Patents by Inventor John Weir

John Weir 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: 20070251981
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for selective rework for surface mount components. A shield assembly encloses a circuit board on which Surface Mount Technology (SMT) modules are soldered. The shield assembly includes a top shield member having an opening over an SMT module to be removed from the circuit board, and a bottom shield member having an opening exposing the solder mount of the SMT module to be removed. An intermediate shield member is located in the opening in the top shield member and extends through the opening to the circuit board and surrounds the SMT module to be removed. A spring loaded mechanism is positioned over the intermediate shield member and grips the SMT module to be removed. The spring loaded mechanism applies removal force for removing the SMT module from the circuit board when heat is applied causing the solder holding the SMT module to the circuit board to reflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Chapman, Mary Emmett, Arden Lake, Wai Wa, Nandu Ranadive, Michael Variano, John Weir
  • Patent number: 7193215
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for imaging the surface of a substrate through a coating on the substrate. The system includes an infrared light source positioned to cast an infrared light upon the substrate to thereby create reflected light. A focal plane array may be positioned to receive the reflected light and generate an image therefrom. At least one optical filter may be disposed between the substrate and the focal plane array so as to pass only coating transparent wavelengths of the reflected light along an optical path between the infrared light source and the focal plane array thereby visually revealing irregular structural features of the substrate as at least one image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Don DiMarzio, Robert Silberstein, John Weir
  • Publication number: 20070012877
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for imaging the surface of a substrate through a coating on the substrate. The system includes an infrared light source positioned to cast an infrared light upon the substrate to thereby create reflected light. A focal plane array may be positioned to receive the reflected light and generate an image therefrom. At least one optical filter may be disposed between the substrate and the focal plane array so as to pass only coating transparent wavelengths of the reflected light along an optical path between the infrared light source and the focal plane array thereby visually revealing irregular structural features of the substrate as at least one image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Inventors: Don DiMarzio, Robert Silberstein, John Weir
  • Publication number: 20060289766
    Abstract: An improved system for visual inspection of substrates coated with paints and polymers is disclosed. Painted substrates can be inspected for environmental and physical damage such as corrosion and cracks without removing the paint. The present invention provides the ability to maximize paint thickness penetration. This is accomplished with a spectral bandpass filter that rejects reflected light from the coating opaque bands, while allowing light in the paint window to pass to an IR detector such as an IR camera focal plane. The narrow bandpass range enhances the ability for IR imaging to see through thicker paint layers and improves the contrast over standard commercial IR mid-wave cameras. The bandpass may be adjusted to coincide with the full spectral window of the paint, consistent with the ability of the imaging focal plane to detect light in the spectral region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Applicant: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Donald DiMarzio, John Weir, Steven Chu, Nils Fonneland, Dennis Leyble
  • Publication number: 20060155010
    Abstract: A method is provided for pretreating metallic fillers adapted to be added into an organic polymer resin matrix adapted to cure into a material, wherein pretreating the fillers enhances the mechanical and electrical properties of the cured material. The method includes selecting an organofunctional silane based on compatibility of a functional organic with a selected polymer; determining an amount of silane required for treatment of the fillers by calculating the amount of silane required to provide monomolecular coverage of the particle surfaces of the filler based on a specific surface area measurement of the particle surfaces; uniformly dispersing the required amount of silane over the filler; allowing adequate time for the silane to react with particle surfaces of the filler; and mixing the treated filler into the polymer resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Joanne McLaughlin, John Willis, John Weir, Madeleine Low
  • Publication number: 20060086912
    Abstract: A system is disclosed which utilizes the substantially steady-state temperature of a coated object, in conjunction with an optical detection system, to selectively view defects and features of the object below the coating without the necessity of transient heating or IR illumination and reflectance imaging. The optical detector, such as an IR camera, may be tailored for the wavelengths at which the coating material is substantially transparent, thereby maximizing the viewing clarity of the defects and features under the coating, and distinguishing them from any spurious features on the top surface of the coating. The present system enables the inspection of small or large areas in real time, without requiring complex image acquisition, storage and image processing equipment and software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2004
    Publication date: April 27, 2006
    Applicant: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: John Weir, Donald DiMarzio, Steven Chu, Robert Silberstein
  • Publication number: 20050182774
    Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-based method of and system for matching a set of transaction instructions received from a submitting entity with a record data set of receiving entity. The record data set includes a plurality of account records and an associated match key data set comprising a plurality of match keys, wherein each match key identifies an associated account record. The method comprises searching the match key data set using a match key derived from a received funds transfer instruction to identify an account record in said record data set thereby automatically matching said instruction to said identified record. The submitting entity selects a particular unmatched record of said data set, thereby manually matching said instruction to said selected record.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventors: John Weir, Michael Prior, Tony Antoun, Nee Ng, Todd Venning, Arie Budhihardjo
  • Publication number: 20050079989
    Abstract: Silane type polyfunctional coupling agents and adhesion promoters are added to major amounts by volume of environmentally-safe organic wipe solvents generally having a low vapor pressure to form novel wipe solvent compositions for cleaning and priming the surface of a substrate such as that of metal, composite, glass, plastic or other material prior to the application of coatings of paint, adhesive and/or similar layers and/or prior to the lamination of such substrates to each other or to support structures such as honeycomb bodies, while simultaneously depositing and bonding the coupling agent and adhesion promoter to the cleaned surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Inventor: John Weir
  • Publication number: 20050061850
    Abstract: An apparatus for applying solder to an electronic circuit board substrate includes a solder wave device for generating a molten wave of solder and, above that, a movable substrate holder. The substrate holder includes a support for an electronic circuit board substrate inclined at an angle with respect to the direction and an opening on a bottom thereof for access of a protruding connector disposed near an end of the substrate to the molten solder wave. The angle of incline is sufficient to prevent a component disposed at a distance from the end of the substrate from contacting the molten solder wave when the substrate holder is moved over the solder wave device. A shield in the substrate holder prevents the component not to be soldered from contacting the molten solder wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd Buley, Brian Chapman, Roger Lam, Wai Ma, John Weir
  • Publication number: 20040026622
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for imaging the surface of a substrate through a coating on the substrate. The system includes an infrared light source positioned to cast an infrared light upon the substrate to thereby create reflected light. A focal plane array may be positioned to receive the reflected light and generate an image therefrom. At least one optical filter may be disposed between the substrate and the focal plane array so as to pass only coating transparent wavelengths of the reflected light along an optical path between the infrared light source and the focal plane array thereby visually revealing irregular structural features of the substrate as at least one image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Don DiMarzio, Robert Silberstein, John Weir