Patents by Inventor John G. Piper

John G. Piper 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).

  • Method and apparatus to hold integrated circuit chips onto a chuck and to simultaneously remove multiple integrated circuit chips from a cutting chuck
    Patent number: 6024631
    Abstract: A cutting chuck for use with a cutting blade and for holding a semiconductor wafer in place during a dicing process and a die pick for picking the segmented semiconductor wafer from the chuck. The chuck includes a surface for supporting the wafer and several ports in the surface connected to a vacuum source. Preferably, the cutting chuck includes a housing having a base and a wall. A vacuum chamber is provided within the housing and on top of the base. A porous layer is located in housing and above the vacuum chamber. A surface layer is above the porous layer and contains ports connecting the surface supporting the wafer to the vacuum chamber via the porous layer. In a most preferred embodiment, the chuck is removeably attached to the vacuum source via a check valve. The cutting chuck may also include recesses in the surface to prevent impingement on the cutting chuck by a cutting blade during wafer dicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John G. Piper
  • Method and apparatus to hold integrated circuit chips onto a chuck and to simultaneously remove multiple integrated circuit chips from a cutting chuck
    Patent number: 5953590
    Abstract: A cutting chuck for use with a cutting blade and for holding a semiconductor wafer in place during a dicing process and a die pick for picking the segmented semiconductor wafer from the chuck. The chuck includes a surface for supporting the wafer and several ports in the surface connected to a vacuum source. Preferably, the cutting chuck includes a housing having a base and a wall. A vacuum chamber is provided within the housing and on top of the base. A porous layer is located in housing and above the vacuum chamber. A surface layer is above the porous layer and contains ports connecting the surface supporting the wafer to the vacuum chamber via the porous layer. In a most preferred embodiment, the chuck is removeably attached to the vacuum source via a check valve. The cutting chuck may also include recesses in the surface to prevent impingement on the cutting chuck by a cutting blade during wafer dicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Piper, Chris Keith
  • Method and apparatus to hold integrated circuit chips onto a chuck and to simultaneously remove multiple integrated circuit chips from a cutting chuck
    Patent number: 5913104
    Abstract: A cutting chuck for use with a cutting blade and for holding a semiconductor wafer in place during a dicing process and a die pick for picking the segmented semiconductor wafer from the chuck. The chuck includes a surface for supporting the wafer and several ports in the surface connected to a vacuum source. Preferably, the cutting chuck includes a housing having a base and a wall. A vacuum chamber is provided within the housing and on top of the base. A porous layer is located in housing and above the vacuum chamber. A surface layer is above the porous layer and contains ports connecting the surface supporting the wafer to the vacuum chamber via the porous layer. In a most preferred embodiment, the chuck is removeably attached to the vacuum source via a check valve. The cutting chuck may also include recesses in the surface to prevent impingement on the cutting chuck by a cutting blade during wafer dicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Piper, Chris Keith, Donald M. Heideman, Michael A. Villet
  • Apparatus to hold and remove an integrated circuit chip on a cutting chuck
    Patent number: 5888127
    Abstract: A cutting chuck for use with a cutting blade and for holding a semiconductor wafer in place during a dicing process and a die pick for picking the segmented semiconductor wafer from the chuck. The chuck includes a surface for supporting the wafer and several ports in the surface connected to a vacuum source. Preferably, the cutting chuck includes a housing having a base and a wall. A vacuum chamber is provided within the housing and on top of the base. A porous layer is located in housing and above the vacuum chamber. A surface layer is above the porous layer and contains ports connecting the surface supporting the wafer to the vacuum chamber via the porous layer. In a most preferred embodiment, the chuck is removeably attached to the vacuum source via a check valve. The cutting chuck may also include recesses in the surface to prevent impingement on the cutting chuck by a cutting blade during wafer dicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Piper, Chris Keith, Donald M. Heideman, Michael A. Villet
  • Actuator assembly
    Patent number: 5831504
    Abstract: A magnetic actuator design and method of use is provided that generally reduces problems associated with conventional actuators and can be specifically employed to increase the accuracy of actuator type precision operations, such as surface mounted electrical component placement, die and attach tooling movements, and tape and reel part storage tooling. The actuator includes a housing, a stem slidably disposed and having a rest position within the housing, a first magnetic portion attached to the stem and, a second magnetic portion attached to the housing, the second magnetic portion being of sufficient strength and oriented to exert a generally predetermined force on said first magnetic portion sufficient to resist displacement of said stem from said rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Piper, Michael J. Bettinger
  • Method and apparatus to hold intergrated circuit chips onto a chuck and to simultaneously remove multiple intergrated circuit chips from a cutting chuck
    Patent number: 5803797
    Abstract: A cutting chuck for use with a cutting blade and for holding a semiconductor wafer in place during a dicing process and a die pick for picking the segmented semiconductor wafer from the chuck. The chuck includes a surface for supporting the wafer and several ports in the surface connected to a vacuum source. Preferably, the cutting chuck includes a housing having a base and a wall. A vacuum chamber is provided within the housing and on top of the base. A porous layer is located in housing and above the vacuum chamber. A surface layer is above the porous layer and contains ports connecting the surface supporting the wafer to the vacuum chamber via the porous layer. In a most preferred embodiment, the chuck is removeably attached to the vacuum source via a check valve. The cutting chuck may also include recesses in the surface to prevent impingement on the cutting chuck by a cutting blade during wafer dicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: John G. Piper
  • Actuator assembly
    Patent number: 5644279
    Abstract: A magnetic actuator design and method of use is provided that generally reduces problems associated with conventional actuators and can be specifically employed to increase the accuracy of actuator type precision operations, such as surface mounted electrical component placement, die and attach tooling movements, and tape and reel part storage tooling. The actuator includes a housing, a stem slidably disposed and having a rest position within the housing, a first magnetic portion attached to the stem and, a second magnetic portion attached to the housing, the second magnetic portion being of sufficient strength and oriented to exert a generally predetermined force on said first magnetic portion sufficient to resist displacement of said stem from said rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Piper, Michael J. Bettinger