Patents by Inventor Minoru Soraoka

Minoru Soraoka 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: 9620399
    Abstract: A load port is provided with a table and a plate. The table is arranged on a side of a front wall of an atmospheric transfer unit for transferring a piece of material under processing and is adapted to mount on it a container with the piece of material received in the same. The plate serves to isolate an interior of the atmospheric transfer unit from an exterior of the atmospheric transfer unit. The load port includes an exhaust duct arranged on a rear side of the plate and a fan arranged in a lower extremity of the exhaust duct. By the exhaust duct and the fan, an internal atmosphere of the atmospheric transfer unit can be exhausted into the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: HIRATA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tanimura, Minoru Soraoka, Shinji Yokoyama, Noriyoshi Toyoda
  • Publication number: 20150162229
    Abstract: A load port is provided with a table and a plate. The table is arranged on a side of a front wall of an atmospheric transfer unit for transferring a piece of material under processing and is adapted to mount on it a container with the piece of material received in the same. The plate serves to isolate an interior of the atmospheric transfer unit from an exterior of the atmospheric transfer unit. The load port includes an exhaust duct arranged on a rear side of the plate and a fan arranged in a lower extremity of the exhaust duct. By the exhaust duct and the fan, an internal atmosphere of the atmospheric transfer unit can be exhausted into the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: Hirata Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenobu TANIMURA, Minoru SORAOKA, Shinji YOKOYAMA, Noriyoshi TOYODA
  • Patent number: 8460467
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas, and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two of the processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20110259522
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas, and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two of the processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Akitaka MAKINO, Youji TAKAHASHI, Minoru SORAOKA, Hideki KIHARA, Susumu TAUCHI
  • Patent number: 7976632
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas, and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two of the processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7833382
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas; and amass flow controller unit interposed between two processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7828928
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes an outer chamber comprising a vacuum container, an inner chamber in which a plasma used for processing a wafer is generated, the inner chamber being detachably disposed inside of the outer chamber, a wafer holder on which the wafer is located is disposed inside of the inner chamber, and an exhausting device disposed below the wafer holder which exhausts the inside of the inner chamber. The inner chamber is sealed in air-tight manner with respect to a space between the inner chamber and the outer chamber while the space is maintained at a vacuum pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20090220322
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20090000739
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas; and amass flow controller unit interposed between two processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20080317581
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes an outer chamber comprising a vacuum container, an inner chamber in which a plasma used for processing a wafer is generated, the inner chamber being detachably disposed inside of the outer chamber, a wafer holder on which the wafer is located is disposed inside of the inner chamber, and an exhausting device disposed below the wafer holder which exhausts the inside of the inner chamber. The inner chamber is sealed in air-tight manner with respect to a space between the inner chamber and the outer chamber while the space is maintained at a vacuum pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Akitaka MAKINO, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20080145193
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas, and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two of the processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Publication number: 20080138180
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yashinao Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7347656
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7335277
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus comprising a transfer unit disposed at a center thereof, plural processing chambers, each processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas; and a mass flow controller unit interposed between two processing chambers for supplying gas to the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7247207
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber having a processing table for supporting an object to be processed and carrying out processing using a gas. The vacuum processing chamber has an axisymmetric structure, including a double wall structure, and a gate valve for sealing an opening through which the object enters the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Akitaka Makino, Youji Takahashi, Minoru Soraoka, Hideki Kihara, Susumu Tauchi
  • Patent number: 7201551
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20070066204
    Abstract: A load port is provided with a table and a plate. The table is arranged on a side of a front wall of an atmospheric transfer unit for transferring a piece of material under processing and is adapted to mount on it a container with the piece of material received in the same. The plate serves to isolate an interior of the atmospheric transfer unit from an exterior of the atmospheric transfer unit. The load port includes an exhaust duct arranged on a rear side of the plate and a fan arranged in a lower extremity of the exhaust duct. By the exhaust duct and the fan, an internal atmosphere of the atmospheric transfer unit can be exhausted into the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Hirata Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tanimura, Minoru Soraoka, Shinji Yokoyama, Noriyoshi Toyoda
  • Patent number: 6962472
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20050175435
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is composed of a cassette block and a vacuum processing block. The cassette block has a cassette table for mounting a plurality of cassettes containing a sample and an atmospheric transfer means. The vacuum processing block has a plurality of processing chambers for performing vacuum processing to the sample and a vacuum transfer means for transferring the sample. Both of the plan views of the cassette block and the vacuum processing block are nearly rectangular, and the width of the cassette block is designed larger than the width of the vacuum processing block, and the plan view of the vacuum processing apparatus is formed in an L-shape or a T-shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 11, 2005
    Inventors: Minoru Soraoka, Ken Yoshioka, Yoshinao Kawasaki
  • Patent number: D546354
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Kihara, Minoru Soraoka, Yuzo Ohirabaru, Nobuo Nagayasu