Work Moves Past Rotatable Brush Patents (Class 15/88.2)
  • Patent number: 7559994
    Abstract: A process for cleaning electrical insulators supporting a contact rail parallel to a rail track comprises moving a vehicle having cleaning stations with cleaning tools (such as water jets) mounted on them, along a rail track adjacent to a parallel contact rail supported by electrical insulators, said cleaning stations being mounted on a positioning arm(s); positioning cleaning tools in proximity to an electrical insulator, while the cleaning stations rotate around at least a portion of the circumference of the insulator; energizing the cleaning tools; disengaging the cleaning tools from the insulator; and returning the cleaning station to the engagement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Inventor: Arun Vohra
  • Publication number: 20090113656
    Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for cleaning a substrate edge include a bristle brush unit that cleans bevel polymers deposited on substrate edges using frictional contact in the presence of cleaning chemistry. The bristle brush unit is made up of a plurality of outwardly extending vanes and is mounted on a rotating shaft. An abrasive material is distributed throughout and within the outwardly extending vanes of the bristle brush unit to provide the frictional contact. The bristle brush unit cleans the edge of the substrate by allowing frictional contact of the plurality of abrasive particles with the edge of the substrate in the presence of fluids, such as cleaning chemistry, to cut, rip and tear the bevel polymer from the edge of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyungsuk Alexander Yoon, Andrew D. Bailey, III, Jason A. Ryder, Mark H. Wilcoxson, Jeffrey G. Gasparitsch, Randy Johnson, Stephan P. Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 7503090
    Abstract: A glass sheet washing machine comprising a conveyor for moving a glass sheet along a path of travel at a controlled linear speed and a brush rotatable at a controlled rotational speed positioned along said path of travel such that said brush contacts the glass sheet moves along said path of travel wherein the linear speed of the conveyor and the rotational speed of the brush are variable and one of the linear speed and the rotational speed is dependent on any other of the linear speed and the rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: GED Integrated Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Misura, Robert R. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 7503983
    Abstract: A wafer preparation method is provided for producing a wet region and then a corresponding dry region on the wafer. Brushing produces the wet region on the wafer. As the brushing moves in a selected scan operation across the wafer, a generating operation forms a meniscus that follows the brushing and dries the wet region. The generating operation produces the meniscus at least partially surrounding the wet region scrubbed by the scrubbing. The controlled meniscus is formed by applying fluid to the surface of the wafer and simultaneously removing the fluid. The scan operations may be selected so the brushing scrubs the wet region and then the meniscus forms the dry region where the scrubbing took place. The scan operations include a radial scan, a linear scan, a spiral scan and a raster scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Boyd, Michael L. Orbock, Fred C. Redeker
  • Publication number: 20080313833
    Abstract: In the present invention, cleaner liquid flow passages for discharging cleaner liquid from a rotatable brush unit are formed in a rotatable brush unit. The cleaner liquid flow passages are formed as passages wherein the cleaner liquid fed to a hollow portion in a rotary shaft flows to openings in brush cleaner circular plates via lateral grooves provided around the outer circumference of a core roller and along the axial direction. A cleaner liquid fed to discs from a cleaner nozzle contains dirt when the discs are cleaned and the same is sucked into the cleaner liquid passages and the dirt is discharged from the rotatable brush unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Noritake SHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 7451515
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a processing system for applying a cleaning processing to a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer which includes a cleaning processing section including a plurality of process units each serving to apply a predetermined treatment to a wafer and a loading/unloading section 2 The cleaning processing section includes four scrub cleaning units consisting of two scrub cleaning units arranged side by side and two additional cleaning units stacked on the two scrub cleaning units arranged side by side, respectively, so as to form upper and lower stages of the scrub cleaning units, a wafer inversion unit for turning the wafer upside down, a wafer transit unit having the wafer disposed thereon temporarily for performing the transfer of the wafer to and from the transfer section, and a main wafer transfer mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hidetomo Uemukai, Akira Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20080210258
    Abstract: A scrubber box is provided that includes a tank adapted to receive a substrate for cleaning, supports outside of the tank and adapted to couple to ends of scrubber brushes disposed within the tank, a motor mounted to each of the supports and adapted to rotate the scrubber brushes, a base to which the supports are pivotally mounted via spherical bearings adapted to permit toe-in of the scrubber brushes, a brush gap actuator adapted, via a crank and rocker mechanism, to substantially simultaneously pivot the supports toward or away from each other so as to permit the scrubber brushes to substantially simultaneously achieve or break contact with the substrate, and a toe-in actuator adapted to move two of the spherical bearings toward or away from each other so as to adjust a toe-in angle between the scrubber brushes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Joseph Yudovsky, Avi Tepman, Kenneth R. Reynolds, Younes Achkire, Dan A. Marohl, Steve G. Ghanayem, Alexander S. Polyak, Gary Ettinger, Haochuan Zhang, Hui Chen
  • Publication number: 20080201879
    Abstract: The present invention is a foot cleaning device for accommodating a foot and thoroughly cleaning the foot positioned within the device. The foot cleaning device has a foot receptacle, scrub brushes, roller brushes, a liquid dispensing assembly for carrying water and soap into the receptacle, and spray jets attachable to the liquid dispensing assembly for dispersing the water and soap throughout the receptacle. The scrub brushes are distributed throughout the foot receptacle for allowing the user to clean his or her feet. The roller brushes are positioned along the bottom of the foot receptacle for massaging, cleaning, and supporting the user's foot within the receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventor: Darwin Heidemeyer,
  • Patent number: 7377002
    Abstract: A scrubber box is provided that includes a tank adapted to receive a substrate for cleaning, supports outside of the tank and adapted to couple to ends of scrubber brushes disposed within the tank, a motor mounted to each of the supports and adapted to rotate the scrubber brushes, a base to which the supports are pivotally mounted via spherical bearings adapted to permit toe-in of the scrubber brushes, a brush gap actuator adapted, via a crank and rocker mechanism, to substantially simultaneously pivot the supports toward or away from each other so as to permit the scrubber brushes to substantially simultaneously achieve or break contact with the substrate, and a toe-in actuator adapted to move two of the spherical bearings toward or away from each other so as to adjust a toe-in angle between the scrubber brushes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Yudovsky, Avi Tepman, Kenneth R. Reynolds, Younes Achkire, Dan A. Marohl, Steve G. Ghanayem, Alexander S. Polyak, Gary Ettinger, Haochuan Zhang, Hui Chen
  • Publication number: 20080115805
    Abstract: A device for removing stray fibers from a shade fabric includes a fabric teaser adapted to loosen fibers along an edge of the fabric and fiber cutters adapted to remove stray fibers from the shade fabric. The fabric teaser comprises first and second rotary brushes each having a brush element. The brush elements of the first and second rotary brushes are adapted to receive the edge of the shade fabric between the brush elements and to rotate in opposite rotational directions for loosening the stray fibers along the edge of the shade fabric. According to one embodiment, the fiber cutters include reciprocating cutting elements and the fabric teaser includes rotary brushes having radially-extending bristles arranged to receive the shade fabric between the bristles. The device may include a mounting bracket for adjustably mounting the fabric teaser and fiber cutters on an elongated rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventor: David A. Kirby
  • Patent number: 7346954
    Abstract: An arrangement (1) for cleaning surfaces (2), particularly curved or arched or wavy surfaces and/or surfaces (2) with varying direction of curvature, for example on vehicle chassis, metal strip or unflat plates. The arrangement has a cleaning device (3) having a tension resistant carrier band or belt with an upper section and a lower section and also at least two reversing rollers or rolls (4), which device acts with a section as a cleaning belt section (6) on the surface to be cleaned (2) with its inner side facing the reversing rollers or rolls (4). The device (1) has a presser device (8) with a guide (9) for the cleaning belt section (6), through which the cleaning belt section (6) can be pressed. It is provided that the presser device (8) includes at least one flexible cushion or buffer (10), and that the guide (9) acted on thereby is deflectable or bendable transversely to, or at right angles to, the surface to be cleaned (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Wandres GmbH micro-cleaning
    Inventors: Martin Weber, Claus G. Wandres
  • Publication number: 20070226924
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes a substrate holding mechanism for holding a substrate, a brush made of an elastically deformable material and having a cleaning surface formed in a shape tapered toward one side in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to one surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism and inclined with respect to the perpendicular direction, a brush moving mechanism for moving the brush with respect to the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, and a control unit for controlling the brush moving mechanism so that the cleaning surface is pushed to a peripheral area on the one surface and a peripheral end face of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Hiraoka, Tsuyoshi Okumura, Akiyoshi Nakano
  • Publication number: 20070226925
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus of the present invention includes a substrate holding mechanism for holding a substrate, a brush made of an elastically deformable material and having a cleaning surface intersecting a parallel direction along one surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, a brush moving mechanism for moving the brush with respect to the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, a control unit for controlling the brush moving mechanism so that the cleaning surface is made to contact with the peripheral end face of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, and a pushing pressure holding mechanism for holding the pushing pressure of the brush to the peripheral end face of the substrate in the parallel direction at a preset pushing pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Hiraoka, Tsuyoshi Okumura, Akiyoshi Nakano
  • Publication number: 20070181153
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate cleaning method includes a first cleaning step of cleaning the surface of a semiconductor substrate with the use of a first brush and a second cleaning step of cleaning the surface of the semiconductor substrate with the use of a second brush after the first cleaning step. The second cleaning step is performed under a condition that suppresses recontamination of the surface of the semiconductor substrate in comparison with the first cleaning step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi, Hiroshi Oshita
  • Patent number: 7252099
    Abstract: A wafer cleaning apparatus with multiple wash-heads is applied in chemical and mechanical polishing process after wafer cleaning. The wafer cleaning apparatus device includes a supporting base, which supporting base comprises a driving device and at least one fluid pipe. A rotation module is also included in the wafer cleaning apparatus. The top side of the rotation module is connected with the driving device. Besides, the rotation module comprises multiple wash-heads and at least one nozzle. The bottom side of wash-head here is contacted with the surface of the wafer. By using driving device, the rotation module can be wholly driven. Also, multiple wash-heads can rotate individually along a cleaning path for cleaning wafer. The fluid was jetted from nozzle and assistant to clean wafer through fluid pipe. The prior art of single wafer wash-head is easily to reform a cleaning dead angle in wafer cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Nan Ya Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Kun Chen, Yao-Hsiung Kung
  • Patent number: 7232493
    Abstract: A glass sheet washing machine comprising a conveyor for moving a glass sheet along a path of travel at a controlled linear speed and a brush rotatable at a controlled rotational speed positioned along said path of travel such that said brush contacts the glass sheet moves along said path of travel wherein the linear speed of the conveyor and the rotational speed of the brush are variable and one of the linear speed and the rotational speed is dependent on any other of the linear speed and the rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: GED Integrated Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Misura, Robert R. Sheperd
  • Patent number: 7220323
    Abstract: A cleaning method preventing foreign matter attached to a brush from being transferred back to a magnetic transfer carrier by removing foreign matter attached to a cleaning tool such as the brush with a dummy carrier having a recess equivalent to that on a surface of the magnetic transfer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Keizo Miyata, Taizou Hamada
  • Patent number: 7200889
    Abstract: A device and process for cleaning electrical insulators mounted under an electrified contact rail parallel to a rail track comprises positioning arm(s) attached to a vehicle that travels on the track and a cleaning station with fixed or moveable fingers. The fingers have attached cleaning tools and engage, operate on, partly rotate around the circumference of the insulator, and disengage, as the vehicle passes by the insulator. The cleaning station can also ride on the contact rail and have moveable vertical members with cleaning tools attached to L-shaped tool holders that rotate around a portion of the circumference of the insulator. Cleaning tools include powered rotating, reciprocating, vibrating, oscillating and/or linear brushes, wrap-around cleaning belts, sonic horns, ultrasonic vibrating guns, lasers, pressure washing and/or water jetting nozzles on stationary, rotating or oscillating spray bars and spinning heads using steam, tap or deionized water, and pneumatic polishing nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Inventor: Arun Vohra
  • Patent number: 7155767
    Abstract: There is disclosed a scrub cleaning device which can reduce cleaning time and which requires no large-scaled device for transferring a substrate to the next cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kouno, Masahumi Kanahara
  • Patent number: 7055202
    Abstract: A machine for rotating a tire disposed on a vehicle. The machine includes a roller and a roller cover. Contaminants on a tire may be captured by the roller cover and disposed of when the roller cover is periodically removed from the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Joseph Marsilio
  • Patent number: 7032269
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is provided. The substrate processing system comprises a brush assembly that includes a core, a transducer, and a brush. The core is configured to include a plurality of orifices extending from a center of the brush core to an outer surface of the brush core. The transducer is configured to be disposed on an outer surface of the core. The transducer is capable of resonating at a high frequency. The brush includes a plurality of openings, and is configured to cover the transducer. When the transducer resonates at the high frequency, high energy acoustic energy is imparted from the transducer to a surface of a substrate to be prepared at a respective location of each opening of the plurality of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Katrina Mikhaylichenko, Fritz C. Redeker
  • Patent number: 7010826
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning tool having little particle sticking to the tool and a substrate cleaning apparatus having the substrate cleaning tool are provided. The substrate cleaning tool 23 has a plurality of thready brush members 46 in a bundle. The brush members 46 are capable of passing cleaning liquid through and ejecting the cleaning liquid through respective surfaces of the members 46. In operation, the substrate cleaning tool 23 is brought into contact with a substrate W in their relative movement in order to clean the substrate W. As the cleaning liquid is ejected from the surfaces of the brash members 46, particles are washed away from the surfaces of the brash members 46. Consequently, it is possible to eliminate a possibility that the particles etc. are transferred to the substrate W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Keizo Hirose, Kenji Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6990704
    Abstract: In order to perform scrub cleaning of a substrate, two different scrub heads 31 and 32 are employed. The scrub head 31 is superior to the scrub head 32 in terms of a capability of removing contamination. The scrub head 32 has a low level of adhesion to the contamination as compared with the scrub head 31. The scrub heads 31 and 32 are moved such that the scrub head 32 follows the scrub head 31. Consequently, it is possible to clean the substrate without re-applying contamination, which has been once removed from a surface of the substrate, to the surface of the substrate again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Namba
  • Patent number: 6982009
    Abstract: The method of the present invention cleans abrasive faces of an upper abrasive plate and a lower abrasive plate of an abrasive machine. The method is executed by a cleaning device including: a nozzle for jetting water; a brush for preventing the jetted water from scattering in the air, the brush enclosing the nozzle; and another brush for closing a gap between the preventing brush and an outer edge of the upper abrasive plate, the method is characterized by the steps of: jetting water from the nozzle toward the abrasive face of the upper abrasive plate; moving the nozzle toward the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate; and closing the gap by the closing brush when the gap is formed between the preventing brush and the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Fujikoshi Machinery Corp.
    Inventors: Yasuhide Denda, Yoshio Nakamura, Yoshinobu Nishimoto, Makoto Nakajima, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Norihiko Moriya
  • Patent number: 6951042
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a transducer capable of resonating at a high frequency and a brush material attached to a surface of the transducer. The brush material includes at least one passage extending to the surface of the transducer and is configured to be applied to a surface of a substrate. When the transducer resonates at the high frequency, the transducer is capable of imparting acoustic energy to the surface of the substrate at a location of the at least one passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Katrina Mikhaylichenko, Fritz C. Redeker
  • Patent number: 6910240
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate edge includes a substrate supporting device for substantially supporting a substrate in a selected plane. The substrate has a circular shape, a circumferential edge, a front side and a back side. The edge has a bevel shaped cross-section. The substrate edge cleaning apparatus also includes a first edge cleaning roller that has an open curved scrubbing surface in contact with at least part of a first portion the edge of the substrate. An interaction of the first edge cleaning roller with the part of the first portion can also be adjusted dynamically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: John M. Boyd, Fred C. Redecker, James P. Garcia
  • Patent number: 6907637
    Abstract: An edge wheel assembly for use in a semiconductor wafer fabrication brush box is provided. The edge wheel assembly is configured to support and to rotate a semiconductor wafer in a vertical orientation and includes an edge wheel assembly block having at least two pairs of edge wheel shaft bores. Edge wheels are attached to shafts extending through the edge wheel shaft bores, and a drive motor drives the shafts to rotate the edge wheels. The drive motor is coupled to the edge wheel assembly block with a plate which is designed to enable insertion of the edge wheel assembly into either one of a first side and a second side of the brush box. Component parts are designed to be configurable to a plurality of orientations and implementations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher J. Peña
  • Patent number: 6895363
    Abstract: A data collection and management method is disclosed for use in association with a surface maintenance machine wherein a control system controls selected machine operations in response to manually inputted operation settings selected by an operator and occurring at selected times. In broad terms, an embodiment of the present invention includes steps of receiving and storing operational and time information associated with machine operation, conveying information to an information processor, and processing the information so as to provide a report or record of time quantified machine information. In a particular application, reports or records can be utilized to provide feedback to a machine operator to improve the cleaning process, such as by minimizing the usage of wear parts, solutions, and or energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Tennant Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Erko, Paul Leonard Groschen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6851436
    Abstract: A system and method for re-circulating processing fluids in a substrate processing system is provided. A fluid re-circulation system for a brush box processing tool includes a supply tank into which processing chemicals, DI water, or other processing fluids are introduced into the system from an external source. Processing chemicals are provided to the brush box and dispensed to process a substrate. Dispensed fluids drain from the brush box into a diverter through which fluids either flow to waste, or into a collection tank. Fluids from the collection tank flow into the supply tank to re-circulate for wafer processing. The re-circulation system includes filters for maintaining chemical purity, and chemical concentration is monitored and adjusted as necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Ravkin, John deLarios, Afshin Nickhou, Katrina Mikhaylichenko, James P. Garcia
  • Patent number: 6842932
    Abstract: A cleaning processing system for applying a cleaning processing to a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer comprises a cleaning processing section including a plurality of process units each serving to apply a predetermined treatment to a wafer W and a loading/unloading section 2 for loading and unloading the wafer W into and out of the cleaning processing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Akira Ishihara
  • Patent number: 6842933
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes a cleaning member, a cleaning member carrier for holding the cleaning member and bringing the cleaning member into contact with a substrate to be cleaned, and a sensor for detecting a presence/absence of a cleaning held by the cleaning member carrier. The substrate is cleaned by causing relative movement between the cleaning member and the substrate while keeping the cleaning member and the substrate in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Oikawa, Koji Atoh
  • Patent number: 6810548
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus of the present invention includes a roll brush for scrubbing the surface of the substrate, and an ultrasonic nozzle for blowing an aqueous cleaning solution against the surface of the substrate and generating an ultrasonic wave, wherein the roll brush and the ultrasonic nozzle are provided so as to oppose one another so that the substrate can be set in between. With the synergetic effects of brush scrubbing cleaning, ultrasonic cleaning and shower-cleaning, the precision cleaning of the upper surface of the substrate can be performed at a sufficient level of cleanliness. Moreover, in a state where the substrate to be cleaned is set, the roll brush can be cleaned automatically by the ultrasonic nozzle, and it is therefore possible to maintain the roll brush at high level of cleanliness without requiring maintenance operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroto Yoshioka, Takeshi Hara, Kazuki Kobayashi, Hitoshi Ono, Takashi Kimura
  • Patent number: 6807701
    Abstract: The method of the present invention cleans abrasive faces of an upper abrasive plate and a lower abrasive plate of an abrasive machine. The method is executed by a cleaning device including: a nozzle for jetting water; a brush for preventing the jetted water from scattering in the air, the brush enclosing the nozzle; and another brush for closing a gap between the preventing brush and an outer edge of the upper abrasive plate, the method is characterized by the steps of: jetting water from the nozzle toward the abrasive face of the upper abrasive plate; moving the nozzle toward the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate; and closing the gap by the closing brush when the gap is formed between the preventing brush and the outer edge of the upper abrasive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Fujikoshi Machinery Corp.
    Inventors: Yasuhide Denda, Yoshio Nakamura, Yoshinobu Nishimoto, Makoto Nakajima, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, Norihiko Moriya
  • Publication number: 20040194239
    Abstract: Washing apparatus for cleaning shipping containers or similar constructions. A rotating sprayer or brush unit is provided along with at least two other sprayer units so as to enable a container to be cleaned on all faces including the twist-lock cavities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventor: Ronald Anthony MacDonald
  • Publication number: 20040074029
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes a cleaning member, a cleaning member carrier for holding the cleaning member and bringing the cleaning member into contact with a substrate to be cleaned, and a sensor for detecting a presence/absence of a cleaning held by the cleaning member carrier. The substrate is cleaned by causing relative movement between the cleaning member and the substrate while keeping the cleaning member and the substrate in contact with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Oikawa, Koji Atoh
  • Publication number: 20040016451
    Abstract: There is disclosed a scrub cleaning device which can reduce cleaning time and which requires no large-scaled device for transferring a substrate to the next cleaning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Applicant: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kouno, Masahumi Kanahara
  • Patent number: 6678911
    Abstract: A multiple wafer cleaning apparatus comprising a first module (12), having a first spaced-apart brush assembly having an inner brush (21a) and an outer brush (22a), each brush having a brush pad (102) and a platen (103), and a second module (14) having a second spaced-apart brush assembly (22) having an inner brush (22a) and an outer brush (22b), each brush having a brush pad (102) and a platen (103), each pair of spaced-apart, opposing, vertically disposed brushes (21) and (22) for scrubbing vertically disposed semiconductor wafers (25), in tanks (28). The two modularized sets of motorized, rotating, opposed, pancake shaped brushes (12) and (14), grip the freely rotating wafers (25) causing the wafers (25) to rotate in the same direction as the brushes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: SpeedFam-IPEC Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Krupa, Yakov Epshteyn, Ellis Harvey
  • Patent number: 6679950
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning method of the present invention enables effective cleaning of a wafer having a recess therein without causing any increase in cleaning costs. Ozone gas and ammonia water are supplied to an area right above a wafer 7 having a recess therein, and a gas-dissolving liquid is produced by dissolving the ozone gas in the ammonia water. The gas-dissolving liquid is used to carry out contact and non-contact types of physical cleaning on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tomita, Motoyuki Sato, Soichi Nadahara, Mitsuhiko Shirakashi, Kenya Ito
  • Patent number: 6676493
    Abstract: A wafer processing module is provided. In one example, the wafer processing module includes a sub-aperture CMP processing system and a pad exchange system including a pad magazine for storing CMP processing pads and a pad exchange robot for transferring CMP processing pads between the sub-aperture CMP processing system and the pad magazine. The wafer processing module includes a module frame that integrates the sub-aperture CMP processing system including the pad exchange system, with a wafer scrubber unit and a wafer SRD unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Aleksandar Owczarz, Yehiel Gotkis
  • Patent number: 6671917
    Abstract: A wheel cleaning apparatus for a wheelchair comprising a roller-assembly frame 50L which includes a first receiving roller 21L and a second receiving roller 22L which can do seesaw movement with respect to a rocking central axis shaft tube 53, and a restoring coil spring 68 for energizing the roller-assembly frame in a direction to relatively spring up the second receiving roller from the first receiving roller. When the front wheels T1 are to be separated from the apparatus, the second receiving roller 22L is pushed down and the first receiving roller 21L is sprung up, resulting in that it is easy for the front wheels T1 to climb over the step. Whereby the rear wheels are prevented from slipping off during cleaning, and it is easy for the front wheels to escape from the gap between the receiving rollers so that the load on the helper can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Nishina Kogyo Corporation
    Inventor: Itsuo Nishina
  • Publication number: 20040000326
    Abstract: An improvement is disclosed in a brush cleaning apparatus for cleaning a major surface of a wafer and including wafer guide wheels for transporting the wafer. The improvement includes a polish pad material disposed on a circumference of the guide wheels. The polish pad material is a material used in chemical-mechanical polishing of the wafer. The polish pad material contacts an edge portion of the wafer during cleaning thereof, thereby removing contaminants from the edge portion of the wafer, so that edge cleaning is performed in situ in addition to the brush cleaning of the major surface of the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventors: Uldis A. Ziemins, Donald J. Delehanty, Raymond M. Khoury, Jose M. Ocasio
  • Patent number: 6651285
    Abstract: A wafer cleaning apparatus for cleaning wafers for manufacturing semiconductor devices is provided. The wafer cleaning apparatus includes a chuck for chucking a wafer to be cleaned, means for rotating the wafer chucked by the chuck, a cleaning solution spray nozzle for spraying a cleaning solution toward the top surface of the wafer rotated by the rotating means, at least two brushes installed to be moved horizontally above the wafer with a predetermined distance spaced apart from the top surface of the wafer in a contact state with the sprayed cleaning solution, and brush moving means for selectively moving the respective brushes horizontally above the wafer, wherein distances between the top surface of the wafer and lower ends of the respective brushes are different from each other when the respective brushes clean the wafer as horizontally moving above the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: In-jun Yeo
  • Patent number: 6651287
    Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes a cleaning member, a cleaning member carrier for holding the cleaning member and bringing the cleaning member into contact with a substrate to be cleaned, and a sensor for detecting a presence/absence of a cleaning held by the cleaning member carrier. The substrate is cleaned by causing relative movement between the cleaning member and the substrate while keeping the cleaning member and the substrate in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Oikawa, Koji Atoh
  • Patent number: 6651284
    Abstract: A scrubbing assembly for a wafer-cleaning device is provided. The wafer-cleaning device is provided with a base. The scrubbing assembly comprises a scrubber, a cup and an oscillator. The scrubber is disposed on the base in a manner such that it can move between a first position and a second position. The scrubber scrubs a wafer when it locates in the first position. The cup, for receiving DI water, is disposed on the base. The scrubber locates inside the cup and contacts the DI water when it locates in the second position. The oscillator is disposed at the cup, and it vibrates the DI water when the scrubber locates inside the cup and is contact with the DI water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Silicon Integrated Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Kao-Mao Tseng, Su-Ling Tseng, Hsin Yi Chang
  • Patent number: 6647579
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer chemical mechanical treatment apparatus having a sectional extended arm carrying a head. The sectional arm is comprised of a fixed yoke and an elongated arm positioned in said yoke on a pivot. The elongated arm carries a first means thereon for establishing and maintaining a given loading or pressure on the head. A second means, is positioned on the yoke, adjacent to the elongated arm for temporarily altering the given loading or pressure on the head established by the first means without disturbing the setting of the first means such that when the second means is reset the given head load or pressure established by said first means is automatically restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.
    Inventors: Paul A. Manfredi, Douglas P. Nadeau
  • Patent number: 6643882
    Abstract: A substrate cleaning apparatus for cleaning a rotating substrate has a scrub cleaning tool for cleaning the substrate by bringing the cleaning tool into contact with the substrate, a liquid jet spray nozzle for cleaning the substrate by yet-spraying a cleaning liquid from the nozzle to the substrate, and a swing mechanism for simultaneously swinging both of the scrub cleaning tool and the liquid jet spray nozzle on and above the substrate. The substrate cleaning apparatus also has a cleaning tool vertical driving mechanism for moving at least the cleaning tool from a position where the cleaning tool is in contact with a surface of the substrate to another position where the cleaning liquid jet-sprayed from the nozzle is applied to the cleaning tool, by vertically moving the cleaning tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sotozaki, Koji Atoh, Yuki Inoue, Tatsuo Inoue
  • Patent number: 6622334
    Abstract: An improvement is disclosed in a brush cleaning apparatus for cleaning a major surface of a wafer and including wafer guide wheels for transporting the wafer. The improvement includes a polish pad material disposed on a circumference of the guide wheels. The polish pad material is a material used in chemical-mechanical polishing of the wafer. The polish pad material contacts an edge portion of the wafer during cleaning thereof, thereby removing contaminants from the edge portion of the wafer, so that edge cleaning is performed in situ in addition to the brush cleaning of the major surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Uldis A. Ziemins, Donald J. Delehanty, Raymond M. Khoury, Jose M. Ocasio
  • Publication number: 20030172956
    Abstract: A cleaning method preventing foreign matter attached to a brush from being transferred back to a magnetic transfer carrier by removing foreign matter attached to a cleaning tool such as the brush with a dummy carrier having a recess equivalent to that on a surface of the magnetic transfer carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Keizo Miyata, Taizou Hamada
  • Patent number: 6618889
    Abstract: The washing apparatus is based on a process comprising the steps of extracting a plurality of workpieces W to be washed from rows of workpieces arranged longitudinally and at certain intervals in a carrier 10 at intervals of a plurality of workpieces by means of a plurality of lifting arms 21a and 21b; lifting the thus extracted workpieces to respective washing positions at alternately high and low heights; holding the thus lifted workpieces W from both sides thereof by means of rotating pairs of washing rollers 3a and 3b; scrubbing the works in a washing solution 2 by the use of the washing rollers 3a and 3b while forcedly rotating with the driving belt 34 by pressing the works against the driving belt 34 under the action of the rotational force of the washing rollers 3a and 3b; and the workpieces in the carrier 10 are washed by repeating these steps a plurality of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Speedfam Clean System Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Terui, Hiroji Sato, Noriaki Mizuno
  • Patent number: 6594846
    Abstract: The cones used to position poultry carcasses on poultry processing lines must be cleaned frequently. In order to clean the cones, a cone cleaning device is provided. A stainless steel frame holds four rotating cylindrical brushes in position so that the cones can be passed between the brushes. Nozzles spray water on the cones as they pass between the rotating brushes. The brushes are rotated with motors mounted on the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Scrivner Equipment Company
    Inventor: Martin R. Scrivner