Patents Examined by Mary Lynn Theisen
  • Patent number: 7306752
    Abstract: The present provides a method for preparing resin fine particles of a homogeneous particle size used in the fields of chemistry, medicine, electronic material or the like, resin fine particles, and a production apparatus for resin fine particles. The present invention provides a method for preparing a resin fine particle, which comprises discharging a liquid comprising a polymerizable monomer as a dispersion phase into a continuous phase; splitting the liquid comprising the polymerizable monomer by applying mechanical vibration to form a liquid droplet; and polymerizing the liquid droplet in a state without splitting or integrating the liquid droplet, said method comprising recognizing a state of said liquid being split into a liquid droplet, and a condition of said discharging and/or said mechanical vibration of the liquid being determined by feedback from a result of the recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Nakatani
  • Patent number: 7303708
    Abstract: A super absorbent distribution system for homogenous distribution throughout an absorbent core is disclosed. A super absorbent material is injected into a stream of absorbent fluff at an opposite direction to that of the stream of absorbent fluff. The super absorbent is blasted into the peak and outer surface of a cone shaped super absorbent barrier. The oncoming absorbent fluff also contends with a similarly shaped absorbent fluff barrier. The super absorbent material slows down as it hits the super absorbent barrier and oncoming fluff, then stops, then reverses direction and flows with the absorbent fluff as a homogenous distribution of super absorbent material and absorbent fluff. The combination of super absorbent material and absorbent fluff may encounter baffle members to further distribute the super absorbent material and absorbent fluff.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Andrews, Chris J. Nelson
  • Patent number: 7300613
    Abstract: A process for producing a three-dimensional model is provided. The process includes a step (layer formation step) of forming a layer of a powder material, the layer having a predetermined thickness, a step (cross-sectional shape formation step) of imagewise bonding the powder material layer by a binder according to sliced cross-sectional data of a modeled object so as to give a cross-sectional shape, and sequentially repeating the above steps. The surface gloss of the three-dimensional model obtained when measured at 20° is 20% or more. Furthermore, production equipment used in the above process is provided. Moreover, a three-dimensional model is provided that contains a powder material and a binder and is formed by imagewise curing the binder, the three-dimensional model having a surface gloss when measured at 20° of 20% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shojiro Sano, Hidefumi Sera
  • Patent number: 7297298
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for producing nano-particles, capable of efficiently producing monodisperse nano-particles substantially uniform in particle size and composition, and freely controllable in particle size and composition at low cost. The process for producing nano-particles comprises a particle precursor capturing step in which a liquid containing the particle precursor is incorporated in another liquid containing dendritic branching molecules to capture the particle precursor by the dendritic branching molecule, and particle forming step in which the particle precursor captured by the dendritic branching molecule is transformed into the particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Matsunami, Shintaro Washizu
  • Patent number: 7297307
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing an absorbent member comprising feeding a superabsorbent polyer and pul fiber both in the form of a dispersion in an air stream, depositing the superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber in a recess by suction through a plurality of suction holes provided in the bottom of the recess and releasing the deposited aggregate from the recess. The bottom of the recess (50) has a first suction region having an open area ratio R1 of 40 to 80% and a second suction region having an open area ratio R2 of 2 to 20% with the ratio of R1 to R2 ranging from 70/30 to 99/1. The superabsorbent polymer and the pulp fiber are deposited on both the first and the second suction regions. The present invention also relates to an absorbent member comprising a superabsorbent polymer and pulp fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Yasumura, Masato Oshima
  • Patent number: 7291299
    Abstract: A novel nano thermometer, which can be used for temperature measurement of a wide temperature range, in a micrometer size environment, and a method for producing the same. The nano thermometer is a carbon nanotube filled with a continuous columnar gallium, which enables measurement of environmental temperature by length change of the columnar gallium, and is produced by mixing Ga2O3 powder and carbon powder uniformly, and performing heat treatment for this mixed powder at a temperature range of 1200 to 1400° C. under an inert gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: National Institute for Materials Science
    Inventors: Yoshio Bando, Yihua Gao, Tadao Sato
  • Patent number: 7291300
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming nonwoven webs comprising coated fibers. The method of forming the nonwoven web generally comprises the steps of forming fibers from a melt fibrillation process, forming at least one fluid stream containing a coating substance, applying the coating substance onto the surface of the fiber, and depositing the coated fibers on a surface to form a web. Typically, the fibers are coated in flight. Preferably, the melt fibrillation process to form the fibers is a melt film fibrillation process. A melt film fibrillation process generally includes the steps of providing a polymeric melt, utilizing a central fluid stream to form an elongated hollow polymeric film tube, and using air to form multiple nanofibers from the hollow tube. The nonwoven web may comprise a layer having a significant number of nanofibers with diameters less than one micron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Rajeev Chhabra, Olaf Erik Alexander Isele
  • Patent number: 7291296
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making very fine particles containing at least an active principle inserted in a host molecule and a device for implementing said method. The method is characterized in that it consists in forming a solution of the active principle in a first liquid solvent and of a product formed by the host molecules in a second liquid solvent, then in contacting the resulting solutions with a supercritical pressure fluid, so as to precipitate the host molecules which are dissolved therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Separex (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Michel Perrut, Jennifer Jung, Fabrice Leboeuf, Isabelle Fabing
  • Patent number: 7282167
    Abstract: Nano-scale particles of materials can be produced by vaporizing the material and allowing the material to flow in a non-violently turbulent manner into thermal communication with a cooling fluid, thereby forming small particles of the material that can be in the nano-scale size range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: QuantumSphere, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas Carpenter
  • Patent number: 7276190
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are proposed to perform the supercritical assisted atomization of nano and/or micro metric powders. It is possible to use liquid solvent at process conditions in which they show a low solubility in carbon dioxide. Atomization is obtained by solubilizing pressurized carbon dioxide (compressed, liquid, supercritical) in a solution formed by the solid to be micronized and the liquid solvent, solubilizing carbon dioxide up to near equilibrium conditions and then atomizing the solution down to near atmospheric conditions through a thin wall injector, to produce very small droplet of micronic and sub-micronic dimensions. The subsequent evaporation of the droplets produces particles with diameters ranging between 0.02 and 10 micron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Micro & Nano Materials SAGL
    Inventor: Ernesto Reverchon
  • Patent number: 7276192
    Abstract: The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for making and compressing growth medium pots, where the growth medium pots are made as a growth medium pipe, where a tubular wall is formed by the fibre-containing material, where the growth medium pipe contains slightly compressed growth medium. It is the purpose of the invention to achieved an apparatus and a method for cheap and efficient production of firmly compressed growth medium pots, where the growth medium pots are rapidly and efficiently compressed contained in the fibre-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Ellegaard A/S
    Inventors: Lars Hansen, Oejvind Ellegaard
  • Patent number: 7273570
    Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing polymer particles. The method includes providing an oil in water emulsion, wherein the oil phase comprises a volatile solvent and at least one water insoluble polymer. The volatile solvent has a solubility of not more than 10% in water and the water insoluble polymer has a weight average molecular weight of at least 2000. The water insoluble polymer is soluble in the volatile solvent. The emulsion is supplied to a rotating surface of a rotating surface reactor. The temperature of the rotating surface is maintained at the boiling point of said solvent or greater. The rotating surface of the reactor spins at a speed sufficient to cause the emulsion to spread over the rotating surface as a continuously flowing thin film wherein a vapor phase containing the volatile solvent is removed. The water insoluble polymer particles are then collected as a slurry of polymer particles and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Stewart W. Blair, Lloyd A. Lobo, Tomas G. McHugh
  • Patent number: 7267789
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of forming nonwoven webs comprising particulates. The method of forming the nonwoven web generally comprising the steps of forming fibers from a melt fibrillation process, forming at least one fluid stream containing particulates, mixing said fibers with said particulates to form a fiber-particulate mix, and depositing the mix on a surface to form a web. The nonwoven web will have the particulates entrapped in the web. The nonwoven web may comprise a layer having a significant number of nanofibers with diameters less than one micron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Rajeev Chhabra, Olaf Erik Alexander Isele
  • Patent number: 7264763
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of compacts from comminuted material (12) such as lignocellulose material and/or other combustible material for burning in hearths, wherein the material (12) is placed into openings (11) of a mold (4) and then compressed to form compacts. The filling of a mold (4) with the material (12) and the compaction of the material (10) to form compacts (10) is performed in the pressing chamber (18) of a multi-platen press (1) with plungers (7) plunging into many openings (11) of a mold (4), and after compaction the mold (4) with the ram (3) is raised and additionally urged against the ram, while the finished compacts are driven out of the mold and then are pushed out of the press chamber (18) into a container (16) by an ejecting device. Moreover, an installation for the practice of the method includes a hopper (9) and a multi-platen press (1) with a mold raising-and-lowering device (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Dieffenbacher GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Gernot von Haas, Detlef Kroll
  • Patent number: 7255817
    Abstract: A method for compression molding a cylindrical tablet is presented, the method being capable of preventing the occurrence of cracks and the breakage of core punches. The method for compression molding a cylindrical tablet is achieved by using a rotary powder compression molding machine provided with a die and upper and lower punches fitted to a rotary table and a core punch penetrating the punch end of a lower punch. The compression molding method being characterized by using the core punch in which the difference between the smallest diameter of the core punch at the protion for forming the center opening of the cylindrical tablet and the reference diameter of the portion in design is within 0.04 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuharu Tazawa, Atsuhisa Maeda
  • Patent number: 7252795
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a high thermal conductive element that has improved thermal conductivity in the layer direction while retaining the high thermal conductivity characteristics in the planar direction possessed by graphite. The present invention is a high thermal conductive element in which carbon particles are dispersed in a graphite-based matrix, wherein (1) the c axis of the graphene layers constituting the graphite are substantially parallel, (2) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction perpendicular to the c axis is at least 400 W/m·k and no more than 1000 W/m·k, and (3) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction parallel to the c axis is at least 10 W/m·k and no more than 100 W/m·k.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toyokazu Ozaki, Akira Taomoto, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Motoshi Shibata
  • Patent number: 7250126
    Abstract: Acid-neutralizing filter media includes filter media fibers in combination with a strong base of small particle size and high surface area attached to and immobilized on the filter media fibers, and methodology therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc.
    Inventors: William C. Haberkamp, David M. Stehouwer, Barry M. Verdegan
  • Patent number: 7247264
    Abstract: A method of making a lid for a casket comprises providing tooling configured to produce a one-piece, unitary casket lid having a crown, a pie, a rim and a header, providing settable material from which to mold the lid, molding the settable material with the tooling, permitting the settable material to set thereby producing a one-piece, unitary casket lid having a crown, a pie, a rim and a header, and adhesively applying a wood veneer sheet to at least a portion of the lid. The veneer sheet can be applied with either a membrane press or a profile wrapping machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Batesville Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Buchler, Gary R. Cunningham, Todd K. Dennis, Bryan M. Hankel, John E. Linville, Donald R. Maier, Stephanie E. Mauch, Vincent Mark Moster, Roger L. Reuss, Patrick M. Saaf
  • Patent number: 7244377
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the improved formation of beads or particles. The apparatus comprises a spinning disk including a vibration inducing material. Said vibration inducing material excites the liquid material as it proceeds towards the outer perimeter of said spinning disk, controlling the droplet break-off frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Eric J. Shrader
  • Patent number: 7244387
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for manufacturing an absorbent core for an absorbent product containing a first material and a second material dispersed throughout at least a portion of said first material. A rotating forming wheel produces the absorbent core in a mold provided on its circumferential surface and the forming wheel has a rotating air pervious belt along at least a part of the circumferential surface for keeping fibers and particles of the formed layer or layers in place on the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: SCA Hygiene Products AB
    Inventors: Gunnar Larsson, Goran Forsbring