Longitudinally Traveling Work Of Bar, Strip, Strand, Sheet Or Web Form Patents (Class 134/15)
  • Patent number: 8361263
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for protecting a display facility, comprising a protective element for covering an image surface of the display facility. As the protective element is designed to be transparent and the retaining means are provided for the exchangeable arrangement of the protective element in front of the image surface, a protective device is provided, which allows the image surface to be examined and is easy to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Martin Hoheisel
  • Publication number: 20120325267
    Abstract: A method for cleaning rubberized, plastic, or foam exercise mats is disclosed. The apparatus to accomplish this present method includes a machine having a frame structure, at least two sets of rollers, a mechanism coupled to the rollers to push and/or pull the mat through the machine, a cleaning solution application system, a scrubbing system, a cleaning solution removal system, and a housing to enclose the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Mindy Benson, Nathan Benson
  • Publication number: 20120325268
    Abstract: Mat washing device, method of treating a mat, and method of preparing a location for washing mats. The mat washing device includes a system that may be transported on a flat bed trailer from one location to another. The mat washing device includes conveying systems, brush systems, rails systems and control mechanisms. The mat washing device may be used by placing mat, on edge, on a conveying system and conveying the mat to a first brushing system and a second brushing system. In one aspect the first brushing system includes a cable brush having a bolt secured at the end of a cable in order to beat or brush material from the mat when the cable brush is spun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Randall D. Rubenzer, Robert M. Simons
  • Publication number: 20120318297
    Abstract: A washing system for cleaning a moving web includes an array of a plurality of stationary nozzles arranged in sets controlled by a control valve and operated in groups. The array includes sufficient nozzle sets each having a spray width of from 5% to 50% of the web width, such that the combined spray width of all nozzle sets is necessary and sufficient to cover substantially the entire web width with cleaning spray. Groups of valves may be operated such that some nozzle sets are turned on while other remain off, thus conserving washing fluids. The nozzles operate at pressures of 1500 to 3500 psi, or 2000 to 3000 psi. Preferably the web is a continuous loop web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: OWENS CORNING INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL, LLC
    Inventors: William R. Cooper, Donald R. Miller, Peter A. Dunkailo, Lynn S. Bair
  • Publication number: 20120318298
    Abstract: A method for removing dust-carrying air from a moving paper web is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a moving web, the web having a first side and a second side, the web moving at a sufficient rate to produce a boundary layer of adjacent dust-carrying air; providing a NACA duct, the NACA duct having an intake opening and walls that diverge in increasing cross-sectional area to an exhaust opening having greater cross sectional area than the intake opening; and submerging the intake opening into the boundary layer to scavenge dust-carrying air from the boundary layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Brad Scott Lockhart, André Mellin, John Ferney McKibben, David Matthew Ogden, Brian Christopher Schwamberger, Peter Wiedmann, Richard Matthew Giachetto
  • Publication number: 20120318472
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes at least one cleaning nozzle that generates and directs a high-pressure liquid jet towards a point of impact on a surface, such as a conveyor belt having a drying screen. A cleaning head has a main opening that faces towards the surface, a discharge opening and a wall with at least one inlet opening defined therein. The at least one cleaning nozzle is disposed outside of the cleaning head and is oriented such that the high-pressure liquid jet passes through the at least one inlet opening before striking the surface. At least one first compressed air supplying device is disposed outside of the cleaning head and is configured to steer liquid from the at least one cleaning nozzle, after it has struck the surface, towards the main opening of the cleaning head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: PAPRIMA INDUSTRIES INC.
    Inventor: Roman Caspar
  • Publication number: 20120291804
    Abstract: A method for cooling a hot strip conveyed on a run-out table after finishing, including ejecting rod-like flows of cooling water from nozzles to the upper surface of the steel strip such that the flows are inclined toward a traveling direction of the steel strip, and draining the cooling water using draining means disposed downstream of the nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi UEOKA, Akio FUJIBAYASHI, Naoki NAKATA, Takashi KUROKI, Shougo TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20120291807
    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: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: CHENGDU HONGBO INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qingchun He, Qi Zhou, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 8298481
    Abstract: A method for sterilizing a plastic bottle in an aseptic filling system according to which at least an inner surface or an outer surface of a bottle is sterilized by injecting a heated sterilizing fluid at 65° C.-90° C. while maintaining internal pressure of the bottle at 1 kPa-20 kPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Iwashita, Yonosuke Takahara, Kenichi Kominami, Ken Isogawa
  • Patent number: 8293020
    Abstract: A megasonic cleaning method and a megasonic cleaning apparatus are provided. Microcavitation bubbles may be formed by applying an electromotive force to a cleaning solution using a megasonic energy in a separate room from an object to be cleaned. The microcavitation bubbles having a stable oscillation among the formed microcavitation bubbles may be moved to the object to be cleaned. A surface of the object to be cleaned may be cleaned using the microcavitation bubbles having the stable oscillation. Particles attached onto the surface of the object to be cleaned may be effectively removed while preventing pattern damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-Hyuck Choi, Won-Jung Kim, Ho-Young Kim, Hyung-Ho Ko, Jong-Keun Oh, Chan-Uk Jeon, Keun-Hwan Park
  • Publication number: 20120260943
    Abstract: An air wiping device for cleaning an elongated product that passes through the air wiping device. The air wiping device includes a housing having an internal tubular passage through which the elongated product extends with the housing tubular passage having an inlet end and an outlet end for respectively receiving and passing the elongated product; a plurality of air outlets mounted in the housing and adapted to direct a flow of compressed air in a direction having a component in an opposite direction to the flow of the elongated product through the housing; and a ceramic insert disposed in the internal tubular passage of the housing and through which the elongated product passes. The ceramic insert includes a tapered input through which the elongated product is received and an output through which the elongated product passes from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: HUESTIS MACHINE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Stephen Bettencourt
  • Publication number: 20120248068
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the fluidic inline-treatment of flat substrates with at least one process module. In particular, the invention relates to such a treatment during the gentle and controlled transport of the substrates, wherein the treatment can also just relate to the transport of the substrates. According to the invention, a process module 1 is provided which comprises a treatment chamber 2 having at least one treatment surface 7A being substantially horizontally arranged in a treatment plane 5 and being designed for the formation of a lower fluid cushion 6A, wherein two openings in the form of entry 3 and exit 4 for the linear feed-through of the substrates 22 in the same plane are assigned to the treatment surface 7A, and at least one feed device with at least one catch 10 for the controlled feed 9 of the substrates 22 within the treatment chamber 2. Furthermore, the invention provides a method using the apparatus according to the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicants: SILTRONIC AG, RENA GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Schienle, Mario Schwab, Rahim Hamid, Lothar Hermann, Günter Schwab, Thomas Buschhardt, Diego Feijóo, Konrad Kaltenbach, Franz Sollinger
  • Patent number: 8277566
    Abstract: Mat washing device, method of using the mat washing device, and method of washing mats. The mat washing device includes a system that may be transported on a flat bed trailer from one location to another. The mat washing device includes conveying systems, brush systems, rails systems and control mechanisms. The mat washing device may be used by placing mat, on edge, on a conveying system and conveying the mat to a first brushing system and a second brushing system. In one aspect the first brushing system includes a cable brush having a bolt secured at the end of a cable in order to beat or brush material from the mat when the cable brush is spun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Indianhead Pipeline Services, LLC
    Inventors: Randall D. Rubenzer, Robert M. Simons
  • Patent number: 8277675
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for removing a damaged material from a low-k dielectric film layer include identifying a control chemistry, the control chemistry configured to selectively remove the damaged material from the low-k dielectric film layer, the damaged material being in a region where a feature was formed through the low-k dielectric film layer; establishing a plurality of process parameters characterizing aspects of the damaged material to be removed and applying the control chemistry to the low-k dielectric film layer, the application of the control chemistry being defined based on the established process parameters of the damaged material, such that the damaged material is substantially removed from the areas around the feature and the areas around the feature are substantially defined by low-k characteristics of the low-k dielectric film layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Seokmin Yun, Seong Hwan Cho, Shrikant Lohokare, Mark Wilcoxson, John M. De Larios, Stephan Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20120204905
    Abstract: A system for fabricating a sheet product includes a first rotatable roller assembly operative to emit a pressurized fluid through an outer surface of the first rotatable roller assembly, and a second rotatable roller assembly having an outer surface arranged proximate to the outer surface of the first rotatable roller assembly, the second rotatable roller assembly and the first rotatable roller assembly are operative to rotate in opposing directions, the second rotatable roller assembly and the first rotatable roller assembly defining a gap therebetween through which a sheet material passes in contact with the outer surface of the first rotatable roller assembly and the outer surface of the second rotatable roller assembly, the emitted pressurized fluid operative to impinge a surface of the sheet material and separate contact between the outer surface of the first rotatable roller assembly and the sheet material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: GEORGIA-PACIFIC CONSUMER PRODUCTS LP
    Inventor: Hung Liang Chou
  • Patent number: 8241435
    Abstract: A washing apparatus that easily washes off metal impurities from a porous metal substrate used as an electrode plate core for an alkaline battery. The washing apparatus includes a liquid bath container which holds a solution for washing off the metal impurities. A guide guides movement of the porous metal substrate in the solution held in the liquid bath container. The porous metal substrate is wound into a hoop in a coil-shaped manner, and the guide guides the movement of a sheet portion of the porous metal substrate unwound from the hoop. A winding mechanism winds the sheet portion after being fed through the liquid bath container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Ito, Atsushi Adachi, Yasufumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20120160268
    Abstract: A portable machine and process is described for covering all sides of an elongated object with a liquid without the use of brushes. The machine is particularly useful with manufactured building products such as a fence picket, trim, molding, or any other type of board. The machine generally has four stations, an entry station that drives the object down a track, a liquid application station where the object is covered by liquid that is poured over the object, a blower station where the fluid is spread evenly over the object and excess fluid is blown off, and an exit station that continues to pull the object down the track and directs the object as the object leaves the exit station. Finally, the object may enter a releasably attached drop track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Massey
  • Publication number: 20120125365
    Abstract: Provided is a high-pressure liquid jet cleaner which is capable of assuredly removing particles adhered to the inside of a large number of scribe lines formed at consistent intervals in a thin film solar cell panel and which eliminates a fear that the surface of a thin film formed at the surface of the solar cell panel may be damaged or that the thin film may be detached. Jet nozzles are arranged at consistent intervals in the longitudinal direction of a nozzle holder, corresponding to the positions of the respective scribe lines of the thin film solar cell panel. The nozzle holder is supported by supports provided at both ends of the nozzle holder in a manner to allow the nozzle holder to move in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Ike, Keiji Tsujita, Hideyuki Tanaka, Morimasa Kuge, Mitsuru Nomura, Masaaki Tomonaga
  • Patent number: 8181747
    Abstract: A bicycle sprocket chain cleaning and lubrication apparatus allows a sprocket chain (3) to be cleaned while still mounted on the bicycle. The apparatus includes a includes a housing (10) for enclosing the sprocket chain on all sides consisting of mutually connectable upper half-shell (11) and lower half-shell (12) portions and a securement assembly which includes a mounting plate adapted to attach to a rear wheel quick disconnect of the bicycle. The housing is suspended from the sprocket chain and provides a funnel shaped solvent hopper (17), a hose connection (21) to a compressed air supply, and an air knife (23) adapted to direct high velocity air to impinge upon and thereby dry the sprocket chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Crestron Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: George Feldstein
  • Publication number: 20120111365
    Abstract: In order to remove treatment liquid (21) from a planar material to be treated (10), which is transported in an assembly for wet-chemical treatment of the material to be treated (10), a retaining surface (4, 14) is provided for holding back the treatment liquid (21). The retaining surface (4, 14) is arranged relative to a transport path of the material to be treated (10) so that a gap (8, 18) remains between the retaining surface (4, 14) and a surface of the material to be treated (10) opposing the retaining surface (4, 14), when the material to be treated (10) is moved past the retaining surface (4, 14). The retaining surface (4, 14) may, for example, be provided as an offset portion of a peripheral surface of a roll (2, 3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: ATOTECH DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Henry Kunze, Ferdinand Wiener
  • Publication number: 20120097189
    Abstract: A web cleaning system includes one or more conductive electrostatic cleaning members that may be grounded or electrically biased, and form an electric field. The conductive cleaning member opposes a conductive backing member that may be grounded or electrically biased. The conductive cleaning member contacts the web as it translates through the cleaning system, and charged debris on the web is affected by the electric field formed by the cleaning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bruce Earl THAYER, Ellery F. Wong, John L. Howard
  • Publication number: 20120080322
    Abstract: In order to remove treatment liquid (21) from a planar material to be treated (10), which is transported in an assembly for the electrolytic or wet-chemical treatment of the material to be treated (10), or to promote the exchange of material on the surface of the material to be treated (10), a roll with a roll surface (4, 14) is provided. The roll surface (4, 14) is arranged relative to a transport path of the material to be treated (10) so that a gap (8, 18) remains between the roll surface (4, 14) and a useful region of the material to be treated (10) opposing the roll surface (4, 14), which extends over the useful region. The roll is driven rotatably so that at the gap (8, 18) a relative speed is produced between the roll surface (4, 14) and the material to be treated (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: ATOTECH DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventor: Henry Kunze
  • Patent number: 8128777
    Abstract: The invention can firmly and easily remove a finely divided weft piece without leaving the weft piece by constituting a method and an apparatus of removing weft from a cord fabric for a topping sheet in a calender line for topping rubber on a number of pieces of aligned cords by a calender roll. In the midst of transferring a cord fabric (F) transferred to a calender apparatus, weft is finely divided by passing the cord fabric (F) through weft dividing means, thereafter, a plurality of blades (45) arranged movably in a width direction on an upper face side of the cord fabric (F) are reciprocally moved in the width direction over an entire width thereof to be brought into contact with the cord fabric (F), and the divided weft piece (W1) is wiped off to remove by respectively striking respective cords (C) of the cord fabric (F) by the respective blades (45).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tatara, Tomoyuki Takatsuka, Hirokatsu Mizukusa, Osamu Fujiki
  • Patent number: 8128754
    Abstract: The pickling process designed for pickling electrical steel strip in a continuous fashion comprising immersing the strip in at least one pickling tub. The pickling tub contains a mixture of HCl, Fe2+, and Fe3+ and a low concentration of HF. Upon exiting the final pickling tub, the strip may be brushed or scrubbed to loosen any residual scale to form a clean strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: AK Steel Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay N. Madi, Amanda Glass, Ronald Rodabaugh
  • Patent number: 8124011
    Abstract: A method for sterilizing a plastic bottle in an aseptic filling system according to which at least an inner surface or an outer surface of a bottle is sterilized by injecting a heated sterilizing fluid at 65° C.-90° C. while maintaining internal pressure of the bottle at 1 kPa-20 kPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Iwashita, Yonosuke Takahara, Kenichi Kominami, Ken Isogawa
  • Patent number: 8118942
    Abstract: A dust collecting installation for collecting airborne dust adjacent to a moving web. An elongate duct extends transversely to the direction of movement of the web and is positioned adjacent to the web. The duct is shaped and positioned so as to form an opening into the duct that receives at least a proportion of a layer of dust laden air adjacent to and moving with the web surface, and dust laden air is in turn withdrawn from the duct. The duct is positioned and so shaped that air flow into the opening is augmented by a jet of air generated where the moving surface converges with and comes into contact with a surface of a roller which the web passes over and contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Inventors: David Featherson, David Collins
  • Patent number: 8088227
    Abstract: The invention relates to the continuous cleaning of objects, in particular of semiconductor elements, using ultrasound, wherein the objects to be cleaned are arranged within a liquid. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention. A basic idea of the invention is that the surface of an object to be cleaned (2) in a tank (5) filled with liquid passes through at least one oscillation maximum that is emitted by at least one sound source (8a) being present in the tank (5). According to one embodiment, the sound source fields (8) that are positioned within the tank (5) are arranged inclined with respect to the transport direction (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: RENA GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Bürger, Mirko Löhmann, Richard Herter
  • Patent number: 8080108
    Abstract: A method for the continuous vacuum cleaning of a substrate, characterized in that: a species is chosen that has a low sputtering efficiency and is chemically active with regard to the soiling matter; using at least one linear ion source, a plasma is generated from a gas mixture comprising predominantly the species having a low sputtering efficiency, especially one based on oxygen; and at least one surface portion of the substrate is subjected to the plasma so that said ionized species at least partly eliminates, by chemical reaction, the soiling matter possibly adsorbed or located on the surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Nicolas Nadaud, Eric Mattman, Jean-Paul Rousseau, Marcus Loergen
  • Patent number: 8071956
    Abstract: An ion source includes an arc chamber housing defining an arc chamber having an extraction aperture, and a wiper assembly comprising a wiper positioned outside the arc chamber in a parked position and configured to be driven from the parked position to operational positions to clean the extraction aperture. A wiper assembly for an ion source includes a wiper configured to be positioned outside an arc chamber of the ion source when in a parked position and driven from the parked position to operational positions to clean an extraction aperture of the ion source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig R. Chaney, Alexander S. Perel, Leo V. Klos
  • Patent number: 8057604
    Abstract: A method and a device for descaling a metal strip, in which the metal strip is guided in a direction of conveyance through at least one plasma descaling unit in which it is subjected to a plasma descaling. The metal strip is subjected to an automatically controlled cooling process in a cooling unit following the plasma descaling in the one or more plasma descaling units in such a way that it has a well-defined temperature downstream of the cooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Behrens, Rolf Brisberger, Klaus Frommann, Matthias Kretschmer, Rüdiger Zerbe, Evgeny Stepanovich Senokosov, Andrei Evgenievich Senokosov
  • Patent number: 8025737
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a front-side clean target surface 1a and a back-side clean target surface 1b of a edge portion of a substrate 1 by wiping surfaces 12a, 12b of a cleaning tape 12. The substrate cleaning apparatus includes a presser member 11a for pressing the cleaning tape 12 against the clean target surface 1a, a presser member 11b for pressing the cleaning tape 12 against the clean target surface 1b, a tape path passing through between the presser member 11a and the clean target surface 1a and between the presser member 11b and the clean target surface 1b, a moving device for moving the cleaning tape 12 and the substrate 1 relative to each other in a longitudinal direction of the edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Watanabe, Sakae Kobayashi, Akira Kabeshita
  • Patent number: 8021609
    Abstract: A highly stabilized hydrogen peroxide useful for chemical sterilization of packaging materials in high-speed aseptic packaging plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Solvay Chemicals GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Doetsch, Otmar Woost
  • Publication number: 20110220147
    Abstract: A method of web cleaning, particularly relatively soft polymeric webs, without using dipping baths or ultrasonic energy. The method includes conveying the web against a backup roller and spraying the web with a high pressure liquid while the web is supported by the backup roller. Thereafter, residual fluid from the high pressure stream is stripped from the web by a gas curtain while the web is supported by the backup roller. In many convenient embodiments, the web is contacted with a cleaning roller while the web is in contact with the backup roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Brian E. Schreiber, William Blake Kolb, Keith R. Bruesewitz
  • Patent number: 8007595
    Abstract: A method for in-situ cleaning and inspecting of a tubular, comprising: deploying a closable housing to a tubular, hydraulically opening the closable housing and then hydraulically closing the closable housing around the tubular. Marine growth is removed from the tubular using a marine growth plough and high pressure water from at least one high pressure water jet unit, disposed a cleaning end of the closable housing. The cleaned tubular is inspected using at least one enclosable camera block containing at least one digital camera disposed on an inspection end of the closable housing. Signals from the cameras are communicated to a remote location. Hydraulic fluid and high pressure water are provided from the remote location to the closable housing. A tether is used to roll the closable housing along the tubular for continuous in-situ cleaning and inspection of the tubular without interrupting use of the tubular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Welaptega Marine Limited
    Inventor: Anthony D. Hall
  • Publication number: 20110197632
    Abstract: A fluid applicator (20), for cleaning particles from a glass sheet (2), including a conveyor (40) for supporting the glass sheet, a conveyance plane, and a nozzle (24). The conveyance plane is disposed adjacent the conveyor so that when the glass sheet is conveyed by the conveyor, a surface (6) of the glass sheet is disposed in the conveyance plane. The nozzle has a longitudinal axis (23), wherein the longitudinal axis is disposed at an angle of 30 to 90 degrees with respect to the conveyance plane, and the nozzle is disposed at a distance (21) of less than or equal to 100 mm from the conveyance plane. Also, there is disclosed a method for cleaning particles from a glass sheet, using the fluid applicator. The fluid may be delivered to the nozzle at a pressure of 10 to 80 kg/m2 and a flow rate of from 1 to 20 l/min.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventors: Chih Yuan Lu, Chia Hsien Wu
  • Patent number: 7993467
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to remove matte-sticking adhered to an inner surface of an inclined rear jacket of an exhaust gas hood for collecting exhaust gas discharged during the converter operation in copper smelting. Scraping means 10a˜10f are each provided with a scraping part 20 for scraping off matte-sticking by moving slidably across the inner surface of the rear jacket 8 by driving means 11 from a sidewall of the exhaust gas hood to at least over the centerline L of the width of the rear jacket 8. The scraping means are arranged in pairs at both right and left sidewalls of the exhaust gas hood 6 in multiple levels along the inclination of the rear jacket 8, thereby allowing the matte-sticking adhered to the rear jacket 8 to be removed over almost its entire surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Pan Pacific Copper Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Tsuchie, Masahiro Wakayama, Akira Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7993466
    Abstract: In a method for cleaning a material jet spray head having outside material jet spray cycles, an absorbent member and a wiper are positioned so that at least a section of the absorbent member is interposed between the wiper member and a material outlet device. The absorbent member and the wiper member thus form a cleaning assembly. Relative displacement between the cleaning assembly and the material outlet device occurs along a cleaning plane substantially perpendicular to the elevation direction so that the wiper member scrapes the material outlet device substantially simultaneously with absorption by the absorbent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Gemalto SA
    Inventor: Olivier Aude
  • Patent number: 7951244
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning printed circuit boards are provided. The method includes providing a cleaning apparatus with a housing having a conveyance mechanism for carrying printed circuit boards through the housing. The cleaning apparatus has at least a prewash station, a wash station and a final rinse station therein. The printed circuit boards are carried on the conveyance mechanism to the prewash station. A plurality of fluidic oscillator nozzles of the prewash station are utilized to direct liquid onto the printed circuit boards. Each fluidic oscillator nozzle outputs a stream of liquid with an instantaneous direction that oscillates back and forth relative to a nozzle axis over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Becker, Dirk Ellis
  • Patent number: 7942979
    Abstract: A process for cleaning a wire or the outer surface of a tube using one or more textile or textile-like material strands that runs substantially parallel, but opposite, to the direction of travel of the wire or tube, that may contain at least one cleaning material, and that are arranged to run in the form of at least one loop lying on the wire or tube, characterized in that the speed and the tension of the textile or textile-like material strand is adjusted and regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Boockmann GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Boockmann
  • Patent number: 7862661
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for treating the surfaces of silicon wafers, comprising transport rollers for transporting the silicon wafer, and at least one conveyor device which wets the surface of the silicon wafer with an aqueous medium on a transport plane which is determined by the transport rollers. The conveyor device is configured such that it can apply the process medium to the surface of the silicon wafer, which is oriented in a downward manner and which is arranged on the transport plane. Several suction pipes for suctioning gaseous or mist-like distributed process mediums from the area surrounding the conveyor device are provided. The suction pipes are arranged in the vertical direction below the transport plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Gebr. Schmid GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Heinz Kappler
  • Patent number: 7862688
    Abstract: Methods to control organic contaminants in fibers are described. One method involves contacting the fibers with a composition containing water-soluble cellulose derivative and ester hydrolyzing enzyme, for a sufficient time and in a sufficient amount to control the organic contaminants present in the fibers. This method is effective to reduce stickies in paper mill furnish formed with recycled fibers. A method for pitch control in paper mill furnish formed with virgin fibers is also provided by the additional inclusion of lipoxygenase in the composition. Resulting paper products formed from the processed fibers are also described as well as methods to make them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Buckman Laboratories International, Inc.
    Inventor: George S. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7837801
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning an optical fiber supported by a fiber optic connector. The cleaning apparatus may include a housing, a cleaning tip supported by the housing and a cleaning wipe advanceable along at least a portion of the cleaning tip to clean an optical fiber when the cleaning wipe engages the optical fiber. The apparatus may include one or more automated features which may enhance the effectiveness of the apparatus. The apparatus may include a fluid dispenser to wet at least a portion of the cleaning wipe with a cleaning fluid. The apparatus may be configured to automatically control the force exerted by the cleaning tip against the optical fiber and/or to automatically control tension in the cleaning wipe. Aspects of the invention are directed to a method of cleaning an end face of an optical fiber by advancing a wet portion of a cleaning wipe across the end face, and thereafter advancing a dry portion of the cleaning wipe across the end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: kSARIA Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony J. Christopher, Mark S. Aude
  • Patent number: 7806986
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate cleaning apparatus including a brush cleaning unit which cleans a substrate by making a roll brush in contact with a surface of the substrate, and a transporting unit which conveys the substrate. The roll brush includes a bristle. At least one of a diameter of the roll brush, stiffness of the bristle, and density of the bristle becomes larger from an end portion of the roll brush to a central portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Sinji Ueebisu
  • Patent number: 7806987
    Abstract: The present invention resides in a washing device constructed by a conveyer of a carrying-in side arranged in a frame, a reservoir lower portion having plural rails for holding the work and an ultrasonic generator arranged in this frame, each reservoir upper portion united with this reservoir lower portion, a raising-lowering device for raising and lowering each reservoir upper portion, an arm mechanism for work conveyance, a moving device for controlling advancing and retreating movements of the arm mechanism, a movable device for controlling a swinging return of the arm mechanism, and a conveyer of a carrying-out side for conveying a processed work. The conveyer and the rail of each reservoir lower portion are approximately arranged on the same face. The work is horizontally moved through this conveyer and the rail and is washed and dried by utilizing the union of each reservoir lower portion and each reservoir upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Fine Machine Kataoka Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Keiji Kataoka
  • Patent number: 7799142
    Abstract: A board terminal cleaning apparatus for cleaning a terminal portion by bringing a cleaning member in contact with the terminal portion of a board comprises a first support member that supports the cleaning member in a first position, a second support member that supports the cleaning member in a second position, a cleaning head that pressurizes part of the cleaning member supported between the first position and the second position by bringing the part in contact with the terminal portion of the board, a support member moving unit that moves the first support member and the second support member in the direction along the terminal portion, and a cleaning head moving unit that moves the cleaning head in the direction along the terminal portion at a second movement velocity different from the first movement velocity of the first support member and the second support member by the support member moving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaya Watanabe, Shinjiro Tsuji, Keiji Fujiwara, Ryouichirou Katano
  • Publication number: 20100229889
    Abstract: A system for removing ink from a substrate. The system includes an ink separator configured to separate the ink from the substrate; and a substrate conveyor configured to provide the substrate to the ink separator. Accordingly, the ink can be removed from the substrate such that the substrate can be re-used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER INCORPORATED
    Inventor: ERIC J. SHRADER
  • Patent number: 7767025
    Abstract: Systems and methods for treating workpieces are described. One embodiment relates to a deflux system including at least one array of nozzles, the nozzles adapted to transmit a fluid outward therefrom. The nozzles are moveable relative to one another, so that a distance between adjacent nozzles can be varied. The nozzles are individually adjustable with respect to an angle of spray emitted therefrom during operation. The system also includes a controller adapted to send a signal to each of the nozzles to transmit the fluid therethrough at a desired angle at a desired time. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Harikrishnan Ramanan, Yongqian J. Wang
  • Patent number: 7763117
    Abstract: A method for the manufacture of extended steel products. The steel product is initially contaminated by oils and by at least one of organic and inorganic particles that are suspended or dissolved in the oils. Following the shaping of the steel product by working but before the subsequent treatment of the steel product, burners emit exhaust gases that interact directly with the surface of the steel product. The burners are driven by an oxidant that contains at least 80% oxygen by weight, whereby oils that are present on the product are vaporized and combusted. The exhaust gases interact with the surface of the steel product with a speed that is sufficiently high to blow away organic and/or inorganic particles from the surface of the steel product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: AGA AB
    Inventors: Ola Ritzén, Tomas Ekman, Lennart Rangmark
  • Patent number: 7727336
    Abstract: A glass sheet washing machine with a broken glass removal system includes a support, a liquid container or reservoir, a pump, a liquid applicator, and a liquid permeable member. The support supports a glass sheet being washed. The liquid reservoir is positioned below the support. The pump is coupled to the liquid reservoir. The liquid applicator is coupled to the pump. The liquid applicator applies the liquid from the liquid reservoir to wash the glass sheet. Excess liquid falls into the reservoir. The liquid permeable member is positioned between the support and the liquid reservoir to catch pieces of glass to inhibit the pieces of broken glass from falling into the liquid reservoir and is moved to remove the pieces from the glass washing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: GED Integrated Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Robert Dickerson, Timothy Robert Hall, Robert R. Sheperd, Diana Patricia Foltz, Michael Steven Misura
  • Patent number: RE42420
    Abstract: The wet treatment liquid feed nozzle of the invention comprises an introducing path having an introducing port, a discharging path having a discharging port, a crossing section formed by causing the introducing path and the discharging path to cross at the other ends thereof, a nozzle assembly having an opening section opening to an object to be treated, provided at the crossing section, and pressure control means, for controlling the difference between the pressure of the wet treatment liquid in contact with the object to be treated and the atmospheric pressure provided at least on the discharging path side so that the wet treatment liquid having been in contact with the object to be treated via the opening section does not flow to outside the discharging path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Organo Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Mitsumori, Yasuhiko Kasama, Akira Abe, Oh Eui Yeol, Tadahiro Ohmi, Takashi Imaoka, Masayuki Toda