Patents Examined by Michael P Wieczorek
  • Patent number: 10968518
    Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a carbon overcoat surface are described. In one embodiment, the method may include depositing a magnetic recording layer over a substrate, depositing a carbon overcoat layer over the magnetic recording layer, and exposing a carbon overcoat layer to water in gas phase after the carbon overcoat layer is deposited on the magnetic recording layer. In some cases, the method may include depositing a lubricant over the outer surface of the carbon overcoat after exposing the carbon overcoat layer to the water in gas phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Paul M. Jones
  • Patent number: 10957615
    Abstract: A workpiece (100) having substrate, such as a glass substrate, can be etched by a laser or by other means to create recessed features (200, 202). A laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) process or metal oxide printing process can be employed to impart a seed material (402), such as a metal, onto the glass substrate, especially into the recessed features (200, 202). The seeded recessed features can be plated, if desired, by conventional techniques, such as electroless plating, to provide conductive features (500) with predictable and better electrical properties. The workpieces (100) can be connected in a stacked such that subsequently stacked workpieces (100) can be modified in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES, INC
    Inventors: Joel Schrauben, Jan Kleinert
  • Patent number: 10940501
    Abstract: A method of controlling application of at least one material to a substrate is provided. The method includes configuring at least one array having a plurality of micro-applicators such that a subset of the micro-applicators is individually addressable to apply the at least one material to the substrate. Individually addressing the subset of micro-applicators provides control of a pattern width of a coating applied to a substrate, control of a flow rate of the material applied to the substrate, control of an angle of application of the material to the substrate, control of which and how many materials are applied to the substrate, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Kevin Ellwood, Mark Nichols, Wanjiao Liu, Christopher Seubert
  • Patent number: 10934220
    Abstract: A process of coating a substrate containing silicon with an environmental barrier coating, comprising altering a surface of the substrate and applying an environmental barrier layer to the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Erik A. Mikalsen, James T. Beals, Tania Bhatia Kashyap
  • Patent number: 10935477
    Abstract: A method of detecting a defect in an applied volume of material includes detecting a pressure discontinuity during dispensing the volume of material along a predetermined path on a substrate. The pressure discontinuity is indicative of the defect in the applied volume of material. The location of the defect along the predetermined path is function of a start time of the pressure discontinuity and the size of the defect is a function of a time duration of the pressure discontinuity. The method can further include determining whether or not to repair the defect as a function of the location and the size of the defect in the applied volume of material. The method includes repairing the defect by re-directing the material applicator to the location of the defect and dispensing additional material at the location of the defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Ahmad Rezaei Mojdehi, David John Hill, Jim Derry
  • Patent number: 10927516
    Abstract: Reflective luminescent markings on a road or sign surface are formed by applying onto the surface a base material which is liquid in an initial state for application and sets or cures to form a solid layer after application where the base material contains a fine/medium filler material of glass ground from recycled materials in a rotary mill. Coarse material from the grinder is separated out and supplied as a separate material to be applied onto the surface of the layer of base material and fine ground glass. The base material is connected or impregnated with a luminescent material such as photo luminescent 2 4 6 trichlorophenyl in a binder such as polyurea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Patent Applied Technology
    Inventor: David Langtry
  • Patent number: 10928552
    Abstract: As described above, one or more aspects of the present disclosure provide articles having structural color, and methods of making articles having structural color. The articles incorporate a primer layer having a percent transmittance of about 40% or less in conjunction with an optical element. The optical element and primer layer impart a structural color to the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Bee, Jeremy Gantz, Kim Kovel
  • Patent number: 10927446
    Abstract: This method for producing a transparent optical film includes a film formation step of forming a silver layer and a high standard electrode potential metal layer so as to be laminated on a substrate, the film formation step including a silver deposition step of forming the silver layer, at a thickness of 6 nm or less by vacuum deposition, and a high standard electrode potential metal deposition step of forming the high standard electrode potential metal layer formed of a high standard electrode potential metal having a higher standard electrode potential than that of silver by vacuum deposition, and an alloying step of forming a silver alloy layer by diffusing the high standard electrode potential metal within the silver layer by performing a heating treatment at a temperature of 50° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Seigo Nakamura, Kenichi Umeda, Yuichiro Itai, Shinichiro Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10919287
    Abstract: In a method for controlling an irradiation system for use in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional work piece, a first and a second irradiation area as well as an overlap area arranged between the first and the second irradiation area are defined on a surface of a carrier adapted to receive layers of a raw material powder to be irradiated with electromagnetic or particle radiation emitted by the irradiation system. A first irradiation unit of the irradiation system is assigned to the first irradiation area and the overlap area, and a second irradiation unit of the irradiation system is assigned to the second irradiation area and the overlap area. At least one of the first irradiation area, the second irradiation area and the overlap area is defined in dependence on a geometry of the three-dimensional work piece to be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SLM SOLUTIONS GROUP AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wiesner, Dieter Schwarze, Toni Adam Krol
  • Patent number: 10919479
    Abstract: Method for producing a weakened decorative composite from at least one decorative material (25) and a spacer fabric (11), in particular for producing coverings of airbags in motor vehicles, which spacer fabrics (11) have an upper cover layer (12) and a lower cover layer (13) and a layer (15) having spacer threads (14) is located between the cover layers (12, 13), wherein the weakenings in the spacer fabric (11) are blind holes (16) which are introduced into the lower cover layer (13) of the spacer fabric (11), wherein the blind holes (16) substantially pass through the lower cover layer (13) and the layer (15) having the spacer threads (14) and the upper cover layer (12) is substantially not weakened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: EISSMANN AUTOMOTIVE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Felix Dorn, Jennifer Topp, Karlheinz Kaeppeler
  • Patent number: 10914006
    Abstract: A nanoparticle continuous-coating device based on spatial atomic layer deposition. A first-stage pipeline unit, a second-stage pipeline unit, a third-stage pipeline unit and a fourth-stage pipeline unit which are connected sequentially. The first-stage pipeline unit is used for providing a first precursor and enabling the first precursor to be adsorbed on surfaces of nanoparticles. The third-stage pipeline unit is used for providing a second precursor and enabling the second precursor to react with the first precursor on the surfaces of the nanoparticles, so that a monomolecular thin film layer is generated on the surfaces of the nanoparticles. The second-stage and fourth-stage pipeline units are used for cleaning the nanoparticles and discharging the redundant first precursor, the redundant second precursor or reaction by-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Rong Chen, Weiming Ba, Kai Qu, Yun Li, Kun Cao, Wei Dan
  • Patent number: 10914863
    Abstract: Techniques include receiving a design of an integrated computational element (ICE) including specification of a substrate and a plurality of layers, their respective target thicknesses and complex refractive indices, complex refractive indices of adjacent layers being different from each other, and a notional ICE fabricated in accordance with the ICE design being related to a characteristic of a sample; forming at least some of the layers of a plurality of ICEs in accordance with the ICE design using a deposition source, where the layers of the ICEs being formed are supported on a support that is periodically moved relative to the deposition source during the forming; monitoring characteristics of the layers of the ICEs during the forming, the monitoring of the characteristics being performed using a timing of the periodic motion of the support relative to the deposition source; and adjusting the forming based on results of the monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: James M. Price, Aditya B. Nayak, David L. Perkins
  • Patent number: 10907038
    Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating functional nanostructures (e.g., nanowires/nanofibers) via chemical vapor deposition polymerization of paracyclophanes or substituted paracyclophanes onto and through a structured fluid, such as a film of liquid crystals, on a substrate. A one-step process is provided that does not require the use of any solid templates, nor does it require any volatile solvents, additives or catalysts. The resulting nanowires/nanofibers can be in the form of aligned nanowires/nanofibers arrays supported on any solid material, in the form of nanofibers mats supported on porous materials, or as individual free-standing nanowires/nanofibers. By using chiral liquid crystals, chiral nanofibers can be fabricated. The functional nanowires/nanofibers can contain one or more type of surface reactive groups that allows for post surface chemical modifications on the nanowires/nanofibers. Such nanostructures can be used in a range of different applications, including in biomedical applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Marco A. Bedolla Pantoja, Nicholas L. Abbott, Kenneth Cheng, Joerg Lahann
  • Patent number: 10895023
    Abstract: Provided are a nanofiber-nanowire composite and a method for producing the same. The method includes preparing a nanoparticle using a dipolar solvent, producing a nanofiber-nanoparticle composite in an electrospinning synthesis solution including the nanoparticle through electrospinning, and growing a nanowire from the nanoparticle by hydrothermally synthesizing a dried nanofiber-nanoparticle composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Young Keun Kim, Bum Chul Park, Ji-Beom Shin
  • Patent number: 10892143
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure provide methods for treating a processing chamber. In one implementation, the method includes purging a 300 mm substrate processing chamber, without the presence of a substrate, by flowing a purging gas into the substrate processing chamber at a flow rate of about 0.14 sccm/mm2 to about 0.33 sccm/mm2 and a chamber pressure of about 1 Torr to about 30 Torr, with a throttle valve of a vacuum pump system of the substrate processing chamber in a fully opened position, wherein the purging gas is chemically reactive with deposition residue on exposed surfaces of the substrate processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivek Bharat Shah, Bhaskar Kumar, Anup Kumar Singh, Ganesh Balasubramanian
  • Patent number: 10888894
    Abstract: A method of applying a coating liquid to an optical fiber is described. An optical fiber is drawn through a guide die into a pressurized coating chamber and through the pressurized coating chamber to a sizing die. The pressurized coating chamber contains a coating liquid. The method includes directing coating liquid in a direction transverse to the processing pathway of the optical fiber in the pressurized coating chamber. The transverse flow of coating liquid counteracts detrimental effects associated with gyres that form in the pressurized coating chamber during the draw process. Benefits of the transverse flow include removal of bubbles, reduction in the temperature of the gyre, improved wetting, homogenization of the properties of the coating liquid in the pressurized coating chamber, and stabilization of the meniscus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert Clark Moore, Douglas Gregg Neilson, Johnnie Edward Watson
  • Patent number: 10882781
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for obtaining a material comprising a substrate coated on at least one part of at least one of its faces with at least one functional layer, said process comprising: a step of depositing the or each functional layer, then a step of depositing a sacrificial layer on said at least one functional layer, then a step of heat treatment by means of radiation chosen from laser radiation or radiation from at least one flash lamp, said radiation having at least one treatment wavelength between 200 and 2500 nm, said sacrificial layer being in contact with the air during this heat treatment step, then a step of removing the sacrificial layer using a solvent, said sacrificial layer being a monolayer and being such that, before heat treatment, it absorbs at least one part of said radiation at said at least one treatment wavelength and that, after heat treatment, it is capable of being removed by dissolution and/or dispersion in said solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Andriy Kharchenko, Bernard Nghiem, Nicolas Nadaud, Lorenzo Canova, Arnaud Huignard
  • Patent number: 10884170
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a wire grid polarizer is provided, including: setting pattern data, where the pattern data correspond to a wire grid structure of the wire grid polarizer; preparing a metal ion solution; immersing at least one surface of a carrier substrate in the metal ion solution; and emitting, by an emitter device, an electron beam to the carrier substrate, and controlling a movement of the electron beam according to the pattern data to deposit a metal on the carrier substrate at a position where the electron beam passes, to form the wire grid structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Dongze Li
  • Patent number: 10882996
    Abstract: A method for forming a multilayer thin film having a crystalline metal oxide layer, the method including: encapsulating at least one encapsulated layer of the multilayer thin film in a wet chemical composition by wet chemical methods; and crystallizing the wet chemical composition by microwave hydrothermal treatment to form a crystalline metal oxide layer encapsulating the at least one encapsulated layer of the multilayer thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North Amercia, Inc.
    Inventors: Songtao Wu, Debasish Banerjee, Hongfei Jia, Krishna Reddy Gunugunuri
  • Patent number: 10882071
    Abstract: A process for treating a surface coating of a bulk metal part, comprises the steps of placing, in a cavity, at least one what is called metal part including what is called a surface coating that is able to absorb microwaves at the frequency ?0, the cavity being surrounded by one or a plurality of first susceptors the dimensions, material and arrangement of which are configured to screen the microwaves at the frequency ?0, in the vicinity of each the metal part, and in emitting the microwaves at the frequency ?0 into the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, ECOLE NATIONALE SUPÉRIEURE D'INGÉNIEURS DE CAEN
    Inventors: Sylvain Marinel, Etienne Savary, Anthony Thuault, Romain Heuguet