Patents Examined by Sean Vincent
  • Patent number: 6997015
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method for forming substantially striae-free glass substrates that are suitable for optical applications, including use in forming optical elements or structures such as mirrors and platen stage structures that can be used, for example, in EUV lithography. The method includes forming a mixture of silica soot, binder, lubricant and solvent. The homogenized mixture is then extruded through a slit die or mask into a flat planar pre-form, and the extruded pre-form is then consolidated by heating into a substantially full density, substantially striae-free lithography glass substrate structure. The consolidated perform has a substantially uniform coefficient of thermal expansion and is also substantially void free.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Bradley F. Bowden, Seann Bishop, Kenneth E. Hrdina, John F. Wight, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6998102
    Abstract: A process for making transparent porous glass monoliths from gels. The glass is produced much faster and in much larger sizes than present technology for making porous glass. The process reduces the cost of making large porous glass monoliths because: 1) the process does not require solvent exchange nor additives to the gel to increase the drying rates, 2) only moderate temperatures and pressures are used so relatively inexpensive equipment is needed, an 3) net-shape glass monoliths are possible using this process. The process depends on the use of temperature to control the partial pressure of the gel solvent in a closed vessel, resulting in controlled shrinking during drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Paul R. Coronado
  • Patent number: 6997016
    Abstract: Stress exerted on an inner or outer circumferential side of a glass tube 6 is controlled when a glass material 3 is heated and softened by a heating element 41 provided around the glass material 3 and a piercing plug 31 is relatively pressed into a softened region of the glass material 3 to thereby form the glass material 3 into the glass tube 6 gradually. For example, the control of the stress can be carried out by controlling an internal or external pressure of the glass tube 6. As a result, the deformation of the glass tube 6 just after piercing is prevented so that the glass tube 6 can be obtained with high quality. It is also possible to solve the problem that cracks may occur easily at the time of reheating because of residual stress distribution after cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomomi Moriya, Masashi Onishi, Kazuyuki Sohma, Masaaki Hirano, Eiji Yanada, Tadashi Enomoto
  • Patent number: 6993934
    Abstract: Dental glass powders, methods for producing the powders and dental compositions including the glass powders. The powders preferably have a well-controlled particle size, narrow size distribution and a spherical morphology. The method includes forming the particles by a spray pyrolysis technique. The invention also includes dental filler and restorative compositions that include the glass powders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Cabot Corporation
    Inventors: Toivo T. Kodas, Mark J. Hampden-Smith, Quint H. Powell, James H. Brewster, Daniel J. Skamser, Klaus Kunze, Paolina Atanassova, Paul Napolitano
  • Patent number: 6988377
    Abstract: A method for forming EUV LITHOGRAPHY GLASS STRUCTURES WITH VOIDS is disclosed which includes forming a slurry mixture including silica soot particles, and inserting the slurry mixture into a casting mold. The method provides low weight mass reduced rigid glass structures with beneficial thermal stability. The casting mold includes therein a casting form. The casting form is adapted to provide selected geometry void spaces within the glass lithography structure. The slurry mixture is dried to form a green ware object. The casting form is removed from the green ware and the green ware object is consolidated into a lithography glass structure with voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: James J. Bernas, Bradley F. Bowden, Kenneth E. Hrdina
  • Patent number: 6986267
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing an optical element with a lens barrel, in which an optical raw material is placed on a placement portion projecting toward the center of the lens barrel from the inner peripheral surface thereof, and assuming that a distance between the opposing ends of the projection of the placement portion is L1, the outside diameter of the optical raw material is L2, the inside diameter of the lens barrel portion which is positioned close to and above the placement portion and to which the perimeter of the optical element obtained after forming is joined is L3, and the inside diameter of the smallest opening on the upper end side of the lens barrel is L4, design is performed to satisfy a relation of L1<L2<L3<L4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventors: Katsunori Mukasa, Hiroaki Fujita
  • Patent number: 6983623
    Abstract: A valve block assembly includes a cartridge block and a plurality of modular pilot valve operated poppet valve assemblies. The cartridge block has a plurality of bores therein dimensioned and configured for receiving respective modular pilot valve operated poppet valve assemblies. The cartridge block has a first side and each of the bores extend from the first side into the cartridge block. Each of the modular pilot valve operated poppet valve assemblies having a supply air port, an operating air out port and an exhaust passage and each of the modular pilot valve operated poppet valve assemblies are accessible for installation and removal from the cartridge block from the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: SG Alternatives, LLC
    Inventors: Gerald R. Morin, Richard Alan Walker
  • Patent number: 6978640
    Abstract: The invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus for simultaneously making different hollow glass products having different gob sizes comprising at least one feed apparatus (12), that has at least one glass reservoir (14), at least one plunger (18a, b), and at least one appurtenant cutting device (24a, b) in the discharge from the reservoir, at least one conveying means (28) to successively transport at least one of the gobs discharged from the feed apparatus (12) into a plurality of shape-imparting units (32a–c) disposed next to each other for variously sized gobs, at least one controller (22) to control the plunger (18a, b) and the cutting device (24a, b) of the feed apparatus (12), the conveying means (28), and the shape-imparting units (32a–c), and said controller (22) controls the activity of the shape-imparting units (32a–c), the feed apparatus (12), and the conveying means (28) in coordination with the gob-size-specific processing time of the products in the shape-imparting units (32a–c) or their cyc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Heinz-Glas GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Mueller, Alfred Krischke, Wilfried Jungkunz
  • Patent number: 6955066
    Abstract: A method and system for coating a glass contacting surface with a thermal barrier and lubricious coating. The system uses a novel exterior surface mixing tip device wherein oxygen is supplied through a predetermined portion of one supply line, and a predetermined gas is supplied through a predetermined portion of another supply line enveloping the first predetermined portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Inventor: Thomas A. Seeman
  • Patent number: 6948341
    Abstract: A fast (high numerical aperture) cylindrical microlens, which includes an internally reflective surface, that functions to deviate the direction of the light that enters the lens from its original propagation direction is employed in optically conditioning laser diodes, laser diode arrays and laser diode bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Raymond J. Beach, Barry L. Freitas
  • Patent number: 6945077
    Abstract: A method is presented for the treatment of slag from electric steel plants which comprises the following steps: (a) transference of the slag into a metallurgical receptacle; (b) defoaming of the slag in this metallurgical receptacle by adding a defoaming agent, preferably silica; (c) subsequent heating of the slag to make it fluid; and (d) forced cooling of the slag, for example by an aqueous granulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Roth, Guy Denier
  • Patent number: 6936306
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for controlling the pore size, pore size distribution and porosity of aluminum-oxide based ceramics through the choice of substituents on carboxylate-alumoxanes and aluminum-oxide nanoparticles. The method allows for the formation of intra-granular pores in the nanometer range to be created in alumina and aluminum oxide ceramic bodies. The control over pore size and pore size distribution is accomplished through the use of different chemical substituents on the carboxylate-alumoxanes and aluminum-oxide nanoparticles. The size and distribution of pores within the alumina-oxide ceramic are dependent on the identity of the carboxylate substituents. In particular the formation of intra-versus inter-granular porosity is dependent on the identity of the carboxylate substituents. The invention also provides methods for the manufacture of ceramic coatings on ceramic and carbon fibers for composite applications and ceramic membranes with nanometer sized pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Andrew R. Barron, Diane Amy Bailey, Mark Robert Wiesner, Christopher Daniel Jones, Rhonda Lynn Callender
  • Patent number: 6935138
    Abstract: An infra-red absorption glass for a reed switch is suitable for encasement of a reed switch using magnetic wire members made of Fe—Ni based alloy (52 alloy). In the infra-red absorption glass, an infra-red transmittance at a wavelength of 1050 nm is not greater than 10% for a thickness of 0.5 mm and the content of Cl in the glass is not greater than 150 ppm. In the glass, a coefficient of thermal expansion in a temperature range between 30 and 380° C. is preferably 85-100×10?7/° C. In addition, the infra-red absorption glass preferably has a composition consisting essentially of, by weight percent, 60-75% of SiO2, 1-10% of Al2O3, 0-10% of B2O3, 3.5-10% of RO (R being one or more selected from Ca, Mg, Ba, Sr, and Zn), 0.5-5% of Li2O, 8-17% of Na2O+K2O, 2-10% of Fe3O4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Hashimoto, Hiroyuki Kosokabe
  • Patent number: 6935137
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for forming a discharge tube for a low-pressure discharge lamp. In the method, an end of a section of the discharge tube is fastened with first clamping means, and a second end of the section in held in an oriented position. The section is heated to a softening temperature, and a bending moment is exerted on the section between the first end and the second end for achieving the desired radius or direction of curvature of the section. The holding of the second end of the section and the exertion of the bending moment on the section are effected at least partly with another re-solidified section of the discharge tube which is adjacent to the softened first section. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed. The apparatus comprises first and second clamping means for positioning the ends of a bending section of the discharge tube in an oriented position relative to each other, and for exerting a bending moment on the ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: István Kerényi, József Csapó, József Tökés
  • Patent number: 6932932
    Abstract: Method of fabricating at least a honeycomb body include drying a plurality of honeycomb bodies, each having a multiplicity of cells arranged in the shape of a honeycomb and having a wall thickness of 0.125 mm or less, without cracking or wrinkling in the outer peripheral skin portion of the mold. Extrusion-molded argillaceous honeycomb bodies may be dried by placement on porous ceramics trays, having a dielectric loss of 0.1 or less, a porosity of 10% or more and a sectional open area ratio of 50% or more, exposure to at least 70% humidity and simultaneous irradiation with microwaves of 1,000 to 10,000 MHz. Alternatively, extrusion-molded argillaceous honeycomb bodies may be dried by exposure to at least 70% humidity and simultaneous irradiation with microwaves of 1,000 to 10,000 MHz, after which hot air is passed through the cells of the honeycomb bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunao Miura, Satoru Yamaguchi, Hiromi Katou
  • Patent number: 6928836
    Abstract: An apparatus for indicating concentricity of a rotatable glass flow control tube with respect to its axis of rotation on a tube support frame in a glassware forming system includes a base for securement on the tube support frame and a slide mounted on the base for radial movement toward and away from an outside surface of the glass flow control tube. A roller is positioned on the slide for rolling engagement with the outside surface of the flow control tube as it rotates on the frame, and an indicator is coupled to the slide for indicating radial movement of the slide, indicative of radial movement of the tube outside surface with respect to its axis of rotation, as the tube is rotated on the tube support frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen M. Gerber
  • Patent number: 6928837
    Abstract: A silica glass substrate is obtained by polishing, cleaning, drying and etching a silica glass substrate slice. When the substrate on one surface is treated with a reactive reagent, defects having a size of at least 0.3 ?m in a direction parallel to the substrate major surface are absent on the substrate surface. The silica glass substrate, in which no submicron defects manifest on the substrate surface even when treated as by cleaning or etching, serves as a reticle for use in photolithographic IC fabrication, achieving an improved manufacturing yield in the semiconductor device fabrication and microelectronic system fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Takeuchi, Atsushi Watabe, Tetsushi Tsukamoto, Yukio Shibano
  • Patent number: 6923022
    Abstract: A blowhead assembly for receipt over a parison finish to blow the parison within a blow mold and simultaneously cool the parison finish includes a blowhead body having a first chamber at one end for receipt over the finish of a parison in a blow mold, and at least one passage in the blowhead extending to the chamber from a first inlet for directing cooling air onto the external surface of a parison finish in the chamber. A second chamber in the blowhead body is spaced from the first chamber, and at least one second passage in the blowhead body extends to the second chamber from a second inlet for directing blow air into the second chamber. A first tube extends from the second chamber through the first chamber for receipt within a parison finish in the first chamber to feed blow air from the second chamber into the parison. A second tube extends from an exhaust passage in the blowhead body through the second chamber and through the first tube for receiving exhaust air from the parison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: Mark P. Dodd
  • Patent number: 6907754
    Abstract: A cartridge assembly for a blow-and-blow parison-forming machine comprises a cylindrical barrel, an annular lower stop having a central opening for accepting a piston rod and having an upwardly opening tapered recess adjacent the central opening, an annular cylinder cap having a central opening for accepting a thimble and plunger and having a downwardly opening tapered recess adjacent the central opening. The lower stop, cylinder cap, and barrel form a unit. An annular floating piston is arranged to reciprocate within the cylindrical barrel. The floating piston has a lower tapered end for at the lowermost position of the floating piston resting in the upwardly opening tapered recess in the lower stop and an upper tapered end for at the uppermost position of the floating piston resting in the downwardly opening tapered recess in the cylinder cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: Joseph W. Kozora
  • Patent number: 6907756
    Abstract: A plunger for use in forming parisons during the manufacture of glass containers having a biased open valve therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: Joseph W. Kozora