Patents Issued in May 20, 2008
  • Patent number: 7374794
    Abstract: A vapor-deposited metallized film is disclosed including a metallized film that is vapor-deposited across the entire surface, and a metallized film that has been coated a number of times and also a method for producing a vapor-deposited metallized film, a metallized film that is vapor-deposited across the entire surface, and a metallized film that has been coated a number of times, wherein either a structure is printed onto a substrate or onto a supporting film with a soluble ink or the base materials are directly cleaned in a vacuum by means of plasma processing and are simultaneously initiated with target atoms, and wherein a metal or the like is vapor-deposited thereon followed by a production of the structured layer, for multiple uses, for example, in securities, as a radio frequency antenna for transponders and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Hueck Folien Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Friedrich Kastner, Martin Bergsmann, Johann Hillburger, Ronald Einsiedler, Roland Treutlein
  • Patent number: 7374795
    Abstract: A coating method is disclosed that applies a coating to a product in a uniform and controlled manner. The coating method comprises a feeding step, an optional pre-treatment step, at least one coating step, and a finishing step. The coating step(s) comprise the use of a coating material feeder and a coating device. During the coating step(s), a substrate passes through an aperture in the coating device which, includes first and second shell portions, where the first shell portion has a concave surface surrounding the aperture portion. The second shell has a substantially flat face and a mirror aperture that aligns with the aperture of the first shell. The concave surface of the first shell and a groove formed along the perimeter of the aperture collect coating material for coating the object as it passes through the apertures of both shells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Innovative Coatings Inc.
    Inventors: Kendall W. Prince, Gordon L. King, Roderick Hughes, Richard B. Flora
  • Patent number: 7374796
    Abstract: A filter medium for use in particulate filtering applications is disclosed. The filter medium is formed from a substrate capable of retaining the desired physical structure of the filter medium under the conditions of the filtering application, including temperature. A polyimide based stiffening agent adapted for treating the substrate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: BHA Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Smithies
  • Patent number: 7374797
    Abstract: A system and method for the continuous fabrication of bichromal spheres by introducing continuous streams of differently colored, pigmented polymer melts to substantially opposite sides of a plurality of spinning disks. The system comprises a first and second extruder which melts a raw polymer material and mixes the melted polymer with a pigment and optionally a charge control agent. The first and second extruders are connected to substantially opposite sides of a plurality of spinning disks with optionally interconnected gear pumps and mixing devices. The instant system and method is useful in fabricating large quantities of bichromal spheres in a continuous manner with a higher degree of uniformity in their physical characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Y. Martin Lu
  • Patent number: 7374798
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an LCD device, an atomic beam is irradiated onto a thin film including a carbon-carbon double bond to form a polarized functional group by transforming the carbon-carbon double bond into a carbon-carbon single bond and a radical state. Then, a polarity preserving material is combined with the polarized functional group so as to preserve a polarity of the polarized functional group. According to the present invention, the alignment film is formed on the thin film transistor unit cell and on the color filter unit cell by a non-contact method. Therefore, time of forming the alignment film is reduced and alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae-Ho Choo, Hak-Jin Kim, Bong-Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7374799
    Abstract: A radiation sensitive composition containing inorganic oxide particles; a copolymer of at least one unsaturated compound selected from the group consisting of an unsaturated carboxylic acid and an unsaturated carboxylic anhydride and other unsaturated compound different from the unsaturated compound; a polyfunctional unsaturated compound having at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups in the molecule; and a radiation sensitive polymerization initiator. The composition is useful for making a microlens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: JSR Corporation
    Inventor: Masaaki Hanamura
  • Patent number: 7374800
    Abstract: A printing arrangement can include an ink-receiving coating applied to a media substrate, the ink-receiving coating having a coating thickness being configured to have a concentration gradient relative to the thickness. In the concentration gradient, the concentration of a cationic agent is greater in a center region of the ink-receiving coating relative to an upper region and a lower region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventors: Eric L. Burch, Douglas E. Knight
  • Patent number: 7374801
    Abstract: A thermal transfer assembly that comprises a thermal transfer ribbon and a covercoated transfer sheet. The thermal transfer ribbon includes a support and a ceramic ink layer. The ceramic ink layer is present at a coating weight of from about 2 to about 15 grams per square meter, and it includes from about 15 to about 94.5 percent of a solid carbonaceous binder, and at least one of a film-forming glass frit, an opacifying agent and a colorant (at a combined level for the film forming glass frit, the opacifying agent and the colorant of at least 0.5 weight percent).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: International Imaging Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Pamela A. Geddes, Barry J. Briggs, Daniel J. Harrison
  • Patent number: 7374802
    Abstract: A multi-layered plastic body for containing, storing or conducting a medical, diagnostic, pharmaceutical, cosmetic or other product, the plastic body including a first layer made of a stress fracture resistant plastic material, and at least a second layer adjacent to the first layer and made of a plastic material exhibiting a lower resistance to stress fractures than the first plastic material. The invention encompasses a suitable method of making the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Disetronic Licensing AG
    Inventor: Rudolf Zihlmann
  • Patent number: 7374803
    Abstract: A band-like matter fastening seal for fixing a wound end of a band-like matter that is wound in a roll form to the body of said band-like matter, includes: a first attaching part adhered to said end of the band-like matter; a second attaching part having an attaching side adhered to the body of the matter in order to fasten the end to the body of the matter; and a handle part extended from the second attaching part, the attaching side being exposed when the attaching side is lifted from a masking side covering the attaching side, wherein the handle part rises up along the tangent line of the roll when a portion of the band-like matter fastening seal in the vicinity of the handle part is curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Tabuchi, Takashi Komine, Yukio Seto, Hironori Sasaki, Akihiro Sanda, Nobuo Sugiyama, Yasuko Sano, Naoki Yoshikawa, Mototada Yasui
  • Patent number: 7374804
    Abstract: An optically readable media (10) has an information-encoding layer (16) and at least one color-forming layer (12) that embodies an optical readout-limiting mechanism. In a first embodiment the at least one color-forming layer contains an additive that does not interfere with the optical readability of the media for a duration of a readout period. The additive, upon exposure to a source of optical radiation that is suitable for reversing the color-forming layer from an optical readout inhibiting state to an optical readout enabling state, undergoes a transformation that maintains the color-forming layer in the optical readout inhibiting state. More specifically, exposure to the source causes the color-forming layer to photobleach and the additive to oxidize, where the oxidation of the additive permanently inhibits the optical readability of the media. The additive may be a leuco dye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Flexplay Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Marianne Krieg-Kowald
  • Patent number: 7374805
    Abstract: A silver-based alloy thin film is provided for the highly reflective or semi-reflective coating layer of optical discs. Elements that can be added to silver to produce useful silver alloys include zinc, aluminum, copper, manganese, germanium, yttrium, bismuth, scandium, and cobalt. These alloys have moderate to high reflectivity and reasonable corrosion resistance in the ambient environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Target Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: Han H. Nee
  • Patent number: 7374806
    Abstract: An optical information medium having a light transmission layer obtained by curing a composition containing a urethane di(meth)acrylate (A) of the formula (I) and the other urethane di(meth)acrylate (B), and having a tensile elastic modulus of 600 to 1300 MPa at 25° C. and a light transmittance of 80% or more at wavelength of 400 nm (in the formula, R1=an alicyclic diisocyanate residue, R2=an alkylene group or an organic group containing a cycloalkyl group or ester bond, R3=H or methyl group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Hirata, Tsuyoshi Komaki, Tomoki Ushida, Juichi Fujimoto, Kouji Hayama
  • Patent number: 7374807
    Abstract: The present invention provides matrixes doped with semiconductor nanocrystals. In certain embodiments, the semiconductor nanocrystals have a size and composition such that they absorb or emit light at particular wavelengths. The nanocrystals can comprise ligands that allow for mixing with various matrix materials, including polymers, such that a minimal portion of light is scattered by the matrixes. The matrixes of the present invention can also be utilized in refractive index matching applications. In other embodiments, semiconductor nanocrystals are embedded within matrixes to form a nanocrystal density gradient, thereby creating an effective refractive index gradient. The matrixes of the present invention can also be used as filters and antireflective coatings on optical devices and as down-converting layers. The present invention also provides processes for producing matrixes comprising semiconductor nanocrystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Nanosys, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Wallace Parce, Jian Chen, Bob Dubrow, Bill Freeman, Erik C. Scher, Jeffery A. Whiteford
  • Patent number: 7374808
    Abstract: Color, pattern, design, and/or the like is applied by means of a jet dye process, or any other secondary or post pattern application process, including but not exclusively, silk screen printing, rotary printing, etc., to a bonded carpet, where the yarn in the carpet is all white (no dye applied) or light colored or where the yarn is pre-dyed with a single or multiple colors or where the yarn is treated chemically. The bonded carpet preferably has a low face weight and flat, short, dense, vertical cut pile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: N. David Sellman, Jr., Kyle T. Veatch
  • Patent number: 7374810
    Abstract: A method for precision bending of a sheet of material (41, 241, 341, 441) along a bend line (45, 245, 345, 445) and the resulting sheet are disclosed. A method includes a step of forming longitudinally extending slits (43, 243, 343, 443) through the sheet of material in axially spaced relation to produce precise bending of the sheet (41, 241, 341, 441) along the bend line (45, 245, 345, 445) with edges (257, 457) engaged and supported on faces (255, 455) of the sheet material on opposite sides of the slits. The edge-to-face contact produces bending along a virtual fulcrum position in superimposed relation to the bend line (45, 245, 345, 445). Several slit embodiments (43, 243, 343, 443) suitable for producing edge-to-face engagement support and precise bending are disclosed, as is the use of the slit sheets to enhance various fabrication techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Industrial Origami, Inc.
    Inventors: Max W. Durney, Alan D. Pendley
  • Patent number: 7374811
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a ceramic device is provided. The ceramic device comprises a ceramic layer. A polyimide layer is on the ceramic layer. The polyimide layer has disposed therein a plurality of copper vias. Each copper via is in physical contact with the ceramic layer. A plurality of pads are formed on the polyimide layer. Each of the plurality of pads is in physical contact with a copper via of the plurality of copper vias. In this way, the pads are supported by a continuous copper arrangement, thereby providing greater support for the probe pads than if the probe pads were supported by the polyimide layer, as the mechanical strength of polyimide layer is lower than the mechanical strength of copper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: SV Probe Pte Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi Shih Chang, Bahadir Tunaboylu
  • Patent number: 7374812
    Abstract: A silicone-modified fluoropolymer is formed by first dissolving a fluoropolymer in an organic solvent, the fluoropolymer having at least one monomer of vinylidene fluoride coupled to a hexafluoropropylene monomer unit, and subsequently reacting the mixture with an amino silane coupling agent to form an aminosilane-modified fluoropolymer. The aminosilane fluoropolymer is subsequently heated and partially condensed with an oligomer of a silane compound including alkoxy silane. The resultant composition is suitable for use as a low refractive index layer in an antireflection coating on an optical substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7374813
    Abstract: A patterned organic monolayer or multiplayer film self-assembled on a solid substrate, the pattern consisting in a site-defined surface chemical modification non-destructively inscribed in the organic monolayer or multilayer by means of an electrically biased conducting scanning probe device, stamping device and/or liquid metal or metal alloy or any other device that can touch the organic monolayer or multilayer surface and inscribe therein a chemical modification pattern upon application of an electrical bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Yeda Research and Development, Co.
    Inventors: Jacob Sagiv, Rivka Maoz, Sidney R. Cohen, Eli Frydman
  • Patent number: 7374814
    Abstract: A soft magnetic powder material includes an iron powder, and a plated layer formed on a surface of the iron powder and possessing a lubricating property. The plated layer includes a lubricant material and a matrix in which the lubricant material disperses. The soft magnetic powder material is manufactured by an electroless deposition process, by which a plated layer is formed by depositing, on a surface of an iron powder, at least one element building a matrix, along with a micro-powdered lubricant material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Kamiya, Wataru Yagi
  • Patent number: 7374815
    Abstract: A removable pressure sensitive adhesive composition includes at least (A) a hydroxyl-group-containing acrylic polymer, (B) an amine compound containing plural hydroxyl groups, and (C) a polyisocyanate compound and has a gel fraction of equal to or more than 70% by weight after drying or curing. A removable pressure sensitive adhesive sheet has a removable pressure sensitive adhesive layer including the removable pressure sensitive adhesive composition formed on one or both sides of a base material. The sheet may have a 180° peel force with respect to a melamine-faced steel sheet of 5 N/20-mm or less and may have a 180 ° peel force after adhesion at 50° C. for 48 hours of 1.2 times or less the initial adhesion (after adhesion at 23° C. for 20 minutes), as determined at a pulling rate of 300 mm/minute, 23° C. and 50% relative humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Okochi, Masahiko Ando
  • Patent number: 7374816
    Abstract: The present invention has for its object a prefabricated sealing membrane formed by a support, coated on at least one surface, and preferably impregnated throughout, with a modified bitumen base composition, characterized in that the thermoplastic bituminous composition for coating and/or impregnation is a bituminous binder modified by a thermoplastic polyurethane having the following weight proportion: 40 to 90% bitumen, 10 to 50% thermoplastic polyurethane, 0 to 10% aromatic oil, 0 to 50% filler, 0 to 0.5% catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Soprema
    Inventors: Pierre Etienne Bindschedler, Remi Perrin, Corinne Schall, Arnaud Nouri
  • Patent number: 7374817
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transition-metal chalcogenide crystal having a topological configuration/structure. A micro-droplet of a chalcogen element, such as S, Se or Te, is condensed and circulated in suspended form in an atmosphere containing a Group IVb, Vb or VI transition metal element, such as Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf or W, together with the chalcogen element. Then, micro-whiskers of a transition metal chalcogenide formed in the atmosphere are attached onto a surface of the chalcogen-element micro-droplet by the action of a surface tension of the micro-droplet, and grown as a loop-shaped crystal wound around the surface of the micro-droplet to obtain a loop-shaped crystal having a twist of 0, ? or 2?. The crystal has a ribbon-like open or closed loop configuration. The transition-metal chalcogenide crystal with the topological loop-shaped microstructure can exhibit original properties peculiar to each transition-metal chalcogenide, and has applicability, for example, to a quantum device, such as SQUID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Japan Science and Technology Agency
    Inventors: Satoshi Tanda, Taku Tsuneta, Yoshitoshi Okajima, Katsuhiko Inagaki, Kazuhiko Yamaya, Noriyuki Hatakenaka
  • Patent number: 7374818
    Abstract: A bond coat system for silicon based substrates wherein a compliant layer having an elastic modulus of between 30 and 130 GPa is provided between the silicon based substrate and a silicon metal containing oxygen gettering layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tania Bhatia, Wayde R. Schmidt, William K. Tredway, Venkata R. Vedula
  • Patent number: 7374819
    Abstract: A release film comprising a plastic film substrate 3, a first layer 1 provided on at least one side of the substrate, and a second layer 2 provided on the first layer 1. The second layer 2 functions as a release layer and the first layer 1 as an adhesive layer to fix the second layer 2 on the substrate 3. The release film has a small peel force and can be prepared from solvent-free compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Irifune
  • Patent number: 7374820
    Abstract: A siloxane-based resin having germanium and an interlayer insulating film for a semiconductor device formed using the same. The siloxane-based resins have a low dielectric constant in addition to excellent mechanical properties so that they are useful materials for an insulating film between interconnecting layers of a semiconductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang Kyun Lee, Jong Baek Seon
  • Patent number: 7374821
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic thermal barrier composition of low conductivity and high high-temperature strength. In characteristic manner, the composition comprises a zirconia base, at least one trivalent oxide enabling the zirconia to be stabilized and enabling the thermal conductivity of the zirconia to be reduced in optimum manner, and at least one pentavalent oxide enabling the content of oxygen vacancies to be reduced so as to make it substantially equal to that of a partially stabilized zirconia. Preferably, said trivalent oxide is present with a molar content constituted by a first portion enabling the zirconia to be stabilized partially and a second portion which introduces point defects into the lattice said pentavalent oxide is present with a molar concentration equal to said molar concentration of said second portion of the trivalent oxide. The invention is applicable to making a superalloy machine part having a ceramic coating with said composition, and possibly also a bonding underlayer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignees: Snecma, Snecma Services
    Inventors: Bérangère Leclercq, Rémy Mevrel, Alban Azzopardi, André Malie, Bertrand Saint-Ramond
  • Patent number: 7374822
    Abstract: A near-infrared ray shielding paint capable of forming a coating that exhibits high light transmission coefficient in visible light region while having high shielding capability in near-infrared region and exhibits little chromaticity change even in harsh environment, which near-infrared ray shielding paint comprises a first near-infrared ray-absorption coloring matter containing a compound composed of a diimonium compound cation and an anion of the formula (1), a second near-infrared ray-absorbing coloring matter of different type and a transparent resin in which a compound of the formula (2) is polymerized in an amount of 30% by mass or more. A near-infrared ray shielding laminate having a near-infrared ray shielding layer is produced with the use of this paint. (CF3SO2)2N? ??(1) [R is H or a —CH3 group, and X is a C6-C25 cyclohydrocarbon group].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Nakabeppu, Tsutomu Tamura
  • Patent number: 7374823
    Abstract: The present invention is a welded portion constitution between a first member (38) and a second member (33), comprising an inclined portion (3) provided on an end portion of at least one of the first member (38) and second member (33), and a weld bead (5) provided so as to cover at least a part of the inclined portion (3). According to the present invention, the strength of the welded joint portion can be improved without increasing the sheet thickness of the first member (38) or second member (33), and without increasing the number of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Press Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisanao Maruyama, Rikuo Osaki, Youichi Koyama
  • Patent number: 7374824
    Abstract: Tellurium-containing nanocrystallites are produced by injection of a precursor into a hot coordinating solvent, followed by controlled growth and annealing. Nanocrystallites may include CdTe, ZnTe, MgTe, HgTe, or alloys thereof. The nanocrystallites can photoluminesce with quantum efficiencies as high as 70%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Moungi G. Bawendi, Frederic V. Mikulec, Sungjee Kim
  • Patent number: 7374825
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, disclosed is a composite comprising a porous thermal barrier coating on a metallic part and an impermeable barrier coating adjacent to the outer surface of the thermal barrier coating. The impermeable barrier coating is dense and non-porous and comprises a rare earth silicate, the impermeable barrier coating thereby preventing infiltration of the contaminant composition into the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Thomas Hazel, Irene Spitsberg, Christine Govern, Bangalore A. Nagaraj
  • Patent number: 7374826
    Abstract: Magnetic field structures composed of stacked magnetic laminae that are magnetically oriented perpendicular to their planes and configured to cause a volume charge density and cancel the field effects of unwanted surface negative charges are provided. This arrangement causes a uniform volume magnetic charge density, which results in a magnetic field normal to the laminae. The stacked magnetic laminae magnetic field structure cancel the field effects of the deleterious unwanted surface charges because these surface charges are so situated that their contributions to the internal magnetic field mutually cancel each other, and thus they are no longer detrimental to the magnetic field created by the volume charge density. One embodiment provides a planar magnetic field gradient source structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Sceretary of the Army
    Inventor: Herbert A. Leupold
  • Patent number: 7374827
    Abstract: A metallurgical product consists essentially of a core aluminum alloy, purposefully tailored through chemistry and processing route to resist recrystallization during the brazing cycle to intentionally exploit the higher strengths immediately after brazing of a deformed and recovered microstructure, the core aluminum alloy being bonded on one side to an aluminum alloy interliner designed to be resistant to localized erosion, which, in turn, is bonded to a 4xxx calling alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond J. Kilmer
  • Patent number: 7374828
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electroluminescent device comprising a cathode and an anode and, located therebetween, a light-emitting layer (LEL) comprising a phosphorescent guest material, a hole- and electron-transporting host material, and an efficiency-enhancing material having an ionization potential lower than that of the host material and a triplet energy level that is lower than that of the phosphorescent guest material by no more than 0.2 eV. Such a device provides useful light emission features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Marina E. Kondakova, Ralph H. Young
  • Patent number: 7374829
    Abstract: A organic electroluminescent element is disclosed which comprises a light emission layer containing a fluorescent compound and a phosphorescent compound, the fluorescent compound having a nitrogen atom number to carbon atom number ratio in the molecule (N/C) of from 0 to 0.05, wherein the maximum emission wavelength of light emitted according to electroluminescence of the element is longer than the maximum fluorescence wavelength of the Fluorescent compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Oshiyama, Taketoshi Yamada, Motoi Kinoshita, Hiroshi Kita
  • Patent number: 7374830
    Abstract: An organic EL device includes a pair of electrodes, a light emitter layer obtained by mixing a hole transporting material made of a tertiary amine compound, an electron transporting material and a light emitting additive. The tertiary amine compound constituting the hole transporting material has only one oxidation potential as measured by the cyclic voltammetry. A difference in ionization potential between the hole transporting material and electron transporting material of the light emitter layer is 0.35 eV or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kato, Kazushige Kojima
  • Patent number: 7374831
    Abstract: A distribution of grain boundaries in a magnetic recording medium having a granular structure is reduced so that the magnetic recording medium with a high medium signal-to-noise ratio is provided. According to one embodiment, in an underlayer composed of grains each having a generally columnar structure and in a magnetic recording layer composed of magnetic crystal grains each having a generally columnar structure and grain boundaries, a grain size Dm of the magnetic recording layer and a grain size Du of each of the underlayer crystal grains are determined to satisfy a relationship represented by 0.8×Du?Dm<Du and a standardized grain boundary distribution obtained by dividing the standardized deviation of the distribution of the grain boundaries by an average grain boundary width is adjusted to about 0.4 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Ryoko Araki, Yoshio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7374832
    Abstract: The invention provides a direct methanol fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell main body comprising an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte membrane provided between the anode and the cathode, and a feed tank containing a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be fed to the anode, a first liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the feed tank, a second liquid fuel storage tank which contains a methanol-containing liquid fuel to be supplied into the first liquid fuel storage tank, and a liquid level change detecting mechanism which detects changes in the level of the liquid fuel stored in the first liquid fuel storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hirohisa Miyamoto, Norihiro Tomimatsu, Nobuo Shibuya
  • Patent number: 7374833
    Abstract: A device used for air supply of a fuel cell has an expander and a compressor that is at least partially driven thereby. The hot gases of combustion at least occasionally flow through the expander. After flowing through the expander, the exhaust gases emit at least a portion of the residual thermal energy remaining in them to at least one of the fuel flows supplied for combustion and during a cold start especially also to the cooling circuit of the fuel cell. A device of this type may be used, for example, in a mobile fuel cell system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Manfred Stute
  • Patent number: 7374834
    Abstract: A generally planar, rectangular solid oxide fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cell units, each of the fuel cell units having an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte disposed there between, at least one bipolar separator plate disposed between the anode electrode of one fuel cell unit and the cathode electrode of an adjacent fuel cell unit, an oxidant manifold for delivering oxidant to the cathode electrode, a fuel manifold for delivering fuel to the anode electrode, an anode exhaust gas removal manifold for removing anode exhaust gases from the solid oxide fuel cell stack, and a cathode exhaust gas removal manifold for removing cathode exhaust gases from the solid oxide fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: John R. Jewulski, Kevin Krist, Chakravarthy Sishtla, Joe Pondo, Randy Petri, Dave Goodwin
  • Patent number: 7374835
    Abstract: A fuel cell element comprising a tube of a solid electrolyte. An outer electrode is provided on an outside of the tube and an inner electrode is provided in the inside of the tube. A ring formed of an electrically conducting material is mounted to the tube and is electrically connected to the tube. The ring has a first surface intended to be mountable to and slidingly engageable with a substantially complementary shaped second surface of a wall of a conduit means to supply a gaseous consumable to an interior of the tube or to carry gas from the interior. The mounting of the ring to and the engaging of the ring with the second surface is to provide an electrical connection between the fuel cell element and the conduit means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventors: Kevin Kendall, Caine Finnerty
  • Patent number: 7374836
    Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes an electric power generation unit with a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies each having an oxidizer electrode to which an oxidizer is fed and a fuel electrode to which a fuel is fed, the oxidizer electrode and the fuel electrode being arranged through an electrolyte membrane. The plurality of membrane electrode assemblies are stacked through a fuel feed path and an oxidizer feed path. In addition, a fuel storage unit holds the fuel to be fed to the fuel electrode of the electric power generation unit, and a fuel flow path connects the fuel storage unit and the electric power generation unit. The fuel feed path and the oxidizer feed path arranged between the plurality of membrane electrode assemblies are formed by an elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Mogi, Masaaki Shibata
  • Patent number: 7374837
    Abstract: The present invention provides liquid electrolyte electrochemical cassettes and stacks thereof which are suitable for a use in a variety of electrochemical, ion exchange, and battery applications. The present invention also provides methods of manufacturing the liquid electrolyte cassettes and stacks of the invention. In certain preferred embodiments, the invention provides cassettes and stacks which are suitable for use in fuel cell and flow through battery applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Protonex Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Osenar, Paul Sabin, Mohammad Enayetullah, Richard M. Formato
  • Patent number: 7374838
    Abstract: An electrochemical fuel cell comprises an anode electrocatalyst layer, a cathode electrocatalyst layer, a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and cathode electrocatalyst layers, an anode flow field plate, a cathode flow field plate, an anode fluid distribution layer interposed between the anode flow field plate and the anode electrocatalyst layer, and a cathode fluid distribution layer interposed between the cathode flow field plate and the cathode electrocatalyst layer, wherein at least one of the anode and cathode fluid distribution layers decreases in permeability from an inlet to an outlet of the electrochemical fuel cell. Methods for making a substantially fluid impermeable sheet material having a non-uniform pattern of perforations are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Emerson R. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 7374839
    Abstract: A method is described for a dissolving crystals formed in a side reaction to an oxidation-reduction reaction. A low frequency substantially square wave signal less than 10 kilohertz is applied across the battery terminals to dissolve unwanted crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventor: Charles A. Van Breemen
  • Patent number: 7374840
    Abstract: This invention relates to centrifugal atomized zinc alloy powders for alkaline batteries consisting of (a) 0.005-2% by weight of indium, and 0.005-0.2% by weight of either one of Al and Bi, or (b) 0.005-2% by weight of indium, and 0.005-0.2% by weight of Bi, and 0.001-0.5% of either one or both of Al and Ca, or (c) 0.005-2% by weight of either one or both of Bi and Al, and 0-0.5% by weight of Pb, the remainder being zinc. The powder is obtained by centrifugal atomisation in a protective atmosphere, where the oxygen content is less than 4% by volume. The resistance to corrosion in the electrolyte of the battery, especially after partial discharge, is markedly better than when the same alloys are prepared by the traditional production process. The capacity of batteries containing these powders is very good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Umicore
    Inventors: Yvan Strauven, Bruno Gay
  • Patent number: 7374841
    Abstract: A cathode active material includes: (a) first oxide including (1) lithium (Li), nickel (Ni) and manganese, (2) a first element MI selected from Group 2 to Group 14 elements, and (3) oxygen; (b) a second oxide including (1) lithium, (2) a second element MII including nickel and cobalt, (3) manganese, (4) a third element including at least one of the elements of Group 2 to Group 14 elements, except for nickel, cobalt and manganese, and (5) oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Hosoya, Yoshikatsu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7374842
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, comprises positive and negative electrode plates, each comprising a current collector and a material mixture layer carried on each face thereof. A total thickness of the positive electrode material mixture layers on both faces of the current collector is 40 ?m to 100 ?m. The positive electrode plate has an electrode area of 520 cm2 to 800 cm2 per battery capacity of 1 Ah. The negative electrode material mixture layer comprises a graphitizable carbon material. A wide-range X-ray diffraction pattern of the graphitizable carbon material has a peak PX (101) attributed to a (101) crystal face at about 2?=44 degrees, and a peak PX (100) attributed to a (100) crystal face at about 2?=42 degrees. A ratio of an intensity IX (101) of PX (101) to an intensity IX (100) of PX(100) satisfies: 0<IX (101)/IX (100)<1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Battery Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Ozaki, Kazuhiro Ota, Junichi Yamaura, Takabumi Fujii
  • Patent number: 7374843
    Abstract: The invention relates to a microporous membrane, which is provided with high safety even under a condition that the interior temperature of a battery becomes high, and which has high permeability and high mechanical strength at the same time. The polyolefin microporous membrane is characterized by a membrane thickness of 5 to 50 ?m, a void content of 30 to 60%, a gas transmission rate of 40 to 300 sec/100 cc/20 ?m, a piercing strength of not less than 2.5 N/20 ?m and a break through temperature of not lower than 110° C. The separator in accordance with the present invention is used to exhibit high safety under a high temperature condition as well as high permeability, and therefore it is particularly useful as a separator for miniaturized high capacity batteries of a non-aqueous electrolytic solution type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporations
    Inventors: Masayuki Adachi, Takashi Ikemoto, Hiroshi Sogo
  • Patent number: 7374844
    Abstract: A photomask including a light-transmissible base member; and a light-blocking film provided thereon. The film has a micro-aperture adapted to expose an object to near-field light seeping out from the micro-aperture. The photomask further includes a periodic structure with a pitch and a phase comprising recesses or projections so as to make uniform an intensity distribution of the optical near-field in the micro-aperture and directly under the micro-aperture on the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Natsuhiko Mizutani, Yasuhisa Inao