Methods Patents (Class 219/121.71)
  • Patent number: 11911811
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a mask includes a chamber in which material deposition is performable on a substrate using the mask, the chamber including a transmission window through which light used in cleaning the mask within the chamber is irradiated into the chamber from outside thereof; within the chamber: a stage on which the substrate is disposed, the stage disposed in a plane defined by first and second directions crossing each other; and a material deposition unit from which a deposition material is provided to the substrate; and a light irradiation unit from which is provided the light used in cleaning the mask within the chamber. The light irradiation unit is disposed outside the chamber and irradiates the light into the chamber through the transmission window. The material deposition unit disposed within the chamber and the light irradiation unit disposed outside the chamber are reciprocally movable in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Myungkyu Kim
  • Patent number: 11865643
    Abstract: A drilling device with a controllable femtosecond laser processing taper includes a femtosecond laser and a precision motion table. A support mechanism is provided along the central axis of the precision motion table, and a clamp is provided on the top of the support mechanism. The output end of the femtosecond laser is provided with a beam expander. The output end of the beam expander is provided with a reflection mirror. The output end of the reflection mirror is provided with a beam scanning module. The output end of the beam scanning module is provided with a semi-focusing mirror. The output end of the semi-focusing mirror is provided with a semi-transmissive reflection mirror arranged at 45 degrees. The reflection output end of the semi-transmissive reflection mirror is provided with a high-precision three-dimensional on-line monitoring module, and the transmission output end of the semi-transmissive reflection mirror faces the clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: LYNCWELL INNOVATION INTELLIGENT SYSTEM (ZHEJIANG) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fengping Li, Guang Feng, Xiaogang Li, Guang Ma, Yao Xue, Rong Zhong, Dehua Zhu, Jihong Pang, Liqu Lin, Chengji Lu
  • Patent number: 11813698
    Abstract: In a laser cutting method, a cut slit of a welding protruding-tab configured to be bent by laser cutting along an outline of a processed part and press a peripheral surface of the processed part is laser-cut in advance in a periphery of the processed part that is cut from a workpiece, and an outline slit is formed by performing laser cutting along the outline of the processed part and a free end of the welding protruding-tab is welded to the peripheral surface of the processed part. According to the above described laser cutting method, it is possible to retain the processed part reliably and stably for a long period, and it is possible to easily separate the processed part from the workpiece with almost no trace left on the processed part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Amada Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Hara, Masato Kunihiro
  • Patent number: 11813706
    Abstract: A manufacturing method is provided during which a preform component for a turbine engine is provided. The preform component includes a substrate. An outer coating is applied over the substrate. A characteristic of the outer coating is determined. Instructions for forming a cooling aperture are revised based on the characteristic of the outer coating to provide revised instructions. The cooling aperture is formed in the outer coating and the substrate based on the revised instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian Craig, James M. Koonankeil, Brian T. Hazel, Paul E. Denney, Dominic J. Mongillo
  • Patent number: 11717917
    Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes: a work support portion which supports the work and forms a closed space between the work and the work support portion; pads which are movable upward and downward inside the closed space and include upper surfaces respectively coming into contact with regions obtained by dividing a processing object region having the through-holes formed in the work to surround the region of the work over one circle when the pads move upward; a drive unit which drives the pads to move forward and backward between a state in which the pad is in contact with the work and a state in which the pad is separated from the work; a gas supply unit which supplies a gas into the closed space; and clamps which contact the work supported by the work support portion on inner circumferential surfaces and outer circumferential surfaces from above over one circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Kobayashi, Naruhiko Okubo, Kenichi Fukami, Seiichi Kouketsu, Kenji Sugai
  • Patent number: 11592401
    Abstract: A turbine blade or vane inspection apparatus comprising a controller, mounting for holding a turbine blade or vane, a source of illumination, and a camera. At least two of the source of illumination, the camera, and the mounting are moveable components. The controller is configured to control the moveable components to (a) position the turbine blade or vane mounted thereon relative to the illumination source so as to provide a contrast of illumination between a feature of the turbine blade or vane and an adjacent surface of the turbine blade or vane and (b), position the camera so that the optical axis of the camera is directed towards the feature. The controller is further configured to determine a dimension and/or shape of the feature based on an image obtained by the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Erodex (UK) Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard O'Loughlin, Steve Rolinson
  • Patent number: 11413703
    Abstract: An apparatus and method regarding forming a cooling hole in a component for a turbine engine, with the component held in a hole-forming machine with a laser carried on a multi-axis carriage and defining an optical path, the method comprising forming a set of cooling holes in the component with a laser mounted to the multi-axis carriage, estimating a total airflow through the set of cooling holes based on a set of data regarding the flow effectiveness of the set of cooling holes, and forming a second set of cooling holes with the laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kathleen Lombard Hendricks, Richard Bryan Guiney, Lenin Ramasamy Ramachandran, Brian James Crockett, Anthony S. Urbanski, Brenda Catherine Tenley
  • Patent number: 11389839
    Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a mask includes a chamber in which material deposition is performable on a substrate using the mask, the chamber including a transmission window through which light used in cleaning the mask within the chamber is irradiated into the chamber from outside thereof; within the chamber: a stage on which the substrate is disposed, the stage disposed in a plane defined by first and second directions crossing each other; and a material deposition unit from which a deposition material is provided to the substrate; and a light irradiation unit from which is provided the light used in cleaning the mask within the chamber. The light irradiation unit is disposed outside the chamber and irradiates the light into the chamber through the transmission window. The material deposition unit disposed within the chamber and the light irradiation unit disposed outside the chamber are reciprocally movable in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Myungkyu Kim
  • Patent number: 11389899
    Abstract: A laser processing system that can effectively blow out a material of a workpiece that is melted by a laser beam by effectively utilizing an assist gas emitted from a nozzle. The laser processing system includes a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; a measuring instrument configured to measure a supply flow rate of the assist gas to the nozzle; and a position acquisition section configured to acquire the position of the maximum point from a measurement value of the measuring instrument by predetermined calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Izumi
  • Patent number: 11371386
    Abstract: A method for producing a diffusion cooling hole extending between a wall having a first wall surface and a second wall surface includes forming a cooling hole inlet at the first wall surface, forming a cooling hole outlet at the second wall surface, forming a metering section downstream from the inlet and forming a multi-lobed diffusing section between the metering section and the outlet. The inlet, outlet, metering section and multi-lobed diffusing section are formed by laser drilling, particle beam machining, fluid jet guided laser machining, mechanical machining, masking and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gordon Miller Reed, Paul R. Faughnan, Jr., John Quitter
  • Patent number: 11360385
    Abstract: Methods and systems for manufacturing an optical waveguide include depositing an adhesion promoting layer on a substrate. Multiple curable resist droplets are dispensed on the adhesion promoting layer. The adhesion promoting layer is disposed between and contacts the substrate and the curable resist droplets. The curable resist droplets define an optical eyepiece layer such that a zero residual layer thickness (RLT) region of the optical eyepiece layer is free of the curable resist droplets. The optical eyepiece layer is incised from the substrate to form the optical waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Huihang Dong, Thomas Mercier, Vikramjit Singh, Kang Luo, Tasha Amit Mangaldas, William Hudson Welch, Qizhen Xue, Frank Y. Xu
  • Patent number: 11338392
    Abstract: A cutting method for forming a chamfered corner includes a step of selecting a light pattern-adjusting module according to a pre-cut chamfer angle, a step of the light pattern-adjusting module emitting a laser beam to a substrate and thus forming a modified region extending in a thickness direction at the substrate, a step of the light pattern-adjusting module adjusting an axial energy distribution of a light pattern of the laser beam to vary an appearance of the modified region so as to form the modified region fulfilling the pre-cut chamfer angle, and a step of etching the substrate having the modified region to form a chamfered surface on the substrate by cutting the modified region from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Hsin-Yu Chang, Fu-Lung Chou, Chien-Jung Huang, Yu-Chung Lin, Min-Kai Lee
  • Patent number: 11318527
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing for finishing ceramic core flash. Locating a first hole on a ceramic core by a laser sensor on a robot. Probing for a center of the first hole by a force-torque sensor on the robot. Scanning for an axial position of a second hole on the ceramic core. Scanning for a third hole on the ceramic core. Probing for a center of the third hole. Determining axial and radial scale factors based on the first hole location and the third hole location. Uploading the axial and radial scale factors to the robot Multiplying the X component position by the axial scale factor and the Z component position by the radial scale factor in an array format. Cutting a designated scaled location along the ceramic core to remove flash. Repeating process for additional scaled locations along the ceramic core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Timothy Troyer, Gabriela Garcia-Antunez, Robert Bruce, Andrew Belling, Lara Richerson, Douglas Bibb
  • Patent number: 11292082
    Abstract: A method of laser processing of a metallic material is described by means of a focused laser beam having a predetermined transverse power distribution on at least one working plane of the material, comprising the steps of: providing a laser beam emitting source; leading the laser beam along a beam transport optical path to a working head arranged in proximity to the material; collimating the laser beam along an optical axis of propagation incident on the material; focusing the collimated laser beam in an area of a working plane of the material; and conducting the focused laser beam along a working path on the metallic material comprising a succession of working areas, wherein the laser beam is shaped: by reflecting the collimated beam by means of a deformable controlled surface reflecting element having a plurality of independently movable reflection areas, and by controlling the arrangement of the reflection areas to establish a predetermined transverse power distribution of the beam on at least one worki
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: ADIGE S.p.A.
    Inventor: Maurizio Sbetti
  • Patent number: 11285564
    Abstract: A laser processing head includes parallel plate (17) that shifts an optical axis of a laser beam to be emitted from a top to a bottom of body case (6) from a first optical axis to a second optical axis, parallel plate (19) that shift the optical axis of the laser beam from the second optical axis to a third optical axis, and body case (6) that accommodates holders (7 and 18) that respectively hold parallel plates (17 and 19). The laser processing head further includes a rotation mechanism that rotates holders (7 and 18) around a first rotary axis. Opening (7a) that a laser beam reflected by an incident surface of second parallel plate (19) passes through is formed in holder (7), and light receiving part (6a) that receives the laser beam having passed through opening (7a) is disposed in body case (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Ryudo, Doukei Nagayasu, Hitoshi Nishimura, Jingbo Wang, Masatoshi Nishio, Hideaki Yamaguchi, Yoshiaki Takenaka, Kiyotaka Eizumi, Ryo Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11219965
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods and systems for piercing, drilling, or cutting metal workpieces in a laser processing operation. The methods include focusing a pulsed laser beam onto a processing location on a workpiece; detecting process radiation emitted from the processing location; determining an intensity of the process radiation at a plurality of temporally sequential times during pulse pauses; determining an intensity gradient of the process radiation; comparing the intensity gradient with a gradient threshold value; and detecting a spontaneous material removal on the workpiece when the number of times the gradient threshold value has been exceeded is above a predetermined limit value. When a spontaneous material removal is detected, the system changes one or both of a laser parameter and a processing parameter of the laser processing operation. The disclosure also relates to processing machines for carrying out the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: TRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Spiess, Markus Blaschka
  • Patent number: 11194255
    Abstract: A laser processing method of performing laser processing on a transparent material that is transparent to ultraviolet light by using a laser processing system includes: performing relative positioning of a transfer position of a transfer image and the transparent material in an optical axis direction of a pulse laser beam so that the transfer position is set at a position inside the transparent material at a predetermined depth ?Zsf from a surface of the transparent material in the optical axis direction; and irradiating the transparent material with the pulse laser beam having a pulse width of 1 ns to 100 ns inclusive and a beam diameter of 10 ?m to 150 ?m inclusive at the transfer position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Kakizaki, Masakazu Kobayashi, Akira Suwa, Osamu Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 11185675
    Abstract: A connector is disclosed that includes comprising a body having a tubing portion, a luer portion axially opposite the tubing portion and connected thereto, and an inner circumferential surface defining an internal bore of the connector. The inner circumferential surface extends axially between the tubing portion and the luer portion, and the internal bore being is in fluid communication with the tubing portion and the luer portion. The inner circumferential surface includes a plurality of splines extending axially along a length of the inner circumferential surface in the tubing portion of the connector. The inner circumferential surface is configured to engage an external surface of a tubing in a coupled configuration. In the coupled configuration edges of the splines grip and engage the external surface of the tubing to retain the tubing in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CAREFUSION 303, INC.
    Inventors: Raymond P. Feith, Randall D. Kipp
  • Patent number: 11179809
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a glass substrate having holes includes irradiating a plurality of hole formation target positions of a dummy glass substrate with a laser under a first condition, to form a plurality of holes in the dummy glass substrate; heating the dummy glass substrate under a second condition; measuring, for each of the hole formation target positions, a deviation between the hole formation target position and a position of the hole after the heating formed by irradiating the hole formation target position of the dummy glass substrate; irradiating irradiation target positions of a glass substrate, having substantially same shape, dimension and composition as the dummy glass substrate, with a laser under the first condition, to form a plurality of holes, the irradiation target positions of the glass substrate with the laser being determined taking into account the deviation; and heating the glass substrate under the second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: AGC INC.
    Inventor: Motoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 11136891
    Abstract: A wall of a hot gas part, having a first surface subjectable to a cooling fluid, a second surface located opposite of the first surface and subjectable to a hot gas and, at least one film cooling hole extending from an inlet area located within the first surface to an outlet area located within the second surface for leading the cooling fluid from the first surface to the second surface. The respective film cooling hole has a diffusor section located upstream of the outlet area, the diffusor section is bordered at least by a diffusor bottom and two opposing diffusor side walls, wherein the diffusor section has a delta wedge element for dividing the cooling fluid flow into two sub-flows and subsequent formation of a pair of delta vortices. The respective delta wedge element protrudes in a step-wise manner from the diffusor bottom and is, in a top view, triangular-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ralph Gossilin, Andreas Heselhaus
  • Patent number: 11117222
    Abstract: A method is for processing a cooling hole on a workpiece with laser. The cooling hole includes a shaped hole section. The method includes emitting a first laser pulse to a rough processing part in the position of the shaped hole section to be processed on the workpiece according to the geometrical parameters of the shaped hole section so as to remove the material of the workpiece; and emitting a second laser pulse to the processing allowance part beyond the rough processing part of the shaped hole section to be processed according to the geometrical parameters of the shaped hole section so as to remove the material allowance of the workpiece on the processing allowance part. The energy of the first laser pulse is relatively larger than that of the second laser pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Beck, Hong Tao Li
  • Patent number: 11065820
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, system and methods are provided comprising receiving input including: coordinates of one or more regions to be fabricated on a build plate, a laser boundary for each of two or more lasers, wherein the lasers fabricate the one or more regions, and a processing time for each region; deriving a prioritized sequence of the one or more regions to be fabricated; determining, based on the received coordinates and received laser boundary, one or more potential lasers assignments for each region; determining, based on the determined potential laser assignments, the prioritized sequence of the one or more regions, and the processing time for each region, a laser-to-region sequence for the one or more lasers to fabricate the one or more regions; assigning the determined laser-to-region sequence to the one or more lasers for fabrication of the one or more regions. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nitish Umang, Kai Hertel, Christian Wacker, Subhrajit Roychowdhury, David Toledano, Srinivas Bollapragada
  • Patent number: 11033985
    Abstract: A method of reducing photoelectron yield (PEY) and/or secondary electron yield (SEY) of a surface of a target (10), comprises applying laser radiation to the surface of the target (10) to produce a periodic arrangement of structures on the surface, wherein the laser radiation comprises pulsed laser radiation comprising a series of laser pulses and the power density of the pulses is in a range 0.01 TW/cm2 to 3 TW/cm2, optionally 0.1 TW/cm2 to 3 TW/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE
    Inventor: Amin Abdolvand
  • Patent number: 11021963
    Abstract: A component is provided for a gas turbine engine. This component includes a monolithic body configured with an internal passage. The internal passage extends along a centerline within the monolithic body. The internal passage has a cross-sectional geometry perpendicular to the centerline. The cross-sectional geometry of at least a first portion of the internal passage has a teardrop shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Binek, Jesse R. Boyer
  • Patent number: 11000918
    Abstract: To prevent an output decrease of laser light due to impurities that could be formed in a guide-light emitting device or an imaging device. A laser-light guiding section includes a transmission window section, an optical component disposed to cause an optical path of the UV laser light emitted from the laser-light output section and an optical path of transmitted light transmitted through the transmission window section to cross, and a sealing member in which the transmission window section is provided, the sealing member configuring a sealed space for airtightly housing the optical component. At least one of a guide-light emitting device configured to emit guide light for visualizing a scanning position of the UV laser light toward the transmission window section and an imaging device configured to receive light for imaging a workpiece via the transmission window section is disposed on the outer side of the sealed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: KEYENCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mamoru Idaka, Masaki Saito, Hideki Yamakawa, Kazuyoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10961896
    Abstract: A method provides for manufacturing a flap carrier for an exhaust gas flap, especially for the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine. The method includes providing a flap housing (50) and providing a stop ring (48). The stop ring (48) is inserted into the flap housing (50) in a position corresponding to an installed position. The stop ring (48) is fixed to the flap housing (50). Subsequently to fixing the stop ring (48) to the flap housing (50), at least one shaft opening (60, 62) for a pivot shaft carrying a flap diaphragm with at least one flap wing is inserted into the stop ring (48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Eberspächer Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Annika Zeumer, Steffen Schmitt, Stefanos Varelis, Ralf Hölsch
  • Patent number: 10960494
    Abstract: A method and device for producing a tear line on a planar workpiece by material removal by means of a pulsed laser, wherein machining cycles are preceded by a method step for generating and storing a reference signal curve which is formed by reference signals, causing the pulse amplitude of the laser pulses, via removal locations along the contour of the tear line. The achievement of a respective predetermined percentage of the reference signal or of an absolute distance from the reference signal by a measurement signal is used as the space-resolved deactivation criterion for each removal location, which measurement signal is obtained from a transmitted part of the pulse amplitude at the respective removal location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: JENOPTIK Automatisierungstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Lutze, Martin Griebel, Jurgen Weisser, Frank Seidel
  • Patent number: 10906131
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a method for processing a film, which includes: (A) a step wherein protective films are temporarily bonded to both surfaces of a film that is a material to be processed, thereby obtaining a film to be processed to both surfaces of which the protective films are bonded; and (B) a step wherein the film to be processed to both surfaces of which the protective films are bonded is cut using a laser having a wavelength at which the protective films have an absorbance of 50% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Taketo Hashimoto, Hiroyuki Tomomatsu
  • Patent number: 10857627
    Abstract: A fiber laser-treated workpiece is configured with a body having a discontinuous surface which defines a plurality of spaced through-going passages so that each passage is delimited by a peripheral layer having a surface characteristic which includes a recast layer or one or more microcracks or a combination thereof. The passages are provided by a high power Yb fiber laser operating in a pulsed regime and configured to output either a single pulse per an entire passage or a train of pulses per the passage. The Yb fiber laser is so configured that, if formed, the recast layer and micro-crack each are smaller than respective standards in an airspace industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: IPG PHOTONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: William Shiner, Steven Maynard
  • Patent number: 10801753
    Abstract: A method for introducing a protective gas into an annular space of a receiver tube, in particular for solar collectors, is provided where the annular space is formed at least by one outer cladding tube and an inner absorber tube of the receiver tube and the outer cladding tube is connected to the absorber tube by a wall. The method includes producing an opening that penetrates the cladding tube or the wall, introducing protective gas through the opening into the annular space, and subsequently closing the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SCHOTT AG
    Inventor: Thomas Kuckelkorn
  • Patent number: 10792759
    Abstract: Provided is a laser processing method in which a laser processing head for irradiating, with at least a short-pulse laser, a processed article having a protection layer laminated to a metal layer is used to process the processed article, whereby high-quality, highly accurate processing is possible by means of a short-pulse laser processing step for irradiating the protection layer with the short-pulse laser and ablating the protection layer, and a metal layer processing step for ablating the metal layer in the area that was ablated during the short-pulse laser processing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Saneyuki Goya, Masato Kinouchi, Atsushi Takita, Minoru Danno, Toshiya Watanabe, Takashi Ishide
  • Patent number: 10792767
    Abstract: A laser preheating control method is applied to a laser preheating control device. When a cutter processes a workpiece along a process path, a laser source of the device is provided to output a laser beam to the workpiece for selectively forming a laser spot on the workpiece surface. And according to a movement direction of the cutter, a laser controller of the device is provided to form the laser spot only on a preheating region of the workpiece, where in front of the cutter in the process path, for preheating the workpiece in the preheating region. As a result, the laser spot will not repeatedly heat the workpiece behind the cutter in the process path, and the qualitative change of the workpiece caused by repeating heating is preventable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignees: Metal Industries Research & Development Centre, Parfaite Tool Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Ting Lu, Yu-Fu Lin, Jui-Teng Chen, Wen-Long Chang, Chih-Hung Chou
  • Patent number: 10763436
    Abstract: A technique, comprising: forming a stack comprising a semiconductor layer for providing the semiconductor channels of one or more transistors, and an insulator layer; and patterning the stack so as to form in a single process both: (i) one or more interconnection holes for connecting a conductor level on one side of the stack to a conductor level on the opposite side of the stack; and (ii) one or more leakage reduction trenches for reducing leakage paths via the semiconductor between conductor elements on one side of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: FLEXENABLE LIMITED
    Inventor: Elizabeth Speechley
  • Patent number: 10722982
    Abstract: Methods for forming a hole in a coated component are provided. The method may include forming a sacrificial layer over a ceramic barrier coating of a substrate, drilling a hole into the coated component such that any spatter formed during drilling deposits onto the sacrificial layer, and removing the sacrificial layer along with the spatter deposited thereon. The sacrificial layer may include a rare earth oxide (e.g., rare earth oxide particles). Intermediate ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component are also provided. The intermediate CMC may include a CMC body, an environmental barrier coating on the bond coating, and a sacrificial layer on the environmental barrier coating, with the sacrificial layer including particles of a rare earth oxide dispersed in a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Glen Harold Kirby
  • Patent number: 10503148
    Abstract: A computer aided technology system includes a processor. The processor may receive a design model for a blade that has multiple diffuser holes. Also, the processor may derive a hole position and a vector for each of the multiple diffuser holes. In addition, the processor may translate the hole position to a machine coordinate system to create a translated hole position. Moreover, the processor may generate a manufacturing program based on the translated hole position and the vector. The blade includes a stator vane, a rotor vane, or a combination thereof. Further, the blade is included in a compressor, a gas turbine engine, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jason Anton Byers, Anthony Centa, Zhaoli Hu, Brian Christopher Wheeler
  • Patent number: 10471552
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for repairing components. A material layer may be deposited on a surface of a component. The material layer may cover a cooling hole. A pulsed heat source may heat the component and the material layer. An infrared camera may take a series of images of the component. A location of the cooling hole may be identified based on thermal properties of the component. A removal tool may remove a portion of the material layer in order to expose the cooling hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Raulerson, Kevin D. Smith, Zhong Ouyang, Lisa J. Brasche, William J. Brindley, David N. Potter
  • Patent number: 10391586
    Abstract: An aluminum covered with an anodically formed aluminum oxide layer is marked by repeated bursts of two or more individual laser pulses. The intensity of the individual pulses in the bursts is kept below a level experimentally determined to compromise the integrity of the aluminum oxide layer. The collective fluence in a burst is sufficient to mark the aluminum, but not sufficient to compromise the integrity of the oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Coherent, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward C. Rea, Jr., Hatim Haloui
  • Patent number: 10376989
    Abstract: An assembly and method of reducing discoloration of a foam material resulting from laser processing the material comprising an assembly configured for positioning below the material being processed and for directing air into open cells of the open-cell foam material to pressurize the material during laser processing. The assembly comprises an air delivery mechanism comprising one or more apertures for an air chamber positioned directly below the material travel path. Aligning the one or more apertures with the axis of the laser beam and its focal point when the material is positioned above the one or more apertures and pressurizing or filling of the open cells with air in the direct vicinity of the target area reduces processing related discoloration of the material. The cells are laser processed concurrently with pressurization thereby substantially reducing settling of debris and smoke on the material and reducing discoloration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: PRESCO, INC.
    Inventors: Austin Dando, Daniel B. Miller, Joshua Butz, Donald R. Sloan
  • Patent number: 10307862
    Abstract: A series of laser pulse bundles or bursts are used for micromachining target structures. Each burst includes short laser pulses with temporal pulse widths that are less than approximately 1 nanosecond. A laser micromachining method includes generating a burst of laser pulses and adjusting an envelope of the burst of laser pulses for processing target locations. The method includes adjusting the burst envelope by selectively adjusting one or more first laser pulses within the burst to a first amplitude based on processing characteristics of a first feature at a target location, and selectively adjusting one or more second laser pulses within the burst to a second amplitude based on processing characteristics of a second feature at the target location. The method further includes directing the amplitude adjusted burst of laser pulses to the target location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES, INC
    Inventor: Yunlong Sun
  • Patent number: 10160059
    Abstract: A head assembly for a liquid jet guided laser system is disclosed having a coupling unit removably disposed to a laser focus optic module of the laser system. The coupling unit has a nozzle assembly removably connected to the coupling unit. The nozzle assembly has a liquid jet nozzle and a nozzle cap. The nozzle cap has a plurality of axial assist gas conduits and static assist gas conduits in fluid communication with an assist gas source extending through the nozzle cap body to individually transport assist gas to axial exit ports and static exit ports positioned to exhaust assist gas proximate the liquid jet. At least a portion of the plurality of axial assist gas conduits are partitioned from fluid communication with the liquid jet hole. A lateral movement assembly can be configured between the laser focus optic module and coupling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Zhaoli Hu, Abe Denis Darling, William A. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: 10156075
    Abstract: A roofing component formed of polyethylene thermoplastic treated to prevent degradation due to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light and an apparatus and method of forming the same. The UV treatment may include one or more of a UV absorber and a UV inhibitor. In one embodiment, the UV absorber comprises carbon black that is mixed with the polyethylene thermoplastic. The roofing component may comprise step flashing or a shingle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Inventor: Michael John McDonough
  • Patent number: 10115521
    Abstract: An electronic component includes a multilayer body formed by laminating an insulator substrate and a plurality of insulator layers, a coil including coil conductors provided on the insulator substrate, and an internal magnetic path penetrating the insulator substrate. A manufacturing method for the electronic component includes: forming the coil conductors and a sacrificial conductor at the same time on a mother insulator substrate, which is the assemblage of a plurality of the insulator substrates; laminating insulator sheets, which are to be the corresponding insulator layers mentioned above, on the mother insulator substrate so as to cover the coil conductors; and exposing the sacrifice conductor by removing part of the insulator sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akinori Hamada
  • Patent number: 10096731
    Abstract: A method for vias and monolithic interconnects in thin-film optoelectronic devices (100, 200) wherein at least one line segment via hole (163, 165, 165?, 167) is formed by laser drilling and passes through front-contact layers (150, 152, 154, 156, 158) and semiconductive active layer (130), and wherein laser drilling causes forming a CIGS-type wall (132, 134, 136, 138) of electrically conductive permanently metalized copper-rich CIGS-type alloy at the inner surface (135) of the via hole, thereby forming a conductive path between at least a portion of front-contact and a portion of back-contact layers (120, 124, 126, 128, 129), forming a bump-shaped raised portion (155) at the surface of the front-contact layer, forming a raised portion (125, 127, 127?) of the back-contact layer, and optionally forming a raised portion of copper-rich CIGS-type alloy (155?) covering a portion of the front-contact layer (150). A thin-film CIGS device comprises at least one line segment via hole obtainable by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: FLISOM AG
    Inventors: Roger Ziltener, Thomas Netter
  • Patent number: 10022790
    Abstract: A method of forming an airfoil (12), including: abutting end faces (72) of cantilevered film hole protrusions (64) extending from a ceramic core (50) against an inner surface (80) of a wax die (68) to hold the ceramic core in a fixed positional relationship with the wax die; casting an airfoil including a superalloy around the ceramic core; and machining film cooling holes (34) in the airfoil after the casting step to form an pattern of film cooling holes comprising the film cooling holes formed by the machining step and the cast film cooling holes (102) formed by the film hole protrusions during the casting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignees: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, MIKRO SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Nan Jiang
  • Patent number: 9887102
    Abstract: A multi-chip package structure is provided, including a substrate having a grounding structure; two semiconductor elements disposed on and electrically connected to the substrate; an encapsulant formed on the substrate and encapsulating semiconductor elements, wherein the encapsulant has a plurality of round holes formed between the semiconductor elements; and an electromagnetic shielding structure formed in each of the round holes and connected to the grounding structure to achieve electromagnetic shielding effects. A method for forming the multi-chip package is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Siliconware Precision Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tai-Tsung Hsu, Cheng-Yu Chiang, Miao-Wen Chen, Wen-Jung Chiang, Hsin-Hung Lee
  • Patent number: 9883088
    Abstract: A method of assembling a camera suitable for vehicular use includes providing a lens accommodated in a lens barrel, a camera front housing, and a printed circuit board with an imager disposed thereat. An adhesive is dispensed to establish a layer of uncured adhesive one of (i) between the lens barrel and a front portion of the camera front housing and (ii) between the printed circuit board and a rear portion of the camera front housing. With the lens in focus with the imager and optically center-aligned therewith, the adhesive is initially cured to an initially-cured state in an initial radiation curing process that includes exposure to UV light for a first period of time. The initially-cured adhesive is further cured to a further-cured state in a secondary curing process. The further-cured state is achieved within a second period of time that is longer than the first period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Brian J. Winden, Robert A. Devota, Matthew C. Sesti, Joseph A. Stemmer, Steven V. Byrne, John R. Garcia, David F. Olson
  • Patent number: 9758876
    Abstract: A method for forming a plurality of precision holes in a substrate by drilling, including affixing a sacrificial cover layer to a surface of the substrate, positioning a laser beam in a predetermined location relative to the substrate and corresponding to a desired location of one of the plurality of precision holes, forming a through hole in the sacrificial cover layer by repeatedly pulsing a laser beam at the predetermined location, and pulsing the laser beam into the through hole formed in the sacrificial cover layer. A work piece having precision holes including a substrate having the precision holes formed therein, wherein a longitudinal axis of each precision hole extends in a thickness direction of the substrate, and a sacrificial cover layer detachably affixed to a surface of the substrate, such that the sacrificial cover layer reduces irregularities of the precision holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Aric Bruce Shorey, Garrett Andrew Piech, Xinghua Li, John Christopher Thomas, John Tyler Keech, Jeffrey John Domey, Paul John Shustack
  • Patent number: 9717610
    Abstract: Polymeric composite stents reinforced with fibers for implantation into a bodily lumen are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Bin Huang, David C. Gale
  • Patent number: 9707645
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the disclosure may include systems, methods, and apparatus for locating and drilling closed holes of a gas turbine component. According to an example embodiment, the method can include receiving position data associated with one or more holes in a gas turbine component; receiving predefined hole position data from manufacturing data associated with the gas turbine component; determining at least one missing hole, based at least in part on comparing the received position data to the predefined hole position data; and drilling at least one hole in the gas turbine component corresponding to the determined at least one missing hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yusuf Eren Ozturk, Selami Haydar Icli
  • Patent number: 9676062
    Abstract: Process for producing a line of weakness in a cover element comprising at least one slit. This slit is produced through a plurality of machining cycles in which a pulsed laser beam is guided in each instance over the cover element along an imaginary line so that the energy of the laser pulses is introduced into the cover element. The slits are produced in two segments. More energy is introduced over the machining cycles in the first, comparatively short segments than in the second, comparatively long segments. The residual wall below the slits decreases with each machining cycle until the first residual wall segment thickness in the first segment is so small that energy portions transmit through the first residual wall segment and are detected by a sensor arrangement arranged downstream. Accordingly, the first residual wall segment thickness is detected, and inferences can be drawn from this about the second residual wall segment thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: JENOPTIK Automatisierungstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Lutze, Martin Griebel, Juergen Weisser