Patents Issued in April 10, 2018
  • Patent number: 9938604
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing pellets by which, when nickel oxide ore is being pelletized and smelted to produce ferronickel, which is an iron-nickel alloy, it is possible to allow the smelting reaction to proceed effectively. A method for producing pellets according to the present invention is for producing pellets which are used in producing iron-nickel alloy and which are produced by mixing raw materials including nickel oxide ore and agglomerating the resulting mixture, wherein the method comprises: a mixing step S11 for mixing at least nickel oxide ore, a carbonaceous reducing agent, and iron oxide to generate a mixture; and a pellet formation step S12 for agglomerating the resulting mixture and forming pellets. In the mixing step S11, the mixture is generated such that the total weight of nickel and iron accounts for 30 wt % or more of the total weight of the pellets formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Takahashi, Taku Inoue, Shuuji Okada
  • Patent number: 9938605
    Abstract: Methods of preparing Zr based metallic using Zr sponge refined by a refining process are described. An exemplary method includes heating Zr sponge in a processing chamber with an electron-beam-heating apparatus or an arc-melting apparatus under a desired pressure condition to release volatile contaminants from the Zr sponge, introducing a purge gas into the processing chamber and permitting the purge gas to intermingle with at least some of the released volatile contaminants, evacuating the processing chamber to extract at least some of the purge gas and released volatile contaminants, repeating the heating of the Zr sponge, the introducing of the purge gas, and the evacuating of the processing chamber release and evacuate additional volatile contaminants from the Zr sponge to provide a processed Zr sponge with enhanced purity, and melting the processed Zr sponge with multiple other alloy constituents to provide a Zr-based metallic alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Materion Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Yurko
  • Patent number: 9938606
    Abstract: A hot-rolled copper plate consists of pure copper having a purity of 99.99 mass % or greater, the hot-rolled copper plate having an average crystal grain diameter of 40 ?m or less, and a (?3+?9) grain boundary length ratio (L (?3+?9)/L), which is a ratio between a total crystal grain boundary length L measured by an EBSD method and a sum L (?3+?9) of a ?3 grain boundary length L?3 and a ?9 grain boundary length L?9, being 28% or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunari Maki, Hiroyuki Mori, Isao Arai, Norihisa Iida, Takahiro Takeda, Shigeru Shimoizumi, Shin Oikawa
  • Patent number: 9938607
    Abstract: A metallic composite material for a sliding bearing (2) has a metallic support layer (4), in particular steel, and a bearing metal layer (6) based on copper-tin with 2-6 wt. % tin. The bearing metal layer (6) has 0.2-2 wt. % nickel. A sliding bearing element, which is to be used in or close to the motor, can be produced from this type of sliding bearing composite material (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: KS Gleitlager GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Pucher, Werner Schubert
  • Patent number: 9938608
    Abstract: A spinodal copper-nickel-tin-manganese alloy is disclosed that contains from 0.001 to about 2 weight percent phosphorus. When combined with small hard particles, the alloy has sufficient fluidity to infiltrate and fill at least 90% of the interstices of the hard particles, resulting in a composite article having superior strength and toughness. This composite article can be used in drilling bits and other cutting tools, either as a support body for cutting elements or as the cutting element itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: MATERION CORPORATION
    Inventor: William D. Nielsen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9938609
    Abstract: A nickel-chromium-molybdenum-copper alloy resistant to 70% sulfuric acid at 93° C. and 50% sodium hydroxide at 121° C. for acid and alkali neutralization in the field of waste management; the alloy contains, in weight percent, 27 to 33 chromium, 4.9 to 7.8 molybdenum, 3.1 to 6.0 wt. % copper (when chromium is between 30 and 33 wt. %) or 4.7 to 6.0 wt. % copper (when chromium is between 27 and 29.9 wt. %), up to 3.0 iron, 0.3 to 1.0 manganese, 0.1 to 0.5 aluminum, 0.1 to 0.8 silicon, 0.01 to 0.11 carbon, up to 0.13 nitrogen, up to 0.05 magnesium, up to 0.05 rare earth elements, with a balance of nickel and impurities. Titanium or another MC carbide former can be added to enhance thermal stability of the alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Haynes International, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Crook, Vinay P. Deodeshmukh
  • Patent number: 9938610
    Abstract: Nickel-base superalloys having gamma prime strengthening precipitates in a gamma matrix and little or no tertiary incoherent phases, such as delta, delta variants and eta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Illinois Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Randolph C. Helmink, Sammy Tin
  • Patent number: 9938611
    Abstract: The invention discloses a high strength nodular cast iron pole and a preparation technology thereof. The preparation technology is characterized by comprising the following steps: (1) preparation before pole casting, to be specific, preparation of raw materials, smelting of iron, adding of alloying elements and nodulizing; (2) a pole casting procedure, to be specific, casting and inoculation treatment; and (3) heat treatment. The invention also provides the high strength nodular cast iron pole prepared by adopting the preparation technology, comprising multiple tower poles which are sequentially connected in an inserted manner, wherein each tower pole is a cone-frustum hollow column which has the conicity of 1000:11-26; the top end of the high strength nodular cast iron pole is equipped with a tower cap. The high strength nodular cast iron pole has the advantages of high bearing capacity, thin wall thickness, light weight, low manufacturing cost and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Inventor: Pei Yu
  • Patent number: 9938612
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing aluminium alloy rolled sheet with excellent formability and suitable for an automotive body, the method including: casting an ingot of aluminium alloy of, in wt. %: Si 0.5 to 1.5, Mg 0.2 to 0.7, Fe 0.03 to 0.30, Cu up to 0.30, optionally one or more elements selected from the group of: (Mn, Zr, Cr, V), Zn up to 0.3, Ti up to 0.15, impurities and aluminium; homogenising the cast ingot at 450° C. or more; hot rolling the ingot to a hot-rolled product; cold rolling the hot-rolled product to a cold-rolled product of intermediate gauge; continuous intermediate annealing the cold-rolled product of intermediate gauge in the range of 360-580° C.; cold rolling the intermediate annealed cold-rolled product to a sheet of final gauge up to 2.5 mm; solution heat treating the sheet; and quenching the solution heat treated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ALERIS ALUMINUM DUFFEL BVBA
    Inventor: Peter De Smet
  • Patent number: 9938613
    Abstract: A method for producing a motor vehicle component is disclosed having the steps of providing a strain-hardened blank composed of a 5000 grade aluminum alloy, partially heating the blank in a first region to a temperature higher than 350° C., in particular to 400° C., the blank being kept at a temperature between 15° C. and 30° C., preferably at 20° C., in a second region, and the partial heating being performed in less than 20 s, preferably less than 10 s and in particular in 2 to 5 s, adjusting the temperature of the blank as a whole to between 150 and 350° C. in less than 20 s, preferably less than 10 s and in particular in 2 to 5 s, and deforming the blank to form the motor vehicle component in less than 20 s, preferably less than 10 s and in particular in 2 to 5 s, and cooling the motor vehicle component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Friedrich Bohner, Jochen Doerr, Jochem Grewe, Christian Hielscher, Joern Toelle, Boris Rauscher
  • Patent number: 9938614
    Abstract: A web transport system for transporting a web of media along a web transport path in an in-track direction, including a liquid application system for applying a liquid to at least one surface of the web of media. An air skive is positioned along the web transport path downstream of the liquid application system, wherein the air skive directs one or more streams of air onto the web of media thereby removing at least some of the liquid that is being carried along with the web of media. A vapor source adds a vapor into the one or more streams of air provided by the air skive before the one or more streams of air are directed onto the web of media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy John Young, Kelvin P. Hill
  • Patent number: 9938615
    Abstract: A method for the low-pressure carbonitriding of steel parts, in particular parts used in the manufacture of automobiles comprises a heating step that includes a simple heating phase (M) followed by an initial nitridation phase (Ni) from a temperature between 700° C. to 750° C. to a temperature between 860° and 1000° C. carried out using a reduced temperature gradient relative to the simple heating phase. The method further includes alternate cementing (C1-Cn) and nitridation (N1-Nn) steps at constant temperature, wherein the final nitridation step is accompanied with a decrease in temperature immediately before quenching (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ECM TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Philippe Lapierre, Jerome Lardinois, Yves Giraud, Alfred Rallo
  • Patent number: 9938616
    Abstract: Nitrogen-doped tungsten films characterized by low stress (e.g. less than 250 MPa) and excellent adhesion to an underlying dielectric layer are deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD). The films can be used as hardmask layers in fabrication of 3D memory stacks and can be deposited directly onto a top dielectric layer in a stack of layers. The low stress films are characterized by higher concentration of nitrogen at the interface with the dielectric layer than in the bulk of the film, and have a nitrogen content of between about 5-20% atomic. The films having a thickness of between about 300-900 nm can be deposited in a PVD process chamber by forming a plasma in a process gas comprising a noble gas and nitrogen, where the flow rate of nitrogen is between about 10-17% of the total flow rate of the process gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Rumer, Michael Ng
  • Patent number: 9938617
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for depositing under vacuum a multilayers coating stack on a flat glass substrate and to a modular coater for the deposit of thin layers on a flat glass substrate. A gas separation zone disposed between two depositing zones of the modular coater comprises at least one gas injector in the vicinity of the convoying path for the glass substrate which passes through apertures from a depositing zone towards the other depositing zone via the separation zone. The invention allows improvement of the separation factor between the two depositing zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: AGC Glass Europe
    Inventors: Benoit Lecomte, Hugues Wiame, Tomohiro Yonemichi
  • Patent number: 9938618
    Abstract: A novel new method for rapidly and efficiently depositing carbon on and within or densifying carbon fiber preforms, porous substrates and close packed particulates by pyrolitic carbon in the structures of isotropic, anisotropic, graphitic, amorphous, lonsdaleite, and diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tod J. Policandriotes, Jarlen Don
  • Patent number: 9938619
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for depositing a titanium oxide coating is provided. The chemical vapor deposition process for depositing the titanium oxide coating includes providing a glass substrate. A gaseous mixture is formed. The gaseous mixture includes a titanium-containing compound and a fluorine-containing compound. The titanium-containing compound is an oxygen-containing compound or the gaseous mixture includes a first oxygen-containing compound. The gaseous mixture is directed toward and along the glass substrate. The mixture reacts over the glass substrate to form the titanium oxide coating thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
    Inventors: Srikanth Varanasi, Jun Ni, Douglas M. Nelson
  • Patent number: 9938620
    Abstract: A gas supply mechanism of supplying a raw material gas obtained from a raw material of a solid state or a liquid state into a chamber configured to perform a film forming process on a workpiece is disclosed. The gas supply mechanism includes a gas supply controller configured to control a flow rate of a carrier gas by means of a flow rate controller, and to enable the carrier gas to flow while closing a material gas supply/shut-off valve to thereby increase internal pressures of a raw material container and a raw material gas supply pipe to be a high-pressure condition and then control the raw material gas supply/shut-off valve to be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masayuki Moroi, Hajime Yamanaka, Yasushi Aiba, Takanobu Hotta
  • Patent number: 9938621
    Abstract: Methods are provided for treating wafers using a wafer carrier rotated about an axis. The wafer carrier is provided with a ring which surrounds the wafer carrier during operation. Treatment gasses directed onto a top surface of the carrier flow outwardly away from the axis over the carrier and over the ring, and pass downstream outside of the ring. The outwardly flowing gasses form a boundary over the carrier and ring. The ring helps to maintain a boundary layer of substantially uniform thickness over the carrier, which promotes uniform treatment of the wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Bojan Mitrovic, Guanghua Wei, Eric A. Armour, Ajit Paranjpe
  • Patent number: 9938622
    Abstract: Methods for depositing ruthenium by a PECVD process are described herein. Methods for depositing ruthenium can include positioning a substrate in a processing chamber, the substrate having a barrier layer formed thereon, heating and maintaining the substrate at a first temperature, flowing a first deposition gas into a processing chamber, the first deposition gas comprising a ruthenium containing precursor, generating a plasma from the first deposition gas to deposit a first ruthenium layer over the barrier layer, flowing a second deposition gas into the processing chamber to deposit a second ruthenium layer over the first ruthenium layer, the second deposition gas comprising a ruthenium containing precursor, depositing a copper seed layer over the second ruthenium layer and annealing the substrate at a second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Tae Hong Ha, Sang Ho Yu, Kiejin Park
  • Patent number: 9938623
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a micro-lattice and, more particularly, to an ultra-light micro-lattice and a method for forming the same. The micro-lattice is a cellular material formed of interconnected hollow tubes. The cellular material has a relative density in a range of 0.001% to 0.3%, and a density of 0.9 mg/cc has been demonstrated. The cellular material also has the ability to recover from a deformation exceeding 50% strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Tobias A. Schaedler, Alan J. Jacobsen, William Carter, Christopher Roper
  • Patent number: 9938624
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a method for enhancing bond strength between a powder deposit and a substrate. Powder is deposited on the substrate. Powder is shot peened with peening media that is harder than both the powder and the substrate to produce bond strength between the powder and the substrate that is at least twice bond strength between the powder and the substrate without shot peening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron T. Nardi, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, William Werkheiser, Michael A. Klecka
  • Patent number: 9938625
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a NdFeB rare earth permanent magnetic device with composite plating includes steps of: firstly melting alloy, casting the alloy in a melted state onto a rotation copper roller with a water cooling function, so as to be cooled for forming alloy flakes; hydrogen decrepitating; mixing after hydrogen decrepitating; jet milling after mixing; mixing under nitrogen protection before molding in a nitrogen protection magnetic field pressing machine, and then packing in a protection tank before being moved out of the protection tank and isostatic pressing; sintering in a sintering device and aging for forming a NdFeB rare earth permanent magnet; machining for forming a NdFeB rare earth permanent magnetic device; and plating the NdFeB rare earth permanent magnetic device, wherein three layers of plated films are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SHENYANG GENERAL MAGNETIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Baoyu Sun, Xiaodong Chen
  • Patent number: 9938626
    Abstract: A method wherein nanoparticle are first produced and then infused in the coating during the coating process by means of a PVD and/or CVD method. The coating is a material that contains nitrides. The nanoparticles are chosen from the group of oxides, carbides, and silicides, and one or more of the compounds comprise MexOy, MexCy, and MexSiy with Me: Cr, Ti, Ta, Si, In, Sn, Al, W, V, Mo and/or x=1 to 3 and/or =1 to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Burscheid GmbH
    Inventor: Marcus Kennedy
  • Patent number: 9938627
    Abstract: A gas permeable or breathable electrode and method of manufacture thereof. In one example there is an electrolytic cell having an electrode comprising a porous material, wherein gas produced at the electrode diffuses out of the cell via the porous material. In operation the gas is produced at the at least one electrode without substantial bubble formation. In another example there is an electrode having a porous conducting material with a hydrophobic layer or coating applied to a side of the porous conducting material. A catalyst may be applied to another side. The gas permeable or breathable electrode can be used in an electrolytic cell, electrochemical cell, battery and/or fuel cell. Gas produced at the electrode diffuses out of a cell via at least part of the electrode, separating the gas from the reaction at the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: AQUAHYDREX PTY LTD
    Inventors: Bjorn Winther-Jensen, Douglas MacFarlane, Orawan Winther-Jensen
  • Patent number: 9938628
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to composite nanoparticles comprising a metal, a rare earth element, and, optionally, a complexing ligand. The invention is also directed to composite nanoparticles having a core-shell structure and to processes for preparation of composite nanoparticles of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Binil Itty Ipe Kandapallil, Lakshmi Krishnan, Francis Johnson
  • Patent number: 9938629
    Abstract: A method of making property modulated composite materials includes depositing a first layer of material having a first microstructure/nanostructure on a substrate followed by depositing a second layer of material having a second microstructure/nanostructure that differs from the first layer. Multiple first and second layers can be deposited to form a composite material that includes a plurality of adjacent first and second layers. By controlling the microstructure/nanostructure of the layers, the material properties of the composite material formed by this method can be tailored for a specific use. The microstructures/nanostructures of the composite materials may be defined by one or more of grain size, grain boundary geometry, crystal orientation, and a defect density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Modumetal, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Whitaker, Zhi Liang Bao
  • Patent number: 9938630
    Abstract: A method of making a tubular casing for an underwater device, wherein a metal ring made of aluminum is subjected to an anodizing process that produces an insulating layer of aluminum oxide that covers it externally. The ring is coupled with a mold that defines a cylindrical surface on which the following are deposited: first layers of carbon fiber to produce a first cylindrically-shaped tubular element in carbon fiber provided with an end portion that engages a first groove of the ring; a layer of syntactic material configured to transfer radial forces; and second layers of carbon fiber to produce a second cylindrically-shaped tubular element in carbon fiber that covers the syntactic layer and is provided with an end portion that engages a first groove of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: LEONARDO S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Peselli, Francesco Lo Presti
  • Patent number: 9938631
    Abstract: A device is for treating and packaging implants. The device includes a container including a chamber therein. The chamber is closed by a removable seal. The device also includes a carrier sized and shaped to be inserted into the chamber. The carrier includes a carrying structure configured to connect an implant thereto. A portion of the carrier may be formed of an electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: DEPUY SYNTHES PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventor: Urs Hulliger
  • Patent number: 9938632
    Abstract: A method for recycling metallic material produced by an electrochemical material removal process. The method includes flowing an electrolyte solution between an anode workpiece and a cathode tool in a first electrolytic process, the first electrolytic process including applying a first electrolytic current and voltage between the anode workpiece and the cathode tool and thereby causing metal ions to be removed from the anode workpiece and dissolved and substantially retained in the electrolyte solution. The electrolyte solution with the metal ions therein is passed between an electrowinning cathode and an electrowinning anode in a second electrolytic process, the second electrolytic process including applying a second electrolytic current and voltage between the electrowinning cathode and the electrowinning anode and thereby causing the metal ions to be removed from the electrolyte solution and deposited onto the electrowinning cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: FARADAY TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Maria E. Inman, Brian T. Skinn, Timothy D. Hall, Stephen T. Snyder, Savidra C. Lucatero, Eric Lee Kathe
  • Patent number: 9938633
    Abstract: The crystallization system includes a crucible provided with a bottom and with side walls designed to contain the material to be solidified and a device for creating a main thermal gradient inside the crucible in a perpendicular direction to the bottom of the crucible. An additional inductive heating device is arranged at the level of the side walls of the crucible facing the liquid material and without overlapping with the solid phase. This additional inductive heating device is configured to heat a part of the crystalline material located in the vicinity of the triple contact line between the liquid material, the solidified material and the crucible so that the interface between the liquid material and the solidified material forms a convex meniscus in the vicinity of the triple contact line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Garandet, Anis Jouini, David Pelletier
  • Patent number: 9938634
    Abstract: A method of producing a phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal, including pulling the phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal from a silicon melt doped with phosphorus by Magnetic field applied Czochralski (MCZ) method, wherein the phosphorus is doped such that a phosphorus concentration of the phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal is 2×1016 atoms/cm3 or more, and a horizontal magnetic field is applied to the silicon melt with a central magnetic field strength of 2,000 gauss or more such that the phosphorus-doped silicon single crystal to be produced has an oxygen concentration of 1.6×1018 atoms/cm3 (ASTM'79) or more. A method of producing a silicon single crystal that is heavily doped with phosphorus and has an oxygen concentration of 1.6×1018 atoms/cm3 (ASTM'79) or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sakurada, Junya Tokue, Ryoji Hoshi, Izumi Fusegawa
  • Patent number: 9938635
    Abstract: A method for producing a component includes joining individual wall parts, especially for producing a melting crucible for use at a high operating temperature in a crucible-pulling method for quartz glass, wherein at least two wall parts of a refractory metal or of a base alloy of a refractory metal are provided, butt-joined to form a joint and joined together by sintering at a temperature above 1500° C. to form the component. A sealant is inserted into the joint to provide a component of improved tightness and to ensure improved sintering of the individual parts of the component. A component produced according to the method, particularly a melting crucible, particularly in a crucible pulling method for quartz glass, has the joint between the butt-joined walls closed in a gas-tight manner by a sealant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Boris Gromann, Nigel Whippey, Christian Schenk
  • Patent number: 9938636
    Abstract: A single crystal production apparatus wherein the chamber has a top plate part, a bottom plate part and a barrel part, the barrel part is in a hollow cylindrical shape and made of quartz glass and connects the top plate part with the bottom plate part, an openable/closable reflective member is provided on the outer circumference of the barrel part, and the reflective member is divided in the circumferential direction and reflects heat and light radiated from the inside of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuhira Abe
  • Patent number: 9938637
    Abstract: Provided are a method for preparing a thin film or a thick film, including: a first step of providing a porous substrate capable of supplying silicon; a second step of applying zeolite seed crystals onto the surface of the porous substrate; a third step of coating the seed crystals-applied porous substrate with an aqueous solution containing a structure-directing agent; and a fourth step of forming and growing a film from the seed crystals by the secondary growth above a temperature at which moisture inside the seed crystals-applied porous substrate prepared in the third step can form steam, and a film prepared by the method. The film manufacturing method of the present invention is a simple manufacturing process, and thus has high reproducibility and high throughput. Since a synthetic gel is not used and a solution is used, the unnecessary consumption of materials, environmental pollution, and waste of a synthetic gel can be prevented while not necessitating drying and washing of a film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Sogang University
    Inventors: Kyung Byung Yoon, Cao Thanh Tung Pham
  • Patent number: 9938638
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor epitaxial wafer, including steps of: fabricating an epitaxial wafer by epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer on a silicon-based substrate; observing the outer edge portion of the fabricated epitaxial wafer; and removing portions in which a crack, epitaxial layer peeling, and a reaction mark observed in the step of observing are present. As a result, a method for producing a semiconductor epitaxial wafer in which a completely crack-free semiconductor epitaxial wafer can be obtained, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunori Hagimoto, Masaru Shinomiya, Keitaro Tsuchiya, Hirokazu Goto, Ken Sato, Hiroshi Shikauchi, Shoichi Kobayashi, Hirotaka Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 9938639
    Abstract: A method for forming a silicon ingot includes the following steps: providing a silicon ingot of variable electrical resistivity and containing interstitial oxygen, determining the interstitial oxygen concentration in different areas of the silicon ingot, calculating the concentration of thermal donors to be created in the different areas to reach a target value of the electrical resistivity, and subjecting the different areas of the silicon ingot to annealing so as to form the thermal donors. The annealing temperature in each area is determined from the thermal donor and interstitial oxygen concentrations of the area and from a predefined annealing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Jordi Veirman, Sébastien Dubois, Nicolas Enjalbert
  • Patent number: 9938640
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for a heat treatment of a silicon single crystal wafer in an oxidizing ambient, including: performing the heat treatment based on a condition determined by a tripartite correlation between a heat treatment temperature during the heat treatment, an oxygen concentration in the silicon single crystal wafer before the heat treatment, and a void size in the silicon single crystal wafer before the heat treatment. This provides a method for a heat treatment of a silicon single crystal wafer which can annihilate void defects or micro oxide precipitate nuclei in a silicon single crystal wafer with low cost, efficiently, and securely by a heat treatment in an oxidizing ambient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoji Hoshi, Hiroyuki Kamada
  • Patent number: 9938641
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for performing aptamer preselection based on unique geometry and the content of stems or loops of the aptamer, which methods are capable of providing suitable binders and also permit selection of aptamers performed essentially entirely on a chip or other device. Also disclosed are kits for aptamer selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: FLUIDIGM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason Andrew Appleton West, Brent Coleman Satterfield
  • Patent number: 9938642
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a multifunctional polyester fiber, including: mixing a polyester master batch chip, containing cesium tungsten oxide-based particles, with a general polyester chip; spinning the mixture to form a spun fiber; and cooling the spun fiber using a cooling device having a rotational outflow quenching unit and a nozzle-warming heater, and to a fiber produced by the method. The multifunctional polyester fiber according to the present invention exhibits excellent far-infrared emission properties, thermal storage/insulation properties, spinning processability, and dyeability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: Hyosung Corporation, Nano-Vision Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Jin Oh, Min Suk Lee, Young Un Oh
  • Patent number: 9938643
    Abstract: The invention is directed to carbon fibers having high tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. The invention also provides a method and apparatus for making the carbon fibers. The method comprises advancing a precursor fiber through an oxidation oven wherein the fiber is subjected to controlled stretching in an oxidizing atmosphere in which tension loads are distributed amongst a plurality of passes through the oxidation oven, which permits higher cumulative stretches to be achieved. The method also includes subjecting the fiber to controlled stretching in two or more of the passes that is sufficient to cause the fiber to undergo one or more transitions in each of the two or more passes. The invention is also directed to an oxidation oven having a plurality of cooperating drive rolls in series that can be driven independently of each other so that the amount of stretch applied to the oven in each of the plurality of passes can be independently controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Hexel Corporation
    Inventor: Carlos A. León y León
  • Patent number: 9938644
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning trash from cotton lint utilizes a combing cylinder having a plurality of teeth covering its surface and extending therefrom in a manner to release the cotton lint to a cleaning cylinder. The combing cylinder surface moves slower than the cleaning cylinder to comb the lint as it is delivered to the cleaning cylinder. Means are provided to vary the speed of the combing cylinder to match the lint processing parameters, including negating lint combing all together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Lummus Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas W. C. Van Doorn, Sr.
  • Patent number: 9938645
    Abstract: Flame resistant fabrics are formed by warp and fill yarns having different fiber contents. The fabrics are constructed, for example, by selection of a suitable weaving pattern, such that the body side of the fabric and the face side of the fabric have different properties. The fabrics described herein can be printable and dyeable on both sides of the fabric and are suitable for use in military and industrial garments. Methods of forming flame resistant fabrics, and methods for forming garments from the fabrics, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Southern Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Stanhope, Charles S. Dunn, Matthew Lucius Colatruglio
  • Patent number: 9938646
    Abstract: A wearable band includes a woven material having two or more stretch regions. The different stretch regions can be formed by varying the tension on subsets of the warp threads, the weft threads, or both the warp and weft threads. A system for producing the woven material can include two or more tension control devices operably connected to a processing device. Each tension control device is configured to adjust the amount of tension in a respective subset of threads (e.g., warp threads) in the woven material during a weaving operation. The processing device is configured to select thread tension patterns for the subsets of threads used during the weaving operation. Each thread tension pattern includes tension settings for the subsets of threads, where at least one tension setting in one thread tension pattern differs from the tension settings in the other tension patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Yoji Hamada, Matthew D. Rohrbach, Daniel A. Podhajny, Ying-Liang Su, Douglas J. Weber, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Motohide Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 9938647
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of binder compositions containing one or more polymers based on ethylenically unsaturated monomers for producing textile sheet products, characterized in that the polymers are based on a) from 0.1 to 10% by weight of one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers containing epoxy groups, b) from 0.1 to 10% by weight of one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers containing silane groups and c) one or more other ethylenically unsaturated monomers differing from the monomers a) and b), where the % by weight data are always based on the total weight of the polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Wacker Chemie AG
    Inventor: Florian Bauers
  • Patent number: 9938648
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wet chemical method for the surface modification of products made of low-energy synthetic fibers, to the products produced by the method and to the use of the products produced by the method. The material surface is permanently provided with functional groups by contact with an aqueous polyvinylalcohol solution containing silanol(ate) groups. Depending upon the design, the materials have a high water consumption or transmission capacity or exhibit a capillary activity. The range of uses for surface-modified materials is extended by the possibility of reacting the functional groups, inter alia, with biologically active components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Labor Fuer Molekulares Design
    Inventor: Rolf Siegel
  • Patent number: 9938649
    Abstract: A network structure is disclosed including a three-dimensional random loop bonded structure obtained by forming random loops with curling treatment of a continuous linear structure including at least one thermoplastic elastomer selected from a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer, a polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and by making each loop mutually contact in a molten state, wherein a fiber diameter of the continuous linear structure is not less than 0.1 mm and not more than 3.0 mm, a fiber diameter of a surface layer portion of the network structure is not less than 1.05 times of a fiber diameter of an inner layer portion thereof, an apparent density is not less than 0.01 g/cm3 and not more than 0.20 g/cm3, 750 N-constant load repeated compression residual strain is not more than 15%, and 40%-compression hardness retention after 750 N-constant load repeated compression is not less than 55%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOBO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Teruyuki Taninaka, Shinichi Kobuchi, Hiroyuki Wakui
  • Patent number: 9938650
    Abstract: When marks all align with a mark alignment region in an image, an image is acquired for an embroidery frame and embroidery design sewn to a portion of a cloth mounted on the frame. Image analysis is performed based on correspondence between acquired information for the embroidery frame and for the marks. The embroidery region of the embroidery frame is determined based on analysis results. Acquired images of the cloth having the embroidery design portion and an embroidery design to be sewn to it are displayed. The embroidery design image to be sewn is edited to connect it to the image of the embroidery design already sewn to the portion in the displayed image. This prevents the occurrence of overlapping or gaps between embroidery design units even if accumulated shrinkage occurs in sewing, or slight alignment errors occur in position or rotation when cloth is mounted on the embroidery frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Kongo
  • Patent number: 9938651
    Abstract: A feed mechanism that advances fabric comprises at least one dog that mechanically advances the fabric toward a sewing head and at least one actuator that is coupled to and actuates the at least one dog in a servo controlled motion so that the sewing head sews the fabric at a desirable position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SOFTWEAR AUTOMATION, INC.
    Inventor: Stephen Lang Dickerson
  • Patent number: 9938652
    Abstract: A laundry filtration system for a washing machine that combines water and one or more chemical agents to form a wash mixture. The washing machine receiving laundry with at least one contaminant. The washing machine washing the laundry during a washing operation and separating the at least one contaminant from the laundry to be in the wash mixture. The system including an extraction system in communication with the washing machine. The extraction system filtering at least part of the wash mixture to remove the at least one contaminant from the wash mixture to form a filtered wash mixture. The filtered wash mixture can be recirculated into the washing machine during the washing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Butterworth Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank L. Butterworth, III
  • Patent number: 9938653
    Abstract: A laundry treating appliance for treating a laundry load according to at least one cycle of operation including a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber in which a laundry load is received for treatment, a motor rotatably driving the drum in response to a motor control signal, and a controller outputting a motor control signal to rotate the drum according to a speed profile having at least a constant speed phase, where the drum is rotated at a constant speed, and an acceleration phase, where the drum is accelerated to the constant speed and a method of operating a laundry treating appliance to determine an inertia of the laundry load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Donald E. Erickson, Peter E. Zasowski