Patents Examined by Minh Trinh
  • Patent number: 6976304
    Abstract: A substantial apparatus width along a board carrying direction of an electronic component placing apparatus for placing electronic components on a board having a length L along the board carrying direction is a total dimension 4L+SL. Specifically, 4L denotes a length of the sum of the lengths of a first board retreat position, a first component placement position, a second board retreat position and a second component placement position. Further, SL denotes a length of the sum of the lengths of the spaces for positioning a board stop mechanism provided at each of the first board retreat position, the first component placement position, the second board retreat position and the second component placement position. Finally, the substantial apparatus width is between 450 mm and 1000 mm inclusively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichi Nakamura, Kunio Sakurai, Kazumasa Okumura, Ken Takano, Minoru Yamamoto, Hirokazu Honkawa, Kentaro Nishiwaki, Yoshihiko Misawa
  • Patent number: 6976302
    Abstract: In a method to manufacture a bar in which a row of slider sections are aligned, a wafer block is made from a wafer in which rows of slider sections are aligned. The wafer block is bonded to a dummy block on a support plate. Next, a processing step and a cutting step are repeated. The processing step is to perform specific processing on the medium facing surfaces of a row of slider sections in the medium facing surface of the wafer block bonded to the support plate. The cutting step is to cut the wafer block together with the support plate such that the row of slider sections whose medium facing surfaces have received the specific processing are separated from the wafer block to be the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoh, Kazuo Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 6973709
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a printed-on-display (POD) antenna for a wireless device is provided. First, a conductive transparent layer comprising indium oxide doped with tin oxide (ITO) is coated on a glass substrate. Next, a photoresist layer is coated on the conductive transparent layer and then a mask having an antenna pattern is disposed on the photoresist layer. Next, the mask is exposed by ultraviolet (UV) rays. Thereafter, the photoresist layer is developed and cured. Finally, the conductive transparent layer is etched to form a patterned conductive transparent layer and subsequently the patterned photoresist layer is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes
    Inventor: Chi-Fang Huang
  • Patent number: 6973715
    Abstract: A method of forming a multichip module in which a thin film structure is formed on a temporary carrier and then an electrically insulating frame is attached to the thin film structure. A semiconductor device is attached to the thin film structure and then the temporary carrier is removed. Lastly, at least one semiconductor device is attached to the other side of the thin film structure. There is interconnectvity through the thin film structure between the semiconductor devices and the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ajay Prabhakar Giri, Joseph Michael Sullivan, Christopher Lee Tessler
  • Patent number: 6973714
    Abstract: An electrically operated chucking apparatus including (a) an electrically operated chuck including at least two movable members movable toward and away from each other, and at least two drive devices which include respective electrically operated actuators operable to move the at least two movable members, respectively, toward and away from each other, and (b) a control device operable to control the at least two drive devices, and wherein the control device includes: a drive control portion operable to control the at least two drive devices such that each of at least one of an actual position and an actual speed of movement of the at least two movable members changes toward a predetermined target value; and a load detecting portion operable to detect a load acting on the at least two movable members during operation of the drive control portion to control the at least two drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Isogai, Noriaki Iwaki, Atsushi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6971161
    Abstract: There are provided a method and device for generating component mounting data in view of productivity, quality assurance, safety, or the like, when components are mounted onto a mounting target, and a component mounting method and device by which a mounting operation can be performed based on the data. Rules that must be observed, or are desired to be observed, based on various conditions such as mounting apparatus and component information and the like are automatically generated in view of productivity, quality assurance, safety, or the like and can be utilized for generation of component mounting data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maenishi, Ikuo Yoshida, Masamichi Morimoto, Makoto Hirahara
  • Patent number: 6971157
    Abstract: When two mounting units for performing a series of component mounting operations constituted of component holding, component recognition, and component placing are arranged, operational control is executed so that, while a component recognition or board recognition operation is performed in either one of the two mounting units, the component placing or component holding operation is not performed in the other of the mounting units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriaki Yoshida, Osamu Okuda, Akira Kabeshita, Takeyuki Kawase
  • Patent number: 6971165
    Abstract: An improved method for manufacturing a matching pair of electrodes comprises the steps of: fabricating a first electrode with a substantially flat surface; depositing islands of an oxidizable material over regions of the surface; depositing a layer of a third material over the surface of the first electrode to form a second electrode; separating the first electrode from the second electrode; oxidizing the islands of oxidizable material, which causes the islands to expand; bringing the upper electrode and the lower electrode into close proximity, whereupon the expanded island of oxidizable material touches the upper surface and creates an insulating gap between the two surfaces, thereby forming a matching pairs of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Borealis Technical Limited
    Inventor: Avto Tavkhelidze
  • Patent number: 6971160
    Abstract: A hybrid integrated circuit fabrication method in which an insulating substrate member and its metallic substrate carrier are made to be mating with precision through use of computer controlled machining performed on each member. A combination of disclosed specifically tailored software and commercially available software are used in the method to generate code for controlling a precision milling machine during the fabrication of substrate and substrate carrier members. The method for precision mating of substrate and substrate carrier enable disposition of a precision recess in the substrate carrier and the location of recess pillars and pedestals (the latter being for integrated circuit die mounting use) at any carrier recess location desirable for electrical, thermal or physical strength reasons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Ryan J. Welch, Tony K. Quach
  • Patent number: 6971159
    Abstract: A tool for inserting electrical wires into an electrical connector for mating with a plurality of electrical contact members fixedly mounted within the electrical connector comprises a base fixture upon which the electrical connector is to be installed, an insertion die holder upon which a set of insertion dies is mounted for encountering and forcing the plurality of electrical wires into the electrical connector, a driving assembly for moving the insertion die holder toward the base fixture so as to cause the set of insertion dies to force the plurality of electrical wires into the electrical connector and mate with the electrical contact members of the electrical connector, and structure fixedly mounted upon the base fixture for engaging the electrical connector so as to precisely locate and laterally immobilize the electrical connector upon the base fixture such that the set of insertion dies can accurately insert the electrical wires into said electrical connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
    Inventors: Anatoly Gosis, James A. Turek
  • Patent number: 6971170
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a printhead for raising its product acceptance rate and improving its quality is provided. The method of manufacturing printheads includes steps of providing a base layer, forming a pattern layer on the base layer by a semi-conductor manufacturing process, forming a dry film of a channel barrier layer having an ink channel, a flow channel and plural ink cavities on the pattern layer; and adhering a nozzle plate on the dry film of the channel barrier layer by thermal compression. The pattern layer further includes a flow pattern and a base pattern surround a central location reserved for the ink channel, wherein the base pattern comprises at least a heating layer and a passivation layer, and the flow pattern is made of the same material and at the same height as the base pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Microjet Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tse-Chi Mou, Ying-Lun Chang, Cheng-Hung Yu, Chin-Yi Chou
  • Patent number: 6968614
    Abstract: A method for positioning an electronic module having a plurality of interconnecting elements into a template. A first portion of the interconnecting elements are aligned with holes in the template and then the first portion of the interconnecting elements are partially inserted into the holes of the template. A second portion of the interconnecting elements are not inserted into the template at this time. Then, the second portion of the interconnecting elements are aligned with holes in the template and then inserted into the holes in the template. Lastly, the electronic module and template are urged together until the first and second portions of the interconnecting elements are fully inserted into the holes in the template. The interconnecting elements may then be tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yori Lacroix, Robert Langlois
  • Patent number: 6966107
    Abstract: Apparatus for merging a disc drive head disc assembly (HSA) with a disc stack. The HSA comprises a flexure which supports a data transducing head and the disc stack comprises a disc having a data storage surface. A merge assembly includes a shipping comb attached to the HSA, the shipping comb having a first alignment member and a first flexure support member. The merge assembly further includes a merge comb having a second alignment member and a second flexure support member. The merge comb is advanced by a robotic arm to a position where the second alignment member engages the first alignment member. This aligns the shipping comb with the merge comb and allows transfer of support of the flexure to the second flexure support member at an elevation suitable to subsequently pass the head in a safe, clearing relationship over the data storage surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan P. Jones
  • Patent number: 6961996
    Abstract: A method for equipping plug housings with fitted-out cables includes an equipping installation downstream of a fitting-out installation and introduces each fitted-out cable end into a first or second plug housing according to an installation sequence. A feeder unit takes a cable loop from a transfer unit moved from the fitting-out installation and transfers the leading cable end to a transfer station and the trailing cable end either to a rotatable store unit or, to the transfer station when it is free. An equipping unit takes over the cable ends in succession at the second transfer station and introduces the cable ends into designed cells of the corresponding plug housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Komax Holding AG
    Inventor: Louis Soriano
  • Patent number: 6961991
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a coil unit includes the first step of disposing a coil between a first frame and a second frame, the second step of pouring liquid resin into between the first frame and the second frame with the coil disposed therebetween, and the third step of curing the liquid resin to thereby fix the first frame, the second frame and the coil to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Fuseya, Hajime Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6961992
    Abstract: A crimp press apparatus with first and second crimping stations includes at each station a device platform with device stations and a crimp press. A cable is advanced by a tape drive whereby the leading cable end is supplied to the first crimping station. After the leading cable end is provided with a crimping contact, the tape drive continues to advance the cable until the desired length of a cable section is reached. A separation and a stripping station separates the cable section from the cable and removes the insulation at the cable ends. The lagging cable end of the cable section is supplied to the second crimping station for assembly with a crimping contact. With the device stations located on a rotatable disk, a change of a type of contact to another type of contact is possible with minimum downtime of the crimp press apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Alois Conte
  • Patent number: 6961993
    Abstract: A device mounting method capable of efficiently, accurately arraying micro-devices on a circuit board is provided. The method includes a device separating step of separating a plurality of LED chips, which have been arrayed with a specific period on a wafer, into individual LED chips while keeping the arrayed state of the LED chips as it is, a device re-arraying step of handling the individually separated LED chips so as to re-array the LED chips at intervals of a value equivalent to the period multiplied by a specific magnification, and a device transferring step of transferring the re-arrayed LED chips on a mounting board while keeping the re-arrayed state of the LED chips as it is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Toyoharu Oohata
  • Patent number: 6959486
    Abstract: An apparatus for gripping temporarily the wire in an armature winding machine. The machine is of the type comprising a gripper formed by an arm (11) having an end (13) connected to a support (14) and the other free end (12) for gripping the wire. The free end (12) moves between a first position where it is approached to a winding zone and a second position where it is withdrawn from the winding zone. The gripper (12) translates then parallel to itself and integrally to the support (14), in vertical direction. The translation is operated by rotation of a driven axis (17) according to a predetermined function movement/time, whereby at each angular position of the axis a position of the gripper (12) univocally corresponds intermediate between the first and second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Atop S.p.A.
    Inventors: Massimo Ponzio, Rubino Corbinelli
  • Patent number: 6959489
    Abstract: A method of making a microelectronic package includes providing a substrate having a plurality of conductive leads at a first surface of the substrate. The conductive leads may have first ends permanently attached to the substrate and second ends remote from the terminal ends, the second ends being movable relative to the first ends of the leads. One or more microelectronic elements having contact bearing surfaces and back surfaces remote therefrom may be juxtaposed with the substrate and the contacts connected with the first ends of the leads. A substantially rigid plate may be attached to the back surfaces of the microelectronic elements. The substantially rigid plate may be moved to a precise height above the substrate to vertically extend the leads. While the plate is maintained at the precise height above the substrate, a spacer material is dispensed between the plate and the substrate. The spacer material is then at least partially cured for holding the plate at the precise height above the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
    Inventors: Masud Beroz, Michael Warner
  • Patent number: 6959484
    Abstract: A vibration control system comprising an actuator, and a sensor useful for controlling vibrations in systems for fabricating electronics equipment. The actuator may comprise one or more plates or elements of electro-active material bonded to an electroded sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Cymer, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald Spangler, Emanuele Bianchini, Baruch Pletner, Betsy Marsh, Robert Jacques