Patents Examined by Shawntina Fuqua
  • Visual feedback for process control in RTP chambers
    Patent number: 9735034
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for visual lamp failure detection in a processing chamber, such as an RTP chamber. Visual feedback is facilitated through the use of a wide-angle lens positioned to view lamps within the process chamber. The wide-angle lens is positioned within a probe and secured using a spring in order to withstand high temperature processing. A camera coupled to the lens is adapted to capture an image of the lamps within the process chamber. The captured image of the lamps is then compared to a reference image to determine if the lamps are functioning as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kim Vellore, Dinesh Kanawade, Stephen Moffatt, Aaron Miller, Leonid M. Tertitski, Norman L. Tam, Michael Liu, Colin Fox
  • Measurement device for determining oven heating parameters
    Patent number: 9726379
    Abstract: A measurement device for determining heating parameters of an oven may generally include a support plate and at least one sensor cup coupled to the support plate. The sensor cup may define a liquid well for receiving a volume of liquid and may include a bottom wall defining a floor of the liquid well. In addition, the measurement device may include a temperature sensor positioned adjacent to the floor of the liquid well such that the temperature sensor is configured to be in fluid contact with at least a portion of the volume of the liquid received within the liquid well. The temperature sensor may be configured to monitor a temperature of the liquid as the liquid is heated and evaporates from the sensor cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Joshua Stephen Wiseman, James Lee Armstrong, Stephen Bernard Froelicher
  • Heater module for heater of fluid infusion apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
    Patent number: 9730273
    Abstract: The present invention includes: a laminated structure of an insulation substrate; a resistance pattern laminated on one side of the insulation substrate with a pure metal or an alloy which is a mixture of two or more metals at a predetermined ratio and having a resistance value which is set by a pattern having a length and a cross-sectional area; a first insulator layer coated on an upper surface of the resistance pattern by a predetermined method to protect and insulate the resistance pattern; a conductor layer in which a metal material is deposited on the upper surface of the first insulator layer by a predetermined method; and a thin film protective layer deposited on the upper surface of the conductor layer to provide insulation from the conductor layer, waterproofing, corrosion resistance, and chemical resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Inventor: Yong Il Cho
  • Multi-zone pedestal for plasma processing
    Patent number: 9725806
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a heated pedestal is provided. In one embodiment, the heated pedestal includes a body comprising a ceramic material, a plurality of heating elements encapsulated within the body, and one or more grooves formed in a surface of the body adjacent each of the plurality of heating elements, at least one side of the grooves being bounded by a ceramic plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Xing Lin, Bozhi Yang, Jianhua Zhou, Dale R. Dubois, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Ramprakash Sankarakrishnan
  • Aerosol delivery device including a positive displacement aerosol delivery mechanism
    Patent number: 9717276
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices. The aerosol delivery devices include mechanisms configured to deliver an aerosol precursor composition from a reservoir to an atomizer including a heating element to produce a vapor. An actuator may displace a rod to dispense the aerosol precursor composition to the atomizer. Thereby, the rod may move a piston in a pump housing to dispense the aerosol precursor composition. The atomizer may define a chamber in which the heating element is positioned and at which the aerosol precursor composition is vaporized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: David Allan Brammer, David Jackson, Nigel John Flynn, Eric T. Hunt, Stephen Benson Sears, Dennis Lee Potter
  • Appliance user interface
    Patent number: 9709284
    Abstract: A user interface for an appliance is provided for displaying information about multiple operating states of a feature of the appliance within an area for selecting the operative state of the feature. More particularly, a portion of the user interface may be configured both to display a feature's current state and to allow a user to change the state of the feature in the same physical location. A cooktop appliance with features for displaying a selected size, heating element, and/or power density of a cooking zone of the cooktop appliance co-located within an area for selecting the size, heating element, and/or power density of the cooking zone also is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: James Carter Bach, Ashley Wayne Burt
  • Glow plug
    Patent number: 9702557
    Abstract: A glow plug (1) provided with heat-producing coil (9) inside tube (7). When a vertical cross-section including a center axial line CL2 is observed, a specific cross-sectional region (21) satisfies a>b, where a (mm) is a length along a direction of an axial line CL1, and b (mm) is a length along a direction perpendicular to the axial line CL1. In addition, an inner appearance line (221) of the specific cross-sectional region 21 satisfies R>a/2 in a range positioned between predetermined points P1 and P3, wherein R (mm) is a curvature radius. Moreover, 0.100<L/b?0.144 is preferably satisfied, wherein L (mm) is a distance from the inner appearance line through a virtual straight line VL, allowing an area of a region close to the inner appearance line in the region (21) to be 10% of an entire area of the region (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yumi Sugiyama
  • Occupancy sensing with heating devices
    Patent number: 9701232
    Abstract: A system comprising: a heater located within a steering wheel and a heater located within a vehicle seat; wherein the steering wheel is a first plate and the vehicle seat is a second plate and a shift in a signal is monitored from the first plate, the second plate, or both so that a presence and absence of an occupant is detected, and wherein the heater in the steering wheel and the heater in the vehicle seat are a sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Gentherm GmbH
    Inventors: Jack Barfuss, Grzegorz Kawa, Syed Rafat Iqbal
  • Substrate temperature control apparatus including optical fiber heating, substrate temperature control systems, electronic device processing systems, and methods
    Patent number: 9698041
    Abstract: Substrate temperature control apparatus including optical fiber temperature control are described. Substrate temperature control apparatus includes a base, a thermal contact member proximate to the base, and a plurality of optical fibers adapted to provide light-based heating extending laterally between the base and thermal contact member. Substrate temperature control systems and electronic device processing systems and methods including optical fiber temperature control are described, as are numerous other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew Busche, Wendell Boyd, Jr., Vijay D. Parkhe, Michael R. Rice, Leon Volfovski
  • Heated roll
    Patent number: 9693393
    Abstract: A heated roll with a circular cylindrical casing tube 1 made from thermally conductive metal, which is closed at its end faces with caps 2, 3. One or more electric heating mats 8 are arranged inside the casing tube 1. By at least one connection pin 5, which is arranged at one cap 2, connection cables 11 are guided for supplying the heating mats 8 with electric power. Annular brushing bodies 7 are fastened at the connection pin 5 and serve for the electric contacting of the connection cables 11. A tensioning device 9, 14, 15 is arranged inside the casing tube 1, which presses the heating mats 8 permanently against the interior surface of the casing tube 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bürkle GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Stortz, Marcel Scheerer, Michael Plocher
  • Infrared heater appliance, particularly suitable for use in areas at risk of explosion
    Patent number: 9693392
    Abstract: An infrared heater appliance with airtight chamber, includes a bulb housed in a shell (2) constituted by a cap (3) and a closure lid (4), wherein a safety valve (10) is provided, mounted on the cap (3), suitable for discharging externally the overpressure that may be caused in the airtight chamber due to the heat generated by the infrared bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: STAR PROGETTI TECNOLOGIE APPLICATE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Vittorio Iolli
  • Heater and glow plug with the same
    Patent number: 9689570
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heater including a heating element of which a main component is V, Nb, Ta, Mo, or W, leads bonded to respective ends of the heating element, and an insulating base in which the heating element and the lead are embedded, in which the heating element and the insulating base are formed of a sintered body which is integrally sintered, the heating element includes a compound including at least one of V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, or Fe, which is an element different from the element used as the main component of the heating element, and the element is substantially not included around the heating element in the insulating base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Akio Kobayashi
  • Multi-pane, multi-geometry goggle eye-shield
    Patent number: 9678367
    Abstract: A multi-pane, multi-geometry eye-shield adapted to be installed into a frame of an eye-shield, such as a goggle for protecting user's eyes, comprising a spherical anterior outer eye-shield member, a cylindrical posterior inner eye-shield member, an irregular-shaped gasket member between the anterior and posterior eye-shield members forming a water-tight and air-tight semi-annular space therebetween. The posterior cylindrical inner eye-shield member may further be adapted for heating to reduce condensation comprising a thin-film, electrically conductive heating element, such as Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), and electrical contact members to connect the thin-film heating element to a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Abominable Labs, LLC
    Inventor: Jack C. Cornelius
  • Multipurpose insulated cooler/heater bag and associated method
    Patent number: 9669986
    Abstract: A cooler and heater bag includes a dry storage compartment, a cold storage compartment inside the dry storage compartment, a bottle warming compartment inside the dry storage compartment, a flexible shoulder strap having a first end anchored to the dry storage compartment, and a fastener attached to the dry storage compartment as well as anchored to a second end of the shoulder strap respectively. The fastener and the second end of the shoulder strap contemporaneously move along a bidirectional linear path defined along a top surface of the dry storage compartment. The dry storage compartment is in fluid communication with one of the cold storage compartment and the bottle warming compartment. The first side wall is oppositely spaced from the second side wall wherein each of the first side wall and the second side wall are located inside the dry storage compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Inventor: Angela Evans
  • High-frequency heating device with range hood
    Patent number: 9674901
    Abstract: A high-frequency heating device with a range hood is equipped with a heating chamber, a magnetron for supplying high-frequency power, a chamber illumination device disposed adjacent, from outside, to a wall of the heating chamber, and an LED illumination device which is disposed in a bottom portion of the main body and illuminates a heat-cooking device. The LED illumination device uses light-emitting diode elements, and illumination light emitted from the LED illumination device is concentrated by a reflection plate whose surface is plated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masato Yamauchi
  • Heatable window with high-pass frequency selective surface
    Patent number: 9673534
    Abstract: An electrically conductive coating of an automotive heatable windshield having a frequency selective surface area that facilitates the transmission of radio frequency signals. The FSS area may be a high-pass filter such that RF signals at any polarization can pass through the glazing over a wide frequency band. The FSS area is defined by a pattern in the conductive coating such that, when the conductive coating is used to heat the windshield, electrical current flows through the FSS area to mitigate hot and cold spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Pittsburgh Glass Works, LLC
    Inventors: David Dai, Peter T. Dishart, Kaushal Mehta
  • Sealed housing and method of producing the same
    Patent number: 9655263
    Abstract: A sealed housing of an electric heating device to be installed in a motor vehicle includes a housing lower part and a housing cover abutting on the housing lower part via an intermediate sealing element. An elongate positive locking element, which interconnects the housing lower part and the housing cover in a form fit manner, is provided between opposed contact surfaces of the housing lower part and a housing cover. The positive locking element abuts on the contact surfaces under a pretensioning force caused by compression of the sealing element. A method of producing a sealed housing also is disclosed via which the contact surfaces move into contact with the elongate positive locking element under a pretensioning force of the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Eberspacher catem GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Franz Bohlender, Michael Niederer
  • Fajita meal serving apparatus
    Patent number: 9635980
    Abstract: A fajita meal serving apparatus comprises a thermally-insulative serving platter defining an upper recessed area configured for securely receiving and supporting a serving plate, a two-way drawer disposed in a cavity under the upper recessed area of the serving platter, where the two-way drawer defines a circular recess configured for holding tortillas. The apparatus further includes first and second diametrically opposed handles formed in the serving platter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Brian Butler
  • Direct writing bus bars for screen printed resin-based conductive inks
    Patent number: 9630701
    Abstract: A method for providing an electrical connection for conductive ink includes direct writing a bus bar onto areas of a desired electrical connection of the conductive ink. The conductive ink is screen printed onto a dielectric film to create a conductive circuit. An aircraft heated floor panel includes at least one floor panel of an aircraft. The one floor panel includes a conductive circuit having a conductive ink including a bus bar directly written onto areas of a desired electrical connection of the conductive ink. The conductive ink is screen printed onto a dielectric film to create a conductive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventor: Jin Hu
  • Low profile pass-through electrical connector
    Patent number: 9623975
    Abstract: A low profile pass-through electrical connector is designed for aerospace applications. The connector allows voltage and current to pass-thru a conductive wing surface, while maintaining a low profile height for aerodynamic performance considerations. Examples of applications of the electrical connector include power for thin film heaters and communication antennae applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Brett Burton, Andrew Cox, Darren Wolfe