Patents by Inventor Gary Edward Merz

Gary Edward Merz 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: 20190207252
    Abstract: Electrolyte for a solid-state battery includes a body having grains of inorganic material sintered to one another, where the grains include lithium. The body is thin, has little porosity by volume, and has high ionic conductivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, Jacqueline Leslie Brown, Jennifer Anella Heine, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Zhen Song, Cameron Wayne Tanner, Conor James Walsh
  • Patent number: 10322961
    Abstract: A roll (10) of glass ribbon (20) and an interleaf material (40) disposed in alternating layers, wherein a layer of the interleaf material is pinned to an adjacent layer of the glass ribbon by an electrostatic force that is of a value so that a shear force required to cause slip between the interleaf material and the glass ribbon is greater than or equal to 10 times that required to cause slip between them when not electrostatically pinned together. Methods for winding and unwinding the roll, as well as an apparatus for winding the glass ribbon and interleaf material into a roll, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Edward Merz, John Earl Tosch, Thaddeus Francis Trzeciak
  • Patent number: 10183826
    Abstract: A glass ribbon coated with a flexible material, the flexible coating forming a flexible web portion that extends from an edge of the glass ribbon at least one millimeter. The flexible web portion can be used to facilitate handling of the glass ribbon in a manufacturing process, and may include registration markings, or perforations, that further facilitate precise positioning of the ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Sean Matthew Garner, Gary Edward Merz
  • Publication number: 20180215645
    Abstract: A system and method for making an edge section of a thin, high purity fused silica glass sheet. The method includes a step of directing a laser to melt through the glass sheet with localized heating of a narrow portion of the glass sheet to form an edge section of the glass sheet, and continuing the edge section to form a closed loop defining a perimeter of the glass sheet. The method further includes rapidly cooling the glass sheet through the glass transition temperature as the melted glass of the edge section contracts and/or solidifies to form an unrefined-bullnose shape extending between first and second major surfaces of the glass sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Venkata Adiseshaiah Bhagavatula, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Xinghua Li, Gary Edward Merz, John Stone, III
  • Publication number: 20180141847
    Abstract: A method of continuous processing of flexible glass ribbon having a thickness of no more than 0.35 mm using a glass processing apparatus is provided. The method includes providing the glass processing apparatus having at least three processing zones including a first processing zone, a second processing zone and a third processing zone. The flexible glass ribbon is continuously fed from the first processing zone, through the second processing zone to the third processing zone. Rate of the flexible glass ribbon is controlled through each of the first processing zone, second processing zone and third processing zone using a global control device. The second processing zone has a conveyance path for the flexible glass ribbon through a cutting zone having a radius of curvature of from about 100 inches to about 400 inches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Robertson Dewhurst Booth, Douglas Edward Brackley, Scott Winfield Deming, Andrew Peter Kittleson, Gautam Narendra Kudva, Dale Charles Marshall, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Kathleen Elizabeth Morse, Ian David Tracy
  • Publication number: 20180141848
    Abstract: A method of continuous processing of flexible glass ribbon having a thickness of no more than 0.35 mm using a glass processing apparatus. The method includes providing the glass processing apparatus having at least three processing zones, including a first processing zone, a second processing zone and a third processing zone. The flexible glass ribbon is continuously fed from the first processing zone, through the second processing zone to the third processing zone. The feed rate of the flexible glass ribbon is controlled through each of the first processing zone, the second processing zone and the third processing zone using a global control device. Lateral position of the flexible glass ribbon is controlled through the second processing zone using a multi-axis steering apparatus comprising a first roller set and a second roller set, located downstream of the first roller set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Tomohiro Aburada, Gautam Narendra Kudva, Gary Edward Merz, Kathleen Elizabeth Morse, Matthew Daniel Torsa
  • Publication number: 20180134605
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing glass comprising a forming apparatus in a first processing zone, the forming apparatus configured to form a glass ribbon having a first direction of travel in the first processing zone. The apparatus also includes a first cutting apparatus in a second processing zone, the first cutting apparatus configured to separate one or more portions of the glass ribbon, the glass ribbon having a second direction of travel. The apparatus includes a first buffer zone between the first processing zone and the second processing zone in which the glass ribbon is supported in a first catenary between two, spaced-apart payoff positions. The second direction of travel in the second processing zone can be orthogonal to the first direction of travel in the first processing zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Tomohiro Aburada, Douglas Edward Brackley, Gautam Narendra Kudva, Shawn Rachelle Markham, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller
  • Publication number: 20180104848
    Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Edward Badding, William Joseph Bouton, Lanrik Wayne Kester, Thomas Dale Ketcham, Andrew Peter Kittleson, Dale Charles Marshall, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Emmanuel Chima Okpara, Conor James Walsh
  • Publication number: 20180057388
    Abstract: A system and method for sintering a thin, high purity fused silica glass sheet having a thickness of 500 ?m or less, includes a step of rastering a beam of a laser across a sheet of high purity fused silica soot; wherein a pattern of the rastering includes tightly spacing target locations on the sheet such that the laser sinters the soot and simultaneously forms tiny notches on a first major surface of the sheet when viewed in cross-section, wherein the tiny notches are crenellated such that at least some of the notches have generally flat bottom surfaces and at least some respective adjoining caps have generally plateau top surfaces offset from the bottom surfaces by steeply-angled sidewalls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Venkata Adiseshaiah Bhagavatula, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Xinghua Li, Gary Edward Merz, John Stone, III
  • Patent number: 9822028
    Abstract: Methods of processing a glass ribbon are provided. The method includes the step of traversing the glass ribbon through a travel path at a predetermined velocity and severing the glass ribbon to create an upstream web and a downstream web. The method further includes the step of increasing a relative velocity of a downstream edge portion with respect to an upstream edge portion to create a gap between an upstream severed edge and a downstream severed edge. In other example methods, a segment of the glass ribbon is removed to create a gap between an upstream severed edge and a downstream severed edge. In still further example methods, an upstream severed edge is directed along a second travel path to create a gap between the upstream severed edge and a downstream severed edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Chester Hann Huei Chang, Todd Benson Fleming, Dale Charles Marshall, Gary Edward Merz, Christopher Michael Rhoads, John Earl Tosch, Thaddeus Francis Trzeciak
  • Publication number: 20170297942
    Abstract: A roll (10) of glass ribbon (20) and an interleaf material (40) disposed in alternating layers, wherein a layer of the interleaf material is pinned to an adjacent layer of the glass ribbon by an electrostatic force that is of a value so that a shear force required to cause slip between the interleaf material and the glass ribbon is greater than or equal to 10 times that required to cause slip between them when not electrostatically pinned together. Methods for winding and unwinding the roll, as well as an apparatus for winding the glass ribbon and interleaf material into a roll, are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Gary Edward Merz, John Earl Tosch, Thaddeus Francis Trzeciak
  • Patent number: 9790046
    Abstract: A roll (10) of glass ribbon (20), having a thickness of 0.3 mm or less, wherein a thickness compliant material interlayer (40) is wound together with the glass ribbon. The characteristics of the interlayer are chosen to form the roll with minimal lateral offset (9). For example, the static coefficient of friction between the interlayer and the glass ribbon may be greater than or equal to 3.0 (as measured with a vertical force of 0.5 N). Other characteristics may include the width, thickness, and compliance, of the interlayer. There is also disclosed a method of rolling a glass ribbon wherein the roll winding parameters, for example web tension and pressure between the layers of the roll, are chosen to minimize the lateral offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Edward Merz, John Earl Tosch
  • Patent number: 9745163
    Abstract: A method of winding a glass ribbon (10), including: winding an interleaving material (20) and the glass ribbon together to produce a roll (40); and tensioning the interleaving material so as to control a roll inter-layer pressure. By controlling the roll inter-layer pressure, the roll can be formed with straight side walls. The tension in the interleaving material can be controlled so as to be greater than 0 and ?0.25 pounds per linear inch of width of interleaving material. Also, there is provided an apparatus for winding glass ribbon together with interleaving material into a roll. The apparatus includes: an interleaving material supply path; a glass ribbon supply path; a roll winding mechanism (46); and a means (26) for applying tension to interleaving material traveling along the interleaving material supply path, as the interleaving material is wound into roll (40), so as to produce a pressure between the layers of the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Edward Merz, John Earl Tosch, Thaddeus Francis Trzeciak
  • Patent number: 9714184
    Abstract: A roll (10) of glass ribbon (20) and an interleaf material (40) disposed in alternating layers, wherein a layer of the interleaf material is pinned to an adjacent layer of the glass ribbon by an electrostatic force that is of a value so that a shear force required to cause slip between the interleaf material and the glass ribbon is greater than or equal to 10 times that required to cause slip between them when not electrostatically pinned together. Methods for winding and unwinding the roll, as well as an apparatus for winding the glass ribbon and interleaf material into a roll, are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Edward Merz, John Earl Tosch, Thaddeus Francis Trzeciak
  • Publication number: 20170197864
    Abstract: A method of continuously processing glass ribbon having a thickness<0.3 mm. The method includes providing a glass processing apparatus having a first processing zone, a second processing zone and a third processing zone. The glass ribbon is continuously fed from the first processing zone, through the second processing zone to the third processing zone. The feed rate of the glass ribbon is controlled through each processing zone using a global control device. A first buffer zone is provided between the first processing zone and the second processing zone in which the glass substrate is supported in a first catenary between two, spaced-apart, payoff positions. A second buffer zone is provided between the second processing zone and the third processing zone in which the glass substrate is supported in a second catenary between two, spaced-apart, payoff positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Tomohiro Aburada, Jeffrey Robert Amadon, Douglas Edward Brackley, Gautam Narendra Kudva, Gary Edward Merz, Eric Lee Miller, Michael Yoshiya Nishimoto, Ian David Tracy, Matthew Daniel Trosa, Rui Zhang
  • Patent number: 9604808
    Abstract: A glass ribbon coated with a flexible material, the flexible coating forming a flexible web portion that extends from an edge of the glass ribbon at least one millimeter. The flexible web portion can be used to facilitate handling of the glass ribbon in a manufacturing process, and may include registration markings, or perforations, that further facilitate precise positioning of the ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Sean Matthew Garner, Gary Edward Merz
  • Publication number: 20170057770
    Abstract: A glass ribbon coated with a flexible material, the flexible coating forming a flexible web portion that extends from an edge of the glass ribbon at least one millimeter. The flexible web portion can be used to facilitate handling of the glass ribbon in a manufacturing process, and may include registration markings, or perforations, that further facilitate precise positioning of the ribbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Sean Matthew Garner, Gary Edward Merz
  • Patent number: 9422187
    Abstract: A system and method for making a thin sintered silica sheet is provided. The method includes providing a soot deposition surface and forming a glass soot sheet by delivering a stream of glass soot particles from a soot generating device to the soot deposition surface. The method includes providing a sintering laser positioned to direct a laser beam onto the soot sheet and forming a sintered glass sheet from the glass soot sheet by delivering a laser beam from the sintering laser onto the glass soot sheet. The sintered glass sheet formed by the laser sintering system or method is thin, has low surfaces roughness and/or low contaminant levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jonas Bankaitis, Venkata Adiseshaiah Bhagavatula, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Xinghua Li, Gary Edward Merz, John Stone, III
  • Patent number: 9360519
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for non-contact testing of electronic components printed on a substrate (3) are provided. Test circuits (11) are printed on the substrate (3) at the same time as the desired electronic component. The test circuits (11) are all optical and include a first portion (13) for providing electrical energy for the test circuit (11) and a second portion (15) for generating a detectable optical signal that is indicative of at least one electrical property of the electronic component. The test circuits are used in real time and minimize the production of unusable scrap in the printing of such products as ePaper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert Addison Boudreau, Douglas Edward Brackley, Kevin Thomas Gahagan, Gary Edward Merz, Leon Robert Zoeller, III
  • Publication number: 20160152433
    Abstract: A method of winding a glass ribbon (10), including: winding an interleaving material (20) and the glass ribbon together to produce a roll (40); and tensioning the interleaving material so as to control a roll inter-layer pressure. By controlling the roll inter-layer pressure, the roll can be formed with straight side walls. The tension in the interleaving material can be controlled so as to be greater than 0 and ?0.25 pounds per linear inch of width of interleaving material. Also, there is provided an apparatus for winding glass ribbon together with interleaving material into a roll. The apparatus includes: an interleaving material supply path; a glass ribbon supply path; a roll winding mechanism (46); and a means (26) for applying tension to interleaving material traveling along the interleaving material supply path, as the interleaving material is wound into roll (40), so as to produce a pressure between the layers of the roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Gary Edward Merz, John Earl Tosch, Thaddeus Francis Trzeciak