Patents Examined by Wendy Boss
  • Patent number: 6670020
    Abstract: A honeycomb body configuration includes an intermediate layer for reducing transmission of heat from a honeycomb body to a housing by heat radiation and prevents erosion of ends of the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer has a plurality of layer portions formed from at least one metal sheet and at least one layer of ceramic material. The intermediate layer preferably includes a thermally insulating layer portion, a metal sheet and a swell mat. Ends of the metal sheet cover at least one of the layer portions at the end. The invention is particularly suitable for supporting honeycomb bodies of thin wall ceramic for uses close to the engine in exhaust gas cleaning systems of motor vehicles. It is, however, generally also suitable for the thermal insulation of honeycomb bodies of all kinds with respect to a housing. A sandwich structure, in particular for a honeycomb body configuration, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Emitec Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Maus
  • Patent number: 6667089
    Abstract: A composite panel (10) and a method for forming the panel are described. The panel (10) comprises an inverted tray (14) of composite material such as fibre reinforced plastic. A transparent or translucent surface layer (12) is provided on the top surface (16) of the tray (14). A block of honeycomb (20) with a backing sheet (22) is bonded within the cavity defined by the top surface (16) and the side walls (18) of the tray (14). The panel may be illuminated by using an electro-luminescent film as the backing sheet (22) or by placing LEDs (30) in the cells (34) of the honeycomb material (20). The composite panel (10) may be used as flooring, to create partition walls, or simply as decorative panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: B Consultants Limited
    Inventor: Tom Barker
  • Patent number: 6660414
    Abstract: A dielectric thin film material for high frequency use, including use as a capacitor, and having a low dielectric loss factor is provided, the film comprising a composition of tungsten-doped barium strontium titanate of the general formula (BaxSr1−x)TiO3, where X is between about 0.5 and about 1.0. Also provided is a method for making a dielectric thin film of the general formula (BaxSr1−x)TiO3 and doped with W, where X is between about 0.5 and about 1.0, a substrate is provided, TiO2, the W dopant, Ba, and optionally Sr are deposited on the substrate, and the substrate containing TiO2, the W dopant, Ba, and optionally Sr is heated to form a low loss dielectric thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Xiao-Dong Xiang, Hauyee Chang, Chen Gao, Ichiro Takeuchi, Peter G. Schultz
  • Patent number: 6656564
    Abstract: A ceramic honeycomb structure (1) constituted by cell walls (ribs) (2) forming a composite structure from a plurality of cells (3) being adjacent each other and a honeycomb outer wall (4) surrounding and holding the outermost peripheral cells located at the circumference of the composite structure; said composite structure satisfying the followings: the basic thickness of the cell walls (2) (the basic cell wall thickness) (Tc) is Tc≦0.12 mm, the outer wall thickness (Ts) of the honeycomb structure is Ts≧0.05 mm, and the open frontal area (P) is P≧80%, and there is a relation shown by formula: 1.10≦(Tr1˜Tr3-20)/Tc≦3.00 between the basic cell wall thickness (Tc) and each cell wall thickness (Tr1˜Tr3-20) of cells existing between an outermost peripheral cell and any cell within a first end cell from a third cell to a twentieth cell extending inwardly, taking the outermost peripheral cell as a first starting cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihito Ichikawa, Takahiro Kondo, Makoto Miyazaki, Masahiro Shirai
  • Patent number: 6656298
    Abstract: A thin-walled honeycomb structure includes: a circumferential wall, numerous partition walls disposed inside the circumferential wall, and numerous cell passages defined by the partition walls. A circumferential portion of the honeycomb structure is reinforced wholly or in a part within a certain distance from an extremity surface of the honeycomb structure by a reinforcing material that dissipates or evaporates at a high temperature, and a method for producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihito Ichikawa, Koichi Ikeshima
  • Patent number: 6649244
    Abstract: A ceramic honeycomb catalyst carrier wherein a porosity is 20% or less and an average surface roughness (Ra) of a partition wall of the carrier is 0.5 &mgr;m or more is obtained by forming ceramic raw materials to obtain a ceramic honeycomb formed body; drying the ceramic honeycomb formed body to obtain a ceramic honeycomb dried-up body; roughening a surface of the partition wall of the ceramic honeycomb dried-up body by exposing the ceramic honeycomb dried-up body in an airflow in which polishing powders are included; and sintering the ceramic honeycomb dried-up body after a surface treatment, or, by forming ceramic raw materials to obtain a ceramic honeycomb formed body; drying and sintering the ceramic honeycomb formed body to obtain a ceramic honeycomb sintered body; and roughening a surface of the partition wall of the ceramic honeycomb sintered body by exposing the ceramic honeycomb sintered body in an airflow or a water flow in which polishing powders are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Hamanaka, Kyoko Makino, Yasushi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 6641939
    Abstract: The invention relates to the utilization of doped alumina for static charge sensitive applications, and to methods for making and using the same, e.g., for varying the electrical conductivity of alumina by doping with an appropriate transition metal oxide and subsequently heating to high temperatures in a reducing environment. This treatment allows the electrical conductivity to be tailored and thus provides a cost effective means for producing components with controlled resistivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: The Morgan Crucible Company PLC
    Inventors: Cheng-Tsin Lee, Randel F. Mercer
  • Patent number: 6638606
    Abstract: A hardcoat for a plastic substrate film is provided which has good suitability for printing and satisfactory hardness, can prevent influence of the deformation of a plastic substrate film from extending to the hardcoat, and is resistant to cracking and peeling. The hardcoat is produced from a coating component containing one or more organic components having a polymerizable functional group and an inorganic filler, at least one of the organic components being free from a hydrogen bond-forming group. In the hard coat, the content of the inorganic filler in the surface of the hardcoat is higher than that in the interior of the hardcoat. The hardcoat can be applied to antireflection films and hologram labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Yoshihara, Yurie Ota, Nobuko Takahashi, Noboru Kunimine, Satoshi Shioda, Mikiko Hojo
  • Patent number: 6630222
    Abstract: An acoustic medium for temporary acoustic treatment of a room is formed from one or more continuous curtains, preferably, with pleated first and second major surfaces. Each pleated curtain preferably has one or more series of collapsible elongated tubular sections which form the pleats that make up the major surfaces of the curtain. Since the elongated tubular sections are collapsible, the curtain can be retracted by collapsing the elongated tubular sections and extended by opening the elongated tubular sections. The mat materials forming the elongated tubular sections and the pleated major surfaces of the curtain provide the curtain with an airflow resistance through the curtain, in a direction generally perpendicular to the planes containing the apexes of the pleats forming the first and second major surfaces of the curtain, that has the desired properties for absorbing or reflecting sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Johns Manville International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Michael Fay, Lawrence J. Gelin
  • Patent number: 6630221
    Abstract: An article of manufacture comprising an expandable sag-resistant nucleus-forming monolithic composite capable of being located within a hollow interior portion of a structural material and being expanded therein. Also, articles of manufacture comprising open-cellular structural material containing within the open-cell or cell thereof, at least one expandable sag-resistant nucleus-forming monolithic composite. The composite is desirably in the shape of a plug that is similar or close to similar to the shape of the hollow interior. In addition, there is described a process that comprises forming a pre-shaped expandable sag-resistant nucleus-forming. monolithic composite for use in reinforcing and stiffening a normally open-cellular structural material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Dexter Corporation
    Inventor: Raymon S. Wong
  • Patent number: 6627144
    Abstract: The present invention provides a carbon heating element having an arbitrary specific resistance and an arbitrary shape which are arbitrary necessary as a heating element, and a method of producing the same. The carbon heating element is obtained by uniformly dispersing one or at least two metal or metalloid compounds into a composition having shapability and showing a high yield of a carbon residue after firing, shaping the dispersed material-containing mixture thus obtained, and firing the shaped material under a nonoxidizing atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Suda, Osamu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6627315
    Abstract: The following artificial stone having a deep color tone and a glaze and having a luminousness is provided at low costs. An artificial mixture in which a fine powder component of an inorganic material having a size of from 5 to 70 mesh is used, the sum of this fine powder component and a finely divided component of an inorganic material of 100 mesh-under is 89% by weight or more of the product and a resin component is 11% or less is struck and integrated into a cured slab which has been cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Doppel Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mieko Sakai
  • Patent number: 6623876
    Abstract: The invention concerns a mechanical part with abrasionproof surface characterized in that it comprises a sintered metallic body obtained from metallic powders and a laser-deposited cermet coating. The coating has a certain thickness whereof a portion is metallurgically bound with the metallic body. The laser deposit enables the sintered part to be surface-melted under the effect of the laser beam. The surface of the sintered part to be coated is therefore fused over a thickness ranging between 10 &mgr;m and 1 mm, which enables the surface pores to be closed, as is characteristic of sintered parts, thereby increasing its resistance to shocks. Moreover, the small surface coated at a given moment by the laser enables the self-hardening of the exposed part, following the beam displacement, by the heat-sink effect of the surrounding metallic volume. The resulting coating also has very low porosity owing to the complete fusion of the powders by laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Invegyre Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Caron
  • Patent number: 6620482
    Abstract: The present invention includes a safety system for airports and airfields. The present invention includes a method for installing an aesthetically pleasing artificial turf that retards birds and other animals and a sub-surface that supports the weight of an aircraft, enhances water drainage and enables the accessibility of airport vehicles to all parts of a runway or taxiway. The present invention also includes the sub-surface being adapted to slow the motion of a runway airplane. The present invention further includes a repelling artificial turf, which includes the artificial or synthetic fibers as well as stiff fibers or fibers otherwise uncomfortable for an animal or bird to land on, walk on or lay on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: AvTurf LLC
    Inventors: Patrick J. Carr, Dale L. Collett, William L. Schomburg, Thomas M. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 6607809
    Abstract: A tile with a transparent glass body having a smooth front face and a three-dimensional design impressed on the rear face that is viewed through the front face. The impressed design is further defined by a layer of decorative glass materials fused to the impressed design as well as some or all of the rear face. An overlay of glass material is fused to and follows the topography of, the decorative glass materials layer and/or the rear face of the glass tile body, sandwiching the decorative glass materials layer between the glass tile body and the glass material overlay. Once fused; the glass material overlay, the decorative glass materials layer and the glass tile body meld to become one homogenous glass layer, comprising the tile, that cannot delaminate. The resulting glass tile is similar in use and durability to ceramic tile while adding the ability to carry a protected, three-dimensional design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Inventor: Chris Baker-Salmon
  • Patent number: 6607804
    Abstract: A filter having two zones, the first zone having a low electrical conductivity and the second zone having a high electrical conductivity at electrode attachment zones due to infiltration of metal within the second zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Thomas Josef Heimbach Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung & Co.
    Inventors: Walter Best, Oliver Benthaus, Wolfgang Schäfer, Uwe Schumacher
  • Patent number: 6605340
    Abstract: To ensure that a camouflage structure will not lose its effectiveness even in changing temperatures (day/night, sunshine/clouds) when protecting against reconnaissance in the IR range, the camouflage structure features varying emissivity tendencies in the atmospheric windows II (3-5 um) and III (8-14 um). In other words, the emissivity in the IR range is not constant and at a certain level, but it has an increasing or decreasing tendency in at least one selected spectral range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft
    Inventor: Fritz Heiniger
  • Patent number: 6605170
    Abstract: Curled decorative grasses and methods for producing same are disclosed wherein the curled decorative grasses have improved bulk and simulate Spanish moss in color and appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6599611
    Abstract: A method of making a composite structure from a support structure or a plurality of support structures laid side-by-side on a base, is disclosed. The support structure is formed from frameworks each comprising a tube of a flexible material divided by dividing walls of a flexible material into an array of compartments. The frameworks are then filled with a suitable filler material. The frameworks have compartments with three different sizes which have advantages in the construction of certain composite structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Inventor: Alethea Rosalind Melanie Hall
  • Patent number: 6599609
    Abstract: A stack assemblage of metallic, paper, or paper-like sheets or strips of material secured to one another to define a honeycomb core structure when the assemblage is expanded and flange tabs provided on the opposite edges of said stack. When the stack is expanded, the flange tabs can be deformed into flange orientation on the opposite edges of said stack. The method of fabricating the flange tabs and flanges on the assemblage and the expanded core structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Inventor: Jeffrey Don Johnson