Patents by Inventor Harold M. Keeney

Harold M. Keeney 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: 6800186
    Abstract: A continuous strip is electrochemically processed in an electrolytic processing bath using either a thin flexible or resilient dielectric wiping blade or an open web, plastic mesh to wipe bubbles of gas from the surface, sever dendritic material, if such is present, and to remove a surface layer of partially depleted electrolytic solution, replacing with fresh solution and to stabilize strip portions extending between support rolls. The resilient dielectric wiper blade is preferably used with perforated anodes which allow fresh electrolytic solution to flow into the space between the anodes and the strip surface after being expelled by passage of the strip past the wiping blade. The wiping blades may also be angularly oriented with respect to the strip to increase the wiping effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Inventors: James L. Forand, Harold M. Keeney, Erik S. Van Anglen
  • Patent number: 6217725
    Abstract: A resilient dielectric wiper blade is mounted between electrodes and a workpiece, particularly in an anodizing operation, to wipe bubbles of oxygen from the anodic work surface, to remove a surface layer of excessively heated electrolytic solution and replace with fresh cooler solution, and in the case of flexible strip processing, to stabilize the strip between cathodes. The resilient dielectric wiper blade is preferably used with perforated electrodes to facilitate removal of overheated electrolytic solution and replace with freshly circulated solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Electroplating Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Erik S. Van Anglen, Harold M. Keeney, James L. Forand
  • Patent number: 5837120
    Abstract: A continuous strip is electrochemically processed in an electrolytic processing bath using either a thin flexible or resilient dielectric wiping blade or an open web, plastic mesh to wipe bubbles of gas from the surface, sever dendritic material, if such is present, and to remove a surface layer of partially depleted electrolytic solution, replacing with fresh solution and to stabilize strip portions extending between support rolls. The resilient dielectric wiper blade is preferably used with perforated anodes which allow fresh electrolytic solution to flow into the space between the anodes and the strip surface after being expelled by passage of the strip past the wiping blade. The wiping blades may also be angularly oriented with respect to the strip to increase the wiping effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Electroplating Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Forand, Harold M. Keeney, Erik S. Vananglen
  • Patent number: 5679233
    Abstract: A resilient dielectric wiper blade is mounted between electrodes and a workpiece, particularly in an anodizing operation, to wipe bubbles of oxygen from the anodic work surface, to remove a surface layer of excessively heated electrolytic solution and replace with fresh cooler solution, and in the case of flexible strip processing, to stabilize the strip between cathodes. The resilient dielectric wiper blade is preferably used with perforated electrodes to facilitate removal of overheated electrolytic solution and replace with freshly circulated solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Electroplating Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Erik S. Van Anglen, James L. Forand, Harold M. Keeney
  • Patent number: 5476578
    Abstract: A continuous strip is electrolytically coated in an electrolytic coating bath using a thin flexible or resilient dielectric wiping blade to wipe bubbles of hydrogen from the surface, sever dendritic material, if such is present as the coating thickens, and to remove a surface layer of partially depleted electrolytic solution, replacing with fresh solution and to stabilize strip portions extending between support rolls. The resilient dielectric wiper blade is preferably used with perforated anodes which allow fresh electrolytic solution to flow into the space between the anodes and the strip surface after being expelled by passage of the strip past the wiping blade. The orifices in the anode may be differentially sized to eliminate cavitation behind the wiping blades. The wiping blades may be chevron shaped to increase the wiping effect and pumps may be used to increase the flow of electrolytic solution into and out of the space between the anodes and the strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Electroplating Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: James L. Forand, Harold M. Keeney, Erik S. Van Anglen
  • Patent number: 5462649
    Abstract: A resilient dielectric wiper blade is mounted between a cathodic workpiece and an anode to wipe bubbles of hydrogen from the surface, sever dendritic material, if such is present as the coating thickens, and to remove a surface layer of partially depleted electrolytic solution and replace with fresh solution. The resilient dielectric wiper blade is preferably used with perforated anodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Electroplating Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold M. Keeney, Erik S. Van Anglen, James L. Forand
  • Patent number: 5453174
    Abstract: Thick layers of hard dense chromium coatings are formed on metal substrates by an electrolytic brush plating operation in which a lead-tin anode is closely positioned to a cathodic workpiece in full anode wrap relationship and the surface of the cathodic workpiece is wiped by an open construction wiper to remove hydrogen bubbles and/or outwardly extending dendritic coating material with minimum contact with and force upon the coating surface. The open wiper construction allows free access to the coated surface at all times of fresh undepleted coating electrolyte and allows hydrogen bubbles and dendritic material to be discharged unimpeded from the wiper structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignee: Electroplating Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Erik S. Van Anglen, Harold M. Keeney