Radio Or High-frequency Energy Patents (Class 34/255)
  • Patent number: 6539644
    Abstract: A method for controlling differential shrinkage during drying of ceramic honeycomb substrates by heating the ceramic honeycomb substrate with a vapor-insulating guard disposed substantially about the ceramic honeycomb substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Carlos R. Araya
  • Publication number: 20030015218
    Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are cleaned using megasonic energy to agitate cleaning fluid applied to the wafer. A source of energy vibrates an elongated probe which transmits the acoustic energy into the fluid. The probe has a solid cleaning rod and a flared or stepped rear base. In one form, the probe is made of one piece, and in another, the rod fits into a socket in the base. This enables a rod to be made of material which is compatible with the cleaning solution, while the base may be of a different material. A heat transfer member acoustically coupled to the probe base and to a transducer conducts heat away from the transducer. A housing for the heat transfer member and the transducer supports those components and provides means for conducting coolant through the housing to control the temperature of the transducer. In another arrangement, an end of the housing is coupled between the transducer and the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventor: Mario E. Bran
  • Patent number: 6463677
    Abstract: Method and device for moisture profiling of fibrous material web to be dried in machines for manufacturing and/or refining of fibrous material web. Method includes subjecting fibrous material web to electromagnetic waves in the form of high-frequency waves. Device includes a fibrous material web support that supports travel of fibrous material web and a rotating cylinder. Rotating cylinder receives fibrous material web from fibrous material web support, and fibrous material web support is arranged outside fibrous material web in relation to the surface of the rotating cylinder. At least one electromagnetic wave transmitter is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Wolf, Markus Oechsle, Wolfgang Mayer, Roland Mayer, Frank Wegehaupt
  • Patent number: 6449871
    Abstract: A process chamber 25 for processing a semiconductor substrate, comprises a support for supporting a substrate 50. A gas distributor 90 provided for introducing process gas into the chamber 25, comprises a gas nozzle for injecting process gas at an inclined angle relative to a plane of the substrate 50, into the chamber 25. Optionally, a gas flow controller 100 controls and pulses the flow of process gas through one or more gas nozzles 140. An exhaust is used to exhaust the process gas from the chamber 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Kholodenko, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Guang-Jye Shiau, Peter K. Loewenhardt, Shamouil Shamouilian
  • Patent number: 6425190
    Abstract: A method and device for moisture profiling of a fibrous material web to be dried in machines for manufacturing and/or refining this web that includes subjecting the fibrous material web to electromagnetic waves in the form of microwaves and/or high-frequency waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Wolf, Markus Oechsle, Wolfgang Mayer, Roland Mayer, Frank Wegehaupt
  • Patent number: 6423955
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dielectric drying is disclosed wherein a load to be heated positioned on a carrier the bottom of which provides a secondary electrode is moved with the carrier a dielectric heating chamber having a primary electrode positioned above load when said load on said carrier is moved into an operative position in the chamber. The carrier and load are elevated into heating position and this movement simultaneously connects the secondary electrode to ground, so that when high frequency power is applied to the primary electrode the circuit is made to dielectrically heat the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Heatwave Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Craig Blaker, Terry Albert Enegren, Yiu Kwan (Eugene) Ho, Scott Ronald Spencer
  • Patent number: 6401356
    Abstract: A method of drying veneer sheets by continuously shingling discrete wood veneer-sheets to form a layup where the leading edges of adjacent sheets are offset by a distance X with the lower, veneer sheet leading in the direction of movement the one there above and continuously feeding the so formed layup in the direction of movement into a drier where the veneer sheets while still in the layup are dried. The dried veneer sheets are then separated into discreet dried veneer sheets and are thereafter individually tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Mark Trelawny Churchland, Robert Leeson Pike, Norbert Kott
  • Patent number: 6346693
    Abstract: A grain containment vessel equipped with one or more antennas and a vapor extraction system is disclosed. An electromagnetic heating pattern is established throughout the grain volume elevating the bulk temperature, while an air flow is applied throughout the grain volume. The electromagnetic energy desorbs the water and increases the vapor pressure and the air flow carries the heat and water from the containment vessel. A controlled amount of electromagnetic energy is introduced into the grain volume to reduce or eliminate fungus infestation and increase insect mortality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: KAI Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond S. Kasevich
  • Patent number: 6243968
    Abstract: A turning device (8) for sludge and deposits (3) is proposed which moves along differing paths spread out on a floor (6), through the sludge or deposit (3). The turning device (8) can be used in a solar drier for sewage sludge or other deposits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventors: Tilo Conrad, Markus Bux
  • Patent number: 6205676
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing particles from a surface of an article, such as a semiconductor wafer in a clean room. The particles are supplied with an electric charge. Subsequently, an ultrasonic wave or a gas stream is applied onto the surface of the article while an electric field is applied for driving away the electrically charged particles from the surface, thereby removing particles having a dimension smaller than 1 micrometer from the surface. The presence of a collecting member allows the removal of resulting, floating particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Fujii, Kikuo Okuyama, Manabu Shimada
  • Patent number: 6192599
    Abstract: A process for the drying of woven glass fabric to be used in a reinforcing laminate in sensitive electronic equipment is disclosed. The process adopts a drying technique of utilizing dielectric or radio frequency heating which results in a cleaner product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: BGF Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael I. Bryant, Charles E. Jones
  • Patent number: 6185839
    Abstract: A process chamber 25 for processing a semiconductor substrate, comprises a support for supporting a substrate 50. A gas distributor 90 provided for introducing process gas into the chamber 25, comprises a gas nozzle for injecting process gas at an inclined angle relative to a plane of the substrate 50, into the chamber 25. Optionally, a gas flow controller 100 controls and pulses the flow of process gas through one or more gas nozzles 140. An exhaust is used to exhaust the process gas from the chamber 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Kholodenko, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Guang-Jye Shiau, Peter K. Loewenhardt, Shamouil Shamouilian
  • Patent number: 6079120
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making the drying finely divided materials, more effective in a suction drier provided with a fine porous suction surface, where the radii of the fine pores of the suction surface are essentially within the range of 0.5-2 micrometers, and in which method, of a slurry containing liquid and solids there is made a filter cake (2,12,22) onto a fine porous liquid suction surface constituting the filter surface of the filter medium (1,11,21), According to the invention, the filter cake (2,12,22) and an oscillator (6,15,25) are arranged, in relation to each other, so that in between the filter cake (2,12,22) and the oscillator (6,15,25), there is generated an acoustic field by virtue of a mechanical contact between the filter cake (2,12,22) and the oscillator (6,15,25) or a structural element (7,16,26) connected to the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Outokumpu Oyj
    Inventors: Bjarne Ekberg, Goran Norrg.ang.rd, Juan A. Gallego Juarez, German Rodriguez Corral, Luis Elvira Segura
  • Patent number: 6063751
    Abstract: A process for preparing a low density detergent composition is disclosed. The process includes the steps of agglomerating a detergent surfactant paste and dry starting detergent material in a high speed mixer to obtain detergent agglomerates wherein the detergent agglomerates include at least 3% by weight water and dielectrically heating the detergent agglomerates so as to form the detergent composition having a density of below 600 g/l.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Paul Amaat France, Larry Rudolph Genskow, Wayne Edward Beimesch
  • Patent number: 6029368
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for removal of VOCs from wood products prior to drying the wood products. The method of the invention includes the steps of providing a chamber having an opening for receiving wood and loading the chamber with green wood. The wood is loaded to an extent sufficient to provide a limited headspace in the chamber. The chamber is then closed and the wood is heated in the chamber for a time and at a temperature sufficient to saturate the headspace with moisture and to substantially transfer VOCs from the wood product to the moisture in the headspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Inventors: Sujit Banerjee, James Robert Boerner, Wei Su
  • Patent number: 5981022
    Abstract: A method for drying and/or curing a traveling web including a RF generating means for delivering RF through field and RF stray field to the web to heat the web, air bars to direct air flow to the web for cooling to facilitate emission of moisture therefrom and to avoid blistering due to overheating, an RF field generator to reflect RF energy to the web, and a control system to monitor and to control air temperature and/or flow, RF field strength, and/or web temperature to maintain a balance between heating and cooling to obtain efficient high speed drying while avoiding damage to the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Kyung Min, John E. Johansen
  • Patent number: 5977532
    Abstract: According to a method for the heating of dielectric materials, the heat generation is done by oscillating electromagnetic radiation of one or more frequencies within the frequency range 300 kHz-299 MHz, preferably within the frequency range 1 MHz-299 MHz and best of all within the frequency range 12 MHz-200 MHz. In an apparatus for the heating of dielectric materials, preferably of organic nature, the heat is generated by oscillating electromagnetic radiation within the frequency range 300 kHz-299 MHz. The apparatus comprises a chamber (10) consisting of an upper wall (12), a bottom wall (11) and side walls (13, 14, 15, 16) made of electric conducting materials, which walls together with at least one generator (19) are connected to a common reference potential at which the generator (19) is arranged to feed at least one with the chamber cooperating antenna (17) in order to get the electromagnetic radiation in this chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Antrad System AB
    Inventor: Lars Sven Erling Ekemar
  • Patent number: 5813134
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) assisted flotation air bar dryer apparatus and method for drying and/or curing a traveling web includes RF generating means for delivering RF through field and RF stray field to the web to heat the web, air bars to direct air flow to the web for cooling to facilitate emission of moisture therefrom and to avoid blistering due to overheating, an RF field reflector to reflect RF energy to the web, and a control system to monitor and to control air temperature and/or flow, RF field strength, and/or web temperature to maintain a balance between heating and cooling to obtain efficient high speed drying while avoid damage to the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Kyung Min, John E. Johansen
  • Patent number: 5659972
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) assisted flotation air bar dryer apparatus and method for drying and/or curing a traveling web includes RF generating means for delivering RF through field and RF stray field to the web to heat the web, air bars to direct air flow to the web for cooling to facilitate emission of moisture therefrom and to avoid blistering due to overheating, an RF field reflector to reflect RF energy to the web, and a control system to monitor and to control air temperature and/or flow, RF field strength, and/or web temperature to maintain a balance between heating and cooling to obtain efficient high speed drying while avoid damage to the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Kyung Min, John E. Johansen
  • Patent number: 5598641
    Abstract: A raw sewage disposal apparatus for evaporating and drying raw sewage by heating. An evaporation container has a closed bottom portion and an opened upper portion for containing raw sewage thereon. A rotary holding structure holds an upper end of the evaporation container so as to permit horizontal rotation thereof. A covering supports the rotary holding structure and closes the opened upper portion of the evaporation container from the atmosphere. A frame capable of hanging the evaporation container supports the covering substantially horizontally. A driving device is provided for rotating the evaporation container, and an electromagnetic heating means is disposed close to a lower surface of the evaporation container and generates a high-frequency electromagnetic wave which is supplied to the evaporation container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Nikken Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Kishi
  • Patent number: 5575082
    Abstract: A disposal apparatus according to a first aspect comprises an evaporation pipe communicating with a container for discharging vapor evaporated from raw sewage therein. A catalyst box accommodates a catalyst and communicates with the evaporation pipe. An ejector connects to the catalyst box for drawing air therefrom. A hot-air blower connects upstream to the catalyst box for heating flowing air, and an air supply unit supplies air to the ejector and the hot-air blower. A bypass pipe communicates between the ejector and the container. The disposal apparatus according to a second aspect comprises a heat-resistant airtight container for raw sewage, and an induction heating device disposed under the container. The heating device has a coil for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic wave to heat the container by induction. A rotatable stirrer and heat-holding balls are contained in the container. A stool communicates with the container through a valve mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Nikken Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Kishi
  • Patent number: 5575083
    Abstract: This invention relates to a compact vacuum dryer for quickly and economically drying objects such as grain, industrial raw materials and thrash. The vacuum dryer includes a combined upper and lower chamber for accommodating the drying objects. A vacuum pump is connected to the upper chamber for drawing in air for creating the vacuum within the system. A direct heating apparatus is provided at one side of the combination of the upper and lower chambers to directly heat the drying objects. A dielectric heating apparatus indirectly heats the drying objects in combination with direct heating apparatus. A moisture removing apparatus is provided along a discharge passage between the upper chamber and the vacuum pump for preventing the vacuum pump from drawing in moisture from the chamber which may damage or disable the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Goldstar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In S. Lee, Hyeong K. Lee
  • Patent number: 5517768
    Abstract: Apparatus for finishing of workpieces comprising: a beam generator for providing a line of sight; voltage activating beam impinging along the line of sight on a workpiece surface to be finished, thereby causing the workpiece surface to be charged with electrical charges having a first polarity; an electrostatic spray gun operative to direct onto the workpiece surface which is charged with electrical charges having the first polarity, a particle spray which is charged with electrical charges of a second polarity; and a high energy source which dries said workpiece sprayed by said particle spray by directing a substantially defined beam of energy onto a surface of said workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Inventor: Zvi Aviv
  • Patent number: 5406058
    Abstract: The present invention features a process and apparatus for drying ceramic structures in an electromagnetic energy field. The apparatus comprises a cradle or setter for supporting the ceramic structure which is made of a light-weight, tough, temperature-resistant material which does not absorb energy in the radio frequency range, for example, fiberglass reinforced polyester. The setter is also characterized by many apertures to allow passage of air or moisture, and is designed to avoid trapped air volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: G. Daniel Lipp
  • Patent number: 5388345
    Abstract: A method of drying plastically deformable metal structures using high frequency energy in a frequency range greater than 10 MHz. The highly efficient drying of the invention is accomplished by shielding the structure from the electrodes using a material whose dielectric constant is greater than that of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Kevin R. Brundage, Tudor C. Gheorghiu, Victor F. Janas, Vincent Kwapong, Christopher J. Malarkey