Patents by Inventor Masanao Murata

Masanao Murata 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).

  • Patent number: 7918122
    Abstract: A stocker 1 includes a storage FOUP 20, plural purge units 50, a measurement FOUP 30 and a stacker crane 60. The storage FOUP 20 stores a semiconductor wafer inside. The measurement FOUP 30 includes a flow meter inside. The purge unit 50 includes a purge shelf 51 having plural purge tables 54 for placing the storage FOUP 20, and a nitrogen gas is supplied into the storage FOUP 20 placed on the purge table 54. The stacker crane 60 transports the storage container 20 onto the purge table 54, and the measurement FOUP 30 is transported between the plural purge tables 54.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Muratec Automation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanao Murata, Susumu Maetaki
  • Patent number: 7917245
    Abstract: Objects to be transported which are transported between at least one storage unit and a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses by a plurality of transport vehicles in accordance with a command of a controller are managed inexpensively and easily and with high reliability. An ID card 20 incorporating a wireless communication function is installed on all carriers 18, and an ID read/write unit 25 is installed in some transport vehicles 10. Further, a carrier ID is read or written with respect to the ID card 20 in accordance with a command of an MCS 4 connected to the ID read/write unit 25, so as to manage the carrier ID by a carrier ID management unit 4a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Muratec Automation Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanao Murata
  • Publication number: 20100204826
    Abstract: A transfer system includes: a first shelf blocking an original transfer path from a transfer position at which the transporting vehicle transfers the transported object to the port and which transfers the transported object with the transporting vehicle; a second shelf that puts the transported object; a displacing device which reciprocates the transported object with respect to the first shelf and the port in a first direction, toward and away from the processing apparatus, and reciprocates the transported object at a first direction position, away in the first direction by the transported object from the first shelf and the port, in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a communicating device receiving a first system signal indicating a transfer request from the transporting vehicle, which transmits a second system signal indicating a transfer permission to the transporting vehicle, which transmits the first system signal to the processing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: MURATEC AUTOMATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Sawado, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Masanao Murata, Takashi Yamaji, Naofumi Kirihata
  • Publication number: 20100202861
    Abstract: A transfer system includes: a first shelf disposed to block an original transfer path from a transfer position at which the transporting vehicle transfers the transported object to the port and can transfer the transported object with the transporting vehicle; a second shelf which puts the transported object; a displacing device can reciprocate the transported object with respect to the first shelf and the port in a first direction, toward and away from the processing apparatus, and which can reciprocate the transported object at first direction position, which is away in the first direction by the transported object from the first shelf and the port, in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a communicating device which receives a transfer request from the transporting vehicle, which can transmit a transfer permission to the transporting vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: MURATEC AUTOMATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Sawado, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Masanao Murata, Takashi Yamaji, Naofumi Kirihata
  • Patent number: 7765936
    Abstract: A transporting system with a fire door (100) is provided with: a rail (1) installed within a facility; a transporting carriage (3), whose wheel (4) is set so as to roll over a surface for rolling of the rail; a fire door plate (7) for segmenting a space within the facility in a direction intersecting the rail at a predetermined position of the rail; and a door plate moving device (8) capable of moving the fire door plate from an open position for the transporting carriage to pass through the predetermined position, to a close position for the fire door plate to segment the space. A first cut (1a) is formed obliquely with respect to a width direction of the rail when planarly seen on the surface for rolling, in the rail at the predetermined position. The fire door plate has a shape capable of passing through the first cut when being moved to the close position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Muratec Automation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanao Murata, Senzou Kyutoku, Toshio Takasu
  • Publication number: 20100179385
    Abstract: An endoscope system includes, in order to automatically detect a type of optical adapter and to generate to display an excellent image according to an intended purpose by performing an image signal processing control corresponding to the type of the optical adapter, a signal processing circuit for performing various image signal processings on an image signal from an image-pickup element, a plurality of optical adapters each including an image-formation optical system, adapter discriminating section, and LED, the optical adapters being detachably and selectively provided to the distal end of the endoscope section, and an apparatus main body including an image processing section for performing predetermined signal processing on the image signal from the signal processing circuit, an adapter detection section for detecting the adapter discrimination section, and a controller for controlling the whole endoscope system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masanao Murata
  • Publication number: 20100143084
    Abstract: A transporting carrier for transporting a transported object and for transferring it to a bringing-in/bringing-out part, which projects from a station and which brings in or out the transported object to or from the station or for transferring the transported object from the bringing-in/bringing-out part, the transporting carrier comprising: a main body part which has loading and accommodating parts and a lateral opening, the loading part being a space to load the transported object, the accommodating part being located under the loading part, the accommodating part being a space to accommodate the bringing-in/bringing-out part such that the bringing-in/bringing-out part is at least partially surrounded from lateral sides; a traveling device on the main body part; and a transferring device above the loading part of the main body part, for transferring the transported object between the loading part and the bringing-in/bringing-out part, with the bringing-in/bringing-out part in the accommodating part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: MURATEC AUTOMATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masanao MURATA, Takashi Yamaji
  • Publication number: 20100117391
    Abstract: A transporting apparatus is provided with a main body part which defines an inner space and an opening in which the inner space is open to an external space and which can accommodate a load from the external space to the inner space through the opening; a holding device which is disposed at a position facing or in contact with the inner space of the main body part and which can hold the accommodated load within the inner space; and one or a plurality of grips which are disposed at positions facing or in contact with the external space of the main body part and which can be grabbed from the external space side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: MURATEC AUTOMATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: MASANAO MURATA, TAKASHI YAMAJI
  • Patent number: 7713192
    Abstract: An endoscope system includes, in order to automatically detect a type of optical adapter and to generate to display an excellent image according to an intended purpose by performing an image signal processing control corresponding to the type of the optical adapter, a signal processing circuit for performing various image signal processings on an image signal from an image-pickup element, a plurality of optical adapters each including an image-formation optical system, adapter discriminating section, and LED, the optical adapters being detachably and selectively provided to the distal end of the endoscope section, and an apparatus main body including an image processing section for performing predetermined signal processing on the image signal from the signal processing circuit, an adapter detection section for detecting the adapter discrimination section, and a controller for controlling the whole endoscope system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Masanao Murata
  • Patent number: 7686176
    Abstract: A suspended type transporting carriage (16) is provided with: a gripping mechanism (22) for gripping a transported object (17); a hoisting mechanism (21) for hoisting the gripping mechanism; and a traveling mechanism (60), on which the hoisting mechanism is mounted in a suspended condition, for traveling on a rail (20) installed on or near a ceiling. The gripping mechanism is provided with (i) an elongating and contracting device (23) capable of horizontally elongating and contracting and (ii) a gripping device (24) disposed at a tip portion of the elongating and contracting device for selectively gripping the transported object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Muratec Automation Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanao Murata
  • Publication number: 20100065467
    Abstract: An object is to restrict vibration from being transmitted to a shelf member and thus to prevent a substrate supported on the shelf member from being damaged. An FOUP main body 3a is formed into a member separated from a shelf member 3e provided in the FOUP main body 3a, and then an elastic member 3g is interposed between the FOUP main body 3a and the shelf member 3e, thereby allowing the shelf member 3e to be elastically supported to the FOUP main body 3a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Asyst Technologies Japan, Inc.
    Inventor: Masanao MURATA
  • Publication number: 20090276082
    Abstract: Objects to be transported which are transported between at least one storage unit and a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses by a plurality of transport vehicles in accordance with a command of a controller are managed inexpensively and easily and with high reliability. An ID card 20 incorporating a wireless communication function is installed on all carriers 18, and an ID read/write unit 25 is installed in some transport vehicles 10. Further, a carrier ID is read or written with respect to the ID card 20 in accordance with a command of an MCS 4 connected to the ID read/write unit 25, so as to manage the carrier ID by a carrier ID management unit 4a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: ASYST SHINKO, INC.
    Inventor: Masanao Murata
  • Publication number: 20090238664
    Abstract: Each storage provided for an storing apparatus is provided with: a driving device capable of reciprocating the load in a horizontal one direction and in a vertical direction; and a rack having a plurality of rack portions at a plurality of stages in the vertical direction, each stage including one or a plurality of rack portions in the horizontal one direction, the rack portion capable of accommodating or putting thereon the load to be displaced by the driving device. The storing apparatus is provided with a plurality of controllers, which control the loading and unloading in respective groups, each group comprising at least one or a plurality of storages of the plurality of the storages, and which can perform complementary control with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: ASYST TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Masanao MURATA, Takashi YAMAJI, Teruya YAMAJI
  • Patent number: 7551196
    Abstract: A drive signal from an SSG drives a CCD through a delay circuit and the like. An imaging signal from the CCD is converted to a video signal in a CDS circuit, which is driven by a sample hold signal given through the delay circuit, and is converted to a video signal that can be displayed on a monitor through an A/D converter circuit, a video signal processing circuit and a digital encoder to be output. Here, by correcting phases of the imaging signal and the sample hold signal, length of a signal line is corrected. Also, since the delay circuit is constructed by being incorporated in a DSP for video signal processing, which includes a video signal processing circuit and the like, the construction is simplified. Thus, the number of parts is reduced, and it can be constructed inexpensively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Ono, Masanao Murata
  • Publication number: 20090104006
    Abstract: A storage (10) unloads and loads a load (3) with a transporting carriage (2). The storage is provided with a port capable of transferring said load from or to said transporting carriage; a plurality of rack portions (15) capable of accommodating or putting said load thereon; a driving device (19) capable of moving said load between said port and said plurality of rack portions, and mutually between said plurality of rack portions; and a controlling device (20) for controlling said driving device to (i) firstly move said load to an temporary rack portion for unloading, which is one of said plurality of rack portions, and (ii), after once accommodating or putting said load on said temporary rack portion, move said load to said port from said temporary rack portion, in case of moving said load from said plurality of rack portions to said port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: ASYST TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Masanao Murata, Takashi Yamaji
  • Publication number: 20090065460
    Abstract: A storage (10) is provided with a supporting portion (11) capable of supporting a load (3), a horizontal driving portion (13) capable of moving said supporting portion back and forth in a horizontal one direction, a vertical driving portion (14) capable of moving said supporting portion back and forth in a vertical direction, and a rack (15) having a plurality of putting surfaces, each being capable of transferring said load mutually with said supporting portion, said putting surfaces being disposed at a plurality of stages in the vertical direction to each of which said supporting portion can access by said horizontal driving portion, one or more than one of said putting surfaces being disposed at a horizontal position to which said supporting portion can access by said horizontal driving portion. At least one of said putting surfaces functions as a port for unloading and loading said load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: ASYST TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Masanao MURATA, Takashi YAMAJI
  • Publication number: 20080236047
    Abstract: A transporting system with a fire door (100) is provided with: a rail (1) installed within a facility; a transporting carriage (3), whose wheel (4) is set so as to roll over a surface for rolling of the rail; a fire door plate (7) for segmenting a space within the facility in a direction intersecting the rail at a predetermined position of the rail; and a door plate moving device (8) capable of moving the fire door plate from an open position for the transporting carriage to pass through the predetermined position, to a close position for the fire door plate to segment the space. A first cut (1a) is formed obliquely with respect to a width direction of the rail when planarly seen on the surface for rolling, in the rail at the predetermined position. The fire door plate has a shape capable of passing through the first cut when being moved to the close position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: ASYST TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Masanao MURATA, Senzou Kyutoku, Toshio Takasu
  • Publication number: 20080217278
    Abstract: A suspended type transporting carriage (16) is provided with: a gripping mechanism (22) for gripping a transported object (17); a hoisting mechanism (21) for hoisting the gripping mechanism; and a traveling mechanism (60), on which the hoisting mechanism is mounted in a suspended condition, for traveling on a rail (20) installed on or near a ceiling. The gripping mechanism is provided with (i) an elongating and contracting device (23) capable of horizontally elongating and contracting and (ii) a gripping device (24) disposed at a tip portion of the elongating and contracting device for selectively gripping the transported object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: ASYST TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN, INC.
    Inventor: Masanao Murata
  • Publication number: 20080156069
    Abstract: A stocker 1 includes a storage FOUP 20, plural purge units 50, a measurement FOUP 30 and a stacker crane 60. The storage FOUP 20 stores a semiconductor wafer inside. The measurement FOUP 30 includes a flow meter inside. The purge unit 50 includes a purge shelf 51 having plural purge tables 54 for placing the storage FOUP 20, and a nitrogen gas is supplied into the storage FOUP 20 placed on the purge table 54. The stacker crane 60 transports the storage container 20 onto the purge table 54, and the measurement FOUP 30 is transported between the plural purge tables 54.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: ASYST TECHNOLOGIES JAPAN, INC
    Inventors: Masanao Murata, Susumu Maetaki
  • Patent number: 7365768
    Abstract: An endoscope includes an insert section, a CCD is mounted at the end of the insert section, and a CCU for producing a video signal is arranged in a control unit connected to a proximal end of the insert unit. The CCU includes a general-purpose DSP board having the function of producing a standard video signal, and a function adjustment/expansion circuit board for correcting a signal delay due to the length of a signal line connected to the CCD. The DSP boards and the function adjustment/expansion circuit boards, respectively remaining the same in circuit arrangement, are used for a plurality of types of endoscopes having insert sections having different insertion lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Ono, Masanao Murata