Abstract: This invention has as an object thereof to provide an overhead-traveling carrying apparatus which is capable of inexpensively incorporating countermeasures for detecting the presence of an obstacle such as a human being or a carelessly placed object during the lowering of an object to be carried onto the load port of a semiconductor manufacturing device prior to the contact of the obstacle with the object to be carried, thereby avoiding such contact. A structure is adopted in which obstacle detecting sensors which scan the raising and lowering path between a carriage and the load port of each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and which detect the presence of obstacles, are provided on the carriage with attached hoist.

Abstract: Wafer processing apparatus A-Z for performing processes A-Z on a wafer are arranged in a row. A chamber 14 is formed parallel to these wafer processing apparatus, and a guide rail 11 is provided inside the chamber 14. A mobile element 12 driven by means of a linear motor is provided on the guide rail 11, and a wafer transfer robot 13 capable of exchanging a wafer between the wafer processing apparatus is mounted on the mobile element 12. With this structure, the wafer transfer robot 13 exchange wafers between wafer processing apparatus to perform each process on the wafers until the wafers are conveyed to the wafer processing apparatus Z.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a metal substrate; an insulating layer formed on the surface of the metal substrate; a plurality of heating elements disposed on the surface of the insulating layer, the heating elements being arranged with a predetermined pitch along a plurality of lines in a main scanning direction, the plurality of lines being spaced from each other in a paper feeding direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; and a heat radiating element projecting from the surface of the metal substrate to the side where the insulating layer is disposed. In this structure, although most of heat generated by the respective heating elements is transferred to an ink ribbon or print paper, residual partial heat is absorbed by heat radiating means via the insulating layer and radiated into the atmosphere. This suppresses thermal interference among the heating elements. A thermal head controller is provided for controlling the thermal head for use in a printer.

Abstract: A piezoelectric driven type vibratory feeder having a working mass member that vibrates stably over an entire area of the working mass member is disclosed. The piezoelectric driven type vibratory feeder includes a base, a plurality of first plate springs, with a lower end portion of each of the plurality of first plate springs being secured to the base. A working mass member connected to an upper end portion of each of the plurality of first plate springs and supported at the base to enable the working mass member to vibrate. The piezoelectric feeder also includes a plurality of second plate springs, a piezoelectric device bonded to at least one surface of each of the plurality of second plate springs. An alternating voltage is applied to each piezoelectric device whereby each second plate spring undergoes bending vibration and causes the working mass member to vibrate so that an object is transported on the working mass member.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a metal substrate; an insulating layer formed on the surface of the metal substrate; a plurality of heating elements disposed on the surface of the insulating layer, the heating elements being arranged with a predetermined pitch along a plurality of lines in a main scanning direction, the plurality of lines being spaced apart from each other in a paper-feeding direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; and a heat radiating element projecting from the surface of the metal substrate to the side where the insulating layer is disposed. Although most of the heat generated by the respective heating elements is transferred to an ink ribbon or print paper, residual partial heat is absorbed by heat radiating means via the insulating layer and radiated into the atmosphere, which suppresses thermal interference among the heating elements.

Abstract: A table for a transfer container is provided with an opening portion formed therein. A clamp is swingably supported on the lower side of the table. The clamp has a second engaging portion hook to project upward from the table through the opening portion, and to engage with the first engaging portion of the transfer container. A first actuator is disposed to apply a swing-driving force to the clamp. The first actuator has a reciprocation rod pivotally connected to the clamp, and is swingably supported on the lower side of the table.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a metal substrate; an insulating layer formed on the surface of the metal substrate; a plurality of heating elements disposed on the surface of the insulating layer, the heating elements being arranged with a predetermined pitch along a plurality of lines in a main scanning direction, the plurality of lines being spaced apart from each other in a paper-feeding direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; and a heat radiating element projecting from the surface of the metal substrate to the side where the insulating layer is disposed. Although most of the heat generated by the respective heating elements is transferred to an ink ribbon or print paper, residual partial heat is absorbed by heat radiating means via the insulating layer and radiated into the atmosphere, which suppresses thermal interference among the heating elements.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve the transportation efficiency of an automatic transport system for transporting an article. In order to attain the above object, the automatic transport system of the present invention comprises a front detecting device which detects an obstruction in a non-contact state in an area through which an automatic transport vehicle passes and a projection surface of said automatic transport vehicle, and when said front detecting device detects the obstruction in said area, the running speed of said automatic transport vehicle is reduced or said automatic transport vehicle is stopped.

Abstract: A wafer mapping system according to the present invention is provided with an access port for transferring in and out a wafer, and performs a detection operation of an accommodated wafer to a cassette in which slots for accommodating and holding substantially level a plurality of inserted wafers are disposed in a plurality of tiers. The wafer mapping system comprises: a receiver that is fixed to a member facing the access port and formed of receiving elements arranged serially along a height direction of the cassette; and a transmitter that is disposed movable in a up and down direction of the cassette and transmits a signal toward a wafer accommodated in each of the slots of the cassette; wherein the receiver receives a signal transmitted from the transmitter, and thereby presence or absence and a state of a wafer accommodated in each of the slots of the cassette are detected. Thereby, with a simple system configuration, an accommodation state of the wafer in a FOUP can be accurately detected.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing system comprises a first vacuum processing unit and a second vacuum processing unit connected thereto. The first and second vacuum processing units respectively comprise I/O transfer chambers. Casings of the transfer chambers are connected to each other, and a common transfer robot is arranged in the casings. The transfer robot is moved along horizontal guide rails and formed by connecting rails of the transfer chambers. A rail adjusting mechanism is provided to obtain linearity of the horizontal rails.

Abstract: An overhead conveyance device and an overhead conveyance vehicle that can convey a conveying object, while keeping it at a minimum distance from surrounding equipment when the overhead conveying vehicle turns around during conveyance of the conveying object. The overhead conveyance device (1) is so structured that even when a carriage part (6) of the overhead conveyance vehicle (5) enters a branching part (3) for allowing the carriage part to change in traveling direction and turns around, the conveying object (25) grasped by a hand (9) can be kept unchanged in direction.

Abstract: An induction heating furnace includes a furnace body having a side wall extending so obliquely as to increase in radius from the bottom to the top edge portion and formed by a plurality of longitudinally split, conductive segments arrayed circumferentially and insulated from each other, a first induction heating coil arranged at an outer periphery of the side wall for subjecting a to-be-heated material accommodated in the furnace body to induction heating and a melt-use power source for supplying AC power to the first induction heating coil.

Abstract: An induction heating furnace includes a furnace body having a side wall extending so obliquely as to increase in radius from the bottom to the top edge portion and formed by a plurality of longitudinally split, conductive segments arrayed circumferentially and insulated from each other, a first induction heating coil arranged at an outer periphery of the side wall for subjecting a to-be-heated material accommodated in the furnace body to induction heating and a melt-use power source for supplying AC power to the first induction heating coil.

Abstract: This invention has as an object thereof to provide an overhead-traveling carrying apparatus which is capable of inexpensively incorporating countermeasures for detecting the presence of an obstacle such as a human being or a carelessly placed object during the lowering of an object to be carried onto the load port of a semiconductor manufacturing device prior to the contact of the obstacle with the object to be carried, thereby avoiding such contact. A structure is adopted in which obstacle detecting sensors which scan the raising and lowering path between a carriage and the load port of each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and which detect the presence of obstacles, are provided on the carriage with attached hoist.

Abstract: This invention has as an object thereof to provide an overhead-traveling carrying apparatus which is capable of inexpensively incorporating countermeasures for detecting the presence of an obstacle such as a human being or a carelessly placed object during the lowering of an object to be carried onto the load port of a semiconductor manufacturing device prior to the contact of the obstacle with the object to be carried, thereby avoiding such contact. A structure is adopted in which obstacle detecting sensors which scan the raising and lowering path between a carriage and the load port of each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and which detect the presence of obstacles, are provided on the carriage with attached hoist.

Abstract: An induction heating furnace includes a furnace body having a side wall extending so obliquely as to increase in radius from the bottom to the top edge portion and formed by a plurality of longitudinally split, conductive segments arrayed circumferentially and insulated from each other, a first induction heating coil arranged at an outer periphery of the side wall for subjecting a to-be-heated material accommodated in the furnace body to induction heating and a melt-use power source for supplying AC power to the first induction heating coil.

Abstract: A piezoelectric driven type vibratory feeder having a working mass member that vibrates stably over an entire area of the working mass member is disclosed. The piezoelectric driven type vibratory feeder includes a base, a plurality of first plate springs, with a lower end portion of each of the plurality of first plate springs being secured to the base. A working mass member connected to an upper end portion of each of the plurality of first plate springs and supported at the base to enable the working mass member to vibrate. The piezoelectric feeder also includes a plurality of second plate springs, a piezoelectric device bonded to at least one surface of each of the plurality of second plate springs. An alternating voltage is applied to each piezoelectric device whereby each second plate spring undergoes bending vibration and causes the working mass member to vibrate so that an object is transported on the working mass member.

Abstract: A control device for thermal printing head and a printer having the thermal printing head are presented. The control device had a plurality of heating elements to correspond to a plurality of imprinting dots and a plurality of 1-bit registers for holding bit signals to drive each heating element, and includes dividing means for dividing gradation data of a multi-level gradation to express tones of imprinted dots into a plurality of weighted values according to gradation values; and pulse signal generation means for generating pulses having predetermined pulse widths according to respective weighting of gradation values and generating a number of pulses or pulse widths in accordance with a plurality of values of divided gradation data.

Abstract: In the present invention, the recording paper is conveyed by a feed roller to plural recording portions sequentially, and each recording portion successively prints each specific color on the recording paper while applying tension to the paper. The tension applied to the recording paper is switched to a predetermined value each time the recording paper is conveyed to each recording, portion when starting to print.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling vibration of steel sheet being processed in a processing line. The apparatus includes: electromagnet devices for generating magnetic forces acting at right angles on the steel sheet; sensor devices for detecting separation distances between the steel sheet and the electromagnet devices; control devices for controlling a flow of excitation current through the electromagnet devices according to separation distances detected by the sensor devices; and actuator devices for adjusting the separation distance between the steel sheet and the electromagnet devices; wherein the actuator devices adjust the separation distance when a specific condition is attained in a positional relationship between the steel sheet and the electromagnet devices.