Patents Examined by Sean Smith
  • Patent number: 6389689
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor package is provided, which realizes a small-size semiconductor package without performance deterioration, to meet a tendency to miniaturization of electronic products in which semiconductor packages are mounted, such as communication apparatus and computer, provides a new type of compact multi-pin semiconductor package as large as a semiconductor chip mounted thereon, and accomplishes a semiconductor package having multi-function to minimize its mounting area on an electronic product, resulting in minimizing of the products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Amkor Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Young Wook Heo
  • Patent number: 6389688
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately registering electronic chip bonding pads with substrate leads. Images are developed of different portions of the interface between the electronic chip and the substrate by reflecting collimated, parallel light from the bottom of the chip through transparent areas of the substrate. Image analysis of the composite, superimposed images from spaced positions containing the bonding pads and the leads provide a corrective positioning after which the electronic chip and substrate are brought into contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Micro Robotics Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nilendu Srivastava, Cyriac Devasia, Sung Ping Sun
  • Patent number: 6381841
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for efficiently placing a respective fuzz button into each of a high number of button holes on a fuzz button contactor while also efficiently filtering out defectively shaped fuzz buttons. The fuzz buttons are placed into rows of a predetermined number of button holes on the fuzz button contactor. A slot plate has the predetermined number of slots aligned as a row of slots, and fuzz buttons are placed into each of the slots of the slot plate. The present invention also includes a contactor jig having at least one row of the predetermined number of jig holes. These jig holes are disposed on the contactor jig as a mirror image of the at least one row of the predetermined number of button holes on the fuzz button contactor when the contactor jig is properly aligned with the fuzz button contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Seok Hiong Tan, Siew May Fong, Chew Hsia Fung
  • Patent number: 6378182
    Abstract: A method of applying a matching layer to a transducer includes placing the transducer on a fixture and covering the transducer with a stencil so that an opening in the stencil allows access to a metal-coated, piezoelectric surface of the transducer, and so that the stencil is affixed to the transducer surface. A roughly cylindrically shaped bead of epoxy is extruded onto the stencil at a predetermined distance from the opening, and a blade is positioned upstanding relative to the transducer surface and located so that the bead lies between the blade and the opening. The fixture is moved laterally so that the blade rolls the bead across the exposed transducer surface to form a layer of epoxy thereon. The fixture can then be moved back in the opposite direction to its initial position if desired. The assembly can also be subjected to a vacuum before the fixture is returned to its initial position. If desired, the fixture can be designed to vibrate during movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Scimed Line Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Don S. Mamayek, Veijo Suorsa
  • Patent number: 6364320
    Abstract: A work head for a machine for shaping objects. The work head has pincher elements actuated by an operating member which is, mounted to slide coaxially inside the body of the work head, and which is hollow to allow the passage of a tube or object that is to be shaped. The pincher elements may be made of a single piece consisting of a pincher arm and an operating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Euromatic S.r.l.
    Inventor: Iwan Domken
  • Patent number: 6343414
    Abstract: A snap-disk formation assembly and method provides feedback control of a snap-disk form station in communication with an exercise station and coupled to a feedback station. A disk blank is inserted into a pocket and loaded into a dial fixture which travels along a communication axis between the form station, the exercise station, and the feedback station. The pocket holds the metal disk while a snap-disk reset side and a trip side are formed and exercised. A feedback station determines actual snap forces for one or both sides of the disk and provides feedback control to the form station to bring successively formed disks within desired manufacturing tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald E. Nice, Richard T. Kidwell
  • Patent number: 6339982
    Abstract: A cutting mechanism having a movable carriage and two cutters. Each cutter has an anvil that opposes a blade, and one of these is a roller that rolls against the other for progressively biasing material against the blades, producing cuts through the material. The rollers are rotatably mounted to the carriage, which is mounted to a lead screw that controls the position of the carriage. As the carriage moves across the material, the rollers roll, and the material is cut. The space between the anvil and the blade of at least one of the cutters can be varied to disengage that cutter so that the rolling of the roller will not cut the material. The engagement and disengagement of the cutter is dependent on the position of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Esselte NV
    Inventors: Clive Graham Angel, Clive Lawrence Ayling, Graham Scott Gutsell
  • Patent number: 6336870
    Abstract: The present invention provides a golf ball having high whiteness and having good appearance without using white paint. The present invention relates to a golf ball comprising a core and a cover formed on the core, wherein the cover contains 1 to 7 parts by weight of titanium dioxide, 0.001 to 0.5 parts by weight of blue pigment and 0.00001 to 0.005 parts by weight of red pigment, based on 100 parts by weight of ionomer resin, at a weight ratio of the blue pigment to the red pigment of 99.99/0.01 to 95/5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries
    Inventors: Naoki Kato, Satoshi Iwami, Kuniyasu Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6332264
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to manufacture sliders having excellent properties with accuracy and to improve the production efficiency and facilitate handling of intermediate products during slider manufacturing steps. In a method of the invention 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: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoh, Kazuo Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 6324748
    Abstract: A MEMS actuator is provided that produces significant forces and displacements while consuming a reasonable amount of power. The MEMS actuator includes a microelectronic substrate, spaced apart supports on the substrate and a metallic arched beam extending between the spaced apart supports. The MEMS actuator also includes a heater for heating the arched beam to cause further arching of the beam. In order to effectively transfer heat from the heater to the metallic arched beam, the metallic arched beam extends over and is spaced, albeit slightly, from the heater. As such, the MEMS actuator effectively converts the heat generated by the heater into mechanical motion of the metallic arched beam. A family of other MEMS devices, such as relays, switching arrays and valves, are also provided that include one or more MEMS actuators in order to take advantage of its efficient operating characteristics. In addition, a method of fabricating a MEMS actuator is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Vijayakumar R. Dhuler, Robert L. Wood, Ramaswamy Mahadevan
  • Patent number: 6324756
    Abstract: A system and method for providing plastic ball grid array (“PBGA”) packages is disclosed. In one aspect, the method and system provide a plurality of PBGA packages. Each of the plurality of PBGA packages including a semiconductor die and a portion of a substrate. The semiconductor die is electrically coupled to the portion of the substrate. The portion of the substrate has an edge. In this aspect, the method and system include forming the plurality of PBGA packages on the substrate and separating the portion of the substrate for each of the plurality of PBGA packages. The portion of the substrate for one of the plurality of PBGA packages is separated from the portion of the substrate for another of the plurality of PBGA packages by a gap. In a preferred embodiment, the gap is created by punching the substrate. The method and system further include filling the gap with a moisture sealant and cutting the moisture sealant to separate the plurality of PBGA packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Xia Li, Ranji Gannamani
  • Patent number: 6321438
    Abstract: A method of applying a matching layer to a transducer includes placing the transducer on a fixture and covering the transducer with a stencil so that an opening in the stencil allows access to a metal-coated, piezoelectric surface of the transducer, and so that the stencil is affixed to the transducer surface. A roughly cylindrically shaped bead of epoxy is extruded onto the stencil at a predetermined distance from the opening, and a blade is positioned upstanding relative to the transducer surface and located so that the bead lies between the blade and the opening. The fixture is moved laterally so that the blade rolls the bead across the exposed transducer surface to form a layer of epoxy thereon. The fixture can then be moved back in the opposite direction to its initial position if desired. The assembly can also be subjected to a vacuum before the fixture is returned to its initial position. If desired, the fixture can be designed to vibrate during movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Don S. Mamayek, Veijo Suorsa
  • Patent number: 6321441
    Abstract: A method of forming a key comprising the steps of: depositing an electroless metallic layer on an upper surface of a substrate; removing the metallic layer from selected portions to expose the substrate, said exposed portions of the substrate defining the image of an indicia; depositing a second metallic layer on the remaining portions of the first metallic layer by electrolysis; and coupling a lower surface of the substrate to an element for actuating a switch. A device for tactile actuation by a user, having an element, for activating a switch, coupled to a body supporting a metallic layer for tactile actuation by a user, wherein the metallic layer extends over an upper surface of the body and wherein at least one aperture extends through the metallic layer to said upper surface thereby defining at least one visible indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
    Inventors: Brian Davidson, Jeff Mabbot
  • Patent number: 6319102
    Abstract: The cryogenic aerosol substrate cleaning system of the present invention includes a substrate support system that is disposed within a cleaning enclosure. A wafer, or other article to be cleaned is disposed upon the substrate support system. A cryogenic aerosol spray cleaning device is disposed within the enclosure to direct a cryogenic aerosol spray upon the surface of the wafer. The substrate support system includes an electrically floating chuck which supports the wafer, such that the chuck is separated from a grounded plane by an insulator. The chuck is capacitance-coupled to the grounded plane, and in alternative embodiments the chuck is also electrically coupled to the grounded plane. The substrate support system of the present invention acts to reduce the creation of tribocharges on the wafer, such that damage to wafers caused by such tribocharges is reduced and a cleaner wafer surface is created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jih-Shiuan (Sam) Luo
  • Patent number: 6314639
    Abstract: A dense semiconductor flip-chip device is provided with a heat sink/spreading/dissipating member which is formed as a paddle of a metallic paddle frame in a strip of paddle frames. Dice are bonded to the paddles by e.g. conventional die attach methods, enabling bump attachment and testing to be conducted before detachment from the paddle frame strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David J. Corisis
  • Patent number: 6314637
    Abstract: The invention relates to a chip resistor which is used as a circuit part for various electric apparatuses. The object of the invention is to realize a low resistance and a low TCR, and also high accuracy and high reliability. In order to achieve the object, a chip resistor is configured so as to have: a substrate; a resistance layer which is formed on at least one face of the substrate and which is made of a copper nickel alloy; upper-face electrode layers which make surface contact with the upper faces of both the end portions of the resistance layer; and end-face electrodes which are formed so as to cover the upper-face electrode layers. Since the bonding between the resistance layer and the upper-face electrode layers is conducted by metal-to-metal bonding, particularly, impurities which may affect the Properties do not exist in the interface. As a result, it is possible to realize a chip resistor which is excellent in heat resistance, and which has a low resistance and a low TCR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suzushi Kimura, Koji Shimoyama, Naotugu Yoneda, Keiichi Nakao
  • Patent number: 6314636
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electric heater assembly with a plurality of electric heating units includes the steps of providing a tray-like support (1) and moulding microporous thermal and electrical insulation material into the support. The tray-like support (1) is formed with a number of dish-like recesses (2), each dish-like recess comprising a base (4) and a surrounding wall (5). The microporous thermal and electrical insulation material is moulded into each dish-like recess to form a base layer (6) against the base (4) of each dish-like recess and an upstanding wall layer (7) against the surrounding wall (5) of each dish-like recess, the base layer (6) being formed integrally with the wall layer (7). At least one electric heating element (12) is provided in each dish-like recess (2), the heating element being supported on or adjacent to the base layer (6). The electric heater assembly is adapted for use behind a plate (10) to provide a plurality of discrete heating zones on the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Ceramaspeed Limited
    Inventor: John Thomas Hughes
  • Patent number: 6311390
    Abstract: Thermistor chips are produced by first obtaining elongated strips made of a sintered ceramic plate having a specified resistance-temperature characteristic and having thereon a plurality of mutually parallel grooves extending perpendicularly to its direction of elongation. On each of these strips, ohmic electrodes are formed, one extending continuously from one of its main surfaces to one of its side surfaces and another extending continuously from the other oppositely facing main surface to the opposite side surface. This may done by covering the strip completely with an electrically conductive film and separating it into two areal parts by forming a longitudinally extending slit on each of the main surfaces. These strips are then stacked one on top of another by aligning the grooves on each of these strips and adhesively attached together with a glass paste in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Abe, Takahiko Kawahara, Toshiharu Hirota
  • Patent number: 6295721
    Abstract: A fuse structure and process for forming it are described. The fuse is formed from a compound layer of aluminum and chromium. These two layers are shaped to form a stripe that bridges a gap between two copper dual damascene connectors. By controlling the degree of overlap between the stripe and the connectors the conductance of heat from the stripe into the connectors can be varied, thereby allowing control of the manner in which the fuse blows when irradiated. Since there is no copper in the fuse material, blowing a fuse does not introduce unprotected copper sources into the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Chao-Chieh Tsai
  • Patent number: 6293005
    Abstract: A method and a resulting communication cable is disclosed which provides multiple degrees of control of fluid wicking propensity within the interior of the cable by impregnating the cable with a sealing composition and curing the sealing composition therein. The cable includes a central strata, a penultimate strata and an ultimate strata concentrically disposed. The central strata includes a central signal transmission medium circumscribed by a dielectric having an etched exterior surface. The penultimate strata includes a braided conductor circumscribing the dielectric and an inner jacket surrounding the braided conductor and including an etched exterior surface. The penultimate strata further includes at least one non-continuous zone of sealing composition impregnated into the braided conductor and bonding with the etched exterior surface of the dielectric. The ultimate strata includes a braided sheath circumscribing the inner jacket and an outer jacket surrounding the braided sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Bently Nevada Corporation
    Inventors: Dave Van Den Berg, Thomas Eldridge, Scott Evans