Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Oyobe

Hiroyuki Oyobe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Load port
    Patent number: 6186723
    Abstract: A load port for semiconductor equipment includes a transporting apparatus 18 and/or a moving apparatus 30 for respectively transporting a carrier base 14 and moving a cover 15, using a smaller force until the carrier base 14 and/or the cover 15 reaches a predetermined position that is at a predetermined distance from an opening 16 of the equipment. This position is at a distance where it is no longer possible to catch a hand or other object between the carrier base 14 or cover 15 and the semiconductor equipment. Then, the carrier base 14 and/or the cover 15 is transported or moved towards the opening 16 by the transporting apparatus 18 and/or moving apparatus 30 respectively transporting the carrier base 14 and/or moving the cover 15 towards the opening 16 to completely close the opening 16 using a larger force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignees: Shinko Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masanao Murata, Hiroyuki Oyobe, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Zenta Nanpei, Toshiyuki Takaoka, Hiroaki Saeki, Keiichi Matsushima
  • Mechanical interface apparatus
    Patent number: 6152669
    Abstract: A mechanical interface apparatus which is capable of loading semiconductor wafers stored in a sealed container into a processing apparatus without adversely affecting the surfaces of the semiconductor wafers due to exposure to external air or dust. When a sealed container 100 is placed on top of a processing apparatus 200, latch mechanisms 201 are activated to engage with a flange 103, so as to affix the container body 101. Then, valves 3 and 5 are opened to perform a gas purge, after which a drive mechanism provided inside a lock operating mechanism 220 is operated in order to withdraw lock arms 111 from concave portions 103a, thereby unlocking the bottom lid 110. Then, wafer cassettes 106 inside the container are lowered to a predetermined position by means of an in-apparatus elevator mechanism 202, and the wafer cassettes are loaded into the processing apparatus 200 by a cassette loading mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruya Morita, Masanao Murata, Hitoshi Kawano, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Hiroyuki Oyobe, Toshiyuki Takaoka
  • Conveying system
    Patent number: 5628604
    Abstract: A conveying system provides a cassette accommodating workpieces; a container containing the cassette; a transferring device for conveying the cassette while supporting it or conveying the container which is empty or contains the cassette while supporting it, the transferring device having a supporting device for supporting the cassette. In the conveying system, a handle is provided on the upper surface of the container so that it is supported by the supporting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanao Murata, Teppei Yamashita, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Teruya Morita, Hiroyuki Oyobe