Patents Examined by M. Rachuba
  • Patent number: 7144310
    Abstract: An infinitely adjustable knife sharpener apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a clamping mechanism having a first clamp member and a second clamp member for securing a knife blade therebetween. At least one infinitely adjustable guide rod assembly is also included. For example, an infinitely adjustable guide rod can be employed to determine an angle to which a knife blade is sharpened. Additionally, or alternatively, an infinitely adjustable guide loop can be included to determine an angle to which the knife blade is sharpened. Further, the apparatus is adjustable via a plurality of apertures in at least one of the first and second clamp members. Repositioning the guide rod assembly along a length of the first and/or the second clamp members changes the sharpening angle of the apparatus. A swivel block can also be included to facilitate foldability of the guide rod assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Inventor: Howard R. Longbrake
  • Patent number: 7144313
    Abstract: An abrasive sheet dispenser for aligning and attaching hook and loop backed abrasive sheets onto abrading tools, which utilize vacuum holes incorporated into the backup pad and into its corresponding abrasive sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the dispenser has an injection molded universal base having a plurality of guide hole locations. Each group of guide hole locations is connected by a guide screw channel. The dispenser has a plurality of injection mold guides and a plurality of guide screws. The guides are of a height as to support a plurality of abrasive sheets and fastened onto the universal base by inserting the guide screws through the guide holes in the universal base from underneath and screwing into the bottom center of guides. The guides are adjustable allowing them to be aligned with various vacuum hole patterns and sizes of abrasive sheets by sliding each guide along the guide screw channel to another guide hole location within that group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Inventor: Tim R. Greenwood
  • Patent number: 7144315
    Abstract: A grinding wheel including a ring-shaped wheel, a first fixing cap, a second fixing cap and a buffer member. The ring-shaped wheel has a fixing section and a working section formed along outer circumference of the fixing section. The first and second fixing caps are respectively mounted on two sides of the fixing section. The buffer member is positioned between the first and second fixing caps for reducing shock produced in operation. The circumference of the buffer member is formed with multiple movable vanes. When the grinding wheel is rotated at high speed, the centrifugal force will deform the movable vanes of the buffer member to lean on the ring-shaped wheel for supporting the working section thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Storm Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-yung Sun, Chuan-ching Cheng
  • Patent number: 7140957
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement in a mobile machine for screeding floor surfaces. This comprises a housing with a planet disk (3), which is rotatably supported in the bottom of the said housing and driven by a drive motor (1). The planet disk carries a number of rotatably supported screeding disks, distributed over the planet disk (3) and operatively connected to the drive motor (1). According to the invention the number of screeding disks is an even number up to a maximum of six. Viewed in the direction of rotation of the planet disk (3), half the number of screeding disks have a direction of rotation coinciding with the planet disk (3) and the remaining screeding disks an opposing direction of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: HTC Sweden AB
    Inventors: Hakan Thysell, Karl Thysell, Urban Thysell
  • Patent number: 7140361
    Abstract: A stone cutter having blade angle adjustment device includes a rectangular base having a pair of sliding bars, three cutting grooves of different slanting sections and two alignment of rectangular through hole in the top, a pair of hollow interior rectangular bars at two ends for respectively receiving a pair of lateral rods of a U-shaped extension and a sink on underside thereof. A salver plate slidably disposes on the sliding bars. A pair of support arms spacedly dispose on the top of the salver plate each having a first circular through hole and three second through hole in an arcuate slot in upper portion respectively engaged with a pair of first screw holes and a pair of second screw holes of a motor which is secured on the top of the salver plate between the support arms, a guarded blade secured to the axis of the motor and a pair of handled locks selectively engaged with one of the three second circular through holes to adjust the different slanting angles for the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Inventor: Teng Chao-Huan
  • Patent number: 7140955
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes a plurality of polishing fluid supply openings terminating in a polishing surface of a polishing table, and a plurality of grooves which are formed in the polishing surface and arranged so as not to be in direct communication with the polishing fluid supply openings. The polishing apparatus further includes a polishing fluid supply system for supplying a polishing fluid to a surface of a substrate through the openings. The grooves may extend at right angles relative to one another so as to define a plurality of lands therebetween, and the polishing fluid supply openings are formed through the lands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Nabeya
  • Patent number: 7134936
    Abstract: A grinding machine (1) for glass slabs (2) comprising a grinding head (77) that comprises a supporting structure (9), grinding wheels (20, 28) for grinding and polishing the edge of the slab (2), and grinding wheels (24, 26) for grinding and polishing the threads of the slabs (2), where the grinding wheels (20, 28) for grinding and polishing the edges rotate independently one from another around an axis that is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the grinding wheels (24, 26) for grinding and polishing the threads, and where the grinding wheels (20, 24, 26, 28) for grinding and polishing the edges and polishing the threads are configured to perform, during operation, axial movements that can be actuated independently from each other along the slab (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Forvet S.r.l.
    Inventor: Davide Gariglio
  • Patent number: 7134939
    Abstract: The invention is about reducing friction and wear and risk of seizure of mechanically interacting lubricated surfaces. A working surface of a mechanical piece engaged with another piece in relative sliding movement is processed for reduced friction. Two distinctly separate zones are allocated on the surface, one attractive to a lubricant used and the other repelling to the lubricant. The repellency may be conveyed to the repelling zone by either a mechanical modifying process or by a chemical change. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the repellency is obtained by lapping. The lubricant attractive layers are associated in a preferred embodiment of the invention with an assembly of recessed microstructures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Fricso Ltd.
    Inventors: Boris Shamshidov, Alexander Ignatovsky
  • Patent number: 7134947
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen having a first surface adapted to couple a polishing pad thereto. The first surface includes a generally circular center portion and an annular portion surrounding the generally circular center portion. The generally circular center portion encloses an area and has an attachment surface area that is less than the area enclosed by the generally circular center portion. The attachment surface area is adapted to couple an inner portion of the polishing pad to the platen. According to one embodiment of the invention, a chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen having a first surface coupling a polishing pad thereto. The first surface includes a generally circular center portion and an annular portion surrounding the generally circular center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: David A. Stark, Christopher Schutte
  • Patent number: 7131899
    Abstract: A manual grinding tool, in particular an oscillating sander (10), with a housing (12) and an abrasive sheet carrier (14), against the working surface (15) of which an installable abrasive sheet (16; 150) rests, whereby said abrasive sheet is installed using clamping means (20, 23; 360, 500) which clamp opposite abrasive sheet ends (17, 19; 155) to the abrasive sheet carrier (14), is made easier to operate and handle because it is lighterweight and more effective by the fact that the clamping means (20, 23; 350, 500), together with an abrasive sheet end (17; 155) clamped thereto, are capable of being moved away from the diametrically opposed abrasive sheet end (19; 155) which is also clamped thereto, so that said abrasive sheet is locked under tensile stress, whereby the clamping means are composed of resilient material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Eduard Gansel, Monika Renner
  • Patent number: 7125313
    Abstract: An apparatus for abrading a workpiece comprises a first plate assembly having a first surface for supporting a workpiece and a second plate assembly having a second surface for engaging the workpiece to abrade a portion thereof. A displacement shaft is mounted for movement with respect to the upper and lower plate assemblies and has a first end configured to engage the upper plate assembly. A feedback assembly is coupled to the displacement shaft for moving the displacement shaft to substantially maintain a predetermined load exerted on the displacement shaft by the upper plate assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Aleksander Zelenski, Sergey Cheprasov
  • Patent number: 7125319
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described herein which help prevent particles and other contaminants that are generated when an edge of a glass sheet is processed from contaminating or damaging the glass sheet. The apparatus includes an encapsulation device and a processing device. The encapsulation device is capable of supporting two surfaces of a glass sheet. And, the processing device is capable of processing (e.g., cutting, scribing, grinding or polishing) the edge that is adjacent to the supported two surfaces of the glass sheet which are located on a first side of the encapsulation device. The encapsulation device is also capable of substantially preventing particles and other contaminants that are generated when the processing device processes the edge of the glass sheet from reaching the two surfaces of the glass sheet which are located on a second side of the encapsulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: James W. Brown, Clive D. Gierbolini, Toshihiko Ono, Babak R. Raj, Robert G. Schaeffler
  • Patent number: 7125320
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described herein which help prevent particles and other contaminants that are generated when an edge of a glass sheet is processed from contaminating or damaging the glass sheet. The apparatus includes an encapsulation device and a processing device. The encapsulation device is capable of supporting two surfaces of a glass sheet. And, the processing device is capable of processing (e.g., cutting, scribing, grinding or polishing) the edge that is adjacent to the supported two surfaces of the glass sheet which are located on a first side of the encapsulation device. The encapsulation device is also capable of substantially preventing particles and other contaminants that are generated when the processing device processes the edge of the glass sheet from reaching the two surfaces of the glass sheet which are located on a second side of the encapsulation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: James W. Brown, Clive D. Gierbolini, Toshihiko Ono, Babak R. Raj, Robert G. Schaeffler
  • Patent number: 7121919
    Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems and methods are provided herein. One aspect of the present subject matter is a polishing system. One polishing system embodiment includes a platen adapted to receive a wafer, and a polishing pad drum that has a cylindrical, or generally cylindrical, shape with a length and an axis of rotation along the length. The polishing pad drum is adapted to rotate about the axis of rotation along the drum length. The polishing pad drum, the platen, or both the polishing pad drum and the platen are adapted to be linearly moved to polish the surface of the wafer using the rotating polishing pad drum. The polishing pad drum and the platen are adapted to be operably positioned a predetermined minimum distance from each other as the polishing pad drum and the platen pass each other due the linear motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul A. Farrar
  • Patent number: 7118446
    Abstract: A grinding assembly for shaping work pieces that includes one or more grind spindles. Each of the grind spindles include two independent grinding wheels driven by a single spindle drive. The grind spindles translate horizontally to perform both edge and face grinding with a single grind spindle. A non-contact position sensor in a work spindle measures work spindle displacement during grinding and provides feedback to the grind spindle to regulate the force imparted on the work piece by the grind spindle. In variations, an abrasive wheel disposed radially with respect to an axis of spindle rotation is utilized to perform edge grinding of the work piece. In other variations cleaning, polishing and grinding are carried out in a single grinding assembly. In yet other variations, a wheel dressing apparatus is utilized to dress the wheel when one or more forces to maintain productivity of the grind wheel exceed a threhold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Strasbaugh, a California corporation
    Inventors: Thomas A. Walsh, Salman Moudrek Kassir
  • Patent number: 7115027
    Abstract: A grinding tool for sharpening tools is provided comprising an oscillatory drive the output shaft of which is driven oscillatingly about its longitudinal axis. The grinding tool comprises a holder for mounting a working part which is configured as a grinding plate having a flat grinding surface. The grinding tool is held by the holder in a plane extending substantially perpendicularly to the drive shaft. The holder comprises a fixed holding section and a removable clamping part between which the working part can be clamped at one end by means of at least one tensioning part. The clamping part comprises an outer surface which serves as a guide surface for supporting a surface of the working part to adjust a preset angle between the outer surface of the clamping part and the grinding surface of the tool to be sharpened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: C. & E. Fein GmbH
    Inventor: Walter Thomaschewski
  • Patent number: 7101270
    Abstract: A sanding machine (1; 300) comprising a support structure (2; 302) for the piece (3) to be processed and a sanding unit (4) for the piece (3) itself. The sanding unit (4) comprises a frame (40) that supports a winding element (8) cooperating with kinematic means (9) suitable for setting it in motion according to a closed ring configuration on a plane (?1) substantially parallel to the plane (?2) defined by the support structure (2; 302) and a plurality of abrasive elements (10) combined with the winding element (8) spaced from one another and provided with an abrasive surface (16; 416) that comes in contact with the piece (3) during the movement of the winding element (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Costa Levigatrici SpA
    Inventors: Eligio Bau', Nevio Zanuso
  • Patent number: 7101252
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing method for polishing an oxide film and a protective film formed on a substrate having recesses comprises four steps. The first step planarizes the oxide film using a polishing pad and a polishing agent containing cerium oxide particles by causing relative rotational motion between the substrate and the polishing pad. The second step continues polishing the oxide film to maintain the planarized property of the oxide film. The third step polishes the oxide film until at least a portion of the protective film becomes exposed. The fourth step polishes the oxide film until the oxide film is substantially removed and the protective film is substantially exposed. During the four steps, torque values are measured on the substrate or the polishing pad, and changes in torque with time are calculated. This information is used to determine the status of each of the steps during the polishing run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials
    Inventors: Tomohiko Kitajima, Gen Yasuhara
  • Patent number: 7101271
    Abstract: An apparatus for polishing chemically and mechanically a wafer includes a membrane supporter and a membrane. The membrane has a pressure portion that is divided into a plurality of regions, and a partition portion extending from the border between the plurality regions. The partition portion of the membrane is fixed to a slider that can move up and down in a guide groove formed in the membrane supporter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-Ok Moon
  • Patent number: 7101275
    Abstract: A resilient, laminated polishing pad for chemical mechanical polishing is disclosed. The polishing pad includes a base layer and a polishing layer bonded by a hot-melt adhesive. The hot-melt adhesive of the present invention provides a Tpeel strength for the polishing pad of at least greater than 40 Newtons at 305 mm/min, reducing pad delamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: John V. H. Roberts, Laurent S. Vesier