Patents by Inventor Steven Lawrence Kimbel

Steven Lawrence Kimbel 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: 10918970
    Abstract: A system for extracting liquid is provided. The system includes a vacuum source and a nozzle having a wettable plunger and a vacuum tube connected in flow communication with the vacuum source. When the plunger is partly submerged in the liquid and the vacuum source is actuated to initiate a flow of gas through the vacuum tube, droplets of the liquid separate from at least a portion of the unsubmerged part of the plunger and become suspended in the gas flow. The system also includes a cooling structure positioned adjacent to the vacuum tube to facilitate solidifying the droplets suspended in the gas flowing through the vacuum tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Corner Star Limited
    Inventor: Steven Lawrence Kimbel
  • Publication number: 20200255971
    Abstract: A method of recycling monocrystalline segments cut from a monocrystalline ingot of semiconductor or solar grade material is provided. The method includes removing a first monocrystalline segment from the monocrystalline ingot, connecting the first monocrystalline segment to a second monocrystalline segment to form a chain of monocrystalline segments, and introducing the chain of monocrystalline segments into a melt of semiconductor or solar grade material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventor: Steven Lawrence Kimbel
  • Publication number: 20190153615
    Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an ingot from a melt are disclosed. A method includes placing conditioning members within a cavity defined by a crucible and placing feedstock material into the cavity. The method also includes melting the feedstock material to form the melt. A melt line is defined by a surface of the melt. The conditioning members including quartz bodies arranged at the melt line to contact the melt and reduce the number of micro-voids in the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Salvador Zepeda, Richard J. Phillips, Christopher Vaughn Luers, Steven Lawrence Kimbel, Harold W. Korb, John D. Holder, Carissima Marie Hudson, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Stephan Haringer, Marco Zardoni
  • Patent number: 10221500
    Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an ingot from a melt are disclosed. A system includes a crucible defining a cavity for receiving the melt, and a first and second barrier to inhibit movement of the melt. A first passageway and a second passageway are arranged to allow the melt located within an outer zone to move into and through a transition zone and into an inner zone. Conditioning members are placed in at least one of the zones and arranged to contact the melt to reduce the number of micro-voids in the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Corner Star Limited
    Inventors: Salvador Zepeda, Richard J. Phillips, Christopher Vaughn Luers, Steven Lawrence Kimbel, Harold W. Korb, John D. Holder, Carissima Marie Hudson, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Stephan Haringer, Marco Zardoni
  • Publication number: 20190022552
    Abstract: A system for extracting liquid is provided. The system includes a vacuum source and a nozzle having a wettable plunger and a vacuum tube connected in flow communication with the vacuum source. When the plunger is partly submerged in the liquid and the vacuum source is actuated to initiate a flow of gas through the vacuum tube, droplets of the liquid separate from at least a portion of the unsubmerged part of the plunger and become suspended in the gas flow. The system also includes a cooling structure positioned adjacent to the vacuum tube to facilitate solidifying the droplets suspended in the gas flowing through the vacuum tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventor: Steven Lawrence Kimbel
  • Publication number: 20180347071
    Abstract: A method and system for double-layer continuous Cz crystal growing are disclosed. The system includes a crucible assembly including an inner crucible in an outer crucible, the inner crucible defining a growth region and a feed region, the crucible assembly containing molten material (e.g., silicon). The system also includes a susceptor, a continuous feed supply for providing a continuous feed to the feed region, and a temperature control system disposed about the susceptor and configured to cool a region of silicon at a bottom of the growth region to form a solid layer, the solid layer facilitating reducing an oxygen concentration in the growing crystal. The method includes separating molten material into the growth region and the feed region, initiating cooling at a bottom of the growth region, and solidifying a region of material at the bottom of the growth region, such that a solid layer is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventor: Steven Lawrence Kimbel
  • Patent number: 10060046
    Abstract: A crystal puller for growing a crystal ingot includes a housing, insulation, a crucible assembly, a heat shield, and a dust barrier. The housing encloses a growth chamber, and has an upper wall with an inner surface and an aperture. The insulation separates an inside of the housing into an upper area and a lower area, and has a central opening. The crucible assembly is within the lower area to contain the melt. The heat shield is adjacent the central opening of the insulation, and forms a labyrinth gas path with the crucible assembly. The dust barrier extends from the inner surface of the upper wall to one of the insulation and the heat shield, and forms a seal with the upper wall around the aperture to inhibit particles from entering the growth chamber through the upper area of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Corner Star Limited
    Inventors: Steven Lawrence Kimbel, Benjamin Michael Meyer, Salvador Zepeda, Steven John Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20180187329
    Abstract: Systems and methods for forming an ingot from a melt are disclosed. A system includes a crucible defining a cavity for receiving the melt, and a first and second barrier to inhibit movement of the melt. A first passageway and a second passageway are arranged to allow the melt located within an outer zone to move into and through a transition zone and into an inner zone. Conditioning members are placed in at least one of the zones and arranged to contact the melt to reduce the number of micro-voids in the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Salvador Zepeda, Richard J. Phillips, Christopher Vaughn Luers, Steven Lawrence Kimbel, Harold W. Korb, John D. Holder, Carissima Marie Hudson, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Stephan Haringer, Marco Zardoni
  • Publication number: 20160083864
    Abstract: A crystal puller for growing a crystal ingot includes a housing, insulation, a crucible assembly, a heat shield, and a dust barrier. The housing encloses a growth chamber, and has an upper wall with an inner surface and an aperture. The insulation separates an inside of the housing into an upper area and a lower area, and has a central opening. The crucible assembly is within the lower area to contain the melt. The heat shield is adjacent the central opening of the insulation, and forms a labyrinth gas path with the crucible assembly. The dust barrier extends from the inner surface of the upper wall to one of the insulation and the heat shield, and forms a seal with the upper wall around the aperture to inhibit particles from entering the growth chamber through the upper area of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Steven Lawrence Kimbel, Benjamin Michael Meyer, Salvador Zepeda, Steven John Ferguson
  • Patent number: 8691013
    Abstract: A crystal puller for melting silicon and forming a single crystal ingot and a feed tool for shielding a portion of the crystal puller during charging of the crystal puller are disclosed herein. The crystal puller includes a crucible for containing molten silicon. The feed tool includes a cylinder and a plate. The cylinder has an inner surface and an annular ledge formed in a portion of the inner surface. The cylinder has a diameter at the annular ledge that is less than a diameter of the cylinder at the inner surface. The plate is positioned on the annular ledge and includes a first section separate from a second section. The first section and the second section are operable to move laterally with respect to each other. The plate has a central opening formed in at least one of the first section and the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: MEMC Singapore Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Benjamin Michael Meyer, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Steven Lawrence Kimbel
  • Publication number: 20120285373
    Abstract: A crystal puller for melting silicon and forming a single crystal ingot and a feed tool for shielding a portion of the crystal puller during charging of the crystal puller are disclosed herein. The crystal puller includes a crucible for containing molten silicon. The feed tool includes a cylinder and a plate. The cylinder has an inner surface and an annular ledge formed in a portion of the inner surface. The cylinder has a diameter at the annular ledge that is less than a diameter of the cylinder at the inner surface. The plate is positioned on the annular ledge and includes a first section separate from a second section. The first section and the second section are operable to move laterally with respect to each other. The plate has a central opening formed in at least one of the first section and the second section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: MEMC SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. (UEN200614794D)
    Inventors: Benjamin Michael Meyer, Hariprasad Sreedharamurthy, Steven Lawrence Kimbel