Patents Examined by Luan Van
  • Patent number: 9139922
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an edge protector for a cathode plate includes inserting a first retention plate into a slit in a first edge strip, proximate an end of the first edge strip. The first retention plate is also inserted into a slit in a second edge strip, proximate a first end of the second edge strip. Additionally, the first retention plate is inserted into a gap of a first plug, such that the first plug abuts both the end of the first edge strip and the first end of the second edge strip. A corner cap is then overmolded on the end of the first edge strip, the first plug, and the first end of the second edge strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: CLIM-A-TECH INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Scott Ringhand
  • Patent number: 9139925
    Abstract: The invention concerns the field of micromechanical parts, in particular, for timepiece movements. The invention relates to a method of fabricating a mold that includes the following steps: (a) providing a substrate that has a top layer and a bottom layer made of electrically conductive, micromachinable material, and secured to each other by an electrically insulating, intermediate layer; (b) etching at least one pattern in the top layer as far as the intermediate layer to form at least one cavity in the mold; (c) coating the top part of the substrate with an electrically insulating coating; and (d) directionally etching the coating and the intermediate layer to limit the presence thereof exclusively at each vertical wall formed in the top layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Nivarox-FAR S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Cusin, Clare Golfier, Jean-Philippe Thiebaud
  • Patent number: 9133556
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an activated cathode enabling a long-time stable operation with hydrogen overvoltage maintained at a low value, keeping a high remaining rate of the catalyst element after a cease of operation for a short-circuiting and after an electrolysis operation at a high current density, restricting catalyst loss to a little, and having a strong resistance to contamination caused by electrolyte impurity elements. The present invention relates to a cathode for hydrogen evolution with a catalyst layer formed on the cathode substrate, having, at least, three elements comprising platinum, cerium and palladium, as essential element, in a state of metal, metal oxide, or hydroxide, contained, where the mole fraction of respective element being x, y, and z, within a range of 5 mol %?x?90 mol %, 5 mol %?y?55 mol %, 5 mol %?z?65 mol %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: PERMELEC ELECTRODE LTD.
    Inventors: Miwako Nara, Eri Miyakawa, Yoshinori Nishiki
  • Patent number: 9133023
    Abstract: A nanopore sensor comprises second electrophoresis electrode or micropump, second fluidic reservoir, second micro-nanometer separation channel, substrate, sub-nanometer-thick functional layer, first micro-nanometer separation channel, first electrophoresis electrode or micropump, and first electrophoresis electrode or micropump that are sequentially assembled. An opening and a nanopore are provided through the substrate and the sub-nanometer-thick functional layer, respectively. A first electrode for measuring ionic current is provided in the first micro-nanometer separation channel, and a second electrode for measuring ionic current is provide in the second micro-nanometer separation channel. The present invention provides a simple method to prepare a sub-nanometer functional layer having a nanopore extending through the sub-nanometer-thick functional layer. The pore size is comparable to the spacing between two adjacent bases in a DNA strand required for single-base resolution sequencing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Zhejiang University
    Inventors: Ming-Sheng Xu, Hongzheng Chen, Gang Wu, Minmin Shi, Mang Wang
  • Patent number: 9127369
    Abstract: A cathodic protection system is provided for a subterranean well casing having an enclosed upper section of the well casing being substantially shielded by a cellar from an impressed-current cathodic protection circuit passing through earth media. The impressed-current cathodic protection circuit is provided to protect an unenclosed lower section of the well casing. To protect the enclosed upper section of the well casing, a supplemental cathodic protection circuit is provided. The supplemental cathodic protection circuit is a galvanic anode cathodic protection circuit comprising the enclosed upper section of the well casing and one or more bracelet galvanic anodes being circumferentially mounted to the enclosed upper section. The enclosed upper section of the well casing and the one or more bracelet galvanic anodes are substantially surrounded by a cellar backfill, and the galvanic anode cathodic protection circuit is equally effective throughout a broad range of non-homogeneity within the cellar backfill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Mohammed H. Al-Mubasher
  • Patent number: 9126175
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to compositions, devices and methods for screening of photocatalysts for water-splitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Nathan S. Lewis, Jordan Katz, Todd Gingrich
  • Patent number: 9121821
    Abstract: A process for analyzing a sample by a capillary electrophoresis method is provided that allows for high analytic precision and reduction in apparatus size, and can be readily carried out by electrophoresing a complex of a sample and an anionic group-containing compound in the capillary channel, wherein the capillary channel includes an A layer that is coated on an inner wall thereof and a B layer that is coated on the A layer, where the A and B layers are as described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, ARKRAY, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Tanaka, Shinichi Wakida, Yusuke Nakayama, Satoshi Yonehara
  • Patent number: 9115434
    Abstract: A water splitting oxygen evolving catalyst including: a metal oxide particle including a metal oxide represented by Formula 1: Co1-xMxOY??Formula I wherein M is at least one selected from Al, In, Ga, Si, and Sn, x and y respectively satisfy the inequalities 0?x<0.5 and 1<y<2, and the metal oxide particle is in the form of a flake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jeong-hee Lee, Tae-gon Kim, Tae-hyung Kim, Seoung-jae Im
  • Patent number: 9110016
    Abstract: A method for isotope measurement of charged species contained in a solution to be analyzed, particularly charged species having an isobaric interference, has the following consecutive steps: a) in the capillary of a capillary electrophoresis device, the solution to be analyzed is inserted contiguously between a terminating electrolyte and a leading electrolyte that, respectively, are placed after the inlet and before the outlet of the capillary and contain ions of the same charge but with mobility inferior and superior to those of said species; b) separating the species by using the capillary electrophoresis device according to the isotachophoresis mode; then c) in the continuity of the preceding step, performing an isotope measurement of the species detected in the form of a substantially constant amplitude signal by using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICPMS) connected by direct coupling with the capillary electrophoresis device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Frédéric Chartier, Valérie Geersten, Laurent Vio, Gérard Crétier
  • Patent number: 9103012
    Abstract: A method of activating a copper seed layer during a plating process is disclosed that comprises application of vapor generated by an ultrasonic wave nebulizer. The energized vapor droplets include water and a weak organic acid such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, uric acid, oxalic acid, or formic acid that have a vapor pressure proximate to that of water. The weak organic acid preferably has a pKa high enough to avoid Cu etching but is sufficiently acidic to remove copper oxide at a rate that is compatible with high throughput manufacturing. In one embodiment, weak acid/water vapor is applied to a substrate in a spin bowl and is followed by a deionized water rinse step in the same spin bowl. Improved wettability results in improved uniformity in subsequently plated copper films. Considerable cost savings is realized as a result of reduced chemical consumption and higher product yields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chao-Peng Chen, Jas Chudasama, Chien-Li Lin, David Wagner
  • Patent number: 9101939
    Abstract: Various aspects are described for selectivity capturing cells or bioparticles on designated surfaces in dielectrophoretic systems and processes. A particular adhesive composition is described for enhancing cell retention. In addition, certain permeable polyester membranes used in the systems and processes are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Michael Gaitan, John T. Elliott, Jennifer Hong Gordon, Darwin R. Reyes-Hernandez, Petra S. Dittrich, Conni Hanke
  • Patent number: 9097654
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode assembly having a laminate structure comprising: a first insulating capping layer; a first conducting layer capped by the first insulating capping layer and substantially sandwiched by at least the first insulating capping layer such as to leave exposed only an electrical contact lip of the first conducting layer; and an array of etched voids extending through at least the first insulating capping layer and the first conducting layer, wherein each void is partly bound by a surface of the first conducting layer which acts as an internal submicron electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Nanoflex Limited and The University Court Of The University of Edinburgh
    Inventors: Neville John Freeman, Andrew Raymond Mount, Anthony John Walton, Jonathan Gordon Terry
  • Patent number: 9090982
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cathode for electrolytic processes provided with a catalytic coating based on ruthenium crystallites with highly controlled size falling in a range of 1-10 nm. The coating can be produced by physical vapor deposition of a ruthenium or ruthenium oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: INDUSTRIE DE NORA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Christian Urgeghe, Stefania Mora, Antonio Lorenzo Antozzi
  • Patent number: 9090981
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electrode for electrolytic processes, particularly to a cathode suitable for hydrogen evolution in an industrial electrolysis process comprising a metal substrate coated with an external catalytic layer containing crystalline ruthenium oxide having a highly ordered rutile-type structure with Ru Ru and Ru O bond length characterized by a Debye-Waller factor lower than a critical value. The catalytic outer layer may contain rare earth oxides, such as praseodymium. The electrode may also comprise an internal catalytic thin layer platinum-based, which gives an enhanced protection against accidental current reversal events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: INDUSTRIE DE NORA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marianna Brichese, Antonio Lorenzo Antozzi, Alice Calderara
  • Patent number: 9085828
    Abstract: A mold is fabricated with a cavity formed in an insulating layer formed so as to be placed on an upper surface of a conductive base material. This mold is disposed in an electrolyte bath to be applied with a voltage, and a metal is electrodeposited on the bottom surface of the cavity to electroform a metal-formed product in the cavity. In this electrodepositing process, when the width of the cavity is taken as W and a vertical height of a head space between an upper opening of the cavity and an upper surface of a metal layer is taken as H, the growth of the metal layer is stopped so that the height H of the head space left above the metal layer satisfies: where 300 ?m?W; H?W/3.75 where 200 ?m?W<300 ?m; H?W/4 where 100 ?m?W<200 ?m; and H?W/10 where W<100 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Kazumasa Seki, Akihiko Hatamura, Hitoshi Yoshida, Toshio Yamashita, Yasuhiro Miura
  • Patent number: 9081006
    Abstract: The present invention concerns methods, compositions and apparatus for detection and/or determination of concentration of target molecules. In preferred embodiments the methods comprise allowing target molecules to form a complex with a first binding agent conjugated to a detection molecule and a second binding agent conjugated to a capture molecule, allowing the complex to further bind to an essentially uncharged polymer capable of binding to the capture agent, and performing a vertical gradient electrophoresis to separate the complex from unbound target, first and second binding agents and polymer. The intact complex is concentrated by electrophoresis at a stacking layer and the detection molecule is detected and/or quantified. Because the complex contains a very high mass to charge ratio, it becomes essentially immobile at the stacking layer, while unbound components migrate through the stacking layer and are separated from the complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: LYZER DIAGNOSTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Patrick Tyrrell, Barry Vant-Hull
  • Patent number: 9080970
    Abstract: A device for controlled transport of ions is provided comprising an ion source element and an ion target element both conducting ions of a first class e.g. cations, and an ion selective element which conducts ions of a second class e.g. anions. The device further comprises a transport element, which receives ions from the ion source element and releases them to the ion target element in response to an electrochemical potential difference provided across the ion transport element. In use a first electrochemical potential is applied to the control element, which increases the concentration of ions of said second class, which increased concentration in turn increases the ion transport rate of ions of said first class in the ion transport element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: OBOE IPR AB
    Inventors: Klas Tybrandt, Magnus Berggren
  • Patent number: 9074288
    Abstract: A prefabricated sacrificial galvanic anode panel includes a rigid or semi-rigid backing board or similar support surface over which a thin layer of cement, mortar or adhesive is applied for holding a compliant layer of material in place on the support surface. The layer of wet adhesive, cement or mortar is sufficiently thin so that upon drying it does not cause warping of the support surface. The compliant or spongy layer is laminated or sandwiched between a thicker layer of ionically conductive galvanic mortar and the substrate support surface. The compliant or spongy layer prevents the thicker layer of galvanic mortar from wetting the backing board or substrate support surface so as to prevent warpage upon drying of the thicker layer of galvanic mortar and also accommodates the expansion of corrosion products from the galvanic anode material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Jarden Zinc Products, LLC
    Inventor: Derek C. Tarrant
  • Patent number: 9068268
    Abstract: A discrete sacrificial zinc anode is fabricated from one or more slotted and slatted metal plates. The plates are fixed in a parallel planar configuration using conventional fasteners. One or more electrical connection wires are formed with a looped portion for spacing the anode assembly a predetermined distance from a steel reinforcing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Jarden Zinc Products, LLC
    Inventors: Derek Tarrant, Bradley W. Epperson, Gary Sean Carter, Michael T. Mather
  • Patent number: 9068935
    Abstract: A sensor for biomolecules or charged ions includes a substrate; a first node, a second node, and a third node located in the substrate; a gate dielectric located over the substrate, the first node, the second node, and the third node; a first field effect transistor (FET), the first FET comprising a control gate located on the gate dielectric, and the first node and the second node; and a second FET, the second FET comprising a sensing surface located on the gate dielectric, and the second node and the third node, wherein the sensing surface is configured to specifically bind the biomolecules or charged ions that are to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Dorman, Tak Ning, Sufi Zafar