Patents by Inventor Burt DeVolk

Burt DeVolk 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: 5582104
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for vacuum printing inks onto a substrate in which the printing screen is mounted in a pivotable screen holder. The substrate is positioned on a printing platen and adhered to the platen during the printing operation by a vacuum hold-down system. The platen rests upon a product carrier which may be moved in a direction normal to the surface of the printing platen in order to adjust the spacing between the substrate and printing screen. The printing screen may be registered with the substrate by adjusting the position of the screen holder along two axes defining the screen plane and about a third axis normal to the screen plane. During printing the screen is deflected into contact with the substrate by a vacuum hold-down system. The system is configured to minimize the volume of air which must be evacuated during the printing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Printron, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Best, Burt DeVolk
  • Patent number: 5527586
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a template used in manufacturing printed circuit boards is disclosed. The template is made from boron nitride, silicon nitride or similar material which has a melting temperature higher than the melting temperature of the metal forming the conductors in the printed circuit board, is readily machinable or moldable with the desired circuit pattern, and does not adhere to the metal conductors after the metal particles have been melted onto the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Printron, Inc.
    Inventors: Eleanor Schuler, Burt DeVolk, Kim Krubsack
  • Patent number: 5403376
    Abstract: Electrical conductors on printed circuit board substrates are made from metal particles having a particular particle size range distribution used to control the flow of molten metal when entering the liquid phase such as during fusing. The distribution can follow a bimodal curve wherein the mixture contains approximately 45% by weight of large copper particles between 44-74 microns, 45% by weight of small copper particles less than 5 microns in size with the remaining 10% by weight being particles with sizes between the smaller and larger sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Printron, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald A. DeVolk, Burt DeVolk
  • Patent number: 5389408
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for curing metal particles into continuous metal conductors on a nonconducting substrate. The apparatus includes a generator for supplying radio frequency energy through an impedance matching circuit to a coil positioned proximate to the substrate. The coil and substrate are placed in a chamber which is evacuated prior to curing and then pressurized with nitrogen gas. The electromagnetic flux lines generate eddy currents in the particles which heat them until at least some melt, thereby converting the metal particles into continuous conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Printron, Inc.
    Inventor: Burt DeVolk