Patents Examined by Alexander Markoff
  • Patent number: 12727421
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a nozzle unit including a nozzle tip discharging liquid to a substrate; and a liquid supply line supplying the liquid to the nozzle unit, wherein the liquid supply line includes a liquid supply pipe connected to the nozzle tip; a supply valve installed in the liquid supply pipe; and a heater disposed between the nozzle tip and the supply valve in the liquid supply pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2026
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Joon Han, Gi Hun Choi, Seung Tae Yang, Sang Woo Park, Seong Hyeon Kim, Bu Young Jung
  • Patent number: 12725769
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a vacuum transfer module, a substrate processing module, an atmospheric transfer module, a load-lock module, at least one substrate transfer robot disposed in the vacuum transfer module and the atmospheric transfer module, and having at least one end effector, and a controller configured to control a particle removal operation. The particle removal operation includes transferring said at least one end effector in any one of the vacuum transfer module, the substrate processing module, the load-lock module, and the atmospheric transfer module in a state where at least one charging member that is charged is placed on said at least one end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2026
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nagaike, Naoki Sato, Masato Obara, Hideyuki Osada
  • Patent number: 12721084
    Abstract: A substrate processing method performed in a substrate processing apparatus configured to process a substrate by bringing the substrate into contact with a processing fluid in a supercritical state is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing vessel having a processing space; a main supply line configured to supply the processing fluid to the processing space; a discharge line having a first opening/closing valve, the discharge line being configured to discharge the processing fluid from the processing space; and a bypass line branched off from the main supply line at a branch point, the bypass line joining the discharge line at a junction point downstream of the first opening/closing valve. The substrate processing method includes: increasing a pressure of the processing space up to a preset processing pressure; and maintaining, after the increasing of the pressure, the pressure of the processing space at the processing pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2026
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Gentaro Goshi
  • Patent number: 12707930
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a wafer storage container processing apparatus that processes a wafer storage container including a body having a storage space connected to an opening and a door detachable from the opening, includes a stage having a disposition surface on which the wafer storage container is disposed; and a gas supply configured to supply an inert gas to the wafer storage container disposed on the stage. The stage disposes the wafer storage container such that the door is disposed on the disposition surface in a state where the door is attached to the body, and the gas supply supplies the inert gas through a gas supply port provided on an intersecting surface of the body that intersects a surface having the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2026
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junji Ishihara, Hisaaki Miyasako, Yukinobu Nishibe
  • Patent number: 12697942
    Abstract: A vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus and a control method of the vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus are disclosed. The vehicle sensor cleaning apparatus includes a liquid sprayer configured to spray washer fluid at at least one sensor located in a vehicle through a motor drive, an air sprayer configured to spray air at the at least one sensor, a liquid controller configured to control washer fluid spraying by the liquid sprayer according to a cleaning request signal received from a vehicle controller, and an air controller configured to control air spraying by the air sprayer according to a cleaning request signal received from the vehicle controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2026
    Assignees: DY AUTO CORPORATION, DY-ESSYS CORP.
    Inventors: Jong Wook Lee, Sin Won Kang, Min Wook Park, Sun Ju Kim, Hyeong Jun Kim
  • Patent number: 12686039
    Abstract: A test base cleaning line and a method thereof are provided. The test base cleaning line includes a plurality of cleaning mechanisms, a scanning device, and a moving device. The scanning device is configured for scanning a barcode on a test base to identify a type of the test base, and the moving device is configured for moving the test base to any one of the plurality of cleaning mechanisms according to the type of the test base so that the cleaning mechanism can perform a cleaning operation to the test base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: SILICONWARE PRECISION INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hsiang-Yun Hung, Yi-Ren Chen, Chun-Yu Hsieh, Ping-Lin Chang
  • Patent number: 12686365
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automated cleaning and inspection of electric vehicles. The systems and methods for automated cleaning eliminate the need for human interaction with the vehicle and/or cleaning system. Vehicle cleaning is typically a heavily manual task that consumes operation personnel time and resources. Providing automated systems and methods for vehicle cleaning can reduce human resources used for cleaning. Additionally, automated cleaning systems and methods can increase vehicle utilization efficiency by decreasing downtime for cleaning. In various implementations, systems and methods are provided for automated vehicle inspections. In some examples, automated vehicle inspections can occur concurrently with automated vehicle cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: GM Cruise Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth Ferguson, Jeffrey Brandon
  • Patent number: 12663159
    Abstract: A method for controlling cleaning of a cooking appliance is discussed. The cooking appliance may include a cavity configured to accommodate food to be cooked, the cavity including a panel, a broil heater configured to apply radiant heat to the cavity, and a bake heater configured to heat the panel. Additionally, the method may include selecting a mode including selecting a self-clean mode of the cavity, increasing an internal temperature of the cavity to a set second temperature, and maintaining the internal temperature of the cavity at the second temperature. Further, the increasing the internal temperature may include controlling a temperature increase rate inside the cavity in the increasing the internal temperature by operating the broil heater and the bake heater alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2026
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seungtae Jang, Moon Ho Choi, Junhee Lee, Jaekeun Lee, Younghwan Kwon, Seungho Han, Byeongmin Kim
  • Patent number: 12643133
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a treatment liquid discharge assembly and a treatment liquid discharge method, and the treatment liquid discharge assembly includes a drain manifold connected to at least one discharge line of the substrate treatment apparatus and configured to define a predetermined accommodation space to temporarily accommodate a treatment liquid, and a drain pipe connected to a bottom surface of the accommodation space, in which the drain pipe defines a level difference with a predetermined height in the accommodation space of the drain manifold, and the drain pipe protrudes by the predetermined height from a bottom surface of the accommodation space toward an upper side of the accommodation space to define a buffer space in which the treatment liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2026
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyeong Min Lee, Tae-keun Kim, Kang Sul Kim
  • Patent number: 12636684
    Abstract: A system may include a camera assembly, a fluid dispensing assembly, a wiper assembly, and a controller. The camera assembly can include a lens. The controller can be in communication with the camera assembly, the fluid dispensing assembly, and/or the wiper assembly. In some examples, the controller can be configured to determine, based on image quality data generated by the camera assembly, that a debris is attached to the lens. In response to determining that the debris is attached to the lens, the controller can trigger the fluid dispensing assembly to dispense liquid onto the lens, and activate the wiper assembly to remove the debris from the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Joao Nuno Rocha, Sean Corro
  • Patent number: 12622557
    Abstract: Provided is a method, performed by a cordless vacuum cleaner, of automatically adjusting the strength of a suction power of a suction motor. More specifically, the method may include obtaining data about a flow path pressure measured by a pressure sensor, obtaining data related to a load of the brush apparatus through a load detection sensor, identifying a current usage environment state of the brush apparatus by applying the data related to the flow path pressure and the data related to the load of the brush apparatus to an AI model stored in a memory of the cordless vacuum cleaner, and adjusting the strength of the suction power of the suction motor, based on the identified current usage environment state of the brush apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seongu Lee, Hyunkoo Kang, Seehyun Kim, Sanghyuk Park, Yeongju Lee, Jaeshik Jeong, Jeonghee Cho, Jiwon Choi, Junggyun Han
  • Patent number: 12616349
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying a ground feature by an automatic cleaning device. The method includes collecting a rolling-brush current and a side-brush current; performing weighted calculation according to the rolling-brush current and the side-brush current, so as to obtain a ground identification coefficient; and according to the ground identification coefficient, identifying a feature of whether the ground on which the automatic cleaning device is located is carpet or a non-carpet dielectric surface. Software optimization is carried out on the basis of current detection technology, thus reducing the false identification rate without additional cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: DREAME INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY (SUZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yinbo Xu, Jun Wu, Jiajia Sun
  • Patent number: 12612588
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a processing method at acidic or neutral pH in a reactor (4) for processing lignocellulosic biomass (P), said process including a continuous cleaning phase of the reactor which comprises introducing a basic aqueous solution (EB) into said reactor containing the biomass being processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignees: IFP Energies Nouvelles, Institut National De Recherche Pour L'Agriculture L'Alimentation Et L'Environment, Argo Industries Recherche Et Developpement
    Inventors: Meriem Bouras, Caroline Aymard, Olivier Carnnot
  • Patent number: 12611801
    Abstract: A recycling device and a recycling method for laminar structures bonded by cured adhesive are disclosed. The recycling device comprises a barrel device, a molten salt supply equipment and a transfer equipment. The barrel device accommodates the laminar structures. The molten salt supply equipment fills a specially formulated molten salt into the barrel device, and also discharges the molten salt from the barrel device. The transfer equipment transfers the laminar structures between the outside environment, the temperature-adjusting space and the barrel device. Through the design of the barrel device, molten salt supply equipment and transfer equipment, molten salt is used to heat and pyrolyze the solidified adhesive in the laminar structures to obtain recycled plate-like objects with a whole structure, so it can improve the shortcomings of conventional methods for recycling laminar structures such as direct heating pyrolysis, mechanical peeling or scraping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: CHUNG WEI TECHNICAL SERVICE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chung-Sheng Wang
  • Patent number: 12611702
    Abstract: A cage orienting apparatus for use in an object cleaning and filling system includes a first conveyor device; a second conveyor device; and a rotating mechanism, operatively connected to the first conveyor device and the second conveyor device, configured to rotate the first conveyor device and the second conveyor device 180°. The first conveyor device and the second conveyor device being positioned such that the first conveyor device and the second conveyor device are substantially parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: VISRON DESIGN, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin I. Yager, Jeffrey C. Robertson
  • Patent number: 12616001
    Abstract: A substrate is held by an upper holding device, and a lower-surface center region of the substrate is cleaned. During this cleaning, a suction holder of a lower holding device located below the upper holding device is rotated. The substrate held by the upper holding device is transferred to a suction holder of the lower holding device. A lower-surface outer region of the substrate held by the suction holder is cleaned. After the lower-surface center region of the substrate is cleaned and until the substrate is transferred to the suction holder of the lower holding device, rotation of the lower holding device is stopped. Further, the suction holder is moved in a horizontal direction by a base device. A rotation stopping operation for the suction holder and a horizontal moving operation for the suction holder are performed such that the periods for these operation at least partially overlap with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Okada, Nobuaki Okita, Kazuki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 12615986
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus with a support part that has a substrate-facing surface and supports the substrate in a state of being spaced from the substrate-facing surface. The support part is accommodated into a processing space of a processing chamber. A processing fluid flows in a certain direction in the processing space. In a path for a laminar flow of the processing fluid between the substrate and the support part, a downstream path positioned on a downstream side in the certain direction is wider than an upstream path positioned on an upstream side in the certain direction to reduce the pressure loss of the processing fluid flowing from the upstream path to the downstream path to prevent re-adhesion of the liquid to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noritake Sumi, Hajime Shirakawa, Masaki Inaba, Koji Ando, Tomohiro Motono
  • Patent number: 12599943
    Abstract: A spraying system and method is provided for more efficiently accessing the interior of a container having an access opening to the container that is offset from or in angular relationship to the center and/or rotational axis of the container to contact the interior walls and surfaces of the container with a medium, such as a liquid, mixture, solution or suspension. The spraying system and method includes a non-linear boom that is elevated by a support structure, where the non-linear boom includes at its front end a plurality of spray nozzles. In one example, the support structure is a movable support structure that includes a guide mechanism where the guide mechanism is mounted on the moveable support structure at an angle relative to the surface supporting the moveable support structure to allow access to the interior of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: Core Insight Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Anthony Camell
  • Patent number: 12601993
    Abstract: In an example of the disclosure, a system to service a print blanket includes a rotatably mounted endless cleaning surface (“ECS”), a doctor blade, a heating element, and a container. The ECS is to carry a polymeric material and positioned to engage the print blanket. The doctor blade is disposed in relationship to the ECS and to a container to scrape a portion of the polymeric material from the ECS into the container. The heating element is to heat the container. The container is positioned to collect the scraped portion of polymeric material, and make heated polymeric material available to be picked up by the ECS as the ECS is rotated adjacent to the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2026
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Amir Kedem, Eyal Rosenwein, Rea Yakar, Shimi Nakash
  • Patent number: 12594586
    Abstract: A cleaning method for cleaning a filling machine for filling at least to one side open packs with products is described and illustrated, wherein the filling machine has a transport device for transporting the at least to one side open packs through the filling machine. To ensure satisfactory cleaning results repeatably in a defined and/or shorter time, it is provided that a preceding plurality of at least to one side open packs is transported at least partially through the filling machine by a transport device and is filled with products, at least one nozzle for dispensing cleaning medium is transported at least partially through the filling machine by the transport device and cleaning medium is thereby dispensed for cleaning the filling machine, and after the filling machine has been cleaned, a subsequent plurality of at least to one side open packs is transported at least partially through the filling machine by the transport device and is thereby filled with products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2026
    Assignee: SIG Services AG
    Inventors: Bernd von Birgelen, Johannes Hortmanns, Sabine Knauff, Ngoc-Thinh Nguyen, Frank Ott, Claus Panert, Gordon Petruschkat, Michael Rösseler, Christoph Schröder, Lars Wallentin, Rene Ronneberger