Patents by Inventor Michael T. Prikas

Michael T. Prikas 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: 7200005
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for recycling exhaust air expelled from a computer server (e.g., a unit including microprocessors such as a standard server or a mainframe). In one embodiment, at least one windmill (e.g., a standard windmill or a wind turbine) is driven by the exhaust air from at least one server unit, and the at least one windmill in turn drives a generator. Therefore, energy previously wasted in the form of exhaust is harnessed and reused to provide power to the server system. The method and apparatus also reduce the demand placed on ventilation systems needed to cool server environments, further reducing the amount of energy consumed and/or wasted in the operation of a server system. In one embodiment, the electric power from the generator unit is either recycled into the power grid. In another embodiment, the recycled air is used to charge batteries that might be available as power standby units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Von Gutfeld, Michael T. Prikas
  • Patent number: 6943444
    Abstract: A structure (microduct) for temperature management (e.g., cooling) of the surface temperature of an electronic device (e.g., a microprocessor). In an embodiment of the present invention, the system includes an upper plate , wherein the upper plate has a bottom surface forming the top portion and sides of the microduct structure, and wherein the top surface of a lower wall forms the bottom surface of the microduct structure. The lower wall can be adapted to be coupled to a top surface of device. The microduct structure further includes a coolant that flows through the microduct to provide cooling for a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. von Gutfeld, Hendrik Hamann, Michael T. Prikas
  • Patent number: 6890388
    Abstract: A method of cleaning using an insonified, pressurized liquid to cleanse and then wash off particulates. The liquid is used to focus and direct the acoustical energy while enabling the trapping of the partials being cleaned and then used to wash off the partials. The acoustical frequency and power is described as optimized to be below the energy level to cause cavitation at the surface of the part being cleaned. The manufacturing process of loading, cleaning and unloading is also described. In another embodiment, a small amount of cavitation is acceptable if the cavitation is below a threshold in which shock waves occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael T. Prikas, Theodore G. van Kessel, Robert J. von Gutfeld, H. Kumar Wickramasinghe
  • Publication number: 20030127106
    Abstract: A method of cleaning using an insonified, pressurized liquid to cleanse and then wash off particulates. The liquid is used to focus and direct the acoustical energy while enabling the trapping of the partials being cleaned and then used to wash off the partials. The acoustical frequency and power is described as optimized to be below the energy level to cause cavitation at the surface of the part being cleaned. The manufacturing process of loading, cleaning and unloading is also described. In another embodiment, a small amount of cavitation is acceptable if the cavitation is below a threshold in which shock waves occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael T. Prikas, Theodore G. van Kessel, Robert J. von Gutfeld, H. Kumar Wickramasinghe
  • Patent number: 5871579
    Abstract: A convenient two-step dipping technique for preparing high-quality thin films of a variety of perovskites is provided by the invention. Thin films of Mi.sub.2 (M=Pb, Sn) were first prepared by vacuum-depositing MI.sub.2 onto ash glass or quart substrates, which were subsequently dipped into a solution containing the desired organic ammonium cation for a short period of time. Using this technique, thin films of different layered organic-inorganic perovskites (RNH.sub.3).sub.2 (CH.sub.3 NH.sub.3).sub.n-1 M.sub.n I.sub.3n+1 (R=butyl, phenethyl; M=Pb, Sn; and n=1, 2) and three-dimensional perovskites CH.sub.3 NH.sub.3 MI.sub.3 (M=Pb, Sn; i.e. n=.infin.) were successfully prepared at room temperature. The lattice constants of these dip-processed perovskites are very similar to those of the corresponding compounds prepared by solution-growth or by solid state reactions. The layered perovskite thin films possess strong photoluminescence, distributed uniformly across the film areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kangning Liang, David Brian Mitzi, Michael T. Prikas