Precision Device Or Process - Or With Condition Responsive Control Patents (Class 451/1)
  • Patent number: 11951589
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing system includes a platen to hold a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate against a polishing surface of the polishing pad, and a controller. The polishing pad has a polishing control groove. The carrier is laterally movable by a first actuator across the polishing pad and rotatable by a second actuator. The controller synchronizes lateral oscillation of the carrier head with rotation of the carrier head such that over a plurality of successive oscillations of the carrier head such that when a first angular swath of an edge portion of the substrate is at an azimuthal angular position about an axis of rotation of the carrier head the first angular swath overlies the polishing surface and when a second angular swath of the edge portion of the substrate is at the azimuthal angular position the second angular swath overlies the polishing control groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimin Zhang, Jianshe Tang, Brian J. Brown, Wei Lu, Priscilla Diep
  • Patent number: 11628537
    Abstract: A grinding machine and a method for grinding large crankshafts are disclosed. During pre-grinding, steady-rest seats are ground, and a plurality of steady rests are placed against them. Synchronous electric drives drive the crankshaft at both ends. A desired shape is produced by interpolating motion of a first grinding disk about CNC-controlled X and Z axes and about a WK pivot axis. The grinding disk is a CBN grinding disk with a width less than the axial length of the main journals and crankpins of the crankshaft. Diameters are measured along the axial length of the main journals and/or crankpins by an in-process device. The drives for the X1, Z1, and WK axes are controlled in an interpolating manner on the basis of the measurements to achieve the desired shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: ERWIN JUNKER GRINDING TECHNOLOGY A.S.
    Inventor: Erwin Junker
  • Patent number: 11421734
    Abstract: An active radial magnetic bearing assembly for a rotating machine. The active radial magnetic bearing assembly may include a housing comprising a center axis, a stator coupled to the housing, a rotor, a first target, a second target, and a plurality of sensors. At least a portion of the rotor may be configured to rotate about the center axis within the stator. The first target may be a portion of a rotor outer surface and the second target may be coupled to or formed by the rotor. The plurality of sensors may be coupled to the stator and adjacent a stator inner surface. Each sensor of the plurality of sensors may detect at least one of a radial position and an axial position of the rotor via the first target or the second target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Ryan McLaughlin, Christopher K. Sortore
  • Patent number: 11344992
    Abstract: An enhanced adjustment device (10) for machining flat sheets by way of a grinding machine (11), said device being applied to a motorization assembly (12) used to motorize a grinding tool (14) secured to a spindle (16) constrained to a support structure (18) by way of a guide (20) and suitable for implementing an incremental displacement of said grinding tool (14) with respect to an edge of a sheet for compensating for the wear of said tool, comprising mechanical means for automatically/manually enabling/disabling a sliding movement of said spindle (16) with respect to the support structure (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: ELETTROMECCANICA BOVONE SRL
    Inventor: Vittorio Bovone
  • Patent number: 11125652
    Abstract: A test method of accurately evaluating wear resistance performance of a rubber material when used as a tread rubber of a tire, comprises the steps of: preparing a test piece of the rubber material having a ground contact surface extending in a circumferential direction; abrading the ground contact surface by rolling the test piece on a running surface of a wear testing machine at a slip ratio of not more than 3.5%; and evaluating the wear resistance performance of the test piece by comparing the amount of wear of the test piece with a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Nakano, Toshio Tada
  • Patent number: 11081406
    Abstract: Described examples provide a method to evaluate reliability of ball grid array products in which an interconnect stress test is performed that passes current through outer layer micro-vias of a test coupon portion of a production panel that is soldered to a printed circuit board, and the reliability of ball grid array products manufactured using package substrate portions of the production panel is evaluated according to the results of the interconnect stress test. A test coupon includes a rigid core material layer, dielectric layers laminated between copper layers above and below the core material layer, conductive micro-vias that extend through at least one of the dielectric layers between two of the copper layers, and conductive land pads on an outer one of the dielectric layers, the conductive land pads individually contacting one of the micro-vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jaimal Mallory Williamson, Ethan Tilden Davis
  • Patent number: 10976728
    Abstract: A robotic deburring process that automatically, accurately, and efficiently removes burrs from a workpiece. The robotic deburring process uses CAM location data to establish deburring trajectory, physics based machining models to predict burr type and size, and force control functions to compensate inaccuracies due of inaccuracies of robots arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Zhigang Wang, Michael A. Klecka, Abhijit Chakraborty, Changsheng Guo, Jeffrey Michael Mendoza, Edward Marchitto
  • Patent number: 10857665
    Abstract: A mobile manufacturing module comprising a platform configured to receive and support one or more interchangeable manufacturing elements and engageable with a removable positioning device that when engaged is configured to enable movement of the platform relative to a work piece, and one or more supports connected to the platform that are configured to contact a floor in order to support the platform when the removable positioning device is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS GMBH
    Inventors: Gaby Soehner, Ingo Krohne, Robert Alexander Goehlich, Mihaela Colceriu
  • Patent number: 10792784
    Abstract: A leak checking method which is capable of detecting a leak of compressed gas supplied to a polishing head without removing the polishing head from a polishing apparatus is disclosed. The leak checking method includes: supplying a compressed gas into a pressure chamber, which is formed by a membrane of a polishing head, with the membrane placed in contact with a stationary surface; measuring a flow rate of the compressed gas during supplying of the compressed gas into the pressure chamber, while regulating a pressure of the compressed gas by use of a pressure regulator; deciding whether or not the flow rate measured when a variation in the pressure of the compressed gas is within an allowable range of variation, is within a reference range; and generating a leak-detection signal when the flow rate is outside of the reference range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Suguru Sakugawa, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Toru Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10782209
    Abstract: A tire uniformity testing machine that includes a base, a pair of vertical spaced apart columns supporting an upper cross frame member. The base carries a load wheel carriage movable towards and away from a testing station. The vertical uprights establish a peripheral footprint plane that does not extend beyond a plane that is tangent to an outer rolling surface of the load wheel when it is redirected. The upper frame member includes clearance spaces and cutouts that enable at least a portion of an upper chuck to move into the upper frame member and a super structure mounted to a top of the cross member that mounts at least a portion of an actuator for translating the upper chuck. The configuration establishes a machine height that enables the machine to be loaded into a standard shipping container and reduces the overall footprint of the tire uniformity machine without compromising its ability to precisely sense tire uniformity parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: MICRO-POISE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Richard Matuszny, Alex Anton Femec, Rich Krieger, John C. Ryder
  • Patent number: 10695850
    Abstract: A method for honing processing a toothed wheel in which the toothed wheel and a honing tool mesh with each other and the rotation axes of the toothed wheel and honing tool intersect at an axial intersection angle. The toothed wheel and honing tool carry out a relative movement which oscillates in an axial direction of the rotation axis of the toothed wheel and are positioned in a direction towards each other at the same time in a radial direction with respect to the rotation axis of the toothed wheel starting from an end position in order to remove material from the toothed wheel. During the oscillating relative movement which is directed in an axial direction of the rotation axis of the toothed wheel, the rotation position of the toothed wheel with respect to the rotation axis thereof is changed in accordance with the positioning in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Präwema Antriebstechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Jörg Schieke
  • Patent number: 10537941
    Abstract: A frictional drive railway wheel truing system comprising a master lift and drive arm spaced from a slave lift and drive arm extending from within a railway pit for lifting a pair of opposed railway wheels off railway rails. Each master and slave drive assembly comprising frictional drums to turn a railway wheel from a wheel flange. A master and slave lathe assembly moveable along an axis parallel to a rotational axis of the frictional drums; each master and slave lathe assembly having a cutting bit positioned to engage a tread and a flange of a railway wheel in a cut mode at a location superior to the contact area of said frictional drums and railway wheel; and a hold down device fixing rotation of a railway wheel to a predetermined axis during a wheel truing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: HJR EQUIPMENT RENTAL INC.
    Inventor: Harold F. Ross
  • Patent number: 10437240
    Abstract: Manufacturing evaluation systems including motion sensors are disclosed. A manufacturing evaluation system includes one or more motion sensors configured to output motion data in response to motions of a user in association with manufacturing of an article, a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more motion sensors, a memory module communicatively coupled to the processor, and machine readable instructions stored in the memory module. The machine readable instructions cause the manufacturing evaluation system to perform, when executed by the processor, receiving the motion data output by the one or more sensors, calculating a quality score associated with the article of manufacture based on the motion data, comparing the quality score to a quality score threshold, and providing a notification in response to comparing the quality score to the quality score threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Carlo Cruz
  • Patent number: 10281361
    Abstract: A tire uniformity tester having: a spindle capable of rotating while holding a tire; a drum; a pressing mechanism that rotatably supports the drum and makes it possible to press a tire attached to the spindle into the drum through the relative movement of the drum and spindle; a uniformity measurement unit for measuring the uniformity of the tire during forward rotation and reverse rotation; and a control device. The control device controls the driving of the rotation of the spindle and the relative positions of the spindle and drum so that when the rotation direction of the spindle is reversed, the spindle and drum are separated from each other such that the spindle rotation speed reaches zero in a state in which the outer peripheral surface of the drum and the tire tread surface are not in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideto Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10247640
    Abstract: Methods and systems for improving the uniformity of a tire are provided. More particularly, one or more parameters of a measurement process harmonic contributing to uniformity measurements performed for a tire can be identified. The measurement process harmonic can be a process harmonic effect associated with the acquisition of uniformity measurements of a tire, such as a process harmonic effect associated out-of-roundness of a road wheel used to load a tire during uniformity measurement in a uniformity measurement machine. The measurement process harmonic can result solely from the acquisition of uniformity measurements and may not contribute to actual tire non-uniformity. Once identified, the one or more parameters associated with the measurement process harmonic can be used to correct the uniformity measurements of the tire to account for the measurement process harmonic. Tire manufacture can then be modified to improve tire uniformity based on the corrected measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: William David Mawby
  • Patent number: 10180377
    Abstract: A test bed for electric wheel comprehensive performance is characterized in that the test bed comprises a foundation, a portal frame set on the foundation and including a cross beam and two columns supporting both ends of the cross beam individually, a main pin arm movably connected to the portal frame, and a main rotation shaft revolvably and perpendicularly mounted on the top of the main pin arm, wherein the electric wheel is mounted on the main pin arm and is located inside of the portal frame and right below the main rotation shaft. The test bed further comprises at least one of a road simulation mechanism, an inertia simulation mechanism, a driving power mechanism, a perpendicular loading mechanism, and a steering mechanism which take the simulation test on the electric wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SHENZHEN POLYTECHNIC
    Inventors: Ping He, Chengwei Han, Zhurong Dong, Songhua Hu
  • Patent number: 10137542
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for storing, tapering, cutting and dispensing preform layers of material includes a device for storing coiled lengths of the preform layers of material and a device for receiving coiled lengths of the preform layers of material. The device includes a grinding device to grind portions of the preform layers of material and a cutter to cut the grinded portions of material. A programmable controller is configured to control the operations of at least one of the device and mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: SENVION GMBH
    Inventors: Daniel E. Upton, Joel D. Gruhn
  • Patent number: 10130996
    Abstract: A frictional drive railway wheel truing system comprising a master lift and drive arm spaced from a slave lift and drive arm extending from within a railway pit for lifting a pair of opposed railway wheels off railway rails. Each master and slave drive assembly comprising frictional drums to turn a railway wheel from a wheel flange. A master and slave lathe assembly moveable along an axis parallel to a rotational axis of the frictional drums; each master and slave lathe assembly having a cutting bit positioned to engage a tread and a flange of a railway wheel in a cut mode at a location superior to the contact area of said frictional drums and railway wheel; and a hold down device fixing rotation of a railway wheel to a predetermined axis during a wheel truing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: HJR EQUIPMENT RENTAL INC.
    Inventor: Harold F. Ross
  • Patent number: 10076817
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a plate on which a substrate is received, and a movable polishing pad support and coupled polishing pad which move across the substrate and orbit a local region of the substrate during polishing operation. The load of the pad against the substrate, the revolution rate of the pad, and the size, shape, and composition of the pad, may be varied to control the rate of material removed by the pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hung Chih Chen, Paul D. Butterfield, Jay Gurusamy, Jason Garcheung Fung, Shou-Sung Chang, Jimin Zhang, Eric Lau
  • Patent number: 9984905
    Abstract: An interface station of a coating and developing treatment system has: a cleaning unit cleaning at least a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting the rear surface of the cleaned wafer whether the wafer is exposable, before it is transferred into the exposure apparatus; wafer transfer mechanisms including arms transferring the wafer between the units and a wafer transfer control part controlling operations of the wafer transfer mechanisms. When it is determined that a state of the wafer becomes an exposable state by re-cleaning in the cleaning unit as a result of the inspection, the wafer transfer control part controls the wafer transfer mechanisms to transfer the wafer again to the cleaning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakaharada, Yoji Sakata, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9899047
    Abstract: A bond pad set includes at least one ground pad and at least one electrical bond pad configured to bias and send/receive signals. The bond pad set is electrically connected to a multiplicity of electrical components. At least one electrical bond pad of the bond pad set is shared between two or more of the electrical components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Jason Bryce Gadbois, Declan Macken, Karsten Klarqvist
  • Patent number: 9798297
    Abstract: A control device (1) for controlling a control target comprising an astatic system (2) that has dead time is provided with: a dead time compensation system (5) that compensates for dead time at the control target based on the dynamic characteristics of the control target; and an integration error compensation system (6) that compensates for integration errors originating in the dead time compensation system (5). The integration error compensation system (6) comprises: an ideal response unit (7) in which the dynamic characteristics of the control target while in a state in which interference is not input are used as a model; and a correction unit (8) that is configured to correct a comparative value for the output of the ideal response unit (7) and the output of the control target and subsequently input the result to the control target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiharu Nishida
  • Patent number: 9744641
    Abstract: A wafer polishing apparatus includes a lower surface plate, an upper surface plate disposed over the lower surface plate, a carrier disposed between the lower surface plate and the upper surface plate and containing a wafer, and a lift unit lifting the carrier such that an upper surface of the carrier contacts a lower surface of the upper surface plate or lowering the carrier such that a lower surface of the carrier contacts an upper surface of the lower surface plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: LG SILTRON INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Kee Yun Han
  • Patent number: 9703052
    Abstract: An optical device includes: an optical element with a surface including one of a light-receiving portion and a light-emitting portion; a resin layer provided over the one of light-receiving portion and the light-emitting portion; and a resin lens provided over the resin layer, wherein the resin layer includes a first shape larger than a second shape of the resin lens in a direction parallel to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Mariko Kase, Takashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 9599540
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for measuring conicity using four force-sensors, in which a spindle attached to a tire and four sensors are used to measure lateral force generated in the tire; individual signals measured by the four sensors of the spindle are amplified; a DAQ board for calculating Fy(LFV) obtained by summing the individual signals amplified by an amplifier is calculated, obtaining five signals generated in the amplifier, and converting the analog signals into digital signals is provided; and the conicity is calculated using the digital signals, a predefined delta load and a factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hankook Tire Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Youn Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 9597764
    Abstract: A cutting machine includes a circular knife and a grinding unit for grinding the circular knife, wherein the grinding unit can be adjusted to grind the circular knife at different angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Universal Tissue Technology
    Inventor: Bertoli Barsotti Giovanni
  • Patent number: 9573240
    Abstract: A honing tool holder that provides a capability for automatically feeding the honing elements or stones when in the bore of a work piece, and for automatically stopping the feeding when a particular condition such as a bore size, is reached, so as to enable use of an in-process adjustable feed honing tool in a machine tool, machining center, or the like, lacking a feed mechanism or system. The holder can also include apparatus to automatically prevent feed past a limit. Both the feed force and feed limit can be adjustable, including by simple movements of the tool holder by the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Sunnen Products Company
    Inventor: Daniel R. Cloutier
  • Patent number: 9463549
    Abstract: In a method for the automatic gap setting in slide grinding machines having a turntable, the gap width between the turntable and the work container is automatically set by a regulation, with a reference value for the gap width of zero being determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: ROESLER HOLDING GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Egon Schmidt, Ralf Mueller, Erwin Denninger, Dennis Eichenberg
  • Patent number: 9460942
    Abstract: An interface station of a coating and developing treatment system has: a cleaning unit cleaning at least a rear surface of a wafer before the wafer is transferred into an exposure apparatus; an inspection unit inspecting the rear surface of the cleaned wafer whether the wafer is exposable, before it is transferred into the exposure apparatus; wafer transfer mechanisms including arms transferring the wafer between the units and a wafer transfer control part controlling operations of the wafer transfer mechanisms. When it is determined that a state of the wafer becomes an exposable state by re-cleaning in the cleaning unit as a result of the inspection, the wafer transfer control part controls the wafer transfer mechanisms to transfer the wafer again to the cleaning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Nakaharada, Yoji Sakata, Akira Miyata, Shinichi Hayashi, Suguru Enokida, Tsunenaga Nakashima
  • Patent number: 9452504
    Abstract: A digital panel of a belt sander includes a control module. The control module is electrically connected with a conveyer motor and an abrasive belt wheel motor of the belt sander. The control module is connected with a detection module. The control module is further connected with a digital display module and an operation module. Thereby, the operation module controls the conveyer motor and the abrasive belt wheel motor of the belt sander, and detects the running state of the conveyer motor and the abrasive belt wheel motor through the detection module, and displays the running data of the conveyer motor and the abrasive belt wheel motor through the digital display module for the belt sander to be digitalized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Inventor: Bor-Yann Chuang
  • Publication number: 20150111467
    Abstract: A CMP structure for CMP processing and a method of making a device using the same are presented. The apparatus comprises a polishing pad on a platen table; a head assembly for holding a wafer against the polishing pad, wherein the head assembly includes the retaining ring; a sensor for sensing the step height between the retaining ring and its membrane and a controller for adjusting the movement of the retaining ring based on the step height between the retaining ring and its membrane to ensure the step height remains at a fixed value as the retaining ring wears out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Benfu LIN, Wei LU, Alex SEE
  • Publication number: 20150072593
    Abstract: An electrical lapping guide has a body with a thickness along a wafer axis, the body comprising a layer of conductive material having a resistivity. The conductive material layer comprises a first contact region and a second contact region, the first and second contact regions configured to electrically connect the electrical lapping guide to electrical leads. A lapping edge comprises an air-bearing plane axis perpendicular to a lapping axis, and a back edge opposite the lapping edge, the back edge comprising a plurality of notches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Yongjun Zhao, David C. Seets, Mark Ostrowski
  • Patent number: 8956201
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting electronic lapping guides (ELGs) to a lapping controller to prevent the effects of current crowding while reducing connections to the ELGs in single pad lapping. Devices and systems can include a row of sliders including a magnetoresistive (MR) element, a plurality of high resistance ELGs connected to both the wafer and to at least one bonding pad and at least two peripheral grounding vias connected to the wafer. Methods and systems include a wafer comprising a plurality of sliders wherein each slider is connected to a lapping controller and the delivery of current to the ELGs is sequential to groups of sliders such that only one group of ELGs is being measured at any time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: David P. Druist, Glenn P. Gee, Edward H. Lee, David J. Seagle, Darrick T. Smith
  • Patent number: 8956200
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting Electronic Lapping Guides (ELG) to a lapping controller to reduce resistance from current crowding while reducing connections to the ELG. A device and a system can include a wafer with peripheral grounding vias having a radius of at least 10 ?m, a plurality of sliders with a magnetoresistive (MR) elements; a plurality of ELG electrically coupled to the lapping controller through a combination of the wafer and grounding pads and a bonding pad electrically coupled to the ELG. The ELG or the bonding pad can be positioned in the kerf or the device region of a row. If the ELG and the bonding pad are positioned in separate regions, a noble metal should be used to connect. Further, the number of grounding pads can be reduced by using grounding vias at specific intervals and specific sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: David P. Druist, Glenn P. Gee, Unal M. Guruz, Edward H. Lee, David J. Seagle, Darrick T. Smith
  • Publication number: 20150044944
    Abstract: The present invention provides a surface processing system for a work piece in the mechanical technical field. The system comprises at least one group of polishing units. A manipulator and several polishers with different polishing precisions are provided on the polishing units. The polishers are arranged around the manipulator in turn. The work piece could be moved by the manipulator between the processing center and the polishing units. The machined work piece is loaded by the manipulator for one time when the manipulator is located at the processing center. When the manipulator is located at the polishing units, the manipulator keeps holding the work piece and transfers the work piece in a preset sequence to each polisher corresponding to the polishing unit where the manipulator is located. The surface of work pieces having different wall thicknesses and complex surfaces could be processed in a large batch with a high efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: TAIZHOU FEDERAL ROBOT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Qiyue Chen
  • Patent number: 8942842
    Abstract: A method of generating a library of reference spectra includes storing an optical model for a layer stack having at a plurality of layers, receiving user input identifying a set of one or more refractive index functions and a set of one or more extinction coefficient functions a first layer from the plurality of layers, wherein the set of one or more refractive index functions includes a plurality of different refractive index functions or the set of one or more extinction coefficient functions includes a plurality of different extinction coefficient functions, and for each combination of a refractive index function from the set of refractive index functions and an extinction coefficient function from the set of extinction coefficient functions, calculating a reference spectrum using the optical model based on the refractive index function, the extinction coefficient function and a first thickness of the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Drue David, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Xiaoyuan Hu
  • Publication number: 20150017881
    Abstract: A method of grinding spring ends of helical compression springs is carried out using a numerically controlled spring end grinding machine having a grinding unit, a loading unit and a control unit that controls the loading unit and the grinding unit. The grinding unit has a pair of grinding wheels including two rotatable grinding wheels between which is formed a grinding space. The loading unit has at least one loading plate substantially rotatable axially parallel to the grinding wheels and has a plurality of out-of-axis spring receptacles, each to receive a helical compression spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Uwe-Peter Weigmann, Egon Reich, Thomas Kuttler
  • Publication number: 20150017878
    Abstract: A method of removing at least a portion of an interaction layer on an electrode region of a solar substrate is provided. The method includes a step of providing a solar substrate including an absorbing region and an electrode region. The absorbing region including an absorbing layer configured to convert light energy into electrical energy. The electrode region is substantially free of the absorbing layer, and the electrode region includes an interaction layer. The method also includes a step of brushing the electrode region to remove at least a portion of the interaction layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Orthodyne Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Christoph B. Luechinger, Erich C. Mueller, Orlando L. Valentin, Tao Xu
  • Publication number: 20150017745
    Abstract: A polishing method capable of preventing damage to a substrate is disclosed. The polishing method includes inspecting a periphery of a substrate for an abnormal portion, polishing the substrate if the abnormal portion is not detected, and not polishing the substrate if the abnormal portion is detected. The abnormal portion of the substrate may be an foreign matter, such as an adhesive, attached to the periphery of the substrate. After polishing of the substrate, the periphery of the substrate may be inspected again for an abnormal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Toshifumi KIMBA, Keita YAGI
  • Publication number: 20140295737
    Abstract: There is provided a polishing apparatus capable of detecting uneven wear occurring on a polishing pad and detecting an appropriate replacement timing of the polishing pad. The polishing apparatus detects, every predetermined time, a value of rotation speed or a value of rotation torque of a table drive shaft for rotationally driving a polishing table or a dresser drive shaft for driving a dresser, or a value of swing torque of a dresser swing shaft for driving the dresser; calculates a change quantity thereof based on the value of the detected rotation speed, the value of the detected rotation torque, or the value of the detected swing torque; determines whether or not the change quantity exceeds a predetermined value; and notifies a user of a warning when a determination is made that the change quantity exceeds the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Ryuichi Kosuge, Tadakazu Sone
  • Publication number: 20140273746
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical planarization apparatus includes a table, a polishing pad and a detector. The polishing pad is disposed at the table. The detector detects an abnormal condition of the polishing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Ming Tsan LAI, Yu Hua YEH
  • Publication number: 20140273753
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus polishes a surface of a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing pad on a polishing table. The polishing apparatus includes a polishing liquid supply nozzle for supplying a polishing liquid onto the polishing pad, a polishing liquid storage mechanism disposed on the polishing pad for storing the polishing liquid on the polishing pad by damming the polishing liquid, and a polishing liquid sensor for measuring a physical quantity representing the freshness of the polishing liquid stored by the polishing liquid storage mechanism. The polishing apparatus further includes a freshness measuring instrument for calculating the freshness of the stored polishing liquid from the physical quantity measured by the polishing liquid sensor, and a freshness controller for controlling supply conditions of the polishing liquid or storage state of the polishing liquid, based on the freshness of the polishing liquid that is determined by the freshness measuring instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Hisanori MATSUO, Yoshihiro MOCHIZUKI, Chikako TAKATOH, Tadashi OBO
  • Publication number: 20140273745
    Abstract: A method of controlling a polishing operation includes receiving a first measurement of a first amount of metal on a substrate made by a first x-ray monitoring system after a first metal layer is deposited on the substrate and before a second metal layer is deposited on the substrate, transferring the substrate to a carrier head of a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus the substrate after the second metal layer is deposited on the substrate, making a second measurement of a second amount of metal on the substrate with a second x-ray monitoring system in the chemical mechanical polishing apparatus, comparing the first measurement to the second measurement to determine a difference, and adjusting a polishing endpoint or a polishing parameter of the polishing apparatus based on the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Boguslaw A. Swedek, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Wen-Chiang Tu
  • Publication number: 20140187122
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus includes: a pure water supply line configured to supply deaerated pure water into the polishing apparatus; a gas dissolving unit coupled to the pure water supply line and configured to dissolve a gas in the deaerated pure water to produce gas-dissolved pure water; a gas-dissolved pure water delivery line coupled to the gas dissolving unit and configured to deliver the gas-dissolved pure water; an ultrasonic cleaning unit coupled to the gas-dissolved pure water delivery line and configured to impart an ultrasonic vibration energy to the gas-dissolved pure water, which has been delivered through the gas-dissolved pure water delivery line, and then eject the gas-dissolved pure water onto an object to be cleaned; and a controller configured to control the gas dissolving unit and the ultrasonic cleaning unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Inventor: Tomoatsu ISHIBASHI
  • Publication number: 20140162532
    Abstract: A method of polishing one side of a wafer, which makes it possible to accurately realize the desired wafer edge shape without dependence on the period of use of a polishing cloth, is provided. In the method according to the present invention, a wafer fixed to a head is brought into contact with a polishing cloth provided on a surface of a surface plate, and the head and the surface plate are rotated, thereby polishing one side of the wafer, the method including the steps of measuring a contact angle of the polishing cloth (S1); determining a rotation speed of the head and the surface plate, based on the measured contact angle of the polishing cloth (S4); and polishing the one side of the wafer by rotating the head and the surface plate at the determined rotation speed (S5, S6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomonori Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20140154952
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting Electronic Lapping Guides (ELG) to a lapping controller to reduce resistance from current crowding while reducing connections to the ELG. A device and a system can include a wafer with peripheral grounding vias having a radius of at least 10 ?m, a plurality of sliders with a magnetoresistive (MR) elements; a plurality of ELG electrically coupled to the lapping controller through a combination of the wafer and grounding pads and a bonding pad electrically coupled to the ELG. The ELG or the bonding pad can be positioned in the kerf or the device region of a row. If the ELG and the bonding pad are positioned in separate regions, a noble metal should be used to connect. Further, the number of grounding pads can be reduced by using grounding vias at specific intervals and specific sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: David P. DRUIST, Glenn P. GEE, Unal M. GURUZ, Edward H. LEE, David J. SEAGLE, Darrick T. SMITH
  • Publication number: 20140154951
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to connecting Electronic Lapping Guides (ELG) to a lapping controller such that the number of wire bonds from the controller to a row of read heads is minimized. When lapping the air bearing surface of the read heads, the electrical resistances of the ELGs are monitored to adjust the lapping process and set the stripe height for read sensors in the read heads. Once the resistance corresponds to the desired stripe height, the lapping process is stopped. To measure the resistance, each ELG may be electrically coupled to the same substrate—i.e., share the same common ground. The lapping controller applies a voltage potential across the ELGs using a wire bonded to a pad in the respective read head and one or more connections to the grounded substrate. This configuration avoids having to bond two wires onto each read head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Glen P. Gee, Edward H.P. Lee, David J. Seagle, Darrick T. Smith
  • Patent number: 8712720
    Abstract: A tire measurement system includes a computer with various memory/media elements for storing raw and transformed tire measurement data (e.g., a data set of measured radial or lateral run-out values) as well as software in the form of computer-executable instructions, which are executed by a processor to filter selected run-out values within the obtained data set that spike above adjacent measurements, identify selected ones of the filtered run-out values that lie on a convex hull surrounding the entire set of values, and perform interpolation of the identified selected ones of the run-out values that lie on the convex hull to obtain a final data set of filtered run-out measurements. Similar steps can be performed on an inverted data set to better detect sidewall deformation features such as sidewall depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche at Technigue S.A., Societe de Technologie Michelin
    Inventors: Verner Steve Nicholson, Anton Felipe Thomas
  • Publication number: 20140106647
    Abstract: The invention, involving grinding and polishing flat processing and thinning processing of hard and brittle materials such as silicon wafer, sapphire substrate and the glass substrate, belongs to ultra-precision machining technical field and provides a multifunction substrate grinding and polishing device and method for the substrate grinding and polishing, which could be used in the grinding and polishing process of flat substrate such as ceramics, metal and composite materials. The grinding and polishing of substrate are processed in three ways: axial plunge grinding and polishing, radial plunge grinding and polishing and back grinding and polishing of wafer with outer rim. Double-spindle structure consisting of grinding spindle unit and polishing spindle unit is used in the substrate grinding and polishing device where both substrate grinding and polishing can be done. The grinding spindle unit and polishing spindle counterweigh mutually via a traction rope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventors: Renke Kang, Xianglong Zhu, Zhigang Dong, Guang Feng, Dongming Guo
  • Publication number: 20140094091
    Abstract: A balancing device for a rotating body is provided, comprising at least one unbalance detector apt to measure the unbalance of the rotating body; two balancing masses apt to be handled along a handling circumference so as to cancel the unbalance; a position sensor apt to detect the mutual position of the balancing masses; and a motor apt to handle independently of each other the balancing masses as a function of their mutual position and unbalance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: BALANCE SYSTEMS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Gianni TRIONFETTI