Patents Issued in May 3, 2016
  • Patent number: 9328383
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the high throughput discovery, detection and genotyping of one or more genetic markers in one or more samples, comprising the steps of restriction endonuclease digest of DNA, adaptor-ligation, optional pre-amplification, selective amplification, pooling of the amplified products, sequencing the libraries with sufficient redundancy, clustering followed by identification of the genetic markers within the library and/or between libraries and determination of (co-)dominant genotypes of the genetic markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Keygene N.V.
    Inventors: Michael Josephus Theresia Van Eijk, Anker Preben Sørensen, Marco Gerardus Maria Van Schriek
  • Patent number: 9328384
    Abstract: Methods for the detection of ddPCR assay-generated amplicons by short minor groove binder-fluororophore-oligonucleotide-quencher (MGB-Fl-oligo-Q) probes. The short MGB-Fl-oligo-Q probes not only reduce background, but also show improved mismatch discrimination when compared to the same length non-MGB probes for detecting the ddPCR generated targets at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: ELITECHGROUP B.V.
    Inventor: Yevgeniy Belousov
  • Patent number: 9328385
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for quantifying and/or detecting one or more nucleic acids of a genome in a sample, wherein in an amplification reaction, (i) a first nucleic acid is amplified, the locus that is amplified is a multicopy locus (MCL) within the genome, wherein the locus shares at least 80% sequence identity to a sequence according to SEQ ID NO. 1 over a stretch of 80 base pairs, and wherein the multicopy locus has copies on at least two different chromosomes, (ii) a second nucleic acid that has been added as an internal control (IC) is also amplified, and (iii) the amount of amplification product from the amplification of the first nucleic acid is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: Qiagen GmbH, Qiagen Manchester Limited
    Inventors: Francesca Di Pasquale, Holger Engel, Sascha Strauss, Nicola Jo Thelwell
  • Patent number: 9328386
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for predicting the responsiveness of a mammalian tumor cell or cancer cell to an inhibitor of a kinase of the Src family, such as dasatinib, bosutinib, saracatinib or ponatinib. The present invention also provides for a method for predicting the responsiveness of an individual to an inhibitor of a kinase of the Src family, whereby the individual is suspected to suffer from cancer. These methods involve the evaluation of the status of integrin ?4, wherein said status is indicative for the responsiveness to the inhibitor. Furthermore, a kit useful for carrying out the methods described herein as well as an oligo—or polynucleotide and/or antibodies capable of detecting the expression level of integrin ?4 for predicting the responsiveness to the inhibitor are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Evotec (München) GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph Schaab, Klaus Godl, Martin Klammer, Andreas Tebbe, Stefan Müller
  • Patent number: 9328387
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the prediction of antipsychotic treatment efficacy based on a patient's genotype at one or more single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci and to the treatment of a patient based on such prediction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Lavedan, Simona Volpi, Louis Licamele, Mihael H. Polymeropoulos
  • Patent number: 9328388
    Abstract: This disclosure features methods of identifying an organism. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods of distinguishing virulent and non-virulent strains of organisms, such as E. coli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: OpGen, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Michael Briska, Emily B. Zentz
  • Patent number: 9328389
    Abstract: The inventive method and associated reagents relate to a molecular approach to determining Campylobacter jejuni capsule/Penner types. The invention also relates to a method of identifying Campylobacter jejuni types using primers in a multiplex PCR assay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Federic Poly, Patricia Guerry, Craig Parker
  • Patent number: 9328390
    Abstract: The invention provides specific transgenic cotton plants, plant material and seeds, characterized in that these products harbor a specific transformation event at a specific location in the cotton genome. Tools are also provided which allow rapid and unequivocal identification of the event in biological samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Bayer CropScience N.V.
    Inventors: Linda Trolinder, Sofie Moens, Veerle Habex, Dimitri Paelinck, Evelien Berghman
  • Patent number: 9328391
    Abstract: The determination of the nucleotide sequence of HIV-1 DNA; identification, isolation and expression of HIV-1 DNA sequences which encode immunoreactive polypeptides by recombinant DNA methods and production of viral RNA are disclosed. Such polypeptides can be employed in immunoassays to detect HIV-1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Nancy T. Chang, Robert C. Gallo, Flossie Wong-Staal
  • Patent number: 9328392
    Abstract: Nucleic acid oligonucleotide sequences are disclosed which include amplification oligomers and probe oligomers which are useful for detecting multiple types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) associated with cervical cancer. Methods for detecting multiple HPV types in biological specimens by amplifying HPV nucleic acid sequences in vitro and detecting the amplified products are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Gen-Probe Incorporated
    Inventors: Sylvia A. Norman, Jennifer J. Bungo, William L. Hanna, Neeraj P. Rao
  • Patent number: 9328393
    Abstract: Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce a product such as a biofuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Seul-a Bae, Randy Valdez, Thomas Craig Masterman
  • Patent number: 9328394
    Abstract: Process for the tanning of hides and skins, characterized in that hides and skins are treated with tanning agents containing deglycosylated iridoids and/or deglycosylated secoiridoids, excluding tanning agents containing genipin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: MB-HOLDING GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Jens Zotzel, Stefan Marx, Heinz-Peter Germann, Alla Sarafeddinov
  • Patent number: 9328395
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for producing DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) utilizing a high-oxidation reducing gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen, derived directly or indirectly from the gasification of hydrocarbons or coal, with a high content of oxidants (H2O and CO2). The invention provides a more efficient method and plant comprising a reactor in which particulate material of iron ore comes into contact with a high temperature reducing gas to produce DRI, with lower investment and operating costs, avoiding the need for a fired heater for the reducing gas fed into the reduction reactor. The reducing gas is heated to a temperature above 700° C. in two steps, a first step at a temperature below about 400° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: DANIELI & C. OFFICINE MECCANICHE SPA, HYL TECHNOLOGIES S.A. DE C.V.
    Inventors: Alessandro Martinis, Michele Condosta, Eugenio Zendejas Martínez, Pablo Enrique Duarte Escareño
  • Patent number: 9328396
    Abstract: The present invention has as objective a procedure for the oriented-grain magnetic sheet that provides particular operative hot rolling mill conditions of silicon steel slabs, by means which it is possible to highly contain the heterogeneities of hot rolled sheet re-crystallization. The use of these operative conditions permits to reduce the growing tendency of the crystallized grain during the annealing of the sheets at a final thickness that precedes the secondary oriented re-crystallization. Contemporarily, the particular operational conditions of hot rolling mill according to the invention permit a fine precipitation of secondary phases useful to the control of the grain growing, starting from a quantity of sulphur (S) and nitrogen (N) in matrix lower than corresponding provided by the conventional technologies and consequently disposable in metallic solid solution before the rolling after the heating of the slabs at temperature values lower than 1300° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: CENTRO SVILUPPO MATERIALI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Abbruzzese, Stefano Cicale, Stefano Fortunati
  • Patent number: 9328397
    Abstract: The object of the invention is the plasmid pSheB, particularly a plasmid which may comprise a fragment of pSheB including the arr module and functional derivatives thereof, and strains containing such a plasmid, preferably the Shewanella sp. strain, deposited as KKP 2045p, which are capable of removing arsenic by dissolution of minerals and reduction of arsenates to arsenites. The object of the invention is also the method and the use of such bacterial strains or compositions which may comprise them, for the selective removal of arsenic from mineral resources, raw materials industry waste or soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: UNIWERSYTET WARSZAWSKI
    Inventors: Lukasz Drewniak, Aleksandra Sklodowska, Monika Radlinska, Robert Stasiuk
  • Patent number: 9328398
    Abstract: A method for recycling noble metals from electronic waste materials and apparatus thereof. The method comprises the following steps: mechanically breaking up the electronic waste materials; removing rubber and plastic materials by electrostatic separation; removing ferromagnetic metals by magnetic separation; removing residual rubber and plastic materials by microwave pyrolysis; removing low-melting-point metals by indirectly heating using microwave; separating the noble metals from one another in turn from low-melting-point metal to high-melting-point metal for recycle. The apparatus includes a microwave housing. A filtering screen is positioned on the inside wall of the housing horizontally, and vertically-arranged and open-ended heating pipes are positioned over the filtering screen. The method and apparatus can adequately recycle resources in the electronic waste materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: GEM CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kaihua Xu
  • Patent number: 9328399
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a method for producing magnesium oxide by which magnesium oxide being high in purity and low in impurity content can be produced simply and efficiently from a sulfuric acid solution containing magnesium and calcium such as waste water. In the present invention, calcium is precipitated as calcium sulfate and separated by concentrating a sulfuric acid solution containing magnesium and calcium, and magnesium is precipitated as magnesium sulfate and separated by further concentrating the solution resulting from the separation of calcium. The separated magnesium sulfate is roasted together with a reductant, so that magnesium oxide and sulfur dioxide are obtained. The resulting magnesium oxide is washed to produce magnesium oxide with high purity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Ozaki, Jun-ichi Takahashi, Yu Yamashita, Hideki Ohara
  • Patent number: 9328400
    Abstract: An improved method for treating manganese-containing materials, such as seafloor manganese nodules, by leaching such materials with aqueous HNO3 and polymerized nitric oxide (N2O3)x, and more particularly to methods for recovering valuable constituents from such nodules, especially manganese, cobalt, nickel, iron, and copper. It also provides a method to leach manganese-containing material to release any titanium, vanadium, cerium, molybdenum and other metals from the manganese oxides and to make them available to be recovered, as well as providing a method of producing a fertilizer grade nitrate product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: DEEPGREEN ENGINEERING, PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: William F. Drinkard, Hans J. Woerner, William M. Nixon
  • Patent number: 9328401
    Abstract: A copper alloy casting with excellent machinability, strength, wear resistance and corrosion resistance contains Sn: 0.5 to 15 mass %; Zr: 0.001 to 0.049 mass %; P: 0.01 to 0.35 mass %; one or more elements selected from Pb: 0.01 to 15 mass %, Bi: 0.01 to 15 mass %, Se: 0.01 to 1.2 mass %, and Te: 0.05 to 1.2 mass %; and Cu: 73 mass % or more serving as a remainder. In this case, f1=[P]/[Zr]=0.5 to 100, f2=3[Sn]/[Zr]=300 to 15000, and f3=3[Sn]/[P]=40 to 2500 (the content of an element ‘a’ is expressed as [a] mass %). The total content of ?, ? and ?-phases is 95% or more, and the mean grain size is 300 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI SHINDOH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Keiichiro Oishi
  • Patent number: 9328402
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a nickel-base alloy for forging or rolling contains, in weight %, carbon (C): 0.05 to 0.2, silicon (Si) 0.01 to 1, manganese (Mn): 0.01 to 1, cobalt (Co): 5 to 20, iron (Fe): 0.01 to 10, chromium (Cr): 15 to 25, and one kind or two kinds or more of molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W) and rhenium (Re), with Mo+(W+Re)/2: 8 to 25, the balance being nickel (Ni) and unavoidable impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masayuki Yamada, Kiyoshi Imai, Kuniyoshi Nemoto, Shigekazu Miyashita, Takeo Suga
  • Patent number: 9328403
    Abstract: A Ni-based heat resistant alloy as pipe, plate, rod, forgings and the like consists of C?0.15%, Si?2%, Mn?3%, P?0.03%, S?0.01%, Cr: 15% or more and less than 28%, Mo: 3 to 15%, Co: more than 5% and not more than 25%, Al: 0.2 to 2%, Ti: 0.2% to 3%, Nd: fn to 0.08%, and O?0.4Nd, further containing, as necessary, at least one kind of Nb, W, B, Zr, Hf, Mg, Ca, Y, La, Ce, Ta, Re and Fe of specific amounts, the balance being Ni and impurities, wherein, fn=1.7×10?5d+0.05{(Al/26.98)+(Ti/47.88)+(Nb/92.91)}. In the formula, d denotes an average grain size (?m), and each element symbol denotes the content (mass %) of that element. If the alloy contains W, Mo+(W/2)?15% holds. The alloy has improved ductility after long-term use at high temperatures, and cracking due to welding can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Semba, Hirokazu Okada, Hiroyuki Hirata, Mitsuru Yoshizawa, Atsuro Iseda
  • Patent number: 9328404
    Abstract: A method according to one embodiment includes combining an amorphous iron-based alloy and at least one metal selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, chromium, tungsten, boron, gadolinium, nickel phosphorous, yttrium, and alloys thereof to form a mixture, wherein the at least one metal is present in the mixture from about 5 atomic percent (at %) to about 55 at %; and ball milling the mixture at least until an amorphous alloy of the iron-based alloy and the at least one metal is formed. Several amorphous iron-based metal alloys are also presented, including corrosion-resistant amorphous iron-based metal alloys and radiation-shielding amorphous iron-based metal alloys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Cheng Kiong Saw, William A. Bauer, Jor-Shan Choi, Dan Day, Joseph C. Farmer
  • Patent number: 9328405
    Abstract: A machine component or part for alternating mechanical stresses up to a temperature of at most 160° C. The component or part comprises a thermally quenched and tempered steel alloy which contains carbon, silicon, manganese, chromium, molybdenum and vanadium in certain concentrations, the remainder being iron (Fe) and accompanying elements and contaminants due to smelting. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: BOEHLER EDELSTAHL GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Ingo Siller, Herbert Schweiger, Devrim Caliskanoglu, Silvia Zinner
  • Patent number: 9328406
    Abstract: Methods are provided for shape-setting hyperelastic, single-crystal shape memory alloy (SMA) material while preserving the hyperelastic properties of the material. A wire or rod of a single crystal shape memory alloy material is heated to an annealing temperature (Ta). While maintained at the annealing temperature, the wire or rod is shaped by driving the wire or rod and a shaping form together into contact with each other, and the shaped wire or rod is quenched in a quenching medium virtually simultaneously with the shaping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ormco Corporation
    Inventors: Alfred David Johnson, Sammel S. Alauddin
  • Patent number: 9328407
    Abstract: A clamp configured to clamp an end of a unit mask supported while a tensile force is applied to the unit mask includes a clamp main body, and a rotation contact portion rotatably supported by the clamp main body and directly contacting the end of the unit mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang-Yun Lee, Sung-Woo Jung
  • Patent number: 9328408
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate which includes a distributor for providing a semiconductor coating on a substrate, a power source for heating the distributor and a plasma source positioned proximate to a distributor for exposing the semiconductor coating to a plasma prior to deposition on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventor: Rick C. Powell
  • Patent number: 9328409
    Abstract: A coated article includes a glass substrate and a film on at least one surface of the glass substrate. The film includes Al2O3, Cr2O3 and ZrO2. A method for making the coated article, and an electronic device using the coated article are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ga-Lane Chen, Chao-Tsang Wei, Shih-Che Chien, Ming-Yang Liao
  • Patent number: 9328410
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a physical vapor deposition tile arrangement is provided. The physical vapor deposition tile arrangement may include a plurality of physical vapor deposition tiles arranged next to each other; and a resilient structure configured to press the plurality of physical vapor deposition tiles together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: First Solar, Inc., VON ARDENNE GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Teichert, Klaus Schneider, Christoph Kaiser, Michael Rivkin, George Arthur Proulx
  • Patent number: 9328411
    Abstract: Provided is a method of producing an ytterbium sputtering target, wherein an ytterbium target material having Vickers hardness (Hv) of the material surface of 15 or more and 40 or less is prepared in advance, and a surface of the ytterbium target material having the foregoing surface hardness is subject to final finish processing by way of machining. With the ytterbium sputtering target, present invention aims to remarkably reduce the irregularities (gouges) on the target surface after the final finish processing of the target material, and to inhibit the generation of particles during sputtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 9328412
    Abstract: An Fe—Pt-based ferromagnetic material sputtering target comprising a metal and a metal oxide, wherein the metal has a composition in which Pt is contained in an amount of 5 mol % or more and 60 mol % or less and the remainder is Fe. An object of the present invention is to provide a ferromagnetic material sputtering target, which enables to form a magnetic recording layer composed of a magnetic phase such as an Fe—Pt alloy, and a non-magnetic phase to isolate the magnetic phase, and in which a metal oxide is used as one of the materials for the non-magnetic phase. Provided is a ferromagnetic material sputtering target wherein an inadvertent release of the metal oxide during sputtering and particle generation due to abnormal electrical discharge starting at a void inherently included in the target are suppressed, the adherence between the metal oxide and the matrix alloy is enhanced, and its density is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Shin-ichi Ogino, Yuichiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9328413
    Abstract: A method for growing a graphene nanoribbon on an insulating substrate having a cleavage plane with atomic level flatness is provided, and belongs to the field of low-dimensional materials and new materials. The method includes the following steps. Step 1: Cleave an insulating substrate to obtain a cleavage plane with atomic level flatness, and prepare a single atomic layer step. Step 2: Directly grow a graphene nanoribbon on the insulating substrate having regular single atomic steps. In the method, a characteristic that nucleation energy of graphene on the atomic step is different from that on the flat cleavage plane is used, and conditions, such as the temperature, intensity of pressure and supersaturation degree of activated carbon atoms, are adjusted, so that the graphene grows only along a step edge into a graphene nanoribbon of an adjustable size. The method is mainly applied to the field of new-type graphene optoelectronic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SHANGHAI INSTITUTE OF MICROSYSTEM AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Shujie Tang, Guqiao Ding, Xiaoming Xie, Ji Chen, Chen Wang, Mianheng Jiang
  • Patent number: 9328414
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a thin film semiconductor device includes the step of forming a silicon thin film including a crystalline structure on a substrate by a plasma CVD process in which a high order silane gas represented by the formula SinH2n+2 (n=2, 3, . . . ) and a hydrogen gas are used as film forming gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventor: Masafumi Kunii
  • Patent number: 9328415
    Abstract: Methods and precursors are provided for deposition of films comprising manganese on surfaces using metal coordination complexes comprising a diazabutadiene-based ligand. Certain methods comprise exposing a substrate surface to a manganese precursor, and exposing the substrate surface to a tertiary amine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Thompson, Jeffrey W. Anthis
  • Patent number: 9328416
    Abstract: Methods for depositing film on substrates are described. In various cases, a high thermal conductivity gas such as helium is used to deposit a conditioning layer on surfaces of the reaction chamber before it is used to process substrates. The helium may be used to help atomize/vaporize a liquid reactant in a heated injection module before the reactant is delivered to the reaction chamber. In some embodiments, a purge gas including helium is used during a post-deposition purge during deposition on substrates. The disclosed embodiments allow for mixed recipe processing without having to clean the reaction chamber between recipes, and without forming a high number of particles/defects on the substrates. This allows for an improved throughput of high quality film, even where mixed recipes are used in a single reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Arul N. Dhas, Akhil Singhal, Ming Li, Kareem Boumatar
  • Patent number: 9328417
    Abstract: A reaction chamber assembly suitable for forming thin film deposition layers onto solid substrates includes a reaction chamber and an input plenum for receiving source material from gas source containers and delivering a flow of source material into the reaction chamber uniformly distributed across a substrate support width. An output plenum connected between the reaction chamber and a vacuum pump uniformly removes an outflow of material from the reaction chamber across the substrate support width. The input plenum is configured to expand a volume of the source material and deliver the source material to the substrate support area with uniform source material flow distribution across the substrate support width. The output plenum is configured to remove the outflow material across the entire substrate support width and to compress the volume of outflow material prior to the outflow material exiting the output plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Ultratech, Inc.
    Inventors: Jill S. Becker, Roger R. Coutu, Douwe J. Monsma
  • Patent number: 9328418
    Abstract: A method of producing a patterned polymeric insulator includes providing a substrate. A patterned polymeric inhibitor is provided on the substrate. An inorganic thin film is deposited using an atomic layer deposition process on the substrate in an area where the patterned polymeric inhibitor is absent. A material layer is deposited over the inorganic thin film and the patterned polymeric inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Carolyn Rae Ellinger, Shelby Forrester Nelson
  • Patent number: 9328419
    Abstract: The invention provides a gas treatment apparatus comprising an exterior circular gas spray portion including an exterior circular gas channel, and at least two regions and a cover. Each region has an upper gas spray portion and a lower gas spray portion. The upper gas spray portion has a plurality of first gas channels and a plurality of first heat exchange fluid conduits, each the first gas channel is arranged interlaced with each the first heat exchange fluid conduit. The lower gas spray portion comprises a plurality of second gas channels and a plurality of second heat exchange fluid conduits, each the second gas channel is arranged interlaced with each the second heat exchange fluid conduit, and each the second gas channel surrounds each the first gas channel. The combinations of the first gas channels and the second gas channels in adjacent regions respectively are arranged at an angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Hermes-Epitek Corporation
    Inventors: Jui-Sheng Cheng, Tsung-Hsun Han
  • Patent number: 9328420
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system for depositing a layer on a substrate is provided. The system includes a processing chamber, a gas injecting port, a gas distribution plate, and a plug. The gas injecting port is disposed upstream from the processing chamber. The gas distribution plate is disposed between the gas injecting port and the processing chamber, and includes an elongate planar body and an array of holes therein. The plug is sized to be received within one of the holes, and includes an orifice therethrough for permitting the passage of gas. The plug is capable of being removably secured to the gas distribution plate within one of the holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SunEdison Semiconductor Limited (UEN201334164H)
    Inventors: John Allen Pitney, Manabu Hamano
  • Patent number: 9328421
    Abstract: An organic vapor jet printing system includes a pump for increasing the pressure of an organic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventor: Stephen R. Forrest
  • Patent number: 9328422
    Abstract: Optically transparent diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films are formed using relatively low-temperature deposition conditions followed by a post-deposition bleaching step. The bleaching can include exposure of an as-deposited thin film to UV laser radiation, which reduces the concentration of defects in the film. The method is compatible with temperature-sensitive substrates, and can be used to form water clear DLC layers on glass substrates, for example, which can be used in display applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Charles Andrew Paulson
  • Patent number: 9328423
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a coating on the surface of an aluminum or aluminum alloy using a trivalent chromate solution which dose not contain any harmful hexavalent chromium, in which the coating has an excellent corrosion resistance and adhesion with paints. The present invention provides a hexavalent chromium free trivalent chromate solution for an aluminum or aluminum alloy, in which the concentration of a trivalent chromium is in the range of from 0.01 to 100 g/L, the concentration of a metal selected from the group consisting of zinc, cobalt, nickel and a combination thereof is in the range of from 0.01 to 100 g/L and the concentration of a fluorine is in the range of from 0.01 to 50 g/L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: DIPSOL CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9328424
    Abstract: Provided are an enamel coating method and apparatus. The enamel coating method includes (a) preprocessing a surface of a conductive coating object by feeding the coating object into a preprocessing chamber by an in-feed conveyor, (b) coating the surface of the coating object with an enamel glaze supplied from an enamel glaze supply nozzle provided inside a coating chamber by feeding the preprocessed coating object into the coating chamber, and (c) firing the coated coating object by feeding the coated coating object into a firing chamber, wherein the firing chamber in the (c) firing includes a firing chamber conveyor having at least two transport rollers, and the firing chamber conveyor transports the coating object to an output conveyor while supporting a lower side of the coating object by the at least two transport rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: BHI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong Inn Woo
  • Patent number: 9328425
    Abstract: A device for cleaning the surface of a molybdenum wire at high temperature, comprises a wire pay-off mechanism, a first wire guiding wheel, a cleaning mechanism, a second wire guiding wheel, and a wire take-up mechanism; wherein the two ends of a furnace body of the cleaning mechanism are provided with an inlet hole and an outlet hole for the molybdenum wire. Electrodes connected to a power supply are provided at the inlet hole and in a central part inside the furnace body. An upper part of the furnace body is provided with a gas outlet and a lower part thereof is provided with a wet hydrogen inlet; a heating section is formed between the electrode located at the inlet hole and the electrode located in the central part, and a cooling section is formed between the electrode located in the central part and the outlet hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: CHENGDU HONGBO INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qingchun He, Qi Zhou, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 9328426
    Abstract: A system includes a photoelectrolysis system having a solar collector configured to collect and concentrate solar radiation to heat water, generate electricity, or both. The system also includes an electrolysis unit configured to electrolyze the heated water using at least the generated electricity to produce a first gas mixture and a second gas mixture. The first gas mixture includes oxygen and steam and the second gas mixture includes hydrogen and steam. The system further includes a first device configured to receive and use the first gas mixture as well as a hydrogen membrane configured to receive and separate the hydrogen and steam mixture into a hydrogen component and a steam component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Judith Pauline Oppenheim
  • Patent number: 9328427
    Abstract: A method for plating metal to a solar cell is disclosed. The method includes plating a metal layer only on the surface of solar cell without plating metal along the solar cell edges by conducting a first current in a first direction in an electroplating bath, ejecting metal from the metal layer by conducting a second current in a second direction and plating additional metal to the metal layer by conducting a third current in the first direction. The first, second and third current can be alternated. Subsequent to an electroplating process, an ultrasonic cleaning process is performed on the solar cell to remove any excess plated metal along the surface and edges of the solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph Behnke
  • Patent number: 9328428
    Abstract: A device for removing, from a processing tank, foreign material that becomes detached from a work when the work is immersed in a processing liquid held in a processing tank. The device includes a grooved part having a plurality of concave and convex shapes formed along a work-conveying direction on at least the bottom surface of the processing tank, a hopper provided in the processing tank, a processing liquid supply pipe which supplies the processing liquid circulating through the hopper to the processing tank, a plurality of branch pipes branched from the processing liquid supply pipe and arranged on ridges of the grooved part, and processing liquid discharge nozzles provided so as to face the hopper at sections of the branch pipes opposing bottom parts of the grooved part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: INDUSTRIA CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Takahashi, Shunsuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9328429
    Abstract: When a plate-like sample 20 extracted from a polycrystalline rod is evaluated, peaks can appear in a ?-scanning chart. The smaller the number of such peaks, and the narrower the half-value width of the peak, the more suitable the polycrystalline silicon rod is as a raw material for producing single-crystal silicon. It is preferable that the number of peaks in the ?-scanning chart is, for both the Miller index planes <111> and <220>, equal to or smaller than 24/cm2 when converted into unit per area of the plate-like sample. It is also preferable that the value obtained by multiplying the peak half-value width by ?L=21/2?R0/360, where R0 is the radius of the sample, is defined as an inhomogeneous crystal grain size, and that a polycrystalline silicon rod of which all the inhomogeneous crystal grain sizes are smaller than 0.5 mm is selected as a raw material for producing single-crystal silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Miyao, Junichi Okada, Shigeyoshi Netsu
  • Patent number: 9328431
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a silicon carbide single crystal grows the silicon carbide single crystal on a surface of a seed crystal made from a silicon carbide single crystal substrate by supplying a material gas for silicon carbide from below the seed crystal. The apparatus includes a base having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The seed crystal is mounted on the first side of the base. The apparatus further includes a purge gas introduction mechanism for supporting the base and for supplying a purge gas to the base from the second side of the base. The base has a purge gas introduction path for discharging the supplied purge gas from the base toward an outer edge of the seed crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazukuni Hara, Yuuichirou Tokuda
  • Patent number: 9328432
    Abstract: Preparation of semiconductor nanocrystals and their dispersions in solvents and other media is described. The nanocrystals described herein have small (1-10 nm) particle size with minimal aggregation and can be synthesized with high yield. The capping agents on the as-synthesized nanocrystals as well as nanocrystals which have undergone cap exchange reactions result in the formation of stable suspensions in polar and nonpolar solvents which may then result in the formation of high quality nanocomposite films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: PIXELLIGENT TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zehra Serpil Gonen Williams, Yijun Wang, Robert J. Wiacek, Xia Bai, Linfeng Gou, Selina I. Thomas, Wei Xu, Jun Xu, Rakesh Patel
  • Patent number: 9328433
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a device for measuring characteristics of polymeric fluids (semi-dilute and concentrated polymer solutions and melts) in extremely strong elongational flows. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a device for measuring characteristics of polymeric fluids (semi-dilute and concentrated polymer solutions and melts) in extremely strong elongational flows in spinning jets and/or electrified jets. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for determining the elastic modulus and the relaxation time of a polymeric fluid. Also, the present invention enables one to determine and/or measure the primary parameters needed to describe a viscoelastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Inventors: Darrell H. Reneker, Tao Han, Alexander L. Yarin