Patents by Inventor William French

William French 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: 6480380
    Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for cooling a disk drive using a louver to direct air from an air stream toward the disk drive. One arrangement is directed to a storage system which includes a cabinet assembly, and a fan assembly that provides an air stream through the cabinet assembly. The storage system further includes a disk drive assembly that fastens to the cabinet assembly. The disk drive assembly includes (i) a disk drive that stores and retrieves computerized data, and (ii) a support member that supports the disk drive. The support member defines an input louver that redirects air from the air stream toward the disk drive of the disk drive assembly. This arrangement enables forced convection air to adequately cool the disk drive thus reducing disk drive operating temperature and lowering the disk drive failure rate. This lowering of the failure rate translates into improved field reliability and lower repair costs. In one arrangement, the support member includes highly stiff material (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: F. William French, Larry Pignolet, Scot Tata
  • Patent number: 6340488
    Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a method for making and an apparatus for applying a chocolate coating to a confectionery to produce a confectionary with a laced appearing coating. The laced appearing coating preferably includes more than one type of chocolate, preferably two types of chocolate. Advantageously, the laced appearing coating is formed from two layers of chocolate, a foundation chocolate layer and a laced chocolate layer, thus giving the laced appearing chocolate coating a three dimensional texture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: William French, Edward Morris Kuehl, Kurt A. Busse
  • Publication number: 20020001644
    Abstract: A coating having a marbled appearance, a confectionery product provided with a coating having a marbled appearance and methods of preparing the same. the coating may be chocolate or water-based.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Applicant: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Kurt Busse, Edward Kuehl, Michael Peter Gray, William French
  • Patent number: 6284294
    Abstract: A patterned composite food product has an ice confectionery composition component and an edible material component which is different from the ice confectionery composition, the edible material having a pattern form which is an inclusion pattern zone in the ice confectionery composition, and the pattern may have a layer form wherein a plurality of edible material layers are separated one from another and surrounded by the ice confectionery composition. The composite product is prepared by pumping an ice confectionery composition into a former structure provided with an extrusion die for product extrusion from the former structure and by pumping a the edible material component through an assembly of a hollow spindle with nozzle(s) attached wherein the nozzle(s) is (are) provided with ports, particularly slots, for delivering the edible material to within the ice confectionery composition pumped through the former structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: William French, Josephine E. Lometillo
  • Patent number: 6267073
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for preparing chocolate coatings having a marbled appearance, and confectionery products having a component provided with a chocolate coating having a marbled appearance thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Nestec, S.A.
    Inventors: Kurt A. Busse, Edward Morris Kuehl, William French
  • Patent number: 6254923
    Abstract: Solder particles 220 are deposited onto metallized contacts of a direct chip attach (DCA) site located on a substrate 301. The contacts 302 are coated with a layer of flux 303. A pick up head 211 is positioned in a reservoir 201 of solder particles 220 and particles are attracted to the apertures in the end 213 of the head. The apertures have an arrangement corresponding to the footprint of the metallized contacts on the substrate. The head 211 is positioned adjacent the substrate 301 and the particles 220 released. The particles 220 stick to the flux 303 coated on the contacts 302. The particles are reflowed, leveled and again coated with flux. An integrated circuit chip is then placed on the leveled reliefs 501 and the reliefs reflowed again to attach the chip onto the contacts 302.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Boyd, William French, Stuart P. Lees, Kenneth Skene Murray, Brian L. Robertson
  • Patent number: 6251456
    Abstract: A product with a striped coating, method for making, and an apparatus for applying a coating to a confectionery to produce a confectionary with a striped appearing coating. The striped appearing coating preferably includes more than one type of chocolate, preferably two types of chocolate. Advantageously, the striped appearing coating is formed from two layers of chocolate, a foundation chocolate layer and a striped chocolate layer, thus giving the striped appearing chocolate coating a three dimensional texture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Gary P. Maul, William French
  • Patent number: 6194014
    Abstract: A chocolate coating having a marbled appearance, a confectionary product provided with a chocolate coating having a marbled appearance, and methods for preparing the same. The chocolate coating may be water or chocolate based.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Kurt Busse, Edward Kuehl, Michaƫl Peter Gray, William French
  • Patent number: 6186890
    Abstract: A cabinet having a plurality of compartments disposed in an interior of the cabinet. The interior is configured to house electrical components. The cabinet has a surface with an exhaust aperture formed therethrough. The cabinet has a fan mounted to its surface in registration with the exhaust aperture in the cabinet. The fan is adapted to produce a flow of air through the interior of the cabinet and to exhaust such flow of air externally of the cabinet. A door is disposed adjacent to the plurality of compartments. The door having an intake aperture formed therethrough to allow the passage of air. The door also has an air dam extending out from the door toward the plurality of compartments. The air dam positioned on the door between the intake aperture in the door and the fan mounted in registration with the exhaust aperture in the cabinet. The air dam is adapted to inhibit airflow along the interior door toward the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventors: F. William French, Lisa D. Tilley
  • Patent number: 6135875
    Abstract: A cabinet having an aperture passing through a surface thereof. A fan is mounted over the aperture in the cabinet. The fan is adapted to produce a flow of air through the interior of the cabinet when operating properly to exhaust such flow of air externally of the cabinet. A resilient membrane is mounted to said surface of said cabinet. The resilient membrane has formed therein: a plurality of slits extending radially from a center of a region of the membrane. The slits are spaced about the periphery of the aperture to form a plurality of flaps in the membrane. The flaps are configured to pivot from a nominal position outwardly from the surface of the cabinet from the flow of air produced by the fan when the fan is operating properly and to return to the nominal position when the fan is operating improperly to inhibit air externally of the cabinet from entering into the interior. The fans have a hub and a grate. The membrane has an aperture formed therein. The aperture is at the center of the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventor: F. William French
  • Patent number: 6031685
    Abstract: Information storage systems having a liquid bearing of at least 2 molecular layers on the surface of a rigid storage medium are provided. The liquid bearing lubricant of the subject invention has a low viscosity, high vapor pressure organic liquid. The liquid bearing is maintained on the surface of the rigid storage medium by vapor phase transfer, where the gaseous environment of the rigid storage medium is maintained in a saturated state with respect to the low viscosity, high vapor pressure organic liquid of the liquid bearing. Also provided are novel read/write heads for use in the subject information storage systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Seagate Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William French, James H. Smith
  • Patent number: 6012624
    Abstract: A tool for soldering pin-in-hole electronic circuit components includes a tool plate with a set of via holes corresponding to the holes of a circuit board on which a circuit component is soldered. The board is aligned with the tool plate and hot gas is supplied through the set of plate vias to reflow solder in the board holes. The tool is particularly suitable for use in removing and replacing pinned circuit components. Use of particular gases (e.g., nitrogen) allows soldering to be carried out without the use of flux. Advantages of the tool are that it prevents burning the circuit board and/or unintentionally reflowing other circuit components mounted on the board (by directing hot gas only substantially onto the circuit board's solder-containing holes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William French, Stuart Lees, Colin David McCall, Kenneth Skene Murray, Brian Robertson
  • Patent number: 6004606
    Abstract: A composite ice confectionery product of the frozen type is prepared by pumping an ice composition into a former structure provided with an extrusion die so that the composition contained within the former passes through the former to the die for extrusion via the die and by pumping a material of texture different from that of the aerated ice confectionery through an assembly of a hollow spindle with nozzle(s) attached wherein the nozzle(s) is (are) provided with ports, particularly slots, for delivering the material into the ice confectionery composition stream in the former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: William French, Josephine E. Lometillo
  • Patent number: 5796498
    Abstract: A holographic imaging apparatus having a pulsed laser light source for generating an object beam and a reference beam whereby an object, obscured by a diffusing medium, is illuminated by the object beam. A real time interferogram recording medium is exposed to the coincidence of light reflected from the object and the reference beam to record an interferogram. A holographic image is then reconstructed from the interferogram and may be viewed and recorded. The pulsed laser light source generates a beam which is divided by a conventional beam splitter device into an object beam and a reference beam. The object beam is then diverged by a lens which forms a diverging object beam to illuminate the object. The reference beam is diverged through another lens to form a diverging reference beam which is directed so that it illuminates a photoreactive crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine
    Inventor: Paul Michael William French
  • Patent number: 5788143
    Abstract: Solder particles 220 are deposited onto metallized contacts of a direct chip attach (DCA) site located on a substrate 301. The contacts 302 are coated with a layer of flux 303. A pick up head 211 is positioned in a reservoir 201 of solder particles 220 and particles are attracted to the apertures in the end 213 of the head. The apertures have an arrangement corresponding to the footprint of the metallized contacts on the substrate. The head 211 is positioned adjacent the substrate 301 and the particles 220 released. The particles 220 stick to the flux 303 coated on the contacts 302. The particles are reflowed, leveled and again coated with flux. An integrated circuit chip is then placed on the leveled reliefs 501 and the reliefs reflowed again to attach the chip onto the contacts 302.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Boyd, William French, Stuart P. Lees, Kenneth Skene Murray, Brian L. Robertson
  • Patent number: 5758815
    Abstract: A tool for soldering pin-in-hole electronic circuit components includes a tool plate with a set of via holes corresponding to the holes of a circuit board on which a circuit component is soldered. The board is aligned with the tool plate and hot gas is supplied through the set of plate vias to reflow solder in the board holes. The tool is particularly suitable for use in removing and replacing pinned circuit components. Use of particular gases (e.g., nitrogen) allows soldering to be carried out without the use of flux. Advantages of the tool are that it prevents burning the circuit board and/or unintentionally reflowing other circuit components mounted on the board (by directing hot gas only substantially onto the circuit board's solder-containing holes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William French, Stuart Lees, Colin David McCall, Kenneth Skene Murray, Brian Robertson
  • Patent number: 5613633
    Abstract: A tool for soldering pin-in-hole electronic circuit components includes a tool plate with a set of via holes corresponding to the holes of a circuit board on which a circuit component is soldered. The board is aligned with the tool plate and hot gas is supplied through the set of plate vias to reflow solder in the board holes. The tool is particularly suitable for use in removing and replacing pinned circuit components. Use of particular gases (e.g., nitrogen) allows soldering to be carried out without the use of flux. Advantages of the tool are that it prevents burning the circuit board and/or unintentionally reflowing other circuit components mounted on the board (by directing hot gas only substantially onto the circuit board's solder-containing holes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William French, Stuart Lees, Colin D. McCall, Kenneth S. Murray, Brian Robertson
  • Patent number: 5526204
    Abstract: A read/write head for an information recording apparatus having a liquid bearing lubricant between a rotating storage medium and the read/write head is disclosed. The head is provided an actuator to position the read/write head over the rotating storage medium. The head includes a slider body having at least a first and second regions; and an interface element comprising a transducer interacting with the storage medium and mounted on the first region of the slider body. A relative motion exists between the head and the rotating storage medium and the slider body is supported by the liquid bearing lubricant during such motion, such that the first region of the slider body is supported at a first distance above the storage medium, and the second region of the slider body is supported at a second distance above the storage medium, whereby the first region of the slider body has a substantially higher drag than the second region when the head moves relative to the storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Conner Peripherals, Inc.
    Inventors: William French, James U. Lemke, Turguy Goker, Walter Wong, William Repphun, David P. Danson
  • Patent number: 5445313
    Abstract: Solder particles 220 are deposited onto metallized contacts of a direct chip attach (DCA) site located on a substrate 301. The contacts 302 are coated with a layer of flux 303. A pick up head 211 is positioned in a reservoir 201 of solder particles 220 and particles are attracted to the apertures in the end 213 of the head. The apertures have an arrangement corresponding to the footprint of the metallized contacts on the substrate. The head 211 is positioned adjacent the substrate 301 and the particles 220 released. The particles 220 stick to the flux 303 coated on the contacts 302. The particles are reflowed, leveled and again coated with flux. An integrated circuit chip is then placed on the leveled reliefs 501 and the reliefs reflowed again to attach the chip onto the contacts 302.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Boyd, William French, Stuart P. Lees, Kenneth S. Murray, Briand L. Robertson
  • Patent number: 5146517
    Abstract: Transmission capabilities of optical fibers are enhanced with all-optical means for removing noise from signal pulses and for creating clean output pulses with specified characteristics. This is accomplished with a nonlinear interferometer that is designed to operate on an amplified optical signal in the manner of a threshold device. More specifically, the nonlinear interferometer is designed to have a relatively level region in its input/output transfer function in the neighborhood of the low input signal and in the neighborhood of the high input signal. Depending on the input signal characteristics, it is sometimes beneficial to design the interfereometer so that the nominal high level of the input signal falls approximately in the middle of its corresponding flat region. In another embodiment, a bandpass filter is included at the output of the interferometer to remove the excess bandwidth that is created by the preceding amplifiers and the interferometer itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Hercules Avramopoulos, Paul M. William French, M. Christina Gabriel, Norman A. Whitaker, Jr.