Patents by Inventor Michael R. Frey

Michael R. Frey 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: 20090077805
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a system that can be used to form a photovoltaic device, or solar cell, using processing modules that are adapted to perform one or more steps in the solar cell formation process. The automated solar cell fab is generally an arrangement of automated processing modules and automation equipment that is used to form solar cell devices. The automated solar fab will thus generally comprise a substrate receiving module that is adapted to receive a substrate, one or more absorbing layer deposition cluster tools having at least one processing chamber that is adapted to deposit a silicon-containing layer on a surface of the substrate, one or more back contact deposition chambers, one or more material removal chambers, a solar cell encapsulation device, an autoclave module, an automated junction box attaching module, and one or more quality assurance modules that are adapted to test and qualify the completely formed solar cell device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Robert Z. BACHRACH, Yong-Kee Chae, Soo Young Choi, Nicholas G.J. De Vries, Yacov Elgar, Eric A. Englhardt, Michael R. Frei, Charles Gay, Parris Hawkins, Choi (Gene) Ho, James Craig Hunter, Penchala N. Kankanala, Liwei Li, Wing Hoo (Hendrick) Lo, Danny Cam Toan Lu, Fang Mei, Stephen P. Murphy, Srujal (Steve) Patel, Matthew J.B. Saunders, Asaf Schlezinger, Shuran Sheng, Tzay-Fa (Jeff) Su, Jeffrey S. Sullivan, David Tanner, Teresa Trowbridge, Brice Walker, John M. White, Tae K. Won
  • Patent number: 6848240
    Abstract: A stretch head for facilitating the wrapping of palletized loads within packaging or wrapping film comprises a vertical downright, and a carriage assembly vertically movable along the vertical downright. A base plate is mounted upon the carriage assembly and is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane so as to have a first end thereof disposed at a higher elevation than a second opposite end thereof. A supply roll of wrapping or packaging film is rotatably mounted upon the first higher end of the base plate, and a pair of tension rollers are mounted upon a substantially central portion of the base plate. A strain gauge roller is also mounted upon the base plate for receiving the wrapping film exiting from the tension rollers, a first idler roller is mounted upon the base plate for receiving the wrapping film from the strain gauge roller, and a second idler roller is mounted upon the second opposite end of the base plate for receiving the wrapping film from the first idler roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Michael R. Frey
  • Publication number: 20030115840
    Abstract: A stretch head for facilitating the wrapping of palletized loads within packaging or wrapping film comprises a vertical downright, a carriage assembly movable along the vertical downright, a base plate mounted upon the carriage assembly and inclined with respect to a horizontal plane so as to have a first end thereof disposed at a higher elevation than a second opposite end thereof, a supply roll of wrapping or packaging film rotatably mounted upon the first higher end of the base plate, a pair of tension rollers mounted upon the base plate, a strain gauge roller mounted upon the base plate for receiving the wrapping film exiting from the tension rollers, a first idler roller mounted upon the base plate for receiving the wrapping film from the strain gauge roller, and a second idler roller for receiving the wrapping film from the first idler roller and mounted upon the lowest end portion of the base plate so as to be capable of positioning the wrapping film at the lowest elevation whereby the wrapping film ca
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Michael R. Frey
  • Patent number: 6557323
    Abstract: A wipe-down implement system, for performing a wipe-down operation upon a trailing end portion of a wrapping film wrapped around a palletized load, comprises a support arm pivotally mounted upon a vertical standard between a first position remote from the palletized load and a second position adjacent to the load, and a wipe-down implement pivotally mounted upon the support arm between extended and retracted positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Michael R. Frey