Patents Examined by Zidia Pittman
  • Patent number: 6513695
    Abstract: A terminal pressure-welding apparatus is provided, which includes: a first pattern; a second pattern facing the first pattern, one of the first and second patterns is provided approachably and disapproachably with respect to the other thereof; a mounting portion to mount the other of the first and second patterns; a displacing member carrying the one of the first and second patterns and being movable relatively to the other of the first and second patterns; and a stopping means to check an abutment of the first pattern and the second pattern, wherein a terminal metal fitting and an end portion of an electric wire are placed between the first and second patterns, and the terminal metal fitting and the end portion are pressure-welded by making the first and second patterns approach each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuaki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 6513696
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bonding head for a wedge wire bonding apparatus in which the bonding force of the transducer assembly, and also the clamping force of the wire clamping assembly are provided by permanent magnet motors including a coil formed as part of the transducer assembly and the wire clamping assembly respectively and with the coils located between magnets fixed to a bond head bracket member. The use of permanent magnet motors to provide the bonding and clamping forces results in apparatus in which the bonding and clamping forces can be controlled with high accuracy and reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: ASM Assembly Automation Ltd.
    Inventors: Wing Cheung Ho, Gary Peter Widdowson, Chun Ho Ho, Chi Chung Mok, Siu Yan Ho
  • Patent number: 6512196
    Abstract: Laser cutting device for cutting a glass substrate of a liquid crystal display, and methods for cutting a glass substrate using that device. The device includes a vacuum chuck rotatably mounted for securing bonded first and second substrates, a rotating member for rotating the vacuum chuck, and a laser for directing a laser beam onto the first and second substrates into cut the substrates held by the vacuum chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: LG. Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae Hwan Yoon, Jeong Hyun Kim, Youn Gyoung Chang
  • Patent number: 6509114
    Abstract: A cylindrical lithium-ion battery with excellent safety where abnormal heat generation and remarkable deformation of a battery container do not occur even at an abnormal time is provided. When an average diameter of a winding group 6 is A mm, an inner diameter of the battery container 5 is B mm, a longitudinal length of the winding group 6 except for lead pieces extending from the winding group 6 is H mm, and the number of windings where a layer of one unit comprising a negative electrode member/separator/negative electrode member/separator is wound around a shaft core 11 is W, a calculation value K obtained by a formula; K=(B−A)×(10000/(W×H) is set to 0.89 or more. When the calculation value K is 0.89 or more, a gap (B−A) between an outer periphery of the winding group 6 and an inner periphery of the battery container 5 that enables the winding group 6 to expand in its diameter direction at an abnormal time is properly secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nakai, Takeshi Nakano, Kensuke Hironaka
  • Patent number: 6499644
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for desoldering electronic components from a substrate. A vacuum is used to enhance the flow of a hot gas under an electronic component to reflow the solder connections attaching the electronic component to a substrate. Water vapor is added to the hot gas to increase the heat capacity of the hot gas. A system for periodically changing the direction of flow of the hot gas and vacuum under the electronic component is used to uniformly heat the solder connections. A method and apparatus for depositing underfill material between an electronic component and the substrate on which the electronic component is mounted. A vacuum is applied to enhance the flow of underfill material into the space between the electronic component and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wilton L. Cox, Joseph D. Poole, Kris A. Slesinger
  • Patent number: 6497356
    Abstract: A controlled attenuation bonding tool for bonding a fine wire to a substrate. The bonding tool comprises a first cylindrical section having a substantially uniform first diameter and a second cylindrical section with a substantially uniform second diameter less than the first diameter. The second cylindrical section is coupled to an end of the first cylindrical section and has a planar area along at least a portion of a length of the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Kulicke & Soffa Investments, Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Miller, Gil Perlberg
  • Patent number: 6497355
    Abstract: A control is provided for a friction stir welding apparatus comprising a pin tool which includes a shoulder and a rotating pin extending outwardly from the shoulder of the pin tool and which, in use, is plunged into a workpiece formed contacting workpiece members to stir weld the members together. The control system controls the penetration of the pin tool into the workpiece members which are mounted on a support anvil. The control system includes a pin length controller for controlling pin length relative to the shoulder and for producing a corresponding pin length signal. A pin force sensor senses the force being exerted on the pin during welding and produces a corresponding actual pin force signal. A probe controller controls a probe extending outwardly from the pin, senses a parameter related to the distance between the probe and the supporting anvil and produces a corresponding probe signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: R. Jeffrey Ding, Peter L. Romine, Peter A. Oelgoetz
  • Patent number: 6497354
    Abstract: In a bonding tool which bonds a component to a substrate by urging and vibration, a through hole is formed in the horn. An adhesion section is fit into a lower section of the hole and an engaging section is fit into an upper section of the hole, so that a sealed inner space is formed inside the hole by tightening an outer screw. An adhesion hole open to a bonding section communicates with a sucking hole of the horn via the inner space, so that a simply structured vacuum-adhesion-system can be formed. These mechanics do not lose replaceablility of the adhesion section detachable to the horn. As a result, the adhesion section can be replaceable as an independent part (urging terminal), and a bonding apparatus as well as a bonding tool having the simply structured vacuum-adhesion-system can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Takahashi, Kenichi Otake, Takatoshi Ishikawa, Makoto Okazaki
  • Patent number: 6492615
    Abstract: A desired portion of a stent may be polished by irradiating at least a portion of the surface of the stent substrate with a laser beam from the laser at a wavelength absorbed by the stent substrate to cause a controlled level of melting of the surface of the stent substrate and allowing the substrate material to solidify.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Aiden Flanagan
  • Patent number: 6491208
    Abstract: A process (30) for the repair of a component part (36,66) incorporating a cold spray process step (50) for depositing material particles (54) to fill a discontinuity (40) in the part surface (42) or to create a desired surface geometry (78) on the part (66). The cold spray process may be controlled to provide a grit blasting effect prior to depositing the material in order to remove contaminants (48) from the surface of the part. The material deposited (56) by the cold spray process may form a joint (78) between an insert (72) and the part (66). The process may be used to repair parts made of directionally solidified (DS) or single crystal (SC) base material (44) without causing a re-crystallization of the base material. The process may further be used to deposit repair material (56) over a braze material (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Allister William James, Gregg P. Wagner, Brij B. Seth
  • Patent number: 6489591
    Abstract: A welding machine power supply has two circuits for cooling air. A primary circuit comprises a magnetics chamber and a second chamber. A fan between the magnetics and second chambers draws atmospheric air through one end panel into the magnetics chamber and blows it through the second chamber. The second chamber is comprised of a pair of heat sinks. Major heat generating components are mounted to the heat sinks outside the second chamber. The fan is sandwiched between the magnetics chamber and the heat sinks such that all the air blown by the fan flows through the heat sinks and out a second end panel. A wind tunnel is also part of the second chamber. A counterflow circuit extends from the second end panel to the magnetics chamber. The negative pressure in the magnetics chamber draws atmospheric air through the second end panel to the magnetics chamber, thereby cooling minor heat generating components outside of the primary circuit and not associated with the heat sinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Mark Achtner
  • Patent number: 6481614
    Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for mounting semiconductor chips on a substrate with which the substrate is forwarded in steps in a first direction to a bonding station for the presentation of a next substrate position. In order that curved substrates or substrates otherwise slightly shifted in their position at right angles to the transport direction can be presented with positional accuracy at the bonding location, it is suggested that the position of the longitudinal edge of the substrate is measured at right angles to the transport direction at the level of the bonding station and then to carry out a corrective movement with the substrate. An optical sensor with two light barriers arranged next to each other is suggested for the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: ESEC Trading SA
    Inventors: Eugen Mannhart, August Enzler, André Odermatt
  • Patent number: 6483075
    Abstract: A first and a second long-length member holding means 13, 39 are provided, and the second long-length member holding means 39 is provided on the side of a machining head portion 32 rather than the first long-length member holding means 13. A through hole 14c, capable of penetrate a long-length member 53, is formed on the second long-length member holding means 39. The first and second long-length member holding means are provided so as to be relatively close to and relatively apart from each other in a first direction. By moving and approaching the long-length member 53 in the second long-length member holding means 39 direction, while being held with the first long-length member holding means 13, the long-length member 53 is projected optional quantity on the machining head portion 32 side from the second long-length member holding means 39. Then, three-dimensional linear machining is performed on the long-length member 53 by the machining head 36.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Yamazaki Mazak Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsunehiko Yamazaki, Naoomi Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 6478212
    Abstract: A bond pad structure for an integrated circuit has bondable base member for receiving a wire bonded thereon. A cavity is formed within the base member, with the cavity being configured to capture the wire therein. The cavity has one end having a first width and an opposite end having a second width, with the first width being greater than second width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brett H. Engel, Vincent James McGahay, Henry Atkinson Nye, III
  • Patent number: 6476349
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing articles to be included in cans, a metal strip (1) is fed to an article forming unit (11), in which it is punched and stamped to form the articles. Before the article forming operations, the strip (1) is provided with laser engravings on one of its upper and lower surfaces, or on both these surfaces. The laser engravings form indicative marks on the articles. In addition to the article forming unit (11), an apparatus for manufacturing such articles has a metal strip supply (8), means (13) for feeding the strip (1) and a laser unit (9) for providing the indicative laser engraved marks on the articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Rexam AB
    Inventor: Manfred Jendick
  • Patent number: 6474538
    Abstract: A higher speed moving device moves a capillary at high speed. A low inertial moving and pressing device moves and presses the capillary with low inertia. The high speed motion, and the moving and pressing motion with the low inertia are carried out independently of each other. Thus, an inertia at the low inertial moving and pressing device is reduced, whereby an impact force when a melt ball is driven by the low inertial moving and pressing device into contact with an electrode of a semiconductor integrated circuit is restricted, thus enabling stable formation for minute bumps. On the other hand, operations other than pressing the melt ball to the electrode and joining the melt ball are conducted by driving the capillary by the higher speed moving device, so that productivity is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yonezawa, Akihiro Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Kiyomura, Tetsuya Tokunaga, Tatsuo Sasaoka, Masahiko Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 6474534
    Abstract: A method of hydroforming a tubular structure of varying diameter along its longitudinal axis, comprising the formation of a tubular blank member by welding together, at their periphery, tubes of different diameters using electromagnetic pulse welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Magna International Inc.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Gabbianelli, Seetarama S. Kotagiri, Richard Ashley
  • Patent number: 6474535
    Abstract: In a method for welding closed one end of each of a multiplicity of open-ended tubes suitable for use as brachytherapy capsules (100), each tube is loaded into a holder (52), brought to a welding station (80), has one end welded closed and is then released from the holder (52). A number of holders can 2 be arranged on the periphery of a rotatable member (50), each holder being loaded with a tube at a first station, and then carrying the tube to a welding station (80) and an ejection station (90). The tubes can be loaded into the holders individually by means of an escapement mechanism (40). The invention also extends to apparatus for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Nycomed Imaging AS
    Inventors: Charles Shanks, Kevin Helle, John Krewer, Robert Hallgren
  • Patent number: 6474537
    Abstract: Members to be soldered, such as printed circuit boards having electronic parts mounted thereon, are subjected to flow soldering in a solder bath with a Cu-containing lead-free solder. When the molten solder in the solder bath falls below a prescribed level, the molten solder is replenished with a material having a lower Cu content than the initial composition of the solder bath. Flow soldering can be continued for long periods with the Cu content of the solder bath being maintained substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichiro Hasegawa, Eietsu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6471116
    Abstract: A wire dereeler for an ultrasonic wire bonder with a bond head has a support for rotatably supporting a reel of wire driven by a stepper motor in incremental steps. Two rollers receive the wire therebetween and are driven by a motor drive for rotating or torquing the rollers and tensioning the wire placed between the rollers. A linkage generally aligns the rollers in parallel with the wire therebetween. A photoelectric sensor determines a given amount of wire at a position between the bond head and the rollers and provides a signal for controlling the stepper motor driving the reel of wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Orthodyne Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Theodore J. Copperthite