Patents Issued in April 20, 2004
  • Patent number: 6723372
    Abstract: A process for the production of encased, spherical granular grains comprising spraying grains which consist of a prostane derivative and a cyclodextrin vehicle, forming together a prostane-cyclodextrine-clathrate, with an aqueous polymer dispersion of ethyl cellulose and/or poly(methyl)acrylic acid ester in a fluidized or boiling bed is disclosed. The polymer dispersion is applied in a thickness equivalent to 1-5% (w/w) of the total mass of the encased grains. The coated grains are cured for at least 24 hours. Grains produced according to this method have a pharmaceutical active ingredient release profile which remains unchanged over the storage time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Schering Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Torsten Wagner
  • Patent number: 6723373
    Abstract: A stent is positioned on an undersized mandrel and the stent is coated with an excess of a polymer and drug solution. The stent is rotated to spin off the excess of the coating. The stent is then moved into a new, clean position on the mandrel. The process is repeated a few times, after which time the coating is already dry and non-sticky. This process forms a conforming coating. Various important polymer solution parameters include viscosity, solvent evaporation rate and several others. The actual type of coating polymer is not as important as how the surface of the stent is treated, according to the steps described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Cordis Corporation
    Inventors: Pallassana Narayanan, Gerard H. Llanos, David Cook, Jacob Leidner
  • Patent number: 6723374
    Abstract: A magnetic recording media is formed with high in-plane coercivity employing dual magnetic layers. The first magnetic layer is sputter deposited in a chamber employing a shield such that the minimum incident angle of impinging atoms is relatively large, e.g., greater than about 26°. Embodiments of the present invention comprise depositing a NiAl seedlayer, a Cr or Cr alloy underlayer and a first CoCrTa magnetic layer at a thickness less than about 50 Å for inducing the preferred (10.0) crystallographic orientation in the subsequently deposited second magnetic layer, e.g., CoCrPtTa or CoCrPtTaNb having a high Cr content of about 16 to about 21 at. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Qixu(David) Chen, Lin Huang, Charles Leu, Rajiv Yadav Ranjan
  • Patent number: 6723375
    Abstract: An improved portable locator is described which is configured for locating relative to a position beneath the surface of the ground. The improvement includes a marking arrangement for marking the surface of the ground. In one aspect, the portable locator is configured having a marking arrangement which utilizes a replaceable aerosol paint canister. Spray of paint from the canister may be initiated, for example, electrically or using a suitable mechanical actuation linkage. In another aspect, an operator of the portable locator is able to mark the surface of the ground using the portable locator and while holding the portable locator in generally the same position and/or stance as the locator is used for locating purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Zeck, Stuart G. Emigh
  • Patent number: 6723376
    Abstract: A process for inhibiting the fouling of a substrate in a fouling environment, which comprises forming on the substrate, before exposure to the environment, a coating comprising a film-forming polymer (A) carrying unreacted curable silicon-containing functional groups providing latent reactivity, and thereafter applying a layer comprising a curable polymeric fouling-inhibiting material (B), more especially a curable polysiloxane or a curable flourine-containing polymer, and bonding the applied layer to the coating by a condensation curing reaction involving the unreacted functional groups thereon. The initial coating can be applied over a range of worn or damaged anti-fouling coatings. The sequential application of layers is a simpler, more flexible and more controllable procedure than is offered by complex systems designed to produce outer siloxane-rich regions. Relatively long periods are achievable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: International Coatings Limited
    Inventors: Trevor Hamilton, Gergina Elizabth Green, David Neil Williams
  • Patent number: 6723377
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of incorporating additives into a thin film formed on a substrate comprising: forming an impregnatable thin film on at least one face of a substrate; depositing an impregnation composition comprising at least one additive incorporated in an appropriate diluent medium on said impregnatable thin film by spin coating; diffusing the impregnation composition within said impregnatable thin film and; treating the substrate coated with the impregnated thin film to at least partially remove the diluent medium from the impregnated thin film. The invention also relates to the application of such methods to the production of optical lenses, including in the coloring of such lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Essilor International Compagnie Generale d'Optique
    Inventors: Yves Leclaire, Jean-Paul Cano
  • Patent number: 6723378
    Abstract: Fibers, and fabrics produced from the fibers, are made water repellent, fire-retardant and/or thermally insulating by filling void spaces in the fibers and/or fabrics with a powdered material. When the powder is sufficiently finely divided, it clings tenaciously to the fabric's fibers and to itself, resisting the tendency to be removed from the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Lawrence W. Hrubesh, John F. Poco, Paul R. Coronado
  • Patent number: 6723379
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a cover assembly including a transparent window portion and a metallic frame that can be joined to a micro-device package base to form a hermetically sealed micro-device package. A sheet of a transparent material is provided having a window portion defined thereupon, the window portion having finished top and bottom surfaces. A frame-attachment area is prepared on the sheet, the frame-attachment area circumscribing the window portion. A first quantity of powdered metal particles is sprayed onto the prepared frame-attachment area of the sheet using a jet of gas, the gas being at a temperature below the fusing temperature of the metal particles. The jet of gas has a velocity sufficient to cause the metal particles to merge with one another upon impact with the sheet and with one another so as to form an initial continuous metallic coating adhering to the frame-attachment area of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Inventor: David H. Stark
  • Patent number: 6723380
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a method of making a polymer compound material by coating an inorganic material on the surface of a polymer. The method provided by the present invention comprises the step of spraying a high volatile solvent to a chipped polymeric matrix to slightly dissolve the surface of the matrix, and the step of adding inorganic material powders to let the powders be coated on the surface of the matrix layer by layer so as to form the polymer compound material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Biotech One Inc.
    Inventor: How Tseng
  • Patent number: 6723381
    Abstract: An organic silicon polymer is infiltrated and charged into gaps in a matrix phase of a formed fiber fabric, and its airtightness is increased by (a) CVI infiltration process 2 for forming the SIC matrix phase on the surface of the fiber fabric formed, (b) pressurized infiltrations process 4 for pressurizing the organic silicon polymer in the direction operating pressure is applied to the fiber fabric during use and infiltrating the organic silicon polymer into gaps in the aforementioned matrix phase, and (c) heating process 5 for heating the infiltrated fiber fabric at a high temperature. Thus, airtightness can be increased quickly, and fired work can be applied practically even to thrust chambers etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshige Murata, Muneyoshi Shioda, Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6723382
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a CMC (Ceramic Matrix Composite) article, comprising: performing a CVI (Chemical Vapor Infiltration) treatment for forming a SiC matrix layer on the surface of a woven fabric; performing a machining process, after the CVI treatment, for machining the woven fabric; and performing a PIP (Polymer Impregnation and Pyrolysis) treatment, after the machining process, for impregnating an organic silicon polymer as a base material into voids in the matrix layer and pyrolyzing the organic silicon polymer. By this method, the throughput of CMC articles can be preferably increased. The throughput may be further increased by performing a slurry impregnation treatment before or after the PIP treatment, in which slurried SiC is impregnated into the voids in the matrix layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohide Yamaguchi, Takeshi Nakamura, Hiroshige Murata
  • Patent number: 6723383
    Abstract: The present invention features processes and compositions for producing a metallic-looking image on a substrate having a reflective or luminescent surface. The process utilizes an opaque coating composition containing an opaque coating agent comprising a mixture of a polyacid and a polybase. When applied to a light-emitting, reflective or luminescent substrate, the opaque coating composition at least partially masks the light-emitting reflective or luminescent surface of the substrate, but becomes increasingly translucent or transparent when contacted with a recording liquid such as an ink, revealing the light-emitting, reflective or luminescent surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: SRI International
    Inventor: Asutosh Nigam
  • Patent number: 6723384
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a sucker rod with high resistance to corrosion, to be used preferably in oil wells. Said sucker rod comprises a core of carbon steel, whether alloyed or not, whose surface is coated by a copper base alloy. Said alloy comprises a 50 to 99.9% copper rate. A process for manufacturing said sucker rod is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignees: YPF S.A., Siderca S.A.I.C.
    Inventors: Gustavo Luis Bianchi, Lelio Alberto Gawantka Da Silva
  • Patent number: 6723385
    Abstract: A process to pretreat copper surfaces for tight bonding to organic substrates as those found in multilayer printed circuit boards includes first treating the copper with a solution containing hydrogen peroxide, and at least one acid, and at least one nitrogen-containing five-member heterocyclic compound which does not contain sulfur, selenium or tellurium atoms in the heterocycle. Thereafter the copper surfaces are brought into contact with a second solution containing at least one adhesion-promoting compound from the group consisting of sufinic acid, selinic acid, telluric acid, and heterocyclic compounds that contain at least one sulfur, and/or selenium and/or tellurium atom in the heterocycie and also sulfonium, selenonium and telluronium salts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Atotech Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Grieser, Heinrich Meyer, Uwe Hauf
  • Patent number: 6723386
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fluororesin-coated quartz glass jig free from peeling off of fluororesin coating on using hydrofluoric acid or from generating particles due to the etching of quartz glass, while yet preventing the generation of chipping by relaxing the impact imposed on the quartz glass by silicon wafers. It also is an object of the present invention to provide a production method of the fluororesin-coated quartz glass jig. The object above is achieved by a fluororesin-coated quartz glass jig the surface thereof is wholly covered with a pinhole-free fluororesin coating, and by a method for producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignees: Heraens Quaraglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co.
    Inventors: Kyoichi Inaki, Itsuo Araki
  • Patent number: 6723387
    Abstract: A thermal spray method for the fabrication of ceramic/metal and ceramic/ceramic hardcoating for wear applications. The method makes use of feedstock powder, composed of micron-scale aggregates of hard phase material particles that are either mixed or coated with a readily fusible nano-scale binder phase material. Thus, during thermal spraying, the nanostructured material undergoes rapid melting while the aggregated material is heated but not necessarily melted. A dense coating is formed when the molten nano-material fills the available pore spaces between the heated and softened aggregates, providing a strong and tough matrix for the consolidated material. Optimal wear properties are achieved when the volume fraction of aggregated particles is high, typically in the range of 0.5-0.9. Aggregated material may be composed of one, two or more particles of difference sizes and/or compositions, with particle size distribution that gives high packing density for the hard phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Rutgers University
    Inventors: Bernard H. Kear, Ganesh Skandan
  • Patent number: 6723388
    Abstract: This invention comprises methods for making nanostructured and nanoporous thin film structures of various compositions. These films can be directly patterned. In these methods, precursor films are deposited on a surface and different components of the precursor film are reacted under selected conditions, forming a nanostructured or nanoporous film. Such films can be used in a variety of applications, for example, low k dielectrics, sensors, catalysts, conductors or magnetic films. Nanostructured films can be created: (1) using one precursor component and two reactions, (2) using two or more components based on differential rates of photochemical conversion, (3) using two precursors based on the thermal sensitivity of one precursor and the photochemical sensitivity of the other, and (4) by photochemical reaction of a precursor film and selected removal of a largely unreacted component from the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: EKC Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo G. Svendsen, Shyama P. Mukheriee, Paul J. Roman, Jr., Ross H. Hill, Harold O. Madsen, Xin Zhang, Donna Hohertz
  • Patent number: 6723389
    Abstract: A coated cemented carbide excellent in peel strength includes a cemented carbide substrate comprising a hard phase containing tungsten carbide and a binder phase, and a hard film being provided on a surface of the substrate with a single layer or two or more laminated layers, wherein (1) at least part of the surface of the substrate is subjected to machining, and (2)(i) substantially no crack is present in particles of the hard phase existing at an interface of the surface of the substrate subjected to machining and the hard film and/or (2)(ii) peak intensities of crystal surfaces satisfy hs(001)wc/hs(101)wc≧1.1×hi(001)wc/hi(101)wc wherein hs(001)wc and hs(101)wc each represent a peak intensity of (001) crystal face and that of (101) crystal face at the surface of the substrate subjected to machining processing, respectively, and hi(001)wc and hi(101)wc each represent a peak intensity of (001) crystal face and that of (101) crystal face in the substrate, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Toshiba Tungaloy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kobayashi, Hiroshi Kitada
  • Patent number: 6723390
    Abstract: Devices and methods for fabricating medical devices are disclosed. A device in accordance with the present inventions includes a laser beam source capable of producing a laser beam, a carrier coupled to a carrier motion actuator capable of moving the carrier relative to the laser beam, and a workpiece motion actuator capable of moving a workpiece relative the laser beam. A method in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of positioning the carrier between the laser beam source and the workpiece, illuminating a portion of the carrier with the laser beam, moving the carrier relative to the laser beam, and moving the workpiece relative to the laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: SciMed Life Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Merdan, Vitaliy N. Shapovalov
  • Patent number: 6723391
    Abstract: Method for producing cutting tools provides a first hard material coating on a first region of a tool base body containing at least one cutting edge, using a plasma vacuum coating process. A second hard material coating is provided on a second region which is adjacent the first, also via plasma vacuum coating process. Hard material for the coatings is a carbide, oxide, oxicarbide, nitride, nitrocarbide, oxinitride or nitrooxicarbide of at least two of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Al. The first coating has a content of at least two of the metal elements which is at most 2 at % different from the content of the two metal elements in the second coating if the tool is for higher adhesive strength than hardness. The first coating has a content of the two metal elements that is different from the content of the two metal elements of the second coating by more than 2 at % if the tool is for higher hardness than high adhesive strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AG
    Inventors: Volker Derflinger, Harald Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 6723392
    Abstract: A light-scattering sheet having a phase separation structure comprised of a plurality of solid components varying in refractive index is used to construct a liquid crystal display device. In a first embodiment, the light-scattering sheet is disposed in a defined position within a reflecting LCD device. Thus, in a reflecting LCD device comprising a liquid crystal cell constituted of a transparent front electrode plate having a substrate carrying a transparent conductive layer, a back electrode plate having a substrate carrying a conductive layer and a liquid crystal and, as disposed forwardly of the liquid crystal cell, a polarizer, the light-scattering sheet is interposed (i) between the polarizer and the front electrode plate or (ii) between the back electrode plate and a reflector disposed behind the back electrode plate. Alternatively, (iii) the substrate sheet may be constituted of the light-scattering sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Jinnai, Hiroyuki Takemoto, Hiroshi Takahashi, Masanori Hiraishi, Yoshiyuki Nishida
  • Patent number: 6723393
    Abstract: A liquid crystal/cured composite layer is formed by sandwiching a mixture of a liquid crystal with an uncured curable compound i.e. a curable compound represented by a structure of an acryloyl group—(OR1)n—O-mesogen structural portion-O—(R2O)m-acryloyl group structure (wherein each of R1 and R2 is a C2-6 alkylene group, and each of n and m is from 1 to 10), between a pair of substrates provided with transparent electrodes, and curing the curable compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoshi Niyama, Shinya Tahara
  • Patent number: 6723394
    Abstract: A method for forming an electronic device having a semiconducting active layer comprising a polymer, the method comprising aligning the chains of the polymer parallel to each other by bringing the polymer into a liquid-crystalline phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Cambridge University Technical Services Limited
    Inventors: Henning Sirringhaus, Richard Henry Friend, Richard John Wilson
  • Patent number: 6723395
    Abstract: The invention relates to chiral compounds of formula I, to liquid crystal mixtures comprising at least one chiral compound of formula I, to chiral linear or crosslinked liquid crystal polymers obtainable by polymerizing a polymerizable mixture comprising at least one chiral compound of formula I, to the use of chiral compound of formula I and mixtures and polymers obtained thereof in liquid crystal displays, active and passive optical elements, adhesives, synthetic resins with anisotropic mechanical properties, cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions, diagnostics, liquid crystal pigments, for decorative and security applications, nonlinear optics, optical information storage or as chiral dopants, and to a liquid crystal display comprising a mixture comprising at least one chiral compound of formula I.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Alison Linda May, Simon Greenfield, Mark John Goulding, Owain Llyr Parri
  • Patent number: 6723396
    Abstract: Oriented materials and methods for their formation are disclosed. The oriented material is formed by depositing an oriented component from an oriented liquid crystal medium. Oriented materials having multiple layers and methods for their formation are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Western Washington University
    Inventor: David L. Patrick
  • Patent number: 6723397
    Abstract: An ink jet recording element having a support having thereon in order: a) at least one porous, ink-retaining layer, and b) a fusible, porous ink-transporting layer of fusible, polymeric particles and a film-forming, hydrophobic binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Allan Wexler
  • Patent number: 6723398
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an ethylene polymer blend comprising at least two diverse ethylene interpolymers wherein one interpolymer has a lower number of carbons than the at least one other interpolymer. The ethylene polymer blend preferably comprises at least one homogeneously branched ethylene/&agr;-olefin interpolymer blended with at least one heterogeneously branched ethylene/&agr;-olefin interpolymer and is characterized as having a density greater than or equal to 0.90 g/cm3 and in particularly preferred embodiments is further characterized as having an intrinsic tear value greater than or equal to 150 grams. The inventive ethylene polymer blend can be used to make various fabricated articles, especially extruded forms and most especially films such as high strength thin gauge packaging film, impact resistant shrink film and heat sealable packaging film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Pak-Wing S. Chum, Kurt W. Swogger, Thomas Oswald, Pradeep J. Jain
  • Patent number: 6723399
    Abstract: The present invention provides a coextruded multilayer thermoplastic film structure for use in forming a medical fluid container such as an I.V. bag. A coextruded multilayer thermoplastic film structure according to the invention includes at least three layers. The first layer (A), which is the layer that contacts medical fluids such as, for example, saline solutions, lactated Ringers solutions, and the like, includes a mixture of a major part of a homopolymer or copolymer of polypropylene and a minor part of a block polymer of a vinyl aromatic monomer and a conjugated diene, a partially hydrogenated derivative thereof, or a selectively hydrogenated derivative thereof to which has been grafted a unsaturated carboxylic reagent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Ferro Corporation
    Inventors: Deenadayalu Chundury, L. Steven Edge, Kenneth D. Zabielski
  • Patent number: 6723400
    Abstract: An electroconductive, multilayered hollow molding comprising at least two thermoplastic resin layers, in which at least one layer is a layer of (a) a thermoplastic resin composition consisting essentially of a polyphenylene sulfide resin; one layer is a layer of (b) a thermoplastic resin composition consisting essentially of a thermoplastic resin other than a polyphenylene sulfide resin; and at least one of the layers is a layer of an electroconductive, thermoplastic resin composition comprising an electroconductive filler and/or an electroconductive polymer, and a thermoplastic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ishio, Norio Shimasaki, Masaru Tateyama, Kazuhiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6723401
    Abstract: A laminate article for damping mechanical vibrations. One embodiment of the damping article includes a neoprene layer, a foamed polyurethane middle layer, and a nonfoamed polyurethane layer. The layers are preferably adhered in an overlaying relation. The article reduces at least 40% of high frequency mechanical vibrations (200 Hz-1250 Hz) otherwise transmitted to the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Ergodyne Corporation
    Inventors: Robert T. McKnight, Clifford A. Metger, Kent Wilson
  • Patent number: 6723402
    Abstract: The invention relates to a packaging material comprising in order a ultraviolet radiation cured environmental protection layer, a primer layer, a hydrophilic image layer, a base and an adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Mridula Nair, William T. Rochford, Kenneth W. Best, Jr., Robert P. Bourdelais
  • Patent number: 6723403
    Abstract: A multi-layer structure having two or more layers which comprises a surface layer (a) comprising a thermoplastic resin and having a thickness of 10 to 80 &mgr;m and an adjacent layer (b) comprising a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin containing an inorganic filler, an interlaminar peeling strength between the surface layer (a) and the adjacent layer (b) being in the range of 0.3 to 2.0 kg/15 mm; and a container comprising this multi-layer structure, wherein the container is excellent in sealing properties, heat resistance and opening properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuya Ishii, Hiroshi Odaka
  • Patent number: 6723404
    Abstract: A method for reducing the formation of non-volatile residue (NVR) in alkylene oxide, preferably ethylene oxide, comprising contacting the alkylene oxide with fresh electron source material effective to convert ferric ions to ferrous ions. Iron (Fe0), chromium, and a combination thereof are preferred fresh electron source materials, with iron (Fe0) being most preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Thomas Howard Johnson
  • Patent number: 6723405
    Abstract: Double-side adhesive tape for permanent adhesive bonds, comprising an adhesive composition based on a) thermoplastic rubber and b) tackifier resins, c) the adhesive composition comprising an admixed reactive resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: tesa AG
    Inventors: Dieter Zimmermann, Harald Kehler, Walter Schulze
  • Patent number: 6723406
    Abstract: A masking tape formed from (a) a heat-resistant adhesive tape having a paper backing and pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, (b) a masking material laminated in an edge region of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, having good adhesion to paint and made of a woven fabric, a nonwoven fabric or a sheet capable of adhering to paint, and (c) a masking sheet which covers the masking material and is laminated on the same edge region of the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition the masking tape can be used to mask a part, for example, an automobile part, during a surface treatment, for example, painting, of the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: tesa AG
    Inventor: Oliver Nickel
  • Patent number: 6723407
    Abstract: Strippable systems comprising at least one pressure sensitive adhesive based on at least one block copolymer, wherein said at least one block copolymer is based at least in part on (meth)acrylic acid derivatives, the block copolymers containing at least the unit P(A)-P(B)-P(A) composed of at least one polymer block P(B) and at least two polymer blocks P(A), where P(A) independently of one another represent homopolymer or copolymer blocks of monomers A, the polymer blocks P(A) each having a softening temperature in the range from +20° C. to +175° C., P(B) represents a homopolymer or copolymer block of monomers B, the polymer block P(B) having a softening temperature in the range from −100° C. to +10° C., and the polymer blocks P(A) and P(B) are not homogeneously miscible with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: tesa AG
    Inventors: Thilo Dollase, Marc Husemann, Bernd Lühmann
  • Patent number: 6723408
    Abstract: A resealable envelope comprising a flexible plastic back sheet, a backing adhesive applied on a back surface of the flexible plastic back sheet to attach the envelope to a package, a flexible plastic front sheet attached to the back sheet at their respective side edges and bottom edges, a flexible closure flap being adhered directly to the front surface of the back sheet at their respective top edges via a permanent adhesive and overlapping said front sheet, and a resealable adhesive located proximal to the top edge of the front sheet such that the resealable adhesive is capable of fastening said closure flap to the front sheet forming a resealable closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: A.D.M. Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce J. Hillemann, Joseph DeRiggi
  • Patent number: 6723409
    Abstract: Sheets of rubber-coated fabric are mounted on the cylinders of offset printing presses. An under-packing formed from the combination of an optional flexible supporting sheet and a plurality of flexible packing sheets is interposed between the cylinder surface and the rubber-coated fabric to obtain a predetermined total thickness which varies for different types of printing presses. The thickness of the under-packing is equal to a predetermined maximum thickness. The thickness of the sheets of the under-packing is chosen such that by removing one or more packing sheets from the under-packing, the desired thickness for any specific case can be approximated. A face of each packing sheet which faces inwards, with the exception of the face of the innermost sheet or the supporting sheet if the supporting sheet is the innermost sheet, is treated with an adhesive which, while maintaining the sheets united, enables them to be separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Printgraph Waterless S.r.l.
    Inventor: Roberto Levi Acobas
  • Patent number: 6723410
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is to provide an optical recording medium with improvements in repeated overwrite characteristics, write power margin, archival stability and the like. The invention provides an optical recording medium having a semi-transparent layer mainly comprising Ag, a first protective layer comprising a dielectric, a phase-change recording layer comprising an alloy mainly comprising SbxTe1−x (0.7<x≦0.9), a second protective layer comprising a dielectric, and a metallic reflective layer in this order, wherein the medium further has an interdiffusion-protection layer between the semi-transparent layer and the first protective layer where the first protective layer comprises a sulfur-containing dielectric, and the medium has a higher reflectance to light incident on the semi-transparent layer side with the recording layer being in an amorphous state than in a crystalline state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ohno, Kenjiro Kiyono, Michikazu Horie
  • Patent number: 6723411
    Abstract: To provide an information recording medium which permits high density recording/reproduction, which has good thermal stability, and which, due to the use of an interface layer with a high sputter rate, has good recording/reproduction characteristics and is excellent for mass production. An information recording medium wherein the thickness of an interface layer 3 is 0.25 or more but 0.67 or less of the total thickness of a first protective layer 2 and the interface layer 3, and the interface layer 3 contains at least tantalum (Ta) and oxygen (O). The medium is excellent for mass production and has good recording/reproduction characteristics for high density recording/reproduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akemi Hirotsune, Makoto Miyamoto, Toshimichi Shintani, Keikichi Andoo, Yumiko Anzai, Takahiro Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 6723412
    Abstract: A synthetic grass surface comprising widely spaced rows of ribbons and the ribbons having a length about twice as long as the spacing between the rows of ribbons. A particulate material is laid on a matrix of the synthetic grass, and the thickness of the particulate material is as least two-thirds the length of the ribbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Fieldturf, Inc.
    Inventor: Jean Prévost
  • Patent number: 6723413
    Abstract: The tufted surface covering includes a base formed from particles of a thermosetting polymer compound mixed with a particle binding agent causing a portion of the particles to bind together to form a self supporting web. The base is tufted with a tufting material. Thermosetting vulcanized natural and/or synthetic rubber compounds are employed. The polymer layer is tufted with a tufting material and heated to a temperature of from about 110° C. to about 220° C. at an elevated pressure of up to two tons per square inch, to cause the particles to bind together at elevated temperature and pressure to anchor and seal the tufts in place. Cross-linking agents and polar polymer containing compounds may be employed as particle binding agents. In another aspect of the invention, a second layer of particles of a thermosetting polymer mixed with a particle binding agent may be joined together with the particles of the first layer at elevated temperature and pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Inventor: Ian D. Walters
  • Patent number: 6723414
    Abstract: A vehicle glass run is formed with a horizontal-side extrusion part, vertical-side extrusion parts, and corner molding parts for connecting the terminal ends of those in an L shape by molding. The horizontal-side extrusion part and the vertical-side extrusion parts are made of a first material of an olefin thermoplastic elastomer. The corner molding parts are made of a second material which is an olefin thermoplastic elastomer and has a viscosity lower than that of the first material. The material swiftly reaches the terminal ends of the extrusion parts, and heat welds them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Aritake, Hitoshi Omori
  • Patent number: 6723415
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having a non-magnetic support, at least one primer layer on one surface of the support, a magnetic layer on the primer layer and a back coat layer on the other surface of the non-magnetic support, in which the support has a thickness of 2 to 5 &mgr;m, the surface roughness (Ra) of the support on its surface carrying the primer layer and the magnetic layer is from 2.5 nm to 20 nm, the thickness of the primer layer is 1.5 &mgr;m or less, and the primer layer contains 2 to 30 % by weight, based on the weight of all inorganic powder in the primer layer, of alumina powder having a particle size of 0.01 &mgr;m to 0.1 &mgr;m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd,
    Inventors: Muneyoshi Ochi, Takeki Mochizuki, Koh Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 6723416
    Abstract: A three-dimensionally structured fibrous web made up of continuous-filament layers which alternate perpendicular to the surface plane, and denser short-fiber layers that are permanently thermally bonded in a continuous or spot-like manner to the filament layers, the wide-mesh continuous-filament layers representing a scrim, lattice, or netting, has on the short-fiber layers repeating, fold- or wave-shaped elevations. In the manufacturing process, all of the layers of the laminate are subjected together to a shrinkage process at a temperature which lies between the softening and melting points of the scrim material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Firma Carl Freudenberg
    Inventors: Dieter Groitzsch, Gerhard Schaut, Hans-Jörg Grimm
  • Patent number: 6723417
    Abstract: A decorative flower pot cover having a textured or matte finish simulating the appearance of cloth disposed on at least a portion of one surface thereof is disclosed. The decorative flower pot cover is formed of a sheet of polymeric material having at least a portion of one surface thereof printed, embossed, or printed and embossed to provide the matte or textured finish simulating the appearance of cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald E. Weder
  • Patent number: 6723419
    Abstract: A foam faux tray ceiling system having elongated tiles shaped and sized so as to be joinable to one another and thereby form a faux tray ceiling. Each tile is made of a lightweight polymer foam and has a decorative surface, attachment surface, inner edge, outer edge, and two connection edges. The inner edges are preferably decoratively finished and the outer edges are flat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Inventor: Sandra L. Rogers
  • Patent number: 6723420
    Abstract: This invention relates to the nature of thick film compositions that are specifically designed for the fabrication of circuit elements on diamond substrates, especially resistive elements. The nature of diamond sheet material requires special consideration because of its relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion and its sensitivity to oxygen at elevated processing temperatures. The general compositional requirements of thick film paste formulations are provided as a basis for accommodating the particular physical properties of diamond, and thereby establishing a method by which high performance microelectronic components can be fabricated economically. Thick film pastes containing certain borosilicate glasses, metal components, and optionally semiconducting materials are demonstrated to possess favorable behavior in terms of mechanical and electrical properties after sintering. Resistive elements on diamond can be fabricated by adding conductive components to a borosilicate glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Morgan Chemical Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald R. Petkie
  • Patent number: 6723421
    Abstract: A non-single crystalline semiconductor material includes coordinatively irregular structures characterized by distorted chemical bonding, reduced dimensionality and novel electronic properties. A process for forming the material permits variation of the size, concentration and spatial distribution of coordinatively irregular structures. The electronic properties of the material can be changed by controlling the characteristics of the coordinatively irregular structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Stanford R. Ovshinsky, Boil Pashmakov, David V. Tsu
  • Patent number: 6723422
    Abstract: A composite reverse osmosis membrane is described, which includes a polyamide skin layer on a porous support, with a contact angle between the polyamide skin layer surface and water of 45° or less. The composite reverse osmosis membrane has a high salt rejection and also a high water permeability. This composite reverse osmosis membrane is produced by forming a polyamide skin layer on a porous support having the steps of: forming a layer on the porous support by coating a solution A including one or more compounds having at least two reactive amino groups; contacting the layer with a solution B comprising one or more polyfunctional acid halide compounds; and subsequently, contacting the layer with a solution C comprising the polyfunctional acid halide compound of a higher concentration than the solution C. The concentration of the polyfunctional acid halide compound in the solution C is preferably at least 1.2 times of the solution B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Hirose, Hiroki Ito, Tomomi Ohara