Patents Issued in May 2, 2017
  • Patent number: 9637791
    Abstract: The present invention provides for novel methods and compositions for nucleic acid sequence detection. Unique, identifying cleavage fragments from probes, bound to target nucleic acids, are produced during PCR by the 5?-nuclease activity of the polymerase. The identity of the targets can be determined by identifying the unique cleavage fragments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Amar Gupta
  • Patent number: 9637792
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for determination of and uses of specific methylation patterns indicative of adenoma and carcinoma. In particular, the invention relates to analysis of defined CpG loci that are coordinately methylated in DNAs from cancer and adenoma samples, methods for identifying coordinately methylated loci, and methods of using analysis of coordinately methylated loci in one or more marker regions in the design of assays for adenoma and cancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: MAYO FOUNDATION FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH, EXACT SCIENCES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Ahlquist, William R. Taylor, Hongzhi Zou, Graham P. Lidgard
  • Patent number: 9637793
    Abstract: The present invention provides microRNAs for assessing the status of pancreatic cancer in a subject, and provides methods, kits, and biochips for detecting said microRNAs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Micromedmark Biotech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chenyu Zhang, Rui Liu, Cheng Wang, Yi Bai, Chunni Zhang, Ke Zeng
  • Patent number: 9637794
    Abstract: The invention relates to the identification of genetic products that are expressed in association with a tumor and the nucleic acid coding therefor. The invention relates to the therapy and diagnosis of diseases in which the genetic products that are expressed in association with a tumor are expressed in an aberrant manner. The invention also relates to proteins, polypeptides, and peptides which are expressed in association with a tumor and the nucleic acids coding therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BIONTECH AG
    Inventors: Ugur Sahin, Özlem Türeci, Michael Koslowski
  • Patent number: 9637795
    Abstract: The invention provides methods for predicting the efficacy of eribulin, an analog thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof (e.g., eribulin mesylate), in the treatment of a subject suffering from breast cancer by determining the level of particular biomarkers in a sample derived from the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Eisai R&D Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sergei I. Agoulnik, Michael Chapman Byrne, Bruce A. Littlefield
  • Patent number: 9637796
    Abstract: More than 2% of adults harbor a pancreatic cyst, a subset of which progress to invasive lesions with lethal consequences. To assess the genomic landscapes of neoplastic cysts of the pancreas, we determined the exomic sequences of DNA from the neoplastic epithelium of eight surgically resected cysts of each of the major neoplastic cyst types: serous cystadenomas (SCAs), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) and solid pseudo-papillary neoplasms (SPNs). SPNs are low-grade malignancies, and IPMNs and MCNs, but not SCAs, have the capacity to progress to cancer. We found that SCAs, IPMNs, MCNs, and SPNs contained 10=4.6, 27=12, 16=7.6, and 2.9=2.1 somatic mutations per tumor, respectively. Among the mutations identified, E3 ubiquitin ligase components were of particular note. Four of the eight SCAs contained mutations of VHL, a key component of the VHL ubiquitin ligase complex that has previously been associated both with renal cell carcinomas, SCAs, and other neoplasms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Bert Vogelstein, Kenneth W. Kinzler, Nickolas Papadopoulos, Jian Wu, Ralph Hruban, Anirban Maitra, Marco Dal Molin
  • Patent number: 9637797
    Abstract: Provided in the present invention are a method using in vitro measurement of the content of methylation or demethylation of GFRa1 CpG islands to estimate a risk of tumorigenesis and of tumor metastasis, or postoperative life expectancy, and a nucleotide sequence used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Beijing Institute For Cancer Research
    Inventors: Dajun Deng, Jun Zhang, Zhaojun Liu, Jing Zhou, Liankun Gu, Baozhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 9637798
    Abstract: The invention relates to the identification of genetic signatures and expression profiles that are a part of the Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway, a major DNA repair pathway that modifies base lesions. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of determining responsiveness of treatment by BER inhibitors for malignant glioma by determining the presence of a low level of expression of Apex 1, a low level of expression of Apex 2, and a high level of expression of MPG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: Dignity Health, The Translational Genomics Research Institute
    Inventors: Shwetal V. Mehta, Michael E. Berens, Harshil Dineshkumar Dhruv
  • Patent number: 9637799
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for methods, compositions, and kits for multiplex nucleic acid analysis of single cells. The methods, compositions and systems may be used for massively parallel single cell sequencing. The methods, compositions and systems may be used to analyze thousands of cells concurrently. The thousands of cells may comprise a mixed population of cells (e.g., cells of different types or subtypes, different sizes).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Cellular Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Christina Fan, Stephen P. A. Fodor, Glenn Fu, Geoffrey Richard Facer, Julie Wilhelmy
  • Patent number: 9637800
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting the presence or absence of a bacterial pathogen in a biological sample obtained from a human or animal subject, using an internal control. In particular, the invention relates to a method for detecting the presence or absence of Streptococcus equi in an equine sample using a control bacterial strain as internal control for DNA extraction and PCR. The invention also relates to host cells (such as bacterial cells) and nucleic acids for use as internal standard in said method in addition to diagnostic kits comprising said host cells and nucleic acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ANIMAL HEALTH TRUST
    Inventors: Colin Richard Barker, Katy Susan Webb, Andrew Stephen Waller
  • Patent number: 9637801
    Abstract: Provided herein is a GeXP detection kit for identification of 11 kinds of duck virus diseases. The detection kit includes a primer set for identifying or auxiliarily identifying pathogens of duck communicable diseases, including one or more of primer pair A, primer pair B primer pair C, primer pair D, primer pair E, primer pair F, primer pair G, primer pair H, primer pair I, primer pair J, primer pair K and primer pair L. The kit can detect simultaneously avian influenza virus, subtype H5, H7 and H9 of avian influenza virus, duck hepatitis virus, duck enteritis virus, duck Tembusu virus, Newcastle disease virus, egg drop syndrome virus, Muscovy duck reovirus, Muscovy duck parvovirus and duck circovirus with the primer set, PCR reagent or primer pairs provided in the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Guangxi Veterinary Research Institute
    Inventors: Zhixun Xie, Yanfang Zhang, Liji Xie, Jiabo Liu, Qing Fan, Sisi Luo, Xianwen Deng, Zhiqin Xie, Yaoshan Pang
  • Patent number: 9637802
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful intermediates and products, such as energy, fuels, foods or materials. Systems, methods and equipment are described for upgrading process streams using electrodialysis or electrodialysis reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Xyleco, Inc.
    Inventors: Marshall Medoff, Thomas Craig Masterman, Maia Stapleton Mukherjee, Christopher Cooper
  • Patent number: 9637803
    Abstract: An annular workplace quenching method includes: cooling an annular workpiece with an inner die arranged radially inward of the workpiece heated at a quenching temperature; pressing the workpiece in a width direction at a low pressure and inserting the workpiece in an outer die with restraint of an inner peripheral surface of the workpiece continued, when the restraint is started by contact with the inner die, after a temperature of the workpiece is decreased to 500° C. or lower but before the temperature is decreased to a martensitic transformation start temperature (Ms point); and restraining the workpiece in the width direction by pressing the workpiece in the width direction at a high pressure, and restraining an outer peripheral surface of the workpiece that undergoes volume expansion due to martensitic transformation, using the outer die, after the temperature of the workpiece is decreased to the Ms point or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsurou Hirano, Atsushi Kuno
  • Patent number: 9637804
    Abstract: A heat-treatment oil composition contains (A) a first base oil with a kinematic viscosity at 40 degrees C. in a range of 5 mm2/s to 60 mm2/s in an amount of 50 mass % to 95 mass % of a total amount of the composition, (B) a second base oil with a kinematic viscosity at 40 degrees C. of 300 mm2/s or more in an amount of 5 mass % to 50 mass %, and (C) an alpha-olefin copolymer. The heat-treatment oil composition according to the invention can reduce distortion unevenness and hardness unevenness accompanying mass-quenching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: IDEMITSU KOSAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenro Noguchi, Masayuki Kato, Katsumi Ichitani, Masahiro Kobessho, Masahiro Yamada, Norihiro Takasaki
  • Patent number: 9637805
    Abstract: A non-grain-oriented electrical steel strip or sheet consisting of a steel which contains, in addition to iron and unavoidable impurities, (in wt. %) Si: 1.0-4.5%, Al: up to 2.0%, Mn: up to 1.0%, C: up to 0.01%, N: up to 0.01%, S: up to 0.012%, Ti: 0.1-0.5% P: 0.1-0.3%, wherein 1.0?% Ti/% P?2.0 applies for the % Ti/% P ratio. The NGO sheet or strip can be manufactured by cold rolling a hot strip of a steel having the previously mentioned composition into a cold strip and subjecting this cold strip to a final annealing process. Different variants of this final annealing process may be used to accentuate the properties of the strip or sheet. The non-grain-oriented electrical steel strip or sheet and components manufactured from such a sheet or strip for electrotechnical applications are characterized by increased strength and good magnetic properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Dorothee Dorner, Olaf Fischer, Karl Telger
  • Patent number: 9637806
    Abstract: Described herein are methods of recovering silver from solution to produce metallic (i.e., elemental) silver. These methods generally include a step of providing a silver-containing aqueous solution that includes cationic silver species, followed by a step of forming a reaction solution that includes an organic acid, a buffering agent, and the cationic silver species, and a step of generating a reaction product that includes metallic silver by reducing the concentration of the cationic silver species in the reaction solution. Also described herein are metallic or elemental silver produced by these methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Benedict Yorke Johnson, Samuel Odei Owusu
  • Patent number: 9637807
    Abstract: A method of preparing metal nanoparticles using an extract of desert truffles (Terfeziaceae) includes providing an aqueous solution including a metal salt; and combining an extract of Terfeziaceae with the aqueous metal salt solution to produce the metal nanoparticles. The metal salt can be silver nitrate (AgNO3) and the metal nanoparticles can be silver nanoparticles. The metal nanoparticles can have a mean diameter in the range of from about 5 nm to about 100 nm. The silver nanoparticles can be used as an antimicrobial agent and/or an anti-parasitic agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KING SAUD UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Manal Ahmed Gasmelseed Awad, Ebtesam Mohammed Al Olayan, Sarah Saleh Abdulla Alsaif, Muzzammil Iqbal Siddiqui, Manal Fawzy Elkhadragy
  • Patent number: 9637808
    Abstract: A refill for a ball-point pen has an ink cartridge and a ball, the ball being arranged in a writing tip provided at the front end of the ink cartridge, wherein at least the writing tip of the ink cartridge is made solely of a copper-zinc alloy of the following composition (wt. %): 28.0 to 36.0% Zn, 0.5 to 1.5% Si, 1.5 to 2.5% Mn, 0.2 to 1.0% Ni, 0.5 to 1.5% Al, 0.1 to 1.0% Fe, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.1% Pb, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.2% Sn, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.1% P, optionally also up to a maximum of 0.08% S, the rest being Cu and inevitable impurities, with mixed silicides containing iron, nickel and manganese embedded in the matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Wieland-Werke AG
    Inventors: Susanne Huettner, Timo Allmendinger, Rudolf Liebsch
  • Patent number: 9637809
    Abstract: An alloy according to example embodiments of the present invention may include zirconium, tin, iron, chromium, and nickel, with a majority of the alloy being zirconium. The composition of the alloy may be about 0.85-2.00% tin by weight, about 0.15-0.30% iron by weight, about 0.40-0.75% chromium by weight, and less than 0.01% nickel by weight. The alloy may further include 0.004-0.020% silicon by weight, 0.004-0.020% carbon by weight, and/or 0.05-0.20% oxygen by weight. Accordingly, the alloy exhibits reduced hydrogen absorption and improved corrosion resistance and may be used to form a fuel assembly component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC
    Inventors: Yang-Pi Lin, David W. White, Daniel R. Lutz
  • Patent number: 9637810
    Abstract: The present description relates to the field of fabricating microelectronic devices having non-planar transistors. Embodiments of the present description relate to the formation of gates within non-planar NMOS transistors, wherein an NMOS work-function material, such as a composition of aluminum, titanium, and carbon, may be used in conjunction with a titanium-containing gate fill barrier to facilitate the use of a tungsten-containing conductive material in the formation of a gate electrode of the non-planar NMOS transistor gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sameer S. Pradhan, Daniel B. Bergstrom, Jin-Sung Chun, Julia Chiu
  • Patent number: 9637811
    Abstract: An iron-based sintered sliding member consists of, by mass %, 0.1 to 10% of Cu, 0.2 to 2.0% of C, 0.03 to 0.9% of Mn, 0.52 to 6.54% of S, and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities. The iron-based sintered sliding member satisfies the following First Formula in which [S %] represents mass % of S and [Mn %] represents mass % of Mn in the overall composition. The iron-based sintered sliding member exhibits a metallic structure in which pores and sulfide particles are dispersed in the matrix that includes a martensite structure at not less than 50% by area ratio in cross section. The sulfide particles are dispersed at 3 to 30 vol. % with respect to the matrix. [S %]=0.6×[Mn %]+0.5 to 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI POWDERED METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Fukae, Hideaki Kawata, Hidekazu Tokushima
  • Patent number: 9637812
    Abstract: A non-oriented electrical steel sheet contains 2.8 mass % or more and 4.0 mass % or less of Si, 0.2 mass % or more and 3.0 mass % or less of Al, and 0.02 mass % or more and 0.2 mass % or less of P. The non-oriented electrical steel sheet contains further contains 0.5 mass % or more in total of at least one kinds selected from a group consisting of 4.0 mass % or less of Ni and 2.0 mass % or less of Mn. A C content is 0.05 mass % or less, a N content is 0.01 mass % or less, an average grain diameter is 15 ?m or less, and a <111> axial density is 6 or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Kubota
  • Patent number: 9637813
    Abstract: The present invention relates to duplex ferritic austenitic stainless steel for the use chemical industry for nitric acid environments wherein good uniform corrosion resistance and high strength are required. The microstructure of the stainless steel has 35-65 volume % of ferrite, preferably 45-55 volume % of ferrite, the balance being austenite. The chemical composition contains less than 0.03 weight % carbon, less than 1 weight % silicon, less than 3 weight % manganese, 26-29.5 weight % chromium, 5-8.5 weight % nickel, 1-3 weight % molybdenum, 0.25-0.35 weight % nitrogen, 1-3 weight % copper, the rest being iron and inevitable impurities occurring in stainless steels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oyj
    Inventors: Alexander Thulin, Jan Y. Jonsson, Mats Liljas, Rachel Pettersson, Jan-Olof Andersson, Staffan Hertzman
  • Patent number: 9637814
    Abstract: A method of controlling a reactive sputter deposition process includes selecting a control process parameter for a target material and a reactive gas, the target material included in a target acting as a cathode, the reactive sputter deposition process involving forming a compound from a reaction between the target material and reactive gas species associated with the reactive gas in a vacuum chamber; establishing an operation regime for the reactive sputter deposition process for a given target power; and performing, based on the selected control process parameter and the established operation regime, the reactive sputter deposition process in a transition region between a metallic mode and a covered mode through a controlled pulsed reactive gas flow rate into the vacuum chamber, such that a stabilized reactive deposition of the compound on a substrate is achieved, the deposited compound on the substrate comprising a dielectric stoichiometric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignees: University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, TRUMPF Huettinger Sp. z o. o.
    Inventors: Rafal Bugyi, Jaroslav Vlcek, Jiri Rezek, Jan Lazar
  • Patent number: 9637815
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming a fine pattern, and more particularly, to a method of forming a fine pattern using only sputtering, which enables the fine pattern to be simply formed at low cost, thus exhibiting superior productivity and economic benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Young Sik Song
  • Patent number: 9637816
    Abstract: Provided are a mask assembly, an apparatus for manufacturing a display apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the display apparatus. The mask assembly includes a mask comprising an opening having a pattern; and a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) that is coated on at least a portion of the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaesik Kim, Wooyong Sung, Duckjung Lee
  • Patent number: 9637817
    Abstract: A process roller for receiving and guiding substrates in strip form in vacuum coating installations. The process roller comprises a heater located inside the process roller, in the form of an elongated radiant heater, and also a cylindrical lateral surface for receiving a substrate in strip form, the process roller being mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation in a vacuum process chamber. A particularly uniform temperature distribution can be achieved on the process roller's lateral surface by the process roller (2) being configured in a vacuum-tight manner, by the lateral surface (3) of the process roller (2) being connected in a vacuum-tight manner to two end caps (4, 5), which have a flattened, outwardly curved hemispherical form, by the interior space of the process roller (2) being connected to a vacuum connection (6), and by the radiant heater (8) extending into the region of the end caps (4, 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FHR Anlagenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Lutz Köhler, Daniel Michel, Anthony Nobel, Marco Grafe
  • Patent number: 9637818
    Abstract: Among other things, one or more systems and techniques for defining one or more implant regions or for doping a semiconductor arrangement are provided. A first implant region is defined based upon a first implant mask overlaying a first active region of a semiconductor arrangement. A second implant region is defined based upon the first implant mask and a second implant mask overlaying a second active region of the semiconductor arrangement. A third implant region is defined based upon the second implant mask overlaying a third active region of the semiconductor arrangement. One or more doping processes are performed through the first implant mask and the second implant mask to dope the semiconductor arrangement. Because the first implant mask and the second implant mask overlap the second active region, doping area coverage is improved thus mitigating undesirable voltage threshold variations otherwise resulting from inadequate doping area coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Juing-Yi Wu, Jyh-Kang Ting, Tsung-Chieh Tsai, Liang-Yao Lee
  • Patent number: 9637819
    Abstract: Methods for depositing cobalt in features of a substrate include providing a substrate to a process chamber, the substrate having a first surface, a feature formed in the first surface comprising an opening defined by one or more sidewalls, a bottom surface, and upper corners, and the substrate having a first layer formed atop the first surface and the opening, wherein a thickness of the first layer is greater proximate the upper corners of the opening than at the sidewalls and bottom of the opening; exposing the substrate to a plasma formed from a silicon-containing gas to deposit a silicon layer predominantly onto a portion of the first layer atop the first surface of the substrate; and depositing a cobalt layer atop the substrate to fill the opening, wherein the silicon layer inhibits deposition of cobalt on the portion of the first layer atop the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Bhushan N. Zope, Avgerinos V. Gelatos
  • Patent number: 9637820
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to an in-line scalable system that may be used in the combustion deposition depositing of thin films. The systems of certain example embodiments may comprise one or more modules, with each such module including at least one burner and at least one high volume cooling section. In certain example implementations, multiple burners and multiple cooling sections are provided to a single module in alternating order. The systems of certain example embodiments may, in addition or in the alternative, comprise a combined flame guard and exhaust system. The combined flame guard and exhaust system of certain example embodiments advantageously may provide a means to reduce the amount of interference of the deposition process by ambient conditions, improve flame uniformity in the deposition zone, contain and exhaust combustion products while reducing restrictions to the stable operating space of the combustion deposition process, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventors: David D. McLean, Ryan L. Dear
  • Patent number: 9637821
    Abstract: A method for supplying vapor to a chamber includes providing a first diverter valve that, when open, diverts vapor away from the chamber, and a second diverter valve that, when open, supplies the vapor to the chamber; supplying a carrier gas to the chamber; after supplying the carrier gas, creating plasma in the chamber while a substrate is in the chamber; opening the first diverter valve and closing the second diverter valve; supplying the vapor by vaporizing at least one liquid precursor in a carrier gas; after a first predetermined period sufficient for the vapor to reach steady-state flow, closing the first diverter valve and opening the second diverter valve to supply the vapor to the chamber; and after a second predetermined period following the first predetermined period, opening the first diverter valve and closing the second diverter valve to stop supplying the vapor to the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Damien Slevin, Brad Laird, Curtis Bailey, Ming Li, Sirish Reddy, James Sims, Mohamed Sabri, Saangrut Sangplug
  • Patent number: 9637822
    Abstract: A susceptor apparatus for use in a CVD reactor includes a main platter with a central gear. The main platter has opposite first and second sides, a central recess formed in the second side, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart pockets formed in the first side. The central gear is positioned within the central recess and the satellite platters are individually rotatable within the respective pockets. Each pocket has a peripheral wall with an opening in communication with the central recess. The central gear teeth extend into each of the pockets via the respective wall openings and engage a planet gear associated with each satellite platter. Rotation of the main platter about its rotational axis causes the satellite platters to rotate about their individual rotational axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael John Bergmann, David Todd Emerson, David Dean Seibel
  • Patent number: 9637823
    Abstract: Plasma atomic layer deposition (ALD) is optimized through modulation of the gas residence time during an excited species phase, wherein activated reactant is supplied such as from a plasma. Reduced residence time increases the quality of the deposited layer, such as reducing wet etch rates, increasing index of refraction and/or reducing impurities in the layer. For example, dielectric layers, particularly silicon nitride films, formed from such optimized plasma ALD processes have low levels of impurities remaining from the silicon precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Harm C. M. Knoops, Koen de Peuter, Wilhelmus M. M. Kessels
  • Patent number: 9637824
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a metal cellular structure includes providing a sol-gel that is a colloid dispersed in a solvent, the colloid including metal-containing regions bound together by polymeric ligands, removing the solvent from the gel using supercritical drying to produce a dry gel of the metal-containing regions bound together by the polymeric ligands, and thermally converting the dry gel to a cellular structure with a coating in at least one step using phase separation of at least two insoluble elements. Also disclosed is a metal cellular structure including interconnected metal ligaments having a cellular structure and a carbon-containing coating around the metal ligaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael J. Birnkrant
  • Patent number: 9637825
    Abstract: A high-temperature long lifespan electrode includes a through type aluminum sheet, a plurality of first hollow protrusion members protruded to one side of the through type aluminum sheet, a plurality of second hollow protrusion members protruded to the other side of the through type aluminum sheet, a metal protection layer coated on the through type aluminum sheet, the plurality of first hollow protrusion members, a first active material sheet bonded to one surface of the through type aluminum sheet, and a second active material sheet bonded to the other surface of the second surface of the through type aluminum sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA JCC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dal Woo Shin, Mun Soo Lee, Jin Sik Shin
  • Patent number: 9637826
    Abstract: A steel sheet for containers that has excellent film adhesion qualities, and has; a chemical conversion coating formed by immersing or subjecting to electrolytic treatment a steel sheet in a solution containing Zr ions, F ions, with adhesion amount of 0.1 to 100 mg/m2 for metal Zr and no more than 0.1 mg/m2 for F; and a hydroxyl acid treatment layer formed on the chemical conversion coating, the layer having a C adhesion amount of 0.05 to 50 mg/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Suzuki, Norihiko Nakamura, Yuka Miyamoto, Yoichi Tobiyama
  • Patent number: 9637827
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to methods of protecting a surface (e.g., a metal surface) from corrosion by conformably attaching a hybrid device comprising at least one multilayer energy storage device and at least one energy conversion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Charudatta Galande, Neelam Singh, Suman Khatiwada, Pulickel M. Ajayan
  • Patent number: 9637828
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing metal-containing (e.g., non-oxide, oxide, or elemental) nano-objects, which may be nanoparticles or nanowires, the method comprising contacting an aqueous solution comprising a metal salt and water with an electrically powered electrode to form said metal-containing nano-objects dislodged from the electrode, wherein said electrode possesses a nanotextured surface that functions to confine the particle growth process to form said metal-containing nano-objects. The invention is also directed to the resulting metal-containing compositions as well as devices in which they are incorporated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Adam Justin Rondinone, Ilia N. Ivanov, Sean Campbell Smith, Chengdu Liang, Dale K. Hensley, Ji-Won Moon, Tommy Joe Phelps
  • Patent number: 9637830
    Abstract: Photocatalytic structures having a capillary-force based electrolyte delivery system are provided. Also provided are photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic cells incorporating the structures and methods for using the cells to generate hydrogen and/or oxygen from water. The photocatalytic structures use an electrolyte-transporting strip comprising a porous network of cellulose nanofibers to transport electrolyte from a body of the electrolyte to a porous photoelectrode or a porous photocatalytic substrate via capillary force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Xudong Wang, Zhaodong Li, Zhiyong Cai, Chunhua Yao
  • Patent number: 9637831
    Abstract: A membrane stack that includes a first polymer layer, a second polymer layer, and a nanostructured carbon material layer between the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer. The nanostructured carbon material layer includes a plurality of nanostructured carbon material intercalated with one or more proton conducting material or coated with one or more solid superacid particles. The first polymer layer and the second polymer layer are capable of transporting protons. The membranes described herein can be used as polymer electrolyte membranes in fuel cells and electrolyzers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Ramesh Sivarajan
  • Patent number: 9637832
    Abstract: A method for recovering heavy metals and rare earth elements from fly ash, coal ash, and unrefined mineral ores containing rare earth metals using an ionic liquid and an organic acid to solubilize the metals. The solubilized components are removed from the ionic liquid by electrochemical deposition. The heavy metals and rare earth elements are deposited onto an electrode, and then purified via electrochemical processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Thomas E. Sutto
  • Patent number: 9637833
    Abstract: A copper plating solution which contains compounds with the structure —X—S—Y— where X and Y are, independently of each other, atoms selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen, and X and Y can be the same only if they are carbon atoms and aliphatic semialdehydes. By using this copper electroplating solution it is possible to form good filled vias without worsening the appearance of the plating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventors: Matsuko Saito, Makoto Sakai, Shinjiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9637834
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an electrically programmable fuse structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate. The method also includes forming an anode and a cathode on the substrate. Further, the method includes forming a fuse between the anode and the cathode and having an anode-connecting-end connecting with the anode and a cathode-connecting-end connecting with the cathode over the substrate. Further, the method also includes forming a compressive stress region in the cathode-connecting-end, wherein the anode-connecting-end has a tensile stress region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION
    Inventor: Zhenghao Gan
  • Patent number: 9637835
    Abstract: A method of preparing a metal composite, comprising the steps of: forming an anodic oxidation layer on a surface of a metal substrate; forming a dye layer comprising a dye and a water soluble ink on the anodic oxidation layer, wherein the dye layer has a graduated thickness; and removing the water soluble ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Chunnan Gao, Liang Chen
  • Patent number: 9637836
    Abstract: An electrochemical deposition system is described. The electrochemical deposition system includes one or more electrochemical deposition modules arranged on a common platform for depositing one or more metals on a substrate, and a chemical management system coupled to the one or more electrochemical deposition modules. The chemical management system is configured to supply at least one of the one or more electrochemical deposition modules with one or more metal constituents for depositing the one or more metals. The chemical management system can include at least one metal enrichment cell and at least one metal-concentrate generator cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: TEL NEXX, INC.
    Inventors: Demetrius Papapanayiotou, Arthur Keigler, Jonathan Hander, Johannes Chiu, David G. Guarnaccia, Daniel L. Goodman
  • Patent number: 9637837
    Abstract: Methods of making electrically conductive, doped zinc oxide nanowires and nanowire films are provided. The methods comprises the steps of forming an aqueous solution comprising a dopant-containing precursor salt, a zinc-containing precursor salt and a pH buffering agent and heating the aqueous solution to a temperature below its boiling point in the presence of seed crystals, whereby doped zinc oxide nanowires are grown in situ from the seed crystals in the aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Xudong Wang, Fei Wang, Alexander V. Kvit
  • Patent number: 9637838
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing synthetic CVD diamond material including orienting and controlling process gas flow in a microwave plasma reactor to improve performance. The microwave plasma reactor includes a gas flow system with a gas inlet comprising one or more gas inlet nozzles disposed opposite the growth surface area and configured to inject process gases towards the growth surface area. The method comprises injecting process gases towards the growth surface area at a total gas flow rate equal to or greater than 500 standard cm3 per minute wherein the process gases are injected into the plasma chamber through the one or more gas inlet nozzles with a Reynolds number in a range 1 to 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Element Six Limited
    Inventors: Steven Edward Coe, Jonathan James Wilman, Helen Wilman, Daniel James Twitchen, Geoffrey Alan Scarsbrook, John Robert Brandon, Christopher John Howard Wort, Matthew Lee Markham
  • Patent number: 9637839
    Abstract: Aromatic molecules are seeded on a surface of a growth substrate; and a layer (e.g., a monolayer) of a metal dichalcogenide is grown via chemical vapor deposition on the growth substrate surface seeded with aromatic molecules. The seeded aromatic molecules are contacted with a solvent that releases the metal dichalcogenide layer from the growth substrate. The metal dichalcogenide layer can be released with an adhered transfer medium and can be deposited on a target substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Jing Kong, Lain-Jong Li, Yi-Hsien Lee
  • Patent number: 9637840
    Abstract: This invention provides a process for increasing the crystallinity of at least one solid material which is less than 100% crystalline, comprising contacting said solid material with solvent in which the solid material is insoluble or poorly soluble (a non-solvent); and applying ultrasound to the solid material when in contact with said non-solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Prosonix Limited
    Inventors: Graham Ruecroft, Dipesh Parikh, David Hipkiss
  • Patent number: 9637841
    Abstract: A fiber for artificial hair that has an improved appearance with a suppressed gloss is obtained by combining regenerated collagen fibers having different shapes in cross section. An artificial hair product using the same is provided. The fiber for artificial hair according to the present invention is obtained by combining fibers having different shapes in cross section. The fiber for artificial hair includes regenerated collagen fibers, and the regenerated collagens fibers include at least two types of regenerated collagen fibers whose cross-sectional shapes are selected from the group consisting of shapes including an elliptical shape, a circular shape, and a multifoil shape. The artificial hair product of the present invention includes the above-described fiber for artificial hair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KANEKA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshitomo Matsumoto, Shin Sudo, Mitsuru Furukawa, Kazuaki Fujiwara, Masahiko Mihoichi