104results about How to "Reducing and eliminating damage" patented technology

The invention provides alkaline compositions useful in the microelectronics industry for stripping or cleaning semiconductor wafer substrates by removing photoresist residues and other unwanted contaminants. The compositions contain (a) one or more bases and (b) one or more metal corrosion inhibiting metal halides of the formula: WzMXy where M is a metal selected from the group Si, Ge, Sn, Pt, P, B, Au, Ir, Os, Cr, Ti, Zr, Rh, Ru, and Sb; X is a halide selected from F, Cl, Br and I; W is selected from H, to an alkali or alkaline earth metal, and a metal ion-free hydroxide base moiety; y is a numeral of from 4 to 6 depending on the metal halide; and z is a numeral of 1, 2 or 3.

The present invention provides compositions that may be useful, inter alia, in medical procedures, methods for making such compositions, and methods of performing medical procedures using such compositions. The present invention further provides a kit that includes a first container comprising a dispensing means and a first compound; and a second container comprising a dispensing means and a second compound, wherein the first compound may include, inter alia, a naturally occurring polyol, a biocompatible synthetic polyol, and mixtures thereof, and wherein the second compound may include, inter alia, isocyanate.

A method is provided for repairing degraded and / or eroded areas on gas turbine blades and vanes. The method is directed to turbine blades and vanes made of advanced superalloy materials with high elevated-temperature properties. The method uses multiple laser beams to perform steps of preheating the repair area, welding the repair area, and post-welding heating of the repaired area. The method uses an array of two or more lasers to perform the steps of heating, welding, and post-weld heat treatment in nearly simultaneous operation thereby dramatically reducing or eliminating the hot cracking associated with other welding methods used with superalloy materials. The method is further directed to cladding or material buildup of degraded turbine blades where the weld material is the same as the matrix or better superalloy materials.

A method is provided for repairing degraded and / or eroded areas on gas turbine blades and vanes. The method is directed to turbine blades and vanes made of advanced superalloy materials with high elevated-temperature properties. The method uses multiple laser beams to perform steps of preheating the repair area, welding the repair area, and post-welding heating of the repaired area. The method uses an array of two or more lasers to perform the steps of heating, welding, and post-weld heat treatment in nearly simultaneous operation thereby dramatically reducing or eliminating the hot cracking associated with other welding methods used with superalloy materials. The method is further directed to cladding or material buildup of degraded turbine blades where the weld material is the same as the matrix or better superalloy materials.

A medicament dispenser comprising: (i) a housing having an outlet; (ii) a medicament container locatable within said housing; (iii) an electronic dose counter associated with said outlet, wherein said dose counter comprises a first sensor for directly detecting a medicament release dispensible from said medicament container through said outlet is disclosed.

A rotary drill bit with cutting elements operable to control depth of cut and rate of penetration during formation of a wellbore are provided. Respective sets of secondary cutting elements and primary cutting elements may also be disposed on exterior portions of a rotary drill bit. A number of blades may extend from exterior portions of the drill bit with a number of cutting elements disposed on exterior portions of each blade. Each cutting element may include a substrate with a cutting surface disposed thereon. A respective protector may extend from the cutting surface of one or more cutting elements to limit depth of penetration of the associated cutting element into adjacent portions of a downhole formation and / or to control rate of penetration of an associated rotary drill bit.

Impact energy forces to the spine are reduced through the use of multiple overlying pliable impact energy absorbing layers. Each layer comprises a plurality of cells that are in fluid communication which provides for a valved transfer of fluid between the cells. Additionally, each layer has a different durometer.

A medicament dispenser comprising: (i) a housing having an outlet; (ii) a medicament container locatable within said housing; (iii) an electronic dose counter associated with said outlet, wherein said dose counter comprises a first sensor for directly detecting a medicament release dispensible from said medicament container through said outlet is disclosed.

A system and method for stacking semiconductor dies is disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises forming through-silicon vias through the wafer, protecting a rim edge of the wafer, and then removing the unprotected portions so that the rim edge has a greater thickness than the thinned wafer. This thickness helps the fragile wafer survive further transport and process steps. The rim edge is then preferably removed during singulation of the individual dies from the wafer.

A cable device includes an integrated surge protection circuit. In the event that, communication signals conveyed by the cable include (potentially damaging) transient voltages, the surge protection circuit integrated in the cable suppresses the transient voltages at a distance from a corresponding electronic circuit to which the cable is attached. Consequently, potentially damaging voltage transients imparted on the communication signals are clamped before reaching potentially sensitive inputs of the electronic circuit.

Disclosed herein is a new improved large planetary gear system used on the input stage of wind turbine power generators. This improved planetary gear system reduces or eliminates lubricant debris traditionally generated from the gear teeth, thereby eliminating an initiating source for bearing failure. To achieve these results, some and preferably all of the gear teeth within the planetary gear system are superfinished using chemically accelerated vibratory finishing to a surface roughness of approximately 0.25 micron or less. Several objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a gearbox with reduced metal debris, improved bearing life, reduced wear, reduced vibro-frictional noise, improved contact fatigue, improved fretting resistance, improved lubrication, to simplify the run-in process, and to enhance the durability and efficiency of the gearbox.

A method for determining properties of a sample surface using an atomic force microscope includes applying a first voltage between the sample and a probe, moving the probe towards the surface of the sample, and stopping movement of the probe towards the surface of the sample when current in the probe is initially detected. An oscillating magnetic field is applied to the probe such that the probe obtains stable contact with the surface of the sample.

A method for removing metal cladding adhered to an airfoil, such as a turbine blade, wherein the airfoil comprises a substrate and wherein at least a portion of the cladding is adhered to at least one surface of the substrate of the airfoil. In this method the cladding is treated with a chemical etchant of the metal that the cladding is made of for a period of time sufficient to remove at least the portion of the cladding adhered to the at least one surface of the substrate. The substrate is made of a material that is chemically resistant to the etchant.

A nut plate assembly includes a nut retainer and a bushing for expanding a tubular body of the retainer. The retainer assembly is used to cold work an opening of a workpiece in order to fix the nut retainer assembly relative to the workpiece. A nut can be snapped into the retainer. A method of installation includes passing a mandrel through the bushing to radially expand the bushing into a tubular body of the retainer. The tubular body is compressed between the workpiece and bushing as the bushing is displaced radially causing corresponding radial displacement of the tubular body. The expanded bushing applies pressure to the tubular body for a desired fit between the nut retainer and workpiece.

A rotating magnetron assembly having a structure to reduce bearing degradation by substantially preventing the flow of current through the bearing using non-conductive materials or providing a low resistance current flow path or by allowing current to flow through the bearing in a way which prevents arcing between the various bearing components.

A wafer of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is laser scribed to produce a laser scribing cut. Then, the wafer is cleaned, for example by wet etching, to reduce scribe damage. Then, electrical contact layers for the LEDs are formed on the wafer that has been cleaned. Alternatively, the scribing cut may be produced by multiple etches before contact formation. Related LEDs are also described.

A home appliance includes a handle; an end cap attaching the handle to the home appliance; and a crush rib disposed between the handle and the end cap. The home appliance may include a locating feature, wherein the crush rib is disposed on the locating feature. The locating feature may be a pin.

The present invention provides a fence system for homes, buildings and the like. The fence system according to the instant invention includes panels constructed and arranged to be pivoted between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation. When connected to permanently mounted posts in a vertical orientation, the fence panels may be utilized for privacy and / or security. Pivoting the panels to horizontal position during storms, such as hurricanes, reduces or eliminates the damage caused to the fence by high winds and / or wind-borne debris.

A bottle support plate for use in a rotary capping machine to apply caps onto the upper threaded neck of one or more containers having a circular flange as the containers are moved along a generally circular path by a star wheel. The bottle support plate includes a pocket that at least partially supports and at least partially mates with the flange of the container to at least partially inhibit rotation of the container during the threading of a cap on an upper threaded neck of the container. The pocket includes a support ledge having an upper surface, a neck cavity, a ledge wall extending upwardly from the upper surface of said support ledge and a non-smooth surface on upper surface of the support ledge. The ledge wall is designed to be at least partially mateable with at least a portion of an outer peripheral edge of the flange of the container. The neck cavity is designed to receive a portion of a neck of the container that is located below the container flange. The non-smooth surface is designed to engage a portion of the bottom surface of the bottle flange and inhibit or prevent rotation of the bottle when a cap is twisted onto the upper threaded neck of the container.

The improved perforation gun of the present invention includes an outer gun barrel, which is used in conjunction with an inner movable charge carrier or an inner movable sleeve to trap virtually all of the debris created by the firing of the perforation gun. This elimination of debris reduces costly operational problems in both gravel pack and horizontal well completions. It also improves the production from a perforated underground hydrocarbon bearing formation since there is no debris to potentially cause plugging in the well or subsequent production lines.

Foldable boom inner wings are attached to a boom center frame through a rocker attached to a breakaway hydraulic cylinder pressurized to full stroke and connected to an accumulator. When a wing impacts an object, the impact load is transmitted through the fold cylinder and rocker into the breakaway cylinder. As the breakaway cylinder retracts to allow the wing to pivot, pressure builds in the system in three stages. First pressure builds along an accumulator pressure curve until a relief valve in the hydraulic system actives to initiate the second stage wherein oil is dumped through the relief valve. Thereafter, pressure is again allowed to build along the same accumulator curve to absorb impact hydraulically before the cylinder reaches full stroke. The staged pressure buildup prevents boom momentum from gaining and loads from increasing above the strength of the overall structure.

Methods and systems for heating an oxygen sensor. One system includes an oxygen sensor and controller. The oxygen sensor includes a heater and an electro-chemical measurement cell and a heater. The controller is coupled to the oxygen sensor and is configured to, for each of a plurality of stages of a regeneration process, determine a predetermined temperature for heating the oxygen sensor to, determine a predetermined internal resistance value of an electro-chemical measurement cell of the oxygen sensor associated with the predetermined temperature, apply a pulse-width-modulated signal to the heater, and monitor an internal resistance of the measurement cell while applying the pulse-width-modulated signal to the heater to determine when the internal resistance of the measurement cell reaches the predetermined internal resistance.

A system and method for image sensing is disclosed. An embodiment comprises a substrate with a pixel region and a logic region. A first resist protect oxide (RPO) is formed over the pixel region, but not over the logic region. Silicide contacts are formed on the top of active devices formed in the pixel region, but not on the surface of the substrate in the pixel region, and silicide contacts are formed both on the top of active devices and on the surface of the substrate in the logic region. A second RPO is formed over the pixel region and the logic region, and a contact etch stop layer is formed over the second RPO. These layers help to reflect light back to the image sensor when light impinges the sensor from the backside of the substrate, and also helps prevent damage that occurs from overetching.

Embodiments of a pump protection system are disclosed which may be used to enclose, protect, and improve the efficiency of a submersible pump. The pump protection system of the instant invention prevents unwanted materials from clogging the pump intake port and from entering the pump intake port to damage the internal parts of the pump. The pump protection system may be back flushed to clean the pump protection system without damaging the pump. The pump protection system also prevents entrained gasses from entering the pump. A pressure relief valve is also disclosed which provides back pressure on the pump at pump startup.

The present invention provides cerium oxide nanoparticles for use both in therapeutic compositions in vivo and in research in vitro. The cerium oxide nanoparticles are of a known range of sizes having biological properties that are reproducible and beneficial. Pharmaceutical and other compositions are provided, as are methods of treatment.

A device for characterizing a luminal dimension, such as the aortic annulus, has also been developed. These include a balloon or basket with sensing and transmitting elements for assessing two or three dimensional shape of lumens using a guide wire and catheter. Sheath introducer devices were developed for percutaneous delivery of bioprosthetic valves during various percutaneous procedures, such as TAVI. A marker needle dispenser for pre-marking anatomical features that are either desirable to target or desirable to avoid has been developed. The needle contains a central passage or lumen for loading marker and spacer material. These are characterized by specific spacing, color, shape or diagnostic imaging criteria to facilitate passage through and placement within the vasculature. Hemostatic stents or balloons are used to prevent bleeding and facilitate closure at sites for entry of catheters or introducer sheaths into luminal structures, especially for procedures such as TAVI through the subclavian artery.