Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for cooling semiconductor substrates prior to handling. In one embodiment, a substrate and support structure combination is lifted after high temperature processing to a cold wall of a thermal processing chamber, which acts as a heat sink. Conductive heat transfer across a small gap from the substrate to the heat sink speeds wafer cooling prior to handling the wafer (e.g., with a robot). In another embodiment, a separate plate is kept cool within a pocket during processing, and is moved close to the substrate and support after processing. In yet another embodiment, a cooling station between a processing chamber and a storage cassette includes two movable cold plates, which are movable to positions closely spaced on either side of the wafer.

Abstract: An air circulator unit with adjustable size is provided including a housing situated within a window frame. The housing includes a pair of halves each defining an interior space, an open front face and an open rear face. The housing further includes a length adjuster having a pair of ends coupled between the halves of the housing with a plurality of bellows formed therebetween for allowing the movement of the halves along a single axis. At least one fan unit is mounted within the interior space of each of the halves for directing air between the open faces of the housing.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers includes the controlled-rate extraction of a wafer immersed in rinsing liquid, irradiation of the wafer using high intensity lights or filaments along the wafer-liquid interface, and delivery of gas streams against the wafer along the wafer-liquid interface using a gas delivery system. Heating is controlled to create a temperature gradient without evaporating rinsing fluid adhering to surfaces of the wafer. Heating by the radiation sources creates a temperature gradient in the wafer in the irradiated region that simultaneously generates a surface tension gradient in the water adhering to the wafer. The gas delivery system removes the bulk of the water adhering to the wafer surface, and also suppresses the height of the rinsing liquid adhering to the wafer, providing faster extraction of dry and highly clean wafers from the rinsing liquid. A solvent vapor is optionally injected at the wafer-liquid interface, to reduce adhesion of the liquid to the vapor.

Abstract: The invention concerns a blow-suction box or equivalent for a paper machine or board machine, which box comprises at least a pressure chamber and which box is placed in the vicinity of a cylinder, roll, or equivalent, from which cylinder, roll or equivalent, a web and/or a wire is/are fitted to run past the box. In connection with the pressure chamber, a nozzle slot has been arranged, out of which a sealing blowing is fitted to be applied towards the cylinder, roll or equivalent and/or towards the web and/or wire running on its face in order to disintegrate the boundary-layer air flow carried along with the web and/or wire. In connection with the nozzle slot, an air guide made of a resilient material has been fitted in order to direct the sealing blowing and to enhance the sealing further.

Abstract: A portable purge system for transporting materials, such as semiconductor wafers used in the manufacture of ICs, comprises a carrier having compartments for releasably receiving and enclosing the materials therein. The carrier is flooded with an inert gas such as nitrogen so as to adsorb the nitrogen on the surface of the materials, dilute contaminants, and purge the contaminants from the carrier. The carrier and the flooding means are mounted in a transport case. A humidifier is connected to the flooding means so that the materials will adsorb water and thereby further resist adsorption of hydrocarbon contaminants.

Abstract: A hand drier for drying the hands in a turbulent air flow region of cross flowing multiple air streams, and for recycling already heated air for reheating to conserve energy and having a housing and a fan in the housing to create air flow, scrolls for dividing the air flow into two air streams, and guiding them in opposite directions, a heater for heating the air, and, air outlets spaced apart from one another for receiving the air streams so as to redirect respective air streams from opposite directions and cause them to flow countercurrent in opposition to one another to produce a turbulent air flow where the two countercurrent air streams meet, in which the hands can be placed for drying.

Abstract: A drying machine includes a rectangular housing, a plurality of tubular heater spacedly disposed on lower portion of the housing, a plurality of seasoning containers releasibly disposed above the tubular heaters, a plurality of electrical fans rotatably disposed above the seasoning containers and uniformly operated by a motor on the top of the housing and a heat exchanger on the top of the housing to form a hot air circulation to dry meat inside the housing. The housing farther includes a plurality of controllable air vents, a plurality of visual windows and a control panel which controls the operation of the elements to be worked in high quality control.

Abstract: A new accessory for combustion devices such as swimming pool heaters for preventing downdrafting and allowing for proper ventilation. The inventive device includes a vertically disposed pipe extending upwardly from a combustion device. The pipe has a generally cylindrical configuration. The pipe has an open upper end. The open upper end has a plurality of circumferentially spaced brackets extending upwardly therefrom. Upper ends of the brackets have an upper pipe extending upwardly therefrom. The upper pipe has open upper and lower ends. The open upper end of the upper pipe has a plurality of circumferentially spaced brackets extending outwardly therefrom. A draft hood is secured to the brackets of the vertically disposed pipe downwardly of the upper ends thereof. A vent cap is removably secured to upper ends of the brackets of the upper pipe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and process for transporting flat objects confined in a specific atmosphere. The device comprises at least one assembly provided with several thin, flat cells (31) that open onto a lateral face (33) of said assembly with the cells arranged in parallel and linked by the same ventilation system. Each cell is constructed to receive a flat object (10) and is closed by an independent door (33). The cells are arranged in tandem and the device includes assembly means for interlocking an upper cell to an adjacent lower cell in each successive pair and in a complementary arrangement.

Abstract: A cross-direction dryer for typically drying a continuous web of paper or paper to which coating has just been applied provides both for baseline drying and a linear moisture profile by the use of respectively gas and electric heating portions of the heater units. Profile control is normally provided by control of the voltage to electric heating lamps. Such heating lamps are suspended over a large area gas burner to provide a combined increased infrared heat output. Encapsulation of the heating lamps with quartz provides for reradiation of the medium wavelength radiation produced by the gas burner. Thyristor switching for the quartz halogen heat lamps may be located adjacent to each heater unit and cooled by the combustion air for the gas burners.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus is described for drying a load of moist fibrous material, particularly a load of laundry washed and placed in a washer/drier machine or a clothes drier, wherein a closed-circuit flow of superheated steam at 102-180.degree. C. and substantially at atmospheric pressure is passed through the load of fibrous material. The method is characterized in that, prior to the superheated steam drying step, the air in the closed circuit is flushed therefrom with steam.

Abstract: A dryer for curing articles with printings thereon is disclosed. The system includes an exterior housing, an interior lining defining a drying chamber within the exterior housing, means for heating an article within the drying chamber, and a surface for supporting the article within the drying chamber. The dryer housing preferably includes an entrance opening and an exit opening to allow articles to pass through the drying chamber. The dryer may include a conveyor system for automatically moving the articles from the entrance to the exit. The means for heating the articles or directing heated air onto the articles is preferably adjustable in a vertical direction, while the interior lining is made from a non-conductive material, such as fiberglass or a fiberglass cloth. An air duct carrying air into the drying chamber is connected at the one end of the lining, preferably on the dryer's top wall, while a return air duct is preferably connected to a separate bottom wall panel of the drying chamber.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for mechanical and thermal dewatering of solid-liquid mixture, particularly industrial and sewage sludges, feeds the sludge to a dewatering device to produce a dewatered material which is then dried in a thermal drier. The dewatered sludge is reduced to a granulate-like structure without any intermediate stage and is then dried immediately afterwards. An apparatus for implementing the process includes a mechanical dewatering device being directly connected to a feed unit to produce a granulate-like structure and which is permanently connected to the thermal drier.

Abstract: A continuous drying apparatus for a porous web including a porous web for traveling on a drying line, a heating cylinder for contacting the porous web at its circumferential surface and rotating in synchronization with the travel of the porous web to heat the porous web, a drying band for contacting and supporting a surface of the porous web which is out of contact with the heating cylinder and also for rotating in synchronization with the travel of the porous web, and a pressure rotating body disposed near the circumference of the heating cylinder and outside the drying band. The pressure rotating body is constructed of a rotating member for rotating and contacting an exterior surface of the drying band and a pressure device for pressurizing the rotating member toward the heating cylinder. With this, a porous web can be efficiently dried.

Abstract: A cooling unit reduces the temperature of heat shrink tool holders and extensions to ambient temperature. The cooling unit includes a housing with a removable cooling tray. The cooling tray is formed with a plurality of receptacles configured to accommodate a heat shrink tool holder or extension. Additionally, a blower is disposed within the housing for propelling a flow of ambient temperature air over the cooling tray to cool the heat shrink tool holders or extensions to ambient temperature. The blower in the cooling unit may be an axial fan with an axial inlet in fluid communication with the ambient temperature air and a radial outlet to direct the flow of air over the cooling tray. Additionally, the housing may further includes a damper disposed between the radial outlet of the fan and the cooling tray for selectively regulating the flow of air over the cooling tray.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and several exemplary apparatus for capillary dewatering of foam materials. The apparatus may include felt which is applied to an exposed face of the foam material, or a double felt arrangement applied to two opposed surfaces of the foam material. The apparatus may provide a temperature differential between the two exposed surfaces of the foam material. An alternative embodiment utilizes a roll having a capillary dewatering medium. The capillary dewatering medium may be maintained at a vacuum either above or below the breakthrough vacuum of the capillaries. The disclosed apparatus and method are particularly useful for dewatering foams having relatively fine open capillaries.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for confirming the initial conditions of a clothes dryer prior to the start of the drying cycle is provided. The clothes dryer comprises a drying chamber with air inlet and outlet ports. A blower powered by a first motor is arranged in the outlet port to draw air into the drying chamber through the inlet port. A burner for heating the air before it enters the drying chamber is arranged in the inlet port. Also arranged at the inlet port is an air proving device for measuring the air flow through the drying chamber. A second motor is provided for the drive system which creates the tumbling action in the drying chamber. The air flow proving device must be enabled before the second motor is started.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the volume of air that is supplied and exhausted from a electronic semiconductor manufacturing wet bench is disclosed. The volume of air that is exhausted from the wet bench is increased during predetermined portions of the manufacturing process and is reduced during noncritical times as a function of predetermined conditions that may be detected or otherwise determined during the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A numerical control device comprises a box structure, a board unit housed inside the box structure, a wire distribution board disposed on the rear surface of the box structure, and a fan unit detachably mounted to the top surface of the box structure. The fan unit has a fan motor inside. A first connector wired from a power supply terminal is secured to the box structure while a second connector wired from a fan motor is secured to the fan unit at a position opposite the first connector secured to the box structure. Thus, the second connector can be connected to and removed from the first connector.

Abstract: In a process and an apparatus (1) for spray drying or spray cooling of the so-called Filtermat.RTM. type, a more uniform product layer (7) is achieved by collecting and/or treating the product on a screen means (8, 14, 19) providing a pressure difference being at least 1.5, preferably from 1.5 to 30 and particularly from about 2 to about 20 times that provided by the product layer, when collected.