Patents by Inventor David M. Audette

David M. Audette 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).

  • Publication number: 20240024902
    Abstract: A double tentacle pump system for a liquid sprayer includes first and second tentacle pumps positioned serially within a flow path that extends between a liquid container and the outlet of the sprayer. A motor is configured to actuate the first and second tentacle motors in response to a user directed trigger, thereby causing fluid to be moved from the container and expelled from the sprayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: THE FOUNTAINHEAD GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Andrew C. Putrello
  • Patent number: 11801522
    Abstract: A double tentacle pump system for a liquid sprayer includes first and second tentacle pumps positioned serially within a flow path that extends between a liquid container and the outlet of the sprayer. A motor is configured to actuate the first and second tentacle motors in response to a user directed trigger, thereby causing fluid to be moved from the container and expelled from the sprayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: THE FOUNTAINHEAD GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Andrew C. Putrello
  • Publication number: 20230301466
    Abstract: A blender system includes a container having a rotatable blade assembly therein, a lid covering an open end of the container, and a base with a motorized unit. When the container is coupled with the base, the motorized unit is adapted to drive rotation of the rotatable blade assembly. The lid includes a hinged actuator lever adapted to actuate the motorized unit. A detent extends from the hinged actuator lever and passes through a series of apertures and presses against a slidable actuator shaft disposed in the container and maintained in its position by a spring force, thereby depressing a switch for the motorized unit. A rotatable blade system includes cutting blade(s) and crushing blade(s). The crushing blade extends longitudinally outwardly from a hub. When the hub rotates in a first direction or second direction opposite the first direction, a face of the crushing blade is leading or trailing, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: SharkNinja Operating LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Stephen Potter, David M. Audette
  • Patent number: 11653793
    Abstract: A blender system includes a container having a rotatable blade assembly therein, a lid covering an open end of the container, and a base with a motorized unit. When the container is coupled with the base, the motorized unit is adapted to drive rotation of the rotatable blade assembly. The lid includes a hinged actuator lever adapted to actuate the motorized unit. A detent extends from the hinged actuator lever and passes through a series of apertures and presses against a slidable actuator shaft disposed in the container and maintained in its position by a spring force, thereby depressing a switch for the motorized unit. A rotatable blade system includes cutting blade(s) and crushing blade(s). The crushing blade extends longitudinally outwardly from a hub. When the hub rotates in a first direction or second direction opposite the first direction, a face of the crushing blade is leading or trailing, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Stephen Potter, David M. Audette
  • Patent number: 11166596
    Abstract: A blender system includes a container having a rotatable blade assembly therein, a lid covering an open end of the container, and a base with a motorized unit. When the container is coupled with the base, the motorized unit is adapted to drive rotation of the rotatable blade assembly. The lid includes a hinged actuator lever adapted to actuate the motorized unit. A detent extends from the hinged actuator lever and passes through a series of apertures and presses against a slidable actuator shaft disposed in the container and maintained in its position by a spring force, thereby depressing a switch for the motorized unit. A rotatable blade system includes cutting blade(s) and crushing blade(s). The crushing blade extends longitudinally outwardly from a hub. When the hub rotates in a first direction or second direction opposite the first direction, a face of the crushing blade is leading or trailing, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SHARKNINJA OPERATING LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Stephen Potter, David M. Audette
  • Patent number: 11131689
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe structures of low-force wafer test probes and formation thereof. Structures of low-force wafer test probes and their formation via gray scale etch or electroplating is described. Structures are described that include a lower base structure on top of a substrate and an upper blade structure on top of the lower base structure. In various embodiments, a crown of a C4 bump is accommodated by one or both of: i) a cavity present in the lower base structure; and ii) a height of the upper blade structure. Processes for fabricating probe structures are described that include forming lower base structures upon a substrate and forming upper blade structures on top of the lower base structures. The upper blade structures include at least one blade. Each of the blade(s) include a cutting edge that points toward a center point within the probe structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Audette, S J. Chey, Doreen D. DiMilia, Sankeerth Rajalingam, Grant Wagner
  • Publication number: 20210291209
    Abstract: A double tentacle pump system for a liquid sprayer includes first and second tentacle pumps positioned serially within a flow path that extends between a liquid container and the outlet of the sprayer. A motor is configured to actuate the first and second tentacle motors in response to a user directed trigger, thereby causing fluid to be moved from the container and expelled from the sprayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: THE FOUNTAINHEAD GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Andrew C. Putrello
  • Patent number: 11085949
    Abstract: A probe card assembly for nondestructive integrated circuit testing is disclosed. The probe card assembly includes an outer gimbal bearing with a tapered bearing surface being mounted on a top surface of a printed circuit board. The probe card assembly further includes an inner gimbal bearing with a spherical bearing surface which contacts the tapered bearing surface of the outer gimbal bearing at a single point of contact about a circumference thereof. The probe card assembly further includes a spring plate mounted to the outer gimbal bearing, providing a downward force to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Dustin Fregeau, David L. Gardell, Peter W. Neff, Frederick H. Roy, III, Grant W. Wagner
  • Publication number: 20210219784
    Abstract: A blender system includes a container having a rotatable blade assembly therein, a lid covering an open end of the container, and a base with a motorized unit. When the container is coupled with the base, the motorized unit is adapted to drive rotation of the rotatable blade assembly. The lid includes a hinged actuator lever adapted to actuate the motorized unit. A detent extends from the hinged actuator lever and passes through a series of apertures and presses against a slidable actuator shaft disposed in the container and maintained in its position by a spring force, thereby depressing a switch for the motorized unit. A rotatable blade system includes cutting blade(s) and crushing blade(s). The crushing blade extends longitudinally outwardly from a hub. When the hub rotates in a first direction or second direction opposite the first direction, a face of the crushing blade is leading or trailing, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Stephen Potter, David M. Audette
  • Patent number: 11029334
    Abstract: A probe includes a pedestal and at least one feature extending from the pedestal to engage a surface of a corresponding contact at a position offset from a central longitudinal axis of the contact. The pedestal includes a cavity and the feature can include one or more blades that extend from a periphery of the cavity to a central longitudinal axis of the pedestal. The three blades are configured to engage the surface of the contact. The three blades can be positioned within the cavity to provide a 120-degree rotational symmetry about the central longitudinal axis of the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Dennis R. Conti, Marc D. Knox, Grant W. Wagner
  • Patent number: 11009545
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device tester includes contact probes. A liner is formed upon the contact probes. The liner includes a matrix of metal particles and glass particles. The metal particles of the liner allow the contact probe to pass an electrical current through the liner. The glass particles of the liner prevent C4 material from adhering to the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles L. Arvin, David M. Audette, Dennis R. Conti, Brian M. Erwin, Grant Wagner
  • Patent number: 10955439
    Abstract: A method of treating a material on a probe is provided. The method includes the steps of immersing a probe tip into a first fluid, wherein the probe tip includes one or more oxidized metallic fragments on a surface of the probe tip; polarizing the probe tip, through a counter electrode, with a negative current to reduce the one or more oxidized metallic fragments to one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; removing the probe tip from the first fluid; immersing the probe in a second fluid, wherein the second fluid is a complexer for the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; and polarizing the probe tip with a positive current, through the counter electrode, wherein the positive current oxidizes the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles L. Arvin, David M. Audette, Grant Wagner
  • Publication number: 20200292577
    Abstract: A method of treating a material on a probe is provided. The method includes the steps of immersing a probe tip into a first fluid, wherein the probe tip includes one or more oxidized metallic fragments on a surface of the probe tip; polarizing the probe tip, through a counter electrode, with a negative current to reduce the one or more oxidized metallic fragments to one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; removing the probe tip from the first fluid; immersing the probe in a second fluid, wherein the second fluid is a complexer for the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments; and polarizing the probe tip with a positive current, through the counter electrode, wherein the positive current oxidizes the one or more substantially unoxidized metallic fragments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Charles L. Arvin, David M. Audette, Grant Wagner
  • Publication number: 20200209308
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device tester includes contact probes. A liner is formed upon the contact probes. The liner includes a matrix of metal particles and glass particles. The metal particles of the liner allow the contact probe to pass an electrical current through the liner. The glass particles of the liner prevent C4 material from adhering to the liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Charles L. Arvin, David M. Audette, Dennis R. Conti, Brian M. Erwin, Grant Wagner
  • Patent number: 10670653
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device tester includes contact probes. A liner is formed upon the contact probes. The liner includes a matrix of an electrical conductor and glass. The conductor of the liner provides for the contact probe to be electrically connected to the IC device contact. The glass of the liner prevents IC device contact material adhering thereto. The liner may be formed by applying a conductive glass frit upon a probe card that includes the probe contacts and locally thermally conditioning the conductive glass frit upon contact probes. By locally thermally conditioning the conductive glass frit, the temperature of the probe card may be maintained below a critical temperature that damages the probe card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Charles L. Arvin, David M. Audette, Dennis R. Conti, Brian M. Erwin, Grant Wagner
  • Patent number: 10663487
    Abstract: A system for testing functionality of die on a wafer including a plurality of contacts includes a support structure and a plurality of probes mounted to the support structure in an array. A configuration of each of the plurality of probes varies based on a position of the probe within the array to maintain uniform engagement between the plurality of probes and a corresponding plurality of contacts across the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Dennis R. Conti, Marc D. Knox, Grant W. Wagner
  • Patent number: 10578648
    Abstract: A probe card assembly for nondestructive integrated circuit testing is disclosed. The probe card assembly includes an outer gimbal bearing with a tapered bearing surface being mounted on a top surface of a printed circuit board. The probe card assembly further includes an inner gimbal bearing with a spherical bearing surface which contacts the tapered bearing surface of the outer gimbal bearing at a single point of contact about a circumference thereof. The probe card assembly further includes a spring plate mounted to the outer gimbal bearing, providing a downward force to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Dustin Fregeau, David L. Gardell, Peter W. Neff, Frederick H. Roy, III, Grant W. Wagner
  • Patent number: 10571490
    Abstract: A probe tip structure that decreases the accumulation rate of Sn particles to the probe tip and enables considerably more efficient and complete laser cleaning is disclosed. In an embodiment, the probe structure includes an array of probe tips, each probe tip having an inner core; an interfacial layer bonded to the inner core; and an outer layer bonded to the interfacial layer, wherein the outer layer is resistant to adherence of the solder of the ball grid array package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Audette, Dennis M. Bronson, Jr., Joseph K. V. Comeau, Dustin M. Fregeau, David L. Gardell, Frederick H. Roy, III, James R. Salimeno, III, Timothy D. Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20200049738
    Abstract: A probe card assembly for nondestructive integrated circuit testing is disclosed. The probe card assembly includes an outer gimbal bearing with a tapered bearing surface being mounted on a top surface of a printed circuit board. The probe card assembly further includes an inner gimbal bearing with a spherical bearing surface which contacts the tapered bearing surface of the outer gimbal bearing at a single point of contact about a circumference thereof. The probe card assembly further includes a spring plate mounted to the outer gimbal bearing, providing a downward force to a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: David M. AUDETTE, Dustin FREGEAU, David L. GARDELL, Peter W. NEFF, Frederick H. ROY, III, Grant W. Wagner
  • Patent number: 10514393
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a gimbal assembly test system including: a protective cover affixed to a test surface of a wafer probe card mounted within a gimbal bearing, wherein the protective cover includes an exterior surface oriented outward from the test surface of the wafer probe card; and a recess extending into the exterior surface of the protective cover and shaped to matingly engage a load cell tip therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: David L. Gardell, David M. Audette, Peter W. Neff