Patents Issued in October 14, 2003
  • Patent number: 6632270
    Abstract: Hydrogen purification membranes, hydrogen purification devices, and fuel processing and fuel cell systems that include hydrogen purification devices. The hydrogen purification membranes include a metal membrane, which is at least substantially comprised of palladium or a palladium alloy. In some embodiments, the membrane contains trace amounts of carbon, silicon, and/or oxygen. In some embodiments, the membranes form part of a hydrogen purification device that includes an enclosure containing a separation assembly, which is adapted to receive a mixed gas stream containing hydrogen gas and to produce a stream that contains pure or at least substantially pure hydrogen gas therefrom. In some embodiments, the membrane(s) and/or purification device forms a portion of a fuel processor, and in some embodiments, the membrane(s) and/or purification device forms a portion of a fuel processing or fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: IdaTech, LLC
    Inventors: David J. Edlund, William A. Pledger, R. Todd Studebaker
  • Patent number: 6632271
    Abstract: An insert for a cassette that is adapted to sample particulate matter in air. The insert has an upstream end that is circular and a downstream end that is flange shaped with substantially smooth walls between the upstream and downstream ends of the insert. The cassette with the insert disposed therein is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Inventors: Larry Don Robertson, Robert Allen Garrison
  • Patent number: 6632272
    Abstract: A light color W/O emulsion ink for stencil printing, includes chromatic pigment in an amount not smaller than 0.1% and smaller than 1% by weight of the total weight of the ink and white pigment in an amount not smaller than 7% and not larger than 20% by weight of the total weight of the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hayashi, Hirotoshi Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 6632273
    Abstract: A color W/O emulsion ink for stencil printing includes a plurality of kinds of chromatic pigments different from each other in hue. The total amount of the chromatic pigments is not smaller than 1% by weight and not larger than 10% by weight of the total weight of the ink. The content of at least one of the chromatic pigments is smaller than 1% by weight and at least one of the chromatic pigments the content of which is smaller than 1% by weight is a specific pigment selected from the group consisting of anthraquinone series pigments, perinone.perylene series pigments, phthalocyanine series pigments, dioxazine series pigments, quinacridone series pigments and isoindolinone series pigments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hayashi, Hirotoshi Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 6632274
    Abstract: By incorporating and dispersing infrared ray shielding ultrafine particles having an average particle size of from 10 to 60 nm and a volume ratio of ultrafine particles having particle sizes of at least 60 nm being at most 15% of all particles, in a plasticizer, it is possible to obtain an ultrafine particle dispersion composition having the ultrafine particles uniformly dispersed. By using this composition, it is possible to obtain a laminated glass or an interlayer of a laminated glass, which has a small haze value and which is excellent in the infrared ray shielding performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignees: Asahi Glass Company, Fuji Titanium Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Kawamoto, Fuminori Osako, Hitoshi Okada, Kuniko Nagai
  • Patent number: 6632275
    Abstract: The present invention relates to pigment mixtures consisting of at least two components, component A being Sio2 flakes coated with one or more metal oxides and/or metals and component B being special-effect pigments, and to their use in varnishes, paints, printing inks, masterbatches, plastics and cosmetic formulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Merck Patent Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
    Inventors: Sabine Schoen, Reiner Vogt, Norbert Schül, Karl Osterried, Johann Munz
  • Patent number: 6632276
    Abstract: The invention relates to electrically conductive pigments which have, as conductive layer on a substrate, a tin oxide layer doped with phosphorus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Merck Patent Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventor: Reiner Vogt
  • Patent number: 6632277
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a silicon wafer with robust gettering sites and a low concentration of surface defects is provided. The method comprises adding polycrystalline silicon to a crucible; adding a nitrogen-containing dopant to the crucible; heating the crucible to form a nitrogen-doped silicon melt; pulling a silicon crystal from the melt according to the Czochralski technique; forming a silicon wafer from the silicon crystal, wherein the silicon wafer includes a front surface and a back surface; placing the silicon wafer into a deposition chamber; heating the wafer; and simultaneously depositing an epitaxial first film of a desired compound onto the front surface of the wafer and a second film of the desired compound onto the back surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: SEH America, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald R. Dietze, Sean G. Hanna, Zbigniew J. Radzimski
  • Patent number: 6632278
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an epitaxial wafer comprising single crystal silicon substrate and an epitaxial layer deposited thereon. The substrate comprises an axially symmetric region which is free of agglomerated intrinsic point defects and wherein silicon self-interstitials are the predominant intrinsic point defect in the axially symmetric region. The present invention further relates to a process for producing such an epitaxial wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Falster, Joseph C. Holzer, Steve A. Markgraf, Paolo Mutti, Seamus A. McQuaid, Bayard K. Johnson
  • Patent number: 6632279
    Abstract: A method is provided for growing thin oxide films on the surface of a substrate by alternatively reacting the surface of the substrate with a metal source material and an oxygen source material. The oxygen source material is preferably a metal alkoxide. The metal source material may be a metal halide, hydride, alkoxide, alkyl, a cyclopentadienyl compound, or a diketonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: ASM Microchemistry, Oy
    Inventors: Mikko Ritala, Antti Rahtu, Markku Leskela, Kaupo Kukli
  • Patent number: 6632280
    Abstract: An apparatus for growing a single crystal (20) comprising at least a main chamber (1) enclosing a crucible (5, 6) for accommodating a raw material melt (4) and a heater (7) for heating the raw material melt and a pulling chamber (2) continuously provided above the main chamber, into which a grown single crystal is pulled and stored, wherein the apparatus further comprises a cooling cylinder (11) that extends at least from a ceiling of the main chamber toward a raw material melt surface so as to surround a single crystal under pulling (3) and is forcibly cooled with a cooling medium, and an auxiliary cooling member (13) extending below the cooling cylinder and having a cylindrical shape or a shape tapered toward the downward direction. There is provided an apparatus for growing a single crystal that can exert cooling effect on a grown single crystal to the maximum extent so as to accelerate the crystal growth rate and safely produce a single crystal without leakage of cooling medium due to breakage etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoji Hoshi, Koji Kitagawa, Izumi Fusegawa, Tomohiko Ohta
  • Patent number: 6632281
    Abstract: On top of respective areas divided by partition plates, that is, a cassette station, a processing station, and an interface section in a coating and developing processing system, gas supply sections for supplying an inert gas into the respective areas are provided. Exhaust pipes for exhausting atmospheres in the respective areas are provided at the bottom of the respective areas. The atmospheres in the respective areas are maintained in a clean condition by supplying the inert gas not containing impurities such as oxygen and fine particles from the respective gas supply sections into the respective areas and exhausting the atmospheres in the respective areas from the exhaust pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Junichi Kitano, Yuji Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 6632282
    Abstract: A planetary multi-substrate holder system for material deposition includes a substrate holder having circumferentially shaped openings in which disk-like substrates of a smaller diameter than the diameter of the openings are maintained. Upon rotation of the substrate holder, either in a vertical plane, or in a horizontal plane, the substrates self-rotate within each opening due to either gravity force (for vertically rotated substrate holder), or due to centrifugal force (for horizontally rotated substrate holder) applied to the substrates. The planetary multi-substrate system obviates the need for mechanical individual gears to rotate substrates for material deposition, and, as a sequence, yields an extended service life of the system, as well as agreeability with high temperatures used in material deposition process, and reduced cost of a final product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventors: Kolagani S. Harshavardhan, Jeonggoo Kim
  • Patent number: 6632283
    Abstract: The present invention relates to illuminating an interior portion of a processing chamber in a semiconductor processing system. A light emitting diode is located in the chamber to illuminate the interior of the chamber to facilitate viewing the interior of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhanwar Singh, Bharath Rangarajan, Khoi A. Phan, Bryan K. Choo, Ramkumar Subramanian
  • Patent number: 6632284
    Abstract: A two-layer structured electric power application electrode including a non-split electrode consisting of a single planar plate and six split electrodes arranged on the non-split electrode so as to be electrically in contact with the non-split electrode is arranged on the upper side of a discharge chamber provided within a vacuum container such that the power application electrode faces a strip substrate in parallel. The split electrodes are arranged in such a manner as to form a planar plane, and the distance between the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate and the strip substrate is uniform. The total area of the surfaces of the split electrodes facing the strip substrate is the same as the area of the non-split electrode on which the split electrodes are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Shishido, Masahiro Kanai, Yuzo Koda, Takahiro Yajima
  • Patent number: 6632285
    Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously depositing gradients components of two or more target materials onto a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first target material source that directs a first target material towards the substrate and a second target material source that directs a second material towards the substrate. The apparatus further comprises a gradient shutter system that blocks a first predetermined amount of the first target material and a second predetermined amount of the second target material directed towards the substrate in order to generate gradients of the first and second target materials on the substrate. The gradients of the first and second target materials being simultaneously deposited onto the substrate to form a homogenous resulting material. A method for simultaneously depositing gradients of two or more target material onto a substrate is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Youqi Wang, Xin Di Wu
  • Patent number: 6632286
    Abstract: A process is described for the production of decomposable soluble products from a slurry of solids in which the slurry is convey axially through the reactor and excess liquid is removed radially through the walls of the reactor. The primary example is the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass to form sugars, usually using an acid catalyst. In one variation of the process liquid and possibly steam are added through the inner wall of the reactor to provide additional flow in the radial direction and to control the temperature. Pressures are maintained such that the product stream is thermally quenched due to partial flashing as it leaves the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Trustees of Dartmouth College
    Inventor: Alvin Omar Converse
  • Patent number: 6632287
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and device for decontaminating a contaminated hollow metal needle having electrical wires attached to the needle which heat cleaning fluid dispensed into the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Bio Merieux
    Inventors: Bruno Colin, Marie Privat
  • Patent number: 6632288
    Abstract: In a method for cleaning a copper surface of a semiconductor wafer or article, nitrogen gas is bubbled or dissolved into a strong alkaline solution, displacing dissolved oxygen from the solution. A nitrogen gas environment is provided over the copper surface. The alkaline solution is then applied to the copper surface. The copper etch rate is greatly reduced. The method is useful in removing residual polishing slurry after a chemical-mechanical polishing step, and for removing residues left in via holes after plasma etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Semitool, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Jolley
  • Patent number: 6632289
    Abstract: A to-be-cleaned substrate is cleaned by use of an acid liquid agent in a cleaning cup, the remaining acid liquid agent is washed out by use of pure water, then an alkaline liquid agent is emitted to the surface of the to-be-cleaned substrate in the same cleaning cup to remove the acid liquid agent remaining on the to-be-cleaned substrate. A neutralization reaction between the acid and alkali is caused by emitting the alkaline liquid agent to the surface of the to-be-cleaned substrate so as to efficiently remove the acid liquid agent remaining on the surface of the to-be-cleaned substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenji Masui, Akio Kosaka, Hidehiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6632290
    Abstract: A cleaning composition includes a detectable substance which is relatively stable in the cleaning composition, for indicating whether the cleaning composition has been thoroughly removed from a vessel following a cleaning process. For pharmaceutical applications, the detectable substance is preferably a low-foaming surfactant that is detectable by high performance liquid chromatography at concentrations of around 10 ppm, or less. The surfactant is thus detectable in the same analytical procedure as are traces of pharmaceutical residues which have not been removed from the vessel. The analytical procedure is used to develop a cleaning protocol for future cleaning processes by determining the number of rinses needed for reducing the surfactant, and hence the cleaning product, and also the pharmaceutical residues, in the rinse water to predetermined acceptable levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Steris Inc.
    Inventors: Sayed Sadiq Shah, Herb J. Kaiser, Shahin Keller
  • Patent number: 6632291
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for cleaning, rinsing, and/or antimicrobial treatment of medical carts, medical cages, and other medical instruments, devices or equipment. The method for cleaning employs a solid alkaline, for example a solid carbonate, cleaning composition for cleaning the medical cart, cage, instrument, device, or equipment. The method for rinsing employs a solid neutral or neutralizing rinse composition for rinsing the medical cart, cage, instrument, device, or equipment. The method for antimicrobial treatment employs a solid, for example a solid quaternary ammonium or solid halogen, antimicrobial composition, for antimicrobial treatment of the medical cart, cage, instrument, device, or equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Ecolab Inc.
    Inventors: Reid Rabon, Sally K. Swart, Denise Chandler, Terrence P. Everson
  • Patent number: 6632292
    Abstract: This invention provides a process for treating a workpiece having a front side, a back side, and an outer perimeter. In accordance with the process, a processing fluid is selectively applied or excluded from an outer peripheral margin of at least one of the front or back sides or the workpiece. Exclusion and/or application of the processing fluid occurs by applying one or more processing fluids to the workpiece as the workpiece and corresponding reactor are spinning about an axis of rotation that is generally orthogonal to the center of the face of the workpiece being processed. The flow rate of the one or more processing fluids, fluid pressure, and/or spin rate are used to control the extent to which the processing fluid is selectively applied or excluded from the outer peripheral margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Semitool, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian K. Aegerter, Curt T. Dundas, Tom L. Ritzdorf, Gary L. Curtis, Michael Jolley
  • Patent number: 6632293
    Abstract: A hydrogen containing material comprises a first compound including hydrogen containing material and fluoride, and a second compound including a metal which becomes highly reactive with hydrogen when the metal becomes a compound including fluorine, and a compound including fluorine. The first compound and the second compound are integrally formed into a one-piece layer on the surface of the hydrogen containing material. The metal which becomes highly reactive with hydrogen when the metal becomes a compound including fluorine is at least one metal selected from a rare earth metal, rare earth alloy, Fe, Al, Mg, Ca, Mn, Zn, Zr, Li, or alloys comprising these elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignees: The Japan Steel Works, Ltd., Stella Chemifa Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Aono, Toshiharu Tabata, Akiyoshi Kosuge, Hirohisa Kikuyama, Hiroto Izumi
  • Patent number: 6632294
    Abstract: Corrosion of steel surfaces in a heat pump is inhibited by adding a rare earth metal salt to the heat pump's ammonia/water working fluid. In preferred embodiments, the rare earth metal salt includes cerium, and the steel surfaces are cerated to enhance the corrosion-inhibiting effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Florian B. Mansfeld, Zhaoli Sun
  • Patent number: 6632295
    Abstract: A high tensile strength hot-rolled steel sheet comprises 0.04 to 0.09% C, 0.1% or less Si, 0.5 to 1.5% Mn, 0.02% or less P, 0.01% or less S, 0.1% or less Al, 0.001 to 0.008% N, and 0.01 to 0.15% Ti, by mass %, the content of ingredient there each satisfying the equation (1), and the ferritic grain size &agr; (&mgr;m) satisfying the equation (2): [C]+7×[Si]+0.1×[Mn]+[P]+14×[S]+1.75×[Al] +23×[N]+[Ti]+18×[O]+7×[Cu]+18×[Sn]+7×[Mo]+ 1.7×[Cr]+70×[B]+7×[Ca]+14×[Zr]+14×[V]+7×[Nb] ≦2  (1) 3≦&agr;≦60×[Ti]+8  (2) where, [X] denotes the content (mass %) of element X.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakata, Tadashi Inoue, Hiroyasu Kikuchi, Sadanori Imada, Akira Hiura, Takeshi Nakahara, Satoshi Ishijima, Yoshimasa Funakawa, Toru Inazumi
  • Patent number: 6632296
    Abstract: The present invention provides a steel pipe excellent in formability during hydraulic forming and the like and a method to produce the same, and more specifically: a steel pipe excellent in formability having an r-value of 1.4 or larger in the axial direction of the steel pipe, and the property that the average of the ratios of the X-ray intensity in the orientation component group of {110}<110> to {332}<110> on the plane at the center of the steel pipe wall thickness to the random X-ray intensity is 3.5 or larger, and/or the ratio of the X-ray intensity in the orientation component of {110}<110> on the plane at the center of the steel pipe wall thickness to the random X-ray intensity is 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Yoshinaga, Nobuhiro Fujita, Manabu Takahashi, Yasuhiro Shinohara, Tohru Yoshida, Natsuko Sugiura
  • Patent number: 6632297
    Abstract: Steels having a pearlitic structure and containing 0.60 to 1.0 weight percent carbon, 1.1 to 3.0 weight percent silicon, 0.45 to 0.85 weight percent manganese, less than 0.050 weight percent sulfur and less than 0.050 weight percent phosphorus, with the remainder of said steel being iron and incidental impurities, can be used to make railway wheels that are resistant to martensite transformations and, hence, spalling. The addition of 0.50 to 1.0 weight percent chromium to such steels further improves their resistance to spalling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Transportation Technology Center, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Hunter Stone, Kevin James Sawley
  • Patent number: 6632298
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a sophisticated segregation reducing technique which a conventional technique cannot achieve by finding the relationship between the casting structure and the segregation of components at the time of solidification and the heat treatment conditions. That is, the present invention aims at providing material for shadow masks which exhibits excellent quality with respect to streaks. A material for a shadow mask of the present invention is formed of a casting slab for preparing the shadow mask which comprises an Ni—Fe alloy containing 30 to 45% of Ni. The casting slab has a cast structure comprising a columnar crystal and/or a chill crystal in an amount of 99% or more. In particular, it is preferred that the casting slab contains no equiaxed crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignees: Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd., Nippon Yakin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Syun-ichi Morita, Taizo Sato, Jun Agari, Tsutomu Omori, Tatsuya Itoh, Shigeru Hirata
  • Patent number: 6632299
    Abstract: A nickel-base superalloy that exhibits outstanding mechanical properties under high temperature and high strain conditions when cast in an equiaxed and/or directionally solidified, columnar grain structure, and which exhibits increased grain boundary strength and ductility while maintaining microstructural stability includes, in percentages by weight, 5-6 chromium, 9-9.5 cobalt, 0.3-0.7 molybdenum, 8-9 tungsten, 5.9-6.3 tantalum, 0.05-0.25 titanium, 5.6-6.0 aluminum, 2.8-3.1 rhenium, 1.1-1.8 hafnium, 0.10-0.12 carbon, 0.010-0.024 boron, 0.011-0.020 zirconium, with the balance being nickel and incidental impurities. The superalloys of this invention are useful for casting gas turbine engine components exhibiting significantly improved low cycle fatigue life, improved airfoil high temperature stress rupture life, significantly reduced life cycle cost, and longer useful life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Cannon-Muskegon Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth Harris
  • Patent number: 6632300
    Abstract: A copper alloy having improved stress relaxation resistance is formed from a copper base alloy that consists, by weight, essentially of 1.8%-3.0% iron, 0.01%-1.0% zinc, 0.001 %-0.25% phosphorus, 0.1 %-0.35% magnesium and the balance is copper and unavoidable impurities. When compared to other copper base alloys that include iron, zinc and phosphorous, the disclosed alloy has improved resistance to stress relaxation. In addition, directionality of stress relaxation resistance (where stress relaxation resistance is typically poorer in a transverse strip direction relative to a longitudinal strip direction for a copper alloy that is strengthened by cold rolling) is reduced to being nearly equivalent, regardless of strip direction. The alloy is particularly useful for electronic applications, such as being formed into an electrical connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Olin Corporation
    Inventors: John F. Breedis, Dennis R. Brauer, Peter W. Robinson
  • Patent number: 6632301
    Abstract: The present invention includes bainitic steel doctor blades, bainitic steel coating blades, bainitic steel creping blades and bainitic steel rule die knives used in gravure printing, flexographic printing, paper making, die cutting of materials including paper, plastic, foam, leather, etc. Other uses include printing processes such as pad printing and electrostatic printing. The invention also includes an improved method for producing bainitic steel strip. The present invention is accomplished by using bainitic steel components that exhibit superior straightness and wear properties and are bendable around small radii.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Benton Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: George Krauss, Rufus C. Benton, Steven C. Voorhees
  • Patent number: 6632302
    Abstract: Apparatus for heat treating a cutting tool comprises a furnace and a tool holder within the furnace adapted to receive therein a first portion of the tool, a second portion of the tool projecting from the tool holder, the second portion of the tool being directly exposed to radiant heat from at least one radiant heating element within the furnace with the first portion of the tool being shielded from the radiant heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Inventors: Geoffrey Philip Fisher, Richard Mark Lill, Edgar Dabill, Martin John Monaghan, Jonathan Clifford Oates, Graham Monteith Smith
  • Patent number: 6632303
    Abstract: A grinding ball having a 55 to 65 Rockwell C hardened outer shell of tempered martensite is adapted for use in a heavy duty grinding environment by stress relieving to stabilize the ball against break-up and/or spalling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Stelco Inc.
    Inventor: Christian Albert Jager
  • Patent number: 6632304
    Abstract: A near-&bgr; or &bgr; titanium alloy having high strength, high ductility, and high toughness which is capable of coil rolling at a high temperature and recoiling for high productivity, and a process for producing said titanium alloy. The titanium alloy contains not more than 1.0% (excluding 0%) of Si alone or in combination with not more than 10% of Sn. The process comprises heating a &bgr; alloy or near-&bgr; alloy containing not more than 1.0% (excluding 0%) of Si alone or in combination with not more than 10% of Sn and subjecting said alloy to plastic deformation while keeping silicides solved in it at a temperature above the &bgr;-transus, so that silicides precipitate in the form of fine particles, with recrystallization suppressed. The resulting titanium alloy is good in workability and has high strength after aging treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Hideto Oyama, Shinya Ishigai, Masamitsu Fujii, Tadasu Abumiya
  • Patent number: 6632305
    Abstract: The present invention includes a precursor compound pertaining to a 1,2,4-Triazolo[4,3-a][1,3,5]Triazine compound, particularly a 1,2,4-Triazolo[4,3-a][1,3,5]Triazine-3,5,7-Triamine, and novel fused ring structures such as triazolyl-tetrazinyl-aminotriazine compounds, and complexes and salts thereof, and other such chemical structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: William M. Koppes, Michael E. Sitzmann
  • Patent number: 6632306
    Abstract: A method of splicing together the ends of two lengths of drip irrigation tape is disclosed in which a tubular insert having an inner layer of high melting point material and an outer layer of bonding material is placed into the end of a first length of drip irrigation tape so that a portion of the insert projects outwardly from the end of the tape. The end of a second length of drip irrigation tape is then placed over the projecting end of the tubular insert so that the two tape ends are butted up against one another or close to one another. Both lengths of tape are then sealed to the outer bonding layer of the insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Roberts Group Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: John C. Roberts, Jack Butler
  • Patent number: 6632307
    Abstract: A tread band applicator device is provided for building a tread band on a tire carcass and includes a press applicator head for applying a tread band raw material mass onto the tire carcass as the tire carcass is rotated. The press applicator head is movable along the direction of the axis of rotation of the tire carcass in correspondence with the curvature of the outer surface of the tire carcass and is operable to apply the tread band raw material in a width which is less than the width of the tire carcass. The press applicator head is a component of an extruder which is mounted for movement about a plurality of axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Florian Fischer
  • Patent number: 6632308
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an improved method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire using a bladderless curing system. The tire is built on an associated tire building drum (26) by the layering of multiple tire components on the drum (26); one of the components is an innerliner strip (28). In accordance with the disclosed invention, the innerliner strip (28) is formed with precured regions (32). The precured regions (32) are formed by curing the innerliner strip (28) at one or more regions intermediate of the ends (30) of the strip (28). The strip (28) is applied to the tire building drum (26) and the ends (30) are spliced to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Albert James Yovichin
  • Patent number: 6632309
    Abstract: A structural member for reinforcement of asphalt and concrete roadways and other products, and which comprises a gridwork of warp strands and weft strands which are disposed at right angles to each other and so as to define an open structure. In one embodiment, the gridwork is impregnated with a thermosettable B-stage resin so as to interlock the strands at their crossover points and maintain the gridwork in a semi-flexible state, and after being applied to the product to be reinforced, the resin is heated to convert the same into a fully cured composite to thereby rigidize the gridwork and reinforce the product. In cases where the product to be reinforced is heated, such as asphalt paving, the heat of the product provides the heat necessary to fully cure the resin in situ. In another embodiment, the resin is fully cured to rigidize the gridwork prior to its being applied to the structure to be reinforced. A method of producing the resin impregnated gridwork is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Hexcel CS Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Hendrix, Gordon L. Brown, Jr., Mansfield H. Creech, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6632310
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a laminated actuator assembly and the method for making the actuator assembly. The actuator assembly is intended for use in miniature personal electronic devices, but could be used in any type of disk drive. The actuator is primarily constructed from strong, stiff, lightweight composite materials. The upper and lower planar elements of the actuator assembly, each comprising multiple composite layers, include a forward portion and a rearward portion. A flexure member, typically positioned between the layers of composite material, allows the forward portion of each planar element to pivot in unison relative to the rear portion of each planar element. In this manner, the position of an optical pick up unit or other read/write device positioned at the distal end of the actuator assembly can be adjusted relative to the surface of a data disk. The composite and flexure planar elements are formed in arrays of multiple component pieces with aligned registration members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: DPHI Acquisitions, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert David Freeman, Thomas Edward Berg, David William Niss, Peter Jeffrey Raymond
  • Patent number: 6632311
    Abstract: A method of making a roll of adhesive tape that comprises providing a length of tape having a leading end, a trailing end, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the second side of the tape is at least partially covered with pressure sensitive adhesive and providing a tab having first and second opposite ends having a length between them, a first side, and a second side, wherein at least a portion of the second side of the tab is covered with pressure sensitive adhesive. The method further comprises advancing the length of tape along a tape path, positioning the leading tape end about a central tape roll axis, and circumferentially winding the length of tape about the axis until a penultimate tape layer having a circumference is wound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Christopher M. Glenna, Paul J. Richtman
  • Patent number: 6632312
    Abstract: A tubular film manufacturing method includes the steps of winding a sheet film on a cylindrical member, cutting a winding end portion of the sheet film, and inserting the cylindrical member, on which the sheet film is wound, into a tubular mold member. The sheet film is molded into a tubular film by heating. In the inserting step, the cylindrical member is inserted into the tubular mold member while the winding end portion of the sheet film is pressed by an elastically deformable brush member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Katsuyama
  • Patent number: 6632313
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for the manufacture of a spunbonded fabric consisting of thermobonded curled bicomponent fibers where the bicomponent fibers consist of two plastic materials with different properties. The process according to the invention consist of three steps: the fibers spun from the two plastic materials are drawn off uncurled and stretched in a first step. In a second step the fibers are placed on a sieve belt and thermobonded. In a third step the bicomponent fibers of the obtained nonwoven fabric are finally curled by lengthwise and/or transverse stretching and heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Corovin GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Nickel, Stefan Etzold
  • Patent number: 6632314
    Abstract: A method of making a surface planarization is provided using a separate pre-cut or precured film laminated onto a metallized surface to form planarized dielectric coating. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a thin film interconnect module with a polyimide adhesive laminated with a pre-cut or pre-cured polyimide lamination film on the top of the polyimide adhesive, the polyimide lamination film being covered with a glass plate; (b) applying pressure and heat in a synchronized format to ensure a uniform curing and gap filling in the thin film module metal for the adhesive layer; and (c) releasing the glass plate to expose a smooth lamination film surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: RongQing Yu, Kimberley A. Kelly, Chandrika Prasad, Sung Kwon Kang, Sampath Purushothaman
  • Patent number: 6632315
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microdialysis catheter, comprises the steps of extruding a flexible material to form an elongate catheter body having a substantially cylindrical outer surface and a plurality of continuous internal channels extending in the longitudinal direction of said catheter body; sealing a free end of said catheter body; providing in said surface at a distance from said free end an opening extending into said catheter body to communicate with a portion of a first of said channels; providing communication between said first channel and a second of said channels at a distance from said free end shorter that said distance; and covering said opening by a microdialysis membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Inventors: Jan Liska, Anders Franco-Cereceda
  • Patent number: 6632316
    Abstract: A labeling system includes a label sheet with a liner and a face sheet secured thereto by a pressure-sensitive, fugitive adhesive. The face sheet is die-cut into a plurality of individual, preprinted labels. A method of manufacturing the label sheet includes the steps of pressure.mounting a face sheet on a liner with a pressure-sensitive, fugitive adhesive. A method of labeling merchandise displayed on shelves at a point-of-sale display includes the steps of mounting a label display strip on the shelf edge, preprinting information on the label sheets, separating the labels from the label sheets and inserting same in the label display strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Graphic Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Garvic
  • Patent number: 6632317
    Abstract: The invention concerns a set comprising a plurality of mutually juxtaposed, generally flat, plate-shaped components which are fixedly connected together, and a process for the production thereof. Production is simple and inexpensive to implement and that means also that the entire set can be produced inexpensively and sufficiently accurately in terms of fit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Saxonia Umformtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Höfer
  • Patent number: 6632318
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for assembling a medical device using solvent bonding techniques. The method includes the steps of: (1) providing a first article of a polymer composition having (a) a first component of a homopolymer or copolymer obtained using monomers of cyclic olefin or a bridged polycyclic hydrocarbon, the first component being present in an amount from about 30% to about 100% by weight of the composition and (b) a second component from 0-70% by weight of the composition; (2) providing a second article of a material selected from the group of low crystallinity polymers; (3) applying a solvent to one of the first article or the second article to define an interface area; and (4) bonding the first article to the second article along the interface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
    Inventors: Yuan-pang Samuel Ding, Chuan Qin, Lecon Woo, Michael T. K. Ling
  • Patent number: 6632319
    Abstract: A process for producing a rubber-based composite material including steps of laminating a rubber compound onto a substrate, with a bonding layer of metal or metal compound interposed therebetween, and subsequently vulcanizing the rubber compound, characterized in that vulcanization is carried out by controlling the composition of the rubber compound and the amount of metal in the bonding layer such that the following equation is established: x−19≧y≧0.2x−12 wherein x is the amount (atom %) of metal in the bonding layer, and y is the slope (kgf·cm/min) of the vulcanization curve of the rubber compound. The rubber based composite material retains good bond strength even when used in such a way that its bond interface is in contact with water. In addition, it has good adhesion to a substrate treated by conversion treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Yoshikawa, Nobuko Kato