Patents by Inventor Chris Whitesell

Chris Whitesell 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).

  • Hot liner insertion/removal fixture
    Patent number: 7195479
    Abstract: A fixture (30) adapted to permit the heated exchange of a liner (14) from an operating vertical furnace (10). The fixture is adapted to secure to the base of the liner (14) to both unlock and lower the heated liner, such as a silicon carbide liner, at an controlled rate. The fixture is also adapted to elevate a new liner into the operating vertical furnace at a controlled rate to control the rate of heating of the liner as it is inserted into the operating vertical furnace. The fixture includes an inner ring (34), a low-friction Teflon® ring (36), and an outer ring (38) permitting the rotation of the inner ring within the outer ring. Advantageously, the low friction ring comprises a flanged portion and a vertical portion allowing rotation of the inner ring within the outer ring even when elevated at extreme temperatures exceeding 500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James Hoyt Beatty, Chris Whitesell
  • Hot liner insertion/removal fixture
    Publication number: 20040146827
    Abstract: A fixture (30) adapted to permit the heated exchange of a liner (14) from an operating vertical furnace (10). The fixture is adapted to secure to the base of the liner (14) to both unlock and lower the heated liner, such as a silicon carbide liner, at an controlled rate. The fixture is also adapted to elevate a new liner into the operating vertical furnace at a controlled rate to control the rate of heating of the liner as it is inserted into the operating vertical furnace. The fixture includes an inner ring (34), a low-friction Teflon® ring (36), and an outer ring (38) permitting the rotation of the inner ring within the outer ring. Advantageously, the low friction ring comprises a flanged portion and a vertical portion allowing rotation of the inner ring within the outer ring even when elevated at extreme temperatures exceeding 500° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: James Hoyt Beatty, Chris Whitesell
  • Hot liner insertion/removal fixture
    Patent number: 6692249
    Abstract: A fixture (30) adapted to permit the heated exchange of a liner (14) from an operating vertical furnace (10). The fixture is adapted to secure to the base of the liner (14) to both unlock and lower the heated liner, such as a silicon carbide liner, at an controlled rate. The fixture is also adapted to elevate a new liner into the operating vertical furnace at a controlled rate to control the rate of heating of the liner as it is inserted into the operating vertical furnace. The fixture includes an inner ring (34), a low-friction Teflon® ring (36), and an outer ring (38) permitting the rotation of the inner ring within the outer ring. Advantageously, the low friction ring comprises a flanged portion and a vertical portion allowing rotation of the inner ring within the outer ring even when elevated at extreme temperatures exceeding 500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: James Hoyt Beatty, Chris Whitesell