Work Rotating Patents (Class 451/268)
  • Patent number: 8900033
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of polishing silicon wafers, capable of suppressing generation of undesired sounds from carriers and reducing the thickness variation of the wafers after polished. The method is a wafer polishing method in which wafers 20 are polished by supplying a polishing solution to surfaces 30a of a pair of polishing pads 30 positioned above and below carriers 10 each having a circular hole 11 for retaining the wafers 20, the carriers 10 being thinner than the wafers 20; and sliding the polishing pads 30 relatively to the carriers 10, thereby simultaneously polishing both surfaces of the wafers 20 retained in the carriers 10. The method is characterized in that information sourced from the carriers 10 when a difference between the thickness of the carriers 10 and the thickness of the wafers 20 reaches a predetermined value is detected to calculate the thickness of the wafers 20, thereby terminating polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Kazushige Takaishi, Keiichi Takanashi, Tetsurou Taniguchi, Shinichi Ogata, Shunsuke Mikuriya
  • Patent number: 8851958
    Abstract: A method for simultaneous double-side material-removing processing of at least three workpieces includes disposing the workpieces in a working gap between rotating upper and lower working disks of a double-side processing apparatus. The workpieces lie in freely movable fashion in respective openings in a guide cage and are moved under pressure in the working gap using the guide cage. Upon attaining a preselected target thickness of the workpieces, a deceleration process is initiated that includes reducing an angular velocity ?i(t) of a respective drive i of each of the upper working disk, lower working disk and guide cage to a standstill. The reducing is carried out such that ratios of the angular velocities ?i(t) with respect to one another as a function of time t deviate by no more than 10% from initial ratios of the angular velocities ?i(t) corresponding to when the preselected target thickness was attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventor: Georg Pietsch
  • Patent number: 8771460
    Abstract: A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Zuniga, Thomas H. Osterheld
  • Patent number: 8613643
    Abstract: A workpiece feeder is capable of feeding a roller to a roller end face processing machine in a stable posture, a roller end face processing machine, and a roller for a rolling bearing processed by such a roller end face processing machine are provided. The workpiece feeder for roller end face processing includes: a carrier ring having a plurality of recesses arranged in a radially-inner surface thereof at a predetermined pitch along a circumferential direction; a regulating wheel fitted into the carrier ring to form roller fitting cavities between a radially-outer surface of the regulating wheel and the plurality of recesses; a carrier support for supporting the carrier ring on a radially-outer side with respect to the plurality of recesses; and rotational force applying means for applying a rotational force to the carrier ring on the radially-outer side with respect to the plurality of recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Sugitatsu
  • Patent number: 8486220
    Abstract: A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Zuniga, Thomas H. Osterheld
  • Patent number: 8470125
    Abstract: A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a retaining ring having a flexible lower portion and a rigid upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Zuniga, Thomas H. Osterheld
  • Patent number: 8454410
    Abstract: Provided is a polishing apparatus comprising a lower stool (12), a motor (18a) and a speed reducer (19a) for driving the lower stool, and a box (17) for covering at least the portion of the lower stool below the working action face. The polishing apparatus polishes a wafer by forcing the wafer to contact the lower stool and by rotating the lower stool. The box has its inside separated by partitions (31a and 31b) into a plurality of regions, and the motor for driving the lower stool is arranged in a region other than the region containing the lower stool. The polishing apparatus can manufacture a wafer of a stable shape, irrespective of the time elapsed from the running start and the presence/absence of the stop of the polishing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd., Fujikoshi Machinery Corp.
    Inventors: Koji Kitagawa, Junichi Ueno, Syuichi Kobayashi, Hideo Kudo, Tadakazu Miyashita, Atsushi Kajikura, Yoshinobu Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 8267741
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus, includes: a motor; and a controlling unit configured to control the motor, wherein: a glass substrate is polished by causing the controlling unit to control a driving of the motor; and the controlling unit executes a controlling operation for controlling a polishing of the glass substrate, based on an electric power or an electric energy required for the driving of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kimura, Kuninobu Ikeda, Ryu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8221190
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus to simultaneously polish both surfaces of a work, and includes a pair of stools rotating in opposite directions, a pair of detecting units to detect rotation rates of the stools, a pressurizing unit to compress the work between the pair of the stools, a slurry supply unit to supply a slurry to the stools, and a control unit to reduce, when determining that a frictional force between the polishing surface and the work exceeds a threshold, at least one of a load applied by the pressurizing unit, the rotation rate of the stools, and a supply amount of the slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Fumihiko Tokura, Mitsuo Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8197300
    Abstract: Correction of grinding spindle positions in double-side grinding machines for the simultaneous double-side machining of semiconductor wafers is achieved by torsionally coupling the two grinding spindles, each comprising a grinding disk flange for receiving a grinding disk, and providing a measuring unit with an inclinometer and two sensors for distance measurement, between the two grinding disk flanges such that the grinding spindles are essentially in the position they would have with mounted grinding disks during the grinding process, wherein the coupled grinding spindles are rotated while inclinometer and sensors determine radial and axial correction values of axial alignment to adjust the grinding spindles to a symmetrical orientation. The spindle positions may be corrected under the action of process forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Joachim Junge, Robert Weiss
  • Patent number: 8177605
    Abstract: A bowling ball surface treatment device for abrading, polishing or cleansing a bowling ball includes a housing, a ball displacing unit movably mounted to the housing for holding the bowling ball in a rotatable manner and for reciprocatingly displacing the bowling ball between a temporary waiting region and a surface treatment region, a surface treatment disc for supporting and spinning the bowling ball in the surface treatment region, the surface treatment disc having a surface treatment element for making frictional contact with the bowling ball, a temporary support disc for temporarily supporting the bowling ball in the temporary waiting region when the bowling ball is moved out of the surface treatment region, and a disc drive unit for rotatingly driving the surface treatment disc and the temporary support disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Sang-Bae Shim
  • Patent number: 8145342
    Abstract: Processing a wafer using a double side grinder having a pair of grinding wheels. Warp data is obtained by a warp measurement device for measuring warp of a wafer as ground by the double side grinder. The warp data is received and a nanotopography of the wafer is predicted based on the received warp data. A grinding parameter is determined based on the predicted nanotopography of the wafer. Operation of the double side grinder is adjusted based on the determined grinding parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sumeet S. Bhagavat, Roland R. Vandamme, Tomomi Komura, Tomhiko Kaneko, Takuto Kazama
  • Patent number: 8113913
    Abstract: Simultaneous double-side grinding of a plurality of semiconductor wafers involves positioning each wafer freely in a cutout of one of plural carriers which rotate on a cycloidal trajectory, wherein the wafers are machined between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each disk having a working layer of bonded abrasive, wherein the form of the working gap between working layers is determined during grinding and the form of the working area of at least one disk is altered such that the gap has a predetermined form. The wafers, during machining, may temporarily overhang the gap. The carrier is optionally composed only of a first material, or is completely or partly coated with the first material such that during machining only the first material contacts the working layer, and the first material does not reduce the machining ability of the working layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignees: Siltronic AG, Peter Wolters GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Pietsch, Michael Kerstan, Heiko aus dem Spring
  • Patent number: 8113919
    Abstract: A bowling ball surface treatment apparatus is designed to uniformly abrade and polish a bowling ball. The apparatus includes a housing and a ball movement guider provided inside the housing for guiding movement of a bowling ball and confining the bowling ball within a limited surface treatment area, and a surface treatment disc arranged below the ball movement guider for supporting, rotating and revolving the bowling ball. The surface treatment disc has a disc shaft and a surface treatment element for abrading or polishing the bowling ball. The apparatus further includes a disc rotating device for rotating the surface treatment disc about a disc center axis and a disc revolving device for rotatably holding the disc shaft of the surface treatment disc and for causing the surface treatment disc to make revolving movement around a sun axis offset from the disc center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventor: Sang-Bae Shim
  • Patent number: 8029339
    Abstract: A workpiece double-disc grinding apparatus including a holder that supports a thin-plate-like workpiece from an outer periphery along a radial direction and is rotatable; a pair of static pressure support members that support the holder from both sides along an axial direction of the rotation thereof in a contactless manner based on a static fluid pressure; and a pair of grinding stones that simultaneously grind both surfaces of a workpiece supported by the holder, in which an interval between the holder and the static pressure support member is not greater than 50 ?m, and the static pressure of the fluid that is not lower than 0.3 MPa. As a result, the workpiece double-disc grinding apparatus and a workpiece double-disc grinding method can stabilize a position of the holder, which can be a cause that degrades a nanotopography of the workpiece in the double-disc grinding for the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiro Kato, Kenji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8002610
    Abstract: To provide a technique for rotating a plurality of carriers 500 between an upper and a lower rotary surface plates to simultaneously polish both surfaces of a plurality of works 400. The work 400 is merged with the carrier 500 outside a polishing apparatus main body 110. The work 400 is supplied onto a lower rotary surface plate 111 of the polishing apparatus main body 110 while remaining merged with the carrier 500. The present invention enables the work 400 on the lower rotary surface plate 111 to be perfectly automatically supplied. After double side polishing has been completed and when an upper rotary surface plate, a liquid such as a water is injected from the upper rotary surface plate to hold the plurality of works 400 to have both surfaces thereof polished, on the lower rotary surface plate 111. The present invention enables the works 400 to be automatically ejected from the lower rotary surface plate 111.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Horiguchi, Ken Isobe, Heigo Tanaka, Tomio Fukushima, Kiyohide Murata, Tsuneo Takeda, Yoshiaki Uzu, Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7862403
    Abstract: A surface grinder for a ball of a ball valve comprises a ball positioning device at an X axis for driving the ball to rotate about the X axis and a grinding device at a Z axis for driving a grindstone set to rotate about the Z axis, wherein the grindstone set grinds a spherical surface of the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Chun Chen Lai
  • Patent number: 7648409
    Abstract: A method of polishing the double sides of a plurality of works simultaneously by rotating a plurality of carriers between upper and lower rotating surface plates, comprising the steps of forming the works (400) integrally with the carriers (500) on the outside of a polishing device main body (110), feeding the works (400) onto a rotating surface plate (111) on the underside of the polishing device main body (110) with the works formed integrally with the carriers (500), injecting liquid such as water from the upper side rotating surface plate when the upper side rotating surface plate is raised after the double sides are polished, holding the plurality of works (400) on the lower side rotating surface plate (111) after the double sides are polished, enabling the works (400) to be discharged automatically from the lower side rotating surface plate (111), providing a brush storage part (180) and a dresser storage part (190) near the polishing device main body (110), and frequently treating a polishing cloth ins
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignees: Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corporation, Kashiwara Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Horiguchi, Ken Isobe, Heigo Tanaka, Tomio Fukushima, Kiyohide Murata, Tsunco Takeda, Yoshiaki Uzu, Hiroshi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20090298397
    Abstract: A method of grinding semiconductor wafers including simultaneously grinding both surfaces of multiple semiconductor wafers being ground by rotating the multiple semiconductor wafers between a pair of upper and lower rotating surface plates in a state where the multiple wafers are held on a carrier so that centers of the multiple wafers are positioned on a circumference of a single circle, wherein a ratio of an area of a circle passing through the centers of the multiple wafers to an area of one of the multiple wafers is greater than or equal to 1.33 but less than 2.0; a rotational speed of the multiple wafers falls within a range of 5 to 80 rpm; and the grinding of the multiple wafers with the rotating surface plates are conducted with fixed abrasive grains in the presence of an alkali solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasunori YAMADA, Yuichi KAKIZONO, Kazushige TAKAISHI
  • Patent number: 7500905
    Abstract: A grinding apparatus and a grinding system capable of efficient and superior grinding performance prevent the falling of a belt during the grinding of an edge surface thereof. The apparatus includes two rotating bodies 31 and 32 each having segment brushes 4, 4, . . . attached in the circumferential direction at the edge thereof. The rotating bodies 31 and 32 are rotated in the same direction. The tip of the segment brushes 4, 4, . . . is opposed to one edge surface of a belt b stretched between a driving roller 21 and a driven roller 22. The segment brushes 4 of the two rotating bodies enter toward the belt b at appropriate locations on the one edge surface, such that the falling of the belt can be prevented. A grinding apparatus 1 includes a grinder 3 consisting of the rotating bodies 31 and 32, and a holder consisting of the rollers 21 and 22 and a casing 23 by which the rollers are rotatably supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Iga
  • Patent number: 7491115
    Abstract: An indexing device for successively positioning a tool element relative to an apparatus adapted to perform a series of operational tasks on said tool element comprises a base, a reciprocally movable support mounted on the base, a fixing member adjustably mounted on the support for fixing the tool element thereto, a pivotable arm mounted to the base and extending between the support and the apparatus, an indexing abutment mounted on the arm and positioned thereon to contact a part of the tool element. The support is moved in a first direction to bring the tool element in a task performing position with the apparatus. The movable support has a pusher to contact the arm and to cause pivotal movement of the arm when the support is moved in this first direction whereby the arm and the abutment are moved away from the task performing position. Thereafter, the arm is returned to a subsequent task performing position when the support is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: Michel Letendre
  • Patent number: 7485029
    Abstract: The double face polishing apparatus is capable of controlling an amount of supplying slurry to a lower polishing plate. The double face polishing apparatus comprises: a lower polishing plate and an upper polishing plate; a carrier provided between the polishing plates, the carrier having a through-hole for holding a workpiece; a plate driving unit for rotating the polishing plates; a carrier driving unit for rotating the carrier; ring-shaped ducts coaxially provided to the upper polishing plate; a slurry supply source supplying slurry to the ring-shaped ducts; and supply pipes for supplying the slurry to the lower polishing plate. The slurry is supplied to each of coaxial polishing zones of the lower polishing plate via the corresponding ring-shaped ducts and the supply pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Fujikoshi Machinery Corp.
    Inventors: Satoki Kanda, Harumichi Koyama, Masahiro Takeuchi, Yoichi Morozumi
  • Patent number: 7367867
    Abstract: A two-side working machine, comprising an upper and a lower working disc which hold on, and are fixed to, an upper and a lower carrier disc, and which are disposed coaxially with each other and are adapted to be rotationally driven relative to each other by a working motor via a driving shaft, wherein the working discs have formed therebetween a working gap in which flat workpieces are processed on both sides, and a distance measuring device which measures the distance between working discs in at least two radially spaced points of the working gap, whereby the upper carrier disc is suspended on a supporting ring which is connected to the upper working shaft so as to be fixed for rotation, an annular portion of the carrier disc and means which are externally controllable by the supporting ring and via which a radial force is applied to the circumference of the carrier disc about the circumference of the supporting ring by means of a force generator, and control means are provided which adjust the force on the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Peter Wolters AG
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Boller
  • Patent number: 7364495
    Abstract: The present invention provides a wafer double-side polishing apparatus comprising at least a carrier plate having wafer holding holes; upper and lower turn tables to which polishing pads are attached; and a slurry supply means; with wafers held in the wafer holding holes, the carrier plate being moved between the upper and lower turn tables while supplying slurry, to simultaneously polish both front and back surfaces of wafers, wherein a PCD of upper turn table load supporting points that is a diameter of a circle joining load supporting points of the upper turn table coincides with a PCD of centers of the wafer holding holes on the carrier plate that is a diameter of a circle joining each center of the wafer holding holes on the carrier plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Tominaga, Toshiyuki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7347770
    Abstract: A two-sided surface grinding apparatus capable of eliminating undulations of concentric circles produced in the work surfaces by grinding, thereby further improving the degree of flatness of the work surfaces after grinding includes a pair of support pads which hold work outwardly of grinding whetstones and noncontactly support the work by the pressure of fluid are formed with notches corresponding to the grinding whetstones and extending from the outer edge to the center, and their noncontact support surfaces are provided with a plurality of pockets having fluid supply holes, and a mesh section forming banks around the peripheries of these pockets, the mesh section being composed of a peripheral edge disposed along the outer periphery of the noncontact support surface, and inside veins disposed so as to divide the inside of the peripheral edges and connected to the inside-and-outside connecting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Koyo Machine Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Ohkura
  • Patent number: 7150674
    Abstract: Detecting the deviation of the grinding wheel position from the amount of work deformation after grinding, and correctly adjusting the grinding wheel position, it provides both-side grinding techniques for making the work excellent in flatness and parallelism. When the feeding operation of grinding wheels (1,2) is completed, the distances from hydrostatic pads (20, 21) to the surface and back of work (W) are measured at three points, and the deformation amount of work (W) is detected from the results of measurement at the three points by using air gauge sensors (Sa, Sb, Sc), and in case the calculated amount of deformation exceeds the specified value, the moving adjustment of grinding wheels (1, 2) is performed in accordance with the amount of deformation so that work (W) is flat without deformation when the feeding operation of grinding wheels (1, 2) is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Koyo Machine Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Okura
  • Patent number: 7131900
    Abstract: A combination between a grinding ring and a grinding wheel is disclosed, wherein the grinding ring has a centrally defined hole, a tubular extension extending from a periphery defining the hole, an annular extension extending from an outer periphery of the tubular extension, a skirt formed adjacent to the annular extension, teeth formed by pressing at a joint between the annular extension and the skirt and barbs each formed on a free end of the teeth. The grinding wheel is made of cloth so that the teeth together with the bars are able to extend into the grinding wheel when the skirt is pressed and engagement between the grinding ring and the grinding wheel is enhanced by applying an adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventor: Samuel Chou
  • Patent number: 7101258
    Abstract: Double-sided polishing machine with an upper and a lower working disc, each comprising a polishing disc and a carrier disc. The working disc are co-axially arranged and rotatable relative to each other, a polishing gap being formed between the polishing discs. Said workpieces are machined in the polishing gap. A temperature control device being at least provided for the upper working disc by which a temperature control fluid can be conveyed through passages in the upper working disc. A spacing measuring device being associated with the working discs which measure the spacing in the polishing gap (gap width ?) at two radial spaced points of the polishing gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Peters Wolters Surface Technologies GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventor: Ulrich Ising
  • Patent number: 7077726
    Abstract: A process for producing semiconductor wafers comprises simultaneous grinding of both sides of the semiconductor wafers in a single step, 1S-DDG, wherein this grinding is the only material-removing mechanical machining step which is used to machine the surfaces of the semiconductor wafers. This process produces semiconductor wafers with improved geometry and nanotopology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Georg J. Pietsch, Michael Kerstan, Anton Huber
  • Patent number: 7029380
    Abstract: In order to improve a flatness of a work in single wafer type double-side polishing in which one wafer is polished with one carrier, a carrier larger in diameter than upper and lower surface plates that rotate is inserted between the surface plates, and a wafer smaller in diameter than the surface plates is held with the carrier. The carrier is rotated by plural eccentric gears that mesh with external gear teeth formed on the outer peripheral surface of the carrier at plural positions along a circumferential direction thereof and revolve around positions spaced from the centers as centers in synchronism with each other or one another at the plural positions of meshing. The carrier rotates about its center and moves circularly around the center of the surface plates spaced from the center thereof. The upper surface plate is reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the central axis when required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignees: Kashiwara Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Mitsubishi Silicon Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Horiguchi, Shoji Nakao
  • Patent number: 7014540
    Abstract: A device for the precision working of planar surfaces, in particular for the plane finishing, has a tool (13), which has an outer and an inner operating surface (36, 44). These are designed like cup wheels, which fit into one another, and are rotatable together, however, can be axially fed independent of one another. This is done with respect to the outer operating surface (36) by means of the spindle drive of a honing machine, which is preferably designed as a linear motor, whereas the inner operating surface (44) is fed through the feed drive (28) of the honing machine, which feed drive extends inside of the spindle and of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: KADIA Produktion GmbH + Co.
    Inventor: Peter Nagel
  • Patent number: 6984167
    Abstract: Disclosed are a polishing agent containing at least globular-silica powder and alumina powder, as well as a lapping method in which a workpiece is held between an upper turn table and a lower turn table and is lapped by rotating the upper and the lower turn tables while being supplied with a polishing agent, wherein the polishing agent supplied is the polishing agent containing at least globular-silica powder and alumina powder. Thus, there can be provided a polishing agent capable of further improving the quality, especially, the flatness of workpieces such as silicon wafers and capable of polishing the workpieces at an excellent polishing rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Tatsumori Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Asahina
  • Patent number: 6846228
    Abstract: A structure for a polishing machine of an optical disk, which comprises a motor, a turntable unit integrated with a housing, at least two polishing wheel positioned on a cover which can cover up the housing, and a timer. When the cover is closed, the polishing wheel can polish the optical disk. The primary objective of this invention is to provide a structure for a polishing machine with a precise polishing effect and higher automation to increase the quality of polishing. The secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a structure for a polishing machine which is simplified in structure, miniaturize in volume and is easily stored and used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Inventor: Ming-Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 6767428
    Abstract: An invention is provided for a chemical mechanical planarization apparatus. The apparatus includes a cylindrical frame, a polishing membrane attached to an end of the cylindrical frame, and a pad support disposed within the cylindrical frame and below the polishing membrane that is capable of differentially flexing the polishing membrane. The pad support can be air bearing that provides air pressure to the polishing membrane to differentially flex the polishing membrane during a CMP process. In a further aspect, the pad support can be in contact with the polishing membrane, and include mechanical elements that are capable of differentially flexing the polishing membrane during a CMP process. In addition, the apparatus can include a conditioner element disposed above the polishing membrane, and a conditioner pad support disposed below the polishing membrane and the conditioner element, wherein the conditioner element is capable of eroding the polishing membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Yehiel Gotkis, Aleksandar Owczarz, Rod Kistler
  • Patent number: 6761622
    Abstract: A bowling ball resurfacing device is capable of evenly abrading, machining and furbishing the entire surface of a bowling ball. The resurfacing device includes a housing, first and second rolling wheels which are rotatably provided within the housing in a spaced-apart relationship with each other to hold and support the bottom surface of the bowling ball, a driving motor operatively connected to the first and second rolling wheels for causing the first and second rolling wheels to rotate, a friction contact unit for supporting the bowling ball in cooperation with the first and second rolling wheels and for making frictional contact with the surface of the bowling ball to abrade the bowling ball, and a relative speed regulator for intermittently changing the rotational speed of the second rolling wheel with respect to the first rolling wheel so as to alter the axis of rotation of the bowling ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Inventor: Yun Sung Nam
  • Patent number: 6733368
    Abstract: An improved method for lapping the opposed major surfaces of a wafer is provided. In this regard, a multi-step lapping process is provided in which lapping continues while transitioning from a first slurry having larger abrasive particles to a second slurry having smaller abrasive particles so as to reduce the overall length of the lapping process. In addition, the multi-step lapping process is optimized so as to remove no more than about 90 microns in total thickness from the opposed major surfaces of the wafer. By completing the lapping with slurry having smaller abrasive particles, subsequent etching of the wafers produces shallower surface pitting. As such, the wafers generally require less polishing than required by conventional processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: SEH America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Pan, Brazel G. Preece
  • Patent number: 6726525
    Abstract: A double side grinding apparatus comprises a pair of grinding wheels (4), work rotating device (1) and moving device (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignees: Shin-Estu Handotai Co., Ltd., Koy Machine Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiro Kato, Shunichi Ikeda, Kenji Ohkura
  • Patent number: 6402600
    Abstract: This invention consists of a two-component cylindrical tool assembly suitable for contour rough abrading, texturing, fine surface abrading and extra fine polishing of a spherical surface. The tool body, fabricated from a rigid material, is smaller in diameter than the spherical object being abraded. The abrading cylindrical component, made from a molded and cured thermosetting resin material, is filled with diamond abrasive particles. The two components are assembled with their axis of rotation concentric with each other. The amount of surface abrasion and quality of surface finish imparted to the object during the operation is directly related to particle size, uniformity of size, quantity of the abrasive particles used, and the uniformity of their dispersion throughout the molded abrading cylinder. The cylinder face that extends beyond the body component is machined to match the spherical radius of the bowling ball or similar object, defining the annular region of spherical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Inventor: Othmar C. Besch
  • Patent number: 6299514
    Abstract: A double-disk polishing machine, particularly for tooling semiconductor wafers, comprising a machine housing, an upper and a lower working disk, carrier disks for the lower and upper working disks either of which is connected to a vertical driving shaft which, in turn, are rotatably supported in the machine housing by means of roller bearings and are adapted to be driven by a motor via a gear mechanism wherein cooling channels to which a coolant is fed are formed in each carrier disk, characterized in that each of the carrier disks is mounted with the aid of fastening means on a circumferential ring of a wheel-shaped basic carrier which, in turn, is connected to the driving shaft, the radius on which said fastening means lie which connect said basic carrier to said carrier disk is approximately on half the width of the ring-shaped working disk and said basic carrier for the upper working disk is connected to the shaft or to carrier disk in such a way that the inclination of the upper working disk automaticall
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Peter Wolters Werkzeugmachinen GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Peter Boller
  • Patent number: 6273783
    Abstract: There are provided a concentric machining device and method. The concentric machining device is used to machine the outer curcumferential surface of a cylindrical body having an inner diameter and an outer diameter with respect to the center of the inner diameter so that the center of the outer diameter is identical with the center of the inner diameter. In the concentric machining device, the cylindrical body is mounted in a mounting means installed in a rotating means. The rotating means rotates the mounting means and the cylindrical body according to a rotation control signal. A photographing means photographs the cross-section of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyeon-Cheol Kim
  • Patent number: 6261161
    Abstract: A sharpener assembly for a food slicer includes a rotatable frame with a sharpening member and a truing member operatively connected for rotation with the frame. The frame is mounted on a food slicer to place the sharpening member and truing member on opposed sides of a slicer knife. The frame is rotated to rotate the sharpening member and the truing member into contact with respective sides of the slicer kife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gongpu Yan
  • Patent number: 6250997
    Abstract: A lapping or polishing machine which processes the surface of silicon wafer or other work piece by rotating a platen with constant supply of lapping or polishing compound. Said platen of the lapping or polishing machine is connected directly to a direct drive motor and driven by the direct drive motor, and the point to point control of said platen is carried out by a rotary encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Speedfam-Ipec Co LTD
    Inventors: Kazutomo Hatano, Mitsuru Maruya
  • Patent number: 6217433
    Abstract: Grinding wheels are fabricated with outwardly extending circular peripheral rims having a continuous rim surface to which separate abrasive pieces, preferably of a super abrasive such as CBN, are secured by suitable adhesive. The superabrasive pieces are preferably circular and of a diameter corresponding to the width of the rim and are secured to the rim surface so as to either be adjacent and touch one another or to be spaced one from the other around the circle of the rim surface so that a predetermined amount but not all of the rim surface is covered with abrasive pieces. That rim surface coverage optimize grinding efficiency while providing space for fluid flow for purposes of cooling and carrying away particles from the grinding process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Unova IP Corp.
    Inventors: James A. Herrman, Ronald A. Meyer, Douglas R. Stitt, Robert L. Woodard
  • Patent number: 6210259
    Abstract: A lapping assembly for lapping a group of workpieces including a pair of lapping discs and a cassette for positioning the workpieces between the lapping discs. The lapping discs are provided with two-component translational oscillations at the appropriate cutting speed, parallel to their working planes. This motion is effected using crank pins rotating about a coaxially positioned axis and elastic members (or swivel-supporting) members coupled to the body of the lapping machine to prevent the lapping discs from rotating. The cassette has an opening having a curvilinear shape for holding the workpieces, and protrusions which extend into the opening. The cassette is mounted on a support element and equipped with a drive to rotate it about a stationary axis. Alternatively, the cassette can be fixed during treatment and the lapping discs can be rotated at a speed less than the cutting speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Vibro Finish Tech Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Malkin, Lev Malkin
  • Patent number: 6196901
    Abstract: A pair of ring-shaped lapping plates 13, 23 are faced to both surfaces of a wafer 1. Each lapping plate 13, 23 has an outer diameter approximately equal to a radius of the wafer 1 and a lapping surface 14, 24 sliding in contact with the wafer 1. Each lapping plate 13, 23 is rotated along a direction reverse from the other, while an abrasion slurry A is fed into cavities 15, 25 of the lapping plates 13, 23 and discharged together with dusts separated from the wafer 1 through grooves engraved in the lapping surfaces 14, 24 and gaps between the wafer 1 and the lapping surfaces 14, 24. The lapping plate 23 is carried toward the stationary lapping plate 13 at a rate corresponding to abrasion of the lapping surfaces 14, 24. During lapping, the wafer 1 is rotated by drive rollers 31 and supported by guide rollers 32. In this way, both surfaces of the wafer 1 are simultaneously lapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Super Silicon Crystal Research Institute Corp.
    Inventor: Hideaki Minami
  • Patent number: 6186875
    Abstract: A machine for lapping bowling balls and, thus, re-rounding, smoothing, and cleaning the balls. The machine is comprised of three concave abrasion blocks with drive motors, adjustable mounting brackets attached to an adjustable support table, a catch basin with filter to separate suspended solids from liquids, and a pump and fluid delivery tube to deliver flushing and/or cleaning liquids. The abrasion blocks are comprised of resilient concave blocks with abrasive sanding disks. The positions of all three abrasion blocks are preferably simultaneously and equally adjusted by small adjustments to the position of a top table relative to the stand that holds the pivotal motor mounts. Ramps on the rotatable table cooperate with the mounts to slightly pivot the motor mounts inward and outward from the ball, changing the orientation and distance of the abrasive blocks relative to each other and, hence, to the ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Inventors: Larry A. Cook, Gary Solomon
  • Patent number: 6176767
    Abstract: A double face abrading machine for simultaneous removal of material from two plane-parallel surfaces of a work piece, and incorporating a first and a second tool (1, 2) forming between them a machining gap (3), the first tool (1) being attached to a first shaft (5) and the second tool (2) being attached to a second shaft (7), means (11) for rotating at least one of said first and second shafts (5, 7) and displacement means (13, 14) for individual axial displacement of said first and second shafts (5, 7) for varying the axial size and/or position of the machining gap (3), and means provided for feeding work pieces into the machining gap, wherein the first shaft (5) is designed as a tubular shaft, supporting at one end the said first tool (1), which is designed with an opening (1a) having a diameter at least corresponding to the diameter of the tubular shaft (5), whereas the second shaft (7) is arranged to extend through the tubular first shaft (5) and through the opening (1a) in the first tool, and to project
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Lidkoping Machine Tools AB
    Inventor: Mats Heijkenskjöld
  • Patent number: 6152804
    Abstract: A work W is rotated on a lower grinding wheel 13 provided on a work support base 11. Both surfaces of the work W are simultaneously subjected to grinding process by an upper grinding wheel 24 provided on a grinding shaft 22 of a grinding head 21 and the lower grinding wheel 13. The work W is applied with a pressure force of a primary load through the grinding shaft 22 by a piston rod 36 of a primary pneumatic cylinder 35 which is operated by a first air pressure. The work W is also applied with a pressure force of a secondary load through a lever member 43 by a piston rod 46 of the secondary pneumatic cylinder 45 which is operated by a second air pressure higher than the first air pressure. By adjusting the second air pressure, the pressure force is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: System Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Okuyama
  • Patent number: 6142859
    Abstract: A bristle carrier for leaning a polishing apparatus comprises a number of radial slots into which sub-frames carrying bristles can be releasably mounted. The bristle carrier is used in place of a component carrier used during normal polishing, and is driven in planetary fashion over clothed polishing surfaces to clean those surfaces. The same carrier can be used, even when the bristles have to be replaced due to wear, by replacing the sub-frames having new bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Always Sunshine Limited
    Inventors: Clifford Ross, Michael Christoff
  • Patent number: 6139405
    Abstract: A brake disk is machined the by first fitting to a wheel hub centered on a hub axis and having a radially projecting flange a wheel bearing having an outer bearing race formed with an axially directed mounting surface for attachment to a motor vehicle. Then the mounting surface of the outer bearing race is clamped axially to a stationary workpiece carrier so as to mount the wheel hub on the workpiece carrier. A brake disk having a pair of opposite faces extending substantially perpendicular to the axis is then secured to the flange and the wheel hub and the brake disk are rotated about the axis. Then the faces of the rotating brake disk are engaged with machining tools to surface machine the faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Ernst Thielenhaus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Manfred G. Becker