Patents by Inventor Richard A. Knott
Richard A. Knott 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: 9414606Abstract: A conveyor system is disclosed wherein the conveyor line includes two or more conveyor lines wherein all of the conveyor lines are built on a common frame. By building the conveyor lines on a common frame, the conveyor lines can be built adjacent to one another and share common sidewalls, eliminating gaps of traditional conveyor systems. Adjustable standing platforms can also be added to assist workers in reaching the conveyor lines. The result is a more modular, easier to clean, ergonomically beneficial conveyor system.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: D&F Equipment Sales, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth Richard Knott, Joseph William Knott, Lucius Riley Eubanks, Jr.
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Publication number: 20150079889Abstract: A conveyor system is disclosed wherein the conveyor line includes two or more conveyor lines wherein all of the conveyor lines are built on a common frame. By building the conveyor lines on a common frame, the conveyor lines can be built adjacent to one another and share common sidewalls, eliminating gaps of traditional conveyor systems. Adjustable standing platforms can also be added to assist workers in reaching the conveyor lines. The result is a more modular, easier to clean, ergonomically beneficial conveyor system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Kenneth Richard Knott, Joseph William Knott, Lucius Riley Eubanks, JR.
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Patent number: 7847559Abstract: Shields for feedthrough pin insulators of a hot cathode ionization gauge are provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in harmful process environments. Various shield materials, designs, and configurations may be employed depending on the gauge design and other factors. In one embodiment, the shields may include apertures through which to insert feedthrough pins and spacers to provide an optimal distance between the shields and the feedthrough pin insulators before the shields are attached to the gauge. The shields may further include tabs used to attach the shields to components of the gauge, such as the gauge's feedthrough pins. Through use of example embodiments of the insulator shields, the life of the ionization gauge is extended by preventing gaseous products from a process in a vacuum chamber or material sputtered from the ionization gauge from depositing on the feedthrough pin insulators and causing electrical leakage from the gauge's electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2008Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventor: Richard A. Knott
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Patent number: 7768267Abstract: An ionization gauge that eliminates a hot cathode or filament, but maintains a level of precision of gas density measurements approaching that of a hot cathode ionization gauge. The ionization gauge includes a collector electrode disposed in an ionization volume, an electron source without a heated cathode, and an electrostatic shutter that regulates the flow of electrons between the electron source and the ionization volume. The electrostatic shutter controls the flow of electrons based on feedback from an anode defining the ionization volume. The electron source can be a Penning or glow discharge ionization gauge.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2007Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventors: Richard A. Knott, Gerardo A. Brucker, Paul C. Arnold
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Patent number: 7656165Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a multi-hot-cathode ionization gauge is provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in gaseous process environments. In example embodiments, the life of a spare cathode is extended by heating the spare cathode to a temperature that is insufficient to emit electrons but that is sufficient to decrease the amount of material that deposits on its surface or is optimized to decrease the chemical interaction between a process gas and a material of the at least one spare cathode. The spare cathode may be constantly or periodically heated. In other embodiments, after a process pressure passes a given pressure threshold, plural cathodes may be heated to a non-emitting temperature, plural cathodes may be heated to a lower emitting temperature, or an emitting cathode may be heated to a temperature that decreases the electron emission current.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2008Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventors: Larry K. Carmichael, Michael D. Borenstein, Paul C. Arnold, Stephen C. Blouch, Richard A. Knott
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Publication number: 20090146665Abstract: Shields for feedthrough pin insulators of a hot cathode ionization gauge are provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in harmful process environments. Various shield materials, designs, and configurations may be employed depending on the gauge design and other factors. In one embodiment, the shields may include apertures through which to insert feedthrough pins and spacers to provide an optimal distance between the shields and the feedthrough pin insulators before the shields are attached to the gauge. The shields may further include tabs used to attach the shields to components of the gauge, such as the gauge's feedthrough pins. Through use of example embodiments of the insulator shields, the life of the ionization gauge is extended by preventing gaseous products from a process in a vacuum chamber or material sputtered from the ionization gauge from depositing on the feedthrough pin insulators and causing electrical leakage from the gauge's electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventor: Richard A. Knott
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Publication number: 20090015264Abstract: An ionization gauge that eliminates a hot cathode or filament, but maintains a level of precision of gas density measurements approaching that of a hot cathode ionization gauge. The ionization gauge includes a collector electrode disposed in an ionization volume, an electron source without a heated cathode, and an electrostatic shutter that regulates the flow of electrons between the electron source and the ionization volume. The electrostatic shutter controls the flow of electrons based on feedback from an anode defining the ionization volume. The electron source can be a Penning or glow discharge ionization gauge.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2007Publication date: January 15, 2009Inventors: Richard A. Knott, Gerardo A. Brucker, Paul C. Arnold
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Publication number: 20080315887Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a multi-hot-cathode ionization gauge is provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in gaseous process environments. In example embodiments, the life of a spare cathode is extended by heating the spare cathode to a temperature that is insufficient to emit electrons but that is sufficient to decrease the amount of material that deposits on its surface or is optimized to decrease the chemical interaction between a process gas and a material of the at least one spare cathode. The spare cathode may be constantly or periodically heated. In other embodiments, after a process pressure passes a given pressure threshold, plural cathodes may be heated to a non-emitting temperature, plural cathodes may be heated to a lower emitting temperature, or an emitting cathode may be heated to a temperature that decreases the electron emission current.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2008Publication date: December 25, 2008Applicant: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventors: Larry K. Carmichael, Michael D. Borenstein, Paul C. Arnold, Stephen C. Blouch, Richard A. Knott
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Patent number: 7456634Abstract: Shields for feedthrough pin insulators of a hot cathode ionization gauge are provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in harmful process environments. Various shield materials, designs, and configurations may be employed depending on the gauge design and other factors. In one embodiment, the shields may include apertures through which to insert feedthrough pins and spacers to provide an optimal distance between the shields and the feedthrough pin insulators before the shields are attached to the gauge. The shields may further include tabs used to attach the shields to components of the gauge, such as the gauge's feedthrough pins. Through use of example embodiments of the insulator shields, the life of the ionization gauge is extended by preventing gaseous products from a process in a vacuum chamber or material sputtered from the ionization gauge from depositing on the feedthrough pin insulators and causing electrical leakage from the gauge's electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2006Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventor: Richard A. Knott
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Patent number: 7429863Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a multi-hot-cathode ionization gauge is provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in gaseous process environments. In example embodiments, the life of a spare cathode is extended by heating the spare cathode to a temperature that is insufficient to emit electrons but that is sufficient to decrease the amount of material that deposits on its surface or is optimized to decrease the chemical interaction between a process gas and a material of the at least one spare cathode. The spare cathode may be constantly or periodically heated. In other embodiments, after a process pressure passes a given pressure threshold, plural cathodes may be heated to a non-emitting temperature, plural cathodes may be heated to a lower emitting temperature, or an emitting cathode may be heated to a temperature that decreases the electron emission current.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2006Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventors: Larry K. Carmichael, Michael D. Borenstein, Paul C. Arnold, Stephen C. Blouch, Richard A. Knott
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Publication number: 20080100301Abstract: Shields for feedthrough pin insulators of a hot cathode ionization gauge are provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in harmful process environments. Various shield materials, designs, and configurations may be employed depending on the gauge design and other factors. In one embodiment, the shields may include apertures through which to insert feedthrough pins and spacers to provide an optimal distance between the shields and the feedthrough pin insulators before the shields are attached to the gauge. The shields may further include tabs used to attach the shields to components of the gauge, such as the gauge's feedthrough pins. Through use of example embodiments of the insulator shields, the life of the ionization gauge is extended by preventing gaseous products from a process in a vacuum chamber or material sputtered from the ionization gauge from depositing on the feedthrough pin insulators and causing electrical leakage from the gauge's electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2006Publication date: May 1, 2008Inventor: Richard A. Knott
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Publication number: 20080018337Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a multi-hot-cathode ionization gauge is provided to increase the operational lifetime of the ionization gauge in gaseous process environments. In example embodiments, the life of a spare cathode is extended by heating the spare cathode to a temperature that is insufficient to emit electrons but that is sufficient to decrease the amount of material that deposits on its surface or is optimized to decrease the chemical interaction between a process gas and a material of the at least one spare cathode. The spare cathode may be constantly or periodically heated. In other embodiments, after a process pressure passes a given pressure threshold, plural cathodes may be heated to a non-emitting temperature, plural cathodes may be heated to a lower emitting temperature, or an emitting cathode may be heated to a temperature that decreases the electron emission current.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2006Publication date: January 24, 2008Inventors: Larry K. Carmichael, Michael D. Borenstein, Paul C. Arnold, Stephen C. Blouch, Richard A. Knott
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Patent number: 5022107Abstract: The subject invention is a multiple purpose outdoor mattress comprising in general a longitudinally extending member of rectangular configuration, as viewed from an upper planar view, with a given thickness which extends from the bottom surface to the upper surface of the mattress. Formed downwardly from the upper surface to a distance just short of the lower surface of such mattress are a multiple number of pockets of parallelopiped or cylindrical configuration into which can be inserted any number or array of items for use by a person using such mattress. In an alternate arrangement, a separate member is affixed to the upper surface of such mattress, and such separate member has a plurality of openings depending downwardly into which can be inserted various objects.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1989Date of Patent: June 11, 1991Inventor: Richard A. Knotts