Patents by Inventor Raymond Y. Lillard
Raymond Y. Lillard 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).
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Patent number: 7683525Abstract: A method for characterizing cavitation that occurs in a fluid exposed to acoustic energy. The method comprises the steps of exposing a volume of process fluid to acoustic energy at a specified power level; measuring the photon output from the fluid over a period of time; and when the photon output deviates from a desired level, initiating a remedial step to bring the photon output back to approximately the desired level.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2008Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Product Systems IncorporatedInventors: Mark J. Beck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher, Frank M. Haidinyak
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Publication number: 20090049917Abstract: A method for characterizing cavitation that occurs in a fluid exposed to acoustic energy. The method comprises the steps of exposing a volume of process fluid to acoustic energy at a specified power level; measuring the photon output from the fluid over a period of time; and when the photon output deviates from a desired level, initiating a remedial step to bring the photon output back to approximately the desired level.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2008Publication date: February 26, 2009Applicant: PRODUCT SYSTEMS INCORPORATEDInventors: Mark J. Beck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher, Frank M. Haidinyak
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Patent number: 7443079Abstract: An apparatus and method for characterizing cavitation that occurs in a fluid exposed to acoustic energy. The apparatus comprises a vessel for holding the fluid; an acoustic energy generating means for generating acoustic energy, the acoustic energy generating means being positioned to transmit the acoustic energy into the fluid while the fluid is held in the vessel; and a cavitation detection means for detecting cavitation in the fluid held in the vessel. In a preferred embodiment, the cavitation detection means comprises a light detection means, such as a photomultiplier tube, that detects sonoluminescent emission from the fluid. The method comprises the steps of exposing a volume of process fluid to acoustic energy at a specified power level; measuring the photon output from the fluid over a period of time; and when the photon output deviates from a desired level, initiating a remedial step to bring the photon output back to approximately the desired level.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2005Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: Product Systems IncorporatedInventors: Mark J. Beck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher, Frank M. Haidinyak
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Patent number: 7145286Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise two or more piezoelectric crystal segments that are separately controllable with respect to power and/or time. When assembled, the two more piezoelectric crystal segments give the acoustic energy generating means a rectangular shape, a wedge shape or a triangle shape. The resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2005Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Product Systems IncorporatedInventors: Mark J. Beck, Richard B. Vennerbeck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher
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Patent number: 6946774Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise two or more piezoelectric crystal segments that are separately controllable with respect to power and/or time. When assembled, the two more piezoelectric crystal segments give the acoustic energy generating means a rectangular shape, a wedge shape or a triangle shape. The resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2004Date of Patent: September 20, 2005Assignee: Product Systems IncorporatedInventors: Mark J. Beck, Richard B. Vennerbeck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher
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Patent number: 6882087Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise a wedge shaped piezoelectric crystal. A resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: April 19, 2005Assignee: Product Systems IncorporatedInventors: Mark J. Beck, Richard B. Vennerbeck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher
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Patent number: 6791242Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy in the frequency range of 0.4 to 2.0 MHz, and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise a wedge shaped piezoelectric crystal. A resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2002Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Product Systems IncorporatedInventors: Mark J. Beck, Richard B. Vennerbeck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher
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Publication number: 20030168946Abstract: A transducer comprising an acoustic energy generating means and a resonator. The acoustic energy generating means generates acoustic energy in the frequency range of 0.4 to 2.0 MHz, and is adapted for delivering an approximately uniform amount of acoustic energy to each unit of surface area on a substrate in a given time period when the substrate is rotating. The acoustic energy generating means has a surface area that is less than the surface area of the substrate, and may comprise a wedge shaped piezoelectric crystal. A resonator is attached to the acoustic energy generating means for transmitting the acoustic energy to the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2002Publication date: September 11, 2003Applicant: Product systems IncorporatedInventors: Mark J. Beck, Richard B. Vennerbeck, Raymond Y. Lillard, Eric G. Liebscher
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Patent number: 6549860Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting an optimum frequency for driving a transducer in a megasonic cleaning system. The method comprises the steps of selecting a plurality of frequency values that span a frequency range containing an optimum frequency for driving a piezoelectric crystal, determining the reflection coefficient at each frequency value, fitting the data set to a function, obtaining the first derivative equation of the function, finding the roots of the first derivative equation to yield a set of roots, and selecting the optimum frequency from the set of roots. The reflection coefficient is defined as the reflected power divided by the forward power. The apparatus comprises a microprocessor, a frequency generator, a directional coupler/detector and an analog to digital converter circuit.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2000Date of Patent: April 15, 2003Assignee: Product Systems IncorporatedInventor: Raymond Y. Lillard