Patents Examined by Ronald P Jarrett
  • Patent number: 11584597
    Abstract: A machine for use in picking up objects having a cellophane outer covering using a vacuum, the machine comprising a housing, a vacuum source, a suction cup coupled to the vacuum source, a transport system for moving the suction cup horizontally and vertically within the housing, and a plurality of objects having a cellophane outer covering in the housing below the pick-up device. The plurality of objects include an adhesively applied target on at least one of the cellophane outer coverings, the adhesively applied target having a surface area greater than a surface area circumscribed by a lowermost edge of the suction cup, and the suction cup includes a threaded tubular member extending axially therein through, the threaded tubular member including stops that engage an upper and lower surface of the suction cup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Stephen P. Shoemaker Trust
    Inventor: Stephen P. Shoemaker, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11579538
    Abstract: A storage apparatus for storing an object includes a load port unit that a receptacle is loaded onto or unloaded from, in which the receptacle accommodates the object in a storage space formed by a body and a cover that covers the body, and a controller. The load port unit includes a housing having an interior space, a stage member that is provided on the housing and that opens the storage space by moving the body, the receptacle being seated on the stage member, and an exhaust tube that evacuates a spacing space between the body and the cover spaced apart from each other. One end of the exhaust tube faces toward the spacing space, and an opposite end of the exhaust tube faces toward the interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Hun Sim, Jinwook Jung, Seungwon Kim, Seokhee Kim, Jaehee Hwang, Jun Cheol Park
  • Patent number: 11572235
    Abstract: An aligner device includes a robot hand, a lifting mechanism, sensors, a misalignment calculating unit, an x-y misalignment correcting unit, and a ? misalignment correcting unit. The robot hand includes vertically aligned hand members each configured to hold a planar workpiece. The lifting mechanism moves planar workpieces transported by the robot hand up from and down to the hand members, respectively. Each of the sensors, vertically spaced apart from each other, has a downward sensor surface to capture the outline of a planar workpiece brought close to the sensor surface by the workpiece lifting mechanism. The misalignment calculating unit calculates, by using the images of the captured outline shapes of the planar workpieces, an amount of positional misalignment of each planar workpiece with a reference position in X, Y and ? directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: DAIHEN Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunobu Otogawa, Masato Okuda, Yuya Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11569109
    Abstract: An embodiment provides a wafer cassette stoker comprising: a cassette on which a plurality of wafers are loaded; a plurality of chambers disposed in one line while forming at least one layer, wherein the cassette after being cleaned is inserted in each of the chambers and a humidity control unit for supplying a compressed dry air (CDA) into the insides of the chambers so as to control humidity of the cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: SK SILTRON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae Won Kim, Jong Joo Lee
  • Patent number: 11569103
    Abstract: Provided are a substrate transporting apparatus capable of preventing an increase in temperature of a transporting robot by installing a cooling plate around the transporting robot, and a substrate treating system including the same. The substrate transporting apparatus includes a transporting unit for transporting a substrate; and a cooling plate for controlling a temperature of the transporting unit, wherein the cooling plate is spaced apart from a side surface of the transporting unit and installed as a side wall, or is installed in close contact with the side surface of the transporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sun Ho Ha, Duk Hyun Son
  • Patent number: 11555288
    Abstract: A power rake and multi-purpose bucket combo attachment includes a power rake drum, a multi-purpose bucket and a frame. The multi-purpose bucket is configured to dig, scoop, lift, carry, clamp, pinch or hold. The frame is configured to hold the power rake drum and the multi-purpose bucket in positions for operation on a loader machine. The frame also includes a plate configured for attachment to a loader machine. Wherein, the power rake and multi-purpose bucket combo attachment is configured to combine the power rake drum and the multi-purpose bucket that can dig, scoop, lift, carry, clamp, pinch or hold in a single attachment, whereby the power rake multi-purpose bucket combo attachment provides operations of both the power rake drum and the multi-purpose bucket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: CONSTRUCTION IMPLEMENTS DEPOT, INC.
    Inventors: William Broadway, Hayden Bledsoe, Jonathan Williams
  • Patent number: 11549232
    Abstract: A compact utility loader compact utility loader comprising a frame, and a loader arm configured to support an attachment. The compact utility loader additionally comprises a first link pivotably secured to the frame, a second link pivotably secured to the frame, and an actuator configured to raise and lower the loader arm. The actuator is not simultaneously secured to both the frame and the loader arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Carlson
  • Patent number: 11542103
    Abstract: An automated food production work cell includes a robotic system that utilizes a food-grade robotic gripper to transfer individual food items. The robotic gripper is constructed using food-grade materials and includes finger structures that are linearly movably connected by linear bearings to parallel guide rods and are independently driven by a non-contact actuating system to grasp targeted food items disposed on a first work surface, to hold the targeted food items while the robotic system moves the gripper to a second work surface, and to release the targeted food items onto the second work surface. Encoding and external sensing systems facilitate fully automated food transfer processes. Optional sensor arrays are disposed on tip portions of the finger structures to provide feedback data (e.g., grasping force/pressure). Two or more pairs of independently controlled finger structures are provided to facilitate the transfer of multiple food items during each transfer process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: RIOS Intelligent Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Paulson, Nicholas L. Choi, Leo Keselman, Laura L. Sullivan, Kent A. Evans, Laura Stelzner, Clinton J. Smith
  • Patent number: 11545374
    Abstract: A device for transferring components from a first carrier to a second carrier. A first receptacle receives the first carrier so that components carried by the first carrier are oriented towards a second receptacle. A separating device separates the components from the first carrier for transfer to the second carrier. A first conveyor moves the first receptacle transverse to the conveying direction of the second carrier. A second conveyor moves the separating device transverse to the conveying direction of the second carrier. A first inspection device detects one of the components in its position relative to a storage position on the second receptacle guiding the second carrier. A second inspection device is arranged upstream of the storage position and detects one of the subassemblies on the second carrier relative to the second receptacle and signals the position of the subassembly to a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: MUEHLBAUER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Marcel Freimuth, Alexander Ruhland
  • Patent number: 11545382
    Abstract: The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip processing tool. The integrated chip processing tool includes a first transfer module and a second transfer module. The first transfer module has a first robotic arm disposed within a housing. The first transfer module is configured to receive a single and unitary first die tray configured to hold a plurality of integrated chip (IC) die and to concurrently transfer all of the plurality of IC die held by the single and unitary first die tray to a single and unitary die boat. The second transfer module has an additional robotic arm disposed within the housing and configured to concurrently transfer all of the plurality of IC die from the single and unitary die boat to a single and unitary second die tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chien-Fa Lee, Hsu-Shui Liu, Jiun-Rong Pai, Pin-Yi Hsin, Shou-Wen Kuo, Patrick Lin
  • Patent number: 11535460
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a frame and a transport apparatus connected to the frame. The transport apparatus has an upper arm link, a forearm link rotatably coupled to the upper arm link about an elbow axis, at least a third arm link rotatably coupled to the forearm about a wrist axis, and an end effector rotatably coupled to the third arm link about a knuckle axis. A two degree of freedom drive system is operably connected to at least one of the upper arm link, the forearm link, and the third arm link for effecting extension and retraction of the end effector wherein a height of the end effector is within the stack height profile of the wrist axis so that a total stack height of the end effector and wrist axis is sized to conform within a pass through of a slot valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher A. Bussiere, Robert T. Caveney
  • Patent number: 11528856
    Abstract: A system and method of positioning a grapple of a skidder based on ground conditions and felled timber characteristics, or other material characteristics, such as conduit characteristics for pipe, being moved by the skidder. The vehicle includes a level sensor to determine slope of the vehicle based on ground slope and a traction device to determine a slip condition of the vehicle. Level sensors can include a gyroscope, an accelerometer, or a pitch/roll/yaw sensor. The grapple assembly is automatically positioned based on the vehicle slope, the slip condition, and the weight and/or the length of the felled timber being collected by the grapple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Suchitra Iyer, Ishani Pandit, Jacob M. Eilders
  • Patent number: 11521875
    Abstract: A carrier spacer includes an annular main body, a first tapered part formed on an inner peripheral part of a front surface of the main body, a second tapered part formed on the inner peripheral part of a reverse surface of the main body, a flat surface formed on the outer peripheral side of the first tapered part on the front surface of the main body and holding the reverse surface of the outer peripheral part of a semiconductor wafer, a peripheral edge part formed on the outer peripheral side of the flat surface of the main body and provided with a step having a height position higher than a height position of the flat surface, an arcuate cutout part formed from the peripheral edge part to the flat surface of the main body, and a pair of handles protruding from the peripheral edge part toward the outer peripheral side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Osaka
  • Patent number: 11511950
    Abstract: A substrate flipping device includes a substrate securing assembly, a gripping actuator, and a rotary actuator. The gripping actuator is configured to pneumatically cause the substrate securing assembly to be in an open position to receive a substrate and configured to pneumatically cause the substrate securing assembly to be in a closed position to secure the substrate. The rotary actuator is configured to pneumatically cause the substrate securing assembly to rotate to a flipped position and to pneumatically rotate to a non-flipped position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Minh Phan, Steven Trey Tindel, Paul Benjamin Reuter
  • Patent number: 11511949
    Abstract: A movable object holding system for holding a movable object including a body portion 11 and a protruding portion protruding from the body portion, comprising a hand part 40 holding a movable object, the hand part 40 comprising plural guide portions limiting movement of the movable object in a first axis direction and a second axis direction that are perpendicular to each other and a pair of positioning portions 43e limiting movement of the movable object in a third axis direction that is perpendicular to the first and second axis directions, wherein the hand part 40 holds the movable object with the protruding portion of the movable object disposed in a space surrounded by the plural guide portions and touching the pair of the positioning portions 43e and with a part of the body portion of the movable object exposed out of the hand part 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Akira Tsunoda, Shinichi Kawabata, Yuki Higuchi
  • Patent number: 11508596
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatically handling die carriers are disclosed. In one example, a disclosed apparatus includes: at least one load port each configured for loading a die carrier operable to hold a plurality of dies; and an interface tool coupled to the at least one load port and a semiconductor processing unit. The interface tool comprises: a first robotic arm configured for transporting the die carrier from the at least one load port to the interface tool, and a second robotic arm configured for transporting the die carrier from the interface tool to the semiconductor processing unit for processing at least one die in the die carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Sheng Kuo, Cheng-Lung Wu, Chih-Hung Huang, Yang-Ann Chu, Hsuan Lee, Jiun-Rong Pai
  • Patent number: 11498775
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for the transfer of components for inhalers or vaporizers from a loading station in which the components arrive randomly oriented, toward one or more work stations, to which said components are delivered oriented according to a predetermined orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Carlo Zaniboni
  • Patent number: 11479453
    Abstract: The present disclosure is a lift attachment apparatus for construction and farm equipment, including a loader. In an embodiment of the disclosure, lift apparatus may include a frame including an attachment device configured to attach to a tilting plane of a loader having a forward facing loader arm, a pair of wheels connected to the frame, a first wheel of the pair of wheels located on a first side of the frame and a second wheel of the pair of wheels located on a second side of the frame. The lift attachment apparatus may further include a boom or forks connected directly or indirectly to the frame, wherein control of the boom or forks is provided by application of force to the attachment device by the forward facing loader arm in a downward direction to create lift and rotation of the tilting plane causing rotation of an end of the boom or forks about the first wheel and the second wheel. The first wheel and second wheel being mechanically aligned to act as a stable fulcrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventor: Jared D. Horton
  • Patent number: 11476142
    Abstract: A substrate loading device including a frame adapted to connect to a substrate processing apparatus, the frame having a transport opening through which substrates are transported to the processing apparatus, a cassette support connected to the frame for holding at least one substrate cassette container proximate the transport opening, the support configured so that a sealed internal atmosphere of the container is accessed from the support at predetermined access locations of the container, and the cassette support has a predetermined continuous steady state differential pressure plenum region, determined at least in part by boundaries of fluid flow generating differential pressure, so that the predetermined continuous steady state differential pressure plenum region defines a continuously steady state fluidic flow isolation barrier disposed on the support between the predetermined access locations of the container and another predetermined section of the support isolating the other predetermined section from
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventors: Radik Sunugatov, Robert Carlson, Mike Krolak
  • Patent number: 11476135
    Abstract: Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a transfer region housing defining an internal volume. A sidewall of the transfer region housing may define a sealable access for providing and receiving substrates. The systems may include a plurality of substrate supports disposed within the transfer region. The systems may also include a transfer apparatus having a central hub including a first shaft and a second shaft concentric with and counter-rotatable to the first shaft. The transfer apparatus may include a first end effector coupled with the first shaft. The first end effector may include a plurality of first arms. The transfer apparatus may also include a second end effector coupled with the second shaft. The second end effector may include a plurality of second arms having a number of second arms equal to the number of first arms of the first end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles T. Carlson, Jason M. Schaller, Luke Bonecutter, David Blahnik