Patents Examined by Timothy H. Meeks
  • Patent number: 7927652
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a field emission electron source, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a substrate, a carbon nanotubes slurry, and a conductive slurry; applying a conductive slurry layer onto the substrate; applying a layer of carbon nanotubes slurry onto the conductive slurry layer; and solidifying the substrate under a temperature of 300 to 600 degrees centigrade so as to form the field emission electron source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yang Wei, Lin Xiao, Feng Zhu, Jie Tang, Liang Liu, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 7927667
    Abstract: This invention generally relates to a spray apparatus and a method useful in the repair of coating adhered to can ends used in the food and beverage packaging industries. The spray apparatus has one or more elongated shafts rotatably coupled to a frame. One or more bearing members are rotatably coupled to the shafts. One or more plates are rotatably coupled to the bearing members. One or more spray guns are coupled to the plates. The spray guns of the spray apparatus are structured to apply fluid to the can end with a solid stream emitted from the spray guns in a circular pattern. A method for the repair of coating adhered on a can end is provided as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Stolle Machinery Company, LLC
    Inventors: Craig Allan McEldowney, Dennis Cornelius Stammen
  • Patent number: 7923075
    Abstract: A rapid and inexpensive technique for generating nanotextured surfaces is disclosed. The technique involves the (1) creation of regular, nanometer-sized template by microwave assisted hydro- or solvo-thermal treatment of polymer films coated on surfaces followed by (2) coating of a layer of metal, metal oxides, polymers and inorganic materials. The nanometer-sized polymer template could be removed to create regularly shaped, hollow nanostructures (e.g., nano-bottles, nano-bowls, nano-holes etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: King Lun Yeung, Ou Dong, Nan Yao
  • Patent number: 7923063
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of making glass. In certain example embodiments, a major surface(s) of the glass is treated with aluminum chloride (e.g., AlCl3). This treating, or application of an aluminum chloride based layer on the glass substrate, may be performed using combustion deposition. The combustion deposition may be performed at or just prior to the annealing lehr in certain example embodiments, or at any other suitable location. The aluminum chloride barrier layer, applied at a desirable glass temperature, helps to reduce sodium leaching or diffusion from the glass during conditions such as high heat and/or humidity, thereby improving the durability and/or stability of the resulting product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignees: Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.), Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: Bernd Disteldorf, Pramod K. Sharma, Nathan P. Mellott
  • Patent number: 7923072
    Abstract: A method for the formation of regular-shaped silver crystals through a wet chemical reaction (Tollen's reaction) is presented. The growth of the Ag crystals (size, morphology and aggregation) can be controlled via adjusting reaction conditions such as temperature and reducing agent concentrations before and during the reactions. The smaller Ag crystals (50-200 nm) were generated under the condition of limited reductive reagent (glucose), and the larger sliver crystals (˜5 ?m) were the aggregated silver nano-particles (100-200 nm) produced at higher reducing agent concentrations. Most of the larger crystals were in the shape of cube or rectangular cube, and rarely, they were in clusters. The smaller crystals (aggregation of Ag atoms) were shaped in cube or/and cone, and both single crystals and clusters were formed. The presence of impurity (TiO2 nano-particles, 25-50 nm) as crystal seeds enables the 3-D growth of large, irregular-shaped Ag clusters (˜5 ?m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventors: Xiaoling Ding, David Fries
  • Patent number: 7923057
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems are disclosed for printing color filters for flat panel displays and avoiding mura effects by depositing a plurality of ink drops on a substrate within a column of pixel wells and intentionally varying the size and/or the relative lateral position of the ink drops deposited in the pixel wells. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kurita, Bassam Shamoun
  • Patent number: 7923062
    Abstract: A display device includes a first plastic substrate including a composite layer having a resin-impregnated fiber fabric, an inorganic barrier layer formed on the composite layer, and a planarizing resin layer formed on the inorganic barrier layer; and a display medium layer formed on the planarizing resin layer-side of the first plastic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinsuke Saida, Noriko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7923068
    Abstract: Methods of constructing composite films including particles embedded in a filler matrix involve preparing a collection of stacked particles, then depositing a matrix material throughout the particle collection using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method so as to substantially completely fill the spaces between the particles with the matrix material. During matrix deposition, a vapor phase etch cycle may be periodically employed to avoid clogging of small pores in the particle collection. New composite materials formed by such methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Lotus Applied Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Eric R. Dickey, William A. Barrow
  • Patent number: 7923076
    Abstract: A plasma deposition apparatus is provided. The plasma deposition apparatus comprises a chamber. A pedestal is placed in the chamber. A plasma generator is placed in the chamber and over the pedestal. The plasma generator comprises a plasma jet for plasma thin film deposition having a discharge direction angle ?1 of 0° to 90° between a normal direction of the pedestal and the discharge direction of the plasma jet. A gas-extracting apparatus is placed in the chamber and over the pedestal. The gas-extracting apparatus comprises a gas-extracting pipe providing a pumping path for particles and side-products having a pumping direction angle ?2 of 0° to 90° between the normal direction of the pedestal and the pumping direction of the gas-extracting pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chia-Chiang Chang, Chin-Jyi Wu, Shin-Chih Liaw, Chun-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 7923059
    Abstract: A method of enabling selective area plating on a substrate includes forming a first electrically conductive layer (310) over substantially all of the substrate, covering sections of the first electrically conductive layer with a mask (410) such that the first electrically conductive layer has a masked portion and an unmasked portion, forming a second electrically conductive layer (710, 1210), the second electrically conductive layer forming only over the unmasked portion of the first electrically conductive layer, and removing the mask and the masked portion of the first electrically conductive layer. In an embodiment, the mask covering sections of the first electrically conductive layer is a non-electrically conductive substance (1010) applied with a stamp (1020). In an embodiment, the mask is a black oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Omar J. Bchir, Houssam Jomaa, Islam A. Salama, Yonggang Li
  • Patent number: 7923077
    Abstract: Production of nanotubes of carbon or of other inorganic material by moving a carbon-containing substrate, such as a tape or belt of carbon fibers, within a reaction chamber either though an electric arc in a gap between two electrodes or adjacent an electrode so that an electric arc exists between the electrode and the substrate, to cause the nanotubes to form on the substrate. The method enables the continuous or semi-continuous production of nanotubes. Preferably, the process is carried out at atmospheric pressure and nanotubes of high purity are produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Canterprise Ltd.
    Inventor: John Abrahamson
  • Patent number: 7919142
    Abstract: Disclosed are an atomic layer deposition apparatus using a neutral beam and a method of depositing an atomic layer using the apparatus, capable of converting an ion beam into a neutral beam and radiating it onto a substrate to be treated. The method uses an apparatus for supplying a first reaction gas containing a material that cannot be chemisorbed onto a substrate to be treated into a reaction chamber in which the substrate is loaded, and forming a first reactant adsorption layer containing a material that cannot be chemisorbed onto the substrate; and radiating a neutral beam generated by the second reaction gas onto the substrate on which the first reactant adsorption layer is formed, and removing a material not chemisorbed onto the substrate from the first reactant adsorption layer to form a second reactant adsorption layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration
    Inventors: Geun-Young Yeom, Do-Haing Lee, Byoung-Jae Park, Kyeong-Joon Ahn
  • Patent number: 7919141
    Abstract: The present invention provides processes and equipments for safely and easily preparing an F2-containing gas, as well as processes and equipments for surface modification using the F2-containing gas prepared. According to the present invention, a gas containing a fluoro compound that is easier to handle than F2 is supplied and the fluoro compound is excited and decomposed to convert it into F2 gas before surface modification and then used for surface modification. According to the present invention, there is no necessity of providing, storing and transporting a large amount of F2 gas in advance because a necessary amount of F2 gas is obtained immediately before surface modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Kanto Denka Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Tanioka, Katsuya Fukae, Taisuke Yonemura
  • Patent number: 7919143
    Abstract: A carrier for an object, preferably a substrate of a semiconductor component such as a wafer, includes a receiving element for the object and gas outlets arranged below the receiving element along the object received. At least sections of the carrier are made of a material which including stabilizing fibers and having a porosity which forms the gas outlets, in order to enable a desired gas to exit from the gas outlets in a dosed and finely distributed manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Schunk Kohlensteofftechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Schneweis
  • Patent number: 7914843
    Abstract: A slit coater having a pre-applying unit and a coating method using the same that minimizes the amount of washing solution used and improves the washing effectiveness of a roller by separating the coating solution attached to a pre-applying roller from the washing solution using a coating solution separating apparatus. The slit coater includes: a table on which an object to be processed is mounted; a slit nozzle applying coating solution onto a surface of the object; a pre-applying unit to which the slit nozzle pre-applies the coating solution; and a coating solution separating unit that separates the coating solution spread when the coating solution is pre-applied to the slit nozzle and discharges the separated coating solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong Kweon Park, Kang Il Cho, Seong Kwon
  • Patent number: 7914845
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing for providing closer head-to-media spacing, and the resulting disk, includes evenly lubricating a magnetic media disk, increasing the viscosity of a selected non-data zone region of the disk, and removing at least a portion of the lower viscosity region of the lubrication layer in a data zone region of the disk, thereby decreasing the thickness of the lubrication layer in the data zone portion of the lower viscosity region, producing a magnetic media disk capable of closer head-to-media spacing in the data zone portion of the lower viscosity region of the lubrication layer than in the non-data zone portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Shane Reiter
  • Patent number: 7914841
    Abstract: A method of forming a coated medical device is described. A coating may be applied inline to a continuous tubing formed by extrusion, prior to cutting and secondary operations. Thus, inefficient and labor-intensive steps associated with preparing individual tubes for coating may be avoided. The method may include forcing a flowable material through an exit port of an extruder, depositing a coating onto at least a portion of the continuous length of extruded tubing after the tubing is forced through the exit port, cutting the coated tubing to a desired length after depositing the coating, and performing one or more secondary operations on the coated tube at a temperature in the range of from about 15° C. to about 375° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Scott E. Eells, David R. Lessard
  • Patent number: 7914848
    Abstract: A tape-manufacturing system for coating at least one tape substrate such as, for example, for the manufacture of a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) conductor is disclosed. The tape-manufacturing system includes at least two electron beam (e-beam) deposition sources, at least one assist source and, optionally, a controller. Each e-beam deposition source may be in-process repairable. Each e-beam deposition source is capable of communicating an evaporant material with at least a portion of at least one tape substrate to deposit a coating thereon. The at least one assist source is capable of communicating a beam of a species to the coating. The controller communicates with the at least two e-beam deposition sources and the at least one assist source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Superpower, Inc.
    Inventor: Venkat Selvamanickam
  • Patent number: 7914842
    Abstract: Polymer materials form electrode array bodies for neural stimulation, especially for retinal stimulation to create vision. The method lays down a polymer layer. Apply a metal layer to the polymer and pattern to create electrodes and leads. Apply a second polymer layer over the metal layer and pattern to leave openings for electrodes. The array and its supply cable are a single body. A method for manufacturing a flexible circuit electrode array, is: deposit a metal trace layer on an insulator polymer base layer; apply a layer of photoresist on the metal trace layer and pattern the metal trace layer and form metal traces on the insulator polymer base layer; activate the insulator polymer base layer and deposit a top insulator polymer layer and form a single insulating polymer layer with the base insulator polymer layer; wherein the insulator polymer layers are heated at 80-150° C. and then at 230-350° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc
    Inventors: Robert J. Greenberg, Neil Hamilton Talbot, Jordan Matthew Neysmith, Jerry Ok, Brian V. Mech
  • Patent number: 7910157
    Abstract: In the present invention, an insulating material is applied onto a substrate in a coating treatment unit to form a coating insulating film. The substrate is heated in the heating processing unit, whereby the coating insulating film is hardened partway. A brush is then pressed against the front surface of the coating insulating film in a planarization unit and moved along the front surface of the coating insulating film, thereby planarizing the coating insulating film. The substrate is then heated to completely harden the coating insulating film. According to the present invention, the coating film can be planarized without using the CMP technology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shouichi Terada, Tsuyoshi Mizuno, Takeshi Uehara