Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Niimura

Yasuhiro Niimura 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).

  • Publication number: 20140112815
    Abstract: A vacuum pump (10) includes a pump casing (56) having an inlet port (54a), an outlet port (54b), and pump chambers (50a-50f) defined therein, rotational shafts 60 having opposite ends rotatably supported by bearings (84a, 84b) on the pump casing (56) and extending longitudinally in the pump casing (56), and rotors (62a-62f) housed in the pump chambers (50a-50f) and coupled to the rotational shafts (60) for rotation in unison with the rotational shafts (60). The pump casing (56) has an atmosphere-vented compartment (52) defined therein which is held in fluid communication with the outlet port (54b) of the pump casing (56) and vented to the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Soichi Kudara, Yasuhiro Niimura, Masami Nagayama
  • Publication number: 20090087564
    Abstract: A substrate processing system which utilizes reactive substances or carrier gases to process the surface of a substrate is provided. The system includes a gas supply source for supplying a process gas containing a reactive substance, a reservoir tank connected to the gas supply source for reserving the process gas, a reactor for exposing a substrate placed therein to the process gas, a first circulation pipe for circulating the process gas inside the reactor to the reservoir tank, a second circulation pipe for circulating at least part of the process gas in the reservoir tank to the reactor, and a flow regulating valve disposed in the second circulation pipe for controlling the amount of process gas introduced into the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Takao Horiuchi, Azumi Horiuchi, Hiroaki Ogamino, Yasuhiro Niimura, Hiroshi Hattori
  • Publication number: 20070026150
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is provided, which efficiently utilizes reactive substances or carrier gases necessary for the surface processing of a substrate, simplifies equipment for the gas transfer and effects energy saving. This system comprises a gas supply source 12 for supplying a process gas containing a reactive substance, a reservoir tank 14 connected to the gas supply source 12 for reserving the process gas, a reactor 10 for exposing a substrate placed therein to the process gas, a first circulation pipe 38 for introducing the process gas inside the reactor 10 into the reservoir tank 14, a second circulation pipe 42 for introducing at least part of the process gas in the reservoir tank 14 into the reactor 10, and a flow regulating valve 44 disposed in the second circulation pipe 42 for regulating the amount of process gas to be introduced into the reactor 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Inventors: Takao Horiuchi, Azumi Horiuchi, Hiroaki Ogamino, Yasuhiro Niimura, Hiroshi Hattori
  • Patent number: 6332925
    Abstract: An evacuation system having a long service life, a compact configuration and high reliability is disclosed. The system enables the process gases to be reused, so that the overall costs of capital investment and operation are reduced. The system comprises a processing chamber, and a vacuum pump communicating with the processing chamber by way of an evacuation conduit for evacuating the processing chamber. The evacuation conduit are provided with not less than two trapping devices arranged in series and operating at different temperatures for capturing different components contained in an exhaust gas discharged from the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuharu Noji, Yasuhiro Niimura, Hiroaki Ogamino, Hiroshi Hattori, Norihiko Nomura, Tetsuro Sugiura, Yuji Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 6251192
    Abstract: A vacuum exhaust system can improve the operating efficiency of the vacuum exhaust system while reducing the system cost, to quickly attain a vacuum in the auxiliary chambers without increasing the size of the vacuum pumps. The vacuum exhaust system comprises a first pumping section and a second pumping section disposed downstream of and in series with the first pumping section. A main exhaust passage is provided to communicate a main chamber with a suction port of the first pumping section, and an auxiliary exhaust passage is provided to communicate an auxiliary chamber with a suction port of the second pumping section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kawamura, Yasuhiro Niimura
  • Publication number: 20010001950
    Abstract: A vacuum exhaust system can improve the operating efficiency of the vacuum exhaust system while reducing the system cost, to quickly attain a vacuum in the auxiliary chambers without increasing the size of the vacuum pumps. The vacuum exhaust system comprises a first pumping section and a second pumping section disposed downstream of and in series with the first pumping section. A main exhaust passage is provided to communicate a main chamber with a suction port of the first pumping section, and an auxiliary exhaust passage is provided to communicate an auxiliary chamber with a suction port of the second pumping section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Publication date: May 31, 2001
    Inventors: TAKESHI KAWAMURA, YASUHIRO NIIMURA
  • Patent number: 5746790
    Abstract: A trap for collecting solid is connected to either an exhaust port or a suction port of a vacuum pump for trapping a solid material separated from a sublimed gas discharged by the vacuum pump. The trap includes a casing, a passage defining member disposed in the casing and defining a gas passage in the casing, and an intermediate member disposed between the casing and the passage defining member. The intermediate member is made of a flat thin sheet which is formed into a tubular member, and the tubular member is capable of being spread when taken out from the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Niimura, Tetsuma Ikegami, Naoya Hanafusa, Masaru Nakaniwa
  • Patent number: 5312192
    Abstract: A bearing lubricating structure for rotary machinery having a rotor rotatably supported by a bearing in a casing, an oil reservoir provided in a lower part of a bearing chamber accommodating the bearing, and an oil disk attached to an end of a rotating shaft of the rotor and immersed in lubricating oil in the oil reservoir so as to supply the bearing with lubricating oil splashed by the oil disk, wherein a guide groove is provided to collect lubricating oil flowing down an inner wall of a cover attached to an end of the casing; a suction nozzle is inserted into the guide groove to suck lubricating oil collected in the guide groove; a lubricant passage extends through the inside of the rotating shaft to supply the bearing with lubricating oil sucked through the suction nozzle; and an oiling nozzle is communicated with the lubricant passage and performs a pumping action induced by the rotation of the shaft, whereby a sufficiently large amount of lubricating oil is supplied to the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Noburu Shimuzu, Yasuhiro Niimura
  • Patent number: 5173041
    Abstract: A multistage vacuum pump including a plural set of two lobe type vacuum pumps arranged on a common shaft for rotors and in a common casing. The adjacent pumps are connected in series with each other through a communicating passage formed in a pump casing. A solid material collector having a cooling device is provided in the communicating passage so that it is dismountable from the pump casing. A solid component in a compressed gas is forcibly produced by and adhered to the solid material collector. Thus, it is not necessary to disassemble the pump casing for cleaning the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Niimura, Harumitsu Saito