Patents by Inventor Christopher E. Barns
Christopher E. Barns 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).
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Publication number: 20240136591Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of battery stacker machines, including z-fold stacker machines, configured to provide a rolling transfer of a battery layer so as to reduce scrubbing. In some embodiments, the layer is flexed onto an arcuate surface using a vacuum or other force. The arcuate surface is then rotated to release the layer at a desired transfer location. For instance, the desired transfer location may be on top of a stack or onto another arcuate gripper surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Inventors: Derek Graham AQUI, Christopher E. BARNS, Scott G. BEARD, Joseba BRIT ELOLA, Brady L. BYERS, Gautam DHAR, Michael E. MYERS, William L. SCHULDT, Karl WEIBEZAHN, Alan J. SWAN
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Patent number: 9190796Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are described herein for precision insertion. In various embodiments, a feeder device may be configured to feed an object such as wire from a wire source into a wire path. In various embodiments, a guidance device with a channel that at least partially defines the wire path may receive the wire fed from the feeder device. In various embodiments, a base may be provided for mounting at least one of a first substrate having a first aperture and a second substrate having a second aperture so that the first aperture of the first substrate is aligned with the second aperture of the second substrate. In various embodiments, the base may be configured to be movable relative to the guidance device to position the first substrate or second substrate so that the first or second aperture is aligned with the wire path.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: DWFritz Automation Inc.Inventors: Christopher E. Barns, Corbin Gene Voigt, Michael Lawrence Corliss, Alan James Swan
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Publication number: 20140041215Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods are described herein for precision insertion. In various embodiments, a feeder device may be configured to feed an object such as wire from a wire source into a wire path. In various embodiments, a guidance device with a channel that at least partially defines the wire path may receive the wire fed from the feeder device. In various embodiments, a base may be provided for mounting at least one of a first substrate having a first aperture and a second substrate having a second aperture so that the first aperture of the first substrate is aligned with the second aperture of the second substrate. In various embodiments, the base may be configured to be movable relative to the guidance device to position the first substrate or second substrate so that the first or second aperture is aligned with the wire path.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: DWFritz Automation Inc.Inventors: Christopher E. Barns, Corbin Gene Voigt, Michael Lawrence Corliss, Alan James Swan
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Patent number: 6106662Abstract: An apparatus to generate an endpoint signal to control the polishing of thin films on a semiconductor wafer surface includes a through-hole in a polish pad, a light source, a fiber optic cable, a light sensor, and a computer. A pad assembly includes the polish pad, a pad backer, and a pad backing plate. The pad backer includes a pinhole and a canal that holds the fiber optic cable. The pad backer holds the polish pad so that the through-hole is coincident with the pinhole opening. A wafer chuck holds a semiconductor wafer so that the surface to be polished is against the polish pad. The light source provides light within a predetermined bandwidth. The fiber optic cable propagates the light through the through-hole opening to illuminate the surface as the pad assembly orbits and the chuck rotates. The light sensor receives reflected light from the surface through the fiber optic cable and generates reflected spectral data. The computer receives the reflected spectral data and calculates an endpoint signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1998Date of Patent: August 22, 2000Assignee: SpeedFam-IPEC CorporationInventors: Thomas Frederick Allen Bibby, Jr., John A. Adams, Robert A. Eaton, Christopher E. Barns, Charles Hannes
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Patent number: 6095904Abstract: A method and apparatus for polishing a thin film formed on a semiconductor substrate. A table covered with a polishing pad is orbited about an axis. Slurry is fed through a plurality of spaced-apart holes formed through the polishing pad to uniformly distribute slurry across the pad surface during polishing. A substrate is pressed face down against the orbiting pad's surface and rotated to facilitate, along with the slurry, the polishing of the thin film formed on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1996Date of Patent: August 1, 2000Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Joseph R. Breivogel, Samuel F. Louke, Michael R. Oliver, Leopoldo D. Yau, Christopher E. Barns
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Patent number: 6083089Abstract: A novel method and apparatus for uniformly polishing thin films formed on a semiconductor substrate. A substrate is placed face down on a moving polishing pad so that the thin film to be polished is placed in direct contact with the moving polishing pad. The substrate is forcibly pressed against the polishing pad with pneumatic or hydraulic pressure applied to the backside of the substrate during polishing. Additionally, a wear ring is placed on the polishing pad around and adjacent to the substrate and forcibly pressed onto the polishing pad with a downward pressure from a second source so that the wear ring is coplanar with the substrate in order to eliminate edge rounding effects.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 1997Date of Patent: July 4, 2000Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Joseph R. Breivogel, Matthew J. Prince, Christopher E. Barns
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Patent number: 5635083Abstract: A novel method and apparatus for uniformly polishing thin films formed on a semiconductor substrate. A substrate is placed face down on a moving polishing pad so that the thin film to be polished is placed in direct contact with the moving polishing pad. The substrate is forcibly pressed against the polishing pad with pneumatic or hydraulic pressure applied to the backside of the substrate during polishing. Additionally, a wear ring is placed on the polishing pad around and adjacent to the substrate and forcibly pressed onto the polishing pad with a downward pressure from a second source so that the wear ring is coplanar with the substrate in order to eliminate edge rounding effects.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: June 3, 1997Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Joseph R. Breivogel, Matthew J. Prince, Christopher E. Barns
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Patent number: 5554064Abstract: A method and apparatus for polishing a thin film formed on a semiconductor substrate. A table covered with a polishing pad is orbited about an axis. Slurry is fed through a plurality of spaced-apart holes formed through the polishing pad to uniformly distribute slurry across the pad surface during polishing. A substrate is pressed face down against the orbiting pad's surface and rotated to facilitate, along with the slurry, the polishing of the thin film formed on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1993Date of Patent: September 10, 1996Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Joseph R. Breivogel, Samuel F. Louke, Michael R. Oliver, Leopoldo D. Yau, Christopher E. Barns
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Patent number: 5547417Abstract: A method of polishing a thin film formed on a semiconductor substrate. In a method of the present invention a polishing pad is rotated. A substrate is pressed against the rotating polishing pad so that the thin film to be polished is placed in direct contact with the polishing pad. During polishing, the polishing pad is continually conditioned by forming a plurality of grooves into the polishing pad. The grooves are formed by a conditioning block having a substantially planar bottom surface with a plurality of groove generating points extending from the substantially planar surface of the conditioning block. The grooves are generated by sweeping and rotating the conditioning block between an outer radius and an inner radius of the polishing pad.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 1994Date of Patent: August 20, 1996Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Joseph R. Breivogel, Matthew J. Price, Christopher E. Barns
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Patent number: 4271761Abstract: A high acceleration umbilical cable deployment system for enabling electrical communication between a ballistic projectile forebody and an afterbody. A cable coiled on a spool is housed within a ballistic casing having a drag funnel at the rear end. The cable is sandwiched between a foam plug and the drag funnel before it leaves the forebody and is secured in a strain relief at the apex of a funnel in the afterbody. On deployment, when the bodies are separated, energies that would tend to rupture the cable are expended by the funnels, plug and strain relief.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 1979Date of Patent: June 9, 1981Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventors: Thomas N. Canning, Christopher E. Barns, James P. Murphy, Bobby Gin, Robert W. King