a wirebond component. Electrically conductive traces connect the first and second contact sites with terminal contact sites. The semiconductor package assembly may further include the flip-chip or wirebond component mounted over the die receiving surface. Further, the assembly may also include a mounting substrate in electrical connection with the terminal contact sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Chad Cobbley
  • Patent number: 6331225
    Abstract: An apparatus for mounting electronic parts on a printed circuit board is disclosed. Plural electronic parts to be mounted on a printed circuit board are arranged as a set and loaded in a loading member for electronic parts. A set of such loading members for electronic parts, each carrying a set of electronic parts of the same type, are arrayed in a loading member furnishing casing. This set of the loading members for electronic parts, arrayed and held in the loading member furnishing casing is inserted and held by a loading member holder by which the set of the loading members for electronic parts can be held in register with an electronic part mounting portion of the printed circuit board. The loading member holder holding the set of the loading members for electronic parts is loaded on a electronic part loading device. The set of the electronic parts held by the loading member holder is loaded at a time on the sole printed circuit board by the electronic part loading device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 6325880
    Abstract: A lenticular lens sheet for use as a rear projection screen, comprises a base lenticular lens sheet having a surface provided with a plurality of lenticular elements, and a surface diffusing part having minute diffusing elements. The surface diffusing part is combined with the base lenticular lens sheet by laminating a plastic film having one surface provided with the minute diffusing elements to the base lenticular lens sheet so that the minute diffusing elements lie on the surfaces of the lenticular elements or by embossing the minute diffusing elements in the surfaces of the lenticular elements of the base lenticular lens sheet with an embossing plastic film having a surface of a shape complementary to the minute diffusing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yamashita, Hitomu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6322730
    Abstract: A method of repairing metal surfaces, in particular hydraulic cylinder interior walls and pistons, which are damaged by scoring, denting, grooving, etc. A catalytically hardened synthetic resin, preferably an epoxy, is mixed with a selected metal powder to form a mixture which, when hardened has a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially equal to that of the metal surface. A hardener is mixed with the filled resin and the damaged areas are filled with the mixture. The resin is cured, then dressed so that the damaged areas conform to adjacent undamaged surfaces. The repair area (and other surface areas, if desired) is then electroplated with a hoard, tough, wear-resistant metal, preferably by brush plating. The plated areas are then polished and the repaired article is ready for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Inventor: William R. Wachtler
  • Patent number: 6315849
    Abstract: A plastic tube is joined to a flexible plastic sheet by mounting an end of the tube over a mandrel. A hole is cut in the sheet of a size less than the mandrel. The sheet is stretched over the mandrel bringing an annular portion of the sheet about the hole snugly over the tube end and mandrel. The annular portion of the sheet is heat sealed to the tube end and the joined sheet and tube removed from the mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Grayling Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kurt D. Ross