Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7413606 | Method for producing crystal of fluoride It is aimed at providing a fluoride crystal growing method capable of controlling a shape of the crystal by a micro-pulling-down method. Fluoride crystals in shapes depending on purposes, respectively, can be grown by adopting carbon, platinum, and iridium as crucib... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7354596 | Anti-microbial agent delivery system A delivery system for delivering an anti-microbial agent to a surface in a time release manner. The delivery system includes one or more polymeric particles (e.g., microspheres, core/shell particles, latexes, porogens, cryogenically ground beads, condensation polyme... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7131380 | EB pattern profile printing The present invention provides a printing process and a printed product in which a coating is combined with an additive that lowers the surface tension of the dried coating. The coating pattern is printed on a substrate, and is cured using electron beam (“EB”) p... | 11/07/2006 |
| 6970154 | Fringe-field filter for addressable displays The display kit of the present invention comprises: an addressable display medium configured to exhibit a first aspect under the influence of an addressing vector field in a first direction at an addressing magnitude; and an addressor; where the addressor is configu... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6908510 | Material purification For producing ultra pure materials a first station has a porous gas distributor. A material supply supplies material to the porous gas distributor. A gas source supplies gas to the distributor and through the distributor to the material in contact with the distribut... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6471768 | Method of and apparatus for growing ribbon of crystal A seed crystal is lowered toward a melt, and a contact between the seed crystal and the melt is detected using an image captured by an imaging device. The temperature of the melt is adjusted to keep a meniscus of the melt in contact with the seed crystal.... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6090199 | Continuous melt replenishment for crystal growth The invention features a method of continuous crystalline growth. A granular source material is introduced into a hopper. A volume of the granular source material exiting the hopper is disposed on a translationally moving belt. The volume of the granular ... | 07/18/2000 |
| 5993540 | Continuous crystal plate growth process and apparatus Reactive gas is released through a crystal source material or melt to react with impurities and carry the impurities away as gaseous products or as precipitates or in light or heavy form. The gaseous products are removed by vacuum and the heavy products f... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5298109 | Process for the production of metal wafers and the use of silicon wafers Silicon wafers useful in solar cells or wafers of metal are produced by a process for producing wafers of predetermined dimensions by the sheet drawing process in which a melt of the wafer material is crystallized on a substrate wherein the substrate surf... | 03/29/1994 |
| 5229083 | Method and apparatus for crystal ribbon growth Crystals are grown in ribbon shapes by an apparatus for supporting a film of source material, capacitive electrodes contacting the film and heat pipes in thermal contact with the electrodes for first heating the material through the electrodes to near its... | 07/20/1993 |
| 5128111 | Appartus for making inorganic webs and structures formed thereof A large thin web having a coherent crystal morphology throughout its extent is made on a continuous basis by drawing a meniscus of the web material from a hot melt thereof onto a heated support surface which moves relative to the melt so that the liquid i... | 07/07/1992 |
| 5069742 | Method and apparatus for crystal ribbon growth Crystals are grown in ribbon shapes by an apparatus for supporting a film of source material, capacitive electrodes contacting the film and heat pipes in thermal contact with the electrodes for first heating the material through the electrodes to near its... | 12/03/1991 |
| 5055157 | Method of crystal ribbon growth Crystals are grown in ribbon shapes by an apparatus for supporting a film of source material, capacitive electrodes contacting the film and heat pipes in thermal contact with the electrodes for first heating the material through the electrodes to near its... | 10/08/1991 |
| 4778478 | Method of making thin film photovoltaic solar cell Solar cell quality semiconductors are grown using a constant temperature sliding boat liquid phase process in a continuous or semi-continuous mode. The growth is driven by applying a temperature gradient or other gradient across the melt, with the substra... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4775443 | Method and apparatus for zone regrowth of crystal ribbons from bulk material A method and apparatus for producing crystalline ribbons of a material from a "crucible-less" configuration of bodies of the material including possible deposition on a substrate. Means for coupling electromagnetic energy into a source body of material ar... | 10/04/1988 |
| 4688623 | Textured silicon ribbon growth wheel Apparatus for production of semiconductor ribbon materials of the type in which molten material is brought into contact with the surface of a rotating cool wheel or drum wherein the cooling surface of the drum is textured to form a plurality of discrete c... | 08/25/1987 |
| 4670096 | Process and apparatus for producing semi-conductor foils In the production of a semi-conductor foil by solidification of a liquid semi-conductor on a horizontal support, the improvement which comprises positioning a molding body on the horizontal support, supplying the liquid semi-conductor to the molding body,... | 06/02/1987 |
| 4650541 | Apparatus and method for the horizontal, crucible-free growth of silicon sheet crystals Apparatus for continuously forming a silicon crystal sheet from a silicon rod in a noncrucible environment. The rod is rotated and fed toward an RF coil in an inert atmosphere so that the upper end of the rod becomes molten and the silicon sheet crystal i... | 03/17/1987 |
| 4599132 | Guidance system for low angle silicon ribbon growth In a low angle silicon sheet growth process, a puller mechanism advances a seed crystal and solidified ribbon from a cooled growth zone in a melt at a low angle with respect to the horizontal. The ribbon is supported on a ramp adjacent the puller mechanis... | 07/08/1986 |
| 4599245 | Method for making large-surface silicon crystal bodies Starting plate-like silicon bodies matched to the dimensions desired in a product silicon crystal bodies are melted and then crystallized on a horizontal carrier member having a net structure using a heater arrangement. The carrier member is substantially... | 07/08/1986 |
| 4517049 | Silicon ribbon growth wheel with edge defining grooves Apparatus and method for producing semiconductor ribbon directly from the molten state by contact with a moving chill surface wherein the chill surface has longitudinal grooves near its outer edges to define ribbon width and improve smoothness of ribbon e... | 05/14/1985 |
| 4515650 | Method for producing large grained semiconductor ribbons The present invention provides a method for fabricating large grain semiconductor ribbons suitable for use in solar cells. A molten semiconductor material is discharged onto a rotating cylindrical surface which is rotating with linear velocity of not grea... | 05/07/1985 |
| 4478880 | Method of fabricating polycrystalline silicon strips A fabrication method for use in making photocells consisting in depositing on the top face of a carbon ribbon (4) being moved horizontally in its lengthwise direction through an oven (9) a layer of silicon, said oven being imparted a vertical temperature ... | 10/23/1984 |
| 4468280 | Silicon ribbon growth wheel and method for surface temperature profiling thereof A silicon ribbon growth wheel having an internal cooling fluid contacting surface modified to provide a lateral temperature profile on the wheel surface of lower temperature near the wheel edges. In a preferred form the inner surface is provided with groo... | 08/28/1984 |
| 4468281 | Silicon ribbon growth wheel and method for heat flow control therein A silicon ribbon growth wheel having a thermal resistance zone between an outer silicon contacting surface and an inner cooling fluid contacting surface to control rate of heat flow from the outer to inner surfaces. In a preferred form the thermal resista... | 08/28/1984 |
| 4447289 | Process for the manufacture of coarsely crystalline to monocrystalline sheets of semiconductor material The invention provides a process for the manufacture of coarsely crystalline to monocrystalline sheets and/or plates of semiconductor material of preferred orientation. A meniscus of molten semiconductor material comes in contact with a moving, cooler sub... | 05/08/1984 |
| 4417944 | Controlled heat sink for crystal ribbon growth A method and associated apparatus are disclosed for use in forming crystalline ribbons by pulling a ribbon in a generally horizontal direction from a pool of molten crystal-forming materials, such as silicon or the like. A heat sink is located above the s... | 11/29/1983 |
| 4383130 | Solar energy cell and method of manufacture The disclosure illustrates a ribbon like photovoltaic cell that is formed by first applying a thin layer of tungsten or other conductive, temperature resistant material on a base ribbon of high temperature resistant, and electrically non-conductive materi... | 05/10/1983 |
| 4371419 | Method for producing a lithium tantalate single crystal A method for producing a lithium tantalate single crystal comprises the steps of preparing a melt consisting essentially of lithium tantalate in a platinum-rhodium crucible including (20 to 35 weight percent of rhodium and 80 to 65 weight percent of plati... | 02/01/1983 |
| 4329195 | Lateral pulling growth of crystal ribbons The lateral pulling growth of a crystal ribbon is established under precise heat control by pulling laterally the crystal ribbon from the melt of a crystalline substance having the same crystal structure as that of the crystal ribbon.... | 05/11/1982 |
| 4322263 | Method for horizontal ribbon crystal growth In a method for growing ribbon-like crystal of crystalline substance, a seed crystal is contacted on the upper surface of melt of crystalline substance raised up to the level beyond the upper edge of a crucible, thereafter the contact interface between sa... | 03/30/1982 |
| 4316764 | Method for horizontal ribbon crystal growth A method for growing a thin and flat ribbon-like crystal of crystalline substance, wherein a seed crystal is contacted with horizontal free surface of melt of crystalline substance raised up to the level beyond the upper edge of a crucible, thereafter the... | 02/23/1982 |
| 4289571 | Method and apparatus for producing crystalline ribbons A method and associated apparatus are disclosed for the continuous formation of single crystal silicon ribbons. A seed crystal is placed on the surface of a pool of molten silicon and pulled at a slight angle above the horizontal over the edge of a menisc... | 09/15/1981 |
| 4264407 | Lateral pulling growth of crystal ribbons and apparatus therefor The lateral pulling growth of a thin and wide crystal ribbon is established by laterally pulling the crystal ribbon from the melt of a crystalline substance having the same crystal structure as that of the crystal ribbon with a gaseous cooling medium blow... | 04/28/1981 |
| 4252861 | Growth technique for silicon-on-ceramic The present invention is an improvement to the method of growing silicon films on a substrate by bringing the substrate in contact with molten silicon. The improved growth technique may be classified as an asymmetric mode of growth of silicon on the subst... | 02/24/1981 |
| 4251570 | Cold substrate growth technique for silicon-on-ceramic The present invention is an improvement to the method of growing silicon films on a substrate by bringing the substrate in contact with molten silicon. The improved growth technique may be classified as an asymmetric mode of growth of silicon on the subst... | 02/17/1981 |
| 4233338 | Processes for deposition of thin films of crystalline silicon on graphite Processes for the continuous deposition of crystalline silicon on graphite substrates, the silicon being undoped or N- or P-doped and the substrates being useful for photovoltaic cells and other electronic devices, the processes comprising placing crystal... | 11/11/1980 |
| 4225378 | Extrusion mold and method for growing monocrystalline structures An extrusion mold for growing crystalline silicon in any desired size at a very high purity level. The mold is formed of molybdenum with any desired width, length and depth. The major portion of its length is immersed in a temperature-controlled environme... | 09/30/1980 |
| 4144117 | Method for producing a lithium tantalate single crystal A method for producing a lithium tantalate single crystal comprises the steps of preparing a melt consisting essentially of lithium tantalate in a platinum-rhodium crucible including 20 to 40 weight percent of rhodium, and growing a lithium tantalate sing... | 03/13/1979 |
| 4119744 | Method of manufacturing semiconductor devices in which a layer of semiconductor material is provided on a substrate A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices comprising a layer of semiconductor material, comprising the steps of providing a strip-shaped solid substrate having a main surface and providing a solid support having a substantially horizontal surface an... | 10/10/1978 |
