Patents Examined by Sadie Childs
  • Patent number: 5128179
    Abstract: A nickel-base superalloy is subjected to a diffusion chromizing that supplies a chromized diffusion case, the outer surface of which contains excess alphachrome phase, and then contacting the diffusion case with an aqueous solution of alkali metal permanganate and alkali metal hydroxide until the desired amount of alphachrome phase is eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Alloy Surfaces Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Alfonso L. Baldi
  • Patent number: 5039561
    Abstract: Method of preparing an article comprising a substrate bearing a microlayer which comprises uniformly oriented, crystalline, solid, organic microstructures. The microstructures may be mono- or polycrystalline. In the preferred embodiment, the microstructures are of uniform shape and size. The articles can be prepared by (1) vapor-depositing an organic compound as a thin, continuous film onto a substrate to provide a composite, and (2) annealing the composite in a vacuum sufficiently to induce a physical change in the original deposited film to form the microstructures. The microlayer can be overcoated with other materials to provide desired properties to the article. Articles of this invention are useful for many forms of light trapping, energy absorption, imaging, data transmission and storage, and gradient index applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Mark K. Debe
  • Patent number: 5013584
    Abstract: A method for treating permeable plastics and other porous materials to provide solid barriers within the materials that reduce permeability. One method involves migrating a first gas reactant into the material and migrating a second reactant into the material wherein the first and second reactants react at a reaction interface to form a solid reaction product which provides reduced gas permeability for the material. Embodiments are disclosed in which gaseous reactants are migrated from opposite sides of the material to form an internal gas impermeable barrier. Embodiments are also disclosed where the reactants are sequentially migrated into the material to produce gas impermeable barriers. Swelling of the materials prior to treatment with reactants is also disclosed in order to maximize permeation and reactant migration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: John E. Wreede, Edward T. Knobbe
  • Patent number: 5009927
    Abstract: A thin film of an electrically conductive material (16) is applied to form an electrically conductive surface (22) on a surface (18) of a polymer coated fabric (14). The method involves coating a woven glass fiber fabric (14) with a polymer solution (6), curing the polymer solution on the glass fiber fabric and then depositing the electrically conductive material onto the cured polymer surface, typically by a sputtering technique, to form a flexible, electrically conductive fabric (24). This method helps to ensure that when the electrically conductive material is applied, the electrically conductive surface formed is continuous and is of a controlled, generally constant, thickness. The substantial continuity of the electrically conductive surface is maintained even when the electrically conductive fabric is flexed during subsequent manufacturing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Hexcel Corporation
    Inventors: Willard C. Cloyd, Robert M. Nelson
  • Patent number: 4996081
    Abstract: In an integrated circuit process a composite dielectric layer is formed on a monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous silicon substrate by thermally growing a first silicon nitride layer from a surface layer of the silicon and then depositing a layer of amorphous or polycrystalline silicon. A second nitride layer is thermally grown from the deposited silicon to form a nitride-silicon-nitride, termed nitsinitride, composite dielectric. At least a top layer of the nitsinitride dielectric can be oxidized to produce an alternative composite dielectric, termed oxidized nitsinitride. Variation of the thickness of the dielectric layers and/or repeating the layering process sequence results in composite dielectrics of different thicknesses and dielectric properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Inventors: Joseph P. Ellul, Sing P. Tay
  • Patent number: 4983423
    Abstract: A porous inorganic membrane for use with a membrane device having a porous support, the membrane including refractory particles bound to each other and to the support by a thermally reactive inorganic binder which reacts at a temperature below that at which the refractory particles react. Further, a method of forming a porous inorganic membrane on a support by applying a coating of a mixture of refractory particles and a thermally reactive inorganic binder to the support. The inorganic binder reacts at a first temperature lower than a second temperature at which the refractory particles sinter. The method further includes firing the support to a firing temperature at least as high as the first temperature and less than the second temperature to react the inorganic binder, and cooling the support to form the porous membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: CeraMem Corporation
    Inventor: Robert L. Goldsmith
  • Patent number: 4983422
    Abstract: Aluminum oxide ceramic composite articles having high flexural and tensile strength are produced by introducing a liquid aluminum oxide precursor material into a ceramic reinforcement fabric, curing the precursor material at an elevated temperature, and converting the cured precursor material to an aluminum oxide ceramic by pyrolysis at temperatures which do not result in the degradation of the reinforcement material. Such ceramic composite articles are particularly useful for applications requiring a low dielectric constant and a high mechanical strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Assignee: Kaiser Aerotech
    Inventors: H. O. Davis, Marvin Pennell
  • Patent number: 4979893
    Abstract: The lumen maintenance of fluorescent lamps containing yttrium vanadate phosphors is markedly improved by the presence of a protective oxide layer for the phosphor. The protective oxide layer is produced by evaporating aluminum isopropoxide, in a vacuum, over phorphor particles forming a continuous aluminum isopropoxide over the phosphor particles. The isopropoxide coating is subsequently oxidized by lehring the phosphor at a temperature from about 500.degree. C. to 625.degree. C. forming an alumina coating on the phosphor particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated
    Inventors: Romano G. Pappalardo, Thomas E. Peters, Roger B. Hunt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4978558
    Abstract: Methods for selectively applying a diffusion aluminide coating to the surface of a metal article while keeping other article surfaces free of the coating are described. The method includes the steps of injection molding a mixture of materials onto the surfaces which are to be kept free of coating; the material comprises solid particles effective in preventing deposition of the coating onto the surfaces and a moldable amorphous thermoplastic resin; it contains no volatilizable solvents. The mixture is applied to the article surface to a thickness of about 5 millimeters. It is useful in pack diffusion as well as vapor phase diffusion aluminide coating operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Foster P. Lamm
  • Patent number: 4970097
    Abstract: Fibrous glass substrates are coated with a substantially unhydrolyzed, hydrolyzable mixture of a silicon alkoxide and a titanium alkoxide and the coating is then hydrolyzed and cured. This provides the glass substrate with a long flex-life, abrasion resistant coating making the fibers of utility for use in forming filter bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation
    Inventor: Marie R. Kalinowski
  • Patent number: 4966789
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a pair of seal members (10 and 12) such as a pair of disks which control the fluid flow of a faucet. The two seals are formed of a moderately hard material (14), such as stellite, ceramic materials, metal materials or synthetic materials, which can be precisely ground to a particular finish. At least one of the seal members (10) is coated with a thin layer (16) of very hard material such as silicon carbides, metal carbides, metal nitrides, or cubic crystallographic lattice carbons. The coating layer is applied through either physical or chemical vapor deposition. This process provides seal disks with low friction coefficients thereby eliminating the need to provide a lubricant between the cooperating surfaces of the disks. In addition, adhesion between the seals is eliminated despite the smooth surface finish of the disks. Thus, the disks formed through the process improve operation of the faucet or valve utilizing cooperating seal disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1990
    Assignee: Masco Corporation of Indiana
    Inventors: Alfons Knapp, Gunter Buzzi
  • Patent number: 4965095
    Abstract: Workpieces are very rapidly diffusion coated by heating the packed workpiece at a rate that brings the workpiece to diffusion-coating temperature and then completing the diffusion coating, all in less than 50 minutes, then cooling. Workpiece can have top coating layer of aluminum flake covered by a layer of extremely fine alumina or silica in a magnesium chromate binder, to provide surface having roughness at least about 10 micro-inches smoother than before the top coating. Used aluminized jet engine hot section members can be reconditioned by a fluoridizing treatment that deoxidizes and also removes residual aluminizing, so that the members can then be repaired if necessary and re-aluminized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Alloy Surfaces Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Alfonso L. Baldi
  • Patent number: 4963394
    Abstract: A method for producing thin metal films by vapor-deposition or vacuum metallization in a recipient wherein the partial pressure of the water vapor is set at the beginning of and during the process of vapor-deposition so that the metal layer is deposited in a controlled fashion such that the mechanical stresses occurring in the metal layer are minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Josef Willer
  • Patent number: 4961971
    Abstract: A method of making a polymeric composite wherein the polymeric composite is more oxidatively stable. The method comprises reacting aluminum, titanium, silicon, or zirconium with HBr or HI.sub.2, oxidizing the reaction product to form a hydrosol and applying the hydrosol to the fiber surface prior to incorporation in a polymeric composite. The composite exhibits greater oxidative stability as it is exposed to temperatures of about 100.degree. C. to about 900.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Roscoe A. Pike
  • Patent number: 4957777
    Abstract: The selective or blanket deposition of titanium silicide using a Very Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition process is described. Silane and titanium tetrachloride are used as the silicon and titanium sources, respectively. A thin polysilicon layer is deposited prior to the silicide deposition to promote the nucleation of titanium silicide. It is shown that selective deposition is possible by controlling the polysilicon and the titanium silicide deposition times. The resulting titanium silicide films have resistivities in the range of 15-25 micro-ohms-cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Vida Ilderem, L. Rafael Reif, Prabha K. Tedrow
  • Patent number: 4957780
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process in which an internal reactor is disposed within a chemical vapor deposition reactor including means for enclosing a reaction chamber and means for heating the reaction chamber. The position at which the internal reactor is disposed relative to the heating means is selected to provide control of the temperature within the internal reactor. At least two solid precursor materials are placed in the internal reactor and are contacted with at least one precursor gas, reactive with the solid precursor materials to produce at least two reactant gases. These gases are directed to the reaction chamber to react with one or more additional reactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1990
    Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated
    Inventors: Vinod K. Sarin, Charles D'Angelo, Helen E. Rebenne
  • Patent number: 4956201
    Abstract: Method of producing a niobium component having passageways therein, including providing a refractory metal niobium alloy member having slots formed within its outer surface portions, inserting a paste of powdered vanadium into the slots, sintering the powdered vanadium paste, depositing a layer of niobium over the vanadium in the slots and over the outer surface portions of the member by chemical vapor deposition, and removing the vanadium from the slots by acid leaching to produce the niobium component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vincent Frick
  • Patent number: 4956204
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition method is characterized in that a heating block and a surface to be deposited of a substrate are arranged to face to each other at a given distance in a closed space, a source gas is guided into the closed space and supplied between the heating block and the substrate, thereby depositing a thin film on the surface to be deposited of the substrate. A chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a heating block arranged in a closed space, a substrate holder for holding a substrate so that a surface to be deposited of the substrate is arranged to face to the heating block at a given distance, and a device for guiding a source gas to the closed space. In this CVD apparatus, the source gas guided by the device is guided to the closed space and supplied between the heating block and the substrate, thereby depositing a thin film on the surface to be deposited of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Amazawa, Hiroaki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 4950507
    Abstract: Disclosed is a metallic coating method comprising the steps of applying a color coating composition, applying a metallic coating composition containing a metallic pigment to the layer of the color coating composition and applying a clear coating composition to the layer of the metallic coating composition, the method being characterized in that the color coating composition is able to form a layer having a Munsell value of 0 to 6; that the metallic coating composition contains a metallic pigment and a vehicle as main components, the metallic pigment being iron oxide particles of hexagonal platelike shape which contain at least 80% by weight of .alpha.-iron oxide crystals; that about 90% by weight or more of the metallic pigment has a longitudinal size of about 30 .mu.m or less and 40% by weight or more of the pigment has a longitudinal size of about 5 to about 15 .mu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki, Kansai Paint Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shizuo Miyazaki, Kazuyuki Kuwano, Norio Fujita
  • Patent number: 4950499
    Abstract: A compliant sealing material with low or no gas permeability and low spring rate is made by coating a metal such as gold, on the surface of a polymer sheet. The metal acts as a complete gas barrier on an atomic level, and the polymer provides structural integrity and mounting attributes without detrimentally increasing compliance. A small number of metal atoms injected at a moderate energy into the near surface of the polymer act as link sites for joining subsequent lower energy atoms forming an impermeable layer. The total heat delivery to the polymer is minimized thereby preserving integrity and continuity. The material is particularly useful in micromechanical devices where high flexibility is needed with complete sealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: The Foxboro Company
    Inventors: John R. Martin, Richard A. Anderson