Patents Examined by Katelyn Whatley
  • Patent number: 9045852
    Abstract: A washing machine and a washing control method of the same capable of controlling a degree of application of the machine force at every temperature step according to the selected washing course based on information, such as the amount of load detected in the beginning of washing and the amount of wash water detected by the rise change of the wash water temperature during washing, thereby reducing damage to laundry during washing and accomplishing optimal washing efficiency. The washing control method includes detecting wash water temperature and controlling a motor operation rate or a washing time based on the detected wash water temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Sook Kim, Sung Hoon Kim, Seong Min Oak
  • Patent number: 9034110
    Abstract: A method for grit blasting tubes and for blowing swabs through tubes, automatically sensing that the swab has passed through the tube, and logging the event. Also, various methods are used for inserting the swabs into the tubes efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Extundo Incorporated
    Inventors: Clifford L. Johns, August M Dattilo, III, Munaf Najmuddin Chasmawala, Manfred Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9034109
    Abstract: A method of operating a dishwasher having a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving utensils and a spraying system spraying liquid in the treating chamber, to determine at least one parameter of the cycle of operation based on the set of load condition by selectively spraying liquid in multiple portions of the treating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Barry E. Tuller
  • Patent number: 9011609
    Abstract: An ironing apparatus includes an ironing die and an ironing punch, an injection port for injecting gas or liquid to the metal plate at a high pressure to remove substance adhered to the metal plate therefrom, a suction port for sucking the adhered substance removed from the metal plate, and a protrusion mount portion with a protrusion for preventing dispersion of the gas or the liquid. An ironing method for ironing the metal plate having the single surface or both surfaces coated with the organic resin film includes the steps of injecting the gas or the liquid from the injection port to the metal plate at the high pressure to remove the adhered substance from the metal plate, and sucking and collecting the adhered substance removed from the metal plate from the suction port. The adhered substance such as the hair may be removed by the aforementioned invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakagawa, Masaki Tada, Katsumi Kojima, Yasuhide Oshima, Hiroki Iwasa
  • Patent number: 9011604
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a depression is formed in a semiconductor substrate made of silicon or silicon compound semiconductor, and foreign substances including a protection layer in the depression is removed with a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution includes a mixed solution of hydrogen peroxide water to which a chelator is added, a basic solution, and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daigorou Yamaguchi, Yoshitaka Noda
  • Patent number: 8999068
    Abstract: Provided is a chamber cleaning method capable of efficiently removing a CF-based shoulder deposit containing Si and Al deposited on an outer periphery of an ESC. A mixed gas of an O2 gas and a F containing gas is supplied toward an outer periphery 24a of an ESC 24 at a pressure ranging from about 400 mTorr to about 800 mTorr; plasma generated from the mixed gas is irradiated onto the outer periphery 24a of the ESC 24; an O2 single gas as a mask gas is supplied to the top surface of ESC 24 except the outer periphery 24a; and the shoulder deposit 50 adhered to the outer periphery 24a is decomposed and removed while preventing the top surface of ESC 24 except the outer periphery 24a from being exposed to a F radical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masanobu Honda, Hidetoshi Hanaoka, Taichi Hirano, Takanori Mimura, Manabu Iwata, Taketoshi Okajo
  • Patent number: 8992691
    Abstract: A method of implementing cleaning solution replacement in a recyclable fluid cleaning system for semiconductor wafers includes activating electrode current for an electrolysis reactor included in the cleaning system. At least one of electrode voltage and operating time for the electrolysis reactor is monitored, until a trigger point has been reached. The trigger point includes one of the electrode voltage reaching a predetermined threshold voltage value, a process time counter reaching a predetermined counter value, and a time value that the electrode voltage has been at the threshold voltage value reaching predetermined value. The process time counter is incremented based on one or more of actual wafer processing time, wafer type, number of wafers processed, and thickness of material to be stripped. Upon reaching the trigger point, the electrode current is deactivated, and at least a portion of cleaning system fluid is drained and replaced with fresh cleaning fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard O. Henry, David F. Hilscher, Sandi E. Merritt, Charles J. Taft, Robert W. Zigner, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8980012
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing an ink image from a plastic substrate, particularly a plastic container such as a cup, are provided. A solvent capable of solvating the ink image is utilized in order to de-ink articles so that they can be recycled and re-imprinted thereby reducing waste associated with printing line start up. As the articles may be intended for use with food and beverage products, a safe and non-toxic solvent may be selected. However, to ensure that the article is not contaminated with foreign materials prior to human use, the de-inked article may undergo a rinse and drying operation to remove solvent residues and UV light treatment to eliminate any harmful microorganisms that may be present on the article's surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Inventor: Ron Fuller
  • Patent number: 8974604
    Abstract: A sewer pipe is cleaned of collected solids by providing a water supply hose at a first location on the pipe and by driving a jet nozzle head to a second location along the pipe using jets directed along the pipe. At the second location the head is changed for a second head attached to a cable and is pulled back to the first location by the hose. The nozzle is then pulled back to the second location by pulling the cable while nozzles directed along the pipe toward the second location drive the solids forwardly to the second location for extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventor: Slawko Morris Baziuk
  • Patent number: 8968483
    Abstract: A method of operating a dishwasher having a treating chamber for washing dishes includes dispensing a detergent, supplying liquid to mix with the detergent to form a wash liquid, storing a first portion of the wash liquid in a reuse tank and using a second portion of the wash liquid in the treating chamber, supplying the first portion of the wash liquid from the reuse tank to the treating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Scott D. Slabbekoorn, Elliott V. Stowe, Barry E. Tuller, Chad T. Vanderroest
  • Patent number: 8968486
    Abstract: A dishwashing machine configured to detect the presence of rinse aid in fluid in a washing chamber of the dishwashing machine. An electronic controller selects the drying stage of the dishwashing cycle based on whether rinse aid is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas T. Allen, Jonathan D. King, Brooke L. Lau, Jacek Szostak
  • Patent number: 8956464
    Abstract: Methods for cleaning polymeric microfiltration or ultrafiltration membranes. The membrane may be contacted with a first cleaning solution including at least one oxidising agent. A second cleaning solution including at least one reducing agent may then be introduced to the membrane and first cleaning solution. The oxidising and reducing agents may undergo a neutralisation reaction to form an oxidation-neutral mixed cleaning solution. The membrane may be simultaneously cleaned during the neutralisation reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Peter Zauner, Fufang Zha
  • Patent number: 8940107
    Abstract: A dishwasher (10) for the batch washing of wash items (20) comprises a wash chamber (24), which is arranged to accommodate wash items (20) and in which spray members ((34a-b)) for spraying out washing liquid and rinsing liquid are disposed; a wash tank (28), which is arranged to contain washing liquid which during a wash phase shall be supplied to the wash chamber (24) via the spray members ((34a-b)); a recirculating rinse tank (52), which is arranged to contain used rinsing liquid which during a rinse phase shall be supplied to the wash chamber (24) via the spray members ((34a-b)); members (62) for supplying final-rinse liquid which during a final-rinse phase shall be supplied to the wash chamber (24) via the spray members ((34a-b)); a collecting device (42, 46), which is arranged to collect liquid which has been sprayed out into the wash chamber (24) via the spray members ((34a-b)); and a pump (48), which is arranged to pump used rinsing liquid from the collecting device (42, 46) to the recirculating rinse
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Wexiodisk AB
    Inventor: Roger Fransson
  • Patent number: 8932411
    Abstract: A method for controlling the operation of an automatic dishwasher including receiving input for a zonal wash cycle from a user interface to a controller indicating a selection of a first cleaning cycle corresponding to a first wash zone and a second cleaning cycle, different from the first cleaning cycle, corresponding to a second wash zone, and implementing a zonal wash cycle by implementing each of the first and second cleaning cycles during a single cycle of operation of the dishwasher to define the zonal wash cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas B. Beaudet, Vincent A. Ireland
  • Patent number: 8919358
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has an indexer block and a processing block. One side of the processing block has a vertical stack of a plurality of top surface cleaning units and the other side of the processing block has a vertical stack of a plurality of back surface cleaning units. Reversing units for reversing the substrate W are provided one above the other between the indexer block and the processing block. For example, one reversing unit is used for reversing the substrate before a back surface cleaning processing by the back surface cleaning unit or for other purposes, and the other reversing unit is used for placing the substrate W after a top surface cleaning processing by the top surface cleaning unit or for other purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Mitsuyoshi, Jun Shibukawa, Shinji Kiyokawa, Tomohiro Kurebayashi
  • Patent number: 8911561
    Abstract: A method for removing liquid from a surface of a disc includes, rotating the disc article about an axis perpendicular to the disc's main surface, supplying liquid from a supply port, moved across the substrate towards the edge of the disc, onto the rotated disc, supplying a first gas flow through a first gas supply port onto the disc article to an area whose center has a distance to the center of rotational movement of not more than 20 mm, the area being covered with a liquid layer thereby opening the liquid layer at a discrete area, and supplying a second gas flow through a second gas supply port moved across the substrate towards the edge of the substrate onto the rotated disc wherein the distance of the second gas supply port to the center is lower than the distance of the liquid supply port to the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Harald Kraus, Axel Wittershagen
  • Patent number: 8906164
    Abstract: Methods for stabilizing a ceramic contact surface of an electrostatic chuck, wherein the electrostatic chuck can be disposed within a reaction chamber of a semiconductor wafer processing assembly including a radio frequency source and a coolant gas supply are described herein. The method may include: clamping electrostatically a conditioning wafer to the ceramic contact surface of the electrostatic chuck; and cycling an output power of the radio frequency source and an output pressure of the coolant gas supply for multiple hot/cold cycles. Each of the hot/cold cycles includes a hot abrasion state and a cold abrasion state. At the hot abrasion state, the output power of the radio frequency source is relatively high and the output pressure of the coolant gas supply is relatively low to yield a relatively hot conditioning wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Chris Kimball, Tom Stevenson, Peter Muraoka
  • Patent number: 8894774
    Abstract: A composition of matter and method to remove excess material during the manufacturing of semiconductor devices includes providing a substrate; applying a metal chelator mixture to the substrate, where the metal chelator mixture comprising a metal chelator and a solvent, where the metal chelator binds to the platinum residue, to render the platinum residue soluble; and rinsing the metal chelator mixture from the substrate to remove the platinum residue from the silicide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventor: Anh Duong
  • Patent number: 8858720
    Abstract: A method for removing deposits from at least one compressor powered by an engine. The method comprises disconnecting while the engine is turned off, a high pressure downstream side of the compressor from an intercooler, or an air intake manifold for non-intercooled engines, while leaving the compressor attached to a means used in the engine to drive the compressor. The output airflow is diverted from the compressor away from the engine to a disposal or to a means of separating a cleaning fluid from air. After starting the engine and while the engine is running, the cleaning fluid is injected for a sufficient time to clean the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Chevron Belgium NV
    Inventors: Ard Martens, Graham Nancekievill, Ludo Dejaeghere
  • Patent number: 8851092
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus includes a first substrate-holding portion configured to hold a first area of a back surface of the substrate so that the top surface is kept face up; a second substrate-holding portion configured to hold a second area of the back surface of the substrate, the second area being not overlapped with the first area, and rotate the substrate; a top-surface cleaning nozzle configured to supply a top surface cleaning fluid to a top surface of the substrate; a bevel cleaning nozzle configured to supply a bevel cleaning fluid to a bevel portion of the substrate; a cleaning fluid supplying portion configured to supply a back surface cleaning fluid to the back surface of the substrate held by the first or the second substrate-holding portion; and a cleaning member configured to clean the back surface of the substrate held by the first or the second-substrate holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Taro Yamamoto, Naoto Yoshitaka, Shuichi Nishikido, Yoichi Tokunaga