Patents Examined by Terry J. Owens
  • Patent number: 5540951
    Abstract: A method of supplying a liquid dispersive medium of fine particles onto the surface of a substrate having a flat surface, forming a liquid thin film and controlling the liquid thickness of the liquid dispersive medium through evaporation, for example, thereby assembling the particles in a two-dimensional manner. By controlling the liquid thickness of the liquid dispersive medium of the particles, it is possible to cause rapid two-dimensional assembly of the particles, and in addition, to control the order of particle size in the assembly. Fixing of the assembly permits the formation of a film structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignees: Research Development Corporation of Japan, Kuniaki Nagayama
    Inventors: Kuniaki Nagayama, Ivan B. Ivanov
  • Patent number: 5516573
    Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing product includes an asphalt-based substrate such as asphalt-saturated fiberglass or cellulose felt, a non-asphalt, thermoplastic, water-resistant adhesive on the surface of the asphalt-based substrate, and a plurality of roofing granules embedded in the asphalt such that the adhesive provides an interface between the asphalt and roofing granules. The adhesive is present in an amount sufficient to improve the adhesion of the roofing granules to the asphalt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Billy L. George, Stefan A. Babirad, Vincent J. Laraia, Jr., Wilson S. Bigham
  • Patent number: 5516555
    Abstract: Films are coated on substrates, useful for applications such as packaging, having a substantially continuous inorganic matrix in which organosilicon moieties are discontinuously dispersed. The inorganic matrix is formed by evaporating an inorganic source within a evacuated chamber while at the same time flowing vaporized organosilicon into the chamber adjacent to an electrically isolated substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Felts
  • Patent number: 5503875
    Abstract: A film is formed on a substrate by supplying a plurality of processing gases into a processing container and forming the film on the substrate from the processing gases while exhausting a portion of the gases out of the processing container. Before a partial pressure of a byproduct in the processing container produced through chemical reaction of the processing gases reaches an equilibrium state, the partial pressure of the byproduct in the processing container is temporarily reduced by temporarily suppressing or stopping the supply of at least one of the processing gases into the processing container and exhausting gas from the processing container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Tohoku Limited
    Inventors: Masayuki Imai, Toshiharu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 5498758
    Abstract: A method for applying a cold end lubricating coating to glassware articles on which a hot end metal oxide coating may have been applied includes conveying the glassware articles through a heated vapor deposition chamber provided by thermally isolating a conveyer portion. Lubricating coating material, such as a fatty acid, is liquified in a heated reservoir inside a heated tank which also contains a heated vapor chamber. The reservoir and vapor chamber are separated by an internal wall of the tank. At least one flow of the liquefied coating material is directed to at least one vaporizer positioned on the tank adjacent to the reservoir and vapor chamber. The liquefied coating material is vaporized by feeding a flow of pressurized air to each vaporizer such that vaporous particles of liquefied coating material are entrained in the air. The air and entrained vaporous particles are directed to a vapor deposition chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Alltrista Corporation
    Inventors: Addison B. Scholes, Joseph Lamirand, Duane Saltsgaver
  • Patent number: 5496594
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for corona-activated chemical vapor deposition. A substrate is positioned in a reaction vessel in all-around spaced relationship from the walls of the vessel. A cage having throughgoing perforations surrounds the substrate and is spaced from the vessel walls and the substrate. A corona discharge is generated along at least an inner surface of the cage by connecting the cage and substrate with a voltage source. A reaction gas mixture is passed through the cage and a coating is formed from the reaction gas mixture on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Widia GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Ko/ nig, Hendrikus van den Berg, Ralf Tabersky
  • Patent number: 5496587
    Abstract: A method for coating plastic sheet material such that an article formed from the plastic sheet material and having interior and exterior surfaces will have a metallic appearance. Two layers of ink are applied to the surface of the sheet material which will form the interior surface of the article. The first layer is applied by lithographic printing in a pattern which includes open spaces, and has a color which will form the base color of the article. The second layer is a solid layer applied over the first layer by lithographic or screen printing in a color which is the base color of a metal such that the color of the second layer will be visible from the exterior surface of the article through the spaces provided in the first layer to thereby imitate a metallic finish on the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Cimmaster Sports Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur Leung
  • Patent number: 5494520
    Abstract: A film coating apparatus and feed system therefor which comprise:(a) a feeder for dispensing a particulate material at a substantially uniform rate;(b) a jet mill which receives the particulate material from the feeder, wherein the jet mill processes the particulate material by breaking up particle agglomerations and by dispersing substantially uniformly the particulate material into a carrier fluid to result in a processed particulate material;(c) a substrate coating assembly comprising a rotatable applicator; and(d) a tubing having a material receiving end to receive the processed particulate material from the jet mill and a material feeding end to dispense the processed particulate material to the substrate coating assembly, wherein the feeding end is adjacent the surface of the applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Lamendola, Eugene A. Swain
  • Patent number: 5495550
    Abstract: A flash evaporator vaporization vessel for flash evaporating metal under conditions of repeated thermal cycling having a graphite body, an outer layer of pyrolytic boron nitride and an intermediate layer of a material selected from the group consisting of pyrolytic graphite, boron carbide (B.sub.4 C), tantalum carbide, and silicon carbide and having a thickness of no greater than about 0,002 inches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Advanced Ceramics Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Mariner, Douglas A. Longworth
  • Patent number: 5494728
    Abstract: A method for making asphalt fibers includes supplying molten asphalt to a rotating asphalt spinner at a temperature between about 270.degree. F. and about 500.degree. F., centrifuging asphalt fibers from the asphalt spinner, and collecting the asphalt fibers. A method for integrating asphalt with reinforcement fibers includes establishing a moving veil of reinforcement fibers, such as glass fibers, and centrifuging asphalt fibers from a rotating asphalt spinner positioned within the veil of reinforcement fibers such that the asphalt is integrated with the reinforcement fibers. A method for making asphalt roofing shingles includes assembling together a mat of asphalt fibers with a mat of reinforcement fibers, coating the assembled mats to form an asphalt coated sheet, applying granules to the asphalt coated sheet, and cutting the asphalt coated sheet into roofing shingles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn R. Vermilion, Kevin P. Gallagher, Frederick H. Ponn
  • Patent number: 5493630
    Abstract: A resistance heated evaporator includes a body of graphite having a generally rectangular geometry with opposite ends each of which has four sides. A coating of pyrolytic boron nitride covers substantially the entire surface of three of the sides at each end so as to form a channel which provides structural support at each end. At least one side at each end remains open for electrical contact to a power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Advanced Ceramics Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Mariner, Timothy J. Hejl
  • Patent number: 5492724
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for the controlled delivery of vaporized chemical precursor to a low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) reactor. A flow of liquid precursor containing dissolved inert gas is passed through a restrictor element. The dissolved inert gas is released from the liquid precursor at or near the downstream side of the restrictor element. The inert gas is separated from the liquid precursor, thereby producing a continuous flow of liquid precursor, and this flow is fed into an inlet of a-vaporizer. The vaporized precursor is delivered into an LPCVD reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Klinedinst, Joseph E. Lester
  • Patent number: 5492606
    Abstract: Method for self-stabilizing deposition of a stoichiometric compound by reactive sputtering using a cold plasma. A reactive gas is supplied to a target, the instantaneous power applied to the target is cyclically reduced and increased at a frequency sufficiently low that a reaction between the target material and the reactive gas takes place on the surface of the target, and the product of the reaction is then sputtered off the surface of the target and onto a substrate. The alternating decrease and increase of the instantaneous power applied to the target at low frequency provides for self-stabilizing deposition of the reaction product on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine
    Inventors: Bruno Stauder, Frederic Perry, Claude Frantz, Alain Billard, Philippe Pigeat, Gerard Henrion
  • Patent number: 5493117
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for glow discharge treatment of opposite surfaces of a moving web such as a plastic film or metallic sheet. The web moves in a vacuum housing between two rows of elongated electrodes arranged in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the web. Coolant flows through an elongated hollow space in each electrode. The electrodes are fitted into a single common socket which is removably attached to the vacuum housing. A shielding member made of metallic material covers only the part of each electrode which is laterally offset to a side of the web. Each shielding member is connected to ground via a conductor and is spaced away from the outer peripheral surface of each electrode by a gap which is sufficiently small to prevent discharging of electricity from occurring in the gap when the web is subjected to glow discharging treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tamaki, Sumitaka Tatsuta
  • Patent number: 5492721
    Abstract: Enamelled wire is produced using almost solvent-free fusible resins. Molten resin is pumped from a supply reservoir against the direction of movement of the wire with part of the resin coating the wire. The raw wire is preheated to a temperature near the melting temperature of the molten resin. Excess resin is returned to the supply reservoir after the resin coating the wire has been calibrated to a predetermined circumferential dimension. The resin coating the wire is then hardened. The coating apparatus includes a raw wire guide, a demineralized water bath, an annealing furnace having a protective steam atmostphere, a cooling water bath, a wire preheater, an enameling stove, a heated resin reservoir, a resin applicator and a winding-on machine. The resin coating is applied under closed system conditions, thereby substantially reducing emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: MAG Maschinen und Apparatebau Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventors: Herbert Berthold, Hans-Peter Pichler
  • Patent number: 5491003
    Abstract: An optical recording medium having a recording film composed of a mixture of a metal and an oxide or alternating layers of a metal and an oxide is formed by vacuum evaporation or sputtering from separate metal and oxide sources without inducing an oxidation-reduction reaction between the metal and oxide. The oxide has a standard enthalpy of formation which is higher than that of an oxide obtained by oxidizing the metal. Information is recorded by irradiating portions of the film with a laser beam so as to cause an exothermic oxidation-reduction reaction between the metal and oxide, thereby causing an optically detectible change in the optical constant of the film at the portions irradiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuo Akahira
  • Patent number: 5482781
    Abstract: Process for restrengthening damaged paper, in which the aged, acid-damaged friable paper is treated with a solution containing isocyanate or with isocyanate vapour. Isocyanates having two or more isocyanate groups are preferably used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Battelle Ingenieurtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Jurgen Wittekind, Karl-Heinz Scherer
  • Patent number: 5480683
    Abstract: A process for reducing the coefficient of friction and the wear between a metal part and an organic polymer- or copolymer-based part, in an aqueous medium containing chlorides, characterized in that the organic polymer- or copolymer-based part is submitted to a surface treatment by ionic implantation of elements selected from nitrogen, argon, oxygen and carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Nitruvid
    Inventors: Claude Chabrol, Marc Robelet, Robert Leveque, Anne L. M. Pichat nec Nedelec, Jean F. E. Rieu, Louis M. Rabbe, Andre Rambert
  • Patent number: 5478700
    Abstract: A method of applying bonding agents, such as solder pastes and conductive adhesives, to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits uses a bonding agent injection head which includes a wiping guide, a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and an evacuation path ahead of the nozzle slit in a direction of movement of the injection head. A permanent mask with cavity openings is applied around conductive pads on a carrier. The conductive pads correspond to chip attachment sites. The injection head is brought into contact with a surface of the mask, and pressure is applied to a bonding agent in the injection head. The injection head is then moved over the surface of the mask, filling cavity openings with the bonding agent. The evacuation path ahead of the nozzle slit lets air out of the cavity openings as the cavity openings are filled with bonding agent. The injection head is then removed from the surface of the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Gaynes, George D. Oxx, Mark V. Pierson, Jerzy Zalesinski
  • Patent number: 5476547
    Abstract: A gas feeding device for feeding to a reaction vessel a starting gas for film formation by chemical vapor deposition. The gas feeding device is connected to a container which contains an organometallic compound, and has a plurality of gas introducing openings for introducing a carrier gas into the container for carrying vaporized organometallic compound into the reaction vessel. The gas feeding device includes an accelerating device which selects a carrier gas introducing route into the container through at least one of the plurality of gas introducing openings for accelerating the generation of the starting gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuo Mikoshiba, Kazuo Tsubouchi, Kazuya Masu