Patents Examined by Leon K. Fuller
  • Patent number: 4918288
    Abstract: A heated transparency is provided with first and second bus bars along opposing edges of a transparency interconnected by an electroconductive coating. The bus bars and coating are applied to the same surface of the transparency. Electrical leads are spaced from the coated surface and are electrically insulated from the coating and bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: PPG Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Carter, Harold S. Koontz
  • Patent number: 4916288
    Abstract: The tool is electrically heated and has a flat working surface, essentially horseshoe shaped. The working surface is heated to between 500.degree. F. and 900.degree. F. and pressed for from 3 to 10 seconds against the ground contact surface of a horse's hoof prepared for shoeing. The contact sears the insensitive part of the hoof, the horn, to dry out the horn, seal off the capillary tubes in the tubular of the hoof and flatten any irregularities left on the surface during the preparation for shoeing. This treatment reduces the potential for hoof damage caused by moisture. The working surface is on the horseshoe shaped part which encloses an electrical heating element. The heating element is attached to a handle for the tool. In the steady state heated condition the heat radiated by the tool equals the heat produced by the heating element and no thermostatic temperature control is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Inventor: Ralph F. Redden
  • Patent number: 4912305
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic heater element consisting of a sintered body of a silicon nitride base ceramic and a resistance heating wire such as a tungsten wire embedded in the ceramic body. The ceramic contains Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and AlN besides Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 and is produced by using Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 as sintering aid. The ceramic body is improved in strength and also in stability of the ceramic structure at temperatures up to about 1300.degree. C. by rendering the grain boundary phase of the sintered ceramic a crystalline phase comprising either 2Y.sub.2 O.sub.3.Si.sub.2-x Al.sub.x N.sub.2-x O.sub.1-x (0.ltoreq.x<2) or 3Y.sub.2 O.sub.3.5Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. The heater element is produced by preparing a powder mixture in which (Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 +Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 +AlN) amounts to 90-98 wt %, the balance being the sintering aid, with proviso that (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 +AlN)/Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 is from 0.02 to 0.08 by weight and that (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 /AlN) is from 0.2 to 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuho Tatemasu, Yukihiro Kimura, Yoshiro Noda
  • Patent number: 4912306
    Abstract: An electrical heater including a semi-conductor pattern (e.g., colloidal graphite ink) printed on a substrate. A conductive ink (e.g., a silver ink) is deposited on the semi-conductor pattern. The conductive ink migrates into the semi-conductor material, provides a superior electrical contact between the conductor (e.g., the silver ink) and the underlying semi-conductor material (e.g., the semi-conductor graphite ink), and essentially eliminates interface resistance. In some embodiments, the semi-conductor pattern is printed on one side of a woven cloth substrate and the conductive ink is printed on the other side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Inventors: Frederick G. J. Grise, John A. Martstiller, Paul H. Bodensiek
  • Patent number: 4912311
    Abstract: An information recording medium comprising a plurality of information tracks on which information is recorded, and separating regions for separating each of said information tracks from the other information tracks, each of said separating regions including a record section consisting of code of a shape or magnitude different from code in said information tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koyo Hasegawa, Masakuni Yamamoto, Hiroaki Hoshi
  • Patent number: 4910390
    Abstract: Curable compositions which are useful for encapsulating electrical connections and for joining metals to metals, and which comprise a mixture of high and low molecular weight fluorocarbon elastomers. Preferred compositions comprise a mixture of three fluorocarbon elastomers, the first having a Mooney viscosity at 121.degree. C. of at least 120, the second a Mooney viscosity at 121.degree. C. of 80 to 110, and the third a Brookfield viscosity at 100.degree. C. of 1,000 to 4,000 centipoises, in amounts 5 to 50%, 25 to 70% and 5 to 50% respectively, based on the weight of the polymeric component. The compositions can be easily molded under heat and pressure, and after they have been cured, they have remarkable resistance to degradation by hot liquids, even under pressure. Consequently, the compositions are very useful in the manufacture of self-regulating heaters for use in heating the production tubes of oil wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Raychem Corporation
    Inventors: Len Barrett, Neville Batliwalla, James Rinde, Norman A. Gac
  • Patent number: 4910393
    Abstract: A debit card of the type having an integrated circuit on a semiconductor chip embedded in a plastic card includes logic circuitry (10), a counter (2), a ROM (6) and an EEPROM (8) for storing the value of the counter between transactions. By providing two EEPROMs (8A, 8B) in parallel whose values are compared by a comparator (24), the security of the card is increased since operation of the card may be blocked if the two values are not the same, indicating that attempts have been made to fraudulently reprogram the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Anil Gercekci, Michel Bron
  • Patent number: 4910391
    Abstract: An electrical resistance heating element protected against being inimical to the health of a person using the element by enclosing the electromagnetic and electrostatic fields of an electrical current flowing through an electrical heating element providing essentially all of the heat for the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Inventor: William M. Rowe
  • Patent number: 4910389
    Abstract: A conductive polymer composition which exhibits PTC behavior comprises a crystalline organic polymer, carbon black, and a high resistivity particulate filler. The high resistivity filler is semiconductive and has a resistivity at least 100 times that of the carbon black. Compositions of the invention exhibit good resistance stability when exposed to thermal cycling. They are useful in electrical devices requiring compositions with high resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Raychem Corporation
    Inventors: Edward S. Sherman, Mark S. Thompson, Andrew Tomlinson
  • Patent number: 4908497
    Abstract: The invention is for a flat electrical heating resistance element, so called foil elements. Elements according to the invention can be used for many purposes, however, it is specially intended for use as heating elements for water beds. The object of the invention is to minimize the electromagnetic fields caused by the elements. The influence of such magnetic fields on humans is on the whole unknown why there is a common desire that the strength of these magnetic fields shall be as low as possible in order to minimize effects, if any. Heating elements according to the invention have electrical resistance wire or band placed in loops on a plastic foil surface, whereby the loops have four with each other parallel conductors, electrically connected so that in any given moment the direction of the current in the two outer conductors are in the same direction and in the two inner conductors in the same direction opposite to the outer conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Kanthal AB
    Inventor: Bengt Hjortsberg
  • Patent number: 4906822
    Abstract: A heater is disclosed herein taking the form of an elongated length of flexible cable having an insulative base carrying a plurality of spaced-apart conductive strips as a unitary construction. The heater is used as an insert received into an article of clothing, such as a boot, shoe or glove, and includes a power source, control switch and stress relief strip configurations to protect the heater structure during flexure of the circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Inventor: Alfiero Balzano
  • Patent number: 4902879
    Abstract: A heated bilayer appendage is provided for mounting outboard of an existing non-heated aircraft window. The appendage prevents moisture or frost accumulation on the outboard surface of the appendage so that a clear viewing area is maintained through that portion of the windshield over which the appendage is mounted. The appendage may be provided with an anti-static coating to prevent static charge accumulation on the appendage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: PPG Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Patricia B. Walters, Connie J. Parvin, Gary M. Cribbs, Radford French, Joseph T. Mueller
  • Patent number: 4899024
    Abstract: A method for preparing large cast iron dies for use in pressing the sheet-metal components of vehicle bodies is described; this method results in improved pressing performance, such as extended life and, in particular, drastic reduction in rejects and stoppages due to seizure; its main characteristic consists of subjecting to induction hardening treatment those die regions most subject to operational wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Fiat Auto S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luciano Puozzo, Maurizio Manzin
  • Patent number: 4894503
    Abstract: A package for heating food in a microwave oven is disclosed. The package includes metal shielding or other metal components which cause a gain in electric field strength which is greater than 3. The present invention also involves low load microwave environments where the electric field strength is greater than 10 volts per centimeter. A rigid, dimensionally stable dielectric support is provided in close proximity to a conductive sheet, being spaced less than 0.5 inch from the conductive sheet. The dielectric support is composed of material selected to avoid failure of the dielectric support in high electrical fields which may exist near the conductive sheet during microwave irradiation. The dielectric support material has a dielectric loss factor less than 0.005, and a failure temperature greater than 101.degree. C. The present invention relates to intrinsically nonarcing packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: The Pillsbury Company
    Inventor: Dan J. Wendt
  • Patent number: 4894521
    Abstract: An electric heating element for electrically fusing thermoplastic materials. The heating element comprises an elongated thermoplastic insulated wire wound in a spiral configuration with adjacent surfaces of the thermoplastic insulation adhered together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: Central Plastics Company
    Inventor: Harold J. Evans
  • Patent number: 4891483
    Abstract: The applicator used in this invention functions as an antenna for delivering electromagnetic energy into a living body. The applicator is supported by a supporting mechanism through a supporting device. The applicator can move to and stop at a position through the action of this supporting mechanism. A cooling section is provided on the contact surfaces of the applicator and the living body so as to protect normal cells on the surface of living body. This cooling section is additionally provided with a coolant circulating device, which enables to continuously perform hyperthermia for a long period of time. The coolant circulating device has a pressure reducing mechanism to counter the fluctuations in fluidal pressure, and further, provided with a deaerating device for preventing the air from stagnating therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Tokyo Keiki Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kikuchi, Shinsaku Mori, Yoshio Nikawa, Takashige Terakawa
  • Patent number: 4891505
    Abstract: The invention concerns a security-marking procedure, an apparatus to sense a security marking, fiduciary documents provided with security markings, by resorting to rare-earth chelates consisting of at least two rare-earths and of which the fluorescence wavelengths vary as functions of temperature, and fiduciary document containing such chelate(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Petrel
    Inventor: Michel Jalon
  • Patent number: 4889973
    Abstract: An aquarium heater which consists of a heater pad attached to the outside bottom surface of the aquarium. The heater pad uses an etched-foil heating element laminated between layers of insulating material. Normally, the heat is attached to the bottom of the tank using a pressure sensitive adhesive. The aquarium water temperature is maintained using a current limiting electronic controller and a thermistor for sensing temperature. The thermistor is located in the heater pad between the two layers of insulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Inventors: Michael F. Farinacci, William A. Rowell
  • Patent number: 4889975
    Abstract: A phenomenon sometimes referred to as tracking can occur when the end of an electrical heater, made of two or more metal conductors and a conductive polymer web, comes into contact with water or other electrolytes which allow arcing to take place across the surface of the web. Tracking is stopped by holes in the web which prevent arcing from continuing up the length of the heat tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: The Fluorocarbon Company
    Inventors: Richard W. Farkas, David A. Rock, James H. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4888472
    Abstract: An electric heater consists of an open mesh net of heat resistant filaments, for example fiberglass filaments, carrying electrically resistive material, for example, carbon black. On either side of the net is a mat of fiberglass reinforcement. The net and the fiberglass reinforcement are impregnated with a cured, thermosetting synthetic resin. In some embodiments a ground layer is also incorporated between layers of the fiberglass mat. The heater is manufactured by assembling the heater, the fiberglass mats and any ground layers, impregnating the mat thus produced and pultruding the impregnated mat to set the resin matrix of the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: David G. Stitz
    Inventor: David G. Stitz