Patents by Inventor Kurt A. Schroder

Kurt A. Schroder 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: 20150298167
    Abstract: A curing apparatus for thermally processing thin films on low-temperature substrates at high speeds is disclosed. The curing apparatus includes a strobe head, a strobe control module and a conveyor control module. The strobe control module controls the power, duration and repetition rate of a set of pulses generated by a flash lamp on the strobe head. The conveyor control module along with the strobe control module provide real-time synchronization between the repetition rate of the set of pulses and the speed at which the substrate is being moved under the strobe head, according to the speed information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: KURT A. SCHRODER, KARL M. MARTIN, DOUG K. JACKSON, STEVEN C. MCCOOL
  • Patent number: 9095874
    Abstract: A curing apparatus for thermally processing thin films on low-temperature substrates at high speeds is disclosed. The curing apparatus includes a strobe head, a strobe control module and a conveyor control module. The strobe control module controls the power, duration and repetition rate of a set of pulses generated by a flash lamp on the strobe head. The conveyor control module along with the strobe control module provide real-time synchronization between the repetition rate of the set of pulses and the speed at which the substrate is being moved under the strobe head, according to the speed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: NCC NANO, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt A Schroder, Karl M Martin, Doug K. Jackson, Steven C McCool
  • Publication number: 20150197458
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a process for producing a product based on faecals produced by animals, characterized in that faecals from mammals are wholly or partially dissolved using an oxidizing acid, solid acid-insoluble components are separated, if necessary, and the liquid component is neutralized with a base. Moreover, the invention relates to a plant for producing a product, the plant comprising a faecal reactor for receiving animal faecals, wherein the reactor is provided with means for supplying an oxidizing acid, possibly a separator unit for separating solid, acid-insoluble components, and a neutralizing reactor for neutralizing the part of the faecals dissolved by means of the oxidizing acid, wherein the neutralizing reactor is provided with means for supplying a base. The invention provides a substantially odorless product for use as fertilizer for a crop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Jes THOMSEN, Kurt SCHRØDER, Dennis Wowern NIELSEN
  • Publication number: 20150176133
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: DAVE S. POPE, KURT A. SCHRODER, IAN M. RAWSON
  • Patent number: 9006047
    Abstract: A method for thermally processing a minimally absorbing thin film in a selective manner is disclosed. Two closely spaced absorbing traces are patterned in thermal contact with the thin film. A pulsed radiant source is used to heat the two absorbing traces, and the thin film is thermally processed via conduction between the two absorbing traces. This method can be utilized to fabricate a thin film transistor (TFT) in which the thin film is a semiconductor and the absorbers are the source and the drain of the TFT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: NCC Nano, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt A. Schroder, Robert P. Wenz
  • Publication number: 20150055943
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing material on a low-temperature substrate using pulsed light from a flash lamp is disclosed. Material is conveyed past the flash lamp. The pulses of light are formed by Pulse Width Modulation to tailor the shape of the pulses to generate a thermal gradient in the substrate that enables the material to be heated beyond the maximum working temperature of the substrate without damage. Its shaped pulse rate is synchronized to the conveyance speed of a conveyance system. By using the information from a feedback sensor, the thermal gradient is recalculated to alter the shape of the pulses in real time for optimizing subsequent curings in real time without powering down the curing apparatus. The combined pulse shaping and synchronization allow a temperature profile to be tailored in the sample that is uniformly cured in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: NCC NANO, LLC
    Inventors: KURT A. SCHRODER, STEVEN C. MCCOOL, DOUGLAS K. JACKSON
  • Patent number: 8945686
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventors: Dave S. Pope, Kurt A. Schroder, Ian M. Rawson
  • Patent number: 8907258
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing material on a low-temperature substrate using pulsed light from a flash lamp is disclosed. Material is conveyed past the flash lamp. The pulses of light are formed by Pulse Width Modulation to tailor the shape of the pulses to generate a thermal gradient in the substrate that enables the material to be heated beyond the maximum working temperature of the substrate without damage. Its shaped pulse rate is synchronized to the conveyance speed of a conveyance system. By using the information from a feedback sensor, the thermal gradient is recalculated to alter the shape of the pulses in real time for optimizing subsequent curings in real time without powering down the curing apparatus. The combined pulse shaping and synchronization allow a temperature profile to be tailored in the sample that is uniformly cured in the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: NCC Nano, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt A. Schroder, Steven C. McCool, Douglas K. Jackson
  • Patent number: 8857342
    Abstract: The current invention relates to the fields of ballistic and kinetic energy (KE) weapons. Specifically a novel apparatus and use of nanomaterials has been developed to make significant improvements over existing weapons. By incorporating nano-scale particles as a filler material for kinetic energy weapons several advancements are realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: NCC Nano, LLC
    Inventors: Dennis Eugene Wilson, Kurt A. Schroder, Darrin Lee Willauer, Stephan Bless, Rodney Thompson Russell
  • Publication number: 20140145092
    Abstract: A curing apparatus for thermally processing thin films on low-temperature substrates at high speeds is disclosed. The curing apparatus includes a strobe head, a strobe control module and a conveyor control module. The strobe control module controls the power, duration and repetition rate of a set of pulses generated by a flash lamp on the strobe head. The conveyor control module along with the strobe control module provide real-time synchronization between the repetition rate of the set of pulses and the speed at which the substrate is being moved under the strobe head, according to the speed information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: NCC NANO, LLC
    Inventors: KURT A. SCHRODER, KARL M. MARTIN, DOUG K. JACKSON, STEVEN C. MCCOOL
  • Publication number: 20140017857
    Abstract: A method for thermally processing a minimally absorbing thin film in a selective manner is disclosed. Two closely spaced absorbing traces are patterned in thermal contact with the thin film. A pulsed radiant source is used to heat the two absorbing traces, and the thin film is thermally processed via conduction between the two absorbing traces. This method can be utilized to fabricate a thin film transistor (TFT) in which the thin film is a semiconductor and the absorbers are the source and the drain of the TFT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: KURT A. SCHRODER, ROBERT P. WENZ
  • Patent number: 8557642
    Abstract: A method for thermally processing a minimally absorbing thin film in a selective manner is disclosed. Two closely spaced absorbing traces are patterned in thermal contact with the thin film. A pulsed radiant source is used to heat the two absorbing traces, and the thin film is thermally processed via conduction between the two absorbing traces. This method can be utilized to fabricate a thin film transistor (TFT) in which the thin film is a semiconductor and the absorbers are the source and the drain of the TFT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: NCC Nano, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt A. Schroder, Robert P. Wenz
  • Patent number: 8410712
    Abstract: A curing apparatus for thermally processing thin films on low-temperature substrates at high speeds is disclosed. The curing apparatus includes a strobe head, a strobe control module and a conveyor control module. The strobe control module controls the power, duration and repetition rate of a set of pulses generated by a flash lamp on the strobe head. The conveyor control module along with the strobe control module provide real-time synchronization between the repetition rate of the set of pulses and the speed at which the substrate is being moved under the strobe head, according to the speed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: NCC Nano, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt A. Schroder, Karl M. Martin, Doug K. Jackson, Steven C. McCool
  • Patent number: 8361257
    Abstract: A laminated energetic device is disclosed. The laminated energetic device includes a low-gas generating energetic mixture, a core on which the low-gas generating energetic mixture is located, and a protective film for sealing the low-gas generating energetic mixture between the core and the protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: NCC Nano, LLC
    Inventor: Kurt A. Schroder
  • Publication number: 20120255192
    Abstract: A method for drying a thin film stack having a thin film located on a substrate is disclosed. The thin film stack is conveyed past a flashlamp during which the thin film stack is irradiated with a composite light pulse from the flashlamp. The composite light pulse is composed of multiple micropulses. The time duration of the composite light pulse is shorter than a total thermal equilibration time of the thin film stack. In addition, when the thin film stack is being conveyed past the flashlamp, the thin film stack should move less than 10% of the length of the irradiating area in the conveyance direction during the delivery of the composite light pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: Kurt A. Schroder, Ian M. Rawson, Steven C. McCool, Andrew E. Edd, Ronald I. Dass
  • Publication number: 20120216926
    Abstract: An energetic material composite comprising fuel particles and a hydrated compound is disclosed. The energetic material composite is formed by dispersing fuel particles, which have a negative standard reduction potential relative to a standard hydrogen electrode, in a solvent containing dissolved hydrate, followed by a removal of solvent. When initiated, the fuel particles react with the water bound in the hydrated compound to release energy and hydrogen gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Kurt A. Schroder, Ronald Ian Dass
  • Publication number: 20120186708
    Abstract: A laminated energetic device is disclosed. The laminated energetic device includes a low-gas generating energetic mixture, a core on which the low-gas generating energetic mixture is located, and a protective film for sealing the low-gas generating energetic mixture between the core and the protective film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventor: Kurt A. Schroder
  • Patent number: 8172963
    Abstract: A laminated energetic device is disclosed. The laminated energetic device includes a low-gas generating energetic mixture, a first film on which the low-gas generating energetic mixture is located, and a second film for sealing the low-gas generating energetic mixture between the first and second films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: NCC Nano, LLC
    Inventor: Kurt A. Schroder
  • Publication number: 20110300676
    Abstract: A method for thermally processing a minimally absorbing thin film in a selective manner is disclosed. Two closely spaced absorbing traces are patterned in thermal contact with the thin film. A pulsed radiant source is used to heat the two absorbing traces, and the thin film is thermally processed via conduction between the two absorbing traces. This method can be utilized to fabricate a thin film transistor (TFT) in which the thin film is a semiconductor and the absorbers are the source and the drain of the TFT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Kurt A. Schroder, Robert P. Wenz
  • Publication number: 20110262657
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Dave S. Pope, Kurt A. Schroder, Ian M. Rawson