Patents Examined by Douglas Lee
  • Patent number: 11031235
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a driving magnet that is disposed correspondingly to a movable pin and that has a predetermined polar direction with respect to a radial direction of a rotary table, a pressing magnet that has a magnetic pole that gives an attractive magnetic force or a repulsive magnetic force between the driving magnet and the pressing magnet and that presses a support portion against a peripheral edge of a substrate by urging the support portion toward a contact position by means of the attractive magnetic force or the repulsive magnetic force, and a pressing-force changing unit that changes a magnitude of a pressing force against the peripheral edge of the substrate pressed by the support portion while keeping the magnitude higher than zero in response to rotation of the rotary table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kaba, Akihiko Taki, Tomomi Iwata, Toru Edo, Kunio Yamada
  • Patent number: 11019979
    Abstract: Provided are a method of detecting a change in process water flow of a circulation pump in an appliance for washing and rinsing goods, and an appliance performing the method. An appliance for washing and rinsing goods may be provided including a circulation pump, a sensing arrangement arranged to measure a property indicating torque of the circulation pump, and a controller. The controller may be arranged to average a first set of values of the measured property, thereby creating a first average, average at least a further set of values of the measured property, thereby creating at least one further average, compare the first average with the at least one further average, and to detect change in process water flow of the circulation pump based on a difference between the first average and the at least one further average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: David Persson, Arne Nensén
  • Patent number: 11019981
    Abstract: A dishwasher has a treating chamber with four corners and a rotatable sprayer located within the treating chamber, where the sprayer includes two conduit segments which rotate about two different axes and a spray head which rotates about yet another axis. The combined rotation of the conduit segments moves the spray head in a non-circular path around the treating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Rodney M. Welch
  • Patent number: 11014124
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to cleaning a surface in a printing device, wherein a guiding member directs a stream of cleaning fluid towards the surface; and at least one barrier unit to confine the stream of cleaning fluid to a portion of the surface, wherein the at least one barrier unit guides air to provide at least one air curtain confining said stream of cleaning fluid to the portion of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Alex Feygelman, Mordechai Arenson, Oran Levintant, Roy Maman, Kai-Kong Iu, Shunit Petachia Halely, Shai Rahamim
  • Patent number: 10985035
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for performing a liquid processing on a substrate using an aqueous solution of a chemical agent at a predetermined concentration as a processing liquid. The method includes: storing the processing liquid in a processing liquid storage unit; and supplying an aqueous solution of the chemical agent at a different concentration from the concentration of the processing liquid to the processing liquid storage unit, discharging the processing liquid from the processing liquid storage unit so as to update the processing liquid stored in the processing liquid storage unit. The aqueous solution in a predetermined amount is supplied to the processing liquid storage unit, and the processing liquid is discharged from the processing liquid storage unit, the processing liquid containing the chemical agent in the same amount as the amount of the chemical agent contained in the aqueous solution supplied to the processing liquid storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiromi Hara, Hideaki Sato, Takahiro Kawazu, Takashi Nagai
  • Patent number: 10974263
    Abstract: The invention is directed at systems and methods which provide for effective cleaning and drying of vehicles of different shapes and sizes. The invention in one example includes a vehicle washing apparatus comprising a conveyor system to move a vehicle along a path, and a bridge assembly supported above a vehicle and moveable along the length thereof. At least one trolley assembly is operatively supported by the bridge assembly and is moveable in a direction generally transverse to the movement of the bridge assembly. At least one cleaning arm assembly for delivering cleaning fluid to or for brushing the surface of a vehicle is operatively supported by the at least one trolley assembly or bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: PETIT AUTO WASH, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Petit
  • Patent number: 10971388
    Abstract: A chuck useful for supporting a wafer during an edge bevel removal (EBR) process comprises a rotatable center hub having a plurality of support arms extending outwardly from the rotatable center hub, support pins on ends of the support arms, gas passages extending through upper surfaces of the support pins, and gas conduits in the support arms. The gas conduits supply gas to the gas passages or apply a vacuum to the gas passages. The support arms can include alignment cams which are rotatable from an outer non-alignment position away from a periphery of the wafer to an inner alignment position at which the wafer is centered. During centering, the wafer is floated on a gas cushion which reduces wear of the support pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Louis LaBrie, Robert Lynden Braendle, Cian Owen Sweeney
  • Patent number: 10960095
    Abstract: A device and method for disinfecting a needleless connector, the device including a housing comprising a hub rotationally coupled to a motor, the motor being operably connected to a power source, the hub further comprising a receptacle configured to receive a cleaning head, wherein the device is configured to detect achievement of one or more minimum thresholds which are recommended to achieve proper disinfection of the needleless connector. Various devices and methods are further provided to permit tracking and reporting of disinfection events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Yiping Ma, S. Ray Isaacson
  • Patent number: 10955624
    Abstract: A cleaning nozzle includes an outer housing having a central axis and an inner surface that defines an outer housing interior. An inner housing resides within the outer housing interior along the central axis and has an inner surface that defines an inner flow channel. The inner flow channel supports flow of the cleaning fluid and has a converging taper and a flow disrupter element. The nozzle assembly may include an adapter that receives a front end of the nozzle and that also holds a ferrule that supports an optical fiber having an end face. The nozzle assembly allows the nozzle to direct a jet stream of cleaning fluid to the ferrule end face and the fiber end face. The flow disrupter causes the jet stream to have a time-varying direction that enhances the cleaning of the ferrule end face and the optical fiber end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventors: James Michael Brown, Yuehao Li, Elias Panides, Jingru Zhang, Yi Zhang
  • Patent number: 10919332
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to cleaning a surface in a printing device, wherein a steam guiding member directs a steam flow towards the surface; wherein the steam flow interacts with a substance on said surface to clean a portion of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: HP Indigo B.V.
    Inventors: Alex Feygelman, Mordechai Arenson, Oran Levintant, Roy Maman, Kai-Kong Iu, Shunit Petachia Halely, Shai Rahamim
  • Patent number: 10905304
    Abstract: A method of operating an appliance including determining user satisfaction with an operation cycle, adjusting at least one operational parameter of the cycle based on the user satisfaction, and incorporating the adjusted operational parameter into a subsequent cycle is disclosed along with the apparatus including a processor configured to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas B. Beaudet, Vincent A. Ireland, Traci L. Kachorek, Barry E. Tuller
  • Patent number: 10892172
    Abstract: Various embodiments comprise apparatuses and related method for cleaning and drying a substrate. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a vertical substrate holder to hold and rotate the substrate at various speeds. An inner shield and outer shield, when in a closed position, surround the vertical substrate holder during operation of the apparatus. Each of the shields can operate independently in at least one of rotational speed and direction from the other shield. A front-side and back-side spray jet are arranged to spray at least one fluid onto both sides of the substrate and edges of the substrate substantially concurrently. A gas flow, combined with a high rotational-speed of the shields and substrate, assists in drying the substrate. At least one turbine disk is coupled in proximity to at least one of the shields to remove excess amounts of fluid. Additional apparatuses and methods of forming the apparatuses are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Planar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Rubinder S. Randhawa, Harry Christov
  • Patent number: 10857573
    Abstract: In examples, systems and methods for using skewed waveforms to eject debris using electromagnetic propulsion are disclosed. The systems and methods include a first electronic device having a surface. The systems and methods also include a signal generator configured to generate a skewed signal configured to cause a movement of particles on the surface of the first electronic device. Additionally, the systems and methods include an antenna coupled to the signal generator, where the antenna is configured to receive the skewed signal from the signal generator and radiate the skewed signal as electromagnetic energy proximate to the surface of the first electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Alireza Shapoury
  • Patent number: 10850710
    Abstract: A glass cleaning system includes: a housing including at least one peripheral sidewalls being substantially perpendicular relative to a side of a vehicle to which the housing is attached, a cover, and a vision system including at least one sensor and processing circuitry, wherein the vision system is disposed in an interior of the housing, the at least one sensor is communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry, and the vision system is configured to be used with the vehicle to detect surrounding objects and determine distances between said objects and the vehicle; a window mounted as the at least one peripheral sidewall of the housing and configured to tilt towards the interior of the housing into an angled orientation and back; a drain duct disposed in the interior of the housing; and at least one spray nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott L. Frederick, Scott P. Robison
  • Patent number: 10827822
    Abstract: Cleaning devices are provided that have a surface with areas that provide different cleaning states. The areas of different cleaning states are connected to one another by a deflection member that provides tactile and/or audible feedback to the user when transitioning between the different cleaning states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: UNGER MARKETING INTERNATIONAL, LLC
    Inventors: William Harrington, James M. Buckley, Robert F. Smith, Paul Adams
  • Patent number: 10820780
    Abstract: A dishwasher has a treating chamber with four corners and a rotatable sprayer located within the treating chamber, where the sprayer includes two conduit segments which rotate about two different axes and a spray head which rotates about yet another axis. The combined rotation of the conduit segments moves the spray head in a non-circular path around the treating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Rodney M. Welch
  • Patent number: 10813525
    Abstract: A dishwasher having a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber, a liquid spray system, a liquid recirculation system fluidly coupling the treating chamber to the spray system to recirculate wash liquid from the treating chamber to the spray system, and filters capable of removing particles from the wash liquid. The filters include a microfilter fluidly coupled to at least one of the recirculation system and the spray system and an ultrafilter fluidly coupled to an outlet side of the microfilter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Jordan R. Fountain, Antony M. Rappette, Barry E. Tuller, Rodney M. Welch
  • Patent number: 10814362
    Abstract: A self-cleaning duct assembly. The self-cleaning duct assembly includes a hollow member having an inner surface, the inner surface defining a central axis and a flow passage for directing a fluid flow along the central axis. The self-cleaning duct assembly also includes a resilient member including a plurality of arcuate segments disposed along the central axis, each of the arcuate segments spaced from the inner surface. The arcuate segments intermittently contact the inner surface as the resilient member is induced to move within the hollow member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Patrick Malachy Pierz
  • Patent number: 10807569
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for vehicle washer fluid delivery diagnostics and cleaning. An example vehicle includes an engine, a windshield, a camera for capturing images of the windshield, a nozzle, and a washer fluid controller. The washer fluid controller is to instruct the nozzle to spray washer fluid responsive to detecting the windshield is obstructed based upon a first image, determine whether the nozzle emitted a target spray based upon a second image, and pump pressurized air through the nozzle upon detecting the target spray was not emitted and the engine is off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef Ghannam, Aed M. Dudar
  • Patent number: 10799083
    Abstract: An information processing method performed with a processor includes determining whether a second dispensing amount of detergent to be dispensed in a washing apparatus in a scheduled first washing event falls below a threshold based on a remaining amount of the detergent in a detergent container of the washing apparatus and a first dispensing amount set for one washing event for washing a washing target, changing a third dispensing amount determined based on the first dispensing amount to be dispensed into the washing apparatus in a second washing event preceding the first washing event to a fourth dispensing amount equaling or exceeding the threshold when the second dispensing amount is determined to fall below the threshold, outputting information representing the fourth dispensing amount, and causing the washing apparatus to dispense the fourth dispensing amount of the detergent in the second washing event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masafumi Okubo, Hiroko Sugimoto, Mariko Nakaso, Tomohiko Kitamura