Patents Examined by Alexander Markoff
  • Patent number: 11391664
    Abstract: A debris collection and metrology system for collecting and analyzing debris from a tip used in nanomachining processes, the system including an irradiation source, an irradiation detector, an actuator, and a controller. The irradiation source is operable to direct incident irradiation onto the tip, and the irradiation detector is operable to receive a sample irradiation from the tip, the sample irradiation being generated as a result of the direct incident irradiation being applied onto the tip. The controller is operatively coupled to an actuator system and the irradiation detector, and the controller is operable to receive a first signal based on a first response of the irradiation detector to the sample irradiation, and the controller is operable to effect relative motion between the tip and at least one of the irradiation source and the irradiation detector based on the first signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Bruker Nano, Inc.
    Inventors: Tod Evan Robinson, Bernabe Arruza, Kenneth Gilbert Roessler, David Brinkley, Jeffrey E. LeClaire
  • Patent number: 11380560
    Abstract: The inventive concept relates to an apparatus and method for forming a film on a substrate by spin coating. The apparatus includes liquid dispensing units that dispense processing liquids to form liquid films on the first and second substrates, respectively, air-flow supply units that form downward air flows in the first and second spaces, respectively, and a controller that controls the liquid dispensing units and the air-flow supply units. Each of the liquid dispensing units includes a pre-treatment nozzle that dispenses a pre-treatment liquid and a coating solution nozzle that dispenses a coating solution onto a corresponding one of the first and second substrates. The controller controls the liquid dispensing units to dispense the pre-treatment liquids and thereafter the coating solutions onto the first and second substrates and adjusts supply states of the downward air flows according to amounts of the pre-treatment liquids dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ki Seung Lee, Choongki Min, Soo Hyun Cho, Okseong Lee
  • Patent number: 11380561
    Abstract: A cleaning device is described. In one embodiment, the cleaning device includes a cleaning member; a moving portion, a measurement portion, and a controller. The controller performs a reset operation in which the cleaning member is pressed against the reference member before cleaning, a cleaning member is moved in a direction away from the reference member after the measured value of the measurement portion reaches a predetermined reset load, when the measurement values of the measurement portion for each unit movement amount of the cleaning member become equal to each other at least twice consecutively, a position of the cleaning member at the time is set as a reference position of the cleaning member at the time of cleaning, and the measurement value of the measurement portion at the time is set as a pressing reference value at the time of cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetatsu Isokawa, Mitsuhiko Inaba, Haiyang Xu
  • Patent number: 11369979
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for a spray nozzle 100, 200, 600. A spray nozzle 100, 200, 600 includes a housing 102 with an inlet 104 and/or a nose cone 106. An axis of an inlet 104 is disposed perpendicular to an axis of a nose cone 106, the housing 102 comprising an internal chamber formed within the housing 102. A spray nozzle 100, 200, 600 includes a nozzle holder 204. A nozzle holder 204 is disposed within an internal chamber of a body. A nozzle holder 204 is secured at a nozzle seat 202 coupled to a nose cone 106. A distal end of a nozzle holder 204 is free to rotate within an internal chamber of a housing 102 along a conical path having a vertex at approximately a nozzle seat 202 of a body. A nozzle holder 204 comprises an internal fluid channel to direct a fluid stream from a distal end of the nozzle holder 204 to a nozzle seat 202.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: CHURCH & DWIGHT CO., INC.
    Inventors: Micheal Mercer, Jackson McReynolds
  • Patent number: 11370397
    Abstract: A wheel cleaning device (10) for cleaning vehicle wheels (12) having a rim and a tyre mounted on said rim is disclosed. The cleaning device (10) comprising a wheel cleaning zone (15) and a wheel conveying system (20) for conveying the wheels (12) to and from the wheel cleaning zone (15). The wheel conveying system comprises at least one vertically displaceable wheel engaging element (21, 22), and a wheel conveyor (20) extending at least partially in a horizontal direction, wherein the wheel conveying system is arranged for conveying wheels (12) individually, in consecutive order and in a lying position from a stack (14) of wheels (12) to the wheel cleaning zone (15) at least partially in the horizontal direction and then from the wheel cleaning zone (15) at least partially in the horizontal direction to output a stack (14) of cleaned wheels (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Inventor: Fredrik Lingeskog
  • Patent number: 11344926
    Abstract: A foreign substance removing device includes: a cylinder including a support portion; a piston configured to send out a fluid flowing into the cylinder; a spring configured to urge the piston; and a mechanism configured to apply a moving force to the piston. A direction in which the fluid is sent out is a first direction. The piston is moved in the first direction by an urging force of the spring. An operation portion of the piston is formed with a convex or concave portion. The support portion is formed with an insertion concave portion into which the convex portion is capable of being inserted or an insertion convex portion capable of being inserted into the concave portion. A compression space is formed in the moving space when the piston is moved in the first direction and the convex portion or the insertion convex portion is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 11342204
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and a cleaning apparatus for cleaning semiconductor wafers. The cleaning apparatus includes a plurality of cleaning tanks, a dipping tank, a first robot hand, a second robot hand, and at least one drying chamber. The plurality of cleaning tanks is configured to clean a plurality of wafers held by a cassette by cleaning agents. The plurality of wafers is cleaned in the plurality of cleaning tanks through a batch process. The dipping tank is configured to rinse the plurality of wafers by a replacement agent. The at least one drying chamber is configured to dry the wafer taken by the second robot hand with single wafer process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: XIA TAI XIN SEMICONDUCTOR (QING DAO) LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Hyeon Nam, Injoon Yeo
  • Patent number: 11317780
    Abstract: The present invention relates in general to the field of cleaning devices, and more specifically, to a cleaning device and method of cleaning bathrooms. The cleaning device and method of cleaning bathrooms is inexpensive and environmentally friendly in that it utilizes a removable, washable and reusable cleaning head to thereby reduce unnecessary waste and cost. The cleaning device and method of cleaning bathrooms is sturdy and allows a user to clean an entire bathroom including showers, bathtubs, sinks, counters and toilets. The cleaning head may also be used separate from the cleaning device to clean easy to reach places such as countertops, sinks and toilets. The cleaning head may be reversible wherein opposite sides of the cleaning head may utilize certain materials to better clean different areas of the bathroom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: J.J. Palmtag, Inc.
    Inventor: Janet A. Palmtag
  • Patent number: 11312054
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a powder coating production line, the method including: providing a powder coating production line including equipment, an automatic cleaning tool, and a monitoring device; receiving, by the equipment, an instruction of automatic cleaning, and allowing the equipment to enter an automatic cleaning mode; cleaning, by the automatic cleaning tool, the equipment of the powder coating production line; monitoring, according to a preset monitoring condition and by the monitoring device, whether the automatic cleaning is completed; stopping the automatic cleaning when the monitoring device indicates the automatic cleaning has been completed, or continuing the automatic cleaning of the equipment; and turning off the automatic cleaning mode of the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: TIGER NEW SURFACE MATERIALS (SUZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chunqin Zhai, Zhenyu Mi
  • Patent number: 11316468
    Abstract: A method and system for cleaning an array of solar panels. The system can include an applicator apparatus configured with a plurality of cleaning devices, and an automatic position system (APS) configured with the applicator apparatus. The APS can include a first and second sensor coupled to the applicator apparatus. A controller coupled to the first and second sensor devices can be configured to adjust a position of the applicator apparatus to maintain the plurality of cleaning devices in a direction facing a solar panel to facilitate a removal of an undesired material from the solar panel, while the applicator apparatus is moved from a first position to a second position. A mobile vehicle can be configured with the applicator apparatus to move along a row of the array of solar panels to perform the method for cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: NEXTRACKER INC.
    Inventor: Daniel Shugar
  • Patent number: 11313246
    Abstract: A wash system for a gas turbine engine includes a core turning assembly having a motor configured to be mechanically coupled to the gas turbine engine. The rotor of the core turning assembly is further configured to rotate one or more components of a compressor section or a turbine section of the gas turbine engine at a rotational speed greater than two (2) revolutions per minute and less than five hundred (500) revolutions per minute during washing operations of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Edward Eriksen, Ethan Patrick O'Connor
  • Patent number: 11304304
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to dispersing graphene oxide in a fluid and washing a first electronic part with cleaning fluid. Aspects of the present disclosure relate to testing cleaning fluid for a concentration of ions, and determining whether the ion concentration is below a threshold. If the ion concentration is below a threshold level, continuing to wash parts with the fluid. If the ion concentration is above a threshold level, replacing the cleaning fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vincent Y C Cai, Hui Xing Wang, Djanie He, Joan Huang
  • Patent number: 11298728
    Abstract: There is described a method of monitoring the cleaning of hospital environments, the hospital environment (1) comprising at least an item (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j) disposed inside thereof, wherein the method comprises the steps of: generating a statement of events (5,5?,5?) of the hospital environment (1), the statement of events (5,5?,5?) related to the occurrence of at least a touch between at least a passer-by (3,3?,3?,30) of the hospital environment (1) with one of the items (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j) disposed in the hospital environment (1), and performing the cleaning action of the hospital environment (1) based on the statement of events (5,5?,5?) generated. A system of monitoring the cleaning of hospital environments is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignees: Sociedade Beneficente Israelita Brasileira Hospital Albert Einstein, I-HealthSys Produtos Médicos Ltda—ME
    Inventors: Alexandre Rodrigues Marra, Marcelo Prado, Renaldo Massini Junior, Alvaro Costa Neto
  • Patent number: 11229930
    Abstract: A washing container for washing or maintaining various objects includes opposite side portions, end portions, and a bottom portion. Embodiments include at least one lower support having an engagement gap extending between lower support arms and configured to releasably secure the objects. Some embodiments include opposing lower supports that secure opposite ends of the objects. An upper support arm may be used independently or together with one or more lower supports to secure one or more objects, in various positions, within the washing container. A perforated support platform support the objects above the bottom portion of the washing container and allows fluids and debris to pass to the bottom portion and into a drain trough. A debris basket within the trough limits the passage of debris into a drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: JEANNEWORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Arndt, Jeanne L. Caples
  • Patent number: 11232942
    Abstract: A method for treating a substrate is provided. The method includes supplying a first treating liquid to a treating target surface of the substrate while the substrate is rotating, and subsequently, supplying a second treating liquid having a surface tension lower than a surface tension of the first treating liquid to the substrate while an evaporation inhibiting agent in a vapor state is present around the first treating liquid supplied to the substrate, such that the first treating liquid on the substrate is substituted with the second treating liquid. Thus, a vapor atmosphere may be formed around a cleaning liquid applied to the substrate. Thus, a liquid-film destroying phenomenon may be prevented in a procedure in which the cleaning liquid is replaced with an organic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignees: SEMES CO., LTD., SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Seungtae Yang, Buyoung Jung, Gui Su Park, Jae Hong Lee, Ho-Young Kim, Yunsuk Jeung
  • Patent number: 11231433
    Abstract: The invention provides a highly reliable automatic analyzer and dispenser probe cleaning method that allows for the removal of leftover cleaning water from the outer wall surfaces of a probe without increasing the size of a cleaning bath and contaminating the outer wall surfaces of the probe. A cleaning bath 113 (108, 106) comprises: a cleaning water outlet 203 for discharging into the cleaning bath 113 (108, 116) the cleaning water supplied from a cleaning water supply mechanism 123; and a compressed air outlet 204, disposed on the trajectory of the cleaning water discharged from the cleaning water outlet 203, for discharging the compressed air supplied from a compressed air supply mechanism 124 toward a sample probe 111b or a reagent probe 120 inserted in the cleaning bath 113 (108, 106).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiki Muramatsu, Akihiro Yasui, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Yoichi Aruga
  • Patent number: 11228276
    Abstract: A system for ultrasonic cleaning of a solar panel includes a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) ultrasonic transducers arranged on a side wall of the solar panel and/or under transparent glass on a surface of the solar panel; a hydraulic sun tracking mechanism configured to move the solar panel into a plurality of positions; a valve connected to a water source; and a controller which controls the plurality MEMS ultrasonic transducers, the sun tracking mechanism, and the valve, wherein the controller is configured to activate a cleaning protocol comprising the steps of moving the solar panel into a substantially horizontal position; opening the valve to allow a water flow over the surface of the solar panel; activating the plurality of MEMS ultrasonic transducers to apply ultrasonic waves to the water on the surface of the solar panel, wherein signal interference from different transducers are controlled to generate a rotating focused ultrasound signal over the surface of the solar panel; and m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ahmed Elseddawy, Hatem Sindi, Maher Azzouz
  • Patent number: 11203046
    Abstract: A cleaning and sanitizing apparatus for handheld devices may comprise a cuboid-shaped unit body having a top end and a base end, a slot opening, a user interface and microcontroller system for governing the individual components of the said cleaning and sanitizing apparatus for handheld devices, a gripping and carriage apparatus, a removeable cleaning solution reservoir, a pump and sprayer apparatus for dispensing cleaning solution, a moveable cleaning roller apparatus for cleaning the surfaces of handheld devices as such devices are lowered into and raised from the said unit body, and an irradiation chamber located at the base of the cuboid shaped body including at least one germicidal ultraviolet lamp array housed inside the said unit body. The apparatus may further comprise a wireless induction charging module configured to charge a handheld device while the handheld device is within the enclosure or compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventors: Benjamin Kay, Zachariah Gambino, Hermelindo Ramirez, Victor Siemens
  • Patent number: 11192147
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus removes foreign substances from a substrate at high removal efficiency. The substrate processing apparatus includes: a scrubber to perform surface processing of the substrate by bringing a scrubbing member into sliding contact with a first surface of the substrate, a hydrostatic support mechanism for supporting a second surface of the substrate via fluid pressure without contacting the substrate, the second surface being an opposite surface of the first surface, a cleaner to clean the processed substrate, and a dryer to dry the cleaned substrate. The scrubber brings the scrubbing member into sliding contact with the first surface while rotating the scrubbing member about a central axis of the scrubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Ishii, Hiroyuki Kawasaki, Kenichi Nagaoka, Kenya Ito
  • Patent number: 11173880
    Abstract: A vehicle washing system and a method for operating such a vehicle washing system in which a vehicle is scanned in a longitudinal direction by a sensor device. Measurement data are captured so that position data for the positions of vehicle wheels are determined based on an evaluation of the measurement data. The determined position data of the positions of the wheels are subjected to a confidence check, so that a confidence measure is determined. If the determined confidence measure is greater than or equal to a confidence threshold value, a treatment of the wheels is carried out in a first mode at the positions associated with the position data, and, if the determined confidence measure is smaller than the confidence threshold value, a treatment of the wheels is not carried out, or is carried out in a second mode at the positions associated with the position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: WASHTEC HOLDING GMBH
    Inventor: Wolfgang Dietsch