Patents by Inventor Kevin Ptasienski

Kevin Ptasienski 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: 11895741
    Abstract: A support pedestal includes a support member including a resistive layer having a plurality of zones, a routing layer, and a plurality of conductive vias. The plurality of zones are defined by a plurality of independently controllable resistive heating elements. The resistive layer and the routing layer are disposed in different planes of the support member and are connected by the plurality of conductive vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin Ptasienski, Stanton Hopkins Breitlow, Mohammad Nosrati, Kevin Smith, Brittany Phillips, Ken Ames, Patrick Margavio, Kurt English
  • Patent number: 11751289
    Abstract: A heater includes a sintered assembly and a functional element disposed on one of opposing surfaces of the sintered assembly. The heater is manufactured by a method that includes hot pressing a ceramic powder and a plurality of first slugs and forming the sintered assembly including a ceramic substrate and the plurality of first slugs embedded therein, forming the functional element on the one opposing surface of the sintered assembly such that the functional element is connected to the plurality of first slugs, and forming a monolithic substrate in which the functional element and the plurality of first slugs are embedded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin Ptasienski, Patrick Margavio, Kevin Smith
  • Publication number: 20230139249
    Abstract: A heating assembly includes a support member for supporting a target thereon, a diffuser layer attached to the support member, and a heater attached to the diffuser layer. The diffuser layer includes discrete diffuser segments separated by gaps. The discrete diffuser segments are made of the same material and are configured to allow a desired thermal gradient to be maintained between the discrete diffuser segments during heating of the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Sanhong ZHANG, Kevin PTASIENSKI, Martin WALLINGER, Blake PARKINSON
  • Patent number: 11515190
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is formed by depositing a diffuser layer onto an electrostatic puck and removing areas of the diffuser layer to form discrete diffuser segments separated by gaps. The discrete diffuser segments may define continuous concentric rings, discontinuous concentric rings, or a combination of continuous concentric rings and discontinuous concentric rings. The discrete diffuser segments are separated from each other by forming at least one trench in the diffuser layer. The trench may extend partially through the diffuser layer, completely through the diffuser layer to the electrostatic puck, or have a first portion that extends partially through the diffuser layer and a second portion that extends completely through the diffuser layer. Also, the trench can have a constant width or have a variable width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Sanhong Zhang, Kevin Ptasienski, Martin Wallinger, Blake Parkinson
  • Publication number: 20220338305
    Abstract: A support pedestal includes a support member including a resistive layer having a plurality of zones, a routing layer, and a plurality of conductive vias. The plurality of zones are defined by a plurality of independently controllable resistive heating elements. The resistive layer and the routing layer are disposed in different planes of the support member and are connected by the plurality of conductive vias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kevin PTASIENSKI, Stanton Hopkins BREITLOW, Mohammad NOSRATI, Kevin SMITH, Brittany PHILLIPS, Ken AMES, Patrick MARGAVIO, Kurt ENGLISH
  • Patent number: 11382180
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a support pedestal that includes a support member including a resistive layer having at least two zones, a routing layer, and a plurality of conductive vias. The resistive layer and the routing layer are disposed in different planes of the support member and are connected by the plurality of vias. The number of zones of the resistive layer is greater than or equal to a number of wires coupled to the routing layer. The routing layer may include a plurality of arm portions that extend from a central region of the routing layer. The support pedestal may further include a second resistive layer disposed along the same plane as the routing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin Ptasienski, Stanton Hopkins Breitlow, Mohammad Nosrati, Kevin Smith, Brittany Phillips, Ken Ames, Patrick Margavio, Kurt English
  • Publication number: 20220210873
    Abstract: A support pedestal includes a substrate, a plurality of resistive heating elements disposed on the substrate and defining a plurality of heating zones, and electric terminals disposed at a central region of the substrate. At least one of the electric terminals is connected to at least two of the plurality of resistive heating elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin PTASIENSKI, Stanton Hopkins BREITLOW, Mohammad NOSRATI, Kevin SMITH, Brittany PHILLIPS, Ken AMES, Patrick MARGAVIO, Kurt ENGLISH
  • Patent number: 11343879
    Abstract: A support pedestal is provided that includes a substrate having a top resistive layer defining a first set of zones and a bottom resistive layer defining a second set of zones. Each zone of the first and second set of zones is coupled to at least two electric terminals from among a plurality of electric terminals, and a total number of electric terminals is less than or equal to a total of the first and second set of zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kevin Ptasienski, Stanton Hopkins Breitlow, Mohammad Nosrati, Kevin Smith, Brittany Phillips, Ken Ames, Patrick Margavio, Kurt English
  • Patent number: 11304265
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a layered heater includes: applying a dielectric material on a substrate to form a dielectric layer; thermal-spraying a resistive material on the dielectric layer to form a resistive layer on the dielectric layer; forming a plurality of conductive overlays at predetermined locations on the substrate; and forming a plurality of cuts into the resistive layer by laser cutting to form a resistive circuit pattern that overlaps the conductive overlays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Elias Russegger, Gerhard Schefbanker, Martin Wallinger, Kevin Ptasienski
  • Publication number: 20220050485
    Abstract: In one form, the present disclosure is directed toward a method of controlling temperature of a heater including a resistive heating element. The method includes applying power to the resistive heating element at a variable ramp rate to decrease temperature of the heater to a desired temperature setpoint, where the variable ramp rate is set to a desired ramp rate. The method further includes monitoring the temperature of the heater to detect a runaway condition and adjusting the variable ramp rate from the desired ramp rate to a permitted ramp rate in response to the runaway condition being detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Brittany PHILLIPS, Stanton H. BREITLOW, Kevin PTASIENSKI
  • Publication number: 20220053609
    Abstract: In one form, the present disclosure is directed toward a method for controlling temperature of a heater including a resistive heating element. The method includes applying power to the resistive heating element of the heater at a variable ramp rate to increase temperature of the heater to a desired temperature setpoint. The variable ramp rate is set to a desired ramp rate. The method further includes monitoring an electric current flowing through the resistive heating element of the heater, and reducing the variable ramp rate from the desired ramp rate to a permitted ramp rate in response to the electric current being greater than a lower limit of an electric current limit band. An upper limit of the electric current limit band is provided as a system current limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Brittany PHILLIPS, Stanton H. BREITLOW, Kevin PTASIENSKI
  • Patent number: 11191129
    Abstract: A layered heater includes a resistive layer formed from a conductive material and separated into an intermediate area and a resistive circuit pattern by a plurality of cuts that extend all the way through the resistive layer. The resistive circuit pattern includes termination pads electrically connected to the resistive circuit pattern with the intermediate area being electrically inactive. A conductive overlay is disposed over a continuous portion of the resistive circuit pattern. The plurality of cuts extend longitudinally into the conductive overlay such that no portion of the resistive pattern is present outside the conductive overlay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Elias Russegger, Gerhard Schefbanker, Martin Wallinger, Kevin Ptasienski
  • Publication number: 20210368584
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a heater includes powering the heater to a first temperature setpoint. The heater includes a resistive heating element that has a varying temperature coefficient of resistance. The method further includes concurrently obtaining a plurality of resistance measurements of the resistive heating element and a plurality of reference temperature measurements of a reference member as the heater cools from a first temperature setpoint to a second temperature setpoint that is lower than the first temperature setpoint, and generating a resistance-temperature calibration table that correlates the plurality of resistance measurements with the plurality of reference temperature measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Stanton H. BREITLOW, Brittany PHILLIPS, Kevin PTASIENSKI
  • Patent number: 11133201
    Abstract: A thermal system includes a base member, a two-phase fluid, a tuning heater, and a chuck. The base member includes at least one fluid passageway. The two-phase fluid is disposed within the fluid passageway. A pressure of the two-phase fluid is controlled such that the two-phase fluid provides at least one of heating and cooling to the base member. The tuning heater is secured to the base member. The chuck is secured to the tuning heater opposite to the base member. The tuning heater includes a plurality of zones to fine tune a heat distribution provided by the base member to the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin R. Smith, Kevin Ptasienski, Ray Alan Derler, Cal T. Swanson, Philip S. Schmidt, Mohammad Nosrati, Jacob R. Lindley, Allen N. Boldt, Sanhong Zhang, Louis P. Steinhauser, Dennis S. Grimard
  • Publication number: 20210298125
    Abstract: A heater includes a sintered assembly and a functional element disposed on one of opposing surfaces of the sintered assembly. The heater is manufactured by a method that includes hot pressing a ceramic powder and a plurality of first slugs and forming the sintered assembly including a ceramic substrate and the plurality of first slugs embedded therein, forming the functional element on the one opposing surface of the sintered assembly such that the functional element is connected to the plurality of first slugs, and forming a monolithic substrate in which the functional element and the plurality of first slugs are embedded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kevin Ptasienski, Patrick Margavio, Kevin Smith
  • Patent number: 11083050
    Abstract: A method of constructing a heater includes the steps of forming a sintered assembly including a ceramic substrate and a plurality of first slugs embedded therein, forming a functional element on one of opposing surfaces of the sintered assembly such that the functional element is connected to the plurality of first slugs, and forming a monolithic substrate in which the functional element and the plurality of first slugs are embedded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kevin Ptasienski, Patrick Margavio, Kevin Smith
  • Publication number: 20210074569
    Abstract: A method of constructing an E-puck includes forming at least one trench into a lower substrate, depositing an electrode material onto the lower substrate and into the at least one trench, removing excess electrode material from the lower substrate to leave the electrode material within the at least one trench to form an electrode, and forming a dielectric on the lower substrate and the electrode such that the electrode is between the lower substrate and the upper substrate. Forming the at least one trench into the lower substrate forms at least one standoff portion adjacent to the at least one trench and the at least one standoff portion reduces dishing of the electrode material during removal of the excess electrode material from the lower substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Patrick Margavio, Kurt English, Kevin Ptasienski
  • Publication number: 20210066107
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is formed by depositing a diffuser layer onto an electrostatic puck and removing areas of the diffuser layer to form discrete diffuser segments separated by gaps. The discrete diffuser segments may define continuous concentric rings, discontinuous concentric rings, or a combination of continuous concentric rings and discontinuous concentric rings. The discrete diffuser segments are separated from each other by forming at least one trench in the diffuser layer. The trench may extend partially through the diffuser layer, completely through the diffuser layer to the electrostatic puck, or have a first portion that extends partially through the diffuser layer and a second portion that extends completely through the diffuser layer. Also, the trench can have a constant width or have a variable width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Sanhong Zhang, Kevin PTASIENSKI, Martin WALLINGER, Blake Parkinson
  • Patent number: 10734256
    Abstract: A heater system is provided that includes a base functional layer having at least one functional zone. A substrate is secured to the functional member, and a tuning layer is secured to the substrate opposite the base functional layer. The tuning layer includes a plurality of zones that is greater in number than the zones of the base functional layer, and the tuning layer provides lower power than the base functional layer. A component is secured to the tuning layer opposite the substrate, and the substrate defines a thermal conductivity to absorb and dissipate a requisite amount of power from the base functional layer. A control system is also provided that has a plurality of addressable control elements in electrical communication with power lines and with the tuning layer, the control elements providing selective control of the tuning layer zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kevin Ptasienski, Kevin Robert Smith, Cal Thomas Swanson, Philip Steven Schmidt, Mohammad Nosrati, Jacob Lindley, Allen Norman Boldt, Sanhong Zhang, Louis P. Steinhauser, Dennis Stanley Grimard
  • Publication number: 20200092951
    Abstract: A heater system includes a substrate, a layered heater having a resistive layer formed on the substrate by a layered process, the resistive layer having sufficient temperature coefficient of resistance characteristics such that the resistive layer is a heater element and a temperature sensor. A single set of electrical leads having two electrical lead wires provides power to the resistive layer and receives a signal indicative of a temperature of the resistive layer. A two-wire controller includes a power controller, and the two-wire controller is configured to receive the signal indicative of the temperature of the resistive layer, determine the temperature of the resistive layer, and control temperature of the heater system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Kenneth F. FENNEWALD, William A. MCDOWELL, Kevin PTASIENSKI, Louis P. STEINHAUSER