Patents by Inventor Kenneth D. Ames

Kenneth D. Ames 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: 10770318
    Abstract: A heater assembly includes a heating member, a mounting member that mounts the heating member to a wall of an external component, and an insulator disposed between the heating member and the wall. The insulator electrically insulates the heating member from the wall and blocks a ground path from the heating member to the wall of the external component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Mohammad Nosrati, Roger Brummell, Kenneth D. Ames, Paul S. Whetstone
  • Publication number: 20170069514
    Abstract: A heater assembly includes a heating member, a mounting member that mounts the heating member to a wall of an external component, and an insulator disposed between the heating member and the wall. The insulator electrically insulates the heating member from the wall and blocks a ground path from the heating member to the wall of the external component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Mohammad Nosrati, Roger Brummell, Kenneth D. Ames, Paul S. Whetstone
  • Publication number: 20080241367
    Abstract: Lubricant coatings are applied as lubricant vapor to magnetic disks in a lubricant vapor flow path between the disks and a reservoir for liquid lubricant that is heated to the vapor. The flow path includes a vapor chamber between the reservoir, an apertured diffuser and a shutter for selectively and simultaneously unblocking and blocking the flow path. While the shutter is closed lubricant vapor stays in the vapor chamber. While the shutter is open the lubricant vapor flows via the flow path from the reservoir to the holder. During substantial lulls in applying disks to the flow path, the shutter is closed and vaporizing heat is applied to the liquid lubricant so pressure in the vapor chamber causes the volume of liquid in the reservoir to remain substantially constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: INTEVAC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carl PETERSEN, Kenneth D. AMES
  • Publication number: 20080241366
    Abstract: Condensation is prevented on surfaces in a flow path for lubricant vapor that applies lubricant coatings to magnetic disks in the flow path. The vapor is derived by heating liquid in a reservoir. The flow path includes a vapor chamber between the reservoir and an apertured diffuser. The vapor chamber has a first wall extending in the same direction as a straight-line path between the reservoir and the disk and a second wall providing a heat conduction path between the heater and the reservoir. The relative temperatures of the first and second walls is controlled to prevent substantial condensation on surfaces of the flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: INTEVAC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carl PETERSEN, Kenneth D. AMES
  • Publication number: 20080236481
    Abstract: Lubricant coatings are applied as lubricant vapor to magnetic disks in a lubricant vapor flow path between the disks and a reservoir for liquid lubricant that is heated to the vapor. The flow path includes a vapor chamber between the reservoir and an apertured diffuser. Plural piezoelectric crystals selectively, at different times, monitor the flow rate of lubricant vapor flowing in the vapor chamber, a result achieved by selectively positioning a shutter that is selectively opened and closed between the vapor flowing in the vapor chamber and the crystals. Temperature variations of the crystals are compensated by a feedback arrangement for maintaining the crystal temperature constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: INTEVAC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carl PETERSEN, Kenneth D. AMES
  • Patent number: 7059059
    Abstract: A combination plumb and level tool has an elongate body with separated longitudinal arm members that have spaced apart, proximal ends fixed to the body and extend therefrom to respective separate distal free ends. The distal ends form longitudinally extending interior surfaces disposed in facing opposition located between their respective fixed and free ends. The arms and the body between them have a generally U-shaped cross section that forms an open trough from the free ends to a base contact surface between the proximal fixed ends. At least one of the arms has longitudinal extending first contact surface portion disposed on its interior surface. The first contact surface portion faces an opposing second contact surface portion of the facing arm interior surface. An elastic member cooperating with the first arm and the body biases the first arm inward, toward the second contact surface portion on the other of the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Ames
  • Patent number: 5654631
    Abstract: A semiconductor device test head docking interface system includes a test head plate juxtaposed to a test head. The tester plate includes pairs of outwardly facing spaced vacuum cups and pairs of spaced guiding and locking pins between the cups. A handler plate includes pairs of vacuum cup receiving surfaces spaced to receive the vacuum cups upon a docking of the plates, and pairs of receiving sockets spaced to receive the guiding and locking pins upon a docking of the plates. Rotary actuators are mounted on the tester plate for rotating each of the guiding and locking pins in a respective one of the receiving sockets, such that engagement and a pulling vacuum in the vacuum cups against the vacuum cup receiving surfaces and rotation of the guiding and locking pins, effects docking of the tester plate and handler plate. A Z-axis adjustment is provided in each actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Ames
  • Patent number: 5525024
    Abstract: A cassette loading mechanism for semiconductor processing equipment reduces the possibility of repetitive stress injury that may occur as a result of repeatedly loading and unloading a cassette of substrates by eliminating manual cassette rotation. The loader receives a cassette and, by compound translational movement, rotates the cassette about 90.degree. from a horizontal loading position, in which the substrates contained therein are positioned in a vertical orientation, to a position in which the substrates contained therein are positioned in a horizontal orientation, such that the cassette is aligned to the other components of the substrate handling system for substrate transfer. The cassette motions are interlocked with the cassette clamping mechanism and the cassette loader door and a cassette shuttle by pneumatic or electronic logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederik W. Freerks, Kenneth D. Ames
  • Patent number: D456642
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Inventor: Kenneth D. Ames