Moving The Base Patents (Class 427/255.5)
  • Patent number: 7311939
    Abstract: Substrates, such as spectacle lenses for example, may be provided with a coating which is not uniform by way of screens. The screens are aperture rings, arranged concentric to a symmetry axis of the vaporising crucible in a vacuum coating unit, by way of a screen holder. The spectacle lenses are disposed on a substrate holder also in circles about the symmetry axis. The shadows cast by the aperture rings cover but a partial region of the spectacles lenses such that those regions of the lenses receive less coating than in the unshaded free regions. The aperture rings are exchangeable in order to match the coating process to the customer requirements. Furthermore, the separation of the subtrate holder from the aperture rings is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Leybold Optics GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Zültzke, Markus Fuhr
  • Publication number: 20070281089
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a roll-to-roll atomic layer deposition (ALD) device. The device includes mechanisms to enable relative movement between a substrate to be deposited upon and various chambers containing ALD precursor gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Christian Maria Anton Heller, Ahmet Gun Erlat, Eric Michael Breitung
  • Patent number: 7294283
    Abstract: The preferred embodiments described herein provide a Penning discharge plasma source. The magnetic and electric field arrangement, similar to a Penning discharge, effectively traps the electron Hall current in a region between two surfaces. When a substrate (10) is positioned proximal to at least one of the electrodes (11, 12) and is moved relative to the plasma, the substrate (10) is plasma treated, coated or otherwise modified depending upon the process gas used and the process pressure. This confinement arrangement produces dramatic results not resembling known prior art. Using this new source, many applications for PECVD, plasma etching, plasma treating, sputtering or other plasma processes will be substantial improved or made possible. In particular, applications using flexible webs (10) are benefited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Process Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John Madocks
  • Patent number: 7264741
    Abstract: A coater having a substrate cleaning device is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of processing substrates in a coater equipped with a substrate cleaning device. The substrate cleaning device comprises an ion gun (i.e., an ion source) that is positioned beneath a path of substrate travel (e.g., beneath a substrate support) extending through the coater and that is adapted for treating a bottom major surface of a substrate. Certain embodiments involve an upward coating apparatus that is further along the path of substrate travel than the substrate cleaning device. In some embodiments of this nature, the upward coating apparatus is configured for depositing a photocatalytic coating upwardly onto the bottom major surface of the substrate. Certain embodiments of the invention involve a downward coating apparatus, wherein the substrate cleaning device is further along the path of substrate travel than the downward coating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Cardinal CG Company
    Inventor: Klaus Hartig
  • Patent number: 7229665
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of producing an integral multilayered porous membrane by simultaneously co-casting a plurality of polymer solutions onto a support to form a multilayered liquid sheet and immersing the sheet into a liquid coagulation bath to effect phase separation and form a porous membrane. The support can be a temporary support or form an integrated support for the membrane. The plurality of layers may be of the same polymer or different, same concentration or viscosity or different and may be subjected to the same processing conditions or different ones to form unique structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Willem Kools
  • Patent number: 7217344
    Abstract: Substrates having films are used to produce flat panel displays and similar devices. Various embodiments of transparent conductive films and methods for the same for flat panel displays and similar devices are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Streaming Sales LLC
    Inventors: Yukihiko Sasaki, Xiao-Ming He
  • Patent number: 7192624
    Abstract: Continuously operating furnace and method for obtaining thermal diffusion coating on the outside surface of metallic articles. The furnace is configured as a tunnel through which in succession are advanced closed containers filled with the processed articles and with powder mixture, containing diffusing specie. A chain conveyor, passing through the furnace, advances the containers along a transportation path. The furnace is provided with plurality of stopper means, capable to intermittently prevent the advancement of the containers and to retain them in discrete positions, situated along the transportation path. The containers advance in parallel being always directed perpendicularly to the transportation path and their retention in the discrete positions causes their rotation about their longitudinal axes. Continuous operation is associated with improved efficiency and increased capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Distek, Ltd.
    Inventors: Isaac Shtikan, Josef Almen
  • Patent number: 7179397
    Abstract: To move an article in and out of plasma during plasma processing, the article is rotated by a first drive around a first axis, and the first drive is itself rotated by a second drive. As a result, the article enters the plasma at different angles for different positions of the first axis. The plasma cross-section at the level at which the plasma contacts the article is asymmetric so that those points on the article that move at a greater linear velocity (due to being farther from the first axis) move longer distances through the plasma. As a result, the plasma processing time becomes more uniform for different points on the article surface. In some embodiments, two shuttles are provided for loading and unloading the plasma processing system. One of the shuttles stands empty waiting to unload the processed articles from the system, while the other shuttle holds unprocessed articles waiting to load them into the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Tru-Si Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Siniaguine
  • Patent number: 7137276
    Abstract: A process for the production of durable photocatalytically active self-cleaning coating on glass by contacting a hot glass surface with a fluid mixture of titanium chloride, a source of oxygen and a tin precursor. The coating preferably comprises less than 10 atom % tin in the bulk of the coating and preferably there is a greater atomic percent tin in the surface of the coating than there is in the bulk of the coating. Preferably, the coating is durable to abrasion and humidity cycling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Pilkington PLC
    Inventors: Simon James Hurst, Kevin David Sanderson, Timothy Ian McKittrick, David Rimmer
  • Patent number: 7094442
    Abstract: A method is provided for forming an amorphous carbon layer, deposited on a dielectric material such as oxide, nitride, silicon carbide, carbon doped oxide, etc., or a metal layer such as tungsten, aluminum or poly-silicon. The method includes the use of chamber seasoning, variable thickness of seasoning film, wider spacing, variable process gas flows, post-deposition purge with inert gas, and post-deposition plasma purge, among others, to make the deposition of an amorphous carbon film at low deposition temperatures possible without any defects or particle contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Jay Seamons, Wendy H. Yeh, Sudha S. R. Rathi, Heraldo L. Botelho
  • Patent number: 7078070
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an organic light emitting diode. The method forms an anode, an organic emitting layer and a cathode sequentially on a substrate. When the interface between the anode and the organic emitting layer is forming, the depositional rate of the anode on the substrate is decreasing and the deposition rate of the organic emitting layer on the substrate is increasing. When the interface between the organic emitting layer and the cathode is forming, the deposition rate of the organic emitting layer on the substrate is decreasing, and the deposition rate of the cathode on the substrate is increasing. This method can form a hazy heterojunction between the anode, the organic emitting layer and the cathode, thus forming an organic light emitting diode with a hazy heterojunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Helix Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Kuang-Chung Peng
  • Patent number: 7018517
    Abstract: A transfer chamber for a substrate processing tool includes a main body having side walls adapted to couple to at least one processing chamber and at least one load lock chamber. The main body houses at least a portion of a robot adapted to transport a substrate between the processing chamber and the load lock chamber. A lid couples to and seals a top of the main body of the transfer chamber. The transfer chamber also has a domed bottom adapted to couple to and to seal a bottom portion of the main body of the transfer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kurita, Emanuel Beer, Hung T. Nguyen, Wendell T. Blonigan
  • Patent number: 7018683
    Abstract: A microscopic projection or a characteristic pattern are formed in the vicinity of a region to be processed before processing using electron beam CVD, during processing an image of a region containing the projection or pattern formed by electron beam CVD is captured to obtain a current position of the projection or pattern, a difference between the position before staring and the current position is treated as a drift amount and processing is restarted at a region that has been subjected to microscopic adjustment of the electron irradiation region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventors: Osamu Takaoka, Ryoji Hagiwara
  • Patent number: 7001675
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of depositing a nanocomposite coating of stainless steel and a metallic carbide or metallic nitride, e.g. chromium carbide or chromium nitride, onto a stainless steel substrate 10, including the steps of (a) providing the stainless steel substrate 10; (b) depositing stainless steel on the substrate 10; (c) depositing chromium carbide or chromium nitride on the substrate 10; and allowing a nanocomposite coating 14 of the stainless steel and chromium carbide or chromium nitride to form on the substrate 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Winsky Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Winston Siu Yeung Chan
  • Patent number: 6960368
    Abstract: With the deposited-film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the tubular barrel and the evaporating section can be varied, unlike the prior art deposited-film forming apparatus and hence, the efficient formation of the deposited film on the surface of each of the work pieces accommodated in the tubular barrel and the inhibition of the softening of the formed film can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, it is possible to inhibit the damaging of the deposited film formed on the surface of each of the work pieces and the production of projections on the deposited film, and to form a deposited film at a high quality in respect of a corrosion resistance and the like and at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Neomax Co., LTD
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishiuchi, Ikuo Shimamoto, Fumiaki Kikui, Yoshimi Tochishita, Kazumitsu Sato
  • Patent number: 6929822
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical member by vapor depositing an antireflective film on a plastic optical member and vapor depositing a water-repellent thin film over the antireflective film. The vapor deposition of the water-repellent thin film is conducted by evaporating a fluorine-containing organic silicon compound in which the plastic optical member does not exceed the maximum temperature during the vapor deposition of the antireflective film. The heating for evaporation comprises a first stage where the temperature is raised from an ordinary temperature to the prescribed temperature (1) not exceeding the starting temperature of vapor deposition of the compound, and the second stage where the temperature is raised from the prescribed temperature (1) to the prescribed temperature (2) equal to or higher than the starting temperature of the vapor deposition. The rate of raising temperature of the first stage of raising temperature is higher than that of the second stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Shigetoshi Kono
  • Patent number: 6921555
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for sequential and isolated processing of a workpiece comprises a two compartment chamber and a mechanism to transfer the workpiece from a first compartment to a second compartment by rotating the workpiece on a workpiece mover through an internal pathway. The transfer mechanism comprises two doors coupled to the workpiece mover to seal the internal pathway between the first and second compartments so that the two compartments are isolated and the workpiece can be processed sequentially and in isolation. The apparatus further comprises components to enable the processing of a workpiece. The preferred method of processing a workpiece is to deposit or adsorb a thin layer in the first compartment and then transfer by rotating the workpiece on the workpiece mover to the second compartment for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Tegal Corporation
    Inventors: Tue Nguyen, Tai Dung Nguyen, Craig Alan Bercaw
  • Patent number: 6919102
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing the properties of a material layer is disclosed. A plurality of wafers are stored in a FOUP and in sequence the wafers are transferred to a chamber to proceed with deposition of a material layer and to the FOUP filled with a specific gas after deposition until all the wafers in the FOUP are treated. In the process of deposition, the wafers deposited with material layers on their surfaces are stored in the FOUP filled with specific gas. Therefore, the surface properties of all the wafers in the FOUP are stablilized and contamination due to outgassing is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Ching-hua Chen
  • Patent number: 6906008
    Abstract: The present invention is a deposition system for the production of coated substrates that provides a first deposition process that subsequently feeds a second deposition process and where the two deposition processes are occurring concurrently. The consecutive deposition system includes two dynamically isolated deposition chambers. The substrate is helically wrapped about a cooling block within the first deposition chamber such that the tape is exposed to a deposition zone a number of times sufficient to correspond to the desired film thickness. A shielding element may be included in the second deposition chamber to limit the size of the second chamber deposition zone and thus the film thickness of the second coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: SuperPower, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkat Selvamanickam, Srinivas Sathiraju
  • Patent number: 6881446
    Abstract: A method for production of endless plastic hollow profiles, in particular tubes, comprises several production stages for the plastic tube and a coating stage for a metal coating. A reduced pressure is provided in the coating stage, whereby the metal is transferred into the gas phase and deposited on the tube as a surface layer homogeneously bonded thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Ivt Installations - und Verbindungstechnik GmbH & CO KG
    Inventor: Christoph Hennig
  • Patent number: 6878395
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the surface temperatures of substrates arranged on substrate supports borne by a substrate support carrier on dynamic gas cushions in a processing chamber of a CVD-reactor. The aim of the invention is to reduce or adjust the temperature variations. According to the invention, an average surface temperature value is calculated, being measured in a particularly optical manner, and the level of the gas cushions is regulated by varying the individually controlled gas flow producing the gas cushions in such a way that the variations of the measured surface temperatures in relation to the average value lies within a predetermined temperature window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Aixtron AG,
    Inventor: Johannes Kaeppeler
  • Patent number: 6872428
    Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition is performed using a plurality of expanding thermal plasma generating means to produce a coating on a substrate, such as a thermoplastic and especially a polycarbonate substrate. The substrate is preferably moved past the generating means. Included are methods which coat both sides of the substrate or which employ multiple sets of generating means, either in a single deposition chamber or in a plurality of chambers for deposition of successive coatings. The substrate surfaces spaced from the axes of the generating means are preferably heated to promote coating uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Barry Lee-Mean Yang, Charles Dominic Iacovangelo, Kenneth Walter Browall, Steven Marc Gasworth, William Arthur Morrison, James Neil Johnson
  • Patent number: 6872421
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing atomic layer deposition. A plurality of substrates are loaded into a plurality of reaction cells. The reaction cells are disposed in a reaction chamber isolated from an exterior condition. Various paper substances are ultimately and repeatedly applied onto each substrate such that a thin film is formed on each substrate. The plurality of vapor injection pipes each inject one of the vapor substances by periodically scanning over each substrate to apply substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Jusung Engineering Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chul-Ju Hwang, Kyung-Sik Shim
  • Patent number: 6869508
    Abstract: A PVD process and apparatus (120) for depositing a coating (132) from multiple sources (110, 111) of different materials. The process and apparatus (120) are particulaity intended to deposit a beta-nickel aluminide coating (132) containing one or more elements whose vapor pressures are lower than NiAl. The PVD process and apparatus (120) entail feeding at least two materials (110, 111) into a coating chamber (122) and evaporating the materials (110, 111) at different rates from separate molten pools (114, 115) thereof. Articles (130) to be coated are suspended within the coating chamber (122), and transported with a support apparatus (118) relative to the two molten pools (114, 115) so as to deposit a coating (132) with a controlled composition that is a mixture of the first and second materials (110, 111).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ramgopal Darolia, Reed Roeder Corderman, Joseph David Rigney, Richard Arthur Nardi, Jr., Michael James Weimer
  • Patent number: 6869641
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition method and apparatus is disclosed. The process is carried out in an apparatus having a number reactive zones, each surrounded by a corresponding exhaust zone, all of which are both contained within a buffer zone. Pressure relationships are controlled such that buffer gas from the buffer zone flows into the exhaust zones and reactive gas from the reactive zones flow into the exhaust zones. As a result, cross-contamination of gases between the reactive zones is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers Ltd.
    Inventor: Jacques Schmitt
  • Patent number: 6866889
    Abstract: A holder (2; 22; 82) for coating drill with a ceramic coating by a vapor deposition process has a perforated outer wall (4; 24; 84) into which the drills are inserted with their tips projecting. The holder has a hollow interior in which support means locate the inserted drills parallel and with their tips projecting to the same extent. The support means may comprise a correspondingly perforated inner wall (8; 26; 86) and a back wall (10; 28; 88) against which the drills abut, the outer, inner and back walls being parallel to each other. In one configuration, the holder has a hexagonal plan form with alternate outer walls (4) perforated and each with associated inner and back walls (8, 10). The holder is provided with a lid (52) that shields the interior from ingress of the coating material but provides an air passage to assist cooling of the portions of the drills in the holder interior after the coating has been applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Dormer Tools (Sheffield) Limited
    Inventors: Richard Mark Lill, John Dick, Alan Stevenson
  • Patent number: 6861089
    Abstract: A method of inhibiting production of projections in a metal deposited-film according to the present invention is characterized by using a vapor deposition apparatus comprising, in a vacuum-treating chamber, an evaporating section for a depositing material, and an accommodating member and/or a holding member for accommodation and/or hold of work pieces, respectively, and, in depositing a metal depositing material on each of the surface of the work pieces with the accommodating member and/or the holding member being made rotated about the horizontal rotational axis thereof, carrying out vapor deposition with a Vickers hardness of a film formed on each of the surface of the work pieces maintained at 25 or more. According to the present invention, production of projections in a metal deposited-film can be effectively inhibited when forming the metal deposited-film of aluminum, zinc or the like on the surface of a work piece such as a rare earth metal-based permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Neomax Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nishiuchi, Fumiaki Kikui, Yoshimi Tochishita
  • Patent number: 6855379
    Abstract: A method for surface treatment of at least one electrically conducting substrate or a substrate that has been coated so as to be conducting (1) by means of a gas placed in the region of an electric discharge (2). The discharge region is restricted by at least two essentially opposite sides of the substrate surface to be treated (7). This process is especially suitable for treating band-shaped and continuously supplied substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Jung, Claus-Peter Klages
  • Patent number: 6849295
    Abstract: For manufacturing a winding protection for tape-wound cores that are surrounded with a winding, a polymer film is provided that is deposited onto the tape-wound cores from a vapor phase at room temperature in a drum process. Due to the end face penetration of the polymer into the tape-wound cores, the polymer is solidified and simultaneously surrounds all sides with a thin, uniformly adhering and directly windable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Vacuumschmelze GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Hundt
  • Patent number: 6846517
    Abstract: A method for coating a film with more than two thicknesses in different sections of the film. A substrate is set on a turntable that spins regularly. A mask is set close to the substrate and a film is coated on the substrate by a coating source. The shape of the mask depends on the thickness of the film. The coating source is set opposite the turntable and the mask is set between the coating source and the turntable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Prodisc Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Neng Chang, An-Hwa Yu, Ming-Hua Chen
  • Publication number: 20040261708
    Abstract: The present invention is a high-throughput ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) system and method of utilizing such a system that enables continuous deposition of thin films such as the buffer layers of HTS tapes. The present invention includes a spool-to-spool feed system that translates a metal substrate tape through the IBAD system as the desired buffer layers are deposited atop the translating substrate tape using an e-beam evaporator assisted by an ion beam. The system further includes a control and monitor system to monitor and regulate all necessary system parameters. The present invention facilitates deposition of a high-quality film over a large area of translating substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Venkat Selvamanickam, Srinivas Sathiraju
  • Publication number: 20040258840
    Abstract: A method of stabilizing the properties of a material layer is disclosed. A plurality of wafers are stored in a FOUP and in sequence the wafers are transferred to a chamber to proceed with deposition of a material layer and to the FOUP filled with a specific gas after deposition until all the wafers in the FOUP are treated. In the process of deposition, the wafers deposited with material layers on their surfaces are stored in the FOUP filled with specific gas. Therefore, the surface properties of all the wafers in the FOUP are stablilized and contamination due to outgassing is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventor: Ching-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 6830781
    Abstract: In a known method for producing an SiO2 blank, SiO2 particles are formed in a burner flame assigned to a deposition burner and are deposited under the effect of an electrical field on a deposition surface of a carrier rotating about its longitudinal axis, said at least one deposition burner being reciprocated in a predetermined sequence of movement along the developing blank between turn-around points. Starting from said method, in order to obtain blanks of a predetermined, in particular axially homogeneous, density and mass distribution, it is suggested according to the invention that the geometrical shape of the burner flame should be varied by the electrical field in dependence upon the position of the deposition burner during the sequence of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Heinz Fabian
  • Patent number: 6821560
    Abstract: A surface-treating support member for supporting a plurality of works, including an upper cage and a lower cage including a plurality of compartments, so that the cages are openable and closeable in a lengthwise direction. A process for surface-treating a plurality of works rotates the works about their axes using the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Neomax Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimi Tochishita, Yoshio Fujiwara, Yoshihiro Asagai, Ken Ohtagaki
  • Patent number: 6808741
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing simultaneous pass-by vapor deposition of a uniform thickness thin film of a lubricant on at least one surface of each of a plurality of substrates, comprising: (a) chamber means having an interior space adapted to be maintained at a reduced pressure below atmospheric pressure, including entrance and exit means at opposite ends thereof; (b) at least one linearly extending vapor source means for supplying the interior space of the chamber with at least one linearly extending stream of lubricant vapor; (c) a substrate/workpiece mounting/supporting means adapted for supporting thereon a plurality of substrates/workpieces; and (d) a transporter/conveyor means for continuously moving the substrate/workpiece mounting/supporting means transversely past the at least one linearly extending stream of lubricant vapor for depositing a uniform thickness thin film of lubricant on the surfaces of each of a plurality of substrates/workpieces carried by the substrate/workpiece mounting/supportin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Paul Stephen McLeod
  • Patent number: 6793978
    Abstract: The invention is based on a method for coating at least one wiper blade element (10) made of an elastomer material, in which first, the surface of the wiper blade element (10) is cleaned and activated by means of a plasma, and then in a CVD process, a coating material is brought into a plasma state and at least one protective coating (64) forms on the surface of the wiper blade element (10), where a high-frequency voltage is applied to the region of the wiper blade element (10) oriented away from the protective layer (64) by means of an electrode (56). The invention proposes that before being brought into a treatment chamber (32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 74), the wiper blade element (10) be cut to a useful length (66) from a profiled band and placed on an electrode plate (56) so that its wiper lip (18) stands approximately perpendicular to the electrode plate (56), which extends to both sides of the wiper blade element (10), and is subjected to a plasma flow (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Kurt Burger, Guenter Schneider, Klaus Burghoff, Thomas Weber, Jeanne Forget-Funk
  • Patent number: 6780464
    Abstract: A method wherein a thermal gradient over a substrate enhances Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) at low pressures. An upper heat source is positioned above the substrate and a lower heat source is positioned below the substrate. The upper and lower heat sources are operated to raise the substrate temperature to 400-700° and cause a heat gradient of 100-200° C. between the upper and lower heat sources. This heat gradient causes an increase in the deposition rate for a given reactant gas flow rate and chamber pressure. The preferred parameters for implementation of the present invention for poly crystalline silicon deposition include the temperature of the upper heat source 100-200° C. above the lower heat source, a substrate temperature in the range of 400-700° C., a reactant gas pressure between 250 and 1000 mTorr, and a gas flow rate of 200-800 sccm. The substrate is rotated, with 5 RPM being a typical rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Torrex Equipment
    Inventors: Robert C. Cook, Daniel L. Brors
  • Patent number: 6780290
    Abstract: The prevent invention improves the film thickness distribution in the direction of revolution of substrates by a simple manner in a method for forming coating films, wherein a evaporating source 3 is disposed at a predetermined distance from substrates 2, and when a coating film material is applied from the evaporating source 3 onto the substrate surfaces while revolving the substrates 2, coating films are formed on the substrate surfaces in a condition where the radius of curvature of the substrates 2 obtained by bending the substrates 2 within the elasticity range is made equal to the radius of revolution of the substrates 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Ikadai, Etsuo Ogino
  • Patent number: 6777029
    Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a method of controlling a pyrolytic carbon deposition coating process performed in a fluidized bed. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises positioning a product to be coated in the fluidized bed, determining a coating rate of carbon material formed on the product in the fluidized bed, and determining a desired duration of the coating process by dividing a desired coating thickness for the product by the determined coating rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Carbomedics Inc.
    Inventors: Walter John Carnagey, Sr., Bradley George Borgard, Kenneth Wayne Cox
  • Publication number: 20040101698
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a resin film laminated metal sheet for can, in which both faces of the metal sheet have resin film laminated layers, and a surface free energy &ggr;s of a face of the resin film is 10 dyn/cm or more to less than 30 dyn/cm, the face becoming an inside of can after can-making and being contacted with stuffed food contents. As the resin film, applicable is a polypropylene film or a propylene ethylene based random copolymer film of polypropylene being a main component. Further, a resin film of polyester being a main component and containing a wax component of 0.1 to 2.0% is used in a resin film to be an inside of can after can-making. The resin film laminated metal sheet for can according to the invention has excellent formability and adhesion while can-making and superior taking-out property of stuffed food contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Applicant: NKK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichiro Yamanaka, Hiroki Iwasa, Hiroshi Kubo, Shinsuke Watanabe, Yoshinori Yomura
  • Patent number: 6716484
    Abstract: A method and device of treating an irregularly shaped article to prepare the article for painting is provided. The device includes a burner which can produce an adjustable flame tongue which can fit into crevices, openings and other irregular topographical features of an item to be painted or otherwise coated. The burner device further provides means to apply a grafting chemical on a freshly oxidized surface. Further, the invention provides means to colorize treated objects so that they may be recognized as having been treated. In another embodiment, the grafting chemicals may be enhanced with electrolytic solutions such that electrostatic methods of painting may be subsequently employed on the item. In an alternate embodiment, the burner is adapted to spray a powder inside of a generally enclosed flame, and is used in conjunction with chop guns to manufacture glass or carbon fiber preforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Patent Holding Company
    Inventors: Russell Brynolf, Michael D. Elberson
  • Patent number: 6709701
    Abstract: A method of exchanging a thin film coated tray (30) for a clean tray (30) is provided. The method replaces the tray (30) at an intermediate position on the handler (10) and not at an intermediate disk loading position of the rotating disk loading mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventors: Richard F. Willson, Gregory D. Roberts
  • Publication number: 20040028911
    Abstract: A process for the production of durable photocatalytically active self-cleaning coating on glass by contacting a hot glass surface with a fluid mixture of titanium chloride, a source of oxygen and a tin precursor. The coating preferably comprises less than 10 atom % tin in the bulk of the coating and preferably there is a greater atomic percent tin in the surface of the coating than there is in the bulk of the coating. Preferably, the coating is durable to abrasion and humidity cycling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Simon James Hurst, Kevin David Sanderson, Timothy Ian McKittrick, David Rimmer
  • Publication number: 20040026371
    Abstract: An apparatus for sequential and isolated processing of a workpiece comprises a two compartment chamber and a mechanism to transfer the workpiece from one compartment to the other compartment. The transfer mechanism comprises two doors to seal the pathway between the two compartments between movement so that the two compartments are isolated and the workpiece can be processed sequentially and isolatedly in each compartment. The apparatus further comprises components to enable the processing of a workpiece: a delivery system to delivery precursor, a plasma source to generate a plasma and a vacuum pump to maintain a sub-atmospheric pressure. The preferred method of processing a workpiece is to deposit or adsorb a thin layer in the first compartment and then transfer to the second compartment for a reaction or a plasma reaction on the existing thin layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Tue Nguyen, Tai Dung Nguyen, Craig Alan Bercaw
  • Patent number: 6676994
    Abstract: Thin films are produced by a method wherein a material is heated in a furnace placed inside a vacuum system. An inert gas is flown over/through the heated material. The vapors of the material are entrained in the carrier gas which is then directed onto a substrate heated to a temperature below that of the furnace temperature and placed in close proximity to the exit of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: University of Delaware
    Inventors: Robert W. Birkmire, Erten Eser, Gregory M. Hanket, Brian E. McCandless
  • Patent number: 6660339
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process, preferably a continuous process, of coating a substrate, which allows water vapor and preferably air permeation, with a hydrophobic coating. The process preferably uses a thin film vacuum condensation step to create a monomer coating which is cured in situ after the coating. The process has the benefit of allowing continuous operation and providing an alternative to existing processes for hydrophobic coating. The substrates are coated such that the water vapour permeation sites are not blocked by the coating to maintain the desired breathability. The static water contact angle on the surface of such substrates is more than 95°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Saswati Datta, Paul Amaat Raymond Gerard France, Arseniy Valerevich Radomyselskiy
  • Patent number: 6649210
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of forming one or more thin films on a substrate by depositing two or more materials by vacuum evaporation, comprising, depositing each material under such control that ni value of the each material is k±0.5 wherein k is a constant from 2 to 5, when relationship between a deposition position and a film thickness of a material i on the substrate is approximated by the following equation (1): Di/D0i∝(L0/Li)3 cosni&thgr;i  (1) wherein L0 is a distance from an evaporation source to a plane of the substrate in a perpendicular direction, D0i is a film thickness of the material i at an intersection point of a perpendicular line from the evaporation source to the plane of the substrate, and Di is a film thickness of the material i at a position on the substrate which is apart from the evaporation source by a distance Li in a direction of an angle &thgr;i against the perpendicular line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tokailin, Yoshikazu Nagasaki
  • Patent number: 6649033
    Abstract: The method for producing an electrode for a lithium secondary battery, having an active material in the form of a thin film composed of an interface layer formed on a current collector and an active material layer formed on the interface layer. The method comprises the steps of: depositing the interface layer on the current collector by sputtering; and depositing the active material layer on the interface layer by vapor evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Yagi, Hisaki Tarui
  • Patent number: 6649208
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing thin films on a plurality of substrates has a vacuum chamber, a source of the material or materials to be deposited as the thin film, a source of energy for causing the material to be vaporized, and mechanical apparatus for imparting super-planetary and planetary motion to each substrate while the substrate is exposed to the vapors of the material. When a predetermined thickness of the film on any given substrate is reached the super-planetary motion is halted and only planetary motion and spinning are continued for the given substrate. During this process the thickness of the film being deposited is monitored accurately by an optical instrument having a linear axis of measurement which coincides with the center of the orbiting planetary motion of the substrate and is on the substrate itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Inventor: Wayne E. Rodgers
  • Publication number: 20030207028
    Abstract: The subject of the invention is a glass-, ceramic- or vitroceramic-based substrate (1) provided on at least part of at least one of its faces with a coating (3) with a photocatalytic property containing at least partially crystalline titanium oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Philippe Boire, Xavier Talpaert