Patents by Inventor Alicia Briggs LaForge

Alicia Briggs LaForge has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8091618
    Abstract: An exchange apparatus comprised of hollow perfluorinated thermoplastic tubes fusion bonded into a perfluorinated thermoplastic material to form unified terminal end blocks is disclosed. The hollow tubes are shaped by plaiting the tubes into cords and thermally annealing the cords to set the bends of the plait. The apparatus can have a housing bonded to the unified terminal end blocks. In use a first fluid enters the hollow tubes at openings in a first unified terminal end block, flows through the lumens of the tubes, and exits the tubes through a second unified terminal end block. A second fluid enters the housing, is separated from the first fluid by the wall of the tubes, and substantially fills the space between the inner wall of the housing and the outer diameters of the hollow tubes. Energy is transferred between the first and second fluids through the tube walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventors: Cha P. Doh, Kwok-Shun Cheng, Alicia Briggs LaForge
  • Publication number: 20080135219
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising hollow thermoplastic tubes, which are fusion bonded with a thermoplastic resin to form unified terminal end blocks (32, 34), is disclosed. The hollow tubes may be shaped by plaiting or braiding the tubes into cords (70, 72) and then thermally annealing the cords (70, 72) to set the crests and bends of the plait or braid. The cords (70, 72) provide improved flow distribution of fluid about the hollow tubes in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is chemically inert and is useful for cross-flow filtration, as well as for heat- and mass-transfer applications in harsh chemical environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Cha P. Doh, Kwok-Shun Cheng, Alicia Briggs LaForge
  • Patent number: 7308932
    Abstract: An exchange apparatus comprised of hollow thermoplastic tubes infusion bonded into a thermoplastic material is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the hollow tubes are shaped by plaiting the tubes into cords and then thermally annealing the cords to set the crests and bends of the plait. The cords provide improved flow distribution of fluid about the hollow tube tubes in the exchange apparatus. The exchange apparatus is chemically inert and is useful for cross flow filtration, as well as heat and mass transfer in harsh chemical environments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventors: Cha P. Doh, Kwok-Shun Cheng, Alicia Briggs LaForge
  • Patent number: 7249628
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for conditioning the temperature of a fluid by utilizing a thermoplastic heat exchanger (50) comprised of a plurality of hollow tubes. The apparatus controls the temperature of a process fluid inside the heat exchanger (50) via a controller (46) by adjustment of a control valve (64) that regulates the flow of an exchange fluid. The apparatus can be used to maintain the temperature of a chemical bath (12) and also to prepare discreet dispensed volumes of temperature controlled liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. Pillion, Jieh-Hwa Shyu, Alicia Briggs LaForge, Robert McLoughlin
  • Publication number: 20040251010
    Abstract: An exchange apparatus comprised of hollow thermoplastic tubes infusion bonded into a thermoplastic material is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the hollow tubes are shaped by plaiting the tubes into cords and then thermally annealing the cords to set the crests and bends of the plait. The cords provide improved flow distribution of fluid about the hollow tube tubes in the exchange apparatus. The exchange apparatus is chemically inert and is useful for cross flow filtration, as well as heat and mass transfer in harsh chemical environments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Cha P Doh, Kwok-Shun Cheng, Alicia Briggs LaForge
  • Publication number: 20040251017
    Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for conditioning the temperature of a fluid by utilizing a thermoplastic heat exchange apparatus comprised of a plurality of hollow tubes. The apparatus controls the temperature of a process fluid inside the heat exchanger by adjustment of a control valve that regulates the flow of an exchange fluid. The apparatus can be used to maintain the temperature of chemical baths and also to prepare discreet dispensed volumes of temperature controlled liquid. The device is chemically inert and has the ability to operate at elevated temperatures and also with corrosive and oxidizing liquids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: John E. Pillion, Jieh-Hwa Shyu, Alicia Briggs LaForge, Robert McLoughlin